Last night, between 9 pm and 11 30 pm, my phone was working over time. Calls were going back and forth, messages were being exchanged and opinions voiced – all of them discussing only one thing – the inmates of Bigg Boss, Tritiya (as host Amitabh Bachchan calls it.)

Why is Rakhi Sawant’s mother in? Why does Kamaal Khan call himself KRK? Sherlyn Chopra as a bai in the house? Not just me, but a lot of  bloggers and netizens were updating Twitter and Facebook with every little detail of yesterday’s launch episode.

Shows like this, as Colors CEO, Rajesh Kamat told me last week, may not be in the league of a Balika Vadhu in terms of ratings, but they get talked about much more than the regular daily soaps, which builds the buzz around the channel.

Getting Amitabh Bachchan as host, he said, was enough to create all the buzz they needed, and Bachchan proved last night that he had lost none of his KBC charm, drawing in the audience as easily as he had done four years ago.

Like I have said before, I love watching Bigg Boss, voyeuristic though it may seem, and inmates like Rahul Mahajan, Rakhi Sawant and even Carol Gracias made the show even more interesting for me.

This time around though, I didn’t see anyone that would stir things up a little bit, but I do find myself rooting for Mrs Jaya Sawant – just by virtue of the fact that she is the most unusual choice for a Bigg Boss inmate; the rest seem like the usual suspects.

What about you? Who are you rooting for?

Nearly 60 years after Rabindranath Tagore’s composition was adopted as India’s national anthem, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma’s interpretation of it is raising conservative eyebrows.

Varma uses the tune of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and adds to the lyrics, making it a full-fledged song for his film about India’s media industry — “Rann”.

The 47-year-old filmmaker has maintained he meant no disrespect but only wanted to use the anthem as a vehicle to “draw attention” to the country’s problems.

“For any right-thinking person, I do not believe that he can take offence to the way it’s been done and in what context it’s been shown,” Varma said at a news conference during the unveiling of “Rann” in New Delhi.

Unfortunately for Varma, his adaptation of “Jana Gana Mana” has proved to be more controversial than the film itself. The Censor Board refused certification to the song promo on grounds of it violating the National Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1950. And the song is no longer being aired on television.

But that hasn’t stopped curious netizens from checking it out on video-sharing web site YouTube.

“The National anthem is not meant to be Remixed. End of Discussion,” YouTube user ‘orionrage’ wrote in response.

Some in the media have warned things may take a turn for the worse.

“Narrow-minded priggishness posing as patriotism has long been one of the less attractive features of our national life and Ram Gopal Varma would be prudent in keeping a weather eye open for stormy protests,” columnist Jug Suraiya wrote in The Times of India.

There have been some protests already.

Effigies of Varma and actor Amitabh Bachchan, the protagonist of “Rann”, were burnt in Ranchi.

But the filmmaker is unperturbed and plans to challenge the censor board decision.

Media reports have quoted Varma as saying he will now be taking the case directly to the Supreme Court.

“The promo has been refused certification without me getting any chance to explain my case,” Varma said. “Where is my freedom of expression?”

What do you think? Is the “Rann” song a new-age national anthem, a parody or just a publicity stunt?

(Reuters photos of a ‘Rann’ press conference in New Delhi)

The last thing I expected A.R. Rahman to do during his Oscar speech is invoke Salim-Javed. After all, you don’t expect to hear one of Bollywood’s most famous dialogues on Hollywood’s biggest night. But in hindsight, I am so glad he said “mere paas maa hain.”

Not only did he demonstrate his love and respect for his mother, he also pretty much made that particular one-liner from Hindi cinema world famous. Melodramatic and over-the-top though it may have been, Shashi Kapoor saying those four words to his brother (Amitabh Bachchan) in “Deewar” remains one of my favourite moments in Indian cinema.

Following close behind is another Bachchan moment, when he ambles up to Basanti in “Sholay” and drawls “tumhara naam kya hai, Basanti”, after actress Hema Malini has finished regaling him and Veeru with her life story. That scene never fails to crack me up.

I did a quick poll in office and it turns out “Sholay” features on most people’s lists, but so do Yash Raj films. And although I never quite warmed up to the fact that “bade bade deshon mein, aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai,” a lot of people are huge fans of that line.

So, what is your favourite Bollywood one-liner?

A perfect Saturday afternoon beckoned me. An early lunch was had, the house was quiet and the prospect of dropping off into an uninterrupted sleep was enough to make me smile.

One phone call changed all that. Amitabh Bachchan is on his way to the hospital, a source said and he is sick. The first thing that registered in my mind was “I hope he is ok” and then the journalistic instinct kicked in.

Frantic calls to his office, the hospital and his doctor followed. Details became clearer, the situation calmed down a bit and everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief. Many of us couldn’t help but go back in time to 2005 when Bachchan was recuperating in the same hospital. The focus on him then was immense.

There were hourly updates on news channels, reporters stationed outside the hospital 24×7 and thousands thronged to Lilavati Hospital, as if their presence might have made a difference. Prayer meetings were held and the entire film industry held its breath.

I’ve been told it was the same when Bachchan met with an accident on the sets of his film “Coolie” in 1982. I was three years old then and don’t remember the incident so I only have the 2005 illness to go by.

It hasn’t been as bad this time around but I do know of fellow reporters who have kept vigil outside Lilavati Hospital since Saturday. Television channels and newspapers have been full of news, filmographies, reactions from fan clubs and detailed discussions with doctors on intestinal diseases.

Over the weekend, we have been subjected to all kinds of details about the sickness — how Jaya Bachchan kept vigil by her husband’s bed all night, TV channels replaying the shot from “Coolie” where Bachchan got injured and discussions with astrologers on the actor‘s future.

It is understandable that being the icon that he is, any news of Bachchan will be followed by the media almost obsessively. This morning a casual discussion in office also turned to the same topic.

“I feel really bad for the guy. If I were sick, I wouldn’t want an army of cameras and photographers grappling to get my picture,” said a colleague.

Monday’s edition of the Mumbai Mirror voiced similar sentiments.

“The attention given to Bachchan by our media both in normal times and when he falls sick is disproportionate to his importance,” reader V M Swaraj said in a letter to the paper.

This is a difficult one to answer, I think. As media, we have to cover this news, it is important. But shouldn’t we also be drawing the line somewhere? And if so, where should that line be?

What do you think?

There has been so much controversy about the release of “The Last Lear” that it’s easy to overlook this is a film that has been well received in the international festival circuit, has some of India’s best known actors and has even been touted as Amitabh Bachchan’s finest work yet.

Honestly, I don’t agree with that last statement — but then people are entitled to their own opinion.

Undoubtedly, Bachchan plays the role of Harish Mishra, an ageing but passionate Shakespearean actor to the T, with dexterity and skill.

But this is not his best. In fact, I would even say his is not the best performance in the film.

But I am getting ahead of myself. “The Last Lear” is a film in a film and it starts off the way most movies do. With a premiere. It’s Diwali night and also the premiere of Siddharth’s (Arjun Rampal) first film.

The mood though is anything but celebratory. The film’s lead actor is seriously ill and actress Shabnam (Preity Zinta) decides to visit him rather than attend the premiere. Even Siddharth is not as happy as a director making his debut should be.

Film maker Rituparno Ghosh tells the whole story in flashback, interspersed with the events of the night. We learn that Siddharth, a young, enthusiastic director convinces ageing theatre actor Mishra to play a role in his film about an out of work circus clown. Mishra agrees and the entire film unit moves to a hill station for the shoot.

Actress Shabnam, who feels trapped in her marriage, is also part of the cast. The story of how Mishra gets hurt during the shooting is revealed almost at the end and so is the interplay of relationships. To reveal any more would be to spoil the plot.

Ghosh explores the ruthlessness of an artist when it comes to perfecting his art through Siddharth, played brilliantly by Arjun Rampal. Zinta, playing an actress who deals with her own demons is also wonderful, especially in her scenes with Shefali Shah and Divya Dutta.

Which brings us to Shefali Shah. Hers is easily the most power-packed and passionate performance in the film. Her character and her relationship with Mishra is not revealed till the end. Yet, instead of treating this as a handicap, Shah uses it to the best of her ability.

Divya Dutta as the nurse is also good. The scenes in which the three women discuss their lives, matter of factly, yet with so much underlying pain are some of the most powerful in the film.

The pace is quite good and the flashback scenes don’t hinder the film much. Again, this is not a film for everyone, but if your movie palate can handle a different cuisine, go watch “The Last Lear” — if not for anything else, the performances.

Bollywood hasn’t always had the most original of ideas, but “God Tussi Great Ho” takes the cake.

Not only is the film a clear rip-off from the Morgan Freeman-Jim Carrey starrer “Bruce Almighty”, it manages to be such a badly pulled off one that you want to rip off the writer-director-actors heads.

The movie has none of the clever writing or spirited performances that made “Bruce Almighty” an enjoyable film. Instead what you get are half-baked performances, imbecile jokes and direction that is pretty much, well, directionless.

Salman Khan is Arun Prajapati, aka AP, a television producer who doesn’t have much luck in life.

He is constantly berated by his father, his boss doesn’t like him, and his rival Rocky seems to be finding favour with the office hottie, Alia (Priyanka Chopra).

Every time he is faced with a problem, he blames it on God. He whines so much that ultimately even “Godji” gets tired. And offers AP the chance to play God for ten days.

Some mindless songs, even more mindless fight sequences and what seems like an eternity later, the screen darkens and the credits start to roll.

The second half of the film is pretty much of a blur, and that’s not a good thing.

Suffice it to say this movie has not much going for it. Salman Khan is neither bad nor good, merely indifferent. It’s almost as if he didn’t care about this role. What possessed Priyanka Chopra to do this role; I’ll never know but hopefully she won’t repeat such a mistake again — she is a complete waste.

Sohail Khan, who plays Rocky, manages to display a total of one and half expressions in the film. Anupam Kher is about the only bright spot. His role as Salman’s discontent, cynical father is performed with perfect comic timing. Amitabh Bachchan plays God, with his usual skill, but there is really nothing for him to do.

Just rent a DVD of “Bruce Almighty” instead.

I am a bit wary when filmmakers announce Bollywood projects based on real life people. After all, the word Bollywood evokes images of glitzy song-and-dance routines in exotic locales. And that’s largely true even though the Mumbai film industry is showing signs of opening up to bolder, more realistic themes.

Take “Rave Party” for example. The story of Scarlett Keeling, the British teenager murdered at a Goan beach, is being made into a film.

But it remains to be seen if director Prabhakar Shukla’s project can stick to the truth. A lawyer for Keeling’s family has said they might object if it didn’t.

Actor Sanjay Dutt is to portray Charles Sobhraj in a new film about the infamous killer and master of disguise. And “Jannat,” releasing in cinemas this month, depicts a cricket coach found dead under mysterious circumstances during a tournament — mirroring the death of Bob Woolmer at the cricket World Cup in 2007.

It’s as if the Bollywood well for ideas has dried up and filmmakers have to turn to real life for inspiration. I am not sure if such films actually strike a chord with audiences. Documentaries sans dance sequences may be too boring but a film that has too many may not seem realistic enough. Getting the dosage right would be tough.

But I guess a ‘real life’ inspiration is one way of ensuring the film stays in the limelight. And that’s true not just in Bollywood. A U.S.-based Bangladeshi news agency reported that actor Amitabh Bachchan is to play Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a film about the founding leader of Bangladesh.

The film’s producer told the agency that Bachchan’s son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya will also act in “The Poet of Politics”.

As expected, the 65-year-old superstar was badgered by Indian media eager to know if he was doing the film.

“It’s the first time that I hear all this and obviously negate it, but they are persistent. The person producing it has confirmed your participation, Mr Bachchan! Well Mr Bachchan has not heard of it yet, thank you,” the actor wrote on his blog.

Of course, whether Bachchan plays Rahman or not, the film has already got its share of publicity. Which means real life inspirations and Bollywood can work quite well together.

Amitabh Bachchan started a blog on April 17. And has posted almost daily since, generating hundreds of comments from fans around the world.

His blog is ostensibly about his life and films, but also a platform where the 65-year-old Indian superstar gets even with the “rumor laced spicy barbs” of the media.

In a recent post, the actor elaborates on his hectic schedule of 43 interviews while promoting the film ‘Bhootnath’.

“And I wait for the dynamic headlines announcing the interview. Some thing that will draw attention, keep the audience unmoved from their channel. Phone ins may get constructed around comments of mine… call in a semi intellectual, preferably from the film industry and certainly not ‘Bachchan Camp’…repeat the questions asked in interview, expand them, cover half hour or else the adverts will not fructify. Culminate the proceedings on a note where the channel looks good and unbiased, yet signals its last cynical or sarcastic ending…”

“Back to condescending anchor, male, in a fetching suit and tie, a tinge of sarcasm and one-upmanship, a wry smile and the closing before the signature tune takes over - ‘Far cry from the Amitabh Bachchan that had boycotted the media not so long ago’”

The Bollywood star — wait, you shouldn’t call him that because he hates the Indian film industry being described that way.

“It was coined by some smart journalist and it just stuck, and now it’s in the Oxford dictionary,” Bachchan told Reuters in an interview last year.

Well, Bollywood or not, the response to the actor’s blog has been overwhelming — nearly a thousand wrote in when Bachchan injured his hip while shooting for a film — and he feels the “need to employ people to help me or else fear the loss of my fingers” replying to comments.

Some fans have responded with strange requests, including a plea that Bachchan shave his facial hair.

But the actor said his beard isn’t going to disappear in a hurry.

“Primarily because of continuity in my forthcoming films, but also because I seem to like it there.”