New project announced!

A new project has been announced for Freida Pinto! She will follow her movie debut in Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire with a role in legendary filmmaker Woody Allen’s next picture.

Asked of the collaboration on US morning news programme Today, she says: “Yes, it’s up (begins) in July. So thank you, Danny Boyle, for helping me take off.”

I’m so incredibly happy for Freida! Hopefully more details regarding this project will be revealed soon. When they are, be sure to find them here on Freida Pinto Fan!

Slumdog Millionaire production stills

I am yet to find a copy of Freida’s appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly earlier this morning (you got it? let me know here!). But as soon as I find one, I will add both screencaptures and a video of the interview! Keep checking back.

In the meantime, I’ve added eight new production stills from Slumdog Millionaire, as well as replaced some of the old ones with HQ versions! Thanks to Ally for the heads up. Freida looks stunning as Latika, don’t you think?

More Slumdog Millionaire wins!

Slumdog Millionaire has taken home even more awards this week, as Simon Beaufoy received Best Adapted Screenplay at yesterday’s Writer’s Guild Awards. The movie also scooped three prizes at this year’s London Film Critics’ Circle Awards, held on February 5, walking off with Best British Film, Best British Director for Danny Boyle and Screenwriter of the Year for Simon Beaufoy.

Huge congrats to the cast and crew for the well-deserved accolades! Hopefully Slumdog‘s winning streak will continue at tonight’s BAFTA Awards!

The underdog story everyone want to believe in

Bollyspice.com recently interviewed Freida about her experiences in the past six months, ever since Slumdog Millionaire premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s a up-close, great interview which I recommend all of you to read! Check out some tidbits from the interview below, and read the complete article here.

• On landing the role of Latika: It was through an open casting call in 2007, when casting director Loveleen Tandan happened to call various agencies. She was looking for her three main characters at different ages. Back then, I was hosting this travel show called Full Circle on Zee International and it was almost coming to an end. My manager told me that this is probably an audition that you would really be interested in going for, as it is a Danny Boyle film. That just blew me away. I was like, ah, there is no way it is a Danny Boyle film. I think you got the name wrong. She was like, no, I am absolutely sure. You should go in for this audition.

• On her favorite scene of the movie: In terms of performance, in terms of being a challenge, I think the kitchen scene would be my favorite scene. It took me a lot of effort actually to get there, because I remember shooting sometimes and just not feeling right. I was like, this is not right, this is just not going the right way. That was really difficult.

• On co-star Dev Patel: I think there could be no boy on this planet who could play that role. It had to be, it was meant, it was written for Dev. He has done complete justice to that part. The honesty and the integrity that the character Jamal has: Dev has that in real life as well. It really helped him translate that into his character.

• On winning “Best Cast” at the SAG Awards: Oh my God! WHAT WAS THAT? What was that? I woke up in the morning and I was like listen, I was convincing myself, telling myself, well, not convincing myself, because I pretty much thought I knew it, na? I woke and said see, you have swept every other award but this one is not ours, so just make your peace with it. There is no way you can beat Milk and Doubt and films like that.

Read the complete interview at Bollyspice.com!

Slumdog Millionaire photo update

I have added a couple of rare production stills (unfortunately in very small sizes, for now) as well as a picture from the promotional photoshoot for Slumdog Millionaire! As soon as I get the pictures in better quality, they will be replaced. Needless to say, Freida looks fantastic in every single photo. Is she even capable of taking a bad picture? Anyways, enjoy!

Slumdog Millionaire sizzles wide

Fox Searchlight awards favorite Slumdog Millionaire was the darling of the weekend box office as it successfully opened nationwide for the first time in its run.

Buoyed by its 10 Oscar nominations, including one for best picture, Slumdog grossed an estimated $10.6 million from 1,411 runs for a per-location average of $7,477. Ticket sales were up 80%, while the film placed No. 5 overall. Total gross is $55.9 million in its 11th weekend.

Danny Boyle’s pic isn’t an easy sell considering it is set in India and is partly in Hindi. Yet the movie played strongly in markets across the country, including such locales as Columbia, S.C., and Butte, Mont.

“The film has exploded into the mainstream audience because of the Golden Globe Awards, the Academy nominations and now the Producers Guild of America best film award,” said Searchlight senior VP of distribution Sheila DeLoach.

Or, as an exec from a big studio said, “It has become the go-to film.”

Source: Variety

Slumdog Millionaire nominated for ten Oscars!

The nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards – also known as the Oscars – are in! Slumdog Millionaire is nominated in ten (!) categories, including heavy ones such as Best Motion Picture of the Year, Achievement in Directing and Best Adapted Screenplay! View all the nominations below, and visit the official Oscar-site to see the complete list of nominees!

• Best Motion Picture of the Year
• Best Adapted Screenplay – Simon Beaufoy
• Achievement in Directing – Danny Boyle
• Achievement in Cinematography – Anthony Dod Mantle
• Achievement in Film Editing – Chris Dickens
• Achievement in Music (original score) – A.R. Rahman
• Achievement in Music (original song) – “Jai Ho”
• Achievement in Music (original song) – “O Saya”
• Achievement in Sound Editing – Tom Sayers
• Achievement in Sound Mixing – Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty

Slumdog Millionaire sets UK box office record

Slumdog Millionaire has broken the British box office record for the most successful second weekend. The rag to riches story, based in India, has beaten off competition to stay top of the UK box office for a second week, with a 47% increase in takings.

Nielsen EDI, the industry body that monitors tickets sales, has confirmed this is the most successful second weekend ever recorded for a movie that has not substantially increased its print number. “It’s incredible… 47% is the biggest ever increase for a UK saturation release,” said Dave Thurston, managing director of Nielsen EDI.

Following its success at the Golden Globes and BAFTA nominations, Danny Boyle’s film took £2.6 million over the weekend and a whopping £6.1 million since it opened 11 days ago.

Be sure to return to Freida Pinto Fan tomorrow as the Oscar-nominees will be announced! Fingers crossed for Slumdog Millionaire – and Freida – nominations!

Check out the British top ten box office-movies in full after the cut!

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