Made in China: Bollywood

sippy1103.jpgShanghaiist is still working here in the capital and an article entitled The Birth of Chollywood caught our attention earlier today while flipping through the October issue of Time Out Beijing. And it informs us that a new Bollywood film will soon be shot in China and it will be entitled — yes, you guessed it — "Made in China".

We thought the article was kind of interesting so it's a pity we weren't able to link to it here because Time Out Beijing is not available online (boo to that). But it does pique our interest in the film because apparently it's the very first film to "combine Bollywood dancing with kung fu, and Hindi actors with Mainland Chinese ones". This will also be Warner Brothers' very first foray into Indian film after being in the country for 75 years. They will be financing the 12 million USD film in its entirety.

Made in China is due to be released at the end of 2008.

Bollywood star Dutt's bail plea delayed

NEW DELHI — India's Supreme Court Friday said imprisoned Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt would have to wait until November 20 to appeal for bail after being jailed for possessing weapons.

Chief justice K. G. Balakrishan said he will "entertain" Dutt's appeal only after the court reopens following a major Hindu festival.

Dutt is being held in a high-security cell in western Pune city.

The burly actor was sentenced to six years in prison in July for holding illegal weapons from the plotters of the 1993 Mumbai bombings, which killed 257 people and wounded 800.

But because of a technicality -- Dutt had not seen a copy of the 4,340-page judgement against him -- he had been out on temporary bail since August and only returned to prison on October 22.

The superstar admitted to buying a Kalashnikov assault rifle but insisted he only did so to protect his family from sectarian violence.

During his brief time on the outside, Dutt kept busy completing movie contracts with six films in production and 750 million rupees (18.4 million dollars) of Bollywood money riding on him.

The son of a politically prominent Hindu father and a Muslim mother honoured for her acting, Dutt's turbulent off-screen life has also been wracked by drug abuse and two failed marriages.

 

Face jobs for Bollywood stars?

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Shekhar Suman


SO what if Shilpa Shetty had a nose job, Sushmita Sen had silicone implants and Rakhi Sawant went a step further and took hers out? Women in Bollywood going under the knife is old news. But the now the guys seem to be following suit with face jobs. Think Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, Shekhar Suman and Kumar Gaurav. But while it might do something for their vanity, does it help them as actors?

Cory Walia, make-up artist, says, "It's about making use of the technology available. Today, the perception is when we have facilities, then why not use them?"

At the same time, Cory says things should not be overdone. "We know that stars like Shah Rukh are exposed to high work pressure and need work more often, but he takes it slow and makes it subtle. But somebody like Shekhar Suman makes the changes quite obvious. He shouldn't have done so many things at the same time. Small doses of plastic surgery are okay," he explains.

On the other hand, dermatologist Anil Abraham says the culprit is people's mindsets. "When an actor does something to his face, he's doing it either because he's feeling jaded or wants to reintroduce himself," he says.

"In India, actors are considered role models and that's why this trend is rapidly picking up. But it's not healthy. Natural remedies like a good diet and workouts are always better options for long-term results. These quick-fix methods will kill the actual acting skills as the actor won't be able to give dramatic facial expressions."

Agrees actor Anuuj Sawhney, "I believe in healthy eating, diet and exercise. No matter how good, face jobs give you an artificial look. I don't mind minor corrections, but a whole face job is a no-no for me."
Similarly, television actor Ram Kapoor says he will never go under the knife. "I won't say it's wrong, but I'm against having it done to me. I believe in taking things as they come," he says. However, actor Ashmit Patel says he may consider a face job later. "In any case, I look younger than my age. But I won't lie — I might get botox job done a few years later," he says.

Looking good for the camera is a must, believes director Ravi Chopra. "As a director I'd obviously prefer a face that looks good in the frame," he says. And the audience wants to see a handsome-looking 40-year-old man, says actor Manasi Joshi Roy, "It's necessary for any actor to work on himself because it's the audience that criticises actors for looking fat or having wrinkles on their face," she adds.