'Andaz Apna Apna' Movie Review

Few comedies are widely regarded as being the best from a decade (hence among the best of all time) as Andaz Apna Apna (1994), which is a cult film if there ever were one belonging to the genre. Aptly named (the title means 'to each his own [mannerism]'), it aimed to entertain from the very first frame to the very last, and succeeded overwhelmingly in so doing. TheRajkumar Santoshi film starred Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Mehmood, Deven Verma, Viju Khote, Shahzad Khan, and others, had music by Tushar Bhatia,and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

Two young men Amar (Aamir Khan) and Prem (Salman Khan) con their fathers (veterans Deven Verma and Jagdeep respectively) to finance trips to win over a wealthy businessman's daughter Raveena (Raveena Tandon), who visits India in search for an ideal match. Why India and Indians? Here's one answer:


Raveena is joined by her assistant Karishma (Karisma Kapoor). They embark on their quest, as do Amar and Prem, whose first meeting involves Prem's iconic Ooi Maa:


Aside: If you've ever wondered why my mentions of Juhi Chawla are almost always accompanied by Haaye Allah ('oh God', or a variant of the phrase). :o)


Amar and Prem exchanged pleasantries (or lack thereof) on the way to their destination (it's hard to beat these lines -- I like the second one, 'circus ka retired bandar', sorry Aamir!)...


...but eventually agreed to a peaceful but fair bout to win over Raveena. Things got complicated thanks to a fundamental lie, bodyguards, a stubborn father, a greedy villain, a twin, and a villain who believed he was part pirate and part superhero!

These elements meant that a high drama quotient complete with twists was inherent. Given that they were combined well, and that it was all very intentional, what followed was nothing short of fantastic, unadulterated, clean comedy. For fear of playing spoiler, here are just ten highlights to illustrate the tremendous scope of the screenplay. I don't think I could do anything to give much away, though -- the film must be experienced to be appreciated. None is kidding when suggesting that every scene is hilarious. Sample these:

1. A quasi-ode to friendship:


2. An encounter with the police:


3. A friendly fight with a reference to a popular ingredient of masala film...


...leading to reminders of episodes of the Ramayan TV series!


4. Amar and Prem the magistrates:


5. Vegetables as handkerchiefs. Honorable mention to Javed Khan (left), who played Ram Singh in Lagaan (2001).


6. A classic buildup to a song -- Ae Lo Ji Sanam (see it here) -- an excellent tune. Am I the only one who thinks the song has 1960s or 1970s written all over it?


7. A classic song in Dil Mera Dhak Dhak Dole (see it here), probably the closest Bollywood has come to an authentic pajama party number. Amar and Raveena were at their finest...


...Prem and Karishma were at it too...


...oh, and so were the bad guys!


8. Crime Master Gogo (Shakti Kapoor), who introduced himself as Mogambo's (Amrish Puri from Mr. India (1987)) nephew was the inexplicable highlight.


9. Paresh Rawal was brilliant in a double role, as Raveena's father and uncle. One a greedy villain, the other a strict administrator.


10. And finally, there was this. Man must not only win over woman, but must, of course, convince her parent(s) of his worth.


Aamir Khan and Salman Khan were perfectly cast, and in retrospect, it's difficult to imagine anyone else in their shoes. If you've ever liked any film with either, consider this mandatory viewing. They were supported extremely well by Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor. The rest of the supporting cast was excellent as well, and ensured that the overall product was nothing short of entertaining.

The film was packed with references to the film fraternity and contained noteworthy guest appearances (Haaye Allah!). There were umpteen references to elements from Indian pop culture, e.g. Crime Master Gogo's hilarious dialogue involving Mr. Bajaj, sung to the tune of a popular commercial for a motorcycle brand of the same name. Or Mr. Bajaj's punctuality related to a brand of timepieces. They were very effective when placed in context.

Having said that, this is also why I think the film doesn't translate very well across cultures. Aamir's Haaye Allah probably wouldn't be as funny if it didn't remind one of an aunt or neighbor who uses the term often, and Salman's Ooi Maa wouldn't be as funny if it didn't remind one of that annoying kid in the park. Subtitles (which were hardly spot on any way) can only capture so much. I don't think this means someone who does not speak Hindi or has never lived in India would not enjoy several portions. I'd just understand if they didn't find it as funny. If you've seen the film, I'd love to know what you think of this.

Andaz Apna Apna is a genuinely well-crafted comedy that hammered away at its mission. When a father yelled at his son, it was to make us laugh. When a villain aimed at a target, it was to make us laugh. When someone was kidnapped, it was to make us laugh. And these efforts resulted in a film that was by every definition a laugh riot, induced by all the silliness that accompanies a nonsensical comedy which is amazingly self-aware and free of tasteless humor.

It is the kind of film that works well in most settings, and has retained its appeal for 15 years now. The jokes get funnier with repeat viewings. Surprisingly, there is more to appreciate each time. Never mind the production values (especially the cinematography and sets, the wardrobe added to the funniness) took a backseat to the acting, dialogue, screenplay, and music. The script was not extraordinary, but the actors buying into it so convincingly was key to their performances, which made the film one for the ages. I highly recommend you see it. For all the nonsensical comedy it contains (which more often than not requires the taking off of thinking caps), it is delightfully intelligent!


Movie rating: 4.75/5 (Best in class!)

My classification: PG (for guns that often don't have bullets!)

Music rating: 3.75/5 (Very good, perfectly integrated)


And finally
If you've visited the Aamir and Salman blogs, you'll know this film truly brought the fan bases of the two together. We cannot get enough of it. That was then...


...and this is now (well, almost; see below):


A sequel?
There were rumors recently (big enough to be picked up by the British Broadcasting Company here) of there being a sequel to this starring the two. The actors have since denied this happening any time soon, but acknowledged at Salman's 10 Ka Dum that fans' continuous insistence might just pay dividends. Continuous it'll always be, gentlemen! If you haven't yet seen the game show episode featuring Aamir, here it is. They enter to a song from the film, their dialogue is from here too. Fun! None of Aamir, Salman, or Raveena have denied interest in a sequel, and all I've heard from Aamir is that it might take a year for Rajkumar Santoshi to even come up with a script for them to review.

Oh, and in case you feel I haven't discussed much of the brilliance of the stunning Raveena Tandon and fabulous Karisma Kapoor (it's all deliberate, you'll know why when you see the film), you are allowed to point fingers ;)


You can also play along with the cast in *your* andaz, and watch in amazement and amusement!


PS: Does anyone know when Salman was nicknamed 'Style bhai'? Was there any correlation with the title to this film?

http://thebollywoodfan.blogspot.com/2008/10/haaye-allah-ooi-maa-its-andaz-apna-apna.html 

Max Stardust Awards 2011 Salman Performance

Salman khan- 17th Star Screen Awards 2011 performance and awards

No Entry Mein Entry will have completely fresh characters

Boney Kapoor can breathe a sigh of relief. Now that the responsibility of launching his beautiful wife Sridevi has been passed on to Balki, Boney is itching to go ahead with the all-boys tale.

Secretly, the script for the sequel to No Entry has been readied by Anees Bazmee. All the while even as he has been completing the direction of two back-to-back films, Anees Bazmee has been writing the No Entry sequel. Having come to a dead end the first time this time, he doesn't want to reveal details about the sequel.

But we can safely say No Entry Mein Entry will have lots of incidents and situations related to Salman and Akshay Kumar, the two superstars that Anees has been working with. The characters in No Entry Mein Entry have grown out of Anees' close contact with the leading men in his two under-production films Thank You and Ready. Apparently, a lot of characters traits, body language and speech peculiarities of the protagonists in the No Entry sequel will be based on Anees' observations on Akshay Kumar in Thank You and Salman in Ready.

In fact, Anees has even taken incidents related to Akshay and Salman and made them part of No Entry Mein Entry.

Cautious about giving away the real-life inspirations for No Entry Mein Entry, Anees says, "I'm a writer first then a director. Observing people from close quarters the quirks and characteristics of people I've been working with lately are bound to show up in No Entry Mein Entry."

The delay in the No Entry sequel, it can now be told, was due to Bazmee's attempts to carry the characters and situations fromNo Entry forward into No Entry Mein Entry. The effort proved non-productive and abortive as Anees was stuck with trying to create a comic ambience for the three heroes of No Entry within an already-given situation.

Having scrapped the original idea of carrying the same story and characters forward, No Entry Mein Entry will now have completely fresh characters.

Informs Anees, "We're only using the title No Entry and the three heroes. Everything else is different. No point in carrying the same story forward."

Any wonder that Boney Kapoor's other pet project Mr. India 2 is not going anywhere? The characters are too plot-specific to be placed in another situation.

I will never abuse Arbaaz: Anurag Kashyap

After allegedly taunting the Khan brothers on how they stole his brother Abhinav's thunder as a director of Dabangg, Anurag has come clean about the issue.

He wrote, "I have a lot of respect for Arbaaz, Sohail and his father. I will never abuse them." He addressed this tweet to Salman and Arbaaz though one wonders why he hasn't mentioned Salman's name in the tweet.

Anurag has apparently deleted his earlier statuses which read, "Salman Khan thinks he made my brother's life. Hope he does the same for Arbaaz when he does Dabangg 2. All The Best."

He had also posted another message, "Abhinav Singh Kashyap, you rock... I love you... Show them what you are made off." The "them" clearly means the Khan brothers.

It all began after Arbaaz confirmed that he and not Abhinav will direct the sequel of the blockbuster. Arbaaz had said, "Hey guys it's true, I will be directing the sequel of Dabangg. Abhinav for some personal and professional reasons opted out."

After Anurag's outbursts, Arbaaz reacted, "Instead of GRATTITUDE some people show ATTITUDE. Wah kya zamana aa gaya hai. Time will tell. Kabhi asliat ko bahar aane mein time lagta hai. Successful people always have two things on their lips. "Silence" N "Smile". Smile to solve the problem and Silence to avoid the Problem."

Salman has kept mum on the issue so far.

Salman Khan Mountain Dew Ad

Arbaaz Khan to direct Dabangg sequel

Well, we are sure that you all will be waiting with bated breath to know the status of the sequel of the smash hit film Dabangg. So are we. Well, the news is finally out that it's not Abhinav Kashyap, but Arbaaz Khan himself who will be directing the much awaited sequel, thus marking his directorial debut!

News has it that, there were some differences between the Khan brothers and Abhinav Kashyap. What happened was that, Arbaaz received a SMS from Abhinav stating that he won't be directing the sequel. Meanwhile, Arbaaz did not deny the 'differences' aspect between Abhinav and him over a couple of weeks. Arbaaz also said that it was strange that Abhinav, rather than coming personally, sent him just a SMS telling him about him not directing the sequel.

Abhinav's exit has now paved an entry to Arbaaz Khan, who will now be donning the director's cap. On a lighter note, one is reminded of Salman Khan's famous statement in the film 'Ab tak nahlaaya tha... ab dhoonugaa". In the same breath, Arbaaz Khan can now say, 'Ab tak film produce lkiya tha... ab direct karoonga'! What say, Arbaaz Dabangg Khan.

'Judwa' Movie Review

It is not realistic, nor is it sensible. It's loud. It's over the top. Some of it tests the line between funny and tasteless. Production values matter not. Neither does the script. Yet, Producer Sajid Nadiadwala was discussing the possibility of its sequel starring the same lead actor. Because thisDavid Dhawan-directed comedy works!

Raja and Prem are judwaas (twins) separated at birth because of a power struggle between their father (a cop) and a criminal on the run. Raja -- presumed dead by his family -- is lost in the streets and grows up to be a thief (a la Dharmendra inYaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)), and Prem, a singer and musician, grows up in the U.S., hopelessly in love with all things Indian. They have their lovely ladies, of course -- Mala (Karisma Kapoor) and Roopa (Rambha). Will Raja and Prem discover they're brothers? Will their father suffer at the hands of a dangerous criminal (Mukesh Rishi, most well known for his fantastic performance in Sarfarosh (1999)), given at least Prem's non-violent ways? Complete with a bunch of excellent supporting actors, and a climax withdishoom dishoom to Latin jazz of all background score elements (!), there's much fun to be had in Judwaa, which falls in the 'I never imagined I'd like this film' category.


Ooi Maa, two Salman Khans!


The Eros Entertainment DVD (purchased from their online store) reads: 'Suitable only for persons of 12 years and over'. This is a good thing, and I wish our distributors (and consumers; parents?) paid more attention to these ratings. The case also suggests that the film is subtitled in English, which the disc does not live up to. I'm not sure if the issue is unique to my copy, or if it's an issue with the specific edition. Either way, it's a shame, because there is a lot of fun to be had with the dialogue in this film. Since I cannot share any with you, how about some fun with frames?

Let's begin with Raja and Rangeela (Shakti Kapoor) in prison, who don't hesitate to plot a robbery outside a bank, wearing prisoners' clothes as soon as they're let go.


Of course, this film followed the phenomenal success of Raja Hindustani(1995) and Rangeela (1994). The heroine from the former is hummingPardesi Pardesi here before being surprised. Karisma, please come back!


Raja's jewelry shopping etiquette is consistent with his net worth.


And Prem the NRI is in love with all things Indian. References includeAishwarya Rai (at the time, of course, Salman was dating her), Madhuri Dixit (who is to him what Juhi is to Aamir, and Kajol to Shah Rukh) andGovinda!


He falls for Roopa (Rambha).


They make for an interesting pair. Or do they?


Salman has always been one of the best at street fights, and there's plenty of evidence here. This might not be the popular stance in the blogosphere, but I'm definitely looking forward to his upcoming Veer.


The supporting cast adds a lot. It includes the scheming Kader Khan(Mala's father) and his brother-in-law in the film, Tiku Talsania.


Anupam Kher (right) and Satish Shah are at their finest, and inject comic relief in an all-out comedy, if that makes sense. Who do you think the boss is?


Bindu is quite effective. There's a scene in particular in which Raja mistakes her for Roopa, which is just howlarious.


Among others are my favorite filmy parents Reema Lagoo and Dalip Tahil.


Like Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Judwaa is packed with references to Indian pop culture. As is the concern with that 1994 classic (which is undoubtedly a much, much better and more complete film overall), there is greater than normal risk involved for non-Hindi speakers unfamiliar with these references to interpret all the referencing and slang as pointless and not funny. Besides, there are lines such as these that get me: 1. From Star TV to Doordarshan! 2. Tu Meri Hai Pepsi Cola Main Tera Hoon Coca-Cola (You're my Pepsi, I'm your Coke; how's that for a pick-up line?). It's all banal, yes, but somehow, the cast sells it, and it only contributes positively to the identity of the film.

The songs aren't special, but the lyrics (Dev Kohli) to the music (Anu Malik) make the intergation of the soundtrack bearable. Tan Tana Tan is still extremely popular. Others include Oonchi Hai Building and Duniya Mein Aaye Ho, and as one can tell, they stay true to the narrative. A special mention to a ridiculously composed tune to Saare Jahaan Se Achha, a fair quality video of which I cannot find online.

It's Salman who makes this film entertaining. The twins are complete opposites of one another in their behavior, speech, dress, and philosophies, and he's great in both roles. I cannot think of another current actor who would have done better than him here. Not Govinda. Not Akshay Kumar. I laughed hard and often when viewing, which means it worked for me as it was intended by the filmmakers. Did it have the same impact on those of you who've seen it, or was it just me seeing it after a difficult week? In addition, I'm not sure I'd recommend it to non-South Asian non-Hindi/Urdu speakers, because I don't believe it translates effectively across cultures either, but please correct me if I'm overlooking something there.

Fun for what it is, and as Salman says in one of his 10 Ka Dum (TV game show) blog posts (a good read), "...humor with malice towards none is as essential as oxygen!"

Movie rating: 3.5/5 (Good!)

Music rating: 2.5/5

My classification: PG-13

http://thebollywoodfan.blogspot.com/2009/03/judwaa-1997.html 

Singer Salman

Salman Khan; ‘‘My relationships have not worked because of me”

Dabangg has been the biggest hit of the year so far. Do you feel no 1ish?I was never in that race. One Friday a film called Dabangg came which no one wanted to buy initially. Everyone said pagal ho gaye hain (you are crazy), making a rural film, kya title hai and other such things. The film came and did well. So there are no hard and fast rules. If the film had not done well, they would have said, “See we had said so...”

 Anil Kapoor joked and said that he hoped you would not say anything about his film the way you did about Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish…I never said anything about Bhansali’s movie. I spoke about my first film with him Khamoshi – The Musical. It didn’t run although it was critically acclaimed. No one came to see it in the theatres. When people watched the film on DVD or on satellite channels, they said, “Such an amazing film! Why did this film not do well?” Dude you are sitting at home, doing nothing, watching the film for phukat but when the film was in the theatres, you thought who will go see a film on the hearing impaired? So there was no excitement. Today going to a theatre is a good six-hour task. It’s like going for a picnic. If you are gonna make them cry, they should enjoy that crying. They should enjoy the drama or the action you are showing. If you are going to see something that you will enjoy then half the battle is won. If I want to entertain I do cinema, if I want to send across a message, I tweet.

Your tweets which were a big hit initially have become thanda... I have been very busy, lots of birthdays. I started working out, shooting for all these films, travelling a lot too. So I’m not even thinking. It’s just hi hello what’s up. But I will get back to it more regularly.

Your charities through Being Human are going full throttle. Are you happy with the way Being Human is moving forward?Yeah kind of. It’s just started. It’s a very young foundation. It will take a lot more time for us to reach out to a larger number of people.

You reportedly asked Karan Johar for an amount of Rs 50 lakh to appear on Koffee With Karan  Yeah, for Being Human.

Some people found it shocking... Next time I will charge you too. Why not? You are selling your magazine. You are making money. You are selling that many extra copies. It’s not coming to my pocket. If your publication is making money and you know for a fact that the money is going to go straight to charity, then why not?

Young, new and aspiring actresses look on you as someone with a Midas touch. The new actress’ career gets a fillip after she’s paired with you in a film.  
That’s because I work with newcomers. The music becomes a hit, the songs are appreciated, there is that much more visibility. So everyone benefits. If you are going to cast one new girl out of so many new girls it’s obviously because that girl is damn good. And she is as good or perhaps better than the rest of the girls in the industry.

  

Kareena Kapoor has called you the Rajnikanth of Bollywood. Do you take that as a compliment? (Taken aback) See I know Rajnikanth. We’ve done some shows together. I think he is a great guy, a superb guy. He is one of the most fearless actors. He does movies but behaves like a normal person. He walks around with his white beard, with no hair. I think he is a rock star. In his personal life he does a lot of charitable work, which we keep hearing about, it is just totally fascinating. So at my age to be compared with someone like him is a huge compliment. He has achieved a lot more. He’s been around a lot more.

Do you aspire to be like him? I think everyone has his own individuality. God has made him differently and me differently. So, it is a compliment to be compared to him. He’s an original, he’s very cool. (Thinks) But I want to go on a different path. I have plans and… I don’t want to say what.

News has been trickling in that Farah Khan wants to make her next film with you... I’m not aware of that at all.

The stalemate over your equation with John Abraham has ended after you guys hugged and made up at Mehboob Studio recently.Who said that? Obviously, John has spoken about this because I have not spoken about this anywhere.

What does it take for you to forgive and be friends with someone again?Forgive and be friends again? I am not friends with him again. He was never a friend of mine. He is someone I did shows with. And that was it. After the show he goes his own way, I go mine. He says hi to me in the gym. Generally in the gym I don’t look at anyone. I just do my own thing.

So it’s the press who’s made too much of it?I just did shows with him. There was not much interaction with him at all. I don’t know John. He says ‘hello’, I say ‘hello’. 

Hundreds of people stand outside your home every day. What is the one truth you would like to share about yourself with them?(Smiles) I’m never home! I’m always working and I would appreciate it more that the time you waste in standing outside my house, you spend it with your family or at work or watch my movies. Or anyone else’s movies.

You have recently been voted the sexiest man alive. Do such epithets or topping such polls mean anything to you? They mean nothing to me. Because I don’t believe in them. Fans have voted. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate it. But that’s not me. They vote for the person who they see on camera or screen or the pictures that the best photographers take of us.

http://www.filmfare.com/articles/salman-khan-my-relationships-have-not-worked-because-of-me-2096.html 

BIGG BOSS 4 GRAND FINALE - January 08 2011

The inside story of the transformation of Salman Khan

He has hired a brand manager, has become money wise, and got rid of all distractions in the form of women. The inside story of the transformation of Salman Khan

Even as you read this, several projects are being tweaked to make room for the one star producers have put their monies on.

Boney Kapoor is turning his mutli-starrer No Entry sequel into a Salman Khan comedy. David Dhawan's Partner 2 has been shelved because Salman refused to do a multi-starrer and Atul Agnihotri's Bodyguard has gone through several changes to make it a film about Salman.

Enjoying what is undoubtedly the best phase of his professional life, Salman has turned a completely new leaf. The eternal struggle with the expanding waistline or multiplying chins apart, the 45-year-old has never looked more confident, sounded more assured and made so much money.

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala, his friend of 20 years, says it has a lot to do with the way the star has finally managed to rid himself of negative press and the bad boy image. In fact, the way Salman, known for his utter contempt for the media, has been working it, has fuelled speculations that his new image may have been sculpted by spin doctors. "There are no brains driving him, it is just Salman bhai all the way," says Sajid of Sajid-Wajid, who have been composing music for his films. Insiders say, Salman's turnaround came just before Dabangg, which was also the time Arbaaz had hit rock bottom in his career. "Salman wanted to make Dabangg work for Arbaaz," says Sajid. "And he took charge of the film like the dutiful elder brother." It also helped that there were no distractions (read women) in his life then.

Salman began with getting rid of some of the sycophants who surrounded him all the time. "When he got into TV Salman realised he needed better brains to drive a better deal for him," says a source. While negotiating for Dus ka Dum, Salman was allegedly unhappy with the way his finances were being handled. He hired business managers who took charge of his brand endorsements, television appearances and accounts. "All his peers were minting money on TV and Salman, who realised he had a fantastic connect with his TV audience, was determined to milk it," says a Salman watcher.

While Salman was paid Rs 80 lakh per episode of Dus ka Dum, for the second season, he demanded Rs 1.2 crore per episode, and got it.

With Bigg Boss, which came close on the heels Dabangg, Salman's impossibly lucky streak continued. Here too the star showed how serious he was about getting it right. He worked hard on the promos and made sure the TV channel made good the investments it had made in the star, which was Rs 24 crore. Along the way, he also assumed the role of a mentor for protégé Sonakshi and despite his breakup with Katrina, continued to be protective about her. Incidentally, post Bigg Boss, Salman has also signed three brand endorsements for Rs 15 crore.

Says Ashvini Yardi, programming head of the channel that hosts Bigg Boss, "Salman's persona appeals to both the classes and the masses. His unique sense of humour, spontaneity and ability to connect with everyone and his Dabangg attitude took Bigg Boss to new heights this season."

There is a pattern in Salman's choice of films. "He knows the audiences no longer accept him in soft, romantic roles," says an industry expert. "Tere Naam, Wanted, Dabangg have convinced him that the way to the box office is by picking up hit southern-style, male-oriented films and customise them according to his image," he says. It does not really matter who directs Salman's films, as long as he gets to call the shots.

It is a formula successfully tried out with Dabangg. Insiders says Salman is now concentrating only on projects driven by the motley crew at the Khan household, from Arbaaz to Alvira to Sohail, so that he has the last call on everything from the budget to the final product.

The new-found confidence is also attributed to his getting smart about money. With Matrix hired to manage his endorsements and finances, Salman is laying down the rules for every ramp he walks on, every ribbon he cuts. He has refused to attend awards shows unless he is given a live performance slot, for which he charges anything between Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore. For films, he is demanding something like Rs 30 crore. On several occasions he has also demanded that his remuneration be donated for his charity Being Human, which incidentally has ventured into branded retailing.

Everyone wants a piece of Salman and he is in no mood to give any. Story has it, Himesh Reshammiya, who had a famous fallout with the star from which his career never quite recovered, called him recently saying he was in the vicinity and wanted his audience for a few minutes. Salman kept him waiting for three hours, during which Himesh made several rounds of Galaxy apartments. Salman eventually met Himesh for 30 seconds, only to tell him that he had no time for him.

"For the first time in his life, Salman bhai is concentrating on himself," says Sajid. It shows, and how.

Filmfare 2011- Its a Joke

Filmfare lost it's value since it shifted to yash raj studios, I think it will be very proper to say yash raj awards rather than filmfare. Many choices were debatable.

Here is the list of winners - with my take. and yes, these are 'my' thoughts, feel free to disagree.

Deserving -

Best Actor Female (Critics)
Vidya Balan (Ishqiya)

Best Sensational Debut (Male)
Ranveer Singh - Band Bajaa Baaraat

Best Sensational Debut (Female)
Sonakshi Sinha - Dabangg

Best Debut Director
Maneesh Sharma (Band Baaja Baraat)

Best Playback Singer (Male)
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (Ishqiya)

Best Playback Singer (Female)
Mamta Sharma - Munni Badnaam Hui (Dabangg)
Sunidhi Chauhan - Sheila Ki Jawani (Tees Maar Khan)

Best Lyrics
Gulzar - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (Ishqiya)

Best Dialogue
Habib Faisal - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Choreography
Farah Khan - Sheila Ki Jawani (Tees Maar Khan)

Best Action
Vijayan Master - Dabangg

Best Screenplay
Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap - Udaan

Best Background Score
Amit Trivedi - Udaan

Best Costumes
Varsha Shilpa - Do Dooni Chaar

Best Editing
Namrata Rao - Love Sex Aur Dhokha

Best Cinematography
Mahendra Shetty - Udaan

Best Sound Design
Pritam Das - Love Sex Aur Dhokha
Kunal Sharma - Udaan

Best Production Design
Mukund Gupta - Do Dooni Chaar

I Disagree with -

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male)
Shah Rukh Khan - My Name Is Khan

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female)
Kajol - My Name Is Khan

Best Film
Dabangg

Best Director
Karan Johar - My Name Is Khan

Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Female)
Kareena Kapoor - We Are Family

Best Music
Sajid - Wajid & Lalit Pandit (Dabangg)

Sony Best Scene Of The Year
Golmaal 3

'We have to keep everyone happy' Awards -

R. D. Burman Music Award
Sneha Khanwalkar - Love Sex Aur Dhokha

Lifetime Achievement Award
Manna Dey

40 Years Of Greatness Award
Amitabh Bachchan

Listed below are the winners, for the films that I haven't seen. So, no comments.

Best Film (Critics)
Udaan

Best Actor Male (Critics)
Rishi Kapoor - Do Dooni Chaar

Best Actor In Supporting Role (Male)
Ronit Roy - Udaan

Best Story
Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane - Udaan

My Take-

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male)
Salman Khan - Dabngg

Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female)
Vidya Balan - Ishqiya

Best Music
Pritam - Once Upon A Time In Mumbai

When Salman Khan became Aamir Khan’s guru!

To play his character in Dhobi Ghat, Aamir Khan became a shishya of Salman Khan for a few weeks and diligently learnt from him how to create paintings.

It’s no secret that Salman is a terrific painter, even though the star downplays that talent of his. So when Aamir bagged the role of a painter in wife Kiran Rao’s film Dhobi Ghat, he turned to his good friend Salman for help.

Being the perfectionist that he is, Aamir wasn’t going to settle for a tacky portrayal of a painter. He wanted to learn the fine points of painting. And Salman more than willingly helped Aamir with that. For a few weeks he was Aamir’s art guru and Aamir his diligent student.

We hear that as guru dakshina, Aamir gave Salman a painting made by him. It’s an abstract painting with imaginative use of colours.

Salman has reportedly loved Aamir’s painting and has hung it in his bar, even though he’s off the bottle nowadays.

Reliance BIG Pictures And Atul Agnihotri Announce The Launch of ´Bodyguard´

Reliance BIG Pictures and Reel Life Production Pvt Ltd’s 'Bodyguard' starring Bollywood superstars Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor is the official remake of the Malayalam hit Bodyguard directed by Siddique who also directed the Tamil orginal .

Clarifying the official title of the film says producer Atul Agnihotri “Several people in the media are referring to the film as 'My Love Story' when that isn't the title. As official producer I would like to clarify that the film is called 'Bodyguard'. Hope this puts an end to the confusion. For now the film is rolling with it's first schedule being shot in Pune."

I forgive Vivek, says Salman

The battle between the two Khans is only getting worse. Adding fire to the Shah Rukh- Salman standoff, Sallu has spoken out against Shah Rukh’s ’apology’ to him on the TV chat show, Koffee with Karan,

saying that SRK should make an apology in person, and not on national TV, if he wants to patch up.SRK had said on the show, “Salman Khan is angry with me, it is 100% my fault.” In response, Salman told the magazine, Hello Delhi, “He passes my house around four times a day to get anywhere, and to return from wherever he goes. If he wanted a patch-up, why would he say it on a TV show?”

Salman added that he has forgiven actor Vivek Oberoi, with whom he had a bitter standoff following Oberoi’s press conference against him in 2003. “I forgave Vivek because you know whether someone is serious or not in wanting to apologise, and whether he seriously felt bad for his actions. I felt this (Shah Rukh’s) apology came only to increase TRPs of Karan’s show.”

When asked if he would forgive Shah Rukh if he came to him and said sorry, Salman said, “I would rather stay away from such people.”

Industry insiders say it’s time the two buried the hatchet. “It is a matter of ego for both — who will make the first move? But, it suits both of them because their rivalry is more newsworthy than their friendship,” says adman Prahlad Kakkar. Urging the actors to move on, trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “Things can certainly be worked out if both actors want to make peace, but no third party should get involved.”


Both Shah Rukh Khan and Vivek Oberoi refused to comment on the matter.
-With inputs by Navdeep Kaur Marwah

Salman Khan in Yash Raj clan?

The New York director Kabir Khan has approached Salman Khan for his next Yash Raj Films project. Shah Rukh has been the hot choice for YRF over the years. So, why Salman now?
"Dabangg's success is one of the main reasons for the banner pursuing Salman. Initially, the director was thinking of casting John Abraham as the main lead, but after Sallu's flick became a smash hit, he decided the Dabangg actor would be a better draw," a source told Mid Day.

Moreover, Aditya Chopra has also been sending feelers to the Dabangg actor to accept the film, reported the tabloid. This would be Salman's debut with Yash Raj Films if he agrees to be a part of it.

"The star has never worked with Aditya Chopra, a close friend of arch rival Shah Rukh Khan. Before signing the film, Sallu wants to be sure the team is all on the same page, creatively. Kabir has told the star that he can't see anyone else playing the part," added the source.

Is the Dabangg factor hampering the bond between the Chopras and SRK?

Winners of 6th Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Salman Khan - Dabangg

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Vidya Balan - Ishqiya
Anushka Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Film
Arbaaz Khan Productions - Dabangg

Best Director
Karan Johar - My Name Is Khan

Best Debut Male
Ranveer Singh - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Debut Female
Sonakshi Sinha - Dabangg

Best Actor in a Comic Role (Male)
Paresh Rawal - Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?

Best Actor in Negative Role
Sonu Sood - Dabangg

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male)
Arjun Rampal - Raajneeti

Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Female)
Prachi Desai - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai

Best Story
Anusha Rizvi - Peepli [LIVE]

Best Debutante Director
Manish Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Male Singer
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Tere Mast Mast Do Nain (Dabangg)

Best Female Singer
Sunidhi Chauhan - Sheila Ki Jawani (Tees Maar Khan)
Mamta Sharma - Munni Badnaam Hui (Dabangg)

Best Music
Sajid Wajid - Dabangg

Best Lyrics
Gulzaar - Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji (Ishqiya)

Best Dialogue
Abhinav Singh Kashyap & Dilip Shukla - Dabangg

Best Screenplay
Rajat Aroraa - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai

Best Choreography
Farah Khan - Sheila Ki Jawani - Tees Maar Khan

Best Editing
Namrata Rao - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Cinematography
Sudeep Chatterji - Guzaarish
Santosh Sivan & V.Manikandan - Raavan

Best Art Director
T.P.Abid & Sonal Choudhry - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Sound Recording
Pritam Das - Love Sex Aur Dhokha

Best Costume Design
Niharika Khan - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Special Effects
Prime Focus - Guzaarish

Best Re-Recording
Tapan Nayak - Raavan

Lifetime Achievement Award
Dharmendra

Hindustan Times Reader's Choice Entertainer Of The Year Award (Male)
Shahrukh Khan

Hindustan Times Reader's Choice Entertainer Of The Year Award (Female)
Katrina Kaif

Cinematic Exellence (Director)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali - Guzaarish

Cinematic Exellence (Male)
Hrithik Roshan - Guzaarish

Cinematic Exellence (Female)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - Guzaarish

Special Honour For Films of 2009 - Best Actor
Amitabh Bachchan - Paa

Special Honour For Films of 2009 - Best Actress
Vidya Balan - Paa

Special Honour For Films of 2009 - Best Film
Vidhu Vinod Chopra - 3 Idiots

Special Honour For Films of 2009 - Best Director
Raju Hirani - 3 Idiots

Hrithik v/s Salman face-off is inevitable

Seems like fireworks will happen after all in the month of May next year with Hrithik Roshan's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara readying to face the challenge from Salman Khan's Ready. Though there were murmurs in the industry that Zindagi Na.... had decided to move away from the competition and arrive on a different day, film's producer Ritesh Sidhwani has denied any such plans.

"Why would Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara not release on 27th May", questions back Ritesh who is caught by surprise when asked about the change in plans for the film.

There is a small history behind the Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan face off. Release date of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was announced a few weeks back and the film was all set to arrive on 27th May. A multi starrer which also stars Katrina Kaif, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol, Zindagi.... is now well into post production.

However Ready, which is a Salman Khan and Asin starrer, is still into shooting with some of the songs left to be picturised. However, its sudden announcement on arriving on the same day as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara caught everyone was surprise. It was being widely suspected that the film would now lead to Salman v/s Hrithik clash.

"In days to follow, many in the industry speculated if it was a wise decision after all for two big films like these to clash", says an industry insider, "Though Salman has made a late entry, there was no room for ego for anyone involved. Yes, Zindagi... was announced a few weeks ago but since May is quite far away, either of the films could at least contemplate an arrival on a different date."

This was the time when rumours started making the rounds that the makers of Zindagi Na... had decided to take the first step and arrive on a different date. This also meant that 27th May was now the battle ground for Ready and Ranbir Kapoor starrer Rockstar which is also sighting the same date.

Ritesh Sidhwani though is sure that there won't be any change in release plans and quashes all the speculations. Maintaining that 27th May is indeed the D day for this Zoya Akhtar directed film, he states, "We have not changed our date. We are definitely arriving as per the original plans."

Well, seems there are indeed interesting days ahead. Will there now be a three way clash between Salman, Hrithik and Ranbir? Sounds interesting for sure!

Star Screen Awards 2011: Salman Khan, Vidya Balan win top honours

MUMBAI: Salman Khan not only rocked the box office with his blockbuster "Dabangg" but also triumphed at the 17th Annual Star Screen Awards by bagging the best actor trophy for the action-comedy. Vidya Balan walked away with best actress award for her bold and critically appreciated performance in Vishal Bhardwaj's "Ishqiya".

Overall, "Dabangg" bagged six awards, including best music (Sajid-Wajid), best new talent in music (Mamta Sharma), most promising newcomer (Sonakshi Sinha), best choreography ( Farah Khan )), and best action (Master Vijayan) and emerged as the most awarded film of the evening.

However, the surprise element was the tie between "Ishqiya", "Band Baaja Baraat" and small budget film "Udaan" - all three received four awards each.

"Ishqiya" also won best supporting actor for Arshad Warsi, best male playback singer for Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and best lyricist for Gulzar. "Udaan" was the winner in categories like best film, best director for Vikramaditya Motwane and best actor in negative role for Ronit Roy and best child artiste for Ayaan Barodia.

"Band Baaja Baraat" grabbed most promising male newcomer for Ranveer Singh, most promising debut director for Maneesh Sharma, best dialogue for Habib Faisal and best editing for Namrata Rao.

Apart from this, the popular choices awards were bagged by Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif for best actor and best actress respectively.

Ramnath Goenka Memorial Award was bestowed upon "My Name Is Khan" and a special jury award for spectacular cutting-edge technology was given to "Robot" at the gala event Friday evening.

Best Actor (Male)
Salman Khan - Dabangg

Best Actor (Female)
Vidya Balan - Ishqiya

Best Film
Udaan

Best Director
Vikramaditya Motwane - Udaan

Best Actor Popular Choice (Male)
Shahrukh Khan - My Name Is Khan

Best Actor Popular Choice (Female)
Katrina Kaif - (Raajneeti - Tees Maar Khan)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male)
Arshad Warsi - Ishqiya

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female)
Shernaz Patel - Guzaarish

Best Actor in a Comic Role (Male/Female)
Sanjay Mishra - Phas Gaye Re Obama

Best Actor in a Negative Role (Male/Female)
Ronit Roy - Udaan

Best Performer
Ajay Devgn - Golmaal 3

Best Music
Sajid Wajid - Dabangg
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy - My Name Is Khan

Best Playback Singer (Male)
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji - Ishqiya

Best Playback Singer (Female)
Shreya Ghoshal - Bahara - I Hate Luv Storys

Best New Talent In Music
Mamta Sharma - Munni Badnaam - Dabangg

Best Lyrics
Gulzar - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji - Ishqiya

Most Promising Newcomer (Male)
Ranveer Singh - Band Baaja Baaraat

Most Promising Newcomer (Female)
Sonakshi Sinha - Dabangg

Most Promising Debut Director
Maneesh Sharma - Band Baaja Baaraat

Best Story
Amit Rai - Road To Sangam

Best Choreography
Farah Khan - Munni Badnaam - Dabangg

Most Popular Music
Pritam - Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai

Best Ensemble Cast
Peepli [Live]

Best Art Direction
Mukund Gupta - Do Dooni Chaar

Best Action
Master Vijayan - Dabangg

Best Dialogue
Habib Faisal - Band Baaja Baraat

Best Screenplay
Anjum Rajabali, Prakash Jha - Raajneeti

Best Child Artiste
Ayaan Barodia - Udaan

Best Editing
Namrata Rao - Band Baaja Baraat

Best Background Score
Wayne Sharp - Raajneeti

Best Special Effects
Srinivas Mohan - Robot

Best Sound
Vikram Joglekar - Road Movie

Best Cinematography
Sudeep Chatterji - Guzaarish

Ramnath Goenka Memorial Awards
My Name Is Khan

Special Jury Awards For Spectacular Cutting Of Age Technology
Robot