Star recruit Matt Giteau has been included in a 23-man Brumbies squad ahead of Friday's Round 1 Super 14 clash against the Western Force in Perth.
Feb 9, 2010
Giteau included in Brumbies squad
Star recruit Matt Giteau has been included in a 23-man Brumbies squad ahead of Friday's Round 1 Super 14 clash against the Western Force in Perth.
Burgess impresses Rabbitohs legend
South Sydney great Mario Fenech believes new Rabbitohs recruit Sam Burgess will be the next superstar of the NRL.
Derby vs Newcastle Preview
David Martin could make his Derby debut against Newcastle on Tuesday night at Pride Park, if his move from Millwall goes through in time.
Carroll faces assault charges
Newcastle striker Andy Carroll has been charged with assault after an incident at a city centre nightclub at the end of last year.
Manchester City vs Bolton Preview
Craig Bellamy is set to miss out against Bolton as a result of his long-standing knee injury.
Portsmouth vs Sunderland Preview
Portsmouth could be without Kevin-Prince Boateng and Anthony Vanden Borre for their Barclays Premier League clash with Sunderland at Fratton Park.
Wigan vs Stoke City Preview
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has virtually a fully-fit squad to choose from for the Barclays Premier League visit of Stoke.
Fulham vs Burnley Preview
Fulham will welcome back striker Bobby Zamora from a virus for the clash against Burnley at Craven Cottage.
Qatar League Monday Review
Umm Salal were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Shamal in round 17 of the Qatar League.
Referee Steve Walsh set for return
Former Test match official Steve Walsh is to make his return to top-level refereeing in the opening round of Super 14 games this weekend.
Preston land another United starlet
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has allowed his son Darren to sign another of his starlets in the shape of Matt James.
No title bid from McKenzie
Ovill McKenzie will not be challenging Tony Bellew for the vacant Commonwealth light-heavyweight title next month, despite reports claiming that the fight is on.
Valero eyes Pacquiao fight
Edwin Valero is targeting a fight with Manny Pacquiao after he stopped Antonio DeMarco on Saturday night to defend his WBC lightweight title.
Live Chat: Sharman Joshi on Feb 10 at 1500 hrs IST
He tickled your funny bone with Style, Golmaal and Shaadi No. 1; played the high spirited guy in Rang De Basanti! Yes, we're talking about Sharman Joshi. The actor, back in the limelight after a stellar performance in 3 Idiots, is ready with his next release Toh Baat Pakki with Tabu. To know more about his upcoming projects and life after 3 Idiots, catch up with the star in an exclusive Bollywood Hungama Video Chat on Wednesday, Feb 10, at 1500 hrs IST. Don't miss this one!Tabu to feature in music video for Rashid Ali's debut album
Tabu, who is currently busy promoting her upcoming film Toh Baat Pakki, will soon be seen for the first time ever in a music video for Rashid Ali's debut album. In case you are wondering, Rashid is the same guy who sang the hugely popular 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi' track from Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na. Tabu will be shooting for the music video soon in Hyderabad and noted ad filmmaker Trilok has been entrusted the task of directing the video. Rashid's debut album is being released under KM Music label with mentor A.R.Rahman being the executive producer. Rashid, who is based in London, was in Chennai for almost 3 months busy with his maiden album. While he himself has composed and sung the songs, yet another Rahman protegee Raqueeb Alam has written the lyrics. The album is likely to release in a couple of months.Mallika Sherawat cast with 'Avatar' star Laz Alonso in Love, Barack
Mallika Sherawat has been cast opposite Avatar co-star Laz Alonso in the feature Love, Barack, a political romantic comedy set during the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to 2008 U.S. Presidential election. Mallika will play the female lead and central character Aretha Gupta, a devoted, local Obama volunteer coordinator. The story, a snapshot of a moment in time that was filled with hope, change, and passionate debate, follows the romantic and political rollercoaster that develops when, the month before Election Day, Democrat Aretha unexpectedly falls for her Republican counterpart (Alonso), a handsome, dynamic African-American working for the local McCain office. On signing up for the film, Mallika said, "Laz Alonso is a talented and exciting actor. I'm very lucky to be working with him." To be directed by Doug McHenry, the film will also feature acclaimed actress Ruby Dee (Best Supporting Actress Oscar Nominee for 2007's American Gangster) and comedy veteran Gerry Bednob and Loretta Devine.Akshay and Aishwarya go retro; will sport 70's look in Action Replayy
On the sets of Vipul Shah's time-travel caper Action Replayy, Akshay Kumar's retro-wig which he wears for his 1970s look is his most prized possession. Apparently, the wig designed by one of Hollywood's biggest makeup artistes Paul Pattison (who's done films like Braveheart and Mission Impossible 2) made Akshay paranoid. He was petrified of losing it.Says Vipul, "Since we haven't copied our 1970s look from Hindi films, Akshay and Aishwarya sat down to look at real- life footage from the decade to get the look right. They specially looked at television footage of live cricket matches in the 1970s. Akshay was busy peering at the pavilion of spectators, what they wore, how they spoke moved their body language. That's how he conceived his character in the 70s. That's where Paul Pattison's wig came in." There are 400 other wigs all done under Pattison's supervision for junior artistes posing as people in the 1970s. Says Vipul, "We were very particular about the 1970s look recreated at the Nitin Chandrakant Desai's studio in Karjat. We needed the cars from the 70s which we had to get from all over India from private owners at a very heavy price. The BEST buses in the 1970s were very different from their counterparts today. Getting authentic BEST buses from the 70s was the hardest part of the whole era-recreation. Getting Akshay and Aishwarya to go retro was the easiest thing. They had a ball getting into their wigs clothes and body language." We saw Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone travelling back to the 1970s in Om Shanti Om. But Akshay was adamant about doing his retro-look very different from SRK. Director Vipul Shah takes serious umbrage to the suggestion that the retro look in his film is similar to Om Shanti Om. "We haven't copied anything from the films of the 1970s (as Om Shanti Om has). If we got into that 35 mm space, we'd have ended up copying only Mr. Bachchan's clothes and style. Akshay insisted we do more authentic research. We dug into archival material on the clothes mannerisms and people of the 1970s." And now Vipul Shah is paranoid about his 1970s look going out. "We, Akshay's designer Shabina Khan, Aishwarya's designer Manish Malhotra and all of us have worked really, really hard to give Action Replayy a unique look. If that look is leaked out we'd lose our biggest USP." Much like the Big B's Paa look which was given out prematurely. "We're taking stringent steps to ensure the confidentiality of our look," says Vipul. And what does he have to say to Action Replayy being compared with Back To The Future? "Well earlier my film was supposed to be The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. Now that accusation has been wrongly passed on to another film (Paa). Now I'm supposed to have copied Back To The Future. Again, untrue. If anything all time-travel films including mine are inspired by H.G Wells' Time Machine."
Movie Review: My Name is Khan
MY NAME IS KHAN makes two strong statements... The first: B.C. and A.D. are designations used to label years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. There's a third designation now - 9/11.Post September 11, the world stands divided. Terrorist outfits continue to strike in the name of religion and the common man, not even remotely associated with these groups, is bearing the brunt. The world is not a safe place anymore. The second statement: There're two sets of people in this world - the good and the bad. No matter how strong the evil forces are, good always triumphs. Write your own movie review of My Name Is Khan MY NAME IS KHAN mirrors the era we live in. Not a day goes by when you haven't heard/read/watched news of terror attacks and innocents being killed. We live in turbulent times. Also, the movie states - and states very strongly, without mincing words - Not all Muslims are terrorists. Karan Johar's cinema got more real from KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA onwards. In MY NAME IS KHAN, the storyteller attempts to make a social statement and succeeds completely. At the same time, it takes no sides. If the protagonist says 'My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist', it also exposes those who misadvise the youth with inflammatory and rabble-rousing speeches.
Karan's take on the issue deserves the highest praise, since a subject like this is difficult to attempt. Final word? MY NAME IS KHAN is Karan, SRK and Kajol's best outing to date. Do I need to add anything more? Rizvan Khan [Shah Rukh Khan moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother [Jimmy Shergill] and sister-in-law [Sonya Jehan]. Rizvan, who has Asperger's syndrome, falls in love with Mandira [Kajol]. Despite protests from his brother, they get married and start a small business together. They are happy until September 11, when attitudes towards Muslims undergo a sea-change. When tragedy strikes, Mandira is devastated and they split. Rizvan is confused and upset that the love of his life has left him. To win her back, he embarks on a touching and inspiring journey across America. Let me alert you. The story unfolds feverishly from the very start itself. So if you miss a scene or two, chances are you would've missed some vital links in the story. The fact is, there's too much happening in the first half. Although the narrative tends to get leisurely-paced at times, the wheels continue to move from one episode to another. 
A number of sequences are endearing. For instance, the romance between SRK and Kajol is subtle, yet charming. But it's SRK's relationship with Kajol and their kid that's one of the best parts of the movie. Your heart bleeds when an accident occurs and their lives are torn apart. Kajol's outburst - first, when her son meets with a catastrophe and second, when she confronts SRK - are truly shattering. MY NAME IS KHAN's strength lies in the fact that you root for Khan all through. At the same time, you are weighed down when he's in a vulnerable situation, especially when he's labelled a terrorist and thrown behind bars. You don't realize it, but the fact is that you, as a spectator, have already got entwined in Rizvan and Mandira's lives. There's a slight hitch in the second hour, when SRK returns to Georgia to save a hurricane-ravaged hamlet. Also, the media exercise tends to add to the length of the film. Nonetheless, it's a minor hiccup that doesn't rob the film of its punch. There's just one word to illustrate Karan's direction - exemplary. One of the finest storytellers of our generation, he deserves brownie points for deviating from 'Karan Johar brand of cinema' and attempting a film that knocks on your heart and stimulates your mind. With MY NAME IS KHAN, Karan takes rapid strides as a storyteller. 
Shibani Bathija's screenplay is truly arresting. Shibani and Niranjan Iyengar's dialogues are noteworthy and many a times, applaud-worthy. Ravi K. Chandran's cinematography is awe-inspiring. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music gels well with the nature of the film. When a film stars two of the finest talents of the country, you expect nothing but the best. SRK, well, how does one describe his performance? To state that this is his best work so far would be cutting short the praise he truly deserves. In fact, no amount of praise can do sufficient justice to his portrayal of Rizvan Khan, who has Asperger's syndrome. His latest work is several notches above anything he has done before. The only compliment that I can think of is, SRK has a new screen-name now. Raj is passe, Rizvan it is. Kajol is pure dynamite and casting her for this character was the most appropriate decision. No other actress could've matched SRK in histrionics the way Kajol has. In fact, SRK and Kajol compliment each other wonderfully well and this film only proves it yet again. It's a powerhouse performance from this supremely talented actress. 
The film boasts of a number of capable actors, but the ones who leave a rock-solid impact are - in this order - Zarina Wahab, Sonya Jehan, Jimmy Shergill, Arjun Mathur, Parvin Dabas and Arif Zakaria. Sugandha Garg is confident. Navneet Nishan supports well. Vinay Pathak leaves a mark in a brief role. Tanay Chheda [young SRK] and Yuvaan Makaar [SRK and Kajol's son Sameer] are excellent. The American actors, especially the kid who plays Sameer's friend, deserves mention. On the whole, MY NAME IS KHAN is a fascinating love story, has an angle of religion and a world-shaking incident as a backdrop. It not only entertains, but also mesmerises, enthrals and captivates the viewer in those 2.40 hours. At the same time, a film like MY NAME IS KHAN is sure to have a far-reaching influence due to its noble theme. I strongly advocate, don't miss this one! Rating:Â
Anurag Basu about his differences with Rakesh Roshan over Kites
Anurag Basu and his producer Rakesh Roshan don't see eye-to-eye on Kites, so much so that the director says he has no inkling when Kites is releasing.Says Anurag, "I'm just a technician on the film, just like the cinematographer or editor. I know as much as anyone else who has worked on Kites. But I've heard the film is being released on May 14 or May 21. I don't know which date it actually is. But I'm happy it's finally being released." For the first time, Anurag Basu openly admits there were differences with producer Rakesh Roshan. "I wouldn't call them creative differences. Because we were both creating the same film and moving in the same direction. But yes, Rakeshji's vision of cinema is quite different from mine." There were constant arguments between the producer and director about how the film was to be shot. Explains Anurag, "See, Rakeshji was not just the producer of Kites. He's also a very big director with a vast experience as filmmaker behind him. He naturally had very strong opinions on how the film should be shot." Anurag has learnt the hard way never to make a film for a producer who's also a director. "It's all fine now. Over and done with. I just hope all the hard work is worth the effort." Kites was taken away from Anurag and given to Hollywood director Brett Ratner to be edited. Anurag was none too pleased with the unexpected shift of power in the creative equation. Significantly, Anurag doesn't feature in any of the publicity and marketing of Kites. Says the director, "I still maintain I had no creative differences with Rakesh Roshanji. When I didn't have any hesitation in walking out of my first directorial venture Kuch Toh Hai when I had differences with my producer Ekta Kapoor, why would I not do the same with Kites if necessary, when I've proved myself as a director with Gangster and Life...In A Metro."
Micromax signs on Akshay Kumar as brand ambassador
He is a man, who has definitely not just changed the rules of the game, but also has rewritten it, in his own terms. He is none other than Bollywood's very own Akshay Kumar. He is one of the Numero Uno stars that Bollywood can easily back on due to his mass appeal. No wonder then, not just the filmmakers, but also the ad fraternity guys are queuing up at his doorstep to sign him on. After having endorsed a million products including the likes of Thums Up, Levis, X-Box 360 etc..., the superstar will now be seen endorsing wireless solutions provider Micromax. According to Bollywood Hungama's confirmed sources, Akshay has been signed by the said telecom company in accordance to his 'instant connect' with the classes and masses alike. The source also added that knowing Akki's 'market status', the said company has shelled out a 'macro' bomb of an amount as Akki's remuneration. No wonder they say, ' Make hay...while the sun shines'! What say, Akki baba!Amrita Arora blessed with baby boy
Amrita Arora, who got married to Shakeel Ladak in March '09, gave birth to a baby boy yesterday morning. At the hospital with her was her husband Shakeel and her family members. Bollywood has welcomed the new addition with the first Tweet coming from Riteish Deshmukh that said, "Congratulations AMU n Shakeel. It's a beautiful baby BOY." We Bollywood Hungama congratulate and give our best wishes to Amrita and Shakeel.Veteran actor Sujit Kumar passes away
Veteran actor-producer Sujit Kumar, who worked in innumerable Hindi films passed away this morning, at the age of 75. Kumar was well-known for his roles in film like Aradhana, Ittefaq, Dharam Veer and innumerable Hindi films in the 70's and 80's. Sujit Kumar was suffering from cancer for a long time. He is survived by his son Jatin Kumar and daughter Henna. We at Bollywood Hungama offer our condolences to his family.Live Chat: Shruti Haasan on February 8 at 1500 hrs IST
She enthralled us with her serene voice as a singer and later engrossed us with her action packed performance in the film Luck. Her father for decades now has provided us with unending, engrossing and valuable entertainment. She is Shruti Haasan. Better still, she has even been voted as the Best Debutant Actress '09 on the Bollywood Hungama Surfer's Choice Movie Awards. And now Shruti will be live exclusively on celebrity video chat on Monday, February 8, at 1500 hrs IST. Don't miss your chance to chat with this talented actor-performer.
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