Big B honoured as India’s biggest export
Big B India’s global icon
MEGASTAR Amitabh Bachchan was conferred India’s Global Icon of the Year award at the NRI (Non-Resident Indian) of the Year awards.
The 71-year-old, who has been ruling the film industry for more than four decades, dedicated the award to a younger generation of actors.
“I want to thank Times Now (news channel) and ICICI Bank for honouring me with this award,” Big B told reporters at the awards’ red carpet event this week.
“I think I am not the only one person who should be honoured with this award. In fact, there are many in the entertainment world, especially the actors of the younger generation, because of whom our film industry is known in the whole world. So I would like to dedicate this award to them.”
The awards were given to those who have made their mark internationally. Big B, who made his movie debut with Saat
Hindustani in 1969, recalled his early career, when he had just started.
“During that time I didn’t have many movie releases, but I started doing stage shows around the 1980s, and then I came to know how much we Indian actors are loved by people outside India and how much we love them.
“Since then, it is still continuing and I would like to thank them all,“he added.
The megastar is busy promoting his next movie, Bhootnath Returns, due to be released on April 11.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this sequel to the 2008 film, Bhootnath , also features Shahrukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor in cameos.
‘Queen’ star moves to action
KANGANA Ranaut is making waves. After the amazing success of Queen, the talented actress is now gearing up for the action movie Revolver Rani, in which she plays a gun-wielding politician who falls in love with a Bollywood star, played by Vir Das.
The actress had more reason to celebrate when the award-winning director Sujoy Ghosh recently signed her to play the mother of a 14-year-old-girl in Durga Rani
Singh. Ghosh initially approached Vidya Balan, who had worked with him, but Balan turned down the project amid rumours that she was pregnant.
’Maan Karate’ to look forward to
WITH Jayam Ravi’s Nimirndhu Nil enjoying positive reviews from critics, fans of Tamil movies have more to look forward to this week when Maan Karate will be released worldwide, including South Africa. It has Sivakarthigeyan in the lead role and features music by Anirudh Ravichander.
The soundtrack shot to number one in its first weekend of release.
Maan Karate is written by AR Murugadhaas, writer and director of Ghajini,
7aam Arivu and Thuppaaki.
Yuvan pulled from ‘ Vada Curry’
FANS of Yuvanshankar Raja were dismayed that the young composer had been removed from the forthcoming Vada Curry and replaced with newcomers for the soundtrack.
The official announcement stated that it was because of his earlier commitments, but others believe his recently announced conversion to Islam is part of the reason for the decision.
MG Ramachandhran recalled
PRABHU’S forthcoming film, Ennammo
Nadakudhu , will feature a scene and song featuring the legendary MG Ramachandhran, the actor-politician who passed away in 1984.
Although it was first announced that computer graphics would be used for the scenes, it was eventually decided to use a lookalike. The songs have been penned by Gangaiaren.
Illaiyaraja in global top 25
THE film Thaara Thappatai will be a momentous one. Not only is it the first time directors Bala and Sasikumar will work together, but it will also mark the 100th film album of Isai Nyaani Illaiyaraja.
He began his film career in 1976 and was recently selected by Taste of Cinema as one
of the 25 top composers in the world.
’Ai’ features China locations
SHANKAR’S Ai, which has Vikram and Amy Jackson as leads, is due for release soon. It features a number of scenes that were shot on location in China. — Indo Asian News Service, Shalandra Bunseelal and Devan Nair