No summons received by Aishwarya: Lawyer
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Tuesday, November 14, 2006: (Mumbai):
Actress Aishwarya Rai's lawyer has said that his client has no knowledge of the packet that was addressed to her containing 23,000 Euros.
He also added that the actress has not been summoned by the Customs department for questioning in this regard.
"My client has no knowledge of the packet that was addressed to her and we are in no way a party to this. We have not yet been contacted by the Customs authorities nor has she been asked to appear for any kind of questioning," said Girish Kulkarni, Rai's lawyer.
"However, Aishwarya will appear for any questioning if there is a need. There is nothing wrong in that," Kulkarni said.
"As of now, it is difficult for us to say why this packet was addressed to her and by whom. It is too early to say anything about a frame-up or attribute any motives to the incident. I believe the Customs authorities are themselves looking into the matter," he added.
Rai's manager Hari Singh said the actress is currently in Jaipur shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker's Akbar Jodha and that she herself heard of the news from the media. (PTI)
Aishwarya quizzed over cash parcel
Web posted at: 11/15/2006 8:4:19
Source ::: IANS
Mumbai ? Bollywood? glamour queen Aishwarya Rai has been questioned by the customs department that stumbled upon a mysterious postal parcel addressed to her containing 65,000 euros (Rs3.7m) in cash.
?he package was sent to Aishwarya Rai a month back from the Netherlands. We have sent her a notice regarding the package seeking her clarification and we are waiting for her response,? Commissioner of Customs (Imports) A K Prasad said.
?e are not disclosing the name of the consignee for sake of the investigation. The matter is being handled by the department? Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch (Imports),? Prasad said. ?e need to record Aishwarya? statement before we lodge any case in the connection,? he added. Aishwarya preferred not to comment on the matter.
Ash denies summons by custom officials
Wednesday, November 15, 2006:
Watch story(Jaipur):
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Aishwarya's father met with Customs officials early Wednesday morning.
He's said to have told the officers that Aishwarya is out of the city on a shoot and will come meet them when she returns later this week.
Meanwhile, speaking to NDTV, Aishwarya said she has no idea who sent her a package full of the currency.
She is shooting in Jaipur and denied she had been summoned by the customs authorities in Mumbai for questioning.
Aishwarya expresses surprise at packet with euros
PTI
Wednesday, November 15, 200617:50 IST
JAIPUR/MUMBAI: Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai on Wednesday expressed surprise at reports that the customs department had received a parcel addressed to her that contained 23,000 Euros (Rs 13 lakh) and said she would sort out the issue with the authorities.
"This is as much news to me and my family as it is to you and the rest of the world. We know nothing," Rai, shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker's film Jodha Akbar in Jaipur, said.
"My lawyers and my father will work out the issue with government officials," she said.
"The law of the land will take its course. They will check all of this and find out, and frankly I would like to know what this is all about," she said.
"About my personal life, films, gossip -- all that goes on. But in matters like this, you (the media) need to exercise a little more responsibility and wait to get facts."
A white packet from a man in the Netherlands addressed to Rai, which contained electronic items and undeclared foreign currency, reached the Foreign Post Office a month ago, Customs Commissioner (Imports) A K Prasad had said on Tuesday in Mumbai.
The customs department had "started a preliminary inquiry", Prasad added.
Meanwhile Rai's lawyer Girish Kulkarni said, "So far, we have not received any summons or any official communication from the custom authorities. If anything comes to us we will fully cooperate with the authorities. There are a lot of rumours about her coming to Mumbai for questioning, but right now there are no plans of her coming to Mumbai. She is shooting in Jaipur".
Aishwarya's father visits Customs office
PTI
Wednesday, November 15, 200618:38 IST
MUMBAI: Krishnaraj Rai, the father of actress Aishwarya Rai, on Wednesday visited the Customs office in south Mumbai and replied to queries regarding 23,000 Euros contained in a packet sent in her name from Netherlands.
"He was very cooperative. He answered all our queries and gave satisfactory replies. In fact, both (Rai and father) have been cooperative", Commissioner, Import, (Customs) A K Prasad said.
Asked to comment on the version given by Aishwarya's father, Prasad said "everything cannot be disclosed at this stage."
Asked if he was called separately or if he appeared on behalf of Aishwarya, Prasad said he visited the office on behalf of the actress.
Customs authorities had, yesterday, asked the actress to appear before them by the weekend to clarify her position on the parcel containing the foreign currency valued at about Rs 14 lakh.
The packet, sent from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and addressed to the actress, arrived at the Foreign Post Office here in September-end.
The currency was not mentioned in the declaration attached to the packet which contained a top-brand shirt, a pair of binoculars, a DVD player and other electronic items.
Akshay signs 6.5 crore deal with DHOOM director?
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Bollywood Trade News Network
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As per reports in a tabloid, Akshay Kumar has signed a 6.5 crore deal with DHOOM director Sanjay Gadhvi. The director has roped in Saif Ali Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Shahid Kapoor for the same film. Apparently it's an action film and foreign technicians will be imported for action sequences. The film will be produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd. Incidentally this will be Akshay and Aishwarya's second film after KHAKEE.
Akshay's geeky laugh in JAAN-E-MANN became a national rage and instantly clicked with the audience.His forthcoming films include Priyadarshan's film BHAGAM BHAAG, Anees Bazmee's WELCOME and Vipul Shah's NAMASTE LONDON.
Meanwhile Sanjay is busy with post production work of DHOOM 2. After this film, Sanjay completes his 3-film deal (MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI, DHOOM and DHOOM 2) with Yash Raj Films. Yash Raj recently tied up with Pepe Jeans London, so you can now pick up Aishwarya's sizzling short skirt or Abhishek's cool biker jacket. The brand has unveiled 50 different styles as part of the collection in Mumbai.
Who? Bollywood? ?odilicious? babe?
Faheem Ruhani
Wednesday, November 15, 200619:37 IST
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Bipasha Basu, Aishwarya Rai or Esha Deol, readers vote for the hottest body in tinsel town.
YOU SAY
It? Bipasha for sure! The way she carries herself sets her apart. Indrajit Sahukar, sales executive
Bipasha Basu! She is a natural. Archana Sadguru, housewife
There is something about Bipasha. Esha looks like a ?ut on?. Ash is too plastic. Amrita Raote, teacher
I think Bipasha has the best body. It complements her face. Vikram Kriplani, software engineer
Esha Deol.After ?hoom? she has maintained her toned body. Dharam Pujari, accountant
Ash is looking super hot in ?hoom 2?. So for me it? Ash. Farid Siddiqui, businessman
Esha Deol. I think both Ash and Bipasha have good and bad months with their bodies. Abhishek Kanoria, businessman
Bipasha is the hottest any day. Ash and Esha are good but not as much. Sameer Goel, insurance agent
Right now, it? got to be Ash. I hope it stays that way. Gopal Pillai, student
Bipasha, Bipasha, Bipasha! Vincent Fernandes, sports instructor
WE SAY
For us too it's the desi Sophia Loren? Bipasha Basu! Fit and not famished is the impression she gives. And her vigorous workouts have only accentuated her curves. Dusky-skinned and husky-toned Bipasha is all about hissing sensuality.
??e tasted blood?
After Hours Correspondent
Wednesday, November 15, 200620:03 IST
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Aishwarya Rai has transformed into the most sizzling sight to hit screens with ?hoom 2?. From what we can see, there? more than just a great tan and abs in the film. We asked Ash to divulge the rest.
We hear you?e playing a negative role?
Assumptions are fine, because it definitely keeps the audience wondering. I won? define my character as negative or positive because she? a livewire. Sunehri is a singular individual; it will take you a while to figure her out.
It? your first film with Hrithik Roshan and Bipasha Basu. What was that like?
Fantastic. They?e fun just like the rest of the team, Abhishek and Uday. The three of them have known each other since childhood, so they?e constantly sharing anecdotes. Bipasha is a cool girl, and I am glad we are a team on this film. The camaraderie was genuine, the spirit was fab.
What was the best moment during the shoot?
I enjoyed the gang off-screen. And South Africa incidentally has a home turf kind of significance in my life because I won my Miss World title in Sun City, Johannesburg.
What special preparations did you do for this role?
Great visuals are imperative. Here it zeroed in on the physical appearance in terms of fitness. It was a body language and a body type that I hadn? brought to celluloid before. I was going to dress a certain way, so I needed to be at ease as the person who wore those kinds of clothes.
What next?
Well, I started ?ast Legion? where I experienced sword fighting and I am a warrior in the film, so I completed that movie before I started ?hoom 2?. I have actually gone through and experienced action in Roman as well as contemporary ?iker? times.It? been a huge adrenaline rush, like I?e tasted blood, and I can? wait to have more!
Salman pays, Ash objects
- Bollywood bad boy is a good taxpayer
SATISH NANDGAONKAR
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Salman Khan at the children? film festival in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI)
Mumbai, Nov. 15: Sunil Gavaskar played it with a straight bat and Shah Rukh Khan was a byword for professionalism.
But Salman Khan and his once-girlfriend Aishwarya Rai failed to live up to their public images when the taxman came calling.
Bollywood ?rat? Salman is among only six celebrities who quickly complied when asked to send the documents of their contracts and agreements and pay 0.25 per cent stamp duty on them.
Aishwarya, among 29 others sent the ?tar tax? notice, has been holding out and raising objections.
The collector of stamps? enforcement wing had on August 13 reminded 35 celebs to pay the ?tar tax? introduced by the Maharashtra government on contracts signed since May 7, 2005.
Salman paid Rs 79,300. Among the others who complied without fuss are SRK (Rs 7,75,686), Rani Mukherji (Rs 3,08,940), Gavaskar (Rs 33,750) and Akshay Kumar (Rs 1,42,930). Even Sushmita Sen, who went to court over a Rs 2.16-lakh octroi on her Toyota Land Cruiser, paid up her dues of Rs 1,21,365.
Aishwarya wrote back arguing it? the companies that hired her who should be taxed. The department has asked her to send the documents. ?f the contracts specify that the tax liability rests with the brand and not the brand ambassador, we can ask the companies to pay. If they don?, the celeb has to pay,? an official said.
Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah, Feroze Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Sachin Tendulkar have sent their contracts and agreements. The rest have ignored the notice despite a reminder on September 22. Another reminder will be on its way soon.
The line-up of the errant stars includes Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Aamir Khan, John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgan, Fardeen Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt. The ladies? list features Juhi Chawla, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena and Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Malaika Arora, Lara Dutta, Mandira Bedi and Diya Mirza.
Former cricketer Ravi Shastri and pacer Zaheer Khan, too, were notified.
Last week, a second batch of notices was sent to nine producers.
?akesh Roshan? chartered accountant promised to hand in all documents by the first week of December. Yash Chopra? office, too, contacted us. We?e waiting to hear from the rest,? an official said.
Aishwarya? lawyer says she is not involved
Thursday, November 16, 200600:50 IST
Customs gives her 20 days to explain whether she knew of the parcel.
Renni Abraham & Nirmal Mishra
MUMBAI: Aishwarya Rai? lawyer, Girish Kulkarni, said on Wednesday that the star had nothing to do with the package containing foreign currency that was reportedly addressed to her.
?he neither knows the mailer nor was aware that such a courier had been delivered to the foreign post office,? Kulkarni said. ?he heard the news through the media.?
He also refuted claims that the actor had said or implied that she was being framed.
Kulkarni wondered about the customs department? delay in taking action. ?f they have a case that is a month old, why did they not act earlier instead of doing so only after the media reported it?? he said. ?oreover, why did they call her secretary Hari Singh to convey a message? By procedural law, they can send summons to her but they cannot leave a message with her secretary.? Kulkarni denied that Rai had received a notice from customs.
But Customs Commissioner (Import) AK Prasad defended the steps taken by his department.
?e act according to our rules,? he said. ?ummons can be issued when required. Aishwarya has not been proved guilty.?
He said the timeframe in which action has been initiated was in keeping with the department? protocols. ?e do not rush things. We first wrote to Rai at the address given on the package, but it was returned undelivered,? Prasad said. ?he second letter was also undelivered because the premises were unoccupied.?
Meanwhile, Rai? father Krishna Rai is said to have met Prasad at his Ballard Estate office yesterday.
As it becomes increasingly clear that Rai may not claim the package, the customs department has begun anticipating a windfall in seizures. Apparently despatched from the Netherlands to be delivered to Rai? Bandra home, the package contained a stash of euros amounting to Rs14 lakh, designer apparel, and electronic goods. ?he show-cause notice issued to Rai gives her another 20 days to explain whether the parcel was despatched at her own instance,? a senior customs officer said. ?f Rai denies knowledge about the sender of the parcel and states that it is not hers, then it would only be a procedural matter for customs to lay claim to the seized goods.? The official said the foreign currency would be encashed and credited to the customs head in the government exchequer.
If investigations reveal that the parcel was sent at Rai? bidding, the department would initiate action against the actor under the Customs Act. ?t is permissible for individuals to import foreign currency by physically carrying it into India,? the officer said. ?ut the manner in which it was posted to Rai violates the law.?
The official said that if Rai were to lay claim to the parcel, she would have to explain the violation of the FPO rules and also clarify why the parcel misdeclared the presence of foreign currency.
Rai would also have to explain why she did not secure the clearance required from the Reserve Bank of India and other governmental agencies to bring in foreign currency. ?t would not be a simple case of paying a penalty. The currency may still have to be confiscated as the notice attached at the time of despatch made no mention of the currency,? the official said. ?his amounts to smuggling, as currency is considered ?oods? under the customs Act, 1962. Even if Rai lays claim to the currency, she may end up losing it.?
At this stage Rai may not have to appear before the customs authorities in person and may depute a lawyer or an assistant. Only if the department summons her will she be required to make a personal appearance.
Miditech Launches ?ets Talk? On Zoom
Media News
New Delhi, November 16
Lets Talk? a celebrity chat show produced by Miditech is scheduled for launch on Sunday, November 19th at 11.30am on Zoom Television. The program will be a 30 minutes weekly episode hosted by the popular RJ and actor, Tarana.
Tarana brings you face to face with the Bollywood stars introducing them as personalities behind the famous faces and giving insights into their lives as regular people; not as celebrities. ?et's Talk? is a vibrant, candid and freewheeling chat with film personalities, which gives a peak into their personal lives. Since Bollywood is a guiding factor for millions across the globe the show will serve as a platform through which fans learn from their idols.
?ets Talk? has been shot in select outdoor locations to create a positive environment and ambience to make the guest comfortable. The show has ingredients of fun, emotions, bonding and laughter with a general feel good factor. The forthcoming episodes of ?ets Talk?, will feature Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao and Riya Sen as the celebrity guests.
Miditech, with its vast experience in the field of programming for Indian television had previously produced ?ain Hoon? for Zoom TV. The program had a successful run of over 100 episodes in 2 years with a huge fan following across the world. It had one of the highest TRPs on the channel that featured the cream of Bollywood like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, John Abraham, Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor and many more.
?ith this show we hope to further consolidate Miditech's position in the Non-Fiction space and strengthen our relationship with Zoom?, says Tarun Laroia, COO, Miditech?.
What is Miditech?
Miditech is an independent production company that creates a wide range of programming. The company is headed by Niret and Nikhil Alva who have led production for many award winning documentaries and international format game shows.
Customs came to know the person, sent parcel to Aishwarya!
by Debasis Jana
Initially it was unknown, however the customs department, Mumbai revealed the sender's name finally; as per source, the person, namely Avineshwar has sent the mysterious parcel from Rotterdam, Netherlands, addressed to actress Aishwarya Rai's Bandra residence, containing a whopping amount of 23,000 euros.
As per source, Avineshwar is an event manager, who had organized a show featuring the actress in Amsterdam last year.
Also Avineshwar's complete address is known to customs but they have not yet established contact with him. Sources said the directorate of revenue intelligence might be asked to ascertain the details from Rotterdam .
However Aishwarya in a TV interview yesterday said that she does not know Avineshwar and she had no knowledge of any parcel being sent to her.
Aishwarya is presently in Jaipur shooting Ashutosh Gowariker's ?kbar Jodha'. Aishwarya, who has been asked to visit the New Custom House at Ballard Estate to record her statement in connection with the parcel, will probably appear before customs on Monday or Tuesday after returning to Mumbai on the weekend ? revealed Aishwarya's father Krishna Raj Rai, who met the commissioner of customs, A.K. Prasad yesterday on behalf of his actress daughter.
Rai Sr. has reportedly assured the commissioner that his daughter will fully cooperate in the investigation.
Customs is now trying to establish whether there is a professional or personal contact between the actress and Avineshwar.
-----desifans-----
Aishwarya Rai in New Incarnation in Dhoom 2
The former Miss World, Bollywood glamour queen, heartthrob of millions, and an actress with zeal of creativity-Aishwarya Rai, has got a lot up her sleeves after Umrao Jaan to offer for her fans this year. She has got a number of films in Bollywood queued up.
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Among them are- Jodha-Akbar by Ashutosh Gowarikar, Guru by Mani Ratnam and Sarkar2 by Ram Gopal Varma. With all these in stock, 2007 seems to be a year earmarked for this paragon of beauty.
However, the talk of the moment is Dhoom 2, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, which features Aishwarya Rai, in a totally different incarnation from that of Umrao Jaan. Her branded westernised look in Dhoom 2 (D:2) might ravage many hearts. Apart from Ash, the film features Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Uday Chopra in pivotal roles. The outfit of D:2 will be a real feast for the eyes. Renowned brand Pepe Jeans, London has made a tie-up with this amazing film. All the stars were showering lavish praises upon the costumes.
Produced by Aditya Chopra and Amit Chopra, D:2 is a big budget film involving Rs.90 crores (900 Million/ $ 20.2 Million). Distributed by Yash Raj Films, Dhoom 2 is dubbed into Tamil and Telegu languages and is slated to be released on November 24 along with its Hindi version. Its music scored by Pritam, has started earning laurels. There are six songs in this movie, namely, Dil Laga Na, Crazy Kiya Re, Dhoom Again, My Name is Ali, Touch Me. This soundtrack is a mixed bag of offering.
From Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to Durban, South Africa, D:2 is being shot in a number of locations including many places in India, thereby adding a variety of space. Aishwarya Rai named Sunehri plays the part of a petty yet clever thief in the film. For the fans of Ash, it would be a real wait before the new incarnation of their favourite actress unfolds on 24th November.
-----apunkachoice.com-----
ore trouble for 'Jodha Akbar'?
17th Nov 200609.46 IST
By ApunKaChoice
The Aishwarya Rai ? Hrithik Roshan starrer historical venture Jodha Akbar seems to be in the news for all the wrong reasons.
The director of the film Ashutosh Gowarikar is already facing trouble in Jaipur with the Sri Rajput Karni Sena threatening to disrupt the shooting to protest what it claimed his "tampering with historical facts".
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According to the Sena, Jodhabai was not the wife of Mughal emperor Akbar but in K Asif's ?ughal-e-Aazam?, she was depicted as so and Gowarikar was planning to do the same. The Sena alleged the director was portraying Rajputs "wrongly".
And now an animal rights body has sent a letter to Gowarikar asking him if he has obtained permission for using animals in the shooting of his movie.
The local office of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a semi-government body registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India, sent the letter on November 9, SPCA secretary Manish Saxena told reporters in Jaipur on Thursday.
Gowarikar is using 80 elephants, 160 horses and 65 camels for the shooting of his film in Ramgarh, Saxena claimed.
"It came to our knowledge that your company is using/hiring animals for the purpose (shooting of the film). We would like to know if you have prior permission from the AWBI for the purpose," Saxena asked in the letter.
Permission needs to be taken from AWBI for use of animals like horses, camels and elephants in films, he said.
Asked what would be done if Gowarikar had not taken permission, Saxena said the SPCA would take strict action under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 and the shooting could be stopped.
Even if permission is taken, certain standards needed to be fulfilled, including suitable atmosphere for the animals, fixed work hours and presence of veterinary doctors, he said.
-----india target-----
Aishwarya gives birth to twins!
by Debasis Jana
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How strange it may sound in real life, everything is possible on reel; so what's a big deal if Aishwarya Rai shown delivering baby in film?
In Mani Ratnam's forthcoming ?uru', Aishwarya plays Abhishek Bachchan's wife and she gives birth to twins in the film.
Gulzar, famous poet-lyricist, has composed lyrics for the film. There's a song, which starts with the line ?k Lo Ek Muft?.?. In a recent interview, Gulzar was explaining his thought, worked behind writing such funny line. ?n the movie Ash as Abhishek's wife, gives birth to twins, and hence the lines "Ek Lo Ek Muft?" i.e. Buy one get one free,? Gulzar said with a huge chuckle.
-----Business of Cinema-----
John, Rani top eBay Bollywood Barometer
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By Businessofcinema.com Team
17 November 2006, 04:19 PM
MUMBAI: eBay India has announced a unique eBay Bollywood Barometer, which gauges Bollywood star popularity based on the number of products up for sale on eBay India website. The range of products varies from movie memorabilia like film magazine covers, posters, movies and books.
Amongst the female actors, Rani Mukherjee tops the list of the barometer followed by Aishwarya Rai and Preity Zinta at the second and third place repsectively. The timing for Madhuri Dixit's comeback seems to be right on target as she is number four on the barometer. Rekha actually ties with Priyanka Chopra at 36 listings each.
The Bollywood male brigade is topped by John Abraham, who leaves behind Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan at the second and third position respectively. Abhishek Bachchan's popularity though is assumed to be high; the same has not been seen on eBay because his ranking is at number eight. On the other hand, Amitabh Bachchan is ranked number four.
eBay Bollywood Barometer: Actors
Ranking Actors No. of Live Listings
1 John Abraham 497
2 Shahrukh Khan 266
3 Hrithik Roshan 164
4 Amitabh Bachchan 142
5 Akshay Kumar 100
6 Salman Khan 91
7 Sanjay Dutt 62
8 Abhishek Bachchan 58
9 Saif Ali Khan 57
10 Aamir Khan 31
eBay Bollywood Barometer: Actresses
Ranking Actors No. of Live Listings
1 Rani Mukherjee 134
2 Aishwarya Rai 122
3 Preity Zinta 93
4 Madhuri Dixit 66
5 Kareena Kapoor 61
6 Bipasha Basu 41
7 Priyanka Chopra 36
7 Rekha 36
9 Sushmita Sen 34
10 Vidya Balan 16
-----desifans-----
Survey : Aishwarya Rai , Queen of bollywood ?
Aishwarya Rai has just three box office hits to her name in her 10 years in Bollywood. Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee has more hits to their names in the last few years than the number of films Aishwarya has acted in. Is she the Queen of Bollywood ? Survey results follow.
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We at desiFans.com are running a survey to understand what Bollywood fans think. The survey is on and we have a few hundred complete survey submission already and this is what we found. Survey question: Who according to you is the Queen of Bollywood today ? 37.50% think its Aishwarya Rai , 25.89% say its Rani Mukherjee , 11% think its Kajol. Not a very convincing win, but definitely Aishwarya is way up there. But why? .. one survey responder writes: ?ueen of bollywood is ash because she is not only the most beautiful and attractive actress of the bollywood but she has also represented bollywood across the globe. No other actress has done it.?
Survey question: Why would you attribute Aishwarya Rai ? popularity to ? 43.75% said its her beauty and interestingly 19.64% said its her marketing / promoting !! 16.07% said personality and 3% said acting skills !! One survey responder writes: ?eople may or may not believe but it? her personality that really is the foundation of her success. Once some relatives of mine encountered her during a train ride (this was way back before any of her hits), she was dressed up in casual jeans with no makeup. They were virtually excited since they knew she was the former Miss World, they greeted her and she greeted them back with a smile. She just said a simple ?i? with such warmth and believe me there was 3 female to 1 male during this encounter and it was them who told me about her warm and pleasant personality. If you think they were bamboozled by her great beauty into judging her, then think again.?
But when asked ?ho among these is the best actress in Bollywood ?? .. it was a surprise change in positions. 38.39% say Kajol is the best actress Bollywood has today. And then its Rani Mukherjee according to 25% of responders while 21% think its Aishwarya Rai . Well.. not much behind but this proves that its definitely not acting that pushed Aishwarya to the top in the Queen of Bollywood category.
One survey response summarises the result. ?ajol is so far the best. Not that I am saying others are not good at all. It? just that different actresses or actors for that matter respond quite differently to each script. For example, if you look at Aishwarya Rai, she? more adapted to play the classical roles with such vigor that none of the actresses can match her as she has this charisma in bringing out the feelings of the characters quite well. She? also good at portraying the role of a victim as in the movie, ?umara Dil Apke Pas Hain?. So far contemporary roles haven? suited yet. Let? see what she can do in Dhoom II. As for Rani Mukherjee, She can play contempory roles quite well but not so when she was in the initial throes of her career but has improved overtime which says the same for Preity Zinta. Priyanka and Kareena are also good at contempory roles though not as good as Preity and Rani. I guess what you can say is the experience.But it? Kajol, although not that good in classical, she? gets the highest overall points compared to others mentioned above. Kajol> Preity/Aishwarya/Rani > Kareena/Priyanka .
Great responses !! The survey consisted of around 10 questions and subsequent articles will cover the rest of the responses. The Queens of Bollywood survey is still open and you can respond to it.
new coming soon film ..dhoom 2 ..1st time with hritik roshan ..
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Sequel gets 70-hall salute
- Distributor looks at record Rs 3.5-cr opening-week sales
PRATIM D.GUPTA
The big Bollywood year just keeps getting bigger. From Rang De Basanti to Fanaa to Krrish to KANK to Don, it has been a barrage of blockbusters at the box-office. And now comes the biggest film of them all.
With 1,200-plus prints worldwide, Dhoom 2 this Friday will become the widest Bollywood release ever. Opening at 70 theatres, the Yash Raj Films production will also be the biggest release in Bengal. ? am handling 127 prints in Bengal, Bihar and Assam. Such numbers are unheard of in our trade,? says east India distributor Pritam Jalan.
But unlike other cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where multiplexes are ready to run up to 15 D2 shows daily, the Calcutta strategy is to divide the business between standalone theatres and plexes. ?here are only going to be six to eight shows a day at the four multiplexes, plus Menoka, Hind, Elite...? adds Jalan. ?f the first week goes full, we are looking at a record gross collection of Rs 3.5 crore.?
D2 is, of course, not only the sequel to the 2004 bike blockbuster Dhoom, it also boasts a galaxy of stars ? Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu.
?e have had inquiries and block-booking requests for the past three months, ever since the first teaser was screened with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna,? says Vikas Syal, general manager of INOX (Forum). ?he hype around the movie is unprecedented and we plan to cash in on it by running a lot of contests and giving away movie merchandise.?
The ticket prices for Dhoom 2 at the plexes during the weekends should go up to a maximum of Rs 250, a high point already touched by KANK. The standalone theatres haven? upped ticket prices, with Rs 120 being the balcony rates for a weekend watch of the Sanjay Gadhvi film.
?e had gone up to Rs 150 for KANK but that was a mature film for grown-up audiences, while Dhoom 2 is for the young and we don? want to take the ticket prices beyond them,? reveals Pranab Roy, owner of Menoka. ?he inquiries have been mostly from school and college kids.?
The first two weeks will be crucial for the high-octrane, 150-minute action adventure ride. Says Prashant Shrivastava, vice-president of 89 Cinemas (Swabhumi): ?hile there is no other release on November 24 and no big release on December 1, Baabul with Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Salman Khan, John Abraham and Rani Mukherjee will arrive in a big way on December 8.?
By then, box-office history might already be created.
I too want to know who sent parcel to me: Aishwarya
Jaipur, Nov. 21 (PTI): Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai has said she too is eager to know who sent a parcel containing Euros 23,000 (around Rs 13 lakhs) to her, why and from where.
"Like all of you, I am also eager to know who sent this parcel, from where and why it was sent?" she said while talking to reporters at Sanganer airport after returning from Mumbai last night.
She would be shooting for director Ashutosh Gowarikar's 'Jodha Akbar'.
During questioning by Customs officials yesterday at Sahar Airport in Mumbai, Aishwarya had disowned the parcel sent to her from Rotterdam in Netherlands.
Looking relaxed, Rai said she was waiting for completion of investigation by the authorities.
Asked about 'Jodha Akbar', she said, "Ashutosh Gowarikar has been working very hard on this film and it would be a hit."
As for lukewarm response at the box office for J P Dutta's 'Umrao Jaan' in which she played the lead role, the Bollywood actress said, "I am not aware of box office results, but I got many mails from my fans who said my performance in the movie was good."
Meanwhile, Ashotosh Gowarikar spent the two-day break to search for and finalise more locales for shooting of 'Jodha Akbar', some scenes of which were filmed at Rupangarh Fort in Kishangarh.