Abhi-Ash to sing for Raavana

NDTVMusic.com

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 (New Delhi)

Now Abhishek and Aishwarya will do what Aamir and Kareena could not.

Music maestro A R Rahman had initially composed a song that would
have been used for Mani Ratnam's Lajjo. However, when that film got
shelved, Rahman decided to use that same composition for Raavana.

If Lajjo hadn't been shelved, then that film's stars Aamir Khan and
Kareena Kapoor would have sung this particular song. But now that
this composition is being used for Raavana, Abhishek and Aishwarya
will do its vocals.

According to Rahman, "Some of the songs in Lajjo were generic, so we
have translocated them into Raavana. Such things happen once in a
while. No regrets. There is no time for that. Regret is boring. Mani
s new film is a new genre for me. I ve done nothing like this
before. So that s exciting."

http://music.ndtv.com/story.asp?section=Music&Slug=Abhi-
Ash+to+sing+for+%3CI%3ERaavana%3C/i%3E&Id=ENTEN20080075035

Though it is been one year that Aishwarya has been married to
Abhishek, till date Aishwarya has not been able to forget that Rani
Mukherjee and her hubby Abhishek once shared some sweet relationship
and the duo was supposed to get married. On the wake of those past
memories, Aishwarya warned Abhishek not to work with Rani anymore
and Abhishek, like a dedicated husband followed his wife's advice
and turned down a Yashraj flick which female lead star is Rani
Mukherjee. While Shahid Kapoor plays a pivotal role.

The news is doing round that it is Aishwarya behind Abhishek's
refusal. Abhi was approached by Yashraj to play a cameo opposite
Rani for their forthcoming cricket oriented flick tentatively tilted
Hadippa but Abhishek refused without any prime reason/ He had
earlier starred in Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007) opposite Rani
without Aishwarya's approval.

According to a source, Aishwarya is jealous of Rani as she was
expected to marry Abhishek. Anyway, Abhishek, by turning down a
Yashraj flick has blocked his path for any future project with them

Rohan Sippy is working furiously towards his next starring Abhishek
Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor. Sources reveal that
the Bluffmaster! director wants to roll his film in Feb 2009.

However, Rohan will have to wait as Abhishek has given block dates
for Mani Ratnam's film.
A source adds that Rohan wanted to start his film as early next
year, "Abhishek had given a verbal commitment to Rohan that he would
start shooting early next year. But since Mani's film was delayed
due to his dad's ill health, he can't stick to his commitment. Now
Abhishek is booked by Mani for the next three months."


Rohan's film is a thriller and will have Abhishek and Ranbir in
completely different looks. "Abhishek's look and style in it is very
traditional and rustic as compared to how he will look in Rohan's
film. Hence the director will now have to wait longer till he wraps
Mani's film which will take another three to four months."

Rohan Sippy says, "I hope to start the film in the second quarter of
2009. We were always planning to start the film after Abhishek
finished Mani's film."

The buzz is that Aishwarya went to the sets of Dilli 6 where
Abhishekh was shooting a stunt scene. It was clear that it was not a
good surprise for Abhishek Bachchan. There is a news that inspite of
being marrried for over a year and a half there is still some
confusion between the them.

The scene was a stunt scene though not a major stunt scene but still
it was a crucial one. Everyone thought that after shooting regularly
for so many stunt scenes for Drona Abhishek must have got
comfortable with them but the moment Ashwarya entered the sets Abhi
was seen to be disturbed.

In Dilli 6 the other cast of the film is Om Puri, Sonam Kapoor, Atul
Kulkarni, Divya Dutta, Rishi Kapoor and Tanvi Azmi. It is said that
the film is based on the life of the director Rakesh Omprakash Mehra
and how he spend his years growing up in the old Delhi neighbourhood
of Chandini Chowk. The name of the film is actually the pin code of
the place.

The following Abhishek-Online poll is now closed.  Here are the
final results:


POLL QUESTION: Which is your favorite song from Dostana?

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Jaane Kyon, 3 votes, 25.00%
- Desi Girl, 3 votes, 25.00%
- Maa Da Laadla, 1 votes, 8.33%
- Khabar Nahi, 2 votes, 16.67%
- Kuch Kum, 2 votes, 16.67%
- Shut up n Bounce, 1 votes, 8.33%

INDIVIDUAL VOTES
- Jaane Kyon
      - nimisha92@...
      - pritiey4u@...
      - neni2abhi@...
- Desi Girl
      - nimisha92@...
      - pritiey4u@...
      - neni2abhi@...
- Maa Da Laadla
      - pritiey4u@...
- Khabar Nahi
      - nimisha92@...
      - neni2abhi@...
- Kuch Kum
      - nimisha92@...
      - neni2abhi@...
- Shut up n Bounce
      - neni2abhi@...


For more information about this group, please visit
http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Abhishek-Online

For help with Yahoo! Groups, please visit
http://help.yahoo.com/help/in/groups/

Jaya Bachchan Approves

Jaya Bachchan has cast her vote of approval for Tarun Mansukhani''s
Dostana being produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Films. The actress
watched the movie at a special screening held at Yash Raj studios on
Tuesday night along with husband Amitabh Bachchan, bahu Aishwarya
Rai and son Abhishek.

The actress is known for her blunt and honest opinions and everyone
was a little apprehensive about her reactions to the film. But to
the relief of Abhishek and John, Jaya approved. It seems that the
entire family enjoyed the film and laughed all through it.

The screening was also attended by Bobby Deol and his wife, along
with Farah Khan and designers Akki Narula and Manish Malhotra. Karan
held a second screening on Tuesday night for his close friends like
Shah Rukh Khan and others.

It will be remembered that Jaya has been quite vocal about her
opinions on husband Amitabh's choice of films in the past and has
even publicly expressed her opinion. So the fears surrounding her
opinion were quite justifiable, what with the amount of gay jokes in
the film. But it seems that she has given the green signal and is
happy with what she saw.

http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=12564

Abhishek Wears his Attitude
Publication Date  14/11/2008 11:27:24 AM(IST)

Priyanka Chopra will be flaunting her bikini look in the movie
Dostana, John Abraham will be flaunting his hot body, while Abhishek
Bachchan will have to make do with his attitude only. On being
quizzed about his USP in the film, the actor is believed to have
jokingly said that he was the attitude.

The actor, who is said to be sharing terrific chemistry with his
male co star John in the movie, said that Priyanka had said that the
two of them were making her feel like a junior artiste in the
movie.

According to Abhi, the comfort level that he shared with John, who
he said was a friend, was what got translated on screen and came
across as chemistry. Abhi plays a character quite like himself in
Dostana.

His character, Sameer, is the funloving type, whose idea it is to
pretend a gay. In fact, since the director, Tarun knew him very
well, he actually wrote a lot of the dialogue and script keeping him
in mind. Tarun and Abhishek know each other for more than 13 years.

Tarun used to work in mother Jaya Bachchan'''s audio visual company
which produced TV serials like Dekh Bhai Dekh. Abhishek says he
plunged into his role headlong and so did John. No point in doing
anything half heartedly, he says. So he had a blast while shooting
for the movie. Hope some of that gets translated on screen as well.

http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=12566

Dostana Film Review: Great humour; class act by Bachchan

Film: Dostana

Director: Tarun Mansukhani

Producers: Hiroo Johar, Karan Johar

Banner: Dharma Productions

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra,
Kirron Kher, Boman Irani, Sushmita Mukherjee

Rating: 3/5

Dostana can truly be called one of the most entertaining films that
one has seen this year thus far. The story is simple but it's the
chemistry and flawless sync between the two lead actors - Abhishek
Bachchan and John Abraham - that totally works in favour of this
movie. Take that away and you'd have had some really mediocre fare.

Moreover, simple yet punchy dialogues with a generous dash of humour
will have you in splits more often than not. Add to that the fact
that the humour is never below the belt or vulgar.

Dostana is about two 'normal' guys Sameer (Bachchan) and Kunal
(Abraham), who pretend to be gay so as to get a roof over their
heads in Miami. Their flatmate is Neha (Priyanka Chopra) who works
at the fashion magazine Verve. The three soon develop a thick bond
of friendship until Neha's new boss Abhimanyu Singh (Bobby Deol)
enters the scene. Three guys vying for a girl's attention and the
supposedly gay couple trying all tricks in the trade to make the
girl theirs is what Dostana's about in a jiffy.

The comedy is at its peak in the first half. The plight of straight
guys who have to pretend to be gay almost all the time has been
showcased well and is fun to watch. Even more is the plight of
Sameer's mother (Kirron Kher) who accidentally discovers that his
son is gay! All hell breaks loose then and there's high octane drama
and 'tantrick' tantrums. Rib-tickling is the scene where she
eventually accepts Kunal as her son's 'partner.'

The songs are pacy and for once don't feel forced. However, the pace
and comedy slackens in the second half as the movie needs to reach
its happy and gay (pun intended) end. Manan Sagar's editing could
have been sleeker with the trimming...

of a few scenes where the two guys are wooing the girl. What's a bit
unrealistic and hard to believe is the fact that Neha doesn't raise
an eyebrow to the affection the guys shower on her or for once even
doubt their homosexuality.

Bachchan and Abraham with their antics romance the camera and how.
Bachchan steals the show and is an absolute delight. Watch him act
with gay abandon in a dream sequence where he's running to John a la
total Hindi movie style. A riotous watch! On the other hand, hot-bod
Abraham's performance is a subdued one but he shines nevertheless.
At no point do any of the actors overpower each other, rather they
complement. The two stud-muffins could well be on their way to
becoming official gay icons if they already aren't.

Chopra is competent, shares great screen chemistry with her co-stars
and looks charming as ever. Deol does his bit and comes across as
suave. Kher is the quintessential Punjabi mother and carries off her
motherly act with panache yet again. Sushmita Mukherjee as Neha's
aunt has some good scenes. Boman Irani plays M as Priyanka's queer
boss and has very little screen time but nonetheless, he does a good
job.

Debutant director Mansukhani shows promise and potential. Cliches
have been avoided as much as possible. In no way does the movie
attempt to give a serious or even a moral take on homosexuality and
that in itself has been handled extremely well by the director. The
movie's fun and frolic all the way! Producer Karan Johar knows the
pulse of his target audience and his belief in the story and
Mansukhani is likely to pay off. It's about time that more and more
big banners give newcomers a chance and add to the talent pool in
the industry.

Watch out for the lip-lock in the end and we're not taking any names!

http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=10740&page=2

Abhishek is an established actor, but he's still papa's boy
Posted: Nov 14, 2008 at 1105 hrs IST

He's dressed in a floral pink and white shirt but sports a short
crop and kohl-lined eyes these days. Abhishek Bachchan is clearly in
that stage of metamorphosis — from Sameer in `Dostana', to his
character in Mani Ratnam's `Raavan' — where a look in the mirror
doesn't leave one flattered. But he's got his attitude in place, and
that's probably what matters.
Confident about `Dostana', which releases today, he clarifies that
neither is the film anywhere close to the 1984 namesake nor is the
gay plot between him and John Abraham the mainstay in the
story. `Such subplots naturally get more attention, making our jobs
even more difficult,' he sighs.

The film is a comic caper about two friends pretending to be gay
while apartment-hunting in Miami. But things go haywire when both
fall in love with Neha (Priyanka Chopra).

`'Dostana' is the funniest film I've ever seen,' claims
Bachchan. `We had a preview and my family loved it' What adds to it,
he says, is the fun he had during the shoot. The 32-year-old laughs
as he recollects shooting the ballroom dance sequence with
Abraham. `Every time there were such sequences, we'd go over the top
with jokes.' But Bachchan gives his co-star credit for making him
dance since he's a trained ballroom dancer. The two have shared
camaraderie since `Dhoom' days. `John even taught me how to
workout,' smiles the actor, referring to his new lean look that he
now sports at 84 kilos.

As opposed to Bachchan's otherwise simple dressing, stylist Aki
Narula has experimented with his look in `Dostana'. `I just loved
sporting the cargos, loose jeans, summer scarves, pastels and prints
that Aki had me wear for the film—they just added to the Miami
mood,' he says.

The film, though directed by debutant Tarun Mansukhani, clearly
bears that Karan Johar touch (Mansukhani has assisted Johar since
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, he even played a cameo in the film). But
Bachchan is quick to point out that the sense of humour is
distinctly Mansukhani's: `Tarun's worked with Karan for over 10
years but the small twists and the edge in the script totally
belongs to Tarun. And that's where he stands out.'

He may sport a grim public image but what can ensure a smile on his
face is the mere mention of his dad, Amitabh Bachchan. 'He's doing
fine now. Yes, his illness was a trying time for the entire family
but he's not just a strong guy, he's Superman.'

Bachchan's come into his own as an actor over the last couple of
years but he is yet to learn to accept criticism gracefully, it
seems. The actor went into a tizzy when informed by the media
relations that the press was unhappy with his interviews. "Did I
give you a boring interview?" he asks. When we say yes, he turns
boisterous, jumping on to the sofa in the lobby like a two-year-old.

Let's not even get into what couch-stomping did to Tom Cruise.

http://www.screenindia.com/news/Abhishek-is-an-established-actor--
but-he-s-still-papa-s-boy/385624/

Tomorrow the Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra
starrer Dostana hits theaters and many a fan cannot wait to see the
three of them in the film! At the helm of the Karan Johar production
is Tarun Mansukhani and this is his debut film. Recently Mansukhani
talked to Joginder Tuteja about the film and here are some
highlights from that interview!

The reason the Mansukhani choose Dostana, as his debut film was that
it had something new to offer audiences in terms of story-line, "I
wanted to make a film that has an identity of its own One thing was
sure; it had to be about friendship. When it comes to themes like
marriages, extra marital affairs, living in, then honestly, they all
have been over and done with. I said to myself - 'What am I bringing
new to the table'? But again, I didn't want to make a very serious
film since today youngsters are ready to hear you only if you don't
preach. This is where Dostana came in since it has its own light
hearted moments where audience can come, enjoy and have a blast."

In the film Abhishek and John's characters pretend to be a gay
couple in order to live in an apartment with Priyanka and that story-
line has raised some eyebrows but the director said he wanted to be
careful with that part of the story, "Well, I always knew that I was
walking on a thin line. And no, it wasn't like I was wondering how
Censors would react to the film. My challenge was for myself. I
wanted to be true to the film and ensure that Dostana doesn't turn
out to be about gay bashing. None of us want to make any fun of the
gay community."

Adding that the film is at heart about friendship hence the
name, "Of course, in its essence, Dostana showcases chemistry
between two friends. Anyways, looking at both of them, they are the
epitome of being macho. So ultimately it boils down to friendship."

About working for Karan Johar Mansukhani, "I have worked with Karan
for too long now and together we have a very good understanding of
each other's requirement. I can complete his sentences. Moreover, he
loves me too much and I am almost like a child and a spoilt brat. I
have a chip on the shoulder and ensure that I get what I want."

It being Manusukhani's first film, it would seem that KJo would be
looking over his shoulder the whole time but this was not the case
at all. "He came to Miami for the first time when 10 days of
shooting had already been done. Moreover, he admitted that he was in
the city to chill out since he was an unemployed producer at that
time and just wanted to relax. He went to his hotel room, shopped
around the city and later I showed him the rushes offline. He
pointed out something where he could see an improvement could be
made but never once did he overshadow me."

The director did admit to being nervous about the release but said
he is trying not to think about it, "If I start doing so, I am sure
I would collapse (laughs). I am taking one step at a time and am
expecting audience to walk in for some good fun. After all, it is a
Karan Johar production."

Dostana opens in theaters tomorrow so be sure to check it out!

http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/1995-tarun-mansukhani-on-8216-
dostana-8217.html

'Dostana' is a clean happy watch: Karan Johar
Mumbai (IANS): Bollywood's ace filmmaker Karan Johar seems
unperturbed by the scarcity of clothes and the profusion of gay
jokes in his production venture "Dostana" that releases Friday. He
says the film would not offend anybody.

"It's fun and new. We've made sure not to offend any group or
community. I'd never make a film that would offend
anybody. 'Dostana' has a great look and it's a clean happy watch,"
Karan told IANS.

Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, it stars Abhishek Bachchan, John
Abraham and Priyanka Chopra.

"The chemistry among Abhishek, John and Priyanka is fantastic. As
for the gay jokes, I think it's time for everyone to wake up to
reality. I had gay jokes in 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' and no one was
offended," Karan added.

He also clarified that there is no rivalry between him and Aditya
Chopra and that his "My Name Is Khan" wasn't delayed because of Yash
Raj Films' "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi".

"Far from it. Adi's film releases December 12 and I start
immediately after. Yes, I did delay a bit for him initially. But it
was a very minor delay for a month. If he asked me, I'd delay my
film a year for him. Not only that, Yash Raj Films distributes our
films. So where's the question of competition between us?"

As for Karan's next directorial venture, he clears some
misconceptions.

"'My Name Is Khan' has nothing to do with terrorism. It has Shah
Rukh and Kajol in the lead. More than anything else, it is an
emotional drama. It's more about the absence of humanism than
politics. I'm not fighting for any cause. But at the end of the day
cinema is a reflection of the times.

"In the 1970s and 80s, political upheaval was huge. In the new
millennium, international terrorism is as huge a problem as global
warming. But since global warming doesn't make dramatic viewing,
terrorists are definitely the antagonist of our times. I've seen 'A
Wednesday', which I absolutely loved. I'd love to meet and
congratulate the director (Neeraj Pandey). In fact, I wrote a whole
blog about the film."

Any mention of the film being about Islamic identity puts Karan on
the defensive.

"At its heart 'My Name Is Khan' is a love story. At its soul it
makes a social statement and at its core it's a tale of the triumph
of the human spirit. My writer Shibani Bathija and I come from the
same emotional head-space. Anyway, it's too early to talk about the
film."

Shibani has just delivered a dud called "Kidnap".

"I haven't seen 'Kidnap'. I was down with viral fever when it was
released. So I can't comment on the film. But I can say 'My Name Is
Khan' is Shibani's baby all the way. She has given two years of her
life to researching Shah Rukh's character. I'd be just executing her
vision.

"As for her work in other films, every creative person falters. You
need to move on. Even I've made mistakes. But that doesn't stop me
from taking risks. I think I took a big risk with 'Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna'. I don't think any other director has made a Rs.50 crore
(Rs.500 million) film on infidelity."

Karan recently returned from location-hunting in London and Los
Angeles. Call him a seasoned traveller and he retorts: "I'm a
traveller for all seasons. We're shooting 'My Name Is Khan' in San
Francisco and LA. With 'Kabhi Alvida...' and now 'My Name Is Khan',
I want the bubble to burst about my bubblegum cinema."

Is it true that he and Aditya are making Hindi versions of the same
film "Arlington Road"?

"Look, the film that Rensil D'Silva is directing for me and the one
that Kabeer Khan is doing for Adi both have terrorism at the
background. So there would be similarities. Rensil's film and
Kabeer's film have terrorism as their base but different themes.
Both Rensil and Kabeer have worked hard on their script," said
Karan.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200811140923.htm

Excerpts from John's Interview

It was one huge party in Miami when Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham,
Priyanka Chopra and company got together for the shooting of
Dostana. As the film releases all over today, John Abraham reveals
to us on how the bonding game was played between the young cast and
crew members and how Tarun Mansukhani, director of the film, kept
his hold on the project even as it came with the tag of Karan Johar
as the film's producer.

Apart from Abhishek, one hears that you bonded big time with Tarun
as well?
It was great to have fun with all the young ones around in Miami.
Tarun, Abhi, myself - all of us are in the same age group. As for
his professional capabilities, Tarun has assisted Karan from 'Kuch
Kuch Hota Hai' days. This makes it 11 long years for a film maker to
be associated with an accomplished director like Karan Johar. This
way Tarun has more of Dharma blood in him than I have.

But how much was Karan involved with the project, since Tarun has
just started off?
It goes without saying that with Karan around, there is a definite
reassurance that your project would reach out to it's audience well.
Karan is a genius; he knows how to market his films. However, on the
ground level, it was Tarun all the way. Even when Tarun was giving
the narration to me, Karan was only sitting there without
interfering at all. Tarun knew from the very inception that how
would he execute 'Dostana' and picturise his scenes. He had no
doubts whatsoever.

One also hears that he is cool as cucumber.
True. Hours before the release of 'Dostana', when I asked him if he
was nervous, he said he was super confident. He told me - 'John, I
have done many films in the past, though in a different capacity
than the prime-in-charge. However, I have been in this situation
before so it is nothing new to me.' That shows the confidence of a
man in his craft and product.

Possibly also because it's a safe commercial film; notwithstanding
the gay angle that may shock a few.
Of course 'Dostana' is a safe film. It is not experimental because
one thing which comes very clear from a Dharma production is that it
has to be a fun commercial film. Yes, 'Dostana' is first of it's
kind though but I was very confident from the word Go! Moreover,
your co-stars make a lot of difference to your association with t a
project. I was very happy with Abhi and Priyanka around because
while I connect very well with Priyanka, Abhi is like my brother.
Never once did the thought cross between the two of us that who had
to be superior in the film.

Abhishek turns down a Yash Raj offer

Abhishek Bachchan has declined to do a Yash Raj project. This
project in question was the Rani Mukherjee - Shahid Kapoor starrer
which has cricket as the underlying theme. Our source
revealed, "Abhishek was offered a small but significant role in the
Yash Raj banner project the shooting for which has already begun
now. He had earlier done a cameo in their Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
(2007) so it was taken for granted that he would say yes.

But Abhishek left everyone surprised by turning down the role citing
date clashes. But the real reason was he didn't want to repeat the
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag mistake of doing a small role where he has
nothing much to do. His career has taken a severe beating with the
Drona debacle and he cannot afford any more mistakes now. Like LCMD,
this film doesn't even pair him up with Rani so he took the safe
route out of dates excuse rather than offending the Chopras. The
makers are now in a desperate lookout for a top star who would be
willing to star in their film as the next schedule begins in
January."


Incidentally Abhishek has done quiet a number of special appearances
earlier with most of them being for his good friends in the
industry. His cameo roles list includes films like Mission
Istaanbul, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, Shootout
At Lokhandwala, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Ek Ajanabi and Salaam Namaste.

http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2008/abhishek-yash-
raj-films-141108.html

REVIEW: Abhi-John's Dostana
See how one little lie can make for heck of a great movie
By Abhishek Mande .
Buzz18 Nov 14, 2008

Somewhere in the '80s When Harry Met Sally attempted to answer the
question that has plagued every woman and man since eternity – can
two persons from the opposite sex be just friends?

This week's release Dostana also seeks to find an answer to a
similar question that has troubled our little globalised and
recession-ridden world – can two guys hugging and hanging out with
each other ever be just friends? Because it seems like 'the sex part
always gets in the way.'

Of course Dostana is no patch on the Hollywood cult classic. But
along the way it does give you enough reasons to laugh out. And when
have we demanded anything more out of our (and specifically KJo's)
movies anyway?

It tells the story of Sam (Abhishek Bachchan) a ne'er do well nurse
at a hospital in Miami and a hot-bod photographer Kunal (John
Abraham) who are looking for an apartment to move into. As luck
would have it, they end up at the same house at the same time
driving in the very same cab. They are tad disappointed when they
are told that the house was not open for 'baba log' since there was
a pretty young thing staying there.

Not left with much choice they decide to bluff about their sexuality
and move in with Neha (Priyanka Chopra). As days pass, the three
become great friends and begin spending a lot of time together.

Meanwhile Neha loses her promotion to Abhimanyu Singh (Bobby Deol)
who takes over as the boss of the magazine she works for. He assigns
her an almost-impossible task, which she completes with a little
help from our photographer hunk, and is left impressed.

By the time the tub of interval popcorn makes its way to your seat
you realise that the three leading men have fallen for our pretty
damsel. Our two 'gay' men decide to pull out the daggers and get
Abhimanyu out of the way. How and who manages to take Neha home
forms the climax of the film.

Dostana bases itself on the premise that one lie can make for a heck
of a good film. Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Gol Maal was one such movie
as were Mrs Doubtfire, Chachi 420 and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and
Larry among many others. So the Abhishek Bachchan-starrer is no
landmark film in any sense. And sure enough you are bound to find
influences of all these movies (and many more not listed here) in it.


But what makes Dostana work for me is the sheer chemistry between
John Abraham (his lack of expressions notwithstanding) and Abhishek
Bachchan. The two seem so perfectly made for each other you begin
wishing they were really gay.

What also works is the whole Two Guys and A Girl set-up, which
though exciting and very new to most Indian men comes with a lot of
strings attached.

The third thing that I could empathise with and therefore perhaps
appreciate is how a single man has to lie through his teeth just to
find an accommodation in a big city. And it is this one lie that
snowballs into such a huge mess that it ends up destroying
everything the three protagonists cherish the most.

However what is pi****g off is that the makers have managed to
totally waste three brilliant actors – Boman Irani, Kirron Kher and
Sushmita Bundela Mukherjee. Boman plays the gay editor of a fashion
magazine for exactly three scenes, Kirron plays Abhishek's 'full on
Punjabi ham scene' mom and Sushmita is Priyanka's wannabe model aunt.

Boman has done a much smaller role in Kismat Konnection [READ
REVIEW] but at least the character in the film was critical. Ditto
for Sushmita (Kitty from Karamchand) who was so convincing as her
two-minute performance as the Bengali mom in that horrendous Ugly
Aur Pagli [READ REVIEW]. And just what the hell was Tarun Mansukhani
thinking while picturising that song on Kirron anyway?


Also to a certain extent the film tends to stereotype gay men, which
can be a turnoff. But frankly the film itself is quite enjoyable if
you keep the expressionless Bobby Deol out of the scene.

There are some great moments too. However none so brilliant that can
make your eyes moist. In fact if there's something that gets you
even close to crying is the shot where John replicates the rain
dance scene in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for Priyanka. But that's not so
much because of John and Priyanka but because all along you're
watching Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the backdrop and thinking of
the first time you watched Kuch Kuch ten years ago.

All in all Dostana is not such a bad movie after all. It's been a
while since a Karan Johar film has hit the screens. And watching
this one reminds you how sorely you've missed those candyfloss happy
endings.

Verdict: Dostana makes us realise that not all of us are born the
same. Some of us are straight and we might as well come to terms
with it.


Rating: 3/5

http://buzz18.in.com/reviews/movies/review-abhijohns-dostana/96301/0

Dostana Special with Priyanka, John & Abhishek

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Gv9HkeZc0

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlv_j1HUi6Q

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_fdkDZAc9g

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTmAgXze_7U

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3LXYDjb3mc

Get well sooon Abhiiiiii.... :)

--- In Abhishek-Online@..., "neni2abhi"
<neni2abhi@...> wrote:
>
> Abhishek Bachchan falls ill in Kerala, Amitabh worried
> Posted: 8:43p.m IST, November 6, 2008
>
> New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is
> currently shooting with wife Aishwarya in Kerala for Mani Ratnam's
> Raavan, has fallen ill, revealed father Amitabh.
>
> Amitabh wrote on his blog that the morning of Wednesday was very
> eventful for him.
>
>
> As I step out of bed in the early hours of today (Wednesday),
Obama
> wins, B.R. Chopra passes away and Aishwarya calls that Abhishek is
> down with shivering and high fever. All three events come across
> simultaneously within seconds, Amitabh wrote on his blog
> www.bigb.bigadda.com http://www.bigb.bigadda.com late Wednesday.
>
>
> The actor was squashed between repeated attempts to check up on
> Abhishek's health and between intrusions of the media seeking
> reactions to Chopra 'saheb'.
>
>
> I want to get through to Abhishek, media is worried as they have a
> deadline, he added.
>
>
> Amitabh wrote that Abhishek might be suffering in Kerala, a
distant
> location, due to rough conditions, rain and dirt.
>
>
> The actor expressed his irritation about the situation when
> questions about Chopra's death changed to queries over Abhishek's
> health.
>
>
> A worried father, Amitabh managed to arrange a conference call
> between Abhishek and a doctor, who prescribed medicines to
Bachchan
> junior.
>
> http://news.smashits.com/314051/Abhishek-Bachchan-falls-ill-in-
> Kerala-Amitabh-worried.htm
>

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the Abhishek-Online
group.

   File        : /Dostana Songs/Shut Up & Bounce.mp3
   Uploaded by : neni2abhi <neni2abhi@...>
   Description : Shut up n Bounce

You can access this file at the URL:
http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/Abhishek-Online/files/Dostana%20Songs/Shut%20Up\
%20%26%20Bounce.mp3

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/help/in/groups/files

Regards,

neni2abhi <neni2abhi@...>

Abhishek Bachchan gets a new look, sheds flab for `Raavan'

  Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, Nov 05: Actor Abhishek Bachchan, who has never been too keen on
working out for fitness, has now bid goodbye to his flab by losing 15
kgs for his role in Mani Ratnam's `Raavan'. Not only has Abhi Jr shed
his weight, but has also got his hair trimmed to give the character a
real feel.

According to our source, "Mani Ratnam wanted Abhi to have a lean body
for the lead role in `Raavan'. Mani also asked Abhishek to get a crew
cut so that he looks convincing in his role."

Here's hoping that the toned up Abhishek will be much more impressive
than the previous unshaven fat looking hero who was surely getting more
unkempt and boring day by day.

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=481182&sid=ENT&ssid=1

What the funk! Karan gets `U/A' from the Censor Board

  Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, Nov 06: Looks like Karan Johar's much-awaited `Dostana' has
been scrupulously scrutinised by the Censor Board. The Board has
given `Dostana' a U/A certificate against the U certificate that
Karan and director Tarun Mansukhani wanted. And surprisingly, it is
not the cosy scenes between Abhishek and John that have upset the
Board but the use of `F' word!

KJo's `Dostana' has a background score that goes `What the Funk' and
the Board feels that the word `Funk' sounds like `F***K' and has
asked Karan to mute the word.

That's not all, the Board has also objected to the use of the
word `sex'. Now, that's a real shocker. You can do `it' but you
don't say `it'!

There is a scene in the movie in which Bobby Deol , who plays an
actual gay, is told that he would have to have sex with a
partner. `Sex karna hoga' is the precise dialogue. The board felt
that the dialogue is very evocative and had to be muted.

Then there is another scene in which John calls Abhishek `napunsak'.
The folks at Censor Board felt the dialogue is in poor taste and
should be muted.

Well, we can certainly hear Karan go `What the funk'!

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=481427&sid=ENT&ssid=1

Pantaloons launches Dostana collection
Published on Thu, Nov 06, 2008 at 17:47 ,
Updated at Thu, Nov 06, 2008 at 19:10
Source : Moneycontrol.com

Pantaloons, India's leading fashion retailer, today announced the
launch of `Pantaloons Dostana Collection', a range of exclusive
apparel , that captures the look of Dharma Productions's much
awaited film – Dostana, which stars Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham
and Priyanka Chopra. Dostana Collection will be available across all
43 Pantaloons stores, across 21 cities.

`Pantaloons Dostana Collection' is inspired by the underlying theme
of the movie, which is youthful and stylish . The styling captures
the individual style statement of its characters played by Abhishek
Bachchan, John Abraham & Priyanka Chopra. `Pantaloons Dostana
Collection' available at Pantaloons features men's casual wear
including shirts, t-shirts, cargoes and denims ;while the women wear
collection includes tops, t shirts and denim. These are available
across brands exclusively available at Pantaloons, such as RIG, Bare
Denim and Annabelle .

Said Sanjeev Agrawal, CEO, Pantaloons said, "Films influence fashion
in India to a large extent and new trends are set and reset with the
release of films. Pantaloons understands this, and constantly looks
at films, which represent the aspirations of the youth. Dharma
Productions's – Dostana is one such film, which is youthful and
stylish and hence  we at Pantaloons have launched a collection
inspired by the style statement of the stars."

Pantaloons has been associated with several films in the past and
has created merchandise for films like Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, Kya
Kool Hain Hum, Krrish, Ta Ra Rum Pum, Tashan, and lately Bachna Ae
Haseeno.

http://news.moneycontrol.com/india/news/pressmarket/pantaloons-
launches-dostana-collection/19/10/365010

Media brands look to Bollywood movies to promote their product

`Dostana' could be the beginning of a trend where brands are
integrated seamlessly into a script

Mumbai: When Dostana, a Hindi movie by Karan Johar, hits the screens
on 14 November, it will have a real life fashion magazine in a
stellar role.
In the film, actress Priyanka Chopra plays a staffer of Verve, a
magazine published out of Mumbai by Indian and Eastern Engineer Co.
Pvt. Ltd that also brings out Man's World and Rolling Stone
magazines in India.
The movie—also starring John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan—is set to
take product placement to a new level by weaving a story around a
brand that went through a repositioning exercise recently.
In the footsteps of the 2006 blockbuster, The Devil Wears Prada,
that had Meryl Streep playing an editor of a fashion magazine with
Anne Hathaway as her executive assistant, Dostana tries to recreate
the buzz of a real magazine office with detailing such as original
design plates, sexed-up office settings and even coffee mugs with
Verve written on them.
However, unlike the Hollywood movie, Dostana goes a step forward and
associates with Verve—a fashion and lifestyle magazine that has been
around for 13 years—which lends authenticity to the storyline,
albeit with the trademark Bollywood exaggeration.
"We wanted to work with a real magazine, which brought authenticity
to the movie, rather than with some random, fictitious title like
Beauty," says Arun Nair, head of marketing at Dharma Productions
Pvt. Ltd that produced the movie.
Gloss and glamour: It's placement in "Dostana" could help the Verve
magazine to push its circulation and ad revenues, say experts. The
company approached other magazines, such as Vogue and Marie Claire,
before zeroing in on Verve.
"They had recently undergone a re-branding exercise and were also
looking to launch an international edition around the time of the
film's release in November 2008," says Nair.
This perhaps marks the beginning of a trend where marketers and film-
makers move from plain vanilla deals that toss brands into a script
to ones that are integrated seamlessly into the story.
"The film, through the reach of Bollywood, will be our ambassador
abroad," says Verve's editorial director Parmesh Shahani. "And in
many ways, our ambassador here as well."
The magazine, on its part, has taken the deal a notch further, with
its November issue dubbed as a Dostana special. It has at least 40
pages devoted to the subject, including the magazine cover inspired
by the Karan Johar film, interviews with Chopra, director Tarun
Mansukhani, fashion shoots on film sets in Miami and at Film City in
Goregaon, and fashion and beauty features inspired by the Dostana
theme. The film also gets a special mention in the editor's column.
No surprise then that a number of media brands are looking to
Bollywood to promote their brand and generate interesting content.
The September issue of Vogue features Chopra on the cover, with an
interview on the sets of Madhur Bhandarkar's film Fashion.
"Our aim is to make the best of international and Indian fashion
easily accessible to our readers, and in that sense Bollywood stars
have emerged as a single unifying catalyst," says Priya Tanna,
editor of Vogue India published by Conde Nast India Pvt. Ltd. "Their
reach and glamour makes them a great association and fit for any
glossy."
Interestingly, the photo shoot with VogueIndia as well as the
magazine are featured in the movie, offering instant recall for the
brand.
"From the perspective of speciality magazines, you have a particular
set of target advertisers," says Smita Jha, associate director of
entertainment and media practice at consultancy firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers. "The question, quite simply, is how do you
extract funds from these advertisers."
Jha points out that for niche magazines in India, there is limited
differentiation. So, there is a need to cut across the clutter and
be perceived as a good brand to associate with.
This is important when up to 90% of a fashion or lifestyle
magazine's revenues come from advertising. Subscription and
circulation account for less than 20% of revenue in most cases.
Verve placement in Dostana could help it push circulation and ad
revenues, say experts.
"There was a point when socialites would say they only watch English
movies. But, things have changed today. Bollywood has now acquired
the cool quotient," says Navin Shah, chief operating officer of
marketing firm P9 Integrated Pvt. Ltd, mapping the transition of
traditional Bollywood productions to ones that dazzle with big
brands, high fashion and slick production quality.
"In terms of visibility for the brand, this one film and its stars
will do for Verve what five years of advertising may not be able to
achieve."
"It's largely a perception game," says Chandradeep Mitra, president
of Mudra Max, the Mumbai-based specialist media arm of the Mudra
Group. "How do you convince advertisers that you actually have the
size and quality of readership you claim you have, without any
certified figures? How do you justify high ad rates?"
India's Audit Bureau of Circulations does not certify the
circulation of fashion and lifestyle magazines as few brands are
willing to put their circulation figures under the scanner.
Moreover, small and niche magazines rarely get covered by the Indian
Readership Survey, which means most media spending in such magazines
is based on perception.
Verve claims a print run of 80,000 copies per issue and charges Rs2
lakh for a full page advertisement. Vogue says its print run in
India is 50,000 copies and it charges Rs4 lakh for premium page ad.
According to Shah, a brand integration such as this would cost
between Rs20 lakh and Rs50 lakh. He says it is a win-win situation:
The production house gets to monetize an aspect of the film and add
authenticity to the storyline, and the brand gets to reach out to a
large target audience and be associated with Bollywood stars.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/11/06214727/Media-brands-look-to-
Bollywood.html?h=B

Shilpa: Trying to seduce Abhi back from John?
7 Nov 2008, 0000 hrs IST, TNN

Ooof, my darlings. Didn't we just hear that Abhishek Bachchan's
character in Dostana is supposed to be gay?

Chasing Johnny boy all over the place? And here he is, seemingly wooing
(or getting wooed by) sexy Shilpa Shetty. He hardly looks his `gay
part', na? Tch, tch! But we don't blame the lad. If a seduction as hot
as Ms Shetty comes along, even a statue would probably spring to Viagra-
induced life. And Abhi is too much a man's man – in real life.

Now thank God for that. Or a certain Ms Ash and a certain Ms Bips would
be gunning for the `man' after their men. Complicated? Forget it. Our
head's spinning too.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/India_Buzz/Shilpa_Tryin
g_to_seduce_Abhi_back_from_John/articleshow/3682197.cms

'John's the bod, I'm the attitude!'
07 Nov, 2008 06:00 am ISTl
Chuman Das and Urvashi Ashar/INDIATIMES MOVIES

While many an ass-et is being displayed these days – Priyanka's
oomphy curves, John's butt...- not much hoo-ha is being made of
the 'more covered' Abhishek Bachchan. He must've felt left out in
this body-show on the beautiful beaches of Miami. Sorry dearies, our
stubbled hottie isn't the insecure types you know, and about the
amount of attention his fellow-actors are receiving, well, Abhsihek
can 'bear' it all!

He tells us, "My director just didn't want me to show skin. What to
do? My role didn't require me to expose... But that's fine. John's
the bod, I'm the attitude, you see!" Having lost considerable
weight, is the actor gunning for a six pack, too, these days? He
smiles, "No, not yet, I'm doing pretty well with my family pack
actually... No director has asked me to achieve a six-pack for a
film. But if required, I'd be very happy to do so."

Playing gay on-screen, Abhishek was touted to be a gay icon sometime
ago. "Apparently so, and why not? I bow to the gay fraternity,"
states Bachchan Jr., "Appreciation and love from any quarter is
welcome." About men having made passes at him, the actor
confesses, "There has been no such luck. Never mind men making
passes at me, even the women never have. Damn! What a life!"

http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3681977.cms

Bollywood `Bonds' with the best
7 Nov 2008, 0000 hrs IST, AFSANA AHMED , TNN

Daniel Craig is back, as James Bond. And reams of newsprint is being
spent on deciding who's been the best 007 so far. Craig tops
everybody's list, though some oldtimers reckon there was nobody like
Sean Connery. Craig's predecessor and Connery's successor, Pierce
Brosnan and Roger Moor respectively, tie for third slot. Then comes
Timothy Dalton. And hardly anybody remembers George Lazenby who did
just one film as Bond. BT shot down all lists to create its own...
of desi James Bonds. We asked Bollywood who would fit Bond's shoes
and tux best... and came up with this role call for 007.

Sanjay Gupta: Shah Rukh Khan, he's got all it takes. He's superbly
fit and in great shape. He is suave and looks great in a tuxedo.
And, most importantly, he has the lady killer charisma and attitude.

Sanjay Gadhvi: Akshay Kumar, he's good looking, charming, and does
action and stunt scenes himself. Bond also symbolises goodness over
evil. And I always had this impression of Akshay being like that.

Bunty Walia: Sanjay Dutt, he has the persona, charm and looks that
could kill.

Imtiyaaz Ali: Hrithik Roshan, he looks suave. And, he looks like the
kind of guy who can keep secrets.

Sunil Darshan: Hrithik is cool and classic... but John has an
undeniable screen presence... well, actually even Amitabh Bachchan
offers stiff competition!

Apoorva Lakhia: Abhishek Bachchan, he has class, good taste, he
speaks the Queen's English, and can seduce any woman he wants. Also,
he has that subtle but dangerous look in his eyes and — best of all,
Abhishek already has better cars and gadgets than James Bond!

Vikram Bhatt: Saif Ali Khan, he has an inborn classy aura, lot of
panache and style. Also, he is a charmer and has a great effect on
women.

RajKumar Santoshi: Hrithik, he's got a striking personality, and a
sculpted body made for James Bond kind of films.

Madhur Bhandarkar : Hrithik, besides charm, looks, great body, style
and panache, he also has James Bond's expressive eyes!

Subhash Ghai: Salman Khan, he has the perfect face, great body, does
super action and is a magnet among babes.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood_Bonds_with
_the_best/articleshow/3681494.cms

Hi all,

Dont miss this amazingly cool show. Its an interview with Abhishek,
John and Priyanka and hosted by Karan Johar!!!!

Its gonna be KWK style... so must be fun!!

Enjoi
Neetu

Abhishek Bachchan falls ill in Kerala, Amitabh worried
Posted: 8:43p.m IST, November 6, 2008

New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS) Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is
currently shooting with wife Aishwarya in Kerala for Mani Ratnam's
Raavan, has fallen ill, revealed father Amitabh.

Amitabh wrote on his blog that the morning of Wednesday was very
eventful for him.


As I step out of bed in the early hours of today (Wednesday), Obama
wins, B.R. Chopra passes away and Aishwarya calls that Abhishek is
down with shivering and high fever. All three events come across
simultaneously within seconds, Amitabh wrote on his blog
www.bigb.bigadda.com http://www.bigb.bigadda.com late Wednesday.


The actor was squashed between repeated attempts to check up on
Abhishek's health and between intrusions of the media seeking
reactions to Chopra 'saheb'.


I want to get through to Abhishek, media is worried as they have a
deadline, he added.


Amitabh wrote that Abhishek might be suffering in Kerala, a distant
location, due to rough conditions, rain and dirt.


The actor expressed his irritation about the situation when
questions about Chopra's death changed to queries over Abhishek's
health.


A worried father, Amitabh managed to arrange a conference call
between Abhishek and a doctor, who prescribed medicines to Bachchan
junior.

http://news.smashits.com/314051/Abhishek-Bachchan-falls-ill-in-
Kerala-Amitabh-worried.htm

Dostana - Music Review
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 01:10 [IST]

Expectations from a soundtrack belonging to a Karan Johar film are
straight forward - It has to be nothing but superb. With the kind of
music that his films have boasted over the years (Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna, Kaal, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kuch Kuch Hota
Hai), there is no reason why Dostana should be any different. Add to
it names like Vishal and Shekhar who truly understand the pulse of
today's youth and you know that this Abhishek Bachchan-Priyanka
Chopra-John Abraham starrer would boast of an entertaining
soundtrack all the way.

After listening to Dostana, you know that it is not just
entertaining in get-set-rocking mode. Instead it also has its
moments, especially when it comes to the soft numbers (there are
three of them) and this is exactly where the core strength of
Dostana lies. The album has a mix of everything - from dance number
to softer tracks - all of it ensuring that Vishal-Shekhar have yet
another successful album up their sleeves after Bachna Ae Haseeno,
Tashan and Om Shanti Om.

A love song with some unconventional lyrics by Anvita Dutt
Guptan, 'Jaane Kyun' is an excellent track that gives Dostana a kick
start. If the catchy tune isn't good enough, it is the singer who
comes behind the mike for this youthful track, who surprises the
most. He is none other than Vishal Dadlani himself who shows an
entirely different facet of his personality. He is confident enough
to entrust himself with the responsibility of going solo for this
flagship number of Dostana and doesn't make one feel that any other
singer would have done a better job with 'Jaane Kyun'. A fun number
which would find immense popularity all over.

  A track which requires just one hearing to be classified as a
chartbuster being brought to you on a platter is 'Desi Girl'. Want
some 'get-on-the-dance-floors' beats? Vishal & Shekhar get it for
you. Need some catchy lyrics to get on your lips instantly? Lyricist
Kumaar does the job right for you. Expect the singers to get some
powerful energy in their vocals? Shankar Mahadevan and Sunidhi
Chauhan along with Vishal Dadlani can always be entrusted to do
that. And if you thought that the feel of 'Deewangee' (Om Shanti Om)
couldn't ever be matched again, then choreographer Farah Khan is
just a call away. Overall, a complete package deal where absolutely
nothing goes wrong!

A quintessential Punjabi dance number as far as the tune and
arrangements are concerned, 'Maa Da Laadla' is the next to come.
However, it is the lyrics by Kumaar which makes the number special
as there is a lot being conveyed in this hardcore Punjabi number. If
one diverts attention away from the racy tune of this number (which
is bound to make its presence felt in the discotheques and clubs)
and instead delve deep into the lyrics, you would realize that 'Maa
Ka Laadla', which has singer Saleem at the helm, is one fun number
which would aid the film's narrative in a big way. Watch out for
this one!

Next comes the much hyped item number in Dostana which features
Shilpa Shetty jiving along with Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham
on the Miami beach. Titled 'Shut Up & Bounce', the song may sound
like a routine/typical dance number but that doesn't come in the way
of the potential it holds as far becoming popular in days to come.
With Sunidhi Chauhan leading from the front and Vishal Dadlani
providing additional vocals, 'Shut Up & Bounce' written by Anvita is
all set to be an eye candy all the way, courtesy Miss Shetty and
other bevy of beauties expected to dominate the frames captured on
the Miami beach.

  Vishal and Shekhar reserve the best for the end with two extremely
soothing numbers bringing Dostana to an end. First to come
is 'Khabar Nahi' which is just the kind that you wish to put in a
repeat mode, switch off the lights, close your eyes and expect the
song to make you go for that peaceful sleep. If Vishal excelled as a
singer in 'Jaane Kyun', one has to hear him in 'Khabar Nahi' where
is quite good yet again. A beautiful melody which keeps you smiling
away as it plays in the background, 'Khabar Nahi' is a love song
written by Anvita which also has Shreya Ghoshal and Amanat Ali
lending their vocals along with Raja Hasan.

Shaan would indeed consider himself lucky as he is gifted the best
tune and lyrics (Vishal Dadlani does an all around show in the album
and also contributes with his writing) in the form of 'Kuch Kum'. A
poetic track which moves at a serene pace and has in it the
potential to scale the kind of height which the title song of 'Kal
Ho Na Ho' did (as far as the soothing feel is concerned) 'Kuch Kum'
is easily the best of the lot and is immensely likeable within first
listening itself. It is a kind of number that you don't really want
to over analyze and instead just hear it to enjoy it to the fullest.
No wonder, it has the longest duration when compared to the rest and
lasts for close to 6 minutes.

Dostana is an excellent album from Vishal-Shekhar and there is not
one single number which doesn't work. In fact if three soft numbers
('Kuch Kum', 'Khabar Nahi' and 'Jaane Kyun') are the pick of the lot
then 'Desi Girl' is a definite must for the dance floors. 'Maa Da
Laadla' and 'Shut up & Bounce' have their own place under the sun
and if the film works well at the theaters (which it should), there
is no reason why Dostana won't go on to match the kind of sales that
the biggest albums of 2008 (Race, Singh Is Kinng, Jannat, Tashan,
JTYJN) have enjoyed this year.

Go for it!


Source : IndiaFM

Shahrukh, Abhishek bumping into each other!

Courtesy: Bollywood Hungama

The King Khan will take on the might of Junior Bachchan at the box
office on February 13th. Shahrukh Khan's much delayed Billoo Barber
is all set to clash at the ticket window on that date with Abhishek
Bachchan's Dilli 6.

Box office battles don't tend to benefit Abhishek and that is what
his last release Drona showcased. This solo starrer of Abhishek not
only opened very low compared to it's competitor Kidnap but also
took a severe beating at the box office. Shahrukh on the other hand
is considered the most safest bet at the ticket window when it comes
release clashes. We all know what his Om Shanti Om did to it's
competitor, Saawariya.

Now at a time when a super hit is the most important thing that
Abhishek needs to revive his flogging career, his film is taking on
the might of the King Khan who is all set to unleash his home
production, Billoo Barber. It is not in his hands to avoid the clash
but perhaps the makers of the film, UTV-Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
realise it soon.


Dilli 6 stars Abhishek along side Sonam Kapoor and Billoo Barber
which is the remake of Malayalam hit Katha Paruyambol has SRK
starring along with Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta and also having Priyanka
Chopra, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone making special
appearances.

Mehra's Dilli 6 is based on his growing up years in Old Delhi's
Chandni Chowk area whereas Billoo Barber tells the story of a barber
shop owner (Irrfan) and his best friend (SRK) who he meets after 25
years and is now a super star.

http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/gupshup/2008/billoo-
barber-dilli-6-clash-041108.html

`Dostana' setting yankee fashion trends with its style!

  Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, Nov 04: KJo's much awaited `Dostana' is all set for its
release this month, but the film is already creating new fashion
trends for all the style and glamour it's promoting. The Abhishek-
John-Priyanka starrer, which is shot in Urban America, has been
given the apt look keeping the youth and style in mind.

Two of the most acclaimed Bollywood designers, Manish Malhotra and
Akki Narula, have given the actors' clothes a very youth feel and a
summery appeal. While Manish has designed Priyanka's sexy clothes,
Akki Narula is responsible for John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan's
cool yankee look.

The first look of the film is already making waves with the drool
material John Abraham going bare-chested in many scenes flaunting
his perfect abs. While Abhishek will be seen sporting a lot of
bright shirts, scarves and funky white cargos.

So, just get ready to drool over the trio's ever so fresh and
trendy `Dostana'!

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=480943&sid=ENT&ssid=1

Shear Luck
5 Nov 2008, 0000 hrs IST, VICKEY LALWANI , TNN

Karan and Tarun Mansukhani were in for a rude shock when they learnt
that the Censor Board had clipped some scenes of Dostana . The Board
has objected to a scene in which John Abraham tells Priyanka Chopra
that Abhishek Bachchan is napunsak (impotent) and Priyanka giggles.
The Board also objected to a background score which sounds like an
expletive What the f***. Now, after Karan muted the two things, the
film has been given a U/A certificate.

When we contacted Vinayak Azad (Regional Officer, Censor Board), he
confirmed and said, "We were told that the background score was What
the funk, but it clearly sounded like What the f***. I couldn't have
let that go."
But why mute the word napunsak? Vinayak explained, "It has been used
often in the past. But our objection was about the way it has been
used in Dostana. The situation was unwarranted and the word was said
in a very suggestive manner."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Shear_Luck/articlesh
ow/3673017.cms