Aladin – First Look

Aladin & The Magic Lamp

 

By: Shams Irfan

Indian cinema is finally moving in a direction that was desired for long by most of the critics – progressive and non-stereotypical.

Usually, Indian cinema heavily relies on western content [scripts and ideas] for inspiration and creative modifications in techniques of filmmaking, but of late, though only on a small scale, filmmakers are trying to break new pathways.

One such ‘genuine’ effort is put in by director Sujoy Gosh for his upcoming multi-starrer [multi-crore] film titled Aladdin, once televisions most adored character [Aladdin] and his friend-in-need the [Genie] are brought back to life on a bigger canvas.

But, is it really the path-breaker cinema which we were waiting for decades or just another easy-getaway, is something that is yet to be debated or questioned?

There are a few questions which need to be answered before we start accepting any new form of cinematic adaptations!!!

And the opener would always be – Is Arab folktale hero [Aladdin] relevant in Indian cinematic context at all? Apart form the cartoon series, which surely we all loved because of its fun-element and romance, does Aladin and his magic lamp fit in not-so-broad spectrum of cinema?

What really made director Ghosh go eastward for inspiration while everybody else heads westwards?  Has western cinema lost it sheen with Indian audiences or is it the fear of fail-ing which makes India’s young crop of directors take the beaten pathways over and again?

We know, all these questions will never be answered by any of the directors, young or old; they never acknowledge the lack of knowledge or raise their hands whenever we try to take a roll-call for copycats and over-inspired directors…

Starring, Amitabh Bachchan [Genius aka the genie], Ritesh Deshmukh [Aladdin], Sunjay Dutt [Ring Master] and Jacqueline Fernandes [Jasmine] in the lead, Aladin is said to have all Indian look and feel, which director Sujoy feels will help him to connect with audiences easily.

Long before Sujoy thought of decorating the Indian silver screen with sand dunes and beautiful castles, yesteryears filmmaker Homi Wadia introduced Aladin & The Wonderful Lamp (1952), to Indian audiences.

However Homi kept his creative cravings aside and retained the original touch and feel of the Arabian folk character Aladdin.

But with today’s filmmakers’ eagerness to mix things in their own style, it would be interesting to watch Ghosh’s modern day interpretations of our childhood fantasies i.e. Aladdin.

Aladin is set for October 16, 2009 release.

My Name Is Khan – First Look

My Name Is SRK

With Bollywood’s three big names Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Karan Johar coming together after a gap of eight long years [Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham – 2001], hits starved film industry is high on hope once again.

Over the years Shahrukh Khan [SRK] has proved his worth at the ticket window both in India and overseas. With such a loyal fan base across the globe, SRK is always looked upon as Bollywood’s savior – when everything else fails, SRK steps in to save.

Shahrukh Khan & Kajol

And this time too, when Bollywood is going through its worst phases ever, [9 out of 10 movies even fail to retrieve their production costs], all eyes are once again set on SRK and his upcoming film My Name Is Khan…

Though this time around SRK is not carrying any magic-potions to heal the festered wounds of audience left by bad cinema and copy-cat directors, he is just there to reassure their faith in cinema.

My Name Is Khan is not a typical romantic journey that one would expect from SRK, Karan and Kajol, it’s about individuals, their relationships, religious biases and prejudices that connects and disconnects people on a day-to-day basis in any society.

It would have been a safer bet for SRK to take refuge in cliché and well exploited formulas at this particular juncture, but great artists are always remembered for following their hearts when everybody else followed rules.

As he himself acknowledges, that he’s too old to romance eighteen or twenty year-old pretty faces anymore, but in reality SRK is too big a star to fit in his own shoes now. And he’s well aware of the fact that if he does not challenge his limits as an actor now, then it will never happen later.

However, he is well aware of the risk involved, throughout his illustrious film career he ‘packaged’ himself as a mascot of love and romance, which audiences accepted without a blink or complain. Now it needs lot more than just one Chak De India or My Name Is Khan to change what has been etched deep into our memories over the years.

So here is SRK with his at-ease co-star Kajol and master of youthful love [director] Karan Johar, but still My Name Is Khan is not a complete love story, instead it’s a step forward towards SRK’s knighthood as an actor of substance rather than style icon for Gen X or Y.  Timing is perfect for SRK to prove his worth as an actor, extraordinary situations demands extraordinary efforts, so here he is standing firm against all odds for the love of his life – cinema.

So wait for My Name Is Khan to release and see yourself why SRK is still the best…

Who is Harleen Kaur?

Giselle Monteiro - Harleen Kaur

Finally the suspense is over…the much talked about character in Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal, Harleen Kaur is not an Indian as we all speculated.

The 19-year-old pretty girl is Giselle Monteiro, from Brazil.

Love Aaj Kal- Today's Find

Through our reliable sources we came to know that Imtiaz’s new-found is already creating waves in Bollywood, as she is being flooded with offers from all corners.

No wonder, she deserves all the attention…after all the girl kept us hooked/guessing for long…

Guru Dutt Biopic – First Look

Katrina Kaif & Aamir Khan

Finally the long-wait seems to be over, first look of Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s untitled biopic on legendry actor-director Guru Dutt’s life is out – a recreation of Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman’s poster image from the movie Kagaz Ke Phool.

Apart from being the most talked about journey-down-the-memory-lane, Guru Dutt’s Biopic will be flaunting the most dream-like cinematic casting ever: Katrina Kaif & Aamir Khan. [If only it is happening]

Resembles Alot!!

While undoubtedly, Aamir can be hailed as the ace of Bollywood, the beautifully Katrina Kaif is elegant and equally competent for such a dream-project.

In fact, no other actress but Katrina is capable of portraying the yesteryears beauty Waheeda Rehman on the silver screen.

Just like Katrina Kaif, Waheeda Rehman was nothing less than a showstopper herself in her hay days.

It would be interesting to see beauty [Katrina] lending grace to brainy-boy [Aamir] for sake of history sheets!!!

Though, none of them [actors or director] has till now uttered a single words of confirmation regarding filming or cast finalization details…but let us [audiences] live by the hope and wish it to be true soon!!!

Gulaal – First Look

Gulaal - The Color of Freedom

By: Shams Irfan

After successfully fiddling with doomed lover Devdas’ character in his latest flick Dev D, director Anurag Kashyap is ready to tread a different path this time [at least Anurag feels so]. This time around there will be less drunken madness, as Anurag’s soon-to-be released Gulaal deals with class struggle rather than character assassination.

 

Inspired by a Sahir Ludhanvi song, ‘Yeh Dunya Agar Mil Be Jaye to Kya Hai…’ Gulaal tries to look beyond the urban shine of developing independent India, where people still aspire for Rajputana Raj (state ruled by Rajputs), instead of democracy.

 

Over the years, Bollywood shifted its focus towards urban audiences and their aspirations, while rural side of the story remained untold. Most of the Indian movies nowadays deal with urban issues and problems related to youth living in metropolitans. But there are a few filmmakers like Anurag who dare to deviate and dig deep into rural skin for stories!!! Gulaal, makes an insight into the rural India where draconian laws still rule the land, where might is always right and where every clan runs a parallel government.

 

But, going by the Anurag Kahyap’s style of filmmaking, I have to keep my fingers crossed as the man is on road to perdition – especially after No Smoking and Dev D.

 

Well, if I go back into the past and take a cue from the annals of Bollywood, then Kashyap has little to worry, Gulaal is sure to click with audiences as anything coming from the wilderness is lapped up instantly – remember Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Haasil and Vishal Bharadwaj’s Omkara.

 

 

So be ready for a journey which will take you back to your roots… Gulaal is slated to release on 13^th of March, 2009.      

   

Luck By Chance – Picture Gallery

Oye! Smile!

Farhan Akhtar playing a struggler in sister Zoya Akhtar’s debut movie Luck By Chance.

Poster Perfect!!!

Farhan Akhtar in Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance!

Bench Mark!!

Farhan’s acting skills are said to be at best in Luck By Chance.

Rocking Farhan!!!

Farhan Akhtar rocking his way to the top!!!

Hat-Trick

Hrithik Roshan in Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Luck By Chance’.

Romantics

Hrithik Roshan and Isha Sherwani in Luck By Chance.

Isha

Isha Sherwani is hot by all means – still in doubt: Look up!!!

Five Disasters of 2008

Down and Dejected

By: Shams Irfan

The year 2008 will end on a relatively low note for Bollywood as there has been no sufficient number of hits this year to set the mood for celebrations. Most of the films with strong star cast and big budgets failed to make an impression at the box-office window; even the hefty amount spent on publicity was hard to recover in some cases. Starting with Yash Chopra’s multi-starrer, multi-crore ‘Tashan’, ‘2008’ showed the signs of a year that would be hard to forget, both for producers and audiences.

Nothing managed to pull audiences to theaters except a few small banner hits that kept the hope floating throughout the year.

Here at octanentertainment.com, we have listed down five disasters of the year that let cinema lovers down; despite boosting on their stars-studded cast, extensive publicity, big-budget and even bigger banners, they got trashed.

It was hell of a task to handpick the worst five of the season as the list was really long!!!

Bumpy Ride

Drona

The Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra starrer sci-fi packed [comic] drama failed to click with the audiences. Director Goldie Behl and actor Abhishek Bachchan’s childhood dream of making a super-hero movie with swords and gizmos juxtaposed got full hands down from the critics. The movie was pulled down from the multiplexes within a week’s time. Even the mighty presence of Jr. Bachchan could not save friend Goldie Behl from getting trashed by the critics. Thus Drona is now remembered for being ‘illegitimate’ brain-child of AB’s Baby and buddie Behl. But director Behl is not the one to say ‘I quit’ so easily- nothing can stop him from making his dreams come true. Behl’s last film ‘Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai’ is finally dwarfed with Drona taking its place as biggest flop.

And finally the shocker: Goldie Behl unashamedly declared Drona sequel and vowed to torture us again with his [dream] nightmares.

Blame Game!!!

Karzzz

After watching Himesh Reshamiya in ‘Aap Ka Saroor’, we all thought that possibly enough this is the end of it. Not again this man with fake hair and torturous nasal voice would be seen on screen, at least after making a dud like ‘Aap….Suroor’. But he came back from the dead, just like the protagonist of Subhash Ghai’s super-hit reincarnation drama ‘Karz’ (1980), and tormented us with songs like ‘lut jaun…lut jaun’, for a while. Well as I already said, this was the year of duds; even the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay would not have tolerated Himesh’s acting skills and ‘melodious’ voice. Now the biggest shock: Himesh is ready to deliver another Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD), ‘Kajraare’…help us please…enough is enough!!!!

Angry Dud Men

Tashan

The year 2008 started with Yash Chopra’s ‘Tashan’ starring Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Anil Kapoor. The hopes were high as everything was perfect: cast, banner, publicity and even the songs managed to rule the charts for most of the year. Yash Chopra banners love for new filmmakers proved costly as writer turned director Vijay Krishna Acharya failed to justify even a single actor’s presence in this multi-starrer extravaganza. ‘Tashan’ had no tashan to boast of, even the love-birds Saif-Kareena failed to save this kitschy blunder.

What a Waste!!!

Yuvvraaj

Imagine coming together of: dream-merchant Subhash Ghai, original muscles-man of Bollywood Salman Khan, new reigning queen of silver screen Katrina Kaif, the mustache man Anil Kapoor, the lady killer Zayed Khan- and a flop called ‘Yuvvraaj’. The film went down with lot more than what we expected- Subhash Ghai’s reputation as an good director, a big question on Salman Katrina’s onscreen-off screen chemistry, a complete waste of talent called Anil Kapoor, though he played his role with sincerity [but there was nothing much to do] and a good-for-nothing-good-face called Zayed Khan. Aah…too many heartbreakers…how could one expect it to be a hit…when failure was written all-over it with director Ghai’s ageing blood.

So this one dived down without a trace, though Salman Khan tried his best to save Yuvvraaj with everything he had, Sallu got the film re-edited, went out for the first time to promote any of his movies!!! But ‘Yuvvraaj’ sunk like bulky titanic and so did over-weight Sallu’s crowd pulling magic wand!!!

Flop Story!!

Love Story 2050

Once there was a director who thought of making a sci-fic movie with one of the most successful actress of the era and an actor who happened to be his son. Isn’t the story interesting? Well this story is called ‘Love Story 2050’ and you are smart enough to guess the rest. Let’s start it allover again. Once upon a time there was a Director named Harry Baweja, who by some miracle happened to be a director and by another miracle had a son [Harman Baweja] who was not so ugly. And they made a movie with son-ny’s lady love [Priyanka Chopra] where son-dad-daughter-in-law all had a role to play. And they thought that by yet-another miracle they will get away with this one too…but this time they were wrong and son-ny Jr. Baweja could not make his father proud. ‘Love Story 2050’ found itself a place among worst movies ever.

What Happened to Munna Bhai Chale Amerika?

 

Munna Bhai Chale Amerika

I was wondering what happened to Munna Bhai Chale Amerika? After making a place in our hearts with Munna Bhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai, everybody was hoping and then waiting for director Raj Kumar Hirani to tune his comic strings once again and treat us with another comic-caper starring lovable don Munna Bhai and his loyal accomplice in crime Circuit.

But, sorry guys, there seems to be no visible progress as far as Munna Bhai Chale Amerika is concerned, all we found is this video and a poster. So enjoy till we get something else!!!

Billu Barber – Exclusive [Pics]

Billu Barber - Exclusive

Already had enough of SRK? Think again, here is something that will make you change your mind!!! The King of Bollywood SRK is back to his usual-self – promoting his new movie ‘Billu Barber’ slowly but steadily. And this time around SRK is romancing the size-zero queen of Bollywood Kareena, after a wait of seven long years; last time they were seen romancing each other in Asoka (2001).

SRK Romancing Kareena

According to King Khan, Billu Barber has him for a very limited screen time; the film is actually about Irfaan Khan who is playing the title role of Billu Barber.

Is Saif Safe?

But SRK’s mighty presence, no-matter how brief will surely make a big difference when it comes to pull audiences to the theaters. Being the crowd puller that he is, SRK will have three top-notch Bollywood actresses, Kareena, Priyanka and Deepika shaking legs with him in an item number.

Kareena & Shahrukh

The film is about SRK’s friendship with a small village barber called Billu (played by Irfaan Khan), Billu Barber is made under SRK’s Red Chillies Entertainment.

Ghajini – Preview

By: Shams Irfan

Ghajini is once in a long time kind of experience which comes out of the otherwise full of cliché Bollywood cinema. With perfection written all over it, Aamir Khan marks his entry or re-entry into the competitive [in Aamir’s case non-competitive] world of Bollywood.

Good news is: Ghajini stands firm against all the hype and speculations created by its pre-release marketing, thanks to the mighty presence of Aamir and no nonsense performance from Southern sensation Asin; Ghajini will end-up redefining genres, if not creating one.

Ghajini clearly belongs to Aamir, so initial hype and expectations are justified – we expect Aamir to act-his-heart-out every single time he faces camera, and this time he is unfailingly at his best.

Like a wounded lion, with an ever failing memory Aamir is eager to avenge his lady loves death.

Celebrate this Christmas with Ghajini as Aamir’s performance is sure to leave you spellbound long after you are out of the theatre. And take my word for it, 2 hour 59 minute length is not something you will complain about – Aamir will leave you wanting for more.

Ghajini is releasing on 24th of December [evening show on wards]