"I am going home" says 'Kites' Cinematographer

All's not well on the sets on Rakesh Roshan's Kites in New Mexico. The producer upset cinematographer Bobby Singh so much that the he stormed out of the under-production film.

Kites, being directed by Anurag Basu stars Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori. It was the director who brought the cinematographer on board. They'd worked together in the past in Metro, Woh Lamhe and Gangster. And Roshan agreed to have him on board after seeing his work.

According to a reliable source, "Bobby and Anurag are friends, besides being a great team. Basu appreciates Bobby's work and gives him a free hand. But Roshan had his own ideas of how the film should look. He didn't agree with Bobby's style and would interfere in camera angles and light shots etc.

Initially Bobby kept quiet as Rakesh is a senior filmmaker and creative differences happen on every set. But as the days went by, Bobby felt his work as a cinematographer was increasingly getting undermined."

The differences between Bobby and Roshan was affecting everyone on the set. Things finally came to a head on the day when Roshan Sr shouted at Bobby in front of the whole cast ad crew. The source says, "Bobby was fixing his camera for a particular shot when Rakesh came up to him and started firing him loudly.

Rakesh had apparently told Bobby to do the shot from another angle but Bobby wanted to try a different angle. Rakesh was furious as Bobby had disregarded his instructions, and made his displeasure clear in front of the entire unit. Bobby felt so humiliated about this dressing down that he stormed off the sets and took a flight straight back to Mumbai!"

When contacted Bobby doesn't deny the story but says, "Yes I am no more a part of Kites but I don't want to talk about it."

Hrithik to fly high with Kites soon

Actor Hrithik Roshan must be enjoying his daddy's days out, what with him having become father second time only recently. Duggu plans to spend as much time with family, as come July the actor is going to be in and out of the country.

Hrithik will embark to shoot for daddy Roshan's next production to be directed by Anurag Basu – Kites . The film also stars Mexican actor Barabara Mori. Hrithik tells us, "We begin shooting in July, and will be shooting in USA, Las Vegas and Mexico.

"We're going to be out of the country for more than two months. The film will be ready by year end," says Hrithik.

Kites is a romantic thriller. "It's about an Indian boy who falls in love with a Mexican," explains director Anurag Basu. So let's wait for Kites to soar!

Hrithik's kissing scene in Kites

We all know of Hrithik Roshan's next film Kites which is his dear dad's home production. The film starring the actor, American model Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut is a romantic comedy about two people who fall in love without even speaking the same language.

Sources on the sets have revealed that the Hrithik-Barbara chemistry is definitely quite a sizzler. Anurag Basu doesn't want to leave it all up the audiences' imagination and has been pursuing Rakesh Roshan to approve a kissing scene between the two.

Unfortunately Roshan is uncomfortable with the prospect, The director has been having meetings with Roshan Sr for a few days now in order to discuss this very prospect.

"All Anurag's films are real," says a source working on the project. "He doesn't shy away from portraying intimacy on screen. Unfortunately Roshan isn't too sure if Basu's treatment will work for Kites. He isn't too comfortable with his son kissing another woman in his home production. The two have been arguing over the issue."

So will Anurag Basu have his way? Or will Roshan Sr nip the lip-lock talk in the bud? We'll just have to wait and watch...

Rakesh Roshan's big deal

Rakesh Roshan has sold Kites, starring Hrithik and Barbara Mori, for Rs 120 crore. So why did he crib about shelling out Rs 2 crore to composer Ram Sampat?

Rakesh Roshan might have lost on a few crores in the Ram Sampat copyright controversy just before his film Krazzy 4 hit the marquee.

But the tight-fisted Roshan needn’t mope about the loss.
It is learnt that the filmmaker has struck a deal to end all deals.

Roshan has sold the rights for his next production Kites, directed by Anurag Basu, to Eros International for a whopping Rs 120 crore.

The film stars Hrithik Roshan with US-based model-actress Barbara Mori besides Kangana Ranaut.

A khabru says, “Rakesh Roshan is ecstatic. He has managed to sell Kites even before it hits the floors.

The amount is the highest-ever a movie has got till date.

The price has been pushed up because Hrithik has no other film lined up for release until Kites releases early next year.

Roshan Sr has received a token signing amount of Rs 10 crore and the rest will be paid as the shooting progresses.”

Roshan, who is back in Mumbai after location hunting in the US for Kites says, “No deal has been done.” But the khabru insists, “The filmmaker and Eros International do not want the deal to be publicised at this stage as it is too early.”

Keeping the money rolling
Om Shanti Om – Rs 75 crore (Eros bought the world rights from Red Chillies Entertainment)

Welcome – Rs 34 crore (UTV bought the world rights from Base Industries and later Studio 18 bought it for Rs 45 crore from UTV)

Singh Is Kinng – Rs 56 crore (Studio 18 bought the world rights from Blockbuster Movie Entertainers)

Race and Kismet Konnection – Rs 91 crore (UTV bought the world rights from Tips)

Heroes and Tere Sang – Rs 33 crore (Eros International bought the world rights from Bharat Shah)

Rakesh Roshan on the Krazzy 4 music Court Case

I have been observing with great feeling of anguish, some false and frivolous reporting about the matter related to the music of my film Krazzy 4 in press and electronic media.

With a view to clarifying the position and removing any wrong and unworthy impression created by such irresponsible and utterly misleading statements, I think it is absolutely necessary to inform everyone about the facts on record.

This statement, besides unfolding the facts, will serve as a timely warning to my fraternity.

I had liked the music piece of the ad which I saw on TV in which Hrithik Roshan is performing as a brand ambassador for Sony Ericsson. For the purpose of using some portion of the said music in my film, I requested Sony Ericsson and in response I was granted consent and permission of Sony Ericsson by the letter dated 13th December 2007 which I reproduce here

Consequently in good faith and relying on the authorization of Sony Ericsson as per the attached letter, I recorded with the required modification retaining only 4 bars of the 'THUMP' track. I was surprised and shocked on 24th March 2008 to receive a notice from the solicitors of Ram Sampat containing allegations of infringement of his work.

I contacted Sony Ericsson and was told that they issued the letter by mistake and in fact they didn't have the rights for the same.

Before I could think of any solution, Mr. Sampat filed a suit in Bombay High Court framing all wild and frivolous allegations of infringing his copyright of said music piece of Thump.

It was really a shocking development because instead of approaching me to know the facts he straight away went to court. It was evident from going through the plaint and annexure therewith, that he was preparing the suit for a long time.

It is interesting to note that the Krazzy 4 music was launched in February 2008 and the promos containing the alleged infringed work was released on TV on all channels in the end of February 2008. All these days, Ram Sampat chose to wait and instituted the suit in the High Court just a few days before the release of the film.

This was a well planned scheme of making money. Having all the proof in my hand to defend, I was helpless for want of time.

I was required to be in Court when the prints of the film had already been delivered all over the world. Finding myself caught in a helpless situation and to keep up my commitment with distributors and to respect feelings of the audience, I had no way but to succumb to the pressure and to compromise on the matter, thereby seeing that the film is released on the announced date.

To honor all these commitments, moral and professional I paid the price to Ram Sampat who strangulated me just days before the release.

These are facts which will enlighten each and everyone who might have been misled by wrongful claims and have been carrying wrong impression about the intentions and integrity of a banner which is sincerely and honestly serving the Motion Picture Industry and cine-goers since decades. These are also the facts which Hrithik had sent to Ram via sms which he has misused.

While concluding, I would request my producer brethren to be beware of such people who wait to harass and corner the producers just at the time of the release of the film for wrongful gains.

- Rakesh Roshan

Krazzy 4 to release, with songs

NEW DELHI: Krazzy 4 will release with all the songs on Friday. An out-of-court settlement was reached between music director Ram Sampath and the Roshans.

Sampath, who has composed thousands of ad jingles, had dragged Bollywood hero Hrithik Roshan's father, Rakesh Roshan, his uncle Rajesh Roshan, their film company Film Kraft, Super Cassettes, Sony Erricsson and Saatchi & Saatchi to court for alleged infringement of copyright of his music.

Earlier on Thursday, the Bombay High Court ruled that two songs in forthcoming Hindi film Krazzy 4 are a copy of earlier compositions by jingle composer Sampath and restrained Rakesh Roshan from releasing the movie with the songs.

The movie can be released without the songs in question, Justice D G Karnik said.

"To my untrained ear, the music (in two works) appeared to be similar," Justice Karnik, who listened to both of Sampath's works for a Sony Ericsson cellphone advertisement, and the two songs composed by Rajesh Roshan for the film, said.

In a battle that's rarely fought in the film industry, the 32-year-old composer had alleged that the 60-second music titled The Thump he created for a mobile phone television advertisement last year had been copied into four tracks in the film Krazzy 4 .

A legal notice, he sent the Roshans and others though his lawyer, said that "the malafide intent is manifest as there was no credit given to our client for the song and instead, credit was given to Rajesh Roshan''.

Rajesh Roshan, who is shown as the film's music composer/director, had earlier said that the music is an independent creation.

Krazzy 4 fails in the High Court, Roshans to compensate

With the High Court today declaring that the music of Krazzy 4 is a copy, the whole of Bollywood which, today, was, awaiting the verdict with bated breath, is now in a state of silence, not knowing what to do and how to react.

For those who came in late, 29 year old musician Ram Sampath had filed a case against the Roshan brothers (Rakesh and Rajesh) for having lifted his tune of Sony Ericsson mobile and having it used in the tracks of Krazzy 4 without his consent and also without giving any due credits to him. Ram is seeking Rs 2 crores from the Roshans as compensation.

Now that the verdict is out, we at Bollywood Buzz are now waiting with bated breath to catch up with the antics of the Krazzy 4 gang, which releases tomorrow.

Psychiatrists up in arms against Krazzy 4

Earlier this week eminent psychologists expressed misgivings on television about the psychological accuracy of the mentally unsound characters in Krazzy 4. But Rakesh Roshan is unperturbed. "We had a psychological expert on the sets constantly. We went to rehabilitation centres. We saw how mental patients lived. None of them lived up to the stereotypes of Hindi cinema where mentally unsound people are shown screaming tearing their hair and sitting awkwardly. In reality, such people are hard to tell apart from normal people. We've shown mentally unsound people in Krazzy 4 as behaving normally."

The producer feels the protests are premature. "Let them first watch the film. We're in fact going to set a new trend in the way psychological disorder is shown in our films. People should see the film before deciding whether we're in the wrong." He adds an afterthought, "Whenever my films are around the corner some stupid controversy or the other comes up. It seems people take advantage of our name. Otherwise how do we explain these controversies coming up just days before release? Why go to court if you've a problem, why not come to me and explain your problem….unless your intention is to create trouble."

There's a virtual war of words out there, albeit a friendly one between Rakesh Roshan and his namesake Rakeysh Mehra to come up with a viable script for the next film in Hrithik Roshan's Krissh series.

Says Rakesh Roshan, "Rakeysh Mehra wants to make an installment of Krissh for me. I told him he's most welcome to do a Krissh movie for my company and to work on the script. Krissh doesn't belong to me any more. It's become a brand name like Superman. Anyone is welcome to make a film in the series for me."

Rakeysh who has been busy with Dilli 6 has now started working on the script of Krissh. Explains Roshan, "While Rakeysh is doing his Krissh script, I'm also working on my own script. If his script turns out better, Rakeysh will direct the next Krissh film. If mine turns out better then I will. We may even make both the films one after the other. Or I may direct his script…. He may direct mine."

About composer Ram Sampat claiming Rajesh Roshan's music in Krazzy 4 as his own, Rakesh Roshan says, "I can't comment on this since it's a subjudice matter. All I can say for now is, the release of Krazzy 4 cannot be stalled now under any circumstance. All my prints have already gone to various centres . We're treating Krazzy 4 like any of my directorial ventures. Krazzy 4 isn't as big as Krrish. But it's just as important for us. It isn't a slapstick comedy. There're no double-meaning dialogues. In fact, the characters don't think they're being funny."

Rakesh Roshan's parting shot. "People seem to know more about our lives than we do. They've written that Sussanne is going to have twins. That's news to us."

Subash K. Jha

Who'll direct 'Krrish 2'?

So what's the truth on KRRISH 2? Is Rakesh Roshan directing the sequel to the blockbuster hit or has Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra been entrusted the directorial reins of the film? Everyone's busy speculating since neither Roshan Sr. nor Mehra have issued an official statement so far. KRRISH being a Filmkraft [Roshan's banner] property/brand, a clarification from Roshan Sr. would be utmost important at this juncture.

"Let me clarify that both Mehra and I are working on our respective scripts. He [Mehra] had expressed eagerness to direct the film and we had mutually decided that whoever comes up with a better script would direct KRRISH 2. So, let's see," Roshan Sr. tells me.

Meanwhile, Hrithik is all set to begin filming KITES [produced by Roshans and directed by Anurag Basu]. Not much is known about the film. "It's a love story. The girl is Spanish, the boy is Indian and neither can understand the other's language," he reveals the gist. Ask him if Hrithik is concentrating on home productions currently, the proud father shoots back, "He has always believed in working in one film at a time. Post KITES, if there's an offer that excites him, I am sure he won't refuse it."

Taran Adarsh

Rakesh Roshan goes back on word to SRK

When Shah Rukh agreed to do the Krazzy 4 song, producer Rakesh Roshan promised him that if Hrithik’s knee healed, and if he did shoot the same song, then it would only be part of the end credits of the film, and not be used to promote the film.

However, both the songs are now being aired on all channels. Dancing is Hrithik’s forte and pitching King Khan against him in a song is an unfair advantage to the former.

There are bound to be comparisons that aren’t favourable towards SRK, who did the song as a goodwill gesture.

Says a distributor, on the condition of anonymity, “There was an unspoken understanding between Shah Rukh and Roshan Sr that Hrithik’s dance number would only be seen in the film.

But the other song promos were not catching on and the film was looking thanda, so at the distributors’ insistence, he released Hrithik’s song for publicity.

Rakesh doesn’t like putting in dialogues or film scenes so the only other alternative was to use Hrithik’s number.”

The source adds, “SRK did the song in good faith helping out a friend as Hrithik’s knee was in bad shape but now he is probably feeling cheated. A similar thing happened to Shah Rukh even during Heyy Babyy.

Sajid Nadiadwala had promised the actor that they wouldn’t use his special appearance in the Mast Kalandar song to promote the film; but they did. It’s time SRK stopped doing favours to people because ultimately, it’s only about business here and making money.”

Shah Rukh stated that he hadn’t made any conditions about only using his song to promote the film. He said, “I don’t do conditional work for friends.” When asked if he was upset that Hrithik’s song was used to promote the film, he chose to remain silent.

Upala KBR, Mid-Day

Hrithik Roshan can't thank Shah Rukh enough

Shah Rukh Khan went out of his way to accommodate the Roshans by shooting an item song for their production Krazzy 4, and Hrithik can't thank the busy Khan enough. "I'm doing the song for my own home production. But Shah has gone out of his way to accommodate the project because he respects dad. His gesture has touched all of us. It's very kind of him. He doesn't need to dance."

Hrithik can't stop raving about the item song. "It's the best dance track I've ever performed. My uncle Rajesh Roshan has outdone himself. And Vishal Dadlani who has sung the number has also been extremely gracious. He didn't accept the cheque that my dad gave him after the song. He did it for my dad and uncle. As a family we Roshans are overwhelmed by the respect that has been shown by everyone associated with the item song."

Tell him it's because of the respect his dad's banner commands and Hrithik corrects me. "No I think it's more to do with the kind of person my father is. If he wasn't the person he is, Shah Rukh, Vishal and everyone else wouldn't have gone out of their way to accommodate us, no matter how successful we may be. I think my dad has earned the respect he gets. He doesn't command it."

Hrithik further informs, "Shah Rukh's version of the song will be part of the main movie, while mine will be used in the end titles, also on MTV, Channel V and other promotional campaigns for television."

The triumphant Jodhaa Akbar behind him Hrithik is now looking forward to starting his next film with Anurag Basu. "That's one film I'm really looking forward to. I'm a big fan of Anurag's cinema. I think he's a very sensitive director. He's really going to be doing something different with me. I can't say much about the subject. But it will be a different experience for me, though something right up his alley."

The industry was abuzz about Sonam Kapoor being Hrithik's leading lady in Anurag's film. "Both Dad and I think Sonam is wonderful. But she was never considered for Anurag's film. The role requires someone from abroad. So yeah, I'll have an international co-star in Anurag's film."

Hrithik and Aishwarya looked pretty international in Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa-Akbar. "I can't dispute that. It's so true. Ash and I share a fabulous rapport. It's always fun to work with a co-star who isn't selfish. We both gave so much of ourselves to Jodhaa Akbar. Aishwarya has been one of my most helpful co-stars. I really cherish working with her. She is an incredible actor and an even better co-star. And since all three of us-Abhishek, Aishwarya and I-are friends; we've great fun even when not shooting."

Hrithik craves for the perfect chemistry with his co-star. "I don't think it's possible for me to give my best if my co-star isn't doing the same. I try to surround myself with like-minded people. And I think I've found the right people operating at my frequency to work it, be it Ashutosh Gowariker, Sanjay Gadhvi, Aditya Chopra or my dad. I'm fortunate, I guess."

Subash K Kha, Bollywood Hungama

Hrithik to shoot his item number for Krazzy 4 tomorrow

Rakesh Roshan's Krazzy 4 starring Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon in lead roles is all set to hit theatres on April 11 . The film, directed by debutant director Jaideep Sen, is already creating a lot of positive buzz, especially the 'Break Free' item number filmed on none other than Shah Rukh Khan.

As it is common news by now that even Hrithik Roshan is all set to do an item number on the same song and yes the D- Day has finally arrived when the actor gets into his dancing boots. we got in touch with Rakesh Roshan who gave all the details regarding the song, "Yes, Hrithik is shooting for the song from tomorrow (Mar 8). However, the wordings of the two songs are quite different. While Shah Rukh's version would be featured in the film, Hrithik's song would be used for promotional purposes and in the end credits"

Interestingly, while Ahmed Khan made SRK dance to his tunes in the item number, Ganesh Acharya would be choreographing Hrithik's version of the song. Looks like the two songs are indeed a case of being 'Same Same But Different'.

We also decided to get the facts straight from Roshan Sr. on the film to be directed by Anurag Basu for his banner, " Yes, we have finally signed (international actress) Barbara Mori and Kangana opposite Hrithik. The film is titled Kites and Rajesh Roshan would be composing the music. The film should start rolling by July end (2008) and should release around June 2009."

Bollywood Hungama