The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies
The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies |
- Star-struck for good luck
- Indian acting legend Bachchan celebrates turning 70
- Hearttrob Suriya plays conjoined twins in Maatraan
| Posted: 11 Oct 2012 04:29 AM PDT South Korean director Choi Dong Hoon says he was fortunate to work with 10 A-list stars in The Thieves. HANDLING the ego of one star can already be a challenge, so juggling 10 top actors from across Asia can only be a masochist's delight. In the Korean crime caper The Thieves, writer-director Choi Dong Hoon set himself the challenge of working with, among others, South Korea's Kim Yun Seok (The Big Swindle, 2004), Lee Jung Jae (Il Mare, 2000), Gianna Jun (My Sassy Girl, 2001), Kim Soo-hyun (The Moon That Embraces The Sun, 2012) and Kim Hye Soo (Tazza: The High Rollers, 2006), Hong Kong's Simon Yam (Echoes Of The Rainbow, 2010) and Malaysia's Lee Sinje (Sleepwalker, 2011). The film is about 10 thieves who are after a priceless necklace. Choi, 41, tells via e-mail: "Although many people think that the shoot was difficult because of all the A-list actors, it was the opposite. The experience they had allowed them to be more considerate of others. I was lucky as the director." He is also well aware that the idea of a large group of professional thieves working together to pull off a heist might sound familiar. "I knew that there was a possibility of the film being compared to Ocean's Eleven," acknowledges the film-maker, referring to the 2001 Hollywood movie starring a pack of stars such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt. "But The Thieves is a drama of betrayal, which makes it essentially different from Ocean's." In fact, it was Choi himself who was the source of the "biggest problem" on set as he is not fluent in English. But ultimately, with everyone focusing on making the film together, "there were no problems regarding communications". While women usually get short shrift in heist films, The Thieves features several strong female characters who are "both charming and dangerous". To write convincingly from a female point of view, he would carefully observe women and "their most attractive moments". And when he could not understand something, he would talk with the actresses. Presumably, he could also have turned to his wife Ahn Soo Hyun, 41, as she produced the film. This marks their first collaboration as director and producer, as well as the first film from their production company, Caper Film. Choi jokes: "Maybe it was because of the fact that she was my wife that allowed me to exploit her without feeling sorry. On the other hand, she thinks she exploited me, so we had a fair deal. The important thing was that as director and producer, we were open and honest with each other." Their production company is aptly named as Choi has made a name for himself as the king of the crime caper with films such as The Big Swindle and gambling flick Tazza: The High Rollers. There is a universality to crime stories and he points out: "People basically have great curiosity in crimes. Whether it's on the news or just something they heard about, they need to hear more details. They don't want it to happen to themselves." The graduate of the prestigious Korean Academy of Film Arts names the Italian noir The Sicilian Clan (1969) as his favourite crime film and gushes about "the solitude that Jean Gabin and Alain Delon emit". Made on a budget of US$12mil (RM36mil), The Thieves has been a runaway success at home and continues his winning streak at the box office. With more than 12.3 million tickets sold since it opened in South Korea on July 25, it trails, among local releases, only Bong Joon Ho's creature-feature thriller The Host (2006), which had more than 13 million admissions. There is a simple reason for the film's success. As Choi puts it: "It's because it's fun. The happiest moment for me was when I heard people say that the characters in the film remain inside their heads long after they return home." A sequel seems likely but there is just one tiny problem. He says: "I don't know where and what to steal next. But many people are introducing potential targets to me. Guess everyone is becoming a thief." – The Straits Times Singapore/Asia News Network The Thieves opens in Malaysian cinemas today. |
| Indian acting legend Bachchan celebrates turning 70 Posted: 11 Oct 2012 01:53 AM PDT MUMBAI: India's favourite film star Amitabh Bachchan turned 70 on Thursday, marking his birthday with a lavish celebrity party and drawing hundreds of fans to cheer their hero outside his home. Bachchan, the elder statesman of Bollywood, hit the red carpet with his family on Wednesday night for celebrations in the entertainment capital Mumbai, where he was joined by a star-studded list of 800 guests. Outside his residence in the city, fans gathered on Thursday to present flowers and chant "Long Live Amitabh!" but the birthday boy struck a modest note. "Birthdays are special for all... mine is no different... but (it) would never be the same without your love and affection," he said to his more than 3.5 million Twitter followers. Among the film, business and political bigwigs at the party was fellow acting superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who tweeted that he had "too much fun" dancing with Bachchan and his wife Jaya, who organised the bash. On Thursday Bachchan was due to open a mobile diabetes van at a Mumbai hospital. Known universally as "The Big B", Bachchan made his name as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema. He starred in more than 150 films including the 1970s hits "Sholay" (Embers), "Deewaar" (The Wall) and "Don". Still acting in several films a year, he was voted "actor of the millennium" in a BBC online poll in 1999 and became the first Indian actor to gain a lookalike at London's Madame Tussauds waxworks museum. "I just feel that so long as I have life and I have breath inside me, I should continue to work," he told the DNA newspaper in an interview marking his birthday. Bachchan's legions of admirers monitor his health closely: he was discharged from a Mumbai hospital late in February after undergoing surgery twice for an abdominal problem. He also nearly died following an accident on the set of the 1982 film "Coolie" where he ruptured his spleen during a fight scene. Fans at the time prayed for his recovery, holding vigils outside his hospital and making offerings at temples and mosques. The veteran actor is a ubiquitous figure in Indian life, hosting the local version of quiz show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", supporting charity causes such as protecting tigers, and featuring in countless advertisements. He is set to make his Hollywood debut with a fleeting appearance in the new adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel "The Great Gatsby", starring Leonardo DiCaprio and due for release next year. - AFP |
| Hearttrob Suriya plays conjoined twins in Maatraan Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:10 PM PDT WHEN it comes to big names in the Tamil film industry, it is safe to say Suriya is right up there with the best of them. As one of the most bankable actors today, the handsome star has been consistently churning out hits, with practically all his films in the last decade or so raking in the big bucks. The 37-year-old actor is also known for selecting roles that challenge him as an actor, whether it is playing a tough-as-nails cop in Kaakha Kaakha, a man with short-term memory loss in Ghajini or essaying the various stages in a person's life in Vaaranam Aayiram. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the role in his upcoming release, Maatran, appealed to him, as it gave him the unique opportunity to play conjoined twins. Directed by K.V. Anand, the movie revolves around Vimalan and Akhilan (both played by Suriya), who, despite being born conjoined twins, have strikingly different personalities. While they have learnt to live with their physical condition, conflict arises when they meet Anjali (Kajal Aggarwal). The brothers find themselves having to deal with the fact that they each have different goals and dreams, and how they resolve this makes up the story of the film. Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Suriya, previously seen in last year's 7aam Arivu, shared that one of the toughest aspects of the roles was having to do every scene twice. "(However), the journey with Maatraan has been phenomenal. I am at a crucial stage in my career where each and every decision I make really matters. "This is one film that I selected after utmost scrutiny, and I felt I had a winner in my hands. I was speechless when I (read) the script, it will open a new chapter in my career," said the actor, who has thus far won three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards South. Anand, who has made a name for himself in the Tamil film industry with critically-acclaimed successes like Kana Kandaen, Ayan and Ko, told Indian film portal SuperGoodMovies.com that Maatraan came about almost accidentally. "I read about conjoined twins and their way of life while on a flight. After discussing it with my assistants, I came up with a screenplay with a beautiful twist. "I casually mentioned the story to Suriya (and then) forgot all about it. A year ago, he called me and asked to work on the script." he said. The director went on to say the movie proved quite a challenge to make, telling IndiaGlitz.com that it was like working on two films simultaneously, since almost every scene had to be shot twice. The movie, which will also be dubbed in Telugu as Brothers, features music and background score by Harris Jeyaraj, with songs like Theeyae Theeyae and Rettai Kathirae already becoming big hits. The film co-stars Sachin Khedekar, Vivek and Tara. Maatraan opens in selected cinemas nationwide tomorrow. |
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