Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 425

Raja Natwarlal is confusing!

29/8/2014

Siddharth Roy Kapoor produced aur Kunal Deshmukh directed Raja Natwarlal ek chotte chor ki badi baazi ki kahani hain.

Emraan Hashmi railway station ke bahar taash ke patton se jugaad khelta hain aur raat ko yehi paisa apni bar dancer mashuqa par lootata hain.

Iss jurm mein Emraan ka guru uska saathi Deepak Tijori hai, Deepak ka guru uska bada bhai Paresh Rawal hai aur teenon ka dushman jurm ka badshah Vardha yaane Kay Kay Menon hain.

Parvez Sheikh ki likhi kahani Mumbai se Dharamshala, Dharamshala se South Africa aur South Africa se wapas Mumbai itni tezi se ghumti hai aur ye tay karna muskil hota hai ki hero/ heroine kab- kyon-kaise aur kahan hai.

Film ki shuruat mein hero sadak chaap aur heroine bar dancer hai magar bohat jald, dono designer costumes pehne foreign locations mein gaana gaate hain.

Dhai ghante ki police aur chor ki lupa chupi ke baad na koi kirdaar puri tarha se samajh mein aata hai na kahani.

Haan film ka climax zaroor engaging hai magar unrealistic bhi.

Seedhi baat ye hai ki Emraan Hashmi, Paresh Rawal aur Kay Kay Menon jaise manjhe hue kalakar hone ke bawajood film mein aap ka dil nahi lagta.

Raja Natwarlal ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 1 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya/ Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 424

Donate blood and save a Life

28.8.2014

Akhil Bhartiya Terapanth Yuvak Parishad (ABTYP) has organized a Mega Blood Donation Drive supported by actor Vivek Oberoi, who is the brand ambassador of the drive and was there to address the press conference said he will set an example for the donors by donating blood at a medical van parked at the venue in Juhu, Mumbai. 

The Mega Blood Donation Drive will be held on September 6, 2014 and aims to collect over 1, 00,000 units of blood on a single day across the nation, setting a new World-Record!

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 423

Attention Writers 

26.8.2014

Are you a new writer or a writer who feels the need for some mentoring and feedback while writing, are you somebody keen to pitch your work at studios and producers, here is an opportunity for you that is difficult to resist. Not only will we mentor you to the final draft of script, but also invite you to a script lab and help you pitch your script to Studios and Production houses. How this happens… 

1. Submit an original story before August 31.
2. 100 stories will be selected and the winners invited for one of five screenwriting workshops held all over India.

3. Winners have the opportunity for a one-on-one interaction on their stories, with a senior screenwriter.
4. The chosen stories of the writers will be read by a senior screenwriter/writer-director and mailed detailed feedback.

5. Writers will revise their scripts on the expert recommendation and re-send the modified draft.

6. The top 15 scripts will be invited to a Script Lab where they will participate in a brainstorming session with with five Indian and international senior screenwriters/ writer-directors.
7. Writers will once again revise their draft to complete satisfaction after which they will be introduced to Studio Heads/Producers/ Directors/ Festival directors to pitch their script!

It is quite simple just seven simple steps to stardom. Apply now…

Last date: August 31. For more details click on this link http://www.mumbaimantra.com/about1.aspx

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 422

Rekha as Super Naani

25.8.2014

Finally Super Nani launching Shweta Kumar daughter of filmmaker Indra Kumar is confirmed for a Diwali release. Presented by Bharat Shah, produced by Maruti International Production; Super Nani is directed by Indra Kumar and will bring back Rekha to mainstream cinema after a long break.  Baa, maa, mummy, ammi, aayi, maata… Mother is the one who brings us to this world, the one who brings us up, the one who feeds us, and the one who teaches us to live life. But as we grow up, we are the ones who start teaching her the ways of life. Super Nani underlines the message that power lies within you and it is up to you to discover the power. Bharti Bhatia alias Rekha does and the one to make her discover herself is her grandson/ Sharman Joshi. Essentially a story of a grandson reviving the idol within his demoralised grand mom, the film brings revives the hit pair of Rekha and Randhir Kapoor who gave us many super hits like Rampur Ka Lakshman as a jodi after decades.

Super Nani will release with Ketan Mehta’s Rang Rasiya and Shah Rukh Khan’s Happy New Year on the festival of Diwali.

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 421

Seeking Happiness

24/8/2014

Once, a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes.

Everyone was frantically searching for their name, pushing, colliding with each other, and there was utter 

chaos.

At the end of 5 minutes, no one could find their own balloon.

Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.

The speaker began: This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. We spread happiness to others and we find happiness in our life without looking for it.

That is the purpose of human life.

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 420

Rani triumphs as Mardaani

22/8/2014

Aditya Chopra produced aur Pradeep Sarkar directed Mardaani ek sahsi aur nirbhay crime branch officer 

Shivani Shivaji Roy yaane Rani Mukerjee ki kahani hain.

Shivani Shehar ki chotti galliyon aur nukkad se jurm ki jaan kari paati hai - criminals ko lapet mein leti hai aur aitiyaad se bade kaatilon ke liye jaal bichati hai!

Shivani manti hai ki chuhe ko pakadne ke liye chuha, sher ko pakad ne ke liye sher aur kutte ko pakadne ke liye kutta banna zaroori hai.

Ek din, ek 12 saal ki phool bechne wali ladki, anathalay se achanak gayab ho jaati hai aur yaha se shuru hoti hai Shivani Roy ki nayi chunauti.

Film ka plus film ka subject, film ka message, film ki writing aur sab se badhiya film ka treatment hai.

Film hard hitting, serious aur bagair entertainment ke bawajood, interval ke pehle aur interval ke baad engaging hai!

Writer Gopi Puthran apne research aur characterizations se crime world aur police officers ko realistically pesh karte hai.

Director Pradeep Sarkar ghrina aur gusse ko dhairya aur mano bol se maat dete hai.

Mafia ki bhumika mein naya ladka Tahir Bhasin villain ki paribhasha badalta hai hai aur officer ki bhumika mein Rani Mukherjee saare stereotypes todti hai.

Shivani Shivaji Roy kad mein chotti  iradon mein badi! Wo shaitan ki tarha sochti hai…athlete ki tarha daud ti hai…aur gundo ki tarha maarti hai…!

Mardaani sirf director Pradeep Sarkar aur heroine Rani Mukerjee ke liye image breaking nahi, Yash Raj Banner ki dashakon ki Parampara ka naya panna paltati hai.

Mardaani Yash Raj Films ki pehli songless, pehli A certified aur pehli female action film hai jisme na koi item number, na dream sequence, na chiffon sari aur na hi naach gaana hain!

Bachpan mein humne padha tha ‘Khoob ladi mardaani who toh Jhaasi waali rani thi’.

Iss purani kahani ko saal 2014 kuch iss tarha se yaad rakhega ‘Khoop ladi Rani Mukherjee wo toh YRF ki Mardaani thi’

Mardaani ko Rani Mukherjee ke power packed performance aur Pradeep Sarkar ke contemproraized crime world ke liye Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 4 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya/ Tweets @bhawanasomaaya 

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 419

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 418

Big Golden Voice

20/8/2014

Lata Mangeshkar once said that the music reality shows are misleading candidates into believing that they will find a career in films when the contest is restricted to just a TV show. To an extent she was right but over the years, the rules and regulations of the contests have ensured these contests make a promise to candidates.

Recently Big FM hosted the grand finale of the BIG Golden Voice Season 2 kicked off by singer and music director Shankar Mahadevan. The contest was conducted on a national level and the winner promised an opportunity to sing with Shankar Mahadevan. The finale event held in Mumbai’s leading hotel saw a galaxy of singers like Suresh Wadkar, Vaishali Samant and Kavita Seth who sang a few lines for the audience.

Approximately 91,000 entries from across the country participated in the preliminary Audition Round. The contestants were judged on various parameters laid down by the expert judges. The semi final round narrowed down to twelve extremely talented contestants from all over India that included Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Agra, Chambal, Surat, Guwahati, Hisar, Jammu, Marwar, Chandigarh and Rourkela.

Music director Shankar Mahadevan our judge for the contest was astonished by the extremely talented team and congratulated BIG Golden Voice for initiating such a super opportunity for the singers. He said he was privileged to be chosen for the task as it gave him an opportunity to connect talent at the grass roots.

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets - @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 417

BIG Golden Voice Season 2
20/8/2014

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 416

Happy Janmashtmi to all.
18/08/2014

May Lord Krishna bless us all with love and good health.

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 415

Time to honour our police force.

15/8/14

Ajay Devgan produced aur Rohit Shetty directed Singham Returns 2011 ki Singham ka sequel hain.

2011 ki Singham mein, Bajirao, yaane Ajay Devgan, apne Goa ke saathi officer ki atmahatya ka pratishodh karte hain.

Singham Returns mein DCP Bajirao, yaane phir se Ajay Devgan, apne Mumbai saathi ka rahsayamay maut ka parda faash karte hain!

Singham mein Bajirao, Shivgadh ke gaon walon ko bagair chargesheet kiye, pyaar mohabbat se nyay dilate thhe.

Singham Returns mein Bajirao, wohi aadarsh Mumbai Police Station mein apnate hain.

Singham mein Bajirao khatanakh goonde, corrupt seniors aur politicians ke saath vyast hone ke bawajood romance ke liye samay nikalte thhe.

Singham Returns mein wo dhongi Baba aur Chief Minister ke chakkaron ke saath saath Kareen Kapoor ka khayal rakhte hain.

Singham ka plus, film ka jaan leva action aur police force ke samman ka message tha.

Singham Returns ka plus bhi action director Rohit Shetty, Ajay Devgan ka sincere performance aur police samman sandesh hai.

Singham, Returns Singham jitni engaging na sahi, Ajay Devgan ke liye dekhne layak hai.

Singham ko Big Entertainment Ratings milte hai 3 stars.

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 414

Madhuri completes 30 years in films.

14/8/2014

It has been 30 years but it does not seem so as Madhuri continues to look ravishing on Jhalak Dikhaja or a music release. As they say real stars never get old. They get better and better with time. Look at this picture there is no stopping the Dhak Dhak girl.

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawana somaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 413

Smart Sanjana Kapoor

13/8/2014

You have to grant it to Sanjana Kapoor. She keeps doing new things to keep the theatre going. After Junoon India Theatre Forum has announced SMART: Strategic Management in the Art of Theatre. A capacity building programme for theatre makers in three phases. Phase 1: 17 to 26 January 2015 - residential course at Fireflies, Bangalore. Phase 2: January to August 2015 - 6-months working with a mentor and your own group. Phase 3: August 2015 - 2-day residential workshop

Conceptualised and implemented by the India Theatre Forum (ITF). Managed by Junoon & India Foundation for the Arts(IFA). Supported by Goethe-Institut /Max Mueller Bhavan and Bajaj Group this is India’s very first management programme for theatre.

SMART is for those already working in the field and who have the power to make a difference within their organizations and for people committed to the growth of a vibrant theatre culture and practice in India.

7 reasons why SMART is unique …

1.Never before has there been a management training programme dedicatedly focused on theatre in India.

2. Addresses the dire need of the hour. Urban and semi-urban contemporary Indian theatre needs professional management that looks at the needs and realities of Indian theatre.

3. Built on indigenous knowledge. For the first time in India and perhaps in Asia, the programme borrows strategically from established management practices where necessary

4. Best resource people ever. The mentoring team is leaders in their respective fields of theatre and arts management in India.

 5. Scholarship and practice. A significant feature of this programme is that unlike most courses – this one brings the best of both worlds together where theoretical approaches are applicable to on-ground challenges and realities.

6. This course will teach the participant: Essential core values/ Group Sustainability/ Audience Building/ Communications/ Financial Management/ Fundraising and Administration

7. SMART is affordable. At Rs 15,000 for 2 people from each theatre organisation this course fee is highly subsidised and affordable to enable the greatest reach and impact across the country. This has been made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and donors.

Kajal Gadhia Budhbhatti, Media Consultant +91 98202 96123 | kajal.smartindia@gmail.com / kajal@mindworkz.in

Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 412

Colours of Passion

12/08/14

Finally Ketan Mehta is ready to release his labour of love on legendary painter Raja Ravi Verma Rang Rasiya/ Colours of Passion in English. The film has gone through a lot of difficult times and delayed indefinetly but all’s well that ends well and Ketan’s patience has worked in his favour because Jayantilal Gada has come into the picture and wants it to be a Diwali release. An adaptation of Ranjit Desai’s Marathi novel on the renowned painter, Randeep Hooda plays Raja Ravi Verma and the beautiful Nandana Sen his muse, Sugandha who we last saw in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black. The film delves on the painter’s controversial life and multiple relationships.

Described as the prince among painters and painter among princes, Ravi Varma was born in an aristocrat family of Travancore and recognized early in childhood. He received the patronage of King Ailyam Thirunal of Travancore and is after all these years acknowledged as the father of Modern Art who evolved a unique painting style blending the traditional Indian style of painting with the European classic realism. He was the first to lend a face to Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Check out the new teaser at: http://bit.ly/RangRasiya-Teaser or at youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO576oIWuwE

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 411

Object Workshop

11/8/14

Did you know that there was something called The Object Theatre Workshop where experts like Choiti Ghosh teach your children how to tell stories through objects around you? When we were children we were encouraged to look into the sky and make stories about the clouds, define meaning to the different shapes and weave characters. This was the innocent age when the computers had not taken over our lives and children played outdoors. Thank God somebody has felt the need to travel back in time and introduce a creative workshop for children.

Object Theatre takes this world of child-play into the theatre to make a symbolic art form and appeals to both the adults as well as children. Infact this workshop is for anyone interested in bringing back the make belief back in their lives. Applications are being accepted from professional performers/non-performers, storytellers, animators, visual artists, designers, educators, parents, people who work with or are interested in working with material in any way, anyone interested in thinking a little out of the box and speaking with tongues firmly in cheek!

Those interes5ted may contact Kiyomi Mehta on15 -16-17 August between10.30am to 3.30pm at the

Laxmi Industrial Estate Andheri West, contact +91 9004798473 email theatrekraft@gmail.com

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 410

Bhow Bhow to Entertainment!

8/8/2014

Kumar Taurani produced aur Sajid Farhad likhi Entertainment ek amir aadmi aur uski karodon ki milkat ki kahani hain.

Jaise ki aise cases mein aksar hota hain, ek karodpati ke guzar jaane par, achanak sainkdo waaris utpan ho jaate hain.

Iss kahani mein Pannalal Johri yaane Dalip Tahil ke chaar waaris hain: Do villains yaane Prakash Raj aur Sonu Sood, ek hero yaane Akshay Kumar aur ek kutta, yaane Entertainment.

Ek film critic, kuch filmon ko pasand karti hain, kuch ko na pasand karti hain.

Kuch filmein usse gussa dilate hain aur kuch filmein aisi bhi hoti hain jiske liye critic ke paas koi reaction nahi hota.

It’s Entertainment no reaction wali film hai.

Agar paanch producers, teen writers, do directors milkar aise khayalat ko manoranjan ka darjja denge, toh hum critics ke paas bhi koi reaction nahi hoga.

Entertainment ko karodo rupaye zaya karne ke liye Big Entertainment Ratings milta hai 1 star.

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets - @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 409

Pooja Hegde in Ashutosh's next!

7/8/2014

Pooja Hegde is Hrithik Roshan's new heroine in Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Mohenjadarro.'

Do you think she will make it to the top rank like other newcomers?

Write in your views and I will mail the answers to Ashutosh Gowariker's office.

Watch this space tomorrow for this week's release Akshay Kumar starrer 'Entertainment'.

Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets - @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 408

Adieu Sushila Rani Patel

6/8/2014

Actor of silent cinema and classical singer by profession Sushila Rani Patel is no more. As long as she lived she lived life king size. She started her day with riaaz and ended her day with prayers. At 90 she singlehandedly organized her annual cultural event at her home attended by stalwats from the filmdom.

Her home Girnar in Pali Hill is a landmark address  for those associated with show business and journalism. Her husband Baburao Patel, editor of FilmIndia entertained many parties while he lived.

After his demise, Sushila Rani Patel said adieu to films and concentrated on music.

Her legacy is carried forward by her devoted students.

BhawanaSomaaya/ Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 407

Peekay poster grabs eyeballs

5/8/2014

I was in Ahmedabad when AamirKhan's Peekay poster became a controversy. 

Finally, I see the picture and this is what I feel... 1. The picture is not remotely vulgar. 2. It is meant to showcase Aamir Khan's well sculpted body. 3. It is aimed to generate curiosity for his fil and looking at the attention the poster has generated the mission is accomplished. 4. The picture is part of promotion strategy and most important, very few have realised this but the picture isn't about actor AamirKhan’s sculpted body, is not the transistor but about the  alien expression of fear in his eyes. Aamir Khan has like always, thought of an appropriate campaign combining surprise and substance to promote his films and Peekay is no exception. Write to me what do you think of the Peekay poster, do you think it about his body or his mind?

Bhawana Somaaya/ Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

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Centenary Year 2014-2015

4/8/2014

Begum Qudsia Zaidi, writer, social worker and theatre practitioner, is best remembered for her pioneering role in establishing the Hindustani Theatre in Delhi in the 1950s. She was closely associated with various cultural institutions of Delhi like the Shankar's Weekly, Children's Book Trust, Bharatiya Natya Sangh, Hindustani Theatre, etc. She translated and adapted several plays from Sanskrit, English, German and other languages. Her works for children include the iconic Chacha Chakkan ke Draamey, among others.

If you wish to know more, follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BegumQudsiaZaidi or visit their blog www.begumqudsiazaidi.wordpress.com. Those interested in participating or hosting a commemorative event, please contact at hindustanitheatre@gmail.com

Bhawana Somaaya/ Tweets @bhawanasomaaya

Cutting Chai with Bhawana Somaaya - Day 405

Break Time

1/8/2014

 

It is the first time  ever since i started doing film reviews for @927BigFM in January 2009 that I can stretch my legs and enjoy the sun and the rains on a  Friday morning and only because there is no noteworthy release this week.

 

 

It is time for you to take a break too and have some fun...

Is Kareena Kapoor taking her director Rohit Shetty for a ride or the other way round? 


Do you approve of the films Kareena does with Singham Shetty? 


Write in your views and I will try and send them to Kareena Kapoor.


Bhawana Somaaya / Tweets - @BhawanaSomaaya