Remade in India.

 
Priyadarshan reworks a minimalist masterwork into an overblown (and over-cute) drama. The results aren't pretty.
BUMM BUMM BOLE Director: Priyadarshan RATING ** IS THERE anything that spawns cold terror in the pit of the stomach like the revela tion that a favourite song is being remixed, or a favourite book is being transformed into a movie, or worse yet, a favourite movie is being remade? The rate of success of these ventures (which, in other words, is simply the probability that they will turn out to be what we want them to be, or how we've imagined them inside our heads) is so infinitesimal that you wish you could shake the perpetrators by the collar and scream, "Make your own bad movie, goddamit! Don't desecrate our memories in the process." Majid Majidi's Children of Heaven is such a wispy y py instance of storytelling p g -pivoted on the affecting aftermath, on impoverished siblings, of the loss of a pair of shoes -that you barely sense that a Feature Film is unfolding before your eyes. (It's only after the lights come up that you realise you've seen something as spiritually cleansing as the early Ray films.) Melodrama -or even drama -this is not.
And that won't do for Priyadarshan. Under the guise of broadening (or making palatable) Majidi's gentle fable for the (apparently) masala-mad Indian masses, he gooses the scenario with frissons of thunder-and-lightning drama. He throws in a rape attempt, terrorist attacks (better suited to something named Bomb Bomb Bole, you'd think), a spectacularly ill-placed song item by one of those ubiquitous bands of gypsies that always snakes into bad movies -he does everything short of having an anvil fall out of the clear blue sky onto the hapless father's head. (The family of four is played by Atul Kulkarni, Rituparna Sengupta, Darsheel Safary and the adorable Ziya Vastani. The latter delivers the film's sole credit able performance, never mind that the billing is hogged by the child-star of Taare Zameen Par. He even gets an attention-grabbing freeze-frame in his "introduction shot," underscored by an overblown violin swell that suggests he's either ascending to the heavens or about to burst into ballet, or perhaps both.) And in the tangle of these myriads strands of plot, Priyadarshan forgets what was at the core of the earlier film -the sheer desperation of children to whom losing a pair of shoes is as monumental a disaster as, say, a World War for grown-ups. Priyadarshan, once, knew how to spin stories of desperation -even the comedy of Hera Pheri was grounded in the tragedy of have-nots. But after years of committing to louder-is-better Akshay Kumar vehicles, he's forgotten how to whisper. (Was Kanchivaram, then, a fluke?) And isn't it time he learned to situate his screenplays (at least the ones that aim to be realistic) in a recognisable anyplace? His locations, as always, are at odds with his locutions. The father, at one point, sighs, "Khali dimaag shaitan ka ghar! Bhagwan ko hi sooli pe chadha diya!" A concerned onlooker ventures, after an accident, "Suna teri cycle ke bhi barah baj gaye?" And this, my favourite, from a police officer interrogating a terrorist-suspect: "Hukka paani kiske saath tha?" Then again, maybe this is really cause for comfort, that in the absence of virtually any positives there's at least the opportunity to guffaw at inadvertent humour. 

BCCI allegations 35 pages, Modi's response 15,000 pages .

Suspended IPL chief dismisses all charges, accuses BCCI president, secretary of misusing office
LALIT Modi responded to the showcause notice served to him by the BCCI with a voluminous reply -bulked up by 15,000 pages of sup porting documents -car ried into the cricket board's headquarters via six large cartons transported by four cars on Saturday. BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty received the papers, reportedly spanning all e-mail correspondence between Modi and the BCCI, bid documents, franchisee agreements, media rights, licensee and sponsorship deals. In his reply, the suspended IPL chairman is believed to have not only denied all the charges levelled against him by the BCCI, but also accused BCCI
president Sashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan of misusing their positions of power. “The reply addresses all allegations,” said Modi’s lawyer Mehmood Abdi. “The BCCI notice was 35 pages, our reply is 160 pages.” Modi, added Abdi, wants the BCCI to “revoke its showcause notice and reinstate him as IPL commissioner.” The primary IPL-related charges against Modi are to do
with the initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, the broadcasting deal, bid-rigging of the two new franchises, Internet rights, and his behavioural pattern. A three-member BCCI disciplinary committee — comprising Manohar, Arun Jaitley and Chirayu Amin — will examine Modi’s response and take a decision on the issue after a meeting expected to be held in mid-June.
Heavyweight response "The reply is, by my last count, around 15,000 pages, the team may have added more. When anyone is falsely accused, it is there duty to respond." -LALIT MODI ON TWITTER Next: 45,000 pages "We reserve the right to produce another voluminous set of papers which may run into 37,000-45,000 pages. It will have the trail of e-mail of the institutions and authorities who matter, if required."
-MEHMOOD ABDI, LALIT MODI'S LAWYER                                                  

Hush...it's a honey trap!

Dangerous liaisons: (Left, top & right) Madhuri Gupta, Ekaterina Gerasimova and Roxana Saberi.

From Mata Hari to Madhuri Gupta, history has been witness to women using sex as a bait. Did you know that men have been great honey traps too?

 EVEN though ex-diplomat Madhuri Gupta’s name will go down in history as India’s deadliest female spy, the plump, middleaged, bespectacled single lady demolishes all romantic notions of a spy — a sexy woman in black, crimson lips, kohl-rimmed eyes, holding a cigarette in her bejewelled fingers. Madhuri Gupta also shatters the belief that it’s mostly men who fall for the ‘honey trap’. Investigations have revealed that Madhuri had an amorous affair with her Pakistani handler, with whom she shared information. That makes her a lady who’s been honey trapped, a rare case. “In the spy world, exploiting the amorous arts to dig up secret information is usually a woman’s domain,” says a senior IPS officer, who requests anonymity. “The trade name for this exercise is ‘honey trap’, a tactic which has seen the downfall of many mighty men who make the mistake of falling into the mesh of warm desires stirred by lady spies.” 

    From Mata Hari to Madhuri Gupta, it’s strongly believed that woman spies are used in honey traps because they are better than their male counterparts at gaining access to secret information. Not to forget that they are also masters in the game of passion and seduction. A senior doctor at the Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science, New Delhi, under condition of anonymity, says, “Women make better spies than men, because they are naturally gifted with strong intuitive powers. The world has seen several women spies. Delicate cases which require cunning, skill and tact are usually entrusted to women.”
    “Women’s powers of assessing a situation swiftly are better developed than a man’s,” says clinical psychologist Aruna Broota. “Women are also more honest, dedicated and obedient, hence a higher success rate.”
    The oldest case of honey trapping in India is an interesting one. When Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister, an Indian diplomat was enticed by a Russian girl in Moscow. When the Russian secret agency KGB exposed pictures of the diplomat with the girl, Nehru just laughed it off, warning the young diplomat to be more careful in future!
    There are many examples of Indian men falling for the charms of foreign honey traps. In May 2008, Manmohan Sharma, a senior RAW officer, posted in Beijing was called back to New Delhi for falling to the charms of a Chinese honey trap. It was alleged that Sharma was having an affair with his Chinese language teacher, whom Indian authorities suspected to be an informant of the Chinese government. In October 2007, another RAW officer Ravi Nair was called back from Hong Kong for his ‘friendship’ with a girl believed to be working for a Chinese spy agency. However, the most prominent case was that of K V Unnikrishnan, a RAW officer, who fell in love with an air hostess suspected to be an agent.
    Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet attaché in London in the early 1960s, took up a mistress named Christine Keeler, a ’60s “good-time girl”, who was also the lover of the married British MP and Secretary of State for War John Profumo, who was then working on plans with the United States to station cruise missiles in Germany. When the scandal blew up, Ivanov was recalled to Moscow. Secrets are revealed not just during pillow talk. Sometimes an affair could lead to blackmail after incriminating evidence has been collected. Nothing is simple in the spying racket. Often those helping dole out secrets are used by their own countries to counter spy. They tread extremely dangerous territory and stand the chance of being let down and betrayed by either or even both sides!
    More recently, Miss USA top 10 finalist Roxana Saberi, an American journalist of Iranian origin, was accused of spying in Iran for the US. In Russia, it was a blue-eyed model “Katya” who lured satirist Victor Shenderovich into her den. It came as a shock to Mr Shenderovich and the rest of the world when it was revealed that Katya was actually Ekaterina Gerasimova, who lured highprofile officials to spill important secrets during the act of sex!
    It’s a world of lies and deceit… of crumpled beds, heartbroken spouses, explicit letters, and ruined lives. So, what entices a woman, where cases could lead to dangerous situations? Is it the thrill of the chase or is it the satisfaction of matching skill for skill with their male counterparts? According to Ashum Gupta, department of
psychology,
Delhi University,
“Even brilliant
men are known to
have lost their rational thinking powers with the promise of sex. Surging hormones take over and by the time the cobwebs are cleared, the damage is done! Maybe, society is more accepting of a man succumbing to the lure of seduction. But not so in the case of a woman.”
Then there are men who target vulnerable women officers. The East German secret police had a hugely successful department of ‘Romeo spies’ to seduce unsuspecting targets with access to secrets. A recurring problem, however, was that they tended to fall in love with their targets! The best traps are the vulnerable or those with a glad eye and a voracious sexual appetite. What are the prerequisites to succeed in the oldest trick in the book? Ashum Gupta of DU, says, “A sharp mind and keen eye. And sincerity, of course, because people trust you with their secrets.” 

Ranjha Ranjha - 4th Song Teaser RAAVAN (Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan )

'Young India' Review: Torture Of India.

Film: Young India Rating: 1/5 Banner: Siri Media Cast: Dasari Narayana Rao, Brahmanandam, Swapna, Venu, Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad along with 81 new Telugu artistes Music: Keeravani Editing: Gautham Raju Cinematography: Ramana Raju Story, dialogues, screenplay, direction: Dasari Narayana Rao Producer: K Ramakrishna Prasad Release date: 15/05/2010 Darsakaratna Dasari Narayana Rao has come up with his 149th directorial venture and according to him, this is meant to be an eye opener for all. How much openings it will get, let us see. A group of youngsters Abhi, Venky, Razzaq, Rai attempt to commit suicide as they have their own share of tragic flashbacks. However, Keerthi (Sowmya) gets to the spot and the group reveals their stories. She gets them to her father Naidu (Dasari) who is an SP with a Tamil accent. He gives them his piece of mind and this aimless group suddenly emerges to be a new movement called ‘Young India’ fighting against injustice. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. The lead cast comprises of eight youngsters in total and the rest of the 75 artistes fill the screen. they have done their best to infuse life into their characters but the etching was weak. Since it is their debut attempt, certain drawbacks were seen so they must polish their skills if they are looking to make careers in the industry. Dasari Narayana Rao was usual with his eccentric dialogues and one fails to understand why he had to take up a Tamil accent. Anyways, he was present at the key instances and was busy beaming with pride while the youngsters keep praising him. Brahmanandam was annoying and his stereotype expressions and body language gave painful expressions than smiles. The other supporting cast was okay and did their bit as required. Analysis: Dasari is an experienced veteran and is revered in the Tollywood circuit. While one can appreciate his attempt to spread a message, he must realize that at the end of the day, it is the audience that matters and not his whims and fancies. Some of the general statements that came out during the movie from the audience is “it is better to wear a rug and sleep outside in the sun than watch this film”, in the end a dialogue is said that a girl is attempting to commit suicide, someone in the audience said “maybe she has just seen the film and that’s why she is doing it”. Apparently, Dasari seems to have built an ivory castle for ‘self dabba’ that he has lost grip of the fundamentals of film making. At any given point of time, it is about his propaganda and his attention seeking while the plot of the movie goes for a toss. While the conceiving and presentation is nowhere near perfection, the final nail in the head is hit by the poor writing and production values. This was meant to be a message oriented flick then one fails to understand how Dasari can encourage youngsters to pick up automatic rifles and blow the guts out of evil doers. All in all, it is a terrible experience for the viewer who will grow old by ten years within film duration. Don’t risk yourself watching this film.

PRABHUDEVA AND NAYANTARA Out in the open?

         PRABHUDEVA HIS WIFE RAMLATH AND SONS

                                               PRABHU AND NAYAN AT RECEPTION.
  LAST Friday evening, Prabhu Deva and Nayanthara were the cynosure of all eyes at Malayalam director Siddique’s daughter Sumaiah’s wedding reception in Kochi. It was the first time that the couple had come together for a public function in Kerala. The duo was earlier spotted together at an award function in Hyderabad. They also danced together at a recent
event to honour Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi in Chennai.
    Now, it looks like Prabhu and Nayan have formalised their relationship after weathering a stormy outburst from Prabhu’s wife Ramlath, who, in an interview, had threatened to beat up Nayanthara publicly. There have been various reports on the Internet and Tamil media about the duo being spotted at tourist locales in the US, France and Indonesia.
    According to sources close to the elusive actress, she is slowly withdrawing from films, though two of her recent releases — Aadhavan in Tamil and Simha in Telugu — were superhits. At the moment, Nayan is only doing offbeat director Shyama Prasad’s Electra in Malayalam, in which Manisha Koirala and Prakash Rai play her
    parents. Nayanthara has been flooded with offers of projects featuring top Tamil and Telugu actors, but will take a call on her next film after the release of her upcoming Tamil film, Boss Engira Bhaskaran, in June. But rumours suggest that she’s more keen on settling down with Prabhu once his divorce comes through.
    A character artiste who attended the wedding reception at Kochi, said, “I have never seen Nayan and Prabhu so happy; they mingled well with their friends at the wedding and behaved like a newly-married couple still very much in love.”

"IRON MAN 2" 1ST WEEK WORLDWIDE COLLECTIONS.

'Iron Man 2' earns USD 327.6 million worldwide

'Iron Man 2' has grabbed the top spot at the US box office with an estimated collection of USD 327.6 million worldwide in the first week.

Named as one of the most highly anticipated movies for this summer, 'Iron Man' sequel has performed better than the first film which collected USD 96 million when it was debuted in May 2008, by earning USD 133.6 million in the first week in US, Aceshowbiz online reported. The comic book sequel, starring Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke took in an additional USD 57.2 million in overseas markets boosting its worldwide collection to USD 327.6 million. However, 'Iron Man 2' does not manage to break the record set by 'The Dark Knight' in May 2008 with USD 158.4 million tally and is only named fifth biggest bow ever. On the second position of this week's box office is last week's champion 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'. Experiencing a great decrease (72.1 per cent), this horror flick gains an approximately USD 9.2 million on its second weekend. Following the Warner Bros Pictures' movie is 'How to Train Your Dragon' which also drops one place to the third. The former winner raked in an estimated USD 6.8 million this weekend, making a total of USD 201.1 million so far. Meanwhile, two romantic comedy movies, 'Date Night' and 'The Back-Up Plan', sit on the fourth and fifth spots respectively. The movie which sees the collaboration of Steve Carell and Tina Fey collects an estimated USD 5.3 million, while the Jennifer Lopez-starring film obtains an approximately USD 4.3 million revenue.