Latest news with #Amitabh
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Amitabh Bachchan was handed a CD of a Hollywood movie, instead of script of 'Ek Ajnabee', recalls producer Bunty Walia
After going through a difficult time in the 1990s, Amitabh Bachchan was successfully making a comeback in Bollywood in the early 2000s. During this time, filmmakers in India had no concerns about remaking Hollywood films, even without buying any rights, as the laws regarding these matters weren't strictly in place at the time. Following the trend, Big B was also given a CD of Hollywood movie—but, surprisingly, without a script. The actor who is considered the best actor in the Indian film industry , was obviously shocked when he was handed the CD and asked if he would want to do the Indian version of the film. Inspired by ' Man on Fire ' Producer Bunty Walia discussed the filming of Ek Ajnabee, which was directed by Apoorva Lakhia and starred Arjun Rampal , on Friday Talkies' YouTube channel. Lakhia stated that he was inspired to make the film after seeing the Denzel Washington film Man on Fire. The two believed that Amitabh would be the most suitable candidate for the role if they decided to remake it. Lakhia had previously made his Bollywood debut in Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost, starring Abhishek Bachchan. Pitch without a script According to Bunty, 'I talked to Amitabh sir's secretary, Sheetal ji, and we fixed up a meeting with him. When I met with him, he asked me for the script, and I told him that we didn't have any script, and I handed him the CD of Man on Fire. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo I told him we were going to 'Indianise' it and then make a film.' Bachchan asked, "What do I do with it?" because he didn't understand what they were attempting to do. Walia continued. Their degree of readiness certainly did not impress his secretary. 'I remember Sheetal ji looking at me like I was a fool. We didn't have a script or schedule for the film, and we were trying to sign him for the film. He gave us dates for many months later and told us straight that now it was our job to convince Amitabh sir to do the film.' Despite this, Amitabh Bachchan finally agreed to play the lead in Ek Ajnabee, which came out in 2005 and won praise for his powerful performance.
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Gave Amitabh Bachchan a Hollywood film's CD instead of a script when I went to sign him, recalls producer: ‘He asked what do I do with it?'
In the early 2000s, Amitabh Bachchan was successfully mounting a comeback in Bollywood after enduring a tough period in the 1990s. During this time, filmmakers in India had no qualms about remaking Hollywood films, even without buying any rights as the laws regarding these matters weren't strictly in place at the time. Keeping up with the trend, Big B was also offered the remake of a Hollywood film, but interestingly, without a script. The actor, who is often regarded as the greatest actor in the Indian film industry, was directly handed the CD of a Hollywood film and was told that they will Indianise it if he came on board, which, obviously, left the actor shell shocked. While appearing on Friday Talkies' YouTube channel, producer Bunty Walia spoke about the making of Ek Ajnabee, which was directed by Apoorva Lakhia, and also starred Arjun Rampal, and said that Lakhia decided to make this film after watching Denzel Washington-starrer Man on Fire. The duo thought that if they wanted to remake it, Amitabh would be the best man for the job. Right before this, Lakhia had made his Bollywood debut with Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost. Bunty recalled, 'I talked to Amitabh sir's secretary, Sheetal ji, and we fixed up a meeting with him. When I met with him, he asked me for the script, and I told him that we didn't have any script, and I handed him the CD of Man on Fire. I told him we were going to 'Indianise' it and then make a film.' Walia added that Amitabh was confused with what they were trying to do and asked him, 'What do I do with it?' His secretary was definitely not impressed by their level of readiness. 'I remember Sheetal ji looking at me like I was a fool. We didn't have a script or schedule for the film, and we were trying to sign him for the film. He gave us dates for many months later and told us straight that now it was our job to convince Amitabh sir to do the film.' ALSO READ: Bollywood's biggest hairstylist died penniless, family was left with 'nothing to eat' despite counting Bachchans, Kapoors as friends After borrowing money from his father and talking to the actor, Walia was able to sign him for the film, but even though the veteran actor had said yes to the project, he still had his reservations about playing an action hero. Walia talked about shooting in Bangkok and shared how Amitabh was curious to know why they signed him. 'We had some time on our hands, and Amitabh sir asked me, 'Why did you guys sign me? I am an old man.' I smirked and said, 'If you think you are old, then so many people from the industry should just retire'.' Amitabh's time shooting Ek Ajnabee was certainly eventful, as previously shared by Apoorva Lakhia during his appearance on Friday Talkies. The director shared that while roaming around Bangkok after shooting one day, Big B ended up going to a strip club called Exotic p****. 'I told him, 'Sir, this is Patpong; there are live shows here. If I take you, there will be riots. He said, 'No, we will go.' So, I said, Let's go.' Big B would make new plans every day after filming was over, and according to Lakhia, he would reach the set right on time, even if he had been clubbing the night before. Apart from Amitabh, the cast of the film also included Arjun Rampal, Rucha Vaidya, Perizad Zorabian, and Akhilendra Mishra. The movie it took inspiration from, Man on Fire, was directed by Tony Scott.
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV The Chase's Bradley Walsh left speechless after contestant's truth
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Bradley Walsh took umbrage at a remark made by a contestant on The Chase. The team comprising Fiona, Becky, Derek and Amitabh joined forces to put their knowledge to the test on the ITV quiz show. Amitabh, hailing from Delhi, India, was first in line to face off with one of Britain's top quizzers, Mark Labbett, known as The Beast. Having relocated to the UK just five years ago, Amitabh encountered some tough questions along the way. Nonetheless, Amitabh showcased his impressive general knowledge by racking up £6,000 in his Cash Builder round. Host Bradley praised him, saying: "For a dude that's only been in the country for five years you played an absolute blinder." In the head-to-head with The Beast, Amitabh began well but landed in a tense one question shootout. His run on the ITV show came to a close when he got caught by The Chaser. Amitabh then received the disheartening news from Bradley Walsh: "For you, The Chase is over", leaving the game without a prize. Next in line was Becky from Birmingham, who was determined to leave a better mark, reports the Liverpool Echo. (Image: ITV) After a strong performance in her initial round, Becky earned herself £8,000 and clinched a place in the final. Following Becky's lead, Derek from Wirral also secured his spot in the final chase, boosting the collective prize pot to £14,000. Bradley was completely taken aback when Fiona from Oldham revealed her past TV quiz show experience. Previously appearing on BBC One's Pointless, hosted by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman, Fiona unwittingly stopped Bradley in his tracks. Noticing the silence from the ITV host, she quipped: "I shouldn't have mentioned Pointless." To which Bradley retorted: "So we're your second choice basically." Fiona quickly reassured him: "Never Brad, I've obviously been dying to get on the show." She admitted not winning on Pointless but expressed hope for more luck on The Chase with teammates Becky and Derek. Jokingly suggesting he still felt slighted by her appearance on another quiz show, Bradley mockingly told her: "Not in a million years are you going to win now." He even teased her with an impossible query: "Here's your first question, what's my mum Margaret's third middle name?" before adding with irony: "Pointless! Are you kidding me?" (Image: ITV) After resuming the normal game format, Fiona went on to battle it out against The Beast, managing to make it to the final round and bumping up the prize fund to an impressive £20,000. In the final chase, despite the team's collective effort contributing to a score of 19, The Beast caught up to them with only three seconds to spare. As the contestants faced their narrow defeat, Bradley couldn't resist poking fun at the situation, jesting: "Well, there's always Pointless." The Chase airs weekdays at 5pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Rekha's brief chat with Amitabh Bachchan at Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh's wedding made Jaya Bachchan cry- Throwback
The 1970s- 80s were a time when Bollywood wasn't just about films and songs—it was also about drama, glamour, and unforgettable moments. One such moment happened at the grand wedding of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh on 22 January 1980. The couple was moving from reel-life romance to real-life marriage, and their wedding was packed with big stars. Among the guests were Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan . But it wasn't just the bride and groom who made headlines that night. It was Rekha's surprise entry that grabbed all the attention. Rekha walks in and turns heads Rekha, who was already a famous actress by then, walked into the wedding wearing a stunning white saree, a bright red bindi, and sindoor in her hair. Cameras that were focused on the couple quickly turned towards Rekha. Her entry caused a stir and became one of the most talked-about moments in Bollywood history. As described in Cine Blitz, Rekha walked straight to the centre of the garden at RK Studios, where the reception was held. She stood there, her eyes moving now and then towards Amitabh Bachchan, who was speaking with director Manmohan Desai. After a while, she went up to Amitabh and spoke to him. 'Everyone wanted to know: had Rekha married?' As per Indian Express, author Yasser Usman, in his book 'Rekha: The Untold Story', described the scene in detail. 'Dressed in a magnificent white sari, Rekha had a bright red bindi on her forehead. But what caught everyone's eye was the generous dabbing of sindoor in her hair. The cameras instantly pivoted away from Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, and frenetically photographed Rekha's curious new look. The dull drone of everyone murmuring and whispering filled the evening air; everyone wanted to know: had Rekha married?' Rekha and Amitabh's brief chat After congratulating the couple, Rekha had a short chat with Amitabh. It was only a formal exchange, but the timing and setting made it impossible to ignore. As per Cine Blitz, she 'stood 'bang in the middle' of the garden' before walking over to Amitabh. Though nothing unusual was said between the two, their meeting became the highlight of the night. 'Tears roll down' While Rekha's sindoor look caught everyone's eye, it was Jaya Bachchan's emotional reaction that added to the drama of the evening. According to a Stardust magazine report, 'Jaya tried to keep a stoic front for a long time, but eventually she had to bend her head and let the tears roll down.' Rekha explained the real reason Later on, Rekha gave an interview to Hindustan Times to clear up the rumours. She explained that she had come straight from a film shoot and simply forgot to remove the sindoor and mangalsutra. The 'Umrao Jaan' actress also told that she wasn't bothered by the gossip adding, 'I think it looks rather nice on me. Sindoor suits me.' Dharmendra Recommends Amitabh Bachchan for Sholay Role | How Big B Landed Jai's Role
India.com
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Not Jaya or Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan was madly in love with this woman, became his first girlfriend, flirted with him, love broke up due to…, she is…
While Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is well known in the film industry for his brilliant films and acting, there has been a lot of discussion about his personal life as well. While Amitabh Bachchan was in the news for his relationship with Jaya, apart from many names in the stories of his love life, there was another name, who is said to be his first girlfriend. You might wonder if it would be veteran actress Rekha, but no. Although there was much news of his link-ups in his youth, do you know that his first girlfriend worked in British Airways? Famous writer and film historian, Hanif Zaveri, spoke openly about this relationship of Amitabh Bachchan in the podcast 'Meri Saheli'. He said that his first affair was with a woman named Maya, who worked for British Airways. He said that Bachchan's romance with Maya started in Kolkata when he was working for a company there. Maya used to come to meet Amitabh often Hanif further narrated the story by saying that Amitabh fell deeply in love with Maya. But later, Big B moved to Mumbai to pursue his acting career and started living in a bungalow with his uncle. Hanif said that Maya used to visit him regularly, and his uncle did not like her visits. He was afraid that his mother, Teji Bachchan, would find out about Maya. Actor Mehmood's brother Anwar Ali said this to Big B The author further said, 'Maya was very bold and openly flirted with Amitabh, which made him uncomfortable. When Amitabh expressed his concern and told this to actor Mehmood's brother Anwar Ali (who was working with him in his first film 'Saat Hindustani'), he advised him to separate from Maya. 'You won't be able to spend your life with Maya' He said that Anwar had told Bachchan, 'You will not be able to spend your life with Maya. It will be difficult for her to fit into the Bachchan family, and as you move forward, more problems will arise.' Hanif said that this is how Big B and Maya's relationship ended. Meanwhile, he later met Jaya Bachchan in 1970 at the Pune Film Institute. While working together during 'Ek Nazar', feelings for each other grew between the two, and they got married in 1973 after the release of 'Zanjeer'.
