Sikandar, Samaantar nominated at Bollywood & Beyond film fest

‘Sikandar’ and ‘Samaantar’, produced by BIG Pictures have been nominated at ‘Bollywood & Beyond Film Festival’ to be held in Stuttgart, Germany from 14th – 19th July in 2009.

While ‘Sikandar’ has been selected as a part of the official competition and would compete for the ‘German Star of India’ award, Marathi language film ‘Samaantar’ is competing in the Audience Award category at the Festival.

“The selection of Sikandar and Samaantar reaffirm our strategy of taking Indian films global and are a strong shot in the arm for BIG Pictures’ efforts to walk away from the beaten track and produce world cinema titles in nine Indian languages,” Mahesh Ramanathan, Chief Operating officer, BIG Pictures said.

He hoped that showcasing of the films in the festival will help these films to expand their distribution footprint internationally.

“We are confident Sikandar’s bold counterpoint against terrorism will continue to resonate strongly in more festivals and with film makers around the world. With Samaantar Amol Palekar’s mastery of his craft has been rewarded again,” he said.

‘Sikandar’ is a suspense thriller starring Parzaan Dastur and Ayesha Kapur along with R Madhavan, Sanjay Suri and Arunoday Singh.

The film has been written and directed by Piyush Jha.

‘Sikandar’ was also recently screened at the International Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA).

‘Samaantar’ is a heart-wrenching drama starring Amol Palekar and Sharmila Tagore. The film is written by Sandhya Gokhale and directed by Amol Palekar himself.

The ‘Bollywood & Beyond Film Festival’ is the only festival in all of Germany which is entirely dedicated to Indian films.

The Festival started in the year 2004 and is currently in its fifth year.
In 2008, the festival had approximately 13,000 visitors.

I won’t mediate between Kat and Bips: John

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It’s a well-known fact in the film industry
that Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu can’t see eye to eye. Almost similar is the case with John Abraham and Salman Khan. But the film New York has done something unusual in these Bollywood relationships
.

This film has brought Katrina Kaif and John Abraham so close to each other that the grapevine has been abuzz with rumours of an affair between them. Both are all praise for each other, and say that they had a gala time while shooting together for the Yash Raj film directed by Kabir Khan.

As expected, there was no love lost between John’s New York co-star and his long-standing girlfriend Bipasha Basu.

So will John play the peacemaker between his two leading ladies?

We asked John during an interview and this is what Dostana’s hot dude had to say, “I am not here to play the role of a mediator. Bipasha is a grown up, mature woman. So is Katrina Kaif. They are both experienced enough to sort out their own issues. I was there to play the character assigned to me in the film and not to act as a mediator between Katrina and Bipasha.”

On being asked if Katrina was initially apprehensive interacting with him, he said, “She felt bit awkward in the beginning but later we got along very well. We had a blast while shooting for the film.”

Interestingly, even Katrina doesn’t seem keen to bring John and Salman any closer. The leggy lass echoed the same concerns as that of John. Katrina said, “I don’t think anyone needs to play the role of a pacifier for anyone. We are all adults. If we feel the need to sort out our problems, we will do it on our own.”

Talking about her experience of working with John and Neil, the actress said, “We all got along pretty well with each other. Everyone had his or her own space and we were comfortable in that. I compliment the director of the film, Kabir Khan, for such a congenial atmosphere.”

Why is Aamir Khan worried?

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Bollywood actor
Aamir Khan is a worried man these days, it is not due to his movies but wife Kiran Rao. Reports are that the Ghajini actor is really worried for Kiran, who is three months pregnant, as she is not keeping well.

Kiran has been hospitalised twice, first due to fever and second time for lung infection.

Currently Bollywood’s Mr Perfectionsit is shooting in Ladakh for 3 Idiots but he makes sure to call his wife and has to travel miles to the nearest satellite booth to check out Kiran s health.

Aamir has chosen to remain tightlipped on Kiran s pregnancy.

Kareena doesn’t trust Saif with Deepika?

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There has a been a lot of speculation as to why Bollywood superstar, Kareena Kapoor will not be seen at the IIFA this year.

At first it was reported that Kareena was supposed to perform the song Marjani from Billu at the IIFA 2009 ceremony. However, it is now confirmed that not only is she not performing but has also refused to attend the event all together

Kareena, it is reported, wanted the IIFA event to open and close with her performances, but the organisers weren’t ready to let her occupy both their key spots, as at least one is kept reserved for the Bachchans, since Big B is the brand ambassador of IIFA.

When Kareena was told that her wish won’t come true, she withdrew her performance in a huff, just days before the ceremony.

However, the actual reason could be something else which the sultry actress, is not willing to disclose.

It is well known that Kareena is extremely possesive of her boyfriend, Saif and doesn’t trust him in any woman’s company.

She has even admitted to checking his mobile to keep a tab on him.

Reports say that now she will accompany beau Saif Ali Khan to England to watch the Twenty20 tournament instead.Could this be the real reason why she backed out of attending IIFA ?

Saif was supposed to attend the T20 world cup in England with his co-star actress, Deepika Padukone to promote their upcoming film Love Aaj Kal.

It seems Kareena didn’t trust her Saifu in the young actress’s company and thus decided to to go along with him so as to keep a close eye on him and prevent any ‘Love aaj kal ‘ happening !

Bachchans more important than Kareena at IIFA

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Kareena Kapoor may have been declared more powerful than Aishwarya Rai by Filmfare, but as far as IIFA is concerned, the Bachchans are still supreme.

Kareena learned this the hard way. Reports claim that Kareena was supposed to perform the song Marjani from Billu at the IIFA 2009 ceremony, but now, not only is she not performing, but she has refused to attend the event all together.

Kareena, it is reported, wanted the IIFA event to open and close with her performances, but the organisers weren’t ready to let her occupy both their key spots, as at least one is kept reserved for the Bachchans, since Big B is the brand ambassador of IIFA.

When Kareena was told that her wish won’t come true, she withdrew her performance in a huff, just days before the ceremony.

Reports say that now she will accompany beau Saif Ali Khan to England to watch the Twenty20 tournament instead.

This means that along with SRK, who had declared long ago that he will not be attending the IIFA, now Kareena and Saif will be missing too.

To add to the number of drop-outs even Priyanka Chopra has taken back her performance. She was to perform with Shahid Kapur, whom she is rumoured to have broken up with recently. Apart from these actors, even Akshay Kumar has decided to give IIFA a miss this year.

Akshay Kumar to miss IIFA awards

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Forget about performing live, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar won’t even be attending the 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards night in Macau June 13. The actor has kept aside the month for a family vacation
, specially chalked out with his son.

“The family vacation was planned well in advance to coincide with Akshay’s son Aarav’s school holidays. Akshay doesn’t like leaving Aarav behind when he is out of the country. At the same time he doesn’t want his son to miss school. So the annual holiday was planned well in advance,” said a source close to Akshay.

“No power on earth, not even IIFA, is going to persuade Akshay to take even a small break from the holiday, let alone break his little boy’s heart,” the source added.

IIFA organisers had in fact suggested that Akshay fly down from wherever he was to Macau, China, for the star-studded event. When Akshay refused to perform, the organisers said he could come down to Macau with his wife and son just to attend.

But Akshay wouldn’t relent.

“Akshay planned the holiday for his son well in advance. The two sat together and decided which places to visit and what spots of the world would be of most interest to the boy. He rushed through his current assignments to keep June free. Nothing else matters at the moment,” the source said.

The 10th IIFA Awards will be held at the Venetian-Macau Resort on the night of June 13. It is set to to be a glitzy affair with performances by Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor amongst others.

Bollywood actors Boman Irani and Riteish Deshmukh, who had the audience in splits with their humour at the awards last year in Bangkok, will play hosts to the cine event again in Macau. Joining the two would be beauty queen-turned-actress Lara Dutta.

I am a weirdo: RGV

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Bollywood Director, Ram Gopal Varma has yet again showed his crazy side. The Sarkar director has called himself a weirdo on his blog.

“Since this blog is a public forum every one including weirdos are welcome here. Me being a weirdo myself I can’t but help welcoming them.”, he said on his blog.

One of the questions posed on his blog was , “What do you get out of writing this blog?” . Living up to his word, he indeed gave a ‘weird’ answer, “An extraordinary insight into what all kind of wackos exist in the world out there”, RGV said.

When asked about the number of women he had slept with, the controversial director replied cheekily,”You will die of jealousy if I tell you.”

His next venture, Rann had already run into controversy when its song, Jann Gann Mann Rann , a take on the National Anthem faced public wrath and was banned by the Censor Board.

Salinger sues over Rye ’sequel’

Author JD Salinger is taking legal action to block the publication of a book billed as a follow-up to his classic novel The Catcher in the Rye.

According to legal papers filed in New York, the 90-year-old’s lawyers called the book a “rip-off pure and simple”.

60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye features someone similar to Holden Caulfield from Salinger’s work, which he says only he is able to use.

The reclusive author has previously refused filming rights for his story.

‘Insane’

He has taken legal action to protect his copyright on previous occasions, but has never appeared in court.

The writer of the sequel uses the name John David California, but refused to give his real name when contacted by the Associated Press news agency.

The man, who lives in Sweden, called the legal action “a little bit insane”, and added: “To me, this is a story about an old man. It’s a love story, a story about an author and his character.”

“I did not mean to cause him any trouble,” he added in reference to Salinger, who is also pursuing undisclosed damages.

Along with California, London-based publisher Windupbird is cited in court documents, along with Swedish publisher Nicotext and California-based SCB Distributors.

The novel, which is dedicated to Salinger, is due to be published in the UK later this summer and in the US later in the year.

The Catcher in the Rye, first published in 1951, is a tale of adolescent alienation and has become one of the most influential American novels of the modern era.

Kareena doesn’t trust Saif

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They may be the perfect couple, and they may be so comfortable with each other that lovers across the country envy their happiness, and yet, there is something about Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor that is out of joint.

On the first episode of Dus Ka Dum season 2, Kareena revealed that she doesn’t completely trust boyfriend Saif Ali Khan.

Kareena and sister Karisma had come as celebrity participants on the first episode of the show hosted by Bollywood star Salman Khan. The first question that they were faced with was, what percentage of Indians check their spouse’s phone records and SMSs.

Before the two sisters could answer with a prediction, Salman posed another question, ‘why do women check messages etc?’

At which, Karisma answered candidly, “Well I certainly check my husband’s call records and SMSs…I’m telling all wives and girlfriends, pick up your husband’s phone and check.”

Kareena added, “We check because of our insecurities and we are inquisitive about who they talk to the whole day.”

At this, Karishma revealed that Kareena even answers her boyfriend’s phone in a stern voice.

Looking a little embarassed, Kareena confessed, “Well, Saif works with such good-looking heroines, who knows…”

Kareena then told the audience that this un-trusting streak in her has come from none other than her sister Karisma. She didn’t reveal what all Karisma does to keep a tab on her husband, but gave the impression that it is beyond what usual people do.

And what was Salman’s position on insecurities and obsession regarding his significant other. When aked if he has ever checked his girlfriend’s phone, he said, “I have never seen my girlfriend’s phone, nor have I ever touched it. But I am sure she checks my phone!”

He later said, “Even men check, but out of love, not because of insecurities and jealousy like you women. We trust our girlfriends and wives. And look at them, the top heroines of our industry, what an example you are setting for our viewers.”

Coming back to the game, Karisma placed her bet at 95 percent (people who check their spouse’s phones), while Kareena placed her bet at 78 percent. The answer given by audience was 33 percent.

John is foolish: Bipasha Basu

Bollywood hunk John Abraham
fractured his foot while shooting a day-long cricket match for David Dhawan’s Hook Ya Crook and he will sport a cast for a month. The actor says it won’t affect any of his films’ shooting.

“I really wouldn’t like to talk about it. But yes I’m in a lot of pain. Fortunately, no film is going to get affected,” said John, who met with the accident recently.

A close friend
of the actor says that he continued shooting despite the fracture.

“The hard ball shot straight through the air and bang into John’s right foot and he heard a distinct crack. John knew something had gone awfully wrong in his foot. But he continued shooting throughout the day because he didn’t want to disrupt David’s schedule which required special permission for outdoor shooting,” the friend said.

It was only after the day’s shooting that John, by then cringing in pain, sat down to examine the damage.

“The foot had swollen to twice its normal size. It wasn’t just a pulled muscle or a torn ligament as John had hoped. It was a fracture. And by playing cricket on the injured foot John made it worse,” said the friend.

After pack up, John walked to his car, drove off to the doctor who finally told him what he suspected the whole day. Now his foot is in a cast for a month.

Fortunately, for the actor there’s no shooting to be completed. The next one month is devoted to acting workshops for Abbas Tyrewala which he can somehow limp through.

John’s girlfriend Bipasha feels he shouldn’t have continued shooting with injured foot.

“It’s sad. But John was foolish to keep on playing when his foot was hurt instead of getting it checked,” she said.

Last week has been tough on the actor.

“He was down with a severe viral fever followed by the whole unsavoury link up with Katrina Kaif. Then John lost his uncle. And now his foot is fractured. Hopefully, this is the climax of his crises,” said his friend.

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