MBPA released on DVD

Shemaroo Entertainment has released the home production film Mere Baap Pehle Aap on home video. Directed by Priyadarshan, Mere Baap Pehle Aap is a comedy flick.

While the VCD of the film is priced at Rs 99, the DVD will be retailed at Rs 299.

This movie portrays unconventional father-son relationship, played by Paresh Rawal and Akshaye Khanna.

Archana Puran Singh, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Shobana, Genelia D’Souza, Rajpal Yadav and Manoj Joshi also have played important characters in the film.

The DVD includes bonus content such as the making of the film, deleted scenes from the film and the promotional video ‘Mere Baap Pehle Aap.’

Thank you, Filmfare!

He might come across as another surprise on the list. Not much has been written about Akshaye Khanna though a lot has been seen and heard about him. Akshaye had a big hit with Race where he repeated the negative act in Abbas-Mustan film with finesse. Add to that he is the only actor to have an additional film on his list that met with average to above average success – Mere Baap Pehle Aap .

(Filmfare)

Akshaye has had a very good year so far box-office wise, much better than many bigger stars and this is the first time a film mag even mentions it.

Shortcut to release on Dec 19th

Tentative schedule here.

Akshaye n Sush

A great pairing, limited only to this cover.

Please send me more such links/ scans if you have any. I'd love to post any magazine covers of Akshaye paired with an actress.

Kudrat

I am bored of having no new news of Akshaye to post here. So, to make up, go and see these lovely caps Beth took from Kudrat. Wish I was as good at taking screen caps. I suck at it.

Coming to Kudrat. I saw the movie only once. That too on TV! I don't possess the DVD either. I know the movie was horrible and yet another daddy fixation story, this time, Akshaye plays both dad and son! But these pics made me realise how wonderful Akshaye was when he first appeared on screen. I want to go back there. Himalay Putra, Border, Mohabbat, Kudrat and Doli Sajake Rakhna. They maybe awful movies but they are still special because they featured a young actor so radiant and so special.

The Perils of Film Industry

Thank God, Akshaye escaped from such a travesty.

Akshaye gets caught up in Salman-Shahrukh fight?

Katrina Kaif's birthday party has sparked off furious activity (and we're speaking literally) at Mannat and Galaxy Apartments. The showdown between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan has snowballed into a regular camp war, casting its effects across Bollywood. Both Khans are furious, their supporters are worried.

The industry is already taking sides. SRK's supporters camped at Mannat the whole day yesterday, discussing the incident and its fallouts. Sajid Khan and writer Mustaq Sheikh were the first to arrive. Then the calls started coming in. Farhan Akhtar called to offer support, so did Javed Akhtar. Arjun Rampal and Karan Johar made it clear that they were on his side. Kunal Kohli called SRK too. Yash Chopra called to enquire what exactly had happened, making it clear where the loyalty of Yash Raj Films lies.

Meanwhile, At Salman's place too the supporters and supportive calls streamed in. Kapoor called to commiserate with Salman. So did Fardeen and Zayed Khan. Kareena Kapoor called Sallu too. Akshaye Khanna called and tried to cheer him up. Govinda's support is obvious for Sallu, he didn't even need to call. Sajid Nadiadwala is away in Los Angeles, so probably unaware that everyone is indulging in a show of support.

Aamir Khan's well-meaning efforts seem to have been in vain. The industry is abuzz with the feeling that this is the end of the road for the Salman-Shah Rukh relationship. Neither of them is in any mood to relent.

(Mumbai Mirror)
Didn't know Akshaye belonged to Salmaan camp. Stay neutral, Akshaye, as always.

Akshaye's love interests

The goss about Akshaye seeing Urvashi made me think. It fits a pattern. He is always sweet on newcomers. He was hot with Riya Sen and she had had first film with Akshaye, he was rumoured to be sweet on Jyothika and she debuted opposite him and now Urvashi, who needless to say starred opposite him in her first movie. Does he like to play Prof.Higgins to every new Eliza Doolittle or what?

Akshaye n Urvashi paired again?

From this blog:

Akshaye Khanna has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently. But there’s something that might cheer him up now. He has signed a film with his on-off girlfriend Urvashi Sharma and the two will be thrown in each other’s company for three months in New York. Urvashi who was once touted as a name to watch out for, after signing an eight-film contract with Tips, went underground after the debacle of Naqaab. After a year’s gap, she is back to Mumbai and work has come to her instantly. Initially the producers were circumspect about asking Akshaye to play the main lead opposite her, and were thinking of launching a newcomer. But when Akshaye heard the script he was more than willing to be a part of the project, and had no issues with working with her.

Let the speculation begin!

Fan reaction

Akshaye Khanna pulled off a beauty there

More dope on Voice from the Sky

Who would ever forget Akshaye Khanna's memorable performance in Farhan Akhtar's immensely successful directorial debut DIL CHAHTA HAI?

And now as per the latest buzz the two are all set to bond once again with the forthcoming venture VOICES FROM THE SKY, an unusual film about the evolution of telecommunication system. Farhan had announced about this project quite sometime back and was considering Saif Ali Khan for the movie. But for some reasons Saif couldn't be a part of it and ultimately Farhan finalized Akshaye Khanna. When Akshaye heard about the script he was so kicked off by the character that he immediately gave his nod to Farhan. Farhan is looking forward to begin the shooting by the year end.

Meanwhile he is busy with the promotion of his upcoming film ROCK ON!! as a debutant actor which is set to hit the screens in coming August.

(Glamsham)

One Way ticket: Akshaye's new movie

Another comedy from the stable of Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd will be Neeraj Vora's RUN BHOLA RUN casting Govinda, Tusshar Kapoor, Tanushree Dutta & Amisha Patel. Not just this, Neeraj Vora will be once again directing another laughathon titled ONE WAY TICKET starring Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna & two more Heroines

(Glamsham)

I am glad he's got on board with Astavinayak. I was always wondering why he wasn't signed up by more corporate biggies out there.

Keep signing more movies, Akshoo. Way to go!

Bollywood dreamboat

Looks like Vancouver has some great fans of Akshaye. I like what they call him. "Bollywood dreamboat." Also, found this review:

When I first saw Akshaye Khanna in a Bollywood film at a friend's place, I was smitten. The photogenic star was definitely good looking, but I was also attracted to the depth, sensitivity, and intelligence he projected on screen that was different from other Bollywood actors I'd seen.

So when I found out he was starring in Gandhi, My Father which is playing at the Granville 7 (which still has one of the cheapest prices in town for a first run film at $7), I was eager to see how he fared in the complex and challenging role of Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's eldest son, who suffered in the shadow of his famous father.

(Even Will Smith was impressed by the film.)

This biopic informs us that Harilal often wanted an education so he could become a barrister like his father. But his father had other plans for him, such as enlisting him in his passive resistance campaigns which began in South Africa.

Due to his lack of proper schooling and repeated entrance exam failures, Harilal developed a chain of problems that increased as he grew older. His inability to secure a job resulted in a number of debts. His relations with his family, including his wife (endearingly played by Bhumika Chawla) and children, became progressively strained. His turn to drink for escape resulted in alcoholism that worsened and compounded his difficulties.

Tragically, he ended up wandering the streets as a beggar. The irony that his father, who led his nation to independence, could not help his own son with his personal struggles resonates throughout the film.

The film is blessed with gorgeous cinematography, including vibrant scenes of Hindu ceremonies. The pacing suffers from an awkward sluggishness that eventually resolves as the weight of the story gains greater momentum.

Khanna turns in a thoughtful performance, though at times he does tend towards overacting. Darshan Jariwala is convincing as Mahatma Gandhi, who seems utterly perplexed and impotent to help his floundering son, even though some of his own strict decisions led to his demise.

Though many public personas often have troubled relationships in their personal lives, it seems irreconcilable that such a compassionate figure as Mahatma, who reached out to innumerous lives, could not figure out how to aid a life so close to him.

(Straight)

Farhan on Akshaye

We have roped in Akshaye for the role because I feel he can really do justice to the character as well as the film. I have known Akshaye for a long time now and I think he is a very talented actor

Premiere pics

BTW, are there any pics out there of Jaane tu Jaane Na premiere with Akshoo in them? Please post the links below if you find any.

Akshaye is a very close friend: Aamir

At Jaane Tu's premiere you patched up with lot of people from Ram Gopal Varma to Akshaye Khanna. Is this your way of building bridges?

Akshaye? Not at all. He's a very close friend of mine. And no, I am not on a bridge-building spree because I don't think I need to build any bridges if I have any problems with anyone in the industry.

(One India)

That should take care of the 'former foes' meme

MBPA, Akshaye's biggest solo hit!

As expected MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP has taken a fall and though it is bad, it is not catastrophic enough to result in it's investors turning panicky! With a 65% drop, the film still managed to earn 5 crores more which enabled the film to cross the respectable 20 crores mark. This makes the film as the biggest ever solo success for Akshaye Khanna when it comes to sheer collections. The film earned close to 90 lakhs in Mumbai while Delhi stood at 60 lakhs.

If one looks at Akshaye's films from the past, all of his successes so far have been multistarrers and this is for the first time that Akshaye has pulled audience by itself (though coming together of Priyan and Paresh Rawal along with him did help in a big way). Also for prouders Shemaroo, it is time to smile after GHATHOKACH being their latest box office failure. Still, in spite of face saving numbers enabling MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP to earn an average tag for itself, these are warning signs for Priyadarshan who must certainly have realized by now that there are obvious threats of his magic fading away!


(indiaglitz)

Akshaye to campaign for PETA

A campaign seeking the complete ban on the use of bullocks to pull heavy oil carts spearheaded by animal rights organisation has drawn support from leading Bollywood actors.

Akshaye Khanna, Rahul Khanna, Raveena Tandon, Eesha Koppikar and Arjun Rampal are leading the plea campaign by animal welfare body PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) to the Controller of Rationing to discontinue the practice of using bullocks.

"Forcing these neglected and abused bullocks to pull oil tankers through city streets is outdated and cruel", said PETA India's Chief Functionary Anuradha Sawhney. "Along with our many celebrity friends and the oil companies themselves, we're calling on the controller of rationing to stop such blatant abuse at once," she said.

The bullocks are forced to stand long hours in extreme weather without adequate food or water, on the main street opposite the Sewree Railway Station. The injured and sick animals are forced to continue pulling heavy kerosene tankers and are often kept in miserable and unhygienic conditions tethered on heaps of dung urine and muck, officials of PETA said.

According to PETA, Justice C S Dharmadhikari (Retd. Judge of the Bombay High Court), the chairman of the Committee to Monitor Animal Welfare Laws in Maharashtra, has asked the controller about the course of action he plans to take to bring relief to the animals.

"Even oil companies have issued letters to the controller of rationing through the Maharashtra state level coordinator, R K Panda of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., asking for bullock-pulled oil carts to be discontinued," PETA officials said.

Torn Jeans

Femme Fatale

The woman who ruined Akshaye's look is out to runi his look again in Shortcut:

The IPL season is over and Ameira Punvani is busy dressing up Bollywood that is content with films and does not care whether Shoaib Akhtar would bowl again or not, but the 20-something costume designer still has not got over her encounters with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Of late, she has done the crazy costumes of Akshaye Khanna in a few songs in Priyadarshan’s latest comic caper Mere Baap Pehle Aap and work is in full swing for Neeraj Vohra’s forthcoming film Shortkut that stars again Khanna and Amrita Rao. “Everybody says Akshaye is moody, but he was a pleasure to work with. I really had a good time working on the look of the film. Since it is a comedy, the look is very funky. Amrita, though, has a glamorous turn,” says Punwani.

Somehow the conversation veers to IPL and how she kitted out Knight Riders for their ad campaigns. “I can barely sit through a cricket match, so you can imagine the extent of my cricket knowledge. I think my gaffes entertained them thoroughly. For my part, I was surprised at how fashion conscious each of these stars was. Ricky Ponting, in particular, seemed pretty clued in about fashion,” she says. Punvani is equally in awe of the former India captain Sourav Ganguly. “I always thought he was aggressive and arrogant. But when I met him, I was totally taken in by his politeness,” she gushes. Her knowledge of cricket may still be scanty but hey, thankfully, there is evergreen Bollywood dying to look pretty.

(Indian Express)

Akshaye, Aamir patch up their friendship

Aamir Khan is hosting a grand premiere of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na to launch his nephew Imran Khan. Touted to be one of the biggest events, Aamir has invited over 700 people from the film industry. According our source Aamir has extended an invitation to his one-time archrival Ram Gopal Varma.

Our source says, "Aamir is calling up people and inviting them personally. He called up even Ram Gopal Varma, with whom he had major issues during the making of Rangeela, and invited him for the premiere. Ramu has also reciprocated Aamir's gesture and accepted the invitation."

Glossing over creative differences between Ramu and Aamir during the making of Rangeela our source adds, "Following the release and success of the film, both of them had lashed out against each other in print. Ramu had accused Aamir of 'interfering' in the film and that had apparently not gone too well with the actor."

We contacted Ramu by texting him if he will be attending the premiere, he merely said "yes" but chose not to reveal anything further.

Another long-lost friend that Aamir has patched up with is Akshaye Khanna. Apparently, it's Akshaye who took the initiative to revive the friendship. Aamir and Akshaye who had bonded big time during the making of Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai had drifted apart and were not on talking terms.

But what was the bone of contention? Says a source, "After Dil Chahta Hai released, Aamir and Akshaye remained in constant touch. In fact, for Taare Zameen Par, Amole Gupte and Aamir selected Akshaye to play the lead.

However, after Aamir parted ways with Amole owing to creative differences, he decided to step into Akshaye's shoes, which upset him.

However, recently, when Akshaye saw Taare Zameen Par, he was so moved by Aamir's performance that he messaged him saying that perhaps he could not have done as much justice to the role as Aamir had. Aamir in turn, thanked Akshaye and the two broke the ice once again."

And well, Akshaye was also personally invited by Aamir to his film's premiere.

(India Target)

That's our boy! Not a single mean bone in him. I am talking to you, Emraan Hashmi.

Akshaye cast as lead in Farhan Akhtar's next

Farhan Akhtar has finally found the leading man for his next, Voice From The Sky. It's Akshaye Khanna with whom Farhan had teamed up with optimum creative satisfaction in his first directorial venture Dil Chahta Hai.

Saif who has also teamed with Farhan in Dil Chahta Hai and in fact acknowledges the film as a turning point, opted out of Voice From The Sky a couple of months ago. Revealing the change in cast Farhan says, "Yes, it is Akshaye Khanna. Naam lock kiya jaye. I'm confident. Both Saif and Akshaye are my buddies. I needed an actor of really good caliber, at the same time sensitive sophisticated, a guy who seems extremely hard from the outside but is soft from the inside. Both Saif and Akshaye fitted the bill. Saif didn't work out."

Continues Farhan, "There're many reasons why Akshaye works amazingly for the film. Akshaye is damn excited. He loves his role. And I love him in the role. It'd be great fun working with Akshaye again. Fortunately, all the actors I've worked with so far have been a pleasure."

The main role of a young boy is yet to be cast. "The story belongs to the boy. But three other characters played by Akshaye Khanna and two women (whom I'm yet to cast) play very important roles in the boy's life. Akshaye's story is integral to the plot. It's an extremely important role. And he's kicked by the script and by the part. Akshaye knows it's a very important part. Otherwise he wouldn't do it."

As for the boy… "We've a short-list of 12-15 boys now. And no, Darsheel Safary was not considered at all. I 'm looking for a totally untried face." Farhan starts filming Voice From The Sky in November. "Then there's Don 2. Which will have all the actors from the first Don including Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, of course. The story and screenplay are done. Voice From The Sky was scripted right after Dil Chahta Hai. Don 2 I started writing a few months after Don released. So this year I only have releases as an actor. Next year I'll have two releases as a director."

Great ! I was getting worried.