MUMBAI: DTH operators are now showcasing the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Kurbaan and Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan's Wanted on their pay-per-view platform.

Reliance Big TV will premiere Kurbaan on 2 January while Salman Khan's Wanted is currently being shown on its platform. Both the films are part of the platform's New Year offerings to its subscribers.

MUMBAI: DTH operators are now showcasing the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Kurbaan and Salman Khan's Wanted on their pay-per-view platform.

Reliance Big TV will premiere Kurbaan on 2 January while Salman Khan's Wanted is currently being shown on its platform. Both the films are part of the platform's New Year offerings to its subscribers.

Kurbaan and Wanted will be available on Reliance Big TV's ppv platform for
Rs 100 and Rs 75 for a 24-hour pass.

Meanwhile, Dish TV is currently showing Kurbaan at Rs 100 per view while Tata Sky is offering both Kurbaan and Wanted at Rs 100 per view each.

Said Reliance Big TV senior vice-president Umesh Rao, "Wanted and Kurbaan are two new releases this year and a definite treat for our subscribers during the festive period of Christmas and New Year. In addition, we are also running a Christmas special on our platform wherein customers buying any ppv film will get a complimentary kid pack too."

Looks like Prabhu Deva has got himself drenched in troubles for recommending his close friend Nayantara in all his upcoming films. If what we heard from sources is believed to be true, then Salman Khan and Jeyam Ravi have strongly refused to pair up with Nayantara in the films Prabhu Deva is supposed to direct them.

Followed by grand success of Wanted, Salman Khan has shown keen interest in working with Prabhu Deva in another film titled Most Wanted. As well, Kalapathi S Agoram of AGS Entertainment has been discussing scripts with Prabhu Deva for a film featuring Jeyam Ravi in lead roles.

Now the latest buzz is that both the actors have strongly expressed their dislike about sharing screen space with Nayantara. As well, Jeyam Ravi seems to have requested that he’s ready to pair up with any actresses except Nayantara. Dashed down with his hopes, Prabhu Deva is very much perplexed about the situation as Ravi came up with a open statement that he has got more offers after the success of Peranmai and he needn’t depend on Prabhu Deva.

South Indian actress Nayantara is set to make her Bollywood debut. And that too with Salman Khan! She will be part of Most Wanted, the sequel to Wanted. According to sources, she was signed for the film on director Prabhu Deva’s insistence, who is rumoured to be her boyfriend. In fact, the buzz is that they have secretly married.

Producer Boney Kapoor readily agreed when Prabhu suggested Nayantara, as the former knows that she is quite a big star in the South. Even though Boney isn’t ready to say if it is finalized or not, he does say that it is an idea and they are working on it.

WANTED has turned out to be the 2nd biggest grosser of 2009 just in two weeks . While LOVE AAJ KAL leads the honours with 66 crores already under its belt, WANTED has crossed 50 crores in two weeks flat. The first week's collections of the film read 34 crores while the second week has recorded further 18 crores, hence making the film a 52 crores earner.

Salman Khan's, WANTED is doing well even in its 3rd week and as things stand today, milestone of 60 crores being achieved by the end of third week doesn't seem impossible. Even though the film is already a comfortable HIT, a further rise in the box office standing of WANTED would be determined by how well does it manage to hold itself despite the twin release of WAKE UP SID and DO KNOT DISTURB.

All in all, WANTED success has created an example of being the biggest money spinner ever that got majority of revenue share from single screens without being overtly dependent on multiplexes. Now that's Salman's 'jalwa'!

Salman Khan starrer “Wanted” has become a hit in single screen theatres and it’s celebration time for producer Boney Kapoor who is happy making film for the masses and says let Aditya Chopra make films for multiplexes.

“Wanted” didn’t get favourable reviews from the critics but has done good business by earning about Rs.38 crore across the country in its first week. Surprisingly, it is the single screens where the movie has fared well — compared to the multiplexes — by generating 70 percent business.

“Let Aditya Chopra make films for multiplexes. I’m happy reaching out to the masses,” Kapoor told IANS.

“The collections of ‘Wanted’ speak for themselves. In the first week it has done better business than ‘Kambakkht Ishq’ did in its entire run. There was gun-firing between two sections of clashing Salman fans in a theatre named Rishi in Bulandshahr,” he added.

Commenting on why Yash Raj Films’ “Dil Bole Haddipa” didn’t do well, Kapoor said: “Their intended USP was the Punjabi culture. Ironically the film didn’t even open well in Punjab. How does one explain this?

“Their other USP was Rani Mukerji dressed as a man. But old-time heroines like Asha Parekh and Saira Banu have done that long ago. And they were buxom ladies therefore tantalising in their cross-dressing. With due respects to her amazing talent Rani looked like a school boy.”

He also feels that corporatisation of the film industry is not working in favour of filmmakers.

“The corporatised culture that has seeped into filmmaking is not working. The corporate guys know only about paper work, nothing about filmmaking. We need individual producers with vision to bail the industry out of its present crisis. I’ve made 30 films, but I still feel I’ve just started with ‘Wanted’,” he said.

As far as a “Wanted” party is concerned, Kapoor says they will party as soon as director Prabhudeva is back in town. “Our director Prabhudeva got caught up in an assignment in Kerala. So we’ve postponed the party for next week. We can’t celebrate without Prabhu.”

Apart from the “No Entry” sequel, Kapoor will also start a film with his wife Sridevi. “If I don’t, her fans will kill me. I’ve heard a script I’ve liked.”

Lucknow, Sep 27 “You can get it, though the print is not very clear. But you will not have a problem watching it,” says a roadside vendor in the Naka market when asked if a CD or a DVD of Salman Khan’s new movie “Wanted” is available.

Pirated CDs and DVDs of the film that was released last week were at over 100 shops in the market where electronic items are sold, many at throwaway prices.

“We get a camcord or a mobile recorded version of all the newly released films the next day. However, a better version is out for sale within a week,” boasted another shopkeeper. Of course, none of them was willing to be named.

The police also accept that Lucknow is a big market for pirated CDs and DVDs. “We keep conducting raid in this market and over 100 people engaged in this work have been arrested till now this year,” P.R. Chauhan, inspector of the Naka police station, told IANS.

Last year, the police raided an underground “processing factory” for these CDs and DVDs. Besides a huge cache of pirated DVDs and CDs, they also found six minors working there.

“Over two dozen CD and DVD writers were found there. The rescued children informed us that they were taught how to make multiple copies of the pirated CDs and DVDs and they were only given food and shelter for this work,” Lucknow’s then senior superintendent of police Akhil Kumar told media after the raid.

The “factory” was producing over 5,000 copies a day. The pirated CDs and DVDs were also sold in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Gulf countries.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Lucknow) Prem Prakash admits that preventing piracy is a challenging task. “We cannot act without a formal complaint. However, piracy has declined and the shopkeepers in the Naka area and other localities are always on our radar,” he said.

Multiplexes in the city have also taken stringent steps to nail down the menace.

“Besides conducting a thorough check of the viewers, we have also deputed security officials who keep a vigilant eye during the shows. Any one caught using a mobile to capture the film has to pay for it,” Tabish Shafiq, duty officer of the PVR cinemas, told IANS.

“We have 60 mobile phones in our possession which were taken away from viewers trying to record the film in the last three months.”

Shakespeare asks, What's in a name? Plenty if it's Radhe, because that is one name that fans have come to associate the rough tough, action hero Salman Khan with.

For one reason or the other, two names have stuck with Salman, and have time and again proved lucky for him. The first is of course Prem, his name in Sooraj Barjatya's MAINE PYAAR KIYA. The name Prem represented the soft, lover boy side of Salman Khan. Then came TERE NAAM (2003) and the name Prem gave way to Radhe. His characteristic middle parting hairstyle too came to be known as the Radhe hairstyle and fans can still be seen carrying it, such was and is the craze. Radhe came to be associated with the action hero image of Salman Khan.

Before TERE NAAM Salman had delivered a series of flops like David Dhawan's YEH HAI JALWA, TUMKO NA BHOOL PAAYENGE, KAHIN PYAAR NA HO JAYE and CHAL MERE BHAI etc. His detractors had written him off and he was facing some torrid times personally too. But with TERE NAAM, Salman made a resounding comeback and things changed and soon enough he delivered another action success in the form of GARV.

This time around Salman was facing the same scenario (barring PARTNER) due to the failure of films like BAABUL, SALAAM-E-ISHQ, GOD TUSSI GREAT HO and YUVVRAAJ and then came WANTED, and the name Radhe has once again struck a chord with the masses, who are turning out in hordes for their favourite hero. And the last action hero, Salman Khan, is back to business, bashing up the goons and whipping up the emotions of his fans who love their Radhe.

Let's see if any other filmmaker tries to capitalize on the success of WANTED!

Wanted is a huge success already and made people stand up and acknowledge Salman Khan's superstardom all over again. One of the rare action films in recent times to enjoy huge critical as well as commercial acclaim, Wanted has now completed a trilogy of sorts for 'masala' films. After Shahrukh Khan's Om Shanti Om and Aamir Khan's Ghajini, now Salman Khan has scored in a big way with Wanted which has got raw action-n-drama back in vogue.

So is Salman Khan back after a rather poor run with Yuvvraaj and God Tussi Great Ho? Industry doesn't quite believe so. Don't be shocked because as per practically each and every film personality that this writer reached out to, the verdict is common - 'Salman Khan was never gone in the first place. He was, is and always would be a superstar.'

Abbas (of Abbas Mustan fame)- "He has always been a superstar. Also he can sense a good product from quite some distance. He had faith in Wanted and you have to see the way he went all out during last 45 days. He made sure that his fans and followers know what Wanted was all about and he is going to give them the kind of entertainment they were looking for. I am really happy for him."

Abhishek Kapoor - "Where did he go anyway? Salman is Salman, nothing like him!"

Arbaaz Khan - "Back from where? He didn't go anywhere!"

Celina Jaitley - "Salman has always been WANTED. He is the only actor who is the most beloved no matter what. And that's what you call true stardom!"

David Dhawan - "On Monday, you should have tried passing through the road where Salman lives. Taking your car down the road was a challenge in itself, courtesy thousands of people who had assembled near his house to wish him Eid and congratulate him for the success of Wanted. Need I say more?"

Eesha Kopikkar - "You are talking about Salman? Did he go anywhere? He is the quintessential superstar. Wanted is just yet another feather in his cap. Wishing him an 'eid mubarak' and congratulations. Looking forward to his next movie."

Himesh Reshammiya - "Salman Khan was a superstar, is a superstar and will always remain a superstar."

Imtiaz Ali - "Salman never went away. He was always there, and will be. For a long, long time. People will always love him."

Jackie Shroff - "Where did he ever go?"

Jacqueline Fernandes - "Salman never left. He's always been Wanted!"

Ken Ghosh - "Salman had never gone anywhere to be back! He has always had a loyal fan base!"

Madhavan - "Where did Salman go in the first place to be back? He has just climbed much higher."

Milan Luthria - "The charisma of the three Khans - Salman, Shahrukh and Aamir - has been such over last two decades that you can never ever under-estimate them. It shows with Wanted where Salman Khan announced loud and clear that this was a film audiences had to watch."

Minissha Lamba - "Salman was never gone. Wanted only proves that if there is a film that requires a raw action hero, it's only Salman who can make it work."

Neha Dhupia - "I have not seen the film but he looks very very promising in all the three films (Wanted, Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna, London Dreams). I have become a fan once again!"

Neil Nitin Mukesh - "A person needs to go to be back! He has just become even bigger, better and stronger!"

Pritam - "When did he go out to be back? He was, is and will be in mind and heart of everybody!"

Ramesh Taurani - "To use the word 'back' for Salman is totally wrong. In spite of hits and flops, Salman was, is and will always be a huge star. I am really happy for him that Wanted is a huge success. Wishing him many more super hits in the future!"

Riteish Deshmukh - "Salman is a huge star. He is beyond hits and flops."

Sajid Khan - "Back?? Where did he go? He was always here!"

Sanjay Gadhvi - "Where had he gone that he is considered to be back? Salman is the original 'RockStar'. With Wanted, he's just reaffirmed his status as a star who is one of the most popular with the masses."

Sanjay Gupta - "Where did he go? He was always rocking; if not the big screen then he rocked the small screen and continued to rule hearts. And in any case, Salman is the kind of star who's beyond hits and flops."

Sanjay Kapoor - "After Partner, he didn't work in too many films. One can sense when he is excited about a project. He had faith in Wanted and that showed in the way he went all out in promoting the film. Weekend collections as well as Monday have been huge. I am quite confident that Wanted would be the biggest success of Salman's career in recent times and would even cross Partner."

Sonu Sood - "I feel he was always there. May be right films didn't happen. With Wanted he has proved that he is loved by the masses. I am sure he will always rock!"

Suparn Verma - "Where did the superstar go in the first place? The last ten years plus we have had the three Khan superstars rocking our world. Salman was, is and always will be a superstar!"

Tusshar Kapoor - "He had never really gone really!"

Vashu Bhagnani - "As soon as I saw the film, I immediately called up Salman and told him that he had just beaten the competition around him. His lion like walk towards the film's pre-climax still gives me goose bumps. He has shown the world through some extensive marketing and promotion that how he can give a huge charge if he is really-really interested in a film of his."

Vikram Bhatt - "Salman Khan went nowhere!"

Vipul Shah - "The Top-5 actors that we have in the industry today - Salman Khan, Shah Rukh, Aamir, Akshay and Hrithik - are a force. They may get an occasional flop or two but if their upcoming film shows promise, audiences are bound to throng theaters in dozens. It doesn't matter for them if their much moved star has a flop behind him because curiosity of them seeing him in a good film supersedes everything else."

Vivek Agnihotri - "Back? From where? USA ? UK? Did he go anywhere? Is media immigration officer? I think he was always here and shall be there. Rocking. He is the true rockstar."

Zoya Akhtar - "I haven't seen Wanted so can't comment on the film. But as far as I am concerned, he never went anywhere to come back. He is a super star despite his films not because of them!"

Prakash Raj, the numero uno villain in Kollywood and Tollywood is all set to make a mark in Bollywood with Wanted.

Directed by Prabhu Deva, the film released last week worldwide. Prakash Raj played main villain role in this film. The actor has also played the same role in the Telugu and Tamil versions of the film. Prakash plays Gani bhai in Wanted (Ali Bhai in Pokkiri). His performance in this character is hailed by the viewers and other film personalities in Bollywood.

The producer of the movie
Boney Kapoor feels that after the success of Ghajini and after the release of his film Wanted directed by Prabhu Deva, the trend of hero-versus-villain movies will be revived again. Prakash says that he wants to do different types of roles and experiment. However, at the same time, he has to do commercial films to fulfill his ambitions.

Fans rally behind Salman Khan not for no reason. They know that he would strike back like a bolt from the blue anytime. They are right. With Wanted, Salman has proved that he still has the strength to blow seven villains with a single blow. Yes, he is back with a bang.

The fact is that Salman fans are having good time watching his latest release Wanted. Feedback on the film flooded Oneindia. His fans think that it is his best film and best performance ever. Some even claim that it is better than Aamir Khan’s Ghajini, which was released last year. It is on the verge of becoming a big hit with its opening weekend collection grossing up to Rs.20 crore.


The bad run of his few recent releases made Salman work harder than usual. He had said that he made mistake by taking up films for his friends without taking the interest of his fans into account. He promised that he would try to please his fans from now on.

And so, Wanted is the just the beginning. Salman is here to stay. Watch out for more!

The opening was not up to the expectations after good review from the media but Wanted picked up in the weekend. The news has it that it earned about Rs.20 crore in the weekend.

Salman Khan must be heaving a huge sigh of relief, as Wanted has earned around Rs.19 crore in the domestic box-office itself. It is expected to earn about Rs.30 crore in its first week and recover its cost by the fourth week. The cost of production of the film is estimated to be around Rs.45 crore.


Some trade analyst are skeptic about the prospect of Wanted, as many big films are lined up for release in the coming Fridays. However, many are optimistic that the Id holiday would turn into a blessing for the film. Moreover, Salman's ardent fans are expected to watch it over and over again.

Let's hope Wanted end Salman's 'hit drought'!

Last Friday witnessed a fierce fight between Salman Khan and Shahid Kapoor. No, we are talking about the clash of their films at the box-office. The off screen rivals were made to eat into each other’s collections by releasing their films on the same day.

Salman’s film Wanted, a remake of Telugu film Pokiri, was released last Friday. This film produced by Boney Kapoor and directed by Prabhu Deva
features Ayesha Takia Azmi in the female lead role. Shahid’s film Dil Bole Hadippa, with Rani Mukherjee as his heroine, was also released on the same day. It’s produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Anurag Singh.


Interestingly, both the films received good reviews. However, they failed to make a good opening in spite of the hype and hoopla. Both the films will become the most-disappointing films of the year if they fail to pull in the crowd with the good word of mouth. Muslim audience could save them, as the Ramzan season has ended.

Wanted and Dil Bole Hadippa belong to different genres but the producers should have avoided the clash. No doubt it has affected the collections at the box-office. So, who will win the war, Salman or Shahid? You will have to wait for a couple of days to know the answer!

It may be recalled that Salman and Shahid turned foes after a bitter fight at a show a few years ago.

Though National award-winner Prakash Raj's flamboyant villainy and Ayesha Takia Azmi's endearing cuteness do miraculously find a place in the plot, this is the hero's vehicle like very few masala-maar-ke products in recent times.

Welcome to the world of the one-man-army

Salman Khan adapts his goon's name Radhe from Tere Naam where he mixed violence with vulnerability in a heady brew. The mix in Wanted is far more brackish and tangy.

Wanted is an old-fashioned bone-cruncher with guns and goons creating a kind of orchestrated anarchy that was done with far more élan in Ghajini. In Wanted the violence is far cruder and guttural. The hero is on a sort of society-cleansing spree where the mode of conduct adopted by the villains and heroes become the same.

Director Prabhu Deva retains the crude edges from the original Telugu material Pokiri. The villains are vicious and foul-mouthed. They are quite often seen in Khaki and very often represent the kind of unfettered anti-socialism that can only be contained by a law-sanctioned vigilantism that Salman practices in the last-quarter of this blood-thirsty tale. By the time he goes shirt-less the script has whipped itself into a sweaty stupor.

The plot is essentially a one-liner. One-man army takes on a city filled with scums. The villains are everywhere in Mumbai. It was Hyderabad in the Telugu original. But what difference does it make? Cities change, morality doesn't. The two-legged predators are everywhere. In boats and trains. In pubs and warehouses. One khaki-clad spitting and foul-mouthed villain (played with despicable authenticity by Mahesh Manjrekar) even infiltrates a decent woman's house and threatens to sleep with both mother and daughter. Ouch.

Mercifully the daughter Ayesha Takia has Salman for a boyfriend. But the poor police commissioner (Govind Namdeo, in a positive role for a change) is unlucky with his daughter. She gets kidnapped, raped and MMS-ed by the arch-villain. It's a mean world out there. Thank God for the screen hero.

While Vinod Khanna is wasted and Manoj Pawa's role as the overgrown boy-in-a-bubble next door doesn't quite fit into the scheme of things, Prakash Raj as the villain gives celluloid diabolism an interesting new twist. He looks zonked, menacing and ironical. His confrontation with the police commissioner is written with that polished panache that brings a twist to pulp frictions.

But make no mistake. This is a made-to-order film for Salman Khan. As a one-man army Salman springs into every frame with that trademark mix of a bored swagger and agile comicality. His romantic moments with Ayesha have a lived-in credibility except when the songs take over.

That's the cue to run for cover. Strictly for fans of action flicks, and Salman in that order.

After doing mediocre films for two years, Salman Khan is back with a bang through Wanted. It's a surprise of sort for Salman to take up action thriller after getting emerged in rom-com films for a long time. The good news is that Wanted has received good review from all quarters. Yes, Salman is going to silence his critics for sure.

It is said that Wanted is all about Salman and only Salman. It rides on him. He plays the role of a hard-core gangster who kills people for money. His stunt performances are said to be wonderful. Some even claimed that it is by far his best performance ever. He has Ayesha Takia Azmi for company. She plays a village girl, whose life changes completely after falling in love with a gangster.

Wanted is a remake of Telugu film Pokiri, which was also remade in Tamil with the same title. Boney Kapoor produces the Hindi version and choreographer cum actor Prabhu Deva directs it. Watch out for Wanted, as it hits the theatres today, 18th September.

Dark clouds, which kept hovering over had to go and they are all set to go this week to welcome bright sunshine day on Friday. Yes, after three consecutive disastrous weeks, here comes a ray of hope with two big films releasing on this Friday. Both the flicks have potential to impress the critics. And even if they don’t, there is nothing that can stop audience to witness for themselves the position of the films. Let’s have a look over these two bigges we are raving about, and see what makes them worth giving a shot!

Dil Bole Hadippa!: Yash Raj Banner’s, latest star Shahid Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee in a ‘Sikh’ and never seen before super-sexy attire. Ain’t these elements enough to get millions of hearts out there? Yes, Dil Bole Hadippa! indeed comes across as a complete entertainer. Many comparisons have been made with Yash Raj’s former creation Chak De! India, due to sports element, but that gives Dil Bole Hadippa! an edge over the other film releasing this week. Another interesting fact about this film is that it also serves, as a re-launch vehicle of Anurag Singh who’s Raqeeb did not really work wonders at the box-office. So, how the captain of the ship fares this time with YRF’s backing remains to be seen. Surely Dil Bole Hadippa will be interesting to watch.

Wanted: Salman Khan is indeed the USP of Wanted. However, another strong reason to venture in this film is choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva
. Wanted is an action-thriller and has all the elements in place to woo the audience to the theatres. Vigorous promotions and a huge hype have already marketed this film in the minds of people. Salman in never seen before energetic avatar has created buzz among his fans. So, this one again has got loads of potential to create magic.

This is for fans and foes of Salman Khan...
Fans, rejoice, Salman is back with a vengeance with WANTED. This is his deadliest performance to date. Yes, you read it right!
Foes, sorry, you won't be able to lash out at him or pick on him or launch a vicious tirade this time. The spate of flops should come to a grinding halt with WANTED.

Let's get this straight. WANTED rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like WANTED, in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish.

A remake of POKIRI [made in Telugu and Tamil versions], WANTED is a full on masala film. Recall the successful potboilers of yore. Recall how the good guy would reduce 10 hoodlums to pulp in a fraction of seconds. Recall how heroism prevailed in the end, no matter how adverse the circumstances were or how powerful the villains would be. Recall those movies in which logic took a backseat since the focus was on entertainment... You relive those moments as reel after reel of WANTED unfolds.

A departure from candyfloss movies and diabetic-sweet characters that most Hindi movies boast of, WANTED takes you back to those days when popular cinema reigned supreme, when the sole motive of the film-maker was to entertain.

The daring hero and his herogiri, the naïve girlfriend, the corrupt cop, the dreaded don, the don's moll, the fist-clinching henchmen... WANTED is for those who seek unabashed entertainment and relish masala films. Damn the indomitable critics, pseudo intellectuals and connoisseurs of parallel cinema, this one's not for them. WANTED is for the aam junta.

Radhe [Salman Khan] is a hardcore gangster. A sharpshooter with a sharp brain, he works for Gani Bhai [Prakash Raj], the dreaded Mafioso, but on his own terms. Totally fearless, Radhe single-handedly eliminates Gani Bhai's enemies one by one; making more enemies in the process.

He's astounded when the young and pretty Jahnvi [Ayesha Takia Azmi] professes her liking for him. Inspector Talpade's [Mahesh Manjrekar] lustful eyes fall on Jahnvi. He doesn't know that Jahnvi has developed a soft corner for Radhe.

Whether it's the Golden Gang or Data Pawle's Gang, everybody wants the biggest piece of the lucrative cake that is Mumbai and the only way to get it is to eliminate whoever gets in the way. As Mumbai reels under bloody gang wars, Commissioner Ashraf Khan [Govind Namdeo] vows to make the city crime free.

Director Prabhu Dheva serves a hardcore masala fare that's not inventive or path-breaking by any standard, but the execution of several scenes as also of stunts takes the graph of the film Northward. In fact, if at all there's any film that competes with GHAJINI as far as raw appeal goes, it's WANTED. Every action/stunt/chase here is choreographed with aplomb.

Watch out for the action sequence at the interval point or the penultimate half-an-hour. The climax is sure to send scores of action lovers in frenzy, as Salman bashes the evil forces black and blue. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that the climax is worth the price of the ticket, samosa, sandwich, popcorn, nachos and cola put together.

Not that this 18 reeler abounds in mindless action. As mentioned earlier, this one's a hardcore masala film and the narrative has its share of light moments and romantic sequences. Even the bad man here makes you laugh intermittently [when he's not spewing venom], especially in the sequence when the Commissioner of Police holds him captive in the middle of the sea. Even the romance between Salman and Ayesha charms its way into your heart. It's very likable.

But WANTED is not without its share of flaws. The film stands on a thin storyline and the viewer can guess what's in store next, which means that there's not much novelty in the plot. Besides, WANTED could've done without a song or two, thereby keeping its length in check.

Director Prabhu Dheva has presented Salman like never before. Most actors have drifted away from roles that hold tremendous mass appeal, that cater to the desi audience, like they did in the 1980s. SRK did it in OM SHANTI OM, Aamir Khan did it in GHAJINI and Salman does it so effortlessly in WANTED. The screenplay [Shiraz Ahmed] may not be foolproof, but it has its share of shining moments. Dialogues are clapworthy, especially those delivered by Salman.

Sajid-Wajid's music is of a mixed variety. 'Jalwa' is the best of the lot and the star presence of Anil Kapoor, Govinda and also Prabhu Dheva in this track will send the viewers into raptures. The remaining tracks oscillate between good and strictly okay. This review would be incomplete without the invaluable contribution by the action director. It deserves brownie points. Cinematography too is top notch.

Salman is like a ferocious lion who roars with all his might. The show belongs to the actor, who scorches the screen every time he displays the manic anger. Without doubt, Salman gives the power to WANTED. It's his best work to date.

Ayesha Takia Azmi is very good and the pairing with Salman looks wonderful. Vinod Khanna is sidelined. He deserved more footage. Mahesh Manjrekar is excellent. He's only getting better with every film. Prakash Raj is first-rate. The accomplished actor adds yet another feather to his cap. Govind Namdeo is perfect.

Mahek Chahal radiates oomph. Aseem Merchant is alright. Raju Mavani is effective. Inder Kumar and Sajid are okay. Manoj Pahwa tries hard to make you laugh. Prateeksha Lonkar is as usual.

On the whole, WANTED rides on Salman, Salman and only Salman Khan's star power. A masala film that's aimed at the masses, WANTED is backed by tremendous hype and hoopla, which will result in the film taking an earth-shattering start at the ticket window. The Idd celebrations in the coming days will only enhance the business of the film, which means that the film will have a solid Week 1. The holidays in Week 2 should also be bountiful, thereby ensuring a strong place in the 'Hit' category.

Bijlee girane main hoon aayee…
kehte hain mujhko hawa-hawaaeee…

This was the song that had threatened to topple all the greatest hits of the world. This famous song was from the cult film Mr. India that starred two of the ageless wonders that Bollywood has ever seen: Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. While Anil is refusing to bid adieu to his youth, it's the 'youth' that's refusing to part with Sridevi! A glimpse of which can be seen in '10 Ka Dum', the famous game show hosted bySalman Khan This time round, he has none other than Sridevi andBoney Kapooras his guests, along with the dancing wonder-turned most-Wanted director Prabhudeva with the petite damselAyesha TakiaAzmi and the musical duo Sajid-Wajid by his side, all of whom had come to promote their magnum opus film Wanted.


For the first time, the viewers will get to see Sridevi with husband Boney Kapoor on the show. Post-marriage, Sridevi, who had taken a sabbatical from the arch lights almost 10 years ago, came on screen especially to promote her husband's (Boney Kapoor) film Wanted that has Sallu mia as the lead oppositeAyesha Takia

Sridevi made this exception for 10 Ka Dum, only because she has worked withSalman Khanin the past and that she just couldn't say no to him. If that was not enough, then along with Ayesha Takia, the makers of the show even got the Prabhudeva (who makes his debut as director in film Wanted) on the show. For Sridevi, who looked as ravishing as ever, it seemed like a family outing with daughters Jahnavi and Khushi on the show, all of whom completed a family picture. Quite some moment this!

While Salman & Sridevi got nostalgic about the lighter moments from their last movie together, one suddenly realized that amidst the audience were Salman's buddies …music directors Sajid and Wajid (the music composers of Wanted). The music directors rocked the show with their brand of singing and music with special sound effects! A delighted Salman Khan quipped saying: "Now we can all shamelessly promote our film Wanted."

All this and much more, only on the super-rocking episode of 10 ka Dum on Saturday, September 19, at 9.00 pm, on Sony Entertainment Television.

They say, ‘Opposites attract’. They indeed do, if we go to see the hottest couple of B-Town Salman-Katrina. Yes, on one hand Katrina says a straight NO to twittering, on the other hand Salman Khan is busy promoting his upcoming film Wanted on social networking site Twitter.

Lashing out his fans on the social networking site, Salman tweets, “7000 votes for ‘Not Interested’ and only 9000 votes for first Day first show, why so fewer votes for first day first show ha?” Asks Salman to his fans.

Apparently Salman responded to the results of the poll conducted over Kitne Pratisht Bhartiye Salman-Ayesha Takia starrer Wanted dekhne jayenge, aur kitne Shahid-Rani starrer Dil Bole Hadippa? (What percentage of Indians would like to watch Wanted over Dil Bole Hadippa?)

After all said and done, so far, Salman we hope- Jitne pratisht Bhartiye aapki film dekhe, utne pratisht usse pasand karen! (The percentage of people watching the film should like the film as well).

Follow Salman Khan on Twitter: Click Here

With the much-awaited film Wanted all set for release tomorrow (18th September), Salman Khan’s heart must be beating like never before. It’s a sort of ‘do or die’ film for him, as his last hit was Partner, and that was two years ago in 2007.

The highlight of Wanted is no doubt Salman. He is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that it makes a good opening. The way he aggressively promotes it reveals the seriousness in him. This time around, he has taken up a complete action thriller instead of the regular com-rom he has been doing of late.


Wanted is a remake of Telugu film Pokiri, which was also remade in Tamil with the same title. In the Hindi version, Salman acts withAyesha TakiaAzmi, who is also trying to find her foothold after taking a long break following her marriage.

Salman plays a hard-core gangster and Ayesha plays a simple girl who has the notion that everything in the world is good. However, her life takes a U-turn after meeting Salman. How Salman gets away with other gangsters one by one forms the rest of the story.

This film is vital for Salman on more ways than one. After Partner, he did many mediocre films that didn’t click at the box-office and thus hampered his reputation. This time around, he is trying all he could to revive the past glory. He said that his fans would love this great entertainer. He added that his dad Salim feels it is his best performance so far.

Salman confessed that he made mistake by doing many films for his friends, which eventually failed at the box-office. He added that he forgot his responsibility to his fans. He is determined to make the fans his priority from now on.

For the lead heroine Ayesha Takia Azmi, it is a sort of a comeback film. She has abandoned films after she got married. Is there life after marriage for Bollywood actresses? We will come to know the answer when Wanted hits the theatres the morrow.

In fact, the fate of the film will very much determine the future of both Salman and Ayesha. Wanted is produced by Boney Kapoor and directed by choreographer turned actor turned director Prabhu Deva.

Salman Khan who is desperately in need of a hit after quite a few films of his have successively proved to be duds at the box office, like Hello, Yuvraj, God Tussi Great Ho etc, is quite confident that his next release Wanted, produced byBoney Kapoorand directed by the ace choreographer cum actor Prabhu Deva will hit the bull’s eye at the box office.

Salman is also banking on his other releases this year- Anil Sharma’s Veer, Prem Soni’s Main Aurr Mrs Khanna in which he has been cast opposite Kareena Kapoor, and last but not the least Vipul Shah’s London Dreams, in which his co-stars are Ajay Devgan and Asin.


When I meet Salman Khan for this interview at the Hotel Leela Kempinski, the actor seems quite excited about the outcome of the film, so much so, that he tells me that though the comedy quotient in Wanted is nowhere nearer to what was there in Boney Kapoor’s No Entry, directed by Anees Bazmee, he hopes that Wanted will turn out to be a hit.

Salman also asserts that Wanted will not be just an out and out action film, but also have content as well as great visuals because for the first time, the audience will be able to see a Hindi film which has been shot in the exotic locales of Greece in places like Santorina and Rodos.

Wanted is the Hindi remake of the Tamil super hit Pokkiri as well as its Telugu remake, which also had turned out to be super hits. Both the films were directed by Prabhu Deva with Vijay in the lead. Salman confesses that it was quite tough to execute the steps for his dance numbers because he does not have a flexible rubber-like body, like that of Prabhu Deva who has not only directed the film, but also choreographed the dance numbers. “Yes. I did try to copy the steps of Prabhu Deva Sir but was shocked when I saw the final outcome, because I realized that I had taken an entirely different step.”

Salman elaborates. “I would not say that the steps that I have taken in the film are great, but I would unabashedly state that the steps that I have taken are better than what I tend to do normally. In that sense, I would admit that it is better than my capacity, thanks to Prabhu Deva, though I would modestly go to the extent of telling you that I am not at all comparing myself with either Sunny Deol or for that matter Sanjubaba, as far as dancing is concerned.” (Laughs)

Salman clarifies that the character of Radhe that he is playing in Wanted is quite different from the character of Radhe Mohan that he had played in Tere Naam, which also was the remake of a Tamil hit called Sethu. “I played the role that Vikram had played in Sethu when it was remake in Hindi as Tere Naam. In Wanted, I have essayed the character of Radhe Mohan that Vijay had done in both the Tamil as well as Telugu versions of the film, which was titled Pokkiri in both the languages. However, I made it a point not to observe both the actors in the original versions, because I did not want to be influenced in any way by either of them when I set out to act”

Salman sets out to explain the basic nuances of his character in Wanted. “If the Radhe of Tere Naam was a college kid, the Radhe of Wanted is a hard core man, who is the most wanted man in Mumbai by several people for different reasons. If Radhe is wanted by the innocent Jhanvi to be her knight in shining armor, he is wanted by the corrupt Inspector Talpade for being in the wrong place at the right time. If Radhe is wanted by the dreaded gangster Datta Pawle for coming in his way, he is wanted dead by Don Gani Bhai, because he knows too much. Radhe is also wanted alive by the Commissioner Ashraf Khan because he wants to know what Radhe knows”.