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Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, whose antipathy towards the media is well known, on Wednesday said he "would like to be a journalist".

"I would like to be a journalist. In fact in my interviews that I had given in the 1970s, I mentioned during most of them that I want to become a journalist in my next life," Bachchan told reporters.

"I say this because I feel that it is a very difficult task since sometimes your conscience doesn't match with reality and that's where you want to go home and tear yourself apart and take a decision," he added.

This is coming from the 66-year-old who has been castigating the media and journalists on his blog that he started in 2008.

Bachchan was in the Capital to promote his forthcoming film Rann about the Indian media. He plays the head of a 24-hour news channel.

Helmed by Ram Gopal Varma, Rann also has actors Paresh Rawal and Reitesh Deshmukh in pivotal roles.

source:ibnlive.com

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is undergoing treatment in the Lilavati Hospital for abdominal pain, is recuperating and is on a liquid diet, a hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"Big B's health continues to improve and he is responding well to the treatment administered to him," the spokesperson said.

Bachchan was admitted to the hospital on October 11 on his 66th birthday and underwent blood tests and abdominal scans on the same day.

Doctors had said that there were no abnormalities in the test results.

For the last five days, rumours have been circled in the media that Bachchan's health was deteriorating.

The spokesperson and doctors refrained from commenting on what caused the illness and when the Bollywood icon would be discharged.

Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan will play cameos in Vivek Sharma's forthcoming film 'Kal Kisne Dekha'.

SRK was seen in a special appearance in Vivek's first film "Bhootnath" starring the Big B. "Kal Kisne Dekha" will introduce Jacky (son of producer Vashu Bhagnani) and Vaishali Desai (grand daughter of Manmohan Desai).

The film has 15 stars playing cameo roles including Juhi Chawla and Rishi Kapoor.

Vivek declined to divulge any details about the film and whether Big B and SRK would share screen space. In Bhootnath, they were not seen together.

The two biggest actors in Bollywood acted in Yash Chopra film 'Mohabatein' and Karan Johar's "Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham".
He was tight lipped when asked if he was doing any projects for SRK's Red Chilles and AB Corp.

Speaking about his directorial debut, Vivek said, "It's a great feeling to have tasted success in the very first attempt and in addition to that, to be associated with two top notch stars of the film fraternity."

He described 'Kal Kisne Dekha' as a romantic thriller adding 'Bhootnath' will remain close to his heart.

"Amitabh Bachchan told me not to go by words of others, instead introspect your work which will help you in the long run. I feel visual narration and screen staging are some areas where I will have to work on," he said.

Vivek said,"I am turning producer very soon and want to collaborate with one of the biggest presenter. Talks are on.

I am also directing 'Dil can fly-Idhar Udhar' for Ashtavinayak cine vision with Govinda in it is a multi starrer and will go on floor early next year."

by indianexpress.com

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by indiafm.com

Rituparno Ghosh, one of the finest storytellers from Bengal, chooses Utpal Dutt's play 'Aajker Shahjahan' as the premise for his new endeavour THE LAST LEAR. The plotline [the story of an aging superstar] as also the execution of the subject is the type that holds appeal for a miniscule section of audience.

The problem with THE LAST LEAR is that there's too much Shakespeare in the movie, which, to put it bluntly, isn't everyone's cup of tea. Besides, certain themes may hold some appeal for those into theatre, but don't work on cinematic level.

Yet, there's no denying that THE LAST LEAR has its share of engrossing moments. A few individualistic sequences are noteworthy as also the portrayal of characters by some prominent names. But that's not enough!

In a nutshell, THE LAST LEAR fails to connect. At best, it may find some patronage at Festivals, but there's nothing for Indian moviegoers.

Harry [Amitabh Bachchan] lives for acting, loves theatre, adores Shakespeare and absolutely detests cinema. Enter Siddharth [Arjun Rampal], a movie director. He is smart, Harry finds out in the very first meeting. He is glad to have found a cerebral partner to have a conversation with.

Slowly, they bond over coffees, vodka and conversations. Harry decides to work in Siddharth's film. New relationships blossom. But an incident changes everything…

Director Rituparno Ghosh's choice of the subject has its limitations. It's good to think different, but THE LAST LEAR is abstract. From the writing point of view, a number of points remain unexplained and even if they are, it's difficult to decipher.

Like, for instance, Shefali Shah's hatred for Preity is unexplainable. Why does Shefali detest Preity? Her problem, in the first place, should've been with the director of the film [Arjun Rampal], not the co-actors. Also, the accident and the aftermath lack clarity. Why does Arjun want a retake? Why does he want Amitabh to perform the death-defying jump all over again? This, when he knows that Amitabh can't see without his glasses. Clearly, the writing has its share of loopholes.

That's not all, for THE LAST LEAR is too verbose, like Rituparno's earlier film RAINCOAT. It gets very talk-heavy after a point and that's quite off-putting.

Amitabh Bachchan is the life of THE LAST LEAR. But it's definitely not his best performance so far. The actor has delivered stronger performances in the past. He's good, not great. Arjun is evolving into a fine actor. After ROCK ON!!, this is another performance that would fetch Arjun laurels. Preity is very effective. Shefali Shah is superb. Divya Dutta is wasted. Prosenjit is alright. Jishu impresses.

On the whole, THE LAST LEAR has something for the Festival circuit, but nothing for the cinema-going audience in India. At the box-office, it caters to a minuscule section of moviegoers at select metros only. Disappointing!

by indiafm.com

It's not about Shakespeare and not based on “King Lear," but fans of the Bard may find traces of both in a new Bollywood film set in modern-day India.
Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood's biggest star, plays a reclusive stage actor in The Last Lear, one who quotes Shakespeare with relish and is making his movie debut at an old age.

Passages from some of Shakespeare's best known works are sprinkled into the film's dialogues and, in one scene, Bachchan chases a reporter out of his house for misspelling the name of Oberon, the king of the fairies in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

"Shakespeare almost becomes a character in the film," director Rituparno Ghosh said this week.
"He acts as the divine power, and his presence in certain moments almost acts as a divine intervention."

The Last Lear, one of few Bollywood films to be made in English, opened in Indian cinemas on Friday, a year after it premiered at the Toronto film festival.

Ghosh said his film's protagonist is also similar to the ageing monarch of Shakespeare's King Lear.

"Metaphorically, the vulnerability of old age, an old man who is taken advantage of, is represented in the film," he said.

For Bachchan, the role of Harry and the way he used Shakespeare's language to illustrate his points brought back memories of his own early acting days.

"I have enjoyed so many of his (Shakespeare's) plays, it's difficult to say which one is my favourite," he told a news conference this week.

There were doubts about the film's release for a while as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena threatened to boycott Bachchan's films after his wife Jaya apparently promoted Hindi over Marathi, the city's local language.

Posters of the film were torn down and a theatre screening the film vandalised, forcing producers to cancel its premiere earlier this week.

But the party called off the boycott of Bollywood's first family after Bachchan apologised for Jaya's off-the-cuff remark, allowing The Last Lear to make it to cinemas on schedule.

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As the release of Planman Motion Pictures' The Last Lear inches closer, the curiosity surrounding the film gets higher. The film has travelled to some A-list film festivals across the World , where it has won rave reviews.

Amitabh Bachchan's performance as Harry in the film has been unanimously praised by all and sundry. He has been showered with lavish praise like "his most nuanced performance" and "he offers a master class in acting". After ruling our hearts for decades, Amitabh Bachchan has stepped out to wow the World ! Knowing the powerhouse of talent that he is, we are sure that these cannot be exaggerated compliments.

It is a proud moment for India as India n films have begun getting recognized in the inter National World circuit. The excitement levels for The Last Lear have been high ever since the promos hit the theatres. Bachchan's long, flowing hair and rich, baritone voice has stood out amongst the other films. Preity has also been talking animatedly about her look in the film.

Knowing Amitabh Bachchan's illustrious filmography, there cannot be a bigger excitement for all his fans than the fact that this will be one of his best performances ever! We will soon find out for ourselves, as the film releases on September 12! Are your calendars marked for Harry?

by indianexpress.com

Earlier, we tied up with Motion Pixel Corporation with whom we're doing six animation films starting with Ek Haseena Ek Deewana. We also have an animation version of Sholay", signs off Mr Nandy. One of our most prolific sensitive and underrated director, Shakti Samanta, who made some of the most enduring and melodious mellow-dramas in the 1970s, is about to get an unusual boost up into the limelight.

Why these films from Shakti-da's astonishing oeuvre? Why not the other classics like Aradhana, Amanush and Kati Patang? It just uses the two main characters played by Koena and Fardeen as a spring board. But we'll also have re-mix version of the originals side by side.

What we're doing is something different. Mr Nandy denies that the animation version of the Fardeen Khan-Koena Moitra starrer will be true to the feature film.

So there's an added excitement there of introducing a neglected AB film through animation.Mr Bachchan's better known films. Barsaat…. I want to capture in animation form. In the meanwhile Mr Nandy speaks for the first time on his international project Karna.

With PNC, Yashraj Films, Karan Johar and Ajay Devgan doing animation, is that the flavour of the season? PNC won't only pay a homage to the Bengali mellow-dramatist but also to the immortal melodies of Sachin and his son Rahul Dev Burman in the cinema of Shakti Samanta. Pritish Nandy Communications(PNC) is about to make trendy spruce-up animation versions of three Samanta classics Howrah Bridge, Amar Prem and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat.

Says the company's prime mover, Pritish Nandy, "This is my homage to one of the most underrated filmmakers of the country. Howrah Bridge is one of my favourite noire films. The magic of Sachin Dev Burman's music, the chemistry between Ashok Kumar and Madhubala and the seductive charm of Ashok Kumar's baritone….

Says Mr Nandy, "I've chosen Howrah Bridge, Amar Premand Barsaat Ki Ek Raat because they not only represent three phases in Shakti Samanta's career but also three generations of superstars Ashok Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. The animation feature takes the characters forward.

Samanta, he was so pleased to know his films would reach out to a new generation.It's tie-up between PNC and a Hong Kong company. We'll be hearing the animation figures sing songs like 'Aaiye Meherbaan' in Howrah Bridge, 'Yeh Kya Hua' and 'Raina Beeti Jaaye' in Amar Prem and 'Apne Pyar Ke Sapne' in Barsaat Ki Ek Raat. We'll have a series of animation films based on the adventures of these two characters. When I met Mr.

Explains Mr Nandy, "We'll have the original music from these films.

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The Bachchan family visited Hyderabad not for another pilgrimage but it was a promotional visit for their new movie Sarkar Raj.

CNN-IBN finds out their views on what they felt about the movie not doing too well..

Days after the release of Sarkar Raj, the much hyped-about movie hasn't really rocked the box office. However, its biggest star, the Big B has a different opinion.

“Everyone’s loved the film and good performances have paid off,” says Amitabh.

However, when asked about the box office bombing, Big B seem to have felt a little offended. “We will give you the figures just now and then you make up your mind and tell me if the movie did not do well at the box-office,” adds Big B.

Defending the movie, Bollywood actress and the Bachchan daughter-in-law, Aishwarya said, “I don’t know who is creating these rumours and who is fanning it. I don't know where u guys come up with all this.”



Junior Bachchan however, was his usual cool self, just too happy to work with family. “Dad, Aishwarya and I worked together in the film and we thoroughly enjoyed our shoots,” says Abhishek.

The movie may have had mixed reviews, but the stars definitely don’t seem to be complaining.

Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar Raj is a gabfest. There's really no other way to describe this film — it's all talk and very little action. And excessive talk seldom makes for exciting viewing.

Intended no doubt to be an intense political drama, Sarkar Raj is sadly not a patch on Varma's original film Sarkar, of which this one is nothing but a watered down sequel. The Nagres, when they were first introduced to us in the 2005 film, were an uber-powerful family whose patriarch Subhash Nagre (or Sarkar as we came to know him) was a mafioso with a righteous streak. Pilfered from the plot of Coppola's Godfather, Varma's previous film ended with Sarkar's younger son Shankar following in the footsteps of his father. A US-educated lad who reluctantly embraces his destiny and joins in the family business so to speak.

It was a dramatic film, remarkably enacted by both Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, and one that left a lasting impression. Sarkar Raj doesn't have either the dramatic tone of the first film, nor a premise that's particularly engaging.

Despite his reservations, Subhash Nagre gives his beta a nod of approval when Shankar convinces him that a power plant project in rural Maharashtra will benefit the state and its people. Teaming up with an NRI corporate head, Shankar takes to the villages to gather support from the masses. Unfortunately for the Nagres, things don't go quite as smoothly as they'd hoped. Too many parties have too many interests and as a result, this project becomes something of a political minefield.

To be entirely fair, Sarkar Raj is not a bad film, it's just not good. There's little in the plot that's original or imaginative, and it doesn't help that Varma lazily shoots his sequel exactly the same way as he did the first film, complete with lighting tricks and booming theme music. The problem here is Varma's characters. Amitabh Bachchan plays Sarkar as a sort of preachy grandfather who's dripping words of wisdom everytime he thinks Shankar may be taking a wrong step. You might remember, much of the reason why Sarkar appealed to us so much in the first film was because he was a man of a few words. A man whose silences said so much. In this film, you long for him to be silent — if only for a few moments. Abhishek Bachchan, meanwhile, as Shankar Nagre, bears a pained expression throughout the film and does little else. As the corporate head who proposes the power plant to Shankar, Aishwarya Rai is restrained and stays within character for the most part.

The biggest blow comes in the form of the film's drudging pace. It's only two hours and a few minutes in running time, but it felt like the longest two hours of my life. A film so punishingly slow I think I felt my nails grow sitting in that seat.

So that's two out of five and at best an average rating for Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar Raj, it's a disappointing follow up to a very good film. Now we can only hope Part Three will be better. Because all evidence indicates that Sarkar will return.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)

Aishwarya Bachchan had a complete make-over in Sarkar Raj. She sports an altogether different look in the film. Sarkar Raj demands corporate look and she is styled accordingly by fashion designer Falguni Thakore. Not only her attire, her hair too is fashioned in a new style.

She is playing a character named Anita Rajan, who is a CEO of an international company, and comes to India to build a power plant. Keeping in mind the prowess of the character, Falguni incorporated some new element in her get-up. The promos give us a glimpse of Ash’s dynamic look and Falguni’s fabulous work-piece.

Neeta Lulla is a constant designer of Aishwarya but for Sarkar Raj, Ramgopal Varma opted for Falguni Thakore. The promo gives us an idea that the new designer of Ash has been able to do full justice to Ash’s character and look, successful in bringing a corporate look on her. Falguni gushed that Ramu has given her the complete freedom to decorate Ash. "Ramu wanted a strong corporate woman with a feminine touch," Falguni remarked.

In its latest edition, (Bollywood Special), Outlook magazine has put Amitabh Bachchan on the cover. The veteran actor has been voted ‘the biggest star’ of all times in a poll conducted by the magazine, leaving SRK, Aamir Khan, Dilip Kumar and others way behind.

Bachchan won 32 per cent of the votes while SRK won 14 per cent and Aamir only nine.
Way behind also are names such as Hrithik Roshan (three per cent), Akshay (three per cent ) and Salman Khan (only two per cent of the votes).

The survey also answers questions to the ongoing debate over the all-time favourite female star, best funny man, most accomplished actor of all time among other things. In most cases Aishwarya and Kajol seem to be the favourites while John Abraham has been voted the most stylish by the magazine’s readers.

The special edition also features a bunch of interesting essays that cover everything from the changing face of the female lead in Hindi cinema to why Dharmendra never got his dues as an actor in the industry.

We at buzz18.com recommend this special issue for all you movie buffs out there. Specially recommended are the pieces by Sadanand Menon (where he compares the southern stars with their northern counterparts in ‘The Systolic Tide’), Arnab Roy (on why Mithun is the real superstar in 'Acidwash Adonis') and Subhra Gupta’s delightful take on the ‘real heroes’ who thrive without PR machinery.

A huge letdown however is the lead interview, that of Amitabh Bachchan by Namrata Joshi. True to his current sullen avtar, Bachchan’s response to all the questions seem cursory, trite and at times so utterly indifferent that you wish he was best left alone. Maybe, Bachchan is tired of polls and surveys and opinion meters, a reason why he chooses to be animated only while writing his blog.

Even then, do turn the pages for some interesting starspeak on favorites and some nice pictures of yore.

Eros International released Bhoothnath simultaneously in Pakistan along with the other international markets. It is the first film of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to release in Pakistan. The film opened on 9th May across all major cities in Pakistan, including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujaranwala, Hyderabad and Gujarat, in association with Evernew Group and HKC Entertainment, who have been in the business for more than 50 years.

Amitabh Bachchan has been blogging and responding to his detractors on controversial issues to getting back at people in power like Health Minister Ramadoss.

However, recently in his blogs, he has mentioned that Shah Rukh Khan’s Paanchvi Paas does not have ratings like Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati Dwitiya.

Did you know that Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati Dwitiya in 2005 opened with a TV Rating of a huge 19.7 while Shah Rukh Khan's recent quiz show Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai opened with a miserable rating of 4.6?

For those who did not know, Amitabh Bachchan wants to make sure that everyone knows the ratings through his blogs.

The latest entry on Big B's blog is about the falling popularity of television shows hosted by movie stars. Though Bachchan raises questions about the reason behind falling TRPs of these shows, the statistics presented clearly show that Amitabh Bachchan leads the pack in terms of popularity leaving behind stars like Govinda, Anupam Kher, Manisha Koirala and Shah Rukh Khan who've also hosted shows on the small screen.
Earlier Big B had revealed that Star TV had approached him first with the concept of Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai, however, he had not find the idea challenging enough.

“I have not seen it. I have seen the master. I was offered to do it. But now it has gone to Shah Rukh. I wish him all the best,” says Amitabh.

However, people will have to wait till the IPL series gets over to get Shah Rukh's rejoinder on Bachchan's musings.