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FORTNIGHTLY ISSUE NO. 20 MARCH 28, 2010 AUCKLAND

RAJESH KUMAR- 14 years of Legal & Immigration experience- Specialise in Skilled Migrant Category & Family Residence- Study to work to Residence Permit- Visitor/Work Visa/Permit to Residence Permit for spouse/partner- Residence Visa/Permit under Sibling/Adult Child category [last number]- Long Term Business Visa/Permit - Enterprenuer Category [Residence]- Appeal/Review/Reconsideration of declined cases.

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1st Floor, 150-A Great South Road, Papatoetoe, AucklandP.O.Box 23450, Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe, AucklandE-mail: raj_hannah@yahoo.co.nz

Immigration Advisor

Rajesh KumarMA LLB, LLM Hons (NZ)

★ ★

The buzz in the trade is that your forthcoming fi lm, Prince is designed to bring you back in the reckoning, with the role of a

lifetime. It is after a long time that I have done a solo fi lm with a very powerful role and I am defi nitely eager to gauge the response of the audiences. The fi lm is about a quick-witted thief who wakes up one morning to realise that he has a gunshot on his arm and has absolutely no clue about how he got it, because he has lost his memory. It is a superhero

fi lm that is unbelievably believable in terms of its characterization, action scenes and the very stylized shooting. The character I play is dexterous and one who is extra-skilled at using gadgets that enable him to penetrate any fortress to steal what he wants. When he loses his memory, the mafi a and the cops are gunning for him, as also three girls, all of whom claim to be his Maya, the girl he once loved. There’s fantasy and hi-action drama on one end and romance on the other. The story keeps you guessing all the time.

Full coverage on page 6 & 7

VIVEK OBEROI

The reel ‘Prince’ in the making The reel ‘Prince’ in the making

He took the industry by storm with his powerful debut in Ram Gopal Varma’s Company. His next release, Saathiya had producers making a beeline for Vivek Oberoi. That was followed by his acclaimed performances in fi lms like Yuva, Masti and Omkara. However, he vanished into oblivion soon after. More recently, he resurfaced in a commendable performance in Kurbaan. Now he is all set to woo the audiences with Prince –It’s Showtime, which trade pundits say will restore your box-offi ce following.

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MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDPREVIEWS04

UTV and Prakash Jha Productions’ Rajneeti is a satire on the Indian political system. This mammoth political drama is reportedly based on the contemporary political scene in India,

with rumours that Katrina Kaif’s character is directly inspired by the life of Sonia Gandhi. The fi lm based against the backdrop of Bhopal is said to be the most ambitious venture of ten-time national award-winning director, Prakash Jha and stars Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal and Nana Patekar, in signifi cant roles. It is the story of a fi ercely fought election campaign, where money-power and corruption are the accepted norms, and where treachery and manipulation

are routinely used weapons.The fi lm tells the story of those who yearn for power

and their bitter and violent battle to achieve it. It is the story of seven principal characters. One of them is a fi re-brand leftist leader, Bhaskar Sanyal (Naseruddin Shah), who has the single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful leaders, until he commits a mistake that costs him his political future. The second is Sooraj (Ajay Devgn) who rises from the backward classes and marches towards leadership with

a vengeance. There is also Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar), who shuns every political ambition even as he continues to mentor and guide the younger generation of leaders, besides Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal), the heir to a powerful political legacy who is impatient to seize the top position and Veerendra Pratap (Manoj Bajpai), who almost gets to the throne and is thwarted at the last minute.

It is also the story of a passionate, beautiful and arrogant young woman, Indu Sakseria (Katrina Kaif), who is oblivious to the fact that her personal happiness is dependent on the changing electoral fortunes of her love, and even a slight shift in the political negotiation can cause a downfall in her personal life. Yet, this spirited never-say-die diva rises from the ashes of her tragedy to challenge every contender, over-turning the political future of the state.

Of Sarah Jean Collins (Sarah Thompson), who hails from one of the most violent places of earth, manages to escape, bruised and hurt, and falls in love with a soul-mate who shares a similar legacy. It is also the story of Samar Pratap (Ranbir Kapoor), the ultimate outsider, who gets reluctantly sucked into the battle-ravaged arena of family rivalry only to turn into a master of the craft of political warfare. It is the story of the woman that he loves, and the one that loves and loses him.

As the personal drama of these confl ict-ridden characters unfolds against this gritty backdrop, love and friendship become mere baits, and relationships get sacrifi ced at the altar of political alignments. The darkness

that rises from their soul threatens to envelope all that they hold precious. Until eventually, in the crescendo of increasing violence, the line between good and evil blurs, making it impossible to distinguish heroes from villains.

Raajneeti is the story of Indian democracy and its ugly underside. It is about politics and beyond.

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MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND PREVIEWS 05

Cinema within cinema has always fascinated fi lmmakers all across the globe. The story of Baby Kusum

is such an intriguing and horrifying tale. The fi lm is the story of the repercussions that happen to a child artist, who once played girl roles in fi lms as Baby Kusum and goes through an identity crisis when he grows up and wants to be launched as a hero.

It is a story about life imitating art in a grotesque and bizarre way. This fi lm seeks to probe into the mechanism that operates behind the creation of dreams. It highlights a phenomenon that was peculiar and exclusive to the Indian fi lm industry--- the practice of casting children in roles opposite to their natural genders. We have had many instances of young girls being cast as boys in fi lms and vice versa.

This fi lm purports to delve into the psyche of one such person Baby Kusum, a child star, a boy masquerading as a girl. He is christened Jerry, and then named Master Jai for the movies. He and his mother Mary (Lilette) share a turbulent relationship. The boy’s family is poor and

they want to make it big. The pressure of parents and ridicule make it a very sad situation for him. He becomes a drug-abuser who has never been to school and spends all his time at home. Eventually

he creates an i m a g i n a r y character he is in love with and that imaginary character happens to be Bipasha, an alter ego who questions his every move. Jerry is made to face the camera again as a young man, which leads to the fi nal catastrophe.

Written and directed by Sudipto Chattopadhyaya and starring Bipasha Basu,

Lilette Dubey, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ronit Roy, Sanjeeda Sheikh and newcomers Maradona Rebello and Amit Purohit, the fi lm is reportedly based on the life story of a real life child actor.

Through the character of Baby Kusum, the fi lm explores various spaces- the real space, the mind space, the sexual space and the spiritual space. It provokes and raises several pertinent questions. But it never ignores basic human emotions. That is where it connects to the common man. The fi lm is scheduled for an April 2 release.

PANKH

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDCOVER STORY06

Considering that Kookie Gulati is a fi rst-time director, were you confi dent that he would do justice to a fi lm made on such a huge scale?

Prior to Prince, I had done several music videos with Kookie and was familiar to his style of working. He happened to narrate the story of Prince, when I dropped in

at his place while shooting in the vicinity of his house. Kookie is a whiz kid of sorts and goes into great detailing for everything he does. Even when he gave me a detailed narration of the story the second time, he showed me a previz (pre visualization which is actually an animated form of a story board) of how he wanted the story to unfold

on screen. He later told me that he had been working on it for a year. Moreover, when he showed me the climax, I was absolutely stunned. I saw that he had the vision, passion and belief required for such a mammoth project. I was also aware of the hierarchy of where I stood in terms of the box office ratings. I was glad that he had conviction in my ability to deliver the role. All he wanted was a serious commitment and a chunk of dates, to which I agreed.

There is reportedly an intimate kissing scene in the fi lm with Aruna Sheilds, which you were rather uncomfortable doing and gave several retakes. True?

That is because it was our first ever intimate kissing scene. Both of us were a big jittery about doing it with the result that it took several retakes, before we could do it naturally.

You are also said to have performed some hi-adrenalin action sequences in the fi lm, which required you to go through rigorous training.

Well, the grueling training program of five months for some of the action scenes was a nightmare of sorts. Before commencing the program, I had to lose 12 kgs in order to get the agile look in the film. The training would start

in the pre-dawn hours, when I was required to work on a board with a marker on it. I also had to train on the skate board everyday for which I

had an instructor. There was a gym instructor to ensure that I was quick in my reflex actions, a nutritionist who kept a tab on my food intake and a Martial Arts instructor form Thailand, besides a Parkour instructor and two instructors on wires and cables. All these instructors would be constantly checking out on my progress day and night for the first six months. The real hero however was action director, Alan Amin. It was like testing really rough waters. However at the end of the day, we came out with a great movie.

Are you hoping that the fi lm will make a big difference to your career?

I am aware that there is a lot of anticipation about the

film and I am confident about its prospects from the way it has shaped up. The credit goes to Kookie and Kumar Taurani-ji, who pulled all the stops to make it one of the most lavishly made films on par with any Hollywood film. Hopefully, it should take me way ahead in my career.

You also received a lot of critical acclaim for your recent performance in Kurbaan.

Kurbaan happened at a time when I was almost written off by the critics. When I took up the film, there were doubts raised about my presence in the film and how far I would be able to justify the role. However, director Rensil D’Souza and producer Karan Johar had immense faith in me. The film later won me meaty reviews and nominations,

“‘Prince’ is defi nitely a very important for me. It is after a long time that I have done a solo fi lm with a very powerful role and I am defi nitely eager to gauge the response of the audiences.”

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDSECOND LEAD08

Houseful has been in the news for quite sometime now. Tell us something about the

fi lm. The fi lm is a hilarious comedy akin to ‘Heyy Babyy’, except that it is far bigger and better than my debut fi lm. I would defi ne it as a complete entertainer replete with romance, music and comedy. The audiences will also be able to relate to the storyline- in this case about a jinxed character (played by Akshay Kumar), who has a history of failed relationships and has a problem fi nding a match because of his reputation of being unlucky.

You seem to have retained the

team of ‘Heyy Babbyy’ for this fi lm too?Not entirely. Apart from producer Sajid Nadidwala, Akshay Kumar and Ritesh Deshmukh, we have three new girls Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan. There’s also Arjun Rampal, whom we decided to include later, besides Chunky Pandey. The fi lm also marks the return of veteran actor Randhir Kapoor’s to the screen after a span of 16 years. In addition, it also stars Lilette Dubey, who is a fabulous stage actress.

Akshay is said to have already become a hot favourite with you. In fact, the news goes that you and Akshay became great friends during the making of the fi lm.

I love Akshay. He is not just a friend for me, but a brother too, whom I can rely upon for guidance and inspiration. The relationship I share with him is comparable to the one I share with Shah Rukh, who is an achiever and has always been a source of inspiration for me. I also share a similar rapport with Sajid Nadiadwala. I like these people because they have a positive feel around them and they are all achievers in their own right. I believe that associating with successful people always has a positive effect and works as an inspiration.

One of the highlights of the fi lm is reportedly the fact that all three of your heroines, Deepika, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan, will be seen

sporting bikinis in the fi lm. Yes we have shot a song with Deepika, Lara and Jiah in a bikini. The song has been shot on a beach in Italy and there is nothing unusual about it. It has been beautifully shot. I am sure everyone will love the song.

A lot is being spoken about Lara Dutta’s comic act in the fi lm. What made you opt for Lara for the comedy?We were looking for a strong girl to play comedy and Lara seemed to be the ideal

choice. After Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi her comic sense is unmatched. She has been underutilized as an actress.

Your sister, Farah Khan has started her own production house. Will you be directing fi lms for her too? Farah is very charged up about her work right now. She is far too preoccupied and is unaware about what I am doing. I have no qualms about directing a fi lm for anyone. She has just started her production house so give her some time to set it up. Farah is also said to have choreographed a song in your fi lm, which reportedly has

a medley of stars. You will have to wait for the fi lm and watch that. It is a big surprise.

Didn’t it occur to you to act or make a guest appearance in your own fi lm? I had my priorities clear from the beginning. There is no doubt that I have had my share of being a television celebrity for the last 14 years but I did not want to overdo my bit of acting. I have enough work being the captain of the ship.

SAJID KHAN

Television anchor turned director, Sajid Khan is in his element, the reason being the very encouraging reports about his upcoming fi lm, ‘Housefull’. The much anticipated fi lm is being counted upon to restore Akshay Kumar’s lost status at the box-offi ce. After having last delivered the successful ‘Heyy Babby’, Sajid is confi dent his second fi lm will hit the jackpot too. Excerpts from an interview.

“Akshay is more than a “Akshay is more than a friend to me” friend to me”

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MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND POINT OF VIEW 11

Amitabh Bachchan is angry- with the media, with the Maharashtra government and all those who are seeing too much into his presence as a special guest at the Bandra Worli sea-link opening. The fracas over the incident and the subsequent media reports about being alienated from the Congress because of his decision to become the brand ambassador of Gujarat. He expresses his feelings on his blog. Excerpts:

“Yes, I have been invited through formal government procedure by the Chief Minister of Gujarat to promote tourism in the State of Gujarat. Yes I have accepted it. And yes I shall go ahead and do it. I am promoting tourism for Gujarat. I am not promoting the politics or the governance of Mr Narendra Modi the Chief Minister, or Mr Narendra Modi the individual. Gujarat does not belong to Mr Modi. It belongs to India and I as a proud citizen of my country have every constitutional right to promote a part of my country. Mr Modi is a democratically elected and constitutionally appointed head of the State, if people have a problem with him, why did you elect him ? If he has done some wrong conduct a legal enquiry and let the law of the land take its normal course. We will honor and have faith in the law of the land. But if you are going to abuse and attack me for associating myself with Gujarat because you fi nd fault in Mr Modi its Chief Minister, then please also abuse and attack all others that associate themselves with Gujarat. If you question the appointment of

Mr Modi as the democratically e l e c t e d constitutional head of a State, then please question every democratically elected honorable member of the legislative Assembly and Parliament. I am an apolitical person. I was in politics but resigned from it, and have accepted my failure. Ever since leaving politics I have never partaken in any political activity, never made any political statement or shown public allegiance to any political outfi t. As a citizen of this country I have a confi dential right in not divulging publically my political allegiance, that is if I have any.

Gujarat was there before Mr Modi and shall remain even after him. The divine temple of Somnath in Gujarat was not built personally by Mr Modi, nor did he construct the ancient civilizations of Haraapa, nor did he have a hand in the existence of the lost city of Dwarka, or the beauteous white soils of the Rann of Kutch, and neither did he order the construction of the largest number of heritage sites in the State. These are all vital important and exquisite jewels in the crown of the majestic State of Gujarat, in the most beautiful country of the World, India, and I want to see ..who is going to stop me from glorifying them !!

ATTACK ME, ABUSE ME, CRUCIFY ME … DO WHAT YOU CAN AND WILL … I SHALL NOT STOP. I AM GOING TO DO IT !!

Big B is upset

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDGUPSHUP 12

From being honored with her own milkshake at Hollywood to owning

a chalet in the Swiss Alps, Mallika Sherwat is certainly creating a lot of buzz in the west where she is currently stationed. Apart from shooting for Doug McHenry is a romantic political comedy, Love, Barack and making a foothold for herself in Hollywood, Mallika is literally spreading her fragrance around.

The latest news on Mallika’s front is that the international brand ‘Playboy’ (not the magazine, but the perfume) has been rumored to have roped in Mallika for its launch in India. The brand will be launched somewhere in mid-April. It’s however not clear whether she will be endorsing the brand or merely inaugurating the launch party.

One thing is certain though. Playboy perfume will defi nitely be a huge sellout, if Mallika endorses it.

By R Manishaa (With inputs by Sharmishta T)

The handsome hunks of Garam Masala, Akshay Kumar and John Abraham will be back once again to regale the audiences. The duo will be seen together after a gap of four years in a romantic comedy made under Akshay own

banner Hari Om Pictures. The fi lm will be directed by director David Dhawan’s son, Rohit Dhawan. The news goes that Akshay loved the script penned by Rohit Dhawan and took the decision. According to sources, the fi lm will have Akshay and John playing pole dancers in a strip club, which will give them plenty of scope to show off their well toned bodies in the fi lm. The two actresses who are likely to be their love interests in the fi lm are Deepika and Chitrangada Singh, though it is yet unconfi rmed.

Our source adds that Akshay is leaving no stone unturned to give the fi lm a great look. To start with he has chosen some exotic locales abroad for the shoot. It may be recalled that Rohit was all set to make his directorial debut with a fi lm titled ‘Come On Pappu’ with Akshay Kumar but the fi lm was unlikely to happen for some time, Akshay decided to give Rohit a go-ahead for this particular fi lm. Few people know that Akshay has got a kind heart. He has often gone out of his way to help those who had helped him when he started his career. Besides, he has not forgotten that David has given him one of the biggest hits of his career ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’.

Akshay and John back together

Mallika Sherawat Mallika Sherawat entices Playboyentices Playboy

When Hema and Rekha came together in Luv Sinha’s debut

The Deols are back with a bang

Actor Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha’s son, Luv Sinha is excited about the fact that

his acting debut Sadiyaan, has two legendary actresses, Hema Malini and Rekha. “I think I am lucky to be working with two stalwarts like Rekha-ji and Hema-ji in my very first film. Besides the film has been directed by Raj Kanwar who is a big name and given so many hits in his career,” says Luv.

Both Hema Malini and Rekha also take immense pride in Luv’s debut. Hema plays Luv’s mother in the film and says that Luv was born right in front of her eyes, their father, Shatrughan Sinha being a close family friend. She has fond memories of

rushing to the hospital to see him and his brother Kush when they were born. Thereafter Luv would come to play with her daughters Esha and Ahana. So it was easy to essay the role of mother and son as she thinks of Luv as her own son. On her part, Rekha, too, is equally happy about working with Luv. She too has always seen him as a part of her extended film family. Other than his own mehnat, Rekha gives credit to Shatrughan and Punam Sinha for being great and caring parents. We will have to wait and find out about the on-screen chemistry of Rekha an Hema Malini, both of whom hail from the south. The two are known to have shared an excellent rapport during the making of the film.

The Deol family is always known to be shy when it comes to promoting their film together. However, they have decided to come together to promote their next film, Yamala Pagala Deewana, directed by Samir

Karnik. Right now all the three Deols (Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby) are shooting for the film in Punjab. We are told that the trio are planning to go on a promotion spree right up to December, soon after Karnik wraps up the

shooting in August. They are also reportedly planning to visit every nook and cranny of the country and fly overseas as well.

When asked about this, an otherwise reclusive Sunny Deol revealed, “Yes, it’s absolutely true. The plan is to complete the fi lm by the end of June after which we intend to visit various places in order to promote it. I have realized that promotions play an important game in the success of a movie.

Yamala Pagala Deewana is expected to release on December 24 (Christmas week) alongwith, Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan and Aamir Khan’s Dhobi Ghaat too

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND NUMBERS SPEAK 13

His signature and destiny number speak a lot about Hrithik Roshan

“Bollywood sensation Hrithik Roshan is born on 10/1/1974. The sum total of all the digits indicate that his destiny number is “5” (1+0+1+1+9+7+4=23=2+3= “5”) and this number has played an important role in his success story.

“After Kaho Na Pyaar Hai , all of Hrithik’s fi lms fl opped at the box-offi ce until 2003 (which adds up to 5) his next hit fi lm, Koi Mil Gaya arrived with a bang and made news at the box-offi ce. That was followed by the release of Krrish on 23rd June (once again adds up to no 5), 2006, in which an extra ‘r’ was added by me to get it to the number 15 (6), which is also Rakesh Rohan’s number (Rakesh Roshan is born on 6th September). As expected, Krrish proved to be the the biggest blockbuster of Rakesh Roshan’s career and consequently took Hrithik to a new

level.

“Hrithik’s name number comes to number 20 which brings delays in life and his full name number comes to number 43 which can result in health problems. Hrithik (who is number 1) can reach greater heights of success if he adds a ‘c’ to his name and spells it as “Hrithick Roshan”, where the fi rst name adds up to number 23 (5), his destiny number and the full name adds up to number 46, which is the number of immortality. It may be recalled that Charlie Chaplin’s name number also came to number 46, one of the many reasons why he is remembered till date as one the greatest legends of cinema.

“The signature of Hrithik shows that he has a contrast personality. On one side he is egoistic and on the other side he considers himself a very simple person who has happened in a very big way. He is confused and not sure of things and that is because of his name.

“His signature also indicates that he is highly creative and self-reliant, though things o not happen the way he wants them to happen. He is also an extremely logical and practical person, which explains why he believes in working hard for everything. He values his family and is also sensitive to criticism.”

Niraj Mancchanda practices Numerology,Graphology, Vaastu,Changes Of Energy At Places,Healing,Chakra Cleansing, Working On Subconscious Mind, Past Life Therapy, Programming Crystals For Love, Wealth, Stability Of Career, Breaking Black Magic,Tantra,Witchcraft & KRIYASHAKTI ( Manifestations Of Visions To Reality ) RE-DESIGN YOUR DESTINY YOUR WAY

His name number (1) is not in tune with his birth number but Hrithik Roshan’s destiny number (5) has made a big difference to the success of some of his films, which have in turn catapulted him to fame, success and fortune, observes numerologist Niraj Mancchanda.

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She is charming her way into the hearts of the Indian audiences She is charming her way into the hearts of the Indian audiences

Her debut fi lm, ‘Aladin’, wasn’t quite a box-offi ce success but Srilankan beauty, JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ, has already become a hot bet among several B-town directors and producers. Presently, the style conscious actress is back in the news for her forthcoming fi lm, ‘Jaane Kahaan Se Aayi Hai’, in which she will be seen in a two-piece bikini. That is besides, her growing proximity with her ‘Aladin’ co-star Ritesh Deshmukh.

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDSTAR TALK16

You have always been choosy about roles and directors, so what made you opt for a fi rst-time

director in ‘Tum Milo To Sahi’? My fi rst criterion for taking up any role is always the script of a fi lm. The director and my co-stars are the other two criteria, while money has never been a consideration in any of the roles I have taken up so far. In the case of ‘Tum Milo To Sahi’, I liked the script of the fi lm at the very fi rst instance, though I did have my initial reservations about Kabir. I

later noticed that he had a very defi nite idea about the way he wanted to make the fi lm. That’s when I made up my mind and gave my nod for the role.

You and Dimple Kapadia are making a come back after 14 long years on screen. How was the rapport between the two of you on the sets?Dimple and I have done four fi lms together-’Krantiveer’, ‘Prahaar’ and ‘Angaar’. Despite the fact that we worked together after a long time, Dimple has

always been a friend. In fact, I would say she is my best buddy. We may not meet be in touch but when we do meet, the world stops for us. That apart, she is also a very good human being at heart.

Apart from Dimple, who are your other friends with in the industry?I have quite a few friends in the industry. At least, I can confi dently say that I have no enemies and I am happy with everyone that I have worked with so far. I also share a great good rapport with Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Mithun Chakraborty, and Danny Denzongpa. We may not be working together but we keep in touch and meet each other often. Prakash Jha was said to be one of your best friends at one point. What went so that you are not even on talking terms with each other?Nothing actually went wrong. The media exaggerated it. I do have intellectual fi ghts with everybody but this is the fi rst time that the media actually got to know of it. We do keep having these arguments. There’s nothing more to it. If that was so, why did Prakash Jha state on record that he did not want to work with you anymore, besides the fact that he also went ahead and shot some scenes in your absence?I remember he had made such a statement 15 years ago but we still continue to work with each other. I don’t deny that we

have had differences and arguments with each other. We both know each other well enough. Probably it must have so happened that he reached a saturation point, where he could no longer tolerate my point of view. I realized my mistake and said sorry to him. I have no qualms about saying sorry. However, if he does not want to work with me, he is free to carry on. I may or may not work with him but then I will be the last person to make such statements.

Earlier too you have had severe differences with some of your co-stars. One of your co-stars, Tanushree Dutta accused you of misbehavior.I really do not know what happened at

that moment. I never had any problems with her nor anyone else. I am the last person to fi ght or take any such nonsense from anybody. You have always been accused of being eccentric and aloof. Did such accusations ever trouble you?I am the kind of person who likes to be in my own space. I cannot be nice to everyone. I am a person who believes in calling a spade a spade, instead of indulging in back-biting. If I do not like certain things about someone, then I do not hesitate in voicing my opinion aloud. Those who are not so well-versed in their job, probably fi nd it bit diffi cult to deal with it. It did affect my relations with people and I lost out a couple of times in the bargain, but I could not help it. What did you lose? Any regrets?I lost out on many things. I missed a lot of work and lost out on friends and sometimes money too. I was not paid for the work I had done. But that is how I am. There were times when I vented out my frustration and anger through the roles I performed. I was fortunate that I could grab a medium where I could channelize my negative energies into my work.

Do you watch your own fi lms at any time? No way. Once I am done with the role, I don’t watch my movies nor do I watch

fi lms of other actors. Once the dubbing is over, my job is done. I do not like to watch my own fi lms because once the fi lm has been shot I cannot enhance my work any further. That’s why I simply avoid watching it.

What about direction? Reportedly, there is a project on the anvil that you are planning to direct. I am planning to direct Prakash Jha’s next production. It’s a love story based in the late 40s and early 50s. It is still in the scripting stages. We will talk about it when the movie is done.

We are told that you had approached Deepika for the same project but she refused to work

ou have always been later noticed that he had a very definite

hewhpm

NANA PATEKAR

He is one of the most controversial actors in Bollywood thus far, better known for his eccentricities rather than his performances. Few people are aware that the enormously talented Nana Patekar also has another side to him- of an extremely sensitive man who is emotional at heart and occasionally irrational too. In a candid chat, Nana unravels about this and his upcoming fi lm, ‘Tum Milon To Sahi’.

“I cannot be nice to “I cannot be nice to everyone” everyone”

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND STAR TALK 17

with you.Yes it is true that I had approached her. She is a very talented girl and I would love to work with her but then she didn’t have the dates to spare. She was busy so she refused to work. Maybe we will work together some day in the future. Have you stopped signing fi lms altogether? Frankly, I am not quite inspired by the roles that are offered to me. Also, I have my limitations about working with directors who are not as up to the mark or co-stars who are un-cooperative. That limits my chances of working in all projects. There are a select few projects that I am still doing, one of them being a Kannada fi lm called ‘Yaksha’ with Ramesh Rao. Apart from that, I am

bored of acting, which is why I am now seeking other activities to get creative satisfaction.

So what are these activities? Well, farming is one such activity on my priority list. I derive a lot of satisfaction from it. I have my farm at Sinhagad, where I have grown many vegetables. I also write my scripts there as it allows me to concentrate. I fi nd it the best place in the world where I can happily relive my childhood memories. I was born in the little sea-side village of Murad Janjira, which is a hot tourist attraction now. Those days, we led simple and contented lives there.

By Sharmishta T (Re-written by R Manishaa)

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDBIZ TALK18

Now that 3 Idiots has been a huge

success director Raj Kumar Hirani and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra are working on their third Munnabhai series, Munnabhai Chale Amerika. This time however, they have a surprise in store for the audiences. Munnabhai Series will have Aamir Khan playing a pivotal role in the film.

Sources inform that Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi will continue to reprise their roles as the two nincompoops, Munna and Circuit. In addition Aamir Khan Khan will play an important role in the movie. Though director Rajkumar Hirani says that he has not finalized anyone as yet and is still busy scripting the movie, unit sources say that Aamir has already given a go ahead to the role. The story reportedly begins with Munnabhai making his plans to go to Amerika. Circuit realizes that Munnabhai may need help when he lands in Amerika and introduces Munnabhai to a friend (played by Aamir Khan) and their journey continues, a source reveals

Aamir Khan in Munnabhai Aamir Khan in Munnabhai Chale Amerika- Shama BhagatChale Amerika- Shama Bhagat

ANCIENT WISDOM FOR TODAY’S CHALLENGESANCIENT WISDOM FOR TODAY’S CHALLENGES“A violence-free society, disease-free body, tension-free mind and a prejudice free intellect is the birthright

of every individual”, says His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. When asked how this can be achieved? He replies in his inimitable style, ‘through spirituality”. He further says, “Today we live our lives on the treadmill, running and getting nowhere. And we have to keep running just to stay stable and in the race. This is the reason for frustration in our individual lives”.

Ms Atika Dhandia, international teacher and senior faculty member of the Art of Living Foundation agrees with His Holiness that “despite the fact that everyone wants to be happy, there is confusion and a lack of direction, this has resulted in life energy getting stuck and there is a sense of barrenness”. She suggests a simple solution, that of meditation, when the mind becomes free from agitation and becomes calm and serene. She says “By doing meditation one can turn ones body into a powerhouse by generating inner source of energy”.

Atika is visiting Auckland briefl y as part of the upcoming visit of the world-renowned humanitarian and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. His Holiness has spent the past 29 years traveling the world spreading ancient wisdom so that people can experience inner peace and centeredness. And surprisingly what he teaches is so incredibly simple.

When asked, what the value of spirituality is in this fast paced society, He simply says, “Know that it is as relevant as medicine to the sick, rest to the tired and wealth to the poor”.

We are fortunate to share this simple yet profound knowledge and be a part of about 5000 people meditating together, the fi rst in New Zeland. His Holiness will give a public talk on Easter Monday 5 April at the Trusts Stadium Arena, Henderson from 6pm. Tickets for $25 and $50 and special $15 tickets for students and senior citizens. Call 0800Ticketdirect or www.ticketdirect.co.nz. For more information visit www.artofl iving.org.nz or call 0508ARTOFLIVING.

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND WHAT’S UP 21

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While the makers of ‘Don’, ‘Krishh’ and ‘Golmaal’

are still in the process of launching their latest sequels, the ‘My Friend Ganesha’ series recently released its third part, taking a lead in the race for sequels in Bollywood.

Directed by Rajiv S. Ruia, ‘My Friend Ganesha 3’ also has the credentials of being

India’s first 3D composite animation movie, combining animated characters with real-life actors.

In addition, the animated version of Lord Ganesha is also seen doing a special number in the third sequel. The number has been sung by none other than the original king of rap, Baba Sehgal, who has also written and composed it.

GANESHA beats Don and Krishh in sequel race!

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDWHAT’S UP

In a night that honoured excellence, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce

and Industry (FICCI) and Wizcraft International Entertainment, instituted the fi rst ever Chevrolet FICCI Frames Excellence Awards to highlight the success stories of the year gone by.

The star-studded presentation ceremony which celebrated excellence across four major categories, music, radio, television and cinema, saw the very best of the media and entertainment on the Red carpet.

Music maestro, A. R. Rahman was awarded the Global Icon of the Year. Suave actor, Ranbir Kapoor took home the Chevrolet FICCI Frames Entertainer of the Year, for delivering a string of box offi ce hits and winning a place in the heart of movie-goers.

A major highlight of the night was the award for Global Entertainer of the Year that was bestowed upon Indian Cinema’s Badshah himself, Shah Rukh Khan. He was honoured for his dominance over the world of entertainment, be it through his fi lms, television or his contribution to the world of cricket.

Box offi ce sensation, Paa swept the Best Actors categories with Vidya Balan receiving the award for Best Female Actor of the Year: Films while her on-screen son, Amitabh Bachchan received the Best Male Actor of the Year: Films. Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 masterpiece, 3 Idiots took home the Most Successful Film of the Year and Hirani was lauded as Best Director of the Year, for the same.

Television entertainment saw its share of winners, with General Entertainment Channel, Colors coming atop with the Most Successful Television Channel of the Year and Zee TV’s hit reality dance show, Dance India Dance declared the Most Successful

Non-Fiction Show of the Year. The night also saw

a melodious opening performance from a band called ‘Nine’ with lead singer, Shilpa Rao. The recipient of Best Music Album of the Year winner, Pritam also gave the audience a unique musical performance. The musician was lauded by guest presenters Salim-Suleiman for the music of Love Aaj Kal. Radio Mirchi was declared the Most Successful Radio Channel of the Year.

Speaking about the

Chevrolet FICCI Frames Excellence Awards, Dr. Amit Mitra, Secretary General, FICCI, said “The awards have been instituted to celebrate and promote excellence in the media and entertainment sector and, we in FICCI are privileged to honor some of the most outstanding leaders who have scaled pinnacles of excellence in their fi elds. We shall constantly strive to recognize high talent in keeping with our perpetual quest of business excellence.”

Sabbas Joseph, Director

– Wizcraft International Entertainment added, “It was always an endeavour of Yashji, Karan, FICCI and ourselves to come together to celebrate and laud the best in media and

entertainment on one platform. FICCI Frames provided the perfect dais and instituting the Chevrolet FICCI Frames Excellence Awards is a step in that direction.”

Amitabh Bachchan, SRK, Vidya Balan, Ranbir Kapoor honoured at Chevrolet FICCI Frames Excellence Awards A.R. Rahman named Global Icon of the Year

22

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND WHAT’S UP

Vivek Oberoi spends time with children at Snehasadan giving them tips for a greener tomorrow

Living up to being a ‘Prince’ in its truest sense, ‘Vivek Oberoi’

enlightened the lives of the children from ‘Snehasadan’ NGO by joining hands with Panasonic’s Eco Idea

Campaign. He brought smiles to their faces by gifting them an eco idea Panasonic

Refrigerator making the summer season a pleasant experience.

The fun filled afternoon

saw the children rejoicing and celebrating with their favorite star, who not only cut and

shared a “green” cake with them but also gave them a few tips to keep the environment clean.

Vivek Oberoi fondly recalls the unique interaction he had with the kids. “Children are the future of tomorrow. I am

blessed to be here and bring joy in their lives. I am grateful to Father Francisco for letting me spend this afternoon with these children and be a part of their lives.”

Panasonic has been a market leader in consumer durable industry delivering superior products and services in India

since the early nineties, while Snehasadan is an NGO that provides homes and futures for homeless street children in Mumbai.

23

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDWHAT’S UP

Actress Pooja Bedi inaugurates ‘InTime Courier’

Actress Pooja Bedi inaugurated InTime Fast Express Pvt. Ltd, an express courier

company set up with the aim of providing excellent international and domestic services, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa. Braj Hari Prabhu, President, ISKCON, was

the guest of honour at the event. The company is the brainchild

of businessmen Ashok Lamba, Chandrakant Pathak and M.S.Gujral and film actress Nilanjana. Nilanjana has also played an important role in the recently released film ‘Right Ya Wrong’.

24

2010, commenced on the 19th of March for members of the Indian Film fraternity. Each year over

a thousand industry stalwarts, actors, directors, producers, technicians and composers among others cast their votes, which decide the nominations for the main awards. The 19th, 20th and 21st of March mark the 11th year of the IIFA’s Voting weekend, where Mr. Bachchan, the IIFA Brand Ambassador cast the fi rst vote to initiate proceedings

Speaking on the occasion, Amitabh Bachchan said, “It is with great pride that I cast the fi rst vote of the IIFA Voting Weekend 2010. Year after year, the fi lm fraternity casts its vote, as a mark of respect and support to its peers

by voting for whom it deems to be the very best of the previous year.”

He added, “As a member of the fi lm industry, I look forward to another luminous decade, as IIFA journeys forth, sharing the Indian cinematic movement with the world, one country at a time.”

2010 marks the eleventh year of the IIFA celebrations Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd takes their IIFA celebrations globally each year and travel to a new beau locale taking the fi lm fraternity with it to celebrate the best of both cultures, businesses and cinemas. The country of hosting for IIFA Weekend and Awards for the year 2010 will be announced shortly.

Shaila Film Productions organised the premier of their fi lm Mittal v/s Mittal at Cinemax in the Mumbai suburbs, Present on the occasion were

the entire cast and crew of the fi lm, including its director, Karan Razdan, actress Hazel and model and actress, Misti Mukhejree. The other guests present were Satish Kaushik,Gulshan Grover, Dolly Thakur, Jagmohan Mundhra, Nikita Rawal, Reshma Gangji, Riyaz Gangji, Shameer Tandon, Mansi Roy and Rohit Roy and actress Rituparna Sen Gupta. Music director, Shameer Tandon sang the zindagi song for media.

Premier of fi lm Mittal v/s Mittal at Cinemax,Andheri West.

Amitabh Bachchan inaugurates IIFA Voting Weekend 2010

Premiere of Lahore

A star-studded premier of Lahore was held on March 17 at Cinemax, Mumbai., which was graced by several

B-town celebrities, besides the cast and crew of the film. Lahore which is distributed by Warner Bros. has the talented cast of Farouque Shaikh, Nafisa Ali, Sushant Singh, Shraddha Nigam, Saurabh Shukla, Kelly Dorji, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Mukesh Rishi and late Nirmal Pandey. The film also marks the debut of Aanaahad and Shraddha Das in the lead.

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLAND WHAT’S UP 25

Actor Ranbir Kapoor recently unveiled the new logo and spring

of John Players summer collection, 2010, besides its new

advertising campaign. Atul Chand, Divisional Chief Executive,

ITC Lifestyle Business Retailing Division also welcomed Ranbir Kapoor

as the new brand ambassador of John Players on the occasion. Later

Ranbir walked the ramp as the show stopper to launch the brand’s

spring summer collection.

Ranbir Kapoor appointed brand ambassador of John Players

MARCH 28, 2010, AUCKLANDNEW ZEALAND DIARY26

‘Dance Pe Chance’ team comes out with a one of a kind DVD

WHY STOP SMOKING?

Rangmanch to stage second Hindi play

Paradex and Capadex to be withdrawn from NZ market from August 1

The Dance Pe Chance team, which has innovated promoted the concept of dance to an altogether new level, has successfully

entertained the audiences in the recent past. Looking at the amazing feedback they got from the audiences, the team is now set to launch their DVD of the live show they had last held on 6th February, 2010. Incidentally, this is the fi rst time in New Zealand that anyone is coming out with a concept related to the fi eld of dance and entertainment.

It needs to be mentioned that the Dance Pe Chance show has proved that there is no dearth of talented dancers in NZ. The energetic and passionate performance of our dancers has left an indelible mark on the minds of the audiences, who were keen on seeing a repeat performance

again and again. This is also one of the reasons why the Dance pe Chance team has decided to go for a DVD launch on the big screen. A 2-hour premier show of the DVD has been scheduled on 19th April at prestigious cinemas in Auckland.

The DVD has been developed by talented cinematographer, Beig, who has to his credit several Bollywood fi lms and television serials in New Zealand and India. Needless to add, the distributors of the DVD, Century Video and Blockhouse Bay, are very happy with its quality.

Those desirous of further details may contact Jayesh at 09 6265666 or 021 1809868. The entry tickets for Dance Pe Chance premier will also be available at Century Video Blockhouse Bay. Please watch out in our next issue for more details.

Rangmanch, the organization that was formed to promote Hindi theatre in New Zealand is ready with its second play, Ballabhpur Ki Kahani, which has been

scheduled to be staged in Auckland on April 24 and 25. It may be recalled that Rangmanch was formed in 2008

with the idea of staging Hindi plays for the NZ audiences. The entire crew of the organization is also from New Zealand. It staged its fi rst Hindi play Zimmedari in August 2008, which was a smashing success. The organization is now hoping to get a similar response for its second play.

Since the tickets for the musical comedy drama are limited, the audiences are requested to book their tickets in advance to secure the best seats. The ticket prices are limited to $15 and $20. The other details are enclosed in the ensuing leafl et.

The consents to distribute medicines containing d e x t r o p r o p o x y p h e n e

(Capadex and Paradex) in New Zealand will be revoked, from August 1, with a view to protecting the health of New Zealanders. This was announced recently by Medsafe Group Manager Dr Stewart Jessamine, who observed that the safety and efficacy of these medicines outweighed any possible benefit, following a statutory review of the safety and efficacy of these medicines.

Jessamine took the decision after consultation with clinicians from the Royal College of General Practitioners. It was felt that the cut off date of August 1, 2010, would allow doctors sufficient time to transfer their patients safely onto alternative treatments. The action in New Zealand comes shortly after the withdrawal of medicines containing dextropropoxyphene in the European Union and in Singapore.

Medsafe has also advised

patients currently taking Capadex or Paradex to discuss their ongoing treatment with their doctor. As with all medicines, consumers and healthcare professionals are encouraged to report all suspected adverse reactions to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring.

Note: (Dextropropoxyphene

is a painkiller, belonging to the opioid class of medicines.

Medicines containing dextropropoxyphene are painkillers used to treat

chronic moderate pain. Two medicines containing dextropropoxyphene are currently available in New Zealand, Paradex tablets and Capadex capsules. The Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC) is an independent expert advisory committee that advises the Minister of Health on medicines safety issues.)

For media queries, please

contact: Karalyn van Deursen, Senior Media Advisor (04 496 2115, 021 832 459)

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