Norah Jones turns to Ravi Shankar’s music
Norah Jones has said that since her father, Ravi Shankar, died in December, she has been listening a lot to his 1968 album The Sounds of India. "I love this album because it explains Indian classical music in a very simple, very concise way and the music on it is beautiful. I just love hearing him play the sitar with the tabla," she told the Times of India ahead of her first tour in India next month. Although she admits to never having had "an intense desire" to learn the sitar like her father, Jones did admit that her half-sister Anoushka Shankar once gave her a lesson. "I was just blown away by how much my back hurt by just sitting there and holding it," she said. "The sitar is such a hard instrument." Jones also revealed her dad pushed her to perform in India. "It's always just been a matter of timing, it's just never worked out in the past. So it's very sad that he's gone now, but I know he was very excited that I was going to be playing in India." – IANS
Prabhu Deva ups price after ABCD
Following the box office success of ABCD – Any Body Can Dance, the star of the 3-D dance film Prabhu Deva says he is planning to up his price as an actor. "Let me think how much should I demand for my next film," he told reporters. "Jokes aside, I am extremely happy that people are loving the film." He also said he might be in the film's sequel. "Although, I have not been approached so far," he said. The film is still playing in UAE cinemas. – IANS
Sajid Khan talks about recreating Kumar song
The director Sajid Khan has said that recreating the legendary song Naino Mein Sapna by Kishore Kumar for his forthcoming Himmatwala remake is momentous, with the new version sung by the late performer's son, Amit. "Never before has a son sung the same song in the same style that was rendered by his father 30 years ago," said Sajid. "When Amit Kumar started singing Kishoreda's lines, it was almost like Kishoreda had come alive to sing the song for us." – IANS
Bachchan hails success of Gujarati film
Amitabh Bachchan is ecstatic after the Gujarati film Saptapadil, from his AB Corp production house, opened to rave reviews and is enjoying a second week in Indian cinemas. Directed by Niranjan Thade, the film centres on a couple who experience major changes after a child comes into their lives. "Being talked of as the 'turning point' in Gujarati Cinema. Go and see it! It will give huge boost for the Gujarati film industry," wrote Bachchan on Facebook. – IANS