Anil Kapoor To Start 24 Season 2 Preparation From January 2014

Anil Kapoor is on cloud nine as he has had an eventful 2013. The year began with a super hit Race 2 that entered the 100 crore club, followed by Shootout at Wadala to his Hollywood debut with Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol and last but not the least the American version of 24 on Colors.

“This year I learnt some more self discipline. I learnt to eat well, exercise properly and think only positively. I also learnt to be patient. That has helped me in finding my bearings even better in life. Work-wise, besides 24, Race 2 and Shootout at Wadala were successful. Race 2, I feel could have been a much bigger hit. I hope the team works more hard on Race 3. Also I would like to thank the film industry and to my fans for having me around for thirty years. Time has just flown by. Today, I feel I am just starting out,” said an ecstatic Anil Kapoor

The coming year 2014 also looked jam-packed. 2014 would be taken up with Anees Bazmee’s Welcome Back and No Entry Mein Entry followed by Zoya Akhtar’s film. Also, he is also looking at making frequent trips to Los Angeles to pursue his career.

Now if this was not enough, Anil Kapoor is also optimistic to start the second season of 24 and he is looking forward to setting the second season in Dubai.

The Indian remake of the American TV show consists of a day in the life of the special agent as he strives to solve a criminal conspiracy, with each episode chronicling an hour of drama filmed in real time.

“Yes, we will bring 24 to Dubai very soon. Dubai is very cinema friendly. There is a lot of security, great locations, cars and roads, that is why so many people come to film here,” stated Anil Kapoor who is very optimistic to bring back the series soon.

The original US version of 24 starred Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) agent Jack Bauer. Anil Kapoor acquired the rights from US Fox network to remake the Indian version in 2011 and it made its debut on Colors on October 04, 2013.

“You never know with life. No matter how much you plan, something unexpected comes up,” said Anil Kapoor who is looking forward for a brighter 2014.

Irrfan Khan Rocks At 4th London Indian Film Festival

The fact that Irrfan Khan is one of Indian cinema’s most recognised faces abroad was underlined by the fact that he was mobbed wherever he went in London as part of the 4th London Indian Film Festival.

Fans of all nationalities, whether British, German, Afghani, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, American, Turkish, French, Spanish, Italian or even from Nauru, accosted Irrfan on his travels across London and requested him to pose with them for keepsake photographs. It all culminated in a packed Q&A with The Warrior director Asif Kapadia at the British Film Institute where a particularly rabid fan asked Irrfan to hug his wife (the fan’s, not Irrfan’s) on stage. Irrfan obliged and sent the crowd (and the wife and husband) into paroxysms of delight.

Meanwhile, director Pawan Kumar’s Kannada-language film Lucia won the coveted Audience Award at the Festival. The inventive crowd-funded film, powered by UK-based online outfit Distrify, delighted sold out audiences across the city. It will get an Indian release on August 15, fitting for an independent film. Pawan Kumar said, “To win this award in the face of such powerful competition is a dream come true for me. I thank the London Indian Film Festival for selecting the film for its world premiere and would also like to thank the London audience and the UK Kannada community for supporting the film.”

Anurag Goswami won the Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award, held in conjunction with LIFF, for Kaun Kamleshwar? (Who’s Kamleshwar?). The jury, comprising Atif Ghani (producer – Ill Manors), Kim Longinotto (director – Salma), Sunny Grewal (BBC London), Meghna Gupta (shorts director, Unravel) and Satwant Gill (LIFF), said, “The Satyajit Ray Foundation’s short film award goes to a film which was confident and ambitious in its storytelling, gave us engaging characters and was genuinely cinematic. Using some unforgettable images and offbeat humour the film explores how random decisions have the power to shape our lives.”

Anurag Goswami said, “It’s an honour and a great feeling that our efforts have been recognised at such a prestigious avenue. Short films are finding an audience like never before, courtesy festivals such as LIFF. It’s very encouraging and satisfying that our voices are being heard all over the world. Thank you LIFF!”

Special Jury Mention went to Vikram Dasgupta for his entertaining, bold and vibrant interweaving of stories in the film Calcutta Taxi.

The London Indian Film Festival opened with Amit Kumar’s Cannes favourite Monsoon Shootout and closed with Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Bannerjee and Anurag Kashyap’s homage to the centenary of Indian cinema, Bombay Talkies. The sold out screening was preceded by a powerful speech by noted Bollywood and Hollywood actor Gulshan Grover, who described the wondrous journey of Indian cinema thus far to a rapt audience. Bombay Talkies producer Ashi Dua participated in a lively Q&A after.

Gulshan Grover said, “The London Indian Film Festival makes me proud. As a member of the Indian film fraternity I feel that the festival is doing wonderful things for Indian cinema, especially the cutting edge, progressive cinema that needs a platform for visibility, for reaching out to more people and more hearts. The London Indian Film Festival is exactly doing that.” Gulshan Grover has four new releases coming up including Bullett Raja, Sooper Se Ooper, Yariaan and Baat Bann Gayi.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Festival Director said, “The Festival has gone from strength to strength. Its great to close with a wonderful fusion between Bollywood and independent films, different energies and ideas crashing into each other in dynamic ways; a perfect finale for audiences in an eclectic city like London.”