Salman Khan’s ‘Dabangg’ sweeps GIMA with six awards

 

Milan Luthria’s Once Upon a Time In Mumbaai finished a close second with four awards

 

 

Salman Khan’s Dabangg continues its winning spree. The National Award-winning film which boasted of the chartbuster Munni badnaam hui walked away with six awards, including best film album, at the Global Indian Music Awards (GIMA). The event was held at the Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon on Thursday night. Mamta Sharma won the best music debut for Munni badnaam. 

The best music director award went to Sajid-Wajid and Lalit Pandit for their compositions in the movie. Dabangg also won the technical awards for best background score by Sandeep Shirodkar, best engineer-film album by Eric Pillai and best engineer-theatre mix for Leslie Fernandes.

Giving neck-to-neck fight was Milan Luthria’s Once Upon a Time In Mumbaai, which received four awards, including best film song for Pee loon, for which Mohit Chauhan was awarded in the playback singer-male category, and Irshad Kamil took home the best lyricist trophy. 

The best music arranger and programmer award was given away to Sandeep Shirodkar for the same song. Sunidhi Chauhan walked away with the trophy of best playback singer female for Sheila ki jawani from Tees Maar Khan.

Oscar winner AR Rahman, who has composed for international films like Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, was honoured with the title of Global Indian Musician. Legendary composer Pyarelal of musical duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal was conferred with outstanding contribution to pop music award, and the outstanding contribution to Indian classical music title was given to music maestro Balamurli Krishnan.

The show, hosted by actors Ranveer Singh and Neha Dhupia, saw a melange of high-octane performances by Sunidhi, Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher, Shubha Mudgal, Usha Uthup, Midival Punditz, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy along with India’s Got Talent winner Shillong Chamber Choir. The ceremony brought the who’s who of Bollywood to the capital suburb. Celebs like Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Rajeev Khandelwal, Nagesh Kukunoor and actor-VJ Rannvijay Singh added star power to the show.

In the non-film music category Indian Idol 5 winner Sreeram won best music debut for Rehnuma – the award was shared by Band Called Nine for Rewind. Best pop/rock single went to rock band Agni for Aahatein. Best popular music album went to Akriti Kakar for Akriti, best fusion album award was given to Ranjit Barot for Bada Boom, Ustad Rashid Khan won best devotional album for Nirgun and best semi-classical album for the same. The trophy for the best folk album went to Desert Slide by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and folk musicians of Rajasthan. Sadhana by Pandit Rajan-Sajan Mishra was awarded the best Hindustani classical album-vocal, while Aura by Niladri Kumar won the Hindustani classical album- instrumental. Chandiran Oliyil by Sanjay Subrahmanyan won the award for best Carnatic classical album vocal.

The highlight of the show was a performance by Priyanka, who paid tribute to women power of music industry. Shahrukh, who is the brand ambassador of Kingdom of Dreams, left the audience in splits with his witty and humorous comments off and on. The guest list also included Aadesh Shrivastav, Salim-Sulieman, Sophie Chowdhary, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Rekha Bhardwaj, Anu Malik and Prasoon Joshi among others.

Makers of the animated version and the sequel of 'Andaz Apna Apna' seem determined to draw the actors in their personal battle
 
Remember the two squabbling friends Amar and Prem in the cult film Andaz Apna Apna?

Well, looks like their tu tu mein mein has extended beyond the reel. Only this time it's not lead stars Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, but two filmmakers are at loggerheads!

While the original director Raj Kumar Santoshi wants a sequel to the film to take precedence, another producer Siddharth Jain is determined the animated version of the same now titled Andaz Naya Naya hits screens next year as scheduled.

"We're doing the first of our proposed animation films in the Andaz Naya Naya series in 3D and stereophonic sound. We're targeting it at the kids, as once they come in the adults are bound to follow, " confirms Jain.

Awaiting right plot

And herein lies the problem. Santoshi is planning to bring the Salman-Aamir jodi back as Amar-Prem.

Says a source, "Only the right plot is awaited. Otherwise, Santoshi has got both Salman and Aamir keenly interested in the sequel. So, the last thing he needs right now is an animation film based on the 1994 film."

However, Jain is extremely kicked about his own project, and is in fact negotiating hard to get both Aamir and Salman to participate.

"I'm a huge fan of the film Andaz Apna Apna. I waited long to revive the characters of not just Amar and Prem, but also the characters played by Raveena, Karisma, Paresh Rawal, Mehmood, Jagdeep and Viju Khote. I will show my film to Santoshi, Aamir and Salman and try to get them on board."

Incidentally, Jain has cleverly kept his options open. The animation characters resemble the original actors only up to the point where legal hurdles can be avoided.

Add to that, the plot of Andaz Naya Naya is completely different from Andaz Apna Apna. "I want to build the Andaz Naya Naya brand into an ongoing franchise like The Simpsons in the US.

Amar and Prem should become popular for the concept, characters and plot, not because of the stars who played them in Raj Kumar Santoshi's comedy."

Whether Santoshi will try to stop the animation film from being released before his proposed sequel is left to be seen. At the moment, both the parties seem equally adamant. Let's see who blinks first.

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi dies  

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, one of India's greatest cricket captains ever and whose flair and style captured the imagination of cricket fans, passed away here today after battling a lung infection for the last few months.
The 70-year-old cricketer, known as 'Tiger' in the cricket fraternity, was suffering from interstitial lung disease, a condition in which the passage of oxygen to the two lungs is less than normal.
He is survived by his wife Sharmila Tagore, his actor son Saif Ali Khan and his two daughters Soha and Saba Ali Khan.
"He passed away around 5.55 pm. His condition had deteriorated since yesterday. He was suffering from interstitial lung disease (interstitial pneumonitis) which worsens rapidly inspite of the best treatment available," Dr S P Byotra, Department of medicine in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where Pataudi was admitted, said.
"He was unable to maintain his oxygen level in spite of maximal treatment. He continued to remain in the ICU for nearly a month. He had this disease which had been static since the last three months and worsened very acutely over the last four weeks, the doctor said.
Pataudi, who lost his right eye because of an accident, played 46 Tests between 1961 and 1975 and was arguably India's greatest captain. He was given the leadership in his fourth Test, when he was 21, in Barbados in 1962, because the regular captain Nari Contractor was in hospital after getting hit on the head by Charlie Griffith.
Pataudi, who was also known for his amazing sense of humour, was the youngest Test captain, a record that stood until 2004. He led India in 40 Tests and had a successful career despite impaired vision in his right eye, which was damaged in a car accident. He also captained Sussex and Oxford University.
Pataudi scored 2793 runs in 46 Tests at an average of 35 and made six centuries, the biggest of which was an unbeaten 203 against England in Delhi in 1964.
However, many experts rate his 75 against Australia in Melbourne in 1967-68 as his finest since he played that knock with an injured leg. Pataudi retired in 1975 after West Indies' tour of India.
After retirement, Pataudi served as a match referee between 1993 and 1996, officiating in two Tests and ten ODIs, but largely stayed away from cricket administration.
Under Pataudi's captaincy, India won nine Tests but it was he who instilled the belief in the team that it could win international matches. India achieved their first overseas Test victory under him, against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1968. India then went on to record their first overseas series win by beating New Zealand 3-1.
Pataudi was the ninth and last Nawab of Pataudi until 1971, when the Indian government abolished royal entitlements through the 26th Amendment to the Constitution.
He was also the editor of Sportsworld, the now defunct cricket magazine, and a television commentator in the 1980s but gradually withdrew from an active role, though he remained a strong voice in Indian cricket.
Since 2007, bilateral Test series between India and England have been contested for the Pataudi Trophy, named after his family for their contribution to Anglo-Indian cricket.
Pataudi's father, Iftikhar Ali Khan, represented both England and India in Tests. Pataudi had taken ill since his return from England this summer after presenting the Pataudi Trophy to Andrew Strauss at the end of the four-Test series.
He was also a part of the first IPL governing council but refused to continue in the role in October 2010, when the BCCI made significant changes to the league following the sacking of Lalit Modi as its chairman.

Big B injured on the set of RGV's 'Department'

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently shooting for Ramgopal Varma's 'Department', says he has suffered a minor chest injury during a semi action sequence on the sets of the film.

"A minor incident on set during semi action sequence... got hit on chest rib cage, some damage inside, pain on breathing, bearable!," the 68-year-old wrote on Twitter.

A few days back his son Abhishek had hurt himself while filming a chase sequence in Jaipur for 'Bol Bachchan'.

"Guess its the season for injury... first Abhishek, now moi... happens... will repair on its own said doc .. he must be right!! (sic)," Bachchan further tweeted.

But the news let loose a volley of tweets from concerned fans and the veteran actor quickly tried to pacify them.

"Okaay I seem to have let loose a cannon !! It will heal... do not worry... all shall be well (sic)," Bachchan wrote.

"People of twitter world, relax! Should never have mentioned... just an accidental hit by either an elbow or the butt of a carbine," he added.

Bachchan had suffered a near fatal accident on the sets of 'Coolie' in 1982 while filming a fight scene with co-actor Puneet Issar, which prompted hundreds of fans queueing up at the hospital and praying for his recovery.

Chechen spent many months recovering and resumed filming later that year after a long period of recuperation.

'Aishwarya still doesn’t know how to act'

Russell Peters will stop at nothing. The 41 year old half Indian, half Canadian funnyman can’t get over quelling anything and everything with his quick wit, even if it means putting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to shame for the nth time.

Remind him about his previous remarks on the actor, and he says, “She hasn’t become a better actor. She is still good looking, isn’t that good enough?” When the topic shifts to her pregnancy, he jokes, “Oh good job Abhishek, you finally knocked her up!”

Last seen in Jake Gyllenhaal starrer Source Code, Peters plays a loveable jerk in Akshay Kumar’s Indo-Canadian venture Speedy Singhs, which hits theatres on Friday.

But, he’ll never act in a Bollywood flick. “Never, ever. I don’t like the movies. I can’t do something I don’t believe in,” says the comedian, who says he won’t give up on the stand-up act for anything.

He reveals he hasn’t even seen a Bollywood movie. “I’ve never watched one. I tried watching Singh Is Kinng because Akshay is in it. But the minute the first song started, I changed the channel. I was like, ‘O my God, I don’t want to hear that’.”

Does Akki know? “O ya I’ve told him. I don’t hide my feelings. I’m not the kind of man who’s going to talk behind your back. I’m going to tell that right in your face.”

Peters will return to India next year for his stand-up tour. “I miss coming out here. It’s home,” he says.