They say art and culture has no language and this became apparent during the recent visit of the Russian President H.E. Dmitry A. Medvedev to India when he took out time from his two day visit to head to Yash Raj Studio.

The agenda was quite simple; it was to further strengthen the ties of the two countries with special emphasis on promoting cultural exchanges between Russia and India and for the President to get an opportunity to directly meet with the members of the Indian film industry.

Not many know that Indian Films have been very popular with Russian audiences for over 60 years since the time of the legendary Raj Kapoor. And this fond memory helped to get the President's meeting off to a very cordial beginning and set the mood for what followed.

Russian President Dmitry meets Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan Click here to add this article to My Clips

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, December 24, 2010 - 18:08 IST

Yash Chopra, Mukesh Bhatt, Dmitri Medvedev, Randhir Kapoor, Ramesh Sippy, Manmohan Desai

They say art and culture has no language and this became apparent during the recent visit of the Russian President H.E. Dmitry A. Medvedev to India when he took out time from his two day visit to head to Yash Raj Studio.

The agenda was quite simple; it was to further strengthen the ties of the two countries with special emphasis on promoting cultural exchanges between Russia and India and for the President to get an opportunity to directly meet with the members of the Indian film industry.

Not many know that Indian Films have been very popular with Russian audiences for over 60 years since the time of the legendary Raj Kapoor. And this fond memory helped to get the President's meeting off to a very cordial beginning and set the mood for what followed.

Shahrukh Khan, Dmitri Medvedev, Yash Chopra, Kareena Kapoor

President Dmitry Medvedev was very happy that he was able to spend some time at the studio along with Yash Chopra and meet with the members of the Film Producers Guild of India and others. He said that his association and love for Indian films started way back in 1970 with Raj Kapoor's Shree 420, a popular and iconic film in Russia. He also said that cinemas are a common language and that he looked forward to receiving good proposals from the Indian Film Industry.

Even Yash Chopra was thrilled to meet the President as he said, "We are honoured to have the President of Russia, H.E. Medvedev, who took time off during his very short visit to India, to come visit us. Speaking on behalf of all of us present here and particularly the film fraternity, I am confident that this visit will most certainly help us to build on our already strong cultural and emotional relationship that has existed over many years. With this as our heritage, we should be looking at doing things collectively going forward."

While at the studio Yash Chopra invited the Russia President to the sets of Ra.One to meet Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor. This was a special occasion for the President, being the first time that he was on the sets of an Indian film shoot. In his unique and witty style, Shah Rukh Khan said that there is a great diversity of Russian and Indian culture which can be mutually drawn upon. He suggested that we should go there to learn the ballet and Russia should come here to learn the bhangra!

Labels: Bollywood News, Kareena Kapoor, Shahrukh khan, Yash Chopra

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Chopra Sr has Aamir in mind for his next, which he will direct

Buzz is that Yash Chopra, who celebrated his birthday last night, has signed Aamir Khan for his next directorial project.

Chopra Sr is looking to return from a five-year directorial hiatus. His last was Veer Zaara with SRK.

Yash directed Aamir in Parampara in 1992. The director then approached him for Darr (1993). Shah Rukh eventually did the film.

A source in the industry reveals, "Chopra has been working on a number of scripts but now has his heart set on one recently. He thinks Aamir is perfect for the part. He has approached the actor and will soon meet him."

Relations between Aamir and the banner improved after Fanaa. If Khan does the film, it will take their association to a new level." The source further adds, "There is an urgency in the YRF clan to make big films with established stars." Chopra Sr wants to start his film by early 2010 and release it by the end of the year.

Says Rafiq Gangjee of YRF, "Yash Chopra's next directorial script has still not been finalised. The issue of casting arises only after that."

Labels: Aamir Khan, Bollywood News, Yash Chopra, Yash Raj Films

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Bollywood wishes Nightingale of India the very best

Eight decades and 30,000 songs later, her voice continues to inspire a nation. As Lata Mangeshkar turns 80 today, everyone in Bollywood queued up to wish her.

The Bharat Ratna recipient, who has lent her voice to songs in over 20 Indian languages, is known for her quest for perfection.

From light classical music to film songs and from ghazals to bhajans and pop, she has sung a variety of numbers. Having worked with almost all top music composers and singers in the industry, Lata has also featured in the Guinness Book of Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world.

IANS spoke to members of Bollywood, who wished the queen of melody and prayed for her long and healthy life.

Yash Chopra: On the occasion of her 80th birthday, I would like to wish Lataji, who has had a long-lasting relationship with Yash Raj Films, happiness, happiness and more happiness with a sincere prayer that she remain forever young.

Karisma Kapoor: I would like to wish Lataji a very happy birthday. The songs that she has sung for my grandfather don't need any explanation. I just want to ask her: how does she still sing so melodiously even at this age?

Prasoon Joshi: My best wishes to Lataji on her birthday. I feel so fortunate that my entry in Bollywood was marked by a song sung by her. I wrote my first song for her, which was the title track of "Lajja". It was totally a dream come true. Then luck again favoured me when I wrote Luka chhupi for her in the film Rang De Basanti. I feel extremely humbled to write songs for someone as great as her.

Kunal Kohli: What can one say about a living legend like Lataji and who am I to say something? I don't think a word has been created to describe her and her contribution to Hindi film music. My best wishes to her for a long and healthy life.

Mohit Chauhan: I give my heartiest congratulations to the melody queen. I wish more and more years added to her life. Since childhood I have been listening to her songs and she is still my favourite singer.

Sunidhi Chauhan: Words can't express what I feel about her. I only wish that she lives for ever and ever.

Kailash Kher: Whatever she has achieved till now and the way she sings even till today is just miraculous. A normal person can't do that. I won't call her just a singer; she is music to me. She is a blessing to the nation and all Indians should hope and pray for her long life and good health for many years to come. I wish her a long and healthy life.

Manoj Bajpai: May she live and sing for another 1,000 years. I doubt we will ever have another Lataji. Her voice is a miracle of god. A very happy birthday to her.

Sukhwinder Singh: Lataji's is the voice of the millennium. She is truly an international artist and one of her own kind. For her birthday I just want to say that I hope she lives for 1,000 years.

Anand Raj Anand: A very happy birthday to a living legend - Lataji.

Labels: Bollywood News, Features, Karishma Kapoor, Kunal Kohli, Lata Mangeshkar, Manoj Baj pai, Prasoon Joshi, Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Yash Chopra

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They mainly have two objections

“Dil Bole Hadippa” is the latest victim of the Sikh community’s ire, after “Singh is Kinng” and “Love Aaj Kal”.
The Sikh community has two issues with the movie.

One objection is with Rani Mukerji’s character in the film. She plays an adult character but wears a ‘patka’. Ideally all adults are supposed to wear a turban and not a ‘patka’, which is for young boys.

Secondly they are upset with the way the title of the film is written on the posters.

The posters show a ‘patka’ sign in place of a dot on letter ‘I’ in the title word “Hadippa”.

The Punjabi Cultural and Heritage Board has raised a furore against these issues. The chief of the Board, Charan Singh Sapra, has also met the producers Yash Raj Films to sort out the issues.

Sources close to YRF said that they have full respect for the Sikh community and hence they have addressed all their concerns. Also the objectionable portions from the film have been deleted and new posters with the necessary changes are ready for release.

Labels: Bollywood News, Dil Bole Hadippa, Rani Mukherjee, Shahid Kapur, Yash Chopra, Yash Raj Films

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Bipasha Basu should be India's environment minister because she was "the real reason for global warming all over the world."

This was the choice of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards hosts Boman Irani and Riteish Deshmukh who unveiled their dream cabinet before a packed auditorium at The Venetian Hotel in Macau as the annual event marked its 10th anniversary.

The comic duo announced their choice that they said should have been appointed by Bollywood after the recent elections, much to the delight of the 15,000 strong crowd in Macau on Saturday (June 13) night.

Director Ashutosh Gowariker should be agriculture minister for what he had done for the rural community with his hit film "Lagaan"; Raakesh Roshan, the coal minister because his successful film "Koyla" had shown that he knows everything there is to know about the black product; and Katrina Kaif should be the youth affairs minister because every youth wanted to talk to her, the pair added.

Aamir Khan should be home minister because all he did for eleven months in every year was sit at home and then just release a single film in the last month.

Akshay Kumar, shown on screen with his face on a Rs1,000 note, should be the finance minister because with the money he makes he could finance almost the entire population.

"Slumdog Millionaire" star Freida Pinto would do well in the post of minister for overseas and foreign affairs because she knew exactly how to start an affair abroad, Irani jested.

Always on the defensive, Salman Khan would make the ideal defence minister and Malika Sherawat could occupy the new position of minister for the upliftment of the downtrodden.

Others in the Irani/Deshmukh cabinet would be Sunny Deol as law and transport minister; Yash and Aditya Chopra of 'Punjab Power' fame for their film "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" as joint power ministers; and Viveik Oberoi as telecommunications minister because he knew how to make calls quickly when necessary.

Labels: Aamir Khan, Aditya Chopra, Akshay Kumar, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Bipasha Basu, Bollywood News, IIFA 2009, Salman Khan, Yash Chopra

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After shunning public appearances, running away from photographers and fiercely guarding his privacy, filmmaker Aditya Chopra (pictured above) was finally seen in the open this week.

He was spotted having a relaxed lunch on Sunday (May 10) at JW Marriott hotel in Mumbai with father Yash Chopra, mother Pam Chopra and younger brother Uday.

This was a rare sight, considering the family feud that happened when Aditya divorced his wife Payal for actress Rani Mukherji. His parents had sided with Payal.

We are now waiting for the truth to come – Has Adi has left Rani and patched up with his family or the family has made peace with their son’s choice?

Labels: Aditya Chopra, Bollywood News, Pamela Chopra, Uday Chopra, Yash Chopra

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The producers’ the distributors’ strike against multiplexes, on account of profit sharing, looks as if it may finally come to an end. Both sides have agreed to meet to discuss the issue tomorrow. The strike, which began on April 4, had producers and distributors demanding a 50 percent cut of the profits made by multiplex owners.

We asked Chairman of the United Producers and Distributors Association Forum, Mukesh Bhatt, who supported the strike reasoning that filmmakers work hard and multiplexes should not be the only ones reaping the profits. He said, “I am not an astrologer who can predict what’s going to happen but we are meeting tomorrow with positive mindset. Let’s hope that the issue gets sorted out.”

Ramesh Sippy, director of the cult film Sholay (1975), who is also a member of the committee, said, “We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow; how can we tell? It also depends on what the other party says and what they have in mind. So let’s see.”

On the other hand, Sudhir Mishra, who has produced the ready-to-release Sikandar, seemed more positive about tomorrow’s meeting, saying, “It would be good to see the issue sorted out at tomorrow’s meet. A lot of films have been put on hold because of this strike. We are all hoping the outcome of the meeting is positive.”

Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh echoes Mishra’s words, saying, “I think the matter will be sorted out at tomorrow’s meeting. I am very optimistic in every aspect of life and would not like to think about the negative side.”

According to Mukesh Bhatt, the venue of the meeting has not been decided on yet.

Labels: Bollywood News, Mukesh Bhatt, Rakesh Roshan, Yash Chopra

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Labels: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Events, Shammi, Yash Chopra

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MOVIE DETAILS

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Vinay Pathak
Director: Aditya Chopra
Producer: Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra
Music: Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics: Jaideep Sahni

THE FILM

If at all one has to hail a superb climax for a film, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi would be the forerunner by a long distance. In fact, it's the very climax of the film which makes it such an endearing watch that one is tempted to watch it all over again. The point where Anushka starts realizing that Raj and Suri are the same person, the film's graph reaches a high point. While Suri is dancing in the way Raj was doing in all the rehearsals, the expressions on Anushka's face have to be seen to be believed as she looks all perplexed and bewildered while her body is dancing mechanically to the tune of 'Dancing Jodi'. This is the point where Aditya Chopra demonstrates a great hold of the proceedings as the sense of surprise and guilt is mixed well with some excellent support from the music and choreography departments.

So why has the climax been described at the very beginning of this review? The reason is simple. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi could never have been the film that it eventually turned out to be if not for it's brilliant climax. This is one heartwarming sequence that forces you to go back and revisit this dramatic romantic tale which indeed was different. No wonder, the film turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of Shah Rukh's career when released late last year.

Of course, an excellent climax by no means undermines a very good start that the film's narrative takes. Right from the moment Shah Rukh and Anushka get married out of the blue to the time Anushka declares that she could never love Shah Rukh to the time Shah Rukh starts making adjustments in his life - it is one emotional journey that results in moist eyes for majority of viewers. In fact your heart goes out to the man as he starts falling in love with the girl 'haule haule'. Raj is a clear alter ago of Suri as he does everything that Suri could never imagine doing. He breaks rules, flirts around, is all goofy - and all of this is to gain access to the love which he couldn't find in his own house from his own wife.

Presentation of this dilemma could have been shown in multiple ways. Either it may have turned out to be an out and out comedy with a Golmaal kind of a narrative or it could have gone an intellectual way with the metaphor being on your face or it could have become an out and out art house cinema. However, Aditya Chopra applies a different route altogether and comes up with a dramatic love story that has quite a few heartwarming moments interspersed into the narrative. Of course, cinematic liberties are quite a few, but then all of that is attributed to 'rab' since it is conveniently declared that it is HE who decides what should happen and what shouldn't!

The movie does fizzle a little towards the pre-climax because by that time the audience starts craving for some action on screen but there is none of that that takes place. The Sumo wrestling sequence is truly forced and leads to yawns instead of smiles. But as said earlier, it's the entire segment of the film towards the very end that brings back spark into the proceedings. And the spark is such that it just fires up the screen and illuminates it strongly enough to leave a lasting impression.

PACKAGING

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi wins brownie points for an excellent plastic casing that it comes in. While the trademark Suri/Raj twin effect is available yet again on the inlay card, the overall presentation of the DVD lends it an exclusive touch.

DURATION

The film's duration is 164 minutes

SPECIAL FEATURES

The film comes with the bonus features that include:

- The Making of the Film
- The Making of the Songs ('Haule Haule', 'Dance Pe Chance', 'Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte')
- Deleted Scenes
- SRK Unplugged
- SRK and Anushka in conversation

For a major part of the audience, it's a pleasure to hear Shah Rukh talk about films, whether they are his own or of others. In the DVD of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, one gets to hear Shah Rukh talk about the film for more than an hour which is quite some bonus, especially for those who loved the film. He talks, and talks and continues to talk and what makes it special is the animated tone that he applies while explaining his character, the mannerisms, the reasons behind signing the film, the bond that he shares with Aditya Chopra, the rapport he shared with Anushka and most interestingly, the real life characters on whom he based Suri and Raj!

With quite a lot to offer to the viewers, the DVD takes them behind the scenes with ample footage of what really happened on the sets, the rehearsals, song recording and some hilarious goof ups. Also watch out for all the innovation and improvisations that the actors (especially Shah Rukh) indulged in while the shots were being canned. Though it's a disappointment not to see or hear an ever elusive Aditya Chora, Shah Rukh along with Anushka and other crew members more than make up for it.

Especially interesting is the part where choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant talks about the challenges that she faced while shooting 'Haule Haule' since it required her to capture the entire act in one single frame. Have a look at how the feat was ultimately accomplished! Moreover, Shah Rukh also reveals how before working on Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, he and Aditya Chopra had all the plans to work in a hardcore action film before the latter decided to kick start a love story!

And then lastly, there is this really involving conversation between Shah Rukh and Anushka which had made quite an impression when it was first seen in the world of internet and TV after the release of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Relive the moments as you get an opportunity to be privy to this entire conversation as it is included as a part of the bonus DVD.

The disappointing part of this DVD though is the 'Deleted Scenes' section. There are as many as six deleted scenes included here but not even a single scene stands out. In fact they were best left out of the final cut even though all of them featured Shah Rukh Khan. While a couple of them have Shah Rukh and Vinay Pathak in a conversation, the remaining feature Anushka Sharma. However, all of them are best forgotten after they are seen for the first time.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

- 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation
- Subtitles in English, Arabic, Dutch, Telugu, Tamil
- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo

PRICE

Rs. 399/ =

CONCLUSION

Want to watch a clean family movie at home? Then go for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. In any case, with nothing playing on screens due to stand off between producers and multiplexes, this DVD is your best bet to get your much needed dose of Bollywood entertainment at home.

Labels: Aditya Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Features, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Shahrukh khan, Yash Chopra, Yash Raj Films

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