Konkona’s Confirmation On Marriage

The Bollywood actress Konkona Sen Sharma has herself confirmed that she has got married with her long-time boyfriend Ranvir Shorey. Konkona twitted on her Twitter page that she and Ranvir had got married on 3rd September. She also thanked all her fans for their good wishes.
The two were engaged for a long time now. They were engaged in 2008 itself. However, their marriage finally culminated only now. Their Goregaon residence was the destination for the family and some of the close friends which included Shilpa Shetty and Fardeen Khan. Other than the very near ones, the marriage was a completely private affair with no fanfare.
Konkona, 30, looked stunning in her Bengali sari, while Ranvir, 38, was dressed as in a Punjabi outfit. According to the insiders, the jewelry which the bridegroom was sporting was that of her grandmother's.
Here are some of the messages that the couple got when the news of their marriage went public.
Genelia D'Souza: "Congratulations Konkona, lots of love and happiness to a new life."
Shabana Azmi: "Congratulations both of you - bahut saara pyar (lots of love)."
Karan Johar: "...huge congratulations!!! The best years ahead!!"

Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!

It wasn't hard for me to like Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!.

There was so much good stuff in this film. Imran. Genelia. The cameos. The music. The "young love" factor. How could I resist?

There's been a lot of great reviews on JTYJN lately; I struggled for awhile, trying to come up with something fresh and interesting to say. But what it boils down to is this: Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na isn't going to knock your socks off with its originality or depth (at least not for someone that's seen so many similar things in commercial Hollywood). It's just plain ol' puppy love fun, and its strength lies in its abilty to be so good at being so simple.



Ahh, I've said it before, but there's something about "teen love"...it just takes me back! JTYJN takes place immediately following college graduation, so the characters technically aren't teenagers at all, but it has that whole youthful vibe nonetheless. And the hero, cutie pie Imran Khan, actually reminded me of my own high school crush...sigh!



The film follows a group of friends that includes best buds Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia). From the beginning, its implied that the two are in love, but as the film unfolds, we discover they're "just friends". However, after being questioned by Aditi's parents, they start to date other people, and their true feelings begin to surface.



Like I said, the story's not hard to predict, nor does it get much more complicated than that. But the performances and characters were so well developed that nothing else seemed to matter. As Ajnabi said in her review, the dialouges are so good you feel like you're actually there, sitting in on the conversations. And that's what I love about "feel good" films, something JTYJN undoubtedly is--You can watch again and again just to relive the moments with the characters, to spend time in "their world". Those are the films I tend to repeat, the timeless classics I pop in whenever I want to smile.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell that Imran and Genelia are here to stay--and I'm all for seeing more of them! Imran has all the qualities of a chocolate filmi hero: Good looks, connections in the industry, and acting chops to boot (Okay, not all filmi heros have that last one, but Imran thankfully does). Like Ranbir Kapoor, he's a natural, though in a more understated way. As Filmigirl would say, its time for the current Bollywood "hero-uncles" to make room!



In my Bommarillu post, I said I prefered Genelia's performance here as Aditi to her character as Hasini in that film. I'm not sure about that now--I truly loved them both. But I will say this--I appreciated Genelia's ability to add a different spin in JTYJN to a character that was, in some ways, similar to Hasini. Both were of similar age, and both required the cutesy spunk that Genelia plays so well. She could have easily slipped into "Hasini-mode" several times during JTYJN--and consequently, would have put herself at risk of being typecast. While that still may happen considering Genelia does have some distinct characteristics, I admired her for playing Aditi as differently as she did. Here, she was much more quiet, less fidgety, and even a bit spoiled--quite the opposite of the lovable, content Hasini. To add to her appeal, Genelia has an exotic look that makes her beauty unique. I'm guessing this can only help secure her spot in the industry--I can't think of any of the present-day heroines that look anything like her, can you?



The supporting cast was loads of fun, including cameos galore! My favorite?Naseeruddin Shah's role as Imran's deceased father, of course! He appeared only to bicker with Imran's mother, speaking to her through the framed portrait that hung on the living room wall. What made this cameo even better was the fact that Imran's mother was played by Naseer's real-life wife, Ratna Pathak Shah!!!



Seriously, I wish I had a photograph like this one of Naseeruddin Shah that talked to me...It would make life a lot more interesting, wouldn't it?:)

But wait, it gets even better...Pratheek Babbar, the son of Smita Patil and Raj Babbar, also had a cameo as Aditi's younger brother, Amit--And he definitely inherited his mother's good looks!



Not to mention the fact that he was perfectly cast as Genelia's brother--and did a fine job in his small role. Hope to see more of him!

While I didn't recognize Aditi's parents, their screen names were "Peachy" and "Pumpkin". Now why couldn't those be my parents' names?



As I'm sure you've guessed, Aditi and Jai both find potential love interests early on in the film. Jai's girlfriend, Meghna (played by Manjari Phandis) was an angelic beauty that almost made me root for her and Jai, despite the whole Aditi factor (almost). But Aditi's boyfriend, Sushant (Ayaz Khan) was a beast...so many times in the film I just wanted to give him a good kick in the pants!



The rest of Jai's and Aditi's friends were funloving and added to the delight of the film. I especially liked Sugandha Garg as Shaleen, one of the most spunky, colorful characters I've seen a female get to play in Bollywood. Shaleen was feisty when necessary, played the guitar, and even danced provocatively with another female...Even though Sungandha had a small role, this has got to be a sign that female roles in Indian cinema are progressively getting more interesting, doesn't it?



Other cameos include Kitu Gadwani, Sohail Khan, Rajat Kapoor, and Paresh Rawal. I'm sure there were some that I didn't catch, but you get the point, right? JTYJN was such a good time!

The music was composed by A.R. Rahman, so of course that was a no brainer. I knew I was going to fall in love with the soundtrack before the film even began! With titles like "Pappu Can't Dance", the music matched the vivacity of the movie perfectly. How does Rahman do it? He can create a sweeping melody fit for an epic (like most of the songs in the Jodhaa-Akbar soundtrack), and then turn around and give us something as hip and contemporary as the music of JTYJN. This guy rocks--no wonder he had such a great year!

Producer Aamir Khan adds another gold star to his list of filmi acheivements. What amazes me most about this one is it's the exact opposite of something I would have expected him to produce--I always see Aamir as being associated with films that make a political or social comment of some sort. But the Amazing Aamir proves that he can do good, clean fun just as well(if not better) as, say, Dharma Productions can. Bravo!

And, finally, as most of you know, Imran Khan also happens to be Aamir's nephew. As if he wasn't adorable enough in Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!, I stumbled upon this little Kodak moment online one day and couldn't wait to share it with you all...



Aww!Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks?

Bommarillu--My Own Little DDLJ

This film is my Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

When I first saw DDLJ, I didn't get what all the fuss was about. But then I dug deeper and learned just why it's adored by so many. Although the movie has grown on me considerably, I think I still enjoy hearing about DDLJ and its success more than I do actually sitting down and watching it. Its just so awesome when you consider the film in its entire context, because it really was a turning point in Indian cinema. Bear with me--there's a reason why I bring all of this up!

You see, although I didn't have that initial experience with DDLJ, I grew to appreciate and understand it. So, when I saw this cute little Telugu film starring Siddarth and Genelia, and had my own touching moment with Bommarillu, I got soooo excited...Was this what others felt like when they first saw DDLJ?



Why compare the two? Well, in some ways they're glaringly similar; Both films share the same family values (yet Bommarillu mentions less of these being specific "Indian" values) and explore the oh-so-sweet taste of first love. Thankfully, though, it's nothing like the countless Hindi films that have attempted to mimic DDLJ in the past. Instead, Bommarillu has enough of its own points to make--and does so successfully--so that we never feel like we've been there, done that (or at least I didn't feel that way--there may be a Hindi or Telugu film out there similar to this one that I have yet to see).

Siddhu (Siddarth) is a young man who has lived mostly to please his father (Prakash Raj). As a result, his father ends up controlling every aspect of his life--his career, his clothes, even the way he eats his food.



However, when Siddhu discovers his father has arranged his marriage, he feels its time to put his foot down--yet never actually expresses his feelings to his pop. Instead, Siddhu vows to his friends that he will find his soulmate on his own; And, of course, he does, in a young girl named Hasini (Genelia D'Souza).



While the romance between Siddhu and Hasini blossoms, Siddhu's father continues to plan his son's wedding to the young woman he has chosen. I'm sure you can see where this is going, but there's an interesting catch to the good ol' filmi cliche--Once Siddhu's father discovers his son has been frolicking with some strange girl instead of eagerly counting the days to his wedding, he presents his son with an unexpected challenge; Hasini will be allowed to stay in the family's home for 7 days, and in those 7 days, Siddhu must convince his father that she is suitable for him. If he can accomplish this, he will receive the entire family's blessing. If not, he must marry the girl his father has chosen.

Do you see how this is all very DDLJ--yet with a twist?

I will admit that there were times during the first half that I noticed my mind wandering a little. That could be because I've never heard Telugu before, and relied solely on subtitle reading. I mean, I don't speak Hindi, either, but I've watched enough films that I can sometimes pick up on things that the subtitle guy forgets to translate, or concentrate on the visuals while simply glancing at the words. But with Telugu, I had to watch the bottom of the screen diligently...and it wasn't always easy to do with Siddarth's quirky yet charming smile competing for my attention!



However, once Hasini moved in with the family in the second half, the film got a whole lot more interesting. As Siddhu tries his hardest to get his family to accept his lady love, the relationship between Siddhu and Hasini changes as well. The events that occur and the reactions between the young lovers, their parents, and the entire family is so original and believable that I fell wholeheartedly for Bommarillu and never looked back.

The family values explored in Bommarillu moved me more than the actual love story did. That's not to take away anything from Siddarth and Genelia--they were adorable together, which I'll discuss in the next paragraph--but the scenes at the end between Siddhu and his parents really choked me up. It takes a lot for a familial storyline to resonate with me--My own family's never been close, sadly enough--but Bommarillu did just that. Why? Well, for starters, Prakash Raj and Jayasudha (Siddhu's parents) did an awesome job! You could almost hear the battle in Siddhu's mother's mind as she wrestled between supporting her husband and standing up for her son; And as Siddhu's father explained the reasons for his controlling ways, you just knew it was out of love!

Make no mistake, though--Siddarth and Genelia's love affair still owns much of Bommarillu's charm. Many of their antics reminded me of the joys of my own first love...Waiting by the phone for the "secret ring code"? Done that. Telling every detail to my girlfriends? Of course! Sneaking out for ice cream in the middle of the night? Well, not exactly--I never snuck out--but there's nothing sweeter than ice cream!! It's also worth mentioning that Siddhu tells Hasini at one point that he will not elope with her--but its not because of what his parents will think. He wants Hasini to have a good family, and therefore sticks out the 7 days for her sake. Aww--Now that's selfless love!



Siddarth, obviously, has quite a different role here than the last (and only) time I saw him in Rang De Basanti. While he probably did a better crafted job in that film, he was still the right choice for the role here. Yes, he could be over the top at times, but his comedic expressions (and quirky smile, as I mentioned above) seemed to come naturally for him.

As for Genelia, she completely annoyed me at first, but grew on me as the film progressed. I think I preferred her in Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na!, actually, but learned to love Hasini nonetheless.



Which brings me to, last but not least, the music. And wow, what music! I think I can safely say I loved the entire soundtrack to Bommarillu, both song-wise and picturization-wise. Maybe it had something to do with Siddarth's goofy-yet-suave dance moves, I don't know, but the music alone was enough to capture my heart. I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of "Appudo Ippudo"! Check it out below...



The best part of Bommarillu was the ending, but I don't want to include any spoilers so I won't say too much. But rest assured its completely satisfying... there's even good stuff as the credits roll, too(which, in my opinion, is always the icing on the cake)!

And there you have it--My own little DDLJ, and my very first Telugu film. Special thank you to Nicki for recommending it!

Keerat in Santhosh Subramaniam!

Keerat made her debut in Tamil film Vattaram opposite Arya. The movie did an average business at the box office. Now Keerat is back to Tamil Film industry. She has been signed as a second fiddle, opposite Jayam Ravi in Santhosh Subramaniam, while Genelia takes up the leading role! Keerat's role is pivotal and it was done by Neha in the Telugu version "Bommarillu". Keerat is also signed up for a movie in Kannada directed by choreographer Arsha.
Related:
Santhosh Subramaniam

Jayam Ravi in Santhosh Subramaniam

Yet another Telugu remake from Jayam Ravi, Raja brothers! The shooting of Santhosh Subramaniam, starring Jayam Ravi and Genelia in the lead commenced on Monday. It is a remake of Telugu blockbuster Bommarillu starring Siddharth and Genelia. Prakash Raj plays as Jayam Ravi's father. The movie revolves around father-son relationship. Genelia's role in Telugu won her many accolades and she is hoping achieve the same in Tamil! The inaugural function was held with a difference, for which 30 guests including famous father-son duo of Tamil film industry were invited. Jayam Ravi's other successful remakes include Jayam, M.Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi and Unakkum Enakkum Something Something.
Santhosh Subramaniam Movie Launch Gallery:
Santhosh Subramaniam Movie Launch Video:

Trisha in Gautham Menon's Movie!

Vaaranam Ayiram, Gautham Menon's upcoming movie includes Surya and Genelia in the lead. Kuthu Ramya(now Divya) and Daniel Balaji are also in the cast. Harris Jayaraj has teamed up with Gautham Menon again and this would be their 7th movie together! The duo has come up with great musical hits earlier! Vaaranam Ayiram is currently on hold, since Surya is busy with Hari's Vel. Gautham Menon has rescheduled the project to September. In the meantime, the director has decided to produce and direct a new movie starring new faces and Trisha on the lead. It is believed that A.R.Rahman would render the music! This would be Gautham and A.R.Rahman's first venture!