CineDen: July 2013

Sunday 28 July 2013

Veena Malik prays for India and Pakistan friendship!

During the holy month of Ramadan, Pakistani actress Veena Malik visited Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in the national capital and reportedly prayed for the friendship of India and Pakistan.

She was there to offer prayers for her upcoming film 'Supermodel'.

Veena Malik's 'Supermodel' and Poonam Pandey's 'Nasha' have always been compared to each other with a lot of controversies surrounding them.

Well, we hopes that your prayers work in your favor Veena.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Paris Hilton's boyfriend not insecure

Socialite Paris Hilton says her boyfriend River Viiperi, a model, is not jealous of her successful career and is very supportive of her.

Hilton, busy managing her time between her range of perfumes, bags and her own nightclub, has been dating Viiperi for over a year now.

"He's always saying how proud he is of me, so that makes me really happy. He travels with me all around the world. I love having someone who is always there for me," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Hilton as saying.

"He's so supportive. He looks up to me and says how inspiring I am. It's hard for some men to handle; they can get jealous or insecure. But he's like, 'Oh my God, you're just the most incredible woman I've ever met.'," she added.

James Gandolfini Estate Planning Mess

A month after his untimely death, James Gandolfini’s will is now being picked apart like Tony Soprano’s brain at a therapy session with Dr. Melfi.

The 51-year-old Gandolfini left a will that is now public for his estimated $70 million estate. Drafted in December 2012, it leaves 20 percent to his wife Deborah Lin, 30 percent each to his two sisters and 20 percent to his newborn daughter Liliana, an existing trust of unknown amount to his son Michael along with a life insurance policy and first dibs on purchasing his New York condo, and $1.6 million spread among various friends.

The way the will is set up, Gandolfini’s estate will get stuck with a huge estate tax bill.

Had he done some basic trust planning, he would have taken advantage of a $5.25 million federal exemption and other ways to save on estate taxes. The top rate just went up to 40 percent.

His estate will also have to fork over death taxes to New York, his state of residence, which, unlike most states, does not mirror the federal exemption and exempts only the first $1 million from estate taxes.

It may seem like a no-brainer to save tens of millions of dollars on taxes, but some estate planning lawyers say it may not have been a mistake at all.

“You can clearly see from his will, his Tony Soprano response is: ‘F— the IRS and New York state; I’ll pay the taxes because I want the money to go to my kids, family and friends,’” said Jennifer Corcoran, a trust and estates attorney in Albany, N.Y.

She added that because his estate was so big, it was going to be on the hook for estate taxes anyway.

As for the loss of the marital exemption, Gandolfini may have decided against creating a spousal trust despite the tax advantages.

If he had created a trust for his wife for her life and then to his children, that would have taken advantage of a combined marital exemption of $10.5 million from federal estate taxes, but it would mean that his children would not get the money until his wife, who is 44 years old, died.

“To get the spousal exemption, the assets have to be in trust during their lifetime. That would have tied up anything going to the kids, including his son Michael from a previous marriage who would have to wait out his stepmother’s death,” said Corcoran.

Instead, Gandolfini set up trust for his two children who will be able to get the money when they are 21 years old.

However, Gandolfini could have set up his sister’s shares for better tax savings.

“He might have frankly been better off leaving them as irrevocable life insurance trusts, which is tax-free money to his sisters, or charitable remainder trusts to provide his sisters with lifetime security and a much smaller chunk to the IRS,” said Janet L. Brewer, an estate planning attorney in Palo Alto, Calif.

Instead, they will be on the hook for about $16 million in federal estate taxes.

For most people, who don’t need to worry about having more than the $5.25 million marital exemption, the main obstacle is creating a will in the first place.

“Having a will is critical, especially if you have young children,” said Corcoran.

Other documents everyone should have are a durable power of attorney that allows someone to handle your financial assets and a health care proxy that allows someone to make health care decisions if you can’t, Corcoran said.

But too many people put off creating these documents.

“Unfortunately a lot of people don’t want to deal with it. Who wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Gee, I think I’ll think about dying and figure out what to do about it?” said Brewer. “It’s an unpleasant but a necessary task if you don’t want to leave a mess behind you.”

Sunday 14 July 2013

Suriya chooses Thala Thalapathy

Actor Suriya was recently seen interacting with students from a private college in Chennai. The actor had to face a volley of questions from the eager students.

Suriya chooses Thala Thalapathy

When asked if Suriya was open to doing a film like Dostana in Tamil, he quipped that he finds a huge generation gap between him and the students of this generation. He called the Gen y progressive. When asked who would suit Suriya in a Dostana kind of film and his immediate response was Maddy. Needless to say the students just couldn't control their laughter.

Suriya chooses Thala Thalapathy

When finally asked whom he liked more Thala ( Ajith) or Thalapathy ( Vijay), Suriya smartly replied, Thala Thalapathy.

Dia Mirza to wed Boyfriend Sahil Sangha

Bollywood Actress Dia Mirza, who has been dating her boyfriend and business partner Sahil Sangha for quite sometime now plans to marry next year.

The 31-year-old co-owns production house Born Free Entertainment along with Sahil and Zayed Khan. "Love Breakups Zindagi" was their first venture.

"A professional partner and a life partner have an integral role to play. Sahil is my peacemaker. He brings calm and a great sense of confidence into everything I do. He is an incredible human being. He is extremely talented," Dia, who has so far worked in over 30 films, said in an interview.

The "Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein" fame actress is excited about after-marriage.

"I will marry him next year. I don't know how things will change...everyone tells me that everything changes. I guess I will live and learn. I am exited, I have lots of wonderful things to look forward to," she said and added this happiness also helps her stay in shape.

Describing herself as a disciplined person, Dia said: "When you are happy and have a balance in your life, it shows. I am very disciplined. Anything, which I take up in life, I do it consistently. I exercise, I do yoga, meditation and practice the art of living. I do functional training and work out with weights. I focus on breathing and flexibility."

What is one thing that you can't stay away from?

"The only thing which I haven't got committed to is a diet. I love to eat and Sahil is also a foodie, so we love to cook," she said.

Poonam hates comparison with Sunny

Poonam Pandey hates comparison with Sunny Leone

Poonam Pandey, who is happy with the response she is getting for Nasha's trailers claims that it's the love of her fans, but finds it silly when people compare her to Sunny Leone.

Poonam Pandey hates comparison with Sunny Leone

On being asked about her reaction on comparison with Sunny, she said, "I read many such stories, but I can't stop anyone from comparing me to people. If they want to compare me I hardly care."

"It sounds silly to compare me with Sunny. I am not here to compete with anyone. I am going my own way. I don't like to be compared and I don't think anyone can be compared to me," concluded Poonam.

Poonam's debut movie has created a buzz online and the makers are excited about the film.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) - Hindi Movie Review

Cast :

Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh
Sonam Kapoor as Biro
Divya Dutta as Isri Kaur, Milkha Singh's elder sister
Dev Gill as Abdul Khaliq
Master Jabtej Singh as young Milkha
Meesha Shafi as Perizaad
Yograj Singh as Indian Coach Ranveer Singh
Nawab Shah as Pakistani Coach Javed
Art Malik as Milkha Singh's father
Prakash Raj
Pawan Malhotra as Milkha Singh's Coach Gurudev Singh
Rebecca Breeds as Stella
Dalip Tahil as Jawaharlal Nehru

Directed by : Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Produced by : Viacom 18, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Written by : Prasoon Joshi
Music by : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Studio : Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Distributed by : Reliance Entertainment

Right from the day, the trailer of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, showcasing Farhan Akhtar at his athletic best, was released, the expectations for the movie have been on a real high. The music of the movie with the title track and the rocking Zinda number, further escalated the hype meter. With movies such as Rang De Basanti to his credit, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has quite a lot of eyes on him as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a rare Indian sporting biopic, releases today.

The film begins with the Rome Olympics in 1960 where Milkha Singh finished 4th in the 400m and faltered just at the doorstep of Olympic glory. Soon after, there is an initiative by the Indian and Pakistani governments for a 'Friendship Games' and Milkha is expected to lead the Indian contingent. He shockingly backs away due to personal reasons and this sends shockwaves all over.

The film then moves back and forth as we are told about Milkha's past through his first athletics coach in the Army (played brilliantly by Pawan Malhotra). Glimpses of his childhood, the emotional toll taken by the partition on him, his days of dacoity as a young rebel, his first love, his initiation to the Army and of course his exploits and incredible hard work as a runner are part of the tale.

How Milkha achieves inner peace and comes to terms with the ghosts of his tormented past and becomes the world renowned 'Flying Sikh' is the finale of this glorious attempt by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Prasoon Joshi to pay tribute to Milkha Singh, India’s foremost athlete.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag wouldn't have been half what it is, without the total commitment and effort of Farhan Akhtar. You can't imagine anyone else as Milkha. His long locks, the authentic facial hair, the steely and wiry physique, those incredible 8 pack abs and the overall spontaneity that Farhan exhibits make Milkha come alive on screen.

The film is packed with so many touching and uplifting moments and the writing by Prasoon Joshi is of the highest order. The training montage scenes are sure to inspire aspiring athletes and seeing Farhan run at high altitude with a tyre tied to his body is jaw-dropping. After every workout he squeezes the sweat out of his shirt and collects them in a mug and later a bucket. He doesn't even mind the falling rain and is focused only on his workout!!!

The pre-interval scene when Milkha runs with a badly injured leg but still achieves a National record with his sheer commitment and dedication, is among the most uplifting scenes ever. You'll wonder at the stuff this man is made of.

All the running scenes in the movie have been filmed very well in grand stadiums packed to the rafters. The visual effects lift these sequences to a whole different level.

Milkha’s elder sister is almost like a mother to him and when he comes and stands before her as an army man in the Indian jersey and presents her a set of earrings, her tears of joy are so genuine. Divya Dutta plays this sister’s role brilliantly.

This particular jersey scene takes more significance as in the initial stages, Milkha longs for a similar jersey and is termed a thief when he secretly tries on the jersey of a fellow sportsman. How he strives hard to win himself an Indian jersey and the pride that he exhibits when he gets his first jersey are really moving and indicative of the humble Indian sportsman’s character.

The episodes when Milkha feels jittery on his first flight are hilarious and when he responds to a question if he is 'relaxing' with 'No, I am Milkha Singh', the crowd erupts in laughter at this typical Sardar joke.

The film also shows the staunch romantic in Milkha and the way he gulps down big jars of lassi and completes a hundred push-ups just to showcase himself as a big hero in his lady love's locality, is entertaining to the core.

Among the women in Milkha's life, Sonam Kapoor as his first love is so one-dimensional and her appearance reminds us of her look in movies like Mausam and Raanjhanaa. Her role could have been done away with. Rebecca Breeds as Milkha's Australian girlfriend, is sparkling and shares some sizzling hot scenes with Farhan. Their little romance, though short-lived, is endearing.

The research that has gone into the movie is evident as the important turning points in Milkha's career such as the Asian Games in Tokyo 1958, the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff 1958 and the two Olympics in Melbourne and Rome have been presented well on screen. His 'crowning glory' moments such as the 400m world record and the Padma Shri honor are also highlighted.

Among the other actors, the kid who plays the younger Milkha is a huge star in the making as acting seems to come really easy to him. Prakash Raj as the stern Army commander plays a rare positive character compared to his general 'loud villain' roles in Hindi commercial cinema. Yograj Singh as Milkha's National coach is authoritative and looks the part as the no-nonsense coach. Dalip Tahil as Jawaharlal Nehru is an example of what good casting and authentic makeup can do.

Binod Pradhan's work behind the lens, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's songs and background score along with Tubby and the color tone of the film give it more character.

On the downside, the movie is really long at more than 3 hours and the director could have done away with few of the romantic endeavors of Milkha and focused more on his exploits and commitment as a runner. A few might complain about the length but there is no denying the director's vision and belief in the script.

The movie ends with Milkha's quote about the virtues of hard work, dedication and commitment and we must say, the team of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag have stood by his quotes and made him proud.

Verdict: A royal salute to the creative team's vision and Farhan Akhtar's total commitment

Dhanush calls Sivakarthikeyan his brother

The audio launch of Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam was held this morning in Chennai. When the Chief Guest for the event, Dhanush, took the stage, he was greeted with a thunderous applause.

Dhanush calls Sivakarthikeyan his brother

The actor's speech moved many when he said that Tamil cinema was the oxygen he breathed and that Hindi cinema was like his clothes. The actor also gave a pleasant surprise to the audience when he called Siva Karthikeyan his younger brother. He said that since he was the youngest among his siblings, he always yearned for a smaller brother. He added that he would be the pillar of support at all time. Now that's indeed a sweet gesture from the actor.

Ileana to gain weight?

It has been ages since anyone has seen Ileana on Telugu screen as she moved away to Mumbai. Even in Mumbai, she was seen in 'BARFI' and after that she is not even seen in any movie thereafter. But the distinction is, when Ileana was in South, she had the appropriate shapes and irresistible waist in the whole industry.

However, after going to Bollywood she reduced like a matchstick. Anyways, the latest information is that the Goan lady has made the decision to re-size her personality and put on some weight.

Lately, companies Hansika and others have put on weight and are looking voluptuously sexy. Many heroines in southern are doing the same. By putting on some flesh they look healthier too.

It is observed that even Ileana also wants to do the same. This including bodyweight problem is now delivering feelers that maybe Ileana is rethinking of coming back to southern. If that is real then it would be an event for her lovers. Even otherwise, Ileana always looks her best when she has those delightful shapes.

Saturday 13 July 2013

Ajith creates magic everywhere

Ajith's fans are an active lot online. The actor's fans have been tirelessly ensuring that their favourite actor gets the maximum hits online. It's a year the prequel to Ajith's hit released online and his fans are an excited lot. The actor's fans ensured that the film was received well at the Box Office.

Billa2 had recently stolen the thunder online when the television premiere of Billa 2 made news. Now that the news about Thala53 is out, it looks like history is going to repeat itself.

Friday 12 July 2013

Janani Iyer is back in Kollywood

Actress Janani Iyer has signed on a couple of projects in Tamil, and she has bagged two films from the production house that made Pizza and Soodhu Kavvum. Her next film will be Thegidi, which is being directed by debutant Ramesh. The film has Ashok Selvan in the lead. A visibly excited Janani Iyer says, "I am thrilled to be playing the lead in this film. It is a very interesting script; the story is an out-and-out thriller and we will be shooting in the city for the film."

After Avan Ivan, the actress has been acting in a couple of Mollywood films and she is back to Tamil films after a small break. She says, "Working in Mollywood has been a different experience altogether. Their way of working is different; they complete a film within a very short span of time. They are very thorough with what they do; I learnt professionalism while shooting for my Malayalam film. I am hearing a few scripts there as well and I am planning to shuttle between Tamil and Malayalam industries, with more focus on Kollywood films for some time."

Haripriya signs next in Tamil

For Haripriya, the last few months have been hectic. From shooting for her films in three languages in the south to signing on a couple of new projects, the actress says she has had a busy schedule.

Last month, the girl was shooting for a song and few scenes in Munnar for her upcoming Tamil film, Vaarayo Vennilave. "It was a duet, and a very pleasant number. Dinesh and I had also shot for a few scenes. I've finished shooting for my portions in the film," she says, "This film is a totally different experience for Dinesh. Atta Kathi was very realistic, but this film is surreal. Director Sasi has been helping us out in understanding our characters."

Meanwhile, Haripriya is shooting for Ee Varsham Sakshiga in Telugu. "I'm also working on Ranathantra in Sandalwood. My other Telugu film, Abbai Class Ammai Mass, is ready for release. I'm also excited about this new Tamil film that I've signed. The producers will reveal the details by next month," she signs off.

Thursday 11 July 2013

A R Rahman backs out of Hollywood flick

World renowned music composer A R Rahman was tapped to score the music for the fantasy action adventure 'The Seventh Son' along with Finnish composer Tuomas Kantelinen, but the ace composer seems to have backed out of the project by Sergei Bodrov as he couldn't fit it in his schedule.

Confirming the same A R Rahman tweeted "Due to schedule incompatibility, I will not be scoring the Hollywood movie Seventh Son." All other movies are on in full swing!" The Academy Award-winning composer who is best known internationally for his scores for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours is working on Dreamworks Animation's upcoming Mumbai Musical, which is set for a release on December 19, 2015.

I was clueless 10 years ago: Neha Dhupia

Former beauty queen Neha Dhupia, who tip-toed into Bollywood a decade ago with the film "Qayamat: City Under Threat", confesses she was clueless about movies when she entered the industry.

"On this beautiful day, I complete 10 years in the movie business," Neha posted on Twitter.

Needless to say, she was nostalgic.

"My head filled with beautiful memories and great experiences, people I've met, the things I've learnt, the ups and downs, the hits, the flops, the singing and dancing, the madness. All if it I owe to the movies," she added.

But she admits she was hardly prepared when she entered filmdom.

"Some thought I was a hot little thing coming out of the water in my first shot on celluloid, but I've to confess I was nothing but clueless! It's been a 10 wonderful years and I'm filled with nothing but gratitude," she tweeted.

After winning the coveted Miss India title in 2002, Neha made an entry into films.

She has been part of popular films like "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum", "Shootout at Lokhandwala" and "Singh Is Kinng" and even not-so-successful projects like "Sheesha". She also starred in the controversial 2004 film "Julie.

Neha has thanked everyone for always "loving me and giving me a second chance".

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Jai gears up for an action film

Actor Jai, who's working on a couple of Tamil films, including Thirumanam Ennum Nikkah and Tamizh Selvanum Thaniyaar Anjalum, has signed on his next here. To be directed by Saravana Rajan, we hear the film is expected to be a mega budget one.

"Though there have been action sequences in my earlier film, this will be the first time I'm working on a full-fledged action film. I'm gearing up to look the part and perform some power-packed stunts.We are planning to shoot the film in the slum areas in the city," he says,

"I have been signing on roles that suit me. I don't take up heroic scripts as I think that will be too much for me. Right now, I am happy within my space." Quiz him about his role in Raja Rani, which has Arya and Nayanthara in the lead, and he says, "My character will rise in the flashback sequences. It's a very cute character, something which I haven't essayed so far."

Regina Cassandra on the rise

Regina Cassandra, who returned to Kollywood with Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga, is up to her neck with work. She recently completed the shoot of her Telugu film Shankara opposite Nara Rohit. She says, "I am taking a small break and will be visiting Chennai. After this, I will be joining Sai Dharam Tej for a film that is being directed by AS Ravi Kumar Chowdhary."

Simultaneously, she has also signed another film opposite Allu Sirish, being directed by Eerojullo fame Maruthi. "The characters I am doing in all these films are very different from each other. In the Ravi Kumar Chowdhary film, I play the role of an arts student who is very serious in life, and in the film being made by Maruthi, I play the role of a vivacious girl, whose idea of a good life revolves around money," says the actress.

In addition, she has also committed to a bilingual film produced and directed by Prakash Raj, which is based on the Malayalam move, Salt N Pepper.

No time to launch fashion line: Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor's last release Raanjhanaa has won critical appraise and now the actress gears up for her next- Bhaag Milkha Bhaag where she plays a cameo.

Off screen, Sonam is quite the fashonista who has become an icon for young girls. Known for her red carpet appearances and her knack for fashion, Sonam says she's too busy to launch a line of her own, unlike a few of her contemporaries.

But if she had the chance, Sonam would want to do something affordable and reasonable. "Honestly, I don't have the time to launch a fashion line but if I ever do, it would be for normal girls. Girls who find high street brands expensive and shop in local markets and places. I'll also keep in my mind the Indian body type since organic clothes suit us the most", says the actress.

Kate Hudson to launch affordable sportswear

Oscar-nominated actress Kate Husdson will launch a new sportswear line, Fabletics in collaboration with an online retailer Just Fab. It will hit markets in October.

Hudson, who has a two-year-old son Bingham with her fiance Matt Bellamy, and Ryder, 9, with her ex-husband Chris Robinson, said that the collection is aimed at working professionals and mothers on-the-go.

"I've always lived an active lifestyle, and with two boys, life has only gotten busier," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Hudson as saying.

"As a working mom, I know what it's like to be on the go and running around from one activity to the next, sometimes you just don't have time to change, but you still want to look cute - whether you're taking a yoga class, running errands or meeting up with friends before you pick the kids up from school," she said.

The 34-year-old said that she wanted to create outfits that are not only fashionable, but also functional and affordable.

"I co-created Fabletics with Don Ressler and Adam Godenberg, (JustFab co-CEOs), to offer busy women quality activewear that is fashionable, functional and affordable," said Hudson.

The actress previously launched a women's clothing collection with US label Ann Taylor.

Lootera (2013) - Hindi Movie Review

Cast :

Ranveer Singh as Varun Shrivastav / Atmanand Tripathi(Nandu)
Sonakshi Sinha as Pakhi Roy Chowdhury
Barun Chanda as Zamindar
Vikrant Massey as Devdas
Arif Zakaria as A.K.Bajpai
Adil Hussain as Inspector K.N. Singh
Divya Dutta as Shyama
Shirin Guha as Devyani
Prince Hayer

Directed by : Vikramaditya Motwane
Produced by : Anurag Kashyap, Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Vikas Bahl
Written by : Bhavani Iyer, Vikramaditya Motwane
Story by : Vikramaditya Motwane
Music by : Amit Trivedi
Cinematography : Mahendra J. Shetty
Editing by : Dipika Kalra
Studio : Balaji Motion Pictures, Phantom Films
Distributed by : Balaji Motion Pictures

A beautiful but deeply flawed film, the eagerly-awaited "Lootera" floors you with its audacious sensitivity and its tendency to use silences to punctuate emotions.

Indeed, the sequences between Varun and Pakhi, played with compelling intensity by Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, bristle and burst at the seams with unspoken feelings. There are long passages of muted lyricism in the narration where silences are used to accentuate the growing passion between a lonely, emotionally and sexually insulated daughter of a feudal family in Kolkata, and the attractive stranger who walks into her life with the promise of passion, only to break her heart into wounding shards.

The love story, apparently inspired by American writer O. Henry's short story "The Last Leaf", moves in mysterious magical ways, but often tends to lose its way in its search for that elusive horizon where two socially, culturally and economically incompatible people in love, hanker to unite, but seldom do.

The film wears two distinctly 'classic' looks in sweaty bustling Kolkata and forlorn snowy Dalhousie, both shot with fetching discreetness by cinematographer Mahendra Shetty. The Kolkatan periodicity of the 1950s relies excessively on extraneous props. Putting songs of Geeta Dutt, Mohammed Rafi, Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar of that era in the backdrop is the easiest and laziest way to get the characters to "feel" the bygone era.

I expected Motwane to go further in his exploration of the theme of repressed love. Motwane takes on the theme of sublime love, but seems to pull back at crucial turning points. When Pakhi's lover deserts her on their engagement day, I wanted to see Pakhi mourning with her doting father. But no. We only hear her talking about it later. Sonakshi's choked but dignified recrimination recreates unseen moments visually. Yes, her performance is that vivid.

The films looks beautiful but comes dangerously close to skipping the soul, but for one clinching factor.

Sonakshi Sinha. So far we've seen her as a mass-appealing queen of blockbusters. Playing the ailing, dying Pakhi in "Lootera", she comes to a formidable level of histrionic nirvana not obtainable to any of her contemporaries. Sonakshi penetrates her character's bleeding loneliness with fearless integrity. Pakhi's desire to find adventure, love and romance reminded me of Madhabi Mukherjee in 1964 film "Charulata".

There are moments, sequences and scattered shots where Sonakshi is captured in various postures of unbearable vulnerability. In a sequence of rebuffed ardour, she drops her dignity and drives down to meet the man who suddenly starts avoiding her.

"Will you come tomorrow? Day after? Then the day after that," she whispers in declining hope when he refuses her invitation to come home.

It's a moment of pleading love that reminded me of Shabana Azmi's celebrated telephonic sequence in Mahesh Bhatt's "Arth". Playing a girl who falls desperately in love with an unworthy man, Sonakshi takes her character through a journey that we see unfold with geographical precision before our eyes. She has great support in creating a memorably tragic character from the film's crew. She is often captured looking with agonising vulnerability into a distance where she can see no hope of redemption. It's a portrait of frightening desolation that reminded me of Shabana Azmi in Mrinal Sen's "Khandhar".

Ranveer Singh, though able and alert in his responses, seems to rely way too much on trying too look vulnerable, charming and rakish.

"You are not Dev Anand," Varun's friend (played effectively by Vikrant Massey), tells him sardonically to dissuade Varun from getting close to Pakhi.

That, in essence, is the tragedy underlining the cast factor. The role needed a Dev Anand for us to believe that a rich, beautiful girl like Pakhi could be completely and irrationally swept off her feet by the unworthy stranger.

The second movement of the plot moves into a moody snowcapped doom. Here, Motwane again makes use of long passages of intense silences to punctuate the feeling of desperate passion. There is also a 'thriller' element in the Dalhousie segment of the story that doesn't quite blend into the finely woven fabric of pain, passion and tragedy. The sequences in the isolated snowcapped home between Ranveer and Sonakshi hiss crackle and burn up the screen with their pent-up passion.

"Lootera" depicts a doomed passion that is at once invigorating and terrifying. Tenderness trickles out of every pore of this beautifully crafted saga of a love so infinite and so forbidden that it seems to scoff at cruel fate and brutal destiny while carving out a craggy jagged path for the lovers.

Vikramaditya Motwane's storytelling is like a coiled twirling stairway to the heart of his irreconcilable protagonists. The film's muted silences suggest a deep connectivity between pain and love.

Sadly, in the midst all the underlying conflicts, poor O. Henry's story is almost forgotten. O. Henry leaf-leitmotif shyly shows up at the end, making a hasty entry not too convincingly.

"Lootera" is a flawed gem filled with moments of glorious emotions. The storytelling shows the hands of a masterly visionary who tends to dither in moments of deep drama.

But then there is Sonakshi Sinha, who makes you forget all the blemishes in this unforgettable tragedy.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Singam II (2013) - Tamil Movie Review

Singam 2 (2013) - Tamil Movie Review

Cast :

Suriya as Durai Singam
Anushka Shetty as Kavya
Hansika Motwani as Sathya
Vivek as Erimalai
Santhanam as Susai
Danny Sapani as an Danny
Radha Ravi as Duraisingam's father
Nassar as Mahalingam
Vijayakumar as The Home Minister
Rahman as Thangaraj
Mukesh Rishi as Bhai
Mansoor Ali Khan as Karim Bhai
Nizhalgal Ravi as Muthumanickam
Manorama as Kavya's grandmother
Sumithra as Durai Singam's mother
Janaki Sabesh as Kavya's mother
Anjali in a special appearance (In the song "Vaale Vaale")
Rajendran as Sagarayam

Directed by : Hari
Produced by : S. Lakshman Kumar
Written by : Hari
Music by : Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography : Priyan
Editing by : V. T. Vijayan
Studio : Prince Pictures
Distributed by : Prince Pictures

The much-awaited Hari-Suriya combo is back in this landmark 25th film of Suriya. The story was initially narrated to Vijay for his 50th film by Hari but for some reasons Vijay could not do it and Suriya lapped it up.

Throughout the career graph of Suriya, the actor has diligently worked towards balancing the niche and the mass and this time around he has proven once again that he can deliver a commercial masala flick with as finesse as he can deliver a performance-oriented film. It is Suriya all over; the guy stumps with some gravity defying stunts, mouths a few intense sentimental dialogues, floors his lady partner passionately and challenges the baddies and cleanses the society from obnoxious elements.

Durai Singam is the SI of Nallur police station who is into the police force mainly to satisfy his father. His ambition is to expand his provision stores business to a super market. All the same, he is sincere in his work and is the darling of his town as he settles many disputes in his town amicably. Mayilvaganan (Prakash Raj), the fraudster from Chennai, involved in criminal activities, gets trapped into a police case which requires him to sign in Nallur police station for a period of 15 days. There is a proxy who comes to do this job in the police station which triggers an encounter between Prakash Raj and Suriya that leads into a series of events between the two which form the rest of Singam.

Meanwhile, an offshoot of this plot is the love angle between Anushka and Suriya, the former comes to the village to her grand parents place for vacation and bumps in to the latter. Thankfully, it is not love at the second meeting but something that happens gradually with believable events.

Vivek as Erimalai takes charge of comedy in Singam as Suriya’s subordinate and acquits himself well. The comedy scenes do bring the intended effect and the lorry scene which results in Vivek’s suspension tops the list. There are many such enjoyable instances which are sure to get into the comedy channels soon.

Anushka looks good and acts too. When she is on the phone with Suriya and gets caught by her father Nasser, the instant play of expression to get out of the situation is noteworthy. The lady does have a good future. She rides on twin horses with glamorous costumes in the song sequences and a homely demeanor in the rest of the film. Radha Ravi and Sumithra as the parents of Suriya do a convincing job. The other supporting cast members are satisfactory.

Music by Devi Sri Prasad is nothing to rave about except the En Idhayam number. However, the morphing technique adopted to cover a few frames in this number is unwarranted. Background score is also ordinary. True to the name Singam, the film is dominated by action sequences but there is no blood and gore. Cinematographer Priyan has done a decent job.

Director Hari has stuck to his genre and has delivered a crisp film. Although the events and the premise are not something new in Singam and the formula of one scene each of ‘action-romance-sentiments-comedy', is strictly adhered to, he should be credited for rendering an engaging and entertaining product. He succeeds in holding the interest of the audience to a larger extent and satisfies the viewers.

However, in the second half, the interactions between the villain and hero get a bit drab and seem to drag on. There is not much of an intelligence displayed by the villain to counter the hero except in the climax. On the whole, Hari has concocted and packaged his masala contents in the right proportion and has served a tasty dish.

Verdict: Engaging masala

Monday 8 July 2013

Shruti Haasan's dialogues get axed

Director Nikhil Advani can breathe easy. D-Day, his film on cross-border terrorism about a bunch of RAW agents assigned to bring a Dawood-like terrorist back to India from Pakistan, was passed on Saturday by the Censor Board. Surprisingly, the board had no qualms regarding rantings against Pakistan but took offence to few dialogues by Shruti Haasan in the film. She plays a Pakistani prostitute in the film.

Says, the director, “These are lines where Shruti does hardcore business bargaining with her clients. I was advised to get rid of these dialogues to obtain a ‘UA’ certificate. I happily took them off. My apprehensions were not about what Shruti’s character has to say but about the far more important dialogues on cross-border terrorism. I am happy to say the Censor Board didn’t touch any of those.”

Taapsee is in love!

Taapsee Pannu who is busy wrapping up 'Muni 3: Ganga' was the show stopper for ace designer Krishna Mehta at the Kingfisher Premium Chennai International Fashion Week and set the ramp on fire in a beautiful black and white lehenga. Pretty lass Taapsee doesn't seems to be a great fan of dieting and said "I don't believe in diet. I am a Punjabi and I love food," at the sidelines of the event.

When asked about her beauty secret, she said "Eating right food and right quantity with some daily workouts will give you very good results." Taapsee is also working in Ajith starrer film with Vishnuvardhan which also has Arya and Nayanthara in the lead apart from her Telugu film Sahasam.

The pretty actress is eagerly awaiting the release of 'Sahasam' which would hit the screens this weekend.

Amy Jackson injured in car crash

Amy Jackson, who shot to fame with her debut film 'Madrasapattinam', narrowly escaped serious injury post a car crash. The British-born who is in England met with the accident a couple of days ago in the night while driving through the city of Liverpool, when her Range Rover collided with another car.

Luckily the actress escaped with just minor injuries, while the person in the other car had to be cut out of his vehicle and also sustained some injuries. Amy Jackson, who is currently working on Vikram starrer Shankar's 'I' was later treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

The actress is still shocked about what happened and says, things could have been million times worse but is thankful that they had a lucky escape.

Sunday 7 July 2013

Vadivelu tricks his heroine

Vadivelu and Meenakshi Dixit, who are teaming up for their upcoming Jegajala Bujabala Tenaliraman seem to be having a great time on the sets. We hear that 40 per cent of the film has already been canned and that the film will be different from the other Vadivelu ones.

Apparently, the comedian stood beside the heroine dressed up as a king and the heroine failed to recognize him. The director of the film, Yuvraj, had to step in to tell her that it was indeed him. Vadivelu maintains that audience will see two pivotal characters, Tenaliraman and Krishnadevarayan, in the film.

Elisha Cuthbert Marries Dion Phaneuf

A Happy Ending, indeed! Actress Elisha Cuthbert married Dion Phaneuf, defenseman and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, on Saturday, July 6.

The ceremony took place at St. James Catholic Church in Summerfield, Prince Edward Island, Canada, with a reception at the groom's giant waterfront estate nearby.

Elisha Cuthbert Marries Dion Phaneuf

As for the stunning location, the 30-year-old Happy Endings star told the Summerside Journal Pioneer (via the National Post) in 2008 that the couple enjoyed the privacy of it. "It’s such a quiet place that we can be ourselves and not get bothered too much and have a real summer away from the hustle and bustle of our lives,” she explained.

Back in December, a source revealed to Us Weekly that the actress, who's starred in the TV series 24 and movies Love, Actually, The Girl Next Door, and House of Wax, wanted the wedding to be "formal."

"The wedding will be in tents, and if it's not raining, the tents will be open," the insider revealed. "There will be fireworks while guests are eating and food trucks at midnight, courtesy of the in-laws."

The Canadian-born star has been dating the 28-year-old hockey player since 2008. They got engaged in September 2012.

Sivakarthikeyan searches for lost gun

VJ turned actor Siavakarthikeyan is looking forward to the released of his next flick 'Varuthapadtha Valibar Sangam' which was recently wrapped up in Theni. The storyline of this flick, The storyline of this flick has been revealed has been revealed. Sri Divya pairs opposite Sivakarthikeyan in the film directed by Ram Jay, a former associate of Rajesh.

It is said that the film is a hilarious story that is all about Sivakarthikeyan and his buddies in search of a lost gun. Sathyaraj plays a landlord and hunter in VVS and he loses his favorite gun. Unable to go hunting without it, he orders the village youngsters to find it. The group, headed by Siva Karthikeyan, vow to find this gun and their search it told hilariously by the director.

The film is a full-fledged comedy entertainer produced by Escape Artist Motion and music by D Imman. 'Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam' is being planned for a July release.

Friday 5 July 2013

Jennifer Love Hewitt Quits Twitter

Jennifer Love Hewitt won't be discussing her pregnancy or anything else, for that matter via her official Twitter account. The Client List actress quit the social networking site on Wednesday, July 3.

"Unfortunately with all the negativity people choose to send on Twitter as well as threats to their own well being, I'm sad to say Twitter is no longer for me," wrote the star, who has more than 600,000 followers. "I have enjoyed all the kindness and love that came my way, as well as support. But this break is needed."

Hewitt added, "Life should be filled with positivity and holding each other up, not making threats and sending bad vibes. To those of you who made it a joy, Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

The actress got engaged to her Client List costar Brian Hallisay in late May during a trip to Italy. The actors, both 34, play spouses on the Lifetime hit, which has not yet been renewed for a third season. After Us Weekly exclusively broke the news of Hewitt's pregnancy and engagement, the couple said they were "so thrilled and happy to start a family."

Thursday 4 July 2013

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to make a comeback on silver screen

According to sources in a leading daily, the actress, who was last seen in Guzaarish in 2010, has zeroed in on a few of scripts.

If buzz is to be believed, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is all set to make a comeback on the silver screen after taking a long break post her daughter Aaradhya's birth.

The Bollywood diva, who was slammed by the media for failing to lose her post-pregnancy weight, shut up her critics after she made a stunning appearance on the red carpet at the 66th Cannes International Film Festival this year.

According to sources in a leading daily, the actress, who was last seen in Guzaarish in 2010, has zeroed in on a few of scripts.

Though the reports are not confirmed, rumours are that Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have approached her for their next projects.

Are we hearing some cheers from Aishwarya fans?

Amanda Bynes having cosmetic surgery for wedding

Amanda Bynes has claimed that she is having cosmetic surgery to look gorgeous for her wedding with a mystery man.

The 27-year-old actress revealed via tweeter that she will undergo a series of surgeries to remove 'webbing' between her eyes and nose so that she can look good on her wedding day, Contactmusic reported.

The actress' fourth nose job was rescheduled on Saturday and she hinted that she plans to go under the knife for a few more procedures as part of her dramatic makeover of her face as she loves surgery.

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Halle Berry wants rom-com role

Actress Halle Berry says she wants to show her softer side on the big screen and hopes to get offered comedy-romantic movies from now on.

The 46-year-old, who is pregnant with her second child with fiance Olivier Martinez, revealed she only gets offered serious roles since earning an Oscar for 2001's 'Monster's Ball', reported Contactmusic.

"There's a movie called 'Shoe Addicts Anonymous' that's a comedy. I've been wanting to do a rom-com for a very long time, and this is my chance. That could happen very soon after I have my next child. I started off doing rom-coms early in my career, but after 'Monster's Ball' everybody thought that's all I wanted to do or should do," she said.

Jennifer Aniston's bad burger experience

Actress Jennifer Aniston, who prefers healthy food, once ate a McDonald's burger and says her body did not react well to that.

Aniston said that once she and her fiance Justin Theroux had to eat at the fast food restaurant as there was no other option. She revealed how her stomach got upset after eating a burger from there, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I'll never forget when Justin and I were on a road trip and we were so hungry. The only thing around was McDonald's. I think I ordered a Big Mac. Wow, my body did not react well to that! It was like putting gasoline in a purified system," New York Magazine quoted the 44-year-old as saying.

"I am always trying to eat organic and natural foods, so that just made my stomach turn and made me feel terrible," Aniston added.

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Kate Moss to design phone covers

Supermodel Kate Moss is launching her own line of accessories for smartphones in an exclusive deal with Carphone Warehouse.

The supermodel will launch a "fashion tech" line of covers for smartphones and tablets with the high-street phone company, reported Daily Express.

Moss, who has posed for exclusive designers including Chanel and Burberry, said, "My phone's as much a part of my look as my bag or shoes."

Carphone Warehouse, which recruited the 39-year-old, plans to release at least two collections a year with the first line due this summer after months of development.

More than 14 million mobile accessories were sold in the UK last year, while female smartphone ownership increased by 52 per cent over the past year.

Julian Diment, marketing director at Carphone Warehouse, said, "We looked at the accessory ranges available today, and found that consumers were crying out for something different. They see their technology as another way of expressing themselves and a natural extension of their own personal style.

Sex tape destroyed my faith in men : Paris Hilton

Sex tape destroyed my faith in men, says Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton has admitted that she shudders in horror when she recalls how it felt when her explicit sex tape recorded by her ex boyfriend Rick Salomon became public.

Getting candid about the trials and tribulations of her life in the limelight on US reality TV, the hotel heiress said that it was the most painful thing she has ever went through in her life, the Mirror reported.

The 32-year-old star said that it was not any random person who released the tape but her boyfriend, whom she really loved and trusted.

Hilton said that she was so hurt and shocked that it's been hard for her to really trust anyone ever again, especially guys.

The blonde beauty was 21 when Salomon recorded them having sex and released the video, '1 Night in Paris', on the internet.

The video caused a global storm and Hilton struggles to believe that girls are purposely releasing their own sex tapes to boost their fame.