Kingsley to play Mogul emperor who built Taj Mahal

Ben Kingsley, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, is reaching deeper into the country's history with a new role as the Mogul emperor who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Kingsley will star as Shah Jahan in "Taj," 27 years after his award winning performance in "Gandhi." Indian superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz Mahal in the $25-30 million production, the British actor's production company, SBK Pictures, said in a statement sent Wednesday.

The Taj Mahal was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died while she was giving birth to their 14th child. Soon after its completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son and imprisoned at the nearby Agra Fort.

"With my passion for India and the Taj Mahal now becoming one of the Seven Wonders of the World, I am compelled to ask 'why' and 'how' this scream of grief frozen in marble came into being," Kingsley said in the statement.

The company said it is recruiting a director for the script penned by British writer David Ashton and is scheduled to meet with Indian investors later this month.

Kingsley, whose credits also include "House of Sand and Fog," "Schindler's List" and "Sexy Beast," is well-known in India for his Gandhi role. With Bachchan, one of the country's biggest stars, also on board, the project is likely to generate keen interest in India.

Bachchan, whose recent credits include "Jodhaa Akbar," "Sarkar Raj" and "The Pink Panther 2," is married to Abhishek Bachchan, the son of Indian screen legend Amitabh Bachchan.

SBK Pictures said shooting will start in mid- to late 2010.

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Movie 2012 tops weekend box office

2012, an action disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich, has topped the weekend box office after raking in 65 million dollars. As per studio estimates, Disney's A Christmas Carol landed the second spot with 22.3 million dollars, reports E! Online.

The Men Who Stare at Goats came third with 6.2 million dollars while Precious stood fourth after pocketing 6.1 million dollars.Michael Jackson's This Is It rounded off the top five after raking in 5.1 million dollars.


The weekend's top-grossing films are:

1. 2012, $65 million
2. Disney's A Christmas Carol, $22.3 million
3. The Men Who Stare at Goats, $6.2 million
4. Precious, $6.1 million
5. Michael Jackson's This Is It, $5.1 million
6. The Fourth Kind, $4.7 million
7. Couples Retreat, $4.3 million
8. Paranormal Activity, $4.2 million
9. Law Abiding Citizen, $3.9 million
10. The Box, $3.2 million





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Abhishek's experience as his father's father in Paa

Abhishek Bachchan,who in a unique turn plays father to dad Amitabh Bachchan in Paa, states that shooting for the movie was an exciting journey everyday.

“It was a wonderful experience more so because I have been calling him Paa for the last 30 years and here I am his father. I took advantage of admonishing him on the sets. I was asking him to eat his food on time and go to bed on time. Only when his make up was off he was my Paa again. The relationships we are exploring here is different. Paa is a trip,” he says.

Abhishek adds, “All the paternal instincts in the roles have been references of his own childhood. My Paa often carried me on his back. Now I am carrying him on my back in the movie. I have tried to as good as him. Paa was very naughty on the sets. He had a whale of a time playing a kid in the movie.”

“What I was surprised was at the energy with which he attempted the role. He was fantastic. He has also sung a song in the voice of a 13 year old. I don’t think anybody will be able to match up-to him,” he concludes.Read More here

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The 2009 Multimedia Music Video Awards

The 2009 Multimedia Music Video Awards created by Ronan McDermott. Video created by Antanas Daugela. Best class of multimedia in WIT 2009 And Awards goes to... Most suited video to song: Shane

Michael Jackson's "This is It" extended

CEBU, Philippines - Columbia Pictures announced yesterday that the theatrical run of “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” has been officially extended.

The concert/documentary on the late music superstar was previously scheduled for a limited two-week engagement only, starting Oct. 28, but is now set to run beyond Nov. 10, its supposed end-date.

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” can still be seen at the SM North Edsa IMAX Theatre and other selected cinemas nation-wide. The public is advised to check newspaper movie sections for directory listings and screening times.

The film’s run has also been lengthened in most international markets, including the U.S.

A backstage look at the late Michael Jackson during rehearsals for his supposed comeback concert tour that would have started last July in London, “This Is It” has already broken the record for all-time biggest-grossing concert or documentary feature in the Philippines.

In the U.S., “This Is It” received an “A” CinemaScore and is one of the best reviewed films of the year.

Critic Peter Travers of Rolling Stone Magazine wrote, "An unmissable film…Illuminating and unforgettable."

Rogert Ebert of Chicago Times gave the movie a four-star rating, while Time Magazine’s Richard Corliss wrote that the film proved Michael Jackson “is still a thriller.”

For his part, Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman raved that the movie is “a raw and endearing sketch of a genius at work…the music pours out of him like sunlight.”

Highly regarded Filipino critic Nestor Torre praised, “It’s worth the long wait. At long last, MJ fans have a farewell show worth remembering their musical idol by. Even better, the movie includes ‘reality’ footage that shows Jackson on top of his musical game, painstakingly tweaking his show into one of his best productions ever.”

Finally, award-winning writer Krip Yuson wrote, “[Director] Kenny Ortega judiciously selects electrifying footage of Michael as a compleat entertainer…simply takes the viewer’s breath away.”

“Michael Jackson’s This Is It” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to see the latest trailers, get free downloads and play free
movie games. Read Complete Story

Madonna Celebration Official Music Video 2009

Watch Out  Madonna Celebration Official Music Video 2009

Paa is worth Rs 15 crore!

New Delhi: Upcoming movie Paa is worth Rs 15 crore! Believe it as Bollywood Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan has completed his forthcoming 'Paa' in a budget of Rs 15 crore.

The flick, which has been produced under production banner AB Corp, is focused on a boy suffering from progeria, a disease.

The children afflicted by the strange disease grow old very rapidly. In his blog Big B has written that pre-decided plan was followed in production of the movie.

Big B said that they decided that they wouldn't spend an amount of Rs 15 crore on production of the movie and the some wouldn't go beyond that. Read Complete Story Here

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Wedding preparations on for Shilpa Shetty

Mumbai: London based businessman Raj Kundra and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s wedding preparations are in full swing. The scheduled date for the wedding is November 22 in Khandala.

Shilpa will wear the wedding costume being designed by famous designer Tarun Tahiliani.

Shilpa’s wedding rituals including Sangeet and Mehndi will be performed at her friend, Kiran Bawa’s bungalow. The guest list includes only close friends and family.

We wonder whether little sister Shamitha Shetty will make it to the wedding as she is inside Bigg Boss house. Read Complete Story

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In Berlin, Music Fans Build a New History

BERLIN (Hollywood Reporter) - Twenty-year-old Emilia was desperately trying to get a ticket to the MTV Europe Music Awards Thursday, shivering outside the O2 World stadium on a chill grey evening in what used to be East Berlin.

"I've come all the way from Portugal with my friends. Do you know of anyone who could help us?" she queried, her youthful voice rising with a sense of desperation.

When it was suggested that she head to the Brandenburg Gate, where U2 was playing a free set for 10,000 people to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, she seemed unimpressed.

"But I really want to see Jay-Z and Beyonce," she said. "And I love Katy Perry."

Emilia neatly illustrates a point about Berlin's recent history.

While one generation prepares to commemorate the 20-year anniversary Monday of an emotional and political landmark for all who lived through it, a whole new generation has grown up for whom the past is ancient history.

"Most of our fans were born after the wall came down," said Bill Roedy, president of MTV International. Read Complete Story