Modi’s film vow to Kashmir

Also, big winners at Chinese 'Oscars', stars to host IFFI closing gala and Asha Bhosle sings for film.

A scene from the film Haider starring Shahid Kapur and Tabu. Courtesy UTV Motion Pictures

The Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is aiming for a return to the glory days of Bollywood, when films were shot in Kashmir. "I have to bring back Bollywood to Kashmir," he told a Bhartiya Janta Party rally in Kishtwar on Saturday, a town in Jammu and Kashmir. Noting that the ­fastest-growing global industry is tourism, he added: "I have to bring back tourism to the state and I have to make Jammu and Kashmir the ultimate tourist destination in the world." A number of movies have been filmed in Kashmir, including Mission Kashmir, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and, more recently, Haider. Assembly elections begin in the state tomorrow. – IANS

Big winners at Chinese ‘Oscars’

A Chinese-French film about blind masseurs, and the actor and director Chen Jianbin were the big winners at Taiwan's 51st Golden Horse movie awards, held on Saturday night, the Chinese-language equivalent of the Oscars. Blind Massage, directed by Lou Ye, won six of the seven awards it was nominated for, including Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography. Chen, 44, won the Best Lead Actor and Best New Director awards for A Fool – a film about a Chinese farmer who meets a homeless man and offers him a home – as well as Best Supporting Actor for his role in Taiwanese military drama Paradise in Service. Also at the awards ceremony in Taipei, Ann Hui won her third Golden Horse Best Director award for The Golden Era, which portrays the turbulent life of Chinese writer Xiao Hong. The Golden Horse film festival celebrates Chinese-language cinema, and its awards are considered the most prestigious in the greater China region. – AP

Stars to host IFFI closing gala

Actress Richa Chadha will host the closing ceremony of the 45th International Film Festival of India with actor Rajkummar Rao, her co-star in the film Words with Gods, directed by Mira Nair. "I'm honoured to be hosting the closing ceremony with my two-time co-star ­Rajkummar, not only because it's our international festival but also because our film Words with Gods is being screened there," Chadha said. The ­11-day festival was opened by Amitabh Bachchan in Goa on Thursday. Words with Gods will be screened tomorrow. ­– IANS

Asha Bhosle sings for film

Veteran Bollywood singer Asha Bhosle has lent her voice to the Marathi film Gurukul. The octogenarian singer of songs such as Aaiye Meherban, and Dum Maaro Dum has recorded a lavani for the film, which was written and directed by former journalist Rommel Rodrigues. "Ashaji's melodious voice has given an outstanding treatment to the lavani that we have in the film," he said. "The song has been set in a very apt situation and is not used as a filler." The song was written by Prashant Ingole and the music was ­composed by Sanjay Raj Gaurinandan. The film, about the politicisation of higher education in Maharashtra, is expected to be completed next month. – IANS