SRK explains the broken plane in 'Gerua' song

Mumbai, Nov 30, 2015, (PTI)

It is one of the most beautifully shot songs but picturising 'Gerua' on Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in in the scenic but cold climate of Iceland was no cake walk for the "Dilwale" team.

Giving a sneak peak into the making of the song, SRK-Kajol explained how they defied the cold to capture the stunning beauty of the place for their romantic number.

For those wondering what a broken plane was doing in the song, SRK said it was already there in the middle of nowhere and they just decided to include it in the movie.

"It was surreal... Half broken plane in the middle of nowhere.. We did not discover it. Rohit did not break it. It was just like that and the legend has it that the pilot crash landed there and saved everybody," Shah Rukh said.

The behind-the-scenes video begins with SRK cracking a joke on Rohit, who is famous for flying cars in his movies.

"After flying cars, Rohit Shetty will fly dupatta..." says Shah Rukh as the camera pans to the director who is seen struggling with the long dupatta that was used in the scene.

Choreographer Farah Khan is seen complaining about the bitter cold.
Kajol said the rainbows in the scene near the waterfall are real.

"... And there are three at one time... I have never seen three rainbows together... It was amazing," Shah Rukh said.

"People go and romance in front of the waterfall and green fields and we decided to do 'ulta' and go behind the waterfall. We were drenched and she saved my life...," said the actor explaining how Kajol got hold of him while he was about to take a tumble near the waterfall.

The actor said Kajol fooled her kids that she could walk on the water as they shot a scene on the shallow lake.

Did 'Bajirao Mastani' for Sanjay Leela Bhansali: Priyanka Chopra

Mumbai, Nov 30, 2015, (IANS)

 Actress Priyanka Chopra, who is not playing the title role in "Bajirao Mastani", says she has a very challenging role as Kashibai in the film, which she took on only for director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

"I did this film for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I know you all will ask me, 'Mastani is played by Deepika (Padukone), and Bajirao is played by Ranveer (Singh). So why did you do this film?' Let me tell you, I was the first person to be cast in this film. I remember Sanjay came to me with this script and he was clear he wanted me to do this film," Priyanka said here.

"I thought Kashibai's character was very heart-breaking. This is a feminine character and it was very challenging for me to do the role... It's a special film for me. I am just super excited to be part of it," she added.

Priyanka Chopra will be seen playing Bajirao's first wife in the movie.

"It was not easy to do this role. I wanted to get the Maharashtrian accent right and there were many dramatic scenes, which I used to take back home. I am generally a switch on and off actor, but this character was very heart-wrenching."

The film is slated for December 18 release.

Suriya to team up with Trivikram next year

Chennai, Nov 30, 2015, (IANS)

Suriya's Telugu-Tamil bilingual project with filmmaker Trivikram, which was announced a few months ago, will finally go on floors next year, a source said.
"As soon as Suriya completes shooting for 'Singam 3', he will start working on the project with Trivikram. It will be his first bilingual film which will also mark his debut in Telugu filmdom," a source from the film's unit told IANS.

To be produced by Haarika and Hassine Creations, the film is likely to have music by Devi Sri Prasad.

Suriya currently awaits the release of Tamil psychological thriller "24", and he will soon start shooting for "Singam 3".

'Yellow', a special film for Riteish Deshmukh

Mumbai, Nov 30, 2015, (IANS):

Riteish Deshmukh, whose Marathi production "Yellow" has been selected as the opening film of the first International Film Festival for the Persons with Disabilities (IFFPD), says it is a "special film" and he is "honoured and excited" with the selection.
"'Yellow' is a special film and we are honoured and excited to be the opening film at the first international film festival for persons with disabilities. Such initiatives are important and will help spread the necessary awareness," Riteish said in a statement.  

The film's director Mahesh Limaye called it a "proud moment for the entire team".
"We are honoured to be the opening film. I'm very happy for Gauri Gadgil (on whose life the story is based) who chased her dreams and they came true. She is the inspiration for all of us," he said. 

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), union ministry of social justice and empowerment, has collaborated with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to organise IFFPD, a unique three-day film festival for persons with disabilities. It will be held on December 1-3 at Siri Fort here.

The festival will conclude on December 3, which is also observed as the International day of Persons with Disabilities.

"Yellow" is selected among one of the eight features in the competition category and will be screened on Tuesday. 

Would love to do Bhagyashree's role in Maine Pyaar Kiya: Daisy

Mumbai, Nov 30, 2015, (PTI)

Actress Daisy Shah says her dream role would be the one played by Bhagyashree in superstar Salman Khan's film "Maine Pyaar Kiya".

"I would want to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Vishal Bhardwaj. I would like to play Bhagyashree from 'Maine Pyaar Kiya' and romance Salman. I would also like to play Sridevi from 'Chaalbaaz'," Daisy told PTI.

She made her acting debut last year with Salman's "Jai Ho".

Before becoming an actress Daisy was a choreographer. The "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" star spotted the 31-year-old, who was one of the background dancers in his "Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya".

He noticed her once and asked her if she would like to get into acting.

"I left choreography three years ago. I am focusing on acting and I am enjoying every bit of it. I am getting comfortable in this space. I want to explore different kind of films," she said.

Daisy is looking forward to the release of "Hate Story 3", which is an erotic thriller.

"It was not surprising for me to get this offer. I was looking forward to do something that is out of my comfort zone. I wanted to do something that is not like 'Jai Ho'.

"I was kicked by the story. I knew it had bold scenes and that was holding me back from doing the film. I was in a dilemma whether I should do this film or not," she adds.

Initially, Daisy was uncomfortable doing intimate scenes.

"Indian films have limitations and we all know about it. I was uncomfortable doing bold stuff on screen as I had not done it earlier," she said.

"I was frightened initially. But this (bold) scene happened in the end of the film so by that I was comfortable with my co-actors, directors and other cast and crew of the film," she added.

Besides Daisy, the film stars Zarine Khan, Sharman Joshi and Karan Singh Grover in the lead.

"I had a great time working with Sharman Joshi and Karan Singh Grover. Zarine is a sweet girl. She has done a phenomenal job," she said.

The third instalment of the "Hate Story" franchise is directed by Vishal Pandya and it is set to release on December 4.

Censor as a system should be abolished: Ram Gopal Varma

New Delhi, Nov 29, 2015 (PTI)

National Award-winning filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma feels the concept of censor board seems irrelevant in today's times of instant information.

Censor Board of Film Certification chief Pahlaj Nihalani has come under fire for shortening the kiss in the latest James Bond film "Spectre".

Varma, said that he feels Nihalani is "eventually" doing his job and it is the body, which needs to be done away with.

"Today anybody with their cellphone can access porn if they are interested. In that kind of digital world we are living in, four-five people sitting and deciding for the rest of the country what they should watch or what they should not watch is the most ridiculous thing.

"I also agree to a point that he (Pahlaj) is eventually doing a job, going by the guidelines and rules... I think censor as a system should be abolished," Varma said on the sidelines of Times Lit Fest.

The 53-year-old director-producer feels the level of censorship differs with changing team members of CBFC.

He recalled when his 1998 hit "Satya" was censored, the censor board retained cuss words, as the members felt they were an integral part of the film.

"When 'Satya' was censored, for the first time they (Censor) allowed the cuss words because they felt it was very much a part of the film and taking them away would be destroying the fabric of the film. That particular thing happened with those particular members.

"Another set of members would have felt something different. When 'Bandit Queen' was censored, lots of cuts were asked. When Shekhar (Kapur) went to revising committee, they wanted to ban the film. When he went to tribunal, they said release it as it is without any cut. So, three set of members have opposite views. that itself is a big problem..."

When asked if the problem lies with with the larger government policies, Varma replied, "Yes. The very act is too outdated." 

Ranveer Singh auditioned for 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag': Mehra

Panaji, Nov 29, 2015, (PTI)

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has revealed that actor Ranveer Singh had auditioned for "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" but the film eventually went to Farhan Akhtar because the filmmaker says he found the latter's approach to the role most appealing.
The 2013 sports drama was based on the life of Olympian Milkha Singh. Mehra said though Farhan's age was wrong for the story, he instinctively chose the multi-faceted star for the movie.

"Farhan came as an instinctive choice. His age was wrong- Farhan was 36, Milkha was 22. But I felt out of all the auditions I had seen he was the best. There were three people who stood out- one was a new actor called Nitish, one was Ranveer Singh, who was quite crazy and then Farhan," Mehra said on the sidelines of IFFI.

"For me Farhan worked the best because his response was silent. I could see it in his eyes. That was it. That was enough for me."

"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" also starred Sonam Kapoor, Divya Dutta, Pavan Malhotra, Yograj Singh and Prakash Raj. 

Mahesh Bhatt to mentor Hindi version of 'Rajkahini'

Panaji, Nov 29, 2015, (PTI)

Bengali director Srijit Mukherji is planning a Hindi remake of his drama "Rajkahini" and says filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has expressed interest in mentoring the new project.
The film has been tentatively titled "Lakeer" and will go on floors next year with actors from all over the country.

"I am planning to remake 'Rajkahini'. Mahesh Bhatt has taken a lot of interest in 'Rajkahini' and expressed interest in mentoring the project," Srijit said.

"Rajkahini" is a story of Bengal partition and the director says for the Hindi version he will shift the location to the Indo-Pak border.

"I am trying to make a pan India movie. It will be a period drama cum political and relationship film."

Srijit's next is a Bengali underworld film, which will expose the rarely discussed underbelly of the shipping mafia in Kolkata.

"Kolkata is mostly associated with Howrah bridge, durga pooja, rosogolla and Sourav Ganguly but there is a dark underbelly in the city which does not get exposed. I am going to delve into the shipping mafia."

The movie goes on floors on December 8. 

No one better than Ranveer, Deepika as Bajirao and Mastani: Priyanka

Mumbai, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra feels no one is better than Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone as Bajirao and Mastani in the upcoming film "Bajirao Mastani".
Reportedly filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to make "Bajirao Mastani" with Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan but things did not work out.

Finally the film is being made with Ranveer and Deepika as Bajirao and Mastani.

"I will have to imagine Salman and Aishwarya first playing these roles and then I have to think of Ranveer and Deepika upstaging it. It is complicated ...I think no one is better than Ranveer and Deepika as Bajirao and Mastani," Priyanka told reporters here when asked if Ranveer and Deepika can upstage the chemistry that Salman and Aishwarya could have created.

"This film has taken 12 years....I believe when the film is made and the actors who do it...It is their film eventually," Priyanka, who essays the role of 'Kashibai' in the film, said.

When asked about the allegations by descendant of Bajirao Peshwa I that historical facts have been "altered" while portraying the Maratha king and his wives Kashibai and Mastani in the film, Ranveer said, "I am an actor my job is to act. The producers will answer it."

The actors were speaking at a promotional event of Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed "Bajirao Mastani" which releases on December 18.

There's no 'formula' to make hit films, says Akshay Kumar

Mumbai, Nov 29, 2015 (PTI)

After spending more than two-decades in the industry and many hits to his credit, actor Akshay Kumar still thinks there is no particular "formula" to create a box office success.

"I think even a bad-content film works.... Sometimes even a good film doesn't work. I have experience of 25 years in this industry and I feel a film comes with its own destiny.

There is no formula as such what works and what doesn't," Akshay said in an interview here.

The 48-year-old actor said every filmmaker endeavours to make a content-driven quality cinema, but it is not possible to come up with equally good work every time.

"Everybody wants to make a film that is high in content. Everyone tries to make a 'Mughal-E-Azam', but it is not possible," he said.

The "Baby" star is presently working on Raja Menon's "Airlift", which is a story of powerful Indian businessman Ranjit Katyal (played by Akshay), based in Kuwait, who with the help of Indian government, safely evacuates 170,000 Indians back to their country.

Besides, he is also working on "Housefull 3" and "Rustom".

Akshay, with action and comedy as his forte, says he believes in doing varied roles ranging from comedy to drama to action.

"I enjoy doing everything. So, I am doing all kind of films," he said.

When asked what is his "comfort zone" when it comes to acting. he said, "I think I am comfortable with comedy and action but a challenging role or a film is most enjoyable. 

Like this film, 'Airlift', and 'Rustom' was a challenge while 'Housefull 3' is a comfort zone."

Not interested in awards: 'Baahubali' director

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

"Baahubali" director SS Rajamouli says he is not interested in awards and does not "see any value" for them.

Rajamouli, whose blockbuster has become one of the biggest grossers in India's film industry, was talking to reporters at Kovalam near here last evening.

"I am not interested in awards. I don't see any value for them," he said when asked for his reaction to the nomination of the Telugu version of "Baahubali" for the International Indian Film Academy awards.

"I do not attend any award functions. However, I will be extremely happy if my technicians or people associated with the film win an award. It will be a motivation for them."

Rajamouli also hailed 'God's Own Country' Kerala as a filmmaker's paradise.

"Kerala is sculptured in such a way that it is beautiful in every corner of the state. The best thing about Kerala is that we need not wander more for locations. It is a filmmaker’s paradise," he said.

"When the story of Baahubali came to my mind, I wanted to capture the ferocity and hugeness of Athirapally as against the placidity and calmness that is exploited most in the movies shot here," he said.

Rajamouli reminisced that his stint with Kerala dates back to the 1980s when he visited Sabarimala.

He had fallen in love with the greenery since then. It is this love for greenery that made him shoot his three movies— "Simhadri", "Sai" and "Baahubali" — in Thiruvananthapuram, Munnar and Athirapally, respectively.

Rajamouli was in Kerala to attend the wedding of the daughter of his friend, Dr AV Guruvareddy, an orthopedician based in Hyderabad.

"I love Kerala's ambience, greenery, infrastructure, and environment and it should be treated as one of the topmost destinations in the world for destination weddings," he noted.

Tourism Secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao said alluring spots in Kerala like Munnar, Kochi and Kovalam are increasingly becoming locations for destination weddings, which would help development of tourism sector in the state.

He also said he had used clippings from Baahubali to showcase Kerala's beauty for promoting the state's film tourism among Chinese film producers in Beijing. 

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Received death threats for 'Among The Believers': Director

Panaji, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

Hemal Trivedi, whose documentary feature "Among the Believers" is about Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi and his activities at the Red Mosque in Pakistan, says she and other makers received death threats post the release of the movie.

The documentary, co-directed by Pakistani filmmaker Mohammed Naqvi, has been shot in Pakistan and profiles the hardline activities of Aziz who operated the Red Mosque and the adjacent Jamia Hafsa madrasa.

He and brother Abdul Rashid were in constant conflict with authorities in Islamabad. The government finally responded with a military operation in 2007 which resulted in many deaths.

"Among the Believers" premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and has also been screened at Vancouver International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Fest, Festival De Rio and Heartland Film Festival.

"After premiering the movie at festivals, there was a lot of attention for the film because of its subject. Then we began receiving death threats, so we had to go on a hiatus and stop the distribution for almost four to five months.

"We had to think about possible ways to deal with the situation. Ultimately, we have showed the film at nine festivals around the world," Trivedi told PTI on the sidelines of IFFI, where "Among The Believers" was screened.

Trivedi's documentary is about a 12-year-old girl who escapes the madrasa and joins a regular school with the dream to become a doctor. It also encapsulates the experience of a 12-year-old boy who stays at the madrasa. The film traces three years of their lives and is about how their education changed the way they look at the world.

Trivedi agrees that her film has a controversial theme but hopes that it does not get perceived as a comment on Islam.

"I hope people don't see this film as a comment on Islam. It kind of has a tendency of getting caught up in the rhetoric. It is a very controversial film, there is no doubt about it. But we have tried our best to keep the story as balanced as we could, we have presented it fairly."

The former marketing professional says she conceived the idea of the film after she lost a very close friend during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. She was so angry after the incident that she began a quest to find out what could be the cause of such a massacre.

"After careful study, I realized that ordinary Pakistanis are themselves victims rather than perpetrators. The same extremist elements who carried out the attacks in Mumbai are actually terrorising their own people on a daily basis, and the country's very survival is at stake. I started filming in Pakistan in 2009."  

Not getting married for a year at least: Preity Zinta

Mumbai, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

Actress Preity Zinta has denied her marriage reports, saying she has no plans of tying the knot for a year.

The "Veer-Zaara" star, 40, who is dating Gene Goodenough, was reported to be getting hitched with her American boyfriend in January next year.

"Also It's getting a bit weird telling people that I'm not getting married in January. I don't want to hear this word or have this discussion for another year at least... Plssssss," she posted on Twitter.

The actreess, who had always been vocal about her past relationship with Ness Wadia, said she will surely let the world know about her wedding.

"I promise I will tell you all as and when I do! Ting," she added. Preity will be next seen in "Bhaiyyaji Superhit" opposite Sunny Deol.

Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi to attend IIFA Utsavam 2015

Chiranjeevi and Kamal Haasan.

The event will witness the biggest conglomeration of southern stars.

Popular southern stars Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi and Akkineni Nagarjuna among others will attend the first edition of IIFA Utsavam, which will focus on the four southern film industries — Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

Set to take place here on December 4-6, the event will witness the biggest conglomeration of southern stars.

In an official statement, the organisers have confirmed that there will be special performances by Tamannaah Bhatia, Sriya Saran, Ram Charan Teja, Shivrajkumar, Chiranjeevi Sarja, Jiiva, and Devi Sri Prasad.

Adding extra glamour to the event will be Bollywood stars such as Anil Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Boney Kapoor and Sridevi.

144: A shaky start, but lots of laughs later

After the first thirty minutes, I was ready to give up on 144, directed by G. Manikandan and produced by C.V. Kumar, who’s quickly become Tamil cinema’s answer to the venture capitalist funding small-time techies with big ideas. To the directors of his films, cinema means more than just the opportunity to directSingam 23. (Not that they’d refuse the opportunity to make Singam 23 if it came their way –– just that they seem to realise the story, not the star, comes first.) Here too, we have a screwball set-up no big star would touch ––something involving feuding villages, a cache of gold biscuits, a Ganesha statue made of glass, and some inspiration from Sujatha’s storyVasanthakala Kuttrangal. But the initial scenes are a rhythmless mess. Instead of plot and character development, we get quirks, more quirks, even more quirks.

Inji Iduppazhagi Genre:Comedy

Cast:Shiva, Oviya, Ashok Selvan

Director: G. Manikandan

Storyline: Small-time crooks get into trouble when a heist goes wrong

Manikandan badly wants us to accept him as “hip” and “new-age” and whatever else we call the makers of C. V. Kumar’s productions –– he fractures the narrative to an extent that leaves it in a shambles. The thinking in these portions is along these lines. “Let’s show the audience how cool we are. Let’s have a village big shot watching The Gold Rush, in a theatre (never mind how improbable it is that a cinema hall in Tamil Nadu is going to be screening Charlie Chaplin classics), and after the scene where Chaplin turns into a chicken, let’s superimpose a chicken’s head on the big shot.” A little of this sort of thing goes a long way, but this is what we get, scene after exhausting scene.

But slowly, the film began to draw me in. I began to tune into its vibe. I began to laugh. Once we get why certain things happened –– why the girl with the key on her necklace was kidnapped, why the women step out of their homes and act as if possessed ––144 really takes off. The writing isn’t entirely of a piece, but the laughs keep coming as if on an assembly line. I cracked up every time a gangster named ‘Feelings’ Ravi (Udhayabhanu Maheswaran) was addressed as ‘Feelings’. I loved his absurd methods of torture. I loved that he kept a doctor alongside all the time, to keep measuring his BP after losing his cool.

I loved that various characters kept stuffing pori urundai into their mouths, even though I didn’t understand why. (It’s very hard to explain why this is funny.) I loved the couple that played cards way past midnight. I loved the bemused cop who kept saying “kandippa.” (It’s as hilarious as ‘Feelings’.) I liked the curly-haired crook, who starts sculpting a statue of an accomplice (Oviya), and then starts to paint her likeness. Just because I loved Desu’s (Shiva) efforts to ensure that this sculptor-painter doesn’t keep high-fiving his girlfriend. The plot has to do with Desu and Madan (Ashok Selvan) pulling off a heist that involves crawling into a rodent’s bottom, and just thinking about the little bits now is making me smile. I suspect this is one of those films that will reward repeat viewings.

Inji Iduppazhagi: Lots of minuses in this story of a plus-sized woman

At some level, you have to applaud the mere existence of Prakash Kovelamudi’sInji Iduppazhagi. For one, it is heroine-oriented — given the functioning of the Tamil and Telugu industries (the film is a bilingual), that’s a little like switching on a television news channel and finding in-depth coverage of cities not named Mumbai and New Delhi. But more importantly (and impressively), this heroine is plus-sized, around 90 kg — that shape is usually found on comediennes who are cast just so that the script can make a few easy fat jokes.

Even better, Sweety (Anushka Shetty) doesn’t seem too bothered. There’s no self-loathing. We always find her smiling, munching on jilebis whose curves match hers. Some kind of great movie could be built around this woman, who could have been named just as easily for her nature as her dietary preferences.

Inji Iduppazhagi Genre:Comedy
Cast:Anushka Shetty, Arya, Urvashi, Sonal Chauhan and Prakash Raj
Director: Prakash Kovelamudi
Storyline: A plus-sized woman battles the owner of a slimming centre

But Inji Iduppazhagi isn’t it — the film just cannot make up its mind about what it wants to be. An English Vinglish-like empowerment saga about a woman who conquers a perceived disadvantage? A fairy tale about a rather pretty duckling turning into a graceful swan? A crusade against slimming centres that promise instant weight loss (through products containing toxic chemicals)? A drama about women’s obsession about their weight, in a culture that reserves its rewards for size-zero shapes? (Even prospective grooms demand slim women. Sweety asks one such man: What if she balloons to this size after marriage? Will he divorce her?) Or a rom-com twisted into a rectangle? Sweety likes Abhi (Arya), who appears interested in a super-slim colleague until another man expresses interest in Sweety, curves and all. All of this means that the film itself bulges at the seams with a lot of ungainly weight.

The rom-com quirks — time freezing when Sweety experiences an emotion, or Sweety’s fondness for fortune-cookie philosophy — seem the most interesting, but only on paper. The execution is a mess, a wild mix of moods and tones. At times, we are asked to laugh at Sweety, the way we were asked to laugh at Bindu Ghosh’s antics. Other times, the film treats her with great dignity — she, and not Abhi, is the one who rejects the marriage proposal. Sometimes, we seem to be watching a horribly exaggerated comedy — the trainers at the slimming centre are buffoons. Other times, we are dropped into a cartoonish melodrama, replete with a moustache-twirling villain (Prakash Raj, playing this part for the 8403th time.)

Everything’s made worse by the feeling that we’re watching a dubbed movie (lips don’t lie), with only a handful of sharp, locally flavoured quips yanking us out of the illusion. Sweety’s brother catches her looking up Abhi’s Facebook page after rejecting him. He asks, “Ninnu pona match-ukku ippo toss pottu enna prayojanam?” But the occasional smile can’t help a film that yo-yos between be-comfortable-with-who-you-are messages and an item number that gazes on a gold bikini on a writhing body that’s never seen the outside of a gym.

I am not cynical about my country: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Panaji, Nov 27, 2015 (PTI)

Amidst the raging debate on intolerance in the country, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says the issue has always been there and it is a part and parcel of a growing economy.

The 52-year-old "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" director said he is very proud of his country despite its many problems and feels as a citizen one has to constantly fight against odds to make things right.

"It is a continuous process to build a nation. There is no one answer to it. We have come so far, we have got independence, we have gone through economic slumps, we have gone through political upheavals, social changes and revolutions and there will be more. This is a part of it. We have to keep working towards it," Mehra told PTI.

"We can't give up and be cynical about it. I am not. We need to keep building. Yes, there will be good times and bad times. But that is what you have to fight. I am very proud of the country."

Another raging issue is the growing menace of the censor board but changing the chairman, Pahlaj Nihalani is not the solution, feels Mehra, who wants censorship to be abolished in totality.

"Censorship should be abolished. Why do we have censorship? It is not about Pahlaj or BJP or Congress. Let us not politicise it. It's a wrong thing.

"You can have film certification. You can ban a film. Let them fight in the court of law. You cannot start censoring. We want to make Pahlaj the scapegoat of it but it's the forefathers who started it. The cinematographic act of 1952 is wrong. The officers out there are playing by the book," he said.

Mehra extended his support to the protesting FTII students and urged them to not give up their fight. The director also said that the government should take note of the issue and resolve it as the students are the future filmmakers of the country.

"I hope they stick to their guns and don't give up. It's a very tough fight. Their back will be against the wall because soon the pressure will show. Because somewhere they will have to start studying otherwise they will be wasting a lot of time. But I wish them all the luck and I wish the government sees sense in this," Mehra said.

The "Rang De Basanti" director said the crisis should be resolved soon as there is always a way out.

"The students have my support and that does not mean the government does not have my support. They have my support in resolving this. We should resolve this and move on with life and make movies. These are the future filmmakers, and we have to safeguard their ideologies and their individuality. That cannot be compromised," Mehra said.

Not getting married for a year at least: Preity Zinta

Mumbai, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

Actress Preity Zinta has denied her marriage reports, saying she has no plans of tying the knot for a year.

The "Veer-Zaara" star, 40, who is dating Gene Goodenough, was reported to be getting hitched with her American boyfriend in January next year.

"Also It's getting a bit weird telling people that I'm not getting married in January. I don't want to hear this word or have this discussion for another year at least... Plssssss," she posted on Twitter.

The actreess, who had always been vocal about her past relationship with Ness Wadia, said she will surely let the world know about her wedding.

"I promise I will tell you all as and when I do! Ting," she added. Preity will be next seen in "Bhaiyyaji Superhit" opposite Sunny Deol.

Not interested in awards: 'Baahubali' director

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

"Baahubali" director SS Rajamouli says he is not interested in awards and does not "see any value" for them.

Rajamouli, whose blockbuster has become one of the biggest grossers in India's film industry, was talking to reporters at Kovalam near here last evening.

"I am not interested in awards. I don't see any value for them," he said when asked for his reaction to the nomination of the Telugu version of "Baahubali" for the International Indian Film Academy awards.

"I do not attend any award functions. However, I will be extremely happy if my technicians or people associated with the film win an award. It will be a motivation for them."

Rajamouli also hailed 'God's Own Country' Kerala as a filmmaker's paradise.

"Kerala is sculptured in such a way that it is beautiful in every corner of the state. The best thing about Kerala is that we need not wander more for locations. It is a filmmaker’s paradise," he said.

"When the story of Baahubali came to my mind, I wanted to capture the ferocity and hugeness of Athirapally as against the placidity and calmness that is exploited most in the movies shot here," he said.

Rajamouli reminisced that his stint with Kerala dates back to the 1980s when he visited Sabarimala.

He had fallen in love with the greenery since then. It is this love for greenery that made him shoot his three movies— "Simhadri", "Sai" and "Baahubali" — in Thiruvananthapuram, Munnar and Athirapally, respectively.

Rajamouli was in Kerala to attend the wedding of the daughter of his friend, Dr AV Guruvareddy, an orthopedician based in Hyderabad.

"I love Kerala's ambience, greenery, infrastructure, and environment and it should be treated as one of the topmost destinations in the world for destination weddings," he noted.

Tourism Secretary Kamala Vardhana Rao said alluring spots in Kerala like Munnar, Kochi and Kovalam are increasingly becoming locations for destination weddings, which would help development of tourism sector in the state.

He also said he had used clippings from Baahubali to showcase Kerala's beauty for promoting the state's film tourism among Chinese film producers in Beijing. 

Received death threats for 'Among The Believers': Director

Panaji, Nov 28, 2015, (PTI)

Hemal Trivedi, whose documentary feature "Among the Believers" is about Maulana Abdul Aziz Ghazi and his activities at the Red Mosque in Pakistan, says she and other makers received death threats post the release of the movie.

The documentary, co-directed by Pakistani filmmaker Mohammed Naqvi, has been shot in Pakistan and profiles the hardline activities of Aziz who operated the Red Mosque and the adjacent Jamia Hafsa madrasa.

He and brother Abdul Rashid were in constant conflict with authorities in Islamabad. The government finally responded with a military operation in 2007 which resulted in many deaths.

"Among the Believers" premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and has also been screened at Vancouver International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Fest, Festival De Rio and Heartland Film Festival.

"After premiering the movie at festivals, there was a lot of attention for the film because of its subject. Then we began receiving death threats, so we had to go on a hiatus and stop the distribution for almost four to five months.

"We had to think about possible ways to deal with the situation. Ultimately, we have showed the film at nine festivals around the world," Trivedi told PTI on the sidelines of IFFI, where "Among The Believers" was screened.

Trivedi's documentary is about a 12-year-old girl who escapes the madrasa and joins a regular school with the dream to become a doctor. It also encapsulates the experience of a 12-year-old boy who stays at the madrasa. The film traces three years of their lives and is about how their education changed the way they look at the world.

Trivedi agrees that her film has a controversial theme but hopes that it does not get perceived as a comment on Islam.

"I hope people don't see this film as a comment on Islam. It kind of has a tendency of getting caught up in the rhetoric. It is a very controversial film, there is no doubt about it. But we have tried our best to keep the story as balanced as we could, we have presented it fairly."

The former marketing professional says she conceived the idea of the film after she lost a very close friend during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. She was so angry after the incident that she began a quest to find out what could be the cause of such a massacre.

"After careful study, I realized that ordinary Pakistanis are themselves victims rather than perpetrators. The same extremist elements who carried out the attacks in Mumbai are actually terrorising their own people on a daily basis, and the country's very survival is at stake. I started filming in Pakistan in 2009."  

Anushka Shetty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anushka Shetty
Anushka Shetty at the theatrical trailer launch of Baahubali (2015)
Born	7 November 1981 (age 34)[1] Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Education	Bachelor of Computer Applications
Occupation	Actress, Yoga teacher
Years active	2005–present
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Awards	Kalaimamani, Nandi Award

Anushka Shetty (born 7 November 1981) is an Indian film actress, who works mainly in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. Born in Mangalore, Anushka started her career as a yoga instructor. It was while teaching yoga, she got an offer to act in films.

She made her acting debut through the 2005 Telugu film Super. She went on to star in a number of Telugu films such asVikramarkudu (2006), Arundhati (2009) and Vedam (2010). After starring in a series of high-budget productions, she established herself as one of the leading actresses in Telugu cinema.^[2] She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of the titular character inArundhati (2009),^[3] and as Saroja in Vedam (2010),^[4] which fetched her two Filmfare, one Nandi and two CineMAA Awards. In the 2010s, Anushka also achieved success in Tamil cinema with the action films Singam (2010),^[2] and its sequel Singam II (2013). Both were big commercial successes, while her performances in Vaanam (2011) and Deiva Thirumagal (2011) won her critical praise.

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Bollywood superstar Amy Jackson is indian tollywood actress and British model. Amy Jackson start to Career in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil movies. She her made first tamil films Madrasapattinam in 2010 and later won the vijay awards for best debut actress. Amy Jackson belong to english family and her father Alan Jackson and Marguerita Jackson. She her elder sister Alicia Jackson and there are many british modeles are trying to make their Career in india. Amy Jackson won in 2009 teen world competition. Amy Jackson made her bollywood first romantic films Ekk Deewana Tha in 2012. Amy Jackson Studied Philosophy and Ethics in english from St. Edward’s college in Isle of Man. Amy Jackson Religion in Roman Catholic and She her will be soon upcoming movies I with opposite side tamil actors Vikram (Kennedy Vinod Raj).

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