Amitabh Bachchan joins Twitter

After Abhishek Bachchan now his dad Amitabh Bachchan to be latest one in Bollywood to join Twitter. He was welcomed on Twitter by Abhishek Bachchan who is amongst the most regular celebrities on the Twitter website.

Lets see what Amitabh Bachchan can do on twitter, and who will be next on twitter Aishwarya Rai Bachchan???

Find Amitabh Bachchan on Twitter @SrBachchan

Katrina Kaif and Ajay Devgan together again in Aarakshan

Katrina Kaif signed for Prakash Jha’s upcoming flick “Aarakshan”: These days Katrina Kaif is getting a lot of Bollywood attention.

Even before the release of Rajneeti, she has been signed for Prakash Jha’s upcoming film “Aarakshan”.

The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgan. The movie addresses issues related to job reservation in India and is set against an academic dropout.

In the movie, Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of a teacher, who is inspired by his late father Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

Kaif plays the role of Bachchan’s daughter and Ajay Devgan is Big B’s favorite student.

Aamir Khan: I am the brand ambassador of India

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan steered clear of the controversy over star Amitabh Bachchan endorsing Gujarat, saying he is the brand ambassador of whole of India.

When asked whether he would become the ambassador of any state if he is asked to, the actor replied, "I endorse Incredible India, so I am the brand ambassador of the whole country."

The actor has been a prominent face of the 'Incredible India' campaign which promotes tourism in the country.

The actor was in the capital for an off-camera interaction with the Broadcast Editor's Association, after which he spoke to the media where he was asked to comment on Bachchan being the ambassador of a state to promote its tourism.

"I don't think I should comment on that," the actor told reporters here.

The 45-year-old actor also said he is not against the idea of Bollywood actors becoming politicians.

"An actor is a citizen of the country. He also has the right to the freedom of expression just like other people," he said.

Aamir said that the interaction with the Broadcast Editors was an opportunity for him to understand the media and was a learning experience for him.

"Perhaps I have been a bit judgemental about the media earlier. When you go deep into a profession you understand its problems. There is a good and a bad to everything. What is appreciable is the sincere effort to improve," said Aamir.

When asked whether he would make a film on the media ever, the actor-turned filmmaker said," Why not? If a good script on the subject comes my way then surely."

Big B, SRK, Salman, Aamir in Superstars ka jalwa

The curtain has lifted over CINTAA Superstars ka jalwa as Star Plus today launched their extravagant reality show . Living truly to its name, Superstars ka jalwa is graced by Amitabh Bachchan, Salman, Shahrukh, Aamir and other biggies of Bollywood. The show goes on air from 21 March at 9.00 pm.

All together 52 erstwhile celebs across Bollywood and tellywood will make their presence felt on the show. What’s more these superstars haven’t charged a single penny. The charitable contribution by the channel will provide CINTAA’s members a welfare facility.

The show promises the viewers, a flashback into golden years of Indian cinemas through a fascinating and incredible account of experiences, special moments from our veterans and present shining stars of Bollywood. Spanning over a period of six weeks, the show will telecast every Sunday at 9:00 pm-11:00pm on Star Plus.

Talking about the show, legendary actor Mithun Chakraborthy (The President of CINTAA) said, “It’s been delightful to be the president of CINTAA and we are at pleasure that for the first time we are going to do something for ourselves, for our artist and superstars. We thank Star and Cine artists to contribute towards this cause.”

“It’s always been rumoured that the industry, their people are selfish and had no feelings for each other. This is the event were we can prove it wrong as each and every cine artist has contributed and that too without returns. They all have performed and signed on the proposal with out expecting a single penny. This was a truly charitable deed which will in turn come to us.” added Salman Khan.

So viewers get ready to experience the biggest Bollywood event in Tellywood or else, Aap toh miss kar jaoge!

The winners of the 2010 Golden Kela Awards are

Rani and Shahid are the winners of Worst Pair award in Golden Kela Awards. Kareena has been nominated as the worst actress for Kambakht Ishq. The anchor of the show was obviously Cyrus Broacha.

Here is the list of the worst of Bollywood in 2009:

Worst Film - Kambakkht Ishq

Worst Director - Ashutosh Gowariker

Worst Actor - Harman Baweja (What’s Your Raashee?)

Worst Actress - Kareena Kapoor (Kambakkht Ishq)

Worst Supporting Actor - Ranvir Shorey (Chandni Chowk To China)

Worst Supporting Actress - Deepika Padukone (Chandni Chowk to China the role as meow meow)

Worst Debutant Male - Jakky Bhagnani

Worst Debutant Female - Shruti Hassan (Luck)

Worst Pair - Rani Mukherjee and Shahid Kapoor

Most Original Story Award - Dil Bole Hadippa (Copied from She’s The Man)

Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke (Have you gone nuts) - Denise Richards and Sylvester Stallone (Kambakkht Ishq)

Most Irritating Song - Love mera Hit Hit (Billu)

Most Atrocious Lyrics - Love me Love me (Wanted)

The Insensitivity Award - Chandni Chowk to China

When Did this Come Out - Fox

Other special awards:

Lajja Award for Worst Treatment of a Serious Issue - Kabir Khan and Aditya Chopra (New York)

Dara Singh Award For Worst Accent - Abhiskek Bachchan (Delhi 6)

Black Award for Emotional Blackmail - Amitabh Bachchan (Paa)

Bas Kijiye Bahut Ho Gaya Award (stop making the films) - Madhur Bhandarkar

Amitabh Bachchan, Salman join hands for welfare of artistes

Mumbai, Mar 15 (PTI) Bollywood bigwigs from Amitabh Bachchan to Salman Khan have come together to present 'Star CINTAA Superstars ka Jalwa', an entertainment extravaganza which will raise money for the welfare of Cine and TV artists.

Star India Network along with Cine and TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) have come together to present the charitable contribution which will provide the association's members with medical services, rehearsal halls and preview theatres.

"I am very happy to be here and be a part of this spectacular event that will not only entertain the audience but will also encourage a noble cause. I have been a part of Bollywood for over 20 years now and I owe every bit of my success to this Industry," Salman said at a press conference.

Rann Review

Ram Gopal Varma is itching to tell a new story in his movies. You may garland him for his efforts or loathe him if you feel letdown, but you need to hand it to him for picking up stories that defy stereotype.

This time, in Rann, the maverick film-maker does an expose on the games the heavyweights in the media play to further their interests. RGV goes into the newsrooms and also behind it and throws light on the politician-industrialist-media nexus. Also, it's an insider's account of how news channels that are greedy for ratings sensationalize stories to grab eyeballs.

On surface, you don't want to know what goes behind the scenes and how, at times, news are 'created' by vested interests. But Rann scratches the surface and opens a can of worms. Rann also mirrors the fact that just like there are good and bad people in every field, there're some rotten ones in the media too who succumb to temptations and create news to climb the ladder of success.

Rann is a serious film and RGV knows what he's talking this time. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that you recall RGV's Sarkar while watching Rann, even though the two films are as diverse as chalk and cheese. You recall Sarkar because Rann is an equally powerful film that shows a world we've only seen from the exterior.

Rann is for those who enjoy serious cinema. It's more for the intelligentsia, for the thinking viewer. Definitely not for those who seek refuge in frivolous masala capers.

Vijay Harshvardhan Malik [Amitabh Bachchan] is the founder of a private news channel, India 24/7. A hardcore upholder of journalistic ethics, his channel is battling for survival. Jay [Sudeep], his son, looks at his father's news channel purely as a business enterprise that must make profits to justify its existence. He hates that his competition [Mohnish Bahl] is doing better than him.

The story takes a turn when a corrupt politician, Mohan Pandey [Paresh Rawal], decides to use the channel to his advantage by using Vijay's son-in-law Navin [Rajat Kapoor]. Pandey aspires to be the Prime Minister and indulges in a vicious campaign against his political opponent.

Navin is the most insecure man on earth and won't rest till he becomes the number one industrialist in the country. He, in turn, involves his brother-in-law Jay in Pandey's game plan.

A film like Rann would fall into the pit if [i] its writing wouldn't be razor-sharp and [ii] the choice of actors would be incompetent. RGV's movies, generally, are embellished with competent actors who deliver super performances. In this film, every member of the cast shines in his/her role, the length of the role notwithstanding.

The writing is watertight and convincing. Besides, the subject matter has been presented in the most simplistic manner, which makes it easy to decipher. However, the episode showing Riteish's investigation tends to get confusing at one point, but the climax compensates for the minor hiccups here and there. Amit Roy's cinematography is eye-catching. Dialogues are power-packed. In fact, one can identify with the well-penned dialogues. The background score plays a crucial role. It heightens the impact of various scenes.

Amitabh Bachchan is spectacular yet again, especially towards the finale. His speech and the way he delivers it are remarkable. Sudeep is terrific. To stand up to giants like Bachchan and Paresh Rawal is no mean achievement. Riteish is only getting better and better with every film. In fact, he surprises you constantly.

Paresh Rawal, seen in an RGV film after a long, long time, is at his vicious best. Rajat Kapoor is incredible. Mohnish Bahl gets the role of a lifetime and he sinks his teeth into it. This film should open new vistas for him. Gul Panag is natural and so easy on the eyes. Neetu Chandra does her part well. Suchitra Krishnamoorthy is too good. Rajpal Yadav contributes to some funny moments. Neena Kulkarni and Simone Singh are perfect for their parts.

On the whole, Rann is truly a well-made film. No two opinions on that. The film should be patronised by viewers of serious, sensible cinema. Recommended!

Paa Review

Can you ever imagine watching an Amitabh Bachchan film and not watching Amitabh Bachchan in it? Seems impossible, isn't it? The towering persona and the rich baritone just cannot be overlooked. But R. Balki transforms the legendary actor into Auro, replaces the rich baritone with the voice of an adolescent [who's neither grown up, nor a kid] and taps the hitherto untapped talent of the icon.

Trust me, 10 minutes into the film and you forget you're watching Amitabh Bachchan. For, Auro takes over the moment he is introduced to the viewer.

PAA is a simple film told in the most simplistic manner and that's one of the prime reasons why this film works big time. The emotions would've fallen flat had the writing been sub-standard or the execution of the material been humdrum or the actors been inferior. But, thankfully, PAA scores in all three departments, although it must be said that the entire slum redevelopment episode is a complete put-off.

Yet, all said and done, PAA is an outstanding film. A film for every paa, every maa... for everyone with a heart. Take a bow, Auro!

Auro [Amitabh Bachchan] is an intelligent, witty 13-year-old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing. He suffers from progeria. Mentally, he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks five times older.

Inspite of his condition, Auro is a happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya [Vidya Balan], a gynaecologist, but is completely clueless of his father's identity. Till he meets him, Amol [Abhishek Bachchan], who is a full of ideals politician.

Okay, let's not disrespect Balki by calling PAA a rip-off of THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON or JACK. It's not! PAA looks at the varied relationships so minutely. It may've been publicized as a father-son film, but the women - mother and granny - play equally pivotal parts.

The first hour of PAA grips you in patches. The introduction of Auro is brilliant, but the moment the story focuses on the politician and his arch rival's sub-plot, it goes off-track. Sure, there are some interesting sequences, but the impact isn't mesmeric.

But the post-interval portions take the film to dizzy heights and camouflages the defects. The father-son bonding and the penultimate 25 minutes raise the bar. The emotional quotient is tremendous. Get ready to overhear a lot of sniffs and see a lot of moist eyes once the lights are switched on.

Note the two sequences in the climax, when Auro reveals what his father's first mistake was and the pheras towards the end. Also recall the scene when the girl Auro detests for a certain reason shows up with a sketch of Auro. It moves you completely.

But let's not mistaken PAA to be a rona-dhona movie. It's a positive film with funny/light moments in plenty. The conversation between Auro and his best friend, on various occasions, are superb. Also, not once does PAA show Auro as 'different'. He's one among the kids and there's no discrimination whatsoever, which is remarkable.

Director R. Balki deserves a salute for thinking out of the box and also presenting Amitabh Bachchan like never before. The writing may be erratic, but his handling of the emotional moments is exemplary. Note this, he would be a force to reckon with after PAA. Ilaiyaraaja's music is soothing. P.C. Sreeram's cinematography is incredible.

It would be a blunder if one missed out the contribution of the makeup artists. Transforming the veteran actor into a kid must've been an arduous task and Christien Tinsley and Domini Till deserve to be complimented for making Auro look so real.

Now to the performances! No amount of praise, no amount of adjectives and personifications would do justice to Amitabh Bachchan's performance as Auro. Sure, the icon has enthralled us with superlative performances in his four-decade career, but PAA is something else. The icon keeps surprising you at regular intervals and PAA is one of those beautiful surprises, which will remain etched in your memory forever.

That doesn't mean that the remaining performances get dwarfed by Auro. Sure, PAA belongs to Auro, but not once does Abhishek Bachchan dither from his position or seems less inferior. This is the hallmark of a tremendous actor, which Abhishek is. Vidya is another surprise of PAA. She takes giant strides as an actor and proves yet again that given the right roles, she can match up to the best in the business.

Paresh Rawal is effective. Arundhati Naag is amazing. So is the kid, Pratik, enacting the role of Auro's best buddy. His telephonic conversation with Auro is superb. Jaya Bachchan's presence is lovely.

On the whole, PAA is an amazing experience. It makes you realize two things. One, the Hindi film industry is also capable of narrating fresh stories. Two, Amitabh Bachchan is truly the most accomplished actor this side of the Atlantic.

Talking from the business point of view, PAA has been made in a sensible and reasonable budget [approx. Rs. 17 crores, including P & A expenses], which should easily be recovered from multiplexes alone.

In the final tally, here's a film that should win awards [for Auro] and also box-office rewards, given its low costs. A film that should strike a chord with every paa, maa... just about everyone with a heart!

Big B, SRK, Salman to attend Shilpa's reception

After a royal wedding in Khandala, Shilpa Shetty oops! Shilpa Kundra and hubby Raj Kundra will be holding a grand reception in Mumbai. It will be a star studded night at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai where all the big names of Bollywood will come to wish the couple. Shilpa and Raj have not left any stone unturned to make this reception grand in what has so far been called 'wedding of the season.'

The guest list includes Amitabh Bachchan and family, SRK and family, the Kapoors, Rekha, Farah Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Karan Johar, the Deols, Sushmita Sen, Salman Khan and the liquor baron Vijay Malya. Shilpa has invited Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne and popstar Jermaine Jackson for her grand reception.

"I am alive and I exist" - Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood actor recently recorded with the legendary composer Ilayaraja and says it was great experience to have worked with him. He also speaks about his much anticipated movie Paa where he will be playing one of the most challenging roles of his career.

You recorded with the legendary Ilayaraja recently?
Yes I was in his divine presence for just a few moments.

Another birthday recently went by….
Yes it was just another day another year. I am grateful and feel blessed that it means something special for those around me. The Almighty and the prayers of my loved ones and those of the millions that have supported me are to be thanked. It is because of them that I breathe and exist
67 and still going super-strong... Would you say that's a good signature tune for you?
I do not know if I am still going strong, but yes I am alive and I exist. I have never wished for any signature or tune or any fancy recognition or accolade. I am grateful for the jobs that I get and am thankful that I am given opportunity for work.

How do you assess the year that has zipped by?
I really have no recollection of what went by. I know what I am doing now. Age does have this adverse effect on one and I am no different from any other. It may seem power packed for you but for me it is just another day, another job. I endeavor to do what is assigned to me to the best of my ability.

What according to you were the most significant occurrences in your life this year?
That I am still alive!

Significantly you took two months off to be with your friend Amar Singh in Singapore. How rejuvenating and introspective did that time-off prove to be?
Yes I was with Amar Singh ji during the time he was in Singapore under treatment. I was aware that he would be going for treatment and I was aware about the amount of time he would require to recover, so I had planned all my work in a manner where I could be free to be by his side. I finished all my pending work by June and did not take up any assignments after. When his condition had improved I accepted the Colors offer for BB3. I was in Singapore not to rejuvenate or to introspect, I was there for a friend, a member of my family while he recouped. My time there was spent being with him and monitoring his progress.

You seem to be taking time off from your movie assignments at the moment. What are your plans regarding more offers? Is it true you've decided to do only one film per year?
Because I was uncertain of how long Amar Singh ji would take to recover I did not accept any offers for film. I did not want to commit on a project the timings of which I may not have been able to adhere to. Yes, I do wish to do films and yes there are interesting offers, which I shall consider. And no it shall not be one film a year. I am not that big or important to make such decisions. It is a wonder that I am getting any offers at all.

You are back on television after creating history in KBC. How do the home medium and this new experience with Bigg Boss feel?
The experience of Bigg Boss 3 has just begun. I have been with it for too short a time to be able to completely describe its experience. But yes it is different from KBC and it gets more intricate as we move along. All I can say for the moment is that it has been a hugely exciting revelation for me. The medium and those that are attached to it work diligently round the clock and it is a marvel to see the amount of thinking and labor that goes on behind the scenes to create something like Bigg Boss. I am most impressed with that. The co-ordination and the management need all the praise there is for their unfailing effort and commitment. I am merely a tool that follows instructions, but what goes on beyond me is what needs to be recognized and appreciated.

How comfortable are you interacting with the Bigg Boss 3 housemates?
It is good. You would need to ask the channel or the house mates what they felt. I just feel very saddened when I have to announce the person who has been voted out by public and in house processes and then later to spend time with them after their eviction. It’s much like what I used to feel when on KBC I had to inform the participant that his answer was wrong.

You've another release Paa lined up. Would you say Paa and the earlier Aladin are challenging roles?
Yes both have been very challenging. Both have been very demanding physically. At my age it gets tough.

Paa offered you a unique chance to play a child. Did you relive your childhood through this part?
Not so much my childhood, but the childhood of my children and my grandchildren. A lot of my interpretation has been picked up from what I remember of Abhishek when he was that age and from my grandchildren now as I see them grow.

Your thoughts on self and the world around?
I wish, much like all else for there to be peace and harmony. For humans to understand that we are all one and that we all have common characteristics. To understand that all faiths need to be respected, for none of them are different in their beliefs. That we are one nation, united by our independence and our sovereignty. That this world we live in belongs to all of us and we need to protect it for its survival. That a kind word and a smile never did harm anyone. That a fragrant flower decorates our lives more than the vicious odour of hate.