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Thread: Bollywood Kung-Fu!!

  1. #61
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    Deepika Padukone

    Oh yeah. Here's what this thread is all about. Deepika.

    Deepika stuns with stunts in Chandni Chowk...: 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!
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  2. #62
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    a cute guy, not a cute gal

    suggestively holding his guitar neck...
    ‘Martial arts is a bonus in acting’
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #63
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    Bollywood kung fu rising

    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 wave. All sorts of flicks advertised that their star went through a whopping 3 to 6 months of training to prepare for the role. Remember Charlie's Angels? What about Ultraviolet?

    Now Jackie Chan is filming in Bollywood, at least according to his disciple Jack Tu. That's the step we've all been expecting since The Myth.

    Imran Khan’s martial arts avatar in Luck
    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'
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #64
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    Chandni Chowk To China

    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
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  5. #65
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    Omg

    Bollywood seems to be really moving towards more martial arts flicks now.
    Oh My God – A film about Yoga and martial arts
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  6. #66
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    ttt

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

    Beware of Actress Bianca Desai !

    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
    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.'
    Gene Ching
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  7. #67
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    ttt2

    Sankalpa - maybe Chandni Chowk will start a trend.
    Bengali cinema’s first-ever film on martial arts

    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.
    Gene Ching
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  8. #68
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    Not quite Bollywood...

    ...but trickle down from Bollywood perhaps, along with some social issues.
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #69
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    Definitely Bollywood

    Can you feel the Chandni Chowk buzz?

    Now Nandana learns martial arts!
    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.'
    Gene Ching
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  10. #70
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    The Slumdog connection

    I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire. I hope is sweeps the Oscars.
    Slumdog’s Golden Glow

    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.”
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  11. #71
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    Onward from CC2C

    Remember when it was sort of fashionable for Hollywood hotties to train a little martial arts for the role? 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
    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
    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.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  12. #72
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    Anushka

    Ravishing yoga teacher turned actress - here's a fan site for pics.
    Anushka plays a martial arts expert now
    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.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  13. #73
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    Got Tollywood?

    More on Anushka...
    Anushka’s martial art training for 'Billa'
    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.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  14. #74
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    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.
    The 10 Elements of Choy Lay Fut:
    Kum, Na, Gwa, Sau, Chop, Pow, Kup, Biu, Ding, Jong

    The 13 Principles of Taijiquan:
    Ward Off, Roll Back, Press, Push, Pluck, Elbow, Shoulder, Split, Forward, Back, Left, Right, Central Equilibrium

    And it doesn't hurt to practice stuff from:
    Mounts, Guards, and Side Mounts!


    Austin Kung-Fu Academy

  15. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    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.
    The 10 Elements of Choy Lay Fut:
    Kum, Na, Gwa, Sau, Chop, Pow, Kup, Biu, Ding, Jong

    The 13 Principles of Taijiquan:
    Ward Off, Roll Back, Press, Push, Pluck, Elbow, Shoulder, Split, Forward, Back, Left, Right, Central Equilibrium

    And it doesn't hurt to practice stuff from:
    Mounts, Guards, and Side Mounts!


    Austin Kung-Fu Academy

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