'Blue' sequel to start soon

Original cast set to return

Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision spent Rs 80 crore plus on “Blue”. Now the producers are getting set to shell out even more money for the film’s sequel, which could be starting sometime soon.

The cast of “Blue” – Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Zayed Khan and Lara Dutta - will be repeated in the new film, with probably the addition of another hero.

While “Blue” was shot in Bahamas, “Blue 2” will head to Australia, known for its stunning beaches and marine life.

It’s also being reported that “Blue” director Anthony D'Souza is planning another film too, an airborne drama tentatively titled “Aerial”.

The director has confirmed that his good friends John Abraham and Sonal Chauhan have already being signed for the project. It will be a three-hero film, and we’ve heard Akshay Kumar is also likely to be on board.

MORE HERE >>>

In Pics: Zayed Khan and Shruti Haasan walk for Manav Gangwani

MORE HERE >>>

In Pics: Zayed Khan and Shruti Haasan walk for Manav Gangwani

MORE HERE >>>

Latest update: 'Blue' Friday is Rs. 16 cr. [gross], Rs. 10 cr. [nett]

Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision, the producers of BLUE, have reasons to rejoice. The film has fetched one of the biggest starts ever in the domestic market on Day 1, grossing a mammoth Rs. 16 crore [gross], which works out to approx. Rs. 10 crore [nett] on Friday. The collections are mind-boggling and the film is expected to have a humungous weekend, setting a new benchmark as far as weekend business goes.

MORE HERE >>>

Blue - Movie Review

Roll out the red carpet.
Blow the conch shells.
Beat the drums.
It's time to pop champagne...

BLUE, the most awaited movie of the year, with its canvas as huge as the ocean, comes alive on the Hindi screen this Friday. Like every biggie, this one also comes with the baggage of monumental expectations. With tremendous hype surrounding it, the inescapable question that crosses your mind is, will BLUE live up to those colossal expectations?

Let me keep it concise and to the point. You haven't watched something like this on the Hindi screen before. Never ever!

It requires courage, willpower, fortitude, vision and of course, the financial backing to accomplish a project of this magnitude. And debutante director Anthony D'Souza puts his skills and the financial resources to best use. BLUE is not merely a stunning looking film, it's also a well structured film. Most importantly, it's a solid entertainer that packs in so much in those 1.58 hours.

Final word? Go, grab a ticket, if you haven't booked one yet. This under-sea treasure hunt is a kickass film. A must-see for all those who love adventure flicks.

BLUE is set in the sun-soaked white sand beaches of Bahamas. Sagar [Sanjay Dutt] is a simpleton, while his friend Aarav [Akshay Kumar] is a rich, ambitious businessman.

Sagar's brother Sameer aka Sam [Zayed Khan] has inadvertently managed to rankle the mafia in Bangkok [Rahul Dev]. He flees Bangkok and arrives in Bahamas. But the dangerous men reach Bahamas too. Sagar is the sole person who can bail him out from this crisis, but to save his brother, Sagar has to wrestle with the ghost of his dead father.

If you're a die-hard moviegoer, you'd draw parallels with a lot of international projects [especially THE DEEP] that were set in the ocean. In Bollywood, flashes of the Dharmendra - Jeetendra starrer SAMRAAT cross your mind instantaneously, but comparing the two is akin to comparing chalk and cheese.

BLUE grabs your attention from its opening titles itself. The marine life, which you may've watched on National Geographic Channel or Animal Planet, comes alive in all splendour at the start itself.

The story is uncomplicated and Anthony D'Souza garnishes it beautifully. If the aquatic life keeps your eyes wide open, the action sequences are sure to make your jaws drop to your knees. The bike chase at the start, yet another chase subsequently, the chase soon after the interval [atop a running train] is simply astounding.

Anthony's expertise comes to the fore in several sequences. One sequence that needs to be singled out is when Sanju narrates the tragic past, how he was responsible for his father's death. It's simply incredible!

Major portions of the film have been filmed in the ocean and you can't stop admiring and appreciating the enormous contribution of the underwater cinematographer [Pete Zuccarini]. The lighting in those sequences deserves special mention. Also, the underwater sequences, which feature aquatic life like puffer fish, stingrays and sharks, hold tremendous appeal. Cinematography [Laxman Utekar] is gorgeous.

On the flip side, the climax could've been more impactful. The villain's track looks cliched, but you tend to overlook the minor aberration since the film never falls prey to mediocrity.

Anthony D'Souza is a director to watch. This film has style as well as substance. Also, it requires courage and conviction to think out of the box and most importantly, execute the material with panache. There's not much scope for music in an action thriller, yet A.R. Rahman's score suits the requirements. The Kylie Minogue track - 'Chiggy Wiggy' - is already popular. Sanju and Lara's romantic track - 'Aaj Dil' - is sensuous. The song at the end credits - 'Fiqrana' - has a lot of energy.

Sound design [Resul Pookutty] is fantastic. Action scenes [James D. Bomalick and R.P. Yadav] are a treat and, in fact, one of the mainstays of the film. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] are effective, while the screenplay [Anthony D'Souza and Jasmine D'Souza] is well thought-out, especially towards the second hour.

Sanjay Dutt carries his part well, although he looks very well-fed in some scenes. Akshay Kumar steals the show with a sterling performance. This would easily classify amongst his best works. Zayed Khan is highly competent. This, despite the fact that he's sharing the screen space with two hugely experienced actors.

Lara Dutta has never looked so good before. Though the story revolves around the guys, you can't overlook Lara's small but significant contribution to the film. Katrina Kaif [sp. app.] looks gorgeous and performs exceedingly well. The feminine charm [at the start specifically] would send the youth in a frenzy. Rahul Dev is first-rate. Kabir Bedi is hardly there.

On the whole, BLUE has style as well as substance. The film has everything going in its favour, right from its incredible star cast to the superb action scenes to the hitherto unseen marine life to the tremendous hype and hoopla. At the box-office, BLUE will strike like a hurricane in the festive week. It should set new benchmarks in days to come. In short, the business will be humungous.

MORE HERE >>>

In Pics: Sanjay Dutt And Ajay Devgan Promote 'All The Best'

MORE HERE >>>

Blue is coming to the UAE first!

Bollywood mega-starrer will have its world premiere at the third Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi

Expect the best of world cinema at the third Middle East International Film Festival to be held from October 8 to 17 in Abu Dhabi. And Bollywood will be represented by none other than Blue, the Akshay Kumar-Sanjay Dutt-Lara Dutta-Katrina Kaif movie that features Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue in a special song appearance. The promos of the movie are already burning up our TV screens, so we can’t wait to see the film.

All of MEIFF ‘s gala screenings will be held in the Auditorium of the Emirates Palace Hotel , with some of them receiving second screenings at Cinestar Cinemas at Marina Mall.

MORE HERE >>>

Akshay's Blue a copy

From the promos of the multi-crore Ashtavinayak venture Blue, starring Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt and Lara Dutta, you notice the strong resemblance it bears to the Jessica Alba starrer film, Into the Blue.

Directed by Anthony D’souza, the films boasts of some big names other than the main leads, Oscar winner A.R Rahman has composed the music, Kylie Minogue’s has an item song, and Hollywood bigwigs have taken charge of action and cinematography. The film which has Akshay Kumar playing a negative role, revolves around the complex relationships shared amongst the lead characters and their search for a lost treasure.

Whereas Into the Blue, starring Fast and Furious actor Paul Walker and Jessica Alba was about their search of a historic treasure, only to stumble on to a plain wreck of cocaine, leading evil druglords to sniff in the moolah. The plot of Blue though not revealed entirely bears striking resemblance to Into The Blue and the entire look of the film has also been picturised over the original.

When we contacted director Anthony D’souza, he remained unavailable for comment but in an earlier interview he had said, “Blue is about betrayal and a treasure-hunt. I had always been fascinated by water and wanted to make a film that would be one of its kind. And shooting in the ocean was a unique and exhilarating experience in itself. What better than an action adventure with real sharks, sting-rays and eels to the menacing great whites?”

Let’s hope the film is indeed an original, the last thing we want is another déjà vu moment!

MORE HERE >>>

Stars leave for IIFA Awards

MORE HERE >>>