If I've to look back at 2006, I'd remember it as the year of 'Rang De Basanti' (RDB) and Kangana Ranaut. Both startled the hell out of me.
When I saw Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's RDB, I couldn't move. I had to force my hand to punch his numbers, and then I blabbered like a schoolboy. Mehra was no stranger to me.
Kangana was. I had never heard of her, didn't know what she looked like. I went to see 'Gangster - A Love Story' with zero expectations. The girl stunned me senseless. Lucky are those who sat on that decisive Friday watching this natural-born actress dip all her senses into every crevice of the human heart.
Like Shabana Azmi, I wanted to ask Kangana: 'Where have you come from?'
Amrita Rao in 'Vivah' and Ayesha Takia in 'Dor' also took me by surprise.
Whereas Shahid Kapur had prepared me for his performance in 'Vivah' as he was extremely accomplished in all his releases so far except 'Deewane Huye Paagal', where no one was allowed to be accomplished. But it was Amrita's fragile elegance that stunned me.
Silly girl, she turned down a plum and powerful role in Govind Nihalani's film that he offered her after 'Vivah'. I just hope she goes into 2007 with hope on her plate.
Three new directors also stumped me this year. Dibakar Banerjee, Saket Chowdhary and, most of all, Nishikant Kamat blew my brains with their first films.
Banerjee, I'm told, is very lazy. He took years to complete 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'. But it doesn't show.
Chowdhary is spunky. He had the guts to not use Mallika Sherawat's sex appeal as a pivotal character in 'Pyaar Ke Side Effects'. Weeks before the release of this romantic comedy, distributors were in two minds - Mallika in clothes? Will not work!
Both 'lazy' Banejree and 'spunky' Chowdhary are now planning sequels to their surprise hits.
I wish there would be a sequel to Marathi director Kamat's 'Dombivli Fast'. I want to know what happens to the wife and children of a working class man who gets shot after creating a moral havoc on the streets of Mumbai.
In his small, Rs.20 million Marathi film, the humble Kamat threw forward several statements. You don't need a fortune to create a phenomenal film. Shooting on authentic locations with authentic actors does the act.
Hats off to actor Sandeep Kulkarni who simply merged into the role of the man who goes berserk after suffering the hefty wages of the humdrum life for years.
Regional cinema remains so neglected that you wonder what would've happened to biggies like 'Don' and 'Baabul' if they had been made in Telugu or Marathi.
The return of Sooraj Barjatya in 'Vivah' and Mallika in 'Pyaar Ke Side Effects', and the advent of a phenomenal new talent called Kangana made my heart crave for more surprises in 2006.
That delight of falling off my seat came to me when I saw little boy Ali Haji, who played Aamir Khan and Kajol's son in 'Fanaa'; when I saw Hrithik Roshan glide across the dance floor as though it was the ocean in 'Dhoom 2'; When I heard Konkona Sen Sharma's conversational voice as she grappled with the garbled grammar of a schizophrenic mind in '15 Park Avenue'; when I saw Lisa Ray's limpid eyes stare in the placid water in Deepa Mehta's 'Water'; when I saw Sushmita Sen rip the screen apart with her monstrous monologues in 'Chingaari'; when I heard Kavita Seth sing 'Mujhe mat roko mujhe yaar ke ghar jaane do' for Kangana as she plummeted to a welcome death in 'Gangster'; when I heard Richa Sharma tear the soundtrack into sublime smithereens with 'Baabul mora' in the disappointing film of that name.
When Aamir broke down in Alice Patten's kitchen in 'Rang De Basanti', I cried too. I knew this guy once. Now he's a different person.
Everything changes. The world around us is a cauldron of simmering discontent. The movies and performances we enjoyed last year were very different from the films this year. And 2007 will be even more different.
And if there's a contradiction to Sanjay Dutt playing Munnabhai and standing in a courtroom facing serious charges, then I guess we need to realise characters outlive the actors who play them.
~tasha~
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Bollywood set to scale new heights in US
Indo-Asian News Service Washington, December 20, 2006
As Bollywood films made their most successful run ever in the US in 2006, a New York-based media company announced two new partnerships to expand North American distribution of hit films from India.
These new initiatives in partnership with Rogers Communications and Google Video would help BODVOD Networks, a company that holds exclusive rights to popular Indian movies from top studios such as UTV and Adlabs, make Bollywood films more accessible to all types of movie fans, the company said on Tuesday.
It has been a record-breaking year for Hindi films at the US box office in 2006.
Of the 14 foreign language films that have grossed over $2 million this year, a stunning seven have been in Hindi.
No other language has come close to contributing so many box office hits to the list. Spanish, despite being spoken by millions of more Americans, trails far behind as the next most popular foreign language at the US box office with only two films above the $2 million benchmark this year.
The industry has never seen more than two Hindi films surpass this box office level in the same year.
The seven hits of 2006 easily shattered the previous record and showed immense growth for Bollywood films in the US.
BODVOD Networks announced that beginning Jan 15, 2007, it would launch the distribution of its Bollywood films in Toronto with Canada's largest cable provider, Rogers Communications.
Rogers' digital cable subscribers will be able to order the newest Bollywood hit films on-demand and watch them whenever they want.
Recent blockbusters like India's 2007 Oscar entry "Rang De Basanti" starring Aamir Khan and the Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Swades", plus critically-acclaimed film festival favourites such as "15 Park Avenue" with Shabana Azmi and "36 China Town" starring Kareena Kapoor, will debut in the new year with additional hit films premiering every month.
In addition, BODVOD Networks announced the availability of feature films and other content on Google Video.
BODVOD's content is presented under the name Saavn and available at www.video.google.com/saavn.
The launch includes full-length movies available for immediate download representing some of the biggest recent Bollywood hits plus exclusive promotional videos, music clips, trailers, and more.
"We are extremely delighted to announce these two new deals which will help to bring the best of Bollywood to more movie fans," stated Vin Bhat, general manager of BODVOD Networks.
"With 2006 being a record year for Hindi films at the box office, we see a tremendous opportunity for growth in 2007 and beyond as Indian cinema becomes more popular and more accessible across North America," he added.
~tasha~
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B'wood rookies that dazzled 2006
IANS Posted Sunday , December 24, 2006 at 09:36 Updated Sunday , December 24, 2006 at 09:46
New Delhi: If 2005 launched Vidya Balan, then this year is definitely for Kangana Ranaut, who has emerged as one of the most promising newcomers in filmdom.
In the last few years, Bollywood has opened its doors wide for newcomers, and the older crop of actors has also happily made way for the young brigade.
As a result, new faces have flooded the silver screen. The numbers were the highest in 2005, with Shiney Ahuja and Vidya leading the young pack.
This year, however, there are fewer new faces and out of them Kangana Ranaut is shining and on strong firmament.
Here are some of the new faces who debuted in 2006:
Kangana Ranaut: She made her debut with Mahesh Bhatt's controversial flick Gangster - A Love Story, based on mobster Abu Salem's affair with Bollywood actress Monica Bedi. Kangana played Monica's part and critics raved about her performance.
She bagged the best actress award at the Asian Festival Of 1st Films in Singapore and also walked away with the best debutant female trophy at the Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA) in Kuala Lumpur for the film.
She was later seen in Woh Lamhe, a film about Mahesh Bhatt and late actress Parveen Babi. The film worked because of Kangana's brilliant performance.
The film's success proved she is not a one-film wonder. The actress is now looking forward to her role in Shakalaka Boom Boom, releasing next year.
Upen Patel: British born model-turned-actor debuted with Subhash Ghai's thriller 36 China Town alongside Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor.
Performance wise, he didn't have much to do in the film. However, he hogged the limelight for his metrosexual looks. He walked away with the best male debut of the year at the GIFA.
His minus point is his heavy English accent. In spit of that, the directors showed interest in him and in 2007 he is to feature in Suneel Darshan's Shakalaka Boom Boom and Vipul Shah's Namastey London.
Allice Patten: This British actress made an impressive debut in Rang De Basanti, one of the most successful and talked about films of 2006 that is also India's official entry to the Oscars. She gave a brilliant performance despite the language barrier.
~tasha~
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Is Gowariker worried about Ash-Hrithik's image?
[ 24 Dec, 2006 0947hrs ISTMUMBAI MIRROR ]
MUMBAI: After the successful pairing of Hrithik-Ash in Dhoom 2, Ashutosh Gowariker is recreating a significant chunk of Mughal history with the star pair in Jodha-Akbar.
Shooting for Jodha-Akbar is expected to be over in March 2007. "We're releasing the film on October 12," informs Gowariker.
"That's the Eid week. And we're looking at a cross-culture of audiences to come for the film," he adds.
Is he worried by the contemporary image of his lead pair in Dhoom 2?
“Not at all. In Dhoom 2, they are Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. In my film they are Akbar and Jodha. Their personas in Dhoom 2 are closer to what they really are. Not that I've changed their physicality. But audiences will see only the characters."
Gowariker thinks that Ash and Hrithik are not only immensely good looking but also hugely talented.
"I've seen every film of theirs from Kaho Na Pyaar Hai and Kyun Ho Gaya Na to Dhoom 2. They always show an easy adaptability to the requirements of every director. Be it Chokher Bali or Raincoat for Aishwarya or Mission Kashmir and Fiza for Hrithik, they've transformed in front of the camera. They're both intensely dedicated."
The diligent filmmaker is all praise for the pairing. "Hrithik and Ash look really good together in my film. But the full impact will be discernible only when the film releases. The give-and-take between the two as they get into the character is amazing."
This is Ashutosh's most expensive film.
"Our budget is Rs 37 crore. But my co-producer Ronnie Screwwala and I aren't looking at the budget as a responsibility. Between us we've worked out the financial details, including what is required in production and marketing."
At the moment Aishwarya and Hrithik are undergoing the most gruelling and rugged outdoor experience of their life. But the horse riding and sword fencing were not entirely a culture shock for them.
"We had several sessions in Mumbai, lots of riding and sword-fighting lessons, just so that they'd be attuned to their Mughal characters and know the right way of riding a horse or holding a sword. You know sword-fencing is a very western concept, whereas the way the talwaar (sword) was used in the Mughal times was very different."
"I had got Hrithik and Ash accustomed to the body language and attitude of those times from beforehand. Now all they’re doing is executing a vision they’re already aware of," says Ashutosh from his location in Rajasthan."
