Aap Hamare Hote: Launching Juhi Babbar

          MUMBAI: In 'Kash ... Aap Hamare Hote', Raaj Babbar launches his stage artiste daughter Juhi Babbar through his banner. Produced by Juhi's mother Nadira Babbar, the film is also starring Om Puri and Sonu Niigaam in leading roles.

          Amrita (Juhi Babbar) is brought up by her father's friend Mankotia (Om Puri) in Chamba after her parents die in an accident. When she grows up, she is married off in Canada but she finds herself hurtled into a different world. Jay Kumar (Sonu Niigaam) finds her at his door-step and he welcomes her into his life, but Juhi finds herself at the crossroads.
           Shot across Canada, the film shows many beautiful locations. The project, started in May 2001, got delayed in the aftermath of the September 11 WTC attack and is now scheduled to be released in theatres early next year.
(December 5,  2002)

Aapko Pahle Bhi ... A Father's Obsessive Love

           NEW DELHI: 'Aapko Pahle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai' is 'Tum Bin' producer Anubhav Sinha's second feature film, also half shot in Canada. It is about a father who cannot come to terms with the reality that one day his loving daughter will have to be given away in marriage. He loves his daughter to a fault and believes that no man on earth can be a good match for her. The girl falls in love with a man, and the inevitable happens: Her father is forced to fulfil his daughter's wish.

           A serious life situation is sought to be hilariously tackled in the movie. Wait for the release, may be later in December.
(December 5,  2002)

Madhur Bhandarkar to Try His Luck With 'Satta'

          MUMBAI: Madhur Bhandarkar believes in the maxim "slow and steady wins the race". It's only after a gap of a year that his second film, since his directorial debut 'Chandni Bar', is ready for release.

           Madhur's 'Satta' is scheduled for release on December 27. Satta is said to be a film on criminalization of politics. The film stars ravishing Raveena Tandon in a poignant role of a politician, and national award winner Atul Kulkarni in the main lead. The film highlights the dark and murky world of politics from the perspective of a woman. According to Madhur, the subject of the film reflects today's social environment.

           After Kalpana Lajmi's 'Daman', 'Aks' and 'Shool', Raveena has earned enough recognition as an actress of repute. Once again in Satta, Raveena plays the non-glamorous, realistic role of a politician. Her co-stars include Atul Kulkarni, Govind Namdeo, Samir Dharmadhikari, Anju Mahendru and Suchitra Pillai. Javed Akhtar has penned the lyrics, while Raju Singh is composing the film's music.
(November 28,  2002)

Magic of Lagaan Now before Chinese Eyes

          HONG KONG: Bollywood blockbuster 'Lagaan' has been released in China nation-wide. The release on Wednesday, November 20, has rekindled memories of the Raj Kapoor era when Indian films were immensely popular in the neighbouring nation.

           Joe Zhang, an official from Columbia Tri-Star Film Distributors International, said, "Continuing with its international success and now reaching here, Lagaan brings us a great chance to disprove that good movies are American ones, a chance to introduce the Indian culture to the common Chinese".

           "Now we are reminded of the times when Raj Kapoor's films like 'Awara' were big hits in China", he said. The premiere was attended by film buffs and Chinese media.
(November 20,  2002)

Mira Nair for ImagineAsia

          LONDON: Mira Nair, director of 'Monsoon Wedding' which was a box office success, will take part in the finale of the UK's biggest celebration of South Asian film, ImagineAsia, in Birmingham on Friday, November 22..

           The British Film Institute, organisers of ImagineAsia, has teamed up with the Birmingham Film and TV Festival to host an on-stage interview with Nair who will discuss her work and her forthcoming film project, according to a British High Commission release.

           Since beginning in April 2002, ImagineAsia has shown over 650 films, from art house to Bollywood, staged exhibitions, held events and organised personal appearances by film directors and stars, in conjunction with 70 partner organisations and venues across Britain.

           Director of ImagineAsia Cary Rajinder Sawhney said: "ImagineAsia has brought a cinematic feast of South Asian films to the UK this year, celebrating not only the spectacle of Bollywood, but also the lesser known cinema of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indian art films.

          The works of Mira Nair include Salaam Bombay (winner of the prestigious Camera d'Or and Prix du Publique at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival), Monsoon Wedding (winner of the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, it was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Foreign Language Film) and Mississippi Masala (it won the Award for Most Popular Film and the Best Screenplay at Venice Film Festival 1991).

           The British Film Institute was established in 1933 to promote greater understanding, appreciation and access to film and television culture.
(November 20,  2002)

Eighth Kolkata Film Festival Comes to an End

          KOLKATA: Kolkata's passion for cinema is to be seen to be believed. And nothing brings it out better than a film festival. With the eighth Kolkata film festival drawing to a close on Monday, November 18, the city's film loving crowd thronged cinema houses to feast on the last shows.

           As many as 137 films from about 30 countries were screened during the eight-day festival. There were sections covering retrospectives, cinema international, tributes and children's films. Union Information Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the festival and actress Konkona Sen Sharma helped her on the stage to light the inaugural lamp.

           The inauguration was followed by the screeing of Argentina's Macr Bechis's film 'Sons and Daughters', a gripping tale of Rosa, a woman in search for her twin brother, Javier, separated from her during the 1977 Argentine military dictatorship.

           Besides national and international feature films, the festival was supplemented with seminars, speeches, press conferences, screening of short films etc.
(November 18,  2002)

Salman Gets Bail at Last!

          MUMBAI: A local court granted bail to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, accused in a hit-and-run case that claimed one life and injured at least four pedestrians..

           Khan is a popular actor in Bollywood and his macho, swaggering screen image has won him fans across the country. He has also landed a plum role in the film, Marigold, a musical comedy by Hollywood director Willard Carroll.

           Khan has been under the shadow of the law for alleged involvement in illegal hunting in Rajasthan. He was also in the news last year when he created a flutter outside the residence of actress Aishwarya Rai one night seeking an audience with her.
(October 24,  2002)

Teenager Detained for Breaking into Bachchan's Residence

          MUMBAI: Police detained a teenager who broke into the heavily-guarded home of Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 22.

          According to reports, the 18-year-old boy climbed a high wall surrounding the house in the posh suburb of Juhu but security men grabbed him as he tried to enter the house. "The boy, who seems to be a big fan of Amitabh, managed to evade police at the front and entered from the back," said a police official, adding, the intruder was being held for questioning.

           Bachchan, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday amid much fanfare, and his wife, actress Jaya Bachchan, are currently out of the country.
(October 22,  2002)
-ANI & India Overseas