After much ado and discussion, Vishal Bharadwaj has decided the title of his next Ajay Devgan - Saif Ali Khan starrer movie.

Vishal himself in an interview revealed that his adaptation of Shakespere’s ‘Othello’ would be titled - Omkara.

The film stars Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi, Ayesha Takia, Ajay Devgan, Kareena Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah in lead roles.

The movie - Omkara - is scheduled to start shooting in March and is planned to be completed by the stretch of 2006.

Actor Saif Ali Khan who went through an emergency appendectomy on Thursday at Kuala Lumpur while shooting for an ad says he is fine now. The only shoot to have been affected by Saif’s ill health is Vishal Bhardwaj’s Othello where he was supposed to return on Friday. Now Vishal will shoot Saif’s remaining portion in Mumbai, whenever possible.

On the professional front, Saif is most excited about Othello. “The cast of this film has a great mix of so-called thinking and commercial actors. You have the NSD bunch like Naseeruddin Shah on one hand, and commercial actors like Ajay Devgan and me, on the other. We used to have great fun on the sets, referring to each other disparagingly, saying things like, “You theatre-wallah” or you “commercial type”,” he laughs.

“I must say that the highbrow NSD crowd has scant respect for us commercial stars. They feel ‘Unko kya ma1oom (what does they know)? I don’t think too many directors are too comfortable working with actors from both genres. Othello is the first film in which the two worlds of art and masala movies join hands in a big way” He added. (more…)

Writer-producer Lal Chand Singh of ‘Banaras - A Mystic Love Story’ wants to give tribute to Banaras by this film. He has demanded a tax free status for the film across Uttar Pradesh. The film is also an attempt to re-discover unrivalled Banaras from the present Varanasi.

Singh, CEO of Pune-based IT company, was in Lucknow to promote the film. He said, “Banaras has been the center of spirituality for over 600 years. Every Indian spiritual leader from Buddha and Kabir to Adi Shankaracharya has lived here in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. This film also attempts to extract the lost character of Banaras from the modern Varanasi and establish the abode of Shiva on the world film map”.

Singh, also demanded that his spiritually romantic film be awarded tax free status in UP, as 90 per cent of it has been shot at various locations in Varanasi including BHU campus, Ganga ghats and the famous Chunar Fort. “I have put my best and it is now up to the UP government to grant a tax-free status to the film to link the mystic charm of the cultural capital to every commoner,” He said. (more…)

Versatile actor Paresh Rawal is fed up doing mostly comic roles and want filmmakers to offer him serious roles. He is also upset with the poor state of comedy in Bollywood and thinks it is heading towards doom.

You have yet another comic release coming up.

I have just returned from shooting for Ahmed Khan's 'Fool and Final', which is another caper. I'm seriously fed up. I won't touch anything dubious. But 'Malamaal Weekly' was enjoyable. The flavour is not farcical. It's not just a comedy, or a family film or a thriller. The pleasure of working with Omji (Om Puri) in an entire film is rare. It gave me a chance to rejuvenate myself as an actor. I am his fan. It's very rare to come across actors who aren't selfish.

But your director, Priyadarshan said there was healthy rivalry between you and Om?

Oh yes, it was great fun improvising between the two of us, and to see who would get the last word in. There are only a few people in the film industry that I admire as actors and human beings. Omji is one of them. He is such a sweetheart. (more…)

Actor Irrfan Khan who was trained from NSD (National School of Drama) had to bear a long frustrating struggle to make his place in Bollywood till his outstanding performances in ‘Haasil’ and ‘Maqbool’ came to light. Now he is scaling bigger challenger by acting in prestigious assignments like Mira Nair’s ‘Namesake’and Naseeruddin Shah’s ‘Yun Hota To Kya Hota’. Recently some foreign film magazines and noted filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar refered to him as Hindi cinema’s latest Sex God. He talks about it and his films.

How do you feel been refered to as Hindi cinema's latest Sex God?

I wonder how true that is, I can just smile over it. Such glorification fulfills my basic human need to be known and to be accorded due importance. But then, I am well aware of the fact that these tags and titles are for a while and I cannot depend on them for a lifelong. I take it as a moment of glory in my life. (more…)

Being Cyrus

Directed by: Homi Adajania

Character sketch:
Saif Ali Khan - Cyrus Mistry
Naseeruddin Shah - Dinshaw Sethna
Dimple Kapadia - Katy Sethna
Boman Irani - Farokh Sethna
Simone Singh - Tina Sethna
Honey Chhaya - Fardounjee Sethna
Manoj Pahwa - Inspector Lovely

If you call, stinking-rotten Parsi language thrown at you on every interval, characters screaming your head off, patchy scenes here-there, people hallucinating and trying to plot against each other - dark and unsettling then this is what Being Cyrus is. There are some mystery movies that leave you satisfied or in awe but believe me Being Cyrus leaves you feeling hollow. The movie has no particular starting and no better ending. And talk about humor - there is none - not dark nor light.

Going by the hype and preview of the movie I was excited to see this twisted movie. The first half finished soon, mostly introducing the characters of the film. But I thought; now the real fun will start and we will get to see something electrifying which will thrill and excite. I was wrong. I was left frustrated. (more…)

Times Infotainment’s debut venture, directed by Homi Adajania - ‘Being Cyrus’ was premiered at the Cinemax Infinity Mall multiplex yesterday.

The who’s who of the film industry was present on the occasion. The films star cast Saif Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Boman Irani and Simone Singh were present their too except Dimple Kapadia.

Aamir Khan arrived with wife Kiran Rao. Saif had come with his sister Soha. “I’ve tried out a new genre here,” he told media persons. Bollywood celebrities like Zayed Khan, Yukta Mookhey, Karan Johar, Kiron Kher, Javed Akhtar, Bobby Darling, Rohan Sippy, Neha Dhupia, Dino Morea were also present.