Celebs at a football match in Kolkata
When football stars from across the globe – Pele, Ruud Gullit, Ronald de Boer, Christian Karembeu among others – fly into Kolkata for the Super Football match at Salt Lake stadium on January 23, cheering them on from the stands will be a host of film personalities and celebs. Rahul Bose has already confirmed; Dhanush and Team “3″ is also supposed to join the party.
Kolkata gets this super dose of football and glamour just a few months after Messi mesmerized the city with his ball skills on September 2, when Argentina played a friendly against Venezuela.
The King of Football, Pele, is the brand ambassador of The Superstars XI, which will play Bhaichung Bhutia-led The Indian Dream XI. The event will also see Scorpion member Rudolf Schenker making a guest appearance on the ground.
The match, which was set to take place at Salt Lake Stadium on January 15, has been pushed back by a week. But that, in no way, is going to compromise on the star factor. “Apart from Pele, who is the brand ambassador of The Superstars XI, and Dutch legend Ruud Gullit, who’s coaching the team, there will be star players like Regi Blinker, Ansgar Brinkmann, Winston Bogarde, Ronald de Boer, Marcel Oerlemans, Pierre van Hooijdonk and Ali Daei, among others. The Indian side will be announced by the end of this week,” said Anuj Kichlu, GM, Football Players Association of India.
On being asked if the change in date led to the stars facing problems in arranging their schedules, Anuj added, “Rudolf is coming down despite the date being pushed back.” What about Bollywood stars? “The entire fraternity has been invited, but closer to the event we’ll get to know who all are coming down. Dhanush will be part of the event,” he said.
Rahul Bose has already confirmed coming down to the city to witness the match. “Yes, I will be in Kolkata on January 23,” he said. If sources are to be believed, John Abraham and Ranbir Kapoor will also be in town to watch the match. The euphoria surrounding the match is only expected. “Who wouldn’t want to see Pele in action?” is the general refrain in the city. Dhanush too is expected to make a whirlwind tour of Kolkata with wife Aishwarya, “Kolaveri Di” composer Anirudh Ravichander and his “3″ co-star, Shruti Haasan, on the day of the match. Said a source close to the south star, “Yes, he’s keen to come to Kolkata with the team of “3″. However, the actor-singer is yet to confirm. Dhanush is expected to promote his forthcoming film and is likely to be part of the event. But whether he’ll sing “Kolaveri Di” has not been decided as yet.”
Bhaichung, who is leading the Indian side, is as upbeat about the match as the auction dinner after the event. The postmatch initiative is rather close to the Sikkimese Sniper’s heart. “Yes, there will be an auction dinner through which funds will be raised for earthquake victims in Sikkim. A lot of my friends from Bollywood are expected at the event,” he concluded. So, watch the game – and the stands!
Mukul Dev & Sharad Kapoor at Underground, The HHI
We spotted actors Mukul Dev and Sharad Kapoor having a blast on Saturday night at Underground, The HHI.
With DJ Anshul spinning one chartbuster after another, it was a night to remember. We also saw DJ Dona looking hot in a low black number and having fun with her friends.
Indrani Halder’s b’day bash in Kolkata
Seems like the party season is not over yet as celebs dropped by at a city club to join in the birthday celebration of veteran actor Indrani Halder.
We spotted actors Swastika and Tanusree, both looking chic in Western and traditional outfits. They dropped by directly from the premiere of Mainak Bhaumik’s “Bedroom”.
Said Indrani, “The main reason why I threw the party was to meet all my colleagues. Since I stay in Mumbai these days and travel to Kolkata only on personal work, I miss them a lot. So this was more of a reunion party than a birthday bash. Initially, I was a little scared as it had rained during the day. But in the evening, the weather became fine. All who attended had good fun!
Sevakudu’s starry audio launch
The audio launch of “Sevakudu” held recently was a star-studded affair that saw actor Srikanth, Tarun, Nani, actor-turned-director JD Chakravarthy and other T-town personalities in attendance.
Amidst much fanfare and dance performances, the Srikanth-starrer audio was launched. Actress Zindal was the cynosure of all eyes and veteran actor Krishna who made an early but brief entry, created quite a buzz among onlookers and T-town personalities present.
Bedroom
Cast: Abir Chatterjee, Rahul, Rudranil Ghosh, Paoli, Parno Mittra, Tanusree Chakraborty, Ushasie Chakraborty, Vikram Chatterjee, Biswanath Basu and Anubrata Basu, among others
Movie Review: What are the risks when a director tries to interlink characters from three stories, restless with the angst of their personal and professional crises? In terms of format, it could become a repetition of what one has been seeing quite often in Indian cinema recently. In terms of content, it would need exceptional performances and probing into the mindspace of characters in a domain that doesn’t reduce it to yet another story of the problems of flings resulting from fragile relationships and ego hassles. Needless to say, Mainak had a tough task at hand, especially since the film had to live up to its hype and also bring something new and exciting to the table for Bengali viewers.
For those who came in late, ” Bedroom” narrates the tale of three couples – Abir and Paoli, Rahul and Parno, Rudranil and Ushasie. Abir is the corporate guy who hopes for a promotion but gets a pink slip at work and isn’t, for some strange reason, able to disclose that to his bored wife – Paoli. Rahul is the yet-to-be cast arthouse actor-turned-teacher who lives in with fashion photographer Parno even while the latter constantly believes that he can’t accept the fact that she earns more than him and runs the house. Rudranil is the much-sought-after actor who is happy bed-hopping only to realize that he too could fall in love with a journo (Ushasie).
Adding new threads to these interlocked tales of relationships are the characters played by Tanusree Chakraborty (who believes Rahul is her knight in shining armour and will not judge her for her past), Vikram Chatterjee (an investment banker trying to rekindle his love for old flame Paoli) and Anubrata (a wannabe model with whom Parno has a casual fling).
The biggest advantage for Mainak is his dialogues. Be it Rudranil or even Rahul, the punchlines on love, bachelor party, sex and dhoka have the audience rolling on the floor. The fact that Mainak has able members in the cast (especially Rahul and Rudra) at his disposal only helps when they add their own touch to dialogues. Then again, there is Rupam and Allan Ao’s music that is refreshingly apt in terms of the mood of the film. Check out Shreya Ghoshal’s “Arekta din”. Rupam’s “Who am I” and “Amen” and Babul Supriyo’s “Bodle Jaye”.
The presence of too many characters often runs the risk of a movie’s crust getting wafer-thin. There is always a fear of maintaining the balance between revealing too much or being too sketchy. Tanusree might have bagged an interesting character but wonder why the director chose not to reveal her backstory? The same question intrigues when trying to understand Ushasie’s choices about love and lust.
When Parno dumps Anubrata in a boys-do-cry scene, it curiously evokes laughter! When Rudranil and Ushasie get intimate, it could have got sensual. “Bedroom”‘s punchlines, trendy music, interesting styling and an I-know-thismilieu-well spirit might have worked in its favour but the film could certainly have been more interesting if a sense of empathy was created for the characters.
A musical do in Kolkata
The city was witness to a musical extravaganza as artistes took to the stage in a classical fusion of sorts.
Thus artistes like the Mainak Nag Chowdhury, Amit Heri, Pt Abhijit Banerjee, Adam Del Monte, etc performed on stage, enthralling the audience.
A special mention must be made of the Catavina Duo, comprising Eugenia Moliner from Spain and Denis Azabagic from Bosnia. The two of them delighted the audience with their rare jugalbandi on the flute and the guitar.
Tapas, Victor in lead roles
The cast and crew of Subhash Chatterjee ‘ s “Kancher Prithibi” were at a city banquet for a press conference.
At the do, we spotted Tapas Paul, who plays one of the main characters in the film. He has the role of Bhagirath who enters the life of Nodi, played by debutante Jigna Chatterjee. How he changes her life forms the premise of the story.
The film also stars veteran actor Victor Banerjee in the role of Bhumi. The film’s music is scored by Sanchyata and the lyrics have been penned by Priyo Chattopadhyay.
We also spotted Tapas’s daughter Sohini at the even, dressed in a floralprint dress.
Tollywood celebs at Anubhab movie premier
Celebs dropped by at THE HHI to attend the press meet of “Anubhab”, directed by Rajesh and Ipshita. The film stars Akash Mukherjee , Shaheb Bhattacherjee, Arunima Ghosh, Dolon Roy, Shaheb Chatterjee , KushaL Chakraborty and Nandini Ghoshal.
The story revolves around Anubhab, played by child actor Akash Mukherjee, who lives in a world of his own. His only companion is his grandmother. He lives a reclusive life in a small room at the corner of the terrace.
Said Shaheb Bhattacherjee, who plays a villager who is Anubhab’s only friend in the film, “People will relate to this movie because these days, kids are under a lot of pressure thanks to competition and parental expectations. The film tells viewers to let kids be on their own and grow instinctively.”
Arunima, who plays a teacher in the movie, is also gung ho about the plot. “The film carries a social message and that was what prompted me to say ‘yes’ to the role.”
Singer Debaditya Choudhury, who will score the music for the movie, says that though the film has a “Taare Zameen Par” feel, but it’s still different. “The protagonist is a child, who gets embroiled in the day-to-day fights between his parents, and becomes an introvert. How he fights the odds and brings his parents together is what the film is all about,” he said.
Mahesh Bhatt keen to bring Hills back on silver screen
DARJEELING: Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on Thursday hinted that his production house may shoot parts of the sequels to blockbusters Jism and Jannat in the Hills. He was present on the closing ceremony of Darjeeling Tea & Tourism Festival along with his actor-producer-director daughter Pooja Bhatt.
However, Bhatt quickly added that things were in the initial stages and nothing could be confirmed just as yet. “In Bollywood terms, we cannot be definite as many factors have to be taken into account. Therefore I would say that I am exploring the possibilities of shooting here,” he said. The director had shot some of his hit films like “Lahu Ke Do Rang” and “Chor Aur Chand” in Darjeeling.
Talking to TOI, Bhatt said Darjeeling has not lost its charm and that the new breed of Bollywood directors would start flocking the Hills soon since political agitation has receded over the past few months.
“Distances are only psychological. Once news reaches Mumbai about the exotic and colonial nature of Darjeeling, the new breed of Bollywood directors will definitely come here,” Bhatt said.
His daughter Pooja echoed, “There are lots of colonial heritage architectures here amidst exotic locations. These architectures and locations need to be utilized. Darjeeling is a jewel and we must bring it back on the silver screen.”
Before taking part in the closing ceremony of the festival, the ace director had a meeting with the district magistrate of Darjeeling. Though the nature of the meeting was not disclosed, sources confirmed that Bhatt discussed the formalities to seek permission for shooting in Darjeeling.
Before venturing out for location hunting for their forthcoming films, Bhatt highlighted the role of the district administration in putting forth favourable conditions. “It must be said that district administration has really been cooperative in extending its support. Inviting us here shows that the administration is intent on reaching out to Bollywood,” he said.
Darjeeling DM Saumitra Mohan informed that a directors’ meet would be convened in Darjeeling in the first week of February. There are possibilities that the likes of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Madhur Bhandarkar, among other directors, would attend the meeting.
Sleuths team up at the box office
Two sleuths have raced ahead of a don at the box office. Royal Bengal Rahasya — the latest Feluda film — and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows — the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster — are the top draws in the first week of the New Year, powering ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Don 2.
“It’s been a near-record-breaking weekend for us thanks to Feluda and Sherlock Holmes. While Sherlock Holmes has had a strong first weekend, Royal Bengal Rahasya has been breaking box-office records ever since it released on December 23,” said Subhasis Ganguli, regional director, INOX.
At plexes across the city, the New Year weekend had Sherlock Holmes registering occupancies in the range of 85 to 90 per cent, while almost all shows of Royal Bengal Rahasya went full.
“Business at the start of the year has been good and most of the credit goes to these two films. Movie buffs of all ages have been queuing up to watch the two sleuths in action,” revealed an official of Fame Cinemas.
Sandip Ray’s take on father Satyajit Ray’s bestseller has scored big time at the box office and been hailed as the best film by Ray (Jr).
“We could sense it would be a much bigger film than the last one (Gorosthanay Sabdhaan) because the story is far more adventurous,” said Nishpal Singh of Surinder Films that has jointly produced it with Shree Venkatesh Films. With a budget of Rs 2 crore, RBR had grossed Rs 1.5 crore in Week One itself.
Prodosh Mitter and gang are not only going strong at the plexes, but also playing to packed houses at standalone cinemas. “Both Priya and Star theatres have been going full over the last two weeks. This film will last a long time at theatres,” said exhibitor-distributor Arijit Dutta who feels Royal Bengal Rahasya could cross the collections of Bombaiyer Bombete, the biggest Feluda grosser till now.
Royal Bengal Rahasya’s rising numbers have even surprised director Sandip Ray. Pleasantly, of course. “I didn’t expect the film to do so well; compared with the earlier Feluda films, Royal Bengal Rahasya has a more serious and complex story. The film is also very dialogue-oriented but the response has been very good and we are happy,” he said.
“I also wasn’t sure how it would do in the interiors because Feluda is essentially a film for the city crowd. The film has got a wide release but the reports from the suburbs are very good. It’s an interesting achievement and I am a little scared now for the next Feluda films because people will expect a better one,” said Ray.
Shaheb Bhattacherjee is all excited about his second stint as Topshe. “People are writing to me on Facebook and there is a lot of repeat viewing. I know some people who have watched the film five times! It’s a great feeling, really,” he smiled.
From 21 Rajani Sen Road to 221B Baker Street, the popularity wave is unabated.
The Guy Ritchie-directed modern retelling of the Arthur Conan Doyle cult series starring Robert Downey Jr as the iconic sleuth and Jude Law as Dr Watson, is finding favour because of its thrills and spills, Moriarty and Mycroft.
“The latest figures indicate that the sequel has beaten the weekend box-office collections of the original by over 250 per cent on an all-India basis. Strong word-of-mouth and the fact that this is a rare sequel said to have surpassed the first film in plot and characterisation is drawing crowds,” said Denzil Dias, deputy MD, theatrical, Warner Bros, the producers of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows that collected Rs 4.2 crore across India on the New Year weekend.
And with even Nitish Roy’s three-week-old Gosain Baganer Bhoot, based on Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s tale, doing better than anticipated at the multiplexes, the city cinegoer has clearly found a choice beyond Bollywood. Even if that’s for a few days.
“I knew that the film would do well. Nobody makes films for kids here. Besides, we released the film very strategically during the holiday period so that the schoolchildren can watch it,” said Roy.
