Ram Gopal Varma Vs Smriti Irani

11-8-2008

The déjà vu is certainly not hallucinatory…. Maybe the television directors and producers are actually running short of ideas. Be it plots, costumes or scenes, different frames in serials remind you of popular film sequences. Evidently, the resemblance is not coincidental…

The recently launched show Waaris (on Zee) revolves around the life of an underworld don, Rudra Pratap Singh (Ashish Vidyarthi), who is searching for a suitable ‘waaris‘ (successor) for the position that he created in the criminal world. Sounds familiar? Of course, it does. Starting from the teasers, the look and feel of the show uncannily resemble Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar and Sarkar Raj. The similarities don’t end here. While Ashish Vidyarthi’s character has been heavily inspired by that of Amitabh Bachchan’s, Iqbal Khan as Vidyarthi’s son Shankar is a take on Abhishek, who too played ‘Shankar’ in the film.

Kareena, Hrithik and Hamaari Betiyon Ka Vivaah

Remember Sooraj Barjatya’s Hrithik, Abhishek and Kareena starrer Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon? Sanjana (Kareena Kapoor)’s parents want her to get married. So Sanjana’s sister Roopa suggests the name of Prem Kumar, a US-based businessman. Prem (Hrithik Roshan) lands up in Sanjana’s town and Sanjana’s family receives him. Sanjana is disapproving at the start, but later falls for Prem’s charming ways. But by a twist of fate, everyone (except Sanjana) comes to know that this Prem is not the actual suitor. His real name is Prem Kishen and he is a subordinate of the real Prem Kumar. Well, if you have missed the film, you should watch Hamari Betiyoon Ka Vivaah on Zee TV. The serial is a scene-by-scene rip-off of the film, with two Rajs fighting for Trishna.

The show is also a take on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice. As in the book/film, here too you will find four daughters with a nagging mother trying to get them married off to rich men. To attract the viewers and to bind them with the serial, everything is there on the show – romance, comedy, drama, emotions…. Do we need more?

Om Shanti Om and Banoo Main Teri Dulhann

Banoo Main Teri Dulhann (on Zee) or should we call it Om Shanti Om?! For a long time the show was moving towards a climax. It seemed Vidya (Divyanka Tripathi) was getting braver, and ready to face Sindoora (Kamya Punjabi, the female version of Arjun Rampal in the film) in order to protect her husband Sagar (Sharad Malhotra). Sagar, on the other hand, was getting closer to the truth, and then finally realised that his eldest sister meant him harm. And then it happened. Sindoora shot both Vidya and Sagar to death.

But picture abhi baki hai mere dost. No, we never said that, but the teasers of the show shamelessly propagated the OSO theme. Sagar and Vidya were born again. They met, fell in love and got married. And not only that, the couple (now Divya and Amar) have started recalling incidents of their previous births and in the current episodes, Divya is all set to take revenge on Sindoora, exposing her true colours. Does that sound interesting?

Kasautii Zindagii Kay and Devdas

Kasautii Zindagii Kay (on Star Plus) began as the love story of Prerna and Anurag, but turned into Devdas somewhere along the way. Cezanne Khan aka Anurag Basu happened to be the handsome, soft-spoken son of a rich father, while Shweta Tiwari aka Prerna was Paro, who got married into a rich family and a husband she never loved. Yes, her much older husband had three children from his previous marriage, quite like in Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel. And a la Aishwarya in Bhansali’s Devdas, Prerna too was gifted a portrait by her husband Bajaj, where she donned the Ash look.

Pyaar Ke Do Naam and Rajshri films

The Barjatyas too draw from their own, and sometimes their friends’. Pyaar Ke Do Naam – Ek Radha Ek Shyaam was a unique melange of films like Hum Apke Hain Koun…!, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Mehbooba et al. The serial showcased wedding sequences, complete with sangeet and antakshari ceremonies that characterise Rajshri productions. If you remember, the lead pair Indraneil Sengupta and Barkha Bisht had even unabashedly put on a Shah Rukh-Kajol (and sometimes a Salman-Madhuri) act.

Shveta Salve and Sushmita Sen

Shveta Salve of Left Right Left became the middle-class man’s Sushmita Sen after the soap happened. Be it the way she used her eyes or her flowing chiffon saris, psychiatrist Dr Ritu Mishra’s character took up from where Sushmita Sen left off in Main Hoon Na. The serial was a take on the lives of cadets at a premiere military academy, and Shveta played the muse for the young students just like Sush did in the film.

[Via http://reelstories.wordpress.com]

Dedicated to Yellow (ET promo), Sun Bowl, Cleveland phoner

Entertainment Tonight – CFTH buzz

J.E.L.L.U.S.

Yellow M&M had a gig on ET??? And had an “awesome of m&m airtime” with the adorable David Archuleta? WHY wasn’t it Purple M&M? Purple is my favorite. After all, David sports a purple shirt for the tour, hmmmph. Just sayin’

BUT Purple is the bigger M&M and shall post the ET interview now. Also, Purple loves Yellow, so Yellow, here’s your mo-ment, ”Well, hey, Yellow, glad to be here!”

Sun Bowl

Source

David Archuleta To Perform At Helen of Troy Halftime Show EL PASO, Texas (December 8, 2009) – American Idol’s David Archuleta will perform at the Helen of Troy Halftime Show at the 76th Annual Brut Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 at Sun Bowl Stadium.

 

“Helen of Troy is excited to bring another outstanding talent like David Archuleta to perform at halftime of the Brut Sun Bowl,” said Gerald J. Rubin, CEO and president of Helen of Troy. “David piqued America’s interest during his run on American Idol and he definitely will be a fan favorite due to his extraordinary talents as a singer-songwriter.”

Archuleta, who turns 19 years old on Dec. 28, was the runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol. In August of 2008, his self-titled album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

The Brut Sun Bowl, sponsored by El Paso’s headquartered Helen of Troy, will feature Oklahoma of the Big 12 Conference against No. 19 Stanford of the Pac-10 Conference. The Helen of Troy Halftime Show will feature a performance by David Archuleta, as well as the two fine marching bands of the universities participating in the Brut Sun Bowl.

This marks the sixth consecutive year the Sun Bowl has featured the Helen of Troy Halftime Show. Previous performers have included Los Lonely Boys, Diamond Rio, Baby Bash, Rihanna and the Village People.

The Brut Sun Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 31 at noon at Sun Bowl Stadium. The game will be broadcast live nationally in high definition on CBS for the 42nd consecutive year. Tickets for the Brut Sun Bowl range in price from $15 to $60 and can be purchased by calling (915) 533-4416 or (800) 915-BOWL or go on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

 

Cleveland Phone Interview

Source

David Archuleta spreads holiday cheer in concert and on new album By John Soeder, The Plain Dealer December 09, 2009, 3:00PM

Chris Pizzello, Associated PressCHRISTMAS CROONER: “In my life, there’s no other time when I’ve been more involved with music than the holiday season,” says David Archuleta.

David Archuleta’s self-titled debut last year featured the Top 5 hit “Crush.” Now the 2008 “American Idol” runner-up is on tour behind a new holiday album, “Christmas from the Heart.” Archuleta, who turns 19 on Dec. 28, spoke to us last week by phone from Idaho, before a gig there.

There are so many holiday albums. What do you hope sets yours apart?

I wanted to be able to get that feeling of this whole time of year into the songs, and to be able to share that with people. That was my goal with the album. And that’s my goal with the tour, too. For the first part of the show, the focus is on pop music and non-holiday songs. In the second part of the show, we focus on the Christmas music. Hopefully, people leave in the mood for the holidays. In my life, there’s no other time when I’ve been more involved with music than the holiday season, every year. I’ve always been really into Christmastime. I used to go caroling with my brothers and sisters, and we used to do family shows together in retirement homes and hospitals. I really enjoyed it.

How did you conjure the proper mood in the recording studio?

I was like, “Man, it’s summer and it’s sunny outside, and here I am inside, thinking about these Christmas songs!” But the weather doesn’t affect the songs. The meanings don’t change. I just thought: “What are these songs about?” It helped me get deep into the meanings. And I tried to get those emotions out as best as I could in my performance. Sometimes there were Christmas lights in the studio, too.

What’s the story behind “Melodies of Christmas,” the new song that you co-wrote?

It’s about the melodies in Christmas songs, how they bring back those memories of being around the Christmas tree, opening presents with your family and spending time with people you care about. Simple melodies — like [sings] “Glo-o-o-o-o-o-ria” or [sings] “Chestnuts roasting. . .” — all those songs, they bring back those memories and those holiday feelings. Those melodies really have a kind of magic to them. While the lyrics are powerful, there’s something about the melodies themselves that really leaves an impression on people. That’s what the song is about.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

This year, I really focused on journal writing. I was like, “I need to record what I’ve been doing, so my kids can know my story.” Next year, I want to focus on songwriting. I want to write as  much as I can. Right after the holidays, I’m going to be working on my next album. . . . I’m hoping to show more of myself. What I’ve been trying to do in the writing is show more of my personality, what’s on my mind, my creative side and my realistic side — just showing people more of who I am.

Another goal is to learn to play guitar better

[Via http://archuletavenue.wordpress.com]