Akshaye having fun!

Surrounded by gurlzzz.

The lady makes a move


Neckin'

Neckin again!


Beautiful !


Luvin'

More Luvin'

How can they make love with sheets between them?

Super!

The first dialogue promo of Naqaab is on youtube. For some reason, I can't embed it here. So, go and watch it.

It looks great and exciting. Urvashi not only looks good but delivers a good performance for a first movie.

Akshaye doesn't look good in some scenes and looks terrific in others. Since the movie was done in two schedules, I think he was bad in the first one and toned up for the second.

Why the hell haven't they released the third song? It sounds much better than the Ae Dil. The dialogue promo is good but the movie's promotion is decidedly low key!

Akshaye at IIFA

Courtesy moviegupshup.net. Hattip to our anonymous commentator!

Feroz Khan says Akshaye is outstanding

Two things from director Feroz Khan's interview. Firstly, English version is not releasing in India which is a pity. I think it's much better than Hindi and Indian audiences won't be able to watch Akshaye's better performance. Secondly, he says Akshaye Khanna is outstanding. Coming from the best known theatre director in India who must have interacted with some very good actors, that's a great compliment.

For a society where condoning a son’s misdeeds has become the norm, Gandhi went stridently the opposite way, placing the nation over his family. For Feroz Abbas Khan, this is a facet of the man he has been familiar with, having done over 60 performances of Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi, one of his most acclaimed plays (apart from Tumhari Amrita, Saalgirah and Salesman Ramlal). But India’s foremost theatre director has tried to take the subject of Gandhi and his family beyond the stage, to try his hand at filmmaking now. Khan is optimistic that Gandhi My Father, his debut film venture, has the potential to be ‘one of the most popular ever’. Suman Tarafdar caught up with the director to understand how the film goes beyond the play.


So how is the film different from the play?

For one, the film goes beyond the play. I have gone back to sources, especially Chandulal Dalal’s book, and used others, including Neelam Parekh Gandhi’s Lost Jewel and Mini Polak’s books, and interacted with Harilal Gandhi’s daughter-in-law, who stays in Kerala, to get more material to reconstruct the era. I was also conscious of some of the slants while doing the play, especially its Hindi version, so I have tried to be more balanced in the film. The emphasis in the film is different. It is not about who was right, but a conflict of two strong personalities, and the tragedy they were both caught in. Greys dominate this film.

How satisfied are you with the film?

Oh, very. I wanted to make a film honestly. Comparatively little is known about Harilal, and we had to work hard to get the nuances and semantics right. The film has no agenda. My job was to show things as they were, as truthfully as possible. It covers the years 1906 to 1948 and was shot over 100 days, between February and July last year. The locations included Ahmedabad, Rewari, Pataudi, Bombay, Pune, Bhor, Mahabaleshwar (where Tolstoy Farm was recreated) besides court and station scenes in South Africa. The release of the film was delayed to give a gap after Lage Raho Munnabhai. However, unlike that film, which is aspirational, this is based on real life. It is better than Attenborough’s Gandhi and is simultaneously shot in two languages — English and Hindi. In India only the Hindi version will be available. The cast was excellent, and Akshaye Khanna as Harilal is outstanding. The challenge was not to do a documentary but a narrative.

No apprehensions of controversy?

Not at all. I have researched extensively, and the film sticks to what it says.

You are really comfortable in theatre. So why a shift to the big screen? How do the two mediums compare?

Two main reasons. One, this story needs a bigger audience. I already get the largest audiences in theatre. I can’t stay away from cinema due to its reach. And I love challenges — I was getting too comfortable in theatre. The two mediums are very different in some ways — in plays you create the visual through words, for example as in Tumhari Amrita. Theatre requires the element of conflict too, for the dramatic affect. In the film, I had to think through visuals. Also, the Indian audience is able to live in two to three mindspaces. The same audience that is able to enjoy a song-and-dance hoopla is also able to appreciate Black. We exist in a couple of languages, religions and colours. The subject for this film is complex and layered, yet the fundamental principle is to communicate the story effectively, simply. There was perhaps no better communicator than Gandhi, and I have strived to capture his spirit as honestly as possible.
As this is an audience that has a desire and capability to accept films subjectwise, we do expect a wide audience for the film.

BTW

BTW, I think Darshan Jhariwala looks terrific as Gandhi too. He may make the best Indian Gandhi ever.

Akshaye n Anil on Karan's show?

From Karan's interview:

The Bachchan family, who I want on this season. I’m going to beg and plead to the Khan family. I’d love to get Javed and Shabana — lovely personalities.

I have thoughts on the music fraternity. Anil Kapoor and Akshaye Khanna; I’m bringing them together.

I don't get Indian TV, but this is a must-watch show. If you guys watch it, please post your reactions here. Also, if this show can be found on the net, please pass me the links.

Gandhi--My Father works better in English

From the website, I got to know that Mahatma Vs Gandhi was an English play. That explains why the English version works better than the Hindi version. Dialogue is the chief culprit. Hindi dialogues sound too pedantic, too textual. I have checked the trailers again. I don't think the Hindi version is a dub. More likely they were shot back to back. The scene where Akshaye meets his mother in the train station, Akshaye does it differently in English and Hindi. Akshaye's interpretation is more powerful in English than Hindi.

Again, this leads me to ask: What will be teh fate of this movie overseas? I am not an expert in Academy rules, but, if eligible, can it go all the way to Oscars? Not just in Best Foriegn Film category where I have no doubt it will represent India next year but in the mainstream categories. I know that's a distant dream but one cand ream, can't one. Akshaye, nominated for Best Actor Award ! Still, I don't want to be greedy. I will settle for a few good directors waking upto Akshaye's talent and giving him more author-backed roles like this, roles that give him enough scope to perform and grow as an actor and bring joy into our lives.

More snaps:

Gandhi--My Father website

Thank you, thank you, thank you to ther person who posted the link for Gandhi--My Father's website in the comments. It's a fantastic website, beutifully created. The website itself makes me emotional, god know, how I will survive the movie. The website is an experience in itself, so head over there. Meanwhile, I will post the snaps here.

Beautiful marriage

Strolling through the city

How great he would have been as Devdas

The downfall is complete

Naqaab pics 3

Bobby on Akshaye

From Bobby's interview:

Q: Akshaye Khanna says there is no person better than you.A: I also have same thoughts about him. The fact is, Akshaye himself is such a good person that he feels that all people around him are good. Akshaye is like my brother. To tell the truth, I feel that we both are alike and that's why we gel so nicely.

Who's the loner now?!

Vidya Balan

This is a strictly Akshaye only blog but from time to time one should take a peek at others, to relieve the monotony. I found this pic of Vidya quite nice. Hope they will be paired together in a movie soon.

Akshaye, Bobby interview

BTW, CNN-IBN has a lot of Akshaye videos. Can't believe I missed this one. If only other TV networks posted them on the net? Does anybody know how to dowload these videos though?






Here's a cute one of Akshaye and Bobby together. Akshaye is laughing for a change (in the interview)!






I like the pout on Akshaye's face!

Can't believe what the reporter was saying though. Bobby had Soldier and Gupt, both solo-starrers. Akshaye had Hulchul and Hungama, can't get more solo than those two.

Gandhi--My Father unveiled in the capital

Anil Kapoor took his entire team to Delhi to unveil his new movie. Akshaye says it's a love story between Mahatma Gandhi and his son. Akshaye also said he didn't research much for the movie, which is amazing seeing the final effect. Here's the video of the presser with both Anil and Akshaye speakig. Bhumika looks pretty.

The video.

Here's the coverage from CNN-IBN:

After Richard Attenborough's Gandhi and Shyam Benegal's Making of the Mahatma, comes Gandhi My Father.

“It’s a love story between Gandhi and his son,” says Akshaye Khanna.
Tuesday afternoon saw a presser for the film Gandhi My Father attended by the cast and crew including the first time director Feroze Abbas Khan and producer Anil Kapoor.

“When I saw the script I had to do it. I had to make the film,” says Anil Kapoor.
Anil Kapoor's plunge into production is significant in more ways that one. Its marks his debut of course but other than that, as the name suggests, it deals with Gandhi's personal life, focusing on his warped relationship with his eldest son Harilal.

Akshaye Khanna plays Harilal in the film, a role for which the actor did not have to prepare very much.

“Very few people know him, so I didn’t do that much research. I just followed Feroze,” says Akshaye.

But what made Anil Kapoor zero in on Akshaye to play Harilal in the film?
“I dint want a star quality,” says Anil.

So have the stars lived up to their producer's expectations and hopes? We'll soon find out when the film releases on August 3.

This press release is doing the rounds too:

A new Bollywood film, "Gandhi My Father", sensitively explores the personal crises in Mahatma's life and his troubled relationship with his eldest son Harilal.Directed by veteran theatre personality Feroz Abbas Khan, it is the first attempt to bring out the more humane aspects of India's most charismatic political leader whose non-violent means of protest earned India its freedom in 1947. The film will be released August 3. Previous films on the Mahatma, like Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi", Shyam Benegal's "The Making of the Mahatma" or the contemporary "Lage Raho Munnabhai" - which deals with Gandhian principles - did not go very deep into the personal life of the father of the nation."The film shows Mahatma's troubled relationship with his son Harilal. The film, without being biased to any of the characters, explores why it happened and narrates their differences which creep in when Mahatma does not allow his son to become a lawyer like him," Feroz told IANS.Anil Kapoor makes his debut as a producer in "Gandhi My Father". Darshan Jariwala stars as Mahatma Gandhi, Shefali Shah plays his wife Kasturba, Akshaye Khanna plays Harilal and Bhumika Chawla portrayes the role of Harilal's wife Gulab.The film narrates incidents in the life of the Mahatma from 1906 to 1948 and uses the then socio-political structure as its backdrop. It has been shot in two languages - Hindi and English - over a period of 100 days.Feroz believes that the film is balanced in its viewpoint."The film, I believe, has been able to play the balancing act of not portraying either Gandhiji or Harilal as the villain," he said. "We have not judged whether the characters are good or bad. The film attempts to sensitively narrate the story from Harilal's point of view. He is a son who is searching for his father."Harilal Gandhi is shown to be a person who was never afraid to voice his opinion in front of the Mahatma but was overshadowed by his father. He had at one point embraced Islam as a rebellion against his father but reconverted to Hinduism later."The film focuses on Harilal's point of view, what he thinks of having a father like the Mahatma. He is a man overshadowed by the persona of Gandhiji, who loved his family members for sure. But he loved his country much more. It was through Mahatma's personal tragedy and sacrifice that the nation won its freedom," said Feroz.He added that the women characters in the film - Kasturba and Gulab - play vital roles in highlighting the rift between father and son."The role of Kasturba is very important. The person who was caught between her absolute devotion to Gandhiji and her deep love for Harilal was Kasturba. She was right there in the middle, caught in the crossfire."Gulab believed in her husband and cared for him. But she also believed in the principles of the Mahatma. So, this film has very powerful moments with women which highlight the tension in the family."Debutant producer Anil Kapoor said he was initially very apprehensive about the sensitive subject. But he decided to take it up, he added, because the script was very powerful and it appealed to him emotionally."Taking up period films and specially with such a subject matter is always a risk but when Feroz narrated the script, I immediately agreed to take it up because it is one of the best scripts I've heard in my life," he said.

Naqaab pics 2

Naqaab pics 1

Thoughts on the Naqaab website

It's really good. It has lots of stuff on it. The graphics are kinda cool. It takes lot of time to load though and why is it not on separate domain name but attached as a pop-up to the Tips site? There are a ton of pictures and Ek Din plays in the background. They've got a new song too in the music section. Looks like it has three songs with three remixes. Looks like Akshaye has two songs while Bobby has one!

Best of all, the picture make me really curious about the movie without giving the plot away. I am usually good at spotting what the storyline is long before the movie is released but so far, I couldn't figure it out. Which is good. Becase I suspect that if Abbas-Mustan can pull of even a decent twist in the story, this movie will become a big hit.

I am reading the synopsis and Akshaye is the good guy!

"The poor young guy, out of work but full of life; the kind you see in thousands in any big city. What makes him stand out is his nervous energy, his enthusiasm towards life. He is one person you just cannot hate. Hissense of humour, wite and his instinct to survive, pulls him out of the most adverse situations that life frequently hurls on him. He takes life one day at a time, past for him is of no importance, and future is something he'd never worry about. He just cannot live by the book; even when he falls i love, it is with a girl who is about to get married in a week's time.

"He has done all kinds of jobs in life, but his main passion is to become an actor. To fulfill his dream, he takes extreme steps, steps that lead him into a web of deceit, steps that he later regrets as the story matures.

"In spite of his carefree attitude, his intelligence and character comes through in the climax of the story, a hair raising climax that will make the viewers sit on the edge of their seats."

Phew! That was not very grammatical. But it whetted my apetite for this movie ! So, Akshaye is the good guy otherwise they wouldn't be talking about his character or intelligence! And it rocks when he plays clever guys, good or evil; witness , Deewangee and Humraaz. It's only when he is supposed to look innocent and clean that he has this hangdog expression. But give him a wily guy to play and he kicks some ass!


What are you waiting for? Go and have a dekko!

Naqaab website on.

Finally, finally Tips has put up the Naqaab website and that too as a popup from Tips site. It's taking ages to load though. In the meanwhile, www.tips.in has a Naqaab banner with updated Akshaye photos in it.

In other news, it seems that the story of Naqaab originated at Tips and they brought in Abbas-Mustan to afterwards. I don't know much of Tips but after 36 Chinatown, I don't trust Abbas-Mustan's script sense either.

Akshaye in Aankhen Part 2

From Stardust:

Amitabh Bachchan, the Shehanshah of bollywood, is all set to face the perfectionist Aamir Khan in a sequel to Gaurang Doshi’s super hit ‘ Aankhen.’ The sequel will have only Big B from the original film and will include besides Aamir, Ajay Devgan, Akshaye Khanna and Upen Patel with a new director and new girls. In place of Sushmita Sen, two other girls are being considered for important roles in the film.
As a well informed source reveals, ‘ Gaurang Doshi is set to sign Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgan, Akshaye Khanna and Upen Patel for ‘ Aankhen 2’ this week. He is planning to cast Ajay Devgan in a negative role. Bachchan will be seen in the film once again. As for the girls, Sushmita might be missing. In her place, two other actresses will be seen. What’s more, the three guys won’t be blind this time.’
This time producer Gaurang Doshi has decided to make Aankhen 2 in three languages, viz, Hindi, English and Tamil. He has also replaced the director Vipul Shah, who had made the earlier version a super hit at the box office, with some other director with an advertising background. The reason behind this change is said to be fallout between the producer and the director during the making of the earlier version.
Akshay Kumar’s exclusion too has something to do with not –so- happy interaction between the producer and the actor during the making of earlier version. There was some misunderstanding between the two about chopping of some of his scenes from the movie. Perhaps due to this, Vipul Shah and Akshay Kumar teamed up in Namastey London and gave a super hit film to the industry.
In order to ensure wider reach for Aankhen 2, Gaurang Doshi has plans to rope in top notch stars from the Southern Film Industry for his Tamil version of the film. Similarly, the rights for the Englsih version have been given to Mark Johnson, who has produced films like Chronicles of Narnia, Rain Man etc. Gaurang Doshi is going to Los Angeles shortly for finalizing this arrangement for the English version.
In the original version of the film, Amitabh Bachchan had played a character that uses blind persons played by Akshay, Paresh Rawal and Arjun Rampal to rob a bank.
Let’s see what he does with Aamir this time!!

It's not likely that the film wil;l have all the stars outlined above but Aankhen was a great thriller and had great roles for all the actors even though it was a multi-starrer. Gaurang Doshi is friends with Akshaye even though their last film Deewaar didn't do well. All in all, a nice prospect for Akshaye. Go for it!

Breaking the limits

I always like to read the comments about Akshaye in many film forums. I have begun to notice that they have become more respectful towards him. They still pass narky comments but I'd say the ratio has gone down. Rediff is an example. Comments posted underneath this interview are msotly devoted to bashing or supporting Rajnikanth but they also have this very perceptive comment which I liked very much:

Although Akshaye is under-rated but he is also an over-expected actor. Though, he didn't get enough dues for his previous performances, but he is expected by many to outperform others in his league. Which is not completely true. He has limitations (less diversity), however, he pushes a different kind of intensity in his roles.

Needless to say, that also describes my attitude or described. being an obsessed fan, I always judge Akshaye's performances too strictly and find them wanting and then suddenly I come across a scene posted on youtube or a movie playing on TV and I stop and wonder, why did I miss this before and then I realise, that the first time I watch any Akshaye movie, my brain is in such a hyperactive mode that it can't register anything. As an obsessed fan, I want to see him blossom into a great artist and over the years, weighed down by my own obscenely high expectations, I gave up on him( he has always been my favorite star but I gave up the hope that he'd become a great actor and realise his potential) and that's why, his next movie is going to be sucha reproach and such a blessing-- reproach because I did give up on him and blessing, because we get to experience the magic only he can weave.

"I am very happy being an actor" : Akshaye

Rediff, gasp, Rediff, has an interview with Akshaye and it has some cool snaps too. Both are posted here. The photos are old but they have a nice clarity about them and hell, we don't need an excuse to keep posting and re-posting Akshaye's images. The interview:

Akshaye Khanna's last release Salaam-E-Ishq failed to garner expected results at the box office though his work in it was appreciated.
Now, the actor, along with Abbas-Mustan and Bobby Deol, hopes to unleash the magic of Humraaz with Naqaab.
Akshaye talks about Naqaab, and Gandhi- My Father in this freewheeling conversation, and also why he always avoids the media.

You always shy away from the media and only seem to step out when you have a film to promote. Is it because you take your films very seriously and don't consider talking about yourself as important?

I do take my work very seriously, and I am first and foremost a very dedicated actor. I am also a very shy guy so you won't find me chatting or talking that much.
Besides, I often find I'm defending myself more than talking in interviews these days. Personal questions, or accusations about delivering flops or not doing good films end up being accusatory sessions where I have to defend myself. That's why I prefer not to do interviews.

Okay, but Salaam-E-Ishq didn't actually meet expectations. Did that disappoint you?

I can't entirely say that I am not disappointed. But my work fetched me a fair share of compliments. I liked the script. As for box office fate, we can hardly control that, so no regrets.

Which brings me to Naqaab. This is your next thriller with Abbas-Mustan. What makes you work with them again and again?

Well, I am very comfortable working with Abbas-Mustan and I like watching and working on thrillers.

You will also be working with Bobby Deol once again after Humraaz.

Yeah, that was fun. Bobby is a great co-star and great fun on the sets. We click well and I think we complement other as actors.

The heroine with you guys is a new girl Urvashi Sharma. Tell us about her.

She is a very competent actor to say the least. With Abbas-Mustan, even if you are a newcomer, there's not much to worry about as they train you for the job. Plus, Urvashi has adapted herself to the many shades of the role very well. She is fresh but not raw.

Are you happy with the kind of work you're getting?

Well, I can only select the best of what I am offered. By this I don't mean to say that there are not enough good films being made in Bollywood. We are making pretty good films in the industry. It's just that I am not a writer or a director. So I can't quite decide what kind of roles I get.

>

Does that mean that someday you would want to write or direct a film?

(Pauses) I haven't given it a lot of thought. The fact remains that I am a very artless and incompetent writer. So that rules out writing. I also don't know whether I am ready for the responsibility of being a director. It is a difficult task but I'm not ruling it out, either. But as of now, I am very happy being an actor.

Come August, and you will be seen in a very big film -- Gandhi: My Father. So far, both you and your producer, Anil Kapoor, have successfully kept the film under wraps.

Gandhi: My Father is a project very close to our hearts. Anil has dedicated a lot of time and energy to this film, and so have I. It's based on the true life story of Mahatma Gandhi and the relationship he shared with his eldest son, Harilal Gandhi. What amazes me is that this country seems to know nothing at all about the relationship that Gandhiji shared with his kids! I mean we all know about Kasturba Gandhi and the Mahatma. But it's like history has forgotten his children. So we felt that this story needed to be told. It's got a universal appeal. And yes, I am quite excited about the film.

So did Will Smith really see the film?

(Smiles) He apparently did, and liked it! That's all I know.

Any other releases?

There's the other Abbas-Mustan thriller, Race with Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor and Bipasha Basu. It's almost complete and should be out by the end of this year. We will talk more about it then.

Why I am against Akshaye doing When Kiran meets Karen

Comments are always welcome on my blog. Critical comments even more so, as long as they are respectful towards my hero.

I am not against lesbian films per se; in fact, a couple of years ago there was a rumour that Akshaye was acting in a gay movie and I supported him wholeheartedly. As long as the script is written nicely and he has a good role, I wouldn't mind him doing such stuff.

I am "hostile" to this particular project because I know how these kind of movies pan out. A movie that's called When Kiran meets Karen? The title itself sounds so icky. The story is none too promising. I don't know how Akshaye would fit in such a setup.

It's irritating as it is to see him share space with lesser actors and never get credit when the movie is a hit. It's time he did more leading roles. As he does so few movies, I don't want to waste his time and mine on something that's not going leave a lasting impact. I know it won't help him commerically and it doesn't look too radical to help him get critical acclaim (gay and lesbian movies have become a staple now and how lost any novely purely as gay and lesbian movies; that leaves us with the plot and the plot here is mediocre.)

I also know that most of the so-called crossover stuff is just soo pretentious and plain boring. Except Meera Nair and Deepa Mehta I don't think anyone makes decent movies in that genre.

See, all these things go in mind, I really don't want Akshaye doing When Kiran meets Karen.

BTW, I reported the news here before the Times of India did!

They won't confirm!

Even before production can start, there's quite a lot of buzz surrounding the Hollywood film When Kiran Met Karen (WKMK). First the lesbian love story came into the limelight when Perizaad Zorabian was slated to play the role of Kiran, a well-known Bollywood actress in New York who confronts her own sexuality when she is cast opposite Karen, an American actress. Then there was news that Perizaad opted out of the film because she didn't feel comfortable with the role. After that came the announcement that US-Indian actress Purva Bedi and Lisa Ray were in the project. Now the latest on WKMK is that Abhishek Bachchan and Akshaye Khanna are slated to play important parts in the film. Not denying this bit of information is WKMK producer-director Manan Singh Katohora. "It's too early to talk, but my agent in Mumbai is doing some wonders in terms of the casting. Wait and watch," said Manan. When contacted Akshaye Khanna's spokesperson Rohini Iyer had this to say. "Akshaye gets a lot of scripts to read and this may be one of them. But as of now, he has not signed on any Hollywood project." Abhishek Bachchan was unavailable for comment.

I think, the director got really excited by the bit of info his agent gave him. I don't think either Akshaye or Abhi will be foolish enough to act in such a movie. Counting chickens before they hatch, if you ask me. But, please Akshaye, if you are thinnking of such a thing because it is 'Hollywood', drop it! The movie's title itself is cringe-inducing.

Beautiful

The posters are amazing. I like the bottom one the best. The picture on the side with half-closed eyes, it's so beautiful. Wish it had been chosen as the main picture! This is turning out to be a epochal movie event.

Akshaye in celebrity rugby match

A clutch of well-known faces will gather today afternoon at the Bombay Gymkhana, not just to sit back and chill, but to actually play a rough and tumble game of rugby. The match, which is an annual event on the Indian Rugby Football Team (IFRU) calendar, will this year see the likes of Ness Wadia, Zayed Khan, Dino Morea, Kelly Dorjee, Akshaye Khanna, Cyrus Broacha taking on the Indian Rugby team (which also includes Bollywood actor Rahul Bose).
“Celebrities from the corporate world and the film industry come together for this match to create awareness about rugby as a sport. A lot of regular people have the tendency to be easily influenced by celebrities and if it is for a good purpose like this, we have nothing to lose,” says IFRU President Pramod Khanna.
But there’s more. Guess who’ll be coming along to cheer the boys? Lara Dutta, Preity Zinta, amongst others. “Rugby is a great sport and a very fun-filled one at that and so we thought it’ll be great if we have their friends to cheer them on,” adds Khanna. So pick your team and gear up to cheer them!

Sportstar!

Akshaye to lend voice to an animation film

Hold on to your horses! It is not what you think it is. We are talking about Nikhil Advani's animation film. According to sources, Nikhil has big plans for his ambitious, big-budget animation film. If things go according to plans, actor Akshaye Khanna is all set to become ( believe it or not) a parrot from South Mumbai! And if that is not enough, Tabu will be the voice of the character playing the pivotal role - a cheetah. The film will also have a host of other big stars, who have agreed to lend their voice to Nikhil's film.

Nice idea!

It's Delhi!

Anil Kapoor has finally decided to take the lid off his debut project as a director . His hush-hush film Gandhi My Father, which portrays the troubled relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest son Harilal , will have its firstever public event in the city on Tuesday. The film has been kept away from the public glare till now. As Anil says, "There is a right time to speak about every film. My idea while making the film was to focus only on making it." But why Delhi? "I'm flagging off my film's campaign in Delhi as I think being the national capital of our country; it's just the right place. My entire team including Bhumika Chawla, Akshaye Khanna, Feroze Khan and Shefali Shah is coming down to Delhi for this gala event coming Tuesday . The film is about the father of the nation and it seems right to begin the journey of Gandhi My Father from Delhi. Even acclaimed cinematographer David McDonald is coming for the function," he says. The city was chosen over Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat, Johannesburg in South Africa and Mumbai. ANIL ON DILLI "I'm flagging off the campaign for my film Gandhi My Father in Delhi because I feel that the capital of our country is just the right place to do that.”

For a movie that has no songs and has an unconventional story line, Anil is doing a real good job. Heis leading from the front in marketing department. Akshaye's movies have suffered from poor marketing, so it's great to finally have a prodcuer who's as agog as Anil is.

Akshaye sees Gandhi--My Father with family

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel caught Anil Kapoor's GANDHI MY FATHER at a private screening recently. The amiable minister, who has several friends in the film industry, is close to Vinod Khanna, whose son plays the leading role in the Hindi-English bilingual. Actually, Akshaye had seen the English version but did not get a chance to watch the Hindi version of GANDHI MY FATHER. On a request from Akshaye Khanna for a trial show of the Hindi version, actor producer Anil Kapoor immediately arranged it. When Akshaye asked Anil if he could get family and some friends, Anil immediately agreed. And so, off went Akshaye's dad Vinod Khanna, Praful Patel and some others for the screening. While on GANDHI MY FATHER, the Hindi version has a running time of 2 hours and 8 minutes. The English version is 2 minutes shorter.

(Source : Glamsham)

Abbas-Mustan on their films, Akshaye

From Indiafm.com:

Abbas-Mustan are miffed with rumours that their latest thriller Naqaab is similar to their 2002 release Humraaz. Mustan defends, “Naqaab is a romantic thriller and does not have any similarity with Humraaz as is being speculated. It has it’s on own mystery which we have tried to solve through three prominent characters. Bobby Deol and Akshaye Khanna are in prominent roles and since WE are directing this movie people have this feeling that Humraaz and Naqaab are same. But once these three characters will be revealed onscreen, you will know what is happening, why is it happening and for what is it happening? Naqaab has shaped up totally different from Humraaz.”

The director-duo has already started working on their next film Race which happens to be their most star-studded film so far featuring Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Sameera Reddy and Anil Kapoor in lead roles. The other brother from the director duo reveals, “Race was supposed to start in January but before that Ramesh Taurani offered us Naqaab. Akshay had already committed for this project and since it was a romantic thriller Mr. Taurani wanted us to work on it. We liked the subject and decided to work on it. We had already worked with Bobby Deol and Akshaye Khanna during Humraaz and we get along well. Besides, they could manage the dates easily. We would have opted for Amisha in Naqaab but then it would have looked like Humraaz sequel. We wanted someone who didn’t have any particular image as such and whom people won’t anticipate in that role. I remember during Gupt, Kajol didn’t have any negative image but she did pull off that character so well.”

During Gupt Kajol didn’t have any negative image but she did pull off that character so well.
Speaking about their favorite actors Akshaye Khanna and Bobby Deol, Mustan says, “Our last film with Bobby was Humraaz, before that we worked in Soldier and Ajnabee and both the films were hits. I think Bobby has turned out to be good performer.” Mustan has all praise for Akshaye Khanna. He states “Akshaye is very good actor. He is playing an important role in our forthcoming film Race. This will be his fourth film with us. We have worked together and shared a good rapport with him therefore we know which role will suit him. He gives his best to every character that he plays. He is all rounder and we know he is very talented to pull off any kind of role.” Urvashi came into the picture when we were looking for a new girl and Mr. Taurani told us that he knew this girl. We met Urvashi and after talking to her we realized that she has the potential. She is a good artist.”

Abbas-Mustan’s last release 36 China Town failed on Box Office. So what went wrong with that film? “Many people blamed the climax of the film saying they didn’t like the humorous end. But we had come up with ten endings for 36 China Town before we came up with a humorous ending like this. Though audiences were disappointed by the humorous climax of 36 China Town, Naqaab will not disappoint them for sure” he quips.

Oh, that was a humurous ending. Guess we didn't know that!

Hindi preview

Here's a three minute preview of the movie. Was the movie shot in English and then dubbed in Hindi? Somehow it is not as powerful as it is in English. Akshaye's performance is still top class but somehow a notch lower than in English. I am concerned which version will be released in India.

But I am hugely excited for the English movie. It's come up really well. It is said that even Will Smith liked it. Eros thinks it's going to be a genuine crossover hit. It if it does and if the rules allow it, will Akshaye's performance reach the Academy Awards? One can dream .

First Look

Nice concept. I like the way how Akshaye's face looks haunted with that intense expression on him. I am not sure about the side locks though. Still, it captures the conflict at the centre of the drama very well.

Damn, this movie is growing exciting by the day. Who'd thought that? When it was first announced, I thought it would be a boring art movie. It so is not.

Naqaab going cold?

When the first promo hit the air, there was a huge buzz. There was a lot of talk about Ek Din trailer, chiefly because of Akshaye's salsa dance. Then, they released Ae Dil remix which I am not sure worked that well. Now, we don't have anything more for days. Music hasn't been released yet. What's happening? You can't afford to let down on marketing. Buzz about Naqaab has quieted down very well.

The New Metro-Sexual guy in Town

To the commenter who wanted Naqaab news, here you go:

He’s urbane, cool and hip, alright. But Akshaye has seldom done an image make-over, sticking to his trademark style for movies, parties, et al . We’re gonna witness a refreshing change soon though. In the Abbas-Mastan thriller , Naqaab , his stylist, Falguni Thakore insisted on refurbishing his wardrobe and has given him a totally metro-sexual look. “I’ve used a lot of metro-sexual colours - from pink and orange to yellow. Also the light fabric gives him that breezy, cool look. He has an amazing personality, so I didn’t want to make him look boyish or over-the-top. He hasn’t worn too many cargo pants on-screen before, but in this film you’ll see him sporting that. He’s the metro-sexual man of today, after all,” says the designer. Well, behind that naqaab , there’s lots to unravel in Akshoo boy...

(Filmfare)

Seriously, they should stop using the term. It's become a cliche.

Message to Falguni Pathak: Your designs aren't metrosexual, they are dumb. Only Akshaye can look good in those atrocious clothes.

Gandhi--My Father storyline

Preview from DiscoverBollywood:

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Darshan Jariwala, Bhumika Chawla, Shefali Shah
Director: Feroze Abbas Khan
Producer: Anil Kapoor
Music Director: Piyush Kanojia
Cinematography: David McDonald
Editor: Sreekar Prasad
Art Direction: Nitin Chandrakant Desai

Anil Kapoor is all set to come up with his first home production Gandhi – My Father. The film is set against the backdrop of Mahatma Gandhi and his family. Gandhiji’s presence in Hindi films has been influenced in a couple of other films which made the rounds at the box office recently. They were Lage Raho Munnabhai and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara.

Feroze Abbas Khan, a leading theatre director makes his Bollywood debut with Gandhi – My Father. The film stars Akshaye Khanna portraying the character of Harilal Gandhi, eldest son of Mohanlal Karamchand Gandhi. The plot revolves around Harilal Gandhi as he lives a life that of a compromiser. The shadows of being the son of a legend hound him and he leads his life like a beggar in the streets of India. The character of M K Gandhi is played by Darshan Jariwala. He sows the seeds of differences between his son Harilal and himself. Their father-son relationship turns sour when he denies Harilal the chance of studying law in Britain. Harilal comes back to his motherland from South Africa and decides to make it big on his own.

In an act of rebel, he gets converted to Muslim, and later reverts back to his own religion as an act of self punishment and realization. He finally breathes his last breathe in a hospital in Bombay, all alone.

The main objective of the story is to make people understand the tragedy of a great man like Gandhi who transformed the nation with his thoughts and principles but could not save his son from venturing into the darkness of miseries. The film also unfurls a personal tragedy against the racial abhorrence in South Africa and colonial humiliation in India. Gandhi remains as a person who counts his principles more than anything other object in the world.

Bhoomika Chawla plays the role of Harilal’s wife in the film, Gulab. Shefali Shah gets to portray Kasturba Gandhi. The film is expected to release in the first week of August

Initial stills from Gandhi--My Father

Here are some more stills from Gandhi--My Father (courtesy: Mid-day) I can't help but keep looking at them again and again.

The movie was made right after Hungama and Akshaye had nothing else to do for over a year. It says a lot about the state of Bollywood that a lead actor as talented and as charismatic as him should have no work for over an year. It's plain that this movie taught him a lot as an actor and he grew a lot during its making. After reaching such heights, he has been relegated to do mindless comedies like Shaadi Se Pehle and vapid romances like Aap ki Khatir.

Never mind. The movie finally gives him the stage that is commensurate to his immense talent. One can only hope that after it releases the myopic film industry will finally realise what a gem of an actor it has in its midst.

Akshaye to star in a lesbian movie?

According to IMDB.com, Akshaye and Abhishek are attached to star in a movie called When Kiran Met Karen, a crooseover movie based on lesbianism. Imdb is not always reliable and I doubt that Akshaye or Abhishek would star in a project with such a lacklustre prospects. Still, worth keeping an eye on!

Blog finds

Scouring through blogosphere, I found some interesting tidbits about our favorite hero.

Aksahye lives with his brother Rahul in a house called Sumangal. Click here to find a picture of the house. Honestly, I couldn't make out which one was Akshaye's house.

Click here to find a great description of Akshaye's smile. Some really nice caps of Akshaye on this site.

Beth loves Bollywood has made Akshaye her FPMBF.

Akshaye n Anil introduce Gandhi--My Father

Thanks to a great commenter here for this wonderful tip. Akshaye and Anil introducing their baby together at IIFA. Also, presenting an award to the best actor. The video is of low quality and Akshaye as usual looks very serious.

Akshaye at celebrity cricket match

Choksi donated a 6,000 diamond-encrusted cricket ball set in 82.2 gm gold towards charity amidst thundering applause.
Mehul Choksi, Chairman, Gitanjali Jewels, can very well change the adage 'heart of gold' to 'heart of diamonds' with his large heartedness and penchant for throwing glittering bashes, be it in India or Leeds, Yorkshire. The non-stop partying began with him visiting a museum having Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's photographs with none other than Ash herself. Then the party moved onto the cricket field with a celebrity match played by Bollywood stars, Saif Ali Khan being a clear favourite. Amongst the spectators were Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan and Ash and Shilpa Shetty. Choksi donated a 6,000 diamond-encrusted cricket ball set in 82.2 gm gold towards charity amidst thundering applause. What else can be expected from the diamond czar but a diamond ball? Salman Khan, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna enjoyed the match. There was a lot of excitement later on for the evening bash to celebrate Shilpa Shetty's birthday at Victoria Quarters. "I decided to throw a birthday party for Shilpa here in Leeds as she is now almost a citizen of the UK given her popularity and fame," said Choksi. The party was smash hit with him gifting a necklace to Shilpa as a birthday present. Shilpa was very moved by his gesture and thanked him and the people of Yorkshire for making her birthday an extra special one. Shilpa's parents were there too to celebrate their daughter's birthday. The party had most of Bollywood's stars present.

He usually doesn't like cricket but must be having fun with new friend Salman.

Kangana finds Akshaye hot

“It was like one of those delayed reactions. Only now I realise how close I was to death,” Kangana trembles at the memory. On Monday morning Kangana and a host of Bollywood’s dignitaries including Shiamak Davar and his dance troupe were aboard a flight bringing them back from an Bollywood award event held in Yorkshire. Shudders Kangana, “The flight back to Mumbai was via Delhi. We landed in Delhi in the morning. Immediately after take-off from Mumbai the aircraft started to act funny, and it was brought back to Delhi. We were told to disembark. But nobody was in the mood. Look, we had all been out of the country at a hectic event, performing, giving and receiving awards, sightseeing, dancing. Everyone just wanted to get home. I had my sister Rangoli waiting for me. I badly wanted to see her.” After all the passengers were forced to disembark some of the Bollywood passengers objected strongly. Says Kangana, “After four hours of delay we were finally put back on the same aircraft and brought to Mumbai. The funniest thing was even when I was on my way to Yorkshire our flight got delayed because of a snag. I wonder if I carry snags with me when I fly,” she jokes. Kangana had a ball in Yorkshire. She’s back to a truck load of rumours. “I’m supposed to have badmouthed Aamir Khan and I’m supposed to be seeing an Akshay from the industry. Will someone tell me if it’s Akshaye Khanna or Akshay Kumar? I find both very hot.”

Add one more in AK's chick register. Attagirl!

Akshaye on CNN-IBN

He is reticent in person but always plays flamboyant characters in his films. Akshaye Khanna is back with the thriller Naqaab. But this is also the year when his hush hush mega project Gandhi, My Father will release. He spoke to CNN-IBN correspondent Archita Kashyap about all this and a future career plan.

CNN-IBN: Your character sketch in Naqaab says that it’s about a normal boy but the film is about abnormal circumstances. And it’s a thriller again. You have a fondness for playing these kind of roles in thrillers?

Akshaye Khanna: I particularly enjoy watching thrillers. I love thrillers as an audience. But I have tried and to a certain extent I have succeeded in such films. I mean I have to choose from whatever I am offered.

CNN-IBN: Does it mean that there a dearth of good roles in Bollywood today?

Akshaye Khanna: No, not at all. When I say from what I am offered, what I mean is that I am not a writer or a director, so I don’t get to do my own scripts. I have to depend on other people to write them for me.

CNN-IBN: Does it inspire you to someday direct or write a movie yourself?

Akshaye Khanna: No, at least now I don’t think I am ready to take on that kind of responsibility. It’s a huge responsibility to be a director and I am not a naturally gifted writer. So, that is out of the question. It’s unlikely but I am not ruling direction out.

CNN-IBN: There is a much talked about film called Gandhi, My Father and you are associated with that film. Now, there is a non-disclosure agreement regarding the film but do tell us something about it.

Akshaye Khanna: Gandhi, My Father is releasing in August. It’s a film that is extremely close to all those who have worked on it. It’s the story of the relationship that Mahatma Gandhi shared with his eldest son, Hari Lal Gandhi. It’s an emotional film that deals with a sensitive topic.
CNN-IBN: Thank you so much for talking to us and all the best with your films.

Akshaye Khanna: Thank you.

He looks quite fit and raring to go. Attaboy!

Here's the video.

Akshaye at IIFA

These two are becoming a couple now but Akshaye is looking like a million bucks!