Chak De India- Reviews (Pg 32)B-O(42) - Page 7

Days of the (Yash) Raj

By: A hitList Correspondent
March 2, 2007

Yash Raj Films' last offering for 2007 will release on November 30.

August 10 will see the worldwide release of Chak De India.

Directed by Shimit Amin, this one stars ShahRukh Khan along with a host of new talents.

It's a sports-themed film. And SRK plays a hockey coach.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/march/152802.htm

Yash Raj Films announces Stellar Line-Up of Attractions for the year 2007
27 February 2007

India's biggest stars, most promising directors and the comeback of the decade

Let the speculation stop. Let the show begin!

Yash Raj Films today announced the entire line-up of films and the respective release dates for the year 2007. And it is, indeed, a line-up to behold. Reading like a virtual roll-call of the industry's biggest stars, with films helmed by the nation's most promising directors, the line-up heralds a year of tremendous excitement at the box-office for India's cine lovers. What's more, the excitement will continue practically non-stop throughout the year with as many as five releases in 2007, with one closely following in January 2008.

Yash Raj Film's support to young directorial talent continues unabated with their third release of the year, "Chak De India", slated to hit the screens on the 10th of August. Directed by Shimit Amin, it stars Shah Rukh Khan and will no doubt give a whole new profile to sports themed films from India. Insiders say that "Chak De India" is like nothing Amin has done before and will establish him firmly as one of India's brightest commercial talents.

http://yashrajfilms.com/News/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsID=568cb75 4-15ca-43a8-9d7d-01da684d2896

This Vidya loves being Shah Rukh's heroine

02nd Jan 2007 20.45 IST
By Aparajita Ghosh



No we are not talking about Vidya Balan but Vidya Malvade who is acting with ShahRukh Khan in Chak De India .

The Yashraj movie is not the first time Vidya is pairing with the King Khan. She has already done a Santro ad with the superstar. But it took Vidya a couple of months shooting with SRK to know the man behind the superstar.

In the film, Vidya plays a Punjabi girl who wants to play hockey but can't get approval from her conservative Sikh family. Shah Rukh plays the coach of a girls' hockey team. The coach he plays is a man with a scandalous past.

Having shot a long schedule with SRK in Australia, Vidya is pretty much impressed by the amount of attention he pays to his work.

In Vidya's words, SRK "doesn't just concern himself about his role but takes active interest in other characters and helps other artistes to deliver better".

She is now eager to resume shooting for the movie in Delhi. And why not? It is not everyday that one gets to work with the superstar of Bollywood.

'Chak De India' is being directed by Shimit Amin , who directed the hard-hitting thriller Ab Tak Chhappan . Shimit has also worked as an editor in the past.

http://apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070102-4.html

Chak De India : A Sneak Peek

07th Mar 2007 22.39 IST
By Nikhil Kumar

One man mentoring a hockey team of young and feisty girls. Their determination, ambition and skills are put to test in an ultimate contest with the world's top teams. For the girls it is a chance to make their nation proud. For their coach it is a chance to reclaim his lost honour.

Chak De India is a film about the fighting human spirit. It is directed by Shimit Amin (who made the hard-hitting Ab Tak Chhappan ) and it stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role as the coach of Indian girls' hockey team.

The film's story revolves around a coach who returns to the game seven years after he was disgracefully ousted from it as a player. Vidya Malvade plays a Sikh girl with a strong passion for hockey. She wants to join the Indian team but her conservative parents are against it.

Not all is hunky dory when SRK takes over as the coach of the girl's team. However, he coaches the girls and they then go to Australia to play the women's hockey World Cup where their grit, determination and integrity is tested.

'Chak De India' has been shot at various locations in Australia, including Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. While shooting in stadiums, the movie's producers Yashraj Films gave out invitations to people to come and watch the shooting from the stadium seats. This way they managed to gather in the stadium huge crowds that served the movie's purpose well.

'Chak De India' has music by Salim-Suleiman. The screenplay is by Jaideep Sahni while the costumes are by Mandira Shukla.

The film is slated to release in August this year.

http://apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070307-5.html

Shah Rukh played football with …..!

by Debasis Jana

Shah Rukh, whenever he gets some time free, he plays football with his kids. Last week, after a hectic schedule, when he got some time out, without any delay, he packed up and rushed home to his bachchas and needless to say ended up playing football with his son Aryan. Truly a great football fan he is. However you ask him about that, he would say, "I love cricket also". And everybody knows he is playing a hockey coach's role in Yash Raj's forthcoming film 'Chak De'. He's always on the ball! Right!

http://www.indiatarget.com/cgi-bin/detailnews.cgi?id=4476

Getting sporty

Promoting Formula 1 for Tag Heuer and hockey for Chak De, Shah Rukh Khan says he loves playing games
Suruchi Mazumdar

How passionate are you about sports in real life?

I always wanted to be a sportsman. My father was a hockey player and I used to be a good field hockey player during my school and college days too. I also played cricket and was chosen for junior cricket team in school. But I couldn't continue with sports after I hurt my back. Now I play soccer with my children every evening in our garden.

Do you think cricket is overrated in India?

No, I'm glad there's at least one sport we love and follow. Ideally, a country like ours should follow six sports. We've also done well in other sports like wrestling and hockey. We won gold at Olympics for hockey. But the interest in cricket is more because of its high viewership. Cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar have taken the sport to an exciting level. But no, I don't think any other sport is suffering because of it.

Do cricket stars give you competition when it comes to endorsing products?

I never compete with anyone. Besides, we endorse products together.

What are India's chances of winning the World Cup?

I think our berth is assured at the semifinals. Then on a good day, anything can happen.

Do you think sports stars are sexier than film stars?

Do you want me to say that I find Rahul Dravid or Virender Sehwag sexy?

Do you hope to make a difference in women's sports with Chak De?

As an actor, I think I should promote a cause in my country. Hockey in India is lacking in sponsors and I hope things change for better very soon.

I will be happy if I am able to bring about a change in even two people with the film.

We hear you have become regular in the gym.

I spent more time in the gym to get some relief from my back pain. It's not as if I was going through some mega-gymming for Chak De.

Do you get to play hockey in Chak De?

The film opens with me playing hockey. But I don't really have to show my skills as a player. I wish I had to do that and I could go through some training. But while shooting I spent a month in Australia playing hockey with the girls of Chak De.

cities.expressindia.com

Hockey ace Dhanraj Pillay in 'Chak De India'?

According to a leading news channel, ace hockey player Dhanraj Pillay features in a special appearance in Yash Raj's ShahRukh Khan-Vidya Malvade starrer , 'Chak De India.

As is known ShahRukh Khan plays the coach of a women's hockey team in the film, shot mostly in Australia and Dhanraj's presence will add a more authentic touch to the movie.

Interestingly, ShahRukh Khan along with Dhanraj and Priyanka Chopra walked the ramp for designer Rohit Bal's fall collection – Koyla. The event took place at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, last Saturday evening .

'Chak De India', directed by 'Ab Tak Chappan' fame Shimit Amin, is scheduled to release on August 10.

http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/03/19/9128/index.html:)

Shahrukh Khan sets rumours right

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 09:24:30 am


Shahrukh Khan, the blue eyed boy of the Yashraj camp, is back with his latest film 'Chak De India'. E Now's Vijaya Upadhyay caught up with the Badshah who dispelled all rumours of any fall out between him and the Chopras.

VU: 'Chak De' looks gorgeous in the stills with you and the lovely ladies.

SRK: It's a film that has got a very honourable thought behind it.

It's got sports and it's got women. That combination is lacking in out country. I'm sorry to say that; I'm very proud of the women in my country and I'm very proud of the sports to whatever extent it happens in the country, I love my country. But, we do feel that there is something lacking within sports and the combination of women in it. Hopefully by choosing the subject of field hockey, we are able to bring to the notice of people that there are certain aspects of the sport that we need to look at.

VU: What according to you is the beauty of 'Chak De'?

SRK: I think the 16 beautiful players. I think they are really wonderful. The poster says 'Shahrukh Khan and his 16 girls'; I think it should say '16 girls and incidentally Shahrukh Khan also'.

VU: This film also put an end to rumours of bad blood between you and the Yashraj camp, which is false.

SRK: I don't know how rumours get started. You guys write about it and talk about it. So when you feel like stopping it, you stop it; whenever you feel like talking about it, I'm ok. I'm not bothered by it; neither is Yashji (Yash Chopra) and neither is Adi (Aditya Chopra). If you guys want to talk about it, go ahead and talk about it. I didn't start it, so I'm not going to stop it. I am bored of it, but that's not important. When you get bored of it, you stop it.

By Vijaya Upadhyay

Watch the video- http://www.timesnow.tv/Sections/Entertainment/Shahrukh_Khan_
sets_rumours_right/articleshow/1781269.cms

"Hockey is monstrously neglected in India" - SRK

By Subhash K. Jha, March 23, 2007 - 11:05 IST

Shah Rukh has just completed a film on a much-neglected sport in India.

The film is Shimit Amin's Chak De India and Shah Rukh is more excited about it as usual.

Says SRK, "I feel hockey as a sport has been monstrously neglected in our country. I used to play the game during college. In fact, I was quite a good hockey player. So the role was a lot like going back to my past."

Shah Rukh has a whole lot of fun doing a sports film. "We had real Australian female hockey players playing for the film in Australia. And it was truly amazing watching them go through their paces. They were thorough professionals."

Shah Rukh dismisses the myth that he only likes to work within the comfort zone. "I do as many films for Yashraj Films or Karan Johar as I do for other directors. Swades and Don were with first-time directors for me. And now I'm working with Shimit Amin in Chak De India for the first time. It's interesting to see where he comes from, and where he hopes to go with this film. I think making a film based on the game of hockey is really cool."

Shah Rukh is currently looking at various creative and business options for this cherished project. "When I am asked what next, then I guess this is what I want to do next. This is where my heart is at the moment. I want our FX to be comparable with the best in the world. Dhoom 2 and Don got it right. I want to take the optical illusions even further."

As excited as ever, SRK says, "For me there're no real challenges. I need to create them." There are innumerable activities awaiting his attention.

But Shah Rukh has the ability to make it all look disarmingly basic and simple. "Sooner or later everything does come together. And there's no point in fretting over. I lost both my parents very young. That made me kind of fearless about life and death. Now I fear for those who are close to me. I fear for what such a loss would do to my friends. My father was a freedom fighter. He gave a lot to his country. Now it's my turn… but with the added perk of getting recognition in return."

He then pauses. "People say I've gone through a lot. And that the health and other setbacks are God's way of equalizing my success, stardom, whatever. I think that's rubbish. God doesn't have an accounts department. I don't think my neck injury was in reaction to the successes I've had. …Now I'm asked, what next? Frankly I've no clue. My journey hasn't been mapped or planned.

Whatever had to happen has happened."

http://indiafm.com/news/2007/03/23/9151/index.html

Dhanraj Pillai says no 'Chak De'

Shubha Shetty-Saha
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 23:59 IST

The former hockey captain rubbishes rumours of playing a cameo in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer One chance meeting with Shah Rukh Khan and Dhanraj Pillai finds himself caught up in rumours of playing a cameo in the SRK starrer 'Chak De'. The former Indian hockey team captain is still wondering how talk of his acting debut started.

"I guess when I met Shah Rukh at an event recently people must have thought he was trying to rope me in for the movie. But I was just congratulating him on being a part of a movie that deals with hockey instead of cricket. I am so glad that such a movie is being made. I just hope everyone in the country watches it."

In the wake of Team India's disgraceful exit from World Cup currently being played in the West Indies, he says, "Everyone has hyped these cricketers so much and when they don't perform, the same people pull them down.

Who asked you to put them on such a pedestal in the first place? I am also upset about India's loss, but there is no point in burning their effigies and houses. After all, they are just players playing for the country," he says.

www.dnaindia.com