Director Ang Lee has teamed up with the Slumdog Millionaire crew

IKLAN

Oscar-award winning director Ang Lee has teamed up with the ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ crew to scout for locations for the big screen adaptation of Booker prize-winning novel ‘The Life of Pi’, which is set in Puducherry.

"He (Lee) has been here for a couple of days and he even visited the place a year ago. He was here with the `Slumdog Millionaire` crew - the line producers and others to do the logistics, scout for locations and other local work," a source from the tourism department, Puducherry, told reporters.

"We are not sure whether he (Lee) has left but he is definitely leaving today (Sunday)... He is not really talking to the press," the source added.

Lee`s film is based on Canadian author Yann Martel`s novel of the same name. Set in Puducherry, the story is about a well-to-do zoo keeper`s son, Piscine Molitor Patel, known as Pi, who is inclined to religious texts and literature and curious to know about the world.

The political changes in India force Patel and his family to move to Canada where Pi finds himself adrift in a lifeboat with a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The rest of the story chronicles Pi`s 227-day voyage across the Pacific and the powerful story of faith and survival.

The book covers almost all major locations in the union territory like the Botanical Garden, Mosque, Church, India Coffee House and Beach Road, among others.

"The shooting (for the movie) begins sometime next year, probably in January or February," said the source.

After Puducherry, Lee is supposed to head to Taiwan and Thailand for location hunting.

Having made films like ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’, ‘Hulk’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain’, Lee`s last outing was critically-acclaimed comedy-drama ‘Taking Woodstock’.

Reportedly Puducherry-born Holywood director M. Night Shyamalan was very keen to adapt Martel`s novel.

"Even before the novel won the Booker prize, we were trying to use it as a marketing tool for Puducherry as half of the book is set here. We were also hoping Shyamalan will make a film on the book as he hails from here. But it came as a surprise to us that it`s being done by someone else (Lee) now," said the source.

IKLAN

Mohmmed Azharuddin has lost his father in Mumbai for advanced tuberculosis

IKLAN

Mohmmed Azharuddin, who featured in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, has lost his father in Mumbai, a family aide said Sunday.

"Ismail Shaikh had been suffering from advanced tuberculosis since past two years. He had a very painful death on Friday at his Santacruz home where the family had shifted a few months ago," Dinesh Dubey, Azharuddin’s business representative told IANS.

Shaikh, 46, is survived by his widow Shamim, son Azharuddin, an older son and two daughters.

Shamim said that Shaikh had neglected his health and was totally immersed in making a bright future for Azharuddin, especially after the Slumdog Millionaire became an international box-office hit.

She said that Azharruddin did not know much about the serious health condition of his father since the family did not want him to ignore his professional advancements.

Director Danny Boyle of the film - which bagged 10 Oscars this year - has written to the family expressing his condolences and support to them in this hour of grief, she said. He is expected to visit the family some time next month.

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I miss Mumbai-Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle

IKLAN

Danny Boyle says coming to Mumbai feels like coming home. Being one of the minuscule minority who didn’t enjoy Slumdog Millionaire  I thought Danny for me was a long shot. But surprise surprise! Danny Boyle could be a huge lesson in accessibility to those Bollywood entertainers who react adversely to criticism and open their doors only to those mediapersons who praise their work.

Getting the Slumdog director on the line proved easier than I thought. I was immediately connected to him …no call-wait as a long battery of deputies inform the firang celebrity- director of the caller, no pretensions as he mumbled he was “still asleep” and could I call him back in an hour?

An hour later just before he got busy with a snarl of meetings before flying out of Mumbai, the softspoken auteur director took time off to answer some questions.

How do you feel to be back in Mumbai?
I miss Mumbai when I’m away.

Would you make another film in Mumbai?
Yes! In fact that’s another reason apart from the Trust why we’re in Mumbai. We’ve had couple of meeting about another project in Mumbai. It won’t happen this year. But it will certainly happen next year. I will certainly enjoy coming back to Mumbai to make another film.

Slumdog Millionaure has been an exhilarating experience for everyone?
Quite extraordinary.

Another film apart, what brings you to Mumbai, Danny?
 What we’ve come here for is to hand over …things…to the Trust (created for the Slumdog Millionaire kids). I know the newspapers want to write stuff like, ‘Danny Rides To Their Rescue’. The truth about what we’re doing is far less glamorous and far more professional.

What exactly do you hopet to achieve?
To put the resources in the appropriate hands of trustees and a social worker who will make sure that all the right steps are taken to ensure long-term financial security for the kids. We really need to get out of this cycle of unsavoury allegations and reports (about how the Slumdog funds are being used for the kids).

You seem to be pulled back to Mumbai by forces that aren’t exactly in your hands?
Not at all.It’s always a pleasure to come to Mumbai. We came here for many reasons, one of them was to meet the trustees and take the matter of the kids forward, to press the families to accept the accommodation that has been offered to them many many times and try to to reassure them. We don’t know why they didn’t want to accept the accommodation that was offered.

And have you succeeded?
 I’m glad to say we’ve slowly made our way forward. What matters is not what is written about the issue in the press but the long-term welfare of the kids. We want to make sure that the kids (from Slumdog Millionaire) benefit from the success of the film and from their presence in the film. And I’m confident they will benefit.

The growing expectations of a section of your film’s cast seems hard to deal with. How are you coping?
We’re trying our best. To be honest the most appropriate way we thought, was to make a big donation. And we did. Now we’re here to see the outline of the project that’s being carried out in Bandra East. This project will help approximately 5, 000 children and 2, 000 families. Most of them have nothing to do with the film and they may never know about Slumdog Millionaire.But the project will give back to the slum kids some of the benefit we got by working in it. I’d love to give back to the people of Mumbai some of the joy they’ve given me. These are people I probably wouldn’t see. But I feel their presence.

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Father of Rubina Ali in anger accusing the filmmaker Danny Boyle

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’Slumdog Millionaire’ director Danny Boyle, who rushed to India Wednesday to help the film’s child stars, was stunned when a child’s father accused him of ignoring them.

Some of the children have become homeless after civic authorities razed their shanties. Boyle had come down to offer them help.

However, Rafiq Qureshi, Father of Rubina Ali, 9, left their meeting in anger accusing the filmmaker of neglecting them after the film’s global success.

’A house is being provided for the kids...we have been listening this for the last five months...I don’t see any house coming our way. The shanty that we were living in has already been razed...where are we getting a house from?

’If they are providing us a house, when are they going to do it? Our kids are literally living on the road now,’ an exasperated Qureshi told a news channel later.

’Slumdog’ producer Christian Colson also participated in the meeting held at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on the outskirts of the city.

’We are looking for a legal accommodation that should be held by the trust (Jai Ho) to ensure the safety of these kids and it would be properly monitored as well,’

a calm Boyle told the reporters.

The kids including Azharuddin Ismail M. Shaikh, 10, the main child star of the movie, apart from Rubina, were both thrown on the streets after Mumbai civic authorities demolished their shanties May 14, terming the slum unauthorised.

The producers of the multiple Oscar-award wining underdog drama had earlier announced a setting up Jai Ho Trust to look after the two child stars and ensure that they receive quality education and a house to live in.

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Dev Patel and Freida Pinto romantic night out in Israel

IKLAN

Slumdog Millionaire` stars Dev Patel and Freida Pinto have been caught kissing during a romantic night out in Israel.

Rumours that the actors, who played childhood sweethearts in the Oscar-winning movie,
are dating for real began circulating after ’Slumdog’ co-star Anil Kapoor hinted they were an item, reports Contactmusic.

Kapoor said, "When I meet them I feel there is something happening. (I think) this is the beginning of
something exciting happening. They definitely make a great pair. Both of them look very good together."

However, Patel and Pinto have frequently dismissed rumours they are dating.

Pinto said: "We`re not dating," while 18-year-old Patel added, "No, we`re not seeing each other."

However, the British teenager recently visited Israel to see Pinto on the set of her new movie ‘Miral’,
and the pair was later spotted enjoying a few tender moments during a romantic dinner.

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Slumdog Millionaire Kid play the childhood portions of Shah Rukh Movie

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At least one child prodigy has been spared the trauma of underage overexposure.

Tanay Chheda who plays the protagonist Jamal’s childhood avatar in Slumdog Millionaire has had his share of fame and recognition, at least for now. He wants to concentrate on his studies and focus on just that one film.

“And that’s Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan. I play the childhood portions of Shah Rukh Khan ’s role. It’s a small role and a very important film. And it will be shot during my holidays. Except My Name Is Khan my parents have decided to let me concentrate on my studies.”

Tanay is shifting from his current school Campion in Colaba to the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Bandra and is geared for a new life in a new school.

He completely dismisses stories of replacing Darsheel Safary in Anil Monga’s film Padduram. “I don’t know where that came from. I haven’t said yes to any such film.” Protests Tanay.

Tanay who played Darsheel Safari’s best friend in Taare Zameen Par got the role of the younger Jamal in Slumdog Millionaire by chance.

“I couldn’t go to the auditions. But eight months later they came to my school for auditions. Luckily by chance I got the role.

They had to work a lot on my physical appearance to make me look compatible with Ayush who played the youngest Jamal. They straightened my curly hair, etc.

Also they had to darken all of us three who played Jamal(Ayush, Tanay and Dev Patel) to look like we were constantly exposed to the sun. My makeup used to take 90 minutes every day.”

 And he will now be playing the role of the junior Shah Rukh Khan in Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan, a decision Karan took after watching Slumdog Millionaire(SM), ” says the 12-year son of a business family whose life has transformed almost overnight.

“My family and friends are very proud of me. It feels really good. For my friends I’m still the same Tanay.”

“I’m a movie freak. When I walked the red carpet I could recognize everyone who walked by, ” says

He has to sit his elocution exams at Trinity College at London. “But coping with the studies is no problem. All my teachers have been very co-operative. Half of Slumdog was shot during my vacations.”

Surprisingly Tanay says acting is a hobby. “Right now I just want to enjoy my childhood. I’m passionate about football. And I love to write. I’ve lots of stories to tell.

As far as movies are concerned my next release is Mastang Mama where Ruslaan Mumtaz and I play mama-bhanja. I know another Slumdog may not happen. But like my dialogue in film goes, it’s all about destiny.”

Tanay misses the Slumdog team. “But we keep meeting for premieres and awards function. And we all keep in touch through the email. We were all one big family.”

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Danny Boyle to direct controversial film Deshdrohi

IKLAN

Love him or hate him but you simply cannot ignore him. Well that seems to be a mantra of Kamaal Khan’s life. Kamaal Khan who? To cut it short, he is the guy who was all over the town with his controversial film Deshdrohi. After resorting to all the gimmicks to promote his film Deshdrohi to the extent of calling himself KRK aka Kamal R Khan a la SRK style. Kamal Khan has now gone for the kill and has roped in the biggest casting coup of his career and Bollywood.


Reportedly the actor has managed to convince international heartthrob Freida Pinto to star in the film. And now, the icing on the cake. If the buzz is to be believed, the direction reins of the film will be wielded by Oscar winning filmmaker Danny Boyle. The film will be made in three languages Hindi, English and Bhojpuri. “It’s one of the biggest coup of recent time and no one has any clue how Kamaal managed this near impossible task of convincing Danny and Freida to do his film. This still remains a mystery,” says a unit member. IKLAN