Fame takes its toll on Rahman

The past year which spawned about a dozen Hindi and Tamil soundracks, and the whirlwind Slumdog Millionaire experience and its culmination with the Oscars, has taken its toll on the music maverick from Madras’ genius’ health. According to close friends of the composer, since his return home after the Oscars, Rahman has been very unwell, so much so that he had to cancel a scheduled trip to London last Friday night. 


Work back home has also been suffering. Rahman was not able to complete the song that was filmed on Sanjay Dutt, Kylie Minogue, Akshay Kumar and Zayed Khan in Film City for Blue. And, reportedly, a scratch recording is being used for the shooting. Confirming these developments, director Anthony D’Souza said, “It’s true. But what a song! Even a scratch recording by Rahman is worth far more than the final recording of many other composers.” 


Rahman fell ill and was bed-ridden this week, thereby further putting behind his pending assignments. “I’ve returned from LA to complete three film assignments — Mani Ratnam’s film, Shankar’s Robot and Blue. And then I’ve to go back to Hollywood,” said Rahman. He admitted that the song that Kylie Minogue danced to in Mumbai with Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar and the rest of the cast for Blue was actually a rough cut. “I’ll finish it soon,” he said. “I’m in Chennai for two weeks. Then I return to LA.” The question is, what happens to the pending assignments back home?


Courtesy: timesofindia.com

Amitabh to play Abhishek's grandad in Dilli 6

Amitabh Bachchan is known to sign on unusual roles and the latest is that the superstar will play his son Abhishek's grandad in Rakeysh Mehra's forthcoming Dilli 6.

Mehra's semi-autobiographical film has Abhishek playing the lead and also stars Sonam Kapoor, who made her debut in Saawariya. He also roped in Amitabh to play a specially written cameo.

Confirming the news, Amitabh said: "I play Abhishek's grandfather in Dilli 6."

Interestingly, the film already has veteran actress Waheeda Rehman. And one of the Big B's incentives for stepping into the picture so late is to share screen space with his favourite actress.

Amitabh has earlier worked with Mehra in Aks. And with Dilli 6 almost complete, Mehra already has plans of casting Amitabh in his next film unusually titled Paanch Kaurav.

"It's too early to talk about Paanch Kaurav. But it's in the caper-adventure genre. And it would be my third film with the Big B. I couldn't get luckier. I've also done three films with Abhishek," revealed Mehra, whose last film was Rang De Basanti.

"I was supposed to do Abhishek's launch film Samjhauta Express and then we were to do Bhairavi (with all the three Bachchans including Jaya). We had gone so deep into the discussions that we both feel we've already worked in those two films together. So our comfort level in Dilli 6 is as high as it would be for any director-actor team that has done three films together," the director said.


Courtesy: sify.com

First Look: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Dilli 6 now moved into the editing stage

Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra''s Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor new film, Dilli 6, has now moved into the editing stage.

Starring Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Om Puri, Atul Kulkarni, and Divya Dutta, Dilli 6 is based on Mehra's growing up years in Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi.



Dilli 6 will be Mehra's third directorial venture, after the immensely successful Rang De Basanti, which had been selected as India's official entry to the Oscars.



The film, whose shooting mainly took place in Rajasthan, has wrapped up its shooting schedule and now moves into post production.


The film which stars Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor, will be edited by Mehra's wife Bharti. She is the woman behind the final look of Mehra's films, be it Aks or Rang De Basanti.



In fact, the director completely trusts his wife and is believed to have said that he has not yet entered the editing studio, where work has begun on the film.



Mehra believes in surrendering to the superior, technical genius of his wife when it comes to editing.

Courtesy: mynews.in

Rakesh Mehra speaks about filmmaking and the completion of Dilli 6

It's about time we heard from the cinematic genius who has been hiding for months now, working hard on Dilli 6. At last his work is over. Dilli 6 is now complete and in the safe hands of Rakesh’s wife, Bharathi, who is toiling very hard now to do immaculate editing to the movie. Bharathi did the editing for both of Rakesh’s previous releases, Aks & Rang De Basanti, and Rakesh Mehra is sure she’ll work her magic again.


When speaking to Mid-day, Rakesh said that he had yet to step into the editing studio and does not plan to either. He believes that he needs to let her do her work independently and treat her expertise exactly as he treats the expertise of any other technician he works with. Editing to Rakesh Mehra is the purest art form of cinema as it is the only craft that truly relates with cinema. Rakesh also added that he believes screenplay and editing are the backbones for any movie and considers no one to know Bharathi’s job better than her.

Now that Dilli 6 is out of his hands, what is the genius up to? Well, like they say a genius mind is never resting. Tired physically from the journey of Dilli 6, Rakesh Mehra is now returning to writing. One would think this is still a tiring job, but for Rakesh it’s a relaxing task. Subhash K Jha cleverly tried to get a hint of the cast for this project in the making, however Rakesh clearly stated that his scripts choose their actors. Besides, what he is writing may not necessarily be what he directs next.

Well, whatever Rakesh Mehra is up to, BollySpice will surely be the first to bring you the news!
Courtesy: bollyspice.com

DILLI 6, a collage of people and emotions

We had recently told you about the release plans of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's next film, DILLI 6, straight from the maker's mouth! Well, once again here is more exclusive inside information about the much awaited Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor starrer. This time its about the script of the movie and once again from Mehra himself!


The AKS and RANG DE BASANTI director says that he would not like to get into the intricate details of the script, which he had with him much before RANG DE BASANTI, six years to be precise. He does disclose the interesting fact that DILLI 6 is a collage of 18 different characters and their emotions, which he has tried to capture to the best of his capabilities.

Interesting, one must say, let us wait and watch how the acclaimed director has handled these 18 different and highly talented characters and put them together in DILLI 6, during the 3-months Sambhar schedule!.

Courtesy: glamsham.com

Abhishek's DILLI 6 can release later this year!

All through last year we kept you updated with even the minutest details about Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's DILLI 6. The latest on that front is that Mehra is nearing the completion point of his Abhishek Bachchan starrer. Naturally the question that is on everybody's lips is about the release schedule of the next venture from the AKS and RANG DE BASANTI director. And as always when it's DILLI 6 it is your favourite Glamsham that provides all the answers!

As per the director himself, the option for a year end or an early 2009 release are both open. Mehra goes on to add that he wanted extra time for editing RANG DE BASANTI but the makers were in a hurry to release the movie just before Republic day. However this time around Mehra is quite determined to keep to his longer editing schedule.

Here is hoping to see another trend setter like Rakeysh's last venture, RANG DE BASANTI, especially so because it has the super pairing of the hot 'n' happening Abhishek Bachchan and Anil Kapoor's pretty daughter, Sonam Kapoor.

Courtesy: glamsham.com