Special Feature: India’s First Animation Epic – Hanuman

lo! i thought this was a pretty interesting article...read on..quite cute and there's sonu too!

Kids and families get ready to perk up your joys quotient since Sahara One Motion Pictures brings you the India’s first animation epic on Hanuman on 21st October. The much awaited animation epic, ‘Hanuman’ will endow the audience with the whole new experience with the launch of this sophisticated and first of its kind animated saga churned out only at the juncture of the colossal domicile of Sahara One Pictures.

A Percept Picture Company’s production in association with Silvertoons, Hanuman talks about the extraordinary journey of the mythical superhero – from his days as an adorable, miracle-working baby, to his ultimate triumph in the army of Lord Shri Ram. Hanuman, India’s first home-grown original animation feature film, is geared up to register its impacts on the animation industry with its numerous pioneering features. V G Samant, the animation guru, has directed this outing. With painstaking efforts, Samant created 200,000 individual images along with 40 individual characters for the film. And for all this happening, it took two years’ time. An enormous creative team of cell animation artists backed him in his endeavors.

Limca Book of Records 2004 edition has officially recorded Hanuman as India’s first indigenous animation film. It is also for the first time that a film has been dedicated to this great Indian mythological hero with rare insights into His personality and character. Unlike any other animation movie, Hanuman carries an outstandingly mellifluous soundtrack stockpiled by Tapas Relia. Hot vocalists like Shaan, Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher and Sapna Mukherjee have lent their vocals together with other talents like Palash Sen, Madhushri and Sneha Path.

An innovatively grand project in every sense of the word, ‘Hanuman’ is a crystal clear proof of Sahara One Motion Pictures’ commitment to delving into novel boulevards in Indian entertainment circuit to spread awareness amongst the viewers.

Fasten your belts to see the very best on Friday, 21st of October 2005 since Hanuman would be out in theaters all over the country.

WRITTEN BY GOHER IQBAL PUNN (Bollywood Analyst)

** oh man! i SO cannot wait till it comes out! Sonu Nigam's song/s in an animated Hanuman movie?? Just plain cool. But i don't know when it'll come out in Singapore, or whether it'll even come in the theatres...never mind, i can still watch it on DVD... i think it's gonna be very very very interesting...let's see...

oh and i heard sonu's new song, with shreya ghoshal, ankhon mein, from the movie U, Bomsi n Me..(cute name huh) ..it's actually a very nice song with a very nice tune...but for some reason i wasnt able to feel sonu's heart and soul in it, like i normally sense it in his other songs...maybe he's not experiencing the best of times right now...and i have even more reason to believe this because of the picture in the Indian Idol 2 article, see two posts ago...he looks red-eyed and like's he's ill or something...whatever it is, doesnt seem to be in the pink of health to me...(maybe i'm just imagining it, i don't know...but i still think so..) anyways best wishes for him always and keep rocking sonu!

We never plan to split: Aasma

Sunday, October 09, 2005 16:55 IST


Indi pop band Aasma are put to test by Ninad Umargekar, market researcher with IMRB international

Were you happy with the non-serious ‘Chandu Ke Chacha’ image you had?
It was a song for the masses. People loved it including the kids and we have broken that image with later songs like ‘Tumse Hi Pyar...’

Singing is an unconventional career, where mediocrity is out of question. Does that thought make you insecure?
Jimmy: We were launched after a nation wide search, so we know the importance of creating good music.

Vasudha: My parents were insecure about my choice of career and not very supportive initially. Now, however, some of our families have shifted to the city to support us.

How many shows do you do in a month for publicity?
We do about four shows in a month and this time we also appeared in most of the college festivals where we were chief guests.

How is Aasma different from other bands?
Being a mixed band the emotional connection is a lot more. Besides being singers we are also good performers, which is our USP. On stage all round performance matters a lot.

Has singing taken a backseat due to pressure on good performance?
On stage, singing without performing is not very appealing. These days even playback singers like Sonu Nigam have groomed themselves to perform on stage. Singing is, however, a priority. If you are a pathetic singer you will be booed off.

Is Bollywood an option?
Yes, of course. We did a song for the film ‘White Noise’, but we aren’t planning to shift from the pop scenario neither are we looking at solo careers.

Viva, a product of a similar talent hunt, split. What is the fate of Aasma?
We never plan to split. We know what we have gotten into and there is a lot of focus required. We are here to produce music and we are making a conscious effort of not being derailed from the band.

Now that you are free of the Channel V contract when do we listen to songs written and composed by you?
We got the best of everything in the course of the contract and Salim - Sulaiman turned out to be lucky for us. We are mature now, out of the parenthood of Channel V. You will hear a few of our compositions in the next album.

Do you ever get jealous of each other?
Unlike Viva or Band of Boys, we are a mixed band, so jealousy does not creep in. No one wants to outshine the other.

Do you ever feel attracted to each other?
We all love each other and it’s like a family. Besides we have other relationships on our plates. When we opened the Bryan Adams show, he’d told us to get married to each other and make music!

-Co-ordinated by Shridevi Keshavan



** this is yesterday's news but oh well... its amazing how Sonu is the first singer to come to everyone's and anyone's mind...i mean he is like THE "in" guy, everyone loves him and his singing...etc etc etc...(his virtues are too many to list down) yeah and as said in the above article, his performance on stage- flabbergasting, totally... he rocks the stage at his concerts, maes people scream and cheer him on like nuts...wow,,,is all i can say about him...

All you wanted to know about Indian Idol 2

heya!! long time there's been no news of our dear beloved singer, so i was SOOOOOOOOOO delighted when i read this article! Indian Iol 2 coming your way 14 November folks! that's EXACTLY one week after my birthday!!! *squeals* can't wait!! oh just read on...sonu says quie a lot in this one...




Patcy N | October 10, 2005 18:42 IST

Auditions for the second season of the hugely popular reality show Indian Idol have begun. Once again, it will be hosted by Mini Mathur and Aman Varma, and judged by Anu Malik, Farah Khan and Sonu Nigam.

The show will be aired on November 14.

When asked why the judges were being repeated, Farah Khan said, "Wherever Idol has been successful in the world, the three judges have always remained the same. This is part of the success formula because not only do contestants form a bond with the audience, but even judges form that bond. Everyone has their favourite judge and people look forward to their comments. Besides, I had such a good time last time with Sonu and Anu that I wanted to repeat the experience!"

Anu Malik hopes for a female Indian Idol this time around. "I wanted a female winner the first time too. The girl must have great looks, attitude and a great voice. She should be a combination of Julia Roberts' face and Britney Spears' voice. Yes, Abhijeet Sawant (the first Indian Idol) was good, but Prajakta Shukre also had a chance."

Sonu Nigam added that platforms like Indian Idol were important to choose youth icons as well. "Music is an important part of our life. But when it comes to choosing youth icons, there are no singers or music directors," he said. "We choose actors and cricketers. This is why such shows are necessary, because music gets recognition as an art. I want my country to have 20 such formats."


Sonu also reveals that in the first round of auditions, good as well as bad singers are selected. "We follow the Idol format in the UK and US. According to that, we have to choose the best and worst singers. We avoid the average ones."

Farah elaborated, "The fun is watching bad singers because the show has to be entertaining. If you don't see the worst, you will never know how good the others are."

However, in the first season, Anu Malik was especially rude to poor singers. When asked about this, the music director got upset, "What do you mean by rude? If I tell a contestant that he or she is okay but needs to try harder, I'm wasting the person's time. Instead, I just tell the person that he/she can't sing. Why give them false expectations? I have been asked to be the way I am on this show. My voice is like that, I can't help it. If Sonu says something rude, it will sound sweet because his voice is full of love."

Farah added, "I think we are pretty okay. We weren't as rude as the judges on American Idol or other reality shows. I think we are funny! And you do have to be honest to them."

With so many reality shows doing the rounds, will there be enough work for singers who emerge victorious? Malik thinks so. "There will always room for more," he says. "And it's good for audiences as they will get only good singers."

On a closing note, Farah leaves a word of advice for participants: "Take the competition seriously, as people are watching you and also because you will be getting a contract worth Rs 1 crore. Prepare yourself because this is the biggest platform you will get in this country."



** nice huh? i totally love that part about sonu's voice being too filled with love to be counted as rude...oh man...sonu, you rock! anu malik is being totally honest here... and i SO do agree abut that part too, that the judges too form a bond with the audience...yeah well Sonu Nigam's kinda the only reason i wanna watch the show... i'm sure there are many people who think like me lol...