http://www.aussieindolanka.com/ Community Portal for the South Asians living in Australia and New Zealand AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) http://www.aussieindolanka.com/images/ail_logo.gif http://www.aussieindolanka.com/ Bollywood is all set to take a plunge in the Holy land with a film focusing on the childhood of Jesus Christ, to be made at the cost of USD 30 million. Targeting the audience at home and abroad, director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao said the film will be made into four languages. Adding typical Bollywood flavour to the movie would be seven devotional songs in the film that will feature an all-Indian cast of child actors. "The shooting is likely to take off in about two months from now and will cover Jesus’ life in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho and the Galilee, employing hundreds of locals in the production," Rao said. While the movie has special significance for Christians, it is "intended for a global audience," he added. "The film focuses on the childhood of Jesus, a contrast with other movies that depict the later years. This is the first presentation of this type in Bollywood history," Producer Konda Krishnam Raju said. Academy-award-nominated Christien Tinsley has been hired for make-up because of his experience in The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson.   indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/111073/Cinema/bollywood-goes-to-holy-land-with-a-film-on-jesus.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=90596 2010-09-01 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) alman Khan’s sister Alvira is planning an announcement-of a new film, Bodyguard,  which will be produced by her and directed by husband Atul Agnihotri. But though Alvira is great friends with Katrina Kaif, she has no intention of casting her in the film. She has instead taken Asin as the main female lead. The film, of course, stars Sallu in the lead role-as a college student-and is the remake of a popular South Indian hit by the same name. The movie is also being made in Tamil as Kaavalan with actor Vijay playing Salman’s role and Asin again playing the love interest. The story is of a guy who wants to be a celebrity bodyguard and gets the job for a rich industrialist, his wife and daughter. What is more interesting is that the film will be launched very differently.   indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/111047/Cinema/asin-is-sallus-new-love-interest.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=90595 2010-09-01 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Kishore kumar came alive once again in her memories as veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar listened to his song Koi Lauta De Mere Beete Hue Din from the movie Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein. The 80-year-old singer says Kishore Da used to make her laugh all the time. "aj kishoreda ka,koi lautade mere beete hue din ye gana sun rahi thi,to aise laga ki kash woh laut aaye (I was listening to ’Koi Lauta De Mere Beete Hue Din and felt that he has come back to life)," Lata wrote on micro-blogging website Twitter. Known as the ’Nightingale of India’ for her beautiful voice, she posted a photograph with him in which he is trying to scare her. "kishore da mujhe dara rahe the,par mujhe hansi aarahi kishoreda se milna matlab haanstehi rehena,kishoreda aap ki bahot yaad aati hai.... (Kishore Da is trying to scare me but I am laughing. Metting him meant, laughing all the time. I remember you all the time)," she wrote in a post.   www.indianexpress.com/news/koi-lauta-de-made-lata-remember-kishore-kumar/675491/ http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=90594 2010-09-01 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Do you believe in working hard or working smart? ’Airtel MTV Booty Call’, the latest digital initiative by MTV India in association with Airtel, gives consumers a chance to win some ‘fast booty’! This digital treasure hunt consists of six levels - five online and a finale on-ground, all over a period of 10 weeks. The final winner takes away a whopping Rs.10 lakhs! To participate, you have to log on to www.mtvindia.com/bootycall and join the race. MTV VJ Ayushmann plays the role of a multi-millionaire, Karan Malhotra, who will teach Gen Y how to make money the easy way. He believes that today’s youth works too hard to make money and is going to show them how to play smart, have fun and get rich quick!   ibnlive.in.com/news/indias-first-digital-treasure-hunt--booty-call/129663-8.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=90382 2010-08-27 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, who played a small but crucial role of Jasjit in Farhan Akhtar’s Don, says he will miss being part of the cast in the sequel. "I am not upset... But will miss being part of Don 2. Some characters cannot be taken forward in sequels. Similar thing happened with Jasjit’s (essayed by veteran actor Pran in the original) character. They decided to go ahead with totally new characters," Arjun told PTI. The film which is a sequel of Akhtar’s remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer will go on floors in October and will be shot in Germany. Rampal said this goes to prove that there are no favours in friendship. "Farhan gave me Rock On! and Don and we have good memories. But friendship does not necessarily mean that I be part of all his movies," the national award winning actor felt.   indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/110332/Cinema/i-will-miss-being-part-of-don-2-arjun-rampal.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=90381 2010-08-27 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Best known for her performance as Nazneen in the award winning film, "Brick Lane" and as Masha in the German film "Shadows of Time", demure actress Tannishtha Chatterjee has come to be known as the ‘princess of parallel cinema’. While she’s usually in the news each time her films are screened at the several international film festivals, this time around, Tannishtha is in the limelight for a different reason. She has been chosen as the celebrity of the month by UTV World Movies’ for "50 movies to watch before you die." Tannishtha gets to choose four of her personal favourites that would be telecast on the show. The list includes "The Band’s Visit", "Janis and John", "No Man’s Land" and "Iberia". "This is a much needed move considering some of the critically acclaimed, small budget or less promoted films of international significance come and go without much notice of the regular movie goers," Tannishtha says. "This is like giving a good movie another chance to make that indelible impression in the minds of the viewers. Also there is a misconception of world cinema. Some films are sometimes as intriguing, humourous and successful at the box office as other commercial potboilers." The actor explains the reasons behind her choices.   Read More : www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article579599.ece   http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89996 2010-08-19 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) After the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is headed to Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace Porbandar to shoot for the second phase of promotional ad for Gujarat Tourism. "Boarded for Jamnagar and then by road to Porbandar, birthplace of Gandhiji...Closer my Mahatma to thee," Amitabh posted on his Twitter page. "Through with Ahmedabad and Sabarmati Ashram, now on to Porbandar...such history, culture and sentiments," he added. The 67-year-old, who is the brand ambassador for Gujarat, has been visiting several places of historical importance and even some religious monuments in the state.   Read More : indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/109521/Cinema/big-b-in-gandhis-birthplace.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89995 2010-08-19 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Vivek Oberoi can’t stop grinning these days. October will see the release of Ram Gopal Varma’s Rakht Charitra, which is in two parts-they will release within a month of each other. Then, of course, is his muchpublicised wedding to Priyanka Alva, a Bangalore girl. Vivek was all smiles when asked about Priyanka at a recent press conference on Rakht Charitra. "God and life have been very good to me. Things have been very nice of late. I am thrilled to be working with my mentor Ramu ji again. The role and story are fantastic. I am happy with my personal life too," the actor said.   Read More : indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/109502/Cinema/vivek-cant-wait-to-get-married.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89994 2010-08-19 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) Omkar Das Manikpuri, who played the role of Natha in Peepli Live, Tuesday said he has got more offers from Bollywood but he is being selective about his roles. Omkar, who belongs to Khursipar area of Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai town, some 30 km west of here, reached his home state Tuesday for the first time after Peepli Live released Friday. "I am reluctant to leave Chhattisgarh. I will probably not settle in Mumbai after Peepli Live success. I will shuttle between Chhattisgarh and Mumbai, as offers have started coming in," he told reporters. Peepli Live’s Natha has many takers Dozens of fans thronged the Raipur airport and beat drums to receive Omkar. A series of functions have been hosted in his honour in Bhilai town.   ibnlive.in.com/news/peepli-lives-natha-has-many-takers/129044-8-66.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89920 2010-08-18 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) After having completed four movies since setting her foot into tinseltown, model-turned actor Mugdha Godse  confesses that one of her closest advisors on her choice of movies is her house-maid. In an industry where celebrities claim each other as their closest friends and solicitors, it is quite interesting to hear the young actor speak her mind. Talking about who she really runs for advice to before signing up on film offers, Mugdha says, “It is actually a collective decision. I have a set of people who take care of my work and endorsements. It is always better to take advice from non-filmy people. Sometimes I go to family or friends. I even bounce ideas off my maid. It helps and what’s the harm in it?” Ask the actor if she prefers to be addressed as a model or an actor first and she quips, “I have done modelling for five years. Right now I would prefer to be addressed as an actor.” Mugdha however adds that being a model has its own advantages. “I don’t, however, want anyone to take away my supermodel tag. After all, it is too precious.”   ibnlive.in.com/news/mugdha-godse-takes-advice-from-her-housemaid/129035-8-66.html http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89919 2010-08-18 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) She wanted to be a doctor, when modelling beckoned. After bagging the Cinthol supermodel contest, she was noticed and the silver screen beckoned. Jism burnt up the screens and the rest is history. Bipasha Basu’s item number "Beedi Jalayle" in "Omkara" has become legendary and gives close competition to the "Mehbooba Mehbooba" track from “Sholay". That she is popular across the country was reflected in the massive crowds that gathered at the Mantri Mall in Malleshwaram for the launch of Koshler’s bathroom fitting range to catch a glimpse of the Bengali beauty. As Bipasha stepped on to the stage to present awards to the winners of a promotional offer, the crowd went berserk. Bipasha talked about her association with the city and said she is a frequent visitor to the city, since her brother-in-law and his family were based in Bangalore. Like everyone else Bipasha, claims to like "the people and the weather" in the city. On her recent release, "Lamhe", Bipasha said: "We have worked really hard. It is a movie that has many messages about conflict."   www.thehindu.com/arts/article576323.ece http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89918 2010-08-18 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) When Vijay Singh wanted to capture the history of India, the Paris-based writer and documentary filmmaker did not want to do it the conventional way. Instead, the 58-year-old decided to map India’s history from the 1940s to the present day using eight Bollywood songs spanning across the years in an hour-long documentary called India By Song. A St Stephen’s College and Jawaharlal Nehru University alumnus, Singh moved to Paris to finish a PhD in 1980, and stayed on in France. He’s left India ("or half—left it", as he says) 30 years ago, and this gives him the privilege of being half inside, half outside it. In Delhi to prepare for the film screening, Singh — whose previous films are the critically received Jaya Ganga and One Dollar Curry—-says, "You cannot tell the history of contemporary India without a layer of Bollywood songs that reflect the emotions of millions of people."   www.indianexpress.com/news/awara-hoon-to-madhuri-dixit-india-by-song/661308/ http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89834 2010-08-17 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) The audio release of "Kanimozhi" was a gala event that saw all the big names in attendance at Anna Arivalayam. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi released the audio. Director K. Balachander and Tamil Film Producer Council’s president Ramanarayanan were present. “Kanimozhi” is directed by newcomer Sripathy Rangaswamy, an associate of Venkat Prabhu, and produced by T. Siva of Amma Creations, in collaboration with Sona of Uniq Productions. Jai and Vijay Vasanth of "Chennai 600028" fame have come together in the film, with Shazahn Padamsee (who was cast in "Rocket Singh") doing the lead. Satish Chakravarthy, an associate of A.R. Rahman, has scored the music. There are five songs in the album. ’Penne Pogathe’ written by Pa. Vijay and sung by Clinton Cerejo, Sam Keerthan and Timothy Madhukar, with guest vocals by Sunitha Sarathy, impresses. ’Muzhumathi’ another beautiful number, is by Bela Shende and Vijay Yesudas, in Na. Muthukumar’s lyrics. The same song has a repeat as an instrumental — Satish Chakravarthy on the piano and Nathan playing the flute. Na. Muthukumar has also written ’Yaro Ival Ival’, a good one by Mukesh and Bela Shinde, with guest vocals by Parthiv Gohil, and ’Thadathada’, an emotional song Satish Chakravarthy and Clinton Cerejo. It has a rap by Leon James.   www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article574165.ece http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89833 2010-08-17 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) There was a time when Bollywood actors could get away with the most outrageous outfits onscreen, be it Govinda’s yellow and purple shirts or Dev Anand’s flaming red trousers. Not anymore. With authenticity being the catchword these days, stylists have become a crucial part of movies and they ensure that every little detail of the wardrobe matches the setting and character. No more are clothes merely an adornment: Apart from looking good they also have to feel right on the character. Take the case of Aisha. Fashion played a huge role in taking Aisha’s story forward. The characters in the movie belong to Delhi’s privileged class and a large portion of the budget therefore was spent on styling and showcasing high end global brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, Christian Dior and L’Oreal. Stylists Pernia Quereshi and Kunal Rawal, mixed luxury brands with street clothes to ensure that their characters look effortlessly chic.   www.indianexpress.com/news/bollywood-mixes-lookgood-style-with-feelright/661441/ http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89830 2010-08-17 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com) The Bombay High Court on Thursday disposed off an application filed by Mehraj Shaikh, ex-husband of Sanjay Dutt’s wife Manyata, and said that he can file a private complaint against the actor if he wishes to do so. Shaikh, who was in jail since last year for sending lewd messages to two actresses, had written a letter to the court seeking lodging of FIR against Dutt for allegedly threatening him. The court had earlier asked the state as to why Shaikh should be kept in jail for bailable offences. But on Thursday public prosecutor Mankunvar Deshmukh told the court that Mehraj was produced before the magistrate court last week, and was released on bail. Court has also asked how many such undertrials – facing bailable charges -- were there in Arthur Road jail where Mehraj was kept. Advocate Deshmukh told the court there were not more than 20 such prisoners, and some of them were about to be released.   www.indianexpress.com/news/file-pvt-complaint-against-dutt-if-you-wish-hc-tells-mehraj/659452/ http://www.aussieindolanka.com/news_main.asp?newsid=89695 2010-08-13 Cinema/Enter AIL (mailto:info@aussieindolanka.com)