Housefull is a comedy of errors

Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull is a comedy of errors. Aarush (Akshay Kumar) is low on luck. He believes, his luck will change the day he finds true love. Pooja (Malaika Arora Khan in a special appearance) rejects him because of his bad luck. Threatened by her strict brother, Major Krishna Rao (Arjun Rampal), Aarush lands up in close friend Bob’s (Ritesh Deshmukh) house in London. Bob’s wife, Hetal (Lara Dutta), sets him up with Devika (Jiah Khan), the daughter of her boss, Kishore Samtani (Randhir Kapoor). Aarush gets married to Devika but she leaves him for her foreigner-boyfriend. Soon, Aarush meets Sandy (Deepika Padukone) and the two fall in love. Turns out later that Sandy is the other sister of Krishna Rao.

Hetal’s father (Boman Irani) is under the mistaken belief that son-in-law Bob is a filthy rich man. Likewise, Sandy’s brother is under the impression that Aarush is very rich. Things go terribly wrong when Hetal’s father and Sandy’s brother land up in London around the same time. Circumstances force Aarush to pretend to be Hetal’s husband in front of her father, and Sandy’s boyfriend (which he actually is) in front of the major. To make matters worse, Devika’s father also comes to London at the same time.

There have been several earlier films based on comedies of errors. The recent All The Best, for one, had a very similar storyline. But this subject does have some new twists and turns, including that of a man having three ‘beloveds’. The screenplay has several interesting anecdotes but what is lacking is consistency because of which it doesn’t turn out to be a laugh riot.

The problem with the screenplay is that it hops from one scene to another and often forgets what’s been tackled before just a few minutes. An instance in point is the track of the child of Hetal and Aarush. Once the real mother of the child takes him away right in front of Hetal’s father, the writers haven’t even bothered to explain how Hetal and Aarush must’ve handled the situation thereafter. Likewise, the comedy tracks of Aakhri Pasta (Chunkey Panday) and Zulekha (Lilette Dubey) are forgotten as per the convenience of the writers. But the good thing about the screenplay is that it keeps the viewer engaged completely in the drama.

The climax will not appeal to many for the simple reason that while the characters are rolling in laughter on the screen, the audience isn’t. Nevertheless, its novelty factor is bound to go in its favour. Anvita Dutt’s dialogues are extremely funny and witty. Note, for instance, the dialogues of Aakhri Pasta and also Aarush’s dialogue in the introductory scene of Zulekha – Yeh vidhwa slow motion mein kyon chal rahi hai?.

Akshay Kumar gets into the skin of the character and entertains in his own style. Ritesh Deshmukh is also very good. Especially when he pretends to be gay, Ritesh brings the house down with laughter. Arjun Rampal does justice to his role of a strict brother. Deepika Padukone looks bewitching and acts with aplomb. Lara Dutta proves yet again that she can be fantastic in comedies. Jiah Khan looks hot and acts ably in a comparatively shorter role. Boman Irani is terrific and leaves a lasting impression. Chunkey Panday has a superb comic track and he does the fullest justice to it. Randhir Kapoor plays the boisterous father of Devika (Jiah Khan) naturally. Lilette Dubey is extraordinary. Malaika Arora Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez add star value in special appearances.

As director, Sajid Khan keeps the audience completely engaged in his out-and-out commercial drama. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music is already hit. With Farah Khan’s choreography, every song becomes a visual delight. Vikas Sivaraman’s camerawork is splendid. The foreign locations, on which the film has been shot, are heavenly.

Housefull will ensure full houses in the initial weekend, after which it will settle down in the plus category, keeping everyone (producers, distributors, exhibitors and the public) happy. The drought of big/successful releases in the last two months will further help the chances of the film as the public is hungry for entertainment.

Aishwarya Rai’s opposite Deepika Padukone recalls how her ex Ranbir Kapoor used to distract her

All you Bollywood buffs must be fairly abreast of the fact that our very own leggy lass Deepika Padukone had a very open and public affair with the chocolaty Ranbir Kapoor. However, the two have now split and there is a cold war brewing between them as they are no longer on speaking terms.

However, Deepika is one of those modern damsels who won’t hesitate to give out comments on her ex flame if asked. It’s unlike the conservative actresses like Aishwarya Rai who just stays mum and never dares to speak on anything related to Salman Khan or Vivek Oberoi with whom she has had her share of controversial past.

Deepika, on the contrary, feels at liberty and despite the present war recalls the beautiful past with a sense of nostalgia, bliss and grief. She lavishes praise on Ranbir for his excellent acting prowess as well as for his sex appeal as she says, “He’s very naughty and charming. But he’s also very protective. We belong to the same generation so we got along very well during Bachna Ae Haseeno. We would sit and talk for hours together, go out for dinners and generally hang out. He’s extremely passionate about cinema. He’s very knowledgeable about films, a trait I have yet to see in anyone else. He’s my movie encyclopaedia. I don’t know whether he makes an effort or not but his performance on screen looks effortless. I think he’s extremely talented.”
“We started dating after Bachna so obviously he did a lot to impress me. But I think he’s just so self-assured. I didn’t expect a newcomer to be so confident and comfortable in front of the camera. But he can be a big distraction. There were times I had to tell him to shut up,” she signs off.

Deepika Padukone in Namrata Joshipura’s Narcotic Love…Elemental Strength

What's in a name? Well, so much, say designers, who push boundaries to come up with interesting names for their collections.

Sheen Mubarak, Chiconomics, Sex With My Ex, Space Age Sundari, The Grunge Begum, Artitude…. Call it quirky, whacky, daring or playful, designers are game when it comes to conjuring up names for their collections. Direct is boring, and predictable is passé. In the world of fashion, there's a lot to a name than meets the ear!

“The name of a line is as important as your name is to you. It's what differentiates you from the crowd,” says design ace Kiran Uttam Ghosh, whose recent Chiconomics (chic-meets-economy) made fashionistas sit up and take notice. “A winning name is one that's not just easy to pronounce, but also conveys effectively the essence of the line.”

While a good name adds that extra zing to a collection, to most designers, it's the starting point for creativity. Says Nisha Jamvwal, whose Sex With My Ex raised many neatly plucked eyebrows in styleville: “The name marks the beginning of a design journey. When I conceived the collection, I was thinking about trans-generational clothing. It's for women aged between 20 and 50, who are still euphoric about and in love with their teens.”

While Sex With My Ex is downright daring, Nisha's Pure Jeanius that celebrates the versatility of denims, smacks of smart word play. “It was the forerunner to my odyssey through the fascinating world of the round-the-year fabric,” says Nisha.

Inspired by theme

To Goa's national designer Wendell Rodricks, it's the theme that inspires the name and the creative process. “If I do not have a theme for inspiration, I cannot explore the nuances of colour, texture, fabric, silhouette and styling. I cannot understand designers who say they have no theme and are just making clothes. It's important to have at least a working title. For instance, you can't make structured clothes if you are planning to call your line The Wind!”

Talk about recall value, and Wendell is quick to add: “Designers name a collection for recall. Personally, I put a lot of thought into the name. However, I must admit that sometimes designers give such fancy names, and the thoughts are so philosophical that the clothes do not match up.” Incidentally, Wendell's recent Bossa Nova was spurred by Brazil's languid lounge style music. “It's a creative challenge to translate a music style since it's abstract. But, I enjoyed doing it.”

Swerving from recall value to archival value, designer Namrata Joshipura points out that names help a great deal in the records section of any design studio. It also helps the media and the buyers while referring to the body of work by a designer. It helps them understand and relate to the designs in a better way.”

While some designers coin names (think Anupamaa Dayal's Artitude), others indulge in word play (think Kiran Uttam Ghosh's Ethellectic that celebrated Big Ethel's imperfections with a line of eclectic clothes). A few others draw from cinema titles (Namrata's Blade Runner) or song titles (Pankaj & Nidhi Ahuja's Coldplay-inspired Life In Technicolor).

“Both Nidhi and I are Coldplay freaks. Life In Technicolor went with our philosophy of playing with hues. To us, the title put the whole line in perspective. It helped us move away from a predictable palette, and explore new realms. It also helped package the line. For instance, we completed the look with coloured stockings!” says Pankaj, whose award-winning graduating line in college was called Re-Psyched. “It was about recycling clothes inventively.”

Even a cursory glance at the line-up for fashion weeks will tell you that names tell a story all by themselves. “It connects the creations to the clientele. It's not for namesake! Much deeper,” smiles Namrata.

BEHIND THE NAMES

Narcotic Love…Elemental Strength by Namrata Joshipura: Love's like a drug that emboldens and provides fundamental strength.

Vissionaire by Wendell Rodricks: A line for the visually challenged…futuristic in design.

The Grunge Begum by jewellery designer Suhani Pittie: Aren't today's women unapologetically individualistic?

Ethno-city by Narendra Kumar Ahmed: Morocco's Tangier that reflects a combination of modern and traditional architectural styles.

She Was So Dark That She Was Blue by Anand Kabra: Trip into Draupadi's world.

Routes to Roots by Sonam Dubal: Today's global traveller who is searching for her cultural roots.

Spendthrift: Filth and the Misfortunes of Desire by Falguni and Shane Peacock: A soft Goth-Rock chic line triggered by Lydia Lunch's “shameless abundance”.

"I am longing to open Sajid's letter" - Deepika Padukone

A little more than a year after Chandni Chowk To China, Deepika Padukone is pairing up once again with Akshay Kumar in Housefull. This is a first for her where she would be seen with a lead hero again since she is yet to face the camera with Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Farhan Akhtar after Om Shanti Om, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Love Aaj Kal and Karthik Calling Karthik respectively. Joginder Tuteja catches up with the young woman who is all set to have an eventful journey ahead this year starting with Housefull which is conveniently the most awaited film of the current reason.

Sajid has always maintained that he along with Sajid Nadiadwala, Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh have been friends for years. How did you end up making a place for yourself in this gang during the shooting of Housefull?
In fact at no point did I feel left out or disconnected even though I know that Arjun and me were the only new ones in the group. Everyone else had actually worked together in some outing or the other. The bonding happened once we went to London. We all used to hang out, eat together and rehearse scenes with each other.

You must have sense some familiarity with Akshay at least to begin with. After all he is the only actor in your short career so far with whom you are doing a second film (after Chandni Chowk To China).
That's right. I am very fond of him. He is a great professional and a great entertainer. In fact I had signed Housefull when I was working with him in Chandni Chowk To China. I remember that it was during the film's shoot in Bangkok when Sajid Khan and Sajid Nadiadwala came to sign us.

Tell me honestly Deepika, the moment you started work with Akshay in Housefull, did you ever discuss about the under performance of Chandni Chowk To China?
Yes, we had such conversations. However, what was the content of this conversation is something that should remain only between the two of us (smiles).

Another film of yours which underperformed in the recent times was Karthik Calling Karthik. Didn't that overtly disappoint you?
See, I am glad that people appreciated my performance and also happy that critics had kind words to say. Producers too were happy with the overall outcome of the film so no, there are no regrets.

In case of a family entertainer Housefull, you must be having a far better comfort feel about the eventual outcome of the film, right?
I think Sajid (Khan) is good with this genre. I remember watching Heyy Babyy and enjoying it tremendously. What I liked about the film was that despite its comic treatment, there was a lot of emotional depth to the narrative. The film had some meaning after all. The same holds good for Housefull. From an out and out commercial family entertainer like this, you would definitely come out feeling quite good. There is drama, action, romance and above all a beautiful bond of relationships right through the course of the film. It is a film that you would come out loving and enjoying. Even though the film is a comedy, the content has a lot of soul to it.

Talking about the film being a comedy, this is also your first ever actually. A unique experience for you to try out something that you had never done before?
It was a challenging experience for sure since it is a difficult task to be doing a comedy film. You need to concentrate and focus a lot. Comedy is something where sometimes you have to make people laugh without laughing yourself. Sometimes you say the funniest and stupidest dialogues while keeping a straight face. In fact right through the film, there were number of such scenes.

Really?
Yes, there was laughter throughout and the best part was that Sajid himself has such a great sense of humour. He creates comedy as per an actor's personality. At the end of the day, comedy is all about timing. A lot of times it happens that something may seem quite funny on paper but when actors perform them, the impact may not be as desired. On the other hand, the situation could also be vice versa when due to an actor's effort, a scene may turn out to be extremely hilarious.

Talking about the commercial aspects of Housefull, rest assured one can say that it is a solid blockbuster in the offering. You too share similar sentiments about the film's acceptance amongst the audience?
Well, I wish that for every film of mine. After all when I sign a film, I do so only because I believe in it. As for Housefull, I know for sure that it is a very good film. What works and doesn't work on a particular Friday is something that no one would ever know. However, given the right kind of ingredients that Sajid has brought together in the film, I don't see any reason why it would not be considered a huge film and take a very good start at the box office.

Now that's some confidence.
(Laughs) No, I'm not confident out of arrogance but due to the very fact that the film has right content. It has a tremendous repeat value. By now everyone knows about the letter that Sajid wrote to all us actors where he stated - 'Welcome to the biggest hit of your career'. I have neatly filed it in my office. I am longing to open it after 30th April.

Ash, Deepika's South side story

Ashutosh Gowariker’s Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey with Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone is slated for a release on Dec 3, 2010.

Award-winning cinematographer Kiran Deohans, who worked on both the films, says, “First I got to shoot a beauty from Mangalore — Aishwarya Rai Bachchan —in Jodhaa, and now I get to shoot a beauty from Bangalore —Deepika Padukone — in KHJJS. Both actresses have so much in common and yet they are so different. Both are South Indian beauties, yet one is fair, the other is slightly dusky. Both are tall, yet one has coloured eyes and other is a dark-eyed beauty.” The award-winning cinematographer is also fascinated by the fact that both make a striking couple with Abhishek Bachchan. But asked to choose his favourite between Ash and Deepika, Kiran says, “That I can’t do. My lens is not partial to either.” Spoken by a true diplomat haan!

Shammi Kapoor wants another coffee date with Padukone

After her break-up with Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone has been linked up with few cool guys in the industry. But she denied all except her close friendship with this Kapoor. We are talking about Shammi Kapoor who is extremely fond of Deepika.

Deepika too loves to flaunt her friendship with Shammi Kapoor who is the grandfather (Raj Kapoor’s bother) of Ranbir Kapoor. Recently Deepika went to meet Shammi Kapoor at his residence.

Veteran Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor had such a good time sipping coffee with actress Deepika Padukone, that he has asked her out once again.

"Morning love. How are thee? Only get to see you in (Vijay) Mallya match. Another cuppa another day? What say you," the 78-year-old actor wrote in a post on Padukone's Twitter page.

However Padukone, who is busy shooting for her upcoming movie 'Break Ke Baad', politely declined the offer.

"namaste shammi uncle! would love to... only thing is I've been shooting everyday and packing up way past your coffee time," she said in a reply on the microblogging website.

The 24-year-old actress had earlier admitted of getting the surprise of her life on being asked by Kapoor for a cup of coffee.

"I've met Shammiji a couple of times and always felt this warmth towards him and I can feel the same from him. Even his wife has been very nice to me. Apparently he was tweeting me and I didn't even imagine that Shammiji would be on Twitter. But that happened just before I came here so when I go back I'll have my coffee date with him," Deepika had said.

Sajid Khan's Housefull speaks many languages

Director Sajid Khan loves making complete entertainers that are meant for commercial audiences the country over. And this time around with his forthcoming Housefull audiences are in for a treat of multiple languages all in the span of 3 hours of the film.

Reveals a source “In Housefull, Akshay Kumar and Vindu Dara Singh speak Punjabi, Deepika Padukone and Arjun Rampal speak Telugu, Riteish speaks Marathi, Lilette Dubey - pure Urdu, Lara Dutta and Boman Irani speak Gujarati, Jiah Khan and Randhir Kapoor Sindhi and for a humorous touch Chunky Pandey speaks Italian.”

The romantic comedy entertainer Housefull is a story of normal people caught in abnormal situations sparked off by a white lie. The film starring Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Riteish Deshmukh, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan and Arjun Rampal talks of the world’s unluckiest man trying to find true love to change his luck

“Sajid Khan tried to incorporate as many languages as he could into the script and to reflect as much Indian culture as he could into the film. Audiences will loves how everything is so perfectly entwined with great comic timing,” adds the source.

Deepika Padukone: The 24 Day Liaison, that became History!

Actress Deepika Padukone, who became a National sensation with her debut film Farah Khan’s ‘Om Shanti Om’.She gained her fair share of fame and popularity, and then she became popular for her active social life too.

Very soon, after her super hit film ‘O S O’, she literally started going places.. Deepika had gone to Australia thereafter, where she became pally (friendly) with Indian cricketer, YuvRaj Singh.As news about her alleged closeness with the cricketer spread like wild fire, even the cricketer was teased about it, at various events and functions.

Just as the news about the two dating each other was warming up, Deepika came back to Mumbai, and was seen cozying up with Ranbir Kapoor. Then, suddenly the hot news was that the two some had an ongoing hot affair between them.

As news about their closeness was spreading fast and thick, Ranbir was cautioned about the closeness, and as the shooting of his debut film ‘Saawariya’,was going on in those days, the film makers told him to be careful, as his affair else where would affect his chemistry with Sonam,in Saawariya.

That was it! Deepika was ignored by Ranbir after that so much that it just broke the delicate strings of their budding romance for ever.

Deepika Padukone had had a romantic liaison for 24 days flat! And then it was history! Sad  isn’t it?

The prince of good times

He is suave,stylish,sports gelled hair on head and Deepika Padukone on arm.Siddharth Mallya is suddenly all over the place and getting all the looks.Is there more to him than just being Vijay Mallya's son? Will he be able to match his father in business and flamboyance? Our eyes are riveted...

Siddharth Vijay Mallya is everywhere these days. At the IPL after-game party, in the stadium, in gossip columns, mingling with fans, giving away prizes. Being the son of Vijay Mallya helps, of course,as does being linked to one of Bollywood's hottest beauties - Deepika Padukone. Smooth, stylish Mallya Junior, inheritor of the world's third largest spirits marketer - the UB group - is now seen at all the right places. But who and what exactly is this 22-year-old in sleek gelled hair and funky shades? Most of those who know him say there is more to Siddharth than meets the eye - branded clothes and all. His head, they say, is firmly on his shoulder despite coming from one of the most affluent and powerful business families in the country.

People talk of how after an IPL party in Bangalore, the young man didn't wait for his plush BMW to ferry him to his next destination and instead hopped onto an autorickshaw, leaving the five-star hotel staff and guests shell-shocked. With just a few months left for a formal induction into his father's multi-crore United Breweries empire, Siddharth is focusing on little else at the moment other than IPL 3 and his team, RCB. And why not? He was only recently appointed director of Royal Challenge Sports, the arm that owns RCB.

Beyond this public image of Siddharth, not much is known about him. One wouldn't spot him on social networking sites or find information on him on the World Wide Web. That, however, doesn't stop virtually everyone who knows him vouching for the fact that he is a well-mannered and polite lad despite all that he is set to take over.

"The first thing that strikes you about him is his simplicity,'' says proud grandmother Ritu Mallya. "He does not flash his cash. He values money and is a careful spender. Even when he is out with his friends in England, he believes in splitting the bill."

Siddharth's business instinct,his friends say,was sharp even while at school."Those days,we had these little give-aways to promote our brands,'' Ritu Mallya recounts."Siddharth would take them to school back in England and proudly display them to his friends.That was his way of marketing.I feel proud of the fact that he is all set to join the family business. But he is not going to be happy about the salary his father has offered him."

After completing his graduation in England, he was presented to the world when Vijay Mallya launched Kingfisher Airlines on May 7,2005 - the day Siddharth turned 18.Siddharth then went on to join Diageo - the world's largest spirits firm - as a management trainee at its London office. That was probably the first step towards his eventual elevation in his father's spread of enterprises. "Having been exposed to business rather early in life,Siddharth has taken on his role really well. The sheer exposure probably made it easier for him.He has a mind of his own," explains Venkat Vardhan, MD of DNA Networks and a man who knows Siddharth well.

Last year Siddharth moved a step closer to assuming a greater role in United Spirits, the flagship Rs 5,700-crore firm of the UB Group, when he accepted a sales and marketing position at Scotland-based Whyte & Mackay, which United Spirits acquired for Rs 4,800 crore in 2007.

But if it is the Mallya scion one is talking about, someone is bound to throw up the obvious question - is the son as flamboyant as the father? "Not yet,'' says fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla. "But he is with the trends and is shaping up really well.He is not as flamboyant as his dad. His style is very subtle. I would like to describe him as a very intelligent, sensible and fun-loving boy." Fashion designer Prasad Bidappa, who has seen Siddharth grow, agrees with Khosla. "Vijay has brought him up so well and instilled in him the value of relationships. My son, Adam, and he are great friends."

For the all the responsibilities Siddharth has and is likely to add on, it is his personal life right now and questions regarding the relationship he shares with Deepika that is the topic everyone is most interested in. Is there a chemistry? Are they Page 3's hottest new item? Will they declare it soon or play hookey? Or - what a drag - is there nothing to it? No one knows and no one is saying. But during a recent match in Bangalore when the Royal Challengers were taking on Kings XI Punjab, Siddharth,who could not hold back his excitement, turned to Deepika and said, "You are my lucky mascot."

Lucky mascot, lucky boy.

My work should speak for itself, says Deepika Padukone

Post her unceremonious break-up with Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone is working really hard and is fully absorbed in her B-town innings. With almost half a dozen films in her kitty, Deepika is leaving no stone unturned to make a deep impact at the Box Office.

Recently, while talking to a news daily on her upcoming releases, a confident Deepika said, "See, if I am good at what I do, everything will fall in place. If I am honest to my profession, I will get all the right films, endorsements, and fan following and of course money."

It seems Deepika has learnt the lesson hard way, for the long legged beauty has always faced personal loss and professional criticism sportingly. However, the actress does not want to be a part of ‘number one star’ race as she quips, "Really, I don`t intend to get into the number business since my work should speak for itself. Having said, personally speaking, the best sense of achievement that I get is when my work is appreciated. I am making the best choices from the work coming my way and my instinct says that they should only consolidate my career further."

Deepika will soon be seen in ‘Housefull’, ‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se’, Break Ke Baad’ and ‘Lafange Parinde.’