SAAWARIYA TO OPEN SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK ON NOV 7

Saawariya, the first Bollywood production from a Hollywood studio, is to open a prominent festival of South Asian films in New York on November 7 and release commercially two days later in over 80 theatres in North America.

Produced by Sony Pictures and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, it is the much awaited debut film of Ranbir Kapoor (son of actor Rishi Kapoor) and Sonam Kapoor (daughter of actor-producer Anil Kapoor).

Saawariya is the timeless tale of two young star-crossed lovers from different religions whose passions almost take them to the brink of self-destruction. It is based on Dostoevsky's short story White Nights.

It is the main draw at the five-day Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival, which will screen 70 films, including diaspora, Bollywood and short films.

The festival's closing film is The Last Lear by Rituparno Ghosh, considered heir to the legendary Satyajit Ray. The film has Amitabh Bachchan playing an ageing Shakespearean actor who takes on the bard's most challenging role. It is based on Utpal Dutt's play Aajker Shahjahan.

The festival will conclude with six awards being presented for best film, best director, best actor, best actress, best documentary and best short film.

MIAAC film festival's executive director Aroon Shivdasani said 2007 marks a groundbreaking year as Hollywood studios such as Warner Brothers, Viacom, Disney and Sony Pictures have started to invest in Bollywood films.

The festival, now in its seventh year, has earlier featured films by Mira Nair, Ismail Merchant, Deepa Mehta, Gurinder Chaddha and Nagesh Kukunoor.

The festival is organised by the Indo-American Arts Council, which is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes Indian artistes in the fields of performing, literary, visual and folk and fusion arts.

BRITISH INDIANS ANGRY WITH ANIL KAPOOR OVER HIS FILM GANDHI -- MY FATHER

Anil Kapoor's movie Gandhi My Father, which focuses on Mahatma Gandhi's strained relations with his son, Harilal, has sparked off protests within the Brit Indian community, weeks before its release in Britain.

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SO WHAT IF SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANY BIG BANNERS TO ABOUT IN TOLLYWOOD, BHUMIKA IS GUNG GO ABOUT HER GREAT ROLES IN HINDI AND PUNJABI

Bhumika's career may not be exactly going great guns in the Telugu film industry, but we must say that she is donning too many hats these days. She has her legs in so many film industries, that we wonder how this dame is able to juggle her dates. Consider this, she is doing a film in Punjabi, called, Yaariyean, which sounds more like Tamil than Punjabi. Then she is starring in a Hindi film produced by Anil Kapoor, called Gandhi -- My Father, to be followed again by another Hindi film Benaam. As if this is not enough, she has done a Bhojpuri film called Gangotri. And in Tollywood, her Satyabhama is ready for release, and she is acting in three more films -- Anasuya, a cute romantic story with Jagapati Babu and she is also acting in another comedy.

But she gives the Telugu film industry its due. "I work a lot in south as I get my creative satisfaction there." And she also says the guys in the south are professional, and wouldn't mind throwing you out if you throw nakhras.

One good thing about all her films she has in her kitty right now have a tremendous scope to excel. You never know she might even bag a national award for any of her films under shooting. Good going Bhumika, keep it up.