Zinta talks about new film Ishkq in Paris
The actress Preity Zinta says shooting for her newest film Ishkq in Paris has been her most challenging project so far. "I had always considered Lakshya (2004) my toughest film, but after shooting for Ishkq, that has changed," said the 37-year-old star, who made her acting debut in 1998. "When we began shooting in Paris it started snowing. This affected and sometimes completely delayed our daily shoots. Nothing came easy and we all had to work hard to finish the film." Directed by Prem Raj, the romantic drama is about two strangers who meet on a train from Rome to Paris. Zinta co-stars with the French actress Isabelle Adjani and the Bollywood newcomer Rhehan Malliek. - IANS
Khan's Talaash trailer released
The theatrical trailer for one of the year's most awaited films has taken cyberspace by storm, trending on Twitter almost immediately after its release. The psychological thriller Talaash - in production since 2010 - was originally scheduled to be released last June but was pushed back to November 30 due to Aamir Khan's busy schedule with Satyamev Jayate, his highly successful TV series. Directed by Reema Kagti (Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd) , Talaash stars Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Kareena Kapoor. While there has been a lot of secrecy surrounding the plot, the trailer finally lays it bare: when suspicious accidents repeatedly occur in the same spot of the city, Khan is assigned to investigate and his search for the truth leads him down a dark path. Khan has not been in a film since 2010's Dhobi Ghat, apart from a special appearance in last year's Delhi Belly. - Ujala Ali Khan
Shilpa Shetty on a Bollywood break
The actress Shilpa Shetty says she is enjoying taking care of her three-month-old son and is not planning to return to making films at the moment. "Right now, I'm a full-time mother and I have no time for films. I am on a sabbatical for I don't know how long. Motherhood is such an amazing experience that everything else takes a back seat," said Shetty, 37, at an event for a skincare line she endorses. "Life has changed but it is beautiful." - IANS
Gulf films take the stage in Sweden
The Gulf Film Festival has announced that a selection of 37 films from the region will showcase at the Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden, scheduled to be held from September 28 to October 5. Included are 15 films produced in the UAE, seven of which will be showcased at the Emirates Films programme. The Emirati directors Nujoom Alghanem and Nayla Al Khaja will be attending the festival to present their respective films. Alghanem's Ama is a feature about a woman who arrives in the UAE full of hope but finds herself struggling to achieve her plans. Al Khaja's Wheelbarrow is about a bored young girl who leaves her home to wander into the wilderness. Mariam Al Sarkal's London in a Headscarf, a documentary that follows the journey of an Emirati girl studying abroad, will also be shown. For more information on the participating films, visit www.malmoarabfilmfestival.se.
Film from Paraguay thrills at Toronto
Two Paraguay filmmakers proved this week that a hit movie can be made on a small budget, with the premiere of their crime thriller 7 Cajas (7 Boxes) at the Toronto International Film Festival. The first feature film by directors Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori is the only one from Paraguay being screened at North America's biggest film festival, which ends today. Only about 20 films have ever been made in the small Latin American country. The action in the film takes place entirely in the overcrowded labyrinth of outdoor markets in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion. "It's a very Paraguayan film: the locals' sense of humour, their way of talking," said Schembori. To make the movie, the longtime collaborators secured funds from Paraguay's state-owned cultural centre. - AFP
