Usha Uthup heats up Hattrick music launch

By: Faridoon Shahryar, IndiaFM

Monday, March 05, 2007

Singer Usha Uthup did the unthinkable. She actually made the normally up-tight media personnel get into clapping-mode as she belted out the calypso beat of Wicket Bachao, a high-energy-fun-song from Milan Luthria's Hattrick at the music launch of the same film in Mumbai today. Uthup's live performance had to be seen to be believed.

Dressed in an opulently colourful Sari along with matching Red Nike Sneakers (she actually displayed it to the papparazi), she laughed-n-sang her way into everyone's heart. She asked the lead pair of Kunal Kapoor and Rimi Sen to join her on stage later. And the tall-n-lanky Kapoor sang his off-key-parts with pearly-white-confidence.

Speaking at the occasion, director Milan Luthria said, "Life is like a tournament. We need people to come as a team to pick out a trick from the magic hat. I have tried to capture slices of lives across five characters." Hattrick, produced by UTV releases on March 16th at a time when the Cricket World Cup in West Indies would have just about started...It's a film with cricket as the backdrop and how it affects the life of five different characters in different locations.

Ronnie Screwwala, the CEO of UTV launched the video of Wicket Bachao, the temperature-raising-anthem from the film. The song features all the principal characters of Kunal Kapoor, Rimi Sen, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal and Danny Denzongpa. Singer Usha Utthup makes her presence felt in the video too in an unusual hair-do. The whistle-evoking-part is the brief appearance of dishy John Abraham and yes, his on-screen-tussle with Nana Patekar continues from Taxi No 9 2 11 in this special promotional video as well. "Thanks to Pritam, it's a great opportunity that after 37 years I could do a Calypso in films. Cherry on the icing is having people like Nana Patekar dancing in the video," says Usha Uthup.

Actor Danny Denzongpa who plays a lively ex-cricketer looked fighting fit as he made a rare appearance at a public function. On being asked about India's chances at the Cricket World Cup, he said, "I don't keep too many expectations. For when you have less expectations, a good performance makes you feel better. If we enter the semi finals, India will bring back the world cup." And who are his favourite cricketers? "Sunil Gawaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath from the times when I was young. In the present lot, I like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly," he said.

What about Hattrick releasing during the World Cup....Will it affect its chances at the Box Office? "More than the world cup, I am more worried about the examinations of school children...For Hattrick is a film that the kids will love," Danny stated.

Well, whatever the fate of the movie, but it can be safely said that if the energy levels of Hattrick are anything close to the adrenaline-rush of Usha Uthup's performance today then Milan Luthria has every reason to look forward to a decent fate of the film at the Box Office come what may.