Dev Anand's funeral probably over weekend

MUMBAI: Dev Anand's wife and daughter will be leaving for London on Tuesday night but the funeral will take place only December 9 or 10, his close associate said.

"Dev saab died on Dec 3 and his body was taken to a morgue. There is a rule according to which the body is released after seven days.

So most probably his funeral will take place on Dec 9 or Dec 10," Mohan Churiwala, who had been with the legendary actor for two decades, told IANS.

Dev Anand died of cardiac arrest Dec 3 in London. He was 88. His son Suniel Anand was with him.

Dev Anand's wife Mona Anand (screen name Kalpana Kartik) and daughter Devina are flying to London from Mumbai for the last rites. Devina's daughter Gina is staying back in Mumbai.

"After the funeral, there will be a condolence meet here in Mumbai. It will be organised at the Mehboob Studio. It is being organised there because of the sentimental reasons. The studio has his personal make room and which has been kept just like that. It still has his costumes, his make up kit, etc," said Churiwala.

The family would be placing a notice in the papers about the details of the condolence meeting once the date is finalised, he said.

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RGV picks Rakta Charitra actor as lead for Department

MUMBAI: Director Ram Gopal Varma offers role in his next to Abhimanyu Singh, whose character, Bukka Reddy was widely acclaimed despite the film’s box office dud. Ram Gopal Varma, who has a reputation for hiring actors who’ve worked with him previously, has done it yet again. This time it’s Abhimanyu Singh, who had played the role of Bukka Reddy in his box office disaster, Rakta Charitra.

Says Abhimanyu, “After completing Rakta Charitra, I spoke to Ramu and he brought up the topic of Department.

He said, ‘I am casting you and you don’t have to do much because your real life is much like the character in the film.’.

He adds, “But when we started shooting, he took my character’s role much further and to a different level altogether.

Although I’m playing one of the leads, my character has got a lot of layers. I can’t say whether it’s just negative, or positive too. You have to watch the film to decide.”

Though the exact details of Department’s story are not yet revealed, the movie is supposedly based on the Mumbai police’s functioning when encounters were widely used to wipe out crime in the city.

The actor says, “I can’t say much about the film. It’s for Ramu to talk about the plot.” The film is currently being shot at places like Madh Island, Borivli National Park and Mahalaxmi.

His role in Rakta Charitra had received praise from local and national media alike, but the film bombed at the box office. Another of his films, I Am, did as badly.

But Abhimanyu claims, “I have stopped expecting from films. What I expect never happens. It’s better to be focused and continue working. Luckily, Rakta Charitra did well in the South and I started getting a lot offers from the Tamil and Telegu film industry.”

The actor had also recently starred in the Tamil film, Velayudham (warrior), which featured Bollywood actors Genelia D’Souza and Hansika Motwani.

“I was pleasantly surprised that south directors started creating roles for me after watching Rakta Charitra. I know Sanskrit, which has similarities with Tamil, so it helps me understand the language” he added.

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Angelina Jolie sued over Blood and Honey plot

LOS ANGELES: Angelina Jolie's directorial debut is continuing to create headaches for her.

The "Salt" actress is being sued by Croatian journalist and author James J. Braddock, who claims that the plot for the film was lifted from a 2007 article he wrote.

According to the suit, filed in federal court in Illinois, Braddock's story and "Blood and Honey" -- which Jolie wrote, in addition to directing -- tell a similar tale of a rape victim who comes to work as a servant in the camp occupied by the soldiers who have abused her.

"The subject work's main female character is subject to continuous abuse and rape by soldiers and officers in the camp. In addition to being raped continuously by soldiers and officers, she is forced to become a servant at the camp headquarters, a duty assumed by very few of the captives," the suit reads.

"The Motion Picture's main female character is also subject to continuous rape by soldiers and officers in the camp and subsequently becomes a servant at camp headquarters."

Claiming copyright infringement, Braddock -- who also goes by the name Josip J. Knezevic -- has requested a jury trial and is seeking unspecified damages.

GK Films, which is releasing the film, is also named.

Jolie was initially banned from filming in Bosnia, due to reports that the film would feature a rape victim who falls in love with her attacker. The filming permit was reinstated after Bosnia's culture minister was given the script for review.

"In the Land of Blood and Honey" is scheduled for a December 23 release.

A representative for Jolie did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment. AGENCIES

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