Could a reverse of 'Slumdog Millionaire' win an Oscar
"It is like a reverse 'Slumdog Millionaire,' says Amit Khanna, chairman of Reliance Big Entertainment, referring to RBE's film 'Kites' featuring an international cast, including Indian actor Hrithik Roshan. The surprise success in the United States of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" shot in India with Indian actors and musicians and based on an Indian novel- has put the spotlight on the Indian film industry's ambitions of going global, argues Rama Lakshmi in an article for Washington Post, Saturday, March 7, 2009. Read more »
Oscar rule relaxed for 'The Reader'
Beverly Hills, CA (January 27, 2009) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has relaxed its rule over inviting only three producers for the Best Picture nominee. Now there will be four but two are already dead in the case of 'The Reader'- this year's nomination for Best Picture. Read more »
Hollywood's Highest Paid Heroines @$15 million per film
LA- California (USA). There was a time when Julia Roberts reportedly charged $20 million per film after the success of 'Pretty Woman'. But those were the days. Move over baby. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie has become the highest-earning female star in Hollywood, but she is still behind the Julia Roberts benmark as pay checks have slumped in 2008. Jolie, 33, earned $15m for the action movie 'Wanted' this year, and could make $20m in a possible sequel, according to Hollywood Reporter. Read more »
New James Bond Movie "Quantum of Solace" release in India before US in 3 Indian languages
The growing clout of Indian cinema-goers, almost 4 billion tickets a year, has created another trend. Quite unprecedented, Sony Pictures has announced that Quantum Of Solace will be released in India on November 7, one week before the US opening on November 14. This will be the first time that a Hollywood film will premiere in India before the US opening. Read more »
"I can't think straight": Two feature films on lesbian romance by Shamim Sarif
I bet you haven't heard this story before, perhaps. 'One novel, same subject and two separate feature films with the same actresses' is the intriguing introduction of Shamim Sarif's lesbian tale. Both films "I can't think straight" and "The World Unseen" featuring Water's Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth, written and directed by Shamim Sarif, born in London to South African Indian parents, will be released in November 2008, writes Pervaiz Alam. Read more »
Aishwarya's moment of international fame with Pink Panther 2
Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is looking for her real international fame with ‘Pink Panther 2’ set for Feb 6th 2009 release. Directed by Harald Zwart, film features Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Andy Garcia, John Cleese and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Though Ms. Bachchan has acted in a few international films but her real break is yet to come. She will be promoting the movie with lead actor Steve Martin in New York, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and Berlin. Read more »
Oscar nominees 2009 for Foreign Language
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released their shortlist of nine foreign-language films, which will be whittled down to five Oscar nominees on January 22. Aamir Khan's directorial debut ‘Taare Zameen Par’ failed to make it to the short-list for the 81st Annual Academy Awards 2009.In 2001, Aamir's Lagaan lost out to Man's Land, directed by Danis Tanovic of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Read more »
New York Mayor Bloomberg: Please shoot Indian Films in New York
The Mayor of the US city New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, and NYC & Company CEO, George Fertitta, have launched a new initiative to invite Bollywood producers to base and shoot their films in their city. Because, films bring in tourists. They announced the opening of a new tourism and marketing office in India, the culmination of a two-year plan to strengthen the impact of the City's $30 billion travel and tourism industry, Monday, October 13. Travel to New York City from India grew by 47 percent last year to 157,000 visitors and generated an economic impact of $266 million. Read more »
Deal sealed: Spielberg's DreamWorks and Anil Ambani's Reliance join hands
Finally, after a speculation of almost three months, Spielberg's DreamWorks and Anil Ambani's Reliance ADAG have done it. Anil Ambani Group will invest $550 million into Steven Spielberg's Hollywood venture DreamWorks to start a new studio, breaking away from Viacom's Paramount Pictures. The reports say the Ambani's ADAG will invest the money as equity, while another $750 million will come as debt from leading investment banker JP Morgan Chase, in what will result in a unique Hollywood-Bollywood partnership. Read more »
Murdoch Venture to produce feature films in India
Rupert Murdoch-owned US film studio and distributor Twentieth Century Fox and another Murdoch venture Star Group have announced a joint venture to produce Asian-language films for worldwide distribution, according to a joint statement issued in Mumbai, Hong Kong and Beverly Hills.The Indian film industry has grown by 17% in the period 2004-2007. On an verall basis, the Indian film industry stood at Rs. 96 billion 2007, up from Rs. 85 billion in 2006, according to a report by FICCI & PWC. Read more »