Bollywood Kung-Fu!! [Archive] - Kung Fu Magazine Forums

GeneChing

10-25-2007, 04:34 PM

Koena horse-rides, does Tai Chi for role (http://www.nowrunning.com/news/news.asp?it=12494)
Subhash K. Jha [Wednesday, October 24, 2007]

Mumbai, Oct 25 (IANS) Dusky actress Koena Mitra is busy doing a lot of horse-riding and other rugged activities these days apparently for an international project, details of which she refuses to divulge.

She is said to be playing a sensuous warrior with supernatural powers in an international film entitled "Karn" to be co-produced by Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC).

Koena, who was last seen in "Apna Sapna Money Money", spent May and June in Hong Kong training in Tai Chi and other martial arts. Koena was chosen because PNC's American partners for the project were reportedly looking for someone dusky, husky and athletic. PNC sent them a DVD of the film "Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena" featuring Koena.

"I won't deny that I've been training for a film. But I can't right now reveal what it is. I'll say this though...once you are trained in the international martial arts, your body and mind become toned permanently. You can take on any action role," Koena told IANS.

The Bengali actress, however, claims the rigorous practice sessions are for a cop's role in a Bollywood film by a new director. She also says that she chooses her roles carefully.

"I've always been very careful with my assignments. There's no point in doing a dozen films per year, which come and go. From my first release, Sanjay Gupta's 'Musafir', to my most recent 'Apna Sapna Money Money' for Subhash Ghai, producers and directors have repeated me in their films.

"It's this faith that I've found in Subhash Ghai, Pritish Nandy, Sanjay Gupta and other Bollywood bigwigs that has kept me going. Otherwise, I'd have simply left."

Prod her a bit more about the international project and she sighs: "Why do we place so much importance on international offers? To me, making a name in Bollywood is far more important than trying to find a place abroad."

The character that's she is supposed to play in "Karn" isn't Indian. After John Abraham in Deepa Mehta's "Luna", Koena would be the first Indian actor to break the ethnic barrier.

But it's been a stressful time for Koena on the personal front.

"My father has been unwell and in hospital. I've been flying in and out of Kolkata. In the middle of all this personal trauma I had to fly off to Hong Kong for some intense action training," she said.

So why can't she just get her father over to Mumbai?

"Oh, how I'd love that!" Koena exclaimed. "But my sister studies in Kolkata and my parents can't come away. It would be a dream to have them over with me. But wishes can't be horses," the actress said.

This article is much more interesting after you've had a look at Koena Mitra (http://www.koenamitra.org/pictures/). ;)

yutyeesam

10-25-2007, 08:28 PM

Gene,
If you enjoyed Benny Lava, then I think you'll also enjoy GIRLY MAAAAN!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtJRNyPK-lc

Interesting take on the Myth. I'll report back on it after the weekend when I see it. I'll look into Last Legion as well if I can this weekend (might be too much Bollywood for the Missus at one time, tho - and she's Indian! :) )

Madhuri is also a better actress than Ash, doncha think? She shows more versatility and range. By the way, have you seen her spicy little number, Choli Ke Peeche? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHO6mQmeA-o

Sword LOVER? Uh, no...heh! But, I am indeed a fan of good sword work. Dong Fang Bu Bai, baby!

Interesting about Koena Mitra. She's my people (Bengali, from Kolkata). Tai Chi would be awesome. If you look at the movements of the silk reeling in Chen style, and look at the hand movements in Kathak dance and Bengali folk dance, you'll see lots of similarities.

-123

yutyeesam

10-29-2007, 03:17 AM

Just saw The Myth. Gene, you were right on. The moment he left India the film turned to crap. He should do a film where he stays focused there...he should just try to do a Jackie meets Bollywood - they both have camp in common, so why not?

But yeah, the fight scenes all in India on the glue tarp and with the Kalari guys was pretty sweet.

I just youtubed bits of the Last Legion. Looks pretty darn corny. And Ash with a sword and fighting? I just don't buy it. Perhaps if I didn't know who she was, then it'd be different. But here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HIVRnF2CzE

Since you're an Ash fan, you might like Dil Ka Rishta...but it's pretty dang cheezy. I mean, even more'n usual.

I dug Taal. Taal was awesome, b/c the music was top notch. Have you heard the the Anglicized version of the song Ishq Bina from Taal?

Original (from the filmi Taal): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqViYYmzSBg

Anglicized (from the Broadway musical Bombay Dreams): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV42kCyPsJ4
(pay no attn to the Doctor Who video lol)

-123

GeneChing

10-29-2007, 11:27 AM

It has this special extra that just focuses on the Kalari - shows some traditional katar drills that are just wicked. Plus there's this wild chain whip like weapon - only a quick shot of some guy swinging it around. I've never seen that one and have no idea of what it was. Very cool. The extra is not on American release, only the HK version (http://www.martialartsmart.net/dvd10086.html).

Last Legion is very corny. But it's Ash. With swords. I love corny?

yutyeesam, you're Bollywood fu is kicking my butt. You've forced me to counter by fighting dirty (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWa5lCOQikM&NR=1). :p

yutyeesam

10-29-2007, 02:19 PM

Ah, that would explain the complete lack of any special features on the disc I rented of The Myth! That would be very cool to see.

From what I've seen of it, Kalari is a very cool martial art, and has been incorporated into dance performances and such. There should be more recognition of it from Bollywood! I've seen that thing that's like a chain whip, it's like a superflexible long piece of sheet metal! Wicked!

That video was funny! It reminded me of Curry and Rice Girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95xw65uikXg

Man, have you seen Chori Chori Chupke Chupke? There's a HOT song in there called No. 1 Punjabi (stars Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utVGndoQ_Hs
I could totally see having breakaway shots to choreographed scenes of Kalaripayattu done to the beat, in almost a Capoeira like fashion...there's so much potential here!

GeneChing

10-29-2007, 05:21 PM

It looks like it is flexible, but instead of being made up of tubular metal segments like a chain whip, the segments are like small squares of sheet metal. It looks fairly long. There's only a quick shot of someone swinging it about in the HK Myth special features so I couldn't get a good look at all. What is that?!? Got a name?

BTW, check out this thread Kalari on the southern forum (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48679).

GeneChing

10-29-2007, 05:44 PM

Here's the thing I think you're talking about at about 1:04 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YmA46x7Xok). I think the thing I'm talking about is slightly different because it's jointed. I gotta look at that Myth extra again. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me once more.

And while you're in youtube, you must check this out (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zngt8OdXWSo). It just made my day. It'd be even better if you could explain it to me, yutyeesam.

yutyeesam

10-29-2007, 08:08 PM

Gene,
Scroll to around 3:46 here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYQ-Oyy1hM

Is that what you're talking about?

It's not segmented, but it can give that impression if you're used to seeing the Chain Whip. Apparently, it's considered the most dangerous and advanced weapon of Kalari. It's called Urumi. Dig it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urumi

Apparently, it was used in the filmi Ashoka! I haven't seen this one yet, but will make a point to, soon.

Regarding that film clip, I have no idea, but pretty sweet find!

GeneChing

10-30-2007, 11:09 AM

...perhaps I hallucinated the segments.

Ashoka was entertaining, well worth your attention. It was quite fictional, but then, so was Last Legion. And Khan as Asoka was a huge stretch for me. I'm not a fan of Khan. Perhaps it's jealousy. I don't remember the urumi scene, but I saw that some time ago, so perhaps I gotta look at that again too.

The urumi looks freaking wicked. It reminds me of the the old belt swords (something that many people discredit now). I can't imagine trying to deal with a sharp version.

Wu Wei Wu

10-31-2007, 12:03 AM

I'm raising the Bolly Fu stakes with this entry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K0ke-LwwpI

Nuff said!

GeneChing

10-31-2007, 09:41 AM

OK, I looked at that extra last night and there were no segments. So it's definitely an urumi. There's a nice short segment that has two Kalari guys sparring with urumi and shield. I love all that Kalari weapon sparring. They play with steel and super fast. Anyway, I'm going to use this opportunity to really plug the HK Double Disc Edition of the MYTH (http://www.martialartsmart.net/dvd10086.html). The extras are as good as the movie, if not better. The 'making of' stuff is insane in that way only Jackie can be insane. You can see Jackie's hands on choreography with Mallika. You can see the set up for th glue trap scene. You can see Mallika complaining that she didn't get to kiss Jackie in the movie at the HK premiere. You can see Jackie vacuum the set. Ok, seriously, the Kalari segment in the extra is short but very cool. There's several shots of Kalari people running through their sparring routines and some nice stuff of Jackie working with Kalari Master G. Satyanarayanan to develop their fight. There's also some really nutty behind the scenes stuff like how did the snow scene (in a giant refrigerator so the actors were really freezing) and the cliff scene (filmed on a real treacherous cliff and they drop them off). There's also some nice tour stuff of the scenic locations used in the film. It's all about the double disc, I tell ya. Makes a great gift ;)

sanjuro_ronin

10-31-2007, 10:09 AM

I'm raising the Bolly Fu stakes with this entry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K0ke-LwwpI

Nuff said!

:eek:
Ghandi-ryu !!

yutyeesam

10-31-2007, 11:33 AM

I'm raising the Bolly Fu stakes with this entry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K0ke-LwwpI

Nuff said!

Awesome find!!!!! Cool! I'll have to find this Bollywood Disco 70's Psychedelic Bruce Lee Tribute number - it was pretty amazing.

Gene - I may just have to buy The Myth! Didn't Jackie have a thing for Indian ladies? Or was that just for the making of The Myth? :D

Ya know, some of these Bollywood actors and actresses bear resemblances of Hollywood celebs. Check it out:

Karisma Kapoor looks kinda like Jennifer Aniston: http://gallery.bizhat.com/showphoto.php/photo/19505

Akshaye Khanna looks kinda like Hank Azaria:
http://www.webindia123.com/movie/images/akhanna.jpg

Salman Khan sorta looks like Nicholas Cage:
http://iceburns.blogspot.com/2007/07/salman-khan.html

Akshay Kumar looks sorta like David Schwimmer (Ross, from Friends)
http://www.hindustanlink.com/bollywood/bollywood-photo-picture-gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_akshay1.jpeg

Wu Wei Wu

10-31-2007, 12:21 PM

I'm not sure if this has been referenced here, but it is an early 80's British series called Way of the Warrior. This episode took a detailed look at Kalari:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZZYl2IUKbo

On a side note, Indian has many other classic traditions including Kushti (wrestling) and Gatka (the art of the Northern Aryans):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv7Z3wBtKQE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrUNCD14piA

Additionally, a popular game in the North is Kabaddi, which is a combination of wrestling and tag:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GexeGK_ZTeQ

sanjuro_ronin

10-31-2007, 12:30 PM

yutyeesam

10-31-2007, 02:02 PM

The Urumi in Asoka...

Scroll forward to about 2:00 into the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOgZ8nh1tdE

This weapon needs to be in every single Bollywood movie! Just a matter of time before Quentin features it in one of his!

GeneChing

11-01-2007, 09:32 AM

I can't believe I forgot about that. Obviously I have to watch Ashoka again too. I love that "that's not a weapon, this is a weapon" ala Crocodile Dundee. Soon after that movie, I was in the sword selling biz, and if you knew how many times I heard that stupid line, my god. :rolleyes:

MasterKiller

11-01-2007, 10:10 AM

This is my favorite bollywood clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx-NLPH8JeM

GeneChing

11-05-2007, 01:27 PM

The Rise of Bollywood Femme Fatales. You heard it first here. Life is good.

Priyanka into martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Priyanka_into_martial_arts/articleshow/2517215.cms)
5 Nov 2007

She’s just back from Namibia after wrapping up a schedule for Drona and Priyanka Chopra is already set to go back to South Africa. “We have another month-long schedule and it’ll be action-packed and good fun. Especially since my co-star Abhishek is such a prankster,” she says.

Drona, a film that involves a lot of martial arts, will see Priyanka engage in some hard-core stunts. But it isn’t the first time she’s indulged in action since she’s previously done some heavy-duty scenes in Don. “But in Drona, I play Abhishek’s bodyguard and had to train in the Sikh martial art form using kirpans and chakkars. It was a bit difficult and required a lot of flexibility but the experience was great,” says the actress.
So what’s her opinion on the portrayal of supergals in Indian films — there are quite a few who’re signing action films right now. “The script really matters for one to be called a supergirl in Indian films; as an actor you can play a superman too. But is the script really defining it or is it just your image of being a superhero that’s taking it forward? It really depends,” she explains.

And since most flicks these days are multi-starrers, is she okay acting in them or does she prefer solo flicks? “Depends on the script entirely. The look, the feel and the way the movie is presented is very important. I don’t mind multi-starrers,” she says.

The 24-year-old is also doing a lot of brand endorsements now. What took her so long to do them? “I didn’t want to do ads before. This is my fourth year in this industry and four years seems like a long time because I have done so many films in this time. I didn’t want to do ads before because I wanted to establish myself in a certain position so I could do the kind of ads that I wanted. I didn’t want to just endorse just any product,” says Priyanka. She adds, “I’m very particular about everything I do, whether it’s the brands that I pick, the films I do or the company I keep.”
And what about her upcoming film Love Story 2050 with Harman Baweja? How was it working with him? “It’s releasing in April 2008. It was great fun working with Harman; he has great energy in him,” she says.

Priyanka Chopra, Miss World 2000 (http://www.wallpaperbase.com/wallpapers/celebs/priyankachopra/priyanka_chopra_1.jpg)

yutyeesam

11-05-2007, 06:38 PM

Dig it, here's an Indian Disco Tribute to Bruce Lee!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdBA7EciP4U

Let's Dance, for the Great Guy Bruce Lee.

yutyeesam

11-06-2007, 10:46 PM

Wow, there's more than I thought in this arena!

This one's kinda fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqgkrhDb-k

And this one is like a Bollywood version of Xena:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y_qbBZe7J0

yutyeesam

11-06-2007, 11:06 PM

Apparently, the movie from that last link I posted is called Sheela. Here's more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tawfewEoAvM

Here's another Bollywood femme fatale fight scene involving staves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_qUwZV_Cmc

GeneChing

11-07-2007, 10:28 AM

I followed a link of one of those fine selections to some classic Rajini Kanth (at least I think it's him) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MJpDwJ8sEo - gotta admit now, Bollywood has it's own choreographic style. It reminds me a little of the Mexican masked wrestling flicks - real 'old school' low budget cheesey, but not without merit. ;)

GeneChing

11-20-2007, 10:30 AM

I only copied the first bit - the interview runs 4 pages - the Tom and Jerry bit is like page 3.

ON THE RECORD
Akshay Kumar, Actor (http://www.indianexpress.com/story/240791.html)

'I've learnt a lot from Tom & Jerry. It's surprising but a lot of my early stunts were copied from Tom & Jerry'

Posted online: Monday, November 19, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email

Actor Akshay Kumar, who has trained in martial arts, started out as an action hero but found he was equally successful doing action, comedy, and even both together. In an interview with The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24x7\'s Walk the Talk, Akshay Kumar speaks about his early years in Chandni Chowk, learning martial arts in Thailand, the Khiladi mystique, and the tattoo on his back. Excerpts . . .

• My guest this week is the lone man standing in the way of the total condemnation of Hindi cinema. No, he's not a Bachchan or a Roshan. He's Akshay Kumar.

Thank you, Sir.

• It's marvellous to have you on Walk the Talk. You're one of the most popular actors among young people, women, grown-ups, and even old people.

Am I? Thank you very much. I feel very nice about that.

• And you are the most fun star.

Yes, I like doing fun stuff. I like doing things that people enjoy. I love entertaining people. Actually, I didn't realise that. Some of my directors made me realise that I like doing comedy and entertaining people. So I started doing it. It was great.

• You started out being serious. More of a maar-dhaad (kind of hero).

A lot of action and all that. But then everything started changing, thanks to the media, which said, 'He only does action, he's an actor who is just like furniture.' Actually they were being nice, for when I saw some of my old films, I don't think I was furniture but a furniture showroom. It was quite bad. I wanted to change my image, challenge myself, try to do something different.

• We've now caught you on the sets of another fun film.

Yes, that's Tashan. I'm shooting for it. Vijay (Krishna Acharya) is the director. It's a great film for me to do.

• Your fighting image came naturally, because you had learnt martial arts.

Yes.

• And you had the body.

Well, I did, because I loved doing martial arts, which I started learning when I was nine or ten. I was learning here in Bombay. I asked my dad if he could send me somewhere to learn. I think at that time Bangkok was one of the cheapest places where you could go and learn martial arts. My uncle was working there, so I got this opportunity to go there and learn Thai boxing.

• Did you learn it seriously?

Yes, yes, absolutely. When I came back, I started classes here. I used to teach people. I used to train children and grown-ups. I always thought of being a martial arts instructor; never did I think I'll be in the entertainment business.

yutyeesam

11-20-2007, 11:30 AM

Cool interview, thanks for posting that, Gene!

You've probably seen this, but I thought this was great:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Iz57Ik9yE

yutyeesam

11-20-2007, 12:39 PM

An homage to Bruce Lee in Bollywood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNxBdG4TZT8&feature=related

What in the world kind of nunchucks are those???

GeneChing

11-26-2007, 11:03 AM

...it's like watching an MMA bout. Fighter A makes the same attack. Fighter B retaliates with the same counter. Only MMA stands for Masala Martial Arts here... ;)

Fighter A's attack:

Masumi & Akshay's common ground! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=814452)
25 Nov 2007, 0000 hrs IST,TNN

Masumi Makhija (http://www.desibabesworld.com/masumi-makhija-hottest-photoshoot/) has been seen in movies like Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav, Chupke Se and Maqbool.

Besides these films she also has an important role in Sanjay Gupta’s Dus Kahaniyaan . But hold on, we aren't talking abut her movies, but her common interest that she shares with Akshay Kumar.

We heard that like Akshay she is also into action like martial arts and kick boxing. “Well, we both like martial arts though I can’t speak for him but for me I just love it. I have been practising it for the past eight years now and of late I have got into something called MuayThai which is full contact Thai kick boxing.” Watch out for this new Khiladi girl in making.

Fighter B, care to post another funky Bollywood youtube clip?

GeneChing

11-26-2007, 11:56 AM

This article isn't really worth posting, but there's a great pic (http://www.mid-day.com/life-at-work/2007/november/167202.htm)worth checking out. Notable comments:

Egged on by Partner co-star Salman Khan, actor Govinda has taken up martial art training, in order to lose weight

Actor Kunal Kapoor religiously practices Goju-Ryu Karate thrice a week.
Actor and TV show judge isha koppikar prefers the grace of Taekwondo.
TV star Cezanne Khan, loves Shaolin Kung Fu, and prefers martial arts to weight training.

That's two blows from fighter A. Fighter B?

yutyeesam

11-26-2007, 10:20 PM

Sorry about that, was temporarily distracted by the Jerry Springer Sh...I mean, the Southern KF forums!

Check this out: Bollywood Fu, with a femme, a soccer ball, and a dude in an orange tank!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVmCyu9y43Q&feature=related

Dude does a little G-n-P at the end here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv2anmd_i40

And finally, wanna see Ashwarya Rai as a Duncan Donuts waitress smack a dude in the head with a tray??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2AvoDceoWE

GeneChing

12-26-2007, 01:05 PM

ok, this one is really off topic, but it's still about India and I've been dying to ttt this, just to bait yys to post more bollywood fu.

Indian troops taught them yoga, learnt martial arts (http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/23/stories/2007122360430800.htm)

Chak de, Chak de, say Chinese troops

Kunming(China): Indian troops shared their expertise in yoga with their Chinese counterparts and learnt martial arts skills from them on Saturday, the second day of their first-ever joint military exercise in this capital city of southwestern Yunnan province.

The People’s Liberation Army men’s “Chak De, Chak De” cheers filled the air as they inspired the Indian soldiers during the exercises.

And, a well-executed one earned a “Shabhash” from the Chinese.

The gesture was reciprocated in good measure by the Indian Army personnel who sought to raise the spirits of the PLA soldiers shouting “Chayo, Chayo (come on, buck up)”, and “Pancha, Pancha (well done, well done).”

The day’s training began with the Chinese soldiers being taught yoga exercises by instructors from the Indian Army, kindling great interest in them on techniques to keep the mind calm, an Indian military officer said.

The Indian troops, in turn, were given training in martial arts, both defensive and offensive skills in unarmed combat, by the Chinese after which they went through exercises basically designed to overcome psychological barriers and instil team spirit.

The Chinese soldiers carried out breathtaking manoeuvres amidst explosions and gun-firing, signalling their physical endurance in such critical conditions and winning appreciation from their Indian counterparts.

“Such exercises are aimed at increasing the abilities for perseverance and endurance in situations including a battlefield and anti-terrorism operations,” Capt. Gong Kai of the PLA told PTI.

“Both the armies are very well trained. We can learn from each other,” Maj Gen. Liu Yongxin of the Chengdu Military Region said.

He said terrorism was a “common enemy” not only of both India and China but has threatened the international community as a whole.

The joint training would increase the combat capabilities of both armies and be mutually beneficial apart from building mutual trust, Mr. Liu added.

In a path-breaking confidence-building step, India and China on Friday launched the five-day joint military exercise, “Hand-in-Hand” with focus on the anti-terrorism drill at the Kunming Military Academy.

Nearly 103 troops from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and an equal number of PLA soldiers are taking part in the exercise, which includes a joint command post and joint battle decision-making. — PTI

GeneChing

01-02-2008, 10:14 AM

...shooting in China no less.

Is that Akshay’s story? (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Is_that_Akshays_story_/articleshow/2668251.cms)
3 Jan 2008

For long, Akshay had felt that his own success story had the potential to be made into a movie. And now it looks like he’s getting his way.

The film’s nimble-footed hero is a cook who goes to China and encounters further adventures. By now it’s part of the Akshay legend that he served as a cook in Bangkok and earned his way back to Mumbai to make cinematic history. The kitchen-angle isn’t the only similarity between Akshay and the hero from Chandni Chowk. Both are martial-arts practitioners.

Not having done a full action film for over seven years, Akshay has trained in a martial arts form known as Wushu for the film. “It’s a very intricate art practiced on screen by Jet Li and Jackie Chan. Everyone knows Akshay is a big Jackie Chan fan. This is his chance to get even,” says Advani.

“But I can’t say if Chandni Chowk To China is autobiographical. My writer Sridhar Raghavan (who wrote Johnny Gaddar) wrote an original screenplay. If he was inspired by Akshay’s life, he’ll know better,” Advani adds.

The shooting for Chandni Chowk To China will begin on Feb 22 in various parts of the country, including Shanghai.

Is 'Chandni Chowk To China' Akshay's story? (http://indiainteracts.com/gossip/2008/01/02/11450/Is-Chandni-Chowk-To-China-Akshays-story/)
Published on January 02, 2008 by Subhash K. Jha

After director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, it is Akshay Kumar who is going to relive his childhood memories of Delhi's old quarters in "Chandni Chowk To China". For long, Akshay had felt that his own success story had the potential to be made into a movie. And now it looks like he's getting his way.

Nikhil Advani's new action-adventure-comedy titled "Chandni Chowk To China", the name that the filmmakers have finally settled for, has distinct shades of autobiography in its plot.

The film's nimble-footed hero is a cook who goes to China and encounters further adventures. By now it's part of the Akshay legend that he served as a cook in Bangkok and earned his way back to Mumbai to make cinematic history.

The kitchen-angle isn't the only similarity between Akshay, who still has his father's family in the capital, and the hero from Chandni Chowk. Both are martial-arts practitioners.

Also if you look at the film's leading lady Deepika Padukone she's tall, slim and regal looking... like Akshay's wife Twinkle. A coincidence? Akshay has always liked women who are tall and in-charge.

One reason why China was chosen for Advani's film is to tap Akshay's long-cherished yearning for a full-on martial arts film.

Not having done a full action film for over seven years, Akshay has trained in a martial arts form known as Wushu for the film.

"It's a very intricate art practiced on screen by Jet Li and Jackie Chan. Everyone knows Akshay is a big Jackie Chan fan. This is his chance to get even. Akshay plays a cook who goes to China," Advani told IANS.

"But I can't say if 'Chandni Chowk To China' is autobiographical. My writer Sridhar Raghavan ('Johnny Gaddar' director Sriram's brother) wrote an original screenplay. If he was inspired by Akshay's life, he'll know better," Advani added.

The director has finalised the locations in China and the shooting for 'Chandni Chowk To China' will begin on Feb 22 in various parts of the country, including Shanghai. Advani will wrap it up by May.

About the corny title, the director laughed, "We earlier called our film 'Made In China'. But we all felt 'Chandni Chowk To China' suits the mood better. We've a song with that title in the film. So why not?"

GeneChing

01-04-2008, 10:26 AM

...it reminds me of Hollywood a few years ago when every action film had to promote itself by saying the stars spent months in intensive training.

Hrithik is ok now (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Hrithik_is_ok_now/articleshow/2674951.cms)
5 Jan 2008, 0000 hrs IST
Hrithik Roshan. (TOI Photo) More pics

We all know that Hrithik recently injured his knee during the shooting of Jodhaa Akbar while executing an action scene. But, not many know that HR is a trained martial-arts expert.

And just before shooting, he took his martial-arts teacher, Chitah’s help to further hone his fighting skills for the film. Says he, “Hrithik has the best body and acumen towards the martial arts.

His will-power is exemplary and he will soon get over from the injury. When you have a trained body, like Hrithik’s, it knows how to recover fast on its own.” That’s something his fans are looking forward to, for sure.

Raiyden

01-04-2008, 07:24 PM

There was this film I saw a video for when I was eating in the local Indian joint - had a lot of actors and actresses that I didn't recognize - it was set in Brazil and the video was this intense Capoeira/Drumming/Bollywood dance number. Gotta find that one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aXR_WqlC6U&feature=related

It's from this movie - Dhoom 2. Same song, different setting.

yutyeesam

01-04-2008, 10:22 PM

I've been dying to ttt this, just to bait yys to post more bollywood fu.

I just found this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-InxPME85eM

This one has nothing to do with martial arts, but it's pretty durn funny! It's even funnier for me since this is a song I've known for years:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLpROhIg9eA

Hey, and check it out, Akshay Kumar looks halfway decent as a movie fighter here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k5cgYb-ziI&feature=related

GeneChing

01-17-2008, 01:10 PM

I had to look that term up on wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve_teasing).

President asks women to learn judo, karate (http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14590735)
Thursday, 17 January , 2008, 21:42
New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil on Thursday urged women to learn martial arts like judo and karate for self-defence and self-confidence to face the challenges of discrimination.

"Self-defence is the best defence," Pratibha said. She was addressing the inaugural of the Sixth South Asia Regional Ministerial Conference here.

Pratibha, the first woman President of the country, asked the government to ensure women's security at work places and insisted that strict action should be taken against those who indulge in "reprehensible acts like eve-teasing and molesting."

Urging the women to fight discrimination, Pratibha said: "They should work determinedly for their own empowerment. One important step in this direction is imparting physical education - like judo and karate - for self-defence to girl students from a very early age so as to make them physically strong and to build-up self-confidence to face the challenges of life."

The President's advice came in the wake of increased cases of molestation and rapes reported from different parts of the country.

Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury held a meeting of legal experts earlier this week to examine the possibility of initiating more stringent laws to deal with such cases.

GeneChing

03-27-2008, 09:36 AM

You go, Sharmila, you go, girl.

‘I’m ready to kick ass’ (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Im_ready_to_kick_ass/articleshow/2904435.cms)
28 Mar 2008, 0000 hrs IST,

If all goes well, Kannada filmdom will soon see the emergence of another action girl after Malashri.

So even though it’s been a while since her last hit, Krishna, Sharmila Mandre’s confidence remains intact. “I got a lot of projects after Krishna, but I’ve been careful about what I pick. That’s because I like to keep changing my characters from time to time,” she says.

And that’s precisely why she’s done a complete U-turn from her lover girl girl roles and is now indulging in some heavy-duty action in her next film, Navagraha. “I star opposite Darshan and it’s a two-dimensional character. I play this stunt girl who pretends to be this shy and demure girl. I lost a lot of weight for the role and enrolled myself for a martial arts course under Ashok Chandra in Mumbai; I learnt tai chi and kick-boxing,” says an excited Sharmila.

But what made her do a guest appearance in the recent Ee Bandhana, especially since she’s a newcomer? “I did Ee Bandhana for Vijaylaxmi Singh because she’s a family friend. And the song that I did in the film was a big hit. A lot of people complimented me for it, so I don’t think it has made any negative impact on my career,” she says.

The actress also says that she’d now like to do a film with her home banner. “My family has been into film distribution for decades now, while my aunt Sunanda has produced Provoked with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and has just wrapped up a film with Kangna Ranaut. I was launched by my aunt in the Kannada industry with Sajini. So now she wants to launch me in Tamil as well,” explains the actress.
So what happened to the film she was supposed to do with Bharathi Raja? “I did consider the offer but they had some conditions before I took up the film that weren’t feasible for me,” explains Sharmila.

Currently though, she’s really happy with the way her career is shaping up.”I’ve realised that it’s versatility that counts in the industry. I want to take my time, explore different aspects of acting and by the end of this year, I’ll probably take up more films and work with really talented people,” she says. Oh yeah, and she also wants to do a film with namma Puneet Rajkumar.

GeneChing

04-21-2008, 09:51 AM

I remember a similar phenomena happening in China right about when HK was returned. Who wouldn't want martial arts trained female bodyguards? That's been my underlying ultimate goal with my work since I saw Enter the Dragon. :p

Indian women set to become bodyguards (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200804201551.htm)

Mumbai (PTI): Indian women are all set to become bodyguards for jet-setters and corporate honchos with a Mumbai-based private detective and security consultant, Raj Talele being the latest to fulfil their increasing demand in the city.

Talele has announced specially designed workshops for women, training them physically and mentally to work as bodyguards.

Talele has already begun his first batch consisting of 25 women in the month of March and the second batch is all set to commence in May.

"In Mumbai there is a growing demand for women bodyguards for VIPs and celebrities. However in the absence of trained woman power, all vacancies are filled up by men," Talele told PTI.

The participants have to be between 17 and 30 years of age. The intensive physical and mental training sessions is being held at Worli, South central Mumbai for two hours daily. The training will be for a period of two months.

The participants will be taught martial arts like Judo Karate, Yoga and swimming by professionals. "Along with martial arts, the girls will also be taught on how to improve their communication skills and their self-confidence," Talele said.

According to Talele, in many cases, men guard women celebrities too, even though the latter are often uncomfortable with the arrangement, but there is little choice. Talele hopes to fill this void with his workshop.

GeneChing

04-22-2008, 09:34 AM

This article desperately needs a pic of this blonde parkour trainer.

Akshay and his blonde woman (http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2970014.cms)
22 Apr, 2008 08:41 am ISTlINDIATIMES MOVIES

Actor Akshay Kumar is known for his physique... and his women. Never mind his marital status, the link ups don't stop! And we are all aware of Akshay's female trainer, who has been teaching him some great parkour. While most actors seem to prefer male trainers, Akshay has interestingly opted for a female blonde. Now, this surely has nothing to do with his personal preferences, Akki this time means business.

When we met up with the actor and asked him the reason for having hired a woman trainer, he simply said, "It's simple. She is the best in the business. It's a myth that the man who lifts the most weight is the strongest. I want to be strong to be useful and she has many ways and techniques that help me perfect that."

About his fitness funds, trips to the gyms are never as exciting as outdoor adventures and martial arts. "Outdoor adventure, sports and martial arts are arts...it strengthens not only the body but also the gut. It's graceful, informative, creative and gives you a different high. Try it sometimes," suggests Kumar.

Well.. I think somethings are best left to experts..

GeneChing

05-09-2008, 10:26 AM

but pics of burqa-clad girls probably aren't that interesting...

Burqa-clad girls take to martial arts for self-defense in Ahmedabad (http://www.dailyindia.com/show/238567.php/Burqa-clad-girls-take-to-martial-arts-for-self-defense-in-Ahmedabad)
From ANI

Ahmedabad, May 9: Setting an example for conservative families to be confident about their daughters' abilities, a group of about 30 Muslim girls in Ahmedabad city have taken to martial arts and aerobic exercises to train themselves in self-defense and develop physical fitness.

Most of these girls come from conservative families that expect their girls to just get married and take care of their household. But these girls have chosen to redefine what they are capable of in daily life without compromising with their cultural identity.

Residing in Ahmedabad's largest Muslim ghetto at Juhapura, these girls about 20 years of age prefer being Burqa-clad while practicing Karate and Aerobics every afternoon for three hours. Besides, these girls pump iron barbells.

These girls want to be perfectionist and aspire to move ahead in life without compromising on their traditional values and upbringing.

Twenty-year- old Sajeeda Ansari says: "We feel comfortable doing workouts under our Burqa. I have learned so many things. It is not necessary that a girl can be considered modern only if she is clad in western outfits."

Asifa Bora, one of the group members and computer trainer by profession, says: "I am learning it (Karate) for two months to become capable for self-defense and gain fitness. After Godhra riots, we have seen the increasing number of rape and eve-teasing cases in every newspaper and news channels."

"Today, without leaving aside our traditional values, we are learning all this. Today women are leading in every section of the society and parents must boost their daughters to move ahead in life looking beyond the caste factor," she added.

These girls practice for three hours every day during afternoon.

The girls are being trained under Supriya Jatav, a 16-year-old Karate instructor, who has encouraged these girls to learn self-defense techniques.

Supriya belongs to a Hindu family and has won several national and international Karate championship trophies under her belt. She is currently preparing herself for the Commonwealth Karate championship to be held in Scotland.

Supriya is happy about the fact that she could motivate these Burqa-clad girls to learn the self-defense techniques without requiring them to compromise with their traditional values.

"Until and unless somebody takes the initiative we cannot prosper. It is a must for every woman to become self-reliant today unmindful of one' caste or community. If someone is feeling comfortable doing their work without losing their traditional values or belief, no one should have objection. We must come out of caste boundaries and participate in the global world," said Supriya Jatav, the physical fitness and karate instructor.

Habib Khan, the gym instructor, who has been working enthusiastically for the uplift of girls for two years, said: "We should do it with full sportsmanship. Incidents which tend to affect the society at large should not be affect us. We should give importance to the sports over and above the caste and other decisive factors." By Uday Ahavaryu

GeneChing

05-12-2008, 11:55 AM

all hale and hearty? I wasn't familiar with that expression.

Amit Khanna is back in action! (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Amit_Khanna_is_back_in_action/articleshow/3029777.cms)
12 May 2008, 0000 hrs IST,TNN

Amit Khanna is back to shooting after a ligament repair surgery which had kept him out of action for four months.

The actor who was last seen in serials like Dil Chahe More and Karam Apnaa Apnaa will be back on TV soon in an interactive show.

Unlike his mama Govinda, the actor loves to do action scenes. But while preparing for an action film recently, Amit learnt the hard way that it’s not an easy task. It so happened that he was learning Kalari Payatu, the Kerala martial arts, Tai Chi and Kung-fu for one of his films but while practising the moves, he injured his knee.

As a result he was in bed for some time. Says Amit, “I was in the hospital for three days, I was kind of knocked off to keep my sanity. But I’m back now, all hale and hearty,” says Amit, adding, “I have this never-say-die attitude. Also I might make mistakes, but I learn from them,” says the actor. And what are his forthcoming projects? “I have no TV soaps on the anvil at the moment. But I’m working hard now on the format of the TV show that will be on air shortly,” he says.

Amit had also shot for a German film, The Indian Ring, that was shot at exotic locales of Rajasthan some time back. The movie stars German actress Ruth Maria Kubitschek, who has acted in one of the James Bond movies. “We’ve already completed the shooting and the film will be released soon in Germany,” he reveals.

GeneChing

05-12-2008, 11:56 AM

I still want to see his blonde parkour trainer....

Akshay-Deepika do martial arts ‘item’ (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1163763)
IANS
Sunday, May 11, 2008 20:12 IST

Nikhil Advani’s Chandni Chowk to China starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, will flaunt some sizzling song and dance sequences.

The team was recently shooting in Bangkok, Shanghai and the Forbidden City for the dance numbers. For one song they hired Dee Dee, a famous Chinese fight choreographer.

This song has been composed by Bappi Lahiri and is a remix of a popular Hindi song. The sequence has lot of martial art stunts and will be a comic number in which Akshay will get beaten up by the fellow dancers.

GeneChing

06-04-2008, 09:07 AM

We need more Bollywood babes here now. :(

Sawhney trains in martial arts for film (http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/fullstory.php?id=14687398)
IANS | Wednesday, 04 June , 2008, 11:58

Bollywood actor Anuj Sawhney, better known for his portrayals of a 'lover trapped in weird circumstances' in comedies such as Nayee Padosan and Funtoosh, is now going for a remarkable transition for his role in the Hindi remake of The Departed.

"I play the character of Matt Damon from the original film," said the actor who got much appreciation from critics for his performance in Kalpana Lajmi's Chingaari.

Anuj has gone through rigorous martial arts training for a yet-to-be-titled movie under Om Prakash Thapa, who is president of Shaolin Wushu Kung-Fu organisation in India.

"The training was for one and a half months from January to mid-February where I was even injured. I suffered a hairline fracture on my shoulder, as a result the shoot got delayed," said Anuj.

Besides this, Anuj has various projects lined up and his next release is Ye Fasaa.

Commenting upon his role in Ye Fasaa, Anuj said: "Other than my new look, people will see a new me in the film. It is an out and out comedy of errors where I play a bohemian character. Circumstances lead to the entry of Tara Sharma in my life. I marry her later. However, my liberal nature forces me to keep lying to her. This leads to varied conflicts, said Anuj.

Aryeman Ramsay plays his best friend in Ye Fasaa, which has been directed by Tarun Kumar and produced by Balabhai Patel of Aashiq Banaya Aapne fame.

He is also in Abbas Mustan's Fraud. "My role in Fraud is that of a comic sidekick to the lead character. The film is 70 per cent finished and also stars Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Bipasha Basu."

Anuj has also grabbed a three-film contract with Zee films, the details of which the actor refused to divulge. "I will announce it at the right time."

He will also be seen in 3 Nights 4 Days with Hri****aa Bhatt.

sanjuro_ronin

06-04-2008, 09:41 AM

Ask and thou shall receive:

sanjuro_ronin

06-04-2008, 09:42 AM

Jackie Chan approves so you know it must be good !!

sanjuro_ronin

06-04-2008, 09:43 AM

tanned and terrific:

The Willow Sword

06-04-2008, 03:19 PM

Here is My Favorite Bollywood Kung fu clip. Its prolly not official Bollywood, but i think this is pretty uhhh cool uhh yeah:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrYlNNy929Y

Peace, TWS

yutyeesam

06-10-2008, 09:28 PM

Been awhile since I been here!

Check this out, all I can say is, 5hit yeah!":

http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/v2/play.php?id=9758

The Willow Sword

06-11-2008, 04:53 AM

i Did the bombay TV thing last year.pretty funny, Although my text was all about the illegal sale of hemmoroid cream and how desperately the hero needed some:D

Peace,TWS

sanjuro_ronin

06-11-2008, 05:00 AM

Here is My Favorite Bollywood Kung fu clip. Its prolly not official Bollywood, but i think this is pretty uhhh cool uhh yeah:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrYlNNy929Y

Peace, TWS

LOL !
That was awesome

GeneChing

07-15-2008, 10:45 AM

Priyanka Chopra - click the article for a pic. Here's some more (http://www.priyankachopra.org/). Miss World is a TKD practitioner. Where's the CMA practicing beauty queens (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=673)?

What’s common between Arjan & Priyanka? (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/Whats_common_between_Arjan__Priyanka/articleshow/3232230.cms)
15 Jul 2008, 0000 hrs IST,TNN

It seems that both the stars from Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion are often seen discussiong martial arts on the sets.

Incidentally, Priyanka Chopra got herself trained in martial arts for Drona, a film which she is doing with Abhishek Bachchan. A source from the film unit says, “Priyanka was informed by someone on the set that Arjan Bajwa is a Taekwondo expert.

She takes special interest in knowing various forms of martial arts. During the shot breaks, they would talk about how she did her own stunts in the film, and how Arjan practices Taekwondo on a regular basis.”

Priyanka was not aware of the fact that Taekwondo is a blend of Shotokan Karate with other Chinese and Korean martial arts. But finally, she got all information from Arjan. So now we won’t be surprised if we see Arjan and Priyanka in a martial arts film!

'Martial arts discipline the mind and body' (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Fitness/Martial_arts_discipline_the_mind_and_body/articleshow/3226274.cms)
13 Jul 2008, 0001 hrs IST,
Martial arts expert, Yajness Shhetty is a known name in the film industry.

In the last 28 years he has trained many actors in different forms of martial arts. Bollywood’s biggest names, Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Govinda, Juhi Chawla, Priyanka Chopra, Isha Koppikar, Karishma Kapoor, have all been trained and prepared for their screen fights under him, and they can vouch for his in-depth knowledge of the arts. Right now he is also training Farhan Akhtar in martial arts for a film besides a host of other newcomers who are making their entry into Bollywood.

Here are some tips given by the martial arts expert to all those interested in training in the art:

1 The person should be mentally prepared to do the exercise. He should dedicate himself whole-heartedly to the training. And he should be flexible enough to perform all types of movements.

2 The person should feel happy about learning the art. He should prepare his body to work in that direction inorder to achieve the goal.

3 Martial art sharpens the memory skills and increases your IQ level.

4 It brings discipline into your lives and makes you more focussed. So the chances of you falling into bad company are less. It throws the negative energies out from your body, and the mind becomes calmer. In other words, it disciplines your mind and body.

5Once you start learning the art, you don’t get panicky when confronted with stressful situations. Your mindset changes and you don’t get worried about silly things.

6 Martial art helps in curing a lot of diseases like arthritis, cough and cold, etc. The martial art called Tai-chi can be practised even by 70 and 80 years old men and women. It helps in straightening their body structure and makes them more energetic even at an old age.

7It is a great tool for self-defence and girls need to learn it the most. The patience, technique and knowledge that you gain after learning martial arts helps you in all types of combat.

8If a person works out everyday in the art form he will feel a lot lighter. He will be free from frustrations, stresses and worries of life.

9 Martial art helps to bring peace in the society. It is not meant to harm anybody. It should be used for the good of people.

10Meditation helps to calm the mind and this is an important feature of martial arts. So when one wakes up in the morning and does the exercises at a time when the world is at peace, the person feels pleasant and peaceful throughout the day.

GeneChing

07-28-2008, 10:02 AM

Search 'fundas' if you don't know... ;)

Kung-fu fundas (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life/Kung-fu_fundas/articleshow/3289225.cms)
27 Jul 2008, 1507 hrs IST, Norbert Rego,TNN

Are you fighting or are you dancing, is no longer a dreaded question of grace. Now, you can be lithe as well as lethal, with the combination of martial arts, aerobics and a jazzy remix of popular Bollywood songs.

“You need physical and emotional energy to manage relationships, a home and work. That’s why so many new fitness concepts like sports yoga, Bollywood dance and martial arts — society needs to constantly re-energise for go o d h e a l t h and fitness. I l ove my Bollywood dance, tennis and yoga sessions. At the end of the day, energy is what drives life,” says Geetanjali Kirloskar, chairperson, India Japan Initiative.

Self-defence is also creeping in to make exercise forms more robust. “Exercises based on principles of martial arts are popular as one uses less equipment and more of one’s own body weight to exercise. These exercises, once learnt, can be performed anywhere,” says Dr Dilip Nadkarni, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine consultant, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai. But warns, “One must ensure proper posture while performing. Sometimes, if the form goes awry, injuries could happen.”

The result is a strength training that is as powerful as it is useful, entertaining as it is addictive. Fitness instructor Reema Sarin has conceptualised and choreographed Bollywood aerobics, better known as the ‘Bollyfit Program’. It consists of dance aerobics steps, synchronised to Bollywood remix numbers. “Each song is carefully chosen and tested at increased speeds of 120 -130 beats per minute (bpm), which is the average speed for fun aerobic classes. For step aerobic classes, songs are remixed at 100 bpm,” she says.

It helps that Bollywood numbers are themselves superlative for the heart rate today. Many of the numbers are catchy, have fast paced tempos, and ensure that dancers get their heart rate up and reach the zone ideal for fat burn. Some of the faster paced songs can give your heart and lungs a great workout.

“It always takes many days and hours of practice to match the right moves to the right song, and to ensure that one gets a good workout, by teaching a well-balanced exercise routine, consisting both of high-impact as well low-impact aerobic moves,” Reema adds.

Choreographers today incorporate a lot of steps, which can help the body gain flexibility and muscle strength apart from a good cardio workout. “But fitness enthusiasts should get their fitness levels assessed before jumping on the high-impact bandwagon,” warns Dr Nadkarni.

“Aerobic kickboxing, the combination of karate and boxing, is one such form of exercise, which with basic kicks, punches, strikes and blocks in an aerobics mode, provides a full-body workout. Hence, it doubles the impact of aerobics,” says Roja Ayengar, Hyderabadbased learner of aerobics.

Cardio kickboxing or aerobic kickboxing is regarded as one of the most efficient calorie burners of all the fitness activities with around 800 calories burned in one hour, whereas regular aerobics burns around 500 calories per hour.

“Aerobic kickboxing is a combination of kicks and punches of martial arts with aerobic exercises to provide benefit of both in form of flexibility, strength, stamina, endurance, muscle building, cardiovascular exercise and weight management, and increase in overall fitness level with added advantage of self-defence,” concludes Dr Arpit Jain, consultant, internal medicine, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon.

GeneChing

07-29-2008, 09:25 AM

"Welcome to the new world order where girls are no longer willing to take things lying down"???

Martial arts popular with Patna girls (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Patna/Martial_arts_popular_with_Patna_girls/articleshow/3299856.cms)
29 Jul 2008, 0451 hrs IST, Madhuri Kumar,TNN

Power punches are in; fear factor is out. Welcome to the new world order where girls are no longer willing to take things lying down. Instead, they troop down to the nearest patch of green to practise punches and kicks.

Martial arts - the art of self-defence - is fast gaining ground in the state capital and other district towns. Girls are learning judo, karate, taekwondo and other martial art forms to lead life with confidence and dignity.

They are learning a chin punch to stun an assaulter, a temple punch to knock consciousness out of a molester and a back elbow punch to silence a guy acting funny in a bus. They are determined not to let things pass but teach a lesson that eve-teasers and molesters will remember forever.

The martial arts classes are typically not competition-oriented. They focus on self-defence and traditional values of the art, training a person to deliver a kick or punch at the target with force, precision and speed.

"The physical application is not so much muscle power as it is breath control and reaction force," said second dan black belt Karate instructor Hari Om Kumar. His training academy is affiliated to the International Science Martial Arts Confederation.

Pataliputra Sports Club founder Ashok Kumar, a fourth degree dan in Taekwondo and a first-class national refree says, "While girls are coming to learn martial arts, the need is to create more awareness about the art among women as they feel uncertain about learning taekwondo. My students are mostly schoolgirls. But once they finish school, few continue."

Pataliputra Sports Club currently has 17 girls, all from schools like Notre Dame Academy and St Karen's High School.

The Martial Art Federation, founded by Sensei Zuber Ahmed, also has 10 girls among the 50 undergoing training at the institute.

Gautam Kumar, state chief of All Bihar Sei****ukai ****oryu Karate Do Association, says, "Over the years, an increasing number of girls, many from rural areas, have taken up Karate as a means to self-defence."

Sei****ukai, which has statewide branches, has 500 students. Half of them are girls. As the fee - ranging from Rs 150 to Rs 200 - is nominal, the classes attract girls from the not so well-to-do families as well.

There are several other organizations that impart judo and karate training. Among them are the Renshican ****oryu Karate Do Assocition near Tripolia Hospital, Shikokai ****oryu Karate Do Association at Digha and Lee Academy at Boring Road.

Most of these organizations are associated with the All India Karate Do Federation, which in turn is affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association.

Several girls-only schools in Patna have appointed martial arts instructors to teach students the art of self-defence in schools itself.

As karate instructor Ritesh says, "Girls can use martial arts in day-to-day life. Self-defence is nothing but a quick reflex to protect yourself. You don't need to be an expert to deliver the first blow before the attacker does. All you need is confidence and presence of mind. Besides empowering girls to tackle unpleasant situations, training in martial arts also helps to improve their physical fitness."

HRD principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh says, "In almost all government middle schools, there is provision for imparting training in judo, karate and cycling under National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL)."

One of the first myth that is broken in these martial art classes is that women do not have the strength to protect themselves. "If you are mentally fit and believe in yourself, you can take care of most situations," said Ashok Kumar, a self-defence trainer.

GeneChing

08-13-2008, 10:10 AM

Oh yeah. Here's what this thread is all about. Deepika (http://everyactress.blogspot.com/2008/07/deepika-padukone.html).

Deepika stuns with stunts in Chandni Chowk (http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/fullstory.php?id=14739332)...: Nikhil Advani
IANS | Wednesday, 13 August , 2008, 10:01

Deepika Padukone insisted on doing all the action scenes in Chandni Chowk To China herself and director Nikhil Advani says that the actress sailed through the tough stunts.

"There were some scenes that we thought to be too dangerous. But she insisted on doing away with the body double and also the wirings," said Advani, who has made films like Kal Ho Naa Ho and Salaam-e-Ishq.

"She's very athletic, it runs in her family. Then there was Akshay Kumar to inspire her. Akshay had done so much on-screen action. It was a novel experience for Deepika. And she sailed through the action. She worked really hard to get the posture and power in the action scenes. Those who've seen her in Om Shanti Om will be shocked," the director said.

The film has been inspired by the real-life story of Akshay who is currently riding on the success of Singh Is Kinng."The film's flavour comes from Akshay's real life. He's a boy from Chandni Chowk (in Old Delhi) who went to Bangkok as a cook. My writer Sridhar Raghavan wrote the role with Akshay's real-life story in mind. "The character's personality comes alive through Akshay. Thanks to him, we finished ahead of schedule."

Advani has shot the film in China and Thailand and says that it caters to children as well. "Chandni Chowk To China is a children's film. I don't think kids will try to attempt to climb the nearest wall to fight after watching the film, but we'll have lots of kids joining karate classes."

Before shooting his mirthful martial arts film, Advani sat down with his leading man Akshay and watched a number of karate flicks. "Before I started making this film, my interest in the martial arts was restricted to Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce Lee and the Crouching Tigers of the world. But Akshay brought out the hidden dragon in me.

"He made me watch a lot of action scenes. Before we left for China he'd make me sit down every morning and make me watch one Kung Fu film and explain the subtexts. By the time we left to shoot I understood the martial arts much better."

The film's shooting is complete, but Advani doesn't want to hurry its release. "All the shooting is done. Finally, we Indians have invaded China. We were gone for 95 days. We shot for 89 days in Shanghai and in the interiors of China and lots of action sequences on top of the Great Wall of China.

"But the post-production is very complicated. The action sequences are like nothing we generally see. The action builds the plot and characters. We've shot it exactly the way we want. I don't want to rush the release. Akshay's superstardom isn't going away anywhere," the director said.

And here's something else that's relevant but not nearly as hot.

Kamal Haasan in Indo-Japanese film on martial arts! (http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/downsouth/tamil/20080812-0.html)
12th Aug 2008 13.45 IST
By ApunKaChoice

If things go as planned, Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan will be seen rubbing his shoulders with a Japanese superstar in a film on martial arts.

To be produced and directed by Bharatbala, the movie will reportedly feature Japanese superstar Tadanobu Asano, who played a Samurai in Takeshi Kitano’s superb film ‘Zatoichi’, which was about a legendary blind swordsman.

The Bharatbala film will trace the roots of the martial arts, down to Kalarippayattu, the popular and age-old martial art form of Kerala.

The movie will reportedly be made in three languages – Tamil, Hindi and Japanese. The project is learnt to have a whopping 50-million dollar budget.

According to reports, the film will be co-produced by Walt Disney.

A R Rahman is already said to be finalized as the film’s music composer, while final negotiations are going on between Kamal and Bharatbala.

GeneChing

08-22-2008, 10:32 AM

suggestively holding his guitar neck... :rolleyes:

‘Martial arts is a bonus in acting’ (http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE420080821231615&Page=4&Title=Entertainment&Topic=0)
Thursday August 21 2008 23:16 IST

A Young star who is also a fourth degree taekwondo black belt. Well that’s not all to describe Arindam. He is also the heartthrob of countless young girls from not only Orissa but also Bengal.

Already 10 films old in Ollywood, he has two Bengali films to his credit. ‘Takkar’ has already been declared a success and ‘Tomar Jonho’ is set to follow. And guess what! He is known as Rishi in the Bengali industry and also aims to try Bollywood with his new name.

A product of S C B Medical Public School, Cuttack and then Ravenshaw and Christ College, he has had a brilliant career in sports. A National Level referee and a member of Sports Authority of India (SAI), Arindam has a Diploma in coaching from National Institute of Sports.

Infact, his sports background also helped him being noticed by director Hara Patnaik. Sadly, Arindam couldn’t work for that project. However, destiny had things in store for him. He was then offered a movie by Brajraj movies and made his debut with ‘Prema Rutu Asila Re’ two years back.

"I will always remain thankful to Tutu, Mantu and Basanta Naik for my first project. Seniors like Uttam Mohanty, Bijay Mohanty, Sidhhant have also helped in polishing my performances," says the modest actor. The support from his family has always been huge, he says, specially his father under whose guidance he learnt Taekwondo.

Though he had never planned to get into this profession, the actor is enjoying his work. "It just happened but I’m happy with the way things are shaping up. I find satisfaction from every aspect," states the youngster. He also adds that his martial arts knowledge helps a lot while acting. "It helps me fight back every time I’m down mentally," says Arindam. It also adds grace to the fights and dances, he asserts.

Already the winner of many awards including a State Award for his debut, his upcoming project ‘Tu Mo Girlfriend’ is set to release during Durga Puja. He is also doing 12 Bengali movies for Zee TV.

GeneChing

09-16-2008, 09:15 AM

The real motivation behind this thread was to watch a trend - the growing kung fu influence in Bollywood. Now it's a major sell point for new movies, similar to what we experience here in the post-Matrix (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=422) wave. All sorts of flicks advertised that their star went through a whopping 3 to 6 months of training to prepare for the role. :rolleyes: Remember Charlie's Angels (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=366)? What about Ultra (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=648)violet (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=649)?

Now Jackie Chan is filming in Bollywood, at least according to his disciple Jack Tu (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=784). That's the step we've all been expecting since The Myth (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=658).

Imran Khan’s martial arts avatar in Luck (http://www.realbollywood.com/news/2008/09/imran-khan-luck.html)
September 16th, 2008

Imran Khan in KidnapAfter Kidnap it is once again action time for Imran Khan in Soham Shah (Kaal) directed Luck. The young star is back from shooting Luck in Cape Town after a very long schedule.

According to our sources, “Imran has a lot of fighting sequences in the film and most of it includes martial arts. He was assigned a special trainer for the same before leaving for the long schedule of Luck. But as he got busy promoting Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na after it released to packed houses, he had little time on his hands to give it to his martial arts training sessions. Imran landed in Cape Town without proper training. But the makers had already arranged a special trainer for him on his arrival. So Imran spent a lot of hours daily practicing martial arts to bring perfection for his action steps. He also worked out a lot on his physique for his role in this particular film. It is learnt that the next schedule of Luck is going to take place in December but so fascinated has Imran been with his martial arts training that he wishes to continue with the same till the next schedule begins so that he is well prepared that time.”

Luck is Soham Shah’s second film post Kaal. It has Kamal Hassan’s daughter Shruti Hassan debuting opposite Imran. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty, Ravi Kissen and Danny Denzongpa in the main villain’s role. -(SAMPURN)

Imran Khan Adds Punch To Chocolate Cream Looks In 'Luck' (http://news.sawf.org/Bollywood/53186.aspx)
Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 (EST)
Bollywood's newest and cutest heart throb, Imran Khan, returned last week from a 50 day grueling schedule in South Africa for his upcoming film 'Luck,' during which he floored baddies using martial arts with as much ease as he floors girls using his insanely good looks.

GeneChing

11-04-2008, 10:30 AM

Hold the phone... Gordon Liu? The Gordon Liu?!? Suddenly I'm very interested in this flick. This may need it's own thread.

Check the Deepika Padukone post three up from this one.

Click the link below for a trailer.

How Chandni Chowk To China beat Mission Impossible (http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/04rohan.htm)
Ayoti Mittra
November 04, 2008 14:54 IST

Rohan Sippy, director of Bluffmaster [Images], was given permission to shoot on The Great Wall of China for his Chandni Chowk To China [Images], something -- he claimed at a press meet in New York October 31 -- Mission Impossible was not allowed to do.

Sippy, the producer of Chandni Chowk To China, which stars Akshay Kumar [Images] and Deepika Padukone [Images] and is set to release in January 2009, said China was a learning experience for the cast and crew, especially because of the language barrier.

"There was a lot of lost in translation happening," said Sippy. "We had Chinese crew and Thai crew. So a lot of people from different places, and we had to make sure that everyone understood what was going on.

"We had Roger Yuan, who had to speak Hindi in the film," Sippy continued. "He had to learn the language without any knowledge of it. It was an amazing experience, translating the language, making him understand the expressions and focus on the acting."

Gordon Liu, another actor, did not speak English very well and needed an interpreter so that he could understand his part.

Sippy said that it is a hundred percent Indian film "picking up Akshay Kumar from the narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk [in Delhi [Images]] and putting him in the Great Wall and the landmarks of China. But the writing is very much of the same tradition that we grew up loving -- the movies of Manmohan Desai or what my dad [Ramesh Sippy] made with Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan in them. We tried to emulate the spirit of the fabulous entertainers of that era."

The red tape in China was another hurdle, he said. "Understanding the customs in China and the right way of doing things took up a lot of our time as well."

Asked how the collaboration with Warner Brothers happened on Chandni Chowk To China, Sippy said the Hollywood studio had been looking for an opportunity to work in Hindi films when he met them. With their presence in China it became easier for him to shoot Chandi Chowk To China with them.

The idea of integrating kung fu and martial arts could not have happened if the movie was not set in China, he added: "It would look strange in a Hindi film if it was not in China. The excuse to do kung fu was to make the film in China."

He said Akshay Kumar was an automatic choice for the role of Sidhu, the protagonist.

"[Scriptwriter] Shridhar [Raghavan] and I were so clear that he was the only choice for the part. I don't think we could have envisioned any other actor in the role. Akshay has breathed life into this role. People will feel sympathy when he is a fumbling Sidhu and will cheer when he beats up the bad guys. There are very few actors who can convince the audience to accept them as a simpleton and as a kung fu expert within the same movie," Sippy said.

He expects Warner Brothers to give the movie a wide release in the US. "I hope this movie receives some mainstream audience but the main target is the Indian audience here," he added.

He did his bachelor of arts from Stanford University.

"At Stanford I studied philosophy of statistics, philosophy of applied physics and all sorts of random subjects that have no practical application; but I am using every bit of it in all my movies," he said.

GeneChing

11-24-2008, 10:32 AM

Bollywood seems to be really moving towards more martial arts flicks now.

Oh My God – A film about Yoga and martial arts (http://sify.com/movies/fullstory.php?id=14804071)
By Moviebuzz | Monday, 24 November , 2008, 12:45

Oh My God is the new film launched on Sunday at Ramanaidu Studios, Hyderabad. Produced by Sethumadhavan and directed by Giridhar Gopal on White Lotus Films and Entertainment banner, the flick stars popular yoga master Kamal as hero. Heroine is Kriya, a model from Mumbai.

Movie Moghal Dr. D. Ramanaidu and Tollywood's octogenarian fame Akkineni Nageswara Rao graced the occasion and blessed the unit members. Famed comedian Ali switched on the camera. ANR clapped the muhurt shot. Stunts choreographer from Hollywood Lee Chi Git rendered the first shot direction.

Ali said: "Eighteen years ago, Kamal (hero of the film) went to Hong Kong and turned into a famed yoga guru there. Giridhar, after making his presence felt at all the vital departments in South Indian filmmaking, is making his debut as full-fledged director with this film. I am doing a vital role in this film."

Sethumadhavan (producer) said: "When director Giridhar narrated the story to me, I felt like watching the movie straight in the theatre. Such was the impact. I immediately took up the project and started producing it. I am honored to say that maestro Ilayaraja scores music for our film."

Director Giridhar said: "Hero Kamal himself is responsible for the origination of this script. The story had come out well in tune with the body language of Kamal. The story is set in the backdrop of Tirupati and Hyderabad. Kamal is going to act in a Hollywood film soon." Hero Kamal said: "Eighteen years ago I left Vizag and reached abroad stations and established several branches for teaching yoga. Very soon, I am going to act in a Hollywood film, starring alongside a popular hero. In this film, there is going to be a great importance to martial arts."

Balabadrapatruni Ramani penned the dialogues for the film. Sarath Babu plays a vital role. Screenplay is by Ayyappa P. Sharma. Vasu is the cinematographer.

GeneChing

01-08-2009, 10:39 AM

Another Indian starlet who practices martial arts. I wish that would catch on more outside of Asia.

Beware of Actress Bianca Desai ! (http://entertainment.oneindia.in/kannada/top-stories/2009/bianca-desai-taekwondo-martial-art-080109.html)

The lovely Bianca Desai (also spelt Biyaanka) is the newest Mumbai model to shine in Karnataka. Her debut film Rocky was released during Christmas and her second film Ghulama on New Year. Bianca has definitely caught the eye of Sandalwood filmmakers and is getting offers in plenty.

Not many people are aware of the fact that the actress has a strong personality underneath her vulnerable exterior. Bianca, whose parents reside in Sydney, has been living alone in Mumbai for the past eight years. Moreover, this dazzling beauty is trained in the Korean martial art form of Taekwondo. She decided to get trained in martial arts to protect herself, especially since she lives alone and travels a lot.

So people, don't get deceived by her lovely looks. A person who once tried to harass Bianca, got a good display of Taekwondo action from her! Hopefully, Bianca will soon get a chance to demonstrate her fighting skills in films too!

Bianca Desai guarding herself (http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/kannada/2057/)
By MIO Team
Jan 06, 2009, 07:51

Bianca Desai NRI parents and brother stay in Sydney. Since the last eight years she has been living here alone. With her soft hearted roles she has won the hearts of the audience. Many are not aware that she is an expert in Taekwondo, the Korean martial art. She got trained in the martial art form after deciding to pursue careers in modelling and acting in India. It was an important take by her as she lives here alone and also travels a lot.

She recalls an incident in Mumbai where she was eve-teased. The person behind the act got a good dose of action from her. Other than that there has been no other opportunity to use her fighting skills.

Bianca’s two latest - 'Rocky,' and 'Gulama,' have hit the theatres and now she is busy shooting for 'Yogi.'

GeneChing

01-08-2009, 10:42 AM

Sankalpa - maybe Chandni Chowk (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52608) will start a trend.

Bengali cinema’s first-ever film on martial arts (http://www.screenindia.com/news/bengali-cinemas-firstever-film-on-martial-arts/408249/)

Singhal Entertain- ment announced its new film Sankalpa at a press conference in Kolkata last fortnight. This is the first Bengali film on martial arts. Debutant director Bappai Sinha, a new director who appears to be an expert on martial arts, will direct the film. It is being produced by Sabita Singhal. The story follows several strands - martial arts, the class-status divide between friends who grew up together, the need for young women to train in martial arts for self-defence in a man’s world, the socio-psychological reasons behind affluent children going astray and so on. Mrinal Mukherjee, Bodhisattva Majumdar, Dr. Shankar Ghosh, Shyamal Dutta, Chumki Choudhury, Debika Mitra and Moushumi Saha form the cast but the romantic lead, to be played by newcomers, has not been finalised yet. “We will need a pair who know martial arts,” said the pony-tailed Sinha. Sankalpa is based on a story by

Dr. Shankar Ghosh who has also written the dialogues for the film. Shubhayu will write the musical score for lyrics authored by Gautam Susmit.

Akash, the son of a poor schoolmaster, grows up to be a champion of martial arts. His friend Neel, the only son of wealthy businessman Neelesh Roy, extracts a promise from his father before leaving for the city that he will become a master in martial arts. But Neel himself is sucked into a world of drugs, alcohol and bad company. Their childhood friend Piyali, now in love with Akash, has also mastered martial arts. Neel’s girlfriend Ranjana, the only daughter of wealthy promoter Rudraneel, joins a NGO to conduct a survey on how and why children of affluent families go astray in the city. The story goes on to explore whether these two gutsy ladies are able to win over the men in their lives, whether Neel is able to rise above his downfall and if Akash lives up to the promise he made to Neel many years ago. The theme sounds exciting but how cohesively this new director and a crop of mixed actors will put together the whole thing to make it an enjoyable action drama, only time will tell.

GeneChing

01-09-2009, 11:20 AM

...but trickle down from Bollywood perhaps, along with some social issues.

Forget Pepper Spray: Indian Women Use Martial Arts to Protect Themselves (http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/117524/forget_pepper_spray:_indian_women_use_martial_arts _to_protect_themselves/)
By Lesley D. Biswas, The Wip. Posted January 9, 2009.

According to a 2006 National Crime Records Bureau report, 18 women become victims of crime every hour in India. The number of women raped every day has risen to 53 -- a nearly 700 percent increase since 1971. India ranked fifth out of 84 countries studied by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in 2006, with 19,000 reported rapes per year. Even though this is far behind the United States, which stands at the top of the ladder with 95,000 reported rapes each year, we ought to treat every single case of rape as inhuman and saddening.

Some women’s groups in India say that fewer than 2 percent of women who have been sexually assaulted in India actually come forward to report the crime, largely because this could undermine a woman’s chances at marriage. These groups also assert that the conservative attitudes of Indian families and the public harassment the victim is put through during questioning in court to prove that she was raped often leads to further social ostracism. Many Indian women would rather suffer in silence than appeal for justice and see the culprit convicted.

Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) is an organization working for the improvement of laws related to violence against women. Lawyer and coordinator of HRLN’s Kolkata branch, Debashis Banerjee, says of the reluctance of victims to report this violence, “Although a majority of women experience some sort of sexual harassment in public places or at work, only a few speak up. Loss of job, social stigma and lack of family support are the main reasons why women remain mum. A lack of sexual harassment committees in the workplace make matters worse for working women who want to take up such matters but have no place to report sexual harassment. Now as more women have begun to step out for work, the situation is all the more grim.”

This cruel reality has spurred Indian women on: after all these years of subjection to social hierarchy, some women are finally stoking the fire within them and taking up self-defense training. Martial arts schools now teach women various techniques and strategies to combat sexual harassment. Yet while this personal decision to defend oneself would be considered an individual choice in many parts of the world, for Indian women it did not come easily.

Tired of facing regular harassment, Mrs. Swati Jhanwar decided to begin training in martial arts. Now a 2nd Degree Dan black belt in Karate and an instructor at a renowned Karate Do training center in Kolkata, she initially had a tough time convincing family members.

“When I decided to join Karate classes six years back, I found it difficult to convince my family about my purpose. They were skeptical and believed that martial arts were not for girls as it makes them lose their femininity. They’d rather lock girls indoors than allow them to learn how to tackle harassment in public places. It took lots of persuading for them to agree.”

Working women in urban metros like Kolkata and Mumbai are citing sexual assault as the main reason behind their decision to enroll at martial arts schools. Even teenage girls are becoming inspired to take up training in preparation for the expected tough times ahead.

Working women expose themselves to the most crimes against women happening in the country. Recent incidents like television journalist Saumaya Vishwanathan’s murder in south Delhi while she was returning from office after a night shift in October this year only reinforce the dangers women face.

Ours is a society where women are held responsible for every single crime committed against them and victimization, in terms of sexual harassment, is no exception. Women have grown up believing that it is their own fault when they are abused, be it through different forms of domestic violence or rape. When a woman is beaten by her husband if there is extra salt in the food, she imagines it to be her fault -- the same goes for incidences like Eve Teasing (sexual harassment) and molestation. Here, her liberal affluence is pointed out as the reason for her harassment. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time is another excuse offered against her. Another skewed justification is that she invites male attention by dressing provocatively. Notions like these are driven into a girl’s head right from the day she steps out of the house. When a woman complains, people scandalize her character instead of prosecuting the culprit, and so women simply accept the ugly situation.

Unfortunately, women have come to believe that there was no way around this reality. They have accepted this violence as “just another debt” for their decision to follow the unconventional path by stepping into the male domain -- the job market.

However some martial arts organizations have recognized this tragedy and have created special programs. They not only train women in self-defense, but also help spread awareness about the different forms of sexual harassment that women seldom seem to recognize.

When men deliberately brush against women in crowded buses and trains, most women don’t object. They are too scared, as men are considered more powerful than women, and they lack self-confidence in their own abilities to defend their self-respect and dignity. Martial arts training has a solution for this psychological block too.

“It’s not the physique that matters, but the confidence that makes all the difference,” says Shihan Premjit Sen, President of Karate Do Association of Bengal and Indian Sports Kick Boxing Association. He has been working over a decade through his training center in Kolkata to ensure that women empower themselves - not only to fight Eve Teasing and molestation, but to also regain her self-respect and confidence. He says, “Even a petite woman can overhaul a strong oppressor if the right technique is applied. The actual strength lies in the head. Psychology plays a very important part in a decisive situation and with simple techniques like punching in the nose or poking the eyes, a woman can release herself from her oppressor.”

In India, where we are yet to enact a stringent law guarding against sexual harassment at the workplace and in public transport, self-defense programs like these seem the only viable option left. Sexual attacks occur mostly on public transport like buses, trains and auto rickshaws where men pray on women from close proximity. Martial arts techniques of close combat like elbow jabs and chin punches are proving very effective in getting the offender to lay off. A temple punch is enough to knock a man unconscious. Here, women are taught to deliver kicks and punches with force and precision when it is most needed.

Dr. Komal V.S., Deputy Director for the Unarmed Commando Combat Academy (UCCA) in Mumbai says that the UCCA civil chapter specializes in training women in self-defense crash courses through various forms of martial arts.

“The prime concern of working women in Mumbai is their safety during commuting. Incidents of Eve Teasing, molestation and rape are rampant on local trains and buses - which is why a lot of women who return late at night are coming to us to learn self-defense,” says Dr Komal.

Shocking incidents like the rape and murder of two BPO employees in 2007 and 2005, both allegedly by the drivers of their pick up vehicles, remind us that women are still vulnerable, no matter how liberated they are. Fortunately corporate houses have awoken to the difficulties their female employees are experiencing and have begun to hold martial arts workshops for their benefit.

“Since working women do not get the time to take a full course in self-defense, we give them some easy tips that they can implement if in a dangerous situation. Women must be aware of what is happening around them. Men who approach women don’t expect them to retaliate. A sudden sharp jab or a punch can surprise the attacker and allow her sufficient time to escape,” says Shihan Premjit Sen who also regularly conducts workshops with corporate houses in Kolkata.

Women no longer rely on digging their teeth into the offender or throwing red chili powder in their eyes as often depicted in Bollywood Masala flicks. Simply being alert is the best self-defense. Shreeti Prasad, a teenager in Kolkata who is aware what dangers this city holds for girls says, “Practically everyday I got nudged and grabbed until one day I left some goons bleeding in the face thanks to the kicks and punches I have empowered myself with through a course in Karate.” Her face breaks into a satisfied grin as she recalls the lesson she taught those men.

Across India, Karate is empowering women to regain their dignity and take control of their own lives.

GeneChing

01-09-2009, 11:23 AM

Can you feel the Chandni Chowk (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52608) buzz?

Now Nandana learns martial arts! (http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/09/jan/09-now-nandana-learns-martial-arts-010909.asp)
January 9, 2009 7:17:27 PM IST
Bollywood Trade News Network

Nandana Sen is in news once again! After having created ripples in RANG RASAIYA the actress has signed yet another interesting venture-A tips film with Vivek Oberoi being directed by Kukkee Gulati.

'My character in this film is in complete contrast to what I did in RANG RASAIYA. It was a challenge for me to take up Gulati's film.'

Describing her role Nandana said, 'I play an undercover cop in the film. And I really had to train myself for it. I had to learn Taekwondo and other forms of martial arts too. I learnt to shoot a real gun too. It was quite an experience!'

The role and the stunt scenes have changed Nandana's outlook completely. 'The physical action has changed my body language. Also earlier I used to fear being in crowded places. My stunt scenes have helped me over come that fear. Even pointing a gun at an adversary is such an aggressive job. The combat training really helped me come out of my shell. Now I feel less vulnerable in crowds.'

GeneChing

01-14-2009, 10:33 AM

I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire. I hope is sweeps the Oscars.

Slumdog’s Golden Glow (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090114/jsp/entertainment/story_10384971.jsp)

Dev Patel first appeared on our screens in the teen drama Skins. Now he is the lead in Danny Boyle’s new film, Slumdog Millionaire.

Inside one of the many suites at the Hospital, a private members’ club in London’s Covent Garden, is Dev Patel, the star of Danny Boyle’s latest film, Slumdog Millionaire. Dressed in smart-casual attire, he is the embodiment of childlike effusiveness. “I love this room,” he remarks, looking around at the floral wallpaper and velvet sofas as if he is sitting in the Queen of Sheba’s palace. An avalanche of superlatives tumbles out of his mouth during the interview. Working with Boyle was ‘Awesome!’ Filming in India, ‘Brilliant!’

Yet Patel has every right to such wide-eyed enthusiasm. At 18 years old he is starring in a film that looks likely to become Boyle’s most successful since Trainspotting (1996). A heartwarming picaresque set in Mumbai, it is based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup and adapted by Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty). Patel plays Jamal, a slum child who becomes a national hero after he reaches the final question on India’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, only to be arrested by policemen who cannot accept that a boy from the slums might have imbibed such knowledge legitimately.

****ensian in its detail and sweeping narrative, the film is an exhilarating snapshot of India’s thriving, uncompromising 21st-century megalo*polis. Jamal and his brother, Salim (Madhur Mittal), orphaned after their mother dies in a religious uprising, meet a slum girl, Latika (Freida Pinto). The three get kidnapped by a ***in-like villain who maims his gang of children so they make more money when begging. They are separated when Jamal and Salim manage to escape, but Jamal never stops searching for Latika. Years later he finds her — married to a powerful Mumbai gangster, whom Salim is also working for: a situation Jamal does everything in his power (including appearing on the game show) to rectify. The film won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and closed the London Film Festival in October to widespread acclaim.

REAL ROOTS

Patel grew up in Harrow, north-west London, with his mother, a carer, his father, an IT consultant, and his sister, a business student. His parents are Hindus of Indian descent, but were born in Nairobi, Kenya. They both emigrated separately in their teens, and only met in London when it was arranged that they would marry.

Unlike most young actors, he has received no formal training. “I was hyper as a kid so my parents thought it might be good for me to try out for the school play.”

His first role was Sir Andrew Aguecheek in a production of Twelfth Night at Longfield Middle School. For years his biggest acting achievement was winning the Best Actor of the Year award at Longfield — “They gave me a little plaque” — until he responded to an ad in a free London newspaper. “One day my mum saw an ad for this new teen drama on E4 called Skins. It said no acting experience was necessary and to come down on this date. I was doing my GCSEs at the time so I was like, “Mum, I can’t go, I’ve got a science exam tomorrow. I’m not going to get on TV; they probably don’t even need a brown guy in this teen drama.” She was stubborn, though. She dragged me down to the National Youth Theatre, where the auditions were held, and made me do my revision on the Tube.” They called him back to a second audition, this time in Bristol where the series was filmed. “I was up against this dude who had been in Casualty. I was like, ‘God, I’m not going to get this — he’s from Casualty, I’m from school.’ And then I did, I got it.”

The group of sixth-form protagonists in Skins was made up of a mix of unknown quantities such as Patel, and seasoned child actors including About a Boy’s Nicholas Hoult. “Out of everyone, I was the youngest and the least experienced,” Patel says. “When I went on set for the first day of shooting I didn’t really know what to do. Sometimes I watch myself and think, ‘What was I doing?’”

The show grabbed headlines in 2007, putting parents on red alert for its too-close-for-comfort depiction of the nation’s teenagers as drug-taking sex-obsessives. “With Skins I was lucky,” Patel says, “because [his character] Anwar broke the mould. You don’t see a lot of Asians on TV, apart from that stereotypical family in EastEnders. He was having sex, doing drugs with everyone. He wasn’t just a good Asian kid at home eating chapattis.”

When Danny Boyle was struggling to find the right lead for Slumdog, Patel’s name was mentioned by his 17-year-old daughter, Caitlin, an avid Skins fan. “I had been looking at all these guys in Bollywood, where we had found the rest of the cast,” Boyle says. “There were some really good lads for the part, but they all had the wrong look for me. Bodybuilding is such a big thing for young men getting into the industry there. They have got to look like they can rip their shirts off and get under the waterfall in the Swiss Alps or wherever they are filming. I wanted a guy who didn’t look like a potential hero; I wanted him to earn that in the film.” Watching Skins, Boyle thought Patel was good. “He played a small part, but was funny and had good presence. I met him, and he was serious, committed. You could tell he wasn’t just a personality; there was an actor there.”

ON LOCATION

Patel travelled with Boyle and the crew to Mumbai to research his character on location the day after the wrap party for the last series of Skins. Joining him on the trip was his mother, Anita. “She is a lovely woman,” Boyle says. “But she was very worried about him coping in the business at 17.”

After a brief trip back to England, Patel returned to start filming proper. “In total I was in India for about five months.” Patel had visited India once before, for a family wedding in Gujarat when he was 10, but it wasn’t the happiest of introductions. “I got eaten to death by mosquitoes. I got bitten everywhere, even on my eyelids. And I got the runs. I remember, I was like, “I hate this place, I don’t ever want to come back.’” This time round, though, the trip felt like a homecoming. “I’m an Asian guy growing up in London so I see myself as British, but India is part of my culture. They were making the food that my gran makes. The real big chapattis, you know.”

To gain a deeper understanding of the city, Boyle urged Patel to read Suketu Mehta’s unparalleled account — part memoir, part travelogue — of modern Mumbai, Maximum City. “When you walk out of the airport you are hit by all these people, and this heat,” Patel says. “There’s this smell in Mumbai — Mehta calls it the smell of sweat and dreams. Hard work and people pursuing their dream.”

Much of the film was shot in Dharavi, the largest slum in India, as well as Juhu, another shantytown. Though Patel did not have any scenes in the slums (the younger Jamal and Salim, played by the local child actors Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail respectively, do the majority of scenes there), he visited them with the rest of the crew in order to research his part. “Before I went I thought that they were going to be depressing places, but I was proved wrong. There was a massive sense of community.”

EMBRACING ESCAPISM

Bollywood is the universal passion for slum dwellers. “Bollywood movies are in the blood of people in Mumbai,” Patel says. “They help them to escape the harsh realities of everyday life, watching heroes and heroines dancing up a mountain, madly in love. In Slumdog, we tried to embrace that feel of escapism.” Patel grew up around the films in London. “Whenever I used to go round to my grandma’s there was always a Bollywood film on TV, probably with Anil Kapoor in it. I used to love it as a kid, the big fight scenes.”

Kapoor plays the condescending host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Prem Kumar. “He’s brilliant,” Patel says. “He’s not just a superstar over there, he’s a megastar. The assistant directors on set couldn’t get the audience to be quiet. But as soon as Anil clapped his hands and said, ‘Come on guys’, they would all listen, like little kids listening to their idol.”

One of the biggest nods to Bollywood is the lavish dance sequence shot at Victoria Terminus train station, that closes the film. “That was hard. I don’t dance much, and to make things worse, I had just twisted my foot doing a scene. They had to cut my shoe open to get my foot to fit because it had really swelled up. But it’s all about selling it with your face, smiling, convincing everybody you are really enjoying it.”

Boyle believes Patel has a bright future. “He has great application. There’s a particular head nod from side to side in Mumbai. The wonderful thing about it is that it can mean yes, it can mean no and it can mean a hundred different things in between. As an actor, you have to be able to use that nod to convince anybody that you were born and brought up there, and he spent a lot of time perfecting it.”

Patel puts this disciplined attitude down to his study of the martial art, tae kwon do, for the past eight years; he has competed in the World Championships, and is a black belt. “It has kept me driven and motivated. When you win a gold you have that small taste of success — it means you have achieved something. You worked hard and it paid off.” He pauses momentarily. “I want to be successful. This film has been a great start. I feel blessed.”

GeneChing

02-05-2009, 10:30 AM

Remember when it was sort of fashionable for Hollywood hotties to train a little martial arts for the role? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=364) That's another thing I like about Bollywood. Look at this thread. Bollywood babes are more serious about practice. They keep plugging at it, which is all we ask.

Asin learns martial art for international project (http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=HomePage&id=a7563342-62cc-4a81-9e34-76d937f2482f&ParentID=3a527ae3-c1c6-409d-9b03-72550dc9277c&MatchID1=4922&TeamID1=4&TeamID2=2&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1244&PrimaryID=4922&Headline=Asin+learns+martial+art+for+international +project)
New Delhi, February 05, 2009
First Published: 07:00 IST(6/2/2009)

After Priyanka Chopra, it's Asin's turn to go on action mode. The actress is learning an ancient form of martial art Kalaripayattu for an international project opposite Kamal Haasan called 19th Step.

This is Asin's second film with Kamal Haasan after Dasavatharam. The film also stars Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano in the lead.

According to sources, Asin will play the role of a warrior princess and the role required her to learn this particular form of martial arts.

The budget of the film is 50 million US dollars and it is based on the theme of the origin of Martial Arts in Kerala.

"Asin and Kamal Haasan play an important role in safeguarding these Martial Arts of Kerala while Japanese actor Asano plays a blood thirsty Samurai Kenji seeking to conquer the ancient Indian Martial Arts forms of Kalaripayattu (ancestor of Karate). He learns the tough 18 steps and masters the 19th step from an Indian guru played by Kamal Haasan while Asin will play a local princess", says the source about the storyline of the film.

19th Step will be directed by Bharath Bala and would be a co-venture by Bharath Bala Productions and Walt Disney. The film will be released in three languages: English, Japanese and Tamil. The shooting of the film will begin in the last week of June 2009 after Kamal Haasan wraps up Marmayogi and once Asin masters the art. The movie will be shot in Kerala.

There's a pic of Asin in this one.

Asin learning martial arts for 19th Step (http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/asin-19th-step-050209.html)
Thursday, February 5, 2009, 14:23 [IST]

After the stupendous success of Ghajini, Asin is busy learning the ancient form of martial art Kalaripayattu. The Ghajini starlet has signed an international project opposite Kamal Hassan called 19th Step. This is her second film with him after Dasavatharam. The film also stars Japanse star Tadanobu Asano in the lead.

Sources close to Asin revealed, "Asin will be portraying the role of a warrior princess and hence has been trained in the ancient art. A local instructor trains her everyday. This film will be her biggest project till date, as the budget of the film is 50 million US dollars and it is based on the theme of the origin of Martial Arts in Kerala. Asin and Kamal Hassan play important role in safeguarding these Martial Arts of Kerala while Japanese actor Asano plays a blood thirsty Samurai Kenji seeking to conquer the ancient Indian Martial Arts forms of Kalaripayattu (ancestor of Karate). He learns the tough 18 steps and masters the 19th step from an Indian guru played by Kamal Hassan while Asin will play a local princess."

Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art form which originated in Kerala, India, was taken across the Himalayas by the Buddhist monk Bodhi Dharma to China, giving birth to Chinese Kung Fu. Kalaripayattu in its current form is 1,500 years old.

The movie will be directed by Bharath Bala and produced by Bharath Bala Productions and Walt Disney. It will be released in three languages: English, Japanese and Tamil. The shooting of the film will begin in the last week of June 2009 after Kamal Hassan wraps up Marmayogi and once Asin masters the art. It will be shot in Kerala.

Meanwhile Asin is busy wrapping up her shoot of Vipul Shah's London
Dreams with Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan before beginning her shoot on 19th Step.

Or you can just check out an Asin website (http://www.asinonline.com/).

GeneChing

02-12-2009, 11:41 AM

Ravishing yoga teacher turned actress - here's a fan site for pics (http://www.anushkaweb.com/).

Anushka plays a martial arts expert now (http://www.chitramala.com/news/anushka-plays-a-martial-arts-expert-now-110237.html)
Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

The ravishing yoga teacher turned actress Anushka made a big splash with her bewitching performance in the film Arundathi. The film is a sensational hit and it is drawing full houses even in its fourth week of its release.

Anushka is now the most sought after actress. She is now acting in the film titled Billa. Prabhas is the hero. The film will portray Anushka in an entirely different role.

Anushka will be seen as a martial arts expert who sets out to take revenge on the perpetrators of crime.

Anushka being a trained yoga teacher, found it rather easy to train for the right poses and kicks as a martial arts expert.

Billa is a remake of a Tamil film. Anushka is expected to a bikini act in the film, similar to what Nayanatara did in the Tamil version.

GeneChing

02-16-2009, 10:46 AM

More on Anushka...

Anushka’s martial art training for 'Billa' (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/45021.html)
IndiaGlitz [Friday, February 13, 2009]

‘Billa’, the stylish, extravagant movie of this year is fast shaping up in earnest. Starring Prabhas, Anushka in the lead cast, Meher Ramesh is directing the film. Senior star Krishnam Raju enacts the prominent role of a senior police officer while Namitha is also a part of the cast.

Anushka after ‘Arundhathi’ is taking up the serious role of a vengeance ridden girl in ‘Billa’. Even though the script demands more scope for glamour, she is also keen to leave her mark intact. At present, she is undergoing a rigorous training to master the martial arts of China. Our Indian Michelle Yeoh might be the rare heroine to learn fighting besides male actors.

Filled with exuberant joy of ‘Arundhathi’ success, Anushka says, ‘I look stylish in the film. My costumes are unique and riveting’.

For now, she is a popular star in Tollywood and yet to make it big in Tamil cinema. With Shriya becoming a mass heroine in Tamil, Anushka is not far behind as ‘Arundhathi’ gets dubbed in the languages shortly.

yutyeesam

02-16-2009, 12:06 PM

I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire. I hope is sweeps the Oscars.

Same here. Although in India, it got mixed reviews. It's controversial because the sentiment is, whenever non-Indians make a movie about India, they always emphasize the poverty.

My feeling is that it needs to be shown, b/c Indian cinema (read Bollywood) hardly every show it....by nature of it's existence, Bollywood is designed to produce more escapist entertainment.

yutyeesam

02-16-2009, 12:09 PM

More on Anushka...

Here's the confusing thing:
Tollywood refers to two different film industries in India.

So there is the Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, movies made in Telugu language, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India, but also the Cinema of West Bengal in the state of West Bengal in Tollygunge, South Kolkata, India.

The Andhra Pradesh Tollywood is probably more well known. Kolkata is more known for music than film.

yutyeesam

02-23-2009, 06:50 PM

8 Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire! Jai Ho!

I hope this has a positive impact for Indians/India in films in the west.

GeneChing

02-26-2009, 11:28 AM

Have you heard the Jai Ho remix by *****cat Dolls (http://www.myspace.com/*****catdolls)? ;)

BTW, if Frieda Pinto wants to join the Bollywood-starlet-trains-martial-arts trend (one of the greatest trends EVER!) I will come out of retirement and start teaching again, just for her.

Shaolinlueb

02-26-2009, 01:23 PM

have you seen the best bollywood dance scene ever?

http://www.*******world.com/videos/1581767/210477
jack@ass is the ******** word with an a instead of @

GeneChing

02-27-2009, 12:13 PM

...once it's comes out on the web.

**** text filter even broke my link above.

http://www.myspace.com/*****catdolls

pus@sy is the ***** word with an a instead of @

doug maverick

02-27-2009, 12:16 PM

yutyeesam

03-02-2009, 01:15 AM

idk if slumdog millionaire can count as an exact bollywood movie. although it was made in india it was missing those key elements that make a bollywood film a bollywood film. well except the absolute end then it turns totally bollywood. loved the film all and all thou.

And to that end, it kind of informs what the impact will be of Bollywood on Hollywood:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/23/bollywood.hollywood/index.html

GeneChing

03-03-2009, 10:14 AM

...It's very similar to CTHD (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=327). In China, CTHD was rejected. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh had such thick Cantonese accents that it spoiled the feeling of the film for most Mandarin speakers. It was like watching Shakespeare done with cowboy accents. American audiences weren't sensitive to that. They just saw it as a Hong Kong cinema, even though it really wasn't such in the purest of definitions. You can split hairs about what is Bollywood (and Tollywood, and shouldn't it be Mollywood anyway now?) but Slumdog will be perceived as Hollywood.

OK, end of Slumdog Bollywood rant. On to another Bollywood martial arts starlet, which is really what this thread is all about. ;)

Asin to master martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Asin-to-master-martial-arts/articleshow/4216624.cms)
3 Mar 2009, 1207 hrs IST, SUBHASH K JHA

Asin will soon go back to Kerala, just where she came to Bollywood from. But this Best Debutant Actress’ fans needn’t worry at all, for she’s visiting Kerala to learn the art of Kalaripayattu. Asin is all set to share screen space with Japanese star Tadanobu Asano in a cross-culture romance and wants to ensure that she’s well-prepared for it. A Bharat Bala direction, 19th Step will require Asin to engage in martial arts and dance. Says Asin, “I needed to learn Kalaripayattu, the Keralian form of martial arts. Kalaripayattu is considered as the mother of all martial arts.”

Her training is set to begin from April. Glad at the idea of visiting her home-state, Asin says, “I’ll have a group of traditional Kalaripayattu gurus to teach me the ancient art form.” The Indo-Japanese romance will be a Japanese and a Tamil film, and will later be dubbed in Hindi. Telling us about the film, Asin says, “Contrary to rumours, I don’t play a Japanese... I play a traditional Indian girl.”

But isn’t she worried that after a successful Hindi debut, going back to Tamil films is like digging her own grave in Bollywood? Says a defiant Asin, “I’m really not worried about not being seen often in Bollywood. Just because my Hindi film did well doesn’t mean I do only Hindi films. I liked this particular Tamil film, and so I’m doing it. And I must tell you, this Tamil project has been in the pipeline for three years, since I was busy with the Tamil version of Ghajini. Now, Walt Disney is producing the film and we start later this year.”
Be sure to click the link to Asin's pics if you don't know who she is...:)

sanjuro_ronin

03-03-2009, 10:31 AM

yutyeesam

03-04-2009, 01:07 AM

Yeah, buddy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DVcaO5y3Vk

Shaolinlueb

03-04-2009, 09:44 AM

gene

you havent seen shakespear until you have seen it done on the plantation with souther accents.

sll

GeneChing

03-04-2009, 10:38 AM

19th Step is sounding better than CC2C (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52608).

Nice post yutyeesam. Nice to have you back in the game. Let's see *****cat Dolls do a vid for that theme song!

SLL: you crazy.

Asin learns martial arts for bilingual film (http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/downsouth/tamil/asin-learns-martial-arts-for-bilingual-film.html)
By ApunKaChoice
Wed, Mar 04, 2009 12:30 IST

Asin Feisty Asin is set to show her spunky side in an upcoming bilingual film.

In the Indo-Japanese joint production called ‘19th Step’, Asin gets to work with Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan and Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano. Contrary to rumours, Asin won’t play a Japanese girl, but a traditional Indian girl in the film.

And she would soon leave for Kerala to learn the ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu.

The Ghajini girl, who hails from Kerala, will train under traditional Kalaripayattu gurus to learn the fine points of the martial art.

To be made by Bharat Bala, ‘19th Step’ is a cross-culture romance between a Japanese man and an Indian girl. It will be made in Tamil and Japanese. Produced by Walt Disney, the movie will roll later this year.

Kalaripayattu:
One of the ancient martial arts of the world, Kalaripayattu originated in Kerala and is practiced mostly in South India. It involves choreographed martial arts sequences, kicks, grappling, and use of weapons.

GeneChing

03-10-2009, 09:20 AM

Asin + Kalarippayattu + Tadanobu Asano + Disney

Asin to learn martial arts for new film (http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=277688&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22)

By Ashraf Padanna
Thiruvananthapuram: Asin is back in Kerala, her home state, and will soon be busy with Bharath Bala’s multi-lingual The 19th Steps to be shot here later this year.
She has already started preparations and will be back in Kerala later this month to learn the tricky steps of Kalarippayattu, the state’s traditional martial art that is considered a male bastion.
Kamal Haasan plays an important role in the film, which also has popular Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano.
Asin is ecstatic about the project.
“The film is being produced by Walt Disney and a good portion will be shot in Kerala,” the Kochi girl told reporters here.
“This is going to be made in Tamil, Japanese and English and shooting will start in the second half of this year. For this I need to learn martial arts because the storyline demands it.”
In the film, written by M T Vasudevan Nair, the veteran Malayalam scriptwriter and Jnanpit winner, a Samurai warrior tries to master Kalaripayattu; Kamal Haasan plays the role of an Indian martial arts guru.
Malayalam superstar Mammootty learnt all the 18 steps of Kalarippayattu for Nair’s Oru Vadakkan Veera Gadha and went on to win the national award for the best actor 20 years back.
The new film deals with the mystical 19th step.
Asin made her debut in Malayalam film Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001 when she was just 15 years old. Since then she has acted in both Tamil and Telugu films. She won awards and tasted success in Bollywood with her first Hindi film Ghajini.
Now living in Mumbai, she says she is selective about roles.
“I got a few offers from Malayalam but somehow it didn’t work,” she said.
“I’ll act again in Malayalam if good proposals come my way. Remuneration would not be a problem.”

yutyeesam

03-10-2009, 11:02 PM

With all the improvements in choreography and adding the realism element, it's a shame that these things lose their market value:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snJYagxgx5U

And some more Bollywood Femme Fatale action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um5xjK4Rtt8

yutyeesam

03-22-2009, 04:04 PM

LOL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2693sAc***

type in the letters f A g next to each other where the asterisks are.
High entertainment value! Almost looked like she was doing some sort of southern kung-fu fist!

Gene, got any info on the Malayalam film industry?

yutyeesam

03-22-2009, 04:10 PM

Oh, and in case you haven't seen it yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVlBrooxcM

P uss y cat dolls doing Jai Ho

GeneChing

05-27-2009, 09:40 AM

Must find out more about this Fearless Nadia...

Babes get fast and furious! (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bollywood/Babes-get-fast-and-furious/articleshow/4584022.cms)
28 May 2009, 0000 hrs IST, AAKANKSHA NAVAL SHETYE , TNN

The macho men of Bollywood have competition ahead, and it’s from our actresses who’re giving them a tough fight when it comes to doing action on screen.

The past year-and-a-half has seen a surge in B-town hotties foraying into the male bastion of action — to kick the myth of the docile heroine into oblivion. Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor and Shweta Bharadwaj have all already revealed their daredevil streaks. The genre is catching on with others donning the action-star mantle too in forthcoming films, even risking injury in the bargain, like Nandana Sen did while doing stunt sequences recently.

The year kickstarted with the hottie-on-heels Deepika Padukone indulging in some serious ass-kicking in Chandni Chowk to China. Now other actresses are taking the action to an altogether different level. Sample this: In Soham Shah’s Luck, newcomer Shruti Haasan has done her own stunts, including one where she is suspended mid-air from a height of 2,000 ft.

Another newcomer Aruna Shields will be seen ‘bike bungee jumping’ from one skyscraper to another for the Vivek Oberoi-starrer Prince. Akshay Kumar’s action mania seems to have finally rubbed off on his co-star Katrina Kaif, as she too has joined the action-babes’ bandwagon by performing a dangerous water-skiing stunt in Priyadarshan’s De Dana Dan; as has Lara Dutta, who shot for some high-octane action sequences in Anthony D’Souza’s underwater adventure film Blue. Koena Mitra and Tanushree Dutta will also be seen in butt-kicking avatars. Divya Dutta will do a boxing scene in Chaloo Movie, while Celina Jaitley jumped from a high rise in Run Bhola Run.

“Action is no more the forte of the heroes alone,” say trade pundits. One explains, “Unlike yesteryear heroines, nowadays the actresses are fitter, agile and not afraid to try something new. Exactly what the audiences want. Today the heroine is not just the love-interest, she is also the buddy!” Dia Mirza, who’s playing a femme fatale in Acid Factory, agrees, “They are now treated as near equals; though the hero still is the knight in shining armour, the lady’s definitely no damsel in distress.”

Action choreographer Alan Amin points out that it also largely has to do with the fact that performing such stunts are way much safer today than they ever were. “Technology has minimised the risk to a great extent, but still that cannot take away the credit from the actresses who are ready to take more risks. They are far more prepared and many are quite well-versed with kick-boxing and martial arts. Actresses today can carry off the most intricate stunts with practised ease.”
Says Soham, “The pre-requisite for any actress is not dancing or singing alone, but also martial arts, kick-boxing and such action-oriented stuff. Today’s women identify more with these types than with the docile ones.” Bipasha agrees.

“Women are capable of much more than singing, dancing and calling out to the heroes when in distress. Luckily, filmmakers have realised it and are giving actresses a chance to be something more than just a glamourous prop in the films,” says the sexy actress who’s action sequences in Race and Aa Dekhe Zaraa set pulses racing. Adds Lara, “The bars are being set higher with each passing film.” Priyanka and Aishwarya, who admitted that they find doing action both challenging and addictive, would undoubtedly agree. Yesteryear action queen Fearless Nadia must feel very proud!

GeneChing

05-29-2009, 09:47 AM

This works better if you check out some pics of Hamsa Nandini (http://www.bharatstudent.com/ng7uvideo/bs/gallery/normal/movies/tw/2009/feb/adhineta/adhineta_225.jpg).

Hamsa picks up martial arts

After Nayanthara and Anushka, it’s now the turn of Hamsa Nandini to learn martial

“I had to master all those kicks and punches,” she says. The actress
of Adinetha fame also mastered art of the ‘sword-fighting’ for her future roles. After learning the tricks of the trade, the actress desires to do more ‘action’ roles. The Pune-based actress is also learning Telugu for a longer stint in Tollywood. “I’ll sign a couple of Telugu films soon,” she signs off.

GeneChing

08-14-2009, 09:46 AM

More on Hamsa, including a pic of her in an odd pseudo-martial arts pose if you follow the link...

Hamsa takes up martial arts (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/49038.html)
IndiaGlitz [Friday, August 14, 2009]

The tall and lanky beauty Hamsa Nandini has caught some attention with her movie “Adhineta”. She is slowly making her presence felt in the industry.

Now according to sources, the tall beauty is taking up martial arts. Sources claim that she has already learnt sword fighting. Meanwhile, the actress who hails from Pune is also learning Telugu. Well looks like she does not want to leave anything to chance and giving her best for her roles.

Even actresses Nayanthara and Anushka are said to have taken to martial arts and perhaps that is one reason for their perfect figures.

GeneChing

09-23-2009, 09:07 AM

But I'm not starting a Tollywood Kung Fu thread. This one here is obscure enough.

Click link if you want to see Ram's sansetsukon (http://www.martialartsmart.com/25-33.html).

Ram is all set for some 'Action' (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Ram-is-all-set-for-some-Action/articleshow/5047167.cms)
B V S Prakash, TNN 24 September 2009, 12:00am IST

Guess who’s kicking some serious butt? Mana Tollywood heartthrob Ram. In his new film, the charming 23-year-old actor got to show off his newly acquired martial skills.

In fact, Ram claims that he even imported a Sansetsukon (a Chinese flail weapon) from the US to get his act right. “It’s the same kind of weapon used in 36th Chamber of Shaolin,” he says with a hint of pride in his voice. The actor practiced hard to get his movements right for the action sequences and insists that the shots would be “much appreciated by everyone in the audience.”

This is not the first time that the actor gets into the action mode. Ram says he has learnt “kung fu for two years before joining films. And the nun chak fight scene in my debut film Devadasu fetched me appreciation,” he informs.

While in Tollywood “action sequences don’t really need brute power and force,” Ram would like to do an “out-and-out action film, very soon.”

In fact Ram’s work life too has been fairly action-packed with the actor working on two films back-to-back. He felt he was “doing 200 films at a time” because he gets “involved in every aspect of filmmaking”. His busy schedule made his friends worried about his well-being. Now he’s looking forward to catching up with “friends” “family” and check out some new films.

GeneChing

09-28-2009, 10:09 AM

Kung-Fu for Rosa Catalano In China (http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=n092609111057)
- Planet Bollywood Special Correspondant
Rosa Catalano is fit and is becoming fitter as days are passing by. A kick-boxing freak past 4 years, a trained martial arts person, Rosa is now going to try her hands in the oldest and the best form of martial arts, Wushu Kung-Fu from Anan Henan in China.

“I have always been keen into learning martial arts and nothing beats Wushu Kung Fu, from the ancient Shaolin temple. I am really looking forward for this. Many think that martial art is only for self-defense, but according to me, it is a co-ordination between the mind and the body. It makes your body feel good”, explains Rosa Catalano who is also doing great action stuffs in Khatron Ke Khiladi.

It seems our own action Hero Akshay Kumar has really helped her motivation to ascend to great deals while doing the show.

With having a motivation for perfection in martial arts, there seems no barrier for this Italian girl who is also keen in kicking and showing some of her moves in action films. Are our action directors listening?

This works much better with an image.
http://i32.tinypic.com/2i9p1y8.jpg

GeneChing

09-29-2009, 09:17 AM

These Bollywood babes love to train a little for the publicity, which is alright by me. Gives me something to post here. This article is derivative of the previous post, but there's a pic of Rosa in a funky kung fu pose. You have to click it though because MSN has the image protected.

29/09/2009
Rosa Catalano to learn Wushu Kung-Fu (http://entertainment.in.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3253431)

Rosa Catalano combating fear on 'Khatron ke Khiladi level 2' seems to have taken a leaf out of anchor Akshay Kumar’s book.

A kick-boxing freak for the past four years and trained in martial arts, Rosa is now all rearing to leave for China to try her hands at one of the oldest forms of martial arts, Wushu Kung-Fu from Anan Henan.

"I have always been keen into learning martial arts and nothing beats Wushu Kung Fu, from the ancient Shaolin temple. I am really looking forward for this. Many think that martial art is only for self-defense, but according to me, it is a co-ordination between the mind and the body. It makes your body feel good", said Rosa Catalano.

With having a motivation for perfection in martial arts, there seems no barrier for this Italian girl who is also keen in kicking and showing some of her moves in action films. She sure would be a delight for all those producers who are planning sci-fi and action movies.

GeneChing

10-13-2009, 09:47 AM

There are more stories. Akshay is always big news in India.

Karate kid Akshay honoured (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Karate-kid-Akshay-honoured/articleshow/5112093.cms)
MEENA IYER , TNN 12 October 2009, 12:00am IST

The Bollywood superstar who goes by the nickname Khiladi Kumar is being honoured with a ‘Katana’ at a ceremony in Mumbai. The renowned Shihan Hirano Osamu, Grandmaster and founder of the Kuyukai International and Mehul Vora, the organiser of the first invitational National Open Karate Championship will honour Akshay with a ‘Katana’ and a sixth degree Black Belt in Kuyukai Gojuryu Karate.

Akki, who is a martial arts expert, is thrilled to be receiving the ‘Katana’, which is the highest honour amongst the Japanese and it is a tradition practiced among Samurai.

Says the superstar, “It’s a privilege to be receiving this honour. Karate is a part of my soul and to be honoured with something as precious as a ‘Katana’ is something I hadn’t even dreamt of.” Says a source from Kuyukai International, “Akshay has always portrayed martial arts in a good light. Many a times he has tried to incorporate martial stunts in his films as well, keeping the tradition alive.”

IndiaGlitz [Monday, October 12, 2009]

Hereon our Akshay Kumar might be adding a new title to his name. Katana Akshay Kumar. (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/50721.html)

Ok coming to the news… our rough-tough actor was honoured with ‘Katana’, the highest honour within Japanese, and a sixth degree Black Belt in Kuyukai Gojuryu Karate, for his contribution towards martial arts, said sources. ‘Katana’ is said to be a Samurai tradition. The ceremony was held in Mumbai today. It was graced by Shihan Hirano Osamu, the famous Grandmaster and founder of the Kuyukai International and Mehul Vora, the organiser of the first invitational National Open Karate Championship.

Excited over this achievement, Akki gushed, “It’s a privilege to be receiving this honour. Karate is a part of my soul and to be honoured with something as precious as a ‘Katana’ is something I hadn’t even dreamt of.”

Whereas according to a source from the Kuyukai organisation said that Akki has always portrayed martial arts in a good light. “Many a times, he has tried to incorporate martial stunts in his films as well, keeping the tradition alive,” added the source.

Well done, Akki!!!

Akshay gets highest martial arts honour (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=110&id=66159&Itemid=1&sectionid=67)
Chandni Gandhi (Headlines Today)
Mumbai, October 13, 2009

Akshay Kumar is now Shiyan Akshay Kumar. A trained martial arts expert, the actor has been honoured with a Katana, the symbol of the highest honour in martial arts.

"This day has been a longstanding dream. Karate, along with my father, has made me what I am today. Goju Ryu karate has been the longest love of my life," said Akshay after receiving the honour.

Akshay has also been given a sixth-degree Black Belt in karate for his contribution towards martial arts. "I came into the film industry knowing only martial arts. Now I am doing as much as I can in return," he said.

Akshay wishes to start his own school of karate to encourage other forms of martial arts.

"I wanted to start my own school long ago but never got a decent site. I need about 3 or 4 acres for the project," he said.

sanjuro_ronin

10-13-2009, 10:07 AM

All I have to say is, BY GANEESH !!!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_792bHZiTE70/RnPlspQuxYI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/qRXTOrOKvAc/s1600/Amrit-Dhaliwal-18.jpg

GeneChing

10-16-2009, 01:54 PM

No risk, no fun (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_no-risk-no-fun_1299368)
Prithwish Ganguly / DNA
Thursday, October 15, 2009 23:59 IST

Mumbai: Arjun Rampal and mrita Rao are enrolling themselves for Shaolin Kung Fu classes. However, it's ot for self-defence, but to pull off some high-risk stunts in a forthcoming film. The film titled The Legend Of Kunal is based on the relationship between Emperor Ashoka and his son. It stars Amitabh Bachchan in the lead.

A source says, "Arjun will have to undergo a rigorous training session as there are many fight sequences to be filmed on him. He will flaunt a bare torso and his abs in the film. And Shaolin Kung Fu will make him fit enough to challenge his physical abilities. Amrita, on the other hand, has already started training hard. She will also have many scenes in which she will have to pull off muscle flexing stunts. Apart from this, she is also taking lessons in horse-riding."

While Arjun chose to remain mum about the project, Amrita's spokesperson said, "Amrita's role demands much more than just looking glamourous. She does a lot of stunts. She is training with a Shaolin expert who has been in India for a few months. She trains for 3-4 hours a day. In fact she plans to take this up on a daily basis even after the movie is over as that would help her remain fit."

Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, the film will also have Tabu, who is paired opposite Bachchan.

Amrita Rao is on the October Maxim
http://sifyimg.edgesuite.net/static.sify.com/content/media/image/jkps7Jhjjdd.jpg

GeneChing

11-23-2009, 11:19 AM

We need an Akshay for kung fu in America...

Akshay Kumar foregoes fees for Karate show (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/akshay-kumar-foregoes-fees-for-karate-show/545078/)

In his endeavour to spread awareness about Karate and Martial Arts in general, Akshay Kumar has let go of at least a few lakhs for a TV show. A special 'making' segment has been created for the Karate Championship sponsored by him. However, the actor didn't talk commercials when the channel expressed its desire to air it.

Says a source attached to the channel Colors that would be airing the program titled 'Akshay Kumar Invitational Karate Event', "This is a very special event since Akshay Kumar is sponsoring a Karate Championship for the youngsters. The purpose is to enhance their talent, showcase their skills and represent their country. This is why he didn't even charge a penny for the program. He is not looking for any money here since he feels very strongly about the relevance of Martial Arts and wants all around awareness to be spread about it."

As the actor has always maintained, through this Championship he is looking at more and more youngsters in the country to come closer to Martial Arts. Just like in Singapore where learning Martial Arts is a must for everyone, he wants India too to wake up to this fact and become an expert in self defence.

Updated on Sunday, November 22, 2009, 14:12 IST
Spicezee Bureau (http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story47030.htm)

Mumbai: Known for his daredevil stunts in B-town flicks, Akshay Kumar is famous for popularising Martial Arts in Bollywood. The star who is celebrated for carrying out his own stunts, was recently stunned when rumour mills hinted that the action star made huge moolah for a Martial Arts show that is currently running on an entertainment channel.

When enquired about the whole incident, while speaking to a news daily, a miffed Akshay retorted, “What packet, I didn’t do this commercially, I made no packet — why do people say that? In fact, it’s pay back time to Martial Arts for me.”

The actor minced no words when he credited his achievements to his parents and Martial Arts as, “Martial Arts is not about kicking ass only, it’s basically about developing self-confidence, mental balance, discipline and respect. I’m not saying do Karate only... you can do anything, take up Judo, follow Aikido, learn Jeet Kune Do, it’s all a good thing, I’m just trying to promote the martial arts as a way of life.”

The macho actor recently held a national level Martial Arts tournament in Mumbai and invited sportsmen from various countries as he added, “They came at my expense, I was their host, and the tournament threw up such surprises. Age does not matter in the Martial Arts, there were fighters from the age of six to 66, all actively participating. One eight-year-old boy who was deaf and dumb and is an orange belt, went on to win the silver medal.”

Incidentally, the same event is being shown on a TV channel to popularise Martial Arts in the country. Well, the star is vocal in persuading the Indian government to make Martial Arts as a compulsory subject in school like, “Between the first standard and tenth, school students must compulsorily do two years of Martial Arts in these nations.”

mawali

11-23-2009, 07:02 PM

All I have to say is, BY GANEESH !!!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_792bHZiTE70/RnPlspQuxYI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/qRXTOrOKvAc/s1600/Amrit-Dhaliwal-18.jpg

What does one add to say Mumbai!

GeneChing

12-03-2009, 10:43 AM

I haven't seen any Bollywood since CC2C (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=800).

Salman Khan learns sword fighting from Pindaris for VEER!! (http://www.magnamags.com/index.php/200912035336/stardust/scoop-of-the-day/salman-khan-learns-sword-fighting-from-pindaris-for-veer.html)
[03 Dec 2009]

Salman Khan, the macho man of bollywood who plays the part of a Pindari warrior in Anil Sharma’s upcoming flick ‘Veer’, learned sword fighting from the original descendants of the community to inject a sense of realism in his dream project.

Salman Khan, who has become fond of Aamir Khan, seems to have imbibed his habit of going to any length to perfectly enact the character and this was amply displayed in sword fighting practice for ‘Veer’. In fact, Salman Khan told his action director to search for the original Pindari people, so that he could learn from them their specialized technique of fighting from a horseback.

Finally, a few families of the almost extinct clan were located in their old areas and brought to train macho Khan. Salman Khan is said to have closely observed their body language and mannerism while on the horse back before enacting the character himself in the film.

Sources close to Salman Khan say that though he had written the script of the flick a long time ago, but the research about Pindari clan began only after the film went on the floors. Salman Khan’s action director Tinu Verma was a great help in this regard, as it was he who did the major part of research on the Pindari warfare, and then directed Salman in accordance with that.

Salman Khan plays a Pindari warrior in year 1875, when India was being ruled by British royalty. The Pindaris had been a great warrior clan, who supported Marathas in their fight against the Mughal dynasty, and in return were allowed to plunder the conquered territories.

But when British took over Delhi from Mughals, the Pindaris came directly in conflict with these foreign rulers. Salman Khan’s character is fighting British during this period. It is during this period that Lord Hastings had struck a death blow on Pindari prestige and killed almost thirty thousand of them.

Miss UK Lisa Lazarus will also play an important role in the flick opposite Salman Khan to give it an authentic British era look on the celluloid. Salman, as a Pindari warrior, will also fight a lion to save the British girl in distress in the jungles.

A newbie Zarine Khan, who is said to be Katrina Kaif’s look alike, plays the main lead opposite Salman Khan. Salman Khan had spotted Zarine on the sets of Subhash Ghai’s ‘Yuvvraaj’ and immediately cast her after Katrina Kaif cited date problems in accepting the flick.

‘Veer’ is complete and will see the light of the day in early part of next year.

GeneChing

03-22-2010, 09:34 AM

This would have been huge in Asia.

Published: Sunday, March 21, 2010 10:21 [IST]
No Jackie Chan in Ra.One: SRK

There were recent reports in the media that Jackie Chan would be making his Bollywood debut in Shah Rukh Khan superhero film, Ra.One. However, Shah Rukh Khan has said that Jackie will not be a part of his film.

“No Jackie Chan in Ra. One. That’s final now,” Shah Rukh Khan posted on twitter.

International musician Akon has sung a song in the film.

Shah Rukh wrote, “Akon song in the film. May do video later. Don’t know. We have international VFX team working with our own.”

The actor also wrote that he would be performing his own stunts in the film.

“Like to do my stunts…It’s scary but I do them. I am just a regular guy doing an irregular job…so no reason not to be grounded.”

Ra.One, which also stars Kareena Kapoor, is being directed by Anubhav Sinha. Shah Rukh Khan is producing it under his home production Red Chillies Entertainment.

ghostexorcist

03-23-2010, 02:34 AM

Do Indian Porn starlets count as Bollywood?

http://www.priyaanjalirai.com/v1/images/photos/priyaanjalirai_pics-09.jpg

sanjuro_ronin

03-23-2010, 06:25 AM

Do Indian Porn starlets count as Bollywood?

http://www.priyaanjalirai.com/v1/images/photos/priyaanjalirai_pics-09.jpg

They should !
Wood indeed !!

ghostexorcist

03-24-2010, 12:04 PM

They should !
Wood indeed !!
http://gals.lemmecheck.com/twistys/priya-rai-fountain/08lg.jpg

precisely.

sanjuro_ronin

03-24-2010, 12:31 PM

http://gals.lemmecheck.com/twistys/priya-rai-fountain/08lg.jpg

precisely.

Ahem:
You don't have permission to access /twistys/priya-rai-fountain/08lg.jpg on this server.

Dude...

sanjuro_ronin

03-24-2010, 12:33 PM

This the one you wanted?
http://gals.lemmecheck.com/twistys/priya-rai-fountain/08lg.jpg

ghostexorcist

03-24-2010, 02:12 PM

This the one you wanted?
http://gals.lemmecheck.com/twistys/priya-rai-fountain/08lg.jpg
That's the one.

Just some random pic I looked up (her name is Priya Rai by the way).

sanjuro_ronin

03-25-2010, 05:36 AM

Some pesky ninja removed the pic.....
:mad:

GeneChing

03-25-2010, 09:51 AM

I don't know why it shows sometimes and doesn't show other times. But if you edit your post, sanjuro_ronin, you'll still see it's there. Perhaps it's some copyguard function. The intermittent display is very odd.

Besides, this thread is about Bollywood Kung-Fu, not just Bollywood hotties. If you want to discuss Bollywood hotties, that should be a new thread in the Off Topic section (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20). Not that I'm suggesting you post more cheesecake, s_r. However, it might distract the boys from their OT political flame wars for a moment...:rolleyes:

sanjuro_ronin

03-25-2010, 09:53 AM

GeneChing

03-25-2010, 10:13 AM

Where is our ninja hottie thread?

ghostexorcist

03-27-2010, 03:37 AM

Besides, this thread is about Bollywood Kung-Fu, not just Bollywood hotties.
But Indian porn starlets have mastered the kung fu grip and breathing through their ears. Is this not relevant?

GeneChing

03-29-2010, 12:06 PM

...or at least, they belong on some other thread. Maybe an OT (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20) thread.

Let me show you boys how to do it. Check out Ayesha.

Meet Kannada cinema's lady Bruce Lee! (http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/mar/29/slide-show-1-south-meet-lady-bruce-lee-of-kannada-films.htm)
Pix: Meet Kannada cinema's lady Bruce Lee!
Last updated on: March 29, 2010 16:02 IST

Treading the path of action heroines Malashree and Vijayashanti is latest entrant, Ayesha.

The Tirupathi-based lass will be seen flexing her muscles in Jayahe, a kannada film directed by famed action director Thriller Manju.

Ayesha, a black belt in Karate, has been training with her father Habib since she was a year old. She is today popularly known as 'Lady Bruce Lee.' Manju chose Ayesha for the part after he recalled directing her in Shabda seven years ago. In that film too, Ayesha performed stunts.

Martial arts form a crucial part of Jayahe. The story revolves around a father-daughter relationship.

Manju too couldn't resist acting in the movie. He plays an advanced martial arts trainer, Dhrona.

"In my film, the girl goes to Bangkok in search of her kidnapped father. As the kidnappers are martial arts experts, the girl wants to learn advanced techniques to fight them. After hearing about my skills, she seeks training from me," he reveals.

As the trainer resides in Dubare forest, Coorg, the film has been extensively shot there. Parts of the film have been shot in Mangalore as well.
http://im.rediff.com/movies/2010/mar/29sl1.jpg

GeneChing

07-23-2010, 02:11 PM

Excuse my Russian, but trust me and click this. It made my day. :D
5 самых страшных ударов из индийских боевиков (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyKrALe68OA)

GeneChing

10-06-2010, 06:12 PM

Might be cool enough to deserve it's own thread

Endhiran Theatrical trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNXHveyzUvY)

ghostexorcist

10-06-2010, 06:21 PM

Might be cool enough to deserve it's own thread

Endhiran Theatrical trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNXHveyzUvY)
What the hell did I just watch?!?

Sort of I Robot meets the Mask. I loved the huge cobra comprised of individual androids.

GeneChing

10-13-2010, 09:29 AM

Arya trains in Kung Fu (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/60786.html)
IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, October 13, 2010]

http://icdn1.indiaglitz.com/tamil/news/arya131010_1.jpg

We reported that Mysskin has confirmed Arya for ‘Mugamudi’ which was planned having Suriya in mind. Arya plays a martial arts expert who is a killing machine in the film. So, Mysskin is insisting that Arya becomes a trained professional before the shooting starts.

To help Arya train in Kung Fu, Mysskin is bringing Kung Fu master from Okinawa to teach the difficult art. ‘Mugamudi’ is said to be a 35 crore project and Mysskin is leaving no stones unturned to bring in all commercial elements into the film.

Lingusamy who has been announced as the producer of ‘Mugamudi’ will also chip in with his valuable comments as he has many commercial block busters under him as a director.
hmm, Okinawan Kung Fu. hmm.

GeneChing

01-10-2011, 12:59 PM

‘Udumban’ To Revive Native Martial Arts In Kollywoo (http://www.realbollywood.com/news/2011/01/udumban-revive-native-martial-arts-kollywood.html)d
January 10, 2011: Kollywood is undergoing a revolutionary phase when it comes to action scenes! Usually, filmmakers prefer to go for the martial art forms like silambattam, karate, kung fu, boxing and kick-boxing. But recently, a revolutionary transformation has been noticed in action sequences in Tamil films. In mid 2010, Madarasapattinam, written and directed by A. L.Vijay explored the age old ‘wrestling’ and it became a craze among the viewers.

Now, action director Michael of the upcoming film Udumban is trying to revive many other native martial art forms through various action sequences in the film. He will mainly use ‘wrestling as the main action form in this film. Bike racer Dilip Roger will be seen as the main lead in this film, which is based on real life incident. He is using the native martial art forms to give an authentic feel to this film based on reality.

This new trend of using wrestling in Tamil cinema has been welcomed by all. Now, audiences are expecting to see some other native martial arts like Kalari, which has not been used much in Kollywood films. There is a hope among the viewers that wrestling will make its comeback in action sequences of Tamil films. The process might be slow but they are sure to see wrestling hitting in Kollywood again.

This is a nice gesture by the filmmakers and the action directors in a bid to revive the native martial art forms.I know, I know, it's Kollywood, not Bollywood.

GeneChing

02-25-2011, 11:30 AM

Genelia D’Souza to learn martial arts for film role (http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story82518.htm)
Updated on Thursday, February 24, 2011, 17:11

http://spicezee.zeenews.com/upload/2011/2/24/genelia150.jpg
Genelia D`Souza is all set debut in the Malayalam film industry. The girl next door will be playing a Portuguese princess in the much awaited film ‘Urumi’. And there is more!

Not only does she plan to look gorgeous as the princess, but also plans to surprise her fans with some awe-inspiring martial art stunts.

Urumi is based on the attempted assassination of Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, who arrived in Kappad near Calicut, in 1498.

According to sources, the actress was initially a bit worried about doing action sequences where she had to perform Kalari which is the most ancient system of physical self-defense and martial technique. That`s when she remembered her friend and `Ready` costar Ram.

The actress informed her director that Ram, who has trained in Kalari martial art, had helped her a lot and enlightened her about the art while practicing it.
Genelia will also go through a short training in martial arts to play her role better.
The next door is all charged up for this ‘different’ role and we wish her luck!

Genelia. I like that name.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qSI1URO4afE/TJ-9o24rA-I/AAAAAAAAHXU/F-ISblrpCRQ/s1600/6gemxi.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bollywood.celebs9.com/most-boldest-boob-show-genelia-dsouza&usg=__h13fFN5p5-51fESifC_4UWA5ZAE=&h=1344&w=1023&sz=212&hl=en&start=122&zoom=1&tbnid=LohuqHYpCQ8-BM:&tbnh=165&tbnw=167&ei=MvVnTZGQNYmasAPWk9WmBA&prev=/images%3Fq%3DGenelia%2BD%2560Souza%26um%3D1%26hl%3 Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1432%26bih%3D701%26tbs%3Disch: 10%2C3460&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=398&vpy=294&dur=385&hovh=219&hovw=167&tx=108&ty=167&oei=9vRnTYDtCI24sQOwpuGoBA&page=7&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:122&biw=1432&bih=701

GeneChing

03-15-2011, 10:01 AM

Maybe I should change this thread titles to 'Bollywood Karate!!'?

NOT!

Karate will be our national sport: Akshay Kumar (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_karate-will-be-our-national-sport-akshay-kumar_1520230)
Published: Tuesday, Mar 15, 2011, 16:44 IST
By Team After Hours | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

The martial arts enthusiast and actor talks about how karate should be made compulsory in schools and on the popularity of martial arts.

On the global scene
As far as martial arts are concerned, the South Asian countries are far ahead of us. I feel interacting with them and fighting them will benefit those learning the art here. I want the children here to have exposure to the best karate fighters and teachers and I want them to learn martial arts with the same passion and dedication as children in other South Asian countries do.

Like a boy from every rural family is sent to the armed forces to become a soldier, I hope that a child from every family will be enrolled in karate here.

My plans for karate
Taking the karate championship to an international level is on the cards. The response we have received over the last few years has been phenomenal. I am confident that we will see success even with an international karate championship. India has some extreme talent and I’m doing all I can to expose it. I couldn’t be more pleased with everyone of them.

All the adults and children take this competition very seriously — every opponent was there to win — there are guys and girls who can seriously kick ass... I have already prepared them for the fact that next year we are making my tournament international and that countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, will be competing with India’s finest karate champions.

I’m already looking forward to next year! Right now, I want to host the championships only in India and I want to show the world what a great host India is.

I do not want to make martial arts a source of entertainment on Friday nights. Who wins? Who falls? No, that’s not what this is about. I just want to give everyone the opportunity to learn one of the greatest forms of physical disciplines in the world. Cinema is different, training is different. I feel we should leave the attraction of martial arts to cinema and reveal the magic of martial arts to the competition floor.

Martial arts in India
Karate, one day, will be our national sport or at least second on the list. I want everybody to understand that karate is not just a combat sport; martial arts keep me fit, agile, disciplined and punctual. It helps you control anger, negativity and enables you to focus during extremely stressful situations. Karate is more than just kicking and punching, it is an art. I would love to make karate compulsory in schools. Everyone — especially women — deserve to be taught self-defense in this country.

You’ll be surprised to know that young girls at my karate tournament manage to throw around guys twice their height and weight and lock them to the ground. Women are powerful and I want them all to be protected in life.

On Indian martial arts
Some of the most incredible forms of martial arts trace their origins to India. They are practically secrets to the rest of the world. I want the world to see what India has to offer. We have techniques that even the Chinese don’t have, let’s be proud of our traditions and embrace what we are. My aim is to change the perception of martial arts in India. We have such talented individuals. We just need to find them and nurture them.

Common misconceptions
Martial arts mustn’t be misconstrued as violence. I hate violence. I adore my art, but if it’s used in the wrong way, you might as well be a murderer. There’s a huge difference between a man who ‘can kill’ and ‘will kill’. Art it is not an excuse to go around thrashing people.

GeneChing

03-24-2011, 09:33 AM

That's a great name, come to think of it. Genelia. Yea. I like the sound of that. Genelia. :cool: She deserves another pic.

http://www.bollywood.ac/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/geene.jpg

Genelia D' Souza trains in martial arts for 'Urumi' (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/genelia-d-souza-trains-in-martial-arts-for-urumi/766779/)

Bollywood's 'Girl next door' Genelia D'Souza' went all her way to perfect her turn as a sword-totting warrior in the tri-lingual film 'Urumi', with special classes in martial arts, horse riding and rowing.

The actress who recently represented the film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, plays a Portuguese girl who falls for an Indian rebel, played by Malayalam star Prithviraj, in the film.

The 24-year-old is the lead in the multi-starrer which has cameos by Vidya Balan, Prabhu Deva, Tabu and Amol Gupte among others and impressed director Santosh Sivan with her diligence.

"She spent weeks learning 'Kalaripayattu' and horse riding and rowing so that she could do the action scenes herself. It was great to see her persistence and hard work," said Sivan.

And the actress was more than happy to be promoting the mega-budget film in Hong Kong and took to Twitter to tell her fans about her excitement. "Off to HK for HAF-Asia's Premier project market tonite. Urumi is 1 of the 28 prestigious films to be selected! My baby has started to crawl(sic)," she tweeted.

sanjuro_ronin

03-24-2011, 10:15 AM

Misplace a T and an A in there and we are in for some fun, LOL !

GeneChing

05-24-2011, 09:26 AM

Shaolin to the stars...the Bollywood stars....

Shaolin’s Indian face is basking in Bollywood’s limelight (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloid/all-rounders/shaolin%E2%80%99s-indian-face-basking-bollywood%E2%80%99s-limelight-723)
May 24, 2011

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_horizontal/article-images/3_18.jpg.crop_display.jpg
Kanishka Sharma ith Bollywood star John Abraham on the sets of Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal.

Watching The 36th Chamber of Shaolin transformed the life of Kanishka Sharma.

It inspired him to take up martial arts at the age of seven, and Kanishka can now proudly look back over a career spanning 26 years in the same.

“Martial arts teaches you to be strong, but it also teaches you to be humble,” says Kanishka. “Shaolin says if you know how to hurt someone, then you should also know how to heal someone.”

Kanishka’s Shaolin expertise has led him to be called in to train Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan (for Don) and Abhishek Bachchan (for Game).

“Priyanka is an incredibly fast learner,” says Kanishka. “She’s as flexible as rubber! As for SRK, everybody knows he’s a hard worker.”

Abhishek comes in for a fair share of praise too.

“As an individual, Abhishek is highly knowledgeable. He knows a lot about warfare and it is a pleasure to interact with him,” says Kanishka.

Not just behind the scenes, Kanishka has enjoyed a bit of the limelight too, with a role in the John Abraham-starrer Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. But he asserts, “As long as the project is good, I don’t care if it’s in front of or behind the camera.”

Kanishka says there are a lot of misconceptions about martial arts: “The type of martial arts that are practiced today are all sports forms. They can only get you gold medals in a tournament, they don’t teach you how to save a life on the street.”

GeneChing

06-28-2011, 09:37 AM

Rowdy Rathore sounds amusing. Good to see Akshay doing another martial arts flick.

28/06/2011
Akshay Kumar to train in combat karate for his next (http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5242643)

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) Action star is taking two months off to train in traditional combat karate for his next film, ''Rowdy Rathore''.

The 43-year-old actor will train in this form of martial arts for his role in the Prabhudeva directed film set in the rustic heartland of India which also stars Sonakshi Sinha.

"Akshay along with the action director of the film will take time out to study the traditional martial arts form that is popularly practiced in the underground sectors of South East Asia and can only be practiced by people who have great expertise and concentration," a source said.

The Bollywood star also plans to introduce Combat Karate in his Karate Academy next year and also in the Invitational National Karate Championship 2012.

"Akshay Kumar is very passionate about the sport and believes that the introduction of new martial arts forms will only take the Championship to a greater height. The planning for its establishment is currently being discussed," the source added.

GeneChing

08-01-2011, 10:02 AM

I saw yutyeesam at Legends (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60408) and told him he was slacking on this thread. He conceded that. Just to bait him back, I'm going to pummel him with a three-fer today.

YUT

Bollywood stars go back to school (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_bollywood-stars-go-back-to-school_1571519)
Published: Monday, Aug 1, 2011, 9:28 IST
By Aakanksha Naval-Shetye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
http://static.dnaindia.com/images/cache/1571520.jpg
Katrina Kaif

Actress Katrina Kaif learned scuba- diving for one of her recent films. Hrithik Roshan apparently brushed up on his Marathi for Agneepath, while Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan both have recently learnt specialised forms of martial arts for their own forthcoming films.

Not too long back, Deepika Padukone learned skating, while Priyanka Chopra learned the desi form of martial arts for Drona. It’s no secret that actors often go to great lengths to get into the skin of their characters, even if this means having to learn a whole new art form. However, the stars too are certainly not shying away from being students again, no matter what the experience.

Kaif, who has learnt not just biking, but also belly dancing and playing a guitar, apart from scuba-diving for her recent films reveals that while she enjoyed the bike part, the scuba-diving is not something that she was too kicked about.

“I don’t think I’d want to try my hand at it again, unless a role calls for it. I did it only because the film required it,” shared the Bollywood hottie.

Chopra feels that having to learn something new is one of the perks of being an actor. “I really enjoyed learning martial arts for both Don and Drona. I think it was exciting and that’s also what I love about being an actor, there’s so much more you can learn and do,” she’d said earlier.

According to trade analysts, most actors today are definitely more kicked about learning something new than using body doubles. “These days the competition ensures that the actors put in their extra efforts, no matter what it entails,” says trade analyst Komal Nahta.

For actor Shahid Kapoor it was a dream come true whenhe got to fly an F-16 for his role in Mausam. “I don’t think I could’ve gotten a chance to fly one otherwise,” he joked. On a serious note he adds, “I think we actors are quite lucky on that front as we in a way get to lead so many lives and professions.”

Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar says that most of them look at it as a fun thing rather than a punishment and adds, “Most of us end up loving what we learned so it’s a win-win situation for both the filmmaker as well as the actors.”

YEE

Salman Khan to train in martial arts in Korea (http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?section=Movies&Id=ENTEN20110181353&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=123535)
Mid-Day.com
Monday, August 01, 2011 (Mumbai)
http://movies.ndtv.com/images/showbiz/SalluShirtless.jpg
Taking off his shirt to fight the enemy is not enough anymore.

Salman Khan is all set to perform the most difficult action sequences of his career in Sajid Nadiadwala's Kick, and that too, in locations rarely ever seen in any kind of cinema.

Says Sajid, "We wanted the action in the film to go way beyond what we've seen Salman do in Wanted and Dabangg. So, we're working towards that."

Kick will be shot in Korea, all thanks to Salman who is keen to explore new locations for his films.

"Yes, the Korean Tourist Organisation has opened its doors to Kick. We've selected Seoul, Jeju Island, Busan and Gangwon Do, but I can't reveal why we've chosen these places just yet," he adds.

However, we've reliably learnt that Salman will be shooting some of the most kick-ass sequences of his life in the wild Korean outdoors.

Says a source, "The action will be the very basic. Salman wants to take the action sequences from the original Telugu film Kick to another level. He was very impressed with Ravi Tejaa's action in the original, which was shot in Malaysia."

In September, the actor will start training in martial arts with well-known French stunt director Philip Guegan.p
SAM

Aamir Khan gears up for his Dhoom 3 makeover (http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?Section=Movies&ID=ENTEN20110181356&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=bollywood&nid=123543)
Mid-Day.com
Monday, August 01, 2011 (Mumbai)
http://movies.ndtv.com/images/showbiz/Aamir-retro.jpg
If Aamir Khan could build the most chiseled body in B-town for Ghajini and then break it down to look like a lanky teenager in Three Idiots, it shouldn't be surprising if he transforms himself yet again for his next action-thriller Dhoom 3. But, this time, the makeover may have to move beyond just the flab!

Apparently the actor, who is playing a gymnast and martial arts expert in the movie, will have to undergo a complete change of physique, not just in terms of weight but also body language.

For this, he has hired fitness expert Gerald Zarcilla to train him in martial arts and gymnastics. Aamir said during a recent interaction, "I have to bring down my weight to 60 kgs with just 10 per cent body mass. So that's going to be a task."

The actor has been recommended to watch Victor Salva's Peaceful Warrior to observe the body language of a gymnast in the film.

The actor, who weighed around 73 kgs in Ghajini, had to lose around five to six kgs to look younger in Three Idiots. But Dhoom 3 will certainly be the thinnest you'll the star since his early days.

Adds a source, "For playing a gymnast, your body has to be a lot more flexible and being lighter obviously helps. Aamir will undergo a lot of functional training and free hand exercises for the same."

His former trainer Satyajit Chaurasia, who helped him pack-a-punch with his eight packs, adds, "Before Three Idiots, he had said to me that his body feels like the Taj Mahal, and now I would have to break it down. But, by now, Aamir's body is flexible enough to mould into any shape or size. Of course, his dedication to get it absolutely bang on is commendable."

Though he is required to lose weight, eating less is the last thing Aamir plans to follow. Adds the source, "In fact, Aamir is eating more and eating healthy. He eats 12 meals a day and drinks at least four litres of water. He has never had a sweet tooth as such, so he is pretty good at resisting unhealthy food."

Apart from two-hours of martial arts training and regular gym exercises, Aamir apparently swims for an hour every day.

Aamir's daily diet

Breakfast - Fruits, egg whites, muesli with green tea

Midday - A fruit or vegetable juice

Lunch - Dal, roti, sabzi and curd

Evening Snack - Tea/cheese cubes/rusk

Dinner - Boiled vegetables/grilled chicken or fish

GeneChing

08-29-2011, 04:55 PM

And I know it's Kalaripayattu, not kung fu, but this just seemed to sit better here than here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514).

Hamlet takes to martial arts in Karmayogi (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Hamlet-takes-to-martial-arts-in-Karmayogi/articleshow/9782623.cms)
Sanjith Sidhardhan | Aug 29, 2011, 03.21PM IST

For the first time in Malayalam cinema, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet will hit the silver screens next month through V K Prakash's 'Karmayogi.'

Indrajith plays the dual role of Hamlet and his father in Karmayogi, which will feature most of the characters of the Shakespearean tragedy, while Nithya Menon and yesteryear Bollywood actress Padmini Kolhapure plays the characters of Ophelia and Gertrude, respectively.

The movie will be an entertaining action drama, beams director Prakash, adding that it will give prominence to the traditional martial art form - Kalaripayattu.

Indrajith plays a conflicted Kalaripayattu exponent who is tormented by his father's death, which leads him to his mother, Gertrude, living with his uncle. The story focuses on the themes of indecision, revenge, loyalty and treachery.

Interestingly, most of the action sequences in the movie are real stunts done by Manipuri men. The national award winning director's previous two movies, 'Gulumaal' and 'Three Kings,' were commercial entertainers but, according to the director, 'Karmayogi' is an entertaining action drama.

"I have always struck a balance between both genres," says Prakash who is of the opinion that Malayali audience should promote different and experimental cinema by going to the theatres.

He says that though the audience now like fast-paced movies that keep them entertained, sensitive cinema with fresh ideas should also be encouraged.

This Shakespearean work is also scripted by Belram Mattannoor, who wrote for Jayaraj's 'Kalliyattam' based on Othello.

GeneChing

10-04-2011, 09:21 AM

More women opting for martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/More-women-opting-for-martial-arts/articleshow/10229826.cms)
Tanvi Trivedi, TNN | Oct 4, 2011, 12.42PM IST

A variety of people opting for martial arts in the city

Mallika Sherawat learns kickboxing, Priyanka Chopra mastered the 'gatkha' form of martial arts , Akshay Kumar owes everything he is today to his training in taekwondo and karate!

Whilst earlier, the ratio of women to men learning karate was 10% to 90%, today camps and classes all over the city have 45%-50% women opting to learn karate or kickboxing. Women feel vulnerable today when they work late hours. Sumit Kumar, heading F&B operations at Park Hyatt Goa, acquired a first dan in karate and specialised in aikedo and kickboxing. He has also been instrumental in teaching women to learn self-defense techniques. "It is mainly the art of using your opponent's power and converting that against themselves. Even a simple dupatta, hairpin, nailcutter, a ladies' bag can be used through the martial art technique against the opponent." Amruta Trivedi, became the youngest Gujarati woman at 21, to earn a black belt in karate, "Karate has given me extremely high levels of focus in life."

Prashant Mehta a four-degree black belt in taekwondo says, "Taekwondo, is a combination of leg techniques. More than the black belt, it is achieving those levels that provide a mind-body bonding. The family background, temperament, attitude and your discipline matters a lot!"

Says Revanta Sarabhai, a dancer who has learnt the art of Kalaripayattu a renowned Kerala-based martial art dance form, "When you go down the pit filled with red clay and fight your opponent, you get a thrill and excitement." Says Gita Patel, a kickboxing expert, "It's a quick fat burner and combats depression and stress."

With a couple of schools making martial arts mandatory and part of the curriculum, it feels that martial arts has the power to change your life."even a simple dupatta...

GeneChing

10-24-2011, 09:37 AM

I had an opportunity to interview Akshay but it fell through. I still would love to interview him.

Akshay Kumar promotes martial arts in Mumbai (http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/body-and-soul/akshay-kumar-promotes-martial-arts-in-mumbai_98913.htm)
Updated on Sunday, October 23, 2011, 12:48
Akshay Kumar promotes martial arts in Mumbai Mumbai: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar attended the finale of the `Akshay Kumar Invitational and International Karate Championship` in Mumbai on Saturday.

The event was organized by the actor himself and had commenced on October 19.

Also present on the occasion were acclaimed Bollywood actors Mithun Chakraborty and Ritesh Deshmukh, another bollywood actor.

Kumar who himself is a trained martial art fighter, owed all the success he had achieved in life to Karate. He even propagated the study of martial arts in schools.

"What I am today is because of karate. That is what karate means to me. Karate is also about self-discipline, infact any form of martial art. It would be brilliant if students were taught this in schools as a subject. The lives of those children would definitely change," said Kumar.

Kumar also lamented the fact that monetary support for Karate was missing. He added that apart from cricket, no other sport got due recognition in the country.

"Whatever I have learnt I want to share it with people. This tournament I started on my own. You would be amazed to know that I had approached a big corporate company to ask them to sponsor this tournament. But because this is Karate, they offered only 3 lakhs (three hundred thousand) rupees. Only because this is not cricket or any form of entertainment. This is what Karate means to people. It````s a sad thing and I was shocked. From that very day I decided that I would sponsor this tournament on my own," said Kumar.

Participants from countries including Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, participated in the championship.

Kumar later declared that he would like to hold this championship on a larger scale and would like people from across the world to take part.

Akshay Kumar was born as Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia, to a Hindu family in Amritsar city of India````s northern Punjab state. He was however raised in Delhi before he moved to Mumbai.

Kumar, besides being an actor, is also a producer and has learnt martial art. He has appeared in more than hundred Hindi films since he started his acting career about twenty years ago.

The actor was conferred with India`s fourth-highest civilian honour - the `Padma Shri` award in 2008 for his contribution to the film industry.

GeneChing

10-31-2011, 09:18 AM

Also worthy of mention here (I posted these with their own threads):
7 AM Arivu (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62206)
Gandu (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62218)
With RA One (http://www.raonemovie.com/) getting good distribution here in the U.S., Bollywood is back in the ball game.

Kannada | Posted on Oct 30, 2011 at 02:06pm IST
Kannada Review: 'Obavva' a treat for action lovers (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kannada-review-obavva-scores-with-action/197609-8-71.html)

http://static.ibnlive.in.com/ibnlive/pix/sitepix/10_2011/obavvareview.jpg

Hyderabad: Film: 'Obavva'; Cast: Deepak, Ayesha, Shobharaj, Swasthick Shankar, Petrol Prasanna, and Bullet Prakash; Screenplay Writer-Director: Aanand P. Raju; Producer: Kantha-Pravin Ramakrishna; Camera: Gauri Venkatesh; Music Composer: Rajesh Ramanath; Rating: ** 1/2

Ayesha, a trained Karate and Kungfu expert known as Karate Queen in the film industry, makes a comeback with 'Obavva' and shows her prowess in fight scenes. Ayesha plays Lady Amithabh with five rocking fights in the second half.

The story is nothing but a remix of Shankar Nag's 1980s Kannada films 'Seetha Ramu' and 'Chandi Chamundi'. Director Anand P. Raju has never been apologetic about the fact and acknowledged taking references from the two films.

Despite many flaws in the film, Raju has been able to present an engaging and entertaining movie. One thing that can be said in favour of the film is the fight sequences featuring Ayesha and film's hero Deepak.

Till the end of the first half, Deepak makes his presence felt with punchy dialogues and fights. But Ayesha takes over with five fight scenes in the second half, which may not appeal to family audiences. Since there is a niche audience for actioners, so the film may have a limited appeal.

other problem is that the producers have chosen a title with a historical significance. It is known Obavva, who was called Onake Obavva, saved the kingdom of Chitradurga rulers when Hyder Ali's army wanted to surreptitiously enter the town through a hole in the fort. Obavva killed them single-handedly and the army waiting outside the fort had no option but to retreat.

The title is unsuitable but the director has tried to justify it by naming the heroine's character as Obavva.

The music and camera work does not raise above ordinary levels.

'Obavva' revolves around Badri, an auto driver employed by Obavva's father. Obavva secretly loves Badri, but he always stays away from her. But Obavva gets her parents' permission to marry Badri.

Meanwhile, local don Devaraj wants to usurp Ayesha's father's property. His henchman - Deal Dharma and Skill Jain - use violent methods to get hold of the property, but Badri intervenes and beat them to pulp.

But he is killed by Dharma, who stabs him from the back. Later Badri's spirits enter Ayesha's body and she reliquishes the villains.

Deepak scores in action sequences and his dialogue delivery is lovely. Though short in performance, Ayesha comes out good in Kungfu action sequences. Swasthick Shankar, Shobharaj and Petrol Prasanna play baddies with ease.

Nothing could be said about music or camera work, three fight masters have done a better job. Ayesha's performance is a treat for action film lovers.

GeneChing

12-02-2011, 12:43 PM

I haven't been keeping up with Bollywood and have no idea who Kangana is.

Kangana Ranaut learning martial arts for Krrish 2 (http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2011/kangana-ranaut-learning-martial-arts-krrish-2-021211.html)
Friday, December 2, 2011, 10:50 [IST]
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/img/2011/12/02-kangana-ranaut-021211.jpg

Actress Kangana Ranaut, who is playing superwoman in Rakesh Roshan's forthcoming movie Krrish 2, is undergoing rigorous training for the role in the movie. The Bollywood star says that she is learning different forms of stunts like martial arts and kickboxing. And she is also doing workouts to lose her weight.

In an interview with an English daily, Kangana Ranaut speaks about her role in the film Krrish 2 and her preparation for it. She says that she would appear as superwoman, who has supernatural powers. She adds that she is doing lot of workouts to lose her weight to fit into a superwoman costume.

Kangana Ranaut further says that she has several stunts and action sequences in the film Krrish 2 and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has hired a trainer for her. The actress adds that she is going to the beach at 5 am every morning to learn martial arts, kickboxing and other forms of fighting.

GeneChing

12-05-2011, 10:14 AM

But in my defense, this is Tamil film, which isn't truly Bollywood. It's Sri Lankan.

Jiiva, Naren and 25 kung fu experts (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/telugu/article/74896.html)
IndiaGlitz [Saturday, December 03, 2011]

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As many as 25 kung fu experts from various places are coming to Chennai this weekend, to take part in the shoot of 'Mugamoodi' directed by Mysskin on Monday. Jiiva and Naren are playing the protagonist and villain respectively in this movie.

"A stadium has booked in Chennai where scenes involving a kung fu competition will be shot. Jiiva and Naren will fight with each other in the presence of martial art experts. A huge set has been erected inside the stadium for the task," sources in the know tell us.

Being a superhero film, special attire has been designed for Jiiva for 'Mugamoodi'. According to circles close to Mysskin, the 'Nandhalala' and 'Yudhdham Sei' director, his forthcoming venture will be a first of its kind attempt in Tamil cinema, on the likes of 'Superman' and 'Spiderman' of Hollywood.

Music for 'Mugamoodi' will be composed by K, who made his presence felt with 'Yudhdham Sei'. Pooja Hegde is the heroine while Prakash Raj and legendary Telugu actor Nageswara Rao will play pivotal roles. "It will be a grand movie in all aspects," sources add.

The film will be a 2012 summer bonanza by UTV Motion Pictures.

GeneChing

01-04-2012, 10:42 AM

Kangna Ranaut’s Jackie Chan connection (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_kangna-ranauts-jackie-chan-connection_1632694)
Published: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2012, 10:45 IST
By Sayantan Dalal | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Actor Kangna Ranaut, who is playing Bollywood’s first super girl in Rakesh Roshan’s Krrish 3, feels that it is Hollywood actor and martial arts expert Jackie Chan who inspires her while shooting for the action sequences.

The actor is very much determined to give it her 100 percent in making her role perfect. Kangna, who is busy shooting for the movie at present, trained in martial arts, film action, kick boxing, stretching and yoga to get in form for her role. Though initially it was quite tough for her to go through all the rigorous training, lately she seems to be enjoying the art form a lot now.

Ask Kangna about her love for action and she says, “I remember watching Jackie Chan movies as a child, staring at the screen and trying to imitate his moves. It would be a privilege to meet him in person.” The actor is an avid watcher of his films. She explains, “His work is so good and versatile, it’s difficult to choose any one particular film. But I personally like his films,Project and Police Story. And I really like Rush Hour, since it’s so difficult to mix fightingh sequences with humour, but Jackie has done a commendable job.”

Looks like after actor Mallika Sherawat, Chan has another Indian actor to add to his list of fan following.

Here's some pix of Kangna
http://kaw.stb.s-msn.com/i/AF/91561656B3E0785DCACE8D8C2AEA0.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E04wjxn4G_Q/TcKQnGVZn9I/AAAAAAAAA6M/VcFW_2_pm3o/s1600/Kangana+Ranaut+hot+wallpapers+ww.maujmastian.com+% 25287%2529.jpg

Jackie Chan’s trainer for Akshay, John
Prashant Singh, Hindustan Times
Mumbai, December 25, 2011
First Published: 15:47 IST(25/12/2011)
Last Updated: 15:52 IST(25/12/2011)

Back in 2004, he trained action star Jackie Chan for his film, Around The World In 80 Days. Later, Seelum Pradip (famous as Nung in the film industry) also worked on Rambo films and Thai martial arts film, Ong Bak (2003). Now, the action director has created stunt sequences for Akshay Kumar and
John Abraham in Sajid Khan’s next, Housefull 2.

“Although I’ve designed all the action sequences myself, Nung executed them with Akshay and John,” says Sajid, adding that Nung has worked on films like Rambo and Ong Bak for their Thailand portions.

“He is superb and has lived up to our expectations.” Reportedly, he had also trained Salman Khan for his action sequences in Ready.

Akshay-JohnTo give Nung a complete idea, Sajid had, in fact, handed over all the storyboards to him. He explains, “We shot the sequence in various parts of Thailand, and Nung came in as big help because of his expertise.”

In Housefull 2, the director says he has tried to go back to the original Bollywood-style fight sequences. He reminisces about growing up watching Amitabh Bachchan’s films, in which he would beat up 20 men at one go.

“And thanks to the raw fighting style, we could never think that he can’t do it. In my film too, Akshay is fighting 20 people in a very relatable and believable manner. Plus, the way John’s rippling muscles and facial expressions are shown gives a very raw and rugged feel,” he adds.

For Sajid, Akshay and John were superb in the action sequences. “But with Akshay, the sky is the limit. You can think of any stunt knowing well that Akki can pull it off. He gives a director that kind of confidence. And since he loves action, he generally gels well with stunt masters and action directors,” says Sajid.

The sequel to the 2010 hit Housefull, Sajid’s film also stars Asin, Zarine Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shazahn Padamsee and Riteish Deshmukh among others.

GeneChing

01-30-2012, 10:59 AM

Nevertheless, it's a decent snapshot of what's happening in the Indo-Chinese film market now.

Bollywood looks east to tap Chinese market (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3GBbMu33Z-bwgQNMSp_dQjrp4ng?docId=CNG.eb3adffc4533361012ed03 c31dac8c7b.281)
By Phil Hazlewood (AFP) – Jan 4, 2012

MUMBAI — India's Bollywood film industry is eyeing its Asian rival China as a potential market, after a successful run of "3 Idiots", the coming-of-age comedy starring Aamir Khan.

The 2009 film, about a group of struggling students at one of India's elite universities, opened in China in October and takings have so far topped 160 million rupees ($2.9 million), according to producers Vinod Chopra Films.

"The Chinese audience identified with the societal and parental pressures on today's generation of young students seeking success," said Vinod Chopra, who helped to adapt Chetan Bhagat's novel "Five Point Someone" for the big screen.

The writer-producer-director said he was already receiving enquiries from China for his next film "Ferrari Ki Sawaari" (A Ride in a Ferrari), which is due for release at the end of April.

He and other industry figures said he hoped the success of "3 Idiots" would see more Hindi-language films released in China, where only a handful of foreign movies are allowed to be shown each year.

"This has demonstrated that universal themes will cross cultural and linguistic boundaries," Chopra added in emailed comments to AFP.

Indian films were popular in China in the 1940s and 1950s but ties between New Delhi and Beijing became frosty, not least because of India's granting of asylum to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

The two countries also fought a war in 1962 over disputed border territory.

The first Hindi-language film to be shot on location in China -- "Chandni Chowk to China" -- was released in India in 2009 and was hailed as a breakthrough, although panned by critics and audiences.

The action comedy about a lowly Indian chef in New Delhi who is mistaken for the reincarnation of a fabled Chinese warrior starred Akshay Kumar and "Kill Bill" actor Gordon Liu.

Before "3 Idiots", only the 2010 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "My Name Is Khan" has recently been shown in China.

Meenakshi Shedde, a Mumbai-based film critic and film festival consultant, said Bollywood had largely ignored the potential of China and other Asian countries in favour of courting the Indian diaspora in the West.

But she said that Indian film-makers and studios were now looking east.

"I'm 100 percent sure of it. It's just a matter of time... We have a one-billion-strong population and the whole world is looking at us. But we've never looked at these markets in Asia." she added.

"China, which also has a one-billion-plus population, is the biggest market. But we've never crossed-over consciously. The market is too big to be ignored."

Hollywood studios have been making inroads into Indian cinema in recent years, forging joint ventures with local partners for pre- and post-production work.

Some Chinese film-makers have also started to realise the need to win new audiences and have adapted movies to draw in crowds from non-traditional markets like India.

Jackie Chan's "The Myth", for example, was shot on location in India and co-starred Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, while Peter Chan's musical drama romance "Perhaps Love" used Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan.

Shedde noted that both "Chandni Chowk" and "My Name Is Khan" were produced or distributed by US studios (Warner Bros and Fox), which could provide the key to unlocking the Chinese market for Bollywood in the future.

"It's Hollywood opening doors for Bollywood in China. We're riding on Hollywood's coattails," she added.

GeneChing

02-13-2012, 11:00 AM

Got pix now (there's one with the article if you follow the link). I cut & pasted one just because searching for Bollywood starlet pics is a good way for me to get my Monday started. Kangana's original post here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1146592#post1146592).

Kangana Ranaut inspired by Jackie Chan (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Kangana-Ranaut-inspired-by-Jackie-Chan/articleshow/11870315.cms)
TNN | Feb 13, 2012, 12.22PM IST

The actress who is playing an action role for Krrish 3 is inspired by Jackie Chan and is learning martial arts.

Kangana Ranaut known for her glamourous image will be getting into the action avatar for the first time in Rakesh Roshan's Krrish 3 where she plays a negative role. The actor, who is busy shooting for the movie right now, took special training in Martial Arts, Kick Boxing and Yoga to get in form for her role. After all she has to fight against the hero Hrithik Roshan in the film.

Her inspiration for action comes from Jackie Chan. "I remember watching Jackie Chan movies as a child, staring at the screen and trying to imitate his moves. It would be a privilege to meet him in person", says Kangana.

So which would be her favorite Jackie Chan movie? "His work is so good and versatile it's difficult to choose one. But I like Jackie Chan Project and Police Story. And I really like Rush Hour since it's so difficult to mix fight scenes with humour and only Jackie Chan can do that effortlessly".

http://bollywood.celebden.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/kangana1.gif

GeneChing

04-09-2012, 09:25 AM

I must endeavor to see a Kangana flick. I'm disappointed this article doesn't mention kung fu.

Kangana loses 5 kg to fit into mutant costume (http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20120199025&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=195325)
Mid-Day.Com
Monday, April 09, 2012 (Mumbai)
http://movies.ndtv.com/images/showbiz/kangna-ranaut-big.jpg
Kangana Ranaut is relying on martial arts to make sure she does not gain even miniscule weight in order to fit into her skin-tight costume for her superhero next. She is also closely watching her diet to make sure nothing goes wrong.

It is learnt that for her character as the mutant in the film, Kangana has to also train in martial arts for her action sequences. "She is learning some techniques of karate, judo and taekwondo," says our source. Interestingly, Kangana had to lose about five kilos for her part to fit into her costume.

"Besides, it's not comfortable to wear such a suit in this hot weather for long hours," points out our source, adding that if a fold develops in the costume during the shoot, the actress has to remove it and wear it again before the next shot. "Not to forget, it takes at least an hour for her to get into the costume and get her make-up re-done," he says.

Needless to say, the actress also has to put up with her fair share of bruises after doing her own stunts during the shoot. Our source says, "Since she's training in martial arts for her role, it's natural for her to do her own action scenes. Kangana knows that some bruises can't be avoided."

Kangana's strict diet regime

Regarding her diet and training regime, our source says, "She starts her martial arts training at 5 am. Then she goes home to freshen up, have breakfast and leave for the shoot. During the day, she has small meals and her dinner is not heavy either. She does yoga for an hour before a light dinner. She also makes sure she has six hours of peaceful sleep."

In the meanwhile, Kangana has also bagged a Karan Johar production. Scripted and to be helmed by Rensil D'Silva, our source reveals, "The makers felt no one could have done it better than her."

GeneChing

05-22-2012, 09:32 AM

Hrithik Roshan’s ‘Krrish 3’ is not in 3D (http://www.apunkachoice.com/content/article/sid100009547-hrithik_roshans_krrish_3_is_not_in_3d/)
Superhero flick ‘Krrish 3’ being made in 2D
By ApunKaChoice
Tue, May 22, 2012 15:30:07 GMT
http://media.apunkachoice.com/image/big/bi-38196.jpg
Contrary to the buzz, Hrithik Roshan’s superhero flick Krrish 3 is not in 3D; instead it is being made in 2D. It’s said that Rakesh Roshan seems to have changed his mind about shooting his action-adventure film in 3D.

Though the Roshans are not leaving any stone unturned to make Krrish 3 bigger and better in terms of VFX, the movie is currently being shot in 2D format only. Krrish 3, the film that has international action director Tony Ching of hits like Shaolin Soccer and House of Flying Daggers working on it, has kids as its target audience, and the makers right now have no intention to make it in 3D.

As a source tells a daily, “There may be a 3D version closer to the release date, depending on the market requirement then. However, as of now, the Roshans have no plans to divide their audience by releasing two versions.”

Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish, a sequel to Koi Mil Gaya, was a superhit, and from then on the Roshans were keen to have the sequel of the film that would mark the return of the superhero Krrish. However, the sequel of Krrish is much delayed. The movie is scheduled for a Diwali 2013 release, and is expected to have the best visual effects. An international team is working on the visual imagery, and the VFX work is expected to take at least six months.

The movie also stars Kangana Ranaut in the role of a mutant and Vivek Oberoi as the powerful baddie. Priyanka Chopra will reprise her role of Krrish’s love interest in the film. I wonder how much creative control Tony Ching will have on this project.

GeneChing

05-24-2012, 09:38 AM

Jiiva works with Bruce Lee & Jackie Chan's stunt man! (http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/82409.html)
IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, May 23, 2012]

Jiiva's 'Mugamoodi' is getting bigger with each passing day. The latest is that Jiiva is working with renowned stunt man Tony Leung Siu Hung who has worked with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan!

Tony Leung Siu Hung, a stunt coordinator from Hong Kong, has joined the climax shoot of the film that's being canned in a massive scale at Karaikal. The climax sees Jiiva and his villain, Narain, in a high voltage action sequence. Tony might work on few other scenes of the film as well.

"This fight scene is based on Wing Tsun, it's a close combat fight Tony specializes in. It's more of fight choreography and Tony is working hard to teach it to us in the easiest way and to get the best out of us. He has worked with great action heroes and makes it a point not to stress us but only impart his knowledge on the craft in a smooth way", says an ecstatic Jiiva.

Produced by UTV Motion Pictures, 'Mugamoodi' by Mysskin has Jiiva and Pooja Hegde in the lead roles. The movie is the first of its series as the makers have planned it as a sequel.
Now I'm confused. Mugamoodi is a masked superhero and Krrish 3 is too?

GeneChing

07-25-2012, 10:30 AM

Yet another Bollywood star trying to milk the martial arts. :rolleyes:

Bollywood to get its Jackie Chan! (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Bollywood-to-get-its-Jackie-Chan/articleshow/15139055.cms)
Piyali Dasgupta, TNN | Jul 25, 2012, 12.55PM IST

Azim Rizvi, who entered Bollywood with romantic film Qasam Se Qasam Se is all set to make an impact with his martial arts and also claims to take action to another level.

As a kid, Azim was a huge fan of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan and soon Azim decided to enter Bollywood. "I was very fond of action films. I grew up watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. I also remember jumping around my house and doing shadow fighting (he chuckles) So, I was a lot into action since childhood. I picked it up more seriously when I decided to become an actor. Since, then I started going to various classes and researching on Google," explains the actor.

A true lover of martial arts, Azim shares his love for the art and says, "Being fit through martial arts is the last thing I have in mind. The only thing that draws me to it is the love for the art and to stand apart from the crowd! I do gym sometimes to maintain the shape however martial art is a passion!"

So, if not being fit, then did looking good on-screen attract you to martial arts? To which Azim quickly adds, " It is about the 'Look Good' factor these days, but what about the 'Feel Good' factor? For me, having satisfaction is more important! Yes, Martial Arts is for both defending and offending, but I have never used the art for those purposes!"

Why does martial art appeals you? "The only reason the art appeals to me is for my field. I want to stand out of the usual ordinary league when it comes to action heroes! I want to take action to another level when it comes to Bollywood," answers the actor.

Why don't you explain more about your art more? "For people whose thoughts run deep, they are well aware that one does not choose an art! An art chooses U! Similarly 'XMA' chose me! For XMA one should be fast Fierce & furious! It really requires agility, stamina, daredevilry and some amount of fearlessness! XMA encompasses everything for all other arts! There is a bit of gymnastics, Parkour, Kickboxing, Capoeira, Muay Thai, TaekWando, Tai Chi, Ju Jitsu, break dance," elaborates Azim.

"XMA is just for my profession. I don't intend to make it personal! I die if i make everything personal! For all those who will check it out and would want to take it up my personal advice is to be very patient and safe. Happy XMA'ing," signs off Bollywood's Jackie Chan.

GeneChing

08-24-2012, 10:08 AM

This is actually Kollywood Kalari, not Bollywood Kung-Fu, but only a few of us India cinephiles know the difference. If this film gets more buzz, I'll split it into it's own separate thread.

Shriya Saran punches Prem! (http://entertainment.oneindia.in/tamil/news/2012/shriya-saran-chandra-prem-098690.html)
Updated: Friday, August 24, 2012, 16:10 [IST]
Posted by: Ramchander

http://entertainment.oneindia.in/img/2012/08/24-shriya-punch.jpg

Shirya Saran has delivered a few punches to Kannada actor Prem! Well, not in reality but for some action sequences for the multilingual film Chandra produced and directed by Roopa Iyer.

The pretty actress, who is described by many as an excellent dancer, trained herself intensively in 'Kalari' fight under the able guidance of Sagar Aasan for a stretch of two months. Ravi Varma, the stunt director, in coordination with the creative thoughts of director Roopa Iyer created a concept of the 'Kalari' in the form of choreography. The unit sources say that as the director herself has been a practitioner of this combination of arts, it became easy to bring the best out of Shriya Saran.

Chandra has a reincarnation love story with two blue blooded lead characters revealing an epic tale. In fact, it is inspired by the last surviving royal families of India. While Kannada actor Prem plays the main protagonist, Tamil actor Ganesh Venkatraman will be seen in the second fiddle and Shriya Saran will be seen romancing both in different ages in the upcoming movie.

Suganya, Vivekh and Vijaya Kumar and others are in the cast. It is a joint production of India Classic Arts and Listo Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

Below is a photo gallery - I've only cherry picked a few...

Kannada film 'Chandra': Shriya Saran's intense 'Kalari' martial arts
http://static.ibnlive.in.com/pix/slideshow/08-2012/kannada-film-chandra/DSC_0163.jpg
Director Roopa Iyer also considered actresses Dia Mirza, Amala Paul, Amrita Rao and Aindrita Ray for the lead role but ultimately Shriya Saran suited te best for the role.
http://static.ibnlive.in.com/pix/slideshow/08-2012/kannada-film-chandra/DSC_0301.jpg
Shriya Saran trained herself intensively in 'Kalari' fight under the able guidance of Sagar aasan for a stretch of two months.
http://static.ibnlive.in.com/pix/slideshow/08-2012/kannada-film-chandra/DSC_0807.jpg
Everyone has high expectations from 'Chandra', will the film hit the screens with same expectations ?
(http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/7236.html)
Aug 24, 2012 13:02pm

GeneChing

11-29-2012, 11:16 AM

Maybe I'll split this into it's own thread once the project is greenlit and has a title.

Akki to make India's first martial arts film (http://india.nydailynews.com/entertainmentarticle/852a6f16bcffed7efcf379e17051f7df/akki-to-make-indias-first-martial-arts-film)
Thursday Nov 29, 2012

Mumbai, Nov. 29 -- Akshay Kumar, who has been promoting martial arts in the country for some time now, is set to take his passion a step further. The actor now plans to produce a full-fledged movie based on the arts. It will be the first of its kind in India.

However, he is unlikely to act in the film that his company Hari Om Entertainment will produce next year.

"In all likelihood, Akshay won't star in the film. But matters are at a nascent stage right now, so it's too early to say for sure. He wants to make the film as authentic as possible. That's all he is concerned about," says an insider, adding, "Akshay wants to promote the martial arts as much as he can. He feels his training in the combat form has contributed to his success as an action hero."

Apparently, the actor is looking to rope in newcomers for the film. "Right now, the script is being worked on. Once he wraps up shooting for the films he is currently working on, Akshay will personally do the research and decide the cast of the film as well as who will direct it. He doesn't want to leave anything to chance," reveals the insider.

In the past, the actor has launched the Akshay Kumar Invitational Kudo (Judo and Karate) Tournament for young enthusiasts in the country. "Martial arts are not very popular in India, which is why he wants to help," adds the insider.

Akshay himself remained unavailable for a comment.

GeneChing

12-20-2012, 10:32 AM

Soha Ali Khan learning martial Art for ‘Joe B Karvalo’ (http://www.thenewstribe.com/2012/12/20/joe-b-karvalo-soha-ali-khan-learning-martial-art/)
By Web Desk Dec 20th, 2012

http://www.thenewstribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Soha-Ali-Khan-Chitah-Yajn.jpg
Soha Ali Khan learning martial art for her new movie Joe B KarvaloMumbai: Bollywood stars work hard to make their films hit and get totally immersed in their characters. Soha Ali Khan is working on a new movie “Joe B Karvalo,” and is playing the role of a police inspector.

To play her character to perfection, she is now learning martial arts at Recreation Club located in Shastri Nagar in Andheri (West). Her trainer is Chitah Yajness Shetty, the Bollywood popular martial arts teacher for over 30 years.

Yajness Shetty says “Soha is very dedicated and hardworking. She is learning very fast. Every girl should learn the art for self defence so that they can defend themselves, since police appears to be having a problem reaching everywhere. It should be made mandatory in all schools and colleges.”

I guess she was a Maxim (http://www.maxim.com/) cover girl, but I couldn't find her on their site. I got distracting looking for her there...:o

http://www.123cinejosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Soha-Ali-Khan-Magazine-Hot-Photos-Stills-Images-123cinejosh.jpg

GeneChing

12-26-2012, 10:40 AM

I missed Dabangg 1. :rolleyes:

Movie review: 'Dabangg 2' - Kung fu Pandey in action (http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2012/dec/211212-Dabangg-2-movie-review-Salman-Khan.htm)
Salman Khan returns in top form and cheer and really, that's what will delight diehard fans
December 21, 2012
Mumbai
Janhavi Samant

http://images.mid-day.com/2012/dec/Dabangg-2-movie-review.jpg
'Dabangg 2'
U/A; Action/Romance
Director: Arbaaz Khan
Cast: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Vinod Khanna, Prakash Raj
Rating:

'Dabangg 2' movie review

Scene 1: Chulbul confronts goondas in godown, tosses a few dialogues, flies in the air, beats them up. Few dialogues more.

Scene 2: Chulbul plays happy families with wife Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha), stepfather Prajapati Pandey (Vinod Khanna, looking very very old) and brother Makkhi (director Arbaaz)

Chulbul smooths his moustache, flexes his muscles, wriggles around. It’s time for a song.

Scene 3: Chulbul confronts smugglers/dacoits, tosses a few dialogues, flies in the air, beats them to a pulp. Few dialogues more.

Scene 4: Chulbul ribs a few colleagues, donates money, teases his father, brother and wife. Wife gets angry, time for a song.

This scenario repeats itself over and over till you start wondering where all the impressive heroic character building of Chulbul is leading. Answer is nowhere. High on dialogue and drama but low, low, low on plot. Sticking strictly to a frame by frame template of its earlier instalment, Dabang 2 turns out to be more of an episodic telling of the life and exploits of its protagonist Chulbul Pandey. Basically Kung Fu Pandey has now reconciled wit his stepfather and brother and has been newly transferred to Kanpur, the domain of gangster turned politician Bachcha Bhaiyya (Prakash Raj). True to his nature, Chulbul soon ends up taking pangas with Bachcha’s gang. Of course, there is no doubt that Chulbul will subdue and defeat Bachcha. Chulbul, after all, can fling himself up in the air, and turn and run at the speed of light and can kill a man in a single punch.

In Dabang 2, Chulbul has gained even more superheroic powers and attitude (and a wee bit of weight) than before and demonstrates all this in great detail through the film’s length.

The 'Makkhi' track was entirely superfluous; but that strange almost real-life scene, where Chulbul watches with pride as Makkhi starts taking responsibility, is quite touching. Well, Arbaaz can rest assured that he has made a promising debut. However, he is aided by Dilip Shukla’s writing (consistent in its wry humour and dhaba milieu in both the films) which makes Chulbul Pandey the hero he is.

It’s problematic of course that the hero is an openly corrupt police officer, although committed to his own strange convoluted form of social justice, and a complete chauvinist at that. It’s also problematic that the choreography of 'Fevicol' and 'Pandeyji Seeti', although striking, would make even 'Munni' hide in self-conscious shame. Prakash Raj and Deepak Dobriyal, two of our most interesting actors, are completely wasted in lackluster roles.

However, apna Salman returns in top form and cheer and really, that’s what will delight diehard fans.

GeneChing

12-28-2012, 10:46 AM

Akshay Kumar will train daughter in martial arts (http://india.nydailynews.com/entertainmentarticle/1710918bf9eda9de360d9962f1e42837/akshay-kumar-will-train-daughter-in-martial-arts)
Friday Dec 28, 2012

India, Dec. 28 -- On Christmas Day, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, reacting to the national outcry over crimes against women, urged girls to learn the martial arts to defend themselves. Now, the CM has support from Bollywood's martial arts champion, Akshay Kumar, who has made plans to train his newborn daughter, Nitara, in the martial arts when she grows up.

"When Nitara is old enough, it will be my responsibility to personally train her in the martial arts. I believe self-defence is essential for every woman," says Akshay, adding that this is the need of the hour.

"All the fathers in this country should do the same for their daughters. Women are mentally and emotionally stronger than men, so why not make them physically stronger and self-reliant as well?" says Akshay, who, having obtained a black belt in Taekwondo in India, also studied martial arts in Bangkok, where he focused on Muay Thai, a combat sport from Thailand.

As for the Bihar CM's statement on martial arts, Akshay agrees with him. "Nitish Kumar urging girls to learn martial arts for self defense and something that I've been in favour of from a long time (sic)," the actor wrote on Twitter.

For a while now, Akshay has also been pushing for martial arts being made part of school and college curricula. "In Singapore, two or three years of army training is compulsory for all civilians. So in essence, every person in that country can double up as an army hand. Why can't we also put our kids through self-defence training?" he says.

Akshay is involved in promoting martial arts and already hosts the annual Akshay Kumar Karate Tournament in Mumbai. He is also putting together a big-budget film on the combat sports that will kick off next year.

If you missed Nitish Kumar's statement, I was debating about posting it. I'll post it here now.

Nitish to girls: Learn martial arts, defend yourselves (http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Patna/Nitish-to-girls-Learn-martial-arts-defend-yourselves/Article1-980994.aspx)
Pradeep Modak, Hindustan Times
Patna, December 26, 2012
First Published: 15:26 IST(26/12/2012)
Last Updated: 15:30 IST(26/12/2012)

Chief minister Nitish Kumar called upon girls of the state to take up martial arts along with their education to defend themselves against eve teasers and other anti-social elements. "Girls should learn all forms of martial arts such as judo, karate and taekwondo to acquire physical strength, quick reflexes and alertness for selfdefence," he said even as he inaugurated the 31st Senior National Taekwondo Championships at the Pataliputra Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

"We want to make the new generation strong through sports and martial arts training.

For achieving the goal, the state government started martial arts training in schools across Bihar a few years ago.

Over one lakh schoolgirls learnt the basic martial arts through this programme," said Nitish adding that he also wanted to include judo and karate training along with taekwondo for boys and girls in the schools.

"The martial arts training in village schools brought about a sea change as several girls participated in various tournaments held abroad and brought laurels for the state," he said.

Presiding over the function, art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey reiterated the government's commitment to overall development of sports in the state.

She said the state had hosted several national and international tournaments in the past two years with full support and motivation from the chief minister.

"We want proper coordination between the government and sports associations to take Bihar sports to the next level," she said.

Welcoming the guests, Taekwondo Federation of India president Harish Kumar said 38 teams from different parts of the country were participating in the three-day event.

"We have more than five lakh taekwondo players in the country and hope to take it to 15 lakh in the next couple of years, equalling the strength of Korea," he said.

TFI president also presented mementos to chief minister Nitish Kumar and art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey.

Bihar Taekwondo Association secretary Ajay Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.

yutyeesam

12-29-2012, 12:07 AM

Gene, I'm glad you're still updating this thread!

This is about 5 years old, but have you seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8df8bfoxxDE

Terrible! But I think I know why I kept watching it (why most guys will sit thru Bollywood films)! :P

GeneChing

01-09-2013, 10:30 AM

Great Kali uniform on Sharma, no? :rolleyes:

Anil Kapoor to undergo training in a special form of martial arts (http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2013/jan/090113-anil-kapoor-to-undergo-training-in-a-special-form-of-martial-arts.htm)
Looks like Anil Kapoor is going the whole hog when it comes to prepping for his role as a special agent in his upcoming TV show.
January 09, 2013

Mumbai Jigar Shah

And now buzz is that he will be undergoing training in a special form of martial arts. Our sources say that the same training called Kali is also being given to the Indian Special Task Forces.

http://images.mid-day.com/2013/jan/Anil-Kapoor_2.jpg

A source says, “The techniques of Kali was also used in films like Bourne Ultimatum, Mission Impossible, etc.”

http://images.mid-day.com/2013/jan/Kanishka-Sharma.jpg

Kali expert Kanishka Sharma will be training Anil. He says, “Series director Abhinay Deo introduced me to Anil. I am going to change his body language for the show.”

The martial arts expert says Kali can help one subdue an opponent in three seconds.

yutyeesam - nice of you to chime in again. That vid above was AWESOME! :D

GeneChing

01-10-2013, 11:07 AM

Martial arts must for actresses, says 'Bandook' actress (http://india.nydailynews.com/entertainmentarticle/45f5bdeb62949a5556dae09ad01aa612/martial-arts-must-for-actresses-says-bandook-actress)
Thursday Jan 10, 2013

Mumbai, Jan 10 — Actress Manisha Kelkar, who will soon be seen in the forthcoming movie "Bandook", feels actresses should train in martial arts.

"I am training in martial arts not because of some film, but I believe that an actor should keep updating herself," Manisha said here Wednesday in an interview.

"I thought that in Bollywood, actresses are not totally trained in martial arts...Like when Akshay (Kumar) does stunts, it looks realistic...If an actress can also do it, it will be good. Then even scripts would be written for them," she added.

Manisha plays a village girl Kajri in "Bandook" and credits director Aditya Om for teaching her the nuances of her character.

"It is very different, I had to learn a lot, how she would sit, stand and all, how would she behave. My director Aditya Om taught me everything...," Manisha said.

"Bandook" also stars director Aditya, Arshad Khan, and Ashish Kotwal, and hits theatres Jan 18.

Needs pic, right? Easily remedied.
http://media1.santabanta.com/full1/Indian%20%20Celebrities(F)/Manisha%20Kelkar/manisha-kelkar-1a.jpg

yutyeesam

01-12-2013, 12:56 AM

Gene, how can I exploit:

-the fact that I am Indian
-the fact that I live in America
-the fact that I teach Choy Lay Fut Kung-Fu

as a way to have Bollywood stars come to me? :D

mawali

01-12-2013, 09:51 AM

Put together some choreographed routines that you think would make a screen impact and send them to the big name Bollywood actors, who in turn will pass them to the producers or directors. Just start small and work up.

GeneChing

01-28-2013, 10:32 AM

Action is sexy, says Esha Gupta (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_action-is-sexy-says-esha-gupta_1792459)
Published: Friday, Jan 25, 2013, 8:35 IST
By Aakanksha Naval-Shetye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA
http://static.dnaindia.com/images/cache/1792460.jpg

Esha Gupta who tasted success with her very first film, Jannat 2 last year, quickly followed it up with two more big screen flicks — the superhit Raaz 3 and critically acclaimed Chakravyuh. And having dabbled in three different genres — right from horror to hard-hitting realistic film — all in one year itself, the actress says she is now looking forward to working in action films.

“Women look really sexy doing action onscreen and it is my favourite genre. I have grown up watching these films. So, action is definitely something I want to explore,” says Esha, who is said to have had several offers on those lines. However, more than the gun-trotting action, it is the raw hand-to-hand combats that she would love to try. “I really like the Akshay Kumar and Jackie Chan sort of action where the emphasis is more on raw combat than hi-tech wired stunts. Not that I would mind doing that either,” shares the hottie. Though Esha is tight-lipped about her films at hand, ‘let the production houses make the right announcements at the right time,’ she says, there’s a strong buzz that action plays a huge part in one of her upcoming films. As for her women-action role models, she reveals that all James Bond heroines and Hollywood star Charlize Theron have beenhuge inspirations. “Martial arts should be part of every girl’s education. And I am sure seeing Bollywood actresses do that onscreen will be inspiring and encouraging,” she adds.
Esha does know sexy. Case and point:
http://www.nijux.com/celebrities/pic/esha-gupta4.jpg
Sexy Esha Gupta Strips Infront Of 300 People - Bollywood Hot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D90LOoIItQA)

Gene, how can I exploit: You're asking me? I wish I knew, bruddah. I wish I knew. I would love doing a cameo in a Bollywood dance number almost as much as I would love doing a cameo as a swordfighting martial arts villain. ;)

GeneChing

02-13-2013, 10:51 AM

I couldn't agree more.

Make martial arts compulsory in schools: Rani Mukerji (http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/make-martial-arts-compulsory-in-schools-rani-mukerji_127927.htm)
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 13, 2013, 16:44
http://zns.india.com/upload/2013/2/13/rani150.jpg
Make martial arts compulsory in schools: Rani Mukerji Mumbai: Actor Rani Mukerji is in favour of making martial arts and other self-defense methods compulsory for school children to help them fight for themselves and also stay fit.

"Like we learn Hindi, Chemistry and other subjects, I think we should get karate, taekwondo or any other kind of martial arts and make it compulsory for school children right at the age of three or four," the 34-year-old star said here Tuesday at the Mumbai Police - Women Interface, a programme organised to increase self-awareness about safety among women.

Rani further spoke about the importance of fighting back a criminal.

"This self-defense that we learn from childhood will help us be fit and it would also impart a self-defence skill in times of crisis. Whatever we get to see on crime shows, tell us that criminals are cowards and if they do something to us, that means we are allowing them to do it. If we stand up and hit them, something can happen. Biggest weapon is to kick them between the legs," Rani said.

Actresses like Shabana Azmi, Karisma Kapoor, lyricist Javed Akhtar and adman Alyque Padamsee were also present at the event.
http://media.glamsham.com/download/wallpaper/celebrities/images/r/ranimukherjee6_10x7.jpg

GeneChing

03-25-2013, 10:30 AM

Arshad Warsi learnt Kung-fu for his next film (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Arshad-Warsi-learnt-Kung-fu-for-his-next-film/articleshow/19167601.cms)
Nupur Chaudhuri, TNN | Mar 25, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

Arshad Warsi came in for much praise after the release of Jolly LLB.

The actor is really pushing the envelope. In fact, for his next, Arshad will be seen in a different avatar.

After proving his mettle at comedy, the actor will be doing some hard-core action in Calling Mr Joe B Carvalho. He has undergone rigorous training for the action sequences and even learnt Kung-fu.

Producer Bholaram Malviya confirmed, "Arshad will be seen in a whole new avatar doing some deadly action sequences. It's an out and out action comedy. He has worked very hard on the fight sequences and even learnt nuances of Kung-fu for the scenes."

Arshad thoroughly enjoyed doing action. "I trained for it prior to the shoot. It was great fun doing hardcore action for the first time," he said.

Arshad and Soha Ali Khan even did a daredevil stunt minus body doubles and they pulled it off in one take.
I don't really know Arshad. I only keep track of the Bollywood starlets...:o

GeneChing

04-03-2013, 11:19 AM

Meanwhile more on Arshad. Ooooh. Two whole weeks. So hardcore...:rolleyes:

Arshad Warsi goes the Kung fu way (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/1817612/report-arshad-warsi-goes-the-kung-fu-way)
Monday, Apr 1, 2013, 3:00 IST | Place: DNA | Agency: DNA
Aakanksha Naval-Shetye

Arshad Warsi, who is best-known for comic roles, is now ready to show off his action avatar too.

Arshad Warsi, who is best-known for comic roles, is now ready to show off his action avatar too. The actor is set for some hardcore action in his next film, Mr Joe B Carvalho. Producer Bholaram Malviya shares, “Arshad will be seen in a whole new avatar doing some deadly action sequences for the first time.” Arshad learnt Kung Fu and trained rigorously to perfect his moves. He even underwent a two-week training session of the martial art form.” Arshad says, “I have done action in this film for which I trained prior to the shoot. It was great fun doing hardcore action for the first time.”

New thread: Indian girls counter rape with martial arts training (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65680)

GeneChing

04-23-2013, 09:53 AM

Shetty's got it going on. Should be you, yutyeesam

Martial Arts Training of Mishti heroine of Subhash Ghai’s Kaanchi (http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/content/44709813-martial-arts-training-mishti-heroine-subhash-ghai-s-kaanchi)
Mon, 04/22/2013 - 07:13
By Sanjay Sharma Raj

http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/images08/Bengali-Actress-Mishti_Martial-arts_WBRI-2.jpg
Bengali Actress Mishti (Subhash Ghai's Kaanchi) Learning Martial arts [imonomy - free enrichment tools for your site.]

Mumbai, April 22, 2013 (Washington Bangla Radio): Subhash Ghai, the biggest showman of the Bollywood, and Chitah Yajness Shetty, undisputed king of Martial Arts. Both are known for their skill and expertise in their respective fields.

Subhash Ghai, fully aware of Chitah Yajness's capability to train new artists in Martial Arts, had asked Yajness to train Mishti, heroine of his upcoming film Kaanchi.

Subhash Ghai’s trust in Yajness Shetty has paid off , Subhash Ghai is Happy with YajnessShetty. Mishti is also full of praises for Yajness, “Chitah Sir (as Yajness is known in the film industry) is the best. He has done wonder with me. I am more fit and confident I face camera. His training has helped me a lot.”

Chitah Yajness Shetty humbly says, “I have trained Mishti as required by the Subhashji. I felt good when Subhashji asked me to train Mishti. Having interacted with Subhashji, I realized why he is the biggest Showman. He works hard for film and his way of working out every detail is inspiring.”

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4931/mishti.jpg
Kaanchi is an upcoming Bollywood musical thriller directed by Subhash Ghai, releasing in August 2013. Ismail Darbar & Salim Suleman have contributed to the tunes of the film. The film also stars Rishi Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty.

GeneChing

07-17-2013, 10:45 AM

Yet another bollywood starlet training. I should go back and count how many there are now.

Madhuri Dixit-Nene taking Kung fu classes for 'Gulaab Gang' (http://www.pardaphash.com/news/madhuri-dixitnene-learns-kung-fu-for-gulaab-gang/718724.html#.UebXk8osasI)
Published by: Pooja Sinha
Published on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 at 07:09 IST

http://www.pardaphash.com/uploads/images/660/madhuridixitpardaphash-90292.jpg
Madhuri Dixit-Nene taking Kung fu classes for 'Gulaab Gang'

Mumbai: Bollywood's Dhak dhak girl Madhuri Dixit-Nene is currently under the training of Shaolin Kung fu master Shifu Kanishka aka Kanishka Sharma.

The dancing diva Madhuri Dixit-Nene is playing the lead role in her comeback film Gulaab Gang. The lead character is inspired by the real-life NGO worker Sampat Lal Devi who works for the women welfare. Sampat Pal was also seen in the much popular television show 'Bigg Boss 6'.

The film is based on Gulabi Gang which is a group of Indian women vigilantes and activists dressed in pink saris, fighting against the social injustice with women in Uttar Pradesh.

The evergreen B'town diva is not only getting trained for physical fitness but also for portraying the strong role with perfection.

The Shaolin Kung-fu trainer Shifu Kanishka aka Kanishka Sharma has trained so many famous Bollywood celebs like Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Siddharth, Zayed Khan, Mithun Chakraborty, John Abraham and Boman Irani and many more.

The forthcoming film Gulaab Gang is a social drama directed by Soumik Sen and produced by Anubhav Sinha. Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla will be seen playing the pivotal roles in the film.

GeneChing

07-31-2013, 09:30 AM

More on Madhuri...

First Look: Madhuri Dixit's aggressive avatar in Gulab Gang
Divya Goyal : New Delhi, Wed Jul 31 2013, 18:37 hrs

http://static.indianexpress.com/m-images/Wed%20Jul%2031%202013,%2015:11%20hrs/M_Id_406659_Madhuri_Dixit.jpg
Madhuri DixitMadhuri looks fearless with wrathful expression.

The first look of Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit in her upcoming film Gulab Gang shows her in the avatar of an aggressive woman.

In the film which is inspired by the women vigilante group Gulab Gang fighting against social injustice, Madhuri Dixit plays the gang leader.

http://static.indianexpress.com/frontend/iep/story_images/madhuri-action-2.jpg

Madhuri looks fearless in a pink sari (worn by the women of Gulab Gang) with a bamboo stick for her defense as she looks back with her wrathful expression.

http://static.indianexpress.com/frontend/iep/story_images/madhuri-action-1.jpg

The actress, who is elated to play a strong in the film said: "You will see a completely different side of me. I am playing an aggressive woman here. She is tough. This film gave me a chance to do some stunts too," she had earlier said.

This is not the first time she has played the strong female lead (Mrityudand), however, it is the first time the 46-year-old star has done her own action sequences.

http://static.indianexpress.com/frontend/iep/story_images/madguri-gulab-gang.jpg

For this role, she trained extensively under the guidance of action choreographer, Shifu Kanishka Sharma, a renowned Shaolin master.

The film directed by Soumik Sen also stars Mahie Gill, Shilpa Shukla.

The film will see Madhuri's return to a full-fledged role after a gap of almost six years. She was last seen in an item song with Ranbir Kapoor in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

On being a part of the film Madhuri said: "I am happy that I am a part of a film which doesn't portray women as avenger or victim anymore. It's quite a strong film and when Soumik Sen (director) narrated me the script, I could not say no to him as I really liked the script. Female are protagonists in the film."

Madhuri Dixit is sharing screen space with her former contemporary Juhi Chawla for the first time.

Gulab Gang would release next year on Womens Day, March 8.

Apart from Gulab Gang, Madhuri is also working in Dedh Ishqiya opposite Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi. (With PTI inputs)

GeneChing

08-27-2013, 08:25 AM

I volunteer working with drug abusers. "Molly' has a different meaning in that community.

Mollywood packs a punch with martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/malayalam/news-and-interviews/Mollywood-packs-a-punch-with-martial-arts/articleshow/22067426.cms)
Asha Prakash, TNN | Aug 27, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

The superstar of Mollywood, Mohanlal, was in the news recently when he was awarded an honorary black belt in Taekwondo by the Kerala Taekwondo Association and the Korean Cultural Association, making him the first South Indian to receive the title.

The actor, who was a Gusti champion at the Veerakerala Gymkhana in 1978, takes everything he does seriously, and has been taking every opportunity possible in the past year to train in the art form. He had earlier said that inspiration from masters in martial arts like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan helped him to do stunt scenes in films without a dupe. "Besides improving fitness and flexibility, Taekwondo, like all other martial arts, helps in strengthening the mind. It also helps build a sense of compassion," he said, adding that children should be encouraged to learn martial arts along with studies. It is to be recalled that Mohanlal had underwent training in Kalaripayattu for the film Thacholi Varghese Chekavar.
A few other Mollywood stars like Rima Kallingal, Rajeev Pillai, Babu Antony and Vinay Forrt too share his passion for martial arts.

Tuned to Chhau

A trained classical dancer, Rima Kallingal can pack a punch if needed. Rima has told us on an earlier occasion that she is trained in Kalaripayattu as well as Chhau, a tribal martial dance popular in Orissa and West Bengal. In her upcoming film, Escape from Uganda, the actress does all the stunts herself, for which her martial arts training greatly helped, she says. "I was totally excited to do the daredevil stunts and gave my 100% for it," says Rima. Well, something which actresses in Malayalam don't usually say!

Kicked about Kalaripayattu

During his theatre days, Vinay Forrt learnt a bit of everything, although he isn't trained in any martial art form. "I've learnt Kalaripayattu, Taekwondo and Karate during my theatre days. Kalaripayattu training helps a lot in theatre, and it came in handy in my film Prabhuvinte Makkal," says the actor and adds that he incorporates martial arts in his daily exercise routine. "The meditation in Tai Chi is something I do on a daily basis. I recommend martial arts to everyone, not just actors," he says.

Karate kid

Babu Antony is probably the only actor who is a professional martial artist with years of training behind him. The actor reveals that he has been training for the past 20 years now and has acquired a 'fifth Dan' black belt in Karate. "I started off with Kalaripayattu and then turned to Karate, and later to mixed martial arts." A training in martial arts gives you flexibility and an ability to mould yourself into a character, something which forms the base of an actor or dancer, he says. "Martial arts endow you with the grace of a dancer and the speed of a panther, they say. And you can see the difference between a stunt scene involving an actor trained in martial arts and others. In Malayalam films, you only see the impact of the hero's punch, not the momentum or action." He also rues the fact that black belts are now being given away to those who aren't really trained. "It takes at least five years of intensive training to reach even the 'first Dan' black belt, but everyone seems to be getting a black belt these days."
Hooked on Parkour
Rajeev Pillai is one actor who regrets not having learnt martial art forms from childhood. "I was not allowed to learn any of these. But recently I learnt something called Parkour, which helps tremendously if you are doing stunts in films. Parkour is a holistic training discipline, in which practitioners move quickly and efficiently past obstacles using no props. You see Parkour in films like Casino Royale, where they jump from one building to another without ropes. I have tried it out," he says. The actor, who is into intensive fitness training, is planning to learn kick boxing soon.

GeneChing

09-12-2013, 09:31 AM

This should be you, yutyeesam.

For the honor and glory of our KFM forum, THIS SHOULD BE YOU!

Shaolin master trains the stars (http://www.asianage.com/life-and-style/shaolin-master-trains-stars-059)
Sep 12, 2013 - Reenu bahl |

http://www.asianage.com/sites/default/files/images/TAB11_8.jpg
There are times when Kanishka Sharma forgets his own name, for people refer to him as Shifu. “Not many people know that Shifu means master in Chinese. I am called by this name so many times that at times I forget my original name,” says the martial art expert, who happens to be the first Indian to get formal training in martial art at the Shaolin Temple.
It all started when Kanishka was six years old and his father got him a tape The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. “I showed interest in martial art at the age of three. I watched that movie every day, again and again till I made it my goal to train at the Shaolin Temple,” says Kanishka, who watched that movie more than 300 times.
His childhood obsession took him to China but for that he had to let go of his career. “I did an MBA from Netherlands and took up a corporate job in one of the leading companies in India. But my heart was not there and I always felt a misfit. Finally, I let it all go to pursue my dream of becoming a martial artist and applied at Shaolin. Once accepted, I spent nine years training there,” says Kanishka. With his training, he has brought the deadly combat system of Pekiti Titsia Kali besides other forms including Jeetkunedo, Muay Thai and Taichi to India and trains Special Forces, military personnel and film stars.
Till now, Kanishka has trained Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan for their films and is now working with Madhuri Dixit for Gulaab Gang and Anil Kapoor for special season of 24. “It is fun but not something that I want to do. I get better satisfaction in training police forces, special units and running women empowerment programmes. Films are secondary,” confesses Kanishka, who will conduct a workshop at Zambhala festival in Goa on December.

GeneChing

09-20-2013, 08:53 AM

It should be yutyeesam receiving this award. Curry Power!

Rajiv Gandhi excellence award to Bollywood martial arts trainer Chitah Yajnesh (http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/content/94825613-rajiv-gandhi-excellence-award-bollywood-martial-arts-trainer-chitah-yajnesh)
Fri, 09/20/2013 - 07:24
http://imageshack.com/scaled/800x600/405/f43h.jpg

Mumbai, September 20 (Washington Bangla Radio): Bollywood martial arts trainer Chitah Yajnesh Shetty has received 'Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award' for his commitment and work towards promoting the Martial Arts among youth; training and conducting special workshops for Street Children and Senior citizens; and launching a nation-wide initiative with Times Foundation 'Nirbhaya' A Self Defense and Empowerment program for Women. The awards were distributed by Harish Rawat - Minister for Water Resources, Govt of India; Jagdish Yadav- Chairman for OBC, Govt of India; and Team of Human Welfare Council on 11th September 2013 at the constitution Club of India, Rafi marg, New Delhi.

Chitah Yajnesh Shetty's martial arts modules are being imparted in more than 31 states. This includes Self confidence, Self Defense, Healthy lifestyle and Career opportunities, which is the need of an hour for the society due to the increasing concerns of the society.
Launched early this year, 'Nirbhay' A Self Defense and Empowerment program for Women started from Chhattisgarh, Chitah Yajnesh Shetty has activated it as other states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, Maharshtra and Uttranchal as of now.

GeneChing

10-02-2013, 05:21 PM

Anyone here see Masti 1 or Masti 2? Anyone?

Vivek Oberoi wants Van Damme in 'Masti 3' Press Trust of India (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/vivek-oberoi-wants-van-damme-in-masti-3/421732-8-66.html) | Posted on Sep 13, 2013 at 03:45pm IST

New Delhi: The third film from the 'Masti' franchise is yet to be confirmed but Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi has already gone a step ahead and asked Hollywood action star Jean-Claude Van Damme to be a part of 'Masti 3'. The 37-year-old actor's 'Grand Masti', a sequel to the 2004 adult comedy hit theatres today. Vivek said he is a great fan of the 'Universal Soldier' star, who is on his maiden visit to India, and would love to see him do a different kind of action film in Bollywood. Vivek Oberoi wants Van Damme in \'Masti 3\' Van Damme said there should be a cinema school in India which can train the directors in making global impact. "I was just talking to Jean-Claude. I am a huge, huge fan of him. I told him that it is time to see him make a triple impact in 'Masti 3'. It will be fun to see him do a helicopter kick in the film... It is also action but a different kind of action," Vivek joked. Van Damme was in the capital to attend the CII Big Picture Summit, alongwith his producer friend Ashok Amritraj, who launched his autobiography 'Advantage: Hollywood' here. "I have had a wonderful two and half days. I have had the pleasure to be part of Indian culture first in Dubai and then Macau (for IIFA). But, I am glad to finally make it to here. I thank you for making me what I am today," Van Damme said. Van Damme and Amritraj were the key speakers at the event's first discussion on 'Reaching the Global Audience', with Vivek and Gulshan Grover being the last minute additions. Grover, known for playing the bad guy in Bollywood films 'Mohra' and 'Sir', said he was the 'pioneer of the Bollywood to Hollywood transition'. "I take pride in the fact that I, a successful Bollywood actor, started going to LA to try and take my talent to the next level much before everyone else. I would like to believe that I am the pioneer of the whole Bollywood to Hollywood transition... it has been followed by my colleagues Irrfan Khan, Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher among others," Grover said. Concluding the session, Van Damme said there should be a cinema school in India which trained directors in making global impact with their films.

GeneChing

10-31-2013, 09:07 AM

Might have to check this one out. Been craving some Bollywood. And this is Netflixable.

Martial arts action star Sameer Ali in Krrish 3 (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-27/news-interviews/43432453_1_martial-arts-krrish-3-cynthia-rothrock)
TNN Oct 27, 2013, 02.12PM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/24775741.cms
(Sameer Ali Khan With Hrithik…)

The Kung Fu revolution began around the early 70s, and the genre has certainly developed and evolved greatly over the course of the last four decades.

The likes of veteran superstars with incredible talent of martial arts such as Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen,
Sammo Hung, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Cynthia Rothrock, Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and so many more have won public heart with their flabbergasting physical abilities.

And now here comes the "newbie" Sameer Ali Khan who is rising in the ranks of martial arts talent to watch out the hero's. He will re-define the martial arts cinema with his action in Krrish 3 and will wows everyone with his brutal physical performance with Hrithik Roshan. He will be soon entrusting with the prestigious honor of carrying the torch from the veterans. He is known for his martial arts skills and the star of action in Afghan. Spending 15 years of his life doing Martial Arts, he has received his 3rd dan from the Korean Federation of Martial Arts. He has also demonstrated some of his fighting skills in Krrish 3. Sameer plays the role of the villain called Antman.

Sameer Ali Khan said, "I am very thankful to the Almighty God for giving me this big opportunity. I am grateful to Mr. Rakesh Roshan for casting me and allowing me to share screens with superstar Mr. Hrithik Roshan, who is now a good friend of mine and who is always there to encourage me."

Sameer's action and his skill are nothing but short of incredible. He is fast, agile, powerful, and his timing is impeccable. One of the pleasures of watching a martial arts movie is gawking in an awe-inspired manner at the intricate choreography and acrobatics that are transpiring before your very eyes. When you watch him in action, it is very hard to believe he performs his moves without any wires or stunt doubles. Sameer truly looks like he is obliterating the laws of physics and defying gravity.

Sameer Ali in Krrish 3 The Kung Fu Revolution began around the early 70s, and the genre has certainly developed and evolved greatly over the course of the last four decades. The likes of veteran superstars with incredible talent of martial arts such as Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Cynthia Rothrock, Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and so many more have won public heart with their flabbergasting physical abilities. And now here comes the "newbie" Sameer Ali Khan who is rising in the ranks of martial arts talent to watch out the hero's. He will re-define the martial arts cinema with his action in Krrish 3 and will wows everyone with his brutal physical performance with Hrithik Roshan. He will be soon entrusting with the prestigious honor of carrying the torch from the veterans. He is known for his martial arts skills and the star of action in Afghan. Spending 15 years of his life doing Martial Arts, he has received his 3rd dan from the Korean Federation of Martial Arts. He has also demonstrated some of his fighting skills in Krrish 3. Sameer plays the role of the villain called Antman.

Sameer Ali Khan said, "I am very thankful to the Almighty God for giving me this big opportunity. I am grateful to Mr. Rakesh Roshan for casting me and allowing me to share screens with superstar Mr. Hrithik Roshan, who is now a good friend of mine and who is always there to encourage me."

Sameer's action and his skill are nothing but short of incredible. He is fast, agile, powerful, and his timing is impeccable. One of the pleasures of watching a martial arts movie is gawking in an awe-inspired manner at the intricate choreography and acrobatics that are transpiring before your very eyes. When you watch him in action, it is very hard to believe he performs his moves without any wires or stunt doubles. Sameer truly looks like he is obliterating the laws of physics and defying gravity.

GeneChing

12-18-2013, 09:53 AM

Follow the first link for a pic.

A Bruce Lee in Tamil cinema! (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/news-interviews/A-Bruce-Lee-in-Tamil-cinema/articleshow/27533510.cms)
TNN | Dec 18, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

It is not uncommon when directors claim that their heroes have fought like action movie legend Bruce Lee in their films. Now, a filmmaker A Sonai, who has assisted many popular directors, has come up with a film titled Pudhiya Bruce Lee. The director has found a leading man who is a look-alike of the martial arts phenomenon! The actor, named Bruce, is a Chennaiite and a double black belt holder in karate.

Says the director, "Bruce Lee is known for portraying brave characters who are also disciplined in life. I've tried to capture that in this film. The story revolves around a young man who comes to the city from a village. His uncle faces some troubles over a real estate property and how this guy solves the problem with his fighting skills forms the plot. I'm confident that the film will be an action treat for fans."

New face Suresh Narang plays the antagonist in the film. Interestingly, the team brought a Bollywood actor for the film's climatic stunt sequence, which is said to have been spectacularly captured by stunt director Thrill Sekar.

Puthiya Bruce Lee' to introduce Lee's doppelganger (http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/regional/puthiya-bruce-lee-to-introduce-lee-s-doppelganger/article1-1163925.aspx)
IANS
December 18, 2013
First Published: 17:43 IST(18/12/2013)
Last Updated: 18:53 IST(18/12/2013)

He played his first leading role in The Big Boss (1971), which was a huge box office success all over Asia and catapulted him to stardom. He then went on to star in Fist of Fury (1972), which was an even bigger success at the box office and also wrote, directed and starred in Way of the Dragon the same year.
Upcoming Tamil actioner Puthiya Bruce Lee is not a tribute to legendary martial arts fighter Bruce Lee, but the film will introduce his doppelganger being played by debutant, also named Bruce.

"I have incorporated the two most important facets from Bruce Lee's life, which are
discipline and courage in my story. We wanted someone who looked like the legend himself and we were lucky to find Bruce," the film's director A. Sonai told IANS.

"It's a very commercial story of a young guy from a village who moves to the city and helps his uncle in some real estate property problems with his fighting skills. The action in the film is inspired by several of Bruce Lee's films," he added.

Sonai said the stunts in the film will be its biggest highlight.

"Bruce is a trained martial artist. He is a double black belt hold, and, therefore, the action will be very realistic. I'm sure the audience will love it," he added.

Suresh Narang has been roped in to play the antagonist.

GeneChing

12-20-2013, 11:07 AM

I'd have to do a lot of merging, but he's done a lot for martial arts in India.

Akshay Kumar bats for martial arts in school curriculum (http://zeenews.india.com/sports/others/akshay-kumar-bats-for-martial-arts-in-school-curriculum_776067.html)

http://znn.india.com/sports/2013/12/20/Akshay-Special-Games247.jpg
Kolkata: Urging to make learning of martial arts compulsory at schools, popular Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar today regretted that this form of self defence came last in priority in the country.

"In a country where cricket is the most popular sport, martial arts unfortunately comes last in priority. The most essential thing in India is discipline. We require it. If every school makes martial arts compulsory, it would be the best thing India can do," the Khiladi star said.

"I`m always up for sports. Not politics or anything but sports. I run India`s biggest tournaments for martial arts," Akshay, who came to the city along with new sensation Sonakshi Sinha in connection with East Bengal club`s pre-centenary show tomorrow at Salt Lake, said.

He said he would love to promote sports in the city.

"It`s just the beginning. If I get an offer, I`m never behind supporting sports. I`ve so many martial tournaments back in Mumbai. Many black belt players from all over come there to compete. I`ll be more than happy to do anything for sports," he said.

Akshya and Sonakshi were earlier given life memberships at the club tent.

A self-confessed Manchester United fan, Akshya Kumar further said he would root for hosts Brazil in the next year`s World Cup.

"I follow all the teams, but I follow Man U the most. I am supporter of Man U."

Hailing the city`s sports culture, Akshay said Kolkata is his favourite city.

"It`s the city of sports. I`ve been to many cities around the world and India but I`ve never seen a city like Kolkata where people love sports so much. That`s one reason why I love Kolkata the most..."

Personally also, the city had been special to Akshay Kumar, the actor revealed.

"I've learnt a lot from here, having spent three important years of my life here. If it was not for Kolkata, I would have been struggling somewhere else," he said recollecting about his first break in the early 1990s.

During his childhood days, Akshay Kumar said he was a goalkeeper.

"I follow football... I used to be a goalkeeper in my school days. But I call myself a sportsperson," he said.

"I played football actually in Kolkata with our Dada, Mithun Chakraborty in 1994."

Overwhelmed by East Bengal's gesture, Akshay said: "It's a very very big honour for me to get a life membership from East Bengal."

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly too joined in East Bengal's pre-centenary celebrations, titled Starnite, that will begin at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan at 5.30pm tomorrow.

Asked to comment on Aamir Khan-starrer Dhoom 3, the Bollywood actor in a lighter vein said: "It will not be more popular than East Bengal club."

GeneChing

01-22-2014, 09:30 AM

How Madhuri Dixit learnt to kick butt (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/How-Madhuri-Dixit-learnt-to-kick-butt/articleshow/29194591.cms)
Ankur Pathak,Mumbai Mirror | Jan 22, 2014, 12.00 AM IST

"The brief given to me by director Soumik Sen was to design the stunts in a manner that they look both aesthetic as well as realistic," says Kanishka Sharma, who has choreographed the action for the upcoming Madhuri Dixit-Juhi Chawla starrer Gulaab Gang.

Making the fights look realistic meant absolutely no reference points, either from Hollywoood or Hindi cinema. "It couldn't be as gritty as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, neither could it be as suave as the Matrix," he says, adding that he trained Madhuri in rare martial art forms like Shaolin Kungfu, Pekiti Tirsia Kali and Shaolin Chin-na.

"I was taken aback by Madhuri's agility and her pitch-perfect timing, something that is paramount as far as shooting such action sequences go," says Sharma who has trained actors like Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham for films like Don and Goal.

He equates the enduring action he designs with the beauty of dance, insisting that had it not been for Madhuri's dance background, the shots wouldn't have been filmed as smoothly as they were.

How different it is to train a woman in action as opposed to men? "Women understand rhythm and intricate details, while men are always worried about flaunting their physical prowess," Kanishka says.

"I remember a scene where Madhuri had to twist a man's arm and kick him hard. I rehearsed with her for a few hours before the shot, but was a little apprehensive. Later, I was shocked at how comfortably she pulled it off. She makes all my otherwise tiring action look effortless on screen."

The training before the film went on the floors lasted for over a month, sometimes stretching up to 30 hours at one go.

"I extensively trained Madhuri in Shaolin Kung Fu, besides stick training, Shaolin joint locking, Kali knife, short stick and of course, close combat." And what about safety on the set? "I was present throughout the shoot to make sure that nothing went wrong and nothing did," Kanishka says with a sense of unmistakable pride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAcN8RR3Ry4

This actually looks entertaining to me.

GeneChing

03-06-2014, 09:36 AM

Ouch. That is a terrible opening sentence.

The twin force behind ‘Gulaab Gang’ (http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/the-twin-force-behind-gulaab-gang-1.1300035)
Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla team up for the first time in women-centric drama
By Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Senior Reporter
Published: 10:27 March 6, 2014

http://gulfnews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1300179!/image/796900637.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_475/796900637.jpg
Image Credit: Supplied
Madhuri Dixit scenes in Gulaab Gang

It calls for courage to admit that being in a perpetual state of insecurity is not an easy emotion to deal with. Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla, who features in this week’s release Gulaab Gang, stands proof. In this women-centric drama, she shares screen space with the ‘90s superstar and expert dancer Madhuri Dixit — a role that Chawla would have rejected a decade ago.

“Back then, I wasn’t secure enough about my own ability and whether I should be there,” Chawla said in an interview with tabloid!. She feared there were would be petty comparisons drawn on who got a better role or who came off looking better. Her fears are rational since the two were the most sought-after heroines in the ‘90s and they often lobbied for the same plum acting projects.

“But today, I am not bound by those thoughts. I do things to please myself. And once I had that figured out, I went into the film with the confidence that I can pull it off and together we will make the mark.”

Chawla, who was known for her syrupy girl-next-door roles, has taken on a manipulative politician’s role in Gulaab Gang. According to her, as soon as she made peace with the fact that Dixit who plays the good-hearted Rajjo may walk away with the best lines in the film, it got a lot easier.

Her reasoning? A movie can always be spiced up with a menacing villain. But she wonders if people would buy into her meanness or just “laugh at her attempt”?

Sheer evil

“There are only grey shades. I am just pure evil and the interesting bit is that there’s no reason behind that manipulative behaviour. She didn’t struggle in her childhood nor was she a victim of abuse,” Chawla said.

In complete contrast is Dixit’s character who wields a baton and forms an all-women vigilante group in her village to fight injustices against women. She’s an angel-incarnate who employs aggressive methods to clean up society.

“But it’s not a male bashing film. It’s a film that will entertain and inspire women to take charge. We are saying that education is the key to a better future. Unless there’s knowledge, there’s not going to be any improvement in the situation of women. I believe in that,” Dixit said.

While their cause is noble, in real life, the Gulaab Gang team is battling a lawsuit filed by activist Sampat Lal who claims its makers didn’t get permission to make a film on her life. She formed Gulabi Gang, a group of pink sari-clad women vigilantes from Uttar Pradesh. Based on her allegations, the Delhi High Court has ordered a stay on the release of the film in India until May 8. However, the UAE local distributors have gone ahead with their release in this region.

Ask Dixit about the issue and she adopts a diplomatic stand. “The producers will be able to answer that question, but this film is a salute to all the women who are doing extraordinary work,” Dixit said, quoting Lal and Stop Acid Attacks campaigner Laxmi as the paragons of virtue.

Action scenes

“Gulaab Gang will entertain, educate and inspire,” Dixit said. The mother-of-two, who took a sabbatical from Bollywood in 1999 after her marriage to US-based doctor Sriram Madhav Nene, is back in form. The trailers show her indulging in a fierce hand-to-hand combat, a feat that she pulled off without a body double.

“I knew taekwondo and that helped me a bit because your basics are covered. We also had a shaolin instructor who taught me how to hold the laatis [batons] and use it. The challenging part was to look like at ease with it,” Dixit said.

“You know what, the action was a bit like dancing. You just need to find balance, be fluid and learn to be at ease with your hand and feet,” she added.

Interestingly, the Mumbai-raised star, 46, felt right at home playing a pink sari-clad evangelical spirit from a small town.

“I may now live in a city. But I had uncles and aunts whom I visited in villages often, so it was not a new thing for me … but this film made me realise that there is a large number of people living in villages and their struggles are so different from the small percentage that’s living in the Indian cities in their high-rise apartments. Sometimes our head is in the clouds and we are not aware of what’s going on in these villages,” Dixit said.

Not preachy

While Gulaab Gang aims to inspire, its villain Chawla is clear that her film will never turn preachy.

“Films are primarily for entertainment. There’s a social message but we are presenting it in a different manner … There’s lot of dialogue baazi [conversations that make an impact] in the film. Remember Amitabh Bachchan’s famous movie dialogue that goes Hum jahan khade ho jaate hain, line wahi se shuru hoti hain [Where I stand, the queue beings from there] in Kaalia, nobody speaks like that in real life, but you wish you did during a confrontation. And Gulaab Gang has plenty of such crackling lines that’s packed with action and masala [fiery],” Chawla said.

While the women in Gulaab Gang are shown as a formidable force, the reality for Bollywood actresses when it comes to being courted with meaty roles is grim.

“Good roles for women are few and far between. A role like the one in Gulaab Gang was never offered to me in the past. When you asked me about women-centric films, I couldn’t name one in a snap and that’s not a good sign. Usually, the women in Bollywood films lend beauty and colour. But I hope more women-centric films are made in future. We are up for it,” Chawla said.

http://gulfnews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1300178!/image/3937389930.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_475/3937389930.jpg
Madhuri Dixit indulges in fierce combat scenes in Gulaab Gang, a feat that she pulled off without a body double.
This movie looks unusual. I'm not sure if I'm intrigued yet.

GeneChing

03-20-2014, 11:26 AM

Actress and VJ Rhea Chakraborty groped in Mumbai, uses martial arts to kick her molester, files FIR (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/actress-and-vj-rhea-chakraborty-groped-in-mumbai-uses-martial-arts-to-kick-her-molester-files-fir/458984-8-66.html)
Mar 20, 2014 at 12:13pm IST

Mumbai: Actress and VJ Rhea Chakraborty proved effectively that every girl should be taught self defence skills early on to defend herself in dangerous situations till help arrived. Rhea, who appeared in the film 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti', tweeted on Wednesday that she was groped by a man in her apartment building.

The man, who she described as "well dressed", groped her while she was taking a stroll in her apartment complex at 5 PM. There were security guards in the vicinity but before they could come to her rescue, Rhea, who is trained in martial arts, kicked her assailant hard and screamed.

She has filed a first information report at the Khar police station and has seen the CCTV footage.

http://static.ibnlive.in.com/ibnlive/pix/sitepix/03_2014/rheachakraborty.jpg
Actress and VJ Rhea Chakraborty proved effectively that every girl should be taught self defence skills early on.

"I won't let this go. Going to file a complaint at Khar police station. Action needs to be taken, or are we waiting for 1000s more to get molested..?" she tweeted.

"Is anyone going to bother, elections are round the corner! Mumbai is suffocatingly unsafe. Can a girl not walk in to her own building at 5 pm? Where is the f*****g guarantee of not getting molested?" she said. I like an Bollywood starlet that can say "f*****g"

Vajramusti

03-20-2014, 05:49 PM

Ouch. That is a terrible opening sentence.

This movie looks unusual. I'm not sure if I'm intrigued yet.
------------------------
Have not seen the movie but Madhuri Dixit is still superb specially in dancing and singing
and acting too.
joy chaudhuri

GeneChing

06-09-2014, 09:35 AM

Know the fitness mantra of Sandalwood sirens (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news-interviews/Know-the-fitness-mantra-of-Sandalwood-sirens/articleshow/36233732.cms)
TNN | Jun 8, 2014, 08.50 AM IST

http://dd508hmafkqws.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/styles/article_node_view/public/Aindrita-Ray_0.jpg

1 Being a Bengali, food is always a top priority for me. I find it tough to follow a diet. So this year, keeping that in mind, fitness has become a ritual for me.
A friend trained from China in martial arts has been teaching me Shaolin fitness strategies, which is my kind of workout because it's very artistic and helps me strengthen the body and keep the mind calm. Along with that, I also learn selfdefence, and working out with nunchucks. The variety holds my interest without making the workout monotonous. I look forward to a healthier and more powerful year.

-Aindrita Ray India has the world beat when it comes to Shaolin Sandalwood sirens. RESPECT!

GeneChing

06-13-2014, 09:07 AM

Sonakshi Sinha sandalwood siren. :)

There is also the Bollywood Warrior remake, which I just posted here (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?51936-Warrior&p=1271046#post1271046).

Sonakshi Sinha learns to fight (http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-sonakshi-sinha-learns-to-fight-1994912)
Thursday, 12 June 2014 - 6:30am IST | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

http://static.dnaindia.com/sites/default/files/2014/06/11/242993-sona1.jpg

Sonakshi Sinha, who is playing a college girl in SR Murugadoss's untitled film, will also be seen doing some action scenes. She will undergo a 30-day martial arts workshop under the guidance of experts from Thailand. The film will go on floors in November.

Says a source close to Sonakshi, "It's a completely heroine-oriented script with the actress doing the kind of action a hero does. Murugadoss has been telling people that Sonakshi is the 'hero' of his film. The action-oriented film will require Sonakshi to undergo an extensive 30-day training in martial arts prior to the shoot. Martial arts experts will be flying down to Mumbai to teach her. She also consulted a few of her friends like Prabhudheva, Akshay Kumar and Shahid Kapoor about the art form. That is why she has been losing a lot of weight - to get a fit and lithe body for the film. While actresses have been known to do lot of action-oriented scenes in films, this will have Sonakshi actually fighting with the villains and fending them off with martial arts techniques."

The actress will start Murugadoss's film after completing Tevar with Arjun Kapoor and Ajay Devgn.

Other actions heroines
Kangana Ranaut in Revolver Rani
Madhuri Dixit Nene and Juhi Chawla in Gulab Gang
Priyanka Chopra in Don and Don 2
Deepika Padukone in Chandni Chowk To China
Aiwshwarya Rai Bachchan in Jodha Akbar

GeneChing

06-27-2014, 08:47 AM

Rani Mukerji: All Indian schools should make martial arts a compulsory subject
Thu, June 26, 2014 5:20pm UTC by Prateek Sur

http://st1.bollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/trailer-grab-32.jpg
Aditya Chopra’s wifey was all praises for Krav Maga, which she performs in Mardaani

Rani Mukerji has garnered a lot of praises for the action sequences in her upcoming film Mardaani. Mrs Aditya Chopra informed that she took special training in an Israeli martial art form called Krav Maga for all the action sequences. Talking about the current state of women safety in India, she stressed on the fact that Krav Maga is not a very tough martial art form and all Indian schools should make martial arts a compulsory subject in the curriculum.

If we recall Akshay Kumar has time and again stressed on the importance of martial arts in, not just the safety and protection, but also the well being of an individual. Rani as well stressed upon the importance of martial arts when she unveiled the trailer of her upcoming film Mardaani recently at YRF Studios. It was not that she was promoting Krav Maga, but she said that not just girls but also boys should be trained in any form of martial arts.

We hope this is not just for the promotion of the film and she as well tries to inspire youngsters to take up martial arts, just like Akshay Kumar does. Hai na peeps?

The article pic is appropo, but not as flattering as this:
http://media.glamsham.com/download/wallpaper/celebrities/images/r/ranimukherjee6_10x7.jpg

GeneChing

09-17-2014, 09:03 AM

Unfortunately (or perhaps not) the YouTube video says "The uploader has not made this video available in your country. Sorry about that." Maybe some of our members here can watch it if they follow the link. Do we have any members in India?

Tiger Shroff wants to play Bruce Lee or Michael Jackson (http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/tiger-shroff-wants-to-play-bruce-lee-or-michael-jackson/article1-1264977.aspx)
Samarth Goyal, Hindustan Times New Delhi, September 17, 2014
First Published: 13:04 IST(17/9/2014) | Last Updated: 13:51 IST(17/9/2014)

Tiger Shroff recently released a video to pay tribute to Michael Jackson. The video was a mash-up of the song Whistle Baja (from Tiger’s debut film) and Jackson’s hit number, Billie Jean.

The actor has now said he would love to play Michael Jackson if a biopic is ever made on the *legendary singer. "It’s a toss-up between Bruce Lee and Jackson. These two are my heroes, and I would love to play either of them in a biopic. While I grew up watching Lee’s martial arts sequences in films, I have worshipped Jackson ever since I can remember. I would love to portray his life on screen — from the ’80s when he started getting *famous till the time, I hate to say, he passed away in 2009," Tiger says.

About his tribute video for the king of pop, the 23-year-old further said, "Jackson has been my idol. He has been my favourite ever since I started learning dancing. So, for the tribute, I chose Whistle baja, a song that gave me so much *recognition and love, along with Billie Jean."

More so because, "Billie Jean was the song in which Jackson *performed his iconic *moonwalk for the very first time in 1983," Tiger added.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/2014/5/f913cb4f-0251-48fa-a2c5-00732262a71eWallpAutoWallpaper2.JPG
Tiger Shroff was at a suburban cinema, probably catching a movie. We’re just glad Mr Muscles kept his shirt on.

GeneChing

12-09-2014, 11:39 AM

I really enjoy Akki's films. He does deliver some fun fight scenes, even if they are more dance-like than hardcore. He has a great screen presence and can juggle machismo, comedy and drama much better than most action stars.

December 9, 2014
Updated: December 9, 2014 19:25 IST
Martial arts to the rescue (http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/martial-arts-to-the-rescue/article6676621.ece)
Srinivasa Ramanujam

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02238/10MP_KRITISAN_2238305e.jpg
Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon is gearing up for her upcoming Bollywood film with Akshay Kumar

Kriti Sanon is looking forward to her upcoming Bollywood film with Akshay Kumar. In this project, she plays a dance teacher.

“We’re in the preparation stage and shooting starts in January,” says the actress, adding, “I’ll have a few action sequences with him and am currently getting into shape for that. I’m training in kickboxing and martial arts… it’s so exciting. I feel that learning some form of self-defence is vital for women; it makes you confident.”

The actress is also learning Western dance. “I can’t reveal more about it now,” says the Heropanti actress, who has trained in Kathak during her childhood. “But it will be different from the regular dances you see in Bollywood.” An electronics engineering graduate, Kriti wrote her GMAT entrance test before she entered films.

“I got a good score too…but that was only for my parents! Even while preparing for the exams, I knew that I wanted to act in films. I didn’t want to end up sitting at a desk and cribbing that I didn’t follow my dreams,” she says. Kriti has already done a Telugu film and is working on her next now.

Is she interested in Kollywood? “If I get a really good script with an interesting role, why not? The Tamil industry is one of the biggest in the country. As for me, it’s more about role and script; language really doesn’t matter. Ultimately, you’re telling a story.”

GeneChing

12-29-2014, 10:10 AM

Taapse exercises martial arts in her next (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/Taapse-exercises-martial-arts-in-her-next/articleshow/45679060.cms)
TNN | Dec 29, 2014, 08.07 PM IST

Taapse exercises martial arts in her next
Actress Taapse Pannu, who got trained in Krav Maga - an Israeli martial art, for Akshay Kumar-starrer "Baby", has also put it to use for a fight sequence in her upcoming Tamil film ace Vai Raja Vai".

"Taapsee was more than happy to assist in the sequence owing to her recent exposure to Krav Maga which she learned for 'Baby'. And it was quite easy for her to perform these stunts as she had come fresh off from the sets of 'Baby'," a source close to the actress told.

Contrary to her bubbly and romantic roles, Tapsee is said to be playing a character with negative shades in the film. Directed by Aishwarya Dhanush, the film features Gautham Karthik and Priya Anand in the lead roles. Actor Dhanush will be seen in a cameo.

The photo with the article was protected and I didn't feel like crawling through the code to extract it, so I'm just grabbing an image I googed for here.

http://media1.santabanta.com/full1/Indian%20%20Celebrities(F)/Taapsee%20Pannu/taapsee-pannu-4a.jpg

GeneChing

01-15-2015, 01:29 PM

Actually, this is Tollywood, but we won't quibble

An Eye On ‘I': Thriller Is Biggest-Ever Tamil Release In U.S. & India (Video) (http://i1.wp.com/pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/i-vikram-bodybuilder.jpg?crop=195px%2C0px%2C634px%2C425px&resize=446%2C299)

by Nancy Tartaglione
January 14, 2015 11:43pm

http://i1.wp.com/pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/i-vikram-bodybuilder.jpg?crop=195px%2C0px%2C634px%2C425px&resize=446%2C299

While Tamil stars and films are perhaps not as well known outside of India as their Bollywood counterparts, they nevertheless have a huge fanbase within India (especially the south) and across the diaspora. Also known as Kollywood, the Tamil industry produces hundreds of feature films per year. The latest high-profile title is big-budget adventure/romance thriller I, from Robot helmer Shanmugham Shankar (commonly known as just Shankar). It opened Wednesday to sell-outs at home and abroad in what is the biggest-ever release for a Tamil-language film (see trailer below). In the U.S., it’s going out via distributor Aascar Film in over 200 theaters with versions in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. No South Indian film has ever opened this wide in the U.S. market before. In India, the opening is on a record 6,500 screens. As with the major Bollywood films we’ve seen over the past year which have broken out worldwide — especially Aamir Khan’s Christmas release PK — Tamil movies also choose key holiday release dates. Wednesday was the beginning of the four-day Pongal festival which celebrates the end of harvest season and is among the best box office weeks of the year in South India.

The film boasts an impressive roster of talent. It stars Chiyaan Vikram — familiarly known as Vikram as many Tamil talent go by just one name — an award-winning actor who has several hits under his belt including 2010’s Raavanan with Aishwarya Rai, and millions of fans worldwide. Helmer Shankar, whose 1996 Indian and 1998 Jeans were the Indian submissions for the Foreign Language Oscar, is also known for his 2010 blockbuster Robot which is the highest-grossing Tamil film ever in both the U.S. and India. That sci-fi pic played on about 140 screens in North America, grossing $3M (a sequel has been rumored with Aamir Khan potentially taking part). I also has six original songs by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman. He has worked with Shankar before and recently scored Tamil hit, Lingaa, which opened last month to a $1.4M weekend in the U.S.

Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop did the creature makeup, and Stan Winston Studios handled animatronics for I. Notably, much of the film was shot in China, and a wide release is planned there with about 12,000 dates all throughout Asia in March. Further, says Naveen Varadarajan, head of U.S. operations for Aascar, this is the last Tamil film to be shot in 35mm.

In I, Vikram plays three characters: bodybuilder Lingesan, top model Lee, and the Hunchback. All are the same person, but change over time. Diya, a supermodel played by Amy Jackson, falls for Lee, who is really Lingesan after a makeover. The Hunchback also comes into play, but saying more would be to give away key plot points of the non-linear story.

I premiered in Malaysia late Tuesday night and the Indian screenings began at 4 AM local on Wednesday, Varadarajan tells me. The premiere was a “full house” and he expects I to go far. Helmer Shankar is all about “content and grandeur… in terms of visual effects, every frame is spot on.” Check it out for yourself in the trailer below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uPK9Ov6Zd4

GeneChing

02-17-2015, 10:00 AM

'Bahubali' : Rana Duggubati learns mixed martial arts (http://www.indiaglitz.com/bahubali--rana-duggubati-learns-mixed-martial-arts-tamil-news-125658)
IndiaGlitz [Monday, February 16, 2015]

http://img.indiaglitz.com/tamil/news/raana-bahubali-1622015-m.jpg

Rana Daggubati went through an intensive martial arts training for six months before commencing shoot of the magnum opus Bahubali. Bahubali is a war film with a lot of action sequences. The lead cast needed to be flexible, swift and quick with the movements along with knowing certain weapon use. A body double was used to shoot it hence actors had to know it all and needed to be trained well.

The training continued on set later. They were trained by Vietnamese martial arts experts Tang, Son and Luck. They were trained in mixed martial arts, weapon training as the film involves a lot of weapon fight. They also helped the cast combat injuries and helped in a speedy recovery process. Training helped them in flexibility, swift movement and fight. Rana trained in scaling walls and Mace weapon use with minimum of 8 hours of training in a day.

Rana confirmed, "Peter Hines the Action Director for Bahubali, had me training with 3 special fighters from Vietnam for about 6 to 8 months. They used a combination of mixed martial arts and weapon training. The actual choreography for the action scenes began after this where several new techniques and methods for horse riding, chariot riding and other period film action requirements. Period action scenes are heavily injury prone so it is better to be trained in advance."

Bahubali will be a pan India release and will be in Hindi as well.

I'm disappointed they went Vietnamese and didn't train Indian mace. Does Vietnamese martial arts even have a mace?

We ran an article on Indian maces and their connection to Chinese maces last year: The Indian Gada and Chinese Melon Hammers By Harjit Singh Sagoo NOV+DEC 2014 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/index.php?p=magazine&article=1178)

GeneChing

02-17-2015, 10:10 AM

A two-fer today - both learning MMA and weapons...:confused:

Madhurima Tuli learns mixed martial arts
V Lakshmi, TNN | Feb 15, 2015, 12.00AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46244265,width-217,resizemode-4/Madhurima-Tuli.jpg
Actress Madhurima Tuli has taken to a new form of exercise.

Instead of sweating it out at the gym, she is busy kicking some punches on the beach. She has been practising mixed martial arts for a week now, and says it's liberating to break a sweat out in the open. Madhurima says, "With this technique, I will be able to both defend myself and attack the enemy. I can strike and grapple, and also deal with weapons. With so many horrible incidents of crimes against women, I think we should be able to deal with the attackers ourselves."

The actress has been learning under an expert every alternate day. "I've started with karate and kung fu and this takes care of my core body and cardio needs as well. So, I don't miss the gym anymore," she smiles. Meanwhile, Madhurima says she misses working on the TV series Kumkum Bhagya. "I had to quit the show because I was shooting Baby. But I watch it religiously even now," she signs off.

This one needs a better pic, yes?
http://pics.wikifeet.com/Madhurima-Tuli-Feet-979401.jpg

GeneChing

04-29-2015, 08:15 AM

Jackie Chan Welcomes The Idea Of Remaking The Karate Kid In Tamil!
Posted by: Avinash Gopinath Updated: Monday, April 27, 2015, 11:23 [
Earlier there were reports doing rounds that action choreographer Siva widely known as Stunt Siva, who appeared in Kamal Haasan's Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, has taken to direction with his debut movie titled as Karate Kaaran.

The latest we hear from the sources close to the movie is that Asia's most popular star, Jackie Chan, has sent across his warm wishes to the team of Karate Kaaran.

http://www.filmibeat.com/img/2015/04/27-1430111198-karate-karan.jpg

What does Jackie Chan has to do with stunt Siva's debut movie you might ask, well, as it turns out, Karate Karan is the official remake of Jackie Chan's 2010 movie, The Karate Kid.

Stunt Siva has revealed that he had informed Jackie Chan about the remake to which the Hollywood actor has sent across his congratulations to the entire team. "Jackie Chan is a friend of mine and he wished us good luck when we informed him that we are going to remake The Karate Kid.

The script had to undergo certain changes so that Tamil audience can relate to it", said Siva.

Karate Karan will star Siva's entire family as his sons Kevin and Stephen are said to play the lead roles while Jackie Chan's role in the original will be played by his wife Laani, who is a professional in martial arts.

Siva has also promised that the movie will not be a disappointment as it will be a treat to the family audience. Will Karate Karan manage to attract the kind of response The Karate Kid enjoyed? Let's wait for the movie's release and hope for the best.

I wonder if Siva is aware that Jackie's version was a remake...

Karate Kid (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48261-The-Karate-Kid)

Jimbo

05-06-2015, 08:19 AM

Salman Khan jailed for 5 years:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-32603596

GeneChing

05-28-2015, 08:42 AM

Sandeepa to perform Jackie Chan inspired stunts in '7 Hours...' (http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/movies/sandeepa-to-perform-jackie-chan-inspired-stunts-in-7-hours_1602563.html)
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - 15:02

Mumbai: Actress Sandeepa Dhar, best known for her roles in films like “Isi Life Mein”, “Dabangg 2” and “Heropanti”, will next be seen performing daredevil stunts inspired from Chinese Kung fu star Jackie Chan in her upcoming film “7 Hours to Go”.

The 26-year-old, who will play a police officer in the film, trained in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) from actor Sushant Singh Rajput's trainer Karan Nagari, to give her perfect shot in “7 Hours to go”.

“I'm always a little taken aback, when in this day and age people are surprised that a woman will play an action oriented role. My action stunts will be very different. My stunts in the film will have glimpses of Jackie Chan's action,” Sandeepa said in a statement.

“It would take years of discipline to match up to Jackie, but I am trying to give my best shot and my trainer is quite happy with the progress,” she added.

Directed by Saurabh Varma, “7 Hours to Go”, which also stars Shiv Pandit, Vipin Sharma and Varun Badola, is an investigative thriller set in Mumbai.

The film is currently in post production stage and is expected to release in September.

Why any eidtor would run an article on Sandeepa and not post a pic completely befuddles me.

http://images.indianexpress.com/2015/03/sandeepa-dhar-759.jpg
http://sim03.in.com/6ac26004d9ee1494a52196698ae954dc_ft_m.jpg
http://media.santabanta.com/gallery/indian%20%20celebrities(f)/sandeepa%20dhar/sandeepa-dhar-6-s.jpg

GeneChing

06-11-2015, 09:28 AM

Eight to nine weeks? No match for Akki - check out Brothers (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68705-Brothers).

Ali Zafar undergoes martial arts training for Deosai (http://www.filmsofindia.com/news/5520-ali-zafar-undergoes-martial-arts-training-for-deosai)
11-06-2015

http://www.filmsofindia.com/imgw/644/images/newsimages/1433999649.jpg

Kill Dil star Ali Zafar will next be seen in an action drama flick titled Deosai. It will be an English- Urdu venture and Zafar will also be making his debut as a producer with it. In order to prepare for his role in the movie, Zafar has been undergoing rigorous martial arts training. The actor has been working with some of the best trainers in the world at a mixed martial arts club and he has also been on a special diet to get in shape for the role. Ali himself has confirmed the news. He said, “I started the prep a week ago and will keep going for another seven-eight weeks before we start shooting in August.”

http://filmsofindia.in/images/newsimages/ali%20zafar%20training.jpg

Ali Zafar made an explosive debut in B-town with his hilarious satire drama Tere Bin Laden. He was last seen playing the strong, silent killer in YRF’s Kill Dil where he managed to hold his own against the likes of Ranveer Singh and Govinda. We feel Ali Zafar still has a lot of potential and it seems Deosai could be his breakthrough movie.

GeneChing

06-11-2015, 09:34 AM

Martial arts is trending in Indian film.

Jackie Chan''s Stuntmaster for Dhanush-Prabhu Solomon Film (http://www.indiaglitz.com/hollywood-stunt-master-in-prabhu-solomon-dhanush-film-tamil-news-135066.html)
IndiaGlitz [Thursday, June 11, 2015]

http://img.indiaglitz.com/tamil/news/dhanush-prabhusoloman10615-m.jpg

Director Prabhu Solomon is busy with extensive pre-production work for his new film, which has Dhanush as the hero and Keerthi Suresh as heroine. The story is set completely on a train journey and the film is said to be a high octane action thriller.

The team has roped in Jackie Chan’s stunt co-ordinator in the film ‘Shangai Noon’, Roger Yuan, who also has ‘Batman Begins’ and ‘James Bond Skyfall’ to his credit. Music is by D.Imman, Editing by Dass (Don Max) and cinematography is by V. Mahendran. The as yet untitled film is produced by T.G. Thiagarajan under the banner Sathyajyothi Films.

GeneChing

07-15-2015, 09:08 AM

Evelyn Sharma mastering Israeli martial arts (http://www.pardaphash.com/news/evelyn-sharma-mastering-israeli-martial-arts/768757.html#.VaaE2ihfZZQ)

Published by: Shubhanshu Sharma
Published on: Sat, 04 Jul 2015 at 11:12 IST

http://www.pardaphash.com/uploads/images/660/evelynsharma-171090.JPG
Mumbai: Evelyn Sharma, who has played a hot and glamorous roles in most of her films, is set to expand her wings and push for different kind of roles.

The talented actress will be seen in an action avatar in her next project and will be undergoing intensive training in Krav Maga, an Israeli martial arts form.

A source informs, "It is heard that one of the best trainers in Mumbai is going to train Evelyn and it would be a 15-days training activity. Evelyn is quite an adventurous person and has indulged in several adventure sports as part of her travel trips."

Evelyn informs, “Krav Maga is physically demanding but at the same time the experience is rejuvenating. It increases your stamina. Now that I’m training for it, I realise its importance. I feel it’s necessary for every woman to learn self-defence for their safety.”

Don't know this actress at all, but does that matter for this thread?

GeneChing

09-02-2015, 08:15 AM

This is being touted as Tollywood's first martial arts film (Tollywood means it's Telugu)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cffDigH7mKM#t=10

GeneChing

10-13-2015, 03:09 PM

One of Kung Fu Tai Chi (http://www.martialartsmart.com/19341.html)'s previous graphic artists was named Shibani. This isn't her however.

Shibani Kashyap plays femme fatale in a film on martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Shibani-Kashyap-plays-femme-fatale-in-a-film-on-martial-arts/articleshow/49322420.cms)
Hiren Kotwani,TNN | Oct 13, 2015, 12.00 AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-49322450,width-300,resizemode-4/Shibani-Kashyap.jpg
Shibani Kashyap plays femme fatale in a film on martial arts

The role fell into her lap when she met director Milind Ukey (who has previously made Paathshaala) to discuss a song sequence for the movie. She recalls, "He said he had a character of a femme fatale that would be perfect for me and asked me if I'd like to do it."The artiste was initially hesitant, but after she heard the narration and thought about her role, she realised it was different and eventually gave her nod. "I felt, despite being negative, this character could inspire women in our country to learn martial arts. It's a fantastic form of fitness and self-defense," says Shibani.

She underwent three-month rigorous training in martial arts before shooting. "For the first four days, I was in pain as my entire body went through a gruelling session. There was more emphasis on judo as the moves in the film are acrobatic," she recounts, adding, "Martial arts makes you focus your energy in a positive way." Elaborating how she enjoyed shooting for the project, she says, "Rishy, who is the hero and making his debut with this film about martial arts being exploited and made into a bloody sport, is talented. It was great working with Rati (Agnihotri), who plays his mother. Rajesh Khattar, who is a dear friend, is the main villain. We had a blast shooting in Hrishikesh, Mussoorie and Dehradun." She's equally excited about Dum Hai Toh Floor Pe Aa, the promotional song for the movie which is scheduled to go online soon.

It features her challenging Rishy to fight her in the ring. Says she, "That's the primary reason I'm there in the film. It's an aggressive, high-energy song with martial arts and acrobatic moves incorporated in the choreography." Shibani sums up saying she is open to more acting assignments if they are inspiring. "I'm ready to take up a role that motivates women," she signs off.

WATCH: Soneya I Shibani Kashyap | Mika Singh | Full Official Music Video 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=sKMtKuWaaW8

GeneChing

01-20-2016, 09:39 AM

Technically not Bollywood as it's Telugu - maybe we need to start a Tollywood Kung Fu thread?

Anyone see the original Rocky Handsome?

John Abraham to remake 'Rocky Handsome' in Tamil, Telugu (http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/john-abraham-to-remake-rocky-handsome-in-tamil-telugu-2591674.html)
Jan 20, 2016 13:36 IST

Mumbai: Actor-producer John Abraham, who is likely to take action in Bollywood to an altogether new level with "Rocky Handsome", plans to remake the film in Tamil and Telugu.
John told IANS: "We would like to remake this film in the south. We have got superstars who are interested in doing this film in the south. Someone from Hyderabad saw this film and two-three actors in Tamil and Telugu filmdom are very interested in remaking this film because it's a very commercial project. So, we are very excited about it."

http://s2.firstpost.in/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/john-abraham-reuters1.jpg
Actor John Abraham. REUTERS

The actor didn't wish to reveal the names of the southern stars who are interested in remaking Rocky Handsome, but said: "The only fear is how we cope with this action because this action is too high-intensity."
Directed by Nishikant Kamat, the Hindi film features John and Shruti Hassan, who last featured together in Welcome Back.
While the action in Rocky Handsome looks extremely diverse, John said he trained for martial arts Tai chi and Aikido in Thailand.
"I trained myself for Tai chi and Aikido... I trained in those art forms for a month for 14 hours a day in Thailand with a master. We trained hard. I wanted to learn the art forms... I am playing with knives, and it's very difficult," the 43-year-old said.
Talking about the film's USP, John said: "The USP of the film is the action that's backed by the emotions or the emotions that are backed by the action. With 'Rocky Handsome', I just felt that any amount of good action is worthless without the right and requisite emotion.
"When we look at Hollywood films, we always talk about the James Bond kind of films and we say, 'Why can't we do the same?' I guess 'Rocky Handome' is the answer to Hollywood, where you can say, 'Here's the action and here's the action hero that could match up to all of you'," he added.

Tai Chi and Aikido in Thailand? :confused:

GeneChing

02-10-2016, 09:13 AM

Fakhri to fight through fitness goals in 2016 (http://tribune.com.pk/story/1038310/fakhri-to-fight-through-fitness-goals-in-2016/)
By IANS Published: February 1, 2016

http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/1038310-image-1454339251-828-640x480.jpg
Fakhri also plans to work on muscle strengthening by doing 25 push-ups and at least 100 sit-ups everyday. PHOTO: FILE

NEW DELHI: With New Year come resolutions of various kinds, and the most common among girls is to lose weight. Even Bollywood actor Nargis Fakhri has vowed to get fitter in 2016 and to achieve her fitness goals she will either include Tai Chi or Qigong in her daily routine.

Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defence training and health benefits, while Qigong is an ancient Chinese healthcare system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention.

Taking fitness to the next level, Nargis, is determined to practice new forms of work-outs this year. “The new ways to work out have caught on in popularity because they are different from your regular gym routine, which makes it a lot of fun,” said Fakhri.

No pain, no weight gain for Nargis

“In today’s day and age there is a wide array of options to choose from — be it Masala Bhangra, Aqua Yoga, CrossFit, Spinning, etc., and activities that are aimed to be fun and engaging, while still offering the benefits of fitness,” Fakhri said in a statement.

During training, Nargis plans to work on muscle strengthening and do 25 push-ups and at least a 100 sit-ups a day.

“Being fit is not just about working out and looking good, it’s also about having a positive attitude, making the right fitness choices and participating in activities one enjoys. Fitness is something that disciplines both the mind and the soul and not just the body,” she said.

Nargis Fakhri responds to Urdu newspaper ad controversy

Along with planning her new fitness regime, Nargis wants to get a more comfortable and smart approach to her fashion choices as well.

“Wearing the right apparel and shoes while working out is rewarding and gives you that ‘feel-good’ factor along with boosting your confidence. Moreover, wearing technologically advanced gear that helps you breathe and keeps your body cool is essential for a great calorie-burning session,” Fakhri elaborated.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2016.

Not familiar with Nargis at all.

GeneChing

02-15-2016, 08:52 AM

More on Baahubali here (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!&p=1280812#post1280812). I've seen this film. It's got ridiculously over-the-top visuals and some very entertaining fight sequences (mostly CGI, like a superhero flick). I thought I reviewed it here. Perhaps there is a variation on spelling. I'll split this into its own indie thread if I get another post on it.

‘Baahubali’ to Release in 6000 Screens in China this May
(http://www.socialnews.xyz/2016/02/baahubali-to-release-in-6000-screens-in-china-this-may/)POSTED BY: GOPI FEBRUARY 13, 2016

http://i2.wp.com/www.socialnews.xyz/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/baahubali-the-beginning-759.jpg?w=759

Chennai, Feb 13 (IANS) S.S. Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali", one of India's biggest blockbusters, will release in over 6,000 screens via E Star Films in China in May.

"This will be the biggest ever release for an Indian film in China, superseding Aamir Khan's 'PK', which released in 5,000 screens. The makers had planned to release the film this month, however, it had to be postponed due to unavailability of suitable dates," a source from the production team told IANS.

The film has already been sold to over 30 international territories, including Latin America and Japan.

Presently, the shooting of the second part of the film is under way. It is expected to hit the screens later this year or early next year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NQRhE772b0

GeneChing

03-10-2016, 10:03 AM

Sidharth Malhotra to Brush up on Martial Arts for His Next Action Film (http://www.indiawest.com/entertainment/bollywood/sidharth-malhotra-to-brush-up-on-martial-arts-for-his/article_96583bc2-e64a-11e5-8d58-0b8bfc2e0bbf.html)

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/indiawest.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/cb/0cbe6d36-e64b-11e5-b13c-b73de2b6e7dd/56e0abaa571d6.image.jpg?resize=760%2C565
Sidharth Malhotra. (Manav Manglani photo)

Posted: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 3:45 pm
PTI

MUMBAI — Actor Sidharth Malhotra is leaving no stone unturned for his next project and will train in martial arts for it.
The 31-year-old actor had earlier done training in martial arts for “Brothers.”
Malhotra has been roped in by Fox Star Studios to star in their next venture, an action film. The gossip mills are abuzz that it is a sequel to “Bang Bang.”
“We are doing an action film. It will be called something else. It is not related to the first part (‘Bang Bang’),” Malhotra told PTI.
The movie will have some high-octane action.
“There will be lot of action sequences in the film. I will start training in martial arts. It (the training) is different from what I did during ‘Brothers,’” he added.
According to him, the shooting for the film will begin in a few months.
Besides this movie, filmmaker Karan Johar has expressed his desire to make a sequel to “Student of the Year,” which marked Malhotra’s Bollywood debut.
“I don’t know about it yet. We might do it... we may not,” the “Ek Villian” actor said.
Malhotra will be seen next in “Kapoor and Sons” alongside Alia Bhatt and Fawad Khan

I just posted a review of Brothers yesterday (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68705-Brothers-Blood-Against-Blood&p=1291867#post1291867). Maybe I should check out Bang Bang.

GeneChing

04-08-2016, 08:20 AM

I doubt mixed martial arts have even been in India for the last 30 years, but given Jawal's quote in the article, I'm going to attribute that to a sloppy reporter.

Funny how actors say they’re training in martial arts: Vidyut Jamwal (http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/funny-how-actors-say-they-re-training-in-martial-arts-vidyut-jamwal/story-kpx7a8ghjGpaFcbqLuCGeP.html)
Anjuri Nayar Singh, Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Updated: Apr 08, 2016 08:24 IST

http://www.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_640x362/HT/p2/2016/04/07/Pictures/cafe_1f0da396-fcbf-11e5-b2cb-21770897bf70.jpg
Actor Vidyut Jamwal says he has been learning mixed martial arts for the last 30 years. (Hindustan Times)

It’s common for actors to learn the skill and technique of a martial art form to do justice to their action-packed role in a film. Actors Sidharth Malhotra and Sonakshi Sinha also recently spoke about their practice sessions to prepare for their respective projects.

While actor Vidyut Jamwal appreciates others’ effort, he says it’s not possible to learn the specialised fighting style in that brief a time.

“I’ve been training in martial arts for 30 years now. It’s funny when actors say that they are learning the fighting style for their film. I think, in that much time, they can just get a hold of the basic style which works for cinema,” says Jamwal, who believes it’s important for all actors to be passionate about something besides acting. “It can be anything and not necessarily action. I feel this helps you discipline yourself and evolve as an actor,” he says.

Ask him about his schedule, and Jamwal says he tries not to miss training even for a day.

Ask him about his schedule, and Jamwal says he tries not to miss training even for a day. “Training has become a part of my life. I start my day at 4.30am with training, and then at 7.30am, I start shooting for my film. I guess, because I am used to it, it’s not difficult for me anymore,” says the actor, who is working on the sequel of his 2013 film, Commando. “It is a great feeling to be able to work on this film. Since it’s a sequel, people are expecting it to be bigger,” he concludes.

I still haven't seen Commando (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65174-Commando-starring-Vidyut-Jamwal). Anyone?

GeneChing

05-04-2016, 08:06 AM

Urvashi Rautela takes up kickboxing & martial arts for next (http://www.media247.co.uk/showbiz/urvashi-rautela-takes-up-kickboxing-martial-arts-for-next-2016)
by Nish Misra
3rd May 2016 9:31 pm
@NishMisra nish@bizasialive.com

http://www.media247.co.uk/showbiz/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Urvashi-Rautela.jpg
Urvashi Rautela

After her last release ‘Sanam Re'(2016), actress Urvashi Rautela is said to have assumed martial arts and kickboxing for her next venture. Rautela has chosen not to name the film or its makers before a formal announcement is made.

Apparently, the role has required the former model and beauty pageant titleholder to undergo intense training and an all round lifestyle change. A source, as per Box Office Capsule, said, “Urvashi [Rautela] will be seen doing a lot of high octane action sequences. There have been a lot of changes in her diet and workout regime for the film as well.”

Akshay Kumar to help Sidharth Malhotra shape up for an action entertainer (http://www.mid-day.com/articles/akshay-kumar-to-help-sidharth-malhotra-shape-up-for-an-action-entertainer/17194175)
By Sonali Joshi Pitale |Posted 04-May-2016

When it comes to fitness discipline, there's no one better than Akshay Kumar. And Sidharth Malhotra, who shared screen space with the Khiladi in 'Brothers' (2015) knows that well. For the 'Warriors' remake last year, Akki had taken on the task of training Sid in martial arts and building muscle mass. We hear he has once again assumed the role of a mentor for the young actor as he preps for an action-comedy co-starring Jacqueline Fernandez.

http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/may/4Akshay-Kumar-1.jpg
Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

A source says, "Sidharth is working towards attaining a particular physique since he has quite a few stunts in the film. He is also expected to go abroad for extensive training. But at the moment, he is working out with Akshay who has a foreigner trainer for himself."
Akshay is a qualified martial arts instructor and has also received the prestigious accolade of Shihan — teachers' teacher. He holds a sixth degree black belt in karate and a black belt in taekwondo too. Sidharth's daily training sessions with the star take place at the latter's personal gym, reveals the source, adding, "Akki's security guards have been asked to ensure that pictures of the two actors training together are not leaked.
A couple of days ago, the paparazzi had tailed Sidharth and wanted to click a few pictures of his when the guards intervened." We tried to get in touch with Sidharth but he remained unavailable for comment.

I only know Akki, and I hope his next film is better than Brothers (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68705-Brothers-Blood-Against-Blood). That was such a disappointment. :(

GeneChing

05-10-2016, 10:11 AM

After Sarbjit, meet Randeep Hooda, the martial arts fighter! (http://celebsandcinema.com/after-sarbjit-meet-randeep-hooda-the-martial-arts-fighter/)
May 9, 2016 Team C&C 0

http://celebsandcinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Randeep-Hooda-body-678x381.jpg
Randeep Hooda

After going through a huge bodily transformation for the role of Sarabjit Singh in the biopic ‘Sarbjit’, Randeep Hooda has now beefed up for another film. The actor will be playing the role of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter in ‘Do Lafzon Ki Kahani’. Randeep underwent hard core training for his character, under the guidance of experts from Bangkok. His dedication did not end there as Randeep Hooda trained for four hours with India’s best MMA fighter, Irfan Khan. Apparently, those from the industry who have seen a few rushes of Randeep Hooda’s fighter avatar, are singing paeans about his true to life avatar. ‘Do Lafzon Ki Kahani’ stars Southern beauty Kajal Aggarwal opposite Randeep Hooda and is set for release on June 10.

Another Indian MMA flick? If Akki couldn't manage it, I have my doubts about more. :o

GeneChing

05-11-2016, 08:47 AM

Don't know who she is, but it's a major FTW for this here thread.

Sunny Leone's FHM Shoot Is So Badass That Even Bruce Lee Will Get A Complex (http://www.boldsky.com/fashion/bollywood-wardrobe/sunny-leone-fhm-photoshoot-is-so-badass-that-even-bruce-lee-fear-101242.html)
By: Kaustubha Sharma Published: Tuesday, May 10, 2016, 17:06 [IST]

Since the time Sunny Leone has made an entry in Bollywood, she has only won hearts. Sunny is the most loving and kind hearted person, as suggested by her soft-spoken interviews. On the fashion front, Sunny is always on the radar of fashion mavens, stylists, and bloggers. Sunny's dressing style is mostly feminine and chic. She keeps it simple and adds chic motifs to her ensembles. Recently, Sunny did a photoshoot for a popular fashion magazine, FHM and boy, she just raised the expectations bar. Sunny is anything but simple. She is so badass in the shoot that even Bruce lee will get a complex. Just look at the pictures below and you'll know. She has worn a Karate Gi.

http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone6-10-1462879813.jpg
http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone7-10-1462879820.jpg

In other pictures, she is dressed as a modern samurai; one shoulder top, sword, and blonde hair...

http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone2-10-1462879790.jpg
http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone3-10-1462879796.jpg
http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone4-10-1462879802.jpg
http://www.boldsky.com/img/2016/05/sunnylenone5-10-1462879807.jpg

Isn't this some crazy kickass shoot? Sunny really has given us some new perspective on viewing her fashion.

Images are taken from Pinterest.

GeneChing

06-08-2016, 08:09 AM

Meet the First Indian to Train at Shaolin Temple; Now Trains Martial Arts to Bollywood Celebs (http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/ENT-BOW-shifu-kanishka-sharma-5344023-PHO.html)
Onkar Kulkarni | Jun 08, 2016, 11:14AM IST

http://i1.dainikbhaskar.in/thumbnail/655x588/web2images/www.dailybhaskar.com/2016/06/08/cover_1465364780.jpg

Having a background in Martial Arts for more than 25 years, in combat systems like Shaolin Wu gong, Kungfu Toa, Muay Chaiya, Muay Thai, Sanshou among others, Shifu Kanishka Sharma is highly specialized in Commando Close Quarter Combat which teaches a practitioner to knock out opponent in 3 seconds.
But what makes Shifu Kanishka special is the fact that he is the first Indian to study at the famed Shaolin Temple Secular Discipline Union in China.
Kanishka who got inspired by the martial art form after watching the film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin at the age of six is the first Indian to have brought the deadly combat system of Pekiti Tirsia Kali to India and also the first Indian to introduce Kali Tactical Combat System to the Law Enforcement, Military and Special Forces.
Back in India, Sharma imparts the knowledge of the martial arts at various camps, schools and his headquarters in the North of India. That apart, he is a famous name in the B-Town, as he has been training celebrities ranging from Shah Rukh Khan to Madhuri Dixit Nene for their respective movies.
Currently, Sharma is busy training Sanjay Dutt for his action film directed by Sidharth Anand. “I am teaching Sanjay 3E Combatives. It is a blend of five different martial arts – Shaolin kungfu, Pekiti tirsia kali, tai chi, jeetkunedo and muay thai,” he says.
Sanjay has been undertaking this program designed by Sharma since a month and has been practicing with the trainer in his building at Pali Hill for three-four hours, per day.
Till date the Shaolin Temple returned has trained numerous Bollywood actors like SRK, Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Arjun Rampal among others.
Ask Sharma, how he got a break through in Bollywood and he recollects, “It was a show on National Geographic for which the channel had contacted me. The show had Akshay Kumar and I was supposed to train him.” After a shoot with one actor, word spread in the industry and soon Sharma became a popular name in the B-Town when it came to training actors some martial arts.
He taught SRK, Bruce Lee martial arts for the film Don, where as Madhuri learnt hand-to-hand combat for Gulab Gang. Talking about his current training session with Dutt, Sharma says, “Sanjay is extremely dedicated. We do the training in the morning between 9 to 11 am and in the evening from 4 to 6 pm. He’s a beast and doesn’t get tired! He’s also following a diet and thus has slimmed down and looking all toned up.”

I've seen Don. It was funny. I couldn't make it through Gulab Gang. It was dull and disappointing.

GeneChing

06-08-2016, 08:23 AM

Giving a kung fu punch to films (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/giving-a-kung-fu-punch-to-films/article8698860.ece)
GIJI K. RAMAN

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/02884/06idkgij01--Fro_07_2884592e.jpg
Combat ready:Fight choreographer Sajith, better known as kung fu Sajith, during a training session.

The arrival of the digital camera and the helicam has reduced the stress involved in filming combat scenes, says fight choreographer Sajith, better known as kung fu Sajith.

New generation cinema is the result of many technological advancements, which have considerably reduced the cost of film-making and the stress on actors.

“You can select the best shot now. It eased the way we work and helped bring more perfection in shooting all kinds of combat scenes, from martial arts to gunfights. Making a combat scene look realistic is not an easy job,” says Sajith who has choreographed combat scenes in nearly 40 films and TV serials.

Sajith, a black belt holder in kung fu, came accidentally to the movies. It was director Jayaraj who invited him to choreograph some fight scenes in his ‘Johny Walker,’ after seeing his martial performance.

“This was when I was a degree student at Kottayam and it later changed everything,” he says. Sajith has worked with almost all the famous directors and choreographed combat scenes in Tamil films as well.

“When I am given an idea about a combat scene, I first think up and write down the sequences along with sketches. Then comes the mental work on how the camera could move to create the best possible realistic shots,” says Sajith.

For realistic scenes

He said some of the scenes choreographed by him helped him rethink on them later to effect an improvement in the subsequent films. “One has to be utmost careful to make a fight look realistic enough, while keeping it safe for the actors and other participants. For instance, some traditional techniques employed in the films for creating the feeling of setting a man afire could be remade to create the same feeling using a glass shade. This not only reduces the cost of production but also makes it safe for the actor or actors,” according to Sajith. His background as a kung fu trainer helped him to achieve the physical as well as the mental discipline needed in creating a fight scene.

“A realistic use of time and space is needed to create a fight scene. Even a minor error could make the entire scenes look odd,” he says. A close co-ordination with the film director is the basic rule for choreographing the fighting scenes in the most realistic and secure way, says Saiith.

His works

The films choreographed by him include ‘Padaliputhram,’ ‘Arabia,’ ‘Sooryavanam,’ ‘Summer Palace,’ ‘Eenadu Innalevare,’ ‘Fort Kochi,’ ‘Rapid Action Force,’ ‘Yakshiyum Njanum,’ ‘ Spandanam,’ ‘Ente Puthiya Number,’ and ‘How to Use the Gun’ (an Engilish short film). He had also brought alive the fights in ‘Maramkothi,’ ‘Highway,’ ‘Anukudumbam.com,’ and ‘Maheshinte Prathikaram.’ Sajith’s day starts at 5 a.m. with a one hour-long kung fu training. Sajith says he still has students in kung fu all over the State. He is an instructor of the State police’s ‘Sthree Sureksha Project’ under its Janamaithri push.

Realistic fight scene...ha. Indian cinema has some of the most unrealistic fights on any genre. Not that this is a bad thing. Sometimes unrealistic fights can be fun.

GeneChing

06-24-2016, 08:38 AM

Pooja Batra trains in mixed martial arts, keen on action films (http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/pooja-batra-trains-in-mixed-martial-arts-keen-on-action-films-2873475/)
Pooja Batra said that she is training for mixed martial arts and is eager to do action films.
By: IANS | Mumbai | Published:June 24, 2016 4:45 pm

http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/05/pooja-batra-759.jpg

Pooja Batra said that she is training for mixed martial arts and is eager to do action films.
Actor Pooja Batra says that she is training for mixed martial arts and is eager to do action films.
“I’d love to do action now because I am training in mixed martial arts, so I am basically looking towards action-oriented films,” Pooja said at the screening of the film 7 Hours To Go here.
Best remembered for acting in films such as Virasat and Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Pooja went away from the spotlight in the mid-2000s.
Asked about her absence from the industry, she said: “I’m in Hollywood right now. I’m in a Hollywood film titled One Under The Sun which had premiered at Cannes. Maybe that’s why you see less of me. But I had done ABCD 2 last year and this year I have done a Punjabi film, Killer Punjabi.”
Asked when she will be returning to Bollywood in a full-fledged role, she said: “I don’t know. When I’ll get a good role, then I will definitely return. ”
Pooja’s last full-fledged role in a Hindi film was in Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story which released in 2006.

I don't know Pooja, but good for her.

GeneChing

10-06-2016, 09:35 AM

Taapsee taking martial arts lessons for Naam Shabana (http://indianewengland.com/2016/10/taapsee-taking-martial-arts-lessons-naam-shabana/)
BY INDIA NEW ENGLAND NEWS • OCTOBER 6, 2016

Mumbai–Actress Taapsee Pannu is learning the nuances of martial arts for filmmaker Neeraj Pandey’s new production “Naam Shabana”.

http://i0.wp.com/indianewengland.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Taapsee-Pannu-ians-latest.jpg?w=365
TAAPSEE PANNU

She last worked with Pandey in the 2015 film “Baby”, which saw her doing some stunts. But with “Naam Shabana”, she will be taking her action scenes to a new level.

Taapsee is learning mixed martial arts and a bit of Japanese martial art Aikido, apart from self-defence system Krav Maga for the movie.

A fitness freak, she is loving every bit of being trained in these forms as she finds it thrilling.

“Continuing with Krav Maga, I have also started training in basics of Aikido and MMA. It’s getting tougher and harder from what I did for ‘Baby’. It has been a month of training and I train for one and half to two hours every day, barring the days I am shooting for 12 hours,” Taapsee said in a statement.

She also said that “all these three forms have been chosen for a specific reason and when you will see the film, you will realise why.” (IANS)

MMA & Aikido. Odd mix.

GeneChing

01-03-2017, 09:33 AM

AUDIENCES HAVE FREEDOM TO SEE WHAT THEY WANT: RAM MADHVANI (http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/audiences-have-freedom-to-see-what-they-want-ram-madhvani/articleshow/56311576.cms)
IANS | Jan 3, 2017, 03.39 PM IST

After garnering critical acclaim for his film Neerja, Ram Madhvani is working on a web series titled Bodhidharma: Master of Shaolin. The director feels going digital is the future, and says that audience is no longer stifled by the practice of setting time aside to watch particular content.

Madhvani along with lyricist, screenwriter and ad guru Prasoon Joshi, is working on the action series, based on the story of a warrior prince of the sixth century who became the founder of the Shaolin Temple in China and the founder of martial arts.

The show -- which is one of the Indian original shows for Amazon Prime Video -- is expected to be a visual spectacle with martial arts, music backed by great storytelling.

Madhvani says he wanted to make a film on the same story initially.

"Prasoon Joshi and I have been working on a feature film called 'Bodhi Dharma Master of Shaolin'. And as Prasoon kept writing, we realised that it was becoming longer than what a feature film length normally is," Madhvani told IANS over an email from Mumbai.

Talking about his decision to go digital, he said, "Digital is the future and content viewing on the digital platform is where the world and India is going and we are very excited to be at the forefront of this."

Madhvani said, "The audience is no longer hand cuffed by appointment viewing and have the freedom to see what they want, when they want, at a very reasonable cost".

He explained that this "not only expands the audience base but is very liberating for both the audience and the creators".

Many people see Hollywood as a threat to Bollywood. But for Madhvani it doesn't hold true.

"India is a pluralistic society and our past has told us that we somehow can invite, assimilate and yet be our own. We as Indians see no contradictions in that idea of being rooted in our culture, yet embracing the best of any other. That's true whether it's for food or films. We know that we need to speak to our audience in our ways within our culture," he said.

For now, Madhvani is busy with the ten-episode web series.

I think Neerja is available on Netflix. Been jonzing for a dose of Bollywood, but that one didn't look like it was going to have any dance numbers. Might check it out anyway now.

GeneChing

02-03-2017, 08:42 AM

This is Tollywood but so few here know the difference that it doesn't seem worth launching a separate thread...:rolleyes:

Prabhudheva plays a Kung Fu Master in his next (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/prabhudheva-plays-a-kung-fu-master-in-his-next/articleshow/56935849.cms)

Sharanya CR | TNN | Feb 3, 2017, 01.00 AM IST

Prabhudheva plays a Kung Fu Master in his next
After the success of Devi(L), actor-director Prabhudheva has finalised his next film as an actor. He has been signed on to play the lead in Eng Mang Sang, which will be directed by newcomer MS Arjun (who earlier worked as an AD for Mundasupatti). Talking about the film, Arjun says, "The film is a period drama that travels from the 1970s to the 1980s. Prabhudheva plays a Kung Fu Master and Thankar Bachan plays his father. The father wants that his son be like Bruce Lee, and sends him to China to learn Kung Fu to solve some issues back in his hometown. RJ Balaji will be playing Prabhudheva's friend in the film. We will begin shooting for the film from February 17 in Chennai. We will be finalising rest of the cast in a couple of days."

Kung Fu Yoga (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68161-Kungfu-Yoga) should be added to this list.

GeneChing

04-20-2017, 08:40 AM

This again is Tollywood not Bollywood, but only a few here know the difference.

After Shruti Haasan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu shows off her martial arts skills. (http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/samantha-ruth-prabhu-shows-off-her-martial-arts-skills-watch-video-4621020/)
Samantha Ruth Prabhu's new hobby is Silambam. We are worried for Naga Chaitanya.
By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: April 20, 2017 4:27 pm

http://images.indianexpress.com/2017/04/samantha-prabhu-759.jpg
Samantha Prabhu’s new hobby is Silambam, a martial art form.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu has taught herself Tamil Nadu’s famous martial art skills, Silambam. The actor posted a video on Instagram showing off her martial art moves, putting her fans in a state of shock. While we do not know if she is prepping up for a film but we are surely impressed how good she is getting at it. In fact, the actor herself seems to be enjoying it quite a bit and is encouraging people to adopt a new habit every day.
Before her, we saw Shruti Hasaan showing off her fighting skills with a couple of videos on Instagram. The actor is working on director Sundar C’s project, called Sangamithra, which would also star Arya and Jayam Ravi together for the first time on the silver screen. With Shruti and Samantha, it seems a new trend is soon going to begin in the south industry to learn some martial art skills.

Meanwhile, Samantha is quite busy juggling projects between Tamil and Telugu film industries. She is working on Irumbu Thirai directed by P. S. Mithran, Aneethi Kathaigal directed by Thiagarajan Kumararaja and Vijay 61 directed by Atlee. Samantha also has Savitri’s biopic in her kitty, which is being directed by Nag Ashwin. The film also stars Keerthy Suresh and would be made in Tamil and Telugu.

Apart from these projects, she is working on Omkar’s upcoming horror comedy, Raju Gari Gadhi 2, which also stars Nagarjuna Akkineni. This is for the first time post her engagement with Naga Chaitanya that they are working together. Samantha got engaged to Naga last year, and by end of this year, the two actors are expected to get married. While Samantha has a lot of projects in Tamil and Telugu industries, Naga Chaitanya has started promotions of his next, Rarandoi Veduka Chudham, which is scheduled for May 19 release.

GeneChing

04-24-2017, 10:39 AM

I'm a huge fan of Aamir Khan. He was brilliant in both Dhoom 3 and PK.

Dangal: Aamir Khan tries his hand at martial arts in China (https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/photos/377100/dangal-aamir-khan-tries-his-hand-martial-arts-china)
Aamir Khan was in China recently to promote his movie Dangal.
Written By Karishma Shetty Mumbai Updated: April 24, 2017 03:18 pm

https://cdn.pinkvilla.com/files/styles/contentpreview/public/Dangal-Aamir-Khan-tries-his-hand-at-martial-arts-in-China.jpg?itok=NaTZhXUq

Aamir Khan was in China where his movie Dangal is slated to release soon. He went there to promote his movie and was greeted by thousands of fans as he attended the Beijing International Film Festival where the movie was being screened.
Aamir spent some quality time in China and we got our hands on some pictures of the actor from his visit. In the photos, Aamir is seen trying his hand at martial arts. He is seen learning the various poses and we must admit he masters it like a boss.

In the photos, Aamir is seen sporting a grey tee and torn blue jeans and it's shocking to know that the actor is 52 years of age. He is also seen wearing his trademark glasses and his beard is trimmed with the mustache still on.

We're loving these pictures of a fun-filled Aamir Khan. How about you?

Meanwhile, Dangal will be releasing in China on May 5. Aamir's previous movies namely PK, 3 Idiots and Dhoom 3 are the top 3 movies at the China box-office when it comes to Indian films. Looks like the Dangal magic will take over China as well.

Speaking about his movies in China, Aamir had told a leading daily, "I can feel the emotion when I come to China. It is something that I really cherish. I’ve been acting for many years. In the beginning, none of my films were popular in China. Until 3 Idiots released. Then suddenly, I realized that this was very popular in China, especially with the youth in China.

GeneChing

05-11-2017, 07:48 AM

Mrinmayee Godbole learnt Kung Fu (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/marathi/movies/news/mrinmayee-learnt-kung-fu/articleshow/58599158.cms?from=mdr)

Rishabh Deb | Updated: May 10, 2017, 03.45 PM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/msid-58599158/58599158.jpg?41410

Mrinmayee Godbole learnt Kung Fu
Now we all know of some the big names from the Bollywood film fraternity are associated with martial arts, but the Marathi actors are not lagging behind anymore. You won't believe this Marathi Diva also possesses some serious fighting skills. Yes, the leading lady from the film 'Chi Va Chi Sau Ka', Mrinmayee Godbole learnt Kung Fu and this intense Kung Fu session was for the same film. We all will see Mrinmayee doing Kung Fu moves on the big screen.
Sharing about her 'Kung Fu' training Mrinmayee Godbole said, "So I have done Kalaripayattu in the past and I played basketball for almost ten years (also played on the national level). But I had never done Kung Fu! Lalit and I trained for Kung Fu for one month before we started shooting. I'm supposed to be a blue belt in the film. Though I joined the training sessions late but I made up for the time by practicing super hard and my past of kalari and basketball really helped me in catching up with Lalit. I learnt years' worth of Kung Fu in just over a month so that I could look the part in the film. Our trainer Shrikant Sir made us do very difficult exercises, stretches and strict training. He would make us do push-ups on our knuckles so we had bruised, black and blue knuckles all through the shooting and the film! It was a very hectic and gruelling process and he helped us during the shoot also. We also got hurt and hit each other a lot, not intentionally, but while shooting."

Kalari, Kung Fu & basketball. Nice.

GeneChing

06-07-2017, 08:38 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YOfv5tIGwU

GeneChing

06-21-2017, 10:02 AM

Hold the phone...yet another Bollywood (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!) Bruce Lee flick? What the heck is going on in India?

Add Borivali Ka Bruce Lee (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70326-Borivali-Ka-Bruce-Lee) to Ram Gopal Varma's Bruce Lee (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68977-Ram-Gopal-Varma-s-Bruce-Lee), Tollywood's Bruce Lee - The Fighter (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68722-Tollywood-s-Bruce-Lee-The-Fighter) and ram gopal varma on bruce lee biopic (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68471-Little-Dragon-Bruce-Lee-Biopic-from-Shannon-Lee&p=1302890#post1302890), plus the fact that Shekhar Kapur is directing Shannon Lee's biopic on her dad (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68471-Little-Dragon-Bruce-Lee-Biopic-from-Shannon-Lee&p=1302807#post1302807).

Borivali Ka Bruce Lee is almost complete: Ayesha Takia (http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Bollywood/2017-06-20/Borivali-Ka-Bruce-Lee-is-almost-complete-Ayesha-Takia/307695)
THE HANS INDIA | Jun 20,2017 , 11:41 PM IST

http://www.thehansindia.com/assets/2635_ayesha.jpg
Ayesha Takia

Actress Ayesha Takia, who is busy promoting her new video song 'Zindagi Tujhse Kya Karen Shikvey', says that her comeback film `Borivali Ka Bruce Lee’ is 70 percent complete.

" 'Borivali Ka Bruce Lee' is 70 percent complete. It's a very cute film just like the title suggested. It's a funny film with Kung Fu involved in it. It has a very interesting concept. For a comeback, that's a very cute film, so I am looking forward to it," said Ayesha during an interview on Monday.

Ayesha who took a sabbatical post marriage and motherhood is making her comeback with the video which is very hard hitting and gritty. Speaking about her new video song, she said that her video is very different and not run of the mill kind.

"I am feeling glad that my song is getting appreciation from the audience. We were thinking of making video like five-minute film which will tell a certain story," she said.

"It is not run of the mill kind of video where boy meets girl or romance on the beach. It's a really hard-hitting video with social message," added the `Wanted’ actress.

”Zindagi Tujhse Kya Karen Shikvey" is a part of album titled "Zindagi Yeh Zindagi" and is crooned by Amit Mishra, composed by Raaj Aashoo and written by Murli Agrawal.

GeneChing

07-06-2017, 07:57 AM

Bollywood Kung (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!) Fu Yoga (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68161-Kung-Fu-Yoga)

JUL 5, 2017 @ 09:26 PM
Why China's Moviegoers Have Gone Wild For India (https://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2017/07/05/why-chinas-moviegoers-have-gone-insane-for-india/#220caf307d75)
Rob Cain , CONTRIBUTOR
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

https://blogs-images.forbes.com/robcain/files/2017/06/Dangal-triptych.jpg?width=960
Aamir Khan Productions
Dangal is an Indian film starring Aamir Khan.

Jackie Chan, China’s biggest movie star, has been extremely shrewd in choosing films with broad commercial appeal to his core audience, the moviegoers in the People’s Republic of China. The 63-year-old action star is a perennial favorite at the box office, with credits in such hits as live action films as Skiptrace ($133 million in 2016) and Dragon Blade ($117 million in 2015), and animated films like Kung Fu Panda 3 ($154 million in 2016) and Monkey King: Hero is Back ($153 million in 2015). His stardom stretches back for decades for good reason: he knows how to pick his films.

Given his long track record as a tastemaker, when Chan announced in 2015 that he would shoot an action-adventure comedy film in India called Kung Fu Yoga, the movie world took notice. Originally intended to be the first co-production under the new India-China co-pro treaty, Kung Fu Yoga’s story, written and to be directed by Stanley Tong (CZ12, Rumble in the Bronx) would feature Chan as an archaeology professor who embarks on a quest to find a long-lost Indian treasure, a diamond artifact known as the “Eye of Shiva.” The film co-stars Indian actors Sonu Sood, Disha Patani and Amyra Dastur and was shot largely in India.

Sure enough, when Kung Fu Yoga released in China in January, it not only became a massive box office hit with a $254 million lifetime gross (the sixth-biggest in Chinese history), it also touched off an extraordinary run of hits that had India connections. The first half of 2017 would see three movies with strong India ties (Kung Fu Yoga, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, and Dangal) place among China’s four highest-grossing films, and two more (xXx: Return of Xander Cage and Buddies in India) in the top 11.

All told, five movies that featured Indian actors, Indian settings, or both, earned an aggregate $958 million in China in the first six months of the year, a 24% share of all of China’s movie ticket revenue. That's more than just a coincidence: that's a trend.

Why China's filmgoers have gone gaga for Indian-themed content can't be easily attributed to any single cause, but it can probably be boiled down to three main factors. First is the general audience backlash against half-baked domestic stories with uninspired plots, cardboard characters and humdrum settings.

Second is the gradual emergence in China of a beloved sub-genre, the Aamir Khan film. Khan's Indian movies, starting with his 2009 social comedy 3 Idiots, have found an enthusiastic and rapidly growing audience, with his latest film Dangal, enjoying a record-breaking run of $192 million in collections to date.

Third is what appears to be a growing curiosity about and interest in China's southern neighbor. The two ancient cultures share many values in common, including deep filial piety and appreciation for family, reverence for education, and respect for hard work as a conduit to success. Both countries are also at relatively similar points in their economic development, and thus the struggles Indian movie characters face with regard to such issues as female empowerment, the transition from a rural to an urban society, and the challenges of climbing the socio-economic ladder, all resonate nicely with Indian audiences who confront similar obstacles in their own lives.

GeneChing

09-14-2017, 08:58 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSDUhmOn6bY

GeneChing

11-16-2017, 09:59 AM

I'm a fan of Akki because he delivers some entertaining fight scenes and is a major supporter of martial arts in India (search Akshay and you'll see a few mentions of him on this subforum). However, given the subject of this film, I doubt it will have martial arts in it. If it does, well, that'll be one more reason why I luv Bollywood.

Sony to Distribute Bollywood Star Akshay Kumar's 'PadMan' Worldwide (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-distribute-bollywood-star-akshay-kumars-padman-worldwide-1057979)
8:08 AM PST 11/14/2017 by Nyay Bhushan

http://cdn2.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/portrait_300x450/2017/11/akshay_kumar_-_padman-p_2017.jpg
Sony Pictures/KriArj Entertainment
Akshay Kumar in 'Padman'

The studio is also a co-producer on the film about an inventor who revolutionized female hygiene in India.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired global rights to Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar’s upcoming film PadMan and also come on board as a co-producer.

Directed by R. Balki and featuring actresses Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte, the film is inspired by the true story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented a low-cost sanitary pad-making machine and revolutionized cost-effective female hygiene in India.

PadMan, which will get a worldwide release Jan. 26, is based on the book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, written by Kumar’s wife and best-selling author Twinkle Khanna. Her banner Mrs Funnybones Movies also worked on the film with Bollywood banner KriArj Entertainment.

“Akshay is the rarest of artists, not only is he the definition of movie star and producer, but what makes him and Twinkle so special is that they have found a way with this film to make a wonderfully affecting and heartwarming movie that also can impact social change,” Columbia Pictures president Sanford Panitch said. “We are looking forward to working with Akshay and Twinkle on many projects.”

As one of India’s most bankable stars, Kumar, 50, has delivered a string of hits, including socially conscious titles such as his previous release, Toilet: A Love Story, which revolved around the importance of sanitation. “Sanford and the Sony Pictures team are ideally placed to take the film to audiences worldwide and we look forward to sharing this journey with them,” said Kumar.

“India is an important and growing market with rich content and dynamic stories that translate worldwide,” added Sony Pictures Entertainment executive vp business affairs, operations and head of local productions Laine Kline, adding, “Akshay, one of the most critically and commercially lauded stars in the country, has a distinct sensibility that we are lucky to work with. We look forward to sharing PadMan's incredible story with audiences around the world."

Back in 2007, Sony became the first Hollywood studio to produce a Bollywood film, Saawariya. Sony Pictures Entertainment India managing director Vivek Krishnani said that PadMan “will lead Sony Pictures India’s film slate for 2018.”

I searched for a trailer but didn't find anything legitimate - just fan trailers.

GeneChing

09-20-2018, 09:49 AM

I'm just going to post this hear as another Bollywood rumor. :rolleyes:

If you don't know Tiger, he's been discussed here on this thread before, and I reviewed Heropanti on his Baaghi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69369-Baaghi). I should add a Baaghi review there because I watched that about a month or so ago.

Hollywood calling! Tiger Shroff to debut opposite Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee's daughter? (https://www.ibtimes.co.in/hollywood-calling-tiger-shroff-debut-opposite-jackie-chan-chuck-norris-bruce-lees-daughter-781079)
Hollywood's top producer Lawrence Kasanoff is reportedly planning to Tiger Shroff in a mainstream Hollywood film which will also star Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee.
By : Pramod Gaikwad Sep 20, 2018 19:41 IST

https://data1.ibtimes.co.in/cache-img-0-450/en/full/699495/1537452707_tiger-shroff.jpg
Tiger Shroff Instagram

Right from his debut in Heropanti, Tiger Shroff has impressed the Indian audience with his chiselled body and gravity-defying action sequences.

It looks like the 28-year-old actor has also managed to grab the attention of Hollywood's top producer Lawrence Kasanoff who has produced the popular Mortal Kombat series. He is reportedly planning to cast Tiger in a mainstream Hollywood film which will also star Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee.

Kasanoff apparently flew to Mumbai over the weekend to discuss the film's script with Sanjay Grover, son of Gulshan Grover, who has been a part of the project for the past one year. Grover, who happens to be a good friend of Tiger, suggested Kasanoff to bring the actor on board for the lead role as a fresh face for the film.

"Along with Larry, a big studio head, some of their associates and Emmy Award-winning writer Sean Catherine Derek of the Batman series had also flown to India. Sanjay Grover, who has been a part of the project for the last one year, was also present at the meetings," a source was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

"Larry shared the script of his film with Sanjay who suggested they bring on board a fresh new face to play the lead and strongly recommended his childhood buddy Tiger with whom he had studied in school, to play the lead. Larry and his team were impressed with Tiger who they felt has an international look, is trained in martial arts, has a large fan following and has age on his side," the source added that casting an Indian actor in the main lead in a Hollywood film is a first for Larry as well.

Tiger has already become an eye candy for filmmakers after his action-packed film Baaghi 2 which took his performance to a new level altogether. On the work front, the actor will also be seen in the Hindi remake of Sylvester Stallone's Rambo which will be directed by Siddharth Anand. He is currently busy shooting for Karan Johar's upcoming film Student Of The Year 2, directed by Punit Malhotra, along with Ananya Pandey and Tara Sutaria.

It remains to be seen whether Tiger gives his nod to the project and treat his fans by showing off his different side altogether on the silver screen.

GeneChing

09-26-2018, 08:40 AM

Hold the phone...TKD has doctorates? :rolleyes:

Sonu Sood honoured with Doctorate Degree of Taekwondo (https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/sonu-sood-honoured-with-doctorate-degree-of-taekwondo-5373277/)
45-year-old actor Sonu Sood, who is known for leading a healthy lifestyle over the years, was felicitated with honour for his outstanding contribution and support towards taekwondo.
By: PTI | Mumbai | Updated: September 25, 2018 3:07:20 pm

https://images.indianexpress.com/2018/09/sonu-sood-759.jpeg
Sonu Sood was felicitated with honour for his outstanding contribution and support towards taekwondo sport.

Actor Sonu Sood has been honoured with the Doctorate Degree of Taekwondo. The 45-year-old actor actor, who is known for leading a healthy lifestyle over the years, was felicitated with honour for his outstanding contribution and support towards taekwondo.

He was honoured in the presence of Prabhat Sharma, secretary general of Taekwondo Federation of India at the opening ceremony of 107 International Kyorugi Referee Seminar/121st International Kyorugi Referee Refresher Course and 40th International Poomsae Referee Seminar.

“It feels good to see everybody so fit out here, all thanks to the event organisers who have managed to get the taekwondo experts all over the country on the same platform and created the Taekwondo Federation,” Sonu said in a statement.

“It’s great to know that people across all age groups are interested in taekwondo sport and they want to create awareness regarding the same and inspire others. Felicitating these experts would certainly inspire them and others to take up the sport as also a fitness initiative. I really hope such good fitness initiatives inspire the people and help us make a healthy India,” he added.

On the work front, Sonu will be next seen in Rohit Shetty’s Simmba, alongside Ranveer Singh and Sara Ali Khan.

THREADS
Bollywood Kung Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Tae Kwon Do (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42906-Tae-Kwon-Do)

GeneChing

09-27-2018, 10:40 AM

Bollywood action has been progressing a lot lately so I've been launching indie threads instead of just posting them here. I'm going to add some links now, for future reference.

Thugs Of Hindostan (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70984-Thugs-Of-Hindostan)

He is Back (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70978-He-is-Back)

Enthiran 2.0 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70601-Enthiran-2-0)

GeneChing

01-09-2019, 08:49 AM

You have to follow the link to her instagram to see her moves.

Ahead of Bharat's release, Disha Patani shows off her power-packed Kung fu moves (https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/people/article/ahead-of-bharats-release-disha-patani-shows-off-her-power-packed-kung-fu-moves-watch-video/343957)
Updated Jan 09, 2019 | 18:00 IST | Khush Khandelwal

Disha Patani has been preparing for her next film Bharat and the latest video she posted has a twist caught our attention, and will surely mesmerize you too. Check it out.

https://img.timesnownews.com/story/1546952990-Untitled_design-19.jpg?d=600x450
Disha Patani Disha Patani shows off her Kung fu moves with a twist | Photo Credit: Instagram

Baaghi 2 actress Disha Patani is undoubtedly one of the hottest actresses in the film industry. Be it her impeccable taste in fashion, or her dance moves, Disha manages to make everyone skip a heartbeat with every public appearance she makes. The actress who started her career with the 2015 Telugu film Loafer, garnered a large fan following when she starred against Tiger Shroff in her 2018 film.

Not only is her fashion game on point, but Disha is also a dedicated actor. The actress, who has undergone intense training sessions for her upcoming next Bharat, is seen polishing her kicks in the latest video. Disha shared, she is seen practicing her Kung Fu moves with an added touch of visual effects by using various LIKE app stickers to participate in the #MagicKungFu challenge. Take a look.

dishapatani
Verified
•
Click video for sound
(https://www.instagram.com/p/BsXstphlO0s/)
3,006,328 views
dishapatani
Adding a touch of magic to my Kung Fu practice @like_app_official #MagicKungfu #touchmagic

Disha time and again treats her fans with the insights of her training sessions, which proves that she has left no stone unturned to keep herself fit and active. While you are at it, also take a look at some the posts that Disha shared on Instagram.
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat also stars Katrina Kaif, Tabu, and Sunil Grover. Nora Fatehi features in the Salman Khan- starrer and Varun Dhawan will also make a special appearance in the movie. The film has been shot in several locations such as Abu Dhabi, Spain, Malta, Punjab, and Delhi. Bharat is slated to release on June 5, this year.

THREADS
Bollywood Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Celebrities studying martial arts? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?41233-Celebrities-studying-martial-arts)

GeneChing

05-03-2019, 11:27 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LptXYe_rHE

THREADS
Nunchuck Hotties (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69356-Nunchuck-Hotties)
Bollywood Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)

GeneChing

06-19-2019, 07:17 AM

We'll split this off into an sequel thread later...

Adah Sharma’s Wicked Martial Arts Display Will Leave You Open Mouthed, Watch (https://www.india.com/showbiz/adah-sharmas-wicked-martial-arts-display-will-leave-you-open-mouthed-watch-3692241/)
The actress shared a video of herself doing the silambam, a weapon-based martial art of India, on her Instagram page.
Published: June 17, 2019 11:23 PM IST
By India.com Entertainment Desk Edited by Dianne Nongrum

https://static.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Adah-Sharma2-Insta.jpg
Actress Adah Sharma. Photo Courtesy: Instagram/adah_ki_adah

Actress Adah Sharma has starred in horror, romantic comedy, and action movies, and she has been praised much for them. Her next film is Commando 3, an action thriller directed by Aditya Datt and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The movie is set to be released in September and Adah took to her social media page to announce the date and also show some of her martial arts moves.

The actress shared a video of herself doing the silambam, a weapon-based martial art of India, on her Instagram page. From her caption, it was not easy and she did end up with a few bruises.

adah_ki_adah's profile picture
adah_ki_adah
Verified
Commando 3 releasing on the 6th of September !
Jo theeaatar mein jaake nay dekengaa usko Bhavana Reddy ka dandaa padenga
.
.
It took me a while to learn this ...remember those scary bruises on my leg ? I have some on my skull also ☠️�� but it was all worth it ❤️❤️❤️ will share more silambam videos soon �� and for cynics this isn't edited ...I'm speaking through it so it hasn't been sped up �� (speeded /sped up? )
And thank you for this awesome hand painted Bhavana Reddy shirt @thequirkynaari (https://www.instagram.com/p/Byw2PXNHPMr/?utm_source=ig_embed)

“Commando 3 releasing on the 6th of September! Jo theeaatar mein jaake nay dekengaa usko Bhavana Reddy ka dandaa padenga. It took me a while to learn this…remember those scary bruises on my leg? I have some on my skull also but it was all worth it will share more silambam videos soon and for cynics this isn’t edited …I’m speaking through it so it hasn’t been sped up (speeded /sped up?) And thank you for this awesome hand painted Bhavana Reddy shirt,” she wrote.

Commando 3, a Hindi movie, is a sequel to the 2017 film Commando 2, and along with Adah, it will also star Vidyut Jamwal, Gulshan Devaiah and will mark the Bollywood debut of Angira Dhar.

Apart from the upcoming movie, Adah will also star in Hindi films Bypass Road and Man to Man and Telegu film Kalki.

Published Date: June 17, 2019 11:23 PM IST

THREADS
Commando 2 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65816-Commando-2-starring-Vidyut-Jamwal)
Bollywood Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)

GeneChing

09-25-2019, 09:06 AM

I really need to split this off into an indie Bollywood Starlets learn Martial Arts thread. Not today tho...too much work right now.

Shraddha Kapoor to train in mixed martial arts (https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/240919/shraddha-kapoor-to-train-in-mixed-martial-arts.html)
Published Sep 25, 2019, 12:01 am IST Updated Sep 25, 2019, 12:26 am IST

The actress also had a few action sequences in Baaghi and had undertaken several training routines for the film.

https://s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/images.deccanchronicle.com/dc-Cover-id0dn6t1fe2u7iibskgs0mrbd1-20190924232042.Medi.jpeg
Shraddha Kapoor

Shraddha Kapoor has been training intensely for her next film Baaghi 3, where she will be doing more action than what she did for Saaho, and trying to match up to action boy Tiger Shroff. The actress also had a few action sequences in Baaghi and had undertaken several training routines for the film. While she will also be getting an additional Bulgarian trainer from the filmmaker Ahmed Khan, her personal trainer Maahek Nair is also putting in her efforts.

“I generally discuss the progressions every fortnight, and when it comes to what have we achieved with Shraddha, I plan the programme for the next 15 days,” says the trainer.

Shraddha will reportedly be training in mixed martial arts for the film, and hence there is an added pressure on her to get endurance into her routine.

The film, whose first three schedules are in India, will then have a huge schedule of 40 days in Serbia, where a lot of action sequences are slated to be canned with Kecha Khampakdee and Slavisa Ivanovic.

THREADS
Bollywood Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Baaghi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69369-Baaghi)

GeneChing

11-27-2019, 10:57 AM

Adah Sharma: My mother trained me in dance as well as martial arts (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/adah-sharma-my-mother-trained-me-in-dance-as-well-as-martial-arts/articleshow/72185349.cms)
By - TNNOnkar KulkarniCreated: Nov 23, 2019, 01:00 IST

https://static.toiimg.com/photo/msid-72185349/72185349.jpg?74657

A trained martial artist, it comes as no surprise that Adah Sharma loves performing stunts in her films. The actress will be seen doing some high-octane action sequences in her upcoming film, Commando 3. In a conversation with BT, she spoke about her bond with co-star and fellow martial arts enthusiast Vidyut Jammwal, how she used her martial arts training for self-defence and the kind of man she wants in her life. Excerpts:

In the trailer of Commando 3, we see you doing action, you also upload videos performing martial arts on social media. What is it about martial arts that’s most appealing to you?

Since childhood, I have been inclined towards dancing and physical training. I like anything that’s related to dance and gymnastics. I feel that dance and action are similar, as both involve choreography. It is also about timing, discipline, focus and pushing your limits. I am trained in Kathak, where you do your chakkars and come back to the same spot. In action, too, you do your kicks and return to the same spot. My inspiration has been my mother. Not only did she train me in Kathak, but also in Kalaripayattu and Mallakhamb.

Did you learn any new forms of martial arts for Commando 3?

For the film, I worked on my Kalaripayattu skills. I undertook training in Silambam, which is an art form from Tamil Nadu. I also learnt to use nunchucks. I polished my sharpshooting skills, too, which I had trained in during Commando 2. I play an encounter specialist, and so, I had to look like a pro. If you aren’t confident while holding a gun, it shows on the screen. I enjoy shooting as it feels like meditation. You take a deep breath, hold your breath and pull the trigger. You need to concentrate a lot during the process. In the film, I am also doing hand-to-hand combat.
Knowing martial arts also helps you with self-defence. Have you ever faced a situation where it has come to your rescue?
When I was in seventh grade, I was walking home after my tuitions. There were a few boys who were throwing stones at me. I turned back and asked them to stop doing that, but they didn’t listen. I told them once again, but this time, one guy came too close to me and asked, “Kya karogi?” At the time, I remember my uncle had taught me, Tai Chi. I used one of the moves and hit him on his face. The next thing I remember seeing was his hand on his face, and the palm soaked in blood. I freaked out and started walking briskly. I never turned back to look at him.

Your co-star, Vidyut Jammwal, is a trained martial artist, too. Did the two of you bond over this?

Vidyut is one of my closest friends today. We became friends on the sets of Commando 2. Yes, we did start talking to each other about our love for fitness and martial arts. However, it is his sense of humour that we bonded over a lot. In terms of fitness, I must say that his physical and mental strength inspires me. He does push-ups using glass bottles. With his physical strength, the bottles could get crushed, but he keeps his body light enough with his mental strength. I am always surprised with the way he breaks bricks with his bare hands.

Has your role as Inspector Bhavana Reddy evolved in the sequel?

In Commando 2, she was a corrupt cop. She was evil as she would even kill people for a branded, expensive bag. This time around, she is a serious cop. However, we have retained her funny antics. The character still has that sense of humour, as people had liked it. This time she is a lot stronger.

In Commando 2, you had Esha Gupta as your female co-star, this time around you are sharing screen space with Angira Dhar. Is it important for you to get along with your co-stars and have a friendly equation with them?

Yes, we did. I feel during any film project, you should get along with all your co-stars, especially female co-stars. If, as a woman, you don’t respect another woman, how can you expect men to respect women? So, I have great respect for all my female co-stars. Not only them. I also respect all the women who work behind-the-scenes, day and night to make us actresses look beautiful and make it possible for us to nail the characters we play on screen.
On the personal front, there was a buzz that you were dating a businessman.
(Looks surprised) Who is this businessman? I am very much single. I want to urge my fans to find the right guy for me. I need a man who can make perfectly round dosas and the best chutney. He should love animals, do backflips and should be a happy person.

THREADS
Commando 2 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65816-Commando-2-starring-Vidyut-Jamwal)
Bollywood Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)

GeneChing

12-02-2020, 09:18 AM

Kalaripayattu is Dia Mirza's New Fitness Routine, All You Need to Know About This Martial Arts Form (https://www.msn.com/en-in/lifestyle/other/kalaripayattu-is-dia-mirza-s-new-fitness-routine-all-you-need-to-know-about-this-martial-arts-form/ar-BB1bkJcL)
News18 25-11-2020

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1bkJcH.img?h=832&w=1248&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f© Provided by News18 Kalaripayattu is Dia Mirza's New Fitness Routine, All You Need to Know About This Martial Arts Form
Social media may have us chasing that perfect body image goal, but the path to personal fitness is not always through the gym. The fitness and nutrition industry has grown and evolved from that typical exercise routine of the eighties. Today we are seeing a revival of ancient forms of physical exercises like Yoga and Martial Arts. People have more options than going to the gym and lifting weights.

Talking about traditional martial art forms, one such form is Kalaripayattu, which originated in the southern state of Kerala and can be traced back to the third century BC. Martial arts are quite challenging and require dedication. And Kalaripayattu is considered to be an overall mind and body fitness activity. Actor Vidyut Jammwal has been a strong advocator of it.

Now, following this fitness routine is none other than actor Dia Mirza. The actor and social activist who is training for a film project shared a glimpse of the training session on her Instagram.

If Dia's latest fitness routine is something that intrigues you then probably you should explore what Kalaripayattu is about.

The traditional martial arts form is an overall body workout which helps build bodily strength and flexibility while improving focus and coordination. With continuous practice of this fitness routine, with a trainer, you might develop an improved posture, speed, stamina and self-control.

The initial stage of Kalaripayattu is all about body conditioning exercises such as sequences, workouts and kicks to develop the pace of the body. By the second stage, you will learn fighting techniques with wooden weapons such as sticks. In the third stage, you will be elevated to use metal weapons, while the fourth and final stage includes bare hand fighting techniques, massage treatments and more.

The kicks learnt in Kalaripayattu help you increase stamina and balance, that in turn, help improve the metabolism rate. While the correct postures engage different muscles in the core and body, which further helps the training like weight training, yoga and running.

There is no particular diet that you would have to follow while training for Kalaripayattu. It is subjective from person to person. However, one needs to follow a healthy, balanced diet to support the intense training of this martial arts.

Threads
Bollywood-Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Indian-Martial-Arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

03-25-2021, 09:34 AM

OTT actresses are the new action queens (https://telanganatoday.com/ott-actresses-are-the-new-action-queens)
Sunny Leone, who makes her debut in the fiction OTT space with the show “Anamika”, is training for heavy-duty stunts in the series, along with Sonnalli Seygall. Sonakshi Sinha gets to engage in cop action

https://telanganatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/OTT-actresses-are-the-new-action-queens.jpg

By IANS | Published: 25th Mar 2021 1:30 pm

Mumbai: From jumping off the fifth floor to doing action sequences in high heels, actresses on OTT are coming of age as action queens.

Sunny Leone, who makes her debut in the fiction OTT space with the show “Anamika”, is training for heavy-duty stunts in the series, along with Sonnalli Seygall. Sonakshi Sinha gets to engage in cop action in her web series debut “Fallen”. Poulomi Das recently jumped off the fifth floor of a building for a stunt and Priya Banerjee filmed an action scene where she was required to fall from a height in the show “Bekaboo 2”. Ruhi Singh has performed action sequences in the show “Bang Baang”.

Talking about shooting for “Bekaaboo 2”, Priya said: “It was quite fun, although it was my first time. I had to put a harness on and had to fall from a height. It was difficult as you have to know how to balance your body the right way or else you can hurt yourself. It wasn’t easy at all,” she says.

Says Ruhi: “Doing the stunts on my own was indeed a thrilling experience for me. The fun part of my role was doing stunts wearing heels that made me feel empowered, and I am grateful that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the series.”

Sonnalli plays a trained assassin in “Anamika” and she trained in action for the series.

“I play Rhea, a trained assassin who has a killer instinct. She is sharp and intelligent. There are a lot of running, fight and shooting sequences in the series. So, I went through gun training. I had basic fitness training,” she told IANS earlier.

Here are some of the shows featuring actress doing action sequences on OTT:
Sunny Leone and Sonalli Seygall in “Anamika”
The series will see Sonalli play an assassin. The actress underwent special training for the action sequences in the film. Sunny has been shooting for action sequences, too, for the show that marks her debut in the fiction OTT space.

Sonakshi Sinha in “Fallen”
Sonakshi will be seen playing the role of a fierce cop in Reema Kagti’s series. She put out her first look on social media earlier this month where she strikes an intense pose in uniform and stands on a rail track.

Poulomi Das and Priya Banerjee in “Bakaaboo 2”
Both Poulomi and Priya have been performing stunts in the series. While Poulomi jumped from the fifth floor of a building, Priya also posted a video of her falling from a height in a harness.

Ruhi Singh in “Bang Baang”
Ruhi plays the role of an undercover agent. She has trained in kickboxing and Shaolin Kung Fu.

Jennifer Winget in “Code M”
The series was Jennifer’s debut on OTT and she performed action sequences and stunts on the show. She played the role of the Indian Army lawyer named Monica Mehra.

More on Sunny here (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!&p=1293621#post1293621)

GeneChing

04-02-2021, 10:56 AM

Pawan Kalyan practices Shaolin Kung Fu for his warrior role in “Hari Hara Veera Mallu” (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/pawan-kalyan-practices-shaolin-kung-fu-for-his-warrior-role-in-hari-hara-veera-mallu/articleshow/81874352.cms)
By - TIMESOFINDIA.COM Created: Apr 2, 2021, 19:16 IST
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-81874341,width-1200,height-900,resizemode-4/.jpg
Courtesy: Twitter
Pawan Kalyan is a trained martial artist who holds a black belt in Karate. He also worked as a stunt coordinator-cum-hero for many of his films which include ‘Kushi’, ‘Teen Maar’, ‘Badri’ and ‘Johnny’. For his upcoming project “Hari Hara Veera Mallu”, the 49-year-old actor is practising Shaolin Kung Fu, one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of kung fu. Stunt choreographer Sham Kaushal has choreographed a terrific action sequence for the film and to prep up for the same, Pawan has been learning the martial art from ‘Shaolin Warrior Monk’ Harsh Verma.
Sharing a series of pictures from the sets of “Hari Hara Veera Mallu”, the makers wrote on their social media handle
“Dedication levels of #PSPK @PawanKalyan 7am run through wit d ‘shaolin warrior monk‘ Shifu Harshh @verma_h @shaolinwma before getting into d costume for an exciting action sequence wit #Master Action Director @shamkaushal09 n our Cult Director @DirKrish”

Directed by Krish Jagarlamudi, the period drama is set against the backdrop of the bygone era and the recently released teaser showcased Pawan as a rebellious outlaw who takes on the British perpetrators. Sporting a red scarf flying over his shoulders, the Power Star can be seen making a stunning entry through the air and pulling off riveting stunts with a spear in hand. Starring Nidhhi Agerwal as the leading lady, the film features Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal in a crucial role.

Draped in a black ensemble, Pawan looks flamboyant in the promo and the caption “The Legendary Heroic Outlaw” adds curiosity to the proceedings. The thunderous background score composed by MM Keeravani will certainly give goosebumps and the cinematography by Gnanashekar VS is top-notch. Slated for a worldwide release in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi, the big-budget project is scheduled to hit the theaters on Sankranthi 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmTqA4XY30Y&feature=emb_logo

More on ‘Shaolin Warrior Monk’ Harsh Verma here. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49520-Shaolin-Journeys&p=1320084#post1320084)

GeneChing

11-11-2021, 10:16 AM

Avantika Mishra to train in martial arts! (https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/281021/avantika-mishra-to-train-in-martial-arts.html)
DECCAN CHRONICLE. | SASHIDHAR ADIVI
Published Oct 28, 2021, 11:22 pm ISTUpdated Oct 28, 2021, 11:22 pm IST

The actress will train in martial arts, specifically in Muay Thai, for one of her roles
https://s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/images.deccanchronicle.com/dc-Cover-djmvk80humn3rgg8r8ve4808t7-20211028212108.Medi.jpeg
Avantika Mishra
Avantika Mishra has recently wrapped up the shooting of her Tamil film, Enna Solla Pogirai, in which she plays a writer. In fact, the film is her first romantic entertainer in Tamil, something she’s thrilled about.

“I play a novelist whose character has several interesting shades,” she shares, adding that she’s paired opposite Ashwin in the Hariharan-directorial. “In real life too, I love writing poetry apart from painting.”

In another upcoming film, D Block, which is directed by Vijay Kumar Rajendran, Avantika plays a college student. “It’s a thriller, and the edge-of-the-seat narration makes for a great experience,” says the actress who has wrapped up its shoot recently.

However, what’s got Avantika all excited is about performing heavy-duty action sequences in another of her films, which is yet to be titled. Doing such a role for the first time, she’ll soon receive training in martial arts.

“I’ve always wanted to do stunts on my own and kick some butt,” she says smiling. “So when I was offered the project, I grabbed it. I’ve started warming up to prepare for the body-action sequences. I am playing tennis to build on my stamina and am practicing yoga for agility.”

For the martial art training, Avantika has even hired a Hyderabad-based trainer last week. “The training will begin soon with Muay Thai, a form of kickboxing. It prepares me for the little reflexes, punches and stunt training,” she states, adding that her workouts also have been planned in alignment with her training.

For the next three months, Avantika will be on a high-protein and low-carb diet. For someone who isn’t a gym person, she finds this training and her tennis and yoga all the more exciting, she tells us.
This is actually Tollywood but we're lumping that in with our Bollywood thread here. ;)

GeneChing

12-07-2021, 09:42 AM

Lakshmi Manchu is 'learning something new' - the Indian martial art Kalaripayattu (https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/lakshmi-manchu-is-learning-something-new-the-indian-martial-art-kalaripayattu-101638854223899.html)

Kalaripayattu, as performed by Lakshmi in the video, comes with multiple health benefits. It helps in improving the flexibility of the body. When incorporated in the daily fitness routine, Kalaripayattu helps in gaining more body awareness and self-defense.
https://images.hindustantimes.com/img/2021/12/07/550x309/pjimage_(2)_1638854284327_1638854297388.jpg
Lakshmi Manchu is 'learning something new' - Kalaripayattu(Instagram/@lakshmimanchu)
Published on Dec 07, 2021 10:50 AM IST
By
Tapatrisha Das, Delhi
Lakshmi Manchu is ditching all the other martial art forms and picking up the Indian martial art and fighting style Kalaripayattu. The actor is a fitness enthusiast and anything about fitness is sure to have her undivided attention. In fact, her daughter has started early in the fitness process and is often seen accompanying her mother in fitness routines.
For Monday, Lakshmi shared a glimpse of what her new martial art style is looking like. The actor is learning Kalaripayattu - "The Indian martial art and fighting style that originated in modern-day Kerala. Kalaripayattu has been recorded as early as 300 BCE," Lakshmi wrote. Karalipayattu is a fighting style that requires intense physical functionalities and flexibility. The swiftness of the body parts in movement and defending oneself from the attack of the opposite person forms the sole process of this martial art.

In the video, Lakshmi can be seen starting in a squat position with her hands folded in front. Then she can be seen moving her hands and legs slowly in motion and going forward. With her fitness trainer supervising the entire process, Lakshmi can be seen stretching her arms and legs and moving slowly, while learning all the positions. She also mentioned that she has just started learning this art and there will be more snippets for her Instagram family when she would have aced this routine. " This is just a sneak peek, stay tuned for more," she wrapped her post.

Kalaripayattu, as performed by Lakshmi in the video, comes with multiple health benefits. It helps in improving the flexibility of the body. When incorporated in the daily fitness routine, Kalaripayattu helps in gaining more body awareness and self defense. It also helps in developing concentration and gaining control over the body and mind.

threads
Bollywood-Kung-Fu!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Indian-Martial-Arts (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

11-15-2022, 10:54 AM

Lopamudra Raut opens up about training in Martial Arts (https://www.indiaforums.com/article/lopamudra-raut-opens-up-about-training-in-martial-arts_191903)
Lopamudra Raut, known for Bawri (2022), has opened up about taking martial arts and how it has sparked an interest in her.
Published: Monday, Nov 14, 2022, 5:01 AM PST

https://img.indiaforums.com/media/640x0/56/4646-lopamudra.jpg
Bollywood is no longer just about glitz and glamour. Most of the Bollywood stars are now learning various skills to keep themselves fit. The Bollywood stars are trying their very best to get fit and some of them even take the initiative to perform their own action stunts in front of the camera. Many have mastered the art of martial arts and are certainly very proud of it!
Lopamudra Raut, known for Bawri (2022), has opened up about taking martial arts and how it has sparked an interest in her. She says, "I was first intrigued by martial arts in the beginning of my career and I seriously started doing it during Covid. I think it can be a great life skill and since I am extremely inclined towards doing action oriented roles, it can come in real handy. I am really lucky to have a great trainer and I feel that that makes a huge difference in skill building. A great trainer is absolutely necessary because if you compromise in your technique in Martial arts, then it can lead to major injuries. "
When asked if Martial arts is the reason behind her fitness, she replied, "It's not the only reason, it's a combination of all. For me fitness is not an option, it's a lifestyle. I inculcate fitness in my lifestyle by making conscious decisions and healthy eating habits, martial arts and everything else I do to remain a certain way."
Martial Arts is the fastest growing sport in the nation. Martial arts training is becoming more popular with each passing year. Over the years, we've seen quite a few famous faces training a form of martial arts.

Haven't seen Bawri. Anyone?

GeneChing

01-31-2023, 09:59 AM

...I've been saying this for years here. More actresses need to train...

Take a cue from these Bollywood actresses who trained in martial arts and get fit (https://www.indulgexpress.com/entertainment/celebs/2023/jan/31/take-a-cue-from-these-bollywood-actresses-who-trained-in-martial-arts-and-get-fit-46955.html)
The combat fitness routine will not only strengthen your core and help you get leaner, it also gives a boost to your confidence.
Sharmistha Ghosal
| Published : | 31st January 2023 05:00 PM
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If you get no kick out of regualr fitness regimens then you can train in one of the various martial arts. The combat fitness routine will not only strengthen your core and help you get leaner, it also gives a boost to your confidence. Of late many stylish Bollywood actresses too perfected martial arts for their roles. Heres a list of four such actors.

Parineeti Chopra

In order to polish her character as an elite spy in the movie, Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra admitted that she had to spend three months learning the Israeli martial art style of Krav Maga. Krav Maga, which was created for the Israel Defense Forces, is a hybrid of judo, karate, wrestling, aikido, and other combative arts!

Adah Sharma

It's hardly surprising that Adah Sharma enjoys executing stunts in her movies because she is a skilled martial artist. In movies like Commando 3, where she matched her martial arts prowess with her co-star and fellow martial arts enthusiast Vidyut Jammwal, the actress has been seen performing some intense action scenes in the movies and sharing them in her social media posts as well.

Puja Agarwal

Puja Agarwal, who has trained in a variety of martial arts including karate, Naan Chaak, Muay Thai, bo staff, and intermediate-level boxing mayuthai, is among the list's most promising actresses. In addition, she holds a black belt in karate. It's quite amazing how she has applied her martial arts skills to self-defense.

Puja's another action movie ventures will soon feature her martial arts prowess.

Katrina Kaif

She didn't back down when asked to learn some difficult ones for Jagga Jasoos. For her part in Jagga Jasoos, Katrina Kaif practiced the Israeli combat art of Krav Maga. Stunts in this style have gained a lot of popularity worldwide. She filmed a few action-packed stunt scenes. One of the many detective movies that have unexpectedly exploded in popularity is Jagga Jasoos.

GeneChing

08-25-2023, 08:10 AM

Alia Bhatt to train in mixed martial arts, undergo intense prep for YRF’s spyverse action film (https://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/alia-bhatt-to-train-in-mixed-martial-arts-undergo-intense-prep-for-yrfs-spyverse-action-film-check-details-entertainment-news-2563714/)
Alia Bhatt will be undergoing intense preparation and training for YRF's first female-led spyverse film. The yet-untitled film will begin shooting in the first half of 2024.
By Aanchal Sharma | Updated: August 25, 2023 3:12 PM IST

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Seems like there’s no stopping for Alia Bhatt. The actor, who was recently seen in Karan Johar’s superhit family entertainer Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani and made her Hollywood debut this month with Heart of Stone, has already begun work on her next film. The actor will be making her debut in the Yash Raj Film’s spyverse with their next action film. The film will be the first heroine-led film in the spyverse which already includes War, Pathaan and the Tiger franchises.

Alia Bhatt to undergo intense training for 3 months for her next film with YRF

Alia Bhatt will be seen in the untitled action-thriller film with Sharvari Wagh. The film marks the 8th movie in the spy universe after Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, and the upcoming films Tiger 3, War 2, and Tiger vs. Pathaan. Also Read - 69th National Film Awards: Alia Bhatt gets emotional, thanks Bhansali, her fans and gives a special shout out for Kriti Sanon

This will be the first time when Alia would be headlining an out-an-out action film. Leaving no stone unturned to make sure that the film turns out to be a big success, the actor will be undergoing 3 months of intense prep for the film. Also Read - As Alia Bhatt exits from Ramayana, a look at the leading ladies who will be perfect as Sita opposite Ranbir Kapoor

"Alia Bhatt and Sharvari will play YRF's first supercool lady spies, joining the biggest male superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Hrithik Roshan in what stands as India's most successful movie universe,” a report in Pinkvilla cited a source close to the development as saying.

The report added that both Alia and Sharvari will undergo a rigorous 3 months-long preparation regimen for their high-octane action sequences. “This will include training in mixed martial arts. The film will be made on a huge scale and requires both actresses to be in prime physical condition, ready for the demanding action sequences they will tackle together. They will start their prep after finishing their current commitments,” the report further added.

Alia Bhatt Wins Best Actress at the 69th National Film Awards

Meanwhile, Alia recently won the best actress award at the 69th National Film Awards announced on August 24. The actor won the award for her titular role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s biographical crime drama film Gangubai Kathiawadi. The filmmaker too won the National Award for best editing for the film. The 8th film in the spy verse? I've only seen two of these I think...Ek Tha Tiger & Pathaan.