'Sultan is on the lines of Troy, Gladiator'

There are only a few people who could grab the spotlight from Tamil superstar Rajnikanth. One of them is his 23-year old daughter, Soundarya Rajnikanth.

No, she hasn't acted in any films. Rather, it is a film she is making with her Dad that is generating a lot of interest.

The film is a 3D animation titled Sultan The Warrior which is produced by Soundarya's company's (Ocher Studios) along with Adlabs, and directed by her.

Shobha Warrier caught up with the pretty director to know more. Excerpts:

How did the film with your father happen?

It started very small. My company (Ocher films) was already into visual effects and post production work. So, the next stage was to get into animation.

While I was travelling abroad I saw a couple of animation films. And it got me thinking. Here (India) we don't have those kinds of films. Animation abroad is considered as important as live action. For example, Shrek and Mission Impossible were appreciated and welcomed there. But this is not the case in India. I told myself, why don't I make one? Someone has to take the initiative and do it.

And this made you think of making a film with your father?

Yes, it did, because he is a superstar. I am such a fan of my father that I felt he deserved to be animated first. Appa is God to me. He is known for his style, mannerisms and gimmicks. If he could do so much in live action, imagine what he could do with animation? The sky is the limit. In Sultan too he does a lot of gimmicks.

So, it is my father's style that came to my mind the moment I thought of an animation film. You need someone stylish to get animated. I would say this film is a daughter's dedication to her father.

That's a very emotional statement...

Yes, it is. The film is very emotional for me because in the history of Indian entertainment, no Asian actor has been animated before. And, to me, this is my dedication to my father. The film is like making history, and it is making history.

Did he become emotional hearing that statement from you?

He did. The project is very personal to both of us. There is a lot of emotion involved in it because I am dedicating it to my father. It is good when there is sentiment attached to the project. You can't make a film without getting attached to it.

How did he react when you told your father that you were going to make an animation film on him?

He was very curious and also very excited. Again, animation is not known in India. It is new and it is a road that no one has travelled before.

So, his initial reaction was, animation? How is it going to be? And me as the hero?

I told him, Yes, Appa, you are going to be animated. Then I walked him through it and explained everything. He was very supportive, encouraging and very proud!

From the time I could remember, my parents have been extremely supportive of anything I want to do in life. My Dad is very involved in the project as it is his story.

Which part of his life are you going to animate?

It is not his life story; it is a story written by him.

Did he write the story for you?

No, he wrote the story to make it into a movie. But he never ended up doing it because Sultan's story is very, very grand. So, to make a live action movie, you require not only a gigantic budget but also a lot of effort by way of costumes, sets, etc. It is a huge undertaking because this is on the lines of Troy, Gladiator, etc. It is a film on a Warrior!

So, when I had this idea to make an animation film, Dad and I were discussing various ideas. Then, he gave me this story and said, 'develop this,' and I worked on it and went back to him with the screenplay. My father generally first approves the story of every film of his. Mr Rajnikanth approved the script and here we are doing the film!


Other than the story, what are the other areas he is involved with in the film?

He is giving his voice in the movie.

Only in Tamil?

Yes, as of now. We will think of the other languages later. He is also doing motion capture for the movie. Motion capture is a technology that is required for a 3D film. And I am shooting him live for reference.

How was the experience of directing your father?

I am yet to do it.

Are you dreading the day?

No, I am looking forward to it.

How will you treat him -- just as an actor?

Yes. When we were discussing things, it had always been between a director and an actor. But once home, we are father and daughter.

When we are on the floor, we are very professional. And, he is hundred percent a professional. Sultan is his film, and it will be his next release.



Was he your hero when you were young?

He has always been my hero. I am a die-hard fan of my Dad!

When did you realise that your father was the superstar of Tamil Nadu?

As long as I could remember. My father was a superstar when he got married. So, we grew up in that atmosphere. We have grown up watching his films and adored his every move. So, I can't really say when I realised he was the superstar because he has always been one for me!

What is it about his movies that you like?

He is symbolic of the meaning of the word style! You look up the dictionary for the word style, and it means Rajnikanth! He is the most stylish man -- on and off screen too.

Can you be objective while directing him?

I am a director and he is an actor in my film. So, he is an actor in my film, not my father.

But when I come back home, he is my Dad, and that will never change.

This type of objectivity would not have been possible when I was younger. When I was a kid, there were times when I saw him cry on screen. I would start crying too. I thought it was my father who was crying. I was too young to realise that it was the character he was playing that was crying. I also hated it when he was hit by villains. I would say, stop hitting my Dad!

How did he react when you told him that you were his greatest fan?

He knows that. It is not that we sat down and I told him that. My sister and I go mad when his films are released. We would be yelling in the theatre like his other fans.

How was it growing up as the superstar's daughter? How were you treated in school?

We didn't have a lot of privacy. A lot of people talk to you because you are his daughter. I am glad that I made lots of good friends.

Did you have a normal childhood?

We had a very, very normal and simple upbringing. My Mom balances it out.

Everybody talks about how simple your father is in real life. The way he conducts himself in public is as a very simple person...

I admire that aspect of him. The more successful he is, the simpler he becomes. That is how it is for him. The more he achieves, the more humble he becomes. When people respect and admire him more, the more simple he becomes. He is such an amazing human being. He is like God for me. I can't say more.

Is it very difficult to emulate the kind of lifestyle he leads?

No, no it's not like that. All of us are very, very simple people.

You went to Australia to study multimedia. Did it just happen, or have you always wanted to do something on these lines?

I have always been interested in graphics and visual effects. I studied multimedia which is more technical. I never went to a film school. I came to know all about films from growing up with a superstar.

I came back from Australia and started Ocher and here is where we are today. I always knew I would be behind the camera.

You must have got a lot of offers to be in front of the camera too...

I have, but I never got excited about it because I always knew I was the creative person who wanted to be behind the camera. I wanted to do something different.

Weren't you tempted at all to act in films?

Acting? No, it never crossed my mind. Never.

Was it because you were more passionate about being behind the camera?

Yes, I am more passionate about being behind the camera. I wanted to do something that was not done before. I wanted to create a benchmark. What I am doing is a first of its kind, and I am very passionate about this.

Is Sultan the Warrior a period film?

Yes, it is a period film but I am not specifying the period. It is a story that happened a long time ago.

Are you excited or nervous about Sultan?

I am excited and nervous too because it is a Rajnikanth film and people expect a lot. Being nervous makes me want to do more and take up more challenges.

Would you also be making feature films in future?

Yes, definitely. And, I want to take Ocher to another level. I want to establish my company and also be a filmmaker. I want to balance both.

How difficult is it to be both a businesswoman as well as a filmmaker?

The advantage is that both are interlinked. I am making my film completely out of my company. So, I know the kind of quality my company can give and the kind of quality I can get from my company. It works for me, by God's grace!

What kind of support do you get from your mother?

She is the chairperson of my company. I studied in her school (Ashram School). She is very involved in the project and the company as well. All of us at Ocher go to her for advice.

So, do you think you inherited the entrepreneurial spirit from your mother and the creative spirit from your father?

Believe me, my dad is a very good businessman. When he chooses his script and movies, he knows what he is doing. He is not only an actor, but a great businessman as well.

Does Ocher Studios do a lot of special effects for films?

Yes, we do. Apart from making our own content, we do that too. By God's grace, we do have a good market share down south. I am expanding my facilities more and getting into Hindi film graphics this year.

We started with 12 people and now have 80 working for us. We will definitely come to Mumbai. We may also go overseas. As we are doing Sultan, we are scaling up the company too.

Do you feel that you have all those projects in the south because you are Rajnikanth's daughter?

No, life has not been easy when I started out. Ours is a very young company -- we are only two years old. It's not that everybody would give you a job just because you are Rajnikanth's daughter. It's not like that.

On the contrary, it is more difficult because a lot of people are scared to give you work because they feel if something goes wrong, they can't question us. But we say, of course, you can question us. We are a company.

I went through all the problems that a start up company goes through, and I am still going through them. We are breaking into a market where there are already established companies.

Which was the first film you got to do special effects for?

Chandramukhi and I must say the response has been good. Chandramukhi ran for 800 days. When your first film is a hit, you are sentimentally happy about it. I have worked only in Tamil so far. Now I am venturing in to Telugu and Hindi.


As a filmmaker, what kind of feature films do you like to make?

I like to make fantasies. They are my favourite genre. I read a lot of Amar Chitra Katha. I was very interested in Indian mythological stories. I know Mahabharata and Ramayana thoroughly. I never read novels, however.

What kind of films do you watch?

I watch all kinds of movies except horror.

Do you feel films have to have a message?

Of course. But you can't say every movie has to have a message.

All your father's films have messages?

Yes, they have. Sultan also has a message. When someone is in a place from where he can tell people to do good, he has to do it. The lyrics of every song of my Dad's have strong messages and people do follow them.

Like your father, are you also a spiritual person?

Yes, I am a spiritual person. I have taken up his school of spirituality but I have never had the chance to go to the Himalayas. Hopefully, I will go there some day.

Do you believe in God?

Of course, I do.

What's God to you? You said earlier that your father is like God to you...

You can interpret what I said in many ways. When you say call someone God, it is like saying that you love and believe in that person completely. My father is irreplaceable. That is why I said he is like God to me.

Courtesy: Rediff.com

Rahman sings for G.V. Prakash

It is known to everyone that the young music composer G V Prakashkumar is related to the music maestro A.R. Rahman. Prakash is the son of Rahman’s elder sister.
Though the young man has won several hearts by his youthful and imaginative tunes, he is yet to receive any appreciation from his uncle.
Rahman, however, has the habit of uttering a few words of appreciation on his nephew, while talking to his sister.
Prakash has recently asked Rahman to sing a song in his composing and Rahman is said to have accepted the request. It is believed that the uncle would sing in his nephew’s music soon.

Courtesy: Indiaglitz.com

Jodhaa Akbar's music: A musical conquest

It's a curious combination. A great emperor and a spirited princess. He's Mughal, she's Rajput and it's the 16th century. A politically motivated alliance brings the two together as man and wife. Battles form a backdrop and budding romance the core of this seemingly -- if promos are any indication -- fragile love story.

Ashutosh Gowariker changes genre yet again after exploring triumph of spirit in Lagaan and an NRI-mind's nationalism in Swades with his lavish costume drama about historical figures Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar and Jodhaa Bai.

The super hot pair of Dhoom 2 -- Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai slip into royal shoes to delve into a new side of their chemistry in Gowariker's eagerly anticipated film, Jodhaa Akbar. As in the case of Lagaan and Swades, for his latest too, the filmmaker repeats the successful music director-lyricist team of A R Rahman and Javed Akhtar.

Also read: Ash and Hrithik's post Valentine tryst!

To find out how the final product turns out, read on:

The palpable energy and marching dynamism in the Rahman-helmed regal grandeur and Javed Akhtar's salutations of the heroic Mughal Emperor is both bewitching and befitting in Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah. And while the clarion sound that features intermittently through the track, is a fond reminder of the Lagaan instrumental -- Once Upon A Time In India, the charged chorus and melodic alaap ensure a triumphant opening into the soundtrack.

The knife-on-butter quality to Javed Ali's ultra smooth and sharp vocals lends Jashn-E-Bahaara an exquisite edge. As always, Rahman waves his musical wand to infuse enticing proportions of magic and beats, enhancing Javed Akhtar's poetry, which eloquently waxes on the charming uncertainty and growing anxiety of a blooming romance. Its instant appeal is likely to evoke a spontaneous singer in many of us. Consider the flute-based instrumental of Jashn-E-Bahaara a karaoke-friendly answer to your prayers.

A Rahman soundtrack wouldn't be dubbed complete without the man wielding the microphone as well. And so the maestro puts up a spectacular show in the Sufi symphony, Khwaja Mere Khwaja. The high-pitched reverence and pulsating devotion in Rahman's plea (penned by Kashif) perfectly syncs with the blazing graph of this feverish creation. An Oboe-themed instrumental of the same has a riveting impact on both -- soul and senses.

Sonu Nigam and Madhushree's ethereal rendition of In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein shifts its tone from a gentle love song to a dramatic chorus whilst celebrating the intimate union of its titular protagonists.

Even as the leisured pace is most beguiling, the additional roaring of vocals breaks the momentum and mood of this otherwise winsome duet.

Following the tradition of fervent prayer offerings as seen in the last two Gowarikar films -- O Palaanhare (Lagaan) and Pal Pal Hai Bhari (Swades). Here too, despondency and anxiety looms large in the essence and Bela Shende-voiced implorations of Mann Mohanaa. As opposed to the aforementioned pieces, this one, with its linear outline and noticeable monotony, falls pale in comparison.

Having said that, Jodhaa Akbar deserves a round of applause for its faithful adherence to melody, vibrant lyrics and musical detailing. At the same time, Rahman and his visionary sensibilities make their presence felt by and large in every note and rhythm. And that's what makes the soundtrack of this history-inspired romance a musical conquest.

Courtesy: Rediff.com

Jodhaa Akbar - Music Review

This man works wonders, album after album, and never fails to disappoint listeners. Music maestro A R Rahman has done it again.
He returns after Guru to compose the soundtrack of Jodhaa Akbar that has already been showered with praises.Packed with two instrumental numbers and five tracks, Jodhaa Akbar has the makings of a hit.

Elaborate arrangements include the trumpets and the drums in Azeem O Shaan Shehenshah. It is a wonderful composition and Mohammad Aslam and Bonnie Chakraborty, who have sung it, have done justice to the song.
Lyrics by Javed Akhtar are up to the mark.Sonu Nigam and Madhushree render a romantic piece titled In lamhon ke daaman mein that initially seems like any other track until it picks up pace.Javed Akhtar pens noteworthy lyrics while Rahman's music keeps the standard you expect from the maestro himself.
Jashn-e-bahaaran, sung by Javed Ali, comes next. The soft, serene and romantic piece displays an ideal fusion of Ali's vocals with string music. There's also a Jashn-e–bahaaran (instrumental), which gives the flute a key position in the track. Rahman finally makes his presence felt in areas other than compositions by singing Khwaja mere Khwaja.
His rendition coupled with the harmonium, tabla (percussion) and claps make for marvellous music. One begins to wonder how a qawwali could impress to this extent that it ensures immediate gratification to everyone.
Khwaja mere Khwaja (instrumental) is as good as the previous instrumental number belted out. Mann Mohana comes in the end as an average number.This track, rendered by Bela Shende, is not too bad but after listening to the other numbers in the album, one would prefer placing it at the bottom of the six.
Rahman has once again proved that what he composes is of a completely different genre, standard and calibre. He stands in a place where there can be no competitors; his is a level that cannot be matched.

Courtesy: Ndtvmusic.com

Aamir Khan lines up 3 productions for 2008

Still reveling in the success of his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, actor – producer Aamir Khan is all set to begin shooting for the Hindi remake of Tamil film Ghajini. According to Khan, the collections of Taare Zameen Par have surpassed those of Rang De Basanti, which was released in 2006.

Khan, who has been busy with the release of his movie, for the last few months, will resume shooting for Ghajini on 22 January.

Apart from this, the actor's production house is also buzzing with work. As many as three films are being worked upon this year at Aamir Khan Productions. The shooting for the next film under his banner - Jaane Tu… is now complete. The film, which is being directed by Abbas Tyrewala, will see the debut of Khan's nephew Imran Khan. Telugu actress Genelia has been cast opposite Imran.

Khan is also in the process of supervising the preparations on his other home production called Delhi Belly, which will be an action comedy. The shooting for the same starts in March.
What’s more, Khan has also zeroed in on yet another film that he will be producing later this year. The film is as yet untitled.

As for the Ghajini remake, the title for the Hindi version has not yet been decided upon. The film also stars Asin, Mohit Alawat and Jiah Khan and is directed by A.R. Murugadoss, who incidentally also directed the Tamil version.

The movie is being produced by Allu Arvind and Madhu Varma. The film’s music is by AR Rahman and lyrics are by Prasoon Joshi. Cinematography is by Ravi Chandran and choreography by Ahmed Khan.
Apart from all these activities, Khan is also readying for the home video release of Taare Zameen Par. In an earlier interview with Businessofcinema.com, Khan had said that post completing the shoot for Ghajini; he would take a six months’ break from work. Now with all the activities lined up at his production house, it remains to be seen whether the actor is able to get away!

Courtesy: Businessofcinema.com

Jodhaa Akbar - Music Review

Now this one is supposed to be big. Really BIG! And why not? After all Jodhaa Akbar has:
a) Ashutosh Gowarikar's labour of love finally getting ready to be unveiled after going through gruelling shooting schedules.b) Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan coming together again after Dhoom 2, albeit in a different avatar.c) A R Rahman and Javed Akhtar saab collaborating with Ashutosh for the third straight time after Lagaan and Swadesd) A true historical being brought to celluloid after ages.
No wonder, everything about this film is expected to be flawless and studied to the minutest details. This is why one looks at the music with great expectations. However, it all turns out to be anticipation in vain as Jodhaa Akbar turns out to be the first major disappointment of 2008.

In the praise of Shahenshah Akbar comes the opening track Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah. High on orchestra, the track has ‘grand’ written all over it and deserves an opulent treatment to it. Crooned by Mohammed Aslam, Bonnie Chakraborty and Chorus, the track hails Akbar for creating an empire where there is peace, harmony, and great life all around. The song doesn't belong to the kind which could be sung around or played loud at home but would do well when seen on the big screen, provided the picturisation is as lavish as Rahman's efforts.
Javed Ali, who has been trying to make his mark over last 3-4 years, gets a big break in the form of Jashn-E-Bahaaraa. Sounding quite close to Sonu Nigam, Javed does well in his rendition of this slow track that is in complete contrast to Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah in its treatment. Javed Akhtar saab's poetry is in full flow for this love song which comes close to the style of 60’s in it's tune and flow.
However, one misses the kind of punch as expected from the first romantic song of the album and the final outcome turns out to be little lackluster with not much in the song pulling a listener for a repeat hearing. Towards the album's end, a 'Flute Instrumental' version of the song is heard as well, which works better as a core background piece which could be enjoyed with lights switched off.
Kashif written Khwaja Mere Khwaja is a devotional track, which is strictly for Rahman fans. Rendered by Rahman himself, it has the kind of arrangements as heard in Kehna Hi Kya [Bombay]. With minimal instruments in play, Khwaja Mere Khwaja has its strength lying in it's lyrics but that too has minimal target audience due to the track's genre and setting. Overall, a situational piece that seems like an unlikely candidate to make much headway into current crop of audience. An 'Oboe Instrumental' piece for the same track comes at the album's end and yet again has the kind of treatment, which hardly promises a popular reach out.
In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein that comes later turns out to be most laidback of all and just doesn't ignite the kind of spark that one had been hunting for in this soundtrack so far. It's one thing to be slow and another to be just plain and simple drag (if boring is too harsh a word here)! By this time, one seriously starts wondering if Rahman was asked to work on the album really-really hard or did he actually finish the job in a jiffy? In spite of presence of Sonu Nigam and Madhushree, the song just doesn't click at all and in the end what one gets to hear is a number which fails to impress and ends without making any impression.
On the lines of O Paalan Haari (genre wise) comes Mann Mohanaa, which is yet, another devotional track after Khwaja Mere Khwaja. This time around, it is Bela Shinde's turn to sing a number for Lord Krishna as the character of Jodha played by Aishwarya Rai turns over to God. Just like the rest of the album, this one too doesn't go any further than being ordinary and ends without creating any place in the heart (or the music collection) of the listener.
Special attraction of the music album of Jodhaa Akbar is a bonus DVD that includes a 4-minute long theatrical trailer of the film along with a few posters, story and cast and crew details of the film.
The album kicks off well with a high adrenalin title song but beyond that there isn't much to look forward to. Jodhaa Akbar would work with a miniscule segment of audience and that too only in certain big cities. It is expected to take a good start at the stands due to high credentials involved but a sustained stay at the charts may only be possible only if the film is a success.
Jodhaa Akbar disappoints, and how! Though the music of Lagaan was good (catching on more after the film's success), Swades was always a few steps behind. However, Jodhaa Akbar does not have much to cheer about and fails to go an extra distance.

Courtesy: Sify.com

Aamir's Ghajini shooting starts

After the huge success of his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan has moved on to his next film, Ghajini. The shooting will start on January 22.

The film, directed by A R Murugadoss, stars Tamil actress Asin and Nishabd's Jiah Khan. Aamir had taken a break from the Ghajini shooting to complete Taare Zameen Par.

On his blog, the actor said the past few months have been very busy for him.

'It was exciting, nerve racking, exhausting, rejuvenating, draining and enriching. I feel I was stuffed into a washing machine which didn't have an off button,' Aamir writes.

He added that he has finally given up smoking, admitting that he was delayed in kicking the habit, as he was supposed to quit on December 31.

Ghajini is not the only thing to keep Aamir busy these days. He lists his many activities on his blog, like bringing out the Taare Zameen Par DVD, and working on the release of the next Aamir Khan production, Jaane Tu, starring his nephew Imran Khan.

Courtesy: Rediff.com

Will Akbar outshine son Salim?

More than four decades ago, K. Asif picked up Akbar's son Salim from the pages of history and cast his love story in celluloid.

The magnum opus, Mughal-e-Azam, based on the tragic romance between Salim and Anarkali, was a sheer spectacle in terms of grandeur, colour, drama and music. It remains a hit till date.

So now the question is, will Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa-Akbar - starring Indian superhero Hrithik Roshan and beauty queen Aishwarya Rai - weave the same magic?

"People will come to the theatres out of curiosity but the magic of Mughal-e-Azam will always linger. Jodhaa-Akbar is not a love story in the true sense, it was more of a marriage of convenience; hence a bigger challenge for Gowariker to make it in to a convincing love story," Debdatta Mukherjee, a leading model said.

Mughal-e-Azam, say old-timers in Bollywood, was based on a "documented" love story, whereas there "are very few details available about Jodhabai and Akbar. Jodha still remains a mystery. Many historians believe that she was a Rajput princess from Rajasthan and according to some, Raja Mansingh's sister.

"There is no drama associated with their courtship," said an industry veteran.

Gowariker risked making Lagaan in 2001, a period film set in colonial India, and hit the jackpot. And now he is gambling once again by daring to narrate the not-so-familiar love story of Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar and Rajput princess Jodhabai in Jodhaa-Akbar releasing Valentine's Day week.

Releasing February 15, it's a rather unusual Valentine romance - between a Mughal emperor and a Hindu woman who was the emperor's arranged match. Love grew after marriage and also saw the birth of the heir to the Mughal throne, Jahangir.

While Asif's Mughal-e-Azam was a doomed love story starring Dilip Kumar and "beauty queen of the era" Madhubala, Gowariker's 16th century tale is about prince Salims's parents who were brought together by a marriage of alliance.

"Jodha and Akbar shared a perfect arranged marriage. I was fascinated by how their relationship must have grown after marriage," Gowariker was quoted as saying.

Earlier, Hrithik and Aishwarya had scorched the screen in the slick flick Dhoom 2, but the director says that their previous image is not going to harm his film.

Ashutosh said, "Their contemporary image won't be a problem. They were a huge success in Dhoom 2. That can only help my film, not harm it. The audience will come in and forget everything about Hrithik and Aishwarya. What audiences will see in my film are Jodha and Akbar. At least, that's what I've tried to ensure through their looks, body language and behaviour."

Produced at a cost of Rs.15 million, Mughal-e-Azam was the costliest film of the era. It took Asif 14 years to realise his dream because of casting, financial and technical obstacles. Once completed, the epic love story was premiered simultaneously in 1960 in 150 theatres across the country and turned out to be a gold spinner.

Gowariker finished the film in a year's time. He used over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels in the movie. Initially, the film's budget was of Rs.400 million, apparently it overshot the whip.

Another high point of Mughal-e-Azam was Naushad's superb musical score, especially the song Jab pyar kiya to darna kya, which has a timeless appeal.

In a song titled Ae mohabbat zindabad, a chorus of 100 singers were used and in a song titled Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah in Jodhaa-Akbar, the director roped in 1,000 dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields.

A.R. Rahman's music for Jodhaa-Akbar too has been appreciated. The songs have an epic feel to it.

Courtesy: Ndtvmovies.com

Kamal & Rajini – A new battle of grandeur

With Dasavatharam all set to hit the marquee in the month of April 2008, announcement on Kamal’s next project has snuck its way to the media. Going by the details of it, looks like Kamal is all set for another mammoth venture right after his ten-role act in Dasavatharam.

Titled Marmayogi, the movie is said to be produced by renowned Hollywood production house Walt Disney pictures for a whopping budget of Rs. 100 crores – not quite known to Tamil cinema yet. Walt Disney has roped in Bharath Bala of Vande Matharam fame for the production management of Marmayogi.

It’s a clash which has been going on for decades, but now it seems like the battle of grandeur and production scale between two superstars of Tamil film industry – Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, is getting to its peak. When Rajinikanth signed up a 60 crore project Sivaji, Kamal finalized the even bigger Dasavatharam. Now with the former again coming up with the announcement of Robot, touted to be financially the biggest project to be conceived in Indian film industry, jointly produced by Eros International and Ayangaran, the latter takes his dream to the next level. Perhaps the celluloid greats are really thinking bigger and higher.

Coming back to Marmayogi, the movie will be produced in four Indian languages - Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Telugu - simultaneously. Although the rest of the cast are being finalized, credible sources strongly suggest that Asin stands a bright chance to bag the role of Kamal’s lead lady. Hemamalini, who was last seen in Kamal’s Hey Ram, is also rumored to be a part of the venture.

Earlier, Kamal tantalized his fans with only a teaser trailer of his dream venture Marudanayagam, an epic tale of one of the lesser known freedom fighters. Kamal even screened the trailer to the Queen of England during her Indian visit. However, for reasons ranging from budget to time consuming research, Marudanayagam could not take off and was eventually shelved. Now, Marmayogi, as the names suggests, is expected to have a historical backdrop and has hence raised the bar among his fans.

Dasavatharam is in its final stage of production and Kamal will participate in the initial discussions of Marmayogi after Dasavatharam is wrapped up completely.

So will Marmayogi serve enough Marudanayagam-fodder to eager Kamal fans? Watch this space for more updates.

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

Jodhaa-Akbar - Music Review

At long last! After months of delays and countless rumours, the music for Ashutosh Gowariker’s monumental Jodhaa Abkar (JA) has finally been released. As you will no doubt be aware, the epic portrayal concerns the life and times of the 16th Century Mughal emperor Zalaluddin Akbar and in particular his romance with a Rajput Princess, Jodhaa. Never mind the movie, there has been just as much anticipation for the soundtrack but why all the hype you may ask? Well it’s all to do with the magical partnership of the Director / Music Director and their previous successes.
Based on the critically acclaimed Lagaan and Swades, no one can doubt that he (Ashutosh) has been inspirational in pushing the bar as far as Indian cinema is concerned. No stone was left unturned in these projects. So when it comes to producing the music, it’s no surprise that he turns to his favourite composer, the undeniable genius that is AR Rahman (ARR). Globally recognised as an inspirational musician, his work (including that of Lagaan and Swades) has often stirred widespread debate and criticism but to his credit, it’s mainly been subject to widespread praise and popularity.

To his fans of which there are many including this writer, ARR is the epitome of the absolute finest that Hindi music has to offer and has been for almost two decades now. Apart from ‘how does he do it’, the biggest question on everyone’s lips is ‘can he produce another blockbuster soundtrack befitting the undoubted quality and grandeur expected of the movie?’ Well listeners, I am delighted to say that with JA the answer is a resounding YES and the partnership of Gowariker / Rahman has delivered another inspirational score to resonate in your ears for years to come. Here is why…
As if to make up for lost time for his fans and music lovers alike (let’s face it his last soundtrack Guru was disappointing), ARR makes an immediate and quite mind-blowing impact with the opening track Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah. Bellowing horns and thundering drums commence proceedings for the introduction of our emperor Akbar and what follows is a remarkable background piece that portrays his stature, aura and power in 16th Century India. Whilst the horns and drums remain intact for the majority of the track, they fade intermittently with the introduction of several unique but incredibly crisp arrangements composing of instruments used in battles e.g. sword thrusts etc which, when combined into one harmonious tune, have the potential impact of taking your breath away! And then you suddenly realise the stirring vocals by Mohammad Aslam, Bony Chakravarty and Chorus but such is the impact of the music you barely notice their presence. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics are very suiting of the occasion. Suffice to say this is ARR at his very best and proves yet again why he is the master of periodic / thematic compositions, quite simply awe-inspiring work here!
As if one gem wasn’t enough the maestro then offers another in the form of the absolutely dazzling Jashn-e-Bahaaraa. This extremely addictive and heart-warming romantic number blooms with the sound of a sublime string based instrument (guitar variant). If the soft harmonic resonance created by this instrument was not bewitching enough ARR goes one step further and brings in multiple string instruments to add further colour and texture to the orchestration…at one point they all collide together creating a most joyous effect on the ear! The slow but richly soothing melody is underpinned by a delightful percussion which flows through your soul as if to relieve your inertia, leaving you to hit the repeat button time after time.
As for the singing, well it sounds very much like Sonu Nigam but if you listen closely you will surely hear what turns out to be Javed Ali’s finest performance to date (one that Sonu would have been proud of himself), his soft and subdued vocals a testament to his underrated talents. And how can one forget Javed Akhtar’s poetry? It will make you cringe in sheer amazement! This track is another winner all the way and a love song that is befitting of life, love and emotions of any century, any time, any place. That’s the true quality of this composition. It’s a timeless classic.
As is the case for many of his soundtracks, ARR always enjoys a bit of singing and has proved to be extremely effective behind the mic (Yeh Jo Des Hai from Swades, and Roobaroo from Rang De Basanti being two examples).
For JA, he sings with verve and energy for the next track, the fabulous qawaali based Khwaja Mere Khwaja. This lengthy track starts with the sound of a harmonium and a short verse recited by ARR heralding the presence of the emperor Akbar...suddenly the delicious and uplifting sound of an organ interwoven with strings sweeps you off your feet and ushers your thoughts onto a different planet altogether- can a qawaali based song really sound this good (and more importantly perhaps sound this good to a non-qawaali listener?). Well just remember if ARR has blessed the composition anything is possible!
The underlying arrangements are typical of any qawaali based song, strong tabla and harmonium but what makes it distinct and enjoyable is the fusion of melodious ‘alaps’ and hand clapping provided by the chorus that attracts your attention until the very end. The lyricist (Javed saab) provides for simple but attractive poetry. All in all, this is an extremely satisfying qawaali track (arguably the best since Allah-O-Ali from Thathatsu) and unquestionably another highlight of the soundtrack, ARR is clearly in top form here!
The opening of the penultimate track, Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein, still sounds like the blooming Jashn-e-Bahaaraa from a few tracks ago! The soothing strings and percussion return for a second offering however do not be dismayed because if you give it time and effort, you will hear how it eventually blossoms into something potentially even better! Whilst Jashn-e-Bahaaraa was slow paced throughout, this love duet provides much more variety, energy and emotion, in particular listen out for the sudden upsurge in orchestration and the contrasting whisper quiet lulls. Sonu Nigam renders another emotional piece, proving why he is a favourite playback singer of ARR. Madhushree provides supporting vocals later and sounds talented. The lyrics by Javed saab are top rate as usual! Reviewing this track is like dissecting multiple songs that have been intertwined with a golden thread i.e. it sounds fabulous but you don’t know how the maestro has managed to keep its structure and melody intact. Nevertheless it sits proudly as one of the best offerings of JA.
The final track by the name of Mann Mohanaa is a situational song and definitely the weakest effort of the entire album. That’s not to say it’s bad, on the contrary; however it’s a notch or two below the benchmark set by the rest. Another slow and soothing number, this one relies on the catchy combination of the percussion and the tabla to give it melody and to lay the foundations for other instruments such as the flute to make an appearance. Bela Shende (last heard in Paheli) sounds like an accomplished singer but on this rare occasion the lyrics by Javed Akhtar are not up to par with his other contributions here. Overall this track is average by ARR standards.
The immense soundtrack ends with two ingenious pieces, Jashn-e-Bahaaraa (Instrumental), which concentrates on the flute and Khwaja Mere Khwaja (Instrumental) which highlights the oboe. These two tracks come with the highest recommendation possible and should not be disregarded. ARR’s approach to focus on specific instruments confirms his inspirational mind and attention to detail that is rarely matched by fellow composers. Each instrumental provides a unique alternative to the original. A must listen!
With only five full tracks, there was a risk that Jodhaa Akbar’s music would fall short of expectations and alongside all the delays; music fans were rightly getting frustrated. However the cliché ‘the best things come to those who wait’ is very fitting as the Gowarikar / Rahman dream partnership has pulled off another blockbuster score (after Lagaan and Swades). Let’s hope the movie can now pull it off as well!
In conclusion however it must be said that ARR triumphs where other composers have failed since his last major releases (Meenaxi and Swades); his JA compositions are magical, spectacular, invigorating and above all a wholesome experience you rarely get in soundtracks these days. When you cannot pick a favorite you know the benchmark has been set consistently high. Indian music has just added another soundtrack to its eternal treasure. I am sure you will join me in congratulating AR Rahman on his latest Magnus Opus which turns out to be an early but strong contender for best soundtrack of 2008 - more awards clearly await this phenomenal talent who simply never ceases to amaze!

Courtesy: PlanetBollywood.com

'Jodhaa Akbar' - Watch Songs Preview

View Exclusive Songs Trailer
You have to see it to believe it. Aishwarya Rai Bachan, at the age of 34, still stuns you with her ethereal beauty. Her looks, her elegant dance movements, and her subtle and graceful expressions are sure to captivate you. The compilation of the song sequences from her forthcoming ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ by Ashutosh Gowarikar just proves you why she is still the most sought after heroine of India.
IndiaGlitz has acquired exclusive clippings from the songs that show the amazing Aishwarya and fascinating Hrithik Roshan dancing in splendid outfits in the backdrop of grand sets made for the period film.

The grand and alluring musical by the music wizard A.R. Rahman shows the greatness of the man. The songs have an amazing variety of splendor and melody. Rahman’s music matches the grandeur of the movie and the majestic beauty of the lead pair.

Jodhaa Akbar Trailers/Jodhaa Akbar Videos
Jodhaa Akbar - Khwaja mere khwaja - song (1 Min) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Kehne ko - song (1 Min) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Kehne ko - song (30 Sec) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Azeemo shaan shehenshah - song (1 Min) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Azeemo shaan shehenshah - song (30 Sec) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Theatrical trailer -5 (30 Sec) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Theatrical trailer -4 (45 Sec) - [Updated 18, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Theatrical trailer -3 (45 Sec) - [Updated 14, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Theatrical trailer -2 (30 Sec) - [Updated 14, January, 2008]
Jodhaa Akbar - Theatrical trailer -1 (30 Sec) - [Updated 14, January, 2008]

Courtesy: Indiaglitz.com

Kamal Haasan to join forces with Disney for Marma Yogi

Tamil actor Kamal Haasan will now join forces with the Walt Disney Productions, who are slated to produce his forthcoming film Marma Yogi (Mysterious Saint).

Walt Disney Productions, which recently tied up with Yash Raj Films for a full-length animated feature called Roadside Romeo, wanted to expand its operations across the country.

According to sources, this spectacle will be co-produced by Bharath Bala, who was responsible for Vande Mataram, the first patriotic music video by A. R. Rahman. The new collaboration will also see Kamal Haasan and A. R. Rahman coming together after a long gap.

The film, which is said to be directed by Kamal Haasan will be his fourth directorial venture. It is a period drama, set in the seventh century, which will also feature him in the lead role. Hema Malini, who worked with Kamal in Hey Ram and Asin, and who is casted opposite him in Dasavadharam, has been roped in to play key role.

Co-incidentally, Marma Yogi is the title of one of MGR's legendary blockbusters, which is known to be the first Tamil film to receive an 'A' certificate at the time of its release in 1951. This is the second time that Kamal has adopted the title of an MGR film (after Sathi Leelavathi of 1936). The new film, which is touted to be the most expensive Tamil film, has an astronomical budget of Rs 90 crore.

Kamal will shortly go to the US to discuss the production of this film, which is slated to be shot in Thailand and the actor plans to start shooting for this film in February.

Courtesy: Televisionpoint.com

Super Star bags the Best Entertainer Award

NDTV, the private Television channel known for its candid and forthright opinion presented awards to Indian heroes in a grand ceremony which was held in the capital last evening. Super star Rajinikanth did Tamil Nadu proud by winning the Best Entertainer Award for 2007 while A R Rahman was awarded the NDTV music award.

The Boss was given the award by none other than the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh who himself was honored with the Best Leader of 2007.

The event had questions being shot at the winners from various sections of the audience along with NDTV crew. Rajinikanth was attired in a simple kurta and pyjama and when he went to collect the award he was shot a poser from the Badshah of Bollywood who wanted to know what should one do to become the Shahenshah. Super star smilingly said that Shah Rukh will certainly become the Shahenshah one day. To a question on whether he will take the plunge into politics, he said that he believes in God and destiny. Other South Indians who took away the awards were, Dr.A P J Abdul Kalam as the Inspirational Leader of the year and Vishwanathan Anand for Sports Leader of the year. The event was attended by the crème-de-la-crème of India like the Gandhi family, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Ambanis, Shah Rukh Khan and his buddy Karan Johar and a host of other luminaries

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

Deepika will pair with Rajnikant in Robot

Rajnikant will be coming in Director Shankar’s new sci-fci thriller mega budget film ‘Robot’. A.R Rahman will be composing music for ‘Robot’. The trio Rajnikanth, Shankar, and A. R. Rahman, after success of ‘Sivaji’ will be once again together to create the same magic.

Ayngaran International and Eros Multimedia have formally announced the film. Ayngaran International and Eros International will jointly be producing this film.

Rs 120 crore is the initial budget allocated for the film, Robot. Investment will exceed the money ever spent on any big-budget film from Kollywood, Tollywood or Bollywood. Money should not be a constraint for the grandest film in India.

The film will be produced in three Indian languages Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. It is talked in media that Deeepika Padukone who made a superb debut with Shahrukh Khan in film Om Shanti Om may now be pairing with Rajnikant in Robot.

Shankar is also reported to have roped in science writer Sujatha to write the dialogue for Robot. Sujatha is, in fact, a 70-plus-year-old male, who has become a celebrity in his own right in Tamil Nadu through his youthful style of science fiction writing. The ex-employee of Bharat Electronics takes the credit for using the short story format for familiarising lay magazine readers of Tamil Nadu with cutting edge technology. Way back in the 1960s and 1970s, when other Indians were not aware of Telex and Fax, Sujatha’s fictional characters employed Instant Messenger and Internet for communication! The science fictionist cum engineer happens to be a classmate of ABJ Abdul Kalam.

Interestingly Deepika who is 22 years old had paired with Shahrukh of 40 plus and will now be with the Rajnikant who is of 57 years! But for superstar Rajinikanth who has acted earlier opposite to Shreya in ‘Sivaji the Boss’ who was almost Deepika’s age.

As of now Deepika is filming for Yash Raj Film''s Chandni Chowk to China, which is expected to hit the floors in February. Robot’s budget may exceed 100 crore probably may be the most expensive in Indian film history.

It will be worth a wait and watch for Deepika if she finalizes the deal and off course for Robot.

Courtesy: Mynews.in

Hrithik-Aishwarya are charismatic: Ashutosh Gowariker

Young and dynamic director Ashutosh Gowariker, who is ready with Jodhaa-Akbar, says he was fascinated by the relationship that the two historical figures must have shared after marriage.

"I feel if today we make a story about the past, it must be correlated to the present. And 'Jodhaa-Akbar' is as relevant to the present as arranged marriages. Jodha and Akbar shared a perfect arranged marriage. I was fascinated by how their relationship must have grown after marriage," Gowariker told IANS.

Starring Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan in the lead roles, the film is set to hit the marquee Feb 15. The director is dubbing it in Telugu and Tamil as well.

Excerpts:

After Lagaan, you return to a period film in Jodhaa-Akbar?
You might say that. But I call Lagaan a period film. Jodhaa-Akbar is to me a historical. Anything after 1857 is a period film for me. Anything before that is a historical. Jodhaa-Akbar is certainly not a costume drama. It isn't set in a never-never land. I'd call Mughal-e-Azam a historical though its focus was different from mine.

I feel if today we make a story about the past, it must be correlated to the present. And Jodhaa-Akbar is as relevant to present times as arranged marriages. Jodha and Akbar shared a perfect arranged marriage.

I was fascinated by how their relationship must have grown after marriage. There was no reference in any books about what happened between them. I've taken extreme care to make sure viewers believe in the relationship.

How much have you stressed the religious difference between Jodha and Akbar?
It's important but not stressed in my film. Let's not forget, Akbar's marriage to Jodhabai was no common occurrence. It had a nationwide reverberation 450 years ago when society was far more conservative. How did their marriage affect those times? That's a question relevant even today. But I'm not jingoistic in my treatment.

Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan have very contemporary personalities?
That won't be a problem. The audience will come in and forget everything about Hrithik and Aishwarya. Hrithik-Aishwarya's pairing is incredible. They're extremely charismatic and good-looking. They were a huge success in the contemporary Dhoom 2. That can only help my film, not harm it.

What audiences will see in my film are Jodha and Akbar. At least that's what I've tried to ensure through their looks, body language and behaviour. I wanted to make my historical as believable as I'd like to see it being.

Every element big or small, from the texture of the clothes to the sets, dialogues and the protocol, even the incidental sounds of birds and animals, they all had to be just right for me.

I'm tired of filmmakers wondering where those good old days have gone. I wanted to reclaim those days. It took me two years of pre-production before I got into my first shot.

Film analysts feel history has no relevance for today's average youngster?
I agree. Even as a child myself historical films never interested me. But when I saw Mughal-e-Azam on TV, I connected to it because it was a story of lovers separated by parental opposition. That the parents were historical figures was incidental.

I feel the story has to be connectable to the audience. Hyder Ali, who wrote Jodhaa-Abkar, told me, "In Mughal-e-Azam the focus was so much on Salim and Anarkali, nobody asked a fundamental question. How did Akbar come to marry Jodhabai in spite of their religious and cultural divide? I immediately reacted to their alliance. I saw an interesting story there that needed to be told.

As for the youngsters, I had one rule of connectivity in my range of vision. Any word or dialogue that I didn't understand in Urdu I kept out. I've no interest in impressing audiences with my knowledge of Urdu, Hindi or even literature. I feel literature is for the books, and that's where it should stay. I needed to reach out to the masses.

So is Jodhaa-Akbar kitsch?
No. I've referred to literature and academia. But the Akbarnama was in Pharsi. It doesn't mean I'd use Pharsi in my film. I want Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Bengal to understand the film.

I'm dubbing the film into Telugu and Tamil. Each language has its own regality and I'm going by the individual regality of the province. I had one vision before me when I started making this film. It was the world of the Amar Chitra Katha. I've grown up on that world.

Are you happy with the end product?
Oh! it has been tremendously enriching. So far the Mughal period was part of textbooks. I always wondered about the battles and the durbar intrigue. The Mughal period was known for its lavishness, so much so that studio bosses in Hollywood from the golden period were not called movie czars or movie nawabs. They were called movie moguls.

Courtesy: Hindustimes.com

Star Screen Award for Best Music

Winner
A.R. Rahman
Guru
“Due to some urgent commitment, I could not make it for the function. I must thank Screen and also the Almighty Mani Ratnam. Gulzarsaab wrote some wonderful lyrics. As usual, we had recorded more songs, finally narrowing them down to what I guess turned out to be the best. The first song I recorded was Mayya mayya - I was coming back from my Haj when I heard some people say that word, as Mayya stands for water, and told Gulzarsaab that it was a nice phrase and he liked it too.”-A.R. Rahman

Courtesy:ScreenIndia.com

Rahman’s dream‘land'

The composer has acquired property near Chennai airport for a music conservatory.

A R Rahman has already bought land to build the state-of-the-art music conservatory that he first talked about on his birthday, “It’s near the airport in Chennai. And we plan to start work on it very soon.” Now that the land is in place, preparations are underway to ensure that all functioning starts off in the next academic year.

Dreaming big

Rahman says starting a music conservatory is a dream he has nurtured for years. “I feel young talented musicians in our country specially those who want to learn western classical music, have nowhere seriously creative to go.

We need to cultivate a taste for western symphonic music so that an average musically-inclined young musician would be as enthused about learning the violin as the sitar.”

The land purchase puts Rahman’s dream plan into third gear. “We’ll soon be working round-the-clock. I want it to be one of the best music schools in our country.”

Instinctive

Meanwhile, Rahman tells us that he doesn’t want to compare his latest score for Jodhaa Akbar songs with Lagaan or Swades, “I don’t even want to compare it to Rang De Basanti. We’ve done what we liked without thinking of the outcome. You’ve to go by your instincts in every form of art.”

Two of his old scores are also ready for release. “Two years back, Abbas Tyrewala’s Jaane Tu Jaane Na and Adaa by Tanvir Ahmed were recorded. These will come in the next two months.”

And there’s Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraj. “It’s got western-classical vibes. But the sound is Indian, very mellow.

Rakeysh Mehra’s Dilli 6 is also coming up. “It’s turned out well. Who can if it will be accepted? Did anyone expect RDB to become so big?”

Hopeful

Rahman has a lot of hope from popular Hindi music. “A lot of people are still doing good work, but not consistently. Let’s not blame the lack of opportunities for the inconsistency. Malayalam director Adoor Gopalakrishnan says television has corrupted popular tastes… I agree. Even I get pulled into projects that are not right.”

Ask Rahman whom he considers a path breaker and he quips, “Why do we need a pathbreaker? Right now we need experimental melodies but neither do the films demand it, nor do the audiences.”

The composer continues, “When you start composing a soundtrack you’re thinking of what will sell and your intention gets diluted. It becomes more about marketing than creativity. The market should be assessed after the creative process. But there is hope yet.”

Courtesy:

'Jodhaa Akbar' a challenge for music maestro Rahman

For composer A. R. Rahman, the biggest challenge in "Jodhaa Akbar" was creating music that could echo the union of cultures in the period film -- the story of 16th century Mughal emperor Akbar's romance with a Rajput princess.

"Story wise it is about two cultures coming together in a love story," said Rahman. "It was a big challenge for me to compose music keeping in mind this theme of union."

Known for his musical versatility -- from romantic compositions to foot-tapping numbers -- Rahman has innovated with different instruments and sounds to create some of India's best known musical hits for more than a decade.

But for filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's ambitious project, the Bollywood composer said he had kept the modern day audience in mind.

"The sounds and songs are very contemporary," said Rahman. "It is a period film but I have not gone into using Rudraveena or those classical instruments while composing."

"The music is simple - mainly instruments and vocals and there's no flashy use of sounds."

Courtesy: Reuters.com

An earthquake proof set worth Rs 12 crore!

Is your building earthquake proof? Not many will be able to answer in the positive, but Ashutosh Gowariker can claim that even for a structure as temporary as the set of his film ‘Jodha Akbar’.

This is just one aspect of many that went into the making of what is probably one of the most expensive sets created in the history of Bollywood.

Art director Nitin Desai, while recounting the hours of research that went into constructing the ‘Jodha Akbar’ set says, “We had teams doing research for more than six months on the kind of 16th century architecture that would have been prevalent in those days. We built an entire fort in exactly the way that it was built in the 16th century, but what took them 33 years, we had to complete in 3 months.”

Obviously, something like this would cost a lot. The entire set is said to worth more than Rs 12 crore, which is around a fourth of the movie’s budget.

Jodha’s chamber itself, which is made with intricate wall carvings, heavy curtains and fibreglass paintings, is said to have cost over Rs one crore.

Even the weapons used in the war scenes have been made of fibreglass, rubber and wood, so that the chances of anyone getting hurt were minimal.

“Obviously, to take such precautions as making the set earthquake proof, intricate carvings and still maintaining a realistic feel was a tough job. But we think we have reached international standards with the films. The only sad thing is that we will have to break it all down,” laughs Nitin.

Courtesy: DnaIndia.com

Big B lends his voice to Jodha Akbar

He did it in Lagaan and now he will be doing it for Ashutosh Gowarikar's Jodha Akbar as well. Amitabh Bachchan will be doing the voiceover for the epic romance which stars his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai and actor Hrithik Roshan in the lead roles.

Reportedly, Big B is all set to do the voice over next week. Surely, Gowarikar has high hopes from Jodhaa Akbar now that Big B too features in it!.

Courtesy: NewIndPress.com

Rajni the animated superhero

Meet India's first 3-D superhero - superstar Rajnikanth! He is to star in an animated mythological film at a whopping budget of Rs 40 crores, and directing Rajnikanth in this new avataar is his own daughter.

Rajnikanth has always played larger-than-life images on the silver screen, but now South India's biggest superstar is attempting a bigger feat - an altogether new celluloid genre.

The film 'The Sultan' features Rajni as India's first 3-D animated superhero, and presenting him in a kingsize persona on reel is his daughter Soundarya who is calling the shots.

"My dad is ,king and I am very proud to say that. I personally think he deserves the best - and to be animated first is the best. All his films are for his fans, so he is putting in a lot of drama, a lot of humour and excitement in the story which is his own. It's a typical Rajnikanth commercial film," says Soundarya Rajnikanth, MD of Ocher Studio.

The slick production belies its Indian origins. The Sultan is a mythological movie to be made at a whopping Rs 40 crore budget and is expecetd to make Rajnikanth the first ever South Asian hero to be compeletely animated.

Soundarya says it is her tribute not only to her dad, but to the countless Indians technicians who are on par with their international counterparts in digital wizardry.

"This is my dedication to my father, and I am looking at giving it to him on his birthday this year. So there is a lot of effort that is going into it and definitely directing my father is not simple, but it's very exciting and apart from the excitement and the personal involement that my father and I have in this movie, I want to do this for the country as well; Indian technicians are so, so good and they have not have the recognition ot the chance to prove themselves as yet," says Soundarya.

This is just a small teaser for what will turn out to be a full-length feature film - one that will be not only be a much awaited one for Rajni fans, but all technosavvy Indians.

Courtesy: Timesnow.tv

Sultan the Warrior: First 3D animated feature film

Ecstatic Soundarya, the younger daughter of Superstar Rajinikanth launched the theatrical trailer of "Sultan of Warrior" India's biggest 3D animation film on January 13 in Chennai.

This 40 crore film is directed by Soundarya and Produced by Ocher in partnership with Adlabs.

The flamboyant aor agreed to do the film on the pretext of her daughter, under whose direction the film has promises to keep the expectation of huge fan following Rajinikanth.

With this movie Rajinikanth will script his name to be the first superhero to act in an animated film made in India or South East Asia.

Both the father and daughter are newcomers for one is going to be the first to do the animated film while his daughter is debuting with “Sultan of Warrior” and according to her the film is a ‘daughter’s gift to a father.’

“And with this, we hope to set a benchmark for Indian animation. There have been animation films before in India but, not of quality that we are trying to achieve with this movie,” she added.

“My father is happy and proud that I am a director. And I am proud of directing him,” she said.

The film has four songs written by Vairamuthu and A.R. Rehman scores the music.

India entertainment industry unknown to this concept will get a first hand experience which promises to break the myth that only Hollywood can deliver good animated movie. The film will be released by the end of the year in 12 different languages.

Courtesy: NewstrackIndia.com

Soundarya Rajnikanth reveals her future plans

"Apart from animation, I have plans to direct commercial films as well," revealed Soundarya Rajnikanth after launching the second trailer of her maiden venture Sultan The Warrior (STW), at the Inox Theatre.
STW is a 3D animation film featuring superstar Rajnikanth in the lead role, the movie has 10 million dollar budget and is jointly produced by Soundarya's Ocher Studios and Adlabs.

While replying to a question about how her father reacted to the venture, she said, "Initially my father was very apprehensive about the project. But after a few days of shooting and seeing my work, he was convinced."

Soundarya also revealed that the film was purely based on fiction and boasted of a fresh script. Except for Rajnikanth the characters of the heroine, comedian, villain are fictitious.

So can we expect some trademark Rajni style dialogues in STW, she say "Yes, of course! Some of them are even written by me."

When asked about the reason behind Sultan wearing a rudraksha around his neck, Soundarya said that her father's sentiments were attached to it and the reason would be justified in the script as well.

A.R. Rahman composes the music for this film, Thotta Tharani is in charge of the sets. The movie will be released in 12 different languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and English and is scheduled for a 2008 end release.

Courtesy: Televisionpoint.com

Sultan: The Warrior is for my Appa, says Soundarya Rajnikant

"It's a daughter's gift to her father" - that's how Soundarya, daughter of Tamil superstar Rajnikant, describes her full-length animation film Sultan: The Warrior to be released in November this year.

Addressing mediapersons after a special screening of the second trailer of the much-awaited film, Soundarya sounded thrilled over producing the first-ever animation film made around an Indian actor.

She also confessed that her Appa (father) was initially very hesitant to play the role. She was happy, however, that he agreed after "all his apprehension were allayed".

Except Rajnikant, all the characters would be animated. The superstar would have his jodi (female opposite). Further details about the movie, however, are strictly under wraps.

The film, being made at a cost of $10 million by Adlabs, along with Soundarya's own Ocher Studio, will be released in 12 languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English.

Soundarya said that the film is a "collective effort of 80 of us from the Ocher Studio".

The second trailer showed Rajnikant fighting the villains in his familiar style.

AR Rahman scores the music for the film, which will have four songs. One of these will be in English, and the search is on for a Western singer.

Courtesy: Hindustantimes.com

A royal chemistry?

Ashutosh Gowariker's much-awaited 'Jodha Akbar' is a film, which has been making everyone drool over exotic visuals and the sizzling starcast. The magnum opus is all set to be released in January-end.

The film is all set to showcase Ash-Hrithik pair amidst the magnificent sets depicting a sixteenth century tale of true love and war. The Ash Hrithik chemistry is still clearly alive with both the actors looking like picture perfect pieces of history. The duo were earlier seen in 'Dhoom 2'. However, it will be interesting to see their chemistry in the movie. Interestingly, 'Jodha Akbar' is Ash's first film after marriage.

Rumours mills are abuzz as to whether the reel life King (Hrithik Roshan) and Queen (Aishwairya Rai) will fire up the screen with their much-talked about chemistry. However, when quizzed about their chemistry in the movie, Hrithik was at his reticent best and said:"Go and see the film in the theatres."

According to the grapevine, the chemistry between the lead cast of the movie is very much there, and ironically, it is even making some people uncomfortable especially those who are close to the pair.

Both Hrithik and Aishwairya were eager to clear the air in their own different ways. Tongue firmly in cheek, Hrithik Roshan said:"We like doing good work and even if there was a spark on the screen, which might make anbody angry, we will be the first to sort it out."

While, Aishwairya Rai Bachchan, was quick to react to Hrithik's comment and warned the media saying,"Now that he has talked of a spark, let me clearly specify that there never was a spark, so kindly don't start speculating."

Well Ash, we just wonder whether is it that easy to brush away what many say is the 'obvious'.

Courtesy: Timesnow.tv

A Few Tidbits about Jodhaa Akbar's Music

Along with the near frenzy of anticipation for Jodhaa Akbar, the movie, the soundtrack is also very eagerly anticipated. The music had a grand launch last week with stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in attendance. Though not in the stores until this week, the music has all ready attracted notice. It is being played on the radio much to the delight of fans and the song's promos have gotten rave reviews from all who have seen them. To hold you over until you get your hands on the CD we thought we would share a few facts about the music.

Despite rumors there have been no songs cut from the film, Director Ashutosh Gowariker said, “There are only five songs recorded for Jodhaa Akbar and we've retained all of them. I treasure every song that I record and wouldn't dream of cutting them for length. Even if we had nine songs only two would wind their way into the charts. We have five songs and I've worked on making each hummable.” He is very pleased with how the songs have been accepted, “The response to the first two songs has been surprisingly positive. People were expecting archaic songs, but they seem to have liked the modern adaptation of the 16th century sounds.”

Originally for the song 'Mann Mohana', they wanted Aishwarya to lend her voice to the track. Bela Shende recorded it first and then the plan was that Aishwarya would come and sing it later. However, the timing for her to record could never be worked out. Composer AR Rahman said, “Ashutosh strongly felt that Aishwarya could record the song in her own voice, as a bonus for her fans. So, we got Bela to record the track and waited for Ash to come and dub it. It’s sheer bad luck that when I was free, Ash was too busy and vice-versa. Meanwhile, we got so used to hearing Bela’s voice that we decided to retain it.”

With music by AR Rahman and lyrics by Javed Akhtar, Javed Ali, Sonu Nigam, Bela Shende and AR Rahman himself perform the songs. "Jodha Akbar is a romantic story about a king falling in love with a princess and I have tried to keep the music contemporary so that it satisfies both critics and the music lovers," Rahman said.

At the launch Rahman said, "Jodhaa Akbar is going to change the mentality of Indian people, no matter which religion they belong to. It is going to bring love."

On a side note another interesting tidbit was revealed at the music launch; Amitabh Bachchan is part of the film as the narrator.

As soon as we get a copy of the soundtrack our reviewer will get to work, so be sure to check back here often to see how many stars he gives it!

Courtesy: Bollyspice.com

Ayngaran to produce 'Robot'

Ayngaran International, which was last year acquired by Eros International company, has announced the production of 'Robot', starring superstar Rajnikanth.

After the grand success of 'Sivaji', Rajnikanth, talented director Shankar, and music maestro A. R. Rahman, are coming together once again in the much anticipated 'Robot', which will be produced in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Rajnikanth says, "I am immensely happy to be working with Ayngaran – Eros International for 'Robot'. This film by Shankar is one of its kinds to be made on Indian screen. No one has done it before."

Director, Shankar, commented,"It's very exciting to be working again with talents like Rajnikanth and A. R. Rahman. Combined with production & distribution muscle of Ayngaran – Eros International, 'Robot' has the potential of becoming this year's biggest film."

K Karuna Moorthy, CEO, Ayngaran, commented, "After the grand success of 'Sivaji' and 'Billa' we are all geared up for 'Robot' now. Aligning with Eros International's consolidation strategy, we are leveraging our position to integrate the Tamil film industry by producing & releasing films on the global platform. It's a pleasure working again with the magical team of Rajnikanth, Shankar and A. R. Rahman. We are positive that 'Robot' will break all box office records."

Courtesy: Televisionpoint.com

Rahman runs from Bollywood

Bollywood’s loss is going to be the Western world’s gain.

A R Rahman is deliberately turning down big assignments here because of copyright and royalty issues regarding music sales. The reticent retainer of the raga and rhythm is reluctant to discuss the issue.

“It’s too complicated. But, yes, the issues do stop me from accepting more Bollywood offers. Those who want to work with me in Mumbai but won’t agree to my conditions, are going to other composers. At the moment, I’ve also cut down film assignments because I want to focus on creating a Western-classic music conservatory in India. With this I hope to bridge the gap between Western classical and Indian ragas. Imagine a thumri being played by an orchestra! Or a Carnatic raga being a part of a big Hollywood epic,” said Rahman.

The musical visionary says he needs to take his music to another level now. “I can’t be doing just films, films, films all my life,” said Rahman. “But whenever I work in Mumbai, I give my fullest concentration, as I did for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodhaa Akbar , which I’m proud of.”

However, international assignments are getting more prominent in Rahman’s career. “I enjoyed doing Shekhar Kapoor’s Elizabeth — The Golden Age . Now my music for the stage adaptation of The Lord Of The Rings is ready. The album is being released in Feb.”

Rahman sees this album as his big international leap. “Every song has a minimum of 200 musicians and technicians involved in it. Huge choirs and orchestras were brought into play. We recorded the album in London and mixed it in my studio at Chennai. The whole crew came down from all over the world.” All the songs are in English and in Elvish...the language of The Lord Of The Rings. “I had lots of help from fellow musicians like Christopher Nightingale. It took me three years to do the album.”

Looking back, Rahman is not the least content with his achievements. “It’s never enough,” he rued. “Music is my only therapy. There’re so many awful things happening in the world. I wish I could heal the world. My peace anthems like Vande Mataram and Pray For Me, Brother are a small candle light in the storm. But you never know which candle will light a thousand other candles.”

Courtesy: TimesofIndia.com

Mission Ustaad - this week

Mission Ustaad this week again made sure to keep the quality high. The theme this week was - Mother. It was one of the most emotional, thought provoking and overwhelming episodes that left one choked with emotion. This was one subject that captured the attention of even the ever elusive Rehman and made him more vocal. The performances were brilliant, the judge-participant interactions were thought provoking, the Brahmastra songs were very touching and the personal touches in the show highlighted one very big truth - Whether one is a celebrity or a common man, mother means and is the world to him or her.

Courtesy: India-forums.com

Sultan The Warrior - Images

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

Sultan The Warrior - Trailer

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

Rajnikanth’s new avatar: Animated Sultan!

Rajnikanth fans are in for a treat. The Tamil superstar, who has redefined the term ‘Stardom’ will soon, be seen as mythological, larger than life character. But what, you may ask, is so great about Rajni playing a larger than life character. Hasn’t he always done that?

Well, that’s where the novelty lies. For the first time in his glorious career, Rajnikanth will be seen in an animation. And donning the director hat would be none another than his daughter, the 23 year old Soundarya.

The animation film titled ‘Sultan’ is being developed at Chennai's Ocher Studios. While the film is targeted at both adults and children, Soundarya admits, making the film though is no child's play.

She is at the helm of the USD 10 million, full-length 3D animation film, Sultan-The Warrior, being co-produced with Adlabs. The movie will be made in 12 languages including Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, English and even Japanese.

"Animating a live-action hero is not easy at all because you have to get the size precise and even facial features like the eyes and the nose precise,” she said.

She is leaving no stones unturned to ensure that the movie becomes a benchmark for animation in the country. She even took the iconic actor to Brussels for a body scan. ‘I want him to be the first South East Asian actor to ever be animated.

If that’s not all, even the film’s promise to be a cracker, since none other than A R Rahman is composing the sound track.

"The background score is very, very important for an animation. It's the backbone of the film. The film's got four full-length songs, so Rahman sir has taken a lot of effort and he's done a lot of homework on his own. We are very excited about the music," says Soundarya.

In another first of sorts, the film will also have a separate English title song. A search is on for an international singer.

The movie is expected to hit theatres by the end of this year.

With the makers clearly looking for a global platform for their film, whether or not Sultan Rajni scores with the international audience, his fans are already queuing up for the tickets.

Courtesy: Zeenews.com

After Robo, Rajini gets animated over Sultan

Tamil Nadu's superstar is going to be seen in a new avtaar. Rajinikanth is starring in an

animation film Sultan, where he features as a mythological, larger-than-life warrior.

The movie is being directed by his daughter, Soundarya Rajinikanth at Chennai's Ocher Studios. While the film is targeted at both adults and children, Soundarya says making the film though is no child's play.

"Animating a live-action hero is not easy at all because you have to get the size precise and even facial features like the eyes and the nose precise. I had to take my father to Brussels for a body scan and it's all come out well. So what you are seeing now is my dad in animation," says Soundarya.

Sultan will be made in 12 languages including Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, English and Japanese, and the budget is expected to touch the $10 million mark.

Another USP of the film is its music, a job that has been entrusted to A R Rahman.

"The background score is very, very important for an animation. It's the backbone of the film. The film's got four full-length songs, so Rahman sir has taken a lot of effort and he's done a lot of homework on his own. We are very excited about the music," says Soundarya.

The film will also have an English title song for which the search is on for an international singer. It is expected to hit theatres by the end of this year.

"I hope the film reaches mainstream Hollywood. When you talk about a film like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, it's very authentic to it's background. Sultan is going to be an Indian film with international projection standards and international technical standards in it," says Soundarya.

And as for the fans, Soundarya thinks they will be as excited to see her father in another avtaar as she is directing him.

Courtesy: Ibnlive.com

No gaana for Ash

Misses out on a chance to sing for Jodhaa Akbar

If things had worked out, Aishwarya Rai would have crooned for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodhaa-Akbar. But the actress somehow never managed to find time for it.

The song in question is the devotional track Mann Mohana, which has now been rendered by Bela Shende.

Too busy

Reveals Jodhaa’s composer A R Rahman, “Ashutosh strongly felt that Aishwarya could record the song in her own voice, as a bonus for her fans. So, we got Bela to record the track and waited for Ash to come and dub it.

It’s sheer bad luck that when I was free, Ash was too busy and vice-versa. Meanwhile, we got so used to hearing Bela’s voice that we decided to retain it,” insists Rahman, who is currently gearing up to flag off his own music academy.

Miss keeps missing

Incidentally, this is the second time that Ash has missed out on a chance to see her name in the song credits. Earler, she was supposed to record the tapori duet number Apun Bola Tu Meri Laila with Shah Rukh Khan in Mansoor Khan’s Josh.

Maybe Ash can take tips from hubby Abhishek who has the experience of Ek Main Aur Ek Tu Hai from Bluffmaster! under his belt.

Courtesy: Mid-day.com

'Jodhaa Akbar' promises to be a spectacle

The Hrithik Roshan – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Jodhaa Akbar , made at a whopping budget of Rs.400 million, promises to be a sheer spectacle to watch.

The film that is scheduled to release on February 15, directed and co-produced by Ashutosh Gowarikar , and produced by UTV Motion Pictures.

The historical film is based on the romance between Emperor Akbar and Rajput princess Jodhabai and has Hrithik and Ash playing the protagonists.


‘Jodhaa Akbar’ is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.

Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik). After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godavari River.

Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs, the strongest of the Hindu castes.

But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa (Ash), a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodhaa – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice. ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ is their untold love story.

In reality Akbar's wife was never known as Jodhabai. The use of the name Jodhabai appears to have been a 19th century mistake. Her real name was Hira-kunwari before marriage and after marriage she was known as Mariam-uz-Zamani. While this name change is debatable, Jodha, however, remained Hindu for the rest of her life she was married to Akbar.

According to history and some historical texts, Akbar actually did meet Jodha before they were married. It was Akbar who proposed to her father for her hand in marriage to create an alliance and also because he somehow became very fond of her. Akbar had many wives, some of them Rajput princesses.

Gowarikar hired a research team of historians and scholars from New Delhi, Lucknow, Agra and Jaipur to guide him on this film and help him keep things historically accurate.

Over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels are being used in the movie. Name Of main song titled “Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah”, featured about one thousand dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields at a grand location in Karjat.

The questions being asked is if the audience will accept a period drama in today's times and whether they will accept Hrithik playing a historical character.

But otherwise ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ is expected to be a sheer spectacle to watch.

Courtesy: ApunkaChoice.com

Royal treats

For those who believe in omens, here is a good one. A R Rahman brings in the new year with some awesome music for Jodhaa Akbar. Now, hopefully, the rest of the composers can keep up.

To say that the music of the film matches the theme and the grandeur of the film would be an understatement. Like his other compositions for Gowarikar, there is a variety in them, and each is as compelling.

In Jashn-e-Baharaa, Jaaved Ali has delivered the song of year. Soft and melliflous, the song stays with you for a long time.

Rahman takes to the microphone for Khwaja Mere Khwaja, a sufi qawwali, that’s at once devotional and soothing. The ease with which Rahman hits the high notes gives the whole song an exalted feel.

Mann Mohana is again a devotional song, sung by beautifully by Bela Shende. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics are complete mastery, while Shende’s voice leaves one with the memory of Chitra in her numerous renditions for Rahman

Inn Lamho ke Daaman mein sees Sonu Nigam and Madhushree excelling in a song that demands restraint and passion. Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah is a paean to an emperor, and every bit as regal.
The instrumentals are in keeping with Rahman’s class. A wholesome experience, this.

Courtesy: Mid-day.com

Ashu wanted Ash to sing for Rahman

A lot has been written and said about Aishwarya Rai’s beauty; but it takes an Ashutosh Gowariker to discover the hidden potential of Ash’s singing prowess!

On the occasion of the music launch of Jodhaa Akbar we spoke to the ace music composer A.R Rahman and he gave away a sweet little secret to us which we are sure our surfers would be the first to know!

“There is an interesting story behind the song called ‘Mana Mohana’ (song devoted to God Krishna) in the film which is sung by singer Bela Shende. Originally Ashutosh wanted Ash to dub for the song as he believed that she can sing the tune very well. However our dates never worked out. When Ash was ready I was busy recording something else and vice versa. The co-ordination didn’t happen. So Bela went ahead and sang the song”, revealed Rahman.

“Also I have sung one song myself which is called Khwaja Mere Khwaja, a prayer which is regularly sung at Ajmer Shariff durgah. I had composed the song for myself much before Jodhaa Akbar was conceived! I just happened to make Ashu (Ashutosh) hear the song. He loved it and said he wanted the song in the film” added the music composer who is all set to launch his music school soon.

“Soon a press meet will be held for my school”, confirmed Rahman.

Courtesy: Indiatimes.com

Rajnikanth and Shankar on Robot

A grand gala event was organized to celebrate the silver jubilee of Sivaji which was held at the Centenary Hall of Madras University, Chennai where the artists and technicians associated with the film were felicitated by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. This function was attended by the prominent luminaries of the industry.
Shankar & Rajini

While speaking at the function, Super Star Rajnikanth conveyed his gratitude to the current and former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu for having watched the film on his request. He also averred that he has been extremely fortunate to have worked under AVM banner and also under director Shankar. He further went on to thank all the technicians of the film as well as his co-stars.

On his future projects, he mentioned that he would be working for his mentor K Balachander’s Kavithalaya productions before he starts his mega project Robot with Shankar. He also prayed the Almighty that Robot should be as successful as Sivaji. When director Shankar spoke on Robot, he said, “As Robot required a huge budget, I considered Bollywood but it did not work out. Luckily, the success of Sivaji has revived my faith that such films can be tried out in Tamil too. As major forces like super star Rajnikanth and A R Rahman have teamed up together, I am confident that there certainly would be an encore of Sivaji magic”.

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

Queen appreciates Jodha Akbar

The audio release of the most awaited film of the year, Jodha Akbar, was a gala event held at Mumbai on Wednesday, 9th January 2008. The evening was, as expected, a star-studded affair with notable personalities from the film industry gracing the occasion.
Jodha Akbar

A surprise guest at the event was Maharani Padmini, a descendant of the royal Rajuputani family, who was flown in with a few of her relatives by Ashutosh.

She addressed the gathering, which was indicative that the project progressed with her stamp of approval. She even praised Ashutosh for having recreated an important piece of history with impeccable authenticity, and added that, from the clips she got to see she could vouch that the director’s presentation of Rajput viewpoint regarding their links with the Mughals was executed without any distortion. With a Rajput queen approving a film that delves on their history and culture, it sure will increase the already spiking expectations surrounding it."

Courtesy: Behindwoods.com

The Reel Thing

Kailasa has been a wondrous blend of Sufi and folk music with a contemporary twist to it since its inception in 2006 and Kailash Kher has been the face of it. But now the long-maned, beads-wearing, guitar-strumming trio are all set to go the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy way, calling themselves Kailash-Paresh-Naresh as they enter Bollywood.

“We have composed music for two films and their sounds are different from the Kailasa sound,” says Kher. While one of the films is Chandni Chowk to China, directed by Nikhil Advani and starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, the other is Allah Ke Bande directed by Farooque Kabir. “We are doing a track in each film and both are in the anthem format,” says Kher. While the track in Chandni Chowk... is power-packed, AR Rahman will sing the title track of Allah Ke Bande “which is like a prayer to God”.

But their music doesn’t stop there. Kailasa are working on their third album that will be released in mid-2008. “This album is going to be intense and will have a strong ballad feel to it with a high emotional quotient,” says Kher, who, in all probability, will be singing with rock group Pearl Jam’s singer Eddie Vedder by the end of the year in a concert that will be a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Vedder had collaborated with Khan for a track in Dead Man Walking.

Amid the busy tour schedules and recordings, Kher has taken up social causes as well. As a participant in the reality show Mission Ustaad, Kher is singing about UN’s Millennium Development Goals. “I don’t want my music to cater to entertainment alone but also create awareness among people,” says Kher, who, along with the other participants, composed songs on 11 issues, including human trafficking and poverty. The compilation will be released in April.

Courtesy: ExpressIndia.com

Rai deplores queen's life

Fresh from playing a 16th Century queen in a historical romance, Indian actress Aishwarya Rai believes modern women have a much better deal.

Rai said it was tiring playing queen since most women in royal families of the 16th Century spent hours over their personal appearance and could rarely voice their opinion.

"I consider myself lucky to be born in today's era where a woman has far more freedom to exercise her rights," she told The Times of India newspaper.

Rai stars in Jodha-Akbar that tells the love story between her character, a Hindu princess Jodha Bai, and the Muslim emperor Akbar played by Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan.

Directed by well-known filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar, the movie is set for release next month.

Courtesy: Gulf-daily-news.com