27.02.10 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
Frankly, no one is really in a mood to celebrate Holi in a big way. The lack of enthusiasm this year has plenty to do with the way things are going for the entertainment industry.
An actor on condition of anonymity puts the situation in a nutshell. “Earlier we had grand Holi celebrations in at least 5-6 major filmy families. Now it’s dwindled to just 1 or 2 Holi bashes.”
In the past, film folks had a blast .The film industry chose to celebrate Holi either at Raj Kapoor’s Holi bash(by far the most well-attended), followed by the Bachchans’ warm open-house Holi festivities. Then there were Subhash Ghai, Yash Chopra and the Azmis, Javed and Shabana who hosted and continue to host the annual Holi bash.
But the colourful spirit of Holi went out with Raj Kapoor. The true champion of filmy Holi bashes at R.K Studios in Chembur used to be a riot of colours and festivity every Holi. The entire film industry and all their kith and kin would arrive in spotless white to be dunked into the famous RK colour tank.
Now the equations have changed drastically. Since the passing away of Raj Kapoor there’s no Holi at RK Studios any more. The family’s superstar-scion Ranbir Kapoor is busy shooting in the US . The rest of the family is no mood for Holi. Holi at the Bachchans is also expected to be a subdued close family affair with little or no shor-sharaaba.
Even Akshay Kumar who generally loves the Holi revelry is heading out of Mumbai this weekend. “Just me, my wife and son driving out of the city,” says Akshay implying there’s little joy in being home for Holi this year.
Akshay has a point. Holi ceased to be a source of fun long ago. As Shabana Azmi puts it, “The state must ensure safety and protection for women and men must make sure that the day of celebration doesn’t turn into an occasion for mourning.”
Urmila Matondkar, however, is not daunted by the safety factor. “Holi isn’t unsafe for women provided you’re cautious and play Holi with people who are known to you. In any case I’m not much into Holi , bhang and masti.”
For Shabana the Holi spirit never dies. “It’s always an open house for friends and family on the occasion of Holi at my parents’ home in Janki Kutir. There’s a generous flow of non-toxic colours, gaana-bajaana, and khaana…a long-standing tradition in our house as part of India’s ganga-jumna tehzeeb.”
However even the never-say-die Shabana is out of town this Holi.
27.02.10 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
Just like old wine, SRK and Kajol’s blockbuster film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) keeps getting better and better with each passing year. This month- February 2010, DDLJ has set yet another record by completing 750 weeks of continuous play. In a feat perhaps unmatched anywhere in the world, the magic of the evergreen romance keeps pulling audiences back to the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.
Directed by Aditya Chopra, DDLJ opened to full houses and rave reviews all over the world way back on 20th October 1995.
This evergreen Yash Raj Film remains the longest running film in the history of Indian cinema, as it passes one milestone after another, and is presently running in its 15th year of running.
27.02.10 / News / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
Movie-goers should have more information about how many calories are in cinema snacks, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.
The nutrition watchdog is concerned about the portion sizes of cinema snacks which are often high in fat, sugar or salt.
The FSA said that cinemas sell “pretty large portions” and do not offer a smaller choice to customers.
FSA chief executive Tim Smith told The Times cinema food was “a concern”.
Mr Smith said there seemed to be increasingly large snacks on sale. “Who would ever have thought of the idea of a family needing a wheelbarrow to go into a cinema?” he said.
“There is a myth that popcorn is calorie-free but that is not the case.”
A spokesman for the FSA also said the watchdog did recognise how trips to the cinema were “occasional treats” for people, and that food eaten there “only represents a small amount of the nation’s calories”.
Smaller portions
“However, the food on offer at cinemas is food that is often high in fat, sugar and salt,” they said.
“It is also served in pretty large portions and people don’t have a choice to choose something smaller, for example the smallest soft drink on offer can be as big as a pint and popcorn tends to come in large buckets.
“The FSA thinks it’s a good idea that people should have more choice. If they want to order a smaller popcorn box or soft drink then it should be available.”
The FSA is currently consulting on a calorie labelling scheme for some food businesses and will publish its final recommendations in the summer.
The Times said a large sweet popcorn from a central London cinema weighed 375g (13oz) and was likely to contain around 1,800 calories.
27.02.10 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
It was a flight from Jaipur to Mumbai that the passengers won’t forget in a hurry. On Monday, Deepika Padukone and her Karthik Calling Karthik team were to fly back on a private jet. But the pilot informed the team that they couldn’t head for Mumbai due to a cyclone threat.
Says Deepika, “We had to return on Monday night because many of us had to leave for Dubai for the premiere on Tuesday morning. So from Jaipur to Mumbai we all booked ourselves into the economy class of a commercial airline.”
What could’ve turned out to be a nightmare turned out to be a joyride for Deepika and her team and perhaps not such a pleasurable experience for the other late-fliers on-board.
Says Deepika gleefully, “We had blocked a whole row and instead of sleeping after a super-hectic day we started playing Mendicot. We forgot we were in a commercial flight. So we were yelling and screaming in excitement while the rest of the passengers were trying to sleep.”
And now for the first time in her life Deepika is seriously addicted. “I can’t stop playing Mendicot. Ritesh and Farhan introduced me and director Vijay Lalwani to the game. When we took off on Sunday from Mumbai on our private jet the first thing Farhan and Ritesh did was to teach us this game. I’ve become addicted.”
This could qualify as the biggest irony of the entertainment industry in recent times. While going on a whirlwind tour of cities across the country to promote her new film Kartik Calling Kartik, Deepika Padukone has gotten addicted to playing cards, which is what this week’s rival film Teen Patti is about.
Deepika flew out of Mumbai in a private jet on Sunday with her co-star Farhan Akhtar, director Vijay Lalwani and producer Ritesh Sidhwani.
Says Deepka, “I loved the whirlwind promotional tour. For two days I had more fun than I’ve had in my entire life. Throughout the trip we played Mendicot -not teen patti, please! We didn’t sleep at all for two days because some of the flight-duration was less than two hours. So all we did was play Mendicot on flight.”
Now Deepika is hopelessly addicted to the game.
On Tuesday Deepika headed for Dubai.”It has been a hectic time. We covered six cities in two days…three cities a day. It was possible only because the producer hired a private jet.”
27.02.10 / Cricket / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
KARACHI: Seasoned all-rounder Abdul
Razzaq has emerged as a surprise candidate to lead Pakistan in the ICC Twenty20
World Cup in the West Indies.
Well placed PCB sources said Razzaq is
being considered for the captaincy and the matter could be discussed at the
governing Board meeting in Lahore on Monday.
“There is still some
doubt within the board after the ball tampering incident of Shahid Afridi in
Australia and at this stage he is not a certain choice to lead the team in the
T20 World Cup,” one source said.
“Afridi has already been penalised
by the ICC for his ball tampering indiscretion and the inquiry committee could
recommend more penalties,” the source added.
PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt
has already said that the Board would implement any recommendation made by the
inquiry committee, formed to look into the team’s poor performances in
Australia.
Another source said for several reasons wicketkeeper
Kamran Akmal was not in the reckoning while Shoaib Malik himself was not
interested in the role.
“This leaves Afridi as the prime candidate
but now there is a lobby within the board pushing for Razzaq, given his
experience and recent performances,” he said.
Razzaq, 30, has scored
4590 runs 254 wickets in 237 one-day internationals and in 11 T20 internationals
he has made 178 runs and took 11 wickets.
The all-rounder also has
1946 runs and 100 wickets in 46 Tests.
The PCB will announce the
captain for the T20 World Cup on March 8 after receiving the inquiry committee
report.
Interestingly, Razzaq has refused to play for his native
Lahore Lions team in the National T20 Championship which begins from Sunday in
Karachi.
Razzaq is unhappy with the Lahore cricket association,
which ignored him for the captaincy this year, and has chosen to play for the
powerful Sialkot Stallions which is led by Pakistani teammate Shoaib Malik.
Razzaq confirmed that he has decided against playing for Lahore
because the local association did not give him a valid for taking away his
captaincy.
“I asked them give me a proper reason why I should not be
captain considering my past performances for them and my experience. But they
said they don’t need to explain things to me and their decision is final so I
decided to play for Sialkot,” Razzaq said.
The all-rounder led
Lahore Lions to the final of the T20 championship last year and also led them in
2006.
The Lahore association has appointed Test opener Salman Butt
as captain this year.
