Author: #TIPEntertainment

Katrina Kaif made a picture perfect debut on the French Riviera in a black and-white Michelle Smith ensemble. The sheer white draped skirt and the panelled blouse, picked by her stylist Anaita Adajania Shroff, were the perfect foil for the blue marina which stretched beyond Kat’s hotel balcony.

Her tresses fell to her shoulders, the auburn tinge becoming. When prodded on the colour, a friend of the actress pointed out that it was part of the look of her upcoming film Fitoor which is currently under production.

The film is an adaptation of the Charles Dicknes’ novel, ‘Great Expectations’, and the actress plays Firdauz, an Indianised Estella. Katrina will be at the Cannes film festival for two days. And there will plenty of opportunities for the paparazzi to click her because both nights she will be walking the redcarpet. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, a regular at Cannes, and Sonam Kapoor, will also be walking the red carpet and

it will be interesting to see which of these fashionistas steal the thunder (No pun intended). At a media event, the Bollywood beauty pointed out that she was not at Cannes to set a trend. She insisted that she wanted to be herself and enjoy the experience.

“She flies back to India on the night of May 15 but she’s promised herself that before returning she’ll catch a couple of world cinema titles,” added the friend.

ActressAnushkaSharma has shared a throwback photograph of herself along with her father Col. Ajay Kumar Sharma. The 27-year-old actress took to photo-sharing websiteInstagramto share the image with her fans and followers.

The NH10 actress, then a toddler, sported a red frock along with her hair all pleated standing next to her father, donning an Indian Army uniform. Anushkacaptioned the image, which she shared on Wednesday: “#ThrowbackTimelittle miss with papa”.

The actress will next be seen inAnuragKashyap’sforthcoming film Bombay Velvet. The film is a romantic thriller, set against the backdrop of the1960sBombay. The film hasRanbirKapoorplaying the role of the angry, young lover JohnnyBalrajandAnushka, essaying the role of the singer RosieNoronha. It also stars KaranJoharas a villain.

Deepika Padukone, who will soon be seen in Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha as well as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, said in a chat that she is excited about Hollywood films. Deepika, who missed the opportunity of featuring in the recent instalment of Fast And Furious, said that she is open to Hollywood offers in the future. According to a report on Pinkvilla.com, the actor was quoted as saying that Hollywood films did excite her and that it’s fascinating to set foot in a world that is completely different. She further added that the kind of films that they make is different and that it would be like starting all over again like she began her Bollywood career seven years ago. She agreed that it would be challenging indeed, but that she wouldn’t mind it.

REVIEW: Gabbar is back – and so is Akshay Kumar, with a big-screen bang. Professor Aditya (Akshay) has a secret life as vigilante Gabbar who terrorizes government officials. Gabbar and his gang kidnap tehsildars, collectors and cops, hanging the most corrupt in public. As the police search frantically for this rebel with a cause, Gabbar decides corrupt builder Patil (Suman) ko bhi sazaa milegi, barabar milegi – does Gabbar succeed?

Legend says Amjad Khan as Sholay’s dreaded iconic villain Gabbar Singh was so explosive, cassettes featuring just Gabbar’s dialogues sold for years. Gabbar Is Back picks up that high-voltage pulse, remixing it cleverly with the biggest concern of contemporary times – corruption. This Gabbar also terrorizes – but only targets the corrupt. For aam citizens, Gabbar’s an inspiring figure – one who makes you cheer for the ‘bad’ guy.

Akshay Kumar has a blast playing Gabbar who, with dark, wavy hair and bristly beard, has never looked hotter. With twinkling eyes and deadpan face, Akshay delivers dynamite dialogues – ‘Naam se villain, kaam se hero’, flawless bone-breaking action, redefining PWD (‘power-wala danda’), switching from loose-limbed vulnerability to jaw-clenched intensity in a flash.

The story powers him with its novel concept (a moral universe where Gabbar is hero and Thakur, a smug cop, snapping at bright constable Sadhuram, played by straight-faced Sunil Grover) and contrasts. Doctors pretending to treat a dead man, nervous officials returning bribes via money orders, tickle you with dark comedy. But you wince as Aditya hears mocking ‘apologies’ by babus, bribed to pass a faulty building that collapses – with many lives.

With gritty reality, Gabbar has glamour too – Shruti charms with her soft, pretty appeal while a cameo by Kareena adds sheen but doesn’t divert. The second half’s blood pressure doesn’t fully match the first (Patil’s insistent ‘I am a brand!’ gets repetitive while CBI officer Pahwa looks clueless without Sadhuram’s ‘axellent’ work) – but the climax pushes up the adrenaline again.

While the music’s pleasantly seamless, the editing is razor-sharp, evoking Manmohan Desai, rushing you from one entertaining scene to the next, without time to figure things out – but just enough to feel.

Now, Gabbar Is Back – and you’ll feel his return rocks.

She is known for her hot and glamorous avatar on-screen but Indian actress Sunny Leone says she does not mind audience to laughed at her if the role demands.

Sunny, 33, will be next seen in adult comedy “Kuch Kuch Locha Hai” and she said the genre comes natural to her.

“Something that people don’t know is that when I worked in the US, I was a part of a comedy group. There used to be acts, stand up comedies and in between we used to do comedy skits and comedy games.”

“So, I have a little bit of training. I wouldn’t say I am the funniest person ever but I have a good sense of humour. I am not afraid of tripping over myself or making fool of myself on camera so there is no embarrassment on-screen. I am usually up for anything,” Sunny told reporters here.

The “Ragini MMS 2” actress is aware that she is typecast as a sex symbol in her films, given her adult star background but Sunny is not keen of getting caged into an image.

“I don’t know about breaking or recreating any image. My fans have been seeing me from a long time… Things change with time. This year you are going to see me in very different films. But there are a couple of movies which are not that glamorous,” she said.

“Kuch Kuch Locha Hai” also stars Ram Kapoor, Evelyn Sharma. While praising her co-stars, Sunny said the film has given her great friends, who made her shooting experiences memorable.

Two men based in Vancouver have filed civil claims against celebrity Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Davar, alleging that they had been sexual harassed and spiritually controlled by him.

The cases were filed before the British Columbia Supreme Court on Wednesday by 33-year-old Vancouver television cameraman, and a 40-year-old IT services provider, seeking damages from Davar. Davar, in his filings in the same court, has denied all the allegations. In counter filings, his lawyers stated that the allegations were “simply not true and have been made with the intention of ruining Mr Davar’s character, reputation and affiliated organisations” and the “false accusations” were also “solely to take advantage of Mr Davar’s celebrity.”

Both men had joined Davar’s dance troupe in India and later moved to Canada and were also part of a Vancouver-headquartered group, VRRP Spiritual Learning, that Davar is alleged to be the current leader of.

In his case, the IT professional claimed he had joined Davar’s dance classes while in his late teens. He alleged he had been chosen for the core company and after that, for “over a period of several months”, Davar began a “grooming process to manipulate” him “into sexual submission.” In 2003, after completing his Commerce degree in Mumbai, the IT professional was asked to go to Toronto to teach in Davar’s dance school. Subsequently, he was moved to Vancouver for the same purpose. The cameraman, meanwhile, claimed he joined the dance classes when he was 16.

Both were were initiated into VRRP Spiritual Learning, founded by Khorshed Bhavnagri, who claimed to receive spirit messages from her sons and that they were relaying instructions via auto-writing to her and her associates, including Davar. The accusers claim Davar succeeded Bhavnagri as leader of the group upon her death in 2007.

After the IT professional moved to Vancouver, the suit alleges, Davar became more “controlling” than he had been in India, “using his position as a leader” of the spiritual group to “influence all aspects” of his life. That included breaking up his relationship with his girlfriend. He left the group in 2008, claiming that one “final sexual incident” had been the “last straw.”

The cameraman’s suit claims that Davar’s sexual advances began after he became a dance performer in the group. In his claim of sexual harassment, he alleges that Davar told him he “was selfish and his soul could not progress spiritually fast enough because he would not submit further” to him. Subsequently, he married his girlfriend and moved to Vancouver and was part of the VRRP group. After his marriage, the cameraman claimed he was “pressured” to have a child even as he was “starting to accept he was a gay man.” After Bhavnagri’s death, he assisted Davar in running VRRP. Between 2008 and 2010, sexual contact between the two increased. The complainant also alleged that Davar exercised “influence” over his girlfriend during the couple’s separation and divorce proceedings. In September 2010, the lawsuit stated, his responsibilities were “taken away”.

The cameraman alleged that as a result of Davar’s “sexual exploitation and/or sexual assaults”, he had ‘suffered psychological injury and damage.”

In an interview to Canadian public broadcaster CBC, which broke the story of the case, he alleged “He (Davar) was just publicly humiliating me…because I wasn’t giving him what he wanted…which was reciprocating to sexual acts.” He also stated he came forward as he wished to “protect his son from the potential ongoing danger of sexual abuse.”

In his response filed with the court, Davar’s lawyers said, “At all material times, Mr Davar performed his role as a teacher, employer and perceived spiritual advisor in a professional and appropriate manner” and that “at no time” did he “misuse or abuse his position in the dance company and/or perceived position in the spiritual group.” Davar’s dance school has operations in Canada and was also featured in the cultural programme that preceded the recent community reception for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Toronto, an event that also featured Canadian PM Stephen Harper.

MUMBAI (TIP): A Bollywood celebrity actor Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail by a Mumbai Court, today, May 6 in a 13 year old case of hit and run driving incident in Mumbai in which a homeless man was killed while four others were run over.

[quote_right] Khan found guilty, sentenced to jail for five years [/quote_right]

However, the actor will not be sent to jail.  Within hours of  sentencing, Salman’s lawyer Harish Salve obtained from Mumbai High Court, an interim bail order which gives him reprieve for two days, until May 8, when the Court will hear the actor’s petition for confirmation of bail. It is believed that given the many avenues available in the Indian legal system, Salman is unlikely to be spending time in jail.

Salman Khan was charged with culpable homicide. The court found the actor guilty of all counts of charges which included drunken driving, driving without valid license, running away from the scene of the incident and causing death of a man, besides causing injuries to four others.

Khan had said his driver was behind the wheel, but Judge D.W. Deshpande found him guilty on the charge of culpable homicide.

“You were driving the car; you were under the influence of alcohol,” he told the actor as soon as the court proceedings began.

The case has gripped Bollywood and India for 13 years, since 2002.

Late on the night of 28 September 2002, Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser hit the American Express bakery in the Bandra area of Mumbai, authorities say.

The vehicle ran over five people sleeping on the street, killing 38-year-old Noor Ullah Khan and seriously injuring three others. Another person received minor injuries.

The prosecution alleged that Khan had been driving the car while drunk. Giving evidence in March., Khan had denied he was drunk or that he was driving the vehicle.

But many witnesses disagreed.

A constable attached to Khan’s security detail said in a statement to the police that the “drunk” actor had lost control of the car. The policeman died in 2007 of tuberculosis.

In April, Khan’s driver told the court that he had crashed the car after a tire burst but the court did not accept that version.

[quote_center]Timeline of the case[/quote_center]

September 2002: Salman Khan’s car runs over five people sleeping on a Mumbai street, killing a homeless man and injuring four others

October 2002: Khan charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder – arrested but granted bail

May 2003: Court rejects his plea to drop culpable homicide charge

June 2003: Bombay high court drops culpable homicide charge; actor is then tried for rash and negligent driving

October 2007: Prime witness, a constable who served in his security detail, dies

March 2015: Khan tells the court he was not drunk and his driver was behind the wheel

May 6, 2015: Khan found guilty, sentenced to jail for five years

May 6, 2015: Mumbai High Court grants interim bail to Khan for two days, until May 8

 

[quote_right]

CAST: Akshay Kumar, Shruti Haasan, Suman Talwar, Sunil Grover, Kareena Kapoor Khan

DIRECTION: Krish

GENRE: Drama

DURATION: 2 hours 10 minutes

[/quote_right]

STORY: ‘Gabbar’ targets corrupt officials – will this bad guy get good results?

[quote_center]REVIEW: [/quote_center]

Gabbar is back – and so is Akshay Kumar, with a big-screen bang. Professor Aditya (Akshay) has a secret life as vigilante Gabbar who terrorizes government officials. Gabbar and his gang kidnap tehsildars, collectors and cops, hanging the most corrupt in public. As the police search frantically for this rebel with a cause, Gabbar decides corrupt builder Patil (Suman) ko bhi sazaa milegi, barabar milegi – does Gabbar succeed?

Legend says Amjad Khan as Sholay’s dreaded iconic villain Gabbar Singh was so explosive, cassettes featuring just Gabbar’s dialogues sold for years. Gabbar Is Back picks up that high-voltage pulse, remixing it cleverly with the biggest concern of contemporary times – corruption. This Gabbar also terrorizes – but only targets the corrupt. For aam citizens, Gabbar’s an inspiring figure – one who makes you cheer for the ‘bad’ guy.

Akshay Kumar has a blast playing Gabbar who, with dark, wavy hair and bristly beard, has never looked hotter. With twinkling eyes and deadpan face, Akshay delivers dynamite dialogues – ‘Naam se villain, kaam se hero’, flawless bone-breaking action, redefining PWD (‘power-wala danda’), switching from loose-limbed vulnerability to jaw-clenched intensity in a flash.

The story powers him with its novel concept (a moral universe where Gabbar is hero and Thakur, a smug cop, snapping at bright constable Sadhuram, played by straight-faced Sunil Grover) and contrasts. Doctors pretending to treat a dead man, nervous officials returning bribes via money orders, tickle you with dark comedy. But you wince as Aditya hears mocking ‘apologies’ by babus, bribed to pass a faulty building that collapses – with many lives.

With gritty reality, Gabbar has glamour too – Shruti charms with her soft, pretty appeal while a cameo by Kareena adds sheen but doesn’t divert. The second half’s blood pressure doesn’t fully match the first (Patil’s insistent ‘I am a brand!’ gets repetitive while CBI officer Pahwa looks clueless without Sadhuram’s ‘axellent’ work) -but the climax pushes up the adrenaline again.

While the music’s pleasantly seamless, the editing is razor-sharp, evoking Manmohan Desai, rushing you from one entertaining scene to the next, without time to figure things out – but just enough to feel.

Now, Gabbar Is Back – and you’ll feel his return rocks.

Bollywood star Katrina Kaif has joined micro-blogging site Twitter to promote her upcoming maiden appearance at the Cannes International Film Festival. Katrina Kaif’s fans have a reason to rejoice as they can now get a peek into her life from her Twitter account. Yes, the actress has finally joined Twitter on April 25, 2015. Her Twitter handle reads @KatrinaAtCannes, although it is not a verified one. The credit goes to the upcoming Cannes International Film Festival and the brand which she endorses.

Her first tweet read, “Exciting day today! On my way to the @LOrealParisIn press conference. Have you heard the big news?” Sonam Kapoor is among the first few followers of Katrina Kaif on Twitter. Going by the handle, it seems Katrina will be promoting the brand and posting all her activities during the film festival. But whether she will be hooked to this account beyond that or she will quit immediately after the event, we will have to wait and watch.

Actress Zarine Khan, who will soon be seen in the third film of the erotic thriller franchise Hate Story, says she has no inhibitions about either intimacy or exposing on screen.

“You guys just tell me a film that does not have any intimate scene and is not glamorous? I don’t know why this film is being tagged as ‘having a lot of exposure’,” the actress said here on being asked if she is ready to expose in the new film of the franchise.

“Honestly speaking, if I see any of the films being made today, there is an exposure quotient. Anyways, this is something that I will be doing for the first time. As of now, we are working on the story and the character,” she added.

Hate Story 3 will reportedly see actors Sharman Joshi and Daisy Shah along with Zarine, and the film is likely to be at par with the previous two films in bold and erotic content. The Veer actress says enacting such scenes is part of an actor’s life.

“There is no point of being ready or not for the exposing scenes, because we are actors. It would be cliche if I say so, but if a character demands such stuff, then as actors we are supposed to give our best. I haven’t done this before. This will be the first time for me, so I myself don’t know how it is going to be,” she added.

Aamir Khan will be seen playing a father in his next film Dangal. While he has been prepping for the role, the casting team is having a tough time auditioning girls who can essay the role of his daughters.

The team has been scouting and has auditioned more than 21,000 girls till now. However, they have not been able to sign anyone.

It is a tough role. The girls need to be slightly athletic and willing to undergo strenuous training.

The director of the film, Nitesh Tiwari is certain he does not want to cast someone from the industry. The casting has been going on since a couple of months.

They are looking for fresh faces who have little or no former training in acting. So even when the team selects someone for auditioning, they have to give them time to prepare for the screen test, making the process even more challenging.

After breaking all box office records with P.K, Aamir does not have a release this year.

However he seems to be gearing up for Dangal which will release in 2016.

It is a very different role he will be seen playing and the casting team needs to ensure they get the casting right.

Spokesperson confirms and shares, “We have been auditioning but have not been able to zero in on the casting yet.” reports Bollywood.com

Romantic comedy “2 States” and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean adaptation “Haider” are leading at with nine and eight nominations at IIFA awards 2015 while superstars Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan are pitted against each other in the best actor category.

Rajkumar Hirani’s inspiring “PK” earned six nominations and Kangana Ranaut’s “Queen” received 5 nominations for the 16th edition of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA), which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from June 5-7.

The best picture category is dominated by female-centric films like “Queen”, “Highway” and Priyanka Chopra-fronted biopic “Mary Kom”. “2 States” and “Haider” and “PK” will also compete in the category.

Aamir and SRK are nominated in the best actor category for their roles in “PK” and ‘Happy New Year” respectively. They will face competition from Hrithik Roshan (‘Bang Bang’), Shahid Kapoor (‘Haider’), Arjun Kapoor (‘2 States’) and Randeep Hooda (‘Highway’).

“Queen” and “Mary Kom” stars Kangana and Priyanka will compete in the best actress category alongside Rani Mukerji (‘Mardaani’), Deepika Padukone (‘Happy New Year’), Alia Bhatt (‘2 States’) and Anushka Sharma (‘PK’).

The best director category has Vikas Bahl (‘Queen’), Vishal Bhardwaj (‘Haider’), Rajkumar Hirani (‘PK’), Abhishek Varman (‘2 States’) and Imtiaz Ali (‘Highway’).

The best supporting actor list features Ronit Roy (‘2 States’), Riteish Deshmukh (‘Ek Villain’), Kay Kay Menon (‘Haider’), Randeep Hooda (‘Kick’), Inaamul Haq (‘Filmistaan’) and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah for ‘Finding Fanny’.

In the best supporting actress category Tabu is the strongest contender for her powerful role in ‘Haider’ as Shahid’s mother. Other nominees include Amrita Singh in ‘2 States’, Lisa Haydon in ‘Queen’, Juhi Chawla in ‘Gulaab Gang’ and Huma Qureshi in ‘Dedh ishqiya’.

Govinda (‘Happy Ending’), Sharib Hashmi (‘Filmistaan’), Sanjay Dutt (‘PK’) and Varun Dhawan (‘Main Tera Hero’) are nominated in the best comic actor category.

Riteish and Menon earned their second nomination in the best negative actor category along with Nawazuddin Siddiqui (‘Kick’)

STORY: London-based model Mira (Sunny Leone) comes to India on an assignment. She falls in love with a prince in Jaisalmer and gets married to him. Meanwhile, a budding musician Karan (Jay Bhanushali) is getting persistent nightmares after hearing an old Rajasthani folk tune and keeps muttering the name Leela in sleep. How is Mira related to Leela? This one is more than just a reincarnation tale.

REVIEW: The tendency of not taking a Sunny Leone film seriously is going to change.  Ek Paheli Leela might not be a cinematic treat but its tricky climax Emakes it watchable. With a solid story in place, this vivaciously shot reincarnation drama is plotted carefully with its loose-ends knotting up into a thrilling end.

Unlike the usual fare that compliment the actress’ bold persona, the forte of this film sprawls beyond its scintillating bits. It starts on a droopy note and meanders initially but once the parallel stories merge, it advances smoothly towards the jolt of its unexpected climax.

What dampens the strength of the plot are its sexual innuendos and the needless songs that keep popping in frequently without adding much. There are nine songs forced into the package which water down the film’s punch. The story shifts briskly between the present and the past without seeming too disparate. With its runtime of over two hours, the film gets tedious, something that could have been easily rectified by sharper editing.

Director Bobby Khan amps up the oomph quotient, helping Sunny pull a character than demands a steady performance. And to be fair, she has delivered her most earnest act so far. She has worked on her linguistic skills seriously and can emote a lot better than before. The men are good but Rajneesh Duggal has the most palpable chemistry with Sunny. Mohit Ahlawat and Jay Bhanushali are good and Jas Arora’s vamp act was wicked.

You might guffaw at a few scenes because the film isn’t exactly an epitome of logical thinking. But as an entertainer, it’s colourful, crisp and convivial.

BYOMKESH LOOKS STUNNING – BUT COULD BE SHARPER!

STORY: Byomkesh Bakshy wants to find Bhuvan babu – but what happens when Byomkesh unearths a highly sinister plot?

REVIEW: Straight up,  Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! is possibly India’s best-looking sleuth flick till now. Based on Saradindu Bandhopadhyay’s vintage stories, DBB! is set in 1942 Calcutta where clever Byomkesh (Sushant) is asked by Ajit Banerjee (Anand) to help find his father, Bhuvan babu, mysteriously missing for months

At Bhuvan’s lodgings, Byomkesh is befriended by doctor Anukul Guha (Neeraj Kabi) and Kanai Dao (Meiyang Chang) who sells opium – in a Calcutta that’s all about intoxicants, smugglers and smoke. Byomkesh finds a trail to Gajanand Sikdar’s chemical factory where sensuous film star Angoori (Swastika) intrigues him, imperious Satyawati (Divya) annoys him and rebellious Sukumar (Shivam) puzzles him – discovering blackmail, drugs, bodies and bombs, can Byomkesh solve not one but two dangerous plots?

Byomkesh Bakshy is an iconic Bengali character brought to life by Sushant Singh Rajput with great elan – Sushant pulls off a role full of wry liveliness (a Sardarji cabbie nervously noting, ‘Ye babu ka nut dheela hai,’), fitting the character, from flowery dhoti folds to furrowed-forehead frowns, beautifully. He’s matched by dramatic Neeraj Kabi and calm Anand Tiwari who, after a Chinese gang leaves a courtyard strewn with corpses, tells caretaker Putiram (shakily precise Pradipto Kumar Chakrabarty), ‘Khoon rehne de…bas chai bana de.’

Alongside, the look is remarkable – noir cinematography unfurls a Calcutta of jostling shadows and splendid squalour, trams like filigree running across the city, costume balls, dentists’ halls where murders are committed with violent slash. Dibakar Banerjee adds cheeky global touches too (Byomkesh’s painting resembles Edvard Munch’s Scream), tracking shots evoking Fellini’s moving camera, action punching between Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino.

But the film stretches, scenes between Byomkesh a nd a slow-talking, slow-smoking, slow-pouting Angoori losing pace. Superfluous characters (wailing wife, dumbstruck ex) make growing tension pop away like the bubbles on Angoori’s bath foam. A chilling climax masterfully ties up the tale – but 30 minutes less would’ve given this detective a much tighter grip.

Still, DBB! is a fun watch, presenting another mysterious case – how Sushant looks good, despite a uni-brow?