‘Don 2′ grosses Rs 32 crore in 2 Days

‘Don 2′ grosses Rs 32 crore in 2 Days

Shahrukh Khan’s “Don 2 – The King is Back” has earned Rs.15.3 crore on the opening day, which is the highest first day collection on a non-holiday Friday.

The film is a sequel to Farhan Akhtar’s 2006 “Don”, which was a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer of the same name.

In overseas markets, “Don-2..” broke the record for the highest single day gross for a Hindi film in Australia with estimated earnings of US$82,000 Friday. The earlier record was Reliance Entertainment’s “Bodyguard” at US$74,000.

“Don 2″, also starring Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Kunal Kapoor and Lara Dutta earned $550,000 in North America, beating “My Name is Khan” opening day gross of $445,000

“Don 2″ released with 3,000 movie prints in the domestic market and a 3D release on another 550 screens. – IANS

Shah Rukh Khan joins Tussauds' India gallery

Shah Rukh Khan

London : Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan became the latest Indian to be featured in the Madame Tussauds museum when his life-size wax statue was unveiled here Tuesday morning.

Shah Rukh is the third Indian actor to figure in the popular tourist attraction - the other two are Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. The actor was present with his family when his statue was unveiled. 

The decision to have a wax model of King Khan was based on feedback received from thousands of visitors and tourists who visit the museum featuring prominent personalities every year.

A spokesman of the museum said that Shah Rukh's statue reflected the growing popularity of Indian films in Britain, which are now watched not only by British Asians but others too. 

Guests will be allowed to stand next to Shah Rukh's duplicate and take pictures. The backdrop of the statue could be changed - to one from the star's latest hit "Don", the spokesman added.

Other Indians featuring in the museum include former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

Abhishek and Aishwarya seem inseparable

Abhishek and Aishwarya

Mumbai : With the wedding around the corner, Abhishek Bachchan and his fiancée Aishwarya Rai are trying to spend maximum time with each other and their schedules seem to be getting progressively clogged.

They attended the Zee awards ceremony in Malaysia Sunday. On the very next day Abhishek accompanied his bride-to-be to London for the international premiere Tuesday of her much-awaited film on domestic violence titled "Provoked".

Producer Murli Manohar told IANS: "Although Abhishek is not directly related to the film in any way, he kindly consented to accompany Aishwarya to London for the premiere at the prestigious Empire theatre at Leicester Square."

Curiously, there will be no premiere for "Provoked" in Mumbai. Aishwarya, who had earlier gone out of her way to promote the film, had no time to do so. The film opens in four languages - Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu - in India.

"We had the film's director Jagmohan Mundhra and the real-life protagonist Kiranjit Ahluwalia, on whose true-life story 'Provoked' is based, travelling to various parts of India. Hopefully, the film's theme of domestic violence would ring a bell all over the country," said Manohar.

Incidentally, "Provoked" is Aishwarya's first international release since the lukewarmly received "Bride & Prejudice" and the disastrous "Mistress Of Spices". 

In both "Bride..." and "Provoked", the former Miss World plays a Punjabi girl, though a far unhappier one in the latter. 

She now has another international film, "The Last Legion", up for release. In India, this year she just has one movie - Ashutosh Gowariker's historical drama "Jodha-Akbar".

In "Provoked", Aishwarya made no physical preparations to play the battered wife.

"I didn't try to look like Kiranjit. There's no physical resemblance between us. But I did connect with her in less apparent ways, met up with her a number of times," Aishwarya had said in an earlier interview.

"Domestic violence or violence of any kind between a man and a woman is a horrific state to be in. This has been one of my most challenging roles to date," the actress added

'Shakalaka...' - Darshan's take on music industry

Suneel Darshan

New Delhi : Suneel Darshan's musical drama "Shakalaka Boom Boom" releasing Friday captures the rivalry, jealousy, betrayal, passion and desperation faced by the music industry.

Set against the backdrop of the international music scene, the film starring Booby Deol, Upen Patel, Celina Jaitley and Kangana Ranaut delves into the complex relationship of two dramatically different men who have only one thing in common - their passion for music.

The film revolves around singer-composer AJ (Bobby) who is at the pinnacle of success and popularity. He has earned everything through sheer hard work and will not allow anybody to overtake him.

However, Reggie (Upen), a talented newcomer, is hell-bent on getting to the top in the music business. He wants to be where AJ is. Reggie's hunger for success is only matched by his hunger to make music. His tragedy is that hedoesn't struggle to make music - he struggles to get noticed.

And Sheena (Celina) an ambitious PR professional aggressively promotes him.But she gets jealous when Ruhi, a lovely young singer (Kangana), enters Reggie's life. Now Sheena will do everything in her power to destroy him because he has spurned her.

As the story moves on, Juhi also unwittingly comes between AJ and Reggie.And when the two musicians face each other in a do or die battle, envy and betrayal show their ugly faces.

Darshan's last two films with Bobby Deol - "Dosti: Friends Forever" and "Barsaat" - fell flat at the box office. So "Shakalaka Boom Boom's" success is crucial to both their careers. The film's success will also play a decisive role in determining Upen's future in filmdom.

Music plays an important role in the success of any Hindi film. Luckily,music lovers have lapped up "Shakalaka Boom Boom's" songs.

Kareena - the next item goddess

Kareena - the next item goddess

Mumbai : Just when you think you've seen every look of hers, Kareena Kapoor surprises you with another stunner. 

After doing an item song in "Don", Kareena has done a sizzling number in "Kya Love Story Hai". Looking a lot slimmer and more gorgeous, Kareena is truly amazing in the way she portrays herself and seems like perfect diva material. 

The peppy number has you tapping your feet throughout. Overall, it is an absolute winner and Kareena just rocks all the way. 

The movie, directed by Lovely Singh, has music by Pritam and stars the girl-next-door Ayesha Takia and Tusshar Kapoor. The audio rights of the Kareena song have been acquired by T-Series.

Top 10 heroines who swept the audience away in 2011

Top 10 heroines

Women-centric themes added power to the Bollywood platter this year and the leading ladies impressed with their boldness and intense acting. Actors like Vidya Balan, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif gave the industry's menfolk a run for their money. Here're top 10 heroines of
2011:

1. Vidya Balan: She started the year with a stellar performance as a deglamorised, strong-willed simpleton in the real-life inspired No One Killed Jessica, and featured in cameos in Thank You, Dum Maaro Dum and Malayalam film Urumi. But for the 33-year-old 'bombaat' actor, 2011 ended with a bang with her sizzling portrayal of a dancing star, Silk, in The Dirty Picture. Vidya explored new realms to her acting potential, and emerged as a winner, overshadowing other commercially hit Bollywood divas.

2. Kareena Kapoor: Two films and both hits! Even after over a decade, Kareena stood out among her contemporaries with the record-breaker Bodyguard opposite Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan's mega-production RA.One. She also proved her dancing mettle once again with Chammak challo, which went on to be a huge chartbuster.

3. Priyanka Chopra: After an average 2010, Priyanka Chopra sprang back into action by carrying out seven different looks in Vishal Bharadwaj's critically-acclaimed 7 Khoon Maaf. In the character of a serial spouse-killer, Sussanna, the actress has displayed why she is a National Award winner at such a young age. She will round up the year as Shah Rukh Khan's 'junglee billi' in the much-awaited Don 2: The King Is Back.

4. Katrina Kaif: As a free-spirited, independent girl in the multi-starrer Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, as a sexy item girl in Bodyguard or as the effervescent Dimple Dixit in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, this Britain-born girl has been proving her range with every passing year.

5. Kalki Koechlin: With four diverse films -- Shaitan, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, That Girl in Yellow Boots and My Friend Pinto - Kalki has been on a roll this year! Her easy and fluid portrayal of a mentally disturbed girl, a nagging girlfriend, a girl in search of her father, and a lost girl abandoned by her boyfriend, have reassured cine-buffs of her capacity as a new age, commercially-viable actress, who dares to choose different roles.

6. Kangana Ranaut: Year 2011 saw Kangana in a new avatar. As a bindaas Kanpur girl in Tanu Weds Manu, she gave her most desi performance ever. She followed it up with the role of a cop in Game, a supporting act in comedy films Double Dhamaal and Rascals, and featured in Miley Naa Miley Hum, which went unnoticed. However, Kangana's standing in the industry remains quite unaffected.

7. Rani Mukerji: Her fans got a treat after two years when Rani returned to the big screen in No One Killed Jessica. As a bold journalist, who gets the public together to demand justice for a cause, Rani delivered an image-breaking performance when she mouthed expletives and smoked a cigarette for the role.

8. Anushka Sharma: There's something that clicks about this Yash Raj Films find, despite average earners like Patiala House and Ladies VS Ricky Bahl in 2011. Anushka's vivaciousness, million-dollar smile and perfect dancing skills have catapulted her into the league of promising leading ladies of tinsel town today.

9. Deepika Padukone: At 25, Deepika has established herself as one of the more popular female stars of Hindi cinema. This year she strengthened her stance, not so much with her performances, but because of the elan with which she carried out the sultry song Mit Jaaye Gum; as the small town but confident girl in Aarakshan; and as the love interest of John Abraham in Desi Boyz.

10. Mahie Gill: Her films, Utt Patang, Not A Love Story and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster this year didn't mint enough money at the box office, but her performance, like always, was well noticed. The critically acclaimed actress continues to choose films away from tried-and-tested formulas, and garners appreciation galore.