‘Bigg Boss’ launch was hit by heavy rains, says Big B

Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, who is set to host the third season of “Bigg Boss” that goes on air Sunday, says that the launch of the reality show was washed away by rain twice within a day.
“It just got over and it almost did not! The launch of ‘Bigg Boss’ got washed away twice in one day by the heavy and incessant rain over the hills here (at Amby Valley). Thunder, lightning…so close, it was blinding,” Amitabh posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com early Sunday morning.

“The sets, the electronics and all the preparations got drenched and short circuited and the sound of the rain was so loud that even within the closed environment it was impossible to work,” he added.

The shoot, however, went on thanks to a production team of “close to 700″ people.

The third season of “Bigg Boss” has celebrities like Poonam Dhillon, Claudia Ciesla, Kamaal R. Khan, Sherlyn Chopra, Vindu Dara Singh, Shamita Shetty et al competing with one another. The show has the celebrities staying inside a specially designed house under constant camera surveillance and no contact with the outside world.

The 66-year-old commends the inmates who will spend weeks together inside the Bigg Boss house.

“I think it is most brave of all of them to have decided to get away from life for 84 days, leaving home and hearth in the care of others. I wish them all well and will be meeting up with them every Friday and Saturday,” he wrote.

The contestants will be locked up in an actual house in Lonavala and Bachchan wrote about the preparations and the set-up.

“The set is massive… Intricate control rooms, electronics, cameras, microphones… it is quite something,” he posted.

“And they (the Channel producers) have built an entire chalet for me when I come in to work over the weekends - bedrooms, makeup rooms, hall, dining area, kitchen, verandahs, huge courtyard… a Spanish villa in design with the personal touches of family photographs all over the house. I could move in here! This is some operation,” he added.

Shah Rukh can be an outstanding director: Karan Johar

Their last outing together was a damp squib, but Karan Johar hasn’t lost his faith in Shah Rukh Khan. He has once again teamed up with him and Kajol for “My Name Is Khan” and says the superstar is not only good at emoting but is capable of directing a film too.

“He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character (in ‘My Name Is Khan’). And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it,” Karan, whose last directorial venture “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” fell flat at the box office, told in an interview.

For “My Name Is Khan”, Karan is bringing Shah Rukh and Kajol together on screen after a long time and he says they bring out the best in him.

“I’m blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work,” he said.

“My Name Is Khan” is about a Muslim who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: “My Name Is Khan” has no lip-sync songs?

A: No, none. The songs are all in the background. In LA, we had fans coming to us to ask if there was any track like “Suraj hua madham” in “My Name Is Khan”. This time there’s no “It’s the time to disco” and “Where’s the party tonight”. But there’s guts, soul and heart in the music. I’ve a huge comfort zone with my composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. That’s the only way good work can be done.

Q: Apparently, Javed Akhtar refused to share lyrical credits with Niranjan Iyer?

A: Javed-saab is a father figure and our rapport goes way beyond work. Niranjan has written the dialogues and two songs in “My Name Is Khan”. Javed-saab was gracious enough to let Nirajan write the rest of the songs. And when I insisted, Javed-saab had to write one song that only he could and he very kindly agreed. He’s also written the lyrics of my production “Wake Up, Sid”.

Q: How was it directing Shah Rukh and Kajol again?

A: I am blessed to have them in my film. I don’t know what it is about them. It’s just magic. They build an inexplicable energy on screen. They instinctively understand each other’s acting. When I direct a scene with Shah Rukh and Kajol, I know I’m doing my best work. These two characters in “My Name Is Khan” had to be Shah Rukh and Kajol.

Q: You almost didn’t get Kajol?

A: She had to read the script. That was it. She said yes. I wouldn’t want any actor to say yes to my film just because he or she is a friend. I want my actors to really do the role. I’ve great friendships, but I don’t want any actor to compromise on his or her basic tenets on cinema.

Q: Was Kajol weighed down on location by her motherly duties?

A: Not at all. I’ve worked with Kajol in various stages of her life. I’m working with her again eight years later. When we worked the last time, she didn’t have a daughter. So, of course, she’s a different person. Today, I find her calmer more focused on her work than ever before. Kajol manages to be fantastic wife-mother and actress.

I find Shah Rukh and Kajol alike in their attitude to work and family. They’re both so much into their spouses and kids. When the shot is over, they rush to their respective family. On location in LA between shots they spoke to each other about their respective families.

Q: How was Shah Rukh?

A: Time and again I’m blown away by Shah Rukh. How can he think of so many things about his character when he has so much on his plate? He has done monumental research on his autistic character. I was zapped by how much he knew on the subject. And he brought all the knowledge on the sets.

He had written reams of notes on how he wanted to interpret his character. And to him it was no big deal. He’s ready to direct a film any time. He will be outstanding at it. His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.

Neeraj Vora rubbishes reports of Aamir’s presence in his next

Rubbishing rumours that Bollywood star Aamir Khan will be seen in his next film, writer-turned-director Neeraj Vora has said that he hasn’t even met the actor yet.
“I have’nt even met Aamir yet. Neither have I narrated anything to him. These are all media reports. I’m still writing the film and the whole process is still outstanding,” Vora said.

“We (both Aamir and himself) are very clinical about what we do and it is only the script of the film that will decide it’s fate (whether Aamir will star in it or not),” he added.

The news came after a leading daily claimed that Aamir has agreed to be a part of Vora’s yet untitled romantic comedy and would also produce it.