Mimoh Chakraborty
Mimoh Chakraborty, son of Mithun Chakraborty, may be cursing the day he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by turning into a hero. His debut film Jimmy, which was supposed to release last year, has been postponed umpteen times.

The film was finally scheduled for release this week on 18th but has now been pushed ahead again to mid May. The reason for this non-availability of theaters and the film’s distributors Sahara backed out of the project on the last minute.

Koena Mitra
Koena Mitra is excited these days and she has reason to be. In this age of superheroes, she will be playing superwoman. She has signed a Hollywood action film titled Karna.

In the film, you will see Koena doing all the daredevil stunts. Her character also has a variety of shades. She also has more reasons to rejoice, as she is also first Indian star to become animated. Her film, Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena has been animated by Hollywood.

Saif Ali Khan
Every star has some hidden talent, which sometimes comes out slowly. Salman Khan is a painter and scriptwriter; his next being a film titled Veer.

Saif Ali Khan too is a good guitarist and everybody knows it. Now, Farhan Akhtar is learning guitar from the star. Director Farhan is turning actor with film called Rock On in which he plays a rock star and needs to play guitar. Since the bonding of Saif and Farhan goes back to the days of making Dil Chahta Hai, he asked Saif to teach him the basics of playing guitar, which Saif readily agreed to.

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu will endorse US-based perfume brand Alcome Perfumes and Cosmetics who are venturing into Indian market.

“By having Bipasha as its brand face, our company looks forward for a better money making opportunity in India,” Sanjeev Nayyar, vice president, Alcome Perfumes & Cosmetics, said in a press statement.

The company has stepped into the Indian market keeping in view the rising markets of cosmetics and toiletries here.

“Our brand will be stepping into Indian markets through retail chains. It plans to set up alliances with chains like Big Bazaar, Spencers etc,” he added.

The company has anticipated to draw a benefit of about Rs.1.5 billion in the first year and is expects to soar up to Rs.5 billion within the next five years.

Apart from India, the company is marketing its products in 68 countries of the world including the US, Australia, along with more than 38 countries in Europe, North America, Middle East and Far East.

It’s neither a remake of the popular “Chak De India” nor does it give any sermons to a women’s hockey team on winning ways. And it is sans Shah Rukh Khan too. But that will not stop the makers of a Punjabi film - “Chak De Phatte” - to work out serious comedy.

Titans of Punjabi comedy - satirist-actor Jaspal Bhatti, Gurpreet Ghuggi and several others - will be part of the new Punjabi movie that is being shot in the state to highlight the greed among Punjabi grooms to get married to non-resident Indian (NRI) girls.

The comedy film is about the foolish actions of a few Punjabi youth who want to get married to a rich Punjabi NRI girl and the failures they encounter in the process.

“It is a film with a deadly cocktail of Punjabi comedy. The film is not moralizing or preaching anything, but is only an honest comedy which aims to have the audiences laughing all the way,” director Sameep Kang said.

Shooting of the film started here Tuesday.

After staying away from the arclights for a couple of years, Nepali beauty Manisha Koirala returns with “Sirf - Life Looks Greener On The Other Side”. The actress also plans to take up direction in a year or two.

“Definitely, I do want to direct films. But right now the priorities are different. May be in a year or two I will start direction too,” Manisha told IANS.

“But believe me, being an actor is the most blessed position because they are the most pampered lot,” said the 30 plus actress who comes from a politically prominent family in Nepal. Her granduncle G.P. Koirala is the current prime minister there.

She debuted in Bollywood with Subhash Ghai’s super hit “Saudagar” and went on to star in films like “1942: A Love Story”, “Bombay”, “Gupt”, “Dil Se” and “Kachche Dhaage”.

After Kamal Haasan’s “Mumbai Express” in 2006, “Sirf” is the first film in which she will be playing the main lead. She made sporadic appearances in duds like “Darwaza Bandh Rakho” and “Anwar”. She also went off to the US for a film course.

Manisha is paired opposite Kay Kay Menon in “Sirf”, a film about four couples that has been directed by Raajatesh Nayar, erstwhile assistant of Raj Kumar Santoshi.

“I am playing the character of Devika who is married to Kay Kay. I own an ad agency. My character is very lonely because her husband is too busy with his work. But she is strong too and holds her own even when the odds are totally against her,” Manisha said.

Manisha says she doesn’t identify with her character in the film except that she too is a strong person in real life.

“Yes, I am a strong woman, but Devika is not me completely. In some places I do connect with the character and that’s all. The film is about vacuum in people’s life, how they think everybody else has more than them. I have never had that kind of misconception.”

The film also strars Sonali Kulkarni-Ranvir Shorey, Parveen Dabbas-Rituparna Sengupta and Ankur Khanna-Nauheed Cyrusi as couples.

“I have worked with Kay Kay, Parveen and Ranbir. While Kay Kay is an extremely strong but subtle artiste, Parveen is extremely expressive and casual about it. Ranvir is good. They all had their own style and each is very good but Kay Kay is brilliant. He can enact the most intense scene without any histrionics.”

About the director, she said: “I have worked with Raajatesh during ‘Lajja’. So technically I do know him. He is a very good and clear-cut director. He has a very clear vision of what he wants. Although he had trained under Santoshi, his style of filmmaking is very different.”

“I think ‘Sirf’ is closer to ‘Life in a… Metro’ than any of the films made by Santoshi. Because of his training and exposure, Raajatesh has shown a lot of maturity in handling the subject,” she added.

All the four couples belong to different levels of society and each has its own problems to deal with, but somewhere they all come across each other. En route the film has humour and also pathos at times. The film is scheduled for an April 25 release.

Talking about her forthcoming projects, she said: “I am in talks with many makers for various international projects. I will choose with care. Then ‘Chehra’ is on the floors. In this film I play the role of a complete diva.”

Well known film director Subhash Ghai is readying a

commercial complex that is right in front of Yashraj Films.

Says Ghai: “We had a small post-production studio, Audeus, where the

commercial complex is coming up. We shifted it to Film City, so that

piece of land was vacated. We’ll have our corporate office in the new

building and also lease out the rest of the premises to other

commercial ventures.”

Ghai says he just handed over the job to a builder.

“I haven’t even gone and checked on the progress of the building. I feel

the Juhu-Andheri locality has become too congested. So I’ve shifted all

my creative work to Film City whereas all my business transactions

will be held from this new place.”

He hopes to move into his new office by Diwali. “At the moment,

we’re all set to release ‘Yuvraaj’ for Diwali on Oct 24; 75 percent of

the film is complete. By July we hope to complete the rest. But there

are huge special effects and song sequences involved.”

A city court Tuesday summoned Bollywood actor and producer Aamir Khan to depose as witness in a seven-year-old case of violation of copyright in connection with his blockbuster movie “Lagaan”.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jagdish Kumar issued summons to Aamir Khan for Feb 10, 2009.

The court had last year issued summons to the actor asking him to appear Tuesday, but he failed to do so.

The case pertains to the seizure of seven VCDs of the 2001 release “Lagaan” and 34 of “Gadar” by the Delhi Police during a raid on the shop of accused Risabh Chawla in Lajpat Rai market here on June 22, 2001.

Anil Malhotra, the complainant in the case, told the court that he had the copyright of these two films.

Aamir was made a witness as “Lagaan” was produced under his banner M/s Aamir Khan Productions Private Limited in Mumbai.

Police filed a case against Chawla under Section 63 of the Copyright Act.

Aamir Khan’s feted directorial debut “Taare Zameen Par” was absent from the 9th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards nomination list announced here Tuesday as the actor didn’t forward his film for the awards shortlist.

“You won’t find some important film names mentioned in the nomination list. It is because of the selection procedure,” Sabbas Joseph, director Wizcraft International Ltd, said at a press conference.

“The rule for getting a nomination in the IIFA awards popular categories, producers have to fill up a form and send it to us. ‘Taare Zameen Par’ is one of my favourite films, but the producer didn’t send his film, hence it is not in the list,” Joseph said.

Notwithstanding the reported cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, “Om Shanti Om”, which is King Khan’s home production, and “Chak De! India”, another of his major hits, were nominated in all the main categories.

Addressing the gathering, Amitabh said: “It was my earnest desire to see a produce of Indian origin go oversees. IIFA in its ninth edition has continued the tradition of taking Indian cinema beyond our shores.”

“Whenever a country does well in the economic sector, everything about it becomes beautiful. Ever since India has opened its economic bindings it has been growing,” he added.

Amit Mitra, secretary general Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), was also present.

Mitra said: “FICCI partnered with IIFA in Amsterdam and we went to Dubai and Yorkshire. With IIFA and Wizcraft we are trying to create little pebble, which will have its reverberations in economic and business forums.”

This year, the IIFA Weekend will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from June 6-8.

Movie buffs can now wear outfits similar to those worn by their favourite stars on screen through a new clothesline unveiled by the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) in association with fashion retail brand BIBA here Tuesday.

‘IIFA Bling’, the brand, is an exclusive premium fashion line which will reflect the trends and styles influenced by the Indian film industry.

“The brand is a wonderful way for movie fans to experience stardom. While IIFA is providing a platform, BIBA is providing a distribution network,” Sabas Joseph, director, Wizcraft International Entertainment Ltd. (the organisers of IIFA), said at the launch of the fashion line.

Leading fashion designer Vikram Phadnis has designed an exclusive collection for the brand whereas designer duo Renu Chopra and Bina Kapur along with Phadnis have put together their creativity for the “Bhootnath” range.

A sneak preview of both the lines took place at the launch.

The collections included empire line and angarakha suits, one-piece dresses with thread work accentuated by gota, embroidery, sequins and mirror work.

“Vikram’s clothes will range from Rs.12,000 to Rs.18,000 and the ‘Bhootnath’ collection will be priced between Rs.495 to Rs.5,000,” Siddharth Bindra, managing director, BIBA told IANS.

The IIFA Bling collection will be showcased at the IIFA Weekend 2008 in Bangkok and be available to a global audience.

“We want to make our presence global and reach out to all those living abroad who wish to dress like our Bollywood stars,” Bindra said.

One exclusive IFFA Bling for BIBA store will be opened in Mumbai and Delhi each.

Director Nikhil Advani, who has been shooting with hectic celerity in China for his new action-comedy “Chandni Chowk To China”, confirms that Deepika Padukone is playing double role in the movie.

“That’s right,” confirmed Advani. “Deepika is doing a double role in my film.”

This would be Deepika’s second double role after her debut “Om Shanti Om”.

When quizzed him about the music of the film, Advani told IANS: “While the rest of the score by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with a little help from Kailash Kher, is completely original, we’ve used Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Bombay se aaya mera dost’ from the film ‘Aap Ki Khatir’. Bappi has reworked and re-sung the song.”

Advani’s directorial debut “Kal Ho Naa Ho” was a runaway success at the box office, but his second film “Salaam-e-Ishq” was letdown.

“Chandani Chowk to China” is a mega-budget film and is produced by Warner Brothers and Rohan Sippy.

Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman is considering a big-screen singing role in a new musical flick titled ‘Nine’.
The new film is an adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical that was also based on Federico Fellini’s Eight and a Half.
The film will be directed by Rob Marshall of the ‘Chicago’ fame, reports the Sydney Morning Herald
Actor Javier Bardem will be seen playing the central character, a film director juggling the demands of the several women in his life.
The list of actors also includes Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard. The shoot is expected to begin in September. (ANI)

Featuring turf wars between priests and ritual sheep slaughter, a new Israeli film shows how religion and politics collide to make Jerusalem’s Old City one of the most intense and colourful places on earth.
Studded with church spires, synagogues and slender minarets, the single square kilometre inside Jerusalem’s ancient ramparts is sacred to three major faiths and cuts to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Holy Fire”, by Israeli director Yoram Sabo, splices images from festivals and interviews with religious figures to pay homage to Jerusalem’s unique character and explore the foibles and fervour of its inhabitants.
“Jerusalem is a crazy place but that’s part of its beauty,” Sabo, a secular Jew, told Reuters. “It is run by religious people who can seem like freaks, but I want to show that they believe in what they are doing and that as a secular person you need to judge them by different criteria.”
Jerusalem is home to the Western Wall remnant of the ancient Jewish temple compound, Islam’s revered al-Aqsa mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which marks the traditional site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Hundreds of pilgrims tramp daily through a warren of alleys in its four quarters — Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Armenian — alongside bearded rabbis in long black coats or monks swathed in cloaks and tunics.
One of the film’s characters is an Orthodox Jew who aspires to rebuild the ancient Jewish temple on Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). Sacred to both religions, it is one of the most contentious spots on earth.
Jews are banned from praying at the site, which has been a frequent flashpoint for violence between Israelis and Palestinians, but Yehuda Glick is shown on camera muttering a few words to his God when the Muslim guard’s back is turned.

“GOD’S WILL”
“Holy Fire”, which premiered at this month’s Tel Aviv documentary festival, features footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras dotted around the Old City.
Palestinian children in the Muslim quarter practice throwing stones. A senior Muslim cleric comments it is the only way for them to vent their frustration at the Israeli occupation.
Sabo highlights some of the similarities between the religions — both Jews and Muslims are shown preparing to slaughter sheep for religious festivals — and strives to illustrate the motivation for their fervour.
But ultimately believers on both sides argue it is “God’s will” they alone control the most holy sites.
Conflict is also fierce in the Christian sections of the city, where Greek and Armenian patriarchs tussle over who should take the lead in key religious ceremonies.
A Franciscan monk tells how control over the grounds of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is painstakingly carved among six sects, to the point where even a single step was split between two groups after it prompted a skirmish early last century.
“There are a lot of passions here,” the monk says.
Sabo, who spent three years shooting the film, said he became fascinated with the Old City as a child and first visited after Israeli troops captured the city in the 1967 Middle East war.
“I used to come here as young student and I felt strong and proud,” he said. “Now 40 years later, I wanted to come and see again what makes it so beautiful and strange, but not as an arrogant kid. This time I just wanted to listen to people.”

Miley Cyrus has become the highest-earning teen after raking in an estimated 18 million dollars last year.
According to the upcoming annual ‘What People Earn’ issue of Parade magazine, the ‘Hannah Montana’ star earned huge amounts of cash for her roles in the TV series, movie and album deals, as well as merchandise.
The 15-year-old has beaten the Olsen twins who earned 16 million dollars in 2007, reports Contactmusic.
However, the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus has a long way to become Hollywood’s biggest earner.
Chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, who earned 260 million dollars in 2007, was at the top of the list.
The salary survey compared the earnings of 18 celebrities and 112 regular people who participated. (ANI)

Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman is considering a big-screen singing role in a new musical flick titled ‘Nine’.
The new film is an adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical that was also based on Federico Fellini’s Eight and a Half.
The film will be directed by Rob Marshall of the ‘Chicago’ fame, reports the Sydney Morning Herald
Actor Javier Bardem will be seen playing the central character, a film director juggling the demands of the several women in his life.
The list of actors also includes Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard. The shoot is expected to begin in September. (ANI)