Andhranews

While members of the industry speculate whether Mallika Sherawat is pricey or simply elusive, Saket Chaudhary, director of the actress’ forthcoming release Pyar Ke Side Effects, can’t stop gushing about what a lovely time he had working with her.

“Honestly speaking, when Pritish Nandy Communications suggested Mallika’s name as the leading lady, I was apprehensive. I had to rearrange my thinking so as to perceive Mallika in the role because I felt that Trisha’s character (Mallika’s name in the film) was very Meg Ryan-ish. I did not want to force the character of Trisha onto Mallika.”

Mallika was paired opposite Rahul Bose and Chaudhary says, “While shooting I realised that Rahul was a methodical actor while Mallika was spontaneous. The funniest part was she’d give Rahul tips on acting. She’d tell him how to go about doing the scene and Rahul and I would find that amusing.”

Speaking about what works against her, Saket says, “The tough exterior that she portrays can be a block for filmmakers to approach her. She always comes across as this strong personality and that can be intimidating. She can be vulnerable too. There have been times when she would call me and ask my opinion if things were going right work-wise. After working with her, I can say that Mallika will be extremely good at doing situational comedies.”

With most filmmakers playing it safe by making comedies, debutant director Sachin Bajaj dared to be different with his Indiana Jones kind of adventure flick Naksha. The week also witnessed the release of Aditya Dutt’s Dil Diya Hai that promised to be a romantic thriller. While Naksha has been appreciated, Dil Diya Hai has turned turtle at the box office. Talking about Naksha trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “The film has been stylishly executed leaving no stone unturned as far as the money is concerned, so the film comes across as a thoroughly enjoyable flick. Sure, it has its lows, but the highs are so omnipotent that you can’t help but let the child in you get captivated by this adventure, considering the pre-release expectations were completely low. Sachin Bajaj makes a fine directorial debut.”

Trade analyst S. Kumar Mohan, however, thinks differently. “Distributors like to give suggestions to producers about how to make successful films. But whenever distributors themselves have made films, they have come out with insipid results. Tolu Bajaj has stepped into production with his son Sachin making a debut, but the result is no different. It too falls short of expectations. For starters, Sachin should not have taken a subject revolving around the supernatural and mythological.

Even if he decided to, the treatment should have been more upmarket. Weak music is a drawback too. It will probably do good business in single screen theatres.” Echoing Mohan’s statement, Taran says that the film will do good business in Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. “But business in multiplexes will be ordinary because of Lage Raho Munnabhai.”

Trade analyst Vikas Mohan lauds Sachin’s attempts of making an adventure film. “But a weak script makes it fall flat,” he says. He adds, “The film will do good business in the North. But looking at the high cost, the recovery looks beyond expectations.” Compared to Naksha, Dil Diya Hai has turned out to be a non-starter. “The film has nothing new to offer,” says Vikas Mohan. But Taran says, “The film has decent merits and an offbeat storyline that should appeal to the youth mainly. At the box office, the merits as well as the reasonable pricing should ensure a safe and smooth ride for the film.”

After the huge success of Lage Raho Munnabhai, Arshad Warsi has become an actor to be reckoned with and has a line-up of producer friends waiting to sign him. One of them is Nikhil Panchamiya, the producer of Anthony Kaun Hai. The film was not a big hit but it hogged the limelight for other reasons, one of them being Arshad’s initiative to promote it prominently when Lage Raho... was due for release. “I am looking at the possibility of working closely with Arshad in this project and I am planning to have a meeting with him soon,” said Panchamiya.

Nandita, Deepa are pals again

Actress Nandita Das and filmmaker Deepa Mehta have reportedly patched up. It may be recalled that Mehta had started the shooting of Water with Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das and Akshay Kumar in the lead in Varanasi. The protesters there made Mehta’s entire film schedule go awry making her suffer huge losses. Due to the losses incurred, Nandita was willing to do Water for free but was disillusioned that Mehta had revived the project with Lisa Ray and Seema Biswas and had already begun shooting the film in Sri Lanka. However, at the recent Toronto Film Festival Das and Mehta buried the hatchet. “We hugged each other. It was an emotional moment,” said Das.

The four founding members of REM stunned fans in their native Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday night by taking to the stage as part of a tribute evening to themselves, says contactmusic.com. Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and retired drummer Bill Berry were in town rehearsing for a rare performance at their induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame this weekend when they decided to attend a tribute evening at Athens’ 40-Watt Club. The four-piece joined thrilled local acts onstage and performed hits ‘Begin the Begin’ and ‘So. Central Rain’ together. Stipe, Mills and Buck then joined a jam-band finale of fan favourite ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine)’.

Scarlett Johansson is the favourite to play Austrian kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch in a film about her life. Movie bosses are locked in a fierce bidding war for the film rights to the 18-year-old’s eight-year ordeal and are determined to land The Black Dahlia star to play the lead. Natascha was kidnapped on her way to school in Vienna in 1998 and held prisoner in a concrete cellar by 44-year-old Wolfgang Prikopil, who committed suicide by throwing himself under a train after her recent escape.

The young girl amazed the world with her story when she gave an interview on Austrian TV, and Hollywood studio chiefs believe the incredible saga could be both a critical and box office success. During her interview, Natascha seemingly tried to defend her kidnapper, saying that although she was desperate to escape his clutches, he treated her well and they shared a “tender relationship”.

She even attended his funeral. Natascha earned £800,000 for her TV appearance, which she has pledged to use to buy a home and formally educate herself. Her agent, Dietman Ecker, has revealed she has been approached by over 30 “big and internationally known” film companies and has been offered up to £1 million for the film rights to her amazing story.

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer has used the group’s website to hit back at fans who have started complaining the act has gone soft live by playing too many ballads. The rockers have been inundated with moans and groans from devotees after asking fans to request tunes for the Aerosmith setlist as they tour with Motley Crue, as reported in contactmusic.com. And Kramer felt the need to speak out after fans used the invitation to criticise the group’s cigarette-lighter-waving anthems.

In a message posted on the fan club website aeroforceone.com, Kramer states, “I disagree with anyone who is saying there are too many slow songs in the set. A great song is a great song. It’s a very difficult thing to try and please everyone all the time and we do the best we can to put a good show together to make everyone happy. “People who complain can direct their comments (from) now on directly to me, and I can take them into consideration. And believe me, they will be read.”

Rapper Eminem has put his reported retirement plans on hold to flood the streets with a new mix tape, according to contactmusic.com. The ‘Stan’ hitmaker has teamed up with DJ Whoo Kid on the new project, The Re-Up, which is set for underground release on October 6. The mix tape collection features new material from Eminem, including a tribute to the rapper’s late pal and D12 collaborator Proof. The project also features collaborations with Busta Rhymes and Nas.