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#2671

From: Imah Saman <shamirahsha@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:28 am
Subject:: Re: Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas

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People read that .....UJ doing good in Singapore too

I'm so happy....and for all to know...i've seen UJ twice in Singapore

Cheers

Imah

----- Original Message ----
From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
To: Abhishek-Online@...
Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2006 4:38:13 PM
Subject: [Abhishek-Online] Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas

Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas

By Rohini Bhandari 6 November 2006, 08:29 PM
	MUMBAI: While J.P Dutta's Umrao Jaan starring Aishwarya Rai and Abhishekh Bachchan hasn’t done well at the box office in India, the reports from the overseas are certainly looking up. Adlabs is the worldwide distributor of Umrao Jaan. Adlabs Films COO Sunir Khetarpal informs, "Umrao Jaan is doing better business in the overseas then in India.” In UAE, the film did a business of 500,000 dirham. In the UK Umrao Jaan has garnered 135,000 pounds, whereas in the US, the box office collections are $ 300,000, which also includes Canada. “In Canada, the film is doing exceptionally well and has collected 100,000 Canadian dollars,” adds Khetarpal. "The film is also doing good business in Singapore too," he says. Umrao Jaan also stars Shabana Azmi Suniel Shetty and Divya Dutta. The film released worldwide on 3 November, 2006.

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#2670

From: Imah Saman <shamirahsha@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:34 am
Subject:: Two Bachchans and an Ash!

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Two Bachchans and an Ash!

common courtesy? Aishwarya Rai with Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan pic/ Rakesh Dave

What do you expect when the our-lips-are-sealed Bachchans and the woman-of-the-moment Aishwarya Rai gather under one roof? The father and the son playing perfect gentlemen around Ash at the music launch of Mani Ratnam¢s forthcoming Guru. They flanked the Rai girl and hovered around protectively around her.

Just protecting their own, we guess. Jr Bachchan grabbed the mike and did the talking as papa dearest looked on. Mani Ratnam, Gulzar, AR Rahman and R Madhavan attended. The oh-so-controversial Mallika Sherawat and the oh-so-reclusive Vidya Balan skipped the event.

Well, Jr Bachchan even managed to drag a few friends (read Shaad Ali, Preity Zinta, Rohan Sippy and Bappi Lahiri) to have the oh-so-important star-quotient of the event soaring.

PS: And oh-not-to-forget Abhi¢s KANK co-star Preity Zinta hobbled in wearing a black number.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2006/november/146205.htm

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#2669

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:10 am
Subject:: 'Guru' music launch

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'Guru' music launch
Monday, November 06, 2006 10:47:51 am

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The year 2006 has been a year with a variety of subjects making an impression at the box office. And, the year promises to end on a bright note as well with Mani Ratnam's 'Guru' set for a December 22 release.

Guru, the next Hindi film from Mani Ratnam's stable is all set to hit the charts as the music of the film was released on Sunday (November 5) night in Mumbai. The occasion was not only graced by Abhishek Bachchan and rest of the film's star cast, but also by the Big B has he played compere for the night.

The music for this Mani Ratnam film is composed by AR Rahman and penned by Gulzar. Its been after nearly eight years since this trio last worked together.

/photo.cms?msid=337179

“I'm excited that the music is done and we're ready to play it for the people. I'm very happy with what AR Rahman and Gulzarsaab have done for us,” said director Mani ratnam.

‘Guru’, they say, can be summed up in three words summing up the essence of 'Guru' - villager, visionary and winner. The film is inspired by the life of Dhirubhai Ambani and has Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai sharing the screen space together once again.

“It’s inspired by many great Indians and many great lives; people who have set about fulfilling their dreams. Dhirubhai is one such person and I'm sure he serves as a great inspiration to Mani (Ratnam) as well,” said Abhishek Bachchan.

One thing to certainly look forward to in this film is Mallika Sherawat, who will be seen playing a cameo. One can only hope that there is no culture shock for the audience to see Abhishek and Ashwarya playing three completely different roles in three films back to back. Now that the music of ‘Guru’ is out, the expectations for the film continue to rise.

By Gayatri Kerkar

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#2668

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:11 am
Subject:: Guru, a film inspired by many lives

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Guru, a film inspired by many lives

Aarti Kapur Singh

CNN-IBN

Posted Monday , November 06, 2006 at 13:05

Updated Monday , November 06, 2006 at 13:10

GUARDING GURU: The film is perhaps Mani Ratnam's most closely guarded film after Iruvar.

GURU COOL: Guru's music was released in Mumbai this weekend.

WAITING FOR GURU: The film also stars Mithun, Vidya Balan and Mallika Sherawat.

Mumbai: The music of Mani Ratnam's much-awaited film Guru was released at a starry event in Mumbai this weekend.

Mani Ratnam, Gulzar and A R Rahman - the ensemble that gave to the audience Dil Se has got together once again with the much talked-about and yet closely guarded film, Guru.

And even as the proud father - Amitabh Bachchan - took on the role of introducing Abhishek Bachchan to the audience, neither he, nor any of the cast and crew are spilling the beans.

"Guru is not based on anybody's life, it is inspired by many great lives," was all Junior Bachchan had to say.

"I don't know whether to call it a biopic, but it definitely follows the arc of a real life story," added Aishwarya Rai.

"It's a fictional film, but it hopefully will be in touch with reality," said director Mani Ratnam.

Guru is perhaps Mani Ratnam's most closely guarded film after Iruvar. It is for this reason that music albums and CDs were not handed out to guests at the music launch of the film.

But here's what you can expect from the film's soundtrack.

"It starts with a Gujarati sound, goes on to Turkish, then very north Indian friendly kind of music and also some opera stuff," said music composer A R Rahman in an effort to lift the veil a bit.

Apart from Abhishek and Aishwarya, the film also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Madhavan, Vidya Balan and Arya Babbar with a cameo by Mallika Sherawat.

And whether or not Guru is the Dhirubhai Ambani saga, one will have to wait till the last week of December to find out.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/guru-a-film-inspired-by-many-lives/25536-8.html

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#2667

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:08 am
Subject:: Abhishek Bachchan - Interview

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Abhishek Bachchan - Interview

Glamsham.com

Abhishek Bachchan is effusive in his praise for co-star Aishwarya Rai's work in "Umrao Jaan". The film is an out-and-out Aishwarya film and he is just a small player in it, he says.

"'Umrao Jaan' is about Aishwarya's character. It's her movie. I'm one of the small players in the film. She's a very capable artist and someone who can shoulder an entire film. She's done a fantastic job in 'Umrao Jaan'. I've worked with her earlier. This is truly her best work so far," Abhishek told IANS in an interview.

But he adds that irrespective of the length of his role, "Umrao Jaan" was a challenge for him.

"The film was a special challenge because there was no ready reference-point for the era that we were working on. We had to rely totally on the research done by J.P. saab ... which was very thorough. The language, body language - everything was entirely different from the way we conduct ourselves today."

Talking about his character in Mani Ratnam's "Guru", Abhishek said: "Well... he isn't a poet and nawab as in "Umrao Jaan" nor a cool cop as in "Dhoom 2". It's about a character who dares to dream."

Excerpts:

Another era, another milieu...poetry, music, romance...
I've never done anything like this before. "Umrao Jaan" is my first period film. I was suddenly transported into this world, which is completely poetic and lyrical, and so very different from what I've been doing so far. I'm so lucky to be an actor.

I get to go into places and eras that have gone. "Umrao Jaan" was a special challenge because there was no ready reference-point for the era that we were working on. We had to rely totally on the research done by J.P. saab ...

which was very thorough. The language, body language - everything was entirely different from the way we conduct ourselves today.

What should the audience expect from "Umrao Jaan"?
Well, it's the story of the courtesan "Umrao Jaan" played by Aishwarya Rai. So there's plenty of dancing. But it's also a very emotional and dramatic story. I see it as a cluster-breaker. In today's day and age, when whatever we see in cinema is contemporary it's nice to reclaim such a glorious era.

http://www.glamsham.com/movies/interviews/abhishek_bachchan12.asp

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#2666

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 9:09 am
Subject:: Abhishek's changing faces

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Abhishek's changing faces
Monday, November 06, 2006 07:32:28 am

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Abhishek Bachchan has two movies from opposite genres lined up just before the year end. TIMES NOW correspondent Gayatri Kerkar gets Abhishek talking about how he balances between his changing faces.

GK: You have three movies lined up before the year ends. Are you nervous or excited?
AB: Both, excitement mixed with a lot of nerves.

GK: Is it going to be a culture shock for the audiences seeing you in Umrao Jaan, then Dhoom 2, followed by Guru?
AB: No, I don't think so. I think the audience wants change; they want to see their actors doing something different. I think those days are gone where they want to see us do a similar thing. I think its wonderful that we get to work at a time when our Indian cinema is going through a wonderful change. We have great directors who are taking steps to push the envelope. What more can an actor ask for? It's a very exciting period.

Abhishek Bachchan in ‘Guru’

GK: How would you describe your role in Guru?
AB: Guru is about a common man who has a dream to conquer the world, and how he goes about doing that. He faces many adversaries and obstacles but never gives in. He is somebody who fights for the common man and eventually fulfills his dream. It's a very interesting character because it spans fifty years; we first meet Guru at the age of 15 and leave him at 80. For an actor, you can't ask for a better character, and who better than Mani (Ratnam) to direct a film like this!

GK: In Dhoom 2, you reprise the same character, but is there anything else you'd like to say about the role?
AB: Well, its the second part. Adi's (Aditya Chopra) brief was that it should be better and bigger, and that's what we've tried. Its a lot of fun; Dhoom is a very fun film. Its the kind of film where you can go in, be entertained, come out, and not think too much about it. It's the kind of cinema I love - it's big, it's got action, and great actors.

By Gayatri Kerkar

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#2665

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:47 am
Subject:: SONY BMG launches the music of GURU

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SONY BMG launches the music of GURU

Bollywood Trade News Network

Sony BMG is proud to present its latest venture GURU, a project that showcases the work of a stupendous trio - Mani Ratnam, Gulzar and A R Rahman. GURU is presented by one of the most respected banners in the country - Madras Talkies. More than 8 years after the magical DIL SE', this ensemble returns with one of the most anticipated films of this year. GURU's music is composed by A R Rahman and the songs have been penned by Gulzar. Music fans all over have been definitely looking forward to these three masters re-uniting. In GURU, their rich collaboration promises to create a summum bonum of the classic and the contemporary.

The concept of GURU has been summarized in three words- 'Villager. Visionary, Winner'. The cast of this film boasts the likes of Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakravarty, Madhavan and Vidya Balan.

There are 7 enthralling tracks in GURU, which feature some of the best voices in the industry today - Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Hariharan, Shreya Ghoshal, Chitra, Madhushree, A R Rahman and Bappi Lahiri.

Mani Ratnam and A R Rahman's celebrated association, which commenced with the trend setting ROJA, has been path breaking, creating landmark after landmark on the map of music in Indian Cinema. Says Mani Ratnam, "A R Rahman loves working laterally. You tell him the situation is of a parting but you would like a love song, which is bustling, his eyes will light up. He loves to work against the grain and on a level that compliments the film and not just merely underlines it. A R is a director's dream and nightmare. Dream because he will give you much more time than you ask for and nightmare because he will not be satisfied with the music even if you are. A perfectionist".

Shedding light on their partnership, A R Rahman explains, "In these past fifteen years Mani and I have gone through more or less everything in this journey through film and music. Each time, more than us, people are looking forward to what these guys are going to do. That is a challenge. For me, when I look at a scene each time I'm wondering what I can do, what can I do differently. And I'm sure Mani feels the same way when he hears my music. And this whole film is about that - interpreting it - with the same soul but with a different approach".

Commenting at the launch, Mr. Shridhar Subramaniam, Managing Director, Sony BMG Entertainment (India) Pvt. Ltd. Said, "Mani Ratnam, A R Rahman and Gulzar - the 3 modern day masters working together is something that is eagerly anticipated by all. Over the years, they have provided us with memorable and trend setting hits. We at SONY BMG are privileged and confident that GURU is one more album that every music lover will enjoy and treasure in this and the years to come."

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#2664

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:31 am
Subject:: Mani Ratnam unveils Guru's starcast

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Mani Ratnam unveils Guru's starcast
Geetanjali Prasad, Rohit Khilnani

Monday, November 6, 2006:

Watch story (Mumbai):

Mani Ratnam unveiled the starcast of Guru to a packed media.

However, the media only provided the flashbulbs as the questions came from the special guest Amitabh Bachchan, who was playing the reporter for the evening.

In the firing line was his son and if you believe the rumour mills, then his prospective daughter in law as well.

Rumour goes that that junior Bachchan's character is inspired by the legendary Dhirubhai Ambani.

"No, it is not inspired. There is nothing like that," said Mani Ratnam, Director.

"It has shades of what you are saying, but it's not completely based on one person. It has shades of many other people too," said Abhishek Bachchan.

Return to Bollywood

For Mani Ratnam, he is returning to Bollywood after two years. His last film was Yuva, which impressed the critics, but not the box office.

However, a lot of commercial hope is riding on Guru, and not just for the director.

Even the lead pair, after the Umrao Jaan washout, is desperate for a breakthrough.

But going by Mani Ratnam's track record, there are no apprehensions about the music so far. He has roped in the old faithfuls who are striking the right chords.

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#2663

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:46 am
Subject:: Abhishek adds more meat to his role

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Abhishek adds more meat to his role

Aarti Kapur Singh

CNN-IBN

Posted Monday , November 06, 2006 at 13:38

Updated Monday , November 06, 2006 at 15:44

Mumbai: After Umrao Jaan, there seems to be an avalanche of Abhishek Bachchan films - Dhoom 2 this month and the much awaited Guru in December. In between his choc-a-bloc schedule, Abhishek talks about his celluloid platter.

Aarti Kapur Singh: Do you look at Guru as a biopic or a love story?

Abhishek Bachchan: It is a love story within a biopic. It’s not very tough when you have a director like Mani Ratnam who is very precise about what he wants and more than precise about what he needs. He is a director who is willing to involve his actors into the script of the film to such a degree that you get to contribute a lot and build something good.

Aarti Kapur Singh: You have put on 11 kg for this film, was that tough?

Abhishek Bachchan: It is very tough actually. Initially you think that this would be a ‘cakewalk,’ no pun intended, but after about a week when you pile on the kilos it becomes very demanding. But then it was what Mani had demanded and asked me to deliver long time ago.

Aarti Kapur Singh: There is going to be a slew of Abhishek Bachchan films, Umrao Jaan last week, now Guru and then Dhoom 2. Good times looking up for you?

Abhishek Bachchan: I have always believed if you can’t beat them with quality, kill them with quantity. Don’t give them a choice and they would love you. The date of release is not in my hands, it’s up to the producers. It just so happens that every year there is a period where about four-five of my films come up at the same time. I am keeping my fingers crossed, we have worked very hard on all these films whether its Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2 or Guru. Let’s hope for the best and see what happens.

Aarti Kapur Singh: Trust me, no one is really complaining about getting an extra dose of Abhishek Bachchan on the celluloid platter. Thank you for talking to us.

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#2662

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:36 am
Subject:: Mani stays hush-hush on Guru

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Mani stays hush-hush on Guru

Aarti Kapur Singh

CNN-IBN

Posted Monday , November 06, 2006 at 17:37

Mumbai: Director Mani Ratnam's films are usually kept under wraps till their release. However, he makes an exception to talk about his new film Guru during it's audio release in Mumbai.

Aarti Kapur Singh: Mani Ratnam’s films are mostly slices from the real life. So, the obvious question to you is, how close to reality is Guru?

Mani Ratnam: It is a fictional film but hopefully it will be in touch with reality.

Aarti Kapur Singh: The character that Abhishek Bachchan plays, Gurukant Desai, thinks or at least says that one should think ahead, think big and think fast. Is that how you would describe the process of making Guru?

Mani Ratnam: No, it was not that easy to think big and think fast. We had to think hard and that is what goes into making a film. The film is about this character who is from a village and he climbs up the social ladder. So, we follow him and his path is what the film takes.

Aarti Kapur Singh: You are only fueling further speculation.

Mani Ratnam: I can’t help that. It is a fictional film and we are trying to stay with the character.

Aarti Kapur Singh: Can we call the film a biopic? Is that how you would present the film? Is it a love story or do you think it is an inspirational film?

Mani Ratnam: Why do you want to classify it or conveniently put it in pigeon holes? It is a film that we have put together so let us see how it looks.

Aarti Kapur Singh: Guru of course releases in December and then you begin work on Lajjo. Is the Chennai film industry going to miss you for a long time?

Mani Ratnam: They are not complaining (laughs). They are probably saying good!

Aarti Kapur Singh: Trust me neither are we. Thank you for talking to us.

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#2661

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:38 am
Subject:: Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas

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Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas

By Rohini Bhandari 6 November 2006, 08:29 PM
	MUMBAI: While J.P Dutta's Umrao Jaan starring Aishwarya Rai and Abhishekh Bachchan hasn’t done well at the box office in India, the reports from the overseas are certainly looking up. Adlabs is the worldwide distributor of Umrao Jaan. Adlabs Films COO Sunir Khetarpal informs, "Umrao Jaan is doing better business in the overseas then in India.” In UAE, the film did a business of 500,000 dirham. In the UK Umrao Jaan has garnered 135,000 pounds, whereas in the US, the box office collections are $ 300,000, which also includes Canada. “In Canada, the film is doing exceptionally well and has collected 100,000 Canadian dollars,” adds Khetarpal. "The film is also doing good business in Singapore too," he says. Umrao Jaan also stars Shabana Azmi Suniel Shetty and Divya Dutta. The film released worldwide on 3 November, 2006.

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#2660

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 8:29 am
Subject:: Moments with Manirathnam

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Moments with Manirathnam

IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, November 07, 2006]

A Manirathnam movie always evokes expectations and is the butt of some guesses.

His latest Guru is no exception.

Though made in Hindi, with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in the leads, Guru has already set the industry thinking.

Manirathnam as ever is very economical with words.

The film’s music, by A R Rahman, is also being talked of very highly.

Guru is believed to be a story on the life of Ambani (Dhirubhai).

Manirathnam, who was in Mumbai recently, said Guru, was a fictional film but hopefully it will be in touch with reality.

He added: ‘The film is about this character who is from a village and he climbs up the social ladder. So, we follow him and his path is what the film takes.’

As we said, Manirathnam is always measured.

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#2659

From: Imah Saman <shamirahsha@...>
Date:: Tue Nov 7, 2006 7:15 am
Subject:: Fw: [bigb] Gushing mama hushes up-¡not-nice¢ snap on off-screen equations

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----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Fatima Mohamed <MohamedF@...>
To: bigb@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2006 1:54:55 PM
Subject: [bigb] Gushing mama hushes up-‘not-nice’ snap on off-screen equations

Gushing mama hushes up

- ‘not-nice’ snap on off-screen equations

RESHMI SENGUPTA

Abhishek and Aishwarya in Umrao Jaan. (Right): Jaya on the Sunglass sets. Pix: Aranya Sen

Calcutta, Nov. 6: Gushing about the on-screen pairing but brushing off the off-screen one, Jaya Bachchan swung from mother candid to mother cagey three days after the release of Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai’s Umrao Jaan.

“I have seen Umrao Jaan... What I loved about the film is that Abhishek and Aishwarya looked very nice together… And I loved that,” declared Jaya, in between playing mother to Konkona Sen Sharma on the sets of Rituparno Ghosh’s Sunglass on Monday afternoon. “I can’t say how good or bad a film it is. It’s very difficult for me to be objective. I liked the film and I liked Abhishek’s performance. He was very comfortable in the role and he gave a look to the film…”

And his lady love? “Aishwarya, I thought, was quite good,” said the Bachchan bahu.

Then, when the obvious question was popped — so, is Abhishek going to marry Aishwarya — Jaya snapped: “That’s not a nice question to ask.” Period.

The “not a nice question” is, of course, being asked in hushed tones everywhere in the film fraternity. The biggest buzz in Bollywood grew louder when at the stroke of midnight on November 1, the Bachchans co-hosted a birthday bash for Aishwarya in Mumbai.

Three days later, the Ash-Abhishek-J.P. Dutta film hit the theatres — the first in a long line of Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom II, Mani Ratnam’s Guru and Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar 2, where the two share screen space.

Monday took Jaya to St James Church and a house in south Calcutta, where some mother-daughter scenes were canned for the film that Ritparno and she had first discussed 10 years ago.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061107/asp/jamshedpur/story_6968427.asp

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#2658

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Fri Nov 3, 2006 11:33 am
Subject:: Umrao Jaan - India FM Review

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Umrao Jaan

By Taran Adarsh, November 3, 2006 - 16:07 IST

J.P. Dutta is one of the finest storytellers around. Right from his directorial debut GHULAMI to his last release L.O.C., J.P. has had the courage to narrate stories that excite him first and foremost. Some films worked, some didn’t. But J.P. continued with his practice of choosing subjects that not many dream merchants would dare to dream.

Quite obviously, UMRAO JAAN, his latest outing, evokes tremendous anxiety. Sadly, it’s bound to meet with diverse reactions/feedback…

UMRAO JAAN has sensitive performances, it is visually rich with the bygone era captured beautifully on celluloid and the stamp of a master storyteller is visible in crucial scenes. But there’s a flip side too. It’s not a enriching, satisfying and fulfilling experience, it’s toooooo long [20 reels; 3 hour + duration], has too many songs and lacks the power to keep you hooked in entirety.
In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that the lethargic pacing coupled with the unnecessary length make UMRAO JAAN a bejaan experience!

A courtesan and a poetess in her own right, Umrao Jaan [Aishwarya Rai] was a name to reckon with in Avadh. If Lucknow was the heart of Avadh, Umrao was the heart beat.

When she first came to Lucknow, she was Amiran, the eight-year-old daughter of a lower middle class family. Her father [Parikshit Sahni] was a jamadar at the ‘Bahu Begum ka Makhbara’ in Faizabad. A pious and simple man, he gave evidence in a case against Dilawar Khan [Vishwajeet Pradhan]. Dilawar was sentenced to jail for ten years. After finishing his sentence, Dilawar came out, only to kidnap little Amiran, cart her to Lucknow and sell her to a kotha owned by the astute Khanum Sahib [Shabana Azmi]. This was the vengeance and a few rupees as bonus. “Let her suffer a death worse than a death,” he said.

A kotha in that age, especially that of Khanum, was not only a cultural hub known for excellence in performing arts but also a temple of learning -- learning the art of living. As an inmate of the kotha, little Amiran benefited the most. Khanum gave her the name ‘Umrao’, Bua Hussaini [Himani Shivpuri] brought her up in style, Maulvi Sahib [Kulbhushan Kharbanda] imparted education, Khan Sahib initiated her into the world of music while the great Kathak Acharya made her feet move to rhythm.

In the company of Bismillah [Divya Dutta], Khurshid [Ayesha Julka] and Gauhar Mirza [Puru Raaj Kumar], Umrao developed varied skills including poetry. The pen name ‘Ada’ was ample proof of the proficiency in writing and presenting poetry that she went on to acquire.

Graduating in years, Umrao became a rage in Lucknow. A beauty that was stunning, a manner that was enticing and words that were soul stirring, made the name of Umrao Jaan mean sheer joy of watching and listening.

Stepping into youth, she had to seek the love of her life. His name was Nawab Sultan [Abhishek Bachchan]. With the whole of Avadh at her feet, Umrao craved for Sultan’s company. Somewhere deep inside her, she had a dream of a husband, a family and a home. She chased her dream from one end of the rainbow to the other.

But there were hiccups in the form of a dacoit Faiz [Suniel Shetty], who was smitten by Umrao. Subsequently, the misunderstanding with Nawab Sultan takes place. Later, the war of independence makes her homeless. And much later, her mother [Maya Alagh] and brother disown her. Amiran is forced to become Umrao Jaan again.

UMRAO JAAN takes off on a positive note. The story of the little Amiran, who is kidnapped and sold to a kotha in Lucknow, is sensitively depicted. The entire track -- sequences with her parents and also with Khanum [Shabana] and Bua [Himani] -- unravel beautifully. Then Sultan walks in Umrao’s life. Love is in the air. You begin to ponder: UMRAO JAAN is akin to a poem on celluloid.

Romance takes over and the story comes to a grinding and screeching halt. Two/three songs flow in one after the other. You start getting restless and impatient. Agreed, J.P. had to be faithful to Ruswa’s literary work. But the songs are completely unwanted and only add to the extra length. The sad part is, Anu Malik’s music, although in sync with the film, comes across as an unwanted guest in the narrative.

The turning point comes in the form of the Sultan’s father, who disowns him. An interesting twist in the tale. The dacoit walks in, he wants Umrao at any cost. He even convinces her to come along and spend a month with him. She agrees. Interesting. Sultan gets to know the half-truth. He’s upset. He shuns her. She returns back to Khanum. Okay.

The war of independence breaks out. Umrao reaches Faizabad. Her home-town. She comes face to face with her mother and brother. She weeps, they’re not convinced. Sadly, the emotions don’t touch the heart here. You don’t feel sorry for Umrao. She gives her last performance in Faizabad. One more song. Ideally, the movie should’ve ended with Umrao walking out of her house and her brother slamming the gates on her face.

If J.P. deserves meritorious points for drawing sensitive performances and also taking you to 19th century Lucknow, you want to deduct many points for the slow and tiresome narrative and also unwanted scenes and songs. As an editor, J.P. fails to keep you hooked. The film can easily do without three/four songs and also a few scenes. Ideally, a 25/30-minute trimming is a must!

Anu Malik’s music is a minus point here, partly because people want to listen to the story and the songs here add to the boredom. O.P. Dutta’s dialogues are exemplary. Dutta Sr. is a supremely gifted writer and his work in UMRAO JAAN stands out in every sequence. Costumes [Anna Singh and Bindiya Dutta] are rich. Cinematography [A. Bose] is flawless. The sets [Bijon Das Gupta] are topnotch. Choreography [Vaibhavi Merchant] is commendable.

Aishwarya Rai looks ethereal. In fact, it’s after HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM that Ash has looked heavenly and performed so convincingly. She emotes through her expressive eyes and the consistency in her performance is evident from start to end. This can easily rank amongst her prized assignment in her repertoire.

Abhishek Bachchan is up to the mark, although one strongly feels that he’s capable of so much more. Shabana Azmi is superb, especially in the sequence when she insults Abhishek [minutes before the intermission]. Suniel Shetty doesn’t get much scope. Nevertheless, he’s alright. Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Himani Shivpuri lend good support. Divya Dutta and Ayesha Julka leave a mark in brief roles. Parikshit Sahni, Maya Alagh, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Javed Khan are passable.

On the whole, UMRAO JAAN has a weak first half and a tolerable second. But the damage done by the first half [unwanted songs and scenes] creates a major dent, which the second half tries to repair, but cannot. At the box-office, the film will appeal to a miniscule segment of moviegoers [gentry] in a handful of multiplexes, but the wide majority would give it thumbs down due to its unnecessary length [20 reels; 3 + hours’ duration] and lackluster treatment. Given its low hype and poor start at the ticket window, the film will incur losses for its investors.

http://www.indiafm.com/movies/review/12719/index.html

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#2657

From: "neni2abhi" <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Fri Nov 3, 2006 11:42 am
Subject:: Board Updates.

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Hey all,

Here are a few updates.

The homepage has been changed. We are promoting Dhoom 2 this month!

Added the Dhoom 2 Songs to the files section. The link has been
placed on the scroll.

The Review folder has been updated, please enter your reviews for
Umrao Jaan in the database. Placed a link on the scroll for it.

I was not able to create a seperate folder for UJ's review as the
limit to the no of tables you can create is just 10.

I hope Umrao Jaan does well! Happy watching everyone!

Regards,
Neetu

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#2656

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Fri Nov 3, 2006 11:31 am
Subject:: Abhishek goes ga ga over Guru

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Abhishek goes ga ga over Guru

CNN-IBN

Posted Friday , November 03, 2006 at 08:13

Updated Friday , November 03, 2006 at 12:38

HAPPY TOGETHER? Abhishek and Aishwarya will be seen together in the film Guru.

New Delhi: Mani Ratnam's Guru is being described as one of his finest movies till date. The film stars Abhishek Bachchan in the main role that some say is inspired by the life of Dhirubhai Ambani.

With Aishwarya starring opposite Abhishek in the film, there is considerable excitement about the two being seen together in Guru.

Here’s what Abhishek has to say about the movie. “Guru has been a very challenging film. It has been a very tough film to do."

"I hope it is rewarding, more so for Mani because he has worked very hard for it. He is truly a genius and deserves every bit of credit that he gets,” he adds.

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#2655

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Fri Nov 3, 2006 11:30 am
Subject:: Umrao Jaan was “a challenge” for Abhishek

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Umrao Jaan was “a challenge” for Abhishek
02nd Nov 2006 21.20 IST
By Nikhil Kumar

To be transported into a different era and to portray a very rare character was a “big challenge” for Abhishek Bachchan in Umrao Jaan .

In the movie, directed and produced by J.P. Dutta , Abhishek plays a nawab with a penchant for poetry. He gets strongly attracted to a courtesan Umrao Jaan, whose story the film is. Aishwarya Rai plays the courtesan.

In the contemporary times, a story set in the Lucknow of 19th century takes the actors into a different time zone altogether.

This is where, Abhishek says, lay the real challenge for his character.

“To get the right body language, right manners and right speech (of the character) was quite a challenge for me,” says Abhishek.

Abhi adds the challenge got daunting particularly because “there was no ready reference-point for the era that we were working on.”

But Abhi credits the movie’s maker, J.P. Dutta, for making things conducive to work.

Dutta shot the film at authentic locations, Royal Havelis of Jaipur and Lucknow. That, Abhi says, aided his performance very much.

‘Umrao Jaan’ releases on November 3.

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#2654

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Fri Nov 3, 2006 10:33 am
Subject:: Umrao Jaan hits theatres

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Umrao Jaan hits theatres

Friday, November 3, 2006: (New Delhi):

It's Friday and one of the most anticipated movies in a long time, the Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan starrer Umrao Jaan, hits screens today.

The film, directed by J P Dutta, is based on Mirza Mohammed Haadi Ruswa's Urdu novel, Umrao Jaan Ada.

This is a recreation of the 1981 film, which had Rekha in one of her most memorable roles as a courtesan in Lucknow.

”Helen of Troy”

For war movie veteran Dutta it was Aishwarya Rai who made him change the genre of his films leading to the remake of the 1981 Muzaffar Ali classic.

“Aishwarya is my Helen of Troy whose face stopped me from going to war again," quipped Dutta, director of war-zone magnum opuses like Border and LoC.

At the premier of the film on Thursday attended by the film's stars Abhishekh Bachchan and Aishwarya, the director said the former Miss World made him change his genre when she finally consented to do the movie, he had been planning for 13 years. (With PTI Inputs)

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#2653

From: write2abhishek <write2abhishek_bachchan@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 6:51 pm
Subject:: A’s Big Day with Big B

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A’s Big Day with Big B

- Birthday party with ‘family and friends’

PRATIM D. GUPTA

Aishwarya, Bachchan: Dress rehearsal?

Calcutta, Nov. 1: Before he becomes the model father-in-law on screen, Amitabh Bachchan is proving to be an ideal baabul (father, and also the name of Bachchan’s next film) in real life.

According to The Telegraph’s sources, Bachchan threw a midnight party to ring in Aishwarya Rai’s birthday with son Abhishek by her side. The who’s who of Bollywood was present at the venue — Mangi Ferra, a swank Italian restaurant in Juhu.

The official invite was for the launch of Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher’s son Sikander Kher, who will be making his debut in a film called Woodstock Villa. But one look at the decor — arranged with “the choicest candles of different sizes and shapes” — and the occasion was anybody’s guess.

Mangi Ferra owner Prashant Chaudhary maintained it was a Kher do but did mention: “Aishwarya did cut a big birthday cake in the presence of everyone, including the Bachchans.”

The 70-odd guests for the night included everyone from Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan to Saif Ali Khan and Rosa, besides the full Bachchan and Rai families.

“The party kicked off around 11.30 pm and went on till 2 in the morning,” added Chaudhary.

The reason for starting the party so late was the screening of Umrao Jaan — Aishwarya and Abhishek’s latest film, releasing worldwide this Friday — for the Bachchans and the Rais. “Director J.P. Dutta had organised the screening specially for the two families at the private theatre in Filmcity,” revealed the source. “And Amitji liked the film very much.”

The screening and the party might just set the rumour mills, which have been organising and calling off Aishwarya and Abhishek’s marriage for some time, rolling feverishly again. Talk of Abhishek, 30, and Aishwarya, 33, seeing each other started exactly a year ago, when Amitabh’s brother Ajitabh reportedly visited a Bangalore priest to seek astrological advice.

But Amitabh and Jaya had, apparently, not yet approved of Aishwarya as the Bachchan bahu. The other reason doing the rounds was that astrologically — the Bachchans are big believers — 2006 is not a good year for Ash and Abhishek to tie the knot and so the families were just biding time.

Abhishek and Aishwarya officially say they are “just good friends” and have also taken great care to not app-ear together before the flashbulbs, though they are working in four films — Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2, Guru and Sarkar 2.

A couple of days back, the former Miss World had declared on a public platform that she would celebrate her birthday “with my closest friends and family”.

What she had left unsaid was that her “closest friends and family” would all be there at Mangi Ferra on the midnight hour.

With Amitabh wanting a grandson and his ailing mother Teji Bachchan wanting to see her grandson married, is the big fat Bollywood vivah just round the corner?

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#2652

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 2:31 pm
Subject:: Exclusive Synopsis of ‘Dhoom 2’

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Exclusive Synopsis of ‘Dhoom 2’

Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaGlitz [Thursday, November 02, 2006]

BACK IN ACTION... DHOOM:2 reinvents the action comedy genre and propels it into the 21st century.

Ali’s (Uday Chopra) dream of becoming a police officer has come true. He is now ACP Jai Dixit’s (Abhishek Bachchan) ‘right hand man’. Together, they are trying to keep a tight leash on the crime in India. Little do they know what they are going to be up against.

Enter Aryan - Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan) - A hi-tech international thief. After pulling off a series of impossible heists all over the world, his next target is Mumbai, India. The case is given to ACP Jai and Ali. Helping them put the pieces of the puzzle together is ACP Shonali Bose (Bipasha Basu), Jai’s college mate, now a police officer in her own right. For the last two years Shonali has been tracking these amazing thefts and is now an expert on this thief, who no one has seen.

Once in Mumbai, Mr. A finds his match in Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai), a petty yet clever thief. She makes him an offer he finds very hard to refuse. A partnership! Aryan accepts.

And so the game begins – a game of cat and mouse – a game of good v/s bad.

The “COPS” - Jai, Shonali and Ali; and they are after Aryan and Sunehri – “The ROBBERS”.

From the desert of Namibia to the backwaters of Goa, the mean streets of Mumbai and the ancient forts of Rajasthan, and finally to “Wild n Exotic” Rio, Brazil.

Does ACP Jai Dixit manage to nab Mr. A? Or does Mr. A prove to be too much for him?

Never-Seen-Before Action Sequences, Hi-Tech Heists, Breathtaking Hi-Speed Chases, Non-Stop Laughter and Excitement will lead you to the answer to these questions.

Go On…! Enjoy the RIDE…!! ONCE AGAIN…!!!

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#2651

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 10:44 am
Subject:: Guru Promo

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Hey all

Check out the Guru promo... Its cool and Abhishek Rocks as usual!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGgmzNA6Hj0&mode=related&search=

Regards,

Neetu

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#2650

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:14 am
Subject:: I am not getting married: Abhishek

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I am not getting married: Abhishek

Udita Jhunjhunwala/ HT Style

Mumbai, November 1, 2006

The sight of the grown out, gelled back hair, which is touching his suit collar is startling at first. On quizzing Abhishek Bachchan you learn that this is his look for Shaad Ali’s Jhoom Barabar Jhoom in which he plays Ricky Thukral.

“Shaad was keen I grow a moustache and my hair for the film, so I did,” says Bachchan who is also finishing Shootout At Lokhandwala and awaiting the release of Umrao Jaan (November 3).

After making his debut in JP Dutta’s Refugee, it was, in his words, “a foregone conclusion” that he’d be a part of Umrao Jaan “though I don’t expect him to cast me in each of his films, yet I am always available to JP,” says Bachchan.

He plays Nawab Sultan and what drew the Bluffmaster to the part was that “he is an individual and at a time when people expect him to conform, he does not. He is a rebel at heart and does what he feels is right for himself,” he explains.

Co-star Aishwarya Rai recently said that as she was working with Dutta for the first-time, Bachchan and Suniel Shetty “would pull rank” as veterans.

“Any actor with JP Films is like one of the family and he usually repeats his actors. The old gang plods along with him, so first-timers might feel out of place but we never rile anyone.” So what is Rai like in the film? “Unfortunately I have not seen the film yet,” is his brief response.

The safa, jewels and royal garb are fairly new for Bachchan, so did he enjoy ‘dressing up’? “It was different and interesting, yes. But also demanding because I am not used to the adornment and finery. It’s tricky to look graceful and not look uncomfortable. It takes some getting used to juggling the heavy turban and clothes with the body language,” he says.

Bachchan is working on Muzaffar Ali’s son Shaad’s film, and the two are known to be great friends, but the actor confesses that he is yet to see Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan. “I would love to see it and will do so soon to see how he has interpreted the original novel. JP’s take is unique and his own adaptation. I don’t think people should refer to Umrao Jaan as a remake, as it is based on Ruswa’s story. Ram Gopal Varma is remaking Sholay, but Umrao Jaan is an interpretation of the text,” Bachchan says.

Following Umrao Jaan, Bachchan reprises his role as cop Jai in Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom 2 and has Mani Ratnam’s Guru coming up. “It’s so exciting that I get to do Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2 and Guru in the same year. I get to play four diverse characters and work with great makers,” he smiles.

If he has grown his hair for Jhoom…, he put on kilos for Guru, which he ascribes to being “malleable” as an actor and to working on one film at a time. Coming up are Drona, Sarkar 2, Delhi 6 and Rohan Sippy’s next.

After all the film talk, it’s time to ask the burning question: ‘when are you getting married?’ He answers without pause.

“I am not getting married. Why are people so bothered about our personal lives? We maybe public figures but something should be left private. The media is meant to be the conscience of the nation and convey correct information but when they begin to fabricate news, they lose the trust of the common man,” says Bachchan, adding, “Anyway I’m too busy right now so rest assured there’s no such excitement.”
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1833583,001100030003.htm

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#2649

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:10 am
Subject:: Will Don-JeM chapter avert Bhagam Bhag-Guru clash?

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Will Don-JeM chapter avert Bhagam Bhag-Guru clash?
By Joginder Tuteja, October 31, 2006 - 06:46 IST
First week of Diwali releases 'Don' and 'Jaan-E-Mann' has ended and by now it is crystal clear that the film that is on a 'pick-up' journey rather than a 'sail-through' route is 'Jaan-E-Mann'. Everyone agrees that the film is a good watch and has all in it to be an enjoyable outing for the families but when it came to 'choices', 'Don' has emerged as a clear winner. One tended to believe in the earlier days that both the flicks would be neck to neck and though the variation in reviews of both indicated that 'Jaan-E-Mann' wouldn't have much to worry about, it has not been really the case. The clash has indeed left bruises loud and clear and even the makers of the film may have been left wondering if it was indeed worth it to release their film alongside the might of 'Don'. This brings one to an all important factor that makes box office a mystery as it has been for over decades – the audience's choice! The power to choose between what 'they think' is an idea of perfect entertainment. Clearly, 'junta janardhan' has its own way of defining the norms and twisting them completely as per their own wishes! Now this brings one to a similarly interesting situation that is expected again in the month of December. The date is 22nd and this is when two more biggies are expected to clash - 'Bhagam Bhag' and 'Guru'. Both the films boast of great credentials. While 'Bhagam Bhag' is a Priyadarshan film with a winning starcast of Akshay Kumar, Govinda, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav along with Jackie Shroff, Lara Dutta, Tanushree Datta and Shakti Kapoor, 'Guru' comes from craftsman Mani Ratnam who ropes in Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai as leads along with Madhavan, Vidya Balan and Mithun Chakraborty. Other small but interesting factor is that while Mallika Sherawat has been roped in for an item number in 'Guru', stunner Maushumi Udeshi gyrates to an item song in 'Bhagam Bhag'. Even at the writing front, Neeraj Vora [who delivered superhit Phir Hera Pheri earlier this year] is at the helm for 'Bhagam Bhag' while Anurag Kashyap holds the pen for writing dialogues for 'Guru'. When it comes to music, Pritam's name looms large over 'Bhagam Bhag' whereas A.R. Rehman has seldom failed while composing for Mani Ratnam. Obviously the unexpected is least anticipated in case of 'Guru'! If one looks at the technical aspects of the two films, 'Guru' certainly scores a lot more than 'Bhagam Bhag' due to a formidable crew comprising of Gulzar as the lyricist, Rajiv Menon as the cinematographer, Vikram Dharma as the action director, Sabu Cyril and Samir Chanda pairing up for art direction and Sreekar Prasad as an editor. Above all, Mani Ratnam also pitches in to wear the hat of story and screenplay writer. So where does this leave the two films? A coming together on the same date i.e. December 22nd? If one looks at the Diwali clash, this may not indeed be the brightest of ideas. This is because though both the films look to be winners in isolation, when it comes to an end-of-year choice, audience is expected to opt for 'Bhagam Bhag' due to its massy appeal which coincides with the New Year eve celebrations. On the other hand 'Guru' gives an impression of being classy and in the battle of two, its stand at the box office turn comparatively weaker. Also with 'Bhagam Bhag' already been confirmed for December 22nd, it hardly gives a negotiating space for 'Guru'! This brings another problem for 'Guru'. Would it make sense for it to get postponed by a week? Doesn't really seem like a good choice. Why? Ask Shahid Kapoor! He had three of his films in last two years coming on New Year's Eve and none of them really led him to celebrations. While 'Dil Maange More' barely survived after releasing on Dec 31st 2004, 'Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi didn't make him appreciate life on December 23rd 2005. To add to his vows, 'Shikhar' got a thumbs down from the very first show which began on Dec 30th 2005, hence making one believe in the trend that movies coming at the close of year do not really work at the box office. Taking a cue from here, producers of 'Guru' may wish to contemplate moving the film to early 2007. With only two real biggies confirmed for the month of January [Salaam-E-Ishq and Fool & Final] and both coming on Republic Day, there is an entire open month to be explored. Yes, there are chances of films like 'Good Boy Bad Boy' and 'Tara Rum Pum' coming in earlier but 3 weeks in total should be big enough to accommodate them all. Also, by that time, the promotion of 'Guru' would have ignited in a big way and will get the film into limelight. Will this voice reach out to those responsible behind the release timings? One hopes so, because just like the clash encountered this 'Diwali', one doesn't want any bruises left for anyone this New Year's Eve. Both 'Bhagam Bhag' and 'Guru' deserve to be watched for all their might and credentials and even audience isn't really intending to 'choose' between the two!

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#2648

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:07 am
Subject:: The Fast and the Furious

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The Fast and the Furious

ibnlive.com

Tue, Oct 31, 06

The biggest year-end release Dhoom 2 is revving up to hit the theatres on November 24. With actors Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead, this sequel is a much larger version of the previous biking fantasy ride. The movie's director, Sanjay Gadhvi, described the film as “bigger, better” and “faster and more furious” than the original Dhoom.

Shot in Brazil and Nigeria and packed with anti-gravity stunts, Dhoom 2 looks every bit the fast-paced thrill ride. This is also the first film that pairs Hrithik Roshan and a very slim Aishwarya Rai on screen.

Hrithik believes the film is all about living on the edge. He said, “Some films need to be a complete departure from the serious and the ‘real’. Dhoom 2 is just that. So, fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride”.

Aishwarya did her own stunts in the film and to accentuate her performance she did power yoga for two months for a perfectly toned body. “Hats off to Adi (Aditya Chopra) for his conviction when he spoke to me about the film. He said I always play these larger-than-life characters on celluloid. So, now I need to simply be a girl. I trusted him and had fun being Sunehri in Dhoom 2,” Aishwarya said.

Dhoom 2 will show the two current superstars Abhishek and Hrithik sparring against each other in this cop and robber drama. And if this wasn’t enough, there's a bare-bodied Bipasha Basu opposite Uday Chopra adding to the hot quotient of the film.

So, while the epic drama magic of Umrao Jaan may or may not work for Abhishek and Aishwarya, Dhoom 2 with its edge-of-the-seat thrill might just be the perfect year-ender for each actor in the film.

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#2647

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:11 am
Subject:: 'Making Umrao Jaan was surreal'- Abhishek

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'Making Umrao Jaan was surreal'- Abhishek

By Rohini Bhandari
30 October 2006, 10:27 PM

MUMBAI: "My experience playing a Nawab in Umrao Jaan was eventful and making this film was surreal," said Abhishek Bachchan in his first ever media appearance to promote his forthcoming film Umrao Jaan.

When asked as to why surreal, he says, "In J.P Dutta's film one is so used to responding to terms like saavdhan, go left, go right, bataaliyan, fire etc. But now I had to smell roses, go behind bushes, romance ladies, sit and watch them dance. I was surrounded by women all the time, even all our assistant directors were women."

So did he learn anything new from so many women? "I have a new found respect for ladies. I realize why my co-actresses take so long to dress up before shooting. It was tough for me to handle nine inches of turban on my head. I wonder how ladies handle nine yards of cloth around them."

Above and beyond handling turbans and shawls how tough was it to put on the character of a Nawab? "We shot Umrao Jaan in Lucknow and Jaipur because J.P saab likes to shoot his films in real locations so that actors can live in that era and it becomes easy for them to slip into their character. We shot in palaces where kings have lived and used props that belonged to that era. So by watching such things around, it was not tough to slip into the character."

He further adds, "Before we started shooting each day, J.P. saab played the songs of the film. For the first time ever he used music as a medium to transport actors and the crew into the mood of the film."

Umrao Jaan will release on 3 November. The film, which is directed by JP Dutta, also stars Aishwarya Rai along with Shabana Azmi and Divya Dutta. It is marketed and distributed by Adlabs.

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#2646

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:09 am
Subject:: 'No Devdas-like sets in Umrao Jaan'

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'No Devdas-like sets in Umrao Jaan'

By Rohini Bhandari 31 October 2006, 09:21 PM
	MUMBAI: Umrao Jaan is all set to release on 3 November and expectations are high from this Abhishekh Bachchan - Aishwarya Rai starrer, which is directed by J.P. Dutta. The film's art director Bijon Das Gupta says, "Don't expect to see Devdas-like sets in Umrao Jaan." Reluctant to divulge the expenditure incurred for the sets of the film, Das Gupta adds, "This film is about a courtesan who is a kathak dancer so her eye movements had to be captured effectively. In fact Aishwarya was the first and the only choice because of her eyes. She sits on the carpet and dances and does not move around much. So the focus had to be on her eyes and face rather than the background. Hence we have not shot on cranes and neither have we used chandeliers in the film. Instead the audience can expect to see a lot of mirror work, effective use of oil lamps and beautiful carpets." The art director has also played around with colours in the forthcoming film. "Blue colour has been used for Aishwarya in majority of her scenes to bring out her cold feelings and sufferings. Similarly for Shabana I have used red and gold to bring out her power. Brown has been used in the film to show the downfall of the Nawab's kingdom." When asked if he had to make references from the earlier Umrao Jaan, Das Gupta said, "I haven't taken any reference from the earlier Umrao Jaan. On the contrary, Ruswa's book came to my rescue for reference." Many of the props like guns, coins, peekdaan, hookah and pure silver furniture that belonged to the 19th century era have been replicated in the film to give it an authentic look. "Most of the props were not easily available, so I had to take references and duplicate or buy them from exporters," he informs. The film has been shot extensively in Lucknow and Jaipur.

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#2645

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 9:04 am
Subject:: Guru: Promo Watch

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Guru: Promo Watch

The ‘Guru’ has arrived. Yes the much awaited promo of the ‘Guru’ has come out and the exclusive promo is here on IndiaFM for all the viewers. The promo begins with Abhishek Bachchan who is playing the title role looking at a huge Company and then begins a story in the promo itself.

The promo shows Abhishek maturing from a childlike boy to a man. Abhishek is a man from a small village who wants to become the biggest entrepreneur in Indian history. How he follows his dreams, his visions and how successful he becomes eventually. A villager, a visionary, a winner, that’s what ‘Guru’ is about.

Check out the video

45 80 150 220 (Real Player)

The focus of the whole promo is only on Abhishek Bachchan’s character. Even a star like Aishwarya Rai isn’t used in the introductory teaser for added appeal. R. Madhavan and Vidya Balan form the second couple in the film. Arya Babbar plays Aishwarys’s brother as has negative shades in his character. Also Mithun Chakraborthy plays an important character in the film. The hot and sultry siren Mallika Sherawat will be seen in an item.

Guru directed by Mani Ratnam releases on December 22.

http://www.indiafm.com/features/2006/10/31/1768/

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#2644

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 8:57 am
Subject:: The Bachchans shoot for 'Shootout At Lokhandwala'

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The Bachchans shoot for 'Shootout At Lokhandwala'
01st Nov 2006 22.40 IST
By Nikhil Kumar

Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan play pivotal roles in Apoorva Lakhia-directed movie Shootout At Lokhandwala .

Lakhia admits to be in absolute awe of Amitabh Bachchan. He called his last movie Ek Ajnabee a tribute to Big B’s talent. The movie, however, fell flat at the box-office.The filmmaker, known for his very snazzy style of direction, is nowadays shooting ‘Shootout At Lokhandwala’, which is based on real-life 14-hour encounter between cops and gangsters (from underworld) in Mumbai’s Lokhandwala area in 1991.

The film has both Amitabh and Abhishek playing cops. After Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna , this will be the next film to have Amitabh and Abhishek together on the silver screen.

Lakhia has been shooting with Abhishek in the last few days. Now, he begins shooting the end portions of the film with Mr. Bachchan.

The shooting schedule is being held at Elphinston College.

It seems Bachchan has taken out time from Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay to shoot for Lakhia’s film. The filmmaker has a high regard for Bachchan. The Big B, too, treats Lakhia as a family member.

Apart from the Bachchans, the film also stars Sanjay Dutt , Arbaaz Khan and Sunil Shetty as cops. Dutt still hasn’t shot his portions because he is awaiting his verdict in Mumbai blasts case.

The film has Vivek Oberoi playing Maya Dolas, a mafia henchman.

The movie is being made under the banner of White Feather Films.

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#2643

From: neetu nair <neni2abhi@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 8:46 am
Subject:: Bombay HC refuses to stay Umrao Jaan's release

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Bombay HC refuses to stay Umrao Jaan's release
MIL/Agencies, Nov 2, 2006.

Mumbai, November 02, 2006 - The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the release of the Aishwarya Rai-Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Umrao Jaan on a petition seeking dues of Rs 7.5 lakh for post-production work.

Vacation Judge VM Kanade said he was deferring the hearing to November 8 before a regular bench as the court felt that there was no urgency in the matter, as per reports.

The movie is slated for an all India release on November 3.

RajTaru studios had filed a petition seeking recovery of Rs 7.5 lakh due for post-production work of Umrao Jaan and sought a stay on the film's release.

The petitioner contended that on earlier occasions the producer of the film, JP Dutta, had not settled post-production dues for his films Refugee and LOC - Kargil and paid only Rs 10 lakh as part payment towards the same.

The petitioner further said it had approached the Association of Motion Pictures Studios that appointed a Dispute Settlement Committee to look into the issue.

The committee had directed Dutta to pay the dues but the payment had not been received so far, he said.

Seeking a stay on Umrao Jaan, the petitioner raised an apprehension that if the film failed at the box office and in case the producer suffered losses, then they would not get their dues and hence insisted on payment of dues before the film’s release.
http://internationalreporter.com/news/read.php?id=2521

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#2642

From: ballori <ballori4u@...>
Date:: Thu Nov 2, 2006 8:27 am
Subject:: ash abhi

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nothing on the ash abhi wedding?

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