Swine flu deaths halt Bollywood releases

The release of two high-profile Bollywood films has been postponed after swine flu forced the closure of cinemas in the Mumbai area, their producers said on Wednesday.

UTV Motion Pictures and Indian Films said “Kaminey” (Scoundrel) and “Life Partner” would not open as planned on Friday in Mumbai, two neighbouring districts or in the city of Pune because of rising swine flu cases.

Two people in Mumbai have died after catching the A(H1N1) virus, while Pune, 120 kilometres (75 miles) away, has had eight deaths — the largest number in India.

A total of 17 people with swine flu have died since August 3, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

The Maharashtra state government on Wednesday ordered cinemas to shut for three days to try to prevent further infections.

Schools and colleges have been told to close for a week.

UTV Motion Pictures chief executive Siddharth Roy Kapur, said in a statement that “Kaminey”, starring Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, would open across India and the world as planned on Friday.

But he added: “This will not include the markets of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai following the directive given by the government.

“We look forward to releasing the film in these regions as soon as the cinemas are given permission to re-open. Being a corporate we are fully insured for the two-day delay we are facing in these markets.”

The chief executive of Indian Films, Sandeep Bhargava, said they also planned to release “Life Partner” in the areas affected by the closures on Sunday, if the government granted permission.(AFP)

Until the movies get released , enjoy the music of “Kaminey” and “Life Partner” for FREE in www.SunoMusic.com

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Bollywood comes alive at Times Square

Bollywood actually took over Times Square in New York. Dancing girls, Bollywood starlets and Saturday Night Live veteran Chris Kattan made a surprise appearance at New York’s Times Square to promote a new series called Bollywood Hero.

Tourists at Times Square watched in delight with many even joining in to be a part of the typical Bollywod dance performance.

The mini-series, scheduled to air on American cable network, IFC, is the story of a great dance instructor who trawls India’s country side looking for his leading lady and falls in love with a stunning Indian woman.

Facing culture clashes, language barriers and complex dance moves, Chris will stop at nothing to conquer his destiny.

The series also stars former Miss India and Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia and former Miss India, USA Pooja Kumar.(NDTV)

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Hangover now in Bollywood

“The Hangover” (Todd Phillips), comedy about a bachelor party in Las Vegas gone wrong, is going to Bollywood for a remake.

Zee nominated Annes Bazmee (No Entry) will direct and Firoz Nadiadwala (Awara Paagal Deewana) will produce the Bollywood version which is expected to go on the floor early next year.

Filmfare winner Abishek Bachchan (Bunty aur Babli), Katrina Kaif (Singh is Kinng), Filmfare winner Sanjay Dutt (Lage Raho Munna Bhai), Filmfare winner Paresh Rawal (Hera Pheri), and Screen winner Ritesh Deshmukh (Masti) are expected to star in the remake. This is said to be the first “legitimate” Hollywood remake for Bazmee though he is alleged to have lifted materials from Hollywood films in the past.

Critics are wondering how the Bollywood will catch the essence and comedy of a Hollywood hit and how to effectively translate some of its dialogues in Hindustani. But some say that it has a Bollywood feel.(duniyalive)

SunoMusic will bring its sound tracks once it is available in the market.

Till then Suno Music

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Fox buys “My Name is Khan” distribution rights at record price

There’s a reason why they call him King Khan even today and when he teams up with longtime friend and Bollywood’s hottest producer-director Karan Johar it’s a formula for blockbusters.

And that’s reason enough for Fox Studio to put its money in what could arguably be the biggest Bollywood deal ever.

Fox is all set to acquire the worldwide rights of Karan Johar’s Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer My Name is Khan for a record Rs 100 crore. That’s more than double the budget of the film.

“It will be a very big deal for Fox. It catapults them to the big league. It can’t get bigger than KJo, SRK in Bollywood,” said Komal Nahata, Film Trade Analyst.

Such a big buyout especially when many producers have failed to seal deals will certainly raise eyebrows and reiterate King Khan’s saleability factor in the box office.

Till date Aamir Khan’s Ghajini (Rs 90 crore0 has topped the buyout list, Om Shanti Om (Rs75 crore) stood second highest followed by Akshay Kumar’s Singh is Kinng (Rs 60 crore) and Welcome (Rs 40 crore).

But for Fox Star Studio that’s Fox’s Joint Venture with STAR is a high stakes game. After the runaway success of Slumdog Millonaire

, Fox clearly leads the pack compared to its global rivals Warner Bros and Sony whose Hindi productions Sawariya and Chandni Chowk To China have all bombed at the box office.

But experts say with SRK’s global popularity, My Name is Khan will be one of the highest grossers for the overseas Box Office. No wonder Fox is betting on a 2010 project of SRK despite the rather lukewarm response of his Billu and Rab Ne Bana De Jodi(NDTV.com)

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Suriya to enter Bollywood with Ram Gopal Varma

Suriya, the current super star in Tamil is going to enter Bollywood.

Suriya’s  last film Ayan was extremely successful at the box office. The film, dubbed in Telugu, has received a good response from Tollywood too. The actor is currently the most wanted star in South Indian cinema as he has won the appreciation of the masses and the critics alike with his performance in Ghajini, Pithamagan and Vaaranam Aayiram.

Word is out that he has just been signed up by Ram Gopal Varma for a film titled Raktha Charithra. Ram Gopal Varma is known for films like Sarkar and Company which went on to be huge blockbusters! Suriya couldn’t ask for more as he has the best offers under his belt.

Suriya is currently shooting for Aadhavan directed by K.S. Ravikumar and will soon be working for Singam directed by Hari. In Raktha Charithra, Suriya plays a significant role; he said he was bowled over by the script! But is Suriya playing a character with negative shades? We may have to wait and watch for that!

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Stephan Spielberg and Reliance Deal signed

According to our sources, an $825-million deal has sealed a major joint venture between Anil Dhirubhai Ambani, chairman of Reliance ADAG, and Steven Spielberg of DreamWorks Studios: forming Reliance BIG Entertainment and DreamWorks.

As per our source, the initial phase of funding will include an equity investment from Reliance ADA Group, debt financing from a syndication of banks, as well as funding from Disney.

As per plans, DreamWorks will eventually make five to six films a year. The Walt Disney Company will handle marketing and distribution of the studio’s films around the world, except for India, where Reliance BIG Entertainment will retain distribution rights.

DreamWorks anticipates starting its first film for the new studio later this year. They have been actively acquiring properties and developing projects for release in 2010, an official release says.

“This venture with Reliance opens a new door to our future,” says Spielberg.

“Their visionary step has given us a new set of dreams to work toward. Stacey Snider (CEO, DreamWorks) and I thank them for their faith in us and their faith in the movie business.”

Ambani added: “We are delighted to partner with such uniquely talented individuals as Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider. Ever since we looked at their business plan, I never doubted that we would succeed in providing them with the financial muscle required to realise their dreams.” (Debashine Thangevelo)

Enoy, Suno Music

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North American theatres hurt by Bollywood dispute

Even as Slumdog Millionaire and its Bollywood-inspired style has made a whole swath of people more aware of Indian cinema, North American theatres specializing in Bollywood films are hurting badly.

A dispute over revenue sharing between Bollywood film producers and the operators of multiplex cinemas within India is now entering its third month and has cut off the flow of new Bollywood pictures. For the small Indian cinemas dotting North America half a world away, this has meant a sudden dearth of major films.

“It has really taken a toll on us,” said Farzan Dehmoubed, vice-president of Golden Theatres, a small chain in the Toronto area. This includes the Albion Cinema, which specializes in Bollywood, and the Woodside Cinema, which has had to switch to first-run Hollywood fare.

“It has really been a difficult time, and it has extended a lot longer than everybody had expected. We all thought by June, for sure, this would be resolved. Right around now is the time when some of the biggest movies of the year should be releasing,” Mr. Dehmoubed said.

The Raja, Vancouver’s Bollywood specialty cinema, announced earlier in May that it would close for half of the month because of the strike in Mumbai. It hopes to reopen in June. The switch by the Woodside Cinema in Toronto to Hollywood films might be permanent if the strike continues, Mr. Dehmoubed said. In New York, the Eagle Theater and its Bollywood films have gone dark for good.

Although these are relatively small cinemas here and there across North America, the theatres are important cultural anchors for large South Asian communities.

“The main reason we’ve tried to keep the Albion and Woodside open is to make sure there’s a constant flow of [South Asian] movies, and somewhere people can go to enjoy their movies,” Mr. Dehmoubed said. “Without Albion and Woodside, a lot of these movies wouldn’t even release in Toronto. The mainstream theatres do sometimes open to Bollywood movies, but they seem to be only interested in the big, big [Indian] blockbuster movies.”

Estimates are that the Mumbai-based industry has lost more than $3.5-billion (U.S.) since April. The problem is that Bollywood producers want to make the massive Indian film industry more financially transparent, as opposed to impressions that business is done behind closed doors and marked by increasingly unreliable investment from private backers. The producers want a system more like the one Hollywood studios share with exhibitors. The producers are seeking half of the box-office take from multiplex cinemas that are geared more to middle-class Indians. The cinema operators are balking.

The timing of the dispute is deliberate. As with Hollywood films, summer is the season for Indian blockbusters. No new films means no major summer releases, such as the highly anticipated New York, featuring Bollywood superstar John Abraham, and Kambakkht Ishq starring Akshay Kumar.

The Albion Cinema has been playing smaller Punjabi and Tamil movies to keep the doors open and maintain its South Asian emphasis. Ticket prices have also been reduced.

“We are just trying to get people back in and come and see the movies we currently have,” Mr. Dehmoubed said. “It has really become difficult to keep bringing these movies [here], with the way piracy is going. That’s also affecting us heavily. With Bollywood, there’s a lot of piracy happening, not just in Canada, but throughout the U.S.”(Globe and Mail)

Until, movies come back to our theatre next door, enjoy Bollywood music for free at www.SunoMusic.com

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Bollywood standoff may end before June 12th

Millions of fans of Hindi movies will soon be able to watch their favourite Bollywood films in multiplexes, with highly-placed sources in the film production and exhibition business saying a resolution is expected before June 12 to the two-month dispute over revenue-sharing between producers, distributors and multiplex owners.

“Big Cinemas and a few other multiplex chains have reacted positively to a number of our demands. They are keen to release the new Bollywood films across India. An announcement is expected in a day or two,” said a source representing the Bollywood producers and distributors forum.

Senior executives of the United Producers and Distributors Forum, the Bollywood producers’ lobby, confirmed that the multiplexes had agreed to most of their demands, including a revenue-sharing formula for impending Bollywood and Hollywood films and agreements on who gets the right to control the distribution of films including their locations.

An early resolution to the dispute has also gained momentum because the first major Hindi release, Kal Kissne Dekha, co-produced by a leading Bollywood film producer Vashu Bhagnani and Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Big Pictures, is set to be released on June 12, after being postponed twice in the recent past.

“If Big Cinema takes a lead in resolving the matter, it will put pressure on the other national-level multiplex chains like PVR Cinems, Inox Leisure, Fun Cinema and Cinemax that have stood united in their negotiations with the Bollywood producers,” the source said.

Asked about the development, Amit Khanna, chairman, Reliance Big Entertainment that runs Big Cinemas and Big Pictures among other film-related businesses, said: “We are all working towards an early resolution and I am hopeful that we will be able to resolve the matter very soon.” Khanna, however, said no solution had been reached yet.

According to sources in the film exhibition business, the multiplexes have agreed on sharing revenue of all movie ticket sales for the first week on a 50:50 ratio, 42.5:57.5 in the second week, 37.5:62.5 in the third week and 30:70 in the fourth week, with the higher percentage going to the multiplexes.

The earlier revenue-sharing agreement was also skewed in favour of multiplexes, with the first-week ratio at 52:48, gradually rising to 70:30 by the fifth week.

On the issue of who gets a final say in the distribution of a new film, the matter will be decided on a case-to-case basis and in consultation with the multiplexes, sources said.

As a result, as many as 35 new Hindi films entailing investments of over Rs 200 crore of investments will now be able to hit screens soon. These include Yashraj Film’s New York starring Katrina Kaif and John Abraham, Kaminay (Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra), Kambakht Ishq, Life Partner and Sikander, among others.

No new Hindi film has been released in the multiplexes since April 4, causing film exhibitors and distributors a loss of Rs 350 crore. As a result, almost half of the 900-multiplex screens across the country have been closed by the multiplex chains in order to control their costs. Bollywood producers also incurred losses running into hundred of crores.

At a centre of the dispute is the Rs 3,500 crore annual box-office market for Bollywood films from multiplexes. There are about 900 multiplex screens in the country and Bollywood films generate 60 to 65 per cent of their revenue from these multiplexes, industry sources say. (There are over 8,500 single-screen theatres but they generate only about 35 per cent of the overall annual box-office collections for films released in the country.)

Both sides have been at loggerhead for the past two months over who gets a bigger pie in the revenue generated at the box office. Before the tussle, the multiplexes commanded the bigger share in the box office revenues. They also had the final say on how many movie prints were required a Hindi film was released.

Apart from this, there were issues over delayed payments or minimum guarantee by both parties and financial matters pertaining to entertainment tax adjustments in the revenue sharing formula.(Business Standard)

Until the standoff is over, enjoy Bollywood music for free at www.SunoMusic.com

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Miss IPL Bollywood crowned

East London’s Dune Kossatz has been crowned Miss IPL Bollywood South Africa at a glittering event at the Monte Casino entertainment complex here in the wee hours on Sunday.

The 34-year-old actor and model outvoted the other 15 finalists, who were selected from among the contestants chosen during each Indian Premier League game at various venues.

The 24-year-old Business Marketing graduate Genna Cloud was named First Princess, while Dunay Nortje was adjudged the Second Princess.

Kossatz received a specially made crown with gold, silver and diamonds encrusted on it with other precious stones from former Miss Universe Michelle McLean of South Africa.

“I think it’s really great! I think we should all stick together and love one another and be respectful and tolerant of each other,” said Kossatz, who expressed her desire to learn Hindi, after winning the crown.

Kossatz, who represented the Chennai Super Kings, said she was disappointed with her team losing in the semi-final against Royal Challengers Bangalore. (PTI)

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Shilpa, Katrina to crown Miss Bollywood IPL South Africa

Johannesburg: Bollywood actresses Shilpa Shetty and Katrina Kaif will help decide which of 16 South African hopefuls follow in their footsteps when the Miss Bollywood IPL South Africa is crowned at the prestigious Montecasino entertainment complex here Saturday evening.
Shilpa and Katrina will join former Miss Universe Michelle McLean and former Miss South Africa Joanne Strauss, now a TV presenter, as the finalists vie for a prize package that could also feature an audition for a Bollywood role.
Providing a gender balance to the panel of celebrity judges will be Fashion TV owner Michele Adam and Francois Pienaar, who led the South African side to victory in the Rugby World Cup some years ago. Pienaar has also played an instrumental role in the marketing campaign that made the Indian Premier League (IPL) so popular in South Africa for the past five weeks.
The 16 finalists were chosen by Internet votes and include models, actresses, professionals and students. They were chosen from the 48 who were selected from the crowds at each of the IPL games played across the country.
The prize package includes a cash prize of 50,000 rands, a trip to India, and a guided tour of Bollywood, including the possibility of an audition there.(IANS)

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