Karan wants to work with Shahid, Deepika

Karan Johar is one among the young breed of filmmakers who has set a new trend in Bollywood. His movies be it those directed by him or produced by him have always been entertaining and enthralling.

Karan Johar, who worked with the likes of Shahrukh Khan, is a great admirer of the entertainment medium. His recent co-production venture Kurbaan starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena is making right noise at the box office.

But Karan has a desire. In his Twitter page, the young film personality said, ' I have been inundated with tweets to make a film with Shahid and Deepika...they both are great! and would love to work with them'.

Shahid Kapoor is the latest sensation in Bollywood thanks to hits in Jab We Met and Kaminey while Deepika is going gaga with her success.

(indiaglitz)

Karan Johar-Pritish Nandy at war!

Guess who the new Twitter frenemies are? Film-makers Karan Johar and Pritish Nandy!

They lash out against each other on a social networking site after one criticises the other's film.

Both are quite active on Twitter -- Karan a lot less than Pritish, who is a veteran by now. Earlier, Pritish ran into a bit of trouble when he spoke against Kareena Kapoor's performance and appearance in Kambhaqt Ishq.

Reacting to Pritish's comments, Kareena had then told DNA that he seemed to have too much time on his hands. Now, it's the turn of her producer Karan to back that statement.

A few days ago, Pritish posted on Twitter a review of Kurbaan from a website. The review ripped apart Karan's latest release. Not one to take this lightly, Karan tweets right back making a dig at Pritish, in his usual polite manner -- "Surprised how much time Pritish Nandy has to uplink google reader updates...must take a lesson of time management from his busy schedule."

Interestingly, not long ago, Karan had tweeted about how he has decided to follow people he doesn't like. Karan even follows Ram Gopal Varma, with whom he has always shared a love-hate relationship. He had told DNA then, "I have never hated people, but yes, I do get annoyed by some of them. I sometimes don't agree to what they tweet, but now it doesn't irritate me, it amuses me. I laugh at them."

But looks like this time Karan is not amused!

(DNA)

Kurbaan is the story of Ehsaan and Avantika, says Kareena

Before releasing the Kurbaan, the lead actress Kareena Kapoor has asserted once again that this is the movie of Ehsaan and Avantika.


She says, “As an audience, I want people to forget Saif and Kareena Kapoor and see the film for Ehsaan and Avantika.”

She says further, “Really, this is not some candy flossmini skirt love story… it is a love story, yes, but intense and complicated, and beautifully woven with terrorism to be a thriller.”

When asked about how did she feel doing a movie like Kurbaan with Saif, she says “Switching off Saif and Kareena and switching of Ehsaan and Avantika was complicated, difficult, but in the end, that is what made us select this film.”

Kareena's bare-back poster irks Shiv Sena

Another Karan Johar release is facing the music, this time from Shiv Sena. The party has objected to the bare-backed posters of Kareena
Kapoor from the film ‘Kurbaan’.

More than 100 Shiv Sainiks took to streets and tore down posters of the film in Juhu, Marol and other parts of Andheri on Friday. A month back, MNS had objected to the use of the Mumbai’s old name, Bombay, in Johar’s ‘Wake Up Sid’; he had to bend over backwards to the chauvinists and the film had to be screened with a disclaimer.

Friday’s protests were led by Sena activists Jitendra Janawale in Juhu and Subhash Kanta Sawant in Marol. Sawant said: ‘‘We objected to the posters as they showed the actress semi-nude and we found to be in very bad taste. It violates our Indian culture.’’

The Sainiks also put a sari around Kareena in some of the posters. A group of Sainiks even headed for Kareena’s residence and wanted to present a sari to her. But a police officer said: ‘‘We deployed our people near the actress’s house but nothing untoward happened.’’ Kareena was said to be out for a shooting and was not at home.

Additional commissioner of police (West) Amitabh Gupta said the Khar police station had been asked to register a case against the offencers. An industry insider said political parties were picking on soft targets to get some mileage and the MNS’s impressive showing in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls was ‘‘forcing’’ the Sena to look for rabble-rousing issues.

‘‘The film industry has always been a soft target as the government does not take action against political parties,’’ the industry insider said.

‘‘The government took a proactive decision in only one case, providing Anurag Kashyap security; but that was because they knew that the director would never apologise to MNS,’’ another Bollywood insider said. Kashyap, reacting to a question from a news channel about his film ‘DevD’ being vulgar, said RajThackeray’s words were much more vulgar than his films.

(TOI)

Check Out : Official Website of Kurbaan

http://www.kurbaan.com/index.html

Rensil to show Kurbaan to his guru Mani Ratnam

Gone are the days when filmmakers used to take their movie’s prints to religious places a little before the release of the film. Director Rensil D’Silva has plans of showing his debut film Kurbaan, which releases next week, to his guru Mani Ratnam first.


Buzz up!Rensil wants Mani to see the film before anyone else and then bless him. The director is a fan of Mani Ratnam and has worked with him on Raavan. Once the final print of the film was ready, Rensil decided to show it to Mani.


Mani is however shooting for Raavan in Hyderabad, so, it's not sure if he will come to Mumbai or not. In case Mani can’t come to Mumbai, Rensil will take the prints to Hyderabad.

(one india)

Kurbaan is an adult film, certifies Censor Board

Rensil D’Silva’s Kurbaan is in trouble. Censor Board has issued an ‘A’ certificate to the film following Saif and Kareena’s sizzling scene. In the promo and the first look, Saif and Kareena was shown topless and hot on bed. The intimate scene between Saif and Kareena made the Censor Board to take this strict decision.

The film is on the verge to release and Censor Board has taken this decision at this eleventh hour. They felt some scenes are obscene and not suitable for all age groups. Rensil D’Silva convinced the Censor Board authorities to issue a ‘U’ or ‘U/A’ certificate but they didn't accepted.

Regional Officer of the Censor Board, Vinayak Azad confirmed the news. The film has terrorism at the backdrop.

(bollywood mantra)

Tarun Mansukhani vows to not shave beard till he completes scripting Dostana 2

In the midst of scripting the sequel to Dostana, Tarun Mansukhani has vowed that he will not shave till the final draft of the film is ready.

"Initially, I had decided that I would go clean shaven after half the story is ready. But now, I will let the facial fuzz remain till Dostana 2's script is fully complete," he says.

The writer-director has also become a nocturnal creature as he works at nights. "My day begins around 9 pm and winds up by 10 am the following morning, that's when I go to sleep."

Tarun prefers to work in the hours of darkness because there is no disturbance at all. "During the day time, there is a lot of hustle-bustle, there are calls and visitors. But after midnight, everything is quiet and calm. I can also work faster. It is just me and my laptop."

He makes his way to the Dharma Productions office at Khar by 9 pm and works all night, "I don't nap at all. I tank up on my cups of coffee and except for the security folk there is no one around," informs Tarun, who is also the director of Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hain, the animated version of Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

However, his nights at work means that he does not see his wife Karuna for days on end. "She is a teacher at the Aditya Birla World School at Tardeo and leaves our Bandra home at around 7 am a time when I have not yet returned from office. And when she gets back in the evening I am asleep! By the time I get going to office, it is the end of the day for her."

He adds, however, that his wife has been extremely adjusting and encouraging. "She knows my line of work and the hours we put in. She's very patient. I try and spend time with her on weekends."

(Mid Day)

Kareena ka Dostana

After Aishwarya Rai Bachchan refused to do Dostana, the makers thought of casting Kareena, but Abhishek Bachchan put his foot down because of his sour relationship with the Kapoor family and recommended Priyanka Chopra instead.

The times have changed now, and Kareena and Abhishek, who could have been sister and brother-in-law had Karisma married Junior B, have decided to let bygones be bygones and work together. They made up at KJo’s birthday bash a while back.

If Bebo bags the film, it will benefit her professionally, commercially and personally.

A source tells us, ‘Kareena and Karan Johar also had a tiff during the time of Kal Ho Naa Ho. After the success of K3G, he offered the film to her, but she quoted a very high price, due to which Preity Zinta stepped in her shoes. The two have kissed and made up since, and they even shot for a paint ad together. KJo wanted to cast her in Dostana, but AB didn’t want to work with her. Now, Kareena has shot for Kurbaan and she is also shooting for the remake of Stepmom. If she bags Dostana 2, she will have a trilogy with Dharma, which few stars (read SRK) can boast of. It will also end her long-standing cold war with John Abraham, whom she had once called ‘expressionless.’ Also, Bebo can do any kind of role, as she is an expressive and versatile actor.’

Katrina is also in the running for the role, but it looks like Kareena, with her Bollywood royalty clout, will beat her to it and Kat won’t get the cream.

Director Tarun Mansukhani denied casting Katrina altogether, saying that the script wasn’t complete as yet, but he neither confirmed nor denied Kareena’s presence in the film, which will go into production in London next year. He added, "I want to make D2 funnier than the first. Casting someone who has a flair for comedy is important, so it is really a toss about whom to take for the female lead, and I am not ruling out one of either, but let's wait till I make an official announcement."

(Star Box Office)

Kareena Kapoor having a great time with Kajol

Two of the most talented actresses in Bollywood, Kajol and Kareena, are enjoying each other’s company these days. The actresses, who are shooting together for Karan Johar’s Hindi remake of Hollywood hit ‘Step Mom’, along with Arjun Rampal and three kids are sharing a great rapport while working on the project together.

Kareena has always been all praises for co-star Kajol, as she thinks that Kajol is magic on screen. A source reveals that on November 16, both the actresses would leave for Australia where they will wrap up a major portion of this much-anticipated venture.

Reports reveal that Kajol had to try hard to work out her dates in such a way that she can get her daughter Nysa to spend a few days at her shooting schedule in Oz.

KJo’s ‘Step Mom’ is slated for release in 2010.

‘My Name Is Khan’ set for Valentine’s week release

“My Name Is Khan” — Bollywood’s favourite on-screen couple Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s first film together in eight years — is set to release Feb 12 next year.
Directed by Karan Johar, the film will open in theatres in India and over 40 countries including the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East, said a press release from Johar’s Dharma Productions.

“My Name is Khan” features Shah Rukh as Rizvan Khan, an unconventional hero who embarks on a journey across America to win back the love of his life. It shows how, along the way, his unique personality touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

“I keep setting out to do something different with my films, but the one constant that remains is my desire to continue to explore the many ways in which two people can fall in love and stay in love regardless of any or every challenge against them,” said Karan.

The film also marks a re-teaming of Johar and Shah Rukh after three years — their last outing together was “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”.

Johar has made his film in association with Fox STAR Studios, 20th Century Fox International and Fox Searchlight Pictures.

While Fox STAR Studios will market and distribute the film in India, Fox Searchlight Pictures will release it in the US. The distribution of the movie outside India and the US will be taken care of by Twentieth Century Fox International.

According to Vijay Singh, CEO Fox Star Studios, the film is drawing a “hugely positive response from exhibitors across the world” for the “coming together of Shah Rukh, Karan and Kajol”.

“It is a big event for Bollywood audiences across the world and their fan base is eagerly awaiting the release. But what makes ‘My Name is Khan’ a special film is that it brings together the finest Indian talent with a powerful story that has relevance for audiences everywhere,” added Singh.

Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/my-name-is-khan-set-for-valentines-week-release_100268810.html#ixzz0W0ZURh9k

(IANS)

Kareena and I were depressed during ‘Kurbaan’ shoot: Saif Khan

Bollywood actors often describe their shooting schedule as a picnic. But “cold and depressing” is what Saif Ali Khan has to say about the US shoot of “Kurbaan”, speaking for not just himself but also girlfriend and co-star Kareena Kapoor.

” ‘Kurbaan’ was hard work. Period. In fact, the Philadelphia schedule was plain hell. It wasn’t anything like a picnic shooting for the film,” shudders Saif, who is glad that the film is complete and ready for release.

Saif says, “It gets dark there at 4 p.m. itself. Moreover, it’s so cold and at minus 10 degrees it can actually get really depressing. Since we were shooting in sync sound, it was extremely difficult to get the pitch and tone right while delivering our dialogues.”

The film by Rensil D’Souza also stars Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Om Puri and Kirron Kher and will be released Nov 20.

It was during the shoot of the film that Saif and Kareena got news of the terror attack in Mumbai last year. “Because of that, it was so difficult to concentrate on the film’s shoot. Thankfully, Bebo (Kareena Kapoor) was there with me at that time but still both of us were very depressed,” says Saif.

As it was quite cold in Philadelphia, Saif and Kareena were required to wear layers of clothing. Later, for continuity purpose, they had to wear the same clothes in the summer of Mumbai.

Saif and others also had a hard time adjusting to the locations chosen for the film’s shoot.

“We were shooting in a tube and that’s anything but fun,” he remembers. “We had to shoot a subway sequence but being in a tube for hours at a stretch is like being in an underground prison. Really, it is very disorienting. Who says shooting for a film is like being in a picnic? ‘Kurbaan’ certainly wasn’t one.”

When asked to name one film which was fun to shoot, Saif talks of Abbas-Mustan-directed “Race”.

“Now that’s what I call as a real picnic”, he says. “Doing the film was quite easy since the working hours were quite comfortable while locations were nice, easy and comfortable. It was really simple work and I enjoyed a lot. It was really entertaining to drive fast cars, saying cool lines, be a hero and stuff alike.

“On the other hand, ‘Kurbaan’ has me playing this complicated character which only makes it further difficult for an actor.”

(IANS)

Is KURBAAN really similar to NEW YORK or FANAA?

Film maker Karan Johar has taken a new stance when it comes to questions around his KURBAAN bearing similarity to NEW YORK or FANAA, both of which also dealt with terrorism. Instead of making straight forward declaration of his film being 'truly different', he is leaving it to audiences to go and find out similarities, if any.

"That's because this is not the first time that it is happening to a film coming from Dharma Productions", says Karan in a calm tone sans any sense of irritation, "When WAKE UP SID was being made, people asked whether it had any similarities to LAKSHYA. Now when the movie has released and is finding so much appreciation, the same people are coming back and telling me that 'Oh, this was one was so different."

He has quite a few other examples to state as well. Before their release, his KAL HO NA HO was said to be a remake of ANAND while KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA appeared to have it's germ in SILSILA.

KURBAAN is a romance set against the backdrop of global terrorism. Kareena plays Avantika, a teacher from a University in Delhi, who moves base to New York due to a personal emergency. During this period, she meets a Professor - Ehsaan Khan, played by Saif Ali Khan. Love blossoms and they get married. All hell breaks loose when a series of incidents suck Avantika and Ehsaan into a vortex of danger and intrigue.

Karan Johar, Producer, KURBAAN commented, "KURBAAN has a global theme and will be appreciated specially by audiences abroad. This is an opportunity for us to engage with the audiences outside India and give them a glimpse into the movie."

Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures, Distributor of KURBAAN said, "KURBAAN has created immense anticipation with its curtain raising teaser and music. With Saif and Kareena visiting London, Dubai and New York - we are ensuring that audiences in those territories get an opportunity to meet their favourite stars and hear them narrate their experience of working on this film. We are very confident that the movie will attract audiences globally because of its strong subject."

(Glamsham)