Monster returns
Literary monsters are returning to theatres this year. There is Gary Shore’s Dracula Untold based on Bram Shoker’s novel “Dracula” on the cards but before that I, Frankenstein is coming to a theatre near us. The Australian-American fantasy stars the versatile Aaron Eckhart as the legendary fictional character of Frankenstein’s monster. Inspired by the novel written by Mary Shelly in 1818, the film a modern day adaption of the literary classic that delves into a war between two immortal clans in an ancient city which shows a 200 year leap to present day, where the immortal creation is still alive.
Bestowed the name Adam and having taken his creator’s surname, Dr. Frankenstein’s creation wanders our world on a quest to prove his humanity, a superhuman created from science using various parts of corpses and electricity. Adam is caught in the middle of the Gargoyle/Demon war, both sides of whom take a keen interest into this wandering creation.
Directed by Stuart Beattie, the film also stars Miranda Otto, Bill Nighy, Yvonne Strahovski and Jai Courtney. The film is scheduled to release in India on January 31.
Boman denies charges
After the news of economic offences wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police investigating the role of film actor Boman Irani and his son Danesh in the Q net scam leaked, the actor has issued a statement. The police said QNet, a multi-level marketing company, had duped people of more than Rs 425 crore.
In the statement Irani says, “I was informed yesterday that there was information sent to the members of the media that a certain gentleman has lodged a complaint against my son Danesh Irani and I, for involvement with a company - Qnet. This is a multilevel marketing company that is at the moment is under scrutiny by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). My involvement with the company is merely based on the fact that I have attended a function of Qnet and had been photographed there. My son had worked as an agent like thousands of others when he had passed out if college, during the period of 2007-2008. After which he left for the US for his MBA. His earnings and residuals for his hard earned efforts as a multilevel marketing agent are all taxed and above board. Even though the individual has made this complaint, no authority including the EOW has intimated us for any inquiry. My family and I are law abiding citizens of this country.”
Guns are still blazing
Sholay is making waves all over again. Released in 3D last week, the box office reports have been satisfactory. Now it is all set to hook Facebook users with the launch of its specially designed stickers that friends can send to each other. The stickers, which will be launched this weekend, jointly by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment and Sholay Media Entertainment, will have the popular characters of the film like Jai, Veeru, Thakur, Gabbar, Radha and Basanti. The Sholay stickers include common emoticons by characters like love, tears, sleep, action and heart break.
Even those who were annoyed with the 3D version are now riding the wave. Recently Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, who wrote Sholay as Salim-Javed recorded their first interview together after they parted ways for TV 18. To be aired this weekend on CNN IBN, IBN 7 and History channels, the writers who were once dubbed as ‘arrogant’ and ‘cocky’ explain why they were inflexible about their price, and discuss the clout they wielded, which allowed them to make casting decisions on the films they wrote. The former partners also speak about their premature split and how it might have been averted had they acted with maturity.
The making of Constitution
Years after Bharat Ek Khoj, Shyam Benegal is back with another series about the making of India. The seasoned filmmaker has made a 10-part series on how the Indian constitution was born. Called Samvidhaan, the series will be aired on Rajya Sabha TV from January 26. Filmed partly within the Parliament, Swara Bhaskar has been roped in as the anchor.
Written by Benegal’s long time collaborator, Shama Zaidi and Atul Tiwari, Samvidhaan tells the story about how the constitution of India came into being, what it is, and is based on the Constituent Assembly debates of 1946-1949. It features some of the stalwarts of parallel Hindi cinema like Rajit Kapoor, Ila Arun, Dalip Tahil, Divya Dutta, KK Raina, Sachin Khedekar, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Tom Alter and Neeraj Kabi among others.
