Bollywood

On Punit Malhotra’s birthday we reveal a secret!

Written by Steven Baker on May 12th, 2010

Punit Malhotra has cause for celebration, not only is May 13 his birthday, but the first look of his debut film I Hate Luv Storys has just been unveiled. It is well known Punit started out in the industry working with Dharma Productions, assisting on hits like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, [...]

Housefull

Written by Steven Baker on May 1st, 2010

As has become quite the trend in Bollywood of late, with the credits of the first show barely rolling, producers have already declared Housefull a hit. Not afraid of a cheap gag, puns on the film’s title appear to be proving too good too resist in publicizing its alleged box office performance. Unusually for such [...]

“My work has gone to another level” – Sammir Dattani

Written by Steven Baker on March 25th, 2010

Not only is he big in Bollywood, Sammir Dattani has a parallel career in the South, having delivered hits in Karnataka’s Sandalwood film industry and in Tamil cinema. After an eight year innings it looks as though things are going to skyrocket further for this chocolate boy hero, who has been seen on screen in [...]

“Two day old lollipop” foreign actors in Bollywood targeted by MNS

Written by Steven Baker on March 20th, 2010

Foreign actors working in Mumbai have become the latest target of Raj Thackeray’s Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) hardline Marathi political party. The move comes after Thackeray’s group raided the sets of Abhishek Bachchan starrer Crooked, which features foreign background actors. This not the first time Thackeray has had issues with Bollywood, non-Indian actors are now [...]

Bollywood academics gather for conference

Written by Steven Baker on March 13th, 2010

The India Media Centre launched this week by Shyam Benegal, held a one day Bollywood and Beyond conference on Friday, hosting the global leaders in Hindi film academia. Bollyspice took a seat in an audience of cinema fans attending the event from as far afield as New York. Rosie Thomas from the University of Westminster, [...]

Abhishek Bachchan: Karan Johar is a terrible actor!

Written by Steven Baker on March 10th, 2010

In a first for Abhishek Bachchan, the star turned guru to give an Actor’s Masterclass as part of the Tongues on Fire 12th Asian Film festival. At a central London cinema, BollySpice was in the audience to get the gyaan from Junior B. To a packed audience of film fans and industry professionals, Bachchan opened [...]

Abhishek Bachchan’s BAFTA London Interview

Written by Steven Baker on March 7th, 2010

The UK played host to Abhishek Bachchan at The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), which recognized the star’s cinematic achievements. In a career spanning over forty films, the critically and commercially successful actor recently took his first steps into film production with the award winning Paa in 2009. The London venue also [...]

“I always wanted to do stuff which is considered in Bollywood as offbeat” – Abhay Deol

Written by Steven Baker on March 3rd, 2010

Since we at BollySpice last caught up with Abhay Deol, the actor’s status as the poster boy of alternative cinema has been further cemented by critics and audiences alike. After his last film Dev.D scooped a handful of Filmfare Awards on Sunday, Deol is all set for his eighth release to hit theatres, the Indo-American [...]

Kavi – India’s Oscar Hope on Sunday

Written by Steven Baker on March 2nd, 2010

This time last year the film on everyone’s lips was Slumdog Millionaire as it took home eight Oscars. With the 82nd Annual Academy awards less than a week away (Sunday March 7, 2010) flying the flag for India this year is Kavi, nominated in the Best Live Action short film category. The 19 minute fictional [...]

Abhishek Bachchan Heads to London for Film Festival

Written by Steven Baker on February 28th, 2010

Abhishek Bachchan fans in the UK will get the opportunity to interact with their idol as he flies into London this week for a series of events at the Tongues on Fire 12th Asian Film Festival. The glitterati of Asian cinema will be heading to the capital from 5th -14th March which will see 30 [...]

Get Ready for the Phoonk 2 Scare Contest

Written by Steven Baker on February 23rd, 2010

The first look of Ram Gopal Varma’s Phoonk 2 was unveiled on Monday at the Cinemax, Andheri by RGV and director Milind Gadagkar. When the original Phoonk was released, producers challenged viewers to watch the film alone in a cinema to win a cash prize of 5 Lakh (just over $10,000). The competitor only lasted [...]

My Name Is Khan

Written by Steven Baker on February 11th, 2010

The tagline of the story “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist” lets you know from the outset that Karan Johar’s cinematic vision has moved on from his earlier oeuvre of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham. In My Name is Khan, there are no show-stopping numbers with a [...]

“Mr Bachchan is the Voice of India” – Professor Rachel Dwyer

Written by Steven Baker on February 10th, 2010

Hindi film giant and BBC Star of the Millennium, Amitabh Bachchan, is once again at the forefront of communications technology. After the success of his Big Adda blog, the actor has now started ‘vogging’ or vocal blogging as a way of further reaching out to his many followers. Launched in Mumbai on Tuesday, Bachchan Bol [...]

Jackky’s back: Bhagnani Jr’s new release

Written by Steven Baker on August 26th, 2009

After debuting with Kal Kissne Dekha, Jackky Bhagnani, the producer’s son with the numerological name, is gearing up for the follow up. “We start shooting the first week of October and we’re doing the location hunting at the moment. It’s going to be somewhere in India. It has to be in India, because it’s a [...]

“I have to be really passionate about something to want to direct it.” – Shirish Kunder

Written by Steven Baker on August 1st, 2009

Back in 2006, director Shirish Kunder released the Akshay Kumar-Preity Zinta-Salman Khan love triangle Jaan-e-mann. Since then he has been playing the role of devoted father, bringing up triplets with choreographer and filmmaker wife, Farah Khan. In a freewheeling chat with Steven Baker, Shirish reveals he is set to direct not one, but two new [...]

Bollywood Strike Over: Get ready for New York

Written by Steven Baker on June 6th, 2009

Bollywood fans can dance around the trees, the stand-off between producers and multiplex owners is over. With only B-grade flicks, reruns of old hits, and regional cinema on offer for the past few months, audiences are eager for fresh content at the box office. First of the biggies is Yash Raj Films New York. Buzz [...]

Yash Raj Films launches Pyaar Impossible website

Written by Steven Baker on May 13th, 2009

Priyanka Chopra was in Mumbai this week to launch the website of Yash Raj Films Pyaar Impossible, which recently completed its first schedule. By logging onto the site, fans will be able to track the entire journey of the shooting online. Constant updates, fresh videos, and the latest pictures, will give Bollywood lovers a sneak [...]

Payal Rohatgi: Hollywood bound

Written by Steven Baker on April 10th, 2009

Aishwarya Rai has done it, Frieda Pinto is doing it, and now Payal Rohatgi is set to become the latest Indian export to Hollywood. The former Bigg Boss contestant’s route from B-grade flicks to mainstream success has not been easy. “I did not have anybody to guide me on what kind of films I should [...]

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi: “SRK with a difference”

Written by Steven Baker on December 10th, 2008

Friday sees Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi hit cinema screens. After the success of DDLJ and Mohabbatein, and eight years since Chopra last directed, expectations are high. Yash Raj Films are buoyant about their latest Shah Rukh Khan vehicle, distributing over 1200 prints of the film. Avtar Panesar, Vice President of International Operations [...]