Friday, March 19, 2010

I will be Kerala's brand ambassador: Big B

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

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.