Satyagraha hits the theatres today

Amitabh Bachchan (Photo credit: Soumik Kar)

Satyagraha hits the theatres today. The film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Amrita Rao and Manoj Bajpai is a dialogue with the youth of today, Prakash Jha said at most of his promotional events.
The director picked a rather new (as compared to last week's critically acclaimed political thriller Madras Cafe) subject for Satyagraha.
Although the director claimed that his movie is not based on the Anna Hazare movement, most reports suggested otherwise. With a topic like that, Prakash Jha helming the project and actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Manoj Bajpai - the expectations were sky-high. Prakash Jha, however, could not live up to the expectations, at least for most critics.
Saibal Chatterjee writes for NDTV, "Prakash Jha's Satyagraha is a political film that, for all its well-meaning bluster, neither stings nor scalds. It fails to hit the core of the truth that it seeks," and further elaborates, "Unfortunately, Satyagraha barely skims the surface of a complex theme, leaving many a crucial question unanswered. As a result, it can hardly be expected to shake a vast nation and its somnolent rulers out of their torpor."
Saurabh Dwivedi writes for India Today, "The movie is replete with the old tried-and-tested formulae - including item numbers - which also helps explains why the movie lost ground."
Saibal Chatterjee writes, "A problem that has beset Jha's recent films is back to haunt Satyagraha as well. The principal characters do not converse like you and me. They make speeches from a rostrum. When they are not letting out hot air from a pedestal, they deliver grand statements of intent to each other and everyone within earshot. It is an approach that is better suited to street theatre than to the big screen."
Sarit Tanwar writes for DNA, "You can't make a film about what is wrong with the system, while surrendering to the system. It is a cop-out. Satyagraha could have been so much more had it taken the Madras Cafe route and made an honest, hard-hitting film. The bollywood-isation of the film is what ruins it."
The actors have, interestingly, impressed the critics with performances.
Saurabh Dwivedi writes, "When it comes to cinema, its truth is equally divided amongst the three monkeys - story, acting and direction. What the movie lost out in story and direction, it made up for with acting. The movie's saving grace was Amitabh Bachchan, Manjoj Bajpai and somehow managing to secure the third spot on this list, Ajay Devgn."
Srijana Mitra Das writes for Times Of India, "Devgn is Satyagraha's strong body while Amitabh - gaunt in grief, moving in fortitude - is its soul. And Bajpai is its glittering, malevolent cloak, delivering a satiny performance hair-raising in its perfection. Bachchan voices the movie's philosophy - "Janta sarkaar ki malik hai. Malik nirdesh deta hai. Maang nahin karta."
Sarit Tanwar sums up, "There is enough anger/frustration amongst people, if Satyagraha's purpose was to remind us that nothing changed even after the movement, the rallies and the noise on the social network, it succeeds."
Film critic Mayank Shekhar (W14) agrees, "At some point, you hear yourself go, “Ab bas bahut ho gaya yar. Bandh karo bak bak.”  We get a lot of this on TV anyway, and at least we know what’s going on there."
Tweetspeak:
@SRKsGurl: Just read NDTV reveiw if #Satyagraha now regretting why did take the ticket in advance.. I wilk have to watch #ChennaiExpress this weekend:)
@reachrummana: There are no easy solutions in a country like India and #Satyagraha brings to fore the many issues
@VikasAgarwalll: Issuing Fatwa to all AB, Ajay, Arjun, Manoj, Kareena fans & AAP workers to watch #Satyagraha this weekend ! :P
@nishantshekhar1: Satyagrah just mocks Team Anna movement..poor direction...worst climax..and bad casting...watch it only for Manoj Bajpayee.
Have you watched the movie? Share your views in the comment box below.

Happy Birthday, Michael Jackson: Remembering the ‘King of Pop’

Michael Jackson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Michael Jackson performing The Way You Make Me Feel in 1988 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cover of Frankie Lymon

Cover of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson would have been 55 today. The ‘King of Pop’ died four years ago, but his music and legacy live on. Here’s a look at some of the best Post coverage of Jackson’s life and death, starting with a 1988 review of Jackson’s performance at the Capital Centre.
Michael In Motion: Jackson Dazzles, Surprises at Capital Centre, Oct. 14, 1988

Michael Jackson is the Body Electric.

At Capital Centre last night, he proved so interesting to watch that he could have sounded like Tiny Tim and nobody would have complained.Well, almost nobody, and since he sounded just like Michael Jackson, it all worked out in the end.

For all the good singing -- and there was plenty of that -- it always seems to come back to movement and emotion with Jackson. He is a dancer beyond compare, the embodiment of the perpetual motion principle, seemingly boneless, with lubricating oil in his veins. This is a man with more moves in a night than Nationwide has in a year. You could hate him, but you couldn't take your eyes off him. Richard Harrington

Michael Jackson’s Musical Legacy Will Endure, June 26, 2009

Try, for a moment, to separate the art from the artist. Consider Michael Jackson's entertainment proffer in a vacuum-sealed space.

In that bubble, where Bubbles and all the peculiarities and plastic surgeries matter not one whit, you will find a man -- and, if you go back far enough into the archives, a child -- who was unquestionably one of the most transcendent performers in popular music.

He was Elvis with an androgynous tenor, Sinatra with a moonwalk and killer pop instincts, Prince with more mass appeal, John, Paul, George and Ringo with high-water pants, white socks and a single, sequined glove.

Jackson was a singular talent, even if he was sometimes derivative. He sang like Frankie Lymon by way of Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross, though his soulful, ingratiating voice sounded original and distinctive; to this day, it remains one of the most easily recognizable voices in the world. J. Freedom du Lac

For Black America, Jackson Broke Barriers Long Before ‘Thriller’, June 26, 2009

He was but a 14-year-old child in 1972, and black mothers and aunts and big sisters in the ghettos of the nation seemed to pull that child to their bosoms. He was a little brother; he was a precious boy; he was like the prodigy in your own church. There he was on "American Bandstand" and on "Soul Train." The early '70s actually represented some beautiful times in America -- freedom rising, integration building and little Michael singing on the hand-held radio. Little Michael with the prettiest and fluffiest Afro in the land.

Throughout the years, he claimed covers of Ebony and Jet magazines. And even when his life had begun to take on tawdry dimensions, black America refused to abandon him. It was as if they knew the pain that had greeted so many child performers, black or white. 

James Spader Is Back With 'The Avengers' And A Hot TV Show

The newest cast member to join The Avengers is James Spader. The 53-year-old actor will be taking on the role of bad guy Ultron.(In a previous post I said that Ultron is a really big robot and was immediately jumped on by the fan community. I won’t do it again.) So is the ultimate ’80s star poised for a comeback?
It looks like he’s well on his way. Fans are going crazy for the casting news. Actor Tom Hiddleston got a huge boost from playing bad guy Loki in the last Avengers movie. At this year’s Comic Con he got the biggest applause during the Marvel panel when he came on stage in full Loki gear. His success in that movie will likely help boost the box office of the second Thor movie. Loki, who is Thor’s adopted brother, was also the bad guy in the first Thor film and from the trailer, it looks like he’s up to his old tricks in the new movie.

Spader already has a built-in fan base so his work in the movie could be a real turning point in his career.
Spader peaked early with roles in ’80s movies like Sex, Lies and Videotape, Pretty in Pink and Less Than Zero (which costarred current Avenger Robert Downey Jr.).
Although he appeared in movies like Stargate in the ’90s, he never really broke out as a bona fide movie star. He got plenty of attention for the 2002 S&M movie Secretary but the film only grossed $9 million at the global box office. Spader had better luck in TV where he starred on Boston Legal for four years. That’s a good run but the show never really turned in to a breakout hit.
Spader is the kind of actor who’s always seemed like he had potential but just wasn’t finding the right role. While his role in The Avengers will earn him plenty of attention, it might not be thing that catapults him to lasting stardom. Fans, feel free to correct me here. But from everything I’ve seen Ultron is a robot who doesn’t have a human face. It’s possible we might not see Spader’s mug in the upcoming movie.
He’ll have a better chance to strut his stuff with The Blacklist, a new show premiering on NBC September 23rd. The show has a very Silence of the Lambs vibe with Spader playing a “criminal mastermind” who surrenders but will only talk to a rookie FBI agent. The show is getting some great buzz already. If it’s a hit, Spader could be in for a whole new level of fame and fortune, one that even eclipses what he was able to do in the ’80s. Get ready for James Spader 2.0.
 

Liam Payne Celebrates His 20th Birthday By Shooting New 1D Video

One Direction cutie Liam just turned 20 and he celebrated the big day by shooting a new 1D music video, with his new girlfriend, Sophia, supporting him on set!
Between attending premieres for their movie, One Direction: This Is Us, and picking up an award for Song of the Summer at the MTV VMAs, One Direction has really been on the go lately! So it’s fitting that Liam Payne was hard at work on his 20th birthday on Aug. 29. Good thing he had his gorgeous girlfriend, Sophia Smith, 24, by his side on set to help celebrate! Read on for all the details!
Liam Payne Celebrates His 20th Birthday By Shooting New 1D Video
Liam showed up to the 1D video shoot holding hands with Sophia, reported the UK’s Daily Mail. So sweet! He was rocking a faux-hawk with ripped jeans, a white T-shirt and a brown trench, but he changed into a new outfit just for the shoot. Sophia looked beautiful in a casual black dress. Hopefully they had enough energy to go on a birthday date afterwards!
At the shoot, the guys were seen kicking a soccer ball around and trying on aprons at the F. Cooke pie and mash shop in London, says the UK’s Daily Mail. The video will be for one of the songs off ID’s hotly anticipated new album, but there’s no word yet on which song. Either way, this video involves sports and food —  plus our favorite guys — so we love it already!
Happy 20th Birthday, Liam
We know that Liam has really enjoyed his birthday so far because he tweeted on Aug. 29, “Good morning everyone :) can’t quite believe my life there’s no bigger birthday present than what you’ve done for me in 3 years thank you xx.”
Happy 20th Birthday, Liam! You’ve accomplished so much in 20 years, and we can’t wait to see where this year takes you and the rest of 1D!
What about YOU, HollywoodLifers? Are you happy that Liam’s girlfriend was supporting him at the shoot?

Jadeveon Clowney might not win Heisman, but he's still a Freak

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A defensive end wasn't going to win the Heisman anyway.
Not Thursday in the first game of the season and certainly not with a stomach virus. That's as close as it came to an excuse for South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney on a night when a lot could be questioned in the debut of his Heisman quest.
His conditioning, his effort, his future.
But there it was in the postgame interview room following South Carolina's 27-10 win over North Carolina. Following a 1 hour, 44-minute weather delay, after facing North Carolina's ultra up-tempo offense, 5½ hours after the game began, Clowney finally relented.
“The night before I had a stomach virus,” he said. “All night long, to this morning. I didn't want to talk about that.”
He certainly didn't want to talk about his pregame meal of “a banana and a couple of grapes.” That sounds too much like that excuse but it does begin to explain a lot on a night when the 6-foot-6, 274-pound freak was equal parts dogging it, lollygagging and -- during brief flashes – brilliant.
"The quickest player I ever played against,” North Carolina left tackle James Hurst said.
Just don't hand him the Heisman. Not Thursday and maybe not this year. Sure, Clowney showed that sprinter's speed (4.45 in the 40 during camp) and enough potential for 30 NFL scouts to be in the press box. He also was flagged for jumping offsides, then stopped while the Tar Heels picked up the first down anyway.
The Great Clowney was not great -- three tackles, three quarterback hurries -- but he doesn't have to be. Defensive ends usually aren't all the time.
You have to balance those modest numbers against potential damage on any play. Hurst, beaten badly, tackled him on one first-half play. (The officials missed it.) Right tackle Kiaro Holts was flagged for clipping. (It looked like he rolled up on the back of Clowney's legs after a play. Holts was unavailable immediately after the game. We could not ask about his intent.)
"A couple of those sacks he [Clowney] got tonight is because I didn't step up in the pocket enough,” Tar Heels quarterback Bryn Renner said.
Except that Clowney didn't have any sacks. That's what he does to people, puts bad thoughts in their minds. There were four sackless games last year, including the one that gave him his Heisman
The lasting image of the first game of the rest of Clowney's college career: On consecutive plays in the final two minutes, he got his hands on Renner, pressuring him twice on passing plays. The second time he barely missed a sack. Shortly thereafter, he signaled to come out. For the final minute, Clowney sat on a chair barely acknowledging teammates. When the gun sounded he was the last Gamecock off the bench looking dead tired.
“Ah man, pretty tired,” he said afterward. “You got to play through that ... They [North Carolina] were telling me during the game, ‘We were tired.' It's just one of those games. You just have to push yourself through the break.”
Yeah, but after a 1-hour, 44-minute [weather] break?
“Basically, we were just cramping up in the locker room getting tight," Clowney said. "We come out and here comes that tempo again."
On a 95-degree night, North Carolina snapped it 79 times. Combine that with a stomach virus and the heat and Clowney gets a pass. If he did little in the game, he also did little to affect his standing as the No. 1 player to be taken in the NFL Draft next spring. For now, all we know is there is a huge difference in deciding the best college player in America and perhaps the best player available in the draft months from now.
The Heisman Clowney has to post outlandish defensive numbers, be somewhat photogenic and have that TV “moment” to seal his campaign. As you know, he's got the last of those. The Potentially Great NFL Clowney – at this stage – has to stay healthy and off the police blotter. For all the hope and hype we're putting on him, the biggest day of his young life could be the NFL combine.
And that's OK. He's a defensive end. They can be neutralized. Teams run away from them. Clowney came darn close to taking a few plays off on Thursday, it seemed, in that heat before a massive thunderstorm struck in the fourth quarter. Those NFL scouts (also one from the CFL) in the press box apparently were looking at something more nuanced because not one of them scratched him off their draft board.
But nuanced doesn't win the Heisman. Notre Dame's Manti Te'o seemingly paved the way for Clowney's Heisman candidacy by finishing runner-up to Johnny Football last season. The usually less-than-free-thinking Heisman voting bloc had broken through some sort of thought barrier.
But that was for a guy who had 113 tackles and a perpetual hype machine behind him (see: all those Notre Dame Heisman winners). And that was before Te'o was catfished. Clowney? His own coach sort of called him out in the preseason for what seemed sort of like malingering. On Thursday, Clowney was subbed for several times against North Carolina's hurry-up.
And that was OK, too.
“I think it wasn't just [Jadeveon],” defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said. “I think the entire defense got winded. We knew coming into the ballgame that they were going to hurry up. We tried to simulate it in practice, but that was the fastest team I've ever seen."
Clowney's stat line wasn't worth the price of admission. His future could be priceless. Just wait until the heat lets up, he gets in better shape and starts eating again.
 

Tim Tebow belongs on the Patriots’ roster

Tim Tebow belongs on the Patriots’ roster
It isn’t a big role, but he’s played it to perfection.

Today’s big winner: Tim Tebow
Thursday night was vintage Tebow, wasn’t it? The agony and the ecstasy of Tebowmania realized. Tebow hit receiver Quentin Sims on third-and-long for a 52-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
On his next drive, the New England Patriots third string quarterback was picked off.
Tebow played the entire second half of the Patriots final preseason game and he wasn’t bad. He wasn’t good either (6-for-11, two TDs, one interception). But here’s the thing. New England could do a lot worse than Tim Tebow — as we’ve learned.
Bill Belichick hasn’t taken a third-string quarterback in three of the previous four years. It’s time to break that trend. The Patriots don’t need Tebow to be a superstar. New England has Tom Brady. Tebow needs to play the part he’s trained for all summer. The guy with a team-first mentality, irrepressible zest for winning, and an unwavering desire to work. Point to his benching last week if you want, or point to his terrible rigid throwing motion if you must, but say Tim Tebow doesn’t want to compete with a straight face. You can’t.
Tebow didn’t earn a starting spot on Thursday. He didn’t earn a backup spot either. But he did earn the role he has perfected this preseason, and the only role he’s been asked to fill.
Tim Tebow is the third-string quarterback of the New England Patriots

Michael Buble announces the birth of his first child

 

The Canadian singer Michael Buble has announced the birth of his first child, a son he has named Noah.

He posted a picture of himself, with his wife Luisana Lopilato, 26, and their newborn, on Instagram.
"Overjoyed and filled with gratitude at the arrival of our son Noah Buble. Born this morning, August 27th at 2.26 am in Vancouver, Canada," he wrote.
Michael Buble's eighth studio album, To Be Loved, is currently at number 10 in the UK charts.
It went straight in at number one when it was released in April.
He has sold millions of copies of his previous albums, including Crazy Love and Christmas and won Brit and Grammy awards.
One Direction star Niall Horan tweeted: "Congrats to my good friends @michaelbuble @lulopilato on the birth of little baby Buble! Soo exciting! can't wait to meet the little one."
Luisana Lopilato is originally from Argentina and known for her modelling and acting.
She starred in the video for his single, Haven't Met You Before, and they married in Buenos Aires in March 2011.

Google cuts price of Nexus 4 smartphone as it launches Nexus 7

Google Nexus One (Photo credit: louisvolant)

Google cuts price of Nexus 4 smartphone as it launches Nexus 7

Following the launch of the updated Nexus 7 tablet in the UK, Google are continuing their British Nexus blitz by lowering the price of the Nexus 4 smartphone to just £159.
Designed by Google and manufactured by LG, the Nexus 4 was first released towards the end of 2012 but remains a relatively high-end smartphone. Customers can purchase the 8GB version of the handset for £159, or the 16GB version for £199.
In comparison a 16GB iPhone bought off contract will cost you £529 directly from Apple, and a Samsung Galaxy S4 will set you back around £550. Both of these phones may offer slight improvements over the Nexus 4, but this cut in prices by Google still represents incredibly value.
Our review of the Nexus 4 in January 2013 described its build quality as “second to none”, deciding that the handset was attractive enough to rival the iPhone 5:
“Overall, I’d say the Nexus 4 is currently the best smartphone available on the market here in the UK. Android 4.2, combined with the Nexus 4’s powerful hardware, game-changing price and stunning display, is a combination that’s hard to beat,” wrote Alex Masters.
The Nexus 4 includes an 8 MP rear facing camera, a 4.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution, a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.

Ram Charan & Priyanka Stills at Comedy Nights with Kapil

 Ram Charan & Priyanka Stills at Comedy Nights with Kapil

Check the latest stills of Hindi movie Zanjeer cast Ram Charan and Priyanka Chopra at Comedy Nights with Kapil. Ram Charan and Priyanka Chopra visited Comedy Nights with Kapil TV Show for the promotion of their movie. Zanjeer is going to release on 6th September 2013.

'Pretty Little Liars' Summer Finale: 'A' Revealed in Ravenswood

The main characters of Pretty Little Liars. (From left) Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings, Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery, Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields, and Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" episode sees the girls take a trip to the town near Rosewood. 

 

[Warning: Spoilers ahead from Tuesday's summer finale.]
Not only has Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) been revealed as being alive, Ezra (Ian Harding) is "A."
When Hanna (Ashley Benson), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Aria (Lucy Hale) and Emily (Shay Mitchell) take a trip to Ravenswood for a magic show, they learn from Mrs. Grunwald (Meg Foster) that Alison is still alive and discover at least one person behind Red Coat.
EXCLUSIVE: 'Grey's Anatomy' Actor Heads to 'Pretty Little Liars' Spinoff 'Ravenswood'
THR rounds up the major developments during Tuesday's episode:
Freed Woman, New Suspect: Hanna's mom, Ashley (Laura Leighton), is no longer charged for being under suspicion for the murder of Detective Wilden. Instead, a new suspect has been found: Cece Drake (Vanessa Ray).
Magic Trick: When the girls receive a package -- a saw in a coffin with the words, "Watch me make a girl disappear. Kisses, A" -- they figure out "A's" message involves magic. Once they discover there's a magic show, The Great Carlemagne, in Ravenswood, the Liars make their way over to the nearby town. During the show, Aria gets chosen by a clown-like mime to be part of his magic trick where he makes her disappear in a box.
Kidnapped Emily: While Spencer and Hanna watch Aria disappear during the magic show, Emily goes missing. It's not until "A" sends the text, "Leger de main" (which means sleight of hand), that the girls realize Emily has been kidnapped. The girls receive a call from a panicking Emily and end up finding her locked up in a wooden coffin where she is nearly sliced by a sawing machine. Luckily, the girls rescue her in time. As the Liars save Emily, they spot two Red Coats.
Red Coat Revealed: Aria chases after one Red Coat, tackling her to the ground. The moment Aria knocks the mask off, Cece is revealed as the girl behind Red Coat. Cece tries to escape Aria by climbing up a rope, but when it snaps, she tries to grab onto Aria's arm. However, Aria loses her grip and Cece is left falling flat on the ground.
STORY: 'Pretty Little Liars' Summer Finale to Reveal 'Ravenswood' Clues
"A's" New Lair Discovered: Meanwhile, as Spencer chases after another person in a red coat, she uncovers "A's" new room filled with photos and documents about Alison and the girls. When she brings the rest of the girls in on her discovery, they realize "A" is actually a man. The big clues? Bank statements clueing the Liars in that this "A" guy was paying Cece and the black mens' blazers hung in the closest.
Alison Is Alive: As the girls leave "A's" lair, they run into Mrs. Grunwald, who hints that Alison may still be alive. She tells them she has the "gift of insight," which led her to help Alison on that fateful night. She reflects back to the evening when Alison was said to be "killed." With her gut feeling, Mrs. Grunwald drove to Rosewood, pulling Alison from the grave. When Mrs. Grunwald tries to take Alison to the hospital, she ends up losing her during the time she tries to get help. Mrs. Grunwald hasn't seen her since that night.
Ezra Is "A": Just as the finale ends, a figure dressed in all black walks into "A's" lair and it's then that "A" is revealed: Ezra.

Lip Kiss To Shruti Hassan for 25 Lakhs : Shruti Hassan Demands it

English: Shruti Hassan at Videocon Mobikes Mobile Application Launch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Watching the hot lip smooching of Shruti Haasan and Arjun Rampal in the movie D-Day, a director from Telugu circuit is said to have asked our hottie for the same here. While saying yes for the demand, the actress has asked 25 lakhs more payment to perform the act for silver screen, a source said. We have to see what Shruti will say about this.
This is not a new demand, but cashing on the craze needs to have some limits. Shedding crores of rupees for 'glamour' is now costing producers even more for the creative requirements of their directors.

The likes of many star heroines actually charge more money not because of the demand they have but due to the amount of skin they should show on silver screen. We have seen the likes of Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu in Bollywood, and Kajal and Tamanna in Tollywood, where skin show is directly proportional to pay cheque. Recently our actresses have climbed another step to say that lip-kisses will also cost more from now. An interesting discussion is happening about spicy beauty Shruti Haasan at the moment in Film Nagar and here goes it.

Ram Charan At Thoofan Audio Launch

Ram Charan At Thoofan Audio Launch