The highly rated Cheeni Kam director Balki is releasing his extremely unusual role reversal drama Paa on November 13 as a tribute to Children’s Day.

“It’s a film about the child within man, and the man within the child. And I can’t think of a better tribute to the child than Children’s Day,” says Balki who completed shooting the film in England recently.

After shooting his two feature films Cheeni Kam and now Paa in England, Balki wants to return to the country again.

“We shot Paa in my favorite location England. Throughout the stint in Cambridge we were at sea, never on land. I love shooting in London. I shot my first two films there. If I had my way, I’d shoot all my films there.”

Balki took up the challenge of projecting Big B like never before. “In Cheeni Kam I really didn’t have to do anything. I made him play himself. Here in Paa, I had to bring out that child within him which has always been there. We tapped that part of him. It wasn’t easy for Amitji to play a child at heart. Fortunately Abhishek and Vidya Balan too are extremely intelligent actors. She has played such a charming mom. Throughout the film they behave as if Amitji is their son. For Abhishek this was his chance to get even with his dad.”

Any regrets about not casting Tabu again? “After what she did with Amitji in Cheeni Kam it wasn’t possible to cast her in Vidya’s role.”

Balki is not bothered with how the audience will accept the two actors in reversed roles. “There’s no point in making a film, if it doesn’t push envelopes. I won’t do a film that doesn’t challenge me and my actors.”

Another ongoing leitmotif in Balki’s cinema is the music of Ilaiyaraja. “He’s God. He has been a major source of inspiration. I don’t think India has known a better music composer. Sadly one-half of India has not heard him enough.”

For Cheeni Kam, Balki specifically asked Ilaiyaraja for tunes from his Tamil films. “I wanted Hindi moviegoers to hear those times. Even in Paa, I’ve transposed some of his South Indian tunes into Hindi. It’s not that important to be original. It’s more important to do what you believe in.”

Balki is miffed that the Big B’s Progeria look has been leaked out. “Fortunately that’s only a part of his look. No one came on the set to see how he looks on camera. The makeup person was given a computer-generated picture of Amitji. He improvised a lot on that, and added traits from real Progeria patients.”

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Buzz has it that Aditya Chopra may direct Dhoom 3; ropes in Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan…

Reclusive director Aditya Chopra, who is perfectly content to oversee and remote control the YRF empire while leaving the actual direction of the films to someone else, is now excited at the possibility of Dhoom 3, especially if his wish list of actors is satisfied.

Reportedly Shah Rukh Khan, who can never say no to Adi, has consented to be part of the film. An equally important role has been offered to Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik who is fastidious to a fault sometimes, is supposed to be mulling over the offer, even as he stays busy with his home production Kites and his new film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Guzaarish.

Abhishek Bachchan will of course reprise the Jay Dixit of the earlier two films and Uday Chopra will continue to play the lovable Ali who woos all the pretty girls.

But the icing on the very crowded cake will be that Aditya Chopra will direct the film. But, and this is a big but, only if all the said actors are in place.

But then, has anyone been known to refuse Adi? We think not.

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Last year it was dhak dhak girl Madhuri Dixit-Nene who received the prestigious award Padma Shri from the President of India and now this time around it’s going to be the world’s most beautiful lady Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who would be honoured with this award.

Amitabh Bachchan who feels extremely proud of her bahu Aishwarya speaks on this eve, ”I would rush to be in time for the President’s Award Ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Aishwarya will be honoured with the Padma Shri. It’s a moment of great pride for all of us.”

Further the legendry actor adds, ”She will become the 5th Padma Award recipient in our family. First my father was awarded with the Padma Bhushan, then the Padma Shri for me, followed again by the Padma Bhushan to me some years later, Jaya’s Padma Shri and now Aishwarya’s. This must be a record for the country. 5 Padma Awards in one family. God has been very kind to us. The people of this land have been very kind to us. We are humbled and with bended knee and bowed heads acknowledge your affection and care & love.”

Padma Awards were announced on the eve of the Republic Day. Aishwarya is the youngest person to ever achieve this honour from the film fraternity. Apart from her even Akshay Kumar’s name was also announced for this recognition.

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The Bachchan trio of Amitabh-Abhishek and Aishwarya will be back after Sarkar Raj with a film being made under their own production company; AB Corps Pvt. Ltd. The film will go on the floors in the second half of the year.

The Bachchans who pride on brandishing the Bachchan brand were initially set on a script that would have Abhi-Ash in the lead, but with Mani Ratnam’s film taking longer than expected to complete the talk is that the Bachchans don’t want another film with the two coming out in quick succession.

So they have no zeroed down on a film based on the lives of two aging dons and their quest for survival against the new breed of mafia.

The movie is set in Mumbai and obviously Big B will be playing one of the leads. And they are very keen on roping in Dharmendra who has made a comeback to mainstream Bollywood to play his partner-in-crime.

Amitabh personally called Dharmendra and sounded off the project to him and the script has been sent over to the Deol house.

Nitpicking son Sunny is still doing his analysis of the script before he lets his Papa say a yes, but we will be only happy to see Jai-Veeru work their magic again.

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Amitabh Bachchan was presented the Stardust Award for the Best Actor at a glittering ceremony held in Mumbai last night for his towering and intense performance of an ageing theatre actor in Planman Motion Pictures – THE LAST LEAR. Amitabh was especially delighted to receive this award as it coincided with his 40th year in the film industry – 15th Feb, 1969 being the date when he signed his first film contract!

An elated Amitabh Bachchan said, ’’I am so happy for the Makers & the Director – Planman & Rituparno Ghosh; for the faith in the Film & the courage to make something away from the norm.’’

Arindam Chaudhuri, the delighted Producer of THE LAST LEAR added, ’’When you make films that challenge the boundaries of film making, awards become a very important part of recognition. I am obviously very happy and excited. During the entire shoot, for me it was like a young fan watching his favourite star perform! And I feel proud to be associated with one of his career best performances’’. With the screen award for best Indian film in English, the Stardust award for best actor, perhaps it’s now over to the National awards next!

Internationally THE LAST LEAR has been most sought after. Recently in Paris, at the Salon du Cinema, a retrospective of Amitabh Bachchan was showcased with THE LAST LEAR as the opening film. The premier was extremely well attended with all the dignitaries of French cinema giving the film a standing ovation and had all the praise for the movie and all were thrilled after seeing such a power packed performance.

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Vivek Sharma, who directed Amitabh Bachchan in Bhoothnath , has begun blogging after being inspired by the superstar.

Big B’s blog has been a hit and his jottings have evoked passionate responses from thousands of fans from Mumbai to Manhattan. Now, Vivek Sharma has also taken to blogging.

"It’s Bachchan who inspired me to write a blog. He started blogging during the making of ’Bhoothnath’. It is interesting to express yourself and connect with people on the blog. Bigadda is also very qualitative," Vivek is quoted as saying.

Vivek said that he started blogging since December 6, 2008.

"I am sharing my experiences, inspirations, trends in filmmaking, inviting aspiring actors to get in touch with me. I hope to get good fresh actors whom I can cast in my forthcoming films," he added.

Vivek has also set up his own production house, Film Zone, and he plans to make a film with Big B early in 2010. Tentatively titled ‘Buddham Sharanam Gachchami’ the movie, according to Vivek, will tackle the issue of peace and violence in a novel way.

Vivek is presently wrapping up Kal Kisne Dekha which is the launchpad of Jacky Bhagnani (son of producer Vashu Bhagnani ) and Vaishali Desai (daughter of Manmohan Desai).

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Aamir Khan, Yash Chopra, Guests of Honour at the launch of Amitabh Bachchan’s biography, ’Bachchanalia’. How does a man as modest as Amitabh Bachchan react when someone opts to pen a ’biography’ of his? "I hate it," he says almost immediately. But the legendary actor had reason enough to give the nod to Neville Tuli, the Father of Osian’s, a pioneering arts institution founded in the year 2000, to publish and design ’Bachchanalia: The Films and Memorabilia of Amitabh Bachchan’. Osian’s already boasts of an auction house, archive and film house, its world-renowned film festival… and now with ’Bachchanalia’ it achieves one more milestone as it launches its publishing and design division.

Penned by Bhawana Somaya with the support of Osian’s Centre for Archiving, Research and Development (CARD), ’Bachchanalia’ adopts an interesting format for a biography. Amitabh tells us, "It’s not the heavy reading type of book that’s filled with words. This particular ’biography’ is very pictoral and boasts of archaic priceless poster designs. It’s very interestingly done with snippets of my films, and interesting trivia."

’Bachchanalia’ will be launched in style on January 3, 2009 at Tata Theatre, NCPA, 7:30 p.m. The grand event will include Vintage Memorabilia Exhibition from the Osian’s Collection; an Audience with Amitabh Bachchan. And while filmmaker Yash Chopra will be the Chief Guest, actor Aamir Khan will be the Guest of Honor at this exclusive do, where entry is by Invitation Only.

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Amitabh Bachchan has posted few pictures from the shoot of his upcoming film Teen Patti on his blog.

Big B said that his emotions on the sets were so intense because of the recent carnage in Mumbai that he didn’t need glycerine to shed tears, they were for real.

The superstar laughs at how professional he looks in this golf picture. The reality, he says, is that all his attempts at playing were in vain because he is a very poor player.

Big B writes on his blog, ’Crew thinks I play (the piano) well or rather I know how to play. Nonsense ! I do not know anything about playing any instrument.’

The shooting of the film is happening in Pune, of the place Big B writes, ’Poona ! The quieter, cooler, with something about it in the air look, the sober alternative to Bombay, of old world charm and laid back leisured existence.’

Big B sounded a little baffled when he heard that the captured terrorist being called Oasab is asking for him and his movies.

However, on further deliberation Big B dwells on how what he would talk to Qasab about if he does meet him. He has asked readers to send in their responses and suggestions. More than 400 comments have come in.

Big B is in a philosophical state of mind, he further says this about the piano playing, ’There is a joy and an enthusiasm that encompasses you. The adrenalin flows out in great volume. You remain engulfed. Ecstatic. Within and by yourself.’

Amitabh Bachchan was offered the main lead in MAHARATHI but since he declined the part, it went immediately to Naseeruddin Shah.

Actor Paresh Rawal who had directed the original Gujarati play by the same name on which the film is based tells us, "Yeah Amitji said that he had not done such roles earlier and was skeptical about it. He was kind enough to say that he did not want to do it. So it was okay with me. He had his own reasons."

Paresh says, "The play has gone through a lot of cinematic changes. Of course we had to cut out a lot of dialogues so that the audience does not get bored. We also moved the play to a lot of different locations to make it more spicy and crispy" says Rawal."

So was a lot of stuff left out for the play? "Yes, we have been associated with the play right from 1987. It is hard to kill your darlings but then we had to move on because it was a film. Vikram Bhatt was supposed to direct it earlier but he got busy with his production house and suggested Shivam Nair’s name."

The multi-faceted actor has now deviated towards serious roles after a series of comedy flicks. "I want to do a variety of roles. I think it’s time I changed over. I love doing comedies but I am tired of stupid and mindless comedies.

So was production the next step for him? Is direction the next one? "Yes I always wanted to produce films so that I could make something that I really desire to. I will take up direction after two to three years. I have something on my mind and am looking forward to taking it further." Rawal concludes.