Bollywood gossips,news,Interviews etc...

Meghna in 'Jhambavan'

Kabir Bedi in 'Monopoly'

'A' tag for 'Samsara'

Excerpts from the Interview:

You were in London recently invited by the British Academy for Films and Television Arts (BAFTA) where two of your films -Veer Zaara and Dil Chahta Hai - were screened. Do you believe Indian cinema is finally becoming globally appealing?

Indian cinema is growing by leaps and bounds. What makes it globally appealing is that it offers what the West is craving for - human emotions, bonding and relationships. Our cinema is getting more and more popular in the West and it is not just the NRIs but also the Westerners who are being drawn to our films.

Coming to your big-ticket release Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, you are seen in a more real, more mature mode in the film - from bubbly to intense - what does the transformation suggest?

I wonder why I am constantly being labeled bubbly. In the last eight years of my career, I have played various shades of characters. My third film was Sangharsh, which was so intense. Kya Kehna, Veer-Zaara, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Lakshya too had serious tones. My character in KANK is multi- layered. It is a film that anyone in the age group of 4 to 104 will enjoy and watch over and over again.

Rhea is the editor of a fashion magazine who makes or breaks careers, she wields high power. She walks shoulder-to-shoulder with men in the mean streets of New York. She is a career woman and by no means 'a poor thing'. Many women will identify with her. However, she is very reserved, she won't talk openly about her feelings, and she hides her emotions behind her busy schedule. But she is not icy cold. It is just that she won't show when her pride is hurt. It is one of my best-written roles to date, I have left Preity far behind in it.

But Rhea sounds so much like you. How is she different from you?

Rhea is a righteous, correct person, she's more brain than anything else and she is all heart too. She is fashionable and stylish. All that came easily to me but Rhea is also a very contained person, she is not expressive and that was somewhat difficult for me. I speak with so many wild gesticulations you know; I had to work on that aspect.

Is Karan Johar as exacting and as demanding as he's made out to be?

Karan doesn't let you get away with anything, he knows exactly what he wants to get out of you and more importantly he knows what he doesn't want from you. He made it clear to me that it was not a girlish role; it was an older part to be played with thehrao. No extra hand movements, no loose energy - it is not a fun and causal part - I was told firmly. He wanted a mature persona.

Rani and you have often created magic together in films, are you are like screen sisters now?

From Dil Se... to KANK, yours has been a journey to the summit. While every heroine's ultimate dream is to star in a Yashraj film, you are on an YRF hattrick - Veer-Zaara, Salaam Namaste and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. You also have become a must-have in Dharma Productions. What is your next destination?

That is a pattern; my acting career has been of repeat filmmakers. Consider this - Kundan Shah's Dil Hai Tumhaara and Kya Kehna, Abbas - Mustan's Soldier and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Raj Kanwar's Farz and Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega and so it is with Yash uncle and Karan. At the risk of sounding cliched, I would say that I am not a planner and plotter. I enjoy working with professionals and I like their creative outlook and confidence.

Copyright 2006 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com

Excerpts from the Interview:

What are your first criteria when you begin composing for the music of a film?

Shankar: While composing for a film we always have to stress on the fact that the music goes well with the film. Every song is worked as per the situation demands, characters and should take the story forward. Our compositions depend on the genre of the film. For that it is necessary that we sit with the director and the.

Ehsaan: Reading the script is very necessary to get the feel of the movie and only after that we can start creating music.

Loy: The purpose of a song is to colour the aspect of the film but we have to compose within the parameters of the story.

It is not easy for three people to work together. Do you people argue?

Shankar: I would say that arguments are basic for us. We come from varied musical backgrounds and so the outcome results in differences that are always interesting.

Loy: Disagreements is always there on everything from the tempo to the melody to the lyrics. We're like a palette of colours but we believe that argument is for our growth as artistes. Again we also commonly agree on certain things. The song is the winner at last.

Do you observe any change in Bollywood music?

Shankar: There are experimentation going on and evolution is an integral part of Bollywood music. All of us are always trying to reinvent searching for a new sound or new voice. Bollywood music sometimes sounds stereotyped and sometimes extraordinary.

Ehsaan: in the recent times we've observed more production. Electronic sound is an essential today and the varieties are more classified.

Loy: It's the audience who are more receptive to new sounds and to experimentation. As they are ready for the change Bollywood has no objection to move with the tide. But we need a wider spectrum for that as most of the time people end up copying the other.

What do you think about remixes?

Ehsaan: I don't have anything against remixes. What I deter is the music videos. They just rob the essence of the song.

Kajra Re rocked last year. Do you consider it as you career best?

Shankar: Surely it is one of our popular compositions but I won't consider it as the best yet. Kajra Re worked because everything fell in place in it.

Loy: I would agree that it is one of our well-received works. But I consider 'Dil Chahta Hai' as our best work so far. The music was not formulaic and it was innovative.

'I think the star system needs to be broken and so too the filmmakers' mindset. If it's the 'Mahabharat', it's got to be Amitabh Bachchan as Bhishma Pitamah, Shah Rukh Khan as Karan, Aamir Khan as Arjun and Salman Khan as Ashwathama. If I'm lucky and if Saif Ali Khan refuses, I get to play the sutradhar (narrator),' he said.

'A character-actor with my experience should be able to do six to seven films comfortably per year without going into multiple shifts per day. But I'm dismayed by the drop in quality work in my career,' Om told us.

'So far I haven't allowed myself to get bitter about it. But now it's getting a little frustrating,' he added.

'The good character-roles are being played by saleable stars. The process of taking over the character slots started earlier. The leading men wanted to do the villain's and then the comedian's role. Now they want to play even those roles with four-five scenes that used to come to people like Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah) and me.

'I've begun to doubt my own capabilities. Maybe I've been over-estimating myself as an actor all these years. What's the point of being called a good actor when you aren't taken seriously even by those filmmakers who swore by the capabilities of Naseer and Om Puri?' asked the actor.

Om is especially hurt by the seeming betrayal of avant-garde friends like Govind Nihalani and Prakash Jha.

'I'm not against stars. 'Apaharan' has Ajay Devgan. He's a fine actor. But if Jha moves to stars, what happens to an actor like me?

'All the finest filmmakers of Hindi cinema - Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Nihalani, Ketan Mehta, Jha - want to work with big stars. We don't get good roles! When was the last time you saw me sink my teeth into a role? How can I, when I've nothing to do?' he asked.

Om, who plays a policeman in 'Don', said, 'It's one of the few films I've signed recently. The other is 'Mukhbir' where I play a very intriguing role as Sammir Dattani's mentor. I'm no longer interested in doing a load of work just to be busy and prolific.'

'I'm not very happy with the films that are coming my way,' he admitted. 'A Mani Shankar or a Farhan Akhtar comes to me once in a while. I used to do a lot more work earlier and most of it quite happily.'

But the actor has decided to do away with inane roles in big potboilers.

'I'd rather sit at home doing nothing. When you argue that a Nihalani has to sell his film to distributors through stars, you forget 'Aakrosh' and 'Ardh Satya', which featured me. Didn't these films have to be sold to the public?

'On the other hand Nihalani's 'Dev' had the biggest stars. So, what happened to the film? A film doesn't become successful because of a star or a group of stars. It just has to touch the audiences' heart,' he said.

'I've a grouse against filmmakers like Jha and Santoshi. When they make small budget films, they come running to me or Naseer. But when they've a sizeable budget, they don't even look at us.

'I'm more hurt than angry. Where am I supposed to go? I've proved myself repeatedly as an actor. Hum achcha kaam karne ke liye kahan jaayen? (where do I go to do quality work). This industry is my home,' Om said.

The actor has decided that he will now essay only dignified roles.

'I've no regrets about doing a two-scene role in 'Rang De Basanti'. I had told Rakeysh Mehra that I've nothing much to do. He told me he needed me. And I'm glad.

'People may have reservations about the ending. But 'Rang De Basanti' is a film that knocks the lid off all definitions of art and commercial cinema. It shakes you up. Let's not make unnecessary distinctions between art and commerce,' said Om.

'I was lucky to have done 'Aakrosh' and 'Ardh Satya'. If they were made today, I wouldn't stand a chance,' said Om, who is all set to be on the jury of the Monte Carlo Film Festival at year-end.

'Every year there used to be at least two international projects. This year I was supposed to do a Spanish film. But I couldn't honour that commitment due to date problems. But now I've cleared the clutter of commitments.

'Earlier I was afraid to sit at home. No more. No more rubbish, even for big banners in Bollywood. I'm waiting for Bhansali to sign me. At this stage of my career I can't go to him or his colleagues for work. I never did that. I won't go to anyone. I'll wait,' said Om.

Copyright 2006 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com

About Milan Luthria's new episodic film, he says: "Hema and I are playing an over-the-hill romantic couple who never came together.

"She's still gorgeous, isn't she? I adore her. I think we'll make a good couple," Naseer told us.

He is also keen to work with Shabana Azmi again. "The right part hasn't come along recently. She accuses me of not wanting to work with her. I don't want to do crap with her. But it'll happen again.

"I somehow have the feeling that all these years when we haven't worked together has done our pair a whole lot of good," says the actor-director.

As to which is better - acting or directing - he says: "Acting in movies is the most miserable job in the world. Sometimes you've two minutes of work after waiting on the set the whole day. Direction gives me a much bigger high. It feels like my whole career has been a preparation for this."

Excerpts from an interview:

Why direction so late in your life?

For the simple reason that it didn't seem right earlier on. I remember myself as a typical kid with dreams of directing a film starring myself. I had some ideas at 19, which I'd still like to direct. But I never wanted to become a filmmaker earlier. I only wanted to act.

I had no statements to make, no burning messages that I wanted to deliver to the world. I wanted direction to happen organically. That's why "Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota" took so long.

The film offers an unusual format of presentation.

That's right. It has four different stories, all of which can be defined as love stories, all presenting couples from different age groups. There's a teenage couple, a slightly older couple, then a guy obsessed with a much older woman and finally a middle-aged couple.

So many actors felt left out of your film. Om Puri was complaining.

I'll talk to him about that. It was sweet of him to feel left out. I know he'd have done any part I asked him. But there was no part for him. When I cast him, I'd like to do justice to him.

Everyone who's rallied around has become a friend, like Paresh Rawal, Irrfan Khan and Konkona (SenSharma). They're such marvellous actors. And the novices went through rehearsals before going on the sets.

I had a blast directing them. I may just be doing direction for the rest of my life. Straining myself for a part even for something like "Paar" doesn't excite me right now. I'd like to help other actors do that kind of stuff. Hence my fascination with teaching.

Is direction as stimulating as acting?

It's much more stimulating than acting. Acting in movies is the most miserable job in the world. Sometimes you've two minutes of work after waiting on the sets the whole day. I enjoyed it while it lasted. But now I want to move on. In fact, I'm not acting in my film. I've dubbed for two or three incidental characters.

Just to be part of the cast?

No. There was no one else to do it. We needed American accents. Okay, I confess I wanted to upstage my actors (laughs).

Are you bored with acting because you aren't getting the right kind of roles?

Direction gives me a much bigger high. It feels like my whole career has been a preparation for this. Mind you, I still enjoy acting in theatre immensely. Frankly, I wouldn't act in a film unless it really excites me. I'm trying to do small parts in films by friends.

Did you enjoy playing god in "Banaras - A Mystic Love Story"?

"Banaras" was a little beyond me, I've to admit. There're many films that I didn't understand while they were being made. But on seeing them finally, I did. I didn't understand "Banaras" even after I saw the end product. May be I'm not mature enough to understand it.

I loved your goofy villainy in "Krrish".

I had a ball doing it. To begin with, the part didn't excite me. But Rakesh Roshan was keen on me. You can't argue with success.

Is it a sorrow that you don't command the same commercial stature as Amitabh Bachchan?

I have never aspired to occupy the position that he does. It's very lonely up there. And I'm sure he has a lot of problems. Becoming a huge star didn't mean the world to me.

I've been doing the kind of work that I want to do. I don't deny that I wanted to be known to the world and that I wanted to lead a cushy life. But I've been ambitious only about finding the right kind of work. For example, at the moment I derive immense pleasure from teaching acting at Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods institute.

What else are you looking at as an actor?

There's a film by Milan Luthria, which will be shot in November. It's again an episodic film, just like my own "Yun Hota...". Hema and I are playing an over-the-hill romantic couple who never came together. She's still gorgeous, isn't she? I adore her. I think we'll make a good couple.

What about Shabana? She's dying to work with you again.

Are your children interested in acting?

My daughter Heeba is an actress. My son Imaad played a small part in "Yun Hota To Kya Hota". He was hanging around home doing nothing. That's how he got into the film. He's interested in a lot of things, including music and movies.

I'll support my children in whatever they want to do. My father didn't want me to be an actor. And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

Copyright 2006 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com