he reigning King of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, is set to take London by storm at the Red Carpet World Premiere for the release of the colossal film, Om Shanti Om – the most breathtaking and monumental Bollywood film bonanza of the year – descending upon the Empire, Leicester Square on Thursday, November 8.

Presented by Eros International, the one and only King Khan, Shah Rukh, will bring the electrifying glamour, glory and stardust of Bollywood to London's West End, as the entire square will become a bedazzling Bollywood spectacle, to celebrate the long-awaited release of 2007's biggest blockbuster – Om Shanti Om.

The full glory of Bollywood cinema will descend upon London's Leicester Square, as King Khan, joins a host of the industry's most magnanimous, including demure debutante, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal, Shreyas Talpade and Karan Johar, who will partake in a Q&A session at the Media Conference, before gracing the evening's Red Carpet World Premiere.

Kishore Lulla, Chairman and CEO of Eros International comments, "Eros has always enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Shah Rukh Khan, and we are looking forward to the release of Om Shanti Om during the festive season of Diwali. It is one of the most awaited films of the year and we are excited to be leveraging Eros' global distribution in promoting the film."

Om Shanti Om is releasing in cinemas worldwide on November 9.

Devansh Patel, IndiaFM

Arjun Rampal rolls up the sleeves of a Tommy Hilfiger shirt to reveal the tattoos of his daughters Myra and Mahikaa on his forearm. We sit in the balcony of his 9th floor apartment, overlooking the Bandstand sea.

So, who got the ponytail first—he or Shah Rukh Khan?

“Well, it’s not about who grew it first. But I have had long hair in my last three to four movies,” he laughs.

And does he have an opinion on what everyone in the city is talking about the six pack?

“It is definitely motivating. I don’t think people associated him with six packs. He worked four long years at it,” says Rampal.
“I think he got inspired to get a six-pack after he saw his son Aryan’s six-pack.
"Aryan apparently taunted him and said, ‘Dad you have everything but you don’t have a six pack’,” he says.

So, when did he get his six pack?

“I don’t have a six pack. I have 18,” he says with a wink.

What about Bollywood fashion?

“Fashion in movies, even 10-15 years ago was horrendous. The 60s and 70s were stylish, but the 80s and the 90s were terrible, now it’s getting professional and actors are getting more and more conscious.”

Kabeer Sharma, DNA after hours

Whoever is talking about the rivalry between ‘Om Shanti Om’ (OSO) and ‘Saawariya’ should hear of this one. Not so long ago, Shah Rukh Khan was shooting at the same studio as Ranbir Kapoor. While SRK was finishing the last schedule of ‘OSO’, Ranbir was there for the promotional shoot of ‘Saawariya’.

The two happened to finish together and reached the car parking area at the same time. SRK grabbed the opportunity to wish the Kapoor boy all the best for his debut film. In return, Ranbir conveyed his wishes for the success of ‘OSO’. Both obviously believe in the ‘live and let live’ philosophy!

DNA after hours

Delhi-based actress Uvika Choudhary started her career in the glam world by winning a talent hunt contest, after which she was part of the popular television serial Astitva, and also has a number of advertisements to her credit.

But Bollywood has always been her dream, her ultimate destination, and what better film than the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Om Shanti Om to make her filmi debut with? “Yes, it’s a dream come true for me,” smiles the young actress, as she talks about her debut film project.

But wasn’t it a bit frightening being in the same frame as none other than the Badshah of Bollywood, King Khan? “Of course, I was very nervous initially. But things just happened so fast, so unexpectedly, that I didn’t really have the time to react! But the ice actually broke when one day, I accidentally fell into Shah Rukh’s lap while dancing. That eased out the tension in me,” laughs Uvika.

However, on a more serious note, she goes on to say that she learned a lot from the actor as well. “What I really learned from Shah Rukh was hard work! Come what may, whether it’s the first shot of the day or the last, Shah Rukh puts in the same amount of effort. He gives it his best at all times. The passion he has for his work shows,” says Uvika.

Move over to her other co-star, the much talked about Deepika Padukone. Doesn’t she feel a tad insecure, considering Deepika is already creating waves in the film circles? “Honestly, I didn’t have any scenes with Deepika, but she’s a very nice, hard-working girl. My job is to act, and I did my job and came back! Why should I feel insecure because of Deepika? On the contrary, I’m happy I got an opportunity to work with a good banner and talented people. I consider myself lucky to have got such a good start!”

With another movie — Summer of 2007 — already in her kitty, will she consider going back to her roots in television? “I consider Astitva as my acting school; I learned the nuances and technicalities of acting through television. But the small screen has one major setback: you are living just one character for two-three years, whereas in films, you have the scope to play different characters all the time. I believe there’s more scope in films, and right now, I’m enjoying the big screen. But I never say never, so who knows?” smiles the debutante.

Nicloe Dastur, TNN

MUMBAI: As part of Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM's exclusive marketing tie-up with Om Shanti Om, a contest, 'Karde Disco' is being organized across 21 cities.

Listeners have to simply tune into the radio station and send in their entries. In the Mumbai phase of the contest the selected finalists were invited to the Radio Mirchi studio on 26 October for the final round. The winners of this will be given an opportunity to meet Shah Rukh Khan. Apart from meet and greet with the star cast, there are various other prizes in store for the listeners like autographed CDs, Shah Rukh's clothes from Om Shanti Om and other movie merchandise.

The Mumbai event focused on the 70's groove. The judges selected the winners on the basis of their performance, style of dressing and how well the person conducted himself in the 70's fashion. The finalists were given 98.3 seconds to do an act from the 70's (sing / dance / say a dialogue / enact a scene) in front of the judge, music director Vishal. To add to the retro quotient, contestants were provided props from the 70's era such as a bow tie, wigs, sunglasses etc to add spice and variety to their sizzling performances.

Radio Mirchi has designed special on-air programs that will take listeners into the 70's time machine and as part of the theme, the station has been airing special interviews with fashion designer Shania NC for giving tips on getting the 70s look, including the special songs that epitomized the 70's.

In Pune the contest is planned as a '70s party' with entertainment, games with special contest around it. Anyone in the city with the name of Om or Shanti has been extended a special invitation for the party.

Radio Mirchi national marketing head Kaushik Ghosh stated, "Radio Mirchi has almost defined the way movies are treated and presented as entertainment on Radio. We have come to be associated with all the biggest movies coming out of Bollywood. We are happy to be the exclusive radio partners with this years most anticipated movie, Om Shanti Om. There is a tremendous buzz about the movie and this movie taps into the nostalgia of the 70s with its theme. Thus it became the theme for the 'Kar De Disco' contest, which has found a tremendous connect with the listeners. We are happy to bring Bollywood closer to our listeners through our on-air innovations."

Businessofcinema

OM SHANTI OM v/s SAAWARIYA battle is now at a stage where both the films are ready for a kill. And whoever makes the first strike now is bound to have an upper hand as the release date of 9th November nears.

In this regard, OM SHANTI OM may well have tightened it's grip by unleashing multiple talkie promos which (successfully) bring out the 'masala' element of the film. While on one end the song promo of 'Jag Soona Soona Laaga' is already on to reflect the pensive mood of the protagonist, there are also numerous action, comedy and dramatic promos which are dominating the small screen.

Though SAAWARIYA continues to focus on the song and dance routine, OM SHANTI OM is balancing it all out by also giving an audience a feeler about the film in itself which is promising to be an out and out 'masala' entertainer. An entertainer of a kind jisme action bhi hai, emotion bhi hai, drama bhi hai aur romance bhi!

Come 9th November and we would have an answer on whether Farah Khan has actually fulfilled the promise!

Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz

Yes, Om Shanti Om is the hottest and the most awaited film of the year. But there are still ten more days for the film to release. However, before you barge into the movie hall on the first day for the first show, you can meet the film’s director Farah Khan and the gorgeous debutant actress, Deepika Padukone at the leisure of your home.

Farah and Deepika are will be coming as celebrity judges on the famous Dance Show ‘Nach Baliye 3’ this week. Farah is the most successful choreographer in Bollywood who turned filmmaker with Main Hoon Na (2004) and Deepika; a successful model turned actress is also a trained Kathak dancer.

So, do catch both the ladies as they set the dance floor on fire on ‘Nach Baliye 3’.

IndiaFM

While it is becoming more and more obvious that Shah Rukh Khan's home production, OM SHANTI OM, is all set to embark on a historic start on November 9, the actor has a few interesting thoughts to share with his audience, regarding the 70's era, which forms an important part of the movie.

The lead artist of the Farah Khan directed, 'Diwali' week extravaganza, reveals that the term 'Bollywood' originated due to the psychedelic 70's, a very nostalgic and evolutive decade /phase for the Hindi film industry.

The top box-office draw laments that the West has preconceived notions about the Hindi film industry, and the general belief is that it is still dominated by flaring bell-bottoms, extravagant dance numbers and exaggerated acting.

Well, King Khan, we hope that after OM SHANTI OM, some of these misconceptions will cease to exist, as the movie showcases the past and present era of Bollywood.

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

It is a battle that erupts every festive season, and this year is no different.

The multiplex owners and distributors of Saawariya and Om Shanti Om are at loggerheads over sharing the profits from ticket sales. And that has put a question mark over whether the films will release on November 9, the Diwali weekend.

Daily, no-quarters-given negotiations are on even as you read this.

"We are still negotiating with the distributors," admits Vishal Anand, vice president, marketing, Fun Republic cinemas. "We are all having everyday meetings. It is but natural that everyone expects more share of profits when such big films release."

According to our sources, the key point is that both Om Shanti Om and Saawariya [Images] are big-budget films that have been sold heavily to distributors who want to rake in the profit this festive season.

It was reported that Om Shanti Om was sold for Rs 75 crores (Rs 750 million) to Eros and director Farah Khan [Images] had said Shah Rukh Khan [Images] had already made profit of Rs 50 crores (Rs 500 million) before the release of the film.

Shah Rukh Khan's home production, Red Chillies, which has produced Om Shanti Om, denied Farah Khan's statement.

Saawariya is the first Hindi film that a Hollywood studio, Sony Picture Entertainment, has produced.

The distributors of the films are demanding 50 per cent share from multiplex owners from ticket sales in the first two weeks. The multiplex owners don't want to give up their profits for the second week.

Generally, the trend is that in the second week the ratio of the profit falls -- to 38 to 42 percent -- depending on how the film fares in the first week.

What has surprised industry observers is that this problem has not arisen from the Yash Raj camp, which never budges when it comes to sharing profits. Last year, they did not release Dhoom: 2 in certain parts of north India as multiplex owners were not willing to share more profits with them.

"These kind of negotiations are the natural course of business," says Vikramjit Roy, Sony Picture Entertainment spokesperson. "If you want to advertise a product on rediff.com, obviously the client will negotiate with your sales team, isn't it? In the same way we are talking to them."

He emphasises that Saawariya is releasing on November 9 for sure.

Hoardings and promos of both the films were withdrawn from some multiplexes, a major surprise for audiences and industry insiders alike, given that the release date was just two weeks away.

"You have to say no somewhere. The distributors cannot armtwist all the time," said a multiplex owner who did not want to be named.

Syed Firdaus Ashraf, Rediff.com

The Badshah of Bollywood has undoubtedly delivered the maximum hits over the better part of his 25 year old film career. But what is interesting to note is that most of his films that have gone on to become blockbusters have released or rather designed or planned to be released days before Diwali. We wonder what’s SRK’s fascination with this particular period of the year.

And despite the competition that his films face from other big banners and production houses, a movie that features Shah Rukh Khan is guaranteed to taste success.

Diwali according to film-analyst Taran Adarsh is a convenient time for films to get released. He says, “People have the spending power and are in the mood to celebrate. And Bollywood is the biggest high for the cinegoer.

And since they have the spending capacity people love to go out for dinners and outings to cinema halls. So any film that gets released during this auspicious phase has a good enough chance of a guaranteed hit.

Yet Taran also admits to the fact that a favourable phase is not enough for the film to be categorized as a hit. The film needs to have substance in its story as well. “It ultimately boils down to content and nothing else. Even a Naach by Ram Gopal Varma that got released alongside SRK’s Veer Zaara was not accepted by the audiences which shows how important content is for a film though it may get released during Diwali. Thus for any film the bottom-line has to be content.”

One of the first few SRK films to have got released during the season of Diwali, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman became a sort of benchmark for the slew of films that got churned out thereafter during the same time period.

Baazigar in November 1993 was next where Shah Rukh Khan donned a negative character for the first time on the 70mm screen and the film proved to be a huge success at the Box Office.

Yet the biggest blockbuster that paved the way for Shah Rukh Khan’s future stardom was Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayengewhich got released in October 1995. It turned out to be the longest running film in theatres of all time. If DDLJ failed to prove his hold as one of the biggest romantic heroes of Bollywood then Dil To Paagal Hai cleared all the doubts with a success that was more than resounding.

SRK then joined hands with a director friend who was to turn very dear in the future- Karan Johar and the result was there for all to see in the form of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai that became a trendsetter for Bollywood films that followed thereon.

Aditya Chopra brought together Hindi film industry’s two biggest giants- Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan along with Aishwarya Rai for company in Mohabbatein in October 2000. The film worked despite big opposition from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir starring Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan.

Then came the only exception of an SRK movie that got released during Diwali and proved to be quite a dampener at the turnstiles. Asoka was directed by ace choreographer Santosh Sivan and Kareena Kapoor starred in it too but that did not make a difference to the film’s fate. The film released alongside Sunny Deol’s Indian which too was a wash-out.

SRK had a slight lull and there was no film of his that hit theatres for the next couple of years until Karan Johar thought and conceived Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003. Shah Rukh Khan’s undying act a la Rajesh Khanna in Anand was well received.

He then teamed up with Yash Chopra yet again for the gritty love story Veer Zaara. The film was a hit across the border in Pakistan too. The film was the biggest hit amongst its three oppositions.

Shah Rukh and Farhan Akhtar together then attempted a remake of Amitabh’s portrayal of Don with Don- The Chase Begins Again and sure enough it still found favour with audiences. In fact, the Akshay Kumar- Salman Khan starrer Jaaneman releasing alongside it could not stand up against the film.

If we take a closer look at these films, one can’t help but notice how Shah Rukh Khan has always worked with people or a group of people whose thinking was aligned to his.

Initially when the King Khan began his career, he formed a comfort zone with director Aziz Mirza and his favourite co-star to date Juhi Chawla. This trio made quite a few movies together before Shah Rukh Khan found favour with Yash Raj and formed their own coterie. This combination worked for quite a while but then he actor needed fresh thought and perspective of today’s times.

And he found that with Karan Johar with the duo churning out a number of films that have sizzled and rocked at the Box Office. The point is that we have always seen SRK working for people with whom he shares a certain equation and compatibility for showing results when it really mattered.

Taran Adarsh does feel that once an actor becomes a successful name in the industry, he looks to minimize his risks. “After a point of time in their careers, all actors somewhere or the other do plan their films. Once these stars reach a high with their performances in their films, it becomes difficult to maintain the same intensity throughout and hence they resort to planning and designing the release of their respective movies,” says Taran.

Also something else that mattered to Shah Rukh according to leading numerologist Niraj Mancchanda is the fact that the actor is a Scorpio by sun sign. Niraj says, “SRK is born on November 2nd which makes him a Scorpio and since most of his films get released during his own Scorpion phase which begins from October 22nd to November 22nd, luck is always working in his favour. Besides his film titles too add up to lucky numbers like Mohabbatein which adds u to 37 is powered by the numerical 1 and Veer Zaara adds up to 42 is powered by the number 6 which combines well with Yash Raj who were the ones who produced these films. In the same way Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is powered by the number 2 and so is his birth number. So surely Diwali is a lucky phase for him.”

But Niraj is also quick to point out that Shah Rukh need not look to work with powerful people today as he has become a brand in himself. Shedding further light on the matter, Niraj says, “SRK is today is a successful brand that can today sell anything, leave alone a film. And he has also set up his own home productions in Red Chillies Entertainment and can concentrate on making money for he has built up a brand name. He is an opportunist today and can afford to work exclusively with successful and powerful people in the industry. All that Shah Rukh may be doing is planning in such a manner that it hits theatres in Diwali but he still works with an outside banner like in Chak De and still makes enough money, doesn’t he?

We aren’t drawing any conclusions out here but just pointing out to something that stands out among others. Shah Rukh Khan may be doing it intentionally or otherwise. For just as Taran says he is on a high today and can plan out his innings in tinsel ville or as Niraj Mancchanda reasons, it might be the luck factor that is making sure SRK is still the Badshah of Bollywood.

IndiaTimes.com

Actor Arjun Rampal plays the negative lead in Om Shanti Om. We caught up with the actor and found out what Arjun had to say about Shah Rukh Khan -- the good friend, the good husband, the good father and more.

There was actually a time when negative roles were given to people with villainous looks but now it has completely changed. The best looking men in the country are doing negative roles.

CNN-IBN: Hi Arjun. How are you?

Arjun Rampal: Very well, thanks. How you doing?

CNN-IBN: Good. Tell me, do you agree you are too good looking to be a villain?

Arjun Rampal: No, I don’t think so. I mean it is challenging as an actor. I am an actor, I need to do different kind of roles and rarely get an opportunity in such a big commercial setup and such a big commercial film.


CNN-IBN: After Don we've observed that you and Shah Rukh have become great friends. He did a small jig in your movie and now you're doing his movie, you're both great friends, is it?

Arjun Rampal: Yes, Shah Rukh is a sweetheart. I love him. He’s a great guy. He's a wonderful friend. He's a great husband, great father and I think truly a star who has all the qualities to be a role model.


CNN-IBN: You’re doing everything -- acting, production and your film The Last Lear also did all the festival rounds. You were in Toronto. Tell us about that experience.

Arjun Rampal: Yes, The Last Lear is a completely different film than Om Shanti Om. I mean Om Shanti Om being the huge entertaining commercial blockbuster that it’s going to be and The Last Lear more serious, parallel cinema and completely in English


CNN-IBN: Before we wrap up could you please tell the audience why should they watch Om Shanti Om?

Arjun Rampal: You should watch Om Shanti Om because if you don’t you’re going to miss out on the best and the most entertaining film and you're going to feel alone because the whole world’s going to watch it.

Rohit Khilnani, CNN-IBN

The Dard-e-Disco dance challenge has now reached its final stage.

It's down to the final five.

Here's SRK taking a look at the entries and giving his verdict.

Watch SRK here

IBN Live

Neha Dhupia when asked during an interview whether she would ever live down her quote that only Shah Rukh Khan and sex sell, responded by saying :

"I don't think anyone has forgotten that quote.
With his six-pack abs, Shah Rukh and sex have become one.
I should immediately get a copyright to this quote."

Nilufer Qureshi, Hindustantimes

Shahrukh Khan worked hard to develop his perfect six-pack abs in just 3 months. He had a makeshift gymnasium setup on the set of Dard-e-Disco so that he could work out in-between shots.

Shahrukh Khan’s Red Chilli Entertainment is the production house for the movie produced by Gauri Khan.

Shahrukh Khan is playing the lead role in the movie. Om Shanti Om has a debutant in the female lead - Deepika Padukone. Deepika is the daughter of former badminton world champion Prakash Padukone.

The film is about the reincarnation of Om and Shanti of the late 70s as Om and Sandy of the 21st century.

In the 70s, Om Prakash a junior artist who falls in love with Shantipriya a beautiful and popular star. Shanti is murdered by someone she loves and Om dies unable to bear it. They are meet again as Om Kapoor and Sandy 30 years later and together they endeavour to catch the murderer of Shantipriya.

Om Shanti Om directed by Farah Khan is one of the two big movies slated to open on Diwali day - 9 November 2007.

While the initial rounds had both Om Shanti Om and Saawariya trying to put their best foot forward, by way of breath taking visuals and grand song promos, round two saw the makers of both the big-budgeted ventures go in for merchandising and reality shows.

However, with the big day (November 9) less than two weeks away, Saawariya has fired its ICBM, a (slightly awkward?) towel-clad Ranbir, aimed at countering SRK's shirtless six-pack! This they have done through one of the best tracks of Saawariya, 'Jab se tere naina'.

Not willing to be cowered down, the Om Shanti Om team has bombarded the channels with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's superb and soulfully rendered, 'Jag soona soona lage', featuring a heartbroken King Khan!

The ball is now firmly in the audience's court and it will be very interesting to see how they react to these and other publicity blitzkrieg, before casting their 'Diwali' ballot!

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

The station gave its listeners a unique opportunity to meet the Mirchidaar stars of the movie Om Shanti Om - the gorgeous Deepika Padukone and the one and only King Khan - Shahrukh Khan!

As part of Mirchi's exclusive marketing tie-up with Om-Shanti-Om, 'Karde Disco' contest is being organized by Radio Mirchi across 21 cities. Listeners have to simply tune into Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM and send in their entries. In the Mumbai phase of the contest the selected finalists were invited to the Radio Mirchi studio yesterday (October 26 2007) for the final round.

The winners of this will be given an opportunity to meet Shah Rukh Khan. Apart from meet and greet with the star cast, there are various other prizes in store for the listeners like autographed CDs, Shahrukh's clothes from Om Shanti Om and other exciting movie merchandise.

The event focused on the 70's groove. The judges selected the winners on the basis of their performance, style of dressing and how well the person conducted himself in the 70's fashion. The finalists were given 98.3 seconds to do an act from the 70's (sing / dance / say a dialogue / enact a scene) in front of the judge, music director Vishal.

To add to the retro quotient, contestants were provided props from the 70's era such as a bow tie, wigs, sunglasses etc to add spice and variety to their sizzling performances.

Radio Mirchi has designed special on-air programs that will take listeners into the 70's time machine and as part of the theme, the station has been airing special interviews with fashion designer like Shina NC for giving tips on getting the 70s look, including the special songs that epitomized the 70's etc. In Pune the contest is planned as a big '70s party' with entertainment, games with special contest around it. Anyone in the city with the name of Om or Shanti has been extended a special invitation for the party.

Talking about the initiative, Kaushik Ghosh, National Marketing head, Radio Mirchi, said "Radio Mirchi has almost defined the way movies are treated and presented as entertainment on Radio. We have come to be associated with all the biggest movies coming out of Bollywood. We are happy to be the exclusive radio partners with this years most anticipated movie, Om Shanti Om. There is a tremendous buzz about the movie and this movie taps into the nostalgia of the 70s with its theme. Thus it became the theme for the 'Kar De Disco' contest, which has found a tremendous connect with the listeners. We are happy to bring bollywood closer to our listeners through our on-air innovations.'

IndianTelevision

Om Shanti Om is a film set in a 'film backdrop'…

Yes, the much-awaited film is all about the making of films and is set in the '70s. It will portray the film industry of the '70s, the bell bottoms, side locks, flashy, colourful shirts et al. I think the term Bollywood is a coinage of this period as it witnessed the making of the maximum number of classics. I have grown up watching these films. I love Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Zahreela Insaan… and Rishi Kapoor's romantic films. My name in OPM is Om Prakash Makhija as my father in the film is a huge fan of Om Prakash.

Are the characters inspired from any actors of the '70s?

No. We have deliberately not spoofed anyone. Everyone has a distinct style and they are all stars of the era. Arjun Rampal is a big star and looks like Vinod Khanna of Khoon Pasina. But he is not a spoof of any actor and neither is Shreyas or Javed Shaikh. After the initial two months of the script, I decided that we will not spoof at all as that will take the emotions away and a love story can't be a love story without emotions.

What will be the difference between the '70s and the 2007 film industry in OSO?

When the film goes into 2007 you will see a huge difference especially in terms of the media presence. There are things like the Dare-E-Disco song and the heroes coming late on the sets and changing scenes. There is also a scene where fans are waiting to hear the star's comment and after they see him there are comments like `Yaar yeh to gidda lagta hai' and `real life mein itna handsome nahih hai yaar'. I have heard this on so many occasions that I decided to use it in the film.

I believe that you ran through fire in one of the scenes and actually burnt the sets at Film City for your death scene?

Yes, but thankfully there was no injury unlike in Koyla where my entire back was burnt. I had done it before but now there are much more security measures. I had poured lot of water on myself before the fire sequence. Fire is a very important element in the film as he dies due to fire and the fear remains even in his next birth. We burnt the whole set that we had created in Film City. I remember when Manmohan Desaisaab had done that in Naseeb he destroyed the entire `Kanch mahal'.

It is said that you have already earned Rs 50 crore from Om Shanti Om?

That's ridiculous and complete misinformation. I am a little disturbed by this news and I am upset with Farah for speaking about it. I will shout at her after I finish this interview. If I have earned Rs 50 crore from the film already then it means that the film has been sold for Rs 85-90 crore and I am wasting my time speaking to you here. I should be in the Caribbean having wine. I think it is very superficial to say that I have made an X amount of money as an actor. It is for the producer to know how much money the film has made and as an actor I should only know whether the film is a hit or not. If I were honest I would say that Chak De is the most successful film of the year.

But these days, actors are being offered Rs 15 to 18 crore for a film…

I have never been offered that kind of money and I am not open to anyone who wants to offer me money and not make a film. I do 2-3 films a year and don't want to be a part of the rat race. It is strange to know when I read that the film has made Rs 200 crore. I produce my film for say Rs 10 and sell it for Rs 12 and always make money from it. If I sell it for 15 rupees and the film does not work like in the case of Paheli, I will refund my distributors. That's the reason I have made money in all my films except Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani.

Saawariya is releasing along with OSO. Your reaction…

It is as simple as my son going for a fight. I am not scared about the opposition but I am just scared about my son. My only concern is that he should do well. I am not scared of any other film as such. I wish that OSO also had a solo release like Chak De but it's okay. I had planned my release in July and although I knew that I wanted a Diwali release, I announced it in July as I sold my film that time and asked my distributors book the theatres. Sanjay was not sure at that time as he was busy with post production. If I knew that time I would had changed my date. It makes no difference to me if my film comes a week ahead or a week later. I would have had loved to release the film on Nov 2, which is also my birthday.

Ranbir came and met you on the sets…

I have seen Ranbir as a child and like I said Rishi Kapoor is my friend and an integral part of my film. He came on the sets and wanted to speak about his career and Saawariya. He calls me Shah Rukh Sir and all and I wish him all the best.

But there has been media war between Farah and Sanjay…

Sanjay is my friend and he has given me Devdas, the best film of my career. I don't know about Farah and Sanjay however. Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor are fantastic people. Salman is brilliant and Rani is family. Sonam and Ranbir I have seen growing up. My competition is Sanjay and the stars of the film but Columbia Tristar and I think I am big enough to compete with them. I wish Sony and Columbia all the best as they have taken a big chance fighting with me.

There are reports that you will be working on a thriller with Yash-Raj soon…

Not true at all. I think Ittefaq was the last thriller that Yash-Raj made. I wish I can work on a thriller with Yashji and I am trying to convince him right from the time we did Darr to make a murder mystery.

There are also reports that you want to remake Deewar…

No, I have no intentions of making any remakes. I have done two remakes in Devdas and Don only because both the directors were keen to make them. Don was exciting simply because it had a different ending from the earlier version. I don't think Deewar can be remade because the drama and the writing is dated now.

MumbaiMirror

Friday 26th of October 2007 In Shah Rukh Khan's much-flaunted mega item number in his forthcoming 'Om Shanti Om', old timers Dharmendra, Jeetendra and Mithun Chakraborty shake a leg along with a bevy of 28 other top stars - but Amitabh Bachchan and son Abhishek are conspicuously missing.


For those thinking gleefully that the song is another example of the Shah Rukh-Amitabh famed rivalry, it may be a bit of disappointment to know that both the Bachchans are very much in the film.

'The Bachchans are not in the title song, but will feature in the other sequences,' a source close to the 'Om Shanti Om' team told IANS.

'How can I not have Mr. Bachchan and Abhishek? Both father and son have a special appearance in my film. They come in a scene just before the song,' Farah Khan, who approached 34 stars but managed to get only 31, was quoted as saying.

Another well-known actor who couldn't comply with Farah's request was Aamir Khan. According to the director, Aamir was too busy shooting 'Ghajini' and couldn't take time out.

Set in the 70s film industry 'Om Shanti Om', is about a struggling actor Om, who falls in love with a successful actress, played by pretty newcomer Deepika Padukone. But before Om can woo her, he dies in an accident. He takes a new avatar in 'another birth' as a big star and goes in search of his 'previous life' love.

Bachchan's presence in 'Om Shanti Om', a Shah Rukh Khan home production, puts an end to speculation about the animosity between the two stars.

Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit in the capital earlier this month, Shah Rukh had described his rivalry with Amitabh as a media exaggeration. The presence of Abhishek and Amitabh in his film substantiates his statement that there is no rivalry between him and the Bollywood icon.

The stories of their supposed rivalry intensified after Shah Rukh became the host of STAR TV's quiz show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', which was till then known as Amitabh's show, and ran it in his own style successfully. Soon after that, he acted in a cheeky remake of Amitabh's 70s hit 'Don', adding grist to rumour mills of the bad vibes between the two superstars.

Then followed Ram Gopal Verma dropping his 'Time Machine' with Shah Rukh in order to complete his two projects with Amitabh - 'Nishabd' and 'Ram Gopal Verma Ke Aag'.

Despite being in London at the time of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards function in Yorkshire, Shah Rukh gave the event a miss. In fact, he missed the 2006 IIFA function too. The reason was said to be Bachchan being the brand ambassador of IIFA.

At the time Amitabh was unwell last year, Shah Rukh bagged many of his ad assignments - with ICICI Bank, Navratan Oil and the government Pulse Polio ads.

Although Amitabh has often denied any rivalry, he didn't invite Shah Rukh for his son Abhishek's wedding with Aishwarya Rai.

Perhaps 'Om Shanti Om' marks a new friendly beginning for both stars.

NewsPostIndia

The 'Iqbal' of Nagesh Kukunoor's film of the same name has come of age. With some excellent performances in films like Dor, 'Apna Sapna Money Money' and the recent success, 'Dil Dosti etc.', Shreyas has proved that Iqbal was not a flash in the pan.

The only thing lacking in Shreyas's arsenal was a real big project and it now appears that it is finally here in the form of 'Om Shanti Om'. In his upcoming Diwali extravaganza, Shreyas plays Shah Rukh's best buddy and confidante, 'Pappu Master'. His crackling chemistry with King Khan has to be seen to be believed.

In one of the hilarious scenes (set in the 70's) from the upcoming movie, SRK (playing a junior artist, aspiring to become a superstar), tells him that his mother (Kirron Kher) says that he is slated to become a big star. Pat comes the repartee from Shreyas, 'Keshto ki maa ne bhi usse yahi kaha hoga', in an obvious reference to Keshto Mukherjee, the perpetually drunk (on screen), yet beloved Bollywood comedian of the 70's and 80's!

Abid, BollywoodTradeNewsNetwork

Well, it was the scene, which had her playing badminton with co-actor Shah Rukh Khan.

Director Farah Khan says, “It’s a song sequence, which is a tribute to the Leena Chandavarkar-Jeetendra number ‘Dhal gaya din’ in the yesteryear hit ‘Humjoli’.”

But did Deepika, (daughter of former badminton champion Prakash Padukone and an excellent player herself) prove one-up to the Khan, who is a soccer, cricket and now hockey enthusiast?

Farah laughs, “Of course Deepika was excellent in those shots because badminton runs in her blood. But Shah Rukh too got the shot ‘okayed’ in one take because he was so embarrassed with his tight-fitting white pants and T-shirt. It was funny but the crew cheered him on to play more,” says Farah.

Apparently, Deepika was overwhelmed with delight when she learnt that there was a badminton scene in the movie.

“It was a double delight combining my previous passion for badminton with my current one for acting. And as is his forte, SRK proved to be the ‘man of the match’,” insists Deepika who is revving up to start shooting for her next action thriller ‘Made In China’ directed by Nikhil Advani. Here like in ‘OSO’, she once again plays a double role according to insiders.

IndiaInfo

The countdown has begun! On one side is the biggest star of Hindi cinema [SRK]. On the opposite side is the biggest director of Hindi cinema [Sanjay Leela Bhansali]. The battle royale this Diwali is being keenly watched by people from within and outside the industry. Which film will steal the march and garner a big opening? The speculations have begun…

Year after year, most Diwali releases have elicited a tremendous response. Diwali is special. People are in a mood to spend, party, get entertained. The footfalls at movieplexes show a meteoric rise during this festive season. The business escalates if the films are talked-about. And it definitely can't get bigger than OM SHANTI OM and SAAWARIYA.

The worldwide distributors of the two films [Eros - O.S.O., Sony - SAAWARIYA] are working at a feverish pace, marketing the products aggressively, besides getting the best deals from movieplexes. The two films are being given an extensive release across the globe. Expectedly, the first week billing will be earth shattering!

Two [or more] good films can easily co-exist during Diwali. Let's hope and pray, both O.S.O. and SAAWARIYA make the film industry richer by several crores this festive season. Let the festival of lights make the scenario brighter this November.

Business Talk With Taran Adarsh

Much talked affairs these days Between Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Om Shanti Om Debuted Actress Deepika Padukone.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has shown both on and off the field that he is a man with a big heart. Besides hitting the ball hard on the field, he follows his heart off the field (remember T20 Worldcup Final with Pakistan).

He invite his dream girl Deepika Padukone to the recent T20 match against Australia which match india won by 7 wickets. The actress cheered on as Dhoni hit the winning six against the mighty Aussies.

Now, the question is whether Deepika will invite Dhoni to the special screening of her debut film Om Shanti Om by director Farah Khan.The Indian skipper had earlier asked actor Shahrukh Khan about the special screening of Om Shanti Om and had openly spoken about his feelings and admiration for its heroine Deepika Padukone. So, it looks like he will leave everything behind to see Deepika on the big screens if he is invited.

Now, the ball is with Deepika whether to heal Dhoni or leave him lonely!

Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om is one of the most awaited films of the year, and why not? When one puts in the effort and hard work, it reflects. And the cast and crew of OSO have done just that. Director Farah Khan has left no stone unturned.

We ask her about the degree of difficulty in getting Bollywood's top actors to be a part of one song in the film. "It was Shah Rukh's and my dream to have all the big actors together in our film. I invited, rather approached around 34 stars but managed to get only 31, which I think, was more than what I expected," she reveals.

But we didn't notice Amitabh Bachchan in the promos. Thanks to the SRK-Amitabh war? Farah surprises us with, "Amitabh is in Om Shanti Om . In fact even Abhishek is a part of our film. How can I not have them? People are speculating about this because Amit ji is not part of the song. But it's not true. Both father and son have a special appearance in my film. They come in a scene just before the song. I wanted Abhishek to be part of the song, but when I shot the song, he was busy with his marriage preparations."

According to sources, Shah Rukh and Farah Khan were inspired by a song from Amitabh's hit movie Naseeb - John, Johnny, Janardan . Shah Rukh, we hear, desperately wanted Amitabh and his family to be part of the song. It is also believed that Shah Rukh's wife Gauri Khan and friends like Karan Johar and Rohan Sippy tried hard to convince the Bachchans, but finally it was Farah who managed to convince them.

Now that one rumour had been clarified, we move on to the next. Why did Aamir Khan refuse to be part of OSO ? Ms. Director confirms, "Yes, Aamir is not in the song. I had approached him but he was too busy shooting his film Ghajini and wasn't able to be a part of my film. I wish I could bring Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman dancing together in my film. And before you go on to the next speculation, let me tell you that Akshay Kumar is a part of the movie as well."

Reshma Kelkar, Indiatimes Movies

After a meeting on Monday most of the prominent multiplex chains, including PVR Cinemas and Inox Leisure, are learnt to have removed promotions of Om Shanti Om and Saawariyan and have refused to agree to the term and conditions of the distributors.

As of now, none of the multiplex chains has signed any deals with the two distributors to screen the two majors productions of the season.

When contacted PVR Cinem’s film division COO Ashish Saxena said, “We have reached no conclusion yet with the distributors.” He confirmed that many multiplex players have stopped promoting the movies as of now. Said Adlabs Cinemas’ COO Tushar Dhingra, “ We have not signed any formal agreement with the distributors as of now.” While Eros officials were not available for comments, S P E Motion Picture Group officials refused to comment, stating that it was an internal matter.

Industry sources, however, believe that Sony Pictures Entertainment is under more pressure as Saawariyan is its first Indian co-production with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Sources are also anticipating that if the situation worsens, both these players might look at negotiations separately. “I don’t think SPE and Eros have signed a formal agreement for price negotiations,” added a source.

Sharukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om and Saawariyan which have locked horns on all fronts including date of release, promotional tie-ups with brands, costumes and marketing budgets, decided to get together on revenue negotiations with multiplex owners. According to sources in the industry, the distributors asked for a revenue share of 50% for the first week, and 40% for the subsequent two weeks. Traditionally, a movie distributor charges 50% revenue share for the first week, but 30% revenue for the second and third week

Meenakshi Verma, TNN

Farah Khan excited about the whole event says, “Lycra MTV Style Awards is a fantastic platform to give our audience the first taste of style in Om Shanti Om. For me style is one of the most critical elements in the film and I am proud to display some of the style at this year’s Lycra MTV Style awards.”

The lucky invites at Lycra, MTV Style Awards will get to watch Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal and Deepika Padukone in their stylish splendor in action LIVE on a stage- a bit of dekko before you watch them on celluloid. To which Ashish Patil, General Manager, MTV India and Vice President- Creative and Content says, “Style is something integral to our films and films are the one thing that hugely impact style and fashion of the year, Om Shanti Om, at the Lycra, MTV Style Awards! So get set to step back in time with an absolutely sensational “retro” showcase by Manish Malhotra with Arjun Rampal, Deepika Padukone and some insanity with Shreyas Talpade, Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan as never before!”

Over the last few years, Lycra MTV style awards, has showcased films like Musafir, Jaan-e-mann and Kya Kool Hai Hum, that not only rocked the box office but also set a distinct style statement - be it cinematography, music, looks or even action. So, let’s wait for the magic to unfold this October at Lycra MTV Style Awards with the entire crew of Om Shanti Om.

IndiaFM

Arjun Rampal revealed during a recent interview that the OSO crew will be in London during Diwali, celebrating the premiere of the film.

"For Diwali we will be in London as the 'Om Shanti Om' premiere will be held there," he said.

ApunKaChoice

"Shah Rukh is promoting Om Shanti Om in a big way — so why not? After all, he is the producer of the film.

I also feature in Om Shanti Om in a song, if Shah Rukh wants me to promote OSO, I will (laughs). I am pretty cool about all this, I have no qualms doing it and talking about the other project which also releases on the same day. I hope it does well too."

Mid-DayMumbai

It is by now well known that Farah Khan's Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and Arjun Rampal starrer,Om Shanti Om, is about reincarnation.

The theme has already been used successfully in movies like, Neel Kamal, Karz and Karan Arjun, to name a few. Though it will be a crime if one fails to mention the mother of this genre, late Bimal Roy's 1958 classic, Madhumati, starring Dilip Kumar and Vyajanthimala.

Coming back to Om Shanti Om, the director of the Diwali extravaganza, Farah Khan has openly talked about the reincarnation angle from day one, but rubbishes rumours of it being a rehashed version of Subhash Ghai's Karz.

The lady also adds that Om Shanti Om is a fun-filled, feel good cinema and a pure entertainer; hence there is little or no emphasis on the dark aspects.

This should set the record straight, once and for all!

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd has announced that the Company has acquired Distribution Rights for the Hindi Feature Film titled 'Om Shanti Om' directed by Farah Khan. This multi starrer movie starring Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal & Shreyas Talpade in a main lead, would be tentatively releasing November 9, on the day of Diwali.

The Film shall be released in Gujarat, Saurashtra, Maharashtra, Thane, Goa and parts of Karnataka Territory and Punjab as known in the Film Trade.

EquityBullsIndia

While film production company Eros International and Hollywood’s Sony Pictures are still battling to grab as many of the 800-odd single screens in the country - for their upcoming films Om Shanti Om and Saawariya - the same isn’t true when it comes to multiplexes.

The two have come together and are jointly negotiating with leading multiplex owners for higher revenue share.

This is the first time that the two production houses are jointly negotiating with theatre chains for a percentage share, which even veteran filmmakers such as Yash Chopra, promoter of Yash Raj Films, has never been able to command.

Sources said that Sony Pictures and Eros International are demanding 50 per cent of the ticket sales in the first two weeks and 40 per cent in the third and fourth weeks.

“Production houses are aware that multiplexes cannot ignore the two biggest films of the year. Therefore, they are in a position to command a high revenue share,” said an top executive of a leading multiplex.

Till date, only Chopra has used his muscle with cinema hall owners while asking for higher revenue share. Early this year, Yash Raj Films struck a deal with movie exhibitors under which the company will get 50 per cent of the revenue earned through ticket sales in the first week, 45 per cent in the second and 40 per cent in the third and fourth week, for five films under the banner of Yash Raj Films.

Industry sources added that the representatives from the two production companies would meet leading multiplex owners on Monday to negotiate revenue sharing terms.

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya marks Sony Pictures’ foray into the Bollywood industry, Om Shanti Om’s worldwide distribution rights were bought by Eros International for around Rs 74 crore from Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chilies Entertainment.

The two films are slated to hit the screens on November 9. Recently, Eros International and Sony Pictures announced their alliance to jointly produce and acquire Hindi films.

While Sony Pictures will distribute some of the films in the US, Eros International will make use of its presence overseas to distribute movies in other territories. The two production companies will jointly work in India.

BusinessStandard

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan with 10-year-old son Aryan watched the Indian team quickly pile up runs to outdo the Australian total of 166.

Amongst the stars present to see a young Indian team confidently trounce the Aussies in the Twenty20 match at the Brabourne Stadium Mumbai Saturday, October 20, were Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon and of curse debutant Deepika Padukone who got a special invite for the match from Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

If Dhoni requests, how can Deepika not accede? Dhoni had wanted Om Shanti Om girl Deepika Padukone to come and watch his boys take on Australia. And the beautiful girl did come. She also had her star in the film Shah Rukh Khan for company. Shah Ruh had gone to Johannesburg to cheer for India in the final against Pakistan.

Perhaps he is India's lucky mascot whenever they play Twenty20. King Khan and petit Padukone had some serious company in the form of Priyanka Vadhera and husband Robert in the VIP Box.

Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan with 10-year-old son Aryan watched the Indian team quickly pile up runs to outdo the Australian total of 166.

IndiaTimes

The four big Khans of Bollywood – Shah Rukh, Aamir, Salman and Saif - together on the big screen. Sounds too good, isn't it? That's exactly what another Khan had wanted to do in one of the songs in "Om Shanti Om". But that was not to be.

Director Farah Khan had reportedly approached the "Lagaan" star to be part of the special song that features 31 stars, all of whom are portraying their real selves. But Aamir refused citing a very tight shooting schedule. However, he promised that he would shoot for a special scene in the movie and would definitely take time off for it.

Aamir is known in the industry for keeping his commitments so Farah was very relaxed. A source said: "When the right time came, she asked Aamir to come and shoot. She was very confident that he would come as it was just a half day's shoot.

But when she approached Aamir, she was taken aback by his response. Aamir turned down Farah saying that she should have informed him with a notice, and that too, a month in advance. Farah is very upset about the issue but is keeping mum."

Since then she didn't approach him again as Aamir has a reputation for his firm decisions. Perhaps, Aamir is too busy with his second production "Taare Zameen Par", a children's film which is slated to release in December.

Now that was all about Aamir. But if rumours are to be believed, even Hrithik Roashan was approached for a cameo in "Om Shanti Om" but even he refused it for inexplicable reasons. Whatever be the reasons behind their decisions, the audience would surely miss the two when they watch 31 cine stars swinging to racy beats in the song in "Om Shanti Om".

Santabanta

In the upcoming OM SHANTI OM, Shah Rukh Khan is doing something which he has never done before. No points for guessing, obviously we are talking about King Khan's shirtless, six-pack abs, 'Dard-e-Disco' act!

Though he felt odd initially, the encouragement from his team and some of his compatriots motivated him to go about it confidently. And the results are there for all to see.

However, SRK is not going to get any more adventurous and attempt another 'first' on screen. Yes, as our headlines may have given the hint, we are talking about Shah Rukh's views about kissing on screen. Shah Rukh says that he is not comfortable about certain things and kissing scenes are one of them. And he does not intend to do so (at least not in the near future), even after his bare dare act in OM SHANTI OM.

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

It is no secret that Jharkhand boy Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become a heartthrob of millions in India. But the man himself is rumoured to have been struck by the beauty and charm of actress Deepika Padukone , who makes her debut in Om Shanti Om.

Grapevine has it that Dhoni has given a special invite to Ms Padukone for the Indian team’s Twenty20 match with Australia on Saturday.

Deepika is expected to watch the game at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium along with some of her close friends.

Deepika doesn’t wish to come clean on questions regarding Dhoni. She says if she goes to see the T20 match on Saturday, it would not be for an individual, but “for the entire team”.

The release of the film may still be a month away but the producers of the two films have set their marketing machineries in fuill swing in a bid to woo the cinegoers.

While ‘Om Shanti Om’ tied up with Shopper’s Stop for the merchandising of it’s costumes, it was Pantaloon that tied up for the merchandising of clothes worn in ‘Saawariya’.

The producers of ‘Om Shanti Om’ Red Chillies is in the process of signing a deal for promotion of the film in association with brands like Nokia and the cosmetics company Maybelline.

At the same time, producers of ‘Saawariya’, Sony Columbia Tristar Films have signed a in-film merchandise deal with Kishore Biyani’s Future Group which involves a ‘Saawariya’ range of menswear, home products and beauty products to be retailed at Big Bazaar stores.

Sony Pictures have also signed a Rs five-crore contest-based promotion with Neo Sports for the ongoing India-Australia cricket series.

Only time will tell who will emerge the winner in this “clash of the titans”. However, the ultimate winner in all this will be the business of films in India which will witness a heightened curiosity among cinegoers for the films and consequently increasing number of them heading for the cinema halls.

Who will be the winner in business Saawariya or Om Shanti Om - Post Your Comment

That's because the remake of "Karz" for which Himesh is sweating out might be shelved or its script totally changed.

The makers of the film have recently found out that the plot of "Om Shanti Om", which is being touted as the year's biggest blockbuster, is similar to the original "Karz".

A source informed: "T-series paid a very large sum to Subhash Ghai for the copyrights of "Karz" but now they are having second thoughts about the project.

The much-hyped "Om Shanti Om" has a plot very similar to "Karz" and the buzz is that it is going to be the blockbuster of the year." T-series is in a state of panic now and is busy searching for another script.

After all, they can't take the chance of dishing out to the audiences something similar to "Om Shanti Om". Who would be interested in watching the same melodrama over and over again?

The source sympathises with Himesh saying: "It is sad. Himesh is working a lot to fit into that character. He has been sweating out to lose weight so that he can look convincing as a singer and a dancer in the movie. He has become very conscious about his diet and is very excited about the film."

The only option now left with T-series is to wait and watch. Only after the release of "Om Shanti Om" can they decide whether or not to remake "Karz" and if yes, what changes need to be incorporated in it. But then, it might be a tad too late to make major alterations to the script.

SantaBanta

Did you know who visited the sets of Om Shanti Om on the last day of the shoot? Well none other than the ' hot and happening - Akshay Kumar'.
Infact he did a fabulous action sequence and a bit of comedy as well. When he finished a sequence the crew started clapping as it was really funny and Akshay had done a superb job! Now this is what we call a complete action- packed performance!!!

It was a treat to watch Subhash Ghai and Rishi Kapoor fighting on the stage, at the filmfare award functions. In case you are wondering how could that happen?- Well the reason behind the ‘stage’ fight is ‘Farah Khan’! She had them sparring with each other to give away an award- for a sequence in Om Shanti Om. Well fight or no fight, it will be heartening to see the actor- director duo together, on screen after a long time.

The shooting of Om Shanti Om was not just a lot of hard work but fun and ‘games’ as well. After a particular sequence where Shah Rukh and Deepika are playing badminton- 70’s style, everyone got hold of rackets and shuttle cocks to play Badminton! The highlight was Farah and Shah Rukh playing a few games as well. Now this is what we call a ‘fun’ shoot.

omshantiomfilm

MUMBAI: As the release date of this year's most awaited movies Saawariya and Om Shanti Om is getting closer, their producers are stepping up on the marketing and promotions activities and distributors on theatre bookings.

Producers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shah Rukh Khan are wishing luck to each other but at the same yearning for their own movie to receive a better public response. Meanwhile distributors of the both these movies, Sony Pictures India (Saawariya) and Eros International (Om Shanti Om) have come together to jointly approach multiplexes in granting both movies equal number of shows as well as equal revenue sharing terms.

Pertinent to note here that last month Eros International and Sony Pictures had announced an alliance, wherein the two companies would co-invest in Hindi movies. So, is there any rivalry? The two companies jointly approaching multiplexes will ensure good business for both companies. But it doesn't end here. What makes for bigger business, is them asking for unheard of revenue sharing terms.

Sources inform, "The revenue sharing terms that Sony and Eros are asking for is much more than that of Yash Raj's also. They are looking at 50 per cent share for the first two weeks, followed by 40 per cent share in the third and fourth week."

Yash Raj Films, on the other hand, shares 50 per cent revenue in the first week followed by 45 per cent and 35 per cent in the subsequent two weeks.

A meeting between the concerned parties is likely to take place early next week where the matter will be discussed and the terms may be further negotiated.

Considering the fact that there is great hype surrounding these films and they are releasing during the festive and vacation period, the opening of these films is bound to be astounding.

Also since no other Bollywood movies are releasing on 9 November, the multiplexes will have only these two movies to play until 23 November when UTV's Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal and Eros' Dus Kahaniyan release in theatres.

Sony Pictures' all India distribution head Kercy Daruwala says, "To avoid unnecessary clash, we thought Om Shanti Om and Saawariya should get the same terms. Later, let the audience decide, which movie is better."

When asked for a confirmation on revenue sharing figures Daruwala added, "Matters are still under discussion; hence we have not arrived at a decision."

Eros officials remained unavailable for comment at the time of filing this story.

Rohini Bandhari, Businessofcinema

They say that firstly, life imitates art. We simply second that. And thirdly, what we have achieved with the help of our graphics team is to interchange the leading ladies of two of the most eagerly awaited films. And the results were far more ‘believable’ from the originals. And that’s NOT an exaggeration!

We have just got ‘two-gether’ Saawariya and Om Shanti Om, and gave them some ‘art-tistic’ touch, and look what happened!

In reel-life, Deepika stars with SRK in Om Shanti Om and Sonam Kapoor stars with Ranbir Kapoor in Saawariya. We have merely interchanged the heroines and the end product looks nothing short of a Masterpiece! The irony of the situation is that Ranbir and Deepika were, apparently, an item in real life. With so much happening (read ‘rumors’ and ‘plot revelations’ etc…) in and around OSO, we just hope that Farah might just seek Divine intervention and blessings from OSHO!

If you think the swap of actresses looks interesting or otherwise, post your Comment out Here.

IndiaFM

Brand SRK's witty criticism places Om Shanti Om on top of competition.

The weekend was a sombre one-Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Bhool Bhulaiyaa are no comic capers, so entertainment came from unexpected quarters - Shah Rukh Khan’s witticism at HT’s leadership summit.

There was no dearth of quotable quotes, politically correct or otherwise, from SRK. Ruling out a move to politics, he said, “I’m too materialistic, too selfish, too capitalistic. Besides, I’m too good looking.”

He also enlisted for the media’s support by playing patriotic “I use the media when I have a film coming up-like now. Om Shanti Om will be competing against a Sony Columbia-Tristar film, so I have told the media that I don’t have 30 or 40 crores to spend on the publicity like Sony and I have asked them, “Will you help me?”

The timing is significant-the two films Om Shanti Om and Saawariya are slated for Diwali release and SRK, always ahead of the pack, has learnt his lessons in media relations well. It could be that playing Kabir Khan in Chak De!India reiterated the advantage of playing the underdog or it could be that he learnt from the outrage that follows a skirmish with the media. Either ways, the actor/producer is not taking a chance.

Becoming accessible to friends and favourites in the media around the time of a film’s release is de rigueur-even the most elusive, reluctant star, to borrow a phrase from Dickens, “is willing.” Nothing new about that except the clever bit making it appear as though requesting their support. And then pitching himself - a passionate actor/filmmaker- against the invaders. It works like a charm.

True to his word, Khan has gone to town, using every available platform to wax eloquent about his six-pack abs, why and how he acquired them, the brand new heroine of his film Deepika Padukone and all else related to his forthcoming film. Reality show rounds have been done by both the OSO and Saawariya teams and there was recently even a fashion show devoted to the former.

Whether it is the war of words between Bhansali and Farah Khan and Deepika Padukone’s liasion with Ranbir Kapoor, all news related to these two films has been chronicled in great detail. So far, the media footage for both the films has almost been equal but as the release date draws close, the blitzkrieg is likely to get even more intense.

At present the scales certainly tilt in favour of OSO, what with SRK’s witty rejoinders and director Farah Khan’s humourous asides and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. And of course, the six-pack abs. Unfortunately, the how- Sanjay sir-tutored-and-trained-me lines don’t appear to be working quite as well. Neither do Sonam’s drastic weight-loss saga (though she could well turn out to be the scene-stealer) or that bit about Ranbir dropping the towel.

Maybe they need to give their publicity campaign a new spin-the suggestion of a romance between the actors is ruled out since they have already declared themselves childhood friends. Perhaps a story about a fictitious rivalry or some such would help? Or they could take a cue from the keep-them-guessing couples John-Bipasha and Kareena -Shahid.

As till the time the films are released, my vote for the most entertaining publicity campaign could certainly go to OSO.

Priyanka Sinha, ScreenIndia

While their media launches are going at par if OSO’s Deepika Padukone grooved on ZeeTV’s SaReGa-MaPa Challenge 2007, then the Saawariya newbies Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor enthralled all on Amul Star Voice of India.

If OSO tied up with Shopper’s Stop to launch two clotheslines based on its theme, Saawariya has a merchandise tie-up from bed sheets to wardrobe with Future Group.

However, on the music front, the scales as of now seem to be tipped slightly in favour of OSO.

That could also be courtesy its music release happening a week prior to Saawariya. “While OSO debuted by topping Planet M’s national sales charts for two weeks, Saawariya was number one last week.

However, current week’s sales have once again put OSO on top riding on Dard-e-disco,” reveals a source from the music retail chain Planet M, Mumbai.

The top draw in the Saawariya album, however, happens to be it’s mesmerising title track, which according to Monty is also director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s favourite song from the film.

While the producers battle it out for the release strategy for the two films, the music shops could not be happier with the clash.

“There’s been a 25 per cent boost on total album sales of Planet M nationally courtesy the sales of the music albums of OSO and Saawariya alone. The numbers are phenomenal. Both these albums have notched up a near 100 per cent rise in terms of sheer volumes over any film album released in the last six months,” says Planet M sources.

For trivia enthusiasts, Team Vishal and Shekhar finished the OSO compositions in a week. On the other hand, for Saawariya’s debut music director, Monty, it has been a two-and-a-half year journey with perfectionist director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

But making music for OSO was also not easy, especially when it came to musically match its protagonists’ onscreen journey from the 1977 to 2007. “The songs are lavish, with Pyarelal bhai arranging the music for Dhoom tana like the elaborate orchestrations of yore. However, the title track, which was recorded in Prague with the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, was the most challenging,” says Shekhar.

The efforts are already showing on popularity charts. “OSO’s music sales have been rocking. In fact, after Main Hoon Na, this is the only commercial film of a Shah Rukh album in a long time and was eagerly awaited by all his fans,” says Vinod Bhanushali, VP, marketing and promotions, Super Cassettes Ind. Ltd.

This may be music for Team OSO but the real battle is still ahead on November 9, when the films finally release.

We always knew models were ‘fast’. Hunks like Arjun Rampal especially. But it’s our right to warn you people out there before he ‘breaks the sound barrier’. And before doting wife Mehr gets all ‘uptight, hey, we’re just playing traffic cops here.

The warning is Better watch out before hitching a ride with Arjun. The man is possessed by a speed demon when he’s at the wheel of his swanky mean machine. His eyes light up when he has to drive on the highway. So, whenever he gets the chance, he asks his (rather terrified) chauffeur to take a backseat, while he takes control of the wheel.

You better have your seat belt on tight and be surrounded by airbags when he goes vroom; ‘coz it’s a sheer roller coaster after that. And peak traffic doesn’t bother him either as he cuts, swerves and whooshes past. Recently he was at Film City wrapping up a promo-shoot with Shah Rukh for Om Shanti Om; and when Mehr called, he said, Be home in 20 minutes jaan.

He meant it of course. How do we know? Well, we were the in the passenger seat, hanging on for dear life. And we didn’t even know which panic button to hit there were just so many fancy gizmo buttons in the airplane-like dashboard. It flew too. But the man was in control, reaching Bandra in 15 minutes flat. Now we know why his driver looks so old. Thanks to the traffic stopper, he’s aged. He’s probably just a teenager, right Arjun?

Times Of India

Shah Rukh's Red Chillies Entertainment will showcase the promo of My Name is Anthony Gonsalves with Om Shanti Om.

Farah Khan’s much awaited film Om Shanti Om is all to release in November. The film has a huge starcast which includes Shah Rukh Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Arjun Rampal and Debutant Deepika Padukone. Om Shanti Om hits the theatres on November 9. But before this SRK starrer gets projected on screen, you will see the theatrical promo of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves.

My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves is made under the banner of Sahara Motion Pictures in association with E Niwas Productions, line produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. The film marks the debut of Nikhil Dwivedi. The starcast of the film includes Amrita Rao, Pawan Malhotra, Lilette Dubey, Anupam Kher, Saurabh Shukla, Kunal Vijaykar and Mithun Chakraborty. The film is directed by E Niwas.

And for all the IndiaFM surfers, the first theatrical of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves will also be released exclusively on IndiaFM.com, the same day when it will be showcased in theatres.

IndiaFM

The promo of the much awaited 31-star 'Deewangi' number was aired extensively on the TV channels, during the festive period of 'Eid' and 'Navaratri'.

Featuring yesteryear and present day stars like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Mithun, Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Kajol, Priyanka and Tabu to name a few, evoked euphoria.

In addition, the second theatrical trailor of the Shah Rukh, Deepika and Arjun starrer was shown with Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Compared to the first promo which was an introductory glimpse of the movie, the second gave the audience an idea of what to expect from the Farah Khan directed movie.

The promo commenced with Shah Rukh's tribute to some of the 70's blockbusters (hilarious!), proceeded on to show an evil yet handsome Arjun, with the beautiful but weeping Deepika and finally concluded with snatches of present times.

Glimpses of 'Deewangi' as well as 'Dard-e-Disco', featuring SRK's famous six-pack absolutely yummy abs!

Both the promos have managed to further enhance the immense surrounding the November 9 release which was obvious from the audience response during the screening of Bhool Bhulaiya.

Abid-BollywoodTradeNewsNetwork

Guess who is getting nostalgic in Om Shanti Om? It is none other than Priyanka Chopra who is enjoying a nice little jig with Shahrukh Khan in the instant chartbuster track by Vishal-Shekhar 'Deewangee'.

So what makes her go nostalgic in the song? Remember the popular 'shake your body with your hands going in circles' move which Priyanka and Abhishek indulged in the track 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu Hai'in Bluffmaster?

Well, in the track 'Deewangee', she along with Shahrukh gets into the same swing as she enjoyed in one of the biggest dance hits of her career!

Incidentally the Bluffmaster track too had music by Vishal-Shekhar.

Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

After this film people will love me. And nobody is going to use the money to oust the goodness that I have created,” SRK told in a chat.

The filmmaking business is already an expensive thing but then there is a market that is getting you that money back. I don’t think you need to spend money to make money. Having said that, yes, outside players like Sony Pictures and Columbia Tristar are hugely moneyed, SRK added.

While ‘Om Shanti Om’ has been produced under SRK’s own banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, ‘Saawariya’ has Hollywood studio Sony Pictures as co-producer. Both are releasing on November 9.

The King Khan is quoted to have said in a media report that he has nothing against Sanjay Leela Bhansali , who has directed him in Devdaas , saying “A role which will be remembered when I am gone”.

SRK also said that he also nothing against the duo of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor – the lead pair of ‘Saawariya’, saying, “they have grown up in front of me”.

King Khan is all set to make noise but there is a twist in the tale.

The battle lines are drawn this Diwali. King Khan is all set to make noise but there is a twist in the tale. The distributors of Saawariya and Om Shanti Om have decided to tone down the competition but just a bit.

"I am going to put up a tough fight but in good way, so what if the Americans have invested in Sawariyan I am Chak de India. All Indians will watch Om Shanti Om on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and the Americans can go watch Saawariya," said Shah Rukh Khan, actor.

King Khan in combative mode. He promises to leave no stone unturned in promoting his own production Om Shanti Om. The release of which coincides with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya on Diwali but the mother of box office battles has a twist in its tail.

According to film industry sources, the distributors of the two films Eros Entertainment and Sony Pictures are to collaborate on a series of Hindi films that they will jointly produce and distribute in the future, an announcement is likely soon.

If trade buzz is to be believed the distribution companies are approaching cinemas to push for same number of prints for Om Shanti Om and Saawariya.

More than 150 prints per film will be released in Delhi and UP alone. Eros has paid Rs 72 crore for rights to Om Shanti Om worldwide.

Although trade analysts predict a cent per cent opening for both movies, it is inevitable that they will eat into each others' market share. As expected Shah Rukh has the last word.

"I am only competing with myself," said Shahrukh.

Richa Lakhera, NDTV

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Now that Diwali is just round the corner, the rivalry game is heating up. Obviously a lot is at stake and for the audience, it seems like a tough call between the two…Sanjay Leela’s ‘Saawariya’ and none other than Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Om Shanti Om’.

While multiplexes obviously will be screening both the films, the question is, which movie are the single screens preferring. It is definitely a toss up between the two biggies and most single screen theatre owners were said to be in a fix over this. But as they say, stronger distributor always survives. Right now, the balance is slightly tipped for ‘Saawariya’, as Sony distributors have gone the whole hog.

A distributor on condition of anonymity said, “‘Saawariya’ has bagged more single screen theatres than ‘OSO’ has, mainly because ‘OSO’s distributor, Eros, has preferred to adopt a wait and watch situation, while Sony Pictures has gone ahead and booked theatres some time back.

Looking at the brighter picture, Eros perhaps is very confident of their product so they are still waiting for the best price.” So, if you don’t get to watch SRK romancing Dipika Padukone in single screens near you, you can always catch it in a multiplex which is never too far away!

According to an exhibitor, “No theater can afford to ignore both the distributors. Eros has been giving profits to theaters since last two years and Sony is the first international production coming up with a hindi movie.”

The exhibitor insists that citywise ‘Saawariya’ might have a better theatre quotient, but nationwide, ‘OSO’ will be more in demand.

DNAIndia

Here is something interesting about the get-up in which Deepika Padukone, the leading lady of Farah Khan's upcoming OM SHANTI OM will be
seen in the much awaited movie.

As per Farah, she chose Deepika because she found her looks and body structure quite similar to the heroines of the 70's, an essential requirement
of the first half of OM SHANTI OM. Farah adds that Deepika has also been given the HUMJOLI ( 1970) look of Leena Chandavarkar.

We cannot but agree with Farah because its obvious from the stills of OM SHANTI OM, that the badminton racket, Shah Rukh's white shoe
'Jumping Jack' (Jeetendra) appearance and also Deepika's uncanny resemblance to Leena, look straight out of the 'Dhal Gaya Din' HUMJOLI song!

For those who do not know, Leena Chandavarkar is one of the leading names of the psychedellic 70's. She later went on to marry the late Kishore
Kumar in 1980. SARFAROSH (1985) with Jeetendra is one of her last appearances.

Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

My jaw drops on seeing a shirtless Shahrukh Khan.

The closest I can recall seeing his waxed chest is through that transparent shirt in the song Sooraj hua madhham... in Karan Johar's Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham.

Even if I am shaken and stirred, the journalist in me pretends not to show it.

But SRK is hell-bent on showing off his body, and dissecting it—down to why he got the left nipple pierced and not the right.

"How do you think I look," he asks everyone around, including the rather baffled CNN crew that has specially flown down from the US post the success of Chak De! India to capture the inexplicable appeal of King Khan.

It's a rhetorical question; it demands nothing but approval. But before I can react, director Farah Khan pitches in: "Your body is like John's (Abraham) and you are dancing like Hrithik." SRK's famous dimples get switched on bright: "I have the abs; I don't need to act now."

It is the very last shooting schedule of King Khan's forthcoming home production, Om Shanti Om (OSO). The cheesy number, Dil mein mere hai darde disco is being canned at the swanky Yashraj Studio. Being on the sets is an other-worldly, out-of-the body experience. It's hard not to get intimidated by such full-on Bollywood kitsch. Shirtless SRK in faux leather pants is shaking his booty alongside tall, lissom white girls, wearing golliwog wigs, leopard print leotards and hoop earrings.

A huge eagle provides a Chandamama-like backdrop, while welders perched precariously on the roof create sparkles that provide a shooting star effect. The theme is 'fire' and the song will move on to the 'water' and 'wind' themes, I am told. Meanwhile, a pregnant Farah Khan, expecting triplets, and complaining of morning sickness in between shots, is angry at the cameraperson for cutting SRK's crotch from the frame. "We are not shooting a Bengali art film here, get it (the crotch) back," she roars on the mike, and stretches herself on the director's couch.

SRK is in a jolly good mood. Unsparingly mocking, he sends up everything for a lark: the 'Yashraj Films'-inscribed cutlery with which he eats his McDonald's burger, Rahul Rawail's new film, Buddha Mar Gaya, and a news item in the Economic Times which quotes a 'prosumer' survey to declare that Ram Gopal Varma's Darling will be the biggest hit of 2007. The mention of fire is enough for him to tell us a hilarious anecdote about watching Deepa Mehta's film of the same name in the company of his mother-in-law and squirming all the way. SRK even sends up SRK. He complains to Farah about how he hates shooting with the leggy models: "They make me look and feel like a chaprasi (peon)."

It's not all fun and games. Seriousness surfaces as Khan reads the scripts of promos of OSO that will show on NDTV, red-stemmed glasses perched on his nose. The film is ready, the marketing and hype are about to unleash and you can see how keen he is to get all the details of the launch right. The performer's job is done, the producer-businessman has taken over.

SRK is at an interesting juncture in his life. He is not just a star. Many see him embodying, through the Rajs and Rahuls he plays, the spirit of post-liberalisation, feelgood India—just as Big B's Angry Young Man represented the angst-ridden India of the '70s and the '80s. And 2007 has, so far, been a glorious year for him. Chak De has been the year's biggest hit. What's more, it's the first film in his entire career to earn him commercial and critical approval in equal measure. "They loved you in Chak De," I tell him. "We will undo that with OSO. I can't make people love me for so long," he says, tongue firmly in cheek.

With OSO, SRK is back to giving us an absolutely in-your-face Bollywood movie, the mother of all entertainers, with a mother of all item numbers starring every single big star in the industry. In this film, Shahrukh is paying tribute to his own world, the Hindi film industry. "This is a film made by fans of Hindi films. Farah is the biggest one, I am a close second," says SRK. The film plays out a reincarnation theme against the backdrop of 1970s Bollywood, and later, the Bollywood of 2008. Its logline is, "for some dreams to be fulfilled one lifetime is not enough". The story is about the passion of a junior artiste, Om, for the regal heroine number one, Shantipriya (a throwback to Hema Malini), a love story cut short by death and renewed with rebirth. Shades of Kudrat, Karz, Karan Arjun and Reincarnation of Peter Proud. "It's a hugely dramatic film," says SRK. "The story has been told earlier, the beauty lies in telling it more interestingly." So apart from drama, there is also comedy.

Why the '70s? "I love the films of that period—Sholay, Deewar, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin, the films of Vijay Anand, Nasir Hussain, Manmohan Desai. The era had glamour and fashion," says Farah. "We are what we are because of that kind of cinema," says SRK. "When they talk Bollywood in London they think of bell bottoms, sidelocks and long hair and over-the-top music. Bollywood is a term which, people don't realise, is used for the '70s."

The challenge was to recreate the spirit of those times. "It's very interesting to create a period. People think period is only kings and queens. Every decade is a period," says SRK. The big stars of the times, and even the junior artistes, appear in songs and cameos. SFX have been deployed to make the film's heroine serenade with Sunil Dutt. Even though Vishal-Shekhar have scored the music Pyarelal (of LP fame) was asked to arrange two songs, to achieve the sweeping orchestral effect of the music of the times. Listen carefully, even Javed Akhtar's lyrics are a throwback to Anand Bakshi lingo.

The success of Chak De has set a high benchmark for the new film, which releases this Diwali. And SRK is aiming high too—for nothing less than a blockbuster hit. The distribution rights of the Rs 35-crore film have been sold to Eros Entertainment for a whopping Rs 75 crore and 2,000 prints of the film will be released worldwide. These are record figures. Normally, the rights for a big film are sold for Rs 35-40 crore, and only a 1,000-odd prints are released.

With this film, SRK is also hoping to bequeath to Bollywood its new star, a stunning looker and dancer called Deepika Padukone. "She has a brilliant, languid poise," says Farah. So a lot is, obviously, at stake, and the chances of success and failure are equally high. Even SRK knows that. "There will be lots of people who will have reservations; lots of them will love it shamelessly," he predicts.

Apart from the Rs 75-crore target to be achieved, there are other challenges. Films on films are traditionally not supposed to do well. Moreover, the film will be locking horns with another biggie: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus, Saawariya, which marks the debut of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor's son Ranbir and Anil Kapoor's daughter Sonam. Saawariya is also the first foray of a big time Hollywood studio, Sony Pictures, into Bollywood film production. So, in a way, it's nothing less than SRK vs Hollywood. As a producer, he has already made a neat Rs 45 crore on the film. But there is more than personal profit at stake: SRK's reputation is on the line.Will he get those returns in for the distributor? Will he expand the Bollywood money market? Or is he flying too high like Icarus? This Diwali, we will know.


Namrata Joshi - OutlookIndia

Recently,while addressing at the Leadership Summit,Mr.Khan, with his super-sharp wit and mercurial repartee, zapped the daylights out of a gathering of several dignitaries and certain media representatives who tried to un-nerve him with their incessantly inane querying.

The best was his reaction to a question about the aggressive marketing of his competitor's film.

"Let the Americans watch Saawariya,
Indians will watch Om Shanti Om."

Touche,SRK!