Bollywood News Bytes
Compiled by Ekta R. Garg
May 18, 2012
The brand new theatrical trailer and poster for the award-winning film Patang has premiered and can be viewed on the film’s website. Directed by Prashant Bhargava and starring Seema Biswas (Water, Bandit Queen) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Kahaani, Peepli Live,) the Ahmedabad-set film has won acclaim at international film festivals across the globe and will now release in North American theaters beginning on June 15 in a selected number of cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto. Patang was just hand-picked by film critic Roger Ebert for his annual Ebertfest, which screens his favorite independent films of the year.
Patang
Release Date: June 15
Cast: Seema Biswas, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sugandha Garg, Mukund Shukla, Aakash Maherya, and Hamid Shaikh
Director: Prashant Bhargava
Producer: Jaideep Punjabi
Official Site: http://www.patang.tv
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[New York - May 14] The Rajasthan-set comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel climbed into the Top 10 at the U.S. box office during the weekend of May 11 – 13 despite playing in only a limited number of theaters. Starring Dame Judi Dench and Dev Patel, the critically-acclaimed film grossed an estimated $2.65 million from only 178 theaters, while most movies that made the list of most popular films were playing in more than 1,500 theaters each.
Hotel has grossed $3.7 million after its second weekend of release and will now open in additional cities across North America Friday, May 18. Films set in India rarely make the Top 10 in the U.S. The ensemble hit, which was named a Critics’ Pick by The New York Times, also debuts in India this Friday.
Official Site: www.foxsearchlight.com/thebestexoticmarigoldhotel
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After a scuffle earlier this week between Bollywood megastar Shahrukh Khan and officials at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Mumbai Cricket Association strongly recommended banning the actor for five years from cricket matches in the stadium. Khan stated after the incident that his children had been inappropriately treated and his reaction was justified. Stadium officials allege Khan verbally abused them and that he shouldn’t be allowed to escape the penalty just because of his super star status.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India will make the final decision on the five-year ban.
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Dangerous Ishhq, Karisma Kapoor’s comeback vehicle, failed to make an impression on the public or critics in its first week at the box office. Citing a jaded storyline, several film reviewers expressed disappointment at the final cinematic product. The film has been declared a flop by most official sources.
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Superstar Aamir Khan’s new television show, “Satyamev Jayate” has received a respectable but less-than-anticipated response by viewers. Khan’s attempt to focus on the problems of every-day people has garnered praise for its mission, but advertisers and media buyers had hoped for more viewers. As compared to other celebrity-hosted television programs, “Satyamev Jayate” has performed only average in its first two weeks on the air.
