Force 2 to be shot in China
Mumbai–Actors John Abraham and Sonakshi Sinha starrer action thriller “Force 2” will be shot in the “beautiful untapped locations” in China, the producer has said. While the team has completed a 50-day schedule in Budapest, they are all now prepped up for China.
“We are set to shoot a schedule of ‘Force 2’ in the beautiful untapped locations of China,” the film’s producer Vipul Shah said in a statement. Directed by Abhinay Deo, the film is touted to feature some hardcore action scenes meeting with standards set by international movies. Interestingly, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan’s “PK” last year created history in China by evolving as one of the most successful Bollywood movie. The film crossed Rs.100 crore at Chinese box office.
“Force 2” is a sequel of the hit 2011 film “Force”.
Little subtle, not too loud: Katrina Kaif’s make-up choice
Mumbai– Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif prefers a subtle look when it comes to dressing up. At an event here on Thursday, Katrina launched L’Oreal Paris’s new La Vie En Rose signature collection, which consists of 12 matte pink shades — seven Moist Mat and five Extraordinaire Mat. Three shades are autographed by Katrina and other L’Oréal Paris ambassadors Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor.
“My favourite is my own personal lipstick which is called L’Oréal Paris La Vie En Rose – Katrina’s Extraordinaire Mat Delicate Pink. I’m always more comfortable with something a little subtle, not too loud, not too overpowering. So for me, this was just the perfect shade, and when I saw it, I fell in love with it,” said Katrina, who finds the colour pink as “classic and timeless”.
For the new launch, Katrina has also featured in a campaign which also has Aishwarya, Sonam and international stars Julianne Moore and Eva Longoria in the same frame. She said she was “star struck” while working with them in a video, that was even showcased at the event here.
14th MIFF kicks off
Mumbai–The 14th edition of MIFF began on Thursday at the Ravindra Natya Mandir here in presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, festival director Mukesh Sharma, filmmakers Mike Pandey, Shyam Benegal and event ambassador Jackie Shroff.
Minister of State of Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore presided over the inaugural function, which was followed by a grand dance recital by Sandeep Soparkar and his partner Jesse Randhawa. Benegal was the guest of honor on the occasion. In his address, Sharma said that the MIFF has become a landmark event in the city over the years by having a special identity of its own. He praised the Indian documentary filmmakers for having not having imitated the international documentary movement and successfully leaving an imprint of their own.
Jackie confessed that documentaries have always been very close to his heart right from his childhood and lauded the people who are behind MIFF for having come forward to give an opportunity in the form of a platform to showcase their films and also see films made all over the world. “I do not know why my dear find Mukesh Sharma asked me to be the brand ambassador of the festival but I am nevertheless happy. I want bigger stars than I am… like Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan and my own son Tiger to come forward the next year to spread awareness about MIFF by being its ambassador.”
The V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement award was conferred by Fadnavis on eminent and pioneering documentary wildlife filmmaker Naresh Bedi, who was given a cash prize of Rs.5 lakh, a trophy and a shawl.
I envy Rajkummar Rao, says Manoj Bajpayee
Mumbai–Actor Manoj Bajpayee says that he really envies his “Aligarh” co-star Rajkummar Rao since he is currently at the right age to be able to act in the kind of films being made in the industry. “He (Rajkummar) is somebody I really envy because in the time when the good films are happening, in the time when such great directors like Hansal Mehta are making films, he is just there in the right age. So many actors like me, spent our time waiting at home for that one script to happen and those films used to be very rare,” said Manoj at the trailer launch of the film on Thursday.
As seen in the trailer, Manoj plays the role of a professor getting caught in a homosexual act and facing opposition from the society in the film. Rajkummar plays a journalist who initially gets involved with the case for his story, but later becomes friends with Manoj’s character and understands his feelings. The story of the film is based on a real-life incident in 2010 of Aligarh Muslim University professor Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras. Manoj and Rajkummar had earlier worked together in Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Chittagong” before the latter had gained popularity for his roles in “Kai Po Che” and “Shahid”.
“I’ve seen him for the first time when I was doing ‘Chittagong’ somewhere in North Bengal – young boy, full of dreams, full of enthusiasm, desperate to prove himself all the time. But good at heart. Somebody that I related to from the first day. And from that day till now, we’re great friends. I have lot of admiration for this man, not only because he is a good guy but also because there is so much of passion.
“Aligarh” is directed by “Shahid” and “Citylights” director Hansal Mehta.
Hema Malini accused of ‘land-grabbing’ for dance school
Mumbai–Bollywood dreamgirl Hema Malini’s plans to start a dance academy on a plot of land in Mumbai’s Andheri area hit a roadblock on Thursday, as an RTI activist accused her of land-grabbing. Exactly a month ago, the Maharashtra government had allotted a prime 2,000-square-metre plot to the Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member in the suburban upmarket Oshiwara area for her proposed dance academy.
According to documents procured under the Right to Information (RTI) by activist Anil Galgali, Hema Malini was allotted the plot worth crores of rupees for a paltry Rs.70,000. “Not only that, this is the second time Hema Malini has been allotted a prime plot in the Mumbai suburbs. Earlier, in 1997, the (then) Shiv Sena-BJP government had given her a plot of land, but she could not develop it due to CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) issues,” Galgali told IANS.
He claimed that though Hema Malini has not yet returned the earlier plot, the current government has allotted her another plot. Interestingly, Congress Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Shukla was allotted a plot in Andheri West, but following a controversy generated by then opposition BJP-Shiv Sena, he was forced to surrender it in February 2014 — just before the Lok Sabha elections.
