The Asian News Blog

Some of Bollywood’s biggest stars are joining the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC ) to curb human trafficking in India.

Millions of moviegoers in India will see a two-minute video called One Life, No Price – aiming to raise awareness of this form of modern-day slavery and spur action to prevent and combat this practice – to be shown before the eagerly awaited comedy, Welcome, out in cinemas worldwide starting today.
The video features the massive cast of Welcome, including Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal and Mallika Sherawat, who have also recorded separate messages in support of the cause.
Given that Welcome is the biggest release of the festive season with a diverse star cast, popular genre and universal appeal, it was seen as the most appropriate vehicle to publicise this priceless cause and mobilize action.
The film has dramatically stolen the march over competition as well by taking a rocket opening in the UAE.
On 29 prints, the big Indian Films-Studio 18 Eid release is said to have opened to an unprecedented AED 450,000 (approx) – implying that in one just day flat it has done more than half the lifetime gross of a successful Akshay Kumar comedy in the UAE!
If the initial reports are anything to go by, the audience has most certainly “welcomed” the festive season with WELCOME!

One of the most tender and affecting films of 2007, about an unlikely bond between a young orphan and a man who has rejected his father, the emotionally-charged Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii makes its TV network premiere exclusively on STAR Gold on 30th December, at 8.00pm.

A poignant and unmissable film by Ken Ghosh and starring Bollywood’s unsung hero, Rahul Bhose and formidable child actor, Zain Khan, Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii blends fun, magic, music and emotion into one of the most unique and original Bollywood films of the year.
Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii follows the journey of a 13-year old orphan, ‘Karan’ (Zain Khan), who dares to dream big and thereby prove to the world that if you dare to dream big, the whole world will be at your feet. Living in a run-down orphanage governed by a heartless warden, Karan has two dreams: one is to have parents and the other is to be a big cricketer. His inspiration is the legendary Kapil Dev and his support network comes in the form of his best buddy, ‘Daboo’, and the gentle orphanage caretaker, ‘Bholu Dada’.
One day, Karan chances upon a cricket bat, which he is convinced is the same one that Kapil Dev used to win the ’83 World Cup. By a stroke of luck, Karan is propelled into the Indian cricket team, and forms an unlikely but strong emotional bond with ‘Varun’ (Rahul Bhose) – a man who is estranged from his own father.
At once uplifting and heart-wrenching, Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii is a film about the triumph, the challenges and the convictions of the human spirit, in the face of adversity, hostility and rejection. Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii makes its television network premiere on STAR Gold on 30th December at 8.00pm.

Mix together equal amounts of drama, emotion, humour, jest and action, and you have the perfect recipe for the most compelling new drama to grace television screens – the deliciously addictive Annu Ki Ho Gayi Waah Bhi Waah – cooking its way on STAR One every Monday to Thursday at 7.00pm, repeated every Monday to Thursday at 6.30am and 10.30pm.

A hearty drama that provides nourishing food for the soul, Annu Ki Ho Gayi Waah Bhi Waah is a story belonging to the shy underdog, ‘Annu’, who possesses the magical ability of uplifting the saddest spirit and melting the hardest of hearts with every mouth-watering dish she creates.
Content with her simple life amid a loving but poor family, Annu experiences a queer twist of fate, which lands her in the kitchen of one of the city’s most upscale restaurants. Despite her lack of confidence and introverted nature, Annu manages to weave her magic through the tough, male-dominated world of professional catering and, in her quietly charming manner, succeeds in creating the perfect recipe for food… and even love. Among those delighted by Annu’s charms is the wealthy ‘Aashu’ and love begins to simmer between them, bringing together two families as far removed from each other as chalk and cheese.
Spicing things up on the screen, Annu Ki Ho Gayi Waah Bhi Waah is much more than your average kitchen sink drama. It presents a generous slice of real life-inspired scenarios, both in the private space of the home, as well as in the public realm of the real world. As well as holding a mirror to a rich ingredient list of characters and their experiences, from love, emotion and drama, to humour, action and class difference, Annu Ki Ho Gayi Waah Bhi Waah reflects the colliding worlds of two India’s – one that is entrenched in tradition and another that is speeding towards modernity.
Be sure to taste the irresistible Annu Ki Ho Gayi Waah Bhi Waah, exclusively on STAR One every Monday to Thursday at 7.00pm, repeated every Monday to Thursday at 6.30am and 10.30pm.