Forthcoming: Heroine

Okay, after watching this trailer, words cannot express how ecstatic I am that it's Kareena Kapoor doing this film instead of Aishwarya Rai. Mostly because this movie is perfect for Kareena. (And I also never really liked Aish, but that's beside the point.)

As anyone with a Bollypulse probably knows, Heroine is a forthcoming film directed by Madhur Bhandarkar and starring Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. The movie is supposed to expose the "realities" of a the Hindi film industry. I know. As a Madhur Bhandarkar film, this is completely shocking.

Really though, I know this is nothing new. And I know this pretty much looks like a Fashion version 2.0 (complete with the same Mughda Godse). Nevertheless, I am so unbelievably excited for this movie. One small part of it is that I've always loved movies about Bollywood (Khoya Khoya Chand, Om Shanti Om, Luck By Chance, etc.)  The other part of it is that Kareena is a powerhouse and I know this movie will be good because of her.

Now to the trailer. Kareena looks, needless to say, ravishing. Is it too much for me to say that she might be becoming the new Queen Bee of Bollywood? If this movie does well, that may very well be the case. My other favorite part of the trailer was, but of course, the item song. The snippets we see of "Halkat Jawaani" are amazing, and the song is already stuck in my head. I can't wait for the music of this movie to release.

Even though this is definitely a topic that has been covered before, Heroine still looks bold, interesting, and best of all--glitzy. And this exactly how I like my Bollywood to be.

Forthcoming: Cocktail

So I take a Bollybreak for a couple months and come back to a whole new blogger interface and a whole bunch of new movie news to catch up on! As I peruse through what's been going on lately, one forthcoming movie has certainly caught my eye: Cocktail starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and newcomer Diana Penty.

In all honesty, Cocktail doesn't really look like anything we haven't seen before. A Love Aaj Kal vibe with a Dil Chahta Hai type theme. And a love triangle. But I can't care, this movie just looks too cute to NOT be excited about!

After Agent Vinod (which I haven't seen yet, but was apparently a hot mess) I am so excited to see Saif in what he does best: light-hearted comedy. With movies like Salaam-Namaste, Kal Ho Naa Ho, etc., etc., Saif proved his lovable-ness in all his funny roles.

Then of course there's my undying love for Deeps. Say what you want, but this girl has charisma. And this new actress, Diana Penty is beautiful!

Plus, the music seems fun and upbeat. Cocktail may end up lacking substance, but I think it's sure to be a good time. At the very least.

What's your initial reaction?

First Look: Yash Chopra's Next

Almost a full year ago, I expressed my great inner turmoil regarding this movie. It will mark the joining of two polarizing forces: my one great love, and my one great hate. A film with both Shahrukh Khan and Katrina Kaif seems so unnatural. How can something so pure be paired with something so vile? I contemplated this and then decided to drop the matter. We'll cross that bridge when we get there, I thought.

This week, that bridge has come. My chilling fears were brought to life in the form of visual stills. A movie with Shahrukh and Katrina. It's really happening.  I must now face my fears.

For those unaware of the upcoming project, it's a movie starring Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma and is Yash Chopra's first directorial venture after the brilliant Veer-Zaara (2004). It's said to be a romantic and emotional film (clearly this is assuming Kat knows how to express emotion on screen) and began filming on February 22 in London.It's set to release this Diwali.

Currently, I'm at a loss. A movie starring the king of romance, directed by Yash Chopra, produced by Yash Raj Films, and with music by A.R. Rahman is bound to be amazing. Anushka Sharma is also something to look forward to. But will it be possible to love a movie if you detest the heroine? Perhaps. After all, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan was one of my favorite movies of 2011 despite the Kaif.

Right now all I can do is believe that Shahrukh Khan will redeem this film regardless of Katrina's performance (or lack thereof).

And maybe one good thing can come of this. Maybe Katrina will learn how to act.

Source: http://bollyspice.com/38477/two-new-looks-at-shah-rukh-khan-and-katrina-kaif-for-yash-chopras-film

Now let us swoon over Don 2.

This still says it all. I am so completely and totally excited for Don 2, it's not even funny. 5 long years later, and it's finally finally finally releasing. And I can already tell that it will be well worth the wait!

Don was one move that actually warranted another installment...unlike many Bollywood sequels slated for release (I'm looking at you, Kya Super Kool Hai Hum, Housefull 2, etc.). Don was brilliantly shot, brilliantly made, and brilliantly picturized--and I expect no less from its upcoming sequel.

And then there's Shahrukh...how amazing does he look in this still?! He embodies Don's persona to the very core--even in a simple picture.

Christmas can't come soon enough!

(And, I swear, less fangirly posts to come)

Ra.One: The Second Poster

I know, I know I haven't been very timely lately. Ra.One posters, promos, and songs have been making a whirlwind around me and I have nothing to say? Not possible. It seems like the promo videos are getting most of the attention, so that the newest poster has slipped under many radars. Let us examine:

* O hayyy Shahrukh!!! Nice abs! Even if they are probably computer generated, he's looks great.

* Finally! We're getting more Kareena exposure. Is it just me or does she look wayyyy skinnier than she actually is? Probably more photoshopping magic, but she also looks pretty good. Only Kareena can manage to look ravishing in an injured state.

* Does that outfit look familiar? Looks like Chammak Challo is going to lead into some crazy action sequence. Either that, or this poster actually has nothing to do with the movie's story.

* The background looks like Hogwarts. Just sayin'.

* My other reaction to the background was that it looks like a video game. Then I read part of the synopsis and realized that it makes sense (I refuse to read the entire synopsis--what's the fun in that?!)

* "Haan farishtey hote hain..." Getting senti, are we?

* What's up with all this blue blood we keep seeing? I just hope it's not some terrible metaphor.

* WHERE IS ARJUN RAMPAL?!!!!!!!!! :(

This movie is looking more promising with each preview.

Chammak Challo--full on!

Clearly on yesterday's post, I spoke too soon because here is a full 90 second promo of "Chammak Challo" from Ra.One!

Ok so I can't be the only one who's first reaction to this preview was "WTF." That Bharatnatyam by Shahrukh at the beginning really threw me off...and actually kind of scared me. But I quickly got over it because the rest of the promo is AWESOME.

I stand by pretty much everything I said about the 15 second teaser in my previous post. SRK and Kareena both look divine. I'm still getting used to the choreography of the whole thing but, hey, at least it's interesting.

Now on to the big issue--the lip synching. I admit, it's a little weird. Akon's voice doesn't really match Shahrukh...EXCEPT for the Hindi portions, which really do work. And by the time you get to the (extremely well pronounced) Hindi, you forget that SRK really just said "shawty." I do think it would've been best if Akon made an actual appearance in the song though. Also, where did the female voice come from? That definitely was not in the leaked version! I like it though. The female voice meshes with Akon's really well.

My favorite part of the trailer was what it revealed about Ra.One as a whole--it's actually going to be funny! That's something I wasn't really expecting. But this trailer shows that the movie is definitely going to have its goofy moments. And goofy is something Shahrukh definitely does best.

Ra.One: The Shortest Teaser Ever

Here's a teaser in true teaser fashion--a mere 15 second glimpse into arguably the most hyped up song (and movie) of the year. An early version of "Chammak Challo," sung by Akon, was leaked on the Internet a few months ago and ever since then, we've all been dying to know exactly how the song will be picturized. So it's only 15 seconds. At least it's something.

My first thought upon watching this (besides watching the time quickly run down) was how completely breathtaking Kareena looks. I was pretty surprised at the Indian-ness of her get-up. But her traditional look is so sexy! Then of course there's SRK, who looks as dashing as ever. We don't get a close up of him, but his hair is perfection. Seriously.

One of the things I was concerned about when "Chammak Challo" leaked was whether Shahrukh would actually be lip synching to the song--and how ridiculous that would be. From this trailer, it kind of seems like he is lip synching to it, but somehow it's not that bad! And on an unrelated note, the beat of this song is totally hot.

As time goes on, I'm feeling better and better about Ra.One. =D

Forthcoming: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

I love love love YRF, but I hate hate hate Katrina Kaif. So. What do I do with this unfortunate combination? I grow up and accept the fact that Katrina's in the movie, try to ignore her as much as possible, and officially get excited for Meri Brother Ki Dulhan. After all, YRF rarely fails to disappoint me.

First of all, I love this title track. I don't really get the appeal for Imran Khan, but he's cute enough so maybe I'll come around after this movie. The song is fun and catchy, and I like the tributary "Khan" dance steps. He mimics Salman from Dabangg, Shahrukh's "Chaiyya Chaiyya," and apparently Aamir's "Pathshaala" (although I see more of a "Eh Kya Bolti Tu" inspiration?). As an ardent SRK fan I can say that Imran fulfilled the "Chaiyya Chaiyya" steps pretty well...he just doesn't quite have the hair for it ;)

The song promo for "Dhunki" was also released today and is causing quite a sensation:

Despite Katrina's played out New York look and vibe, I gotta say that I like this song. And she does look good. YRF sure knows how to make its promos. At first I was unsure of the picturization of this song vs the actual audio, but as the promo went on, I was sold. And considering I was watching Katrina on screen for almost a full 3 minutes, that's a big feat.

Other cool things about this movie? Ali Zafar! I haven't actually seen Tere Bin Laden yet, but I've known of Ali Zafar through his music--and he's such a cutie! I'm excited to see him on screen and in such a big name film.

Generally, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan looks like a played-out and formulaic story, with nothing new or particularly unique to bring to Bollywood. But, I think that's exactly what I'm looking forward to--a fun movie, with catchy songs, and an overall entertainer. And, I swear, I'll try really hard to look past...the Kaif.

Meri Brother Ki Dulhan releases September 9th.

Don 2 First Official Teaser!

I'm baaaaack! And with a bang, considering that the Don 2 promo finally came out today! After watching it multiple times, all I can say right now is that SRK ain't called the King for no reason!

This teaser has pretty much everything I wanted for Don 2. It looks polished and chic, Shahrukh is embodying his evil character with amazing style, it looks action-packed without being cheesy, and King Khan looks smokin'! Well, minus that long hair, which I'm seriously hoping won't last through the whole movie. Shahrukh's dialogue delivery is impeccable. It's amazing how much he's able to convey simply through his voice. I gotta say, I love evil SRK.

Don 2 has a lot to live up to. One of the reasons why Don was so good was that Farhan Akhtar was able to take a supposed "remake" and put in a completely unexpected plot twist at the end. Don 2 is going to be a completely different story. Will Farhan be able to make it as engaging, thrilling, and unexpected? Judging from this trailer, I honestly believe so.

I only have one complaint about Don 2 and its trailer/poster so far. WHAT is up with that font? The original Don font was simple and sleek. This graffiti art looking font for Don 2 looks like stuff that boys in my 7th grade class used to doodle. What is this, 1995? Whatever, the rest of the trailer is so good that I'm willing to ignore this little hitch.

Even though SRK completely overpowered this teaser, I'm still excited to see what Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta are gonna bring to the story. First of all, how does Roma (PC) even factor in to the story considering the ending of the last film? Who's side is Lara on? So many questions--which will be answered once Don 2 comes out this Christmas. Have I mentioned how excited I am?

Aarakshan Theatrical Trailer

Finally, a movie I am truly excited for (besides this year's SRK releases, of course!). This theatrical trailer for Aarakshan really has me pumped for this movie. Directed by Prakash Jha and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpai, and Deepika Padukone, Aarakshan is a story about caste reservations and controversial policies based on caste--a topic rarely touched upon in mainstream cinema.

I'll admit that this trailer does remind me a lot of Rajneeti (also directed by Prakash Jha) but I have bigger expectations from this movie. Rajneeti becomes largely predictable once you realize it's a modern adaptation of the Mahabharat,  but Aarakshan looks like it will be its own story, with its own message. Interesting, thought-provoking cinema with popular actors can also be a nice change from masala entertainers. Masala films are great in their own way, but sometimes one just thirsts for something more.

Even from a 3 minute trailer, I can tell that Saif is gonna give us one award-worthy performance. Man, is his dialogue delivery intense! Amitabh and Manoj will clearly also be memorable, as usual. And Deepika! She looks ravishing in her "simple" look. But I'm afraid that that's all there will be to her character and she will be largely wasted. Aarakshan looks like it will be a passionate, moralistic movie that will appeal to the masses as well as the critics. The film is slated for release on August 12, 2011.

Ra.One Theatrical Trailer!

I am so incredibly conflicted right now. After watching this much awaited theatrical trailer for Shahrukh Khan's Ra.One I don't know what to think. The SRK fangirl in me loves everything about it. But the critic in me is very afraid that this movie could end up a disaster. Yikes!

This trailer, like the previous two teasers, still reveals very little about the film--which I think might be the problem. This theatrical trailer has no dialogue. It's simply a mash-up of glossy action scenes set to some (very good) background music. We, as an audience, get few clues about the plot and characters. We got a slight glimpse of Kareena (finally!) but nothing about Ra.One (Arjun Rampal). Most sources are saying that the Ra.One character won't be revealed before the movie. Is that really the best tactic?

I really hated the last superhero film to come out from Bollywood (Krrish) because of the lukewarm plot and the childish execution of the entire movie itself. Will Ra.One be any different? These trailers aren't giving me enough information to make a judgment! Most films use the best parts of their movies for the previews in order to draw audiences in. So will Ra.One be all action and no content/substance?

My inner SRK fan is just gawking over Shahrukh and marveling at how good he looks. I'm also relatively impressed with the actions and special effects. A lot of people are concerned that the movie seems too Hollywood-ized. I don't think that's such a bad thing in this instance. I have to admit, Hollywood has refined its special effects and action sequences. So if superior action/special effects makes Ra.One "Hollywood-ized" then I'm all for it.

But still. I'm afraid for this movie. I really really want it to do well, but I don't know how audiences are going to receive this type of film. The trailers not revealing anything except action also heightens my concerns. The only saving grace is that they're just saving the best for the actual movie.

Please, someone convince me that this movie is gonna be great.

Antenna feat. Shahrukh Khan

When I first started watching this song promo from Always Kabhi Kabhi I was pumped up. It sounded like a really good song, perhaps the next hit. Then...they started singing about an...antenna. Really? I guess it's some metaphor for youth culture or whatever but it sounds plain ridiculous. Then add in an English rap verse and the ladies crooning, "You don't know the frequency, why can't you just let me be?" and you've got yourself one of the most absurd songs in years.

It's not all bad though! While the song may be ridiculous, Shahrukh just looks ridiculously AMAZING. He seriously just exudes power in this song and manages to make this bizarre song completely worthwhile. Whoever styled him for this song deserves a big hug. He's back to his "Chaiyya Chaiyya" era hair (yay!) and the casual yet fitted clothes are beyond flattering. Shahrukh proves that it's possible to look mindblowingly hot while dancing to song about antennas.

I think it's kind of sweet that King Khan is using his home production banner and his own name to promote newcomers in the industry. Sure, he does benefit from it ($$$) but Red Chillies Entertainment could've just as easily made an SRK starrer which would've been a guaranteed money-maker. After the music release of Always Kabhi Kabhi Shahrukh tweeted, "released the music of always kabhi kabhi...saw so much hope in the faces of the newcomers....i pray all of them come true post the release." Cho chweet! :)

I'm still not convinced that Always Kabhi Kabhi will be any good, but I'll still check it out at some point. Even if it's just to hear Shahrukh's narration. The film releases June 17th. Will your "antenna" be "catching" this movie?

First look at "Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap"

The Big B is back, and in a movie with an awesome title (although I'm not a fan of the transliterated spellings)! Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap looks like it should be loads of fun. Directed by Tollywood producer/director Puri Jagannadh, the film seems to have a clear Southie feel to it. It should be a nice change from the more glitzy Westernized movies that Bolllywood has been churning out recently.

I do have certain qualms about Bbuddah at this point though. Is it just me or does the movie have a very Dabangg-type style to it? Are we just in for more over-the-top action scenes intertwined with "funny" dialogues? (Yes, I hated Dabangg.) Hopefully Bbuddah will be more than that, especially if Amitabh is involved. But Bollywood does have a tendency to make similar-themed films once one film is a success. We saw a slew of terrorist films, sports films, or films dealing with infidelity all around the same time. So is this just Bollywood's next genre convention? Only time will tell.

Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap also stars Raveena Tandon (!!!), Hema Malini, and Minissha Lamba in lead roles. I am beyond excited to see Raveena back in action, considering her last truly successful film was probably 2001's Daman. Amitabh also looks set to rock this film as an angry "bbuddah." Judging from this promo, the Bbuddah is clearly banking on Amitabh's legendary star status as a way to bring audiences in. But in this case, I feel it's more than understandable. Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap is scheduled for release in early July.

Forthcoming: Heroine

Madhur Bhandarkar's forthcoming venture Heroine, starring Aishwarya Rai, was officially announced at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday. A first look at the film (shown above) was also revealed. Heroine is the story of the rise and fall of a superstar in an attempt to show audiences what really goes on in the Bollywood showbiz world. We've definitely already seen this theme in some of Bhandarkar's previous films like Page 3 and Fashion, but hopefully he'll be able to bring something new to the idea. Regardless, showbiz movies personally always fascinate me so I'm definitely looking forward to this one, which is supposed to begin production in June.

Apparently, Kareena Kapoor was Bhandarkar's first choice for the film, and I'm so disappointed that she refused the role! While I'm a fan of Aish's beauty, I'm not so impressed with her acting skills (though she proved me wrong in Devdas), so I feel like Kareena would've been a much better fit for the role. Kareena has really matured throughout the years as an actress and probably would've been able to take on the role better. But hopefully Bhandarkar can work some magic on Aish.

Also, when I first saw this picture I thought that Aish's photo looked kind of dated. As I was reading more about the film, I've been seeing reports that this photo is actually an old one from a L'Oreal shoot years ago. Well...that's lovely. Not. If you haven't done an official photoshoot for a movie yet, why reveal the "first look"? I could've made this on my computer for god's sake! Nice try, guys.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Bhandarkar-announces-Heroine-at-Cannes/Article1-697184.aspx

Forthcoming: Ek Tha Tiger

Recently it was big news that Salman Khan would apparently be acting in a Yash Raj Film for the first time in his career. Well, it's officially true! Ek Tha Tiger, directed by Kabir Khan and starring Salman and Katrina Kaif, is slated to start shooting in July. The film is currently being marketed as a "romantic thriller" and is scheduled for release in mid-2012.

We all know my feelings about Kat. And I'm frankly getting a bit tired of Salman's one-dimensional acting. But I'm a sucker for YRF films, so I'm actually looking forward to this. In my opinion, the YRF banner just has a style of its own, and one that rarely seems to fail. So I'm optimistic that maybe they'll be able to work some magic with this rather mundane Sallu-Kat pairing. I was a fan of Kabir Khan's New York so I'm excited to see what he can do next. If all else fails, though, at least Pritam is doing the music meaning we should have some fantastic tunes to look forward to!

And, I swear, I'll try to keep an open mind to Katrina in this one. But only for you, YRF, only for you...

P.S. Ek Tha Tiger? Really? Couldn't think of a better name than that...?

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/salmankatrina-team-up-for-yrfs-ek-tha-tiger/785913/

A glimpse of "Shalu Ke Thumkey"!

Mallika Sherawat recently made headlines for challenging Munni and Sheila in her new item song in the movie Bin Bulaye Baraati. Well, here's a glimpse of this "hot" number in a short 20 second clip.

I'll try really hard to keep an open mind once the full song comes out but, Mallika...giiiirl, stop trying so hard. "Razia" failed to create shock waves, what makes you think you'll succeed as Shalu by blatantly challenging the two biggest item girls of recent times? Also, way to completely Murder (yes, pun intended) the signature Sheila move at 17 seconds.

This song will probably be a success, but I really am getting a bit tired of all the Munni-Sheila references and competition. It's becoming overkill. Nonetheless, this song will probably bring some much needed publicity to Bin Bulaye Baraati which stars the struggling Aftab Shivdasani. The movie releases on July 8, 2011.

Are you "Ready" for the first trailer?

The Desi twitterverse literally went ablaze when this official trailer for Salman Khan and Asin's Ready was released. The film is directed by Anees Bazmee (of No Entry, Singh is Kinng, etc.) and is being marketed as a comedy.

My first thought when I watched this promo: why do I feel like I'm watching a trailer for a late 90s movie? We've got dancing in the streets, (possibly) over-the-top comic relief provided by Paresh Rawal, the bashful heroine, and unrealistic actions scenes with a man with...dreads? Are those dreads? And let's not forget Salman's "dhamakedar" dialogues. This is all speculation from an under 2 minute trailer, of course.

I feel like, nowadays, the 90s-esque masala entertainers only truly work when they take a somewhat satirical form (think Om Shanti Om or Dabangg). Since Salman was in Dabangg and it was such a huge hit, I'm afraid he's going to stick to the same type of character or film in order to continue his success, especially after his failures with movies like Main Aur Mrs. Khanna and London Dreams. 

On the other hand, both Salman and Asin look great in the trailer! Sallu really looks young and fresh, especially for his age. Asin looks undeniably beautiful, and I'm excited to finally see more of her after Ghajini (let's not count London Dreams). I'm also looking forward to the music. Masala entertainers almost always have great music on their side, and judging from the promo, we should be getting a good batch of songs.

Ready will be ready for release on June 3, 2011 (haha, the "ready" puns really don't get old, do they?).

Yana Gupta to be the new "Laila"

Yana Gupta is set to perform to the legendary song "Laila O Laila" (originally performed by Zeenat Aman in Qurbani) in the upcoming film Chalo Dilli. Yana is no stranger to item numbers. Remember her kind of awkward, but still memorable "Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo" in the 2003 flick Dum?

Apparently, no "alterations" were made to the original song. I'm not exactly sure what that means. Is the song just not remixed? Does the song contain the original artists' voice and music? Either way, Zeenat is reportedly very happy with the final product. She basically threw a fit with the new remix of "Mit Jaaye Gham" which is a great song, in my opinion.

I love remixes. They make songs fun and danceable. That's all there is to it. No one's claiming to be "better" than the original, so why can't people just lighten up? Also, just because something is older doesn't inherently make it better. I find the original "Laila O Laila" to be a bit dull, and wouldn't mind if it was spiced up a little. A lot of people also seemed to have a problem with the raunchy lyrics and picturization of "Mit Jaaye Gham." Well, take a look at this newly released "Laila O Laila" trailer:

How is this any less risque than the Dum Maaro Dum song? Yana is practically extremely scantily clad in the song and dances pretty suggestively (which isn't a problem!). But just because she, as opposed to Deepika, is in Indian clothes rather than Western ones, how is this any less...well...slutty? While "Laila O Laila" is a more traditional item number, "Mit Jaaye Gham" is simply more modern. As India and the world around it is changing, people should understand that cinema will evolve along with it--and that includes item songs. It's fine to not like "Mit Jaaye Gham" as a song, but I think it's unfair to write it off simply because it's a remix of an older number.

But I digress. Yana seems to sizzle in this new item song, and even if the song itself isn't any different from the original, I'm excited to see what flavor Yana brings to it herself! Chalo Dilli releases at the end of the month.

Always Kabhi Kabhi - Theatrical Trailer

Check out this trailer for Shahrukh Khan's much awaited production Always Kabhi Kabhi. No, SRK is not starring in the film but this youthful venture is being produced by his home production company, Red Chillies Entertainment.

Always Kabhi Kabhi is directed by Roshan Abbas and doesn't star any big-name actors, but instead features fresh, young blood like Ali Faizal, Zoa Morani, Satyajeet Dubey, and Giselli Monteiro (remember Harleen Kaur from Love Aaj Kal?).

I just can't get the hang of Bollywood's rendition of "college" movies. This trailer gives a very Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na vibe (which, for the record, I did not like). I'm getting a really cheesy feel from Always Kabhi Kabhi. I'm not sure what college is actually like in India, but why do I feel that filmmakers tend to make it look more like high school than college? Does anyone really play pranks on professors, chase their friends through the halls, or spend their entire time being "awaara" in college? I'm not too sure. The only film I can think of that actually tackles the difficulty and reality of college fairly adequately is 3 Idiots.

Even though I think Bollywood generally needs to grow up in its depictions of college life, maybe Always Kabhi Kabhi will succeed at being a lighthearted entertainer. Or maybe it will prove me completely wrong and portray college in a semi-realistic way. I guess we'll see when the movie releases on June 17, 2011.

On a side note, doesn't Shahrukh look absolutely charming in this trailer?! That alone makes me want to see the film.

"I Am" Theatrical Trailer

Wow, is it just me or does this film already look amazing? The largely underhyped I Am stars such big-name actors like Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Sanjay Suri, Nandita Das, Manisha Koirala, and the list goes on. It's directed by Onir (who also directed the fabulous My Name is Nikhil) and addresses uncomfortable issues such as homosexuality, sperm donorship, Kashmiri pundits, and child abuse.

Originally released in film festivals in 2010, the movie takes on the format of four short stories (I Am Megha, I Am Abhimanyu, I Am Omar, and I Am Afia) where each segment is a separate, distinct short film. Therefore, if you weren't a fan of the format of something like Dus Kahaniyaan (which I thoroughly enjoyed), this film probably won't be for you.

Interestingly, in order to raise funds for the film, Onir used social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to reach out to anyone interested in contributing as a "Co-Producer." In the end, 400 people from 45 cities across the world made this film happen. Many of the stars like Juhi Chawla, also did their work for free.

Now, on to the trailer. My first thought is that Juhi Chawla looks so elegant and mature. I really can't wait to see her work in this movie. Even from the trailer, I can tell that I Am will be a milestone in Hindi cinema, which is reinforced by the fact that the film is already an award-winner. Rarely do we see such bold and progressive issues handled in such classy ways (no, Dostana doesn't count!). And judging from My Name is Nikhil, Onir's directorial capablilities are a force to contend with.

Be sure to check this one out! For the open-minded viewer, I'm sure it won't disappoint. I Am sees it's Indian release on April 22, 2011.