The Tournament, organized by Nippon Budo Sogo International India and Nihon Gojuryu Karate-Do Kuyukai India, is the biggest Karate contest in India. Following Akshay’s commitment to youth, the Championships help promote Karate and Martial Arts to the remotest corners of the country and aim to create a platform on which young and budding talent from all over India come together in a world class fighting event.

Akshay Kumar is renowned for his passion for Martial Arts, which he has been practicing since the age of 14. In relation to this year’s Tournament, the superstar says, “I’m very much looking forward to the event. I wish the participants all the best. Focus well and train hard.”

While last year’s turnout saw around 2,400 students participating in the Tournament, this year’s contenders have already crossed 3,000. Eight individual winners will be selected in the Contest and trained to represent India at the International Karate Championship in Japan in 2011. Last year’s winners won one Silver and three Bronze medals at the Championship that was held in Japan in July this year.

With more than 120 films under his belt, Akshay Kumar is recognized as a global ambassador for Indian cinema who continues to build ties with the mainstream. The screen icon has worked alongside the likes of Kylie, Snoop Dogg, Sylvester Stallone and Brandon Routh, all of whom made their Bollywood debuts alongside the international superstar. Akshay has also recently announced a further Hollywood project, producing upcoming film BREAKAWAY, directed by Robert Lieberman and starring Emily Van Camp.

Source: glamsham

Whilst the whole industry has been trying to convince the most successful and dapper looking director Imtiaz Ali to face the camera and act in films, Sushil Rajpal seems to have pulled the rabbit out of the hat. Imtiaz Ali would take up acting in the film called OLD MONK, directed by the much in demand director, Sushil Rajpal.

OLD MONK is an amazing script, set in two places Mumbai and Bihar will show the ‘Rock star’ Imtiaz Ali in a new light!

Incidentally, Imtiaz Ali was the first choice for ANTARDWAND, but since he was busy with his directorial commitments, he suggested the talented Raj Singh Choudhary (Lead of GULAAL), who did complete justice to his role. Besides Sushil Rajpal is also instrumental in introducing Swati Sen from FTII, who is already considered to be the next Smita Patil, Tabu, Konkana Sen, of the industry. Swati Sen has been praised by the critics alike for her perfectly pitched performance.

ANTARDWAND has been the most critically acclaimed film of the year so far.

ANTARDWAND aroused the media interest due to its unusual subject, and stood on its own, amongst the crowded releases of 8 films

ANTARDWAND was born out of passion, with a story to tell, ‘uncorrupted’ by commercial consideration, with a director remaining true to his craft.

Sushil Rajpal’s integrity perhaps inspired Imtiaz Ali to act in OLD MONK.

Source: glamsham

Ranbir has worked with the director in ‘Bachna Ae Haseno’ in the year 2008 and this time he is working with him in the movie ‘Anjaana-Anjaani’, Priyanka Chopra stars opposite to him.

Anand adds further, “Ranbir is the perfect guy to play Anthony (a character played by Big B in Amar Akbar Anthony), he can play coolie, and he can play the characters Bachchan played in his prime. There is no one else but him.”

He continues, “The day Ranbir does an action film and does it well, he has the potential to fill the void that Bachchan created.”

He also appreciates Ranbir’s willingness to do challenging scenes in the movie ‘Anjaana-Anjaani’, he says that he did a daring water diving scene, even being a aqua phobic.

He adds, “In Anjaana Anjaani there is a sequence where they are stranded in the middle of an ocean. It was the Pacific Ocean and he had to dive into the freezing waters. He did it even though he has aqua phobia.”

He finishes and says he expects a lot from the movie and is even planning to make an action film with Ranbir Kapoor, as he loves to work with him.

Source: India-server

The film in question is scheduled to go on floors by the next year. The movie is based on out and out female based subject with the foundation of Indianism.

In the past also Benegal had offered Ash a project called ‘Chamki Chameli’, which was an adaption of Georges Bizet’s classic French opera Carmen. But due to unknown reasons, the project got canceled.

The official announcement of the film is still awaited and it is also speculated that the movie might be the same one which was offered to her in the past.

Presently, the green eyed beauty is working on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Guzaarish’, Hrithik Roshan stars opposite to her. The shooting of the movie is going on and the release date is still awaited.

Source: India-server

A political satire is always welcomed by audiences as it touches to core of everyone’s senses. But a sluggish screenplay and not so interesting elements puts down the pace much prior to the intermission.

With efficient actors like Sathyaraj and Karan, Aravind Raj could have made yet more gripping tale. In fact, Sathyaraj’s role is trivialized and Karan’s lead character does not carry a colossal trait.

However, the film’s plot is done in such a way that down south areas of the state will have some penchant liking for it.

The film revolves around Parthasarathy (Karan),  a M.A. graduate in political science and son of cook, who prepares food dishes for political meetings. Somehow impressing the Chief Minister and gets his long dream run of joining politics accomplished.  Having posted as the leader of local area, Tamizh Selvan (Nasser), the party minister gets infuriated as he had plans about bringing his younger brother into the party has been put to an end. Over a turn of events, Tamizh Selvan assures of making Parthasarathy as union minister of Environment, with a strict condition that he must help him in corruption and other unofficial dealings. Sarveswaran I.A.S. (Sathyaraj) accompanies Parthasarathy as his secretary. All of sudden, over a public meeting, Parthasarathy is hit by a stone over back of his head and is rushed to hospital only to get diagnosed with incurable brain disease. Apparently, Sarveswaran advises Parthasarathy to get himself committed with social services and well being of the poor and needy.

Remember Parthasarathy has a bitter past and is looking forward to settle scores with the few political personalities.

Sathyaraj is outstanding with his minimal presence and his dialogues involved political liners wins the applause. Thanks to Ruben for his earnest works on dialogues. Certain sequences have been well narrated by Aravind Raj, although they look clichéd. Say for instance, Karan being the cause for his friend’s death in an indirect way will bind the audiences emotionally. The turning point of the tale with Karan diagnosed with cancer is a commendable twist. However, the climax being blatantly inspired from Abhishek Bachchan-Ritesh Deshmukh’s Hindi comedy ‘Bluff Master’ is also okay in terms of good ending.  Guess what? The single screen audiences would be never aware of such Hindi and again it doesn’t act as a spoiler. Karan does justice to his role while Nasser as usual goes for a ne plus ultra show. Livingstone and Ganja Karuppu add up to the comical factors only to a certain extent. The two new girls have nothing to perform.

Musical score by Bharadwaj is below average as none of the songs sustain in your minds while other technical aspects of cinematography and editing are just average.

It’s sure to be a passable show that can be watched for time-pass amongst ‘B’ and ‘C’ centres. If the film was done with a gripping narration, it would have been well received by multiplex audiences as well.

Cast & Crew:

Banner: Udayar Studios

Production: Vaithyalinga Udayar

Direction: Aravind Raj

Star-casts: Sathyaraj, Karan, Nasser, Anu Haasan, Anuradha Krishna Moorthy, Suhani, M.S. Bhaskar, Livingston, Ganja Karuppu and many others

Music: Bharadwaj

Camera: Abdul Kalam

Editing: R.T. Anna Durai

Dialogues: Ruben

Verdict: A film with usual commercial norms

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Source: Cinegoer

In the wake of media reports this week that two minority investors had dropped out and that the deal might never close, the group behind the new Filmyard Holdings went public Thursday with more details of the financing.

“All of the equity required to complete the purchase of Miramax from Disney has been fully committed by Ron Tutor, Colony Capital and Tom Barrack,” Filmyard said. “Recent published reports suggesting otherwise are incorrect. All aspects of the transaction are on track, and we anticipate a closing as planned prior to year’s end.”

Meanwhile, sources said that while it is true Jim Robinson of Morgan Creek is out of the deal, mulitmillionaire retired engineer Jerome Swartz is still among the minority investors.

The source also said the bank debt portion needed to do the deal has come together and that Comerica is leading the banking group, joined as co-lead lenders by Bank of America and Union Bank. The source said the syndication of the deal has begun.

Separately, a source said CFO Richard Nanula, the former Disney CFO who is now a Colony partner and led negotiations on the sale, will not be CEO of the new company as had been rumored. And though David Bergstein, Tutor’s past associate in the film business, has taken a very active role in the Miramax dealmaking and in meeting with potential partners, a source confirmed he will not have any executive or operational role in the new Miramax, as THR previously has reported.

It also appears that, after meeting with a number of potential partners to handle foreign sales and TV syndication sales after the deal closes and Disney’s role as a distributor ends, the new Miramax will set up its own sales operations, as well as production and distribution.

Source: Hollywoodreporter