Tag Archives: Filmi News You Can Use

Alan Rickman: The Linchpin Between Different Cinematic Worlds

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Alan Rickman is dead!  I am very upset.  Not personally and emotionally, like I will be if Anil Kapoor or Jackie Shroff or Anupum Kehr dies.  Or like I was, when Amrish Puri dead (I was in college, and the news spread through the dorms like wildfire).  But as a film watcher, I am upset.  Because he was really good, and really eclectic, in his film choices.  He challenged himself, and worked with interesting people on interesting projects.  If Alan Rickman was in a film, you know that you could expect a certain level of quality and originality.

More importantly, he was where multiple worlds of film met…

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Moneyball and Shahrukh Khan: Who was really the top actor of 2015? And was it an ‘actor’ at all?

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You know the movie Moneyball?  Which talked about the sabarmetric approach to baseball, that allowed every player to be a quantifiable element in a team’s success?  So, there is a constant effort to figure out a formula in Indian film that will, somehow, allow filmmakers to predict which stars will give them a hit.

Bollywoodhungama came out with a score card for 2015 for actors based on box office.  Which is always hard to balance.  They tried using two different scores, but ended up with completely contradictory results.

What is the best way to measure the star power of a Shahrukh Khan versus an Akshay Kumar?  And who really won 2015?

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Shahrukh Khan Raees photos!!! Spoilers and Plot Speculation!

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After a New Years vacation in Dubai with his family, SRK is back to work on Raees.  And I am excited!  My theory is, this is the movie that Dilwale was pro-actively making up for.  That is,  Dilwale has just the right amount of stupid romantic fun to balance the amount of deep thoughtful seriousness that will be in Raees.

Also, Raees is being directed by Rahul Dholakia, who’s previous film, Parzania, sounds so politically hard-hitting and emotionally draining that I have never even seen it.  Both Parzania and (supposedly) Raees will be set in Gujurat, which is another political statement.  Could this be Shahrukh’s artistic follow-up to his birthday “Intolerance” broadside attacks?

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Dabboo Ratnani’s annual Calendar that isn’t a Calendar!

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It’s out!  As always, launched with a big party at a gallery.  Full pictures available here (well, full pictures of the photos in frames at the gallery.  Not the actual photos.  As will be discussed below).  I will definitely be updating my computer wallpaper to the image above when I get home.

And as always I wonder, what the heck is the deal with this “calendar”?!?!?

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Filmfare Nominations-My Predictions (Spoiler: No Shahrukh!)

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So, everyone calls the FilmFares “India’s Oscars.”  But they’re not, really.  They are awards given by a filmi magazine to people who they want to feature in their magazine, or otherwise make nice with.  And they are given to people who still care about being featured in a filmi magazine and will show up to the awards ceremony.  So it is a popularity/power contest on one hand, and a test of your commitment to nurturing your career on the other.

Which is why I am hoping I can actually predict at least one winner!  (Last year, I won a “special” award from my class as the only person who managed to predict every single Oscar category wrong.  I am terrible with Hollywood, except in very certain areas.  But maybe the FilmFare’s will be my game!)

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Hollywood News: Fred Astaire and Ryan Gosling

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So I have a friend who is much more hooked into the Hollywood news scene than I am just sent me this still from a new musical with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone that is filming now, possibly set in the 1930s?

Anyway, I immediately went “Hey!  I’ve seen that before!”  Hop skip dance apart, hop skip dance together, arms sway back and forth, and then clinch and spin together.  And I knew it was a Fred and Ginger number, but I couldn’t remember which one.  Because I have of course seen them all many many times (yes, even Barkleys of Broadway and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle).  Come, follow me on my journey to an answer!

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Weekend Box Office Collections Analysis: Germany Loooooves SRK/Dilwale, and non-Indians looooooove Bajirao

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So, Bollywoodhungama posted the weekend overseas box office figures, broken down by country, with screen counts included as well.  Some interesting things in there.

(also, admire my pun in the header image!  “Two days, two players, one game.”  How perfect is that for another Bajirao vs Dilwale weekend report!)

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Anushka pulls off the Hatrick!!!

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Just announced, Anushka’s going to be opposite Salman in Sultan!  Which means, she will be opposite all 3 Khans within 3 years (Jab Tak with SRK, PK with Aamir, and now Sultan).  Not as impressive as when Kat hit them all within 15 months (Ek Tha Tiger, Jab Tak, Dhoom 3), and she got to kiss two of them onscreen (and presumably the other in real life), but still pretty awesome!

So, how does this change my prediction for the Raees/Sultan Eid Box Office clash?

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Fitoor Trailer-Kashmir and Ethan Hawke

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So, the first Fitoor trailer is out, and it is very very pretty.

And very very location based.  And very very “fiery young sensitive middle-class men!”  None of which are bad things, but they are very Abhishek Kapoor-y.  Which makes sense, since he is the director.  And it has that pretty pretty gloss that I’ve come to associate with the official Disney co-productions (as I mentioned in my post on the first look).  And, as I also mentioned, I expect it to be an “official” adaptation of Great Expectations based more on feel and look than on plot, just like Khoobsurat was a remake of Princess Diaries.

So I dug up a copy of the trailer for the most recent Hollywood version, and yep!  Definitely more Ethan Hawke than Charles Dickens.

 

But what I am more interested in is the possibility of a political message being buried within it.  there are three reasons I think this is just barely possible.

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Dilwale vs Bajirao box office: Did Bajirao stack the deck?

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So, this article points out that the gap between Dilwale and Bajirao is biggest in the Bombay box office, and that the Bombay market is usually the biggest profit within India.  They also point out, what should have been a “no duh!” sort of thing but which somehow had not occurred to me, that Bajirao is about a famous Maharashtrian, and therefore will do better in Maharashtra than anywhere else.

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Trailer report: Neerja, Wazir, Fan, Madhavan!

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So, I finished my complete synopsis of Dilwale, but no synopsis can be complete without also discussing, the trailers that set the stage for the film!  I saw Dilwale 4 times (so far), and among the various shows, I saw 4 different trailers.  For Neerja, Wazir, Fan, and that new Madhavan movie.

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Vidya Balan Kidney Stones! (Happy New Year)

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So, according to this, Vidya and her husband (UTV/Disney head Siddharth Kapoor, brother of Aditya Roy Kapoor) were on their way to an undisclosed location, actually on board a plane ready to take off, when she experienced such intense pain that the paramedics were called and she was taken off the flight.  So she will be spending the New Year in bed, in a hospital, waiting out kidney stones.  But is this her worst New Year’s Day?  Let’s look back at Vidya’s past few years and decide!

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OKKanmani: Saathiya Redux? Or Ekk Deewana Tha?

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So, Dharma productions/Karan Johar just announced that they will be remaking Mani Ratnam’s OK Kanmani, to be directed by Shaad Ali and starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor.  I am very excited!

I love Ratnam remakes, because it means with get Rahman songs we already love, but redone with lyrics we can understand (Gulzar is doing the Hindi lyrics, so you know they will be awesome!).  And this one looks like it might actually turn out as well as its soundtrack!  My hope is, as well as the last time Shaad Ali remade Ratnam, Saathiya, which is one of my favorite movies.

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Dilwale continues to climb at the Overseas Box Office

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And only like $200 of that is due to me!  According to bollywoodhungama, Dilwale is now at #7.  It is coming up fast on Chennai Express, at #6, and My Name is Khan at #5.  Remember also, Chennai Express ran for a full 6 weeks overseas, and Dilwale hasn’t even crossed the 2 week mark yet.

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Rumors and Gossip: Karan to launch SRK’s son?

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Okay, so that headline is total clickbait.  But it is based on an actual article in rediff!  That is also total clickbait.  It’s just Karan saying that Shahrukh’s family is his family, and he has called dibs on launching Aryan as his right as an uncle.  Actually, I am picturing a very loving battle over that between Karan and Adi, when the time comes.  With Farhan raising his hand briefly and then getting shouted down and thrown out of the house.  Perhaps another Dharma/Yash Raj co-production would satisfy all involved? With Red Chillies and Ajay Devgan FFilms providing funding? (I am taking it as a given that Aryan will be launched opposite Nyssa.  Also, that’s not a typo, Ajay spells it with two fs).

For a reminder of all the various other star teenagers waiting in the wings to be launched, Times of India has provided a handy slide-show.  Nyssa is not included, because she is in an awkward phase right now (looks just like her mother did at this age, see photo above), and because Ajay would probably storm the Times of India headquarters if they printed a picture of his little girl.

Why the Hungama about Rishi Kapoor and Dimple?

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So, big twitter news in India, summarized here, Rishi Kapoor tweeted birthday wishes to Twinkle Khanna yesterday, saying “Happy birthday dear one!  You were in your mums tummy when I was serenading her in Bobby”Aksar Koi Ladka” In 1973 lol.”

Today he clarified with a tweet saying “Kakaji-Dimple married in March’73. Bobby released Sept 28th ’73. Twinkle born 29th Dec ’73.This clarification should rest some of the idiots”

The first tweet was kind of a creepy-uncle thing to say, but why did the Indian press lose their collective minds over it?  Read on to find out!

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Dilwale Box Office: Was this all part of a master plan?

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So, Bollywoodhungama.com just posted an analysis of the second weekend Dilwale numbers.  They see the limp box office for Dilwale and good word of mouth for Bajirao as a sign that Shahrukh should take a moment and think about doing something a little different, instead of just relying on his star quality to carry the picture, because the audience is obviously tired of the same old thing.  I agree with their analysis of the box office numbers and all, but I think they are missing the bigger picture.  Maybe Dilwale released when it did BECAUSE he wants to different films, and needed to rush a traditional one out the door first.

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Salman B-day party: Update

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Rediff collected photos that guests tweeted, tumblr’d, facebooked, etc.  Not much to learn here.  Amisha Patel is still desperate to be relevant and show off her breasts.  Salman is super cute with small children.  That’s about it.  But I appreciate celebrities giving up any sense of privacy so I can learn these small things!  Keep those personal photos posted on publicly accessible websites coming!

Salman’s Birthday Party: Guests and Gossip

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So, rediff has now posted their pictures.  Lots of semi-interesting gossip here!  First, Malaika arrives, captioned as “Salman’s Munni Bhabi, as he likes to call her.”  Interesting!  So, Munni is of course a nickname for a small child (like he calls Shahida in Bajrangi Bhaijaan).  Whereas Bhabi is a respectful term for your brother’s, usually your older brother’s, wife.  Malaika is the oldest of the Khan family Bahus, but is not married to the oldest brother.  So Munni Bhabi is kind of a cute compramise.  Plus, it adds a new level to the Munni Badnaam song that Malaika did with him in Dabangg.

Next, Kangana Ranaut.  Who, at least in interviews, pretends to be above and beyond this kind of big industry party.  So, either she is a hypocrite, or she doesn’t want to offend Salman, or she is trying to turn a new leaf and break into the mainstream, which means a lot of networking and face time at things like this.

Genelia and Ritiesh are next, with Genelia protecting her tummy in a way that is not going to help with the pregnancy rumors.  I wish them well!  They are such a cute couple, and their current baby is cute, and I am sure any new baby would be cute also.

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(cute!)

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