Sunday, October 26, 2008

Anil says Akshaye's costumes in Shortcut are fabulous

Why have you hit the ramp today?
I have known Kunal for a while. He is someone whom I’m very fond of and I decided that I should be there today. He is also associated with my forthcoming production Shortkut (a film which stars Akshaye Khanna, and Amrita Rao in lead roles). His designs for Akshaye in the film are fabulous.

Here's hoping!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Oops, Is Akshaye out of Anil's new movie?

Anil has currently in production a comedy film, Shortkut starring Akshaye Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao with himself and Sanjay Dutt in a special appearance for a dance number. He intends to start his third production very soon starring Sanjay Dutt, Ritesh Deshmukh and himself in the lead to be directed by Anees Bazmee which is also an out and out comedy. So all his fans expecting him to play those mature and serious parts again be prepared to get dissappointed!

(new kerala)

Or is this just a reporting mistake? Ritesh likes AK and I'd love to see them together.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Shortcut- music preview

More over 'Dard-E-Disco', it's going to be time for some 'Mareez-E-Mohabbat' in around a couple of months from now.

And while Shah Rukh Khan had shown his six-pack abs in the Om Shanti Om song, Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt have decided to take a 'shortcut' by being fully covered in the number 'Mareez-E-Mohabbat' which would be on air soon.

The song has been picturised for Anil Kapoor's home production Shortcut - The Con Is On and features the 'jhakaas' actor with 'munnabhai' Sanju baba.

Confirms a source attached to the film which should find a way in theaters early 2009, ''Shortcut - The Con Is On has Akshaye Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao as the three leads.

However, Sanjay Dutt and Anil Kapoor would be seen in a guest appearance. The number is called 'Mareez-E-Mohabbat' and who else but Javed (Akhtar) saab could have come up with such lyrics?''

The number features Amrita Rao as well and has been choreographed by Bosco and Ceaser.

''Shooting for the song is through and it has turned out quite well. Sanju baba and Anil Kapoor had a blast dancing to this number, courtesy a catchy tune by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy who have composed for the film. They have done a great job in creating an earthy tune'', says a crew member.

Incidentally, Anil Kapoor's last outing as a producer was Gandhi My Father which had received immense critical acclaim in 2007. However, Shortcut is a full on commercial venture and features three more songs in addition to 'Mareez-E-Mohabbat'.

While the title track 'Shortcut' is quite peppy, 'Koi Ye Na Jaane' is a fun romantic number while 'Kal Nau Baje' is a poetic love song.

''Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have come together with Javed saab to make a good album with lot of variety'', adds the source.

Shortcut - The Con Is On is directed by Neeraj Vora and also stars Simi Garewal along with Chunkey Pandey. Anees Bazmee, who has given three back to back hits in the form of Singh Is Kinng, Welcome and No Entry, has written the screenplay of the film.

Dinesh Mills Ad

I finally got to see the Dinesh Mill ad. Akshaye looked cool but the ad was not that effective. The tag line is "Take the world in your stride." It shows Akshaye suited coming out of an office to meet a business adversary who is taken aback by Akshaye's confidence.

It's being shown repeatedly on business channels which is a good thing.

A guy mimics Akshaye Khanna



That was very little!

Akshaye n Arshad at an airport bar



A very grainy video. Imagine just walking into him like that.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Priyanka to be Akshaye's heroine in Farhan's next?

“We were in talks with Irrfan Khan and Saif Ali Khan to play the male lead but things didn’t work out and so now Farhan has decided to cast Akshaye Khanna for the main lead. Priyanka Chopra is someone that Farhan is quite keen to have as the female lead. The subject of the film is quite different and said to deal with the introduction of the telephone line. Farhan plans to dedicate this film to his mom," informs a source.Farhan who has always remained quite tight lipped about his projects, replied to us over a text message about signing Akshaye. "The shooting of the film will start by 2009 and I have worked with Akshay Khanna in Dil Chahta Hai so now again..." writes Farhan.About Voice from the Sky .It is a periodic film with a setting of 1905 in Kolkata. It is based on evolution of telecommunication system. The movie is about a child and a telephone that emerged as a new means of communication. It's like a fairy-tale.

(bollywoodnbuzz)

Friday, October 10, 2008

Voice from the Sky news

After making, his acting debut in ‘Rock On’ Farhan is all, set for the direction of his new project ‘Voice from the Sky’.

It is a periodic film with a setting of 1905, Kolkata. It is based on evolution of telecommunication system. The movie is about a child and telephone emerged as a new means of communication. It’s like a fairy-tale.

Don’t get carried away by the title, it’s a Hindi film and will be dubbed in English too. Talking about the star cast so Farhan has approached Irfaan Khan, Saif Ali Khan but finally, it’s Akshay Khanna who bags the role and for female lead is still to be finalized.

Incidentally, this is a story, which Farhan had in mind for a long time but feels that now is the right time for such a film with the multiplex culture offering filmmakers to experiment with a variety of off-beat stories. Farhan dedicates this film to his mom.

Well this is not the end , sequel to ‘Don’ is also in the pipeline and once again SRK will lead the star cast.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Casting continues for Akshaye's new movie

After successful 'Singh Is Kinng', Anees Bazmee is busy these days with his next for Anil Kapoor’s production. The film which is still in scripting stage is already becoming talk of the town.

We already told you last week that the film will have Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor and Akshaye Khanna in lead. Now Anees is in search of three heroines and six villains who challenge the trio! The film which will be a laughter riot will be launched in March next year for release in the same year.

(bollyvista)

Monday, October 6, 2008

Akshaye signs Anil's new movie

After the success of 'Welcome' and 'Singh Is Kinng', Anil Kapoor has signed director Anees Bazmee for his next home production for Rs 150 million. The film will also star Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna. When contacted, Anees said, "Yes, it is true that I am going to do Anil's film. I have been offered Rs 150 million for directing it. He intends to start work on the film just after he finishes his current film, 'Shortkut'. However, I am not doing the film just because I am being offered such a high price. My association with Anil goes back a long way and we have had a very successful working relationship. We have given two hits ('No Entry' and 'Welcome') together.

I am also directing his younger brother Sanjay Kapoor's first production, 'It's My Life'. The script for the film has not been completed yet. And let me assure you that it is a complete entertainer." About a decade ago, there was a war between Sanjay and Anil but it ended when Sanjay Gupta helped them reconcile. Sanjay was Gupta's partner in his production house - White Feathers Films. Anil was signed in for their production titled 'Musafir'. Later, Sanjay returned the favor by doing an item song in Anil's 'Shortkut'. He danced along with Amrita Rao and Anil. An industry source said, "Anil has signed Sanjay and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles. Anil will also be playing one of the leads in the film. Amrita is being considered to play one of the female leads while hunt for two more actresses is still on."

(Smashhits)

Akshaye n Bipasha



I love the bedroom scene between Akshaye and Bips. They do have nice chemistry.

Akshaye's haristyle in Shaddi Se Pehle


You know many have commented on Akshaye's disastrous hairstyle in Shaadi Se Pehle. I was wondering the same too. Why did they give him such a bad hairstyle? Akshaye even had a fallout with Subash Ghai and the director about it.

It turns out Shaadi Se Pehle is a remake of Send Me no Flowers starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson. And Rock Hudson sports the same hairstyle! You have to marvel at Bollywood. Not only do they copy a Hollywood movie but they also have to copy the movie star's hairstyle.



Here's the youtube trailer of Send me No Flowers. Rock combs back his hair in many of the clips in the trailer, so it's not clearly visible in this trailer. Move to 1.14 or thereabouts but if you see the movie you'll know what I'm talking about.

BTW, does anybody feel that John Abraham is channeling Daniel Craig in Dostana?

(SSP pic from Briyanshu)

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Thoughts on Akshaye's fashion sense and physique

Beth has a nice post of Dahek but have to warn she did not take her usual good snaps of Akshaye or even write that much about him either.

But she briefly touches on a point I've been pondering about for a while when she mentions 90s fashions. I have been wondering about Akshaye's fashion sense and even his physique. One day I was watching Friends Season One when Chandler was so slim and wiry like Akshaye is and it occured to me Akshaye dresses exactly the same. He's still stuck in 90s fashions. I wish I could take snaps to prove this. Alas, I am not good at that and I don't have any experience of writing about fashion.

In DCH days, he did build his body up from his slim frame before and from then on, he has been really strugling with weight. The way he handles his physique is very casual. He did build his body but without the six-pack pecs,the washbaord abs, jutting pelvic muscles and waxed chests that are the standard now. He didn't get the desginer body look that is common now but was introduced in India only after fashion boom in the late nineties and really caught on after Salman bared his chest in Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya. He's doing it the old way and there's no reason he can't do it if Shahrukh and Ajay Devgan in their forties can.

That's why when he went shirtless in Race, which was required in the scene, there was negative reaction in the media about his 90s physique. I think he lost weight for MBPA and may have waxed his chest as well but we don't know that for sure.

So yeah, here on this blog we have been writing about Akshaye's lack of fashion sense forever. The point is he's still stuck in mid-90's look fashion-wise and physique-wise. He needs to change that.

Akshaye, please hire a physical trainer and get those rippling muscles, glutes and thighs. You may not like bare a lot but good physique shows. Get a personal designer to revamp your wardrobe (your Classic photoshoot with Filmfare is the example to follow). Not any designer but a funky, tasteful one (who won't ruin your look like in Naqaab).

Work on it. You have lots of free time. Surprise people. Do more covers for magazines. Do more interviews, ads. Be more in the public eye and you will have done what Saif Ali Khan did to his career, turn it around. I bet you'll be a bigger star because you are by far the best actor working in Bollywood today.

Anil Kapoor and Priyadarshan are fine, but you need to convince young vibrant filmmakers to cast you in their movies. Most of your movies (except maybe a DCH here or a Humraaz there) look like a relic from the past. I have written about this before and think your movie choice ties in with the theme of this post as well. Everything about your cuirrent movie persona and the roles you do seems to lack a sense of hip, a vibrancy and as if it's stuck in the past.

I know public has a lot of goodwill about you and every movie of yours they expect will turn around your career and make you a bigger star but we are disappointed time and again. I know public expectations are more from you than other actors of your generation. This can be a diffcult thing.

But you owe it to yourself and us to be a huge star. It pains me as a fan to be reminded of your wasted potential both as an actor and as a star. To shine as an actor, you need roles that match your talent and frankly that's dependant on other people. But, it is in your own hands to work on your look and create media buzz and rev up your star power.

Please consider this, if you ever get to read this blog.