Bollywood, the Indian film industry, means more to Indians than Hollywood does to the Americans. It has always been an integral part of our lives, country, and culture. (more…)

I can’t believe that I’m saying this after so long but Billu Barber was an awesome movie! I actually really loved it. This, however, doesn’t happen often. (more…)

As January 2009 approached I realized that the release of Chandni Chowk to China was just a few days away. Now, I love Indian movies but I don’t watch them so often anymore because they are quite lacking in the qualities they once possessed. Anyhow, after seeing the trailer of Chandni Chowk to China I had decided that this was one of the few movies I wanted to see. Just as I began looking forward to its release I realized that there were still past releases I hadn’t seen which were definitely worth watching but I just hadn’t gotten around to it. How unfortunate. I still needed to see Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Ghajini, and Slumdog Millionaire.

So I started with Slumdog Millionaire. I had heard so many raves about this film and I was ready to find out what all the hype was about! Everyone was talking about it and the movie has even won many awards. At a first glance it just didn’t seem like it would be that great to me. Nonetheless, I watched the movie and I must say that I was definitely pleased about one thing! The movie was not vulgar like most of the movies they have these days. In fact, it was actually good. A bit sad but mainly happy. I did not thing it was so GREAT as everyone else thought it to be. To me it was just ok. So I still don’t understand what all the hype was about.

One down, two to go…I think my next step is Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. I’m very excited about this one because of Shahrukh Khan, obviously. Then will be the turn of Aamir Khan’s Ghajini. So finally, I’ll be all set to see Deepika Padukone and Akshay Kumar in Chandni Chowk to China!

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Deepika Padukone…she’s not pretty, in fact she’s darker complexioned. Not to mention she’s fairly a newcomer to the industry. Then what makes her so popular in Bollywood. Do you think that she would be accumulating the same fame if she had not made her debut in Om Shanti Om. Or, what if, in the film she co-starred alongside some other than Shah Rukh Khan? Would she then still be so widely liked? She’s dark, she’s ugly, she doesn’t have much going for herself BUT she starred in her debut film alongside the king of Bollywood himself, SRK, and she’s Ranbir Kapoor’s girlfriend. Perhaps, that’s the reason. This concludes that if Deepika had not played such a “glamorous” role in her first movie, accompanied by all the other great personalities of Bollywood, and if she were not arm in arm with Bollywood’s dashing newcomer then she surely wouldn’t be paid any attention to! Okay, so you don’t agree? Well, she was a supermodel who turned to acting recently so then that’s definitely it! Many models turned actresses have made their way into the industry and stayed followed by huge successes. So why should Deepika be any different. Ok, first of all a woman good enough to be a model can’t always be a great actress. Even if she can act, which is hard to determine at this point, is she Bollywood material? Normally, one would imagine not. Bollywood beauties were once gorgeous and fair but not anymore! Is Deepika really Bollywood material or has Bollywood just lowered their standards? Personally, I agree with the latter. Why? Well, because what else can you say about the industry after a series of flops this year. Who knows how the year will end.

Still love Deepika? Well, who wouldn’t. After all, she’s one of the few who have become successful after their first film. Not only was her film a success, but she won many awards as the best female debutant and newcomer. Hmm…wasn’t Sonam Kapoor, prettier indeed, one of the few who entered the movie world around the same time? Yes, but the problem is that Saawariya was not a success. Yet Ranbir still gained his fame. He is an exception. Descending from a long line of successful actors and filmmakers…the Kapoors…why wouldn’t he be. What do you think made Deepika famous? Was it that she was a model? Or is it because of OSM and SRK? Maybe even because she’s “with” Ranbir, Bollywood’s dashing new star. Don’t miss Deepika in her newest film alongside Akshay Kumar, Chandni Chowk to China, releasing in just a short time.

Too long and too boring…Kismat Konnection is not worth your time. Even if you do sit down to watch then it becomes difficult to concentrate because it’s completely pointless. The beginning has a voice over by (more…)

Manoj Kumar had filed a case against the tv premiere of Om Shanti Om which was was to premiere today. After his petition to delete some scenes was ignored he filed the case to stop the tv premiere of the film. He either wanted the scenes to be omitted or for the movie to not premiered at all on television. One of the scenes he objected to was where his character was shown being beaten up by the police outside a movie theatre because they couldn’t recognize him. He also objected to the scene where Shahrukh Khan delivered a mock thank you speech in a drunken state and said he was Manoj Kumar. “When the general public have respect for me, then how can a few of our own industry people make fun of me?” he asked. “I want to ask Shahrukh that why did he feel offended when someone questioned his dignity for working for an ad of a hair oil. When he is so catious of his reputation, then why is he not giving respect to others’ dignity?”

Well, it seems that Manoj has won the case… “We have won the case as the court has ordered a permanent injunction on the scenes which mock the actor. Now we are planning a criminal case,” advocate Ashok Saraogi told IANS on Friday. He also said that they are planning to file a criminal case against the director Farah Khan and producers Shahrukh and Gauri Khan for purposely defaming a person in public.

Shahrukh Khan denied having said that he would quit smoking within a couple of months. When asked if he would give up smoking his reply was “no.”He had reportedly told the Kerala Daily Malayala Manorama that he
thought of quitting smoking while he was traveling on a 17 hour light without a cigarette.”The idea of quitting cropped up during a 17 hour hour flight,” said Shahrukh. “So if I can do without smoking in a flight, I am sure I can do without it on land too.” He has also reportedly said that he planned to kick the habit for the sake of his children. Shahrukh started smoking when he was 22 and has been often ticked off by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for smoking in public because it sets a bad example for youngsters.

Akshay Kumar promoted his upcoming film Singh is Kinng in LA today. The movie will be released on August 8. Akshay stars along Katrina Kaif once again after Namastey London and Welcome.

Speaking of Katrina…she and Salman Khan have finally split and are no longer on speaking terms! That was bound to happen. Apparently, the reason being Salman’s behavior towards Shahrukh on Katrina’s birthday.

Back in the Western hemisphere…the annual South Asian Masala! Mehndi! Masti!, in Toronto, claims to have conducted the world’s biggest dance class ever! It was attended by 3,500 people and broke the previous Guiness record of 1,800 in Moscow.

Speaking of Canada, the Unforgettable Tour has been canceled in Vancouver. Why you ask? Because of the high ticket prices set by the Canadian promoters (Ethnic Guru). Even though the American shows are highly priced as well, they are still affordable. The two Canadian shows in Toronto and Vancouver were extremely over priced resulting in only 10,000 fans turning up at the Toronto show for a venue that had a 20-25,000 capacity. On the other hand, 20,000 fans attended the recent shows in LA and San Francisco.

Soha Ali Khan approves of Kareena Kapoor for her brother, saying, “The fact that Kareena loves my brother, and makes him really happy, is what I like about her. Kareena is great fun to be with. She takes a lot of efforts with my parents too. I wish her loads of happiness.” Let’s wait and see what happens to this relationship.