Amitabh Bachchan inaugurates IIFA 2010 voting
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
I will be Kerala's brand ambassador: Big B
Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Amitabh Bachchan has agreed to be the brand ambassador of Kerala.
"The Kerela government sent me a letter asking me to be their brand ambassador to promote tourism. I have accepted that and (am) now waiting for their response," Amitabh told reporters here Friday.
He was speaking at a meeting organised to inaugurate the voting for 2010 International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards.
Big B inaugurates IIFA voting
Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Amitabh Bachchan, who counts "3 Idiots" and "Kaminey" as amongst his favourite films of last year, Friday inaugurated voting for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) 2010 awards.
"It has always been my desire that the talent that we have in our country and the place that Indian cinema enjoys in our society should expand beyond our shores. Thanks to IIFA and some of the association that we have, it has enabled us to build the bridge culturally and economically," Amitabh told reporters before he voted for IIFA Awards 2010 at J.W. Marriot here Friday.
"As you all know the voting for IIFA awards in an individual process. There is no jury. It's the people from film fraternity that votes. It's a very welcome change from all the other awards ceremonies that are constructed in our country. PricewaterhouseCoopers is the holder of the legacy of its results," he added.
His "Paa" has been getting many of the major awards this year and his performance has garnered huge accolades.
When asked to pick his favourite film, the megastar said: "I liked '3 Idiots'. I liked the film. Youth population in India is indeed one of the largest populations. What youth want should be taken seriously. '3 Idiots' was a film that addressed many of those problems. Apart from that I liked some of the work that Ranbir (Kapoor) did. 'Kaminey' was a fantastic film.
"Shah Rukh (Khan)'s 'My Name is Khan' yet another exemplary film. I am yet to see the film as I was touring abroad. I have seen the promos. I loved the way Shah Rukh has portrayed the disability... it was away from what he has done in the past."
This is the eleventh year of IIFA celebrations. Bollywoods three Khans - Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman - have not been seen at IIFA events the last two years.
"Some were not available. Some were busy with their early commitments. In my last 10 years of experience, every one, be it Shah Rukh or Salman has come to the award function. May be some year they have missed, but that must be because of their shooting schedules," said Amitabh.
CPI M rejects Bachchan as Kerala brand ambassador
CPI-M rejects Bachchan as Kerala's brand ambassador
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The central leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday said Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan cannot become the brand ambassador of Kerala Tourism as he is already promoting Gujarat, which is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"The Left front government in Kerala will not have the same brand ambassador (who has already been appointed by the Narendra Modi government)," CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
He was reacting to the Kerala's CPI-M-led Left Front government's move to appoint Bachchan as brand ambassador of state tourism.
Bachchan was in the state for a few functions last month. It was during an interview to a TV channel that the actor said he would gladly accept the offer to become Kerala tourism's brand ambassador.
Soon after, the Kerala Tourism wrote to him and also received his acceptance letter.
Meanwhile, Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told IANS Tuesday that "a few social and cultural personalities have expressed their displeasure in inviting Big B to promote Kerala tourism".
"Stiff opposition to this has also come from Delhi and that has surprised many of us," the minister said.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Want to talk to Big B? Log on to Bachchan Bol News
Want to talk to Big B? Log on to Bachchan Bol
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Do you want to talk to Amitabh Bachchan? Well, you may get an opportunity to do so as the Bollywood megastar is going to call up his fans through vogging or voice blogging.
The 67-year-old will call back those who grab his attention with their feedback or questions through a new talk-back feature on his blog - Bachchan Bol, launched a week ago.
Fans can leave their messages, opinions, feedback or suggestions by calling Bachchan Bol on 505678910 and tapping into the 'talkback mechanism'. Amitabh will listen in and comment on his favourite messages and play it out to the nation.
"The talk-back feature on Bachchan Bol makes it truly the first of its kind interactive service where consumers can leave their messages, feedback and anything they want to talk to Mr. Bachchan about... Mr. Bachchan will call back a select few people that grab his attention with their messages for him," Rahul Merchant, director operations-Asia, Inside India Ltd, told IANS over e-mail from Mumbai.
"The same will be played back onto the portal for others," he added.
The talk-back feature has earned wide interest from the actor's fans. A lady, who dropped in a message for Big B, claims to have married her husband only because his voice was similar to the megastar.
Opposition to Bachchan as Kerala tourism ambassador Minister News
Opposition to Bachchan as Kerala tourism ambassador Minister
Thiruvananthapuram, March 17 (IANS) A week after Amitabh Bachchan accepted Kerala's request to become the state's brand ambassador to promote tourism, the move is apparently facing stiff opposition.
"I would not like to name those who have expressed their displeasure in inviting Big B to promote Kerala tourism. A few social and cultural personalities have said that this should not be done," Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told IANS.
"Stiff opposition to this has also come from Delhi and that has surprised many of us," he said. But he did not elaborate as to who were opposing his appointment.
Big B was in the state for a few functions last month. It was during an interview to a TV channel that the actor said he would gladly accept the offer to become Kerala tourism's brand ambassador.
Soon after, the Kerala Tourism wrote to him and also received his acceptance letter.
"What I am told is that in the past also efforts were made to rope in the superstar but it did not materialise because of the hefty professional charges that was asked. This time too everything depends on how much he would ask and also what sort of opposition is going to surface. Let us see...," Balakrishnan said.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
I believe that when one is determined to overcome BigB
Prateeksha, Mumbai March 16, 2010 Tue 10 : 20 PM
I believe that when one is determined to overcome, a just path shall form. I believe that bringing about an atmosphere of ‘everything’s gonna be alright’, actually does make everything alright. I believe that pushing oneself to command gives one the impetus to follow. I believe when you entertain only positive modes, the pluses appear. I believe when you bring a spring in your walk, that the road gets consumed quicker than before. I believe that when pain disables you, you can disable it by ignoring it. I believe that not complaining is the most valued complaint. I believe that words that echo similar sentiment have been heard and read a million times, but when you construct them yourself through personal experience, they read the best.
I spent a bad night. A night in pain due to spasms that kept hurting my spine and back the entire night. After trying out various different positions to ease the discomfort and failing, I sat up and screamed ’shut up’. And having done that, resumed my attempt at slumber. I had the soundest sleep for the following two hours before the alarm went off to wake me for the morning gym routine. This is unusual. Not the screaming, the alarm waking me up. Normally my apprehension of whether it shall work keeps me half awake till the designated hour. But it did not last night, or well, really, this morning.
I sailed into the gymnasium with forced enthusiasm and despite the few odd muscle catches that occurred, by the end of my two hours there was a definite sense of improved condition. The bounce came back, the heat of the morning sun on the lawn was welcomed and the entire day has been spent in spasmless wonder !! I wore a new dress. I changed my watch. I wore a pair of shoes that had been ignored for long. I attended to my car repair personally. While driving to Jalsa I reprimanded a traffic offender. I sang along with the FM radio jock as one of my favorites belted itself out from the speakers on the car. I checked the electricals in the house that were giving us a problem. I unpacked and laid out the various gifts presented to me from the Oman Excellencies. I fixed my computer, discovering during the course that I had been using the wrong cable box for my internet connection. I made calls to people that I had been avoiding for sometime. And … I watched the IPL with great delight…
And I discovered that this was all due to the fact that I pushed myself to a work- out in the morning, despite the vagaries of the previous night.
I am content and painless - both in body and mind now. And I believe that this has come about by the simple fact of putting my body back into routine. When you miss the routine, the essentials of everyday, the spasms of life shall forever bother you and become a hindrance. I had subjected my body to much malaise and lethargy. Lethargy brings about defeat. It nurtures weakness in our confidence and the urge to move forward.
Just as putting your body in a routine gives one the desired energy to overcome, so also does such act, dissolve the webs that may have without adequate permission, entangled our minds.
The day has worked out just fine … and now if you will excuse me I wish to get back to the ‘game’ for it reaches an exciting finish ..
Love to you, love to cricket, love to those that do not understand it ..
News Photos in BigB Bigadda
Amitabh Bachchan Omani dress in Oman
It is not necessary to share everything with your true friend.
It is necessary that whatever you share must be true
I confirm that whatever I share with my friends here on our blog is true. Yes I confess I do not share everything, but whatever I do is true.
The Omani dress in all its splendor and grace there for all to see. It is a little different from what is generally seen with some of the other Gulf wear, but all the same not without its own special distinct character. The head gear is a lot more colorful and does not have the large spread of other countries, nor does it have the black circular rope that keeps the head gear in place. Incidentally that black circular rope is made from camel hair.
Also the tassel by the side of the gown is smaller in Oman as compared with the others and of course the khanjar has its unique position and presence. It is generally worn by all at the time of a formal ceremony, or when there is occasion for an important meeting with say Ministers or Royalty.
But I have to say. No matter where and which Government office I visited, the cleanliness and order was to be seen to be believed. Everything spick and span, nothing out of place - a neatness that spilled over to the individuals too that we met. Quite remarkable !!
The picture that you perhaps will not comprehend above is the act from ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ preformed by artists from Syria, especially brought down to Muscat for the occasion and rehearsed within a week to perform the song on stage. I never realized there were people in Syria that were familiar with our films. Maybe they weren’t and just came in to do an act.
But all said and done, as predicted by one of our FmXt - its good to be back home. A little quiet, but it is home. Abhishek is here shooting for ‘Crooked’ and thats it. Aishwarya shoots in Chennai for ‘Robot and Jaya attends Parliament in Delhi.
In the afternoon it was a promotion of another of our films on release -’ Vihir’. ‘Vihir’ is a Marathi film that AB Corp has produced, directed by a young Pune Film Institute graduate, Umesh Kulkarni and has been getting huge recognition in several international film festivals. It has just come back from the Berlin Film Festival where its showings were capacity full in the theaters and where it received an immense amount of critical acclaim. Marathi cinema within the last couple of years has been coming out with some very exciting fare. Exceedingly well made films with great emphasis on content and story. I feel happy for the young director and we as a company shall continue to invest in regional cinema and to be able to promote fresh talent.
In fond remembrance and love to those that venture into this little realm of ours ; our little world that brings continents, faiths, emotions together. A world that we hope grows an envelopes all those that live with peace and harmony, care and concern, affection and love ..
Amitabh Bachchan
News Photos in BigB Bigadda
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Life is like a boxing ring: Amitabh Bachchan
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who recently met world light-welterweight boxing champion Amir Khan on a flight, says it is a "terrific sport" and its ring is "much like life".
"Did I ever tell you that I boxed in school too? I think I did. In Boys' High School in Allahabad and then in Sherwood College, Nainital. Terrific sport. The ladies do not much care for it. Too brutal for them they say, but such a lesson in life, that four cornered ring," Bachchan posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.
"Alone with an adversary, with nothing to defend yourself with except your own guile, strength and the will to fight. No external support and no avenues to escape. Just that roped square and the screams and encouragement from without. The outside. Never inside, never of any assistance, just words and voices. Much like life. You fight alone and you fight strong. There will be voices, but no one comes in to help or hold. They sound good, but they remain distant. Demarcated and away," he added.
The 67-year-old says he was extremely happy after meeting the boxing champ.
"When I was boarding the flight in London along came the compact figure of Aamir Khan the renowned world boxing champ... who turned out to be an admirer of my films and brought along his family to where I was seated for a keepsake photograph...
"He is a perky fighter and I have witnessed several of his bouts on the TV. Full of spunk and great technique and speed, this little package of immense talent has been the pride of England, of which he is now a citizen," Amitabh posted
Amitabh Bachchan to be honoured at Hong Kong film fest
New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) It's raining awards for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan this year. The veteran is set to add another feather to his cap with the lifetime achievement award at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival.
"The Hong Kong's Asian Film Festival now wishes to honour me before the end of the month. And so soon after I leave the picturesque shores of Oman, I should be heading further east to receive what I believe, not so much a personal recognition, but one that comes to me as a member of the film industry of India and indeed India itself," the 67-year-old posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.
"Yet another moment when the Indian tricolor shall earn recognition on foreign soil. A moment of pride for me, a fraternity of which I am part and a country whose citizenship I cherish," he added.
Amitabh was honoured with the lifetime achievement award at this year's Apsara Awards and Muscat Film Festival as well, besides winning several awards for best actor.
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