(IANS) Actress Nandana Sen feels nudity portrayed by her in the film "Rang Rasiya" symbolises woman power.
"Nudity can be depicted in two ways - when you present a women's body as an object then it's demeaning to a women. The way a woman's body has been presented in this film ('Rang Rasiya'), it celebrates the power of women," said Nandana here.
The actress said she received hate mail after news of her role was leaked.
"Without knowing what the film was all about, or why I had done the scene, I received hate mail for the scenes. There were objections from different quarters also," she said.
Based on the 19th century Indian painter Raja Ravi Verma, played by Randeep Hooda, and his muse Sugandha Bai played by Nandana Sen, the film shows how the legendary painter's partially nude portraits irked priests of that era and kicked a controversy.
Singer Chirtra’s one and only daughter Nandana died in a swimming pool in Dubai. Nandana went to Dubai along with her mother Chitra who is there to take part in the AR Rehman music show.
Nandana was nine years old. Nandana’s death has come as a big shock to everyone and the industry people in particular are very sad with this unfortunate incident. .
Nandana Sen has kept the news a secret for four years. But now we know that she is living in with Ram Gopal Varma's cousin Madhu Varma, (he's also the producer of Ghajini). The actress who has maintained a low profile for some time and has been successful in keeping her relationship under wraps.
Nandana Sen, daughter of Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen and Bengali writer Nabanita Dev Sen, has acted in films like Black, Tango Charlie and Marigold. Madhu, on the other hand is currently in news as he is the producer of Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini. The two are going pretty strong and have been living in at his Versova apartment for four years.
Says a source, “Nandana Sen is not just seeing Madhu Varma but also living in with him for the past four years. They did break off for a while earlier but she is back with him now and they are very serious about each other.”
Adds another source, “I know Nandana Sen through Madhu. They live together at his apartment near Barista, at Versova. I have often met her there whenever I have dropped by at his place. They have been together for some years now.” Nandana Sen was unavailable for comment as she is currently not in the
2006/11/1 6:48:58 While for British beauty Kate Winslet stripping off on screen seems to be out of the question now, Australian actress Nicole Kidman thinks nudity is “no big deal.”
Oscar winner Kidman, who goes naked in new film Fur: An Imaginary Portrait Of Diane Arbus, admits that she is comfortable disrobing to do explicit sex scenes with her onscreen lovers, as long as it is "artistically" done.
“Honestly is nudity onscreen that big a deal? I think you say you're going to do something for a film because you believe in it artistically and you don't censor yourself emotionally," The Sun quoted her, as saying.
“If the love scenes and the nudity is a necessity for the piece and it’s not exploitive then it doesn’t weigh that heavily on me,” she added.
Meanwhile, Kidman, who is married to country music star Keith Urban, has said that she now wants to extend her family further.
The actress had earlier adopted two children, 13-year-old Isabella, and 11-year-old Connor, when she was married to Top Gun actor Tom Cruise.
Though she has portrayed many bold characters on the silver screen, Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra says she is not comfortable with nudity in films.
The 28-year-old, who has done steamy scenes in films like Andaaz, Aitraaz and Fashion among others, says that among the few things that she would not indulge in would be nudity.
"Nudity is something that I wouldn't be comfortable with. Even if I play the most complex and weird parts which are raunchy or whatever it has to be, the portrayal of a character is to a point where it is aesthetically done. It has to be something that I won't be averse to showing my parents. I have to be able to sit with them and watch it.
"Even if it's a film like Saat Khoon Maaf, the thought of the scenes was a lot more than what was actually seen. And that is aesthetically well done," Priyanka, who was part of a youth forum organised by MTV, told reporters here.
Being frank and not politically correct, the actress also said that if need be, she wouldn't mind kissing even a girl on the screen.
"If it was in a part that I was really eager to do, I would still consider it but as of now, nothing has made me do that. Also a prerequisite is that she has to be hot," said Priyanka.
The actress has many plum projects in her kitty at the moment, including "Don 2 - The Chase Continues", Agneepath, Barfee and Krrish 2.
Remember we told you about Dhak Dhak girl's comeback as Shaguna Bai in Bobby Bedi's 'Ganga'? Well... the latest news is that Mads has her reservation about the role and perhaps turn down the offer too.
Maduri had loved the script of the film, which will be directed by Shaji N Karun but we hear that she has some prblem with the nudity in the scipt. However, the director says he’s sorted it out with her after explaining to her that he’s not looking for cheap thrills.
“I can use shadows to express nudity, or I’ll directly use the picture that Raja Ravi Varma had painted. I have done sufficient research.”
Tells Madhuri, "Talks are on, but I haven’t been able to make up my mind. I need some time as many other people have also approached me to do their films.”
But the director has already got his contigency plans in place.
“I will go ahead with Vidya Balan. I know her personally. Even if Ajay doesn’t give his nod, I may even go ahead with a new boy,” he reveals.
We have heard of heroines backing off and refusing to do do kissing scenes in bollywood. But according to the source on the sets of "STRANGERS", surprisingly Jimmy Shergill backed out of the lip lock scene with Nandana Sen on the day of the shoot.
According to reports, it was supposed to a very emotional intimate moment between Jimmy and Nandana that culminates in the lip lock. Director Anand Rai had earlier explained to Jimmy about the scene which required the actors to kiss. Though the director was a bit skeptical whether Nandana would do it, he was apparently caught off guard when Jimmy refused to do it.
But director Anand Rai justifies his lead actor, " Though I had explained the scene, I understand that actor sometime are not comfortable doing intimate scenes on screen. When I set out to make Strangers, I was clear that my film was about relationship. Therefore a kissing scene with Nandana or the semi-nude scene of Sonali Kulkarni, though important for the emotional turmoil the character goes, I was always flexible for options and pointers from the star cast."
When Jimmy was asked for his reaction he clarified that, when he heard the initial narration from the director he was sure, it wasn't a must do sequence in the film and made it clear that he didn't want to do it. According to him even the director understood it and was cool about the whole issue.
Lip lock or no lip lock in STRANGERS seems like Jimmy Shergill joins the bandwagon of actors like Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan who do not kiss on screen!!
STRANGERS produced by Sahara One Motion Pictures is slotted to release on December 7th 2007.
2006/12/6 12:33:34 SHE is a Bollywood star from a strict Muslim background whose choice of career deeply distresses her family.
Now, Sofia Hayat has gone way too far by the cautious standards of Bollywood filmmakers with a head-turning appearance in London.
There were suggestions last night that the British-based, 25-year-old's near-nudity at the premiere of Kate Winslet's movie The Holiday may have destroyed her prospects in the multi-million-dollar Indian film industry.
"Dear Sofia, it's all very nice and all very daring to appear like this and it must be all very pleasing to the viewers in London," a film critic wrote in a leading Indian newspaper.
"But I'm afraid that it just doesn't work in India and this could spell the end for her Bollywood career."
Indians are still conservative - some might say Victorian - in theirapproach even to kissing on thesilver screen.
Despite the ultra-sexy dance routines of Bollywood movies, taboos and conventions abound - and the sort of erotic nudity displayed by Hayat in London is a strict no-no.
Even on the streets of India's major cities, one is hard-pressed to spot a young woman in a knee-grazing skirt, let alone the barely-there crocheted wrap that left little of the actor to the public's imagination.
The 1.66m actress began acting and singing early and has a degree in the performing arts and music.
According to her biography, Hayat's Islamic family disapproved of her choice of career and disowned her.
"Because she was abandoned by her family, she became a very strong, independent woman who at times can be vulnerable. Acting is Sofia's triumph, love, escape and reality," the IMDB movie website said of the woman who directed and starred in her own movie at the age of 17 and loves to play Mozart on a recorder.
But it may create problems for the daring young actor.
"Bollywood can only go as far as the viewers and cinemagoers will allow it to go and at the moment that is well short of the sort of nudity displayed by Sofia in London," the film critic said.
The former TV presenter, who admitted that she has sacrificed her relationship with her family to follow a career in showbiz, has been quoted as saying: "I'm really sad that the Asian community don't look at music, dance and arts as something that's respectable. If your daughter is a doctor or a lawyer it is respectable, but if you're an artist, don't talk about it."
Bengali babe Nandana Dev Sen has been literally living out of a suitcase; so much so, that Sen is now looking forward to spend this year with her family.
“Last year, I got very little time to spend with my family because I was travelling and shooting in too many continents. My strongest resolution and greatest wish for the new year is to stay home and spend as much time with my loved ones as I can!” Nandana exclaims.
But with her hands full this year it is unlikely that she will be able to do what she has resolved. More so when Sen is all charged up for shooting her next Hollywood movie.
Nandana’s upcoming film ‘The Forest’ is being produced out of Hollywood by academy award winning actor Richard Dreyfuss.
“2008 is a brave new year for me. Because coincidentally, in all my upcoming releases I play girls who break the rules — whether in Ketan Mehta’s ‘Rang Rasiya’, the Hollywood-produced thriller ‘The Forest’, or the British-South-African drama, ‘The World Unseen’,” says Nandana.
When quizzed about her role in ‘The Forest’, she says, “We were lucky to have a producer like him (Richard) and his partner, Judith James. Radha (her character in ‘Rang Rasaiya’) is entirely different from Preity (‘The Forest’) - the only thing they have in common is that both Radha and Preity are the object of two men’s desire!”
“Radha is not an outwardly emotional creature but a cerebral, city-sexy, tough-talking, gun-wielding girl who hides a tender heart. While Preity is a romantic who’s disillusioned in love. Radha is a pragmatist who rediscovers love,” she adds.
Nandana is earning the reputation of getting ‘bold’. But that doesn’t worry her. In fact, she says that she’s getting bolder in her forthcoming releases.
“It’s funny how we’ve become used to euphemisms. Going by our terminology, no films would be bolder than pornography!,” she reacts adding, “Acting is a bold profession — what can be bolder than baring your heart and soul to the world? That said, as a professional actor I have no issues being ‘bold’ in every way. If you think ‘Strangers’ is bold, just wait for ‘The Forest’ and ‘Rang Rasiya’! she signs off.
Babylona, who is as well known for her glamour-show as she is for her real-life controversies, is playing the role of a housewife in a new film. The film in question is probably one of the most troublesome films in the history of South Indian film industry. Kaadhal Arangam is the name of the film and its shooting began about two years ago.
The film's director, Velu Prabhakar claims that it is an attempt to remove all misconceptions about the male-female relationship. He also says that lust and obsession with nudity exists only because everybody makes such a huge fuss about it. That probably was the reason why he had used excessive nudity in the film (Babylona is not the one who prances about naked in the scenes).
One top actress has already developed cold feet in accepting the role that requires some nudity.
Filmmaker Shaji Karun might be keeping his fingers crossed for his film ‘Suryamukhi’ which has been facing delays because no actress has yet given her nod to the role that will include a few nude scenes.
This time, Vidya Balan is said to be in the reckoning for the role which has previously been offered to Madhuri Dixit , who refused to do the same because of the demand of nudity.
‘Suryamukhi’ is about the legendary painter Raja Ravi Verma and his inspiration Sugunabai, who often posed clothes-less for the painter’s nude paintings.
Although Shaji Karun has made it clear that the nude scenes will be shot on the body-double and he might use other visual metaphors like nude paintings and shadows to depict nudity in the film, no actress has yet committed to the project out of fear of damage to her reputation.
Vidya Balan, the Lolita of Parineeta , has been stamped as a non-glamorous actress in the industry and to get rid of this label she might accept the role considering she may come into the league of top actresses as the same role was offered to one of the industry’s leading ladies.
There is no vulgarity in nudity, said Poonam Pandey, the model whose offer to go nude before Team India if they won the Cricket World Cup shot the mercury up for the India-Sri Lanka final in Mumbai.
"We were all born nude. People take nudity as vulgarity. I see it in a different way. If I keep it as an offer for bringing the World Cup to India, which incidentally worked (laughs), I see no harm in it," Pandey told reporters in an interview.
The model`s offer hit the headlines prior to the April 2 World Cup final in Mumbai. A court case was also filed against her over the issue.
"After such a long time Team India was again very close to winning the World Cup and I truly wanted to them to be successful. It (going nude in front of the team) was a sort of offering from my side to our cricketers," Pandey told reporters in an interview.
Does she believe that Team India won the World Cup just so it did not miss her offering?
"No, I won`t say that. But I had prayed to God that if India brings the Cup I would strip in front of the team. I am yet to fulfil my commitment though," Pandey said.
But her parents were certainly upset.
"Frankly, when I gave the statement my parents felt very bad. But when I explained to them why I made the offer, they were relieved a bit," she said.
Pandey, an aspiring actress, is one of the contestants in the fourth season of the action adventure reality show `Khatron Ke Khilladi`.
If she could face the whole country over the nudity controversy, competing 12 pairs of contestants in the "Khatron ke.." show is nothing, the model said.
"I am not afraid of anyone. I wasn`t afraid when whole India was after me. There is no chance I fear a bit about the 12 pairs of contestants. On the contrary, I would love to make people fear me," said Pandey.
Asked if she has any particular plan if she wins the reality show, Pandey said: "I want to keep it a surprise."
Woman devotees of Sathya Sai Baba are now at the receiving end of the lathis of the police. The woman devotees have been camping in Puttaparthi for the last one month but could not get a glimpse of Baba when he was alive.
Now when they are trying to pay their homage to Baba, the cops are harassing them. The woman devotees were latch charged when they tried to enter Sai Kulwant Hall where Baba’s mortal remains have now been kept.
There are no woman constables and the woman devotes are shocked and hurt by the way the cops are treating them. Still not a single devotee is ready to leave Puttaparthi without paying last respects to Baba.
2011/11/16 10:06:33 (IANS) Actress Nandana Sen is overwhelmed at the response that her film "Rang Rasiya" received at a special screening at the ongoing 17th Kolkata Film festival.
The film was screened at an over-crowded theatre here and those who couldn't get a seat watched the entire movie while standing.
"I am simply overwhelmed at the response that the audience of Kolkata has given to my film. The audience was fantastic. People from every walk of life came to the film festival to watch the movie. Several people even watched the whole movie standing as they couldn't manage to get a seat," said Nandana while talking to reporters after the screening of her film Tuesday.
"It's really fascinating to see so many people have come to see my movie," added the actress.
Directed by Ketan Mehta, "Rang Rasiya" is based on 19th century painter Raja Ravi Verma, played by Randeep Hooda, and his muse Sugandha Bai, played by Nandana.
The movies shows how Ravi Verma painted Sugandha Bai partially nude in his portraits which later kicked a storm fuelled by religious priests. It also shows how pictures of goddess painted by Ravi Verma had courted controversy during that period.
Asked what she feels about the late painter M.F. Hussian, who also faced similar protests for drawing nude pictures of Indian goddess, she said: "It really hurts that such a legendary painter had to die in self-imposed exile outside India. It's very painful."
Katrina Kaif voted the Sexiest Woman in the World 2011
2011/6/8 5:21:43
Katrina Kaif yet again tops the list of the Sexiest Women 2011 conducted by the world’s largest men’s lifestyle magazine –FHM. The FHM 100 Sexiest Women poll is based entirely on online polls and SMS with a whopping number of over 35,000 entries being cast this year. Katrina Kaif has previously been voted the Sexiest Woman in the World by FHM India in 2008 and 2009.
Kabeer Sharma, Executive Editor of FHM India says “We’d love to say 2011 was a close contest…only Sheila made sure it was far from. A feat that becomes even more significant because no woman in the world across all 28 editions of FHM has ever won the Sexiest Woman in the World title three times in the last 17 years that we've been making the list. Her average is higher than Sachin Tendulkar’s and she replaces Deepika Padukone who won the crown in 2010,”
Katrina Kaif is the toast of the season as not too long ago she was the only Bollywood Actress to feature on the India Today’s Elite Power list and has the most Google searches than any other Indian celebrity.If that wasn’t all Katrina was immortalized by Mattel who created a one-of a-kind ‘I Can Be a Movie Star’ Barbie Doll sketched on her image.
New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) He can make girls go weak in their knees with his looks, dimpled smile and sculpted body. But John Abraham says he never had the guts to go up to a woman and express his feelings.
"All through my growing years, I've always had crushes on women who never reciprocated my feelings, but went after my friends. I never had the guts or the right time to go up to a woman and tell her that I really like her," said John, who has been voted as India's sexiest bachelor by Big CBS Prime.
John, who broke up with actress Bipasha Basu after an eight-year relationship, never even tried a pick up line on women.
"I never tried a pick up line on a woman because I think no woman deserves a pick up line, very honestly," John said.
An unidentified woman fell into the valley in Tirumala. The mishap occurred when the woman who was on her way by foot to Tirumala slipped and fell into the valley.
The mishap occurred near the first ghat road near Avvachary kona. The pilgrims who noticed this immediately informed the TTD authorities. The fire brigade and other rescue personnel have reached the spot and are trying to rescue the woman.
Thousands of devotees from all over the country and abroad watched 'Kumari Puja' or the worship of a prepubescent girl on Mahashtami Tuesday at Belur Math -- the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
People thronged Durga Puja pandals (marquees) across West Bengal to make offerings and participate in the worship of pre-pubescent girls. Chanting hymns, the young and the old offered anjali (prayer) and stood in long queues before idols of the goddess Durga.
Belur Math in Kolkata's twin district Howrah, about 10 km from here, saw a sea of humanity as people watched the monks worship a Kumari as the 'Mother Goddess'. The sacred ritual is an integral part of Mahashtami.
According to Hindu mythology, Kumari Puja was started to establish the value of women. The maiden who is worshipped symbolises the power that regulates creation, stability and destruction on the earth.
Kumari Puja was resurrected by spiritual leader Ramakrishna Paramahansa in the late 19th century. (IANS)
2011/9/22 12:12:52 The Special Team of DCP South Zone on Thursday arrested a woman who used to cheat the innocent people on the pretext of black magic and magical cures.
The woman, Musheda Sultana, alias Baji, was arrested from her residence at Ghazibanda. Police have also seized the material that is normally used in performing black magic. A case has been registered and further investigations are on. (INN)
Randeep Hooda. He is amused by all the stories linking him to various co-stars, Raima Sen being the latest. He laughs, "I don't know what is with me and these Bengali women. Many of my co-stars so far have been Bengalis and yes, I've been closely linked with Bengali women from childhood. I had Bengali female friends in school. As for Raima, she's my co-star in Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye. She's a nice sweet little girl. It's been fun working with her. But I've another Sen, Nandana working with me in Rang Rasiya and Riya Sen in a film tentatively titled Love Game. There's another Bengali, Rituparna Sengupta in two films. Bengali women are astute and smart."
Randeep had the dubious honour of working with both the sister Raima and Riya. "Both are good fun, sweet and interesting. But sorry, no relationship with any woman right now. I've just discovered a relationship with myself. I don't need to look outward right now. My acting and my horses take up all my time. Horses are my best friends in the world," he says.
"I may be bonded to the Bongs for life, but I'm not in-Sen any more," he laughs. On the work front, Randeep has finished a bunch of movies and is now taking two months off. "I've been finishing Rang Rasiya. It's a very difficult film, and I'm now doing my first romantic film Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye with a very talented female director, Madhurita Anand. I'm finally a playing a guy women fantasise about. I'm doing romantic films like Rubaru, Love Game and even Rang Rasiya. But Mere Khwabon… is the first as far as playing out women's fantasies goes," he explains.
Randeep enjoys having a woman in-charge. "There's a touch of sensuality to a woman directing a man. Madhurita touches chords I haven't touched before. I'm doing quite a lot of work that I'm proud of. I'm stretching myself as an actor. I want people to come to my movies thinking they're coming to see something interesting. I haven't signed any new films. I want to be sure of my next move. I've come to a place in my life where I don't want to base my existence on one Friday. I'm glad I didn't get instant success. It has made me a deeper person," he shares.
The power cut is not restricted to ordinary people but to political parties as well. The NTR Trust Bhavan is now in darkness due to power cut. The party chief NTR conducted the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations in the darkness!
