Saturday, April 26, 2008

MBPA completed in secrecy

After an action entertainer RACE, Akshaye Khanna would be seen again in a family comedy, courtesy Priyadarshan with whom he reunites for MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP.

The film was started and completed without much hype and now as MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP is aiming for a release in the month of June, its promotion has kick started. But why this secrecy around the project? When most films tom-tom about everything from pre-production to shooting tid-bits to any trivial thing related to the making of the film, how come MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP escape the media eye?

"That's because this is the way Priyan sir loves to operate", says a close associate of Priyadarshan, "He doesn't want people to be knowing so much about his films way in advance that it looses it's charm once it hits the screens. He wants audience to explore his films by themselves on the screen rather than reading or seeing too much about it in newspaper, magazines or news/music channels. This is why the film has been intentionally completed in secrecy."

Starring Paresh Rawal as Akshaye Khanna's 'baap', the film features Genelia D' Souza as Akshaye's leading lady. The film also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Shobhana, Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi and Archana Puran Singh.

(Glamsham)

Friday, April 25, 2008

Movie website

Here's the website of MBPA.

Saif or Akshaye?

Hey, now that Tashan has flopped horribly, I wonder what happened to all those people who claimed Race was a hit because of Saif. Apparently, as in Race, Saif is largely secondary in Tashan as well. How come if he is such a big star he can't make Tashan get a decent initial even with bigger stars in it? And let's not forget that Saif had a record bad year last year.

OK. Race did not become a hit solely because of Akshaye. It worked because it was a relatively well-made movie. There were a number of stars who colelctively brought people into theatres( and remember saif starrers all bombed last year) but after the people come to theatre, you need to have a decent product to keep them there. Which Race was. Now what worked in the movie? And which star has had the biggest weight to carry? Among males, it is undoubtedly Akshaye.

Yes, his performance his wanting when compared to his usual high standards but he's far better than the rest of the cast. He was there throughout the movie, while Saif is barely there in the second half. So, if the interest of the audience was kept up, it was largely due to his performance. Crediting Saif in Race is like saying Bipasha had dnothing to do with the movie but Sameera somehow does.

Yeah, Saif may have greater exposure but once you see the film it's clear it was Akshaye who did the heavylifting. So, will people start admitting to Akshaye's star power?

BTW, whenever there are a coupe of stars in a movie, you immediately have a proxy fight going on in the media, a bunch of stories about which star gets the max credit, with each star's camp pushing himself or herself. Nothing wrong with that. It's how the game is played in bollywood. So far, you didn't get too many stories of those type for Akshaye. It's because he doesn't use media to push his star status. He does his job, goes home and enjoys his life. Couldn't care less less about what media think about him. I know some of us are slightly exasparated with him about that but that's our Akshaye.

MBPA stills






I got these from Indiafm forum. Also posting Shobana pic. She's a great actress, hope she and Akshaye have are in a lot of scenes together.

Akshaye talks about Shortcut

After playing a cunning conspiring step-brother in ‘Race’, Bollywood’s bad guy Akshaye Khanna has turned in to a director for his upcoming movie.

But wait …Akshaye is not directing the movie but is playing the role of a director in the film. Shooting in Bangkok for Neeraj Vors’s ‘Shortcut’, the actor talks about the roles that get his heart racing.

Akshay who is a favourite with the director duo, Abbas Mastan, says that he absolutely enjoys working with the duo.

‘They give me the freedom to make the best use of my space as an actor. They`ve tremendous trust in me. Somehow they like nine out of my 10 suggestions. They allow me to improvise quite a lot.”

Not willing to divulge much about his current projects, the actor said, “ Vora’s film has a lot of theatre actors. It`s a character-based energetic film. I like doing energetic films.”

The movie shall see Amrita Rao as playing the lead opposite Akshaye, while Arshad Warsi will play a `bad` actor in the movie, which is set on the daily patterns of the film industry

When asked about his equation with his co-actors in ‘Race’, the actor went all smiles and said, ”Race isn`t the first multi-starrer I`ve done. It`s never easy to find proper space for all the actors in a cluttered cast. But there was no such problem in Race.”

Setting aside rumours of ego-hassles between him and Saif Ali Khan, the actor stated that he shared a pretty good rapport with all his co-stars. “Saif and I had a fantastic time during `Dil Chahta Hai`. And let`s not forget Saif and I also spent a lot of time together during J.P. Dutta`s `LOC`. In `Dil Chahta Hai`, we were buddies. In `Race`, we`re brothers but battling constantly. But I had never worked with all the three girls - Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy.”

Looks like a rehash of an old story.

Scandal Rag

OK, I'm not posting these stories from Midday or the pics. I think it's quite disrespectful. The guy had a night out, so what? Everyone does. It's not a big crime.
I am seriously thinking of pulling down the post below and I don't like the harsh tone of the comments either.

Yeah, I know drinking too much affects both his health and looks and I hope he does less n less of it. But, as fans we should be standing up for him, not be judgmental.

I am so angry with Midday for publishing those private pics when he wasn't feeling good, especially October ones. That's paparazzi journalism at its worst.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Magic Club Party







Personal touch

Actor Akshaye Khanna is in high spirits these days. We hear he is so pleased with the way his next release – Mere Baap Pehle Aap – has turned out, that he is now paying personal attention to the promotions and all.

Akshaye has taken time out to sit down with the design team, has conducted brainstorming sessions and given briefs as to what the first promo of the film should look like. Will his 'personal touch' be the Midas touch and help the producers make some big bucks at the box office? Let's hope so.

(Filmfare)

Glad he's invloved and hope he makes them avoid debacles like the first still they released.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Akshaye stands on his ground

After working together with films like Humraaz, 36 China Town, Naqaab and the recent box-office success Race, one would think Akshaye Khanna was a favourite of Abbas Mustan. Think again! When the director duo approached Akshaye to do a film for them as producers they were in shock. The star demanded fees of six Crores from the makers.

When the makers asked him to reduce the fees considering their long association, Akshaye replied that he would gladly reduced the fees if the duo were directing it but since a newcomer is directing the film he won't reduce the fees.

(Bollyvista)

Go Akshoo!

Let the truth be told


Akshaye has finished off that alien impostor who was trying to fool the world by passing off as Akshaye. Akshaye is back!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Why Akshaye is so sexy?

An attempt to therorise about the self-evident mystery. But if anyone can try, the French can. Thanks Beth for the tip

I especially like this bit:

What I especially enjoy is the connection that is made between “the teen-idol façade” and “the soul of a thinking man”: it’s the same contrast that we find between “moving comfortably and gracefully” and “in his own mystique”. Here’s an actor that makes people – fans, reviewers, whoever – read his attractive exterior appearance as a sign of a deeper interior. Quite a feat, because in the Bollywood mainstream culture of today, you normally have to fight to convince your audience that there is something behind your pretty face (or other parts). Somehow, you’re often the victim of the superficiality that you’re earnestly trying to avoid. Well, look, one guy at least just steps in, and everybody eyes him with envy: “Ooooh, he looks deep, he’s mystical, elusive”. (Hope you don’t mind all this Akshaye).

There’s something in hairy virility which just exudes what they call “magnetism”. To me there’s another word for that magnetism – pheromones. Now even though you can’t smell them through the internet, or on the screen, there are many ways to suggest they’re there! And probably Akshaye has them naturally! But there you go: a pleasing smile (warmth), twinkling eyes (intelligence), and strong jaws (sexuality), all this can easily be sublimated into charisma, mysticism and what have you. The stronger you suggest a distance between nature, or instinct, and a charming gallantry, the more exciting it is! Because in between lies the chasm of adventure and transgression which we feel is so important.

Start Dreaming

BTW, since I've let off all my steam about the first pic, can I say that it's after a long,long time that we are seeing Akshaye in a solo movie? How many years after are we seeing the first pic of a movie having only Akshaye in it? Sign of things to come?

Now that's more like it!






The first one with Genelia is quite nice. The others are ok. Looks like they picked a gaudy theme for the song with Paresh.

Now whoever is the publicity guy who picked the first pic, he should be shot. He nearly sent me into a depression.That was a very bad pic in a very bad angle. How could they use that!

Akshaye is lookin damn fine. Everythin is fine with the world!

Akshaye cures me!

You know how dejected I was on seeing MBPA first pic. To get over it I started surfing net and I stumbled on this magnificent photoshoot of Akshaye. I don't know when it's from but I think it's fairly recent (I'm also including an old pic I never saw). This is a hint of what I have in mind when it comes to Akshaye, this is what I have in mind whenever I go off a rant about his look and styling(in movies or pics). Frankly, I think only one photoshoot has ever done complete justice to him and that was the Filmfare Classic one but this comes close. Just see how damn sexy he is in his natural state. Who kidnapped our Akshaye and put an alien in his place? I want to know.









I am healed, though not reconciled to MBPA yet!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Why Akshaye why?



Oh God! Where to begin? That yellow! And that hairstyle! If this is disturbing to even his most loyal fans, what should ordinary audiences think? Why are they trying to make him a Govinda II when he so obviously his not and cannot be! He is a Cary Grant-Errol Flynn type of guy. When will the dimwit bollywood directors realise that?

But my biggest worry is the story itself. Based on the first look, it looks as if Priyadarshan is on to rehashing his old staples yet again. Hopefully, the rest will be better than this.

If they want the movie to work, they better replace this still with something else. Quickly!

More on MBPA

view HULCHUL movie stills

view HULCHUL movie stills
What a strange co-incidence this is that Priyadarshan has proved to be very lucky for two very diverse actors, both of whom have similar sounding first names (except for an extra 'e'!). Yes, we are talking about top star Akshay Kumar and top actor Akshaye Khanna. They both have given a sizeable number of successful films with Priyadarshan.

While enough has been said and written about the Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan combo, let us check out the non stop success record of the Akshaye Khanna and Priyadarshan team. Though they started with the critically acclaimed DOLI SAJA KE RAKHNA in 1998, it was in 2003 that Akshaye Khanna and Priyadarshan created HUNGAMA at the box-office. The very next year they again caused HULCHUL at the ticket window.

With the big success of RACE behind him, a rejuvenated Akshaye Khanna is looking forward to a hattrick of success with Priyadarshan. The project in question is the June release, MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP, which is a typical Priyadarshan comic caper. An added attraction of the movie is that a major portion of the film has been shot on the world famous tourist attraction, the exotic backwaters of Kerala.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Akshaye attends a friend's bday party

Akshaye Khanna has been so busy shooting of late in Bangkok that it almost seemed like he’s gone off the circuit. Except for a tiny reminder in the recently released Race where he’s packed in a good show. He’s been in Thailand for over a month and will be stationed there till April 20 till the schedule of ShortKut doesn’t get over.

The actor flew down to Mumbai to celebrate a friend’s birthday last weekend and he had a blast at a plush restaurant, The Dome on Marine Drive along with a bunch of his pals. The lucky friend in question was Anmol Mehta, diamond merchant Shekhar Mehta’s son, more famous in the recent past for his allegedly torrid affair with the sexy Urmila Matondkar. But all that’s history now and he was seen having a good time with the boys.

(Maxabout)

Another Akshaye movie rumour

Though Samir Karnik is providing final touches to Heroes starring Salman Khan, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol and Preity Zinta, the director has been signed by Halla Bol producer Abdol Siddiqui for his next.

Hawayein remake

According to a source, “The makers have already got a bunch of actors to feature in the film. Bobby Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Amrita Rao, Soha Ali Khan, Sunil Shetty, Dino Morea, Tabu and Vatsal Seth have been cast. The makers plan to add a few more later.”

It is learnt that the film has the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination as the backdrop. The plot revolves around four couples who are caught in the crossfire.

Adds the source, “It is inspired by Ammtoje Mann’s Hawayein (2003). The film dealt with a sensitive subject but due to the lack of stars, it did not do well. The makers feel that bigger names can make the subject come alive again.”

Strangely, Karnik denies being a part of the project. He says, “I haven’t been approached by the producer and nor have we got any actors on board.

I am busy with the post-production of Heroes and I will then make a film for Sunny Deol’s home production and one for Zee Films. The producer is merely using my name to build his brand.”

However, Siddiqui insists, “I have signed Samir for the project which we will roll soon. The story is also in place.”

The source further adds, “Samir Karnik has also been issued a signing amount.”

(Mid-Day)

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Oh, How I love him!

A great video tribute to Akshaye from Race here:


Thanks for making the video.

A small qubbile. I think it missed the cutest moment in Race which occurs in Pehli Nazar song when Akshaye pulls that fashion designer off the stage and sashays Bipasha on the ramp. Still, a great video tribute. Thanks. You Rock!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Sober thought

We have just two more Akshaye movies this year and he hasn't signed any new ones. It's gonna be one long year.

Race tribute

A short sweet video for the weekend.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Fardeen replaces AK

It looks like Akshaye Khanna is getting too big for his boots. Akshaye, who was Rumi Jaffrey's first choice for his upcoming film was dropped from the project when he asked for a whopping fee.

The film which is being produced by Abbas-Mustan will now have Fardeen Khan in Akshaye's place. A source says, 'Fardeen is very happy with the film since he hasn't signed up for a film for a long time. He was very busy attending to his father Feroz Khan who was recuperating from a knee problem.'

Akshaye, who is an Abbas Mustan favourite seems to have been replaced too speedily by Fardeen. The film will also star Govinda who is on a film signing spree after his comeback vehicle Partner. Meanwhile, Jaffrey is completing his directorial venture, God Tussi Great Ho with Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan.

Akshaye has a huge hit, so what do you expect him to do? Decrease his fees?

I'm glad he isn't doing Life Partner ( it sounds so downmarket) and it's good Fardeen replaced him as he replaced Fardeen in Race.

Race grosses over 90 crores in 2 weeks!

Tips Films’ latest flick Race has totted Rs 900 million (Rs 90 crores) worldwide.

In India, the film has grossed approximately Rs 700 million (Rs 70 crores); whereas in the UK and US, the film has collected Rs 100+ million (Rs 10+ crores).

In its first week, the film has collected $1,184,265 (Rs 47,340,991) from 96 screens in the US; whereas in the second week it collected $241,938.

On the other hand, in the UK, Race grossed £687,415 (Rs 54,765,066) from 45 screens.

Apart from the US and UK, the movie has raked in another Rs 100 million (Rs 10 crores) from overseas markets like the UAE, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand amongst others.

The film, which stars Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy, has been distributed by UTV Motion Pictures. Race is directed by Abbas Mustan.

The film released worldwide with more than 1250 prints. It is being screened across 1300 screens in India, of which 450 are digitals. In the overseas market, it released almost in 300 screens with 56 in UK, 118 in the US, 30 in the Gulf, 14 in Australia and the balance in the rest of the world. In Pakistan, Race released with 15 prints across nine cities including Lahore, Karachi and Hyderabad.

Race international reviews

action-thriller lark about two wealthy step-brothers who engage in a protracted game of murder, revenge and deceit over women and a large chunk of insurance money.

The horse racing scene in Durban, South Africa serves as the contemporary backdrop, though the foreground is chiefly made up of lavish apartments, ridiculously beautiful women, fast cars and fireballs.

The wildly paced story involves the debt-laden elder brother Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan) who tries to get his alcoholic sibling Rajiv (Akshaye Khanna) to straighten out his life by marrying his friend Sonia (Bipasha Basu). She, of course, has eyes for Ranvir, as does his PA Sophia (Katrina Kaif), so things have that reassuring ring of emotionally complicated melodrama right from the get-go.

But even before any vows are exchanged, an intricately plotted and marvelously devious tangle of schemes, double-crosses, triple-crosses and even quadruple crosses (!) begins to unravel at a clip that is so unrelenting it actually becomes self-consciously funny.

There's plenty of high-quality action involving expensive vehicles that have a tendency to flip over several times before exploding while the increasingly whacky story has more twists in it than an over-priced packet of Twisties.

Yet as crazy and improbable as the plot gets there's not a single hole in it, with every one of about a hundred loose ends being ingeniously tied up by final credits, so kudos to screenwriter Shiraz Ahmed.

Gun Bollywood directors Abbas Alibhai Burmawalla & Mastan Alibhai Burmawalla - aka Abbas-Mastan, as credited on screen - compose their high-octane widescreen adventure like a glossy postcard with ADD and stage their many elaborate song-and-dance numbers with equal amounts of sexual energy and plot exposition.

As is often the case with the casts of so many Bollywood films the women all look like goddesses and the guys all look like escapees from a help desk cubicle. Here they bring an exhuberant, trashy energy to their performances, which, despite the subtitles, contains a surprising amount of English dialogue sprinkled in amidst the Hindi - and it's fascinating to see how the English tends to pop up when a major character or plot point is being punched.

Please note: with the 20-minute intermission you'll be in the cinema with this prime piece of B-grade entertainment for a solid three hours, so be sure to take enough Twisties and samosas in with you.

(The Age)

Thriller helming duo Abbas-Mustan go for the max in "Race," a high-octane, star-driven murder mystery with more twists than a pretzel. South African-set yarn, centered on two scheming brothers and the equally scheming dame in their lives, delivers solid, brainless entertainment thanks to a precision-built script and performances that are all in the same key. Pic has been doing robust biz since March 21 release.
As well as adopting the hard-driven, techno-rock style (in both visuals and music) now fashionable in Bollywood actioners, the pic (scripted by Abbas-Mustan regular Shiraz Ahmed) makes their 2002 double-crosser, "Humraaz," which also starred Akshaye Khanna, look genteel by comparison. In its second half, pic sometimes seems to exist only as an excuse for another plot or character reversal, though at the end of the day, it does all logically -- if implausibly -- make sense.
Opening with a tautly staged car crash that's only explained later, story intros Ranvir Singh (Saif Ali Khan), the super-wealthy owner of a stud farm in Durban, South Africa, and his alcoholic, sybaritic brother, Rajiv (Khanna). Ranvir, who gets off on extreme sports, is so ruthless that when he learns one of his jockeys has accepted a bribe, he simply kills him.
However, when Rajiv falls for Ranvir's super-glam g.f., Sonia (Bipasha Basu), Ranvir doesn't seem worried, and even lets the couple marry. In fact, the marriage is a business arrangement: Rajiv and Sonia plan to push Ranvir off the 21st floor of his office building and collect $100 million under a double-indemnity accident clause.
That's just the beginning of a serpentine yarn that also entangles Ranvir's devoted secretary Sophia (Katrina Kaif) and even suspicious investigating cop Robert D'Costa (vet Anil Kapoor).
Despite a small core of five main characters, and an initially straightforward murder plot, Ahmed's script comes up with a whole string of hidden wrinkles to completely undermine what the viewer took for real in part one. Even small details, like Ranvir's taste for death-defying sports, become important plot points, mitigating the sheer outrageousness of several developments.
Khan, who hardly ever disappoints nowadays, is fine as the lizard-like Ranvir, but it's Khanna, often little more than beefcake in his movies, whose performance really takes on some depth. Kapoor, who doesn't even appear until just before the intermission, adds some welcome humor, though his repartee with his dumb female assistant (Sameera Reddy) doesn't really work. Basu and Kaif are nicely balanced as vamp and plain Jane, respectively.
Lensing by Abbas-Mustan regular Ravi Yadav is top-notch, and visual effects ditto. Five hard-driven musical numbers, including the pumpy title one, keep the heat high, though Basu clearly can't dance. Pic is wholly set in South Africa but some (desert) scenes were shot in Dubai.

(Variety)

Friday, April 4, 2008

Race Success Party

Was Akshaye there?

No, he wasn't.