Leading Bollywood ladies take centrestage as 2012 prepares for women-centric films

Following the success of Vidya Balan starrer Kahaani and The Dirty Picture, Bollywood has been hit with a wave of female-centric films. 2012 will see a star-studded line up of top Bollywood actresses embark on films with women as central protagonists. Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Sridevi, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee and Farah Khan will all compete for box office numbers as fans are treated to a range of entertaining and thought-provoking releases.

Choreographer-turned-filmmaker Farah Khan is making her acting debut opposite comic stalwart Boman Irani in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-produced Shirin Farhan Ki Toh Nikal Padi. The eagerly-anticipated romantic comedy has already created quite a stir with film pundits classing it as the mother of all comic spoofs.

“I was quite conscious about turning a heroine with Shirin Farhad….,” says Farah. “After all, how can you have someone who is fat and in her 40s as the leading lady? However Sanjay trusted in me. In fact I was so nervous about even seeing the rushes of the film. All my apprehensions vanished when Sanjay gave me a nod of approval.”

Other big-budget films in the pipeline include Jism 2 introducing Canadian adult-film actress Sunny Leone and Kaam-The Unofficial Story starring dusky beauty Chitrangda Singh. Both films are slotted to release on the same day along side the Sanjay Bhansali production.

Another film fans are keenly looking forward to is Sridevi-starrer English Vinglish. Sridevi, who is making a celluloid comeback after a 14-year sabbatical, will see the R Balki production release in three languages – Hindi, Tamil and Telegu. The actress, often recognised as one of the best actresses of Indian cinema, plays the role of a housewife who enrols for an English speaking course in order to please her husband and family.

So keep your eyes peeled for a season of absolute Bollywood dhamaka!

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Rating: 9.3/10 (3 votes cast)

Saif Ali Khan hints at out of court settlement following hotel brawl

The Bollywood actor, Saif Ali Khan, hinted that he is hoping to settle his recent dispute with a South African businessman out of court after the two men both lodged complaints with the police accusing each other of physical assault.

The well known actor hit the headlines last week after he was involved in an altercation with businessman, Iqbal Sharma, at the Taj Palace Restaurant in Mumbai; immediately after the fight Khan insisted that he had acted in self defence.

This week however, the Bollywood star spoke out to publically apologise for the incident saying, “I would like to apologise for what happened and for what everyone saw.” Saif Ali Khan said he is “in talks” with Mr Sharma, who has since returned to South Africa to attend to his business affairs, adding that he hopes to “sort it out amongst ourselves more constructively.”

A source close to the star claims Khan is keen to draw a line under the whole incident and dispel any negative publicity ahead of the release of his eagerly anticipated movie, Agent Vinod, which is due out on March 23rd. The movie has been produced by Khan, and also stars the Bollywood actor in the title role opposite his real life girlfriend, Kareena Kapoor.

The 41-year-old actor has denied that the hotel brawl as a publicity stunt ahead of the release of Agent Vinod, stressing that his movie doesn’t need to resort to cheap tricks for self promotion.

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Rating: 6.3/10 (9 votes cast)

Saif Ali Khan claims restaurant brawl was self defence

Bollywood movie star, Saif Ali Khan, was arrested on Wednesday after a South African businessman pressed charges of assault against him. However the well known actor is claiming he acted in self defence and has issued a counter claim against the other man involved in the fight.

It’s understood that Saif Ali Khan and his girlfriend, fellow Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor, were dining at the Taj Hotel on Tuesday evening. Sources claim the diner on the table next to theirs, businessman Iqbal Sharma, asked the actors to keep the noise down, and an argument erupted from this point.

On Wednesday evening, actor Saif was arrested by police after Mr Sharma pressed charges against the star for allegedly breaking his nose. The actor was bailed the same evening after paying a bail charge of £194.

Speaking today, Saif Ali Khan says Mr Sharma threw the first punch and that he had simply acted in self defence. While the Agent Vinod actor agreed that he could have handled the situation better, he insisted that he took action to defend himself and did not initiate the assault, adding that “justice will be done.”

This is the second time Saif Ali Khan has been accused of assault, the last incident was in 2008 when it was alleged he was involved in a fight with a journalist.

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Rating: 6.6/10 (13 votes cast)

Katrina Kaif lands Doom3 role

Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif has landed a role in the upcoming movie and third instalment in the Dhoom movie franchise, Dhoom3, which has an expected release date of December 2012.

It’s been reported that the team behind the popular action adventure movies had set out with the intention of hiring a Bollywood newcomer for the Dhoom eye candy role, but according to Yash Raj Films, they were unable to find anyone who stood out after months of searching.

Bollywood favourite and winner of sexiest woman in India award, Katrina Kaif, immediately jumped to the front of the queue when the Dhoom producers decided to cast a recognised face off the back of her recent successes including the hit movie Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.

However rumours are rife that the actress is already putting her foot down with regards to what she will and won’t do in the movie. Unlike Esha Deol and Aishwarya Rai who starred in the first and second Dhoom movies respectively, Katrina is reportedly unwilling to strip down to her bikini, or take part in a love scene opposite the movie’s antihero and Bollywood mega star, Aamir Khan.

Whether Katrina sticks to her guns or not over her requested changes, expectations are high for the new Dhoom3 movie as this will be the first time Katrina and Aamir Khan have starred alongside each other on the big screen.

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Rating: 7.5/10 (26 votes cast)

Bollywood star Salman Khan mobbed by 200 fans while filming in Ireland

Bollywood actor Salman Khan was mobbed by 200 fans during filming for his new movie which is taking place in Dublin, Ireland.

The 45-year-old actor was shooting scenes for the upcoming espionage thriller, Ek Tha Tiger, in Dublin’s Liffey Boardwalk area when he was spotted by fans and photographers. As word got around about the Bollywood star’s whereabouts, some 200 people descended on the area, forcing Salman Khan to seek refuge in a nearby restaurant until the situation had calmed down.

The Dabangg star flew into Ireland for the start of filming just weeks after undergoing surgery in the US to correct a rare nerve disorder called Trigeminal Neuralgia which affects the nerves in the face causing extreme pain. The Bollywood heartthrob seems to have made a full recovery following the operation as he appeared in good spirits as filming got underway in Dublin.

Salman Khan takes on the role of a scientist at Trinity College who is suspected of selling missile technology to Pakistan. A secret agent, code name Tiger, is then sent in by the Indian government to investigate Khan’s character. Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif also stars in the movie and is said to be on her way to Ireland to start filming.

Ek Tha Tiger is the first Bollywood movie to be filmed in Ireland. The production will bring 1,000 short terms jobs to the country and contribute €1.5 million to the local economy.

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Rating: 9.1/10 (14 votes cast)

Bollywood actor Salman Khan flies to US for surgery

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has flown to America for surgery to help treat a rare nerve disorder. The Indian film star admitted in a recent interview that he was suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia which affects the nerves in the face causing the sufferer extreme pain.

Fellow Bollywood stars and fans of the 45-year-old actor have been tweeting their support for the him. His co-star in his new Eid movie release, Bodyguard, Kareena Kapoor sent her wishes to Salman for a speedy recovery, as did actor Nikhil Dwivedi who tweeted that he’d spent the day with the star before he left for the States and that he wasn’t letting the pain of his condition get in the way of his humour.

Salman Kahn revealed he’d been suffering with the nerve disorder for the last seven years in an interview earlier this month, however the pain has got so intense that he has opted to undergo corrective surgery. The actor admitted the disorder has began to affect his voice, making it harsher and more raspy.

It’s been reported that the Bollywood superstar had been scheduled to fly to American for the surgery last week, however the date was forced back due to Hurricane Irene which hit parts of the States.

Before leaving for the US, Salman hosted a private screening for his upcoming new movie, Bodyguard, for friends, family and his co-stars. The eagerly anticipated action film is due for release over Eid.

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Rating: 6.4/10 (19 votes cast)

Shilpa Shetty goes bald for film role

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty sacrificed her hair for her art when she filmed her first ever English Film, The Desire. However the Big Brother winner didn’t get rid of her famous locks forever, instead opting for prosthetic make up to achieve the bald look for the movie.

The Indo-Chinese collaboration stars Shilpa Shetty opposite Chinese superstar Xia Yu. The Indian actress plays a danseuse who becomes a monk in what is billed as one woman’s journey of discovery.

Although the film has been in production since 2008, it will receive its premiere later this month at the opening of the New York Film Festival. The actress is expected to walk the red carpet at the first official screening of The Desire in America on August 24th.

The Desire is due to be shown at various film festivals around the world before being released in India and China initially.

The movie has been something of a family affair for Bollywood favourite Shilpa as her mother, Sunnanda Shetty, produced the film in which her daughter stars.

 Shilpa and her husband Raj Kundra have been enjoying an extended holiday for the last few months, although the actress and businesswoman revealed in a recent interview that she’s looking forward to getting back to Mumbai to start work on her new production company. The 36-year-old actress also denied the recent rumours in the press that she is pregnant, however she did reveal that starting a family is high up on her list of priorities.

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Rating: 7.0/10 (5 votes cast)

New YouTube channel to screen hit Bollywood movies online

A new YouTube channel will offer internet users in India the chance to view recent Bollywood movie releases for free.

The high quality streaming of Bollywood films will be only available to those living in India initially. The channel has been named the YouTube Box Office and will screen a new Bollywood blockbuster film every month, as well as screenings of regional films at various intervals.

The people behind the YouTube Box Office say they plan to offer a convenient place for Bollywood fans to come and view the very latest releases from the Indian film industry. The best part of the new internet channel is that the service is completely free so movie fans don’t have to spend their hard earned cash paying to watch new Bollywood releases.

The first Bollywood title to be shown on the newly launched YouTube Box Office will be the 2010 romantic comedy set in the world of wedding planning, Band Baaja Baaraat starring Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh.

There certainly seems to be a demand for screenings of Bollywood movies online, only recently the Indian film Dabaang received 1.3 million hits when it was made available to view on YouTube for a limited time.

Will you be tuning into YouTube Box Office? Do you think the facility should be available worldwide and not just in India? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Rating: 7.8/10 (8 votes cast)

Bollywood movie filmed on the streets of Glasgow

The Barras market area of Glasgow came to standstill this week after Bollywood filmmakers took over the area to shoot scenes from an upcoming movie starring Slumdog Millionaire actor, Anil Kapoor.

The fast paced chase scenes were filmed in the Scottish city as part of a Bollywood remake of the 1994 Hollywood film, Speed, which originally starred Keanu Reeves. The Indian version of the action movie is called Tezz and will be released by the end of the year.

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor who played the game show host in the Academy award winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, lead the rest of the cast during this week’s filming on location in Glasgow. Kapoor was seen behind the wheel of a police car in a high speed chase scene following a scrambler through the city streets.

As well as Anil Kapoor, Bollywood actress Kangna Ranaut was also spotted filming in Glasgow, and a number of locals were also drafted in to take on the roles of extras in the street scenes.

In the original movie, the action centred around a bus which was been fitted with a bomb which is programmed to detonate if the vehicle slows down below 50mph. In the Bollywood version of the movie, the action takes place partially on a runaway train travelling between Glasgow and London.

Other parts of the new Bollywood movie were filmed in London and Birmingham also.

Tezz is due to be released by the end of the year, stay tuned for more news on the Bollywood movie release dates.

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Rating: 7.8/10 (8 votes cast)

Bollywood’s Akshay Kumar to star in sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbai

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is set to star in the lead role for the sequel to the last year’s unexpected box office success, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai.

The top name actor, who’s appeared in over 100 Hindi movies during his 20 years in the Bollywood film industry, is reportedly in line to pay the main role in the follow up to the popular gangster film.

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai was set in 1970’s Mumbai and followed the events leading up to the death of one of the city’s most dangerous gangsters who’s betrayed by his right hand man. The main character was reported to have been loosely based on India’s most notorious gangster, Haji Mastan Mirza, played by Ajay Devgan in the movie.

The second movie in the series will be set again in the criminal underworld, following on in the American gangster style theme, however the sequel will jump forward in time to be set in the 80’s.

The 43-year-old actor will portray India’s most wanted man, Dawood Ibrahim, in the sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, it has been reported. A date for filming to commence on the new movie has not been revealed yet.

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Rating: 7.1/10 (14 votes cast)