Bollywood film '99' is funny and inventive: New York Times

Agencies - May 16, 2009

Kunal Khemu and Soha Ali Khan starrer Hindi film '99' has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, which has hailed its "funny and inventive" story. 

The film is the only major Bollywood release after April 4 strike by the producers-distributors over the issue of revenue sharing. "Funny, assured and inventive enough, '99' is a refreshing sign that commercial Indian cinema has room in its big tent for more than one kind of storytelling," the New York Times said in its review. 

Titled 'Bollywood Without the Song and Dance', the review compares '99' with American independent films, which have found commercial success but are not the usual Hollywood material. "Bollywood loves a hybrid, so there's nothing necessarily unusual about a comedy-adventure-romance-musical. But '99,' with bits of all those elements, mixes them up in a way that has more in common with American indies than with standard Hindi-movie fare," the newspaper said. 

"There's a jaunty, tango-y score and a montage set to a song, but as for that great Bollywood signifier, the song-and- dance sequence, '99' basically just says no," the review said. 

Boman Irani, playing a gambling addict businessman and actor Amit Mistry a Delhi operator, steal the show, it said. 

"Directed by first time filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, the film favors a kind of naturalism, both in its comedy, which is character-based rather than slapstick, and in its look," the newspaper said.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Jennifer Aniston has a winner with 'Management'

Elizabeth Weitzmen - May 15th, 2009

Romantic comedy about an awkward loner who falls for a successful businesswoman. With Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn. Director: Stephen Belber (1:33). R: Language. At area theaters.

Your first thought upon watching "Management" will undoubtedly be, "Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn? Who thought that would be a good match?" So it's to everyone's credit that by the time the movie is over, you'll wonder why they were never paired together before. In fact, everything about Stephen Belber's deceptively low-key directorial debut feels designed to throw us off. 

The comic touches are revealed gradually, the plot meanders, the leads keep misconnecting. But if there's a point to be made here, it's that persistence pays off, whether you're onscreen or in the audience. Zahn's disheveled Mike falls for Aniston's tightly wound Sue immediately, as she's checking in to the Arizona motel his parents (Margo Martindale and Fred Ward) own. 

Barging into her room under the pretext of offering a complimentary bottle of wine, Mike initially comes off as a weirdo — or worse. While she eventually gives in to his advances, partly out of loneliness and partly out of pity, Sue writes off their encounter immediately. So she is extremely surprised when he shows up at her Maryland office a few days later, ready to spend the rest of his life with her.

Not only is Sue not in the market for a stalker, she's also involved with Jango (Woody Harrelson), a wild-eyed millionaire who could eat a naive motel manager for breakfast. But Mike, whose creepiness turns out to be another quality altogether, simply won't give up. A lot of factors had to come together to turn this modest indie into something memorable. 

Most important, Aniston and Zahn believe in the material, and as it unfolds, we can see why. Empathy does evade Belber in the very end, with an unkind exchange that sells out Aniston's character to a surprising degree.

But for the most part, his script has just enough sweet-natured quirkiness to keep us interested, both in what he has already made, and what he might be working on next.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com

Sandra Bullock not impressed by Ryan Reynold's body

Agencies - May 14, 2009

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine' star Ryan Reynolds, who has bared all for his upcoming romantic comedy 'The Proposal', failed to impress co-star Sandra Bullock with his hunky body. 

"Ryan's surgically enhanced, overly tanned and a bit soft around the middle - and the back hair was a bit much to deal with," Bullock said joking that she was far from impressed with her costar's body, reported ‘Contactmusic’. 

"I'd put him at a four on a scale of one to 10," said Bullock, who plays the role of a book editor in the film.  Her character Maggie forces her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her in order to avoid being deported to Canada in the film. 

'The Proposal', directed by Anne Fletcher, is slated to release in June this year.

Source: http://www.google.com

This laughathon will bowl you: Paritosh Painter

BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork - May 14, 2009

More and more writers are foraying into film direction. The latest to join the bandwagon is Paritosh Painter, who has acted/penned/directed a number of comedy plays, besides writing the script of Indra Kumar's laughathon ‘Dhamaal’. Paritosh's directorial debut ‘Paying Guests’, a mini multi-starrer, is ready to be unveiled to the audiences. Subhash Ghai's company Mukta Arts Entertainment has produced the film. 

There's an interesting story behind Paritosh directing the film. "I had barely completed narrating a story to Subhash-ji [Ghai], when he asked me, 'Who do you suggest should direct this film?' I could think of David Dhawan and Priyadarshan, who've helmed some great entertainers in the past. Subhash-ji heard me out and then remarked, 'Why don't you direct the film?' I was flummoxed. I had never held a camera in my entire life. I didn't know the basics of direction. How could I direct a film? But Subhash-ji instilled confidence in me and gave me an experienced team to overcome my fears," Paritosh recalls. 

How was the experience of making a film for Subhash Ghai? It's often said that he interferes in films directed by outsiders. True? "You know something, I was told by several people that I better watch out, that Subhash-ji interferes a lot. Forget visiting me on the sets during the shooting, he didn't even attend the mahurat ceremony. In fact, Abbas-Mustan directed the first shot of the film. It's only now, after the film was complete, did he watch the film," Paritosh adds. 

Paritosh is extremely charged about the film. "My fundas are clear. I've grown up on non-stop entertainers. I've produced plays keeping in mind the fact that the audience watching it should return home with a smile. And my first film is also an unadulterated entertainer. I can assure you one thing. You'll step out of the auditorium with a big smile on your face. This laughathon will bowl you," he adds.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ girl in a black comedy

BollywoodHungama / May 08, 2009

After a wait of nearly six months, Richa Chadda of ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ has bagged her first major project. She would be enacting the role of one of the principal protagonists in the film to be directed by writer-turned-director Yunus Sejawal. Though the title is yet to be decided, the film would be a black comedy and would also feature actors of the calibre of Kay Kay Menon and Rajpal Yadav amongst others.

Confirms Richa, "That's true; I have signed on the dotted line for this film and would be beginning to shoot this June. This is going to be a multi track film and in terms of it's structuring, it would be on the lines of ‘Life In A..Metro’. In fact we have already started acting workshops." 

Richa would be playing a dancer in the film. For the actor who made quite some heads turn with her brief but impressive performance in ‘Oye Lucky! Lycky Oye!’ , this would make for a double bill. Reason? In the Abhay Deol starrer also, she had played the role of a dancer who performed in Paresh Rawal's troupe. Now in Yunus Sejawal film too she would be seen with her dancing shoes on. So, is she reprising a similar role? 

"Certainly not", prompt comes the reply, "However, I am not at liberty to talk more about my role. All I can say is that I chose from the best offers that were coming my way. I had to be very careful though around what I sign since quite a few of them that came my way were getting stereotypical and I wanted to avoid that." 

After gaining much appreciation for the character of Dolly that she played in ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ , she was also wary of playing any more second lead roles. 

"Not that I was hunting for the solo leads films but then I had to have a parallel lead role at least. I didn't want to be slotted in a particular category of roles. This is why I opted for this film since it's an ensemble cast project. Everyone has equal prominence in the film which sets the platform for you to show your worth", says Richa who has been an ex-journalist herself. 

This wasn't the first project that came her way though.

"There was another project which I was seriously looking at after ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ I was on for the film but for some reasons it got shelved. These things can't be in anyone's control. All you can do is look forward and pick roles that give you enough scope to perform. I guess I am an intelligent actor enough to read through scripts, ask valid questions and then decide on my films. This is what I am currently doing due to which you won't find me signing films left, right and centre. I would rather wait and pick the best then hurry things up", signs off Richa.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

'New flavour of the season, comedy films'

Agencies / May 08, 2009

Comedy films seem to be the new flavour of the season, feels actors of the movie 'Paying Guests'. 

After 'Yuvvaraj' failed at the box-office, Subhash Ghai, who is trying his hand on comedy films, feels that, his up-coming movie 'Paying Guests' will surely be appreciated and loved by all. Ghai, whose production house Mukta Arts has produced successful films like 'Aitraaz' and 'Iqbal' among others, believes that people want to see comedy movies now. 

"They want to leave behind all their worries and have fun," he said. 

"People want to watch comedy film because they want to keep aside all their problems and worries aside and want to have fun when they watch a movie," actor Shreyas Talpade said. 

It is challenging to play a role in comedy movies the actors have to make sure that even the way they walk, they talk, their body language and several other small things should be kept in mind. The audiences should have laughing tears in their eyes, said actor Javed Jafferi. 'Paying Guest' is based on a humorous play which ran for two years in the US, Britan and the UAE, Ghai said, adding that, "for a moment I can predict that 'Paying Guests' will be a blockbuster film." 

The music of the movie was launched today and if the on-going tussle between the producers and multiplex is resolved soon then the movie is likely to be released in the month of June.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com