Production News: '3 Idiots' set to release on Christmas this year

Under Production Films

'THE DESIRE' COMPLETES FIRST SCHEDULE Indo-Chinese project The Desire has completed its first shooting schedule in Kerala. Produced by Sharad Hegde under the banner of C-9 Motion Pictures in association with Indish Creations, it stars Xia Yu, Shilpa Shetty, Jaya Prada, Sheetal Menon and Nakul Vaid. Director: R. Sarath. Music: A.R. Rahman. ITEM SONG FOR 'YEH KAISA ABHIMAAN' Producer Gopal Krishna Shrivastava and director Sabir will picturise an item song for YEH KAISA ABHIMAAN on Kashmira Shah, Sikander Kharbanda, Navneet Shrivastava, Milind Gunaji, Abhishek, Shabnam, Aina, Pragati, Usha Piramal, Meru and Mohan Joshi from 30th January to 3rd February at Film City. Choreography: Kanu Mukherjee. Music: Adesh Shrivastava. Banner: Sipra Movies. 'EK SECOND - JO ZINDAGI BADAL DE' PROMOTIONAL SONG A promotional song for Saroj Entertainment Private Limited’s Ek Second - Jo Zindagi Badal De will be filmed. It is slated for release on April 3. Produced by Rachanaa Suniiel Singh and directed by Partho Ghosh, the film has music by Arvinder Singh. Cast: Introducing Suniiel Singh, Mommar Rana, Manisha Koirala, Jackie Shroff, Rosa Catalano and Nikita Anand. '3 IDIOTS' SET TO RELEASE ON CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR 3 Idiots is all set to release on 25th December, 2009. After the stupendous success of Ghajini and Taare Zameen Par, which were released on the Christmas weekend, another Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots is gearing up for a winter 2009 release. Directed by Raju Hirani, the film also stars Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Boman Irani and marks the debut of Mona Singh (Jassi fame). 3 Idiots had already completed its first schedule in Ladakh and Shimla in September 2008. The second schedule (33 days) started in early January 2009 at IIM, Bangalore. The cast and crew will be back in February to complete its last schedule in Mumbai. After the Bangalore schedule, the film will be 80% complete. 3 Idiots is written by Abhijat Joshi, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani. The lyrics are by Swanand Kirkire and music is being composed by Shantanu Moitra. The film is being produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra under the banner Vinod Chopra Films.

Slimline Aamir misses working out

Dropping weight rapidly for his new role in 3 Idiots, the star has stopped hitting the gym.

Aamir Khan has stopped the intense workouts that brought him Ghajini's 8-pack abs - and he says that he misses the intensity of gymming. The actor, currently working for his new film 3 Idiots is rapidly losing weight - and muscle in the process - as he tries to fit into the role of a man in his early 20s.

"For three months now he has not been working out, or working out as heavily because he has to look thinner," said the man who built Aamir's body for him, Satyajit Chourasia. Aamir aims to have a weight of 68 kilos for the new look. For this the star has dropped the weight training but is keeping on the regime that Satyajit gave him to keep himself lean. "He is just doing normal cadio exercises which are essential to remain fit," Satyajit said.

Cardio exercise refers to any motion that raises the heart rate of the body and makes it consume more oxygen. This in turn makes the body break down its fat. Running, cycling and kipping are the three most common cardio exercises.

"Aamir is also following the same diet plan I had given him," Satyajit said. The star acknowledged the role of a good diet in building his body, saying that he attributed 50 per cent of his new body to what he ate.

At the Ghajini success party last week, Aamir told Satyajit that he had been missing the intensity of the workouts they had shared together. "He also discussed his diet plan," Satyajit said, "he is not consuming alcohol or cigarettes because they're not in the diet."Praising his student, Satyajit added: "After having done the diet for a year, he has become a perfectionist."

The star is playing the role of Ryan, an IIT student in the movie directed by Raju Hirani. Based on the novel 5 Point Someone, it is due for release in May this year.

Kajol in '3 Idiots'

After U, ME AUR HUM, actress Kajol will be seen in a Karan Johar film... quite expected, eh? But for some more interesting news, the actor is doing a cameo for another Khan, Aamir! At least that's what the gupshup is these days.

Kads, who makes that extra effort for KJo, SRK or then hubby Devgan, readily accepted to do a special appearance in Raj Kumar Hirani's 3 IDIOTS.

Apparently Kajol has done this role just for Aamir, whom she was paired opposite in FANAA. But what is it exactly that she's doing in 3 IDIOTS isn't too clear yet. It's a small but fantastic role, we're told. Kads?

Looking forward to 2009 in Bollywood

The New Year has dawned with a promise of more entertaining and thought-provoking cinema from Bollywood. Will new milestones be reached in 2009? Here’s a look.

If 2008 ended on a promising note, 2009 begins with a bang, with some big banner movies set to hog the marquee. The Bhatt camp’s Raaz - The Mystery Continues and the Sippys’ Chandni Chowk To China with Akshay Kumar at the helm would be the two scene stealers of January, which will also witness the release of Zoya Akhtar’s dark comedy on Bollywood, Luck By Chance , due for January 30 release along with Harman Baweja ’s second film Victory . Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire , a Golden Globe nominee and an Oscar hopeful, might get released in January after its successful run at overseas box office.

The month of February would see the release of movies like Priyadarshan’s Billu Barber and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra ’s Dilli 6.

This year will see directors like Anurag Basu and Imtiaz Ali returning after a break of one year. While the Rakesh Roshan produced Kites can hit the theatres any time around mid year as the movie is still in the making and its major chunk is still to be shot, Imtiaz Ali will comeback with yet another love story, untitled yet, starring Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan .

Rajkumar Hirani will not give any Munnabhai jhappi, but will return with a thought-provoking film that takes a dig at our education system in 3 Idiots which is based on bestseller novel ‘Five Point Someone’ and has Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles. Most likely, ‘3 Idiots’ would close 2009.

Lavishly budgeted movies in this period of recession may appear absurd but they would be one too many in 2009. London Dreams by Vipul Shah, Kambakkth Ishq by Sajid Nadiadwala , and the Salman Khan -written historical drama ‘Veer’ are some of the celluloid mammoths that would roar in 2009. ‘Kambakkth Ishq’ is particularly special as it has some Hollywood biggies in cameos for the first time in an Indian masala movie.

On the contrary, industry giants like Yashraj and Dharma Productions have few movies lined up this year. There is no news as to when Karan Johar’s much anticipated My Name Is Khan with Kajol and Shahrukh Khan is going to release. Possibly, by this year end. Yashraj will begin this year with New York directed by Kabir Khan and starring John Abraham , Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif . Katrina would also be seen in a love story Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani with Ranbir Kapoor .

Himesh Reshammiya will be back with a movie named A Love Issshtory , again paired opposite two beautiful ladies. You can also watch some off-beat parallel cinema like Dev. D , Aur Devdas , Tera Kya Hoga Johnny , Wake Up Sid , Delhi Belly , Lamha , Teen Patti , Johnny Mastana which has Amitabh Bachchan in the lead, Nagesh Kukunoor’s Eight By Ten or the Bipasha Basu starrer Pankh or Mallika Sherawat ’s nagin act in Hisss .

Some serious directors would dabble in comedy for the first time. Ashutosh Gowarikar is trying some rib-tickling humour in What's Your Raashi with Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja. And Vishal Bharadwaj will return with Kaminay which stars Shahid Kapur and Priyanka in the lead.

And not to forget, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is returning back to what he does best and directing a movie with Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai . Ash would also be seen in Mani Ratnam’s next with hubby Abhishek Bachchan .

From the look of it, 2009 holds out a promising spread.