Salman Khan: Bollywood's Number One Man

MUMBAI: From He-Man to funny man, from flamboyant to sombre - Bollywood's top notch actors have shone on the silver screen in various avatars and also kept the cash registers ringing. IANS lists the top 10 actors of the year:


1) Salman Khan - He should be titled hit khan. If Bollywood's knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with "Bodyguard" and "Ready". In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.

2) Aamir Khan: What one missed in Salman Khan's films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer "Dhobi Ghat". Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai. The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, "Wow! What a performance! What an actor!"


If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy "Delhi Belly" and the film's success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood.


3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan. The youngster excelled in his only release "Rockstar", which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.


4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in "RA.One" to woo his fans. Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.


5) Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B. Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films "Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap" and "Aarakshan" - as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students. In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.


6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara", which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan. The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right.


7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality. If "Kites" didn't allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" helped him unleash his potential as an actor.


8) R. Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him. But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.


9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in "Dev D" or a smart thief in "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye", he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past. He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara".


10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in "Omkara" and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility. This year he had just one release in "Aarakshan", which was not a super hit, but the film's box office performance didn't overshadow Saif's work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.

Katrina Kaif is the most searched name on Google(India)

Katrina Kaif is Google’s most searched celeb in India beating the likes of anti-corruption veteran Anna Hazare, pioneer of the personal computer revolution Steve Jobs and Sachin Tendulkar.

Bollywood star Katrina Kaif topped a report by search engine giant- Google as India’s most searched name.


Katrina Kaif has been declared winner of the “‘Top Searched People’ according to a latest survey by
Google India ‘s zeitgeist list- an annual analysis by Google and Yahoo of the most searched terms, celebrities, movies and other top news of the year.


Says Lalitesh Katragadda, Country Head India Products “Google Zeitgeist 2011 truly makes India come alive, giving us insights into India’s development as a nation. 2011 saw Indian Internet becoming mainstream — over 70 per cent of search happened in non- metros, a lot of Internet usage moved to mobiles and we hit the 125 million users mark,”


If that wasn’t all, Katrina Kaif also topped the “top searched celeb of the year“ in the Yahoo India Year Review 2011-Katrina obviously is thrilled at this turn of developments. "I have to thank my fans for their constant love and support. I just don't know what else to say. Frankly I m overwhelmed."says Katrina.


Not new to the title, Katrina Kaif touted Bollywood’s lucky mascot ,also topped the same list in the year 2008.Earlier this year Vuclip,the world’s largest independent mobile video service, announced Katrina Kaif as the world’s most searched for celebrity ,beating the likes of global pop star Britney Spears as per the official Global Video Insights Report for September

Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl and Lanka dull at box-office

 While the new releases 'Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl' and 'Lanka' remained dull at box-office, 'The Dirty Picture' continued to mint money even in its second week.

This Friday saw two releases from prominent banners though both were low on promotions. Yash Raj Films' Ladies vs Ricky Bahl kept it low like most of their recent spate of films and perhaps wanted the content to do the talking. While the content was decent enough, it was never too strong to pull in audiences in multitudes. Thereby Ladies vs Ricky Bahl got an average opening with first weekend collections coming to around Rs 16 crores. Also expectations were rife from the Band Baaja Baaraat team (Ranveer-Anushka-Maneesh Sharma) but the film, though good enough, couldn't match up to its predecessor. The makers might have expected a strong positive word of mouth like in the case of Band Baaja Baaraat but even that didn't happen over here.

Vikram Bhatt produced Lanka was again a modest film with low promotions. Perhaps even Bhatt thought that the content would do the talking. But beyond a few positive reviews for Manoj Bajpayee's fantastic performance, Lanka failed to set the box-office on fire.

Meanwhile Vidya Balan's The Dirty Picture is amongst the very few films of recent times that continued to do good business even in its second week. The Dirty Picture collected a good Rs 11 crores and won the film a super-hit tag. Revenue from non-theatrical avenues isn't even taken into consideration, which means additional profit.

The coming week sees two modest releases. One is Vinay Pathak's Pappu Can't Dance Saala. The other is a love story Jo Hum Chahein starring newcomers Simran Kaur Mundi (ex-Miss India) and Suny Gill. Both the films aren't the ones is public eye and business depends on its merits. Also this could well be the lull before the storm - Don 2.


Top 5 Films this Week

Film: Ladies vs Ricky Bahl

Position: 1

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Parineeti Chopra, Dipannita Sharma, Aditi Sharma

Upside: Interesting plot, decent performances

Downside: Dull second half, love story spoils the con-essence of film

Running Week: 1

Trade Comments: Started on a low note and business didn't show any drastic rise over the weekend. Expectations were huge from the team of Band Baaja Baaraat but this film lacked the positive word of mouth like its predecessor. Opening weekend collection is around Rs 16 crores.


Film: The Dirty Picture

Position: 2

Director: Milan Luthria

Cast: Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Tusshar Kapoor

Upside: Interesting story, good performances by Vidya-Emraan-Naseer, brilliant dialogues

Downside: Second half turns monotonous, abrupt climax

Running Week: 2

Box Office Verdict: The film had already crossed Rs 50 crore mark. Business continued to be strong in second week too and The Dirty Picture collected another Rs 11 crores over its second weekend. Super Hit!


Film: Lanka

Position: 3

Director: Maqbool Khan

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Tia Bajpai, Arjan Bajwa

Upside: Manoj Bajpayee's powerful performance, Manoj-Arjan bonding, riveting narrative

Downside: Tia Bajpai's act, convenient and conventional climax

Running Week: 1

Trade Comments: Promotions were low resulting into a very weak opening.


Film: Desi Boyz

Position: 4

Director: Rohit Dhawan

Cast: Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Chitrangda Singh

Upside: Humour not slapstick, funny dialogues, good Akshay-John chemistry, peppy music

Downside: Dull climax, graph dips in second half, gets formulaic at times

Running Week: 3

Box-Office Verdict: Above average


Film: Rockstar

Position: 5

Director: Imtiaz Ali

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri

Upside: Ranbir Kapoor's brilliant performance, AR Rahman's music, interesting first half

Downside: Dull second half, disappointing end, confusing narrative

Running Week: 5

Box-Office Verdict: Above average. Non-theatrical revenues will help make profits.

Watching Online " Why This Kolavari Di" Full Song

This is the latest and Very Famous Song Kolavari Di... 


The Singer Of this Song : Dhanush


Watching Online Kolavari Di Full Song


Why This Kolaveri Di Song Free Download

Katrina Kaif to do a Helen!

Mumbai Mirror had a sneak peek at the much talked about song Chikni Chameli in Karan Johar's Agneepath. The song, which has been picturised on Katrina Kaif, marks her debut in Dharma Productions.

One look at the song, and we could not help but note the striking similarities with Helen's classic hit `Mungda' which too has been shot in a similar atmosphere. And here's some more dope for fans. Katrina, who looks ravishing to say the least, has three costume changes in the song. One of them- the yellow saree and the chequered choli - is exactly the same as what Helen wore for her track. 


The melody is also reminiscent of a Marathi chartbuster Kombdi padali from Jatra which incidentally had the same music directors Ajay and Atul. Another striking feature of the song is the energy Katrina brings to her dance movements. It seems Sheila has primed her for the all-out desi jhatkas and she looks as though she is enjoying herself. 


The promos of the song are all set to be aired from next week.

Paris Hilton’s £50 steak for stray dog

Heiress Paris Hilton ordered a £50 steak — for a STRAY DOG on a beach.

She told chefs at a posh restaurant on paradise isle Bali to cook the dog dinner. 

Then she put the pooch's photo on Twitter and wrote: "Saw a starving stray on the beach of the restaurant. 

"Made me so sad. So we ordered him a filet mignon, he loved it!" 

Millionaire Paris, 30, said worrying about "unwanted dogs" on the Indonesian island kept her awake at night. 

She tweeted: "I'm researching the internet to see what I can do to help." 

And she later began rattling the tin to try and raise cash for unwanted dogs on the paradise island. 

She shared a link to an International Fund for Animal Welfare story about animal relief work in Bali. 

Generous ... Paris Hilton with stray dog

Salman proves to be the real superhero

Shah Rukh Khan may have gone all out to be the 'superhero' of Indian cinema through his film RA.One that release in the week of Diwali. However, it is Salman Khan who is being touted as the real 'superhero' given his heart of 'gold'.

The actor who was in Turkey shooting with Katrina Kaif for Ek Tha Tiger wanted to make the Indian cast and crew of the movie feel special especially since they were away from family. He thus ordered a gold coin for each member of the crew.

Katrina Kaif, too, wished to do something similar, and gave another gold coin on her behalf. The 'Ek Tha Tiger' team thus got a couple of gold coins this Diwali. A unit member informs us, "It was Katrina who first set out to do something special for the crew; it was her idea. Salman thought it to be a generous and appropriate one and contributed the second coin. Of course, everyone was very happy."

If sources are to be believed, the Khan family back home distributed some clothes and food to the poor and needy during the festival of lights, on the behest of Salman Khan.

So while SRK tried hard to make it a glittering Diwali at the box office, Salman Khan himself was shining bright in Turkey!

Box Office : Rockstar earns Rs 64 crore over the weekend

Director Imtiaz Ali's latest release Rockstar has rocked the box office by grossing Rs.64 crore worldwide on the opening weekend.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi has praised Ranbir Kapoor's performance and said that the film "tugged at my heartstrings...Hindi cinema is finally coming of age".

Co-produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd and Eros International, the film released on more than 2,000 screens worldwide and registered Rs.53 crore in India and Rs.11 crore overseas in first three days of its release, said a statement.

The musical thriller, made on a budget of over Rs.60 crore, opened with mixed reviews, but everyone praised Ranbir's performance as an aspiring singer who turns into an aggressive lover after being jilted.

Both critics and fans describe it as young actor's finest performance to date and Shabana agrees too.

"Ranbir's performance in Rockstar is totally original he inhabits Jordan's complex world and infuses it with childlike honesty that's believable," she posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

"Imtiaz Ali's writing in Rockstar is surprising and unpredictable. Tugged at my heartstrings...Hindi cinema is finally coming of age..wow," she further added.

Rockstar introduces two new faces--Pakistani-American model Nargis Fakhri and Brazilian model Moufid Aziz.

IANS

Kareena changes her plans to pay tribute to grand uncle Shammi Kapoor

Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor wanted to pay a tribute to her grand uncle Shammi Kapoor by performing to his tracks at an awards event, now, however, the plan has changed and the actress will pay tribute to her grandfather Raj Kapoor and dance to his chartbusters.

On November1, Kareena's cousin Ranbir Kapoor had paid a tribute to his late grand uncle Shammi Kapoor and performed to his tracks at the A R Rahman concert as part of his film Rockstar's promotions.

Says a source, "As Ranbir had done something similar only recently at an event, it was better for Kareena to not do likewise. It was decided that she pay tribute to her grandfather and his songs."

Channel sources, however, claim it was a typo error the name of Shammi Kapoor was initially announced. Says the source, "The e-mail that they had received stated Shammi Kapoor's name on the basis of which the first announcement was made. Later, they were told that it was a typo and that actually it was to read as Raj, and not Shammi Kapoor."

If you ask us, it sounds like a last minute made-up excuse. Among the other B-Town folk slated to groove at the event are Ajay Devgn and Vidya Balan.

Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif watch 'Rockstar'

Mumbai: It is widely known that Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone cannot see eye to eye. But for rockstar Ranbir, it looks like the two women were ready to fine-tune their personal equations. Both the actresses were seen under the same roof after a long while, as Ranbir arranged an exclusive screening of his film Rockstar for his friends from the industry. 

Says an eye-witness, "Deepika, Katrina and even Anushka were at the film's screening at Yashraj over the weekend. Ranbir was keen that all his closest friends watch it." Apparently, Deepika and Anushka were seen chatting up and having a good time, while Katrina preferred keeping to herself. 

However, there is little doubt that Kat was there to watch the film. Adds the source, "For Ranbir, at the moment, what's most important is to know what people think of the film. He has always maintained a very cordial relationship with his exes. Deepika recently invited him for her housewarming party as well. As far as Katrina goes, she is someone whose opinion would matter to him as well. There were points during the film where onlookers caught Deepika crying." 

 However, Dippy and Kat apparently made sure they didn't cross paths and Anushka acted as the buffer. 

"Anushka doesn't really have any history with Ranbir so she was comfortable. The tension between the other two girls was reduced." 

Ranbir, Imtiaz and their gang headed back to choreographer Ahmed Khan's house to party through the night, but the girls chose to stay away. They left the venue in their respective cars post the screening." 

Via Mid-Day.com

Big buy: Brad Pitt snaps up Russian tank for LA mansion

• Brad Pitt buys Russian tank for home
• Star fell in love with new toy on movie set
• Military vehicle is being shipped to LA

Just a little something for the garden... a T54 Soviet tank from the set of World War Z.

With an estimated net worth of $150 million, Brad Pitt can buy whatever he wants. 

 

But even a Hollywood star such as Brad Pitt might have a bit of explaining to do to his partner Angelina Jolie when the Soviet era T54 Russian tank he has reportedly just bought is dropped off at his home.

Pitt, 47, has added the heavily armoured vehicle to his collection after falling in love when it was used as a prop in his upcoming zombie disaster movie World War Z.

It might not agree with Jolie, but there's a fiar bet his children Pax, Maddox, Shiloh, Zahara, Vivienne and Knox, will love their daddy's new toy.

The military vehicle is currently being shipped to Los Angeles.

The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. However the 36 tonnes vehicle entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army

The T-54/55 series eventually became the most-produced tank in history, with estimated production numbers ranging from 86,000 to 110,000

The film has been beset with problems. A SWAT team raided a Budapest warehouse holding weapons being used in the zombie movie last month, seizing 85 fully-functional weapons, most of which were automatic, military-style assault rifles.

Hajdu Janos and Zsolt Bodnar, the director and deputy director of Hungary's Anti-Terrorism Unit, said: 'We can confirm that weapons were confiscated at an airport.

"A private plane brought guns wrapped in a parcel from a company to an individual [in Budapest]," Hajdu Janos and Zsolt Bodnar, the director and deputy director of Hungary's Anti-Terrorism Unit, said.

"Guns like these are highly illegal to transport even if they were to used as stage guns, which hopefully they weren't."

Apparently the weapons came with paperwork claiming they were non-functional, but turned out to be in working order.

"The movie company's employees must have made a mistake bringing the guns in without the Anti-Terrorism Unit's permission," Mr Janos said.

The film, made by Pitt's Plan B Entertainment production company, is scheduled to be released in December next year.

Via news.com.au

Pippa, Kate Middleton or Olsen Twins, Who's More Fashionable?

Are Pippa and Kate Middleton the most fashionable sisters on the planet? Nope! What about Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian? Hardly! It turns out that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are, at least according to Vogue Magazine.

The results of this poll may leave people completely scratching their heads. Kate Middleton and her royal hotness Pippa have been beaten in the 2011 survey of "best dressed siblings." Somehow, the 25-year-old Olsen twins took top honor. According to Vogue magazine, it came down to being at the front of the latest trends:

Are there any more chic, stylish, cool, and original sisters than Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen?

Perhaps designer wedding gowns (Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian) were not enough. Perhaps a baby bump was not good enough to land Beyoncé and sister Solange Knowles at the top of the list. No, it came down to how hip and chic the sisters were apart and together.

No, this was not a survey that Kris Jenner could buy for Kim Kardashian and her sisters! Clearly, having a clothing line at Sears is not fashion forward enough. Good for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen! Will they be able to keep their crown, or will they hand it over to the British royal and her sister next year?

New Poster for Kristen Stewart’s Snow White and the Huntsman

Kristen Stewart has been crazy busy with her promotion of Breaking Dawn Part 1 and filming of Snow White and the Huntsman. They have just revealed a new poster for the movie. In it you see Kristen in a suit of armor, Chris Liam as the Huntsman and Charlize Theron on it. The poster is a nice look at what we can expect from the movie that has gotten much chatter about it. It is currently slated for a June 1st, 2012 release.

I like how they are taking the story and turning it into something different. Brothers Grimm stories were never the sweet, fluffy ones that Disney showed us. They were always meant to have a dark side to them to keep kids in line. I get the feeling that this story will fall much closer to the actual tale written by Brothers Grimm.

Are you excited to see the new take on the classic tale? I am, and I think that this might sort of be like what Tim Burton did for Alice in Wonderland- you know, take the tale and make it unique? I am not concerned that the movie will boring at all. I am sure this new take can even show us a whole new side of the story. I personally cannot wait to see it premiere in theaters next year.

Article source-Cambio

Kristen Stewart defends Bella from criticism

Melbourne: Kristen Stewart has defended Bella Swan, the character she has been playing in the Twilight movies.

The latest instalment in The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn - Part 1, hits the cinemas this week.

Over the years there has been criticism that her on-screen avatar isn’t a positive role model for young girls, but Stewart disagrees.

“[Bella’s] caught up in something that feels much bigger than her, and she’s in a relationship that’s by no means unequal,” the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

The Panic Room actress says that Edward is weak-minded and doesn’t think they can overcome the odds against them, but Bella has faith in their relationship.

“… she has faith that it will work out, so I think she’s more courageous than Edward. I understand people think her weakness might be that she’s had to give up her life for him, but don’t you think that’s valiant?”

Criticism for Bella is not the only one Stewart’s faced though. She is often believed to be unapproachable and moody with the paparazzi.

But, she says it’s all about her state of mind at a particular moment.

“It really is about what mood you’re in… If the mood strikes and if you’re feeling unselfconscious that day, you can have fun with it,” she said.

“If you’re having an introspective day or not thinking clearly, it comes across. Then people think that’s who you are all the time,” the actress added.

With all the craziness in her life, Stewart is grateful to have friends and family as her anchor.

“It’s rare for me to do anything that betrays who I am. I feel rooted where I am… I’d have a real problem with selling out and not being myself,” she said.

ANI

Rockstar actress Nargis Fakhri bags three endorsement deals before film release

 Nargis Fakhri, an American fashion model who made her Bollywood debut with Rockstar, bagged three endorsement deals worth about Rs 9 crore even before her first film released on Friday, creating a record of sorts. 

Fakhri has agreed to sign deals to endorse apparel brand Van Heusen's women's line, a premium brand of Tata Motors and Marico's Parachute hair-care brand, taking home a total of about Rs 9 crore, a person with direct knowledge of the deals said.

Anirban Das Blah, MD of celebrity management firm Kwan, which manages Fakhri, confirmed that the 24-year-old actress has accepted offers from three leading brands, but declined to mention the names.

"It's not surprising, considering she's had one of the biggest career debuts with Ranbir Kapoor and Imtiaz Ali," he said.

Fakhri, a New Yorker born to a Pakistani father and Czech mother, told ET, "I'm actually quite speechless to have received such warm feedback from brands that consider me appropriate to represent them."

It is a first for an actor to grab three endorsement deals before making a career debut.

Deepika Padukone had endorsed two brands- UB Group's Kingfisher and Tissot watches-before her first Hindi film, Om Shanti Om, was released. Sonam

Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor too were signed by L'Oreal and Pepsi, respectively, before the release of their debut film Saawariya.

Atul Kasbekar, fashion photographer and CMD of entertainment management firm Bling, which manages Sonam Kapoor, says it's a calculated gamble to sign new faces before any big success.

The upside could be huge if the star becomes successful, because the deal price will be much less than what they will charge when they become big, he says.

It is expected that Fakhri's deals will be announced within 10 days. Spokespersons of Van Heusen and Marico declined comment. An email sent to Tata Motors remained unanswered.

Film trade analyst Komal Nahata says introducing new faces in films is largely driven by advertisers wanting to present new faces to their audience.

Movie Review : Rockstar

Director: Imtiaz Ali; 

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri, Shammi Kapoor, Shikha Jain, Jaideep Ahlawat, Aditi Rao Hydari, Piyush Mishra; 

Running time: 160 mins; 

Certificate: PG

 Borne entirely of the imagination of Imtiaz Ali, Rockstar is the fictional story of Janardhan Jhakar, a small town boy with big dreams of becoming a rock star like his idol Jim Morrison. Lacking any personal tragedy that might infuse his music with passion, Janardhan goes on a quest for love and unwittingly embarks on a journey that culminates in his dramatic descent into oblivion. Using a non linear narrative style, the film depicts his emotional journey, from Janardhan the college geek, to Jordan, the angst ridden rock god who fills out stadiums.

The film opens with a bedraggled Jordan, fighting off police as he makes his way to his own concert. The footage is interspersed with flashbacks to the character in his youth, a gawky guitar wielding rock star wannabe, who sings to queues of people at bus stands.

Rockstar engages you from its very opening sequence through to its emotional denouement. Director Imtiaz Ali adeptly employs a range of elements that, in combination, render the film enthralling. The film is smattered with wry humour and witty dialogue where you least expect it. The non-linear style works brilliantly, maintaining a sense of escalating drama and building to a crescendo, as piece-by-piece we discover the incidents that lead to the genesis of the tormented artist.

Key to the film's authenticity is an outstanding performance by Ranbir Kapoor, who has immersed himself in the role. Kapoor's performance as the wilful Jordan, a loose canon and a free spirit with a sense of entitlement, belies his years, as he undergoes a dramatic transformation. We trace the emotional trajectory of Jordan over a period of seven years, and with subtle nuances Kapoor captures the character's unravelling. Jordan's burgeoning angst is conveyed in his physicality as he transmutes into a Che Guevara styled urban guerilla. Kapoor reportedly learnt to play the guitar for the role and his performance is so realistic that, coupled with the documentary style concert footage, it's easy confuse the film for a real life biopic.

Nargis Fakhri, meanwhile, is well cast as Heer and makes a bold cinematic debut. She brings naturalism, effervescence and incandescent beauty to the role, though her lack of experience is evident in the more intense stand-offs with Kapoor. Both actors have a natural chemistry and convey the unfettered spirit that unites the lovers, and depicting the carefree lunacy of their youth which is displaced by the torment of a forbidden passion and illicit love.

The music is integral to the story and bears all the hallmarks of A.R. Rahman's personal brand of genius. The soundtrack complements the emotional peaks and troughs in the narrative, and set against the backdrop of the stunning planes of Kashmir and Prague, is entirely compelling.

With subtle allusions to classic stories of forbidden love such as Romeo and Juliet and Heer Ranjha, Rockstar is a riveting portrait of the destruction that ensues in the face of passion and desire borne of forbidden love.

A simple story, beautifully enacted, perfectly crafted, there is not much to fault in this film. Exemplary cinema by any standards. 

 By Priya Joshi 

'Pale and thin' Demi Moore loses 98 pounds before 49th birthday

Demi Moore who has been seen seeming weak and pale after the recent allegations of infidelity against her husband Ashton Kutcher, has lost even more weight, a new report claims.

According to the Daily Mail, the 49-year-old actress appeared pale and thin as she was seen leaving a beauty salon in Los Angeles this week.

With Moore having had to face rumours of divorce and dramatic weight loss, the strain is now being visibly seen.

Kutcher has been accused of cheating on her with a 23-year-old blonde on the weekend of their sixth wedding anniversary in September.

Since then, the couple have barely been seen together and the actress has reportedly lost 98 pounds, Contactmusic reported.

However, the 'Ghost' star was quick to show that she was in higher spirits as she celebrated her 49th birthday on Nov 11.

She posted a picture of herself wearing her wedding ring and holding a small monkey who she calls 'pursemonkey' on Twitter.

"My birthday starts with a bang and some serious monkey business, pursemonkey may never be the same!" she wrote.

Jennifer Lopez spotted with a new man

After months of splitting with husband marc Anthony, singer-actress jennifer Lopez has been seen with back-up dancer Casper Smart.

After her split with Marc, Jlo had dated actor Bradley Cooper briefly before being spotted with Smart. The two are said to be dating for weeks after he was hired by Jlo for her San Francisco show. Jennifer seems to have a thing for back-up dancers. Earlier, she had famously married Chris Judd, another of her dancers. 

Casper, who is thought to be in his twenties and also famous for shirt-ripping acts for the ladies at Club Boulevard in LA, had done a role in Honey 2 and was also a dancer in Step-up 3.

Rockstar earns Rs 11.25 crores on day 1

Call it the coincidence of its release date 11.11.11 but the opening day figures are in the same range. However, the fate of film depends on its weekend collections.

Ranbir Kapoor's much-awaited Rockstar which released all across yesterday might have received mixed reviews but has got a decent opening. The film has opened in the range of 70-100% occupancy at most centers thanks to the immense hype surrounding the film. Also the fact that it was a solo release helped the film get a good initial. The business is certainly good at multiplexes as compared to single screens with the film catering to the elite audiences than the masses.

Call it the coincidence of its once-in-a-lifetime release date of 11.11.11 but the opening day figures are in the same range. Early trade reports reveal that the opening day collection is around Rs 11.25 crores. This is Ranbir Kapoor's biggest opening-day collection till date, beating the Friday figures of all his earlier films.

However the overall fate of the film largely depends on the weekend figures. With mixed response, the collections could vary over Saturday and Sunday and Monday morning figures will decide on the final destiny of Rockstar.

Karan Johar praises Ranbir Kapoor

High praise for Ranbir Kapoor flowing in from all sides for his portrayal of rockstar Jordan in his latest film. 

However, his most recent "certified fan" is none other than B-town biggie Karan Johar who recently expressed his liking for RK junior on a microblogging site. Significantly, the film-maker has been shooting for his next "Student Of The Year" for quite some time now. Noting how hectic his schedule has been, Johar posted on the site, "Been shooting crazy hours..hectic but super fun...watched ROCKSTAR...and am a certified Ranbir Kapoor fan!! His performance is unbelievable!" Interestingly, most fellow actors, directors and veteran film stars have also been praising Ranbir for his performance. Well, we do like the admiration club in B-town.

Sreemita Bhattacharya, TNN 

Amitabh Bachchan can't wait to see the baby now!

New Delhi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, whose daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai is expected to give birth mid-November, can't wait to see the new arrival and says he is enjoying the hustle bustle in the house. 

"The family gathers together from all over as we wait for the 'arrival' ... Greatest joy for me - a full house and the 'chahel - pahel' (hustle bustle)," the 69-year-old posted on micro-blogging site Twitter. 

Aishwarya is expecting her first child with actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan. 

Apart from waiting excitedly for the baby, Amitabh also took some time off to watch Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Rockstar which released Friday and the actor says he is impressed with the entire team. 

"It's late but not without cause... just back from Rockstar and living in the brilliance of all - Imtiaz Ali, Ranbir, AR and Nargis... Still with Rockstar and its beauty," he further posted. 

Directed by Imtiaz Ali, Rockstar chronicles the journey of an aspiring singer Janardhan Jakhar, who wants to make it big in the music world. It introduces two new faces - Pakistani-American model Nargis Fakhri and Brazilian model Moufid Aziz.

Look how Deepika Padukone likes to spend her Sundays

Actress Deepika Padukone may have chosen films over sports as her career, but the Bolly star admits that sports is always close to her heart. And that’s also one of her fave indulgences if the actress manages to get a Sunday off. “Well, any day that I am not working is treated as a Sunday. I think, as actors, that’s one of the things that we let go — the luxury of a Sunday,” shares Deepika.

“As a kid, I recall spending the day with family and doing fun things with them like picnics, movies. 

Badminton, of course, was a huge part of our growing up years and I enjoyed the game too,” says the actor. In fact, Deepika reveals that she still plays the sport. “I’ve always been quite an athlete, so for me indulging in sports is one of the best de-stressers. I prefer a good game of badminton over a spa visit to relax any day,” she smiles.

So, what’s an ideal Sunday like? “Well, I definitely catch up on sleep on the day off. And then it’s a huge breakfast. I also look forward to a no-make-up day,” she laughs. “The rest of the day is never a fixed schedule. But I do try and catch up with my friends, go shopping or watching movies. And of course, play badminton,” adds the actor.

“I actually try and not chalk out a particular plan for a Sunday as such, because then it becomes like the rest of the days when everything is kind of pre-planned for you. So yes, in a way I crave for spontaneity and on the spur of the moment decisions,” she says.

Though the actress admits to missing a lot of Sundays, she also says that she doesn’t mind shooting on the day. “I think when you enjoy work then it really doesn’t matter.” As for playing badminton, she reveals that she is quite good herself and would rather play than workout in a gym. “It’s not that I hate working out, but I think these sports are a more fun way to enjoy the day off,” she smiles.

Salman Khan is Katrina’s trainer for Dhoom 3

Katrina Kaif is definitely a multi tasker. She is currently shooting for Yashraj’s Ek Tha Tiger. But, that’s not it. The actress is simultaneously working on her look for Dhoom 3 too. And you know who is guiding her this time??? It’s none other than our very own Sallu Bhai.

Katrina Kaif is the hotness factor in Dhoom 3 and so, the actress has to work really hard in order to live upto everyone’s expectation. Rumors also has it that Kats will be donning a bikini in the film, however, that is not yet confirmed. But,Kats will definitely be showing off her hot body in the film.

“She may or may not be wearing a bikini, but she will need to look her toned best, as the franchise is high on the ultra-glam looks of the actors as well,” the source is quoted as saying by a tabloid.

So, where does Salman’s role fit in the picture??? Well, since the duo have been shooting together, they have been in continuous touch with each other. If rumors are to be believed, Kats has been advised by Salman to swim and cycle on a regular basis, in order to ger a tanned, fit and fab bod.

Dhoom 3 will go on floors by December 2011. If all goes well, the film is expected to release on Christmas 2012. has Aamir Khan plays the baddie in the film.

‘RA.One’ box office obsession: The danger of reducing movies to money

RA.One didn’t break Bodyguard’s opening day record, but it did set a new three-day benchmark, raking in Rs 60 crore in India

The sound and fury around Shahrukh Khan’s superhero saga, RA.One, reached a cacophonous climax last week. There was much debate, of course, on the quality of the film (it was largely panned by critics in India), but the real entertainment was in the breathless number-crunching. The question on everyone’s lips was: could Shahrukh beat arch rival Salman Khan’s grosses? Would Shahrukh’s relentless 10-month-long marketing campaign deliver a bigger opening day than Bodyguard’s Rs 20 crore Eid take?

As it turned out RA.One didn’t break Bodyguard’s opening day record, but it did set a new three-day benchmark, raking in Rs 60 crore in India. The heated speculation about whether the film was a hit or flop, how much it needed to make to qualify as the former, and how long it would take to get past the Rs 100 crore benchmark continued in the media, blogs and on Twitter well past the first few days. I felt like a participant in a spectator sport, and wondered, when did we become so box office-obsessed?

When I was a rookie reporter in the early 1990s, the vocabulary for viewers at least was restricted to ‘hit’ and ‘flop’. The ‘trade’, which sat in Mumbai’s Naaz building, discussed minimum guarantees, a film’s initial deficit and overflow. Ego-massaging ads that declared a film a ‘bumper-success’ routinely appeared in trade papers, but ads in mainstream media with box office figures were unheard of (one reason might be the mafia threat that loomed over Bollywood from the late 1990s to mid-2000s—producers didn’t want to advertise how much money they had made for fear of extortion threats from the ‘Bhais’).

These days, trade news makes mainstream headlines. There is frequent talk of the ‘100 crore club’—films that have made more than Rs 100 crore. The first to break the barrier was Ghajini in 2008. This year has been especially bountiful with a slew of films like Ready, Singham and Bodyguard achieving this—in fact, Bodyguard set a new record by doing it in less than a week. Each milestone was duly celebrated with full-page ads in newspapers. And Kareena Kapoor was anointed the 100-crore heroine, having worked in three such films—3 Idiots, Golmaal 3 and Bodyguard. The fact that she was the decoration (at least in the latter two) was happily overlooked.

An industry flush with funds and expanding its markets is a wonderful thing. But our growing obsession with numbers is less so. Flashback, if you will, to Hollywood in 1975. Steven Spielberg, only 28, had made a film with a mechanical fish in the starring role—Jaws. It tested so well that Paramount Studios created a massive TV campaign around it and released it in hundreds of theatres—both were a first for the industry. Jaws was the first film to break the $100 million mark and is now acknowledged as the movie that changed the business forever—studios discovered the formula that hype plus carpet-bombing equals the event film (read mega-money). Slowly, the more personal, director-driven cinema of the early 1970s was replaced by the blockbuster film. Jaws, in the words of a Public Broadcasting Service headline, became the monster that ate Hollywood.

In the last few years, Bollywood has also discovered the event movie. Essentially a film so big and hyped that viewers turn out in droves to see it because it’s almost like there isn’t a choice. The multi-crore grosses that eventually follow are then bandied about as proof of quality. The art becomes irrelevant.

I love blockbusters—scale, stars, mega-budgets. But there is a real danger in reducing movies to money. After Asoka’s release, Shahrukh had said to me, “I have never done a film with the market in mind. Cinema is a mishran of Lakshmi and Saraswati. I have always gone for Saraswati and Lakshmi has followed. I may be stubborn and an idiot, but it works for me. I know this is a business, but I will always dole out art.” Now seems an opportune time to remember that.

Exclusive: I have been thinking about marriage - Salman Khan

Salman Khan is all set to bowl his UAE fans with his charismatic presence in the Celebrity Cricket League to be held in Sharjah next year.

In this exclusive Salman talks about surgery, kids and Bollywood’s younger generation

Excerpts:

 

1. What is it like playing in Sharjah?

Firstly, it feels great to be part of Celebrity Cricket League and Sharjah being our home ground (Mumbai Heroes) adds that extra excitement. Feels great to be here.

2. Have you watched any matches played in Sharjah?

This stadium is a historic venue. As a kid we have watched so many cricket matches being played here. I am glad that Sohail has chosen Sharjah Cricket Stadium as Mumbai Heroes’ home ground.

3. Any memorable Sharjah match?

Miandad hitting a six off last ball against India in Sharjah cup final 1986, bowler was Chetan Sharma. It was such a close match and India lost it.

4. Team India has not visited this region for some time...

That’s why we are here to promote the match and the stadium.

5. Do you think Team India should resume playing matches here and we should see more India-Pakistan matches being played?

Yes of course they should visit. They should play.

6. What other sports you like to play?

I love sports. I like cycling, swimming. I also enjoy tennis a lot.

7. Who is your favourite cricketer?

None other than Sachin Tendulkar

8. Do you enjoy watching any other team play cricket other than Team India for their skills?

I don’t follow cricket much these days. Don’t get that much time anymore. I am sure my fans will like to see me spending more time making movies than sitting in front of TV watching cricket.

9. How do you feel being called the sexiest Bollywood star?

I don’t take these things seriously. They don’t matter to me much. I feel nothing at all.

10. Who among the young stars do you think looks promising in the industry?

I think there are many of them. There’s Ranbir Kapoor, Imran Khan. Arjun Kapoor also looks promising among the newer ones.

11. Who among the ladies do think will top the charts?

Katrina Kaif is good. I think she’s going to be there for quite some time.

12. Are you dating someone?

(Long pause)….Let me think………ahhhh. I don’t know. I forgot actually…ahh I don’t know.

13. Do you ever want to get married?

(Again a pause) I have been thinking about it. I have been married four times earlier (jokes). But it hasn’t worked out for me. But I will try for the fifth time (laughs).

14. Do you like kids?

I love kids.

15. Do you prefer kids or beautiful ladies around you?

Any day, I will love to have kids around me more.

16. You have resumed work after your surgery. Are you feeling fine now?

I have gone through this surgery to fix whatever went wrong. I hope it’s fixed. I am feeling better now. I will have to go back once more to check if it has been actually fixed.

17. Are your fans going to see you on field playing cricket?

Unfortunately I won’t be playing this time. Due to my health conditions I will have to stay out of the field this time. But I will be here every time Mumbai Heroes play. I will always be there cheering for them.