Picture Gallery: 'Chakravyuh' caste at its first-look launch

The film revolves around Naxalite wars and director Prakash Jha recently said in an interview that he has tried to present the two sides of the issue through the film.

The film has been shot in Bihar and the wrapped up in as quick as 57 days!

'Chakravyuh' is a political thriller starring Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol, Esha Gupta, Manoj Bajpai, Kabir Bedi and Anjali Patil.

Esha Gupta, looked stunning in a hot pink cowl-neck gown. She debuted in Bollywood with Mahesh Bhatt's 'Jannat 2' and has also been cast in 'Raaz 3D'.

The film 'Chakravyuh' is all set to release on October 24, 2012.

I love Preeti Desai but won't necessarily get married to her: Abhay Deol

Abhay Deol gets candid about his new movie choices, and future plans with girlfriend Preeti Desai

After the success of the very commercial Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, 'experimental' actor Abhay Deol has learnt it pays to step out of one's comfort zone.

So he's pushing the envelope further, ready to take on roles out of character and even do a Munni or Sheila if need be.

On the personal front, though, he's still not willing to 'toe the line' - while he proclaims he loves his girlfriend and wants to have kids too someday, marriage is certainly not on the cards for him.

For more on this and other startling revelations, read on...

You and Kalki are the odd ones out in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The others are commercial stars. Did that make you uncomfortable while shooting?
Once the camera is on, I forget what's mainstream and what's not. If I have made a choice with a film, it is because I think it'd suit me. As far as off-camera work goes, like promotions and stuff, I prefer to take the backseat. I'm not too good at that.

You're doing this interview, right?
Do I have a choice? But yes, who wouldn't want to talk about work that is being appreciated. I haven't really got a response like this before, but people have started to call me 'cute'. Now that's new.

Well, this is the cleanest shaven we've seen you since Socha Na Tha...
I think you're referring to my 'I don't give a damn' look in Dev D. The brief for this one was the geeky boy-next-door. I'm glad it worked.

But this one was certainly far from the experimental work we have seen you do...
There was a point when I worked in 10 different films with 10 new directors and was happy about it. But now, I'm a little tired of taking chances. In fact, now I've decided to do an item number soon.

Hope you've taken tips from Katrina.....
No, I'll take tips from Genelia. She's my next heroine.

So you'd be glad if the Yashrajs and Dharmas of the world come knocking at your doorstep?
What makes you think they haven't already? All I'm looking for is a good script.

You are one actor who's known for the choices you make. Why would you want to follow the flock?
This is a part of the choices I make. A hit like ZNMD will give my next film Shanghai, which is not an out and out masala film, a huge nudge.

We also hear you're all set to bid goodbye to bachelorhood pretty soon...
I'm very happy in my current relationship with Preeti Desai, and I couldn't ask for more. I would love to settle down, but not necessarily get married.

I don't understand why it's a mandate. And I'm quite sure my kids would understand.

Female fan lands up outside Abhay Deol's home

Abhay Deol had an unexpected visitor at his Juhu apartment recently.

A female fan landed up with a bouquet of flowers and pleaded with him to marry her. She agreed to leave only after the actor clicked a picture with her.

And though we're sure the actor loved all the attention, he's not yet in the mood to tie the knot.

He has been in a steady relationship with model-actor Preeti Desai for a few years now.

But few things sell in B-Town as much bachelorhood, and we guess it'll be a while before Abhay takes a walk down the aisle.

Bollywood's First Families

Bollywood is a place where, on a daily basis, thousands of aspiring actors strive to become actors but only few of them make it to the top. 

In an industry where most stars belong to families with a 'filmy' background some of them are lucky to be on top without any filmy background or a godfather.

However, the legacy of filmy families is still followed and it is not a hard task to land a film which is why, belonging to such a family really counts in Bollywood.

In this respect, we bring forth a list of some powerful families that seem to rule Bollywood.

The Kapoors

When it comes to famous Bollywood families, the first one to strike your mind would probably be the Kapoor family. The legacy was started by Prithviraj Kapoor who came to Mumbai to fulfill his dream of being a part of Hindi movies. After a successful run in Bollywood, his sons, the legendary, Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor came forth and leterally ruled over it for almost three decades. Then came the turn of Raj Kapoor's sons Randhir, Rajiv and Rishi Kapoor of whom, Rishi was the most successful in the the industry.

Taking up the Bollywood reins after them was Karisma Kapoor who went on to become one of the top actresses of her time. After Karisma, its younger siblings, Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor who are currently the hottest properties of the Hindi film industry.

The Roshans

The man who gave birth to the Roshan family tree in Bollywood was erstwhile music composer Roshan Lal Nagrath, father of Rakesh and Rajesh Roshan. Better known as Roshan, he composed music for quite a number of films like 'Barsaat Ki Raat' and 'Taj Mahal', and was a successful music director of his time. His two sons carried forward his name with Rakesh Roshan taking up acting and Rajesh Roshan, stepping into his father's shoes as a music director.

After Rakesh and Rajesh Roshan, the responsibility of keeping the Roshan flag flying in Bollywood lies solely on the shoulders of Rakesh Roshan's son, Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik is not only a successful actor but one of the most sought after superstar in the industry.

The Bachchans

The Bachchan family is considered to be the first family of Bollywood despite not having a huge line-up of Bollywood stars like the Kapoors. The Bachchan family, initially, comprised of actors Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and their son, Abhishek Bachchan. However, this family got a huge boost after Aishwarya Rai became a part of this clan after her marriage to Abhishek Bachchan.

Now, with the announcement of her pregnancy, we're guessing that another generation of the Bachchan family is on its way to take Bollywood by storm.

The Deols

Dharmendra started his very own family tree in Bollywood with his children following in his footsteps very easily. His sons, from his first marriage, took up acting and tasted success. 

However Sunny Deol was much more successful than younger brother Bobby Deol. Esha Deol, his daughter from his second marriage to Hema Malini, is also an actress but not a successful one. In fact, Esha is making her comeback in her mother's directorial, 'Tell Me O Khuda'.

Also a part of the Deol family is Abhay Deol, who is the nephew of Dharmendra. Despite being a part of the family, Abhay is totally different from the rest of his cousins. Instead of action oriented roles and commercial films, Abhay opts for unconventionality in his roles and films. We can easily say, that Abhay Deol is the best actor that the Deol family has produced.

The Mukherjees

When we talk about the Mukherjee family, we instantly think of Kajol, her sister Tanisha and Rani Mukherjee. However, the Mukherjee family goes a long way down in Bollywood history. The family's tryst with Bollywood began with Sha Mukherjee, the founder of the famed Filmistan studios.

His five sons followed him into the industry, one of whom was 60's actor Joy Mukherjee. Shomu Mukherjee, who was a writer/producer/director, married Tanuja who, on the other hand, belonged to the Samarth family and was the younger sister of one of the most celebrated actress of Bollywood, Nutan.

Tanuja's daughters, Kajol and Tanisha also went on to act in movies with Kajol achieving superstardom. Her cousin, Rani Mukherjee is also a sought after actress in Bollywood and like Kajol, she too has created a niche for herself.

The Khans

No, we're not talking about the 'Khans' of the industry but only one family that has contributed to and gained from Bollywood to a great extent. The Khan family being mentioned here is the one started by noted script-writer Salim Khan, more famous as Salman Khan's father today. In collaboration with Javed Akhtar, Salim Khan churned out massive hits like 'Sholay', 'Zanjeer', 'Seeta Aur Geeta' and 'Mr. India'. His second marriage was with yesteryear dancer/actress Helen.

All sons, Salman, Arbaaz and Sohail took to acting but only Salman Khan made it big in the industry. Presently, he holds the record of churning out some of the biggest hits in the past few years and is also the highest paid actor in Bollywood reportedly. After an unsuccessful run in the industry, Arbaaz Khan struck gold with his first production 'Dabangg'.

Another member of the Khan clan who is quite a hot property in the industry is Arbaaz Khan's wife, Malaika Arora-Khan. Her item numbers are always a rage and she is a leading fashionista in the film industry. Apart from being a fully filmy clan, this family is a tight-knit one. (MensXP.com)

Hrithik-Katrina on a nude beach

Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif had a tough time shooting on a nude beach for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Imagine what happens when the hottest Indian stars, Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif, shoot on a nude beach! The duo had a tough time shooting on the Lloret De Mar, Costa Brava beach in Spain for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara . And before you assume anything... they were fully clothed!

When Hrithik and Katrina along with Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol were told by director Zoya Akhtar that they had to shoot on the beach for two days continuously, they were fine with it until they reached the location. It is Katrina's introductory shot. The three boys see her for the first time on the beach and Farhan walks up to strike a conversation with her.

When Zoya had done a recce for the film 6-8 months before the shoot, the beach was nearly empty. So she did not anticipate any problems. However the scene was being shot during vacation time when there were a lot of people roaming in nude on the nude and it became problematic to film the scene.

A unit-member from the film's crew says, "The beach is mesmerizing with white sand and Zoya Akhtar was sure she wanted to capture this in her film. But when the cast and crew reached on the location they felt awkward. They felt overtly clad and rather odd amongst the rest on the beach who were nude. Moreover the unit had to ensure that nobody comes into their frame".

"However within couple of hours the unit forgot where they were shooting and got down to work. It was really crazy at the beginning with no one knowing where to frame, where to sit and where to put things. But after shooting among the Adams and Eves for 12 hours, we all got used to the scenes in front of us."

Ask Zoya Akhtar about this particular scene and she reminisces, "It was a task to ensure that that no one else was in frame, as we did not want to go under the scanner of the censor board. So the entire crew was on high alert".

The unit-member adds, "It was a beautiful white sand beach and even though they could make-do by shooting elsewhere, logistically this beach was most convenient."

 

 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - Trailer [HQ]

 

 

Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara promotional event

Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif jazzed it up with song and dance at a concert to promote their upcoming film. Hrithik was a man on a mission as he performed before the huge crowd with a variety of dance steps as his other co-stars from the film joined in.

Abhay Deol performed a step imitating Dharmendra’s dancing style while Farhan Akhtar got Hrithik to do his famous moves from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. Katrina in a Spanish skirt and co-ordinated blouse performed some ‘senorita’ steps that had fans screaming for more. Kalki Koechlin was in the centre of things but performed half-heartedly.

Ritesh Sidhwani and Zoya Akhtar who were onstage were introduced to the crowd as well. Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonca  provided the musical accompaniment as the stars joined in the singing.

 Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, Kalki Koechlin, Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar

Abhay Deol and Preeti Desai to get engaged

Abhay Deol is set to give his long-time relationship with former Miss Britain, Preeti Desai, an official tag. BT has learnt from reliable sources close to the couple that they are planning to get engaged in a private ceremony soon.

A friend of the couple said, "Preeti and Abhay are with each other around the clock, despite having separate addresses. There has been a death in the family (Dharmendra's elder sister passed away) and that's why they are not rushing their engagement. When the family overcomes the sorrow, Abhay and Preeti will exchange rings, maybe later this month or in June."

The source adds, "Abhay and Preeti have great compatibility. Both are impulsive, fun-loving people who love to travel and enjoy. They don't have a big circle of friends and they like it that way."

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) trailer gets 55 mn hits in 48 hours

Since we have information at our fingertips, Excel Media has set a trend in Bollywood with a digital launch of their Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara trailer, last Sunday. Within 48 hours of its launch, the trailer got over 55 million hits. That's an amazing 5.5 crore people.

Actors Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol viewed the launch live. Excited with the response and confident that the digital approach is the way ahead, Ritesh Sidhwani says, "This is an astounding number by any standards. And the audiences include ones on mobile phone, social media and You tube. The trailer on FB is receiving frequent 'likes'.

The entire driving force behind the digital platform is the transparency that it offers. Every view is direct, from across the world and immediately available for the filmmakers to see. To the extent that one can check viewers from which city are watching the trailer. As ZNMD dons the role of a trendsetter, let's wait and watch how many others toe the line.

Abhay has taken off his pants: Hrithik

Hrithik Roshan jokes about the poster of his forthcoming film which sees him and Farhan topless but not Abhay.

Abhay Deol is the only actor in the poster of 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' who is fully clothed. His co-star Hrithik has gone topless while Farhan is seen wearing a ganji.

When asked as to why he didn't take off his clothes, Abhay grossed out the press and his co-stars by giving a detailed explanation.

"I have a lot of hair on my chest and there is a scene in the film where we have these tomatoes all over our bodies. I told my stylist that if the tomatoes stick to my chest hair the sight won't be pleasant. Otherwise, I have no issues with taking off my clothes" said Abhay evoking displeasure on everyone's face including Farhan and Hrithik's.

Hrithik added with a wink, "Abhay has in fact gone bottomless in the film. You will see him remove his clothes too."

Now, given the bachelor trip theme of the film, it is but expected boys.

Abhay's girl, Preeti has her lip sealed

The girl we all know as Deol's girlfriend, Preeti Desai, speaks up about her relationship, inhibitions and more.

Tinsel townies call her Abhay Deol's girlfriend. Media reports suggest she is living-in with the actor. Even wikipedia under 'personal life', says she is 'in a romantic relationship with actor Abhay Deol'. But the Miss Britain turned bollywood actress, Preeti Desai still is far from admitting. In a brief tete-a-tete, the Shor In The City actress tells us about her boyfriend, inhibitions and more.

Some say Abhay Deol got you to Bollywood. How did it really happen?
My parents are Gujarati and I have grown up seeing a lot of Hindi films. Winning the Miss Great Britain title opened my doors to Bollywood.

But you are dating Abhay Deol...
That's a very personal question.

Admit it...
At this point of time, I shall neither deny nor accept that I am dating Abhay Deol.

So tell us about your role in Shor In the City ?
I play Sendhil Ramamurthy's love interest. This movie just fell in my lap. I had just one meeting with the directors, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D K, and they confirmed that I was on. I didn't even meet the producer Ekta Kapoor before I was finalised.

Are you meeting up filmmakers for more roles?
Not really. I want to wait for the feedback to Shor In The City. Also, I am going to improve my Hindi diction before I concentrate on a career in the industry. But yes, I of course, want to do a lot of Hindi films.

Did your parents object to your decision to work in Bollywood?
No. In fact, they were very supportive. My mum is expected to arrive in India a few days before Shor In The City hits the big screen.

Are you okay with kissing and lovemaking scenes?
Big deal! If the script of a film demands it, why not?

There are also some topless pictures of you on the Internet. When were they clicked?
Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai. Internet is one place jahan kuch bhi hota hai. You don't have to believe everything you see on the Internet..

Mumbai or England?
Difficult question. It's like asking someone to choose between his/her two kids. There I have my parents, sister and dogs (pauses) and here.... (pauses again)

And here you have Abhay Deol. In fact, you both are living-in...
(Laughs) No comments.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara | Movie Preview

Banner: Excel Entertainment
Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani & Farhan Akhtar
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Story & Screenplay: Reema Kagti & Zoya Akhtar
Dialogues: Farhan Akhtar
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Music Director: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Cinematographer: Carlos Catalan
Editor: Chandan Arora
Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant
Production Designer: Suzanne Caplan Merwanji
Costume: Arjun Bhasin
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, Farhan Akhtar, Naseeruddin Shah
Genre: Drama
Release Date: May 2011

Synopsis 

It has an interesting ensemble cast and is made by a filmmaker who has shown depth and insight in her debut venture ( Luck By Chance ). In Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara she traverses through the landscapes of Spain. This is a Zoya Akhtar road movie that is sure to be peppered with quirks, slice of life nuggets and loads of drama

Abhay Deol refuses to go topless

Mumbai, Feb 26 – Bollywood actor Abhay Deol was asked to take off his shirt for a scene in Zoya Akhtar’s next film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, but he firmly refused to do so. The reason — he has hair on his chest.

Zoya had asked him and Hrithik Roshan, who also plays a lead role in the film, to go topless in a scene. Hrithik obliged but Abhay refused to bare his chest, a source said.

“Abhay refused to take off his shirt as he doesn’t prefer to shave his chest hair,” the source told IANS.

“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” is a fun-filled road film shot largely across Spain and apart from Hrithik and Abhay, also seen in pivotal roles will be Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres June 24.

Abhay deol is excited about his new movie OYe lucky ...

Source: Rediff News
Abhay Deol is serious about taking a sabbatical from Mumbai and continue taking art courses in New York, looking to work with great scriptwriters, and find out how he should handle his movie career.

Right now he is excited about two of his films that are to open soon -- Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Dev D, a modern version of the tragic Devdas legend; he gets the script concept credit for the latter film directed by Anurag Kashyap.

"I am still getting used to New York and navigating through the city," he says. We ask him about the screen story he is writing. "I cannot go into many details just now," he says. "The writer I have in mind to turn the story into a script is very well known. I don't know if he will be convinced to work with me."

"I will then have to decide what I am going to do with my career," Abhay 31, who has had six films including Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Limited released in two years, says. "And that is why I decided to live far from Mumbai and check out my options. If you are in Mumbai and tell people that you want to take a few months off, nobody will want to take you seriously."

"I have many reasons to feel happy about this film," he says. "For one thing, it is made by a very big banner, and it is the first time I am working for a big company."
The new film, Oye Lucky, has plenty of black humour, it is inspired by the true story of a charismatic and gutsy confidence man and thief

"Another reason I took up this film was because I got an opportunity to work with a director (Dibakar Banerjee) who has done something," Abhay continues, referring to the small budget Khosla Ka Ghosla which became a runaway hit.
"I surely want my films play across the board, in the big cities, in smaller towns, in multiplexes and single screen theatres," he says. "I may choose to work with a particular director for a number of reasons, and the promise the script shows. But it surely does not mean that I am thinking only of a particular kind of audience. Oye Lucky, I feel, could be one such film that will engage the audiences across the country."

Abhay Deol to play thief in next movie Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Source: SantaBanta
Abhay Deol, who plays a quirky thief in his next release Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, seems to have completely got into character for his role in the film.

While shooting, Abhay picked up several tricks of the trade employed by thieves to outsmart the police. And even after it was pack up time, Abhay decided to have some fun and practice at the expense of his near and dear ones.

One such instance took place when Abhay was enjoying a family lunch with cousin Bobby Deol. Abhay slowly flicked Bobby's wallet without him having the slightest possible clue.

After a nice meal, when Bobby put his hands into his pocket to take out his wallet, he got the shock of his life and found his wallet missing. Needless to say, Bobby started to panic, as the wallet had not just cash but several of his debit and credit cards

It was then that Abhay (with his mischievous smile) decided to spill the beans and told Bobby bhaiya that his wallet was safe and sound with him.

I can manage to do petty stealing without any issues. What I did with Bobby was just a harmless exercise. The idea was not to hurt anybody. I was just checking if I could manage to do it and yes now I surely know that I can."

Ever since then, Abhay's close friends and relatives have been teasing the actor about an alternate career option. When quizzed about this incident, Abhay laughs and says, "Yaar... I am serious about my alternate career. I have become good at haath ki safai.