Big B to launch his news channel

After conquering the film industry, superstar Amitabh Bachchan is all set to dominate the media. Buzz is doing the rounds that Big B is going to launch his own news channel by the name India 24/7.

An industry source says, "Apparently, Amitabh Bachchan is starting a news channel called India 24/7 and the preparations for starting it, is on in full swing.

It is being planned in collaboration with a big corporate house. Of course, right now nobody wants to confirm anything and everything is hush-hush."

However, it is learnt that Amitabh’s interest in owning a news channel started when he was shooting for Ram Gopal Varma's Rann
where he is in the role of a news channel owner.

Big B wants to launch the channel pre election but now it seemed quite impossible as lots of work has to be done. When asked, Amitabh denied the report, he said, "It's not true".

Big B fulfills Preity's request

As IPL is around the corner, Preity Zinta is working hard to boost up the confidence level of her team, roping in her endeavor is Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. She requested Mr. Bachchan to give a short TV bite that would cheer up her Punjab Kings which has players like Yuvraj Singh, Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan.

Abhishek to enter Guinness Book?

Stars are known to aggressively promote their films, but few can match Abhishek Bachchan's enthusiasm, as he attempts to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by making maximum public appearances in at least six cities in a span of 12 hours to promote his latest film "Delhi 6".

Starting on Friday morning when "Delhi 6" releases, Abhishek will travel to as many events in as many cities as possible within 12 hours.

Speaking from Dubai Wednesday where he was attending the film's premiere, Abhishek excitedly said: "It's an idea that has been with me for a while ever since I heard about some German actors who set a world record by attending five public events in twelve hours. I want to beat their record. I'd do at least 6-7 appearances in 12 hours in six cities. It could go up to seven cities."

"By the look of it, we could do Gurgaon, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Chandigarh, Baroda and Mumbai and break this record on the 20th itself or on 21st... starting time could be 10 a.m. or 12 noon doing a 12 to 12. We could do seven cities instead of the current record of 5 cities," said Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft International who would be manoeuvring the record-breaking endeavour for Abhishek.

The current record-holder in the category of the greatest number of public appearances by a film star at different cities in 12 hours promoting the same film is five by J?rgen Vogel and Daniel Br?hl (Germany). They walked the red carpet, signed autographs and introduced the film "Ein Freund von mir" (Germany 2006) at cinemas in Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, D?sseldorf and Cologne, Germany, on Oct 22, 2006. They were accompanied by the director of "Ein Freund von mir" Sebastian Schipper.

Would Abhishek be able to break that record?

"I hope so. And I think I will. Actually I'm quite excited by the idea, more so because I'm implementing it for a film that's so close to my heart."

Guinness Book officials are expected to be present to watch Abhishek make history.

Sanjay Dutt’s marriage woes

In the latest series of events in Sanjay Dutt’s marriage, the actor has now declared that he is not married to Manyata. The Munnabhai actor has been courting disaster or rather disaster dogs him at every step and has been doing so for some time now.

Post the conviction and subsequent release the second time around from Pune’s Yerawada Jail, the actor was excited about settling down with one time actress Manyata. But fate deemed otherwise.

The actor who registered his marriage on the 7th of Feb in Goa, returned to Mumbai for a hindu marriage ceremony on the 12th of the same month. Close friends attended the wedding and a very excited, elated and exhilarated Sanju Baba met the press fraternity waxing loud his love and marriage to the former dancer.

Soon trouble knocked on his doorstep. The Goa court found that the address given by Manyata was false and the subsequently following a lot of police questioning, the Goa marriage was declared null and void.

Sanju Baba’s close friend revealed, “Sanju was very upset when he realized that Manyata married him in Goa so that she could be a partner to his assets. As per Portuguese laws, the spouse automatically inherits 50% of the assets.”

But that matter soon got drowned in a fresh controversy. This time it was the arrival of a character named Miraj who claimed to be Manyata’s husband. Apparently Manyata is yet to divorce him and she also has conceived a child through him. The Bandra family court stayed the petition and ordered Dutt and Manyata to be present at the next court proceedings. Following that order, the court has also said that if Dutt has married her, he was also liable to be prosecuted.

After such a lot of hue and cry, the battle weary Sanjay Dutt has announced that he is not married to Manyata. I say, one does feel sorry for the man. But all we can say is that, better luck next time.

What’s common between JA and Race?

The first quarter of 2008 has come to an end and there is a common factor between the first two and the only hits in Bollywood of the period. Both Jodhaa Akbar and Race are distributed by UTV Motion Pictures.

Jodhaa Akbar, the historical rendition of the romance between Princess Jodhaa & Mughal Emperor Akbar touched a chord with audiences worldwide and went on to become the 1st Hit of 2008. The romantic-royal saga is now the 7th biggest All Time Grosser at the Worldwide Box Office with revenues close to Rs.130 crores. The film has performed incredibly well in the international markets becoming the 2nd highest all time grosser for any Indian film in the US & Australia. JA is also featured amongst the Top 5 Hindi film earners of all time in the Middle East & the highest non SRK starrer in the UK after Dhoom 2 , two years ago.

Following on from Jodhaa Akbar , another overwhelming success with Race ; the Abbas Mustan directed thriller, which wowed audiences with its ensemble cast, unique twists and chartbusting music. The film is racing ahead at the box office, and has already raked in Rs. 70 crores at the BO in just 10 days in India, making it the 2nd highest opening week of all time. Internationally too, Race has grossed a box office of 20 crores, taking its 10 day box office figures to 90 crores worldwide.

UTV Motion Pictures is currently enjoying its hattrick in Pakistan with the release of Goal , Taare Zameen Par and Race ; it's for the first time that a production house has been able to release 3 of their films consecutively in Pakistan, with Goa l and Race being day and date releases. All 3 films have met with tremendous success at the Box Office.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, Director UTV says, "It has been an exciting & rewarding time for all of us at UTV Motion Pictures, having had the opportunity to market and distribute two of the biggest successes in recent times. Our line up for the next 9 months of the year also promises to live up to the benchmark we have set for ourselves."

To sum it up – It's been a great quarter at UTV Motion Pictures.

Wanted: The Big B, Sarika at 24

By Subhash K. Jha, Mumbai, Feb 5 : Director Shojeet Sircar, who is shooting a marital drama with Amitabh Bachchan and Sarika, has a problem: he needs two actors to play the younger version of the protagonists.

Just like Smriti Mishra, who had played Kirron Kher's younger avatar in "Sardari Begum" in Shyam Benegal's film!

The problem is who can match the two actors physically and in terms of talent?

How about Abhishek Bachchan and Sarika's daughter Shruti, who is all set to make her debut as an actress?

"I did ask Abhishek to do the role, but he didn't feel the time was right to fit into his father's shoes," Sircar told IANS.

"Even as I shoot with Amitabh Bachchan, we're auditioning young men who have his looks and at least some acting talent. For Sarika, we've more or less found a young actress to play her younger self," he added.

Apparently, when Renzil d'Silva of "Rang De Basanti" wrote the screenplay, he had envisaged Abhishek as the Big B's junior avatar