Bollywood Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Watch This: A Flash Mob for 'Bollywood Hero'
Filed under: Movie Marketing », Trailers and Clips »
Remember how Chris Kattan is trying to put aside the ridiculous laughs and find a good dramedy career, kicking it off with the IFC miniseries Bollywood Hero? To promote the film, there was Bollywood-style flash mob in New York's Time Square on August 4. The stars were in attendance (along with the show's choreographer) as a bunch of Bollywood dancers started sashaying in the streets in front of ad-clad busses for the miniseries.
Flash mobs are probably one of my favorite forms of marketing due to the entertainment value for passerby merged with viral possibilities. But I've got a complaint: With the stars right there watching, why in the heck didn't they get up and dance? Now that would've been something, and a bit more fun than just a group of professional dancers. Perhaps they need help from the Torrance Community Dance Group.
You can check out the mob scene after the jump, and Bollywood Hero airs on IFC from August 6-8.
Hollywood Goes Bollywood
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », Thrillers », Deals », Scripts »
Could you see Paul Scrader in Bollywood? See, this is much more than merely Hollywood delighting in all things Bollywood. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Paul Schrader, the pen behind Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, is heading to Mumbai to helm a Bollywood action flick called Extreme City.What's convinced him to head overseas? He says: "I've been getting indie movies made for 20 years. But I take a good look around and what I see is a barren, barren place -- in terms of the financial community, in terms of audiences, in terms of distribution. It's cold out there." So in this non-barren Bollywood, what will he direct? It's the story of an American man who goes to India to aid in the resolution of a kidnapping case for his father-in-law, and gets stuck in a gangster plot. Schrader admits that there will be a mix of dialogue and musical numbers, but it's "not a Masala movie."
I wonder... Will this continue to be a trend? If indie filmmakers can't get love here, will they take it elsewhere? And if they do, imagine the headaches the Oscar committee will get with an influx of overseas projects with mixed dialog by Americans!
Stallone and Arnie Have an 'Incredible Love'
Filed under: Action », Romance », Casting »
It may not be Brutal Deluxe, but are you ready for Rambo and Terminator, Bollywood style?Okay, they're not headlining a Bollywood feature together, but The Sunday Times reports that Sylvester Stallone is starring with Ashkay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor in a new Hollywood-centric Bollywood film called Incredible Love, one that has Arnold Schwarzenegger popping up in a part. The story focuses on "an Indian stuntman who takes Hollywood by storm but cannot find true love there." Oh, the woes of stuntdom. It's a lonely life.
Arnie is said to "feature in the production," which I imagine will be a cameo in between his busy political life -- do some politicking here, smack down a couple of baddies there... And, this shouldn't be too difficult, since the Bollywood film is going to be shot at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
So, it's not some big duo flick, but at the very least, we've got both of them in a stunt-themed movie. I can only hope this won't just be a boring cameo for Arnie, and that the pair can tap into their '80s muscle-men mentality together and show the stuntman some real moves.
Bollywood Theme Park Coming to Dubai
Filed under: Foreign Language », Fandom », Cinematical Indie »
They had me at "Marvel Comics amusement park." They even had me at "Brad Pitt-designed hotel and resort." But the good people of Dubai just won't stop trying to woo me with movie-related developments. Now they're saying: "Bollywood theme park." I got so excited that I almost prematurely bought my plane ticket. Then I realized that the thing isn't exactly constructed yet. Also, I thought about how unfamiliar I actually am with Bollywood films (I took a class, but was only taught so much) and realized it isn't that attractive to someone like me. But for the millions and millions of Bombay-produced cinema fans, this is going to be huge.Of course, as pointed out in this Empire article, the idea is not for a general Bollywood-themed park. It's specifically related to the films of Yash Raj Entertainment. So, unfortunately, no Mother India-based "Canal of Modernization" flume ride. Or Lagaan-inspired cricket stadium. No Hum Aapke Hain Koun-based women-in-drag show, either. Still, Yash Raj has put out some of the most popular Indian films of this decade, including Bunty Aur Babli and Dhoom. The latter (and its sequel) should be able to lend itself to a cool motorcycle-type ride.
Bollywood Takes on Story of Slain British Teen
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », RumorMonger », Newsstand »
It's not a pretty story. Imagine that your daughter is raped and murdered while staying at an Indian resort in Goa. You then have to force authorities to investigate what was originally ruled as a drowning, and then you don't even get to bring back all of your daughter. It sounds too weird to be true, and now the BBC reports that the story is getting made into a Bollywood film, with reports saying that "Prabhakar Shukla has already approached actress Katrina Kaif and will start filming in July."In February, the 15-year-old Scarlett Keeling was murdered while in Doa. After an initial flub that ruled her death as a drowning, a murder investigation was opened, and two men have been arrested for her death. But the really strange part -- her uterus, kidneys, and stomach were removed and now her mother has to fight to have them returned. What the eff?! "The Indian government told Mrs MacKeown there was no system in place for her request to be carried out. Mr Varma said his client could formally request that the organs be flown back to the UK, but if this could not be done she would have to return to Goa." Umm ... okay.
The film is said to be welcomed by Scarlett's mom, if the facts are portrayed correctly, "... but if there is too much of a deterioration from the facts she will be disturbed by it because the film is what the Indian people will believe." Hopefully it helps her plight. I can't even begin to imagine having to fight to keep all of your daughter intact when she's laid to rest.
Pakistani Pop Singer Backs Out of Bollywood's 'Osama'
Filed under: Drama », Foreign Language », Independent », Romance », Celebrities and Controversy », Politics »
It's time for yet another story about people taking cinema way too seriously. Fortunately, most stories don't have disastrous results, but sometimes the fiery words lead to a scary reality, like the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. Pakistani pop singer Ali Haider isn't willing to take that chance. The BBC reports that he has backed out of the lead role in an upcoming Bollywood film called Osama after being threatened over his potential involvement.Not about the infamous Bin Laden directly, the film will follow a Kashmir boy named Osama who is at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. Haider says that the film was a love story that he hoped would change the image of Pakistani people: "It was to show the world the other side of the coin. I felt it was my responsibility as a Muslim. But I have to look after a family of which I am the sole bread-winner."
In November, he started getting threats over the phone (up to 10 a day), and said that those dealing the threats knew "everything about my movements; when I am at the jogging track, or when I am in the gym." After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, he wondered what would happen to someone like him, and pulled out of the role -- a decision he says cost him $160,000. There is no word yet on who will replace him in the film.
Warner Bros. Likes 'Americanizing Shelley'
Filed under: Comedy », Romance », Deals », Warner Brothers », Distribution », Home Entertainment », Cinematical Indie »
The film only got a brief, limited release in May, and now Variety reports that Warner Brothers has grabbed the North American DVD and pay-per-view/on-demand rights to Americanizing Shelley, which will be let loose on the American and Canadian public February 5 of next year. The brainchild of writer/producer/star Namrata Singh Gujral, and directed by Lorraine Senna (Sopranos), Shelley is a Bollywood/Hollywood production about a "wanna-be Hollywood player, who sets out to Americanize an Indian girl straight from the Himalayas." She comes to the US, sees her arranged husband smooching some white girl, and then gets picked to be Hollywood's next star. If that's not enough to whet your appetite, how about the fact that the flick is pun-crazy? The film proves that "You Can't Curry Love!" and shows "a new game of the cowboy and the Indian." I couldn't make that up if I tried! Okay, I could, but I'm not sure that I'd want to. The former shows up on the film's website, while the latter is from the trailer. I wish I could tell you more about the film, but the synopsis on the website is just filled with puns and those lines that movie PR people love, like "Their clash in cultures soon gives way to understanding, unity, and love as they begin to see the world through each other's eyes," rather than solid info. But there is this: Shelley also
*Fixed thanks to Wil. Tricky website sporting Wil's face first, as if he's a co-star.
'Casablanca:' Bollywood Style!
Filed under: Classics », Drama », Foreign Language », Independent », Casting », Remakes and Sequels », Cinematical Indie »
Considered to be the third best American film of all time by the American Film Institute, Casablanca is a classic -- even if fans can't get the quotes right. It's also one that I think could infuriate a lot of people if it ever got remade -- that being said, we're getting a remake -- but one quite far away from our North American shores. Indian director Rajeev Nath is going to make a Bollywood remake called Ezham Mudra (The Seventh Seal). This isn't the first time Nath has surprised people with his plans. You might remember him making waves when he thought about casting Paris Hilton as Mother Theresa. You gotta give the guy credit for thinking outside the box!Nath says: "As a student of films, I had watched this great classic 20 times." It's not quite the viewing numbers of ultimate fandom, but the man has other things to do. The plan for this remake is to switch it up a little -- exchanging the Tangiers-inspired Rick's Cafe for a beachside restaurant in India and WWII for the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka (where Tamils have been fighting for a separate homeland). That being said, the film won't delve into the politics of the conflict, but just use it as a modern backdrop. Starring Suresh Gopi in Bogey's role and Mandira Bedi in Ingrid Bergman's role, Ezham Mudra will start shooting next month for release next year. I wonder if it will be dark and shadowy, like the original, or infused with that Bollywood color?
Bollywood Star Sanjay Dutt is Heading to the Slammer
Filed under: Action », Drama », Foreign Language », Independent », Celebrities and Controversy », Cinematical Indie »
These days, hearing about drugs and cinema usually brings to mind a certain Miss Lohan and her struggles with booze, drugs and reckless driving. Sometimes, that's only the start. Famous Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has had a rough go of things. A struggle with drug addiction and the deaths of both his mother and first wife were unfortunately just the beginning of the famous actor's plight. Along with much Bollywood success in films like Mission Kashmir and Lage Raho Munnabhar, Dutt found himself in deep water. Way back in 1993, he was arrested in connection with the terrible bombings in Mumbai in 1993, which killed 257 people. After many years and investigations for further troubles like money-laundering and connections with kidnappers and extortionists, he's heading to jail.The actor's connection to Mumbai -- he had acquired a mass of weapons believed to be part of the consignment used in the bombings. He kept one of the pieces, a rifle, which he later instructed his friends to destroy when he came under suspicion. Fourteen years after his original arrest, and on bail since 1995, Dutt has been sentenced to six years in jail and fined 25,000 rupees ($625). Judge Pramod Kode said: "The crime was not brutal, cruel, ghastly, inhuman, not anti-social, not immoral and did not result in any harm to anyone," but he added that it was still a serious offense.
This might stop his acting career, but I'm thinking the chances for a biopic are pretty good -- famous terrorism, drug addiction and death? What else does a story need?
Looking for Film Financing? Try India.
Filed under: Independent », Deals », Paramount », Newsstand », Cinematical Indie »
If you've ever toiled away as an indie filmmaker struggling to make your film a reality, you know one of the most important things when setting out to make movies is a ready source of cash. Without financing, your movie making dream can come to a grinding halt when the realization hits that there's no money to fund your dream project. But now, as Variety reports today, there might just be a place for you to find that financing you so desperately need ... India.According to the article, The Indian Film Company, a movie production and finance firm with backing from India's Studio 18 and Viacom/Paramount, has committed to finance and produce six new movies to be made in India's Bollywood. These latest films will be combined with the company's slate of 14 other projects to bring their total number of films to 20. Some of the new films the company is looking to move forward on include a murder mystery called Bombay Valet, directed by Anurag Kashyap, a big budget remake of Chashme Badoor to be directed by upcoming helmer Onir and Fruit and Nut, the directorial debut of popular actor Kunal Vijayakar.
Even though it may seem that this company has its hands full producing its own moves, don't lose hope. The more money that gets invested in India to make films, the better. Finding financing for your film in India may seem to be a pretty crazy idea. But keep in mind that this is Hollywood and we're talking about making movies here. When fighting to make your film happen, there are no crazy ideas -- just ones you haven't thought of yet.
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