Mumbai Attacks Put Bollywood On Hold

MUMBAI : Red carpet premieres and new releases have been put on hold as India’s entertainment capital reels from the assaults that claimed 188 lives and left 313 others injured.

Movie premieres, usually held here on Fridays, and screenings have been cancelled as filmgoers stay away from cinemas and other public places. Even actress Ayesha Takia’s wedding who was due to marry this month, put off her nuptials to mid-2009.

“I have never seen this low turnout of audiences in theatres,” said Vishal Anand, marketing vice-president of the Fun Cinemas chain.

“The fear has taken over people’s minds. On Friday, only 30 people turned out in one of our theatres in Mumbai. Business has been hit very badly.”

The scheduled Friday release of “Khalbali” – a much-anticipated comedy showcasing more than a dozen Bollywood actors that already has a hit soundtrack – has been cancelled, while “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi”, starring superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and “Ghajini” starring Aamir Khan have been postponed. Bollywood executives were hoping both films would give the beleaguered industry a boost.

Newly-released films also took a hit. Box office takings of two big films that made their debut – Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!” and “Sorry Bhai!” (Sorry Brother) – as the tragedy unfolded were badly affected, and screenings have also been cancelled by cinemas.

Bollywood can hardly afford empty cinemas, already feeling the impact of falling revenues as the global economic crisis catches up with India.

Negative sentiment and fear of contagion have already affected the US$2.1 billion film industry, and producers and distributors fear that the fallout from last week’s attacks could compound the slowdown.

– CNA/il

Channel News Asia

Weekend Watch: Brazilian FI 'Live' On Sunday Morning

THE Brazilian Grand Prix F1 race in Sao Paulo will be aired “live” over RTM1 early Sunday morning at 12.30am.

New this weekend is a Japanese serial entitled Hana Kim (8TV, Sunday, 3pm).

The drama is based on the popular manga of the same name by Nakajo Hisaya.

It revolves around Ashiya Mizuki, a Japanese girl in the United States. One day, she watches young athlete Sano Izumi on television compete in the high jump.

She begins to idolise him, and decides to move to Japan to attend the same school. However, Izumi goes to an all-boys school, so Mizuki disguises herself as a boy.
The series stars Horikita Maki, Oguri Shun, Ikuta Toma, Konno Mahiru and Kamikawa Takaya.

For a little music, catch Eksklusif… Siti Nurhaliza Bersama Peminat (RTM2, tomorrow, 11pm).

In this two-hour presentation, Datuk Siti Nurhaliza will sing such hits as Ku Mahu, Kau Ku Sayang, Wanita, Penawar Rindu, Bukan Cinta Biasa and Biarlah Rahsia, as well as more traditional numbers.

Learn about the making of comedy adventure Tropic Thunder, (8TV, tomorrow, 10.30am), teen musical film High School Musical 3: Senior Year (8TV, Sunday, 10.30am) and local film Budak Kelantan (ntv7, Sunday, 1.30pm) this weekend.

Tropic Thunder, starring Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Ben Stiller, is about the cast in a big-budget war movie finding themselves in the middle of the jungle where the enemy shoots real bullets.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale.

Budak Kelantan, starring Danny X-Factor, revolves around two youths who are influenced differently by city life.

TOMORROW

Midnight Movie (RTM1, 11.30pm) – Chances Are
A man dies in an accident but gets a second chance at life when he’s reborn. Starring Cybill Shepherd, Robert Downey Jr and Mary Stuart Masterson.

Bollygood On 2 (RTM2, 12.30pm) – Abhiman
A pop singer finally settles down and decides to record a duet with his wife, only to regret it when she becomes more popular. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, G. Asrani, Bindu and Durga Khote.

Saturday Nite Special On 2 (RTM2, 9pm) – Alien Resurrection
After killing herself to prevent the government from taking a monster alien to Earth, Ellen Ripley awakens 200 years later to find she has been cloned…

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder and Ron Perlman.

Panggung Sabtu (TV3, 2pm) – Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota
Four strangers board a flight to the United States which makes a stop in Boston.

Here passengers board the plane – people who will decide whether they are to live or die. Starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Irfan Khan, Ayesha Takia and Jimmy Shergil.

Hong Movie Saturday (ntv7, Midnight) – Magic Touch
A con artist in “fortune-telling” one day coincidentally manages to predict what is to come. This time, he decides to put it to good use. This top-rated comedy stars Michael Hui, Leon Lai and Ricky Hui.

Chinese Movie (8TV, 8.30pm) – If You Care
Interior designer Chun-fai’s goal is to earn as much money as he can.

But he turns from a selfish person into one who is caring after a car crash.

Starring Eason Chan, Candy Lo, Gillian Chung and Eric Kot.

SUNDAY

Spice Of India (RTM2, 12.30pm) – Naan Avan Illai
Annamalai ends up in jail for cheating several women by marrying them and then making off with their money.

However, the daughter of the judge who is presiding over his case is attracted to him.

This is a remake of K. Balachander’s classic film of the same title.

Starring Sneha, Malavika, Namitha, Jyothirmayi and Keerthi Chawla.

Golden Premier (RTM2, 10pm) – Big Shot’s Funeral
Director Don Tyler is getting sicker by the day while on location in Beijing, so his assistant hires a down-and-out cameraman, YoYo, to take the reins.

YoYo is determined to make an unforgettable movie.

Starring Donald Sutherland, You Ge and Rosamund Kwan.

TV3 Cinema (TV3, 12.30am) – Rocky
An amateur boxer from Philadelphia’s tough neighbourhood gets a shot at the heavyweight championship title.

Starring Slyvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young and Carl Weathers.

Sinema (TV9, 10pm) – Cantiknya Audra Laili
Audra falls in love with Awang Lekir. Unfortunately, her family decides to marry her off to Tengku Syed Osman, a man who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Starring Imuda, Aida Aris and Azean Irdawaty.

New Straits Times

Weekend Watch: Go To The Movies – At Home!

Amanda Peet stars in A Lot Like Love (TV3, tomorrow, 1.05am)

MOVIE-wise, there is something for everyone this weekend. One of them is Hart’s War over RTM2 in the “Saturday Nite Special” slot tomorrow at 9pm.

Colin Farrell stars in Hart’s War (RTM2, tomorrow, 9pm)

Maggie Cheung stars in Double Fattiness (RTM2, Sunday, 10pm)
Set during World War Two, it is an inspiring movie about friendship, trust and heroism. It stars Colin Farrell and Bruce Willis.

Those who enjoy romantic comedies can tune in to A Lot Like Love, aired in TV3’s “Cinema” slot tomorrow (1.05am). It stars Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet.

This weekend is the time to catch some Chinese comedies as well. Rice Rhapsody (ntv7, tomorrow, 11.50pm) is a whimsical take on family relations and how it affects a chicken rice business.

Double Fattiness (RTM2, Sunday, 10pm) centres on greedy prospectors waiting to get their hands on a family’s pizzeria which sits on prime land.
For those with a taste for the mysterious and the thrilling, Crimson River (RTM2, Sunday, 12.30am) is for you.

The film is about a couple of French policemen whose respective murder investigations lead to the discovery of common traits in their cases.

Over 8TV, singer Daniel Powter is featured in the Daniel Powter TV Special (tomorrow, 10.30am).

You can also catch The Making Of… Mamma Mia! (Sunday, 10.30am), a behind-the-scenes look at the movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.

TOMORROW

Bollygood Time On 2 (RTM2, 12.30pm) – Sunday

Sehar, a voice talent for animations, has a habit of forgetting things. One night, while Sehar and her friend Ritu go to a disco, two guys try to get fresh with them. Sehar decides to teach them a lesson. The next day, odd things begin to happen to Sehar when she wakes up. Starring Ajay Devgan, Ayesha Takia, Arshad Warsi and Irfan Khan.

Saturday Nite Special (RTM2, 9pm) – Hart’s War

In the last months of Word War Two, an American administrative lieutenant named Hart is captured by German forces and sent to a German prison camp.

There, two African-American pilots become the first non-white soldiers in the camp. However, one is murdered and the other accused of killing a white sergeant. Hart must defend the black pilot against charges before an obviously racist American tribunal, unaware that the trial itself is only a front for the real secret of the prison camp. Starring Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard and Cole Hauser.

Panggung Sabtu (TV3, 2pm) – Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega

Raj is a lonely orphan boy who goes to Mumbai to fulfil his dreams of becoming a top singer.

After a lot of struggles and failing to realise his dream, he becomes smitten with Pooja, whom he has saved from an accident.

Pooja is in coma after the accident and her hilariously humble, rich and loving family mistakes Raj for her husband!

Starring Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta.

TV3 Cinema (TV3, 1.05am) – A Lot Like Love

While flying from Los Angeles to New York, the “good boy” Oliver Martin meets the “bad girl” Emily Friehl.

They spend a day in New York and before they part, he gives the phone number of his mother to Emily and asks her to call seven years later to check on him!

Starring Amanda Peet, Ashton Kutcher, Taryn Manning, Aimee Garcia and Lee Garlington.

Hong Movie Saturday (ntv7, 11.50pm) – Rice Rhapsody

Jen, who owns a Hainan chicken rice restaurant, feels she’s losing control of her life. She has three sons and two of them, Daniel and Harry, are gay. Fearing she will never have grandchildren, she takes in Sabine, a French exchange student, at the urging of her best friend as she hopes to keep her third son, Leo, straight. Starring Sylvia Chang and Martin Yan.

Chinese Movie (8TV, 8.30pm) – Love Is Love

Shek Kam Shui, who has been raised in the village, is good friends with Ng Dai Tai.

However, Ng’s father disapproves of their relationship, so they elope and move to the city to lead a new life of their own.

Starring Stephen Chow, Sandra Ng and Suki Kwan.

SUNDAY

Sunday Day Time Special (RTM2, 3pm) – Tornado

Berlin is struck by an unusual series of storms and hail stones.

In the middle of this unusual phenomenon is a meteorologist named John who has recently returned from studying tornadoes in Oklahoma.

He returns home to find his ex-girlfriend Eva is now a doctor.

Meanwhile John has a knack for weather predictions and he learns that a tornado is about to hit Berlin. Starring Matthias Koeberlin and Mina Tander.

Golden Premier (RTM2, 10pm) – Double Fattiness

When a family-owned pizzeria is targeted by property developers, an unscrupulous property agent is given the not-so-simple task of evicting the tenants.

The family does their best to hold out until their mum dies of a heart attack.

Starring Lydia Shum, Bill Tung Piu, Eric Tsang and Maggie Cheung.

Midnite on 2 ( RTM2, 12.30am) – Crimson River

Two French policemen – one investigating a grisly murder at a remote mountain college, the other working on the desecration of a young girl’s grave by skinheads – are brought together by the clues from their respective cases.

Soon after they start working together, more murders are committed, and the pair begin to discover just what dark secrets are behind the killings.

Starring Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Fares

New Straits Times

Ayesha Kecilkan Payu Dara

TIDAK seperti kebanyakan aktres lain yang berasa yakin memiliki payu dara besar, berlainan pula dengan aktres seorang ini. Ayesha Takia seperti akan kehilangan aset berharga yang selama ini membuatnya terkenal. Ayesha akan mengecilkan ukuran payu daranya yang besar itu.

Ayesha mendapat banyak masalah akibat pembedahan payu dara yang dilakukannya beberapa tahun lalu. Hasilnya, Ayesha memiliki payu dara yang besar dan cantik. Namun, sekarang dia berfikir untuk mengecilkan payu daranya kepada ukuran yang normal.

Sumber menyebut, akibat memiliki payu dara yang berukuran sangat besar, Ayesha menderita sakit bahu. Inilah alasan mengapa doktor menyarankan untuk melakukan pembedahan pengecilan payu dara.

Aktres ini sebenarnya boleh memenangi anugerah sebagai pendatang baru terbaik 2004 atas lakonannya dalam Tarzan: The Wonder Car. Namun, sepanjang kariernya empat tahun ini, hanya lakonannya pada tahun 2006 dalam DOR yang menyerlahkan bakatnya dan dipuji oleh pengkritik filem dan masyarakat.

Pembedahan itu dijangka dilakukan pada bulan depan di hospital Lilavati.

Utusan Malaysia