Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra at Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai

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Drona’s release postponed

For all those awaiting the release of Abhishek Bachchan’s much talked about Drona, here’s news. The movie’s release has been postponed to a faraway date.

Says Goldie Behl, Drona’s director, “I am trying some thing new in India with Drona and I and hope it is well received by all... Well, the latest on the film is that it will not be released on August 15 as originally planned, but on October 2. This is because I am still working on the VFX and need some time to make it as good as I can.” Take your time, Goldie. We want to see only the best.

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Salman Khan goes missing from brother Arbaaz’s premiere

Salman Khan was missing at the premiere of Sanjay Gupta’s Woodstock Villa, starring his brother Arbaaz Khan. Except Malaika Arora Khan and Amrita Arora (who was seen with Arbaaz), no Khan member was present. The buzz is that it was the presence of the Bachchans (especially Aishwarya’s) that was the cause of Salman’s no-show.

Says a source, “Arbaaz held a trial on Thursday for the Khan family at 12.30 in the afternoon at Ketnav theatre in Bandra where everyone from Alvira and Atul Agnihotri, Salim and Salma Khan to Salman was present. After the trial, Salman drove off to his Panvel farmhouse in the evening. But the real reason that Salman and Salim Khan didn’t go for the premiere, which was such an important event for Arbaaz was because Salim Khan and Salman wanted to avoid the Bachchan family. Recently, Salim Khan had made certain disparaging remarks against Amitabh Bachchan and it would have made an awkward moment for both if they had come face-to-face.”

Apparently, Salman also wasn’t keen on coming. The source clarifies, “Though Salman shares a cordial relationship with Abhishek and a warm and affectionate relationship with the Big B, it would have made for another awkward moment if Aishwarya, the Bachchan bahu and he bumped into each other at the premiere. Rather than have so many uncomfortable moments the Khan family decided to skip the premiere.”

Arbaaz, however, says, “Salman has just returned from a long and hectic schedule of Main Aur Mrs Khanna in Australia so he couldn’t make it to the premiere. But dad and him and the rest of the family saw it at the trial at Ketnav. Also he’s currently very busy preparing for his TV show, Dus Ka Dum, which airs next week on June 6. We have seen the first episode and Salman is simply brilliant!”

Arbaaz is thrilled with the response he’s got for his performance in Woodstock Villa, where he plays Neha Uberoi’s husband. Arbaaz’s “biggest critic”, his father, Salim Khan has also liked his performance.

“Dad never gets over-enthusiastic in his praise so when he says it’s good it means a lot. He’s liked the film and my performance. It was a challenging role to play where I had to convey a lot silently through my expressions. Many have said that it’s one of my best performances in recent times.”

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Soha–Siddharth break up

Buzz is that the couple is heading for splitsville

Soha and Siddharth have been a couple who’ve kept their relationship away from the public glare. The two have rarely been spotted out together and always maintained that they are just ‘good friends’.

Well-wishers and common friends, though, think otherwise. Everyone in the industry knows that Soha and Siddharth have been seeing each other for quite some time. The buzz is that a few months back Soha introduced Siddharth to her family and even sought approval from Saif (‘Soha, Siddharth’s pyaar approved’; HiTLIST, Dec 18, 2007).

However, if sources are to be believed then cracks have started appearing in their love life. The biggest display of the strain their relationship is going through is the recent photo shoot Soha did for Maxim. A source reveals that Soha was feeling stifled in the relationship and wanted to break free. What better way than to go for a complete image makeover? However, the scantily clad sexy pictures didn’t go down too well with Siddharth.

A common friend spills the beans on what went wrong. “Soha and Siddharth have been very private about their relationship. Both of them are extremely media-shy and have stayed away from talking about their personal life. However, everyone knows that they have been dating for the longest time and even got into a serious relationship. Problems started happening when Siddharth started acting busy and didn’t have enough time for Soha. Since he does a lot of south movies, there were times when Soha would keep shuttling between Mumbai and Chennai.”

Even though Soha and Siddarth haven’t yet called it quits yet, we are told that the two have had serious fallouts on several occasions. “After the debacle of Khoya Khoya Chand, Soha wanted Siddharth to be by her side, but that wasn’t the case. Finally she decided she would take matters in her hands and cut contact with him for a long time. Soha was bored of her cutesy girl next door image and wanted to portray a more sexy, independent image which she did with the Maxim photo shoot.”

We are told that the sizzling Maxim photos didn’t go down too well with Siddharth. “He didn’t approve her doing the photo shoot. It was very unlike her, and came as a shock to him. She didn’t share or show him any of the pictures until the issue hit the stands.”

Currently Soha and Siddharth are taking time to decide whether they call it quits or give their relationship another chance. Soha was unavailable for comment when contacted.

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Priyanka Chopra on the cover of Hair

Well, going by the current trend and speed in which the Bolly heroines are adorning the covers of the magazines, be it lifestyle, fashion and even realty ones, the day is not far when the models will become out of work entities.

The latest one to become the cover girl is Priyanka Chopra, for the magazine 'Hair'. She had only recently undergone a tress-stress during her shoot-stint in her forthcoming film Love Story 2050, in which she coloured her hair from black to red and vice versa. No doubt that her professionalism came to the forefront, but at her hair's expense! Latest news is that she has undergone a hair-cut since the colour took a toll on her hair.

The magazine gives the readers an insight of Priyanka's tress-care. It says that when Priyanka is on a day off, she likes her hair away from her face and loves to wear it loose. Also her hair-advice to the readers is that not to blow-dry your hair unless required and drink lots of water!

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Theatrical trailer of 'Contract' with 'Sarkar Raj'

There is not much that has been shown in the first look of Contract so far, other than the pigeons flying the skyline of Mumbai. Still, even those few seconds with a haunting background score have immediately worked in the film gaining attention by the followers of Ram Gopal Varma's cinema.

So, are we going to see something more than 'just pigeons' over the next few weeks en route to the film's release?

Ramu says after a hearty laugh, "Don't worry, the film is not about pigeons. We wanted to create some excitement about the film coming after Satya and Company, and hence, we refrained from showing anything more than that in the first look. However, you would know more about Contract as the film's full length theatrical trailer would be out along with the release of Sarkar Raj."

With the film being less than week away, it should be double the excitement for cine goers, who would now also catch a glimpse of Contract that mainly stars relative newcomers. Stated to be third in the trilogy of his underworld films, Contract also explores the angle around what happens when underworld meets terrorism.

Promising to be another gritty affair, Contract marks the return of Prasad Purandare, who had enacted the role of 'Don Zameer' in Shimit 'Chak De India' Amin's Ab Tak Chhappan. In the film, he was quite a revelation as a don who shared a unique love-hate relationship with the 'encounter cop' played by Nana Patekar.

Surprisingly, he wasn't seen in any other film in the years gone by. Now after a gap of 4 years, Prasad is returning to the big screen Contract which also stars Sakshi Gulati, Vineet Sharma, Sadia Siddiqui, Saurabh Mahajan and Amruta Khanvilkar (from Mumbai Salsa).

Produced by PVR Cinema and Ace Movie Company, Contract is looking at a 18th July release. The film has music by Amar Mohile, Bapi-Tutul and Sana Kotwal, with action by Allan Amin.

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Salman Khan plays '10 Ka Dum' with David Dhawan

In a country where the public memory is short-lived, there are just two names that will always be etched in gold in the decades to come: Abhijeet Sawant and Harshwardhan Nawathe. While the former was the first ever winner of 'Indian Idol', the latter went onto win 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC), hosted by none other than Big B himself.

What seemed impossible a few years back has become a stark reality now and how! Gone are the days when the films stars were playing hard to even make an appearance on TV. It took an Amitabh Bachchan to create a revolution of the so-called 'Idiot Box' and declared to the world over that the same Idiot Box can make you a Millionaire instantly!

After the Big B, the spotlights were on SRK and now its Salman Khan and his forthcoming show '10 Ka Dum'. And going by the reports, Sallu bhai is leaving no stone unturned to make this show a smash-hit! No wonder then, he had invited David Dhawan, his close friend for one of the mock rehearsals of the show. And The Perfectionist that David is, he took his time to think but gave correct answers. When Sallu asked him as to why is he spending too much time thinking, pat came the reply, "Your show is about common people. And I am here as a common man and not as David Dhawan. Hence, I need time to think."

Man! That was some answer. News also has it that David pocketed a cool one crore! Only if this wasn't a mock-show… What say David bhai?

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Launch of the background music of Sarkar Raj

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Premiere of Woodstock Villa

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Bachchan Bahu refused to romance three men on screen

Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan would've liked nothing better than doing films with husband Abhishek Bachchan. She has on more than one occasion, told close friends that even professionally, being paired with Abhishek is what she is most comfortable with.

So when buddy Karan Johar offered Aishwarya a chance to work with Abhishek in Dostana, with the sunny beach-side atmosphere of Miami being a plus, she was all for it.

All seemed well, albeit, the role required her to romance not just Abhishek, but also John Abraham, and, finally walk away with a third man! The third man is to be played by none other than Bobby Deol, who makes a surprise entry at the end of Dostana. Karan Johar says, "Bobby has a very special role in the film." Special indeed, because he gets the girl from Abhishek and John!

Aishwarya refused Dostana simply because she couldn't see herself romancing three men on screen, with her married Bachchan-bahu status. Also, Dostana required her to sport a lot of beachwear. Having refused to wear beachwear in Dhoom 2 already, she didn't give a second thought to declining Dostana.

The lucky girl to have stepped into Aishwarya's role is Priyanka Chopra. Dostana is the second film where Priyanka Chopra has benefitted from Ash leaving the project, the first being Rohan Sippy's Bluff Master, in 2005. This would be Aishwarya's third project with John Abraham gone wrong. Gaurang Doshi's Happy Birthday never got made, and Sriram Raghavan's film is yet to take off.

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‘He is very special in my life’

Shilpa Shetty's relationship with Raj Kundra has been a topic of speculation for a long time now. So finally when we caught up with Shilpa, we decided to set the record straight. So, what's her equation with Raj Kundra like? “Well, he's helping me out with my production house,” she replies. “He's a great businessman and knows the nitty-gritties of a business which I'm not so well-versed with.”

And her personal relationship with him? How far has it progressed? “It's too personal to talk about!” she shoots back. But when we coax a bit, she says, “Well, yes, he is very special in my life.”

Does that mean marriage is on the cards? “I can't give out all the details like date, time and venue. But yes, I'll announce it when the time is right. I have decided to settle down after marriage and take it easy. But before that happens, I want to give it my best and try out everything so I have no regrets of missing out on anything later.”

Meanwhile, there's already a murmur around us. 'Shilpa Shetty shoot kar rahi hai' go the crowds at Nariman Point. She's shooting for The Man directed by Sunny Deol. She grumbles a bit, upset about the media-bashing she's received after her return from the Big Brother's home. “I was made a scapegoat by the media and pulled up for wrong reasons. But when the issue got squashed, nobody took note of it. The Richard Gere controversy really put me off! I've just about gotten over it,” she says.

Just back from Miami after shooting a song for Karan's Dostana, Shilpa's hands are full. She's all set to launch her very own version of Yoga CDs on June 6. She says, “All the libraries in the UK had a range of Yoga CDs by English experts only, and not a single CD by an Indian. So I thought why not me? Though I got an offer to make a Yoga DVD it didn't work out because I wanted to make it with my sensibilities. So I went to Kerala and shot for a film and I'm looking forward to its release now.”

Though her recent achievements abroad are noteworthy, a big hit in Bollywood still eludes her. Does she feel stuck in a rut? “That's only a perception,” Shilpa replies. “I don't think I'm stuck. It's for my fans to tell, they wouldn't be here to meet me or call out my name, if I were not successful here. I'm happy, I'm doing the kind of films I want to do. Moreover, who has made it as big as I have, internationally?”

Doesn't she miss out being an integral part of Yash Raj and Karan Johar films? Shilpa laughs saying, “Of course! Who wouldn't? But I'm happy with whatever I have on my plate at this point. I am busy with my own production house.” She is obviously excited about her new role running her production house. “It's quite a task as I work in my office with a complete corporate look, and using brains can be so taxing!” she adds.

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Sarkar Raj to release its background score

It is the first feature film in India to release its background score.

Mumbai: Sarkar Raj becomes the first feature film in India to release its background score.

Power of Sound, the background score album has 32 tracks featuring moods and situations from the film. Amar Mohile has composed the background score.

Film director Ram Gopal Varma said on Thursday night that internationally, there are no song and dance routines like in India, and thus background score for special event films like James Bond and Harry Potter series are released.

He said apart from the background score album, the film has a regular music CD containing 12 tracks.

The film’s lead cast Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan released the album. Amitabh spoke on the importance of background score and how often it is ignored.

When the megastar heard a strange sound coming from the background music being played on stage, he said, “The score reflects my mood for the evening. I have come here after penning a page of my blog only to see the broadband connection going away with my thoughts.”

When Aishwarya was asked how was it to work with Abhishek in the film when they are not paired opposite each other, Abhishek asked, “Do you mean we lack chemistry?” To which Varma said, “This is what happens after marriage.”

The filmmaker refused to entertain questions whether Tanisha, the actress paired opposite Abhishek dies in the film to make Ash and Abhishek come together.

As part of the promotion of Sarkar Raj, a yatra is being planned across five cities from June 13. Varma said the yatra is an exact replication of a scene from the film, where a procession travels from one destination to another.

The three Bachchans will participate in the road show. The film releases on June 6 and will be premiered at the IIFA weekend in Bangkok.

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The railway minister took home a cash prize of 1 crore

The set of Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai was full of excitement and anticipation on Thursday. The grand finale episode of Season One was shot with guest celebrities Laloo Prasad Yadav, Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja.

A source reveals that Shah Rukh was pretty upbeat and eager to meet the railway minister, “SRK was heard talking days before about the finale episode. He always enjoyed Laloo’s one-liners and his witty sense of humour and now he was finally getting to grill him.”

Apparently, Laloo stunned everyone with his razor-sharp responses. “When SRK said he was a fan of Laloo because of his intellect and political wisdom, Laloo replied saying he was SRK’s airconditioner! Interestingly, he didn’t use anycheat option from any of the students ready to help him.”

Laloo hit the one crore jackpot and donated his winnings to a railway charitable organisation. “He gave many insights about his school days and loved the concept of the show because of the educative angle.”

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Emraan opts out of Warner Bros project

The success of the Bhatts' Jannat released right in the middle of stiff competition from the IPL matches has shocked one and all, including the film's leading man Emraan Khan who has wasted no time in hiking his price from an estimate1.5 crore rupees to 5 crores. "And why not?" Emraan argues happily. "Equations change every Friday. The sun has started shining for me. I seem to have had a solo hit at a time when only Akshay Kumar and the Khans seem to be getting the audiences in," he.

"Ya, my price has gone up. I won't say drastically. Right now I can quote a higher price with some justification." There's celebration in Emraan's house. "I've cut about fifteen cakes in the last one week. And I've just bought a new BMW. I was so confident about Jannat that I had it delivered to my home on the day of its release."

Emraan has even backed out of a film that Warner Brothers was to produce in association with Tandav Films (of Khosla Ka Ghosla). Here Emraan gets evasive. "I wouldn't like to comment on which project I backed out. But yes, we were in serious negotiation. I only had to sign the contract. But as is the rule in the entertainment industry, they were waiting to see how Jannat would perform. But now the ball is in my court. Since I'm in a negotiable position now, why should I sign the film at a price I was supposed to? They were playing the wait-and-watch game. Now that they've watched it's my turn."

Emraan says his price also goes up for his mentors the Bhatts. "I haven't spoken to them about my price now that Jannat has done so well. But they've always been very fair as far as the price goes. We share a professional relationship first, we're relatives later. Eventually, the film stands on its own, no matter who makes it. I only sign Bhatt Saab's films when I'm convinced about them. It isn't as if I've said yes to all his offers. I was picky earlier. I'm being more picky now."

Emraan says he was always getting offers outside the Bhatt camp. "But yes after Jannat the offers from outside are better. This is probably the best time as an actor for me." His next release is Raaz 2. "Like Jannat and the earlier films that I've done with Bhatt Saab, it tries something different. No one wants to touch the horror genre. It hasn't been explored sufficiently except in the first part of Raaz which came five years ago. I've again done the unexpected in Raaz 2. I feel the different will always work. I guess the same applies to me as an actor. I always go for the unconventional roles."

Strangely, Emraan has always been working with new leading ladies. "I don't see that as a burden. I think the audience wants to see me with new heroines and yes, I did kiss my heroine in Jannat too, though this time it was more furtive than torrid. If the director feels the kiss has to be shown, I won't object to a kiss in future too."

Emraan's wife loved Jannat. "She's zapped by its success. Suddenly to have your spouse blossom into a star…it completes our circle of happiness. The prolonged period of failure has been good for me. It made me realize I wasn't invincible. If people don't earn money out of you in the entertainment industry they don't want you. As simple as that."

Says Emraan, "We were warned not to release Jannat with the IPL. Biggies like Tashan and Paachvi Paas on TV had failed. I was very confident about Jannat. We got a phenomenal opening. The collections have only been going up. Eventually, a film stands on its own, and the promos helped. The past one year was really tough on me. If Jannat didn't work I'd been really frustrating. I was bitter and angry. So Jannat was a do or die project for me. If it failed I had told myself nothing else will work."

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Audio release of Love Story 2050

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A star is launched: Harman Baweja

What do Ashutosh Gowarikar, Karan Johar, Goldie Behl and Madhur Bhandarkar have in common apart from the fact that they are directors? Well, they all have a common leading lady for their forthcoming films in the form of the gorgeous Priyanka Chopra. And so smitten are they by the actress’s commitment towards her work that they made sure they were present right in time at the music launch of ‘Love Story: 2050’, a film that is close to Priyanka’s heart since it marks the debut of close friend Harman Baweja.

Music launches are star-studded affairs and this one was no exception. But what made it special was the presence of family well-wishers, the likes of which included Raveena Tandon who looked as smashing as she walked in with hubby Anil Thadani and Sonali Bendre who charmed everyone as she wished her very best to Harman who is extremely close to the Behl family.

But if there was one thing that gave close competition to the dazzle of stars present at the event, it was the ambience for the evening.”Harry Baweja, Harman’s father as well his director for the debut ensured that everyone present got a feel of the ‘futuristic’ aspect of the film. The venue was almost a replica of the film’s sets with steel-like giant sized masks placed all across, chairs that seem to be inspired from skeleton backs and even ‘Boo’, the robot teddy bear that is Piggy Chops’ best buddy in the film.

Harman smiles and says, “All this has been papa’s idea. Since all these props have been created for the film, he decided to use them as a setting for the launch so that people could actually get a peep into what the film was all about. Papa likes to experiment and we were eager to execute his ideas for him.”

All this and more ensured that the guests and the media left no stone unturned to rip off Priyanka and Harman about every single moment of shooting ‘Love Story: 2050’. And while the duo was whisked off upstairs as the clock struck midnight, I managed to follow them up to the third floor room where the Bawejas and Chopras were sharing some of their best moments. But believe it or not, what was really amusing was that Priyanka and Harman were pacing up and down the room asking for some food.

Says Priyanka, I cannot think of anything. I want food.. Some nice Indian food. I am famished.” Echoing her thoughts was Harman too, “Now that the nerves have settled, all I can think of is food.”

And it was not just them, but even other close family and friends present in the room demanded for some home-cooked Baweja food, Harry was extremely thrilled to reveal, “We have just called in for double the delicacies as the turn-out at the evening has been thrice than expected.” For this one, all we can say is ‘three cheers for Harman and Priyanka’!!!

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Melbourne-Bangkok-Los Angeles-London-Mumbai

Kareena is jet-setting around the world for her films and shows

In her own words, Kareena is working like a mad woman, “I have five films in various stages of production. Then I’ve nine endorsements for which I’ve to shoot ads around the year. Plus, I’ve all these stage shows that require rehearsals. I can’t seem to find the time to do anything properly,” she laments from Melbourne where she’s shooting for Salman Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna.

She is performing at the IIFA in June and is rehearsing, “I’m performing a medley of my songs from Jab We Met and Tashan. Gone are the days when I’d go on stage with just a little practice. Now I want to be my best at every act.”

Right now, she’s rehearsing for IIFA at nights and shooting in the day. “I’m exhausted. But what choice do I have? I’ve decided to take my live performances as seriously as my movies and endorsements,” she says.

From Melbourne, she will move to Los Angeles for a long 40-day spell of shooting for Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kambhakt Ishq, “I’ll be away from home for more than three months at a stretch. I miss home and my family. I’ve never been out of Mumbai so much. I’ll finish from here, then head to perform at the IIFA. I’m working so hard I hardly get sleep. I feel like I haven’t slept for ages.”

She’ll join Saif in London for a week in London from June 20, where he is shooting for his first home production starring Deepika Padukone and being directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Bebo is happy for Deepika and Ranbir, “I hope they’ll be happy together. He was fantastic in Saawariya. He’s here’s to stay. The Kapoors and Khans are rocking the industry.”

No hard feelings about not being in Saif’s first home production? “None at all,” Bebo laughs. “Honestly, I enjoy meeting him outside Mumbai. At least, we can have some privacy. At home, Saif and I can’t even go out for dinner without people staring at us, constantly judging our behaviour.

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Akshay is a good friend, says Kat

Katrina has just returned from the shooting of Singh Is Kinng in Egypt. And she cannot stop talking about the place.

Kat enthuses, “Egypt is a beautiful and we shot in many places Luxor, which has many old temples, the pyramids etc. The people are more reserved than the people here. We would have to shoot at 4 am every day to capture the light, and it was scorching hot. To keep cool we would stay in shades. We would sip chilled glasses of fruit juices or mint tea or iced hibiscus tea (or karkady) which kept us energised and refreshed.”

The highlight of Kat’s cruise was dinner on a boat on the Nile. The actress says, “I didn’t have time to visit an Egyptian flea market but I went for dinner on a stationary cruise boat. Egyptians are very much into barbecues, kebabs and kofta basically non-vegetarian food like lamb and chicken. It’s very similar to Arabic food. Bread accompanies every meal and there are many types of breads in different regions, the most common being aysh an unleavened circle of coarse dough and various kinds of sweet cakes and pastries.”

While her closeness to Akshay Kumar was caught in pictures at the IPL match, the actress says dismissively, “Akshay and I are very good friends but we are both grown up and mature enough to know we are in a public place , so we know how to conduct ourselves and not do anything foolish.”

Ask her about her beau Sallu’s show Dus Ka Dum. She says, “I don’t have anything to comment on that.”

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Alibaba gets John's voice

After having tested many foreign voices, Alibaba gets to speak the desi language, courtesy John Abraham. Which only means that the lead 'hero' of the much awaited animated film Alibaba and the 40 Thieves will have John Abraham's voice. The film is directed by Soumitra Ranade of Jajantaram Mamantram fame.

Speaking to us, Soumitra said, "We have John Abraham lending his voice for Alibaba, while Saurabh Shukla, Raza Murad, and Mukesh Tiwary do for other characters."

Alibaba and the 40 Thieves is a story based on a boy called Chinku, who lives in Mumbai and is trans-migrated into Arabian Night's tale. "The music of the film is given by a group called Three Brothers & a Violin. It's expected to release by 2009," added Soumitra.

It will be interesting to see how John's voice sounds over Alibaba because he was among those actors whose debut films were dubbed by someone else. Yes, John's voice was dubbed by a dubbing artist in his filmJism.

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Hrithik signed as a goodwill ambassador for NDTV Imagine's new show

Bollywood stars making their presence felt on various T.V. shows is no longer a new phenomenon. While most of the stars make fleeting appearances on reality shows around the time when their film releases, some are even seen hosting shows on T.V.

The latest superstar who would be seen on T.V. (albeit in a new avatar) is Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik has been signed on as the goodwill ambassador for Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka, the exciting new musical show on NDTV Imagine. Celebrating the shows' cultural and artistic diversity, Hrithik will lend his support to the participants of the Sufi, Folk and Filmy genres on the show.

Announcing Hrithik's association with the show, Shailja Kejriwal, EVP Content, NDTV Imagine said, "We are very excited as this is the first time that a channel has associated with a celebrity at this level. Hrithik's role is very unique - he is not a host, judge or performer. He is here to lend his support to the participants. What makes this association special is that we truly believe that he embodies the spirit of Junoon and epitomizes the passion which is present in all the talented artists that are part of the show! He symbolizes the personality of the show brilliantly!"

Even Hrithik seemed all excited on being associated with the show. The talented actor said "I am very pleased to be associated with NDTV Imagine and Junoon. I can identify with the participants and their desire to achieve success with their god-given talent. I relate to their positive and exuberant spirit because I believe that I have a similar Junoon - be it my work or my personal life."

Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka is an exciting new musical show that will decide the country's most popular genre of music, namely Folk, Sufi and Filmy. Each team will have 6 contestants and will be mentored by an eminent personality from the music industry, namely, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for the Sufi Team, Ila Arun for the Folk Team and Anand Raj Anand for the Filmy Team.

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Lara Dutta sporting label, supporting label

Lara Dutta looked fresh, radiant and luxe in a Diane Von Furstenberg dress at the recent Louis Vuitton store launch in Bangalore!

It is always refreshing to see actresses depart from the usual and embrace a trend and make it their own! Color and florals are big trends for Spring. As are 'Safari' influences. And Lara's DvF silk shirtdress had a bit of everything!

Styled perfectly, Lara Dutta was a perfect ten!

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John Abraham mesmerizes audiences with his performance

This was one special musical evening with a difference. Director Nagesh Kukunoor gave the audience a sneak peek of the music of his forthcoming film Aashayein in a rather unconventional way at an event held at the Bandra Fort amphitheatre yesterday evening.

The mood was informal and the crowds seemed to be having a gala time as music-director duo Salim-Sulaiman along with singers like Shankar Mahadevan, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Zubin and Mohit Chauhan performed on some really rocking numbers, in what seemed like a jam session. But the highlight of the evening was when Bollywood hunk John Abraham who joined Zubin on stage and rendered the song 'Ab Hai Ujala' from Aashayein.

The crowd surely went berserk on seeing this new side of John. John even came down the stage and went right in the middle of the crowd, much to the delight of his female fans. Also present were the cast and crew of Aashayein including Sonal Sehgal, Girish Karnad, Farida Jalal and Elahe Hiptoola. All in all, a memorable musical evening was enjoyed by each and everyone present. As for die-hard John fans, they couldn't have got anything better.

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No love, certainly no magic!

Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee make quite a pair in Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. And they would the world to believe that as co-stars they are very close to each other.

The truth, like they say, is far ‘bitter’ than fiction.

“Saif and Rani can’t get along at all. They never have,” whispers a source. “In fact Rani has told some of her closest friends that Saif and she couldn’t see eye to eye during the making of Hum Tum.

What she doesn’t say aloud is that they couldn’t see eye to eye all through their second and third films Tara Rum Pum and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, too.”

Continues the source, “Though they did try to iron out their differences and though they did get along better during their second and third films, there was still a lot of friction between them, both on personal and professional levels.

You see, they aren’t just very different as individuals, they are very different in their approach to a scene. These differences came to the surface in all their dramatic scenes together.”

So why did they decide to come together in spite of their terrible differences during Hum Tum? “It’s Yashraj who convinced them,” says the source.

“They’ve a limited number of A-listers on their roster. And in how many permutations can they put Abhishek, Rani, Preity and Shah Rukh? Saif and Rani provide an interesting study in contrast.”

According to our sources, during Tara Rum Pum in the US, the two argued heatedly in full view of the unit. The stress level during their third film together was greatly reduced. But there was still enough friction between the two.

Adds the source, “During the long outdoor schedule of the film in Bangkok Rani would try very hard to be part of Saif and Kareena’s inner circle.

But Rani was the odd one out because Kareena never liked her in the first place. In fact Rani is now in a serious co-star crisis. She has outgrown Govinda. Things are just not the same between her and Abhishek after the wedding snub. Shah Rukh has moved on to fresher pairings.

As for Saif, it’s unlikely the two will come together again even if their new film creates thoda magic at the box office.”
mumbai news

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'Amitabh and Shahrukh respect each other'

NEW DELHI: Bollywood actress, Juhi Chawla, who starred opposite both Amitabh Bachchan and Sharukh Khan in the latest flick 'Bhootnath' refutes reports about any sort of ego clash between the two pointing that both the actors shared good chemistry during the film's shooting.

"Both are very talented actors and are full of energy with a great deal of respect for each other. I don't know from where all these rumours surfaced as I didn't find anything of that sort during the shooting of 'Bhootnath', says Juhi.

"I had a great time working with the Amitji, Shahrukh and Aman (child actor) and we were like a cute little family. It is a special film for me," she says.

The actress who was in the capital recently is upbeat about her involvement in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), where she co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team with Shah Rukh Khan.

"IPL is something which is exciting, cheering and full of colours. All the matches were thrilling with so much drama involved in it," says the former Miss India.

"But, I am so much occupied with my professional commitments and my two sweet kids that I am not getting the time to attend it personally. As well as, my hubby Jai and SRK are taking care of what's going on in the IPL," says Juhi.

The actress also spoke about her recently released film "Bhootnath", in which Shahrukh and Juhi played the role of Aman's parents. 'Bhootnath' is a story based on the friendly relationship of a child with his deceased grandfather, a kind of ghost.

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Bebo is a Size One

“Kareena is in Australia shooting for Mr and Mrs Khanna with Salman Khan and I have been told that she will be the star show stealer for my collection. And now that she is a size one, I have to work doubly hard to get the clothes to fit perfectly”, opening lines as I chat up with ace fashion designer, Manish Malhotra.
Yes, after achieving the much-talked about international figure and initiating a trend of sorts, Bebo is now a size ‘one’. Post-the Tashan and bikini hoopla, Kareena who is currently shooting with Salman Khan in Australia for ‘Main Aur Mrs. Khanna’ is finally giving into the ‘Kapoor urge for food’. That and the hectic shoot schedules are eating up into Kareena’s workout time who will make her first public appearance in the newly acquired figure at IIFA 2008.

Scheduled to be held at Bangkok from June 6-8, IIFA will not just see Kareena grooving to some chartbusting numbers along the likes of Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif and Govinda, but also walking the ramp for her favourite designer Manish Malhotra. B-town’s blue-eyed stylist who’s responsible for the makeover of some of the biggest stars, Manish is checking everything twice over to make sure that this one goes smooth.

The designer who will present a bridal collection focusing on Indians colours, will also experiment with the colour ‘black’. Manish discloses, I am looking forward to the international Indian platform that will allow me to showcase my art. I will be using 15 female models and 5 male models. But right now, I am concentrating on Kareena.”

Kareena will fly down to Bangkok on the 7th, a couple of hours before the fashion extravaganza. No wonder Manish is having sleepless nights !!!

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Aamir Vs his Nephew

Aamir Khan starrers have clashed with various actors in the past, but come October 2 and Aamir will battle it out with nephew Imraan Khan.

KIDNAP -- directed by DHOOM and DHOOM 2 director Sanjay Gadhvi and produced by reputed production house Ashtavinayak -- was initially slated for release on August 21. But the film has been shifted ahead, it is now confirmed for October 2, the same date as the Aamir starrer GHAJINI. Incidentally, both GHAJINI and KIDNAP are distributed by Studio 18.

“October 2 [Thursday] happens to be Gandhi Jayanti and it promises to be a long weekend. It coincides with Idd this year as well and since both GHAJINI and KIDNAP are action films, we expect a thunderous start for the films,” Aman Gill of Studio 18 confirms.

Have they spoken to Aamir about it? What's his reaction to the mama-bhanja clash? “Of course, we did speak to Aamir about it. And he's pretty excited about it. Aamir also feels that two good films can easily co-exist in a week,” Aman adds. Expect fireworks on October 2.

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John Abraham to sing in front of a live audience

John Abraham is all excited about his forthcoming film- Aashayein directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. While the actor couldn't be present while unveiling the first look of the film (since he was busy shooting in Miami for Dostana), he surely would be seen at an event later in the evening today to promote the music of the film.

However, John wouldn't just make his presence felt but would also get behind the mike and sing one of his songs from the film - 'Ab Hai Ujala'. John was initially nervous about this but now he will be making his singing debut and that too in front of a live audience. "Initially I was hesitant, but I liked the idea. I am not that great a singer but that's all right I guess. I will make a sincere effort," says the handsome hunk. What's more, John has even been practicing for the event very hard along with Aashayein's music director duo Salim-Sulaiman. Even music director Salim is all praise for John. "John has an ear for music and since the song is so inspirational, I'm sure people will appreciate him whether he hits the right note or not."

The event scheduled to take place at the Bandra Fort Amphitheatre will also see the likes of Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal and Zubin perform on stage.

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Harman Baweja all set to make his first media appearance tonight

He is touted to be the 'Next Best Thing' happening to Bollywood, after Hrithik Roshan. Having Bollywood's 'Godfather to many' Harry Baweja as his real-life father, he couldn't have asked for more. But not the one to merely make it on the basis of his surname, he has slogged his way to come before the camera. We are indeed talking about Harman Baweja, the down-to-earth dude, who makes his debut in Love Story 2050, in an exclusive interview with us, on the eve of the release of the film's futuristic music.

The promos look really futuristic. What about the music?
From our end, we have tried to make sure that the music lives up to the look and the feel of the film. The music of the film has got a range. It has got ballads and also it has got futuristic club songs. It has got interesting new sounds. From our end, we have put in an entire album. We have tried our level best to connect both the time zones.

The look and the feel of the film look international. So, has the music too been composed keeping in mind the international audience?
Simply put, since it's a Bollywood film, it is catering to Bollywood. I do agree that because of the effects in the film and its music, there is an international appeal to the album. But musically, we have kept it as Bollywood as it gets.

How different is the music from the current lot of music albums that's available in the market today?
I won't say that the music is really 'different' because it's my film. I would say that we have worked on different sounds. For example, the song that's on air these days (the one in which I am dancing with the robots). It's a real new sound. Its got more of a techno-meet-robot-meet-melody kinda' feel and appeal. It's basically a classical raag that we converted into a robotic techno feel and then incorporated in this song.

What, according to you, is the USP of the album?
The USP of the album is definitely the wide range of music that the album has got. As I told you earlier, it has got right from the futuristic club songs to my next song that will be on air soon, which happens to be a romantic theme number. Everything that is required of an album is there in this album, except your typical Punjabi Shaava Shaava and Kaawa Kaawa kind of thing, which we felt, was just not needed as the script didn't really demand it. The story of the film is interwoven with the songs and vice versa.

Which is your personal favorite soundtrack? And which track you feel will have the masses swooning to its beats?
It's a song that will be aired anytime now. It's basically the theme of the film and it's called 'Meelon Ka Jaise Tha Faasla'. It's a song that spans across both the time zones. It's basically the soul of the film. I just can't pick up and single out one song that I feel will be a hit with the masses. For me, it's the entire album will be a smash hit.

This is your first time that you will be facing the media. Are you nervous or excited?
I am slightly nervous as this will be the first time that I will be coming in front of the media. I just hope that I can be myself and talk like myself!

What's your take on the much-publicized Harman-Imraan clash?
There is no take on it as I feel that there is nothing called as the Harman-Imraan clash as I feel it's all made up. For me, its just two films of two debutantes with two totally different themes that are releasing on the same day. I have worked hard on my film and frankly speaking, I just do not believe in the so-called 'clash'.

One observes that the common factor that binds the then-debutante Hrithik's Kaho Naa Pyar Hai and the now-debuting Harman's Love Story 2050 is the fact that Kareena Kapoor walked out on both the films. Kaho Naa Pyar Hai turned out to be superhit, do you feel that the Kareena- walkout will rub the same superhit magic on Love Story 2050.
As long as any magic that rubs off my film and my film becomes a superhit, I am OK with it…(laughs).

Lastly, a certain section of media did write negative about you. What was you reaction about it? Rather how do you react to such negative news?
Frankly speaking, I just do not react at all. Rather, I have stopped reacting to such news. It's all about creating a headline, I have understood that. As far as people around me and those who matter to me a lot know the real Harman, I need not clarify the things with anyone.

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Priyanka, Kareena, Harman, Vidya, Vivek, Zayed to walk ramp

The International Indian Film Academy [IIFA] will be showcasing unique events in an attempt to enable Indian cinema aficionados experience stardom. The highpoint of this year's IIFA celebrations would be the glamorous IIFA Fashion Extravaganza with leading Indian and Thai designers presenting their fashion lines at this prestigious platform.

What makes the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza even more special is that the beneficiary is the IIFA Foundation, a charity organization set up by IIFA to support families of the film industry workers who have been adversely affected during the production of a film. .

Scheduled on the second day of the IIFA Weekend Bangkok, the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza, presented by alternative clothing brand Mufti and Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, will be held at one of Thailand 's most high-profile venues, the Siam Paragon Hall. .

The glitzy extravaganza, hosted by Karan Johar, will showcase designs by Alta Moda, Mufti, Sabyasachi, Rohit Bal, Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis. Choreographed by Lubna Adams, it will feature 25 Thai models and 15 Indian models adorning jewelry from Gitanjali Lifestyle and Diamrusa. .

Leading Indian stars will walk the ramp as showstoppers for their favorite designers. While Vidya Balan will add elegance to Sabyasachi's line, Kareena Kapoor will up the glam quotient for Manish Malhotra's designs. The cast of the forthcoming film DE TAALI, Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh and Ayesha Takia, will walk the ramp for Vikram Phadnis and the LOVE STORY 2050 couple -- Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja -- will be showstoppers for Rohit Bal. .

The MISSION ISTANBUL cast -- Zayed Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Shriya Saran, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Nikitin Dheer, Shweta Bharadwaj -- also promise to set the ramp on fire, while showcasing the look of the film. ACID FACTORY, a film that has just begun production, will also share its first look with Dia Mirza, Fardeen Khan, Dino Morea and Aftab Shivdasani walking the ramp, partaking in the revelry.

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'The Unforgettable Tour' all set from July 18

'The Unforgettable Tour' is being unveiled on 18th July in Toronto and rehearsals for the tour have already begun in Mumbai. Taking time off from their busy schedule, the lead stars have already begun preparations for the elaborate song-n-dance-dialogue routines.

The first leg of the tour spans 10 cities, traveling to destinations like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Trinidad & Tobago, Houston, Atlantic City, New York, Vancouver, London and Amsterdam. 'The Unforgettable Tour' will bring together, for the very first time, the legendary Bachchans -- Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan -- on one stage.

Also participating in this Tour are Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta and Riteish Deshmukh. The performances will be choreographed by Shiamak Davar, while music will be provided by Vishal-Shekhar. Wizcraft International Entertainment P. Ltd., the pioneer of many extravagant and mesmerizing events, has been instrumental in shaping the Tour.

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New 'Mission Istanbul' Trailer

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Lara refuses to perform on the JBJ title track at a show

Lara Dutta is still affected by the failure of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. The actress who performed at the Star Gold Comedy Gold Honours refused to perform to a song from the film.

A source from the show reveals, “Lara was supposed to perform to a medley of songs. She was given a list of songs approved in advance. She somehow overlooked the JBJ song listed among her songs.”
However, when Lara arrived at the venue of the event on May 16 and went for a rehearsal, she realised her the JBJ title track was on the list.

“Lara asked the organisers to drop the JBJ song and change the order of the songs. It was a last-minute decision. There was no choice but to go ahead with her demands. After dropping the JBJ song, Lara performed to other songs such as Aisa Jadoo, You’re My Love, Saiyaan and others.”

Apparently, Lara was quite disheartened after the debacle of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and doesn’t want to perform on any of the film’s songs. Will she make the same demand on the Bachchans’ Unforgettables Tour later this year?

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Aamir demands to play the character he wants in Three Idiots

Aamir Khan always has his way in everything he does. When he was offered Rajkumar Hirani’s Three Idiots, Aamir decided which of the three characters Ryan, Alok and Hari he’d play.

Aamir, who read Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone, was impressed with Ryan’s character and told Hirani that he wanted to play the role. A source reveals, “Aamir liked all the three characters, but thought Ryan’s character was the most challenging. During his meeting with Hirani, Aamir openly talked about the different ways he could bring the character alive on screen.”

When Shah Rukh was approached to be a part of the film, he was given the role of Hari, the main protagonist. SRK ultimately refused the film.

Aamir was offered the role of Hari, but he chose to be Ryan.

The source adds, “Aamir is not opposite Kareena in the film as believed. They have lot of scenes together, but aren’t romantically involved. Chetan Bhagat, who’s quite involved in the making of the film, has approved of the casting.”

Aman Mahajan, Associate Vice President: Marketing and Development, Vinod Chopra Films, says, “Aamir is the protagonist in Mr Hirani’s film but to say that he is playing the character of Ryan from Five Point Someone is not accurate. Mr Chetan Bhagat is aware of our story and in agreement that it’s not his book but has been initiated from his book. Therefore, the question doesn’t arise of Aamir playing Ryan.”

Who are the three idiots?
Hari — He is the main character and also the narrator of the story. Hari is a shy guy who always longs to be smart and handsome like his friend Ryan. Hari is an average student and is miserable at vivas.
Ryan — He is a smart, handsome and an adventurous fellow who loves his friends more than his parents (at least he says so). He is totally against mugging up the matter and passing exams. He has an innovative mind and wants to do something out of the way.
Alok — Desperately wants to study well and get a decent job to overcome the poverty of his family. He is a sensitive guy.

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Harman Baweja – the rising star

Can I have your autograph?, requests a young girl from Harman Baweja. Who was more surprised, was a sight to see. The fan on seeing Harman or Harman on being asked for an autograph, is a good question.

After hastily scribbling his signature and thanking Amita Kulkarni, a flushed Harman returned to his vanity van. The actor was shooting for his film Victory at Haji Ali. After witnessing that scene, I began to tease Harman. The debutant actor replied, You know I was shooting a month back and nobody recognized me. One film magazine cover and a song later, and I am recognized. Its an outstanding emotion. I feel blessed.”

The crowds began to swell by the time we came out of his van. Amidst chants of Harman Harman, the young actor walked to his set. Feeling quite embarrassed at all the attention, Harman reveals, “I feel so good and I hope the people will love my film. My father has worked so hard to make this film. Love Story 2050 is a gmable and the best platform a son could get to step into the Indian film industry. Now, I really want to make him proud.”

After excusing himself to prepare for the shot, I observed Harman. Attentive to his director, Harma retired to a corner to rehearse for the shot. Five minutes later, he was back on the set giving a perfect one take shot. Soon he made his way to the monitor to check for himself. After ensuring that the shot was good for the director, Harman got busy for his next dialogue delivery.

Sitting afar watching the proceedings, I wondered to myself, would he be the next big thing to hit Bollywood.

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Lara Dutta’s got the look

Being fit is the new mantra in Bollywood and everyone is hitting the gym with a vengeance.

The new entrant into the fit celebrity pack is the sexy Lara Dutta, whose new look is the talk of the town. Says Lara, “I am healthier than ever before because of all the working out I have been doing and feel that I am in my best form ever. I have never wanted to be waif-thin. And I now have a fit and lean figure, which I have achieved all thanks to the strenuous training that I have been going through preparing for the movie Blue.” Wish the new, sexy Lara gets a new, sexy man in her life too...

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AB, AB & AB rehearse for THE UNFORGETTABLE TOUR

THE UNFORGETTABLE TOUR, a never seen before extravaganza of Indian Cinema magic,is being unveiled on 18 July 2008 in Toronto, and rehearsals for the tour have already begun in Mumbai. Taking time off from their busy schedule, the lead stars have already begun preparations for the elaborate song-n-dance-dialogue routines that will bring alive the most unforgettable moments in cinema.

The first leg of the tour spans 10 cities, traveling to exotic destinations like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Trinidad & Tobago, Houston, Atlantic City, New York, Vancouver, London and Amsterdam, the tour promises to be an out-of-the-world experience, an event that would leave Indian movie fans asking for more. THE UNFORGETTABLE TOUR will bring together, for the very first time, the first family of Indian cinema - the legendary Bachchans - Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on one stage enthralling their global fans.

Speaking on the commencement of the tour, Abhishek Bachchan who is getting ready for the release of the much-awaited SARKAR RAJ said, "This tour surely promises to be an 'unforgettable' experience for Indian film aficionados across the globe. The report in one of the magazines about my beloved wife Aishwarya's pregnancy is false. We are all geared up to perform and entertain our audiences. Aishwarya will be performing on some of her most popular numbers, including with Madhuri Dixit on the superhit "Dola Re" from DEVDAS. I am thrilled to be a part of this tour and am eagerly looking forward to performing "Kajra Re" with my family and some of India's most sought after actors and friends Akshay, Madhuri, Preity and Riteish. We are all committed to ensuring the success of the concert tour. It definitely is an experience to look forward to."

Preity Zinta, one of India's leading actresses and current hot-favourite Riteish Deshmukh will be accompanying the Bachchans on this extravaganza. But the magic for Indian film aficionados only begins there. Indian Film Industry's icons Akshay Kumar and Madhuri Dixit will be adding their charm to the trip as celebrity guest performers in specific cities. To add to this, the spectacular performances will be choreographed by India's ace choreographer, Shiamak Davar, while music will be provided by the hot and happening music director duo, Vishal and Shekhar.

Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd, the pioneer of many extravagant and mesmerizing events, has been instrumental in shaping THE UNFORGETTABLE TOUR.

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Will Rani have a hit after 3 years

Though it is hard to believe, it is pretty much a fact that Rani Mukherjee last saw a bona fide HIT to her name 4 years back.

Even though she had four back to back successful flicks then, BUNTY AUR BABLI (2005), BLACK (2005), VEER ZAARA (2004) and HUM TUM (2004), she hasn't quite tasted box office success ever since then.

While PAHELI barely survived, MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING and KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA did make money but the high cost and great expectations factor meant that that the HIT tag was still missing. Same was the case with TA RA RUM PUM as well, where as BAABUL and LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG were unquestionable flops.

Ok, so thankfully no one has challenged Rani's acting capabilities in any of these films but in the world where box office speaks volumes, a successful film always speaks a thousand words.

THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC may well be that movie which could help her regain the glory of the past. As an angel, Rani again enjoys an author backed role in the film where she enacts the part of a central protagonist. With no other film in the pipeline after THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC, Rani would indeed be looking for quite some 'pyaar' from the audience and a lot of box office 'magic' once the film hits the screens on 27th June.

She has all the right reasons to believe that though since THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC brings back the magical team of Kunal Kohli and Saif Ali Khan along with her who gave us delightful HUM TUM 4 years back. With Amisha Patel in a hot new avtar for company and some peppy music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy to boast, Rani has a lot riding for her in this YRF production.

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Preity Zinta sizzles on Vogue Cover

If you thought the colour yellow was not in Vogue this summer, then, get ready to be dazzled by this sizzling actor-cum-businesswoman! She is the pretty Preity Zinta, whose flashy-splashy yellow attire gives a whole new 'image makeover', not to the actress, but to the colour yellow! We are referring to the gorgeous lady, whose electric smile in the latest edition of 'Vogue' is sending shockers to one and all!

In this issue, Preity speaks not just about her men (friends, relatives, colleagues etc...), but also her business acumen. She is indeed the darling of everyone alike. She goes onto give a day wise account of what it means to own a team in the prestigious IPL tournament. It was her first business venture- a whopping $ 76 million deal! Preity, besides being the well-known effervescently bubbly girl, is also the youngest and sole-female owner of a cricket team - the Kings XI Punjab!

What an issue this is, really a collector's one!

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Ash & Meryl together

The story doing the Bolly-Holly rounds is that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be doing a film with Meryl Streep sometime later this year.

This is the English version of French filmmaker Colin Serreau’s 2002 film Chaos in which Ash is slated to play a sex worker. According to a source, Meryl and Ash are game. They both want to Americanise the theme because Chaos was very French, but in principle, Ash is on for this film.

Another international project that Ash has given the nod to is Roland Joffe’s Singularity with Brendan Fraser. Of this film, Ash said, “I’ve asked for the final draft of the script. Now the time factor has to be worked out. The time they want I’ve already gone and devoted to Mani Ratnam’s project. New dates have to be worked out. There are so many projects that I want to do but because of the dates, I can’t. I’ve never done more work than I can manage.”
In the meanwhile, Ash is getting ready to shoot for Shankar’s Robot and Mani Ratnam’s film with Abhishek. Said the actress, “There has been a delay in Robot because of the writer Sujata’s death. The dates situation does get tighter for me because I was supposed to shoot Robot now and Mani’s film a little later. We just have to work under a tighter schedule.”

As for her role in the forthcoming Sarkar Raj, Ash laughed and said, “The film is more about Pa and Abhishek, than me. There isn’t that much of me in the film.” Won’t the audience be disappointed not to see Abhiash as a couple? She laughed again, “No, I don’t think so. Audiences go to see films with an open mind.” However, she admitted she had turned down Karan Johar’s Dostana with Abhishek for fear of audience rejection. “There, the sense of real-life connectivity would have definitely surfaced because the audience wouldn’t have liked the idea of me being wooed by another man,” Ash admitted.

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Bipasha is Racing!

Race has so far proved to be the biggest blockbusters of 2008 and Bipasha is one woman who seems to be on cloud nine. However, Race’s success hasn’t calmed down the dusky actor as she is working round the clock to keep up her success rate high!

Soon after actively participating in the massive promotional activities of Race, Bipasha left for Australia to shoot for Siddharth Anand’s ‘Bachna Eh Haseeno’ along with Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba. The film has also been shot in Venice and other European locales. The film’s shoot is still on! If extensive travelling for Bachna was not enough, Bipasha chose to travel to Bangkok to shoot for her next venture with Neil Nitin Mukesh. Phew! Bips will be seen juggling two films at a time.

Bipasha’s stamina and never say die spirit has to be appreciated as where her male co-star– Ranbir chose to sit back and take rest in the break of Bachna’s shoot, Bipasha did otherwise.

“I am currently shooting for my film Freeze with Neil in Bangkok and Eros is producing the film. My shoot for Bachna is also on and I’ll be back to Mumbai only in June”, replied Bipasha through an SMS.

Where the rest of Bollywood’s heartthrobs choose to go slow and steady after they deliver a hit at the box-office, Bipasha is one actor who is in no mood to go slow and look back!

We hope Bipasha’s hard work pays and her success streak continues...

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Lazy Lamhe’s crazy times

A feverish Ameesha, chilly weather and Saif-Rani’s speedboat trips marred the shoot of Kunal Kohli’s film

Kunal Kohli insists he doesn’t believe in the concept of item songs. He refuses to label the song Lazy Lamhe shot on Rani, Saif and Ameesha in a remote villa in Alibaug as an item song.

Instead he calls it a sensous song in the league of the Kaatein nahi katate track shot on Sridevi in Mr India.

However, shooting for this particular song was quite an ordeal for the director.

Talking about the shoot that involves Ameesha getting into a Manish Malhotra swim suit, Kunal says, “We had actually planned for an eight-day shoot but we ended up spending more than that.

Both Saif and Rani would take private speedboats from the Gateway of India to come to the location everyday.

In fact, I didn’t even know there was a private gate opposite the Taj hotel that was used to hire private speedboats.

Since Saif didn’t want to stay at the location, he would land up at Gateway at 7.30 in the morning and take the boat to Alibaug. He did this everyday. It would take him about 20 minutes to reach Alibaug.”

Kunal adds that Ameesha developed fever during the shoot of the song and they had to stop the shoot. “We were shooting in January when it was quite chilly.

The entire pool was freezing, and since Ameesha had to get in the water we had to heat up the entire pool every time she stepped in. That took us over two weeks.”

Apart from the shoot at the resort, Kunal has also shot underwater for portions in the song. “This isn’t just a sensous song, it’s a part of the film and there’s a plot happening in it. We used a special camera for the underwater scenes and also had someone do the visual effects.”

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Govinda meets KKR, but not SRK

Govinda was in Kolkata recently for the shoot of his movie Garam Chai and was residing in the same hotel as the Shah Rukh Khan and his Kolkata Knight Riders.

During his stay, he met all the players of SRK’s team but didn’t make the effort to visit Shah Rukh Khan who was staying in the same hotel, Sonar Bangla.

According to a unit member, “On arriving in Kolkata, Govinda directly went on to his sets of the film.

After his pack up later that evening, the actor-turned-MP went to his hotel and heard about the Kolkata team staying at the same hotel. On an impulse, Govinda decided to go meet the players and wish them good luck.”

Although SRK was at the same hotel with Gauri, Govinda didn’t bother to meet him and chose to hang out with the players instead. Shah Rukh was residing in the Presidential suite, which was on the same floor as Govinda’s Queen suite.

When contacted, Govinda admits, “I was in Kolkata for a day for my shoot. When I returned to the hotel, I was informed about Shah Rukh and his team being present at the same hotel. I met a few players but missed SRK, as he had already left.

The next day, on my way back, Knight Riders and I were in the same flight. It was then that I had an official encounter with them and wished them luck.”

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Main Aur Sydney!

Sallu starrer Main Aur Mrs Khanna is first film to get permission to shoot at high security airport

Salman Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna has managed the near-impossible. They’ve got permission to shoot at the Sydney Airport.

The crew managed to get the go-ahead to shoot from 10 pm to 6 am after part of the airport was shut for them.

A source from the sets reveals, “It was very hard for an Indian producer to get permission to shoot at a high risk place like an airport.

But the producers, UTV Motion Pictures and Sohail Khan Productions, managed to pull it off. The sequences at the airport are an integral part of the script.

Where The Action’s At: Sydney Airport Terminal Control Unit
The unit has been pulling night shifts for the film. All the lead actors, Salman, Kareena and Sohail have to report on the airport at 9 pm and they stay on till 7 am.”

The film is directed by debutant Prem Soni and the unit is amidst a month-long shooting stint.

Actor-producer Sohail Khan confirms, “We did shoot at the Sydney Airport.

It was fun but very hectic. Right now we are shooting in Melbourne and will be back to in Mumbai on June 15 and will begin post-production work.”

Busy Khan, can do it!
Salman Khan will work round the clock in the coming months. The actor, who is busy shooting in Australia, for MAMK will not get a breather till the end of the year.

After returning from Australia, he begins shooting for Vipul Shah’s London Dreams. The initial shoot for LD will last till mid-August in Mumbai.

In September, the unit goes to London to wrap the film. After this, Khan will stay back to start shooting for Veer from November, penned by him.

So when is the actor going to give time to his new show 10 Ka Dum?

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Saif disappointed and hurt over the way Tashan shaped up

Saif shot off a missive to Aditya Chopra expressing disappointment about the way his role in Tashan shaped out and about how it was edited

Letters appear to be the latest fad in B-Town. After Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s letter to Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan has now dashed off a missive to Aditya Chopra and Yash Raj Films expressing his disappointment and hurt over the way Tashan shaped up.

Says a source, “Saif believes in speaking his mind if he feels strongly against something and then, moving on.

When Tashan released, he was unhappy with the way the film had turned out.

He felt that not only had his role turned out to be quite different from the narration given but that it had also been chopped quite a bit at the editing table. Kareena and he were shocked at Tashan’s dismal turnout.”

Although the film was released in April, the timing of the letter makes you wonder whether this is Saif’s way of ensuring that he doesn’t get the short end of the stick again with his next YRF film which is ready for release.

The source adds, “Saif dashed off a letter to Adi telling him all he thought about Tashan and his role in it. Saif wrote about how he felt let down by the film. It was an emotional letter — revealing Saif’s hurt and disappointment.

Also, he felt that Yash Raj’s next, Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, directed by Kunal Kohli, looked promising.

This time, he requested Kunal to show him the film before its release. Kunal did that. Saif loved the film.”

Saif doesn’t deny writing a letter to Adi but adds, “Aditya and I communicated. That’s it.

I did feel my role didn’t come across as well as it did on paper. Aditya and I spoke about it and we agreed that it was best for the overall narrative of the film.

I think we have all moved on to other things and we should let this matter rest. Right now, I am really looking forward to Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic.”

Ashish Singh, VP — Yash Raj says, “There’s no truth in this. Saif leads in our next, TPTM and came down specially for the launch in spite of being in Australia and being unwell. He is also an integral part of Roadside Romeo and YRF cherishes our relationship with him.”

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Shahid & Vidya - The 'Konnection' is on!

After months of speculation around romantic rendezvous of Shahid Kapoor and Vidya Balan, audience would finally get a chance to see it all happening for real. Well, if not off screen then certainly on the screen. Their film KISMAT KONNECTION is now complete and is confirmed for release soon.

The promos of the film have begun and in word, the effect is simply SMASHING. With a young feel to it that goes perfectly with the contemporary times that project the sense and sensibilities of the urban youth, KISMAT KONNECTION turns out to be a refreshing tale. Why refreshing? Because at the helm of affairs is none other than Aziz Mirza, the director of films like CHALTE CHALTE, PHIR BHI DIL HAI HINDUSTANI, YES BOSS and RAJU BAN GAYA GENTLEMAN, who has indeed moved on with the times.

Produced by TIPS and acquired by UTV - the team which came together for this year's biggest success RACE - the film is anticipating a mega reception, especially so ever since it's promos hit the music channels in the weekend gone by.

Also starring Juhi Chawla, KISMAT KONNECTION is looking at a July arrival.

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"Even my film's website is futuristic" - Harman Baweja

It is not just Love Story 2050, season's biggest and most spectacular release, which is on the right path of being a 'futuristic' launch for Harman Baweja. Even film's website is, as per the newcomer. Harman Baweja talks to Joginder Tuteja about the 'futuristic' website.

Why the effort?
Why not, I would ask? For a movie which is set in future, has a sci-fi theme, talks about flying cars, 200 storey buildings, a revamped Mumbai, robots, a love story and of course red hair (chuckles), you can't have a mushy looking conventional website with red rose petals dominating the screen! You can't have a fluorescent/glossy look and feel to justify a love story which belongs to a different era. And of course, you can't have captions of 'When Two Hearts Meet etc. etc. etc.'!

So what was the idea?
Clichéd as may it sound but the fact was that while working on the promotional design for the film, I was set thinking around how to make the film's website turn out to be a cut above the rest! How could I actually have it set in a futuristic mode? How could I have it designed in a way that the love story theme could be amalgamated with a setting 40 years from now? Net net, how could it turn out to be different (in true sense) from anything that surfers would have seen in a Bollywood film website.

Cool idea, but how about execution?
I was in talks with Bollywood Hungama team for promotional tie ups. This is when the suggestion around designing a site like this came up. I had a vision, they had the skills and together we sat down on a plan. I was amazed with the way the team out there started putting the plan on paper and then from paper to actual visuals.

We deliberated upon the kind of stuff we wanted to have on a very frequent basis and in just a matter of 2 months, we were ready with the final version. Yes, 2 months sounds a little on the higher side here but then we have to also see that this wasn't a basic HTML/flash website for a regular film which could perhaps be readied in a jiffy. We were talking about something which hadn't been attempted before, just like the movie, and considering that, I am amazed that we could still get so much done so soon.

What makes the website special?
See it to believe it, that's all I would say for now (smiles)! The moment you enter it, you would realize it for yourself that you have marched into a different space altogether, pun intended. And by the way, it is not going to be like 'one single click and voila, I am in the site'. You would have to have a permutation and combinations of clicks to enable you to crack a code which would allow you success.

A friend of mine took 2 minutes to crack it though. He created a record - well, that of being the slowest cracker ever! And guess what, he is an IT professional! I am sure regular surfers would be able to do it much faster.

Movie v/s Website
Website took 2 months to make; the film took us 3 years. Doesn't that tell the tale? The point here is, don't try to judge the enormity of the movie through the website. The website is great but at the end of the day, it is mainly a promotional vehicle. What you would see on the big screen would certainly be far more grandeur than what you see on your 14-inch monitor. The clips you see on the website are mainly 2D while in movie there are ton leads of 3D graphics. To put it right, the website here mainly acts as a teaser to give you an idea around what bigger to expect!

How about some website promotion?
Yes, for the first time in the history of Indian cinema, especially after the advent of websites being made for Hindi movies, we have great plans to promote the website itself. We have designed 15 second teasers around the website itself and these would be out on all prominent websites. These teasers would indicate what to expect from the Love Story 2050 website which we are making LIVE soon. We are arriving with a bang and once the website would be up, we won't be leaving it just till that. We would be continuing to upload newer stuff on a frequent basis to make it the most happening site of the season!

Check out Love Story 2050's official website by logging on to www.lovestory2050.com

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First Look - Maan Gaye Mughall - E- Azam

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Harman versus Imraan - The battle of the debutants

Aamir Khan is determined to make a success out of his nephew Imraan's career, come what may. And even if that means taking on the competition headlong, so be it. Anything for family, seems to be the marketing motto, as Harry Baweja puts in 80-crore plus Priyanka in the hi-fi sci-fi Love Story 2050 to ensure his son's super success on July 4.

Enter Aamir Khan with nephew Imraan's Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and on same Friday as Harman's debut. "The Bawejas were shocked," says a source close to the film. "They had planned and strategized their film's release almost six months in advance. They had spoken to all their potential competitors from Salman and God Tussi Great Ho to Ram Gopal Varma and Sarkar Raj to Apoorva Lakhia 's Mission Istanbul and Aziz Mirza's Kismat Konnection to Yashraj and Tips. Harman called them up personally to make sure his film comes on a freed Friday. Then suddenly Aamir showed up to create an almost Saawariya-Om Shanti Om crisis. Jaane Tu's release was nowhere in sight when Love Story 2050 was announced. Suddenly they came out of the blue! "

Harry Baweja made a panic call to Aamir. Says the source, "Harry Baweja knows Aamir from the time he did B. Subhash's Love Love Love where Harry was an assistant director. Ever since then they've been in touch. When they spoke, Aamir told Harry he was indeed thinking of coming on 4 July. The reason given was that Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap in which Imraan has a key role was coming on July 25. Aamir reasoned that Imraan couldn't have two releases too close to one another. Later, the Bawejas were horrified to know that Kidnap was scheduled for August 22. Harry urged Aamir to move his film to July 11. But Aamir is adamant. "

Incidentally, Genelia Dsouza who plays Imraan's leading lady is also Harman's girl in his second release Victory. "The Bawejas first trailer started on a Sunday. That same day a blog went up saying 'Imraan Versus Harman'. That's when the Bawejas first came to know that the Khans were planning to release on the same day. Since then there has been a systematic campaign to bring down Harman on the blogs with comments like 'Harman looks gay'. He looks like a lot of things. But not gay. One of the blogs comments cattily on actors like Hrithik Roshan and Harman Baweja relying on their physique. Someone even broke into a website sponsoring Harman's film and defaced it. They even changed Harman's picture to an unidentifiable man, and said the film was budgeted at 60,000 rupees and was to be released for 30 seconds in July 1950. The Bawejas traced the defacers to Delhi. The identity of the hackers was used just once, to deface Harman's face."

Harman smiles off all the competition. "Healthy competition is always welcome. I'd rather focus on my work. We've just started the promotion of our first song. It's one of the costliest songs ever filmed."

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KJO's Birthday Plans

Post 35, admits dandy director Karan Johar, birthdays don’t hold much importance for him. So there won’t be any elaborate celebration today when Karan turns 36.

“I feel old, at least mentally. I am not so excited as I used to be earlier. There’s a very settling feeling at this point in life,” says KJO. He accepted wishes from friends last night, attended Jodhaa-Akbar’s success celebrations, and then went to party with his closests friends. “I wanted the party to be at a restaurant and not somebody’s house and we did that,” says Karan who’s busy with pre-production work on his next film, My Name is Khan. “My 36th birthday is full of challenges. It’s a new phase of my life. I have many wishes up my sleeve. This year I will have maximum releases and I will launch my SRK starrer towards the end of the year,” says the birthday boy whose most memorable birthday was his 25th on the sets of his directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. “It was in Ooty and we were shooting in a summer camp with many children, my parents and best friends Shah Rukh and Kajol. It was so much fun. It felt like a real birthday with all those children around,” he says.

And his wish for himself, today, “I seriously want to be in a relationship this year. Last 35 years I had nobody in my life, I was so caught up with my career. But now, I have decided, I will at least be in a relationship. And I am serious about it.”

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Rani and Saif at the music launch of their new film 'Thoda Sa Pyar Thoda Sa Magic'!

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The Return of the Queen

The Bhaidas Hall in Vile Parle is an unlikely place for Rani Mukerji to announce her comeback to Bollywood.

But that is where the gorgeous actress is, surrounded by kids who clutch her long flowing skirt while she sings and dances with them on the songs of Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic , in which she is playing an angel. The kids are excited and keep screaming, “Rani didi, Rani didi.” Didi is fun and games, and one hour later, she turns apologetically and says, “Now I’m all yours, ask me whatever you want.”

Exhausted, nursing a torn ligament (“it’s no big deal, injury is part of my profession”), she manages a 1,000-watt smile nevertheless. One of those Rani specials that light up the screen. “Kunal Kohli’s Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic with Saif Ali Khan will be my first release of the year. I play a character straight out of fantasy. It’s tough playing an angel as I have to keep flying. I’m always in mid-air, pulled up by a harness, I feel like Hrithik in Krrish,” she laughs.

Rani has been selective, of late. “I would love to do four-five films a year, but I’m not happy with the scripts offered to me,” admits the actress who is also working on Yashraj’s next film with Shahid Kapoor. But, whether she does films or not, Rani says that her fans continue to love her. “They loved me then, when I did films like Ghulam and Bichoo, and they love me now when I’m playing an angel.” Is she deliberately being reclusive? “No, I’m not,” she protests. “It’s just that the dos that I attend are not attended by the media. I’m more of a family person. After a day’s work, I prefer to go back to home to my niece Myeisha.”

What’s her equation with Saif in this film? Rumours are that the two don’t get along well. “Earlier we didn’t get along that famously. We are not the best of friends. But, yes, after we did Hum Tum, we got to know each other and now when this film was offered to us, we were more than happy to act opposite each other. We have grown together as actors. We inspire each other,” she reveals. Rani’s done films with most of the big actors from the Big B to Kamal Hassan and all the reigning Khans of Bollywood. But she’s not worked Akshay Kumar. “Akshay and I want to do a film together but it’s strange that we don’t like the ones offered to us. Akshay keeps telling me, ‘Arrey yaar, yeh bhi script achcha nahin hai,’” she laughs.

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‘IPL is not about SRK or me’

Your IPL team has made it to the semi-finals.

Well, there were ups and downs when our team started out and I wasn’t sure where we were heading. I used to wonder what I was doing at the initial IPL meetings. So, I took the matter seriously and did my homework. I came out a winner finally. It feels good as I've worked very hard to get here.

You seemed to be cheering Sachin Tendulkar even though he was in the opposite team…

Yes, I was. For me, it’s not about winning only. Both the teams played extremely well on Wednesday. I was so much on the edge of my seat that I nearly toppled over.

Did you brief Sreesanth about keeping his temper in control?

No, I don't instruct anybody. It's not my job. We have a coach and a captain to do that. I don't think it is right for me to intervene during matches.

You're the first woman from the entertainment business to have forayed into sports in such a big way...

Am I? Let's see where we are headed. If my team wins the Cup, then I can proudly say yes, I've done it. It hasn't been easy. I have put in a lot of effort to get players from different countries together, it signifies true sportsmanship. Looking back, I don't know how we managed to do it. Now, when we've made it to the semi-finals, what we really want is the Cup.

Have you personally gained from the whole experience?

I've learnt a lot about cricket. I feel very nervous during the matches though. Our team has had a good overall performance. I’m proud of them. Yuvraj has been an outstanding captain.

The general consensus is that Ness and you managed to get the best IPL team…

We have the most balanced team. We also wanted a young and India-heavy team. People think that we have a glamorous team. But, our prerequisite was talent and the glamour is just an add-on element.

What is it like to have Shah Rukh Khan as a competitor?

I don't see him as competition. He’s a colleague and a dear friend. IPL is not about Shah Rukh or me. We are not playing on the field anyway.

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Kabhi Naa Kabhi Haan

Kareena Kapoor can put her hopes of being cast in My Name Is Khan to complete rest. For finally Karan Johar’s first choice Kajol has agreed to do the film. Kajol gave the nod to the project on Thursday.

A source close to Kajol’s husband, Ajay Devgan, tells us, “Kajol indeed took a long time to take a call on her participation in Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan, but the problem was that she had not heard the script in detail. This week, she took a long look at the script and finally said ‘yes’.”

“Karan and Kajol go back a long way. Their dosti is not only friendship but respect for each other as well. Kajol could not have refused the film outright,” the insider further says.

So how will Kajol adjust to the US schedule? Will her daughter Nysa accompany her? Wasn’t that one of the reasons why Kajol took long to give her nod of consent? “Well, that all will be sorted out. Kajol has worked out how to look after Nysa during that period. Whether Nysa will go with Kajol or not is still not known,” our source adds.

We sent a text message to KJo (as Karan is fondly called in the industry), but he did not reply.

My Name Is Khan, directed by Karan Johar, stars Karan’s best buddy, Shah Rukh (who co-produces My Name Is Khan) in the male lead.

The only time Shah Rukh and Kareena have been romantically paired earlier was in Asoka the Great (2001), which too was produced in part by Shah Rukh Khan.
mumbai news

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Rani, Saif entertain orphan children

MUMBAI: Children of a few orphanages here were treated to a memorable evening when Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji and other members of Yash Raj Films' forthcoming movie "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic" sang and danced for them.

Children from eight orphanage homes across the city on Friday evening gathered at Bhaidas Hall here to meet Saif, Rani, Amisha Patel, director Kunal Kohli and music directors Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

"Thoda Pyaar..." is about four destitute children.

"Film stars perform at every event. This time, I decided why not give these children a chance to have fun and make them stars of an evening," said Kohli, who has also co-produced the film.

The evening was marked by a soulful performance from the film track by the composer trio who have scored the music for the movie. Saif, who plays the lead character in the film, also performed for the children.

"It is a dream come true. I could never think that Rani didi would dance with me on the same stage. Saif uncle offered me gifts. I will never forget this evening," said a 12-year-old girl from an orphanage.

Rani, who personally interacted with many children and offered them gifts, was an instant hit with the children.

Commenting on the event, Rani said: "Children always fascinate me and I enjoy being with them. They are the most beautiful creations of god."

Highlighting the basic premise of the film, Kohli said: "The film's story revolves around four orphaned children and has the elements of magic, love, emotions and fun."

Added Rani: "It is also about a business tycoon who never got love in his life, four children who are in need of love and an angel who can't love. My role is of an angel sent by god who comes there to bring smile and happiness in their lives."

A situation comes when the four orphans come under the same roof with the business tycoon played by Saif.

"The film also stars Rishi Kapoor and Amisha Patel in a special role," Kohli said.

Compared to Yash Raj Film's earlier movies, this one is made on a low budget. The cost of the film is less than Rs.200 million and has been shot in Delhi, Los Angeles and Bangkok. It is scheduled to hit the theatres June 27.

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Arjun supports SRK!

You see him in the stands for every match of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Arjun Rampal, dressed in the team’s black and gold jersey, cheering for his good friend Shah Rukh’s team, with his other buddies Karan Johar, Farah Khan and Sajid Khan. For Arjun, the reasons are simple: one, SRK is a good friend and second, “I see where Shah Rukh has taken the IPL — his contribution has been great and we must support him.”

Arjun has been a cricketer since school. What then is his view that T20 is ‘not quite cricket?’ “It’s a sport,” he says,
“The change in the format is what’s making it exciting. And a lot more people are watching cricket because of this. Women, normally not cricket viewers, are now fascinated by it.” Arjun’s wife, former supermodel Mehr Jesia is one. “My wife couldn’t stand me watching cricket earlier. Today, she not only watches but calculates run rates and knows the rules,” he says.

Arjun has made many new cricketer friends. “They’re all great guys,” he says, “It’s great to see our Indian cricketers learning and interacting with international cricketers. Ishant is a really nice guy, Dada (Sourav) is great for the team: he looks after the youngsters, so does coach John Buchanan. The team was different with Ricky Ponting, Brendan McCallum and Chris Gayle there, it’s pity they had to leave. And Shoaib’s a huge influence — he’s quite a character, enjoys his game and has great energy.”

Wasn’t he worried about rooting for the Knight Riders over the Mumbai Indians with the recent controversy? “It’s not that I dislike the Mumbai Indians. I like Delhi too — I’m from there, after all. But it’s the Indian Premier League and we’re Indians first. See the EPL — you can support Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool and still be British. Next year, if players are traded, Sachin might play for Kolkata or Sourav for Mumbai! Soon the club culture that exists abroad will also catch on here.”

As for why SRK is such a popular team owner, the reason’s simple, says Arjun: “He’s a team player, whether in films, shows or cricket. He’s patient and caring. He looks at this as a sport — some days you win, others you lose. His leadership is great. Take Shah Rukh out of the IPL and it’ll be a great loss for them.”

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Bipasha in Bangkok!

Bipasha is currently shooting in Bangkok’s scorching heat for Freeze.

She can’t help but joke at the irony of it all. Bips says, “I suggested the film should be titled Melt instead.” Bips has been constantly shooting in contrasting climates for the past three months. She adds, “I was first shooting in the freezing cold in Italy for Siddharth Anand’s Bachna Ae Haseenon after which I joined John and the unit of Dostana in Miami for three days. The weather there was extremely sunny but I had a blast. What do you expect with two pranksters like Abhishek and John around?” She’s more to say, “I don’t know how I’ve survived so many climate changes in the last three months.”

Does it have to do with her co-stars – the handsome Ranbir Kapoor and Neil Mukesh? Says Bips, “Yeah maybe. I’ve been very lucky with my co-stars. In the last two months, I’ve worked with Ranbir and Neil. Ranbir is super-cute and we got along like a house on fire. As for Neil, we’re both Capricorns, and like me, Neil is extremely organised.” Bips tells us that Neil’s gentlemanly streak is a common Capricorn trait. Commenting on Bachna Ae Haseenon being Ranbir’s film, Bips says, “I’m one of the protagonists in the film. Otherwise I wouldn’t do it. My days of doing decorative roles are over. There would be no story without my character in the film.”

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Imran Khan flaunts his girlfriend at his debut film’s music launch

Hum saath saath hai: Kiran Khan, Avantika Mallik and Imran’s mother Nuzhrat Hussain and (left) Imran and Aamir Khan. Pics/ Yogen Shah

Imran Khan, Aamir’s 25-year old nephew and the star of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, may be following his mama’s professional footsteps but on the personal front, he appears to be different from Aamir. While Aamir had hidden his girlfriend and later wife, Reena (now they are divorced and Aamir has since re-married Kiran Rao) during his entry into the film industry, Imran proudly escorted his girlfriend, Avantika Mallik to the music of launch of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na on May 20 at Shammi Kapoor’s residence.

Says a source, “Last week, when Aamir, Kiran, Mansoor Khan and Naseer Hussain’s daughter Nuzhat (Imran’s mother and Mansoor Khan’s sister) came for the music release at Shammi Kapoor’s residence, Kiran and Nuzhat were quietly seen accompanying a young, pretty girl. She’s 23-year old Avantika, apparently Imran’s girlfriend and daughter of TV18’s head honcho, Vandana Mallik. Imran and Avantika met at a social event a few months ago and since then have become inseparable. Avantika came for the event and was seen chatting comfortably with Imran’s mother and Kiran. She’s quite a familiar presence in Aamir and Imran’s home. At the music launch, during Imran’s speech, Avantika was seen proudly clapping and cheering him on”

Imran makes his debut in Abbas Tyrewala’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na produced by Aamir Khan Productions, where he plays the role of Jai Singh Rathore. He will also be seen in Shree Ashtavinayak’s Kidnap with Sanjay Dutt and Luck directed by Soham Shah.

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Fanning the flame

He takes on his contemporaries and the media for their comments, however Bachchan Sr chooses to ignore the digs and rants of his fans

Amitabh Bachchan is getting increasingly hard to ignore on the web. Apart from his blog, which is drawing a lot of attention due to it’s deliberately controversial content, the actor is also being discussed in other personal blogs, chat-rooms, communites and being commented upon in various websites.

A lot of the recent activity has been around the Bachchan clan’s appearance at the red carpet at the recently concluded Cannes film festival. Here we reproduce some strong comments from rediff.com on the Bachchan clan. While no one in the family has been spared, a lot of people have also questioned Amar Singh’s presence in Cannes. Read on for excerpts.

Family Circus at Cannes
by Nicky on May 20, 2008 08:15 AM

Sisters and Brothers of the world... welcome to the Great Indian Circus at Cannes. Know a great family of Bollywood... whom people idolise. Now they have a mangie, dingie, corrupted politician ass their yes-man working as a personal servant...(CH)AMAR SINGH a job-less, charismaless, chauffeur, a distressed, tired, fashion-sense-less opportunist politician. An shallow minded, beauty-only, gimmick friendly, synthetic, coquettish prude AISHWARYA headed by a megalomaniac, money-monger AMITABH...
Its really horrible to see how these people lick feet of the west to get a chance in the foreign media.....

RE:Important Abhishek
by on May 20, 2008 02:15 AM

Wrong dude, wrong!

Chota AB’s poppat is programmed to ‘rise to the occasion’ as per the wife’s wishes!
The wife is milking her last days as the beauty she used to be, before she “allows” herself to get preggies! So, like his poppat, chota AB follows the commands of his wife! As for Ch-amar singh, he tags along to find out Aishwarya’s secret!

He believes he can make use of that secret during election time!

After all, there not much difference between chota AB’s poppat and the people who vote for Ch-amar Singh’s party!!

What’s Amar Singh doing in Cannes?
by Joideep on May 21, 2008 09:20 AM

Has this guy no shame, must he be everywhere? I bet Ash and Abhi must have groaned when they heard, he is going to join them too. I bet he was there on their honeymoon too, posing in the background for a photo. This guy seems to have a strange hold on the Bachchan family. Jaya needs to go on a serious diet (drink orange juice only, like Kareena)

Not much known in the West...
by Subhramanian on May 21, 2008 06:35 AM

U seem to be the latest shikaar of Amitabh... Ha Ha... Get ur facts first right... None of the Bollywood movies in the West are watched by any gora or goris. It’s only watched by desis... And abt interviews?? Ha Ha there are scores of actresses coming from small countries like Venezuela, Guatemala, Latvia... etc who are also interviewed daily in US media... Grow up... having a picture in foreign soil in skimpy dresses doesn’t make a person as a famous Indian. Behave like a mature Indian not as traditionless, scantily clad cheergirls...

Re" The perfect brand
by Venkat on May 21, 2008 05:53 AM

Its all about LOVING IN YOUR FAMILY.... Sasur loving bahu, Chhote Bhaiyya loving saas, Biwi loving sasur aur Beta remains silent watcher... Bollywood being a big tamasha... this is the right family...

Poor Abhishek
by useless bollywood on May 20, 2008 10:53 AM

Seems Aish and Amitabh are very close. Look at her hands. She puts her hand inside Amitabh’s hand but is just holding the fingers of Abhishek. Poor Abhishek watching the cameramen without knowing all this...she is leaning only towards Amitabh...maybe becoz he is the BIG B

Yesterday there were two angry posts by Bachchan Sr. One took on a columnist from London, and the other a local writer. Everyday Bhootnath gets personal with members of the press for any and every comment on him or his parivaar. Two days ago, he ridiculed writer and columnist Shobhaa De for a casual remark on the creases on Aishwarya Rai’s clothes at Cannes. However the actor looks the other way when the criticism comes from his junta. He is not ready to react to the not-so-nice comments made by the public on other blogs and websites. He admits to have seen the posts, “I have already read them,” but he refused to comment any further. And no, he won’t be blogging about it either.

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Shahid won't do mother's NAWAB NAUTANKI!

If actor Shahid Kapoor's mother Neelima is hurt or upset over the fact that Shahid has chosen his father's film over her's, she does not show it. Just for a recap, after the super success of JAB WE MET, both his parents, father Pankaj Kapoor and mother Neelima Azim had come forth with plans of directing him in their respective films.

However, it is now clear that Shahid has more or less refused his mother's NAWAB NAUTANKI, without saying an official 'no'. As per Neelima herself, although Shahid loved the script of the film, he was unwilling to act in the movie and so was being evasive. And it is now obvious that he won't be part of the film. She also added that Shahid has not given any reason for the refusal.

For those who are interested, we have the brief outline of Neelima's NAWAB NAUTANKI. The film is about an eccentric Nawab family and what goes on in their household. The movie will have a small-town setting and will focus on four main characters, essentially two males and two females. On the other hand Pankaj Kapoor's film is likely to have Shahid in a really dramatic role.

Whether Shahid works in Neelima's film or not, this real-life story sure has all the ingredients of a family drama potboiler!

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John dresses up as Indiana Jones in Aashayein

While its common knowledge in Bollywood to get inspired from the West and flatly deny it, director Nagesh Kukunoor believes otherwise. In his forthcoming film Aashayein starring John Abraham in the lead role, the director has decided to incorporate a scene in which John would be seen dressed as the legendary Hollywood character, Indiana Jones.

Apparently, both Nagesh and John are big fans of the Indiana Jones series and hence the director thought this would be like an apt tribute to the fictitious character. The fact that John could pull it off with his Greek God looks surely proved to be the icing on the cake.

With the latest Indiana Jones film set to hit the screens next week, we are pretty sure that Kukunoor and John would be among the first to catch the flick. After all, as the director says it’s only after watching Indiana Jones- Raiders of the Lost Ark did he decide to pursue filmmaking as a career.

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''I've had a terrific working relationship with Akshaye'' - Genelia D'Souza

“I’ve had a terrific working relationship with Akshaye” - Genelia D'Souza In an industry dominated by Bong Babes and Punjabi Kudis, she is one of the few Catholic girls out to make a mark. We are talking about the cute and bubbly Genelia D'Souza who debuted opposite Riteish Deshmukh in Tujhe Meri Kasam and was later seen with him in the comic-caper Masti. Subsequently, she went down South and acted in a dozen odd Telugu and Tamil films, most of which were blockbusters. She is now back with a bang in Bollywood and would first be seen alongside Akshaye Khanna in the family entertainer Mere Baap Pehle Aap. Post that she would be seen working with two of the most talked about newcomers- Imraan Khan in Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na and Harman Baweja in It’s my life. In this exclusive interview with us, Genelia talks about her experience down South, her comeback plans and life in general

After a long gap you are all over the place with two back to back releases; First Mere Baap Pehle Aap and then Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na. How does it feel?
Oh it feels fabulous to be back with a bang. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of welcome I get with these two releases.

You debuted with Riteish in Tujhe Meri Kasam and even did the comic-caper Masti. Where did you suddenly disappear after that?
(Laughs) Well I didn’t disappear. I was busy with films down South. In fact in my first year itself, I started shooting for 3 of my films simultaneously. All 3 of them were in 3 different languages- Boys (Tamil), Satyam (Telugu) and of course Tujhe Meri Kasam (Hindi). So you can say I debuted in 2003 in three different languages (smiles). Subsequently, my next couple of years were already booked with films in Telugu and Tamil.

After nearly a dozen odd Tamil and Telugu films…have you picked the language?
Well, I definitely understand it and I can speak to save my soul (smiles) but am not perfect grammatically as I live here in Mumbai.

In the past a lot of Bollywood stars like Nagma, Jyothika and Simran didn’t really come back to Bollywood after becoming big stars down south. You are really popular down south, so what made you come back to Bollywood?
I guess it was the kind of offers that I got and the kind of faith that Priyan sir and Aamir had in me that brought me back. However, for me it’s never been that I didn’t want to come back or that I wanted to do only films in the South. I am open to any good offers and prefer to just go with the flow and take things as they come.

A lot of people say that you look refreshingly different…so what’s the secret behind this new look?
Is it? I don’t know (laughs)…I guess I have just grown up (smiles)

In an industry dominated by Bong babes and Punjabi kudis you are one of the few Catholic girls out to make a mark; how does it feel?
It feels challenging. I am looking forward to it. Right now, I am too new to be looking at destiny as totally fulfilling. I am just waiting to see what my releases have in store for me.

Are there any differences in the style of working here in Bollywood and down south?
Honestly, I really don’t think so mainly because the people I have worked with here are equally professional as the people down South.

Your next release is the Priyadarshan comedy Mere Baap Pehle Aap. The title itself makes you smile. What’s the film all about?
Yeah precisely that’s the basic idea why we chose the title because it’s a family comedy entertainer. It’s about a guy searching for a bride for his father and the entire hilarious journey.

What about your character in the film?
Well, I play a girl who helps Akshaye in searching for a bride for his father. She is a very lovable character.

So are you the one who plays the bride in the end?
Hmmm…for that you will have to come and watch the film.

You are working with seasoned actors like Akshaye Khanna, Paresh Rawal and Om Puri in Mere Baap Pehle Aap? How has been the experience?
Fabulous. I feel for someone like me who is not from a filmy family, one of the only ways you can learn is by being a keen observer of such experienced stars. Working on Mere Baap Pehle Aap gave me that chance. It was indeed a really good learning experience for me watching actors like Akshaye, Pareshji and Om Puri ji perform.

A lot of people feel Akshaye is quite an introvert. So did he open up to you?
I’ve had a terrific working relationship with Akshaye Khanna. I feel he is a lot quieter than some of the other actors but he is definitely not uncomfortable to be with.

How was it working with Priyadarshan?
Fantastic. Priyan Sir and I have somehow almost missed working with each other. He was to do my first ad but that didn’t work out. So we have always been wishing that we get a chance to work with each other and I am glad that he gave me this opportunity to act in his film. It’s a role which gives me a lot of scope to perform, so I am happy.

Post that you have Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na which is touted as the grand launch of Aamir Khan’s nephew Imraan. How does it feel?
I am really looking forward to that film.

You are also doing the Hindi remake of one of your Telugu blockbusters Bommarillu in which you are paired opposite Harman Baweja. What’s the film all about?
It’s a sweet romantic film directed by Anees Bazmee. It’s quite a coincidence as I starred in the original Telugu version Bommarillu. The film was a big success and even fetched me a Filmfare award for Best Actress. The same film was also remade in Tamil called Santosh Subramaniam. It just released last week down South and has got a terrific response. I am glad they didn’t need to find a replacement for my character. I am probably one of the few actresses who have starred in the remake of the same film in 3 different languages so it kind of gives me a high.

Lastly, what are your expectations from your two forthcoming releases?
I just hope to be noticed and be appreciated for the work that I have done.

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Team Kings 11 celebrate its victories so far

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‘We bonded so well at Cannes’

Aishwarya smiles at the memory of bonding with Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives). “We bonded so well at Cannes. No one would believe we had just met. Actually, Eva, Rachida Brakni (who did the original French version of Chaos which Ash was supposed to do) and I got married recently. So we bonded over that common element,” says Aishwarya.

She then talks excitedly about another memorable moment at Cannes. “Jean Reno, the wonderful French actor, came up to me and said he has heard good things about my film, Pink Panther. These legendary actors are so hassle-free! They don't think twice about approaching you with a smile and kind words. That stays with you and is easier than making an effort to avoid people,” she says.

Aishwarya tells us about the films she saw at Cannes. She says excitedly, “I caught three-and-a-half films, including the opening movie Blindness, and the new Indiana Jones film. I could only catch half of Kung Fu Panda because I had to do some press interviews. I also saw the new Woody Allen film, Vicky Christina Barcelona. And yes, I met Woody Allen, he's wonderful!”

On her stunning sartorial grace on the red carpet, Aishwarya says, “This time around, I guess I had more time to prepare.”

While Aishwarya understands that people check out her clothes and accessories at important events, what she can't understand is why the clothes she wears at Cannes become more important than what she does at the annual event.

An exhausted and jet-lagged, Aishwarya laughs and says, “I don't even want to think about what people thought of my clothes. To me, how I conduct myself at Cannes and how people react to me is far more important than what I wear. Cannes has always been a marvelous and memorable experience. And this time too, it was no different!”

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Preity celebrate thrilling victory over Mumbai Indians

Preity Zinta’s jaadu ki jhappi is certainly working its magic for the Yuvraj Singh-led Mohali team. Several of the Punjab King’s XI team — including coach Tom Moody, Brett Lee, Sreesanth and Mahela Jayawardene — landed up late Wednesday night at Henry Thams in Colaba to celebrate their thrilling victory over the Mumbai Indians.

What was even more heartening was the presence of some Mumbai Indian players at the bash, including Lasith Malinga, Shaun Pollock, Ajinkya Rahane and Andre Nel. That’s called sporting spirit. And adding to the spirited mood was the Manchester United versus Chelsea soccer match being aired live. Ness Wadia joined Preity and Yuvraj (all three are die-hard Man U fans) to party and enjoy the game.

Just before the soccer match started, Preity walked out to her car to fetch the CD with her team’s theme song and demanded that it be played. Though the management insisted that Punjabi songs are never played at the restobar, they eventually had to give in to the loud cheers from the other guests.

Well, for whatever it was worth, the ‘motivational song’ even seemed to do it’s bit for the Manchester United team, which won the Champions League final in Moscow in an equally thrilling finish. The tied game went into penalty corner shootouts afte a 1-1 tie and Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar blocked a shot by Nicolas Anelka to give United the championship.

“Preity is really a one woman cheer squad. Her enthusiasm is infectious. She’s probably one of the main reasons behind the go-getting attitude you see in the team. Instead of just sticking close to Ness, she was cheering with the boys and making sure they all had a great time,” said a source.

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Shah Rukh: A true sportsman

The recent cricket season proved that Shah Rukh Khan is a true sportsman.

His team may have let him down, but there was never a frown on his forehead. The actor was there cheering his team all the way through, like true sportsman. In fact, after every defeat, SRK made it a point to party with the players just as he would when they won a match. The players may not have got the trophy for the owner but Shah Rukh made sure they went home with a neat packet and loads of gifts.

In fact his message box is full of smses from the players not only of his team but even other teams praising him as a human being and a sportsman. Now who can blame him for his rising popularity? In fact, his colleagues should learn a lesson or two from King Khan on sportsmanship!

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Abhishek’s death in the climax scares distributors

Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar Raj releases next month. The film, a sequel to his 2005 release Sarkar, will also be Abhishek and Aishwarya’s first release after their marriage.

A source who attended one of the private screenings reveals that the climax of the film has given distributors cold feet. “In the climax of the film, Abhishek Bachchan is shot dead.

There is a huge build-up to the scene. Abhishek’s character Shankar Nagre who joins his father in politics wants to make changes and create a revolution.

His death is quite unexpected and is bound to give a big jolt to the viewers. Everyone expects one of the supporting characters, who protects Bachchan Jr, to die. But in the end, Abhishek is gunned down.”

The industry is abuzz with rumours that distributors are worried that Abhishek’s death won’t go down too well with the audience. “Abhishek’s death was always a part of the initial script, but the way it’s shot is quite gory. Also, once he dies, the film takes a dark turn and becomes really depressing.”

Says a industrywalla, “If Abhishek dies, Sarkar becomes an Amitabh movie. And the last memory of Amitabh and Ramu together is Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, and that’s gives distributors sleepless nights.”

It is believed that Amitabh wanted Sarkar Raj to be the first big release of 2008, but had to change that due to Ashutosh Gowariker’s Jodhaa Akbar, which released early this year.

When contacted, Ramu denied that Abhishek dies at the end, while Bachchan replied, “See the film.”

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Khan will promote his TV show at the IPL finals

Salman Khan who is presently in Sydney shooting for Main Aur Mrs Khanna is planning to come down to Mumbai for the IPL finals on June 1.

According to the buzz, Salman wants to go all out to promote his show, and what better place than the IPL finals!

Even though details of what Salman will do at the IPL finale are sketchy we are told that he’s planning a powerhouse performance that will involve the stadium audience at the DY Patil grounds.

A source from the show reveals, “Salman is actively involved in all the promotional activities for 10 Ka Dum.

Right from the billboards to the promo spots, Salman has been having conversations with the creative heads on how to come up with better strategies. Since this is his debut on the television, he wants to make sure it becomes the talk of the town.”

A Sony TV programming executive confirmed the news and said, “Yes Salman is planning an event at the IPL finale, but the details are being worked out. He isn’t in town and will return in a couple of days. When he’s back, things will fall into place and his performance will be worked out.”

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Aamir did a biscuit ad before he went takla

Aamir Khan is the new face of Parle Monaco biscuit. The ad campaign was shot just a day before he shaved his head Ghajini.

According to an insider, Aamir was chosen over other celebrities because the campaign revolves around fun and pranks and the actor is known to be a prankster. Adds a source, “The humour is subtle and never at the cost of others. Aamir separates fun moments from frivolous antics.” Monaco biscuits were launched in 1939.

Quick cracker
The creative team shot two ad films keeping the flavor of the product in mind...

First ad
The first Ad film ‘Scratch on the Car’ – In this film a sullen, grim coach is the butt of Aamir and his gang’s joke. His brand new car has a huge scratch on it, seemingly made by Aamir. Eventually, it turns out to be a mere sticker. This joke has an ice-breaking effect on the officer, who now joins the gang to repeat the prank on someone else.

Second ad
The second film is ‘Glass Sheet’ – It is set against an angry protest rally, where Aamir and his friends simply want to cross the road. They carry a glass sheet across the people who part to make way for them. Later, it is revealed that the glass is make-believe. It was a ruse to get their way.

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The Sexy Lara

Being fit is the new mantra in Bollywood and everyone is hitting the gyms with a vengeance. The new entrant into the fit celebrity pack is our sexy Lara Dutta, whose new look is the talk of the town.

Lara states, "I am healthier than ever before because of all the working-out I have been doing and feel that I am in my best form ever. I have never wanted to be waif-thin, but to have a fit and lean figure, which I have achieved all thanks to the strenuous training that I have been going through preparing for the movie BLUE."

We wish more good health to this lustrous actress.

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Ranbir and Big B together for a ad film

If all goes well then Ranbir Kapoor will be seen sharing screen space along with the megastar Big B for the very first time.

No, not for a feature film but only for the Reid & Taylor ad film. According to sources the handsome hunk Ranbir has been approached by the company for endorsing the brand along with Reid & Taylor brand ambassador Big B. Recently Ranbir did few ad campaigns with SRK and OSO fame & his current girlfriend Deepika Padukone for Pepsi.

Though the screen sharing will be only for a short period of time in the ad campaign, but the lucky chap Ranbir is too excited for his new role.

Let's wait n watch for the magic when the two bond for the best!!

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Salman Khan is going all out to promote his new TV show

After Shah Rukh Khan hogged the limelight for most of April and May (courtesy IPL and his new T.V. show), looks like its now the turn of Salman Khan to be in the forefront.

By now its common knowledge that the actor would be making his TV debut with the game show Dus Ka Dum on Sony Entertainment Television. However, what is not known is that Salman is going all out to promote his show. And like his other colleagues who seem to be seen more on the cricket field than in the studios, Salman too would be seen during the finals of the ongoing IPL. According to reliable sources, Sallu (who is currently shooting in Australia for Main Aur Mrs. Khanna) would even do a dhamake-daar performance during the IPL finals scheduled to take place at the D.Y. Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai on June 1. Taking into account the number of people who would be watching the finals live and on T.V., Salman surely seems to have found the right platform to promote his show.

Moreover, it's not just the IPL finals where Salman would be promoting his new show; After Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, Salman seems to be the latest superstar bitten by the 'blogging' bug. The actor it seems has taken to writing seriously and has already started writing his blog on a website run by Sony Entertainment Television, the producers of his TV show. Needless to say, his first two posts revolve around the game show.

Looks like Salman is trying out ten different things to pack his 'Dus Ka Dum' punch.

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Milo Na Milo - Love Story 2050

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I like Shah Rukh everywhere, says Juhi Chawla

The vibrant and cheerful Juhi Chawla loves being in Shah Rukh Khan’s company.

On being asked whether she prefers Shah Rukh as a friend, as a co-actor or as a business partner, Juhi flashed her million-dollar smile and replied, “I like Shah Rukh everywhere! He is a sharp person and great fun to be with. He is great in whatever he does and, yes, he is truly a joy.”
Besides acting, it is her involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches that sets her pulse racing. Juhi, who is co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders team along with Shah Rukh, said, “IPL is really exciting, but it is also stressful for me.”

Dressed in a simple kurti and pants with no accessories, Juhi spoke about her recently released film. The initial response to the film has not been good, but Juhi asserted that it was being appreciated the world over. “I am so happy that the film is being appreciated. I had a great time working with the child (Aman Siddiqui) and Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan), and it is a special film for me,” she said. Since the film was centred on Amitabh and Aman, didn’t she feel overshadowed? “I have been asked about this many times but, frankly, I could neither have played the ghost nor the child! So, there is nothing like being overshadowed in the film. I feel that as long as we play our given parts well, we are noticed and our work is also appreciated,” Juhi said.

Talking about her future projects, Juhi said she was playing the role of a fortune-teller in Aziz Mirza’s Kismet Konnection. “It’s a small role but a very different one,” she said.

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SRK on a different role!

For those who think that Shah Rukh Khan cannot play anything beyond stereotypical characters, think again.

Shah Rukh’s close buddy Karan Johar has challenged Shah Rukh’s acting abilities by asking him to play an autistic in his next, My Name is Khan. No doubt SRK will take inspiration from Dustin Hoffman, who played an autistic in Rain Man, a 1988 film by Barry Levinson, which tells the story of an abrasive, selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his father has left all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his brother, Raymond, a savant, whom he never knew existed.

Shah Rukh did not take long to say ‘yes’ to Karan. Our well-placed source in Bollywood says, “SRK can’t wait for the film to begin. He is very excited about playing this different
character.” Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder, which starts off in childhood. It is characterised by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment.
“However, he will have to wait since My Name Is Khan has been delayed. Karan had allowed Aditya Chopra to start Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi first, so SRK will first free himself from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and then get on to this challenging role,” our source adds.

A source close to Shah Rukh says, “He’s adventurous and dares to take risks, he dares to be different, and break all rules. It is a misconception that he is repetitive and does not like to play different characters. His performances in Swades and Chak De! India are the best examples to prove this point. My Name Is Khan will be a trump card in SRK’s repertoire. Playing an autistic person will be challenging. Shah Rukh will have to do a lot of homework.”

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Salman should wed Katrina

Salman Khan has constantly been an object of media attention. And one of the major aspects repeatedly discussed about the actor in media is the instability in his love life. Ever since he started in films, Salman’s love interests in real life have been fluctuating on a continuous note. From Sangita Bijlani, Somi Ali to Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan has had a failed relationship with everyone. He has been relatively consistent with her present ladylove Katrina Kaif but some problems were reported even between them.

What makes Salman Khan so vulnerable to love? Will the actor settle down in life? Well, we do not have answers to such unpredictable questions but popular numerologist, tarot card reader and handwriting specialist Niraj Mancchanda tries to analyze.

To start with Niraj explains through Salman’s handwriting. “Salman’s handwriting reveals he is a very egoistic. He also mixes ego with love. But as they say, there should be no ego in love”.

Through numerology Niraj evaluates that the number of the film scripted by Salman Khan (Veer) comes to 18. “18 is a disastrous number” says Niraj and explains with an example. “Rajkumar Santoshi’s film Family came to number 18 and we all know its fate. Even Amitabh Bachchan couldn’t help save the film’s disastrous outcome”.

In that case, what does the number 18 have in store for Salman? “Since Veer comes to the same number of Family , it could be the biggest disaster of his career. He will be ridiculed for writing such a bad script”. Add to that Niraj predicts 4 flops for Salman this year.

But couldn’t all these problems be solved? Can’t the negative vibes in Salman’s life be eradicated? Is there a solution to the issues in Salman’s personal and professional life? Niraj says that there’s a common solution to both his personal and professional problems. “If he wants a very successful career, he should get married to Katrina soon”, says Mancchanda. Marriage will bring stability in his personal life and the positive vibes brought in by Katrina will even help his professional career.

As they say ek teer se do shikaar . There couldn’t be a better solution for Salman. Are you listening bhai?

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Priyanka spotted in a rickshaw!

The other day, we stumbled upon a rather unusual sight.

It was close to midnight and we caught Priyanka Chopra riding an auto rickshaw, with a motley crowd following her. On closer look, it turned out to be a passing shot for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion. “Madhur always believes in taking realistic shots and it was his idea to make Priyanka ride a rickshaw in the middle of the night,” says a unit member. Hopefully Priyanka enjoyed the midnight joy ride.

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Diamond-studded business card for Aishwarya!

The IIFA weekend in Bangkok has more surprises in store…Read on!

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan would be smiling all the way to Bangkok for the Idea IIFA 2008 award night, this June. Celebrating its association with IIFA, Gitanjali Lifestyle is reportedly presenting an exclusive diamond-studded Business card to Ash at the award night. The business card is studded with a fine blend of 7900 diamonds and 40 grams of gold, costing approximately Rs. 1 crore.

Brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan would be welcoming this year's IIFA delegation with the gracious Thai greeting, "Sawadee ka", which in English translates to “Hello”.

The IIFA weekend has more surprises in store. Nobel Laureate Dr. R.K.Pachauri will be honoured with the IIFA Global Leadership Award. Indian and Thailand business leaders are to meet at the FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum and top Indian designers would be showcasing their creations at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza.

This year, the Bachchan clan would be premiering the much-awaited, much-hyped 'Sarkar Raj' in Bangkok. Speaking on his association with IIFA, Amitabh Bachchan said, "It's not just another film award. It's an award that would match up to the Academy Awards. Cinema is a medium that brings people together. When we are looking at the screen, we are mesmerised and caught in the magic of it. It does not matter who is on the seat next to us...what our medium does is, in a way, go on to strengthening bonds. And IIFA, by going global, is working on bridging the gap.”

Shyam Benegal (outstanding contribution to Indian cinema), AR Rahman (outstanding contribution by an Indian in international cinema) and Mumtaz (lifetime achievement award) will be honoured.

‘Guru’, ‘Chak De India’, ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘Life In A Metro’ and ‘Partner’ will be fighting for best picture category. For best performance (male) Abhishek Bachchan (‘Guru’), Akshay Kumar (‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’), Salman Khan (‘Partner’), Shah Rukh Khan (‘Chak De India’) and Shahid Kapoor (‘Jab We Met’) are the nominees. Aishwarya Rai (‘Guru’), Deepika Padukone (‘Om Shanti Om’), Kareena Kapoor (‘Jab We Met’), Tabu (‘Cheeni Kum’) and Vidya Balan (‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’) will fight it out for the best actress award.

Debutant actor Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra will showcase Harry Baweja's ‘Love Story 2050’; Aftab Shivadasani, Riteish Deshmukh and Ayesha Takia will dance to the ‘De Taali’ beats; the ‘Mission Istanbul’ cast of Zayed Khan, Vivek Oberoi and Shriya Saran would be staging their bit, and 'Acid Factory' will have Dia Mirza, Fardeen Khan, Dino Morea and Aftab Shivdasani showcasing their moves!

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Devar hai, par bhabhi nahin

Bipasha Basu won’t be attending beau John Abraham’s brother’s wedding

Bipasha Basu won’t be attending beau John Abraham’s brother Alan’s wedding in Romania on May 25. Bips is currently shooting for Freeze, directed by Jehangir Surti.

Originally, Bips was to fly down to Romania with John for Alan’s wedding to Anka, a Romanian girl. But now, the actress won’t be able to attend the wedding. She’s citing professional reasons for missing the big family function. Says a source from the industry, “Though John is maintaining a tight-lipped silence about Bips’s attendance, he’s a bit miffed about her absence at the first wedding in his family.”

Initially, the couple had planned to take a short summer holiday in Romania after the wedding as both had been leading a hectic lifestyle and weren’t able to spend too much time together. Now that plan stands cancelled too.

However Bipasha laughs off the rumours. “Please don’t make this an issue. The wedding is an important and auspicious occasion and there is no problem between John and me. It’s true that I can’t make it for Alan’s wedding. My schedule in Bangkok is too tight and they can’t shoot without me. But there is a proper reception for Alan and Anka on June 7, which I will attend. It’s sad that I will miss their wedding in Romania but I guess I will celebrate doubly at the reception.”

Bipasha has been leading a very hectic life for the last few months. “I have been in Italy and Switzerland for a month for Bachna Ae Haseeno. I can’t attend IIFA too as I have to be back for Alan’s reception. I couldn’t take off for the wedding because of the Freeze schedule.” Bips hasn’t been seen for a single IPL match in India. She says, “I have been out of India throughout the IPL matches. I enjoyed the Yash Raj schedule and now am enjoying the Bangkok one.”

Besides Freeze, Bipasha’s next releases are Yash Raj Films Bachna Ae Haseeno, Sanjay Gupta’s Pankh and Rituparno Ghosh’s next.

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Abhishek Bachchan joins his dad in forthcoming fantasy flick

Vinod Chopra Films’ Talismaan starring Amitabh Bachchan now also includes Abhishek Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt.

Talismaan is a romantic fantasy adventure inspired by epic novel, Chandrakanta, written in 1892 by Babu Devaki Nandan Khatri. It interweaves and mixes elements of magic, fantasy and war. The shooting of Talismaan will commence from early 2009.

There are rumours that Talismaan is inspired by Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter, but director Ram Madhvani says, “Vinod gave me a book to read Chandrakanta, written 50 years before Lord Of The Rings and 100 years before Harry Potter. I was amazed at its ideas and fantasy elements. He set me off on a journey. Talismaan is a love story, a fantasy and uses magic. It has a unique Indianness and yet is modern and contemporary. It’s time we had a fantasy film we can call our own and one we can be proud off. Talismaan is my attempt to do just that.”

When quizzed about rumours about Talismaan being shelved because of its costly budget, Ram states, “If the film was shelved, believe me I would be the first to know. We are proceeding as per schedule. The film is very heavy on special effects etc and therefore a lot of time is being spent on pre-production. The storyboarding, concept art etc, requires detailing and research. It’s not a film you write the script for and then go on the floors to shoot it straightaway,” he concludes.

Amitabh Bachchan says, “Yes, we (Abhishek and him) are in talks and should finalise shortly. It would be unethical to talk about it till then.”

Sanjay Dutt says, “Vinod sir and Ram narrated the script to me and I was blown away. Talismaan is a journey I am looking forward to.”

It’s the story of prince Virendra Singh, who is in love with the princess of a rival kingdom, Chandrakanta.

Thrown into this love story is a magical maze in an old abandoned fort which guards a huge treasure trove. Virendra Singh and Chandrakanta have to ensure that their love wins against evil villains like King Shivdutt of another kingdom, who wants to capture the treasure. Also after the treasure are ‘aiyyars’ or super-spies who have the magical powers of transforming themselves into another person, and are experts in all modes of warfare.

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B-Town’s big numbers

Comments on Aamir and Amitabh’s blogs beat those getting of popular world class bloggers

The favourite celebrity activity this year is blogging. And B-town blogs now boast the number of reader responses and traffic hits, that beat their international counterparts hollow. The big B and Aamir Khan’s blogs have beaten the The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com), the world’s leading blog in terms of maximum comments posted.

Aamir’s recent blog on ‘Shahrukh, the dog’ got 6651 comments at the time of going to print, which is more than any of the posts made on The Huffington Post. Also one of Bachchan’s blog posts (http://blogs.bigadda.com/ab/2008/05/) has received over 900 comments. At times, he also updates the site on an hourly basis.

Even the world’s leading entertainment gossipblogger Perez Hilton (www. perezhilton.com) has been left behind in numbers by our Bollywood blogs. Perez’s blog gets an average of 500 comments on his posts, which is way behind the ones made by Aamir and Bachchan. Although Aamir is not a daily blogger, Amitabh Bachchan sometimes blogs more than once a day.

Interestingly, neither Aamir nor Bachchan have moderators on their blogs who block negative comments.
In fact, on his recent post, Bachchan has made an exhaustive list of all the visitors who’ve made either positive or negative comments on his blog. In his post Bachchan writes, “I had been promising that I would make every effort to respond to all those that have taken the trouble to comment on my blog. The task has been huge and of great magnitude. Random names and a few words on their views have been managed in the past, but to get each and every name has been tough. I will want to even as I write this, be able to take up specific queries and answer them, but for the moment I thought I would tabulate all the names that came close to me and thank them for being a part of my life.”

When asked if he was aware that the comments made on his blog beat that of international sites, Bachchan says, “I am unaware of it. Feelings and what my readers express is more valuable to me than numbers. Numbers will vary and die in time. Feelings will remain with me forever.”

Top worldwide blogs with maximum comments

>>Huffingtonpost.com got a maximum of 1700 comments on a Hillary Clinton post

>>Perezhilton.com gets close to 1500 comments on an average in a week

>>Drudgereport.com the blog that broke the Clinton scandal still manages to get around 700 comments on average

>>Techcrunch.com based on the technology industry, the blog rakes up to 500 comments

>>Boingboing.net Launched in January 2000, the blog gets hordes of visitors posting inane things adding up to around 700 comments

>>Kottke.org Gets close to 250 comments

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Harman Baweja storms the screen with 'Milo Na Milo'

It has been quite some time since Bollywood got its bona fide dancing star. Hrithik Roshan was the last major star to get rocking with 'Ik Pal Ka Jeena' and 'Sitaron Ki Mehfil' [Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai] and since there has been a long lull. And yes, we are ready to ignore Mimoh Chakraborty here for his criminal Jimmy!

Well, the wait gets over the moment Harman asks the question - 'The Party Is Over?' in Love Story 2050. And he himself gives the answer as he gets dancing to the tune of 'Milo Na Milo' which is put to music by Anu Malik and is written by Javed Akhtar.

A complete package material which is just the right start for a dancing star to make his presence felt, 'Milo Na Milo' allows Harman to demonstrate his prowess when it comes to moving his body on some pulsating music. Set in future, the song is even more fun with red-haired Priyanka Chopra choosing to watch from a distance as dozens of aliens/robots give Harman some good company.

Yes, the wait is indeed over and here is looking forward to a lot more of the dancing star!

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Shammi Kapoor and Aamir Khan unveil 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' music album

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Madhuri’s Kolhapuri connection!

Madhuri has been married for years now and yet her charm and beauty never fails to engulf her admirers!

The beautiful actress paid a visit to Kolhapur, a city in Maharashtra recently while she was in India to receive her Padmashree and left no stone unturned to please her Kolhapuri fans!

“I love Kolhapur and everything about this place! I remember when I was here for the shoot of Prem Granth, I used to live on bhakri (rotis made from the mixture of jowar and wheat flour) and Thecha (mixture of green chillies, groundnut powder and onions)! The bhakri-thecha combination is supposed to be extremely spicy but I in spite of being a Mumbaikar enjoyed this local speciality of Kolhapur”, revealed Madhuri.

Mads didn’t stop enthralling her Kolhapuri fans there, she went ahead and displayed her singing skills as she sang her famous dance number from her film Anjaam called, “Mein Kolhapur Se Aayi Hoon’!

Her efforts to oblige the crowd and their love for her were definitely appreciated as her fans couldn’t get enough of the actor and blew whistles after every second of her speech!

Now that’s what we call...Madhuri mania!

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Home Team Vs Adopted Team

Preity Zinta is going through the most hectic time of her life. Running from pillar to post "like a mad woman" yesterday, she's keyed up and nervous about the match with the Mumbai team today evening.

"It's an emotional moment for me," she says. "One is a team I've invested in and the other is my home team, as I live in Mumbai. So I feel a bit like Nirupa Roy caught between Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor in Deewaar."

For this match the excitement for Preity is manifold. "Not only do I get to see my adopted team fight it out with my home team I also get to see my all-time favourite cricketer Sachin Tendulkar play live for the first time. I'll be watching the game both as a team owner and as a fan."

Preity sighs, "All I can say is, I'm looking forward to a great game. I know both the teams will play their best. May the best team win."

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Harman's card declined, Priyanka foots 1 lakh bill

Chopra footed a lakh-plus bill when her beau’s credit card was declined at a swank eatery

Harman Baweja who is making his debut in August with Love Story 2050 was in a thick ‘soup’ last week.

Priyanka had just flown in after a month long shooting schedule in Miami, for Karan Johar’s Dostana and her beau Harman wanted to spend quality time with his lady. He took her to a swanky suburban restaurant in a five-star hotel and they had the best of wine and the chef’s recommendations. It was only when the bill arrived that Harman realised he was short on cash!

A source present at the restaurant reveals, “Harman and Priyanka came together. They ordered expensive wine and champagne from the bar. They obviously wanted the night to be perfect. They looked happy together and were talking to each other all night and enjoying each other’s company.”

The source further adds, “When the cheque arrived, it was over a lakh and Harman decided to pay by credit card. But the waiter came back pronto and said that his card had been declined. Harman looked embarrassed and asked the waiter to try the card again. Then, Priyanka stepped in and she gave her credit card to the waiter to settle the bill.”

After clearing the bill, the couple made their way to their parked car outside. The manager asked them if the meal and the service provided was adequate and Harman promptly replied ‘I have never had such bad service ever in my life. I am going to think twice before coming back here.’

Harman says, “We did go for dinner but the bill was not a lakh! It was only two of us and both of us don’t eat so much that our bill runs up to one lakh!” Err, Harman... aren’t you forgetting the bubbly?

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On Dostana sets, Abhishek and John had female chauffeurs

On the sets of Karan Johar’s Dostana, there is no gender discrimination. While the film was being shot in Miami last month, everyone from KJo to the leading men, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan, were being driven to and fro to locations by female chaffeurs.

Says a source from the unit, “It is not uncommon to have women drivers abroad. There no one calls them drivers or chauffeurs. They are PAs or production assistants. There’s no gender bias in the west.

During Kal Ho Naa Ho even Karan had one in New York. Both John and Abhishek had stunners for chauffeurs they were striking women. They looked more like models and less like chauffeurs and mixed comfortably with everyone on the sets including John and Abhishek.”
Equal footing

The source adds, “John was comfortable with his ‘production assistant’ and chatted with her whenever he was free. Abhishek initially appeared to be friendly with his chauffeur, but the day before Aishwarya was to arrive in Miami, his lady production assistant was replaced by an African-American male. Perhaps it was just a coincidence.”

John Abraham says, “It’s not just me but the entire cast and crew had women drivers. It’s not a big deal abroad as women and men are found equal in all professions and are taken according to their capability.”

These days John Abraham is busy with wedding preparations for his younger brother, Alan, a photographer by profession. Alan is to wed Anka in Romania. John says, “Alan will get married on May 24 and I am making all the arrangements for our parents to fly out there in the next couple of days while I will fly to Romania just a day before the D-day.” After a month-long shoot of Dostana, John is now spending quality time with his parents. “For me family is priority and I am trying to spend as much time with my parents as possible.”

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Sush a dust-phobe!

Plays a brave queen, but allergies will bog her down

Sushmita Sen is working on her directorial debut, Rani Laxmibai. As the actress is playing the title role as well, she will have to ride horses for the battle scenes. However, it is not clear how Sush will shoot as she is allergic to dust and muck.

Buzz was that Sush had approached ex-boyfriend Randeep Hooda to train her to ride horses, as he owns six horses and even participates in national level championships. However Randeep says, “I am not part of Rani Laxmibai, and neither have I helped Sush learn horse-riding. It’s not possible for me to teach horse riding. Besides, she has a dust allergy.”

Another source working on the film admits that the ex-Miss Universe is concerned about her allergies.

“She can’t do away with the horseriding as Rani Laxmibai was a warrior and was known for her sword fighting and fencing skills.”

Currently, the actress is busy researching for the film, reading up literature on Laxmibai and working on the look. However, the biggest hassle she faces is getting to ride a horse as she isn’t comfortable with them.

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From Egypt to Bahamas via Mumbai

Akshay Kumar’s in Egypt now, but will have a stopover in Mumbai to get his visa to Bahamas

Akshay Kumar is a busy man. The actor has been travelling around the world for his film shootings and shows. He is currently shooting for Singh is Kinng in Egypt but today he is coming to Mumbai to apply for visa for the Bahamas.

An industry insider reveals, “Generally, actors don’t have to be physically present to apply for visas. They are applied for by the production house as a group but Akki who is shooting in Egypt will make his way to Mumbai for two days to apply for a visa because his passport will have to be stamped. He was supposed to join the cast and crew of his other film Chandni Chowk to China in Bangkok but now Nikhil Advani’s crew will have to wait for Akki a bit longer.”

“The actor is planning to go the Bahamas to shoot for Blue which is being directed by debutant Tonny and stars Sanjay Dutt and Lara Dutta. In fact, Sanjay too went to the embassy recently to get his visa and he got it on the spot. But Akshay is not that hassled by this trip to Mumbai, he gets a breather from work for two days and gets to spend time with family.” A win-win situation, eh?

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Sanjay Dutt plays a playboy in his next release

While Sanjay Dutt has almost patented the art of playing a gangster in dozens of films, he has hardly played the part of a playboy in any of his films. However, his next film release would change it all for him as he would be seen as a rich business tycoon who possesses all the luxuries in the life.

The film is Afzal Khan's MEHBOOBA and Sanju plays the character of Shravan Dhariwal. Playing the role of the most eligible bachelor who leads an envious lifestyle, he loves being in the company of beautiful and desirable women and makes sure that his charm and money get him all that he desires.

One such woman who comes in Sanju's life in MEHBOOBA is Varsha [Manisha Koirala] who refuses to cave in despite all richies presented to her on a platter. Though Sanju ultimately manages to woo her, he has a sinister plan in place which threatens to shatter Manisha's life forever.

What exactly is the playboy's plan here.....?

With Ajay Devgan as the other male lead, MEHBOOBA is a film which has taken almost a decade to reach the finishing line. The film is aiming for a July 2008 release.

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Sanjay Kapoor's Harman-Genelia film is entitled It's My Life

After shooting non-stop through an Australian schedule and then a long schedule of the film in Delhi, Sanjay Kapoor's Harman Baweja-Genelia D'souza starrer directed by Anees Bazmi finally has a name. It's titled It's My Life.

Says Harman, "That's the name Anees sir has chosen. It may change. But we all like it, because it's about this rich subdued boy who's petrified of his girlfriend's father Nana Patekar and stands for hours outside her house gathering the courage to face him. It's all about how the boy finally takes charge of his life."

Incidentally, Harman's co-star in It's My Life is Genelia D'Souza, a hot favourite in the South who made her debut five years ago in Hindi cinema with Tujhe Meri Kasam. She also pairs with Imraan Khan who makes his debut in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na on same day as Harman in Love Story 2050.

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Aamir Khan signed as the brand ambassador for Monaco biscuits

Life is all about moments that are sweet and salty, very much like Parle's famous Monaco biscuits. The commercials of this brand have always been the talk of the town as it very clearly conveys the Sweet and Salty combo in the most subtlest and lucid manner ever!

Well, the latest one to join the sweet and salty moments is the 'Mr. Perfectionist' Aamir Khan, who has been roped in as the Brand Ambassador, his next assignment after Samsung phones!

The ad definitely lives up to the reputation of the brand and leaves the viewer in good 'taste'. The ad shows a political party campaigning for its leader on the road, while Aamir and his friends are in a tearing hurry to cross the road, and they do not want to get late for the film at any cost. Even as they cross the road, they are stopped by one of the cronies of the political leader. That's when Aamir gets his 'salty' elements in place and 'sweetly' manages to cross the road and is even on time for the film!

What a show (stopper) of an ad this is! As of now, we can give you one beeeeeeeeg secret that this has been shot quite sometime back, as Aamir sports a full-grown hairdo in this as, as compared to the by-now-rocking-Ghajini-look that he is sporting these days!

Way to go, Aamir bhai!

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I am not single now, Vidya

Vidya Balan couldn’t be happier. “I must say I’m very content in the space I’m occupying right now,” she says, indulging in some frank speak. With a mysterious smile, Vidya suggests she is no longer single and is enjoying it.

Vidya says, “The other evening, I went to watch Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak perform Dear Liar at Prithvi theatre.” On being asked who accompanied her, she chuckles, “Ah, it was friend whose name begins with ‘S’. I'm not saying any more than that!”

All this forthright talk without us mentioning Shahid even once! She adds, “I don’t deny that Shahid is a very close friend. For the first time, I’ve worked with a co-star who’s actually closer to me by way of age, experience and temperament. We were together for two months in Toronto shooting Aziz Mirza’s Kismat Connection and we really got along well.

I found him very calm and intelligent. I think we’re alike in many ways. I really enjoyed working with him. And I would love to do more films with him.”

She adds, “I’m amazed by the range of men I’ve been linked with. From Pradeep Sarkar it went to Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and now Shahid. I seem to have been going down the generations until I’ve finally come to a guy who’s my age,” she says. Time to stop here then, Vidya?

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Harman to perform at IIFA

He is in the spotlight. And Harman Baweja is enjoying every moment under the sun. For an actor who is yet to make his debut, Harman is a very busy man... acting, playing cricket and dancing too !!!

One of the best platforms for an actor to establish his credentials is IIFA. And the young debutant will be taking centre stage in Bangkok, come the first week of June.

The actor promises his performance to be a niche act. “My act will be unveiled in a very interesting manner unlike other performances”, claims Harman. “I will be dancing to a track from my film Love Story 2050 titled ‘Milo Ya Na Milo’ .”

Ask him for more details and Harman adds, “The number has been specially choreographed by Shaimak Davar. In fact Shaimak is taking special interest in my IIFA act. Unfortunately Shaimak had to leave for US and is not present for the rehearsals of the song for IIFA. However he has been calling from US every single day and asking us about the rehearsals. The same will start from today”.

And how excited is Harman about his debut performance on stage? “I am not just excited. I am nervous, thrilled, eager, anxious and going through an entire gamut of emotions”.

Like his debut film where everything is flying in air, Harman too is clearly reaching for the skies, having already having another film Victory (opposite Amrita Rao) on his list. Also Ashutosh Gowariker’s film is surely in the pipeline. Wishing him all the luck!

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Shilpa Shetty slaps actor

Shilpa Shetty could be certified as one of the most peaceful actresses onscreen. The record goes that the Shetty girl has never slapped anybody onscreen in any of her films. She might have performed some real kick-ass roles in films like Dus but has always steered away from scenes that might have demanded a slap on the face. So when she was recently asked to slap a costar in one of the scenes, it wasn’t as simple as one might have imagined.

Sunny Deol’s next film The Man has Shilpa Shetty paired opposite him once again post Apne. Recently in one of the scenes for the film Shilpa was supposed to slap co-star Sudhanshu Pande. When Shilpa was informed about the same she developed cold-feet and went into reclusion inside her vanity van. Despite repeated attempts she refused to come out to perform the shot.

It took Sunny Deol to personally come to her vanity van to convince her. Sunny Deol who interestingly also happens to be the co-director of the film (with Neeraj Pathak) explained that the scene was actually important to the script and couldn’t be done without. With her share of apprehensions, Shilpa finally did turn up for the shot.

And when the scene was being shot, a tense Shilpa Shetty slapped Sudhanshu Pande so hard that she literally ended up scratching his face out of uncertainty and leaving nail marks. While the directors might have got their perfect shot, Shilpa Shetty was seized with guilt pangs. She couldn’t stop apologizing to Sudhanshu Pande about her unintentional act.

Initially she sent a sorry note to Sudhanshu. The actor did not mind and overlooked it as just another shoot stint. But Shilpa wasn’t convinced on her part and went ahead to send him a bunch of flowers as well as an additional apology. Seems like Sudhanshu will remember the scene for a long time not for the slap but more for the pampering by Shilpa!

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Akki vs Sallu

IIFA organisers, Wizcraft cannot decide who should perform the grand finale ceremony in Bangkok

Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan are going from clash to clash with remarkable regularity. In their latest clash (one, which they have no inkling about), the two have put IIFA organisers, Wizcraft in a quandary. Wizcraft hasn’t yet been able to decide which of the two will perform the grand finale at the awards ceremony to be held at Bangkok on June 8 this year.

The funny thing is that neither Akshay (currently shooting in Egypt for Vipul Shah’s Singh Is Kinng) nor Salman (currently shooting in Australia for Sohail Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna) are aware of Wizcraft’s dilemma.

Says a source, “Akshay Kumar has had a fantastic year with five bumper hits (Phir Hera Pheri, Namastey London, Bhool Bhulaiya, Heyy Babyy! and Welcome). Today, he commands a huge price at the BO and his wish is any producer’s command. Akshay is hot and much in demand in the overseas market. Katrina Kaif is also expected to perform at the IIFA awards this year. If all three perform, one can expect some fireworks at the IIFA awards this year.”

In Salman’s case, Wizcraft’s dilemma is an emotional one. Adds the source, “Except Partner, Salman hasn’t delivered any big hits in 2007. Despite that, he still is a popular star. Also Salman is very close to Andre Timmons from Wizcraft. But the three directors, Andre Timmons, Sabbas Joseph and Viraf Sarkari are close to Akshay too. Naturally, Wizcraft cannot decide what they want to do: feature Salman or Akshay? Two huge stars, both equally popular it’s a tough decision to make and they don’t want to upset either one.”

Dinesh Gupta of Wizcraft says, “These are creative details which are privy only to the three directors.” Anuja,also from Wizcraft, said tersely, “All these speculations are baseless. We will make a formal announcement on which stars will be attending the IIFA awards on May 27.”

Salman Khan has always bailed Wizcraft out whenever he has been called even at the last moment — which included Star TV’s Nach Baliye last year. Salman was called at the last moment in place of Amitabh Bachchan who couldn’t make it to the finale. Salman was also present at Andre’s wedding last year.

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Don’t mind my business, mind yours: SRK

Shah Rukh Khan’s message to the officials who have a problem with his presence in the dug-out area

It’s not easy being a celebrity. Shah Rukh Khan is living proof of that. The actor rarely gets upset, but when his authority is challenged, King Khan roars loudly.

On Sunday, the actor was told to keep a safe distance from his team. The Anti-Corruption Unit of the ICC told the KKR owner that he should not be in the players’ dressing room and their dug-out was out of bounds too.

Yesterday, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi briefed the media on allowing owners of IPL teams access to dug-out area for unlimited time, there was a rumour that Shah Rukh and other owners would have only fifteen minutes of time in the specified area.

When asked about the controversy Shah Rukh says, “I have no issue with them. Nor do I need to ask for 15 minutes etc to meet with the team I own. Only IPL or IMG or whoever is in charge of stuff on grounds should inform their officials from ICC or whatever other agency they are from, about the rules before they question someone who has all the accreditations, passes or permissions with him/her and incidentally, happens to be the owner of the team too.”

The actor feels he is being targetted because he is a celebrity, “It’s quite prevalent now to take on a known personality and behave high-handedly so that one gains some form of personal importance. It’s happened a few times before, during the matches too.

I decided to be civilised about it, in the larger interest of my team’s morale and state of mind especially when they were down. Someone sent me a message yesterday if you want to lead the orchestra you have to learn to turn your back to the crowds.

I guess I will turn my back on this one too and keep trying to make the music that makes sense to me and that gives me very little time to answer to these loud regulatory noises around me don’t walk here, don’t enter the dressing room, don’t dance there, don’t meet players! Hey!

How about don’t mind my business, try and mind yours more efficiently for a change that will be more helpful. Now if I want to meet my team I will do so at my house, or in their hotel, not on the grounds for 15 minutes!”

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Buy Imran, get Ghajini free!

Aamir is offering Ghajini as a package deal with his nephew Imran’s debut to TV channels

Harman Baweja’s Love Story 2050 and Imran Khan’s (Aamir Khan’s nephew) Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (JTYJN) are both releasing on the same day. Both films are being marketed aggressively. One way of promoting a film is throug media tie-ups, with publications and TV channels to give editorial support.

Says a source, “Aamir is in talks with some TV channels for the tie-up of Imran’s film and he has offered Ghajini to anyone who will take it as a package deal with JTYJN.”

Harman’s debut was fixed on July 4 long before Aamir’s home production JTYJN, chose the same date to make its release. Now the two newbies are pitted against each other, even though the films are not in the same category.

Love Story 2050 is a mega budget film and has star value thanks to Priyanka Chopra, while JTYJN has been made on a more modest budget and has Genelia D’Souza. Aamir realises that, and so he wants to push his nephew’s film.

Says a source, “Aamir is great at marketing. Look what he did with Taare Zameen Par. And now he has put all his marketing skills behind Imran’s film. He has personally looked into every aspect of the film. From the story to the post-production. When the film was complete, he blogged about his nephew, introducing him to all his fans.”

All the comments made by readers were in favour of Imran, which is fine, but there were many anti-Harman comments which were surprising.” The negative Harman comments have now been deleted.

I am readying myself for my next release. JAANE TU. When I say ‘my’ I mean Aamir Khan Productions’. After Lagaan and Taare Zameen Par this will be our third release and I am keen to complete a hat-trick. Today the first promo breaks on TV.

It should be up on the website www.jaanetu.com as well. This will be my nephew Imran’s first film, I think I’ll post a photo of him. Tell me what you think of the promo, and him.

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Salman is WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE

The last time that Salman Khan and producer Boney Kapoor joined hands, the result was in the form of NO ENTRY, the biggest hit of 2005. And that after the disadvantage of prints' delivery problem, resulting in the loss of a day's revenue at many centres!

So, it is but natural that the trade and the industry is very excited and upbeat about their next project together, the remake of the South blockbuster, POKKIRI, with a working title, WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE. One may ask - Why such a strange working title? Well, there is a very valid reason for the seemingly odd title.

However, before we answer the question, let us clarify that it is WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE and not WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, as many have been confusing! Coming back to the reason for the strange working title for the POKKIRI remake, in the film, Salman Khan is wanted dead by a group of people. However, the same Salman is also wanted alive by another group of people in the movie. Revealing who wants him dead (also who wants him alive!) and why would not be fair to the action thriller. A better idea would be to catch the movie, when it releases on the 2nd of October.

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Hrithik's kissing scene in Kites

We all know of Hrithik Roshan's next film Kites which is his dear dad's home production. The film starring the actor, American model Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut is a romantic comedy about two people who fall in love without even speaking the same language.

Sources on the sets have revealed that the Hrithik-Barbara chemistry is definitely quite a sizzler. Anurag Basu doesn't want to leave it all up the audiences' imagination and has been pursuing Rakesh Roshan to approve a kissing scene between the two.

Unfortunately Roshan is uncomfortable with the prospect, The director has been having meetings with Roshan Sr for a few days now in order to discuss this very prospect.

"All Anurag's films are real," says a source working on the project. "He doesn't shy away from portraying intimacy on screen. Unfortunately Roshan isn't too sure if Basu's treatment will work for Kites. He isn't too comfortable with his son kissing another woman in his home production. The two have been arguing over the issue."

So will Anurag Basu have his way? Or will Roshan Sr nip the lip-lock talk in the bud? We'll just have to wait and watch...

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Salman in search of someone new

After the grandeur success of romantic comedy PARTNER Salman Khan seemed to have hiked his demand. It is heard that he is charging pretty good amount for his work. Recently it was heard that Salman hiked his bill for the upcoming movie VEER.

According to sources he is charging high for VEER not just for his popularity but the very special reason being the story of the film is penned by him. With this he graduates from an actor to writer. Who knows he might step his foot in direction also someday? But as of now he has roped in APNE fame Anil Sharma to direct the film. Both the actor and director had a long time wish to work with each other. And VEER seems to accomplish their wish.

It is also heard that Sallu is taking keen interest at every step on the way. He has been speaking with everyone from set design to clothes to action. He has begun his own practice and work out regime to get even fitter for the role. Many British actors have been finalized. Though all the details are being carefully worked out but the makers and especially Sallu is yet to finalize the leading lady for the film. Many top actresses have shown their keen interest to be part of this project.

According to the recent grapevine Katrina is trying hard to push her sibling sister Isabel to play the role. Since Isabel is keen to act in movies and also Sallu is on a look out for a fresh face for the movie. But nothing seems to be confirmed as yet.

Producer Vijay Galani's VEER is a period film and it is likely to hit the floors in the first week of coming August.

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Abhishek-Priyanka starrer DRONA postponed

The much talked about Bachchan versus Kapoor clash may not happen after all! Obviously we are talking about Independence Day and the simultaneous release of Abhishek Bachchan's Goldie Behl directed DRONA and Yash Raj's Siddharth Anand directed Ranbir Kapoor starrer, BACHNA AE HASEENO. Thankfully, better sense seems to have prevailed and DRONA has decided to pull out of the race.

As per our trade and distribution sources, the makers of the Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and Kay Kay Menon starrer, DRONA, have decided to move ahead by a week and so the high budget SFX extravaganza will now hit the screens on 22nd August 2008, along with Sanjay Dutt's KIDNAP. No reason has been given for the same, but it now leaves an open field for the Ranbir-Deepika starrer, BACHNA AE HASEENO, on August 15.

Before we leave, the usual disclaimer- Release dates can change even at the eleventh hour!

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Ash's character could have been played by a man in Sarkar Raj" - RGV

Much has been said about Sarkar Raj being a package deal, considering the fact that it stars the entire Bachchan family comprising of Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. However, as always, Ram Gopal Varma, the man behind Sarkar Raj, chooses to laugh away the insinuation.

"Believe me Sarkar Raj would have been all the same even if the character played by Aishwarya Rai would instead have been a man. Not a single word of the basic plot of the film would have changed if I had taken a male protagonist instead", declares Ramu who is caught at his cheerful best.

In the film's prequel, Sarkar, Abhishek Bachchan turned out to be a surprise element. Though all eyes were (rightly) focused on Amitabh Bachchan, who did come up with one of his best performances in last few years, Abhishek did manage to stand on his own and came up with a delightful performance. Considering the fact that it is a given the two Bachchans would come up with yet another powerhouse performance again, what's the surprise element to look for in Sarkar Raj?

"Aishwarya Rai", says Ramu promptly, "As Anita Rajan, she enters the lives of Subhash (Big B) and Shankar Nagare (Abhishesk) and her character grows over a period of time. She is an element which connects audience with the Nagare family."

He continues to add though that Ash plays a very strong character in the film even though there is absolutely no scope of any romance built up in Sarkar Raj.

"Don't even look for a romantic drama in Sarkar Raj since there isn't scope of any. Just because a film stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai doesn't mean that they start romancing with each other. And let's not forget that Abhishek's character is already married to Tanisha (Mukherjee) in the film", jokes Ramu.

Also starring Ravi Kale, Govind Namdeo, Victor Banerjee, Supriya Pathak, Sayaji Shinde, Dilip Prabhawalkar and Upyendra Limaye in principal roles, Sarkar Raj is confirmed for a 6th June release and is the most anticipated film arriving this summer.

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Saif Ali Khan on the cover of Man's World

It seems that Czarina Kapoor …we mean... Kareena Kapoor and her beau-friend Saif Ali Khan are having a competition amongst themselves as to who will appear the most on magazine covers. So far, it is the Kapoor chic who is leading, while the Nawab Khan seems to be way behind the cover 'Race'. But as they say 'Better late then never', after having done covers for a couple of magazines here and there, Saif has now opened his innings with the latest edition of the lifestyle magazine Man's World. Needless to say, it really becomes unpredictable to say if the cover is looking enhanced due to Saif or is it vice versa.

In this issue, Saif speaks about the parameters that he considers while signing a film, the vibes et al, his 3-part career path, his films gone by, his kind of roles, his world-famous tattoo and much more!

Lastly, we do not want to go the done-to-death way, by saying 'Its better to be Saif than be sorry'. Rather we would like to say that if you don't fail now and again, it's a sign you're playing it Saif'!

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3 Idiots, that's the working title for Rajkumars Hirani's next

The location is filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani's office in Bandra where our long due meeting is supposed to take place. Seated in the sanctum sanctorum of the aforementioned venue, director Rajkumar Hirani looks a happy man. And with good reasons too. His much talked-about project tentatively titled 3 Idiots is back on track after running into a roadblock. The film about the drawbacks of the education system initially had Shah Rukh Khan penciled in for the lead. Matters, however, went awry when the star evinced an interest in producing the film that was being produced by Vinod Chopra Films (Chopra has also produced Hirani's Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho…) but a few upheavals later, Hirani has come up tops with a stellar cast that includes Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor to be supported by Sharman Joshi and Boman Irani. The film will be shot in Simla, Ladakh, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore between September and December this year. "Each film comes with its own destiny," says Hirani philosophically about the change in cast, "It's the second time that a film with Shah Rukh has not worked out…perhaps some other time."

His enthusiasm to make 3 Idiots, a deviation from his Munnabhai series, is undiminished. Neither is he breaking into a cold sweat about directing an actor whose reputation as a ghost director precedes him. "Aamir is somebody who is immensely involved with the project that he works in and I'd rather have an actor who is involved than indifferent." And for those who were wondering, the recently reported five crore remuneration along with a 40 per cent profit-sharing arrangement for the perfectionist Khan is not true.

And what of the popular belief that the film is based on writer Chetan Bhagat's book titled Five Point Someone…?

"Chetan sent me his book and though I liked it, I wasn't sure if it could be turned into a film. The book had a series of events and in that format did not lend itself well to a screenplay. Once we started writing, the scenes kept reducing and it was a different story altogether. So, while the idea about a story set in an educational institute came from the book, the story of the film as it stands is completely different. Chetan is aware of our story and in agreement that it's not his book."

The story set in an engineering college (not IIT) has Hirani all excited. "The unfortunate truth is that the system forces people to pursue success rather than excellence. My belief is that if you pursue excellence, success is bound to follow."

And Hirani should know, for his life has followed the script. Hirani, an FTII alumni (he trained in film editing) with a background in advertising-he's also modeled-is a success story that many in the industry want to emulate. Having come from a middle-class family in Nagpur where he even helped his father sell typewriters, Hirani believes that his small town sensibilities set him apart. He's more amused than excited about attending swish set parties and being linked to glamorous starlets. "When writing my first script, I knew that being seen at social do's would not get me anywhere but a good script would." He approached Vidhu Vinod Chopra -they had worked together on Mission Kashmir which Hirani had edited--for putting him on to actors and so impressed was Chopra with the script that he even decided to produce it. And the rest, to quote a cliché, is history.

The defining feature of Hirani's work perhaps is the ideological core around which he weaves his narrative- Munnabhai MBBS, his first, where Sanjay Dutt the lovable goon, introduced doctors and the world at large to 'jaadu ki jhappi' followed by 'Gandhigiri' in Lage Raho Munnabhai (co-written by Abhijat Joshi) are examples. "A part of it stemmed from my own anger towards doctors in the way they treat patients but I toned it down because one realizes that there are good doctors too."

And yes, he is an ardent believer in the Mahatma and 'Gandhigiri'. Perhaps it is the sum total of such convictions that makes Hirani's brand of aam aadmi stories so popular--as appealing to the corporate tycoon as to the local hick and of course, the B-Town actors. Says Kareena Kapoor, "I am really excited to be working with Vidhuji and one of the finest directors Raju Hirani. My dream of working with Aamir Khan has also come true."

Hirani could take a bow only that being true to his trademark low-key demanour, he would rather wait till the movie gets a thumbs-up from the audiences.

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Harman suffers a sun stroke

Star-son Harman Baweja has suffered a sun-stroke. And it's all because of being exposed to the sun for long hours. "Yes, I've suffered terrible headaches and a sun stroke. It comes from being made to do what I hate the most, shooting long hours in the sun. For the last one week I've been indulging in the national passion, Cricket. And I'm not talking about watching IPL matches. I've been playing cricket in the scorching sun for my film Victory where I play a national-level cricketer."

Harman says he has a major quibble with the sun. "I can't stay out in the sun for more than four weeks. In this case there was no time for me to rush back into my van between shoots. We shot almost non-stop to catch the light. On Saturday I shot almost continuously from 7 in the morning till dusk. And the result is I'm sick."

Harman earlier played cricket in Australia with international legends of the field like Brett Lee. "But now we've been shooting my character's early days. It's a league match showing me trying to get in for the Ranji trophy. This is my introduction, ek terah se. And I've more cricket scenes to shoot in the sun. I'm looking at the mirror as I speak to you. I can't recognize myself!"

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Ash attends the 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' premiere at Cannes 2008

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Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attend the Vicky Christina Barcelona's Premiere

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Salman all set to rock at ipl final

This one’s for all Salman Khan fans.

The star, we hear, will perform at the Indian Premier League final, to be held in Mumbai on June 1. According to a source, Salman will perform the music video of his upcoming reality show on the telly and also shake a leg to one of his filmi songs. Adds the source, “The cricket tournament has been a huge hit right from the beginning. Salman’s performance will be the icing on the cake.”

So, where will Sallu’s performance be – at the beginning or during the interval of the match? “All we know is that his performance will be a part of the closing ceremony and it will be a rocking item,” the source says. Now, that’ll be something everyone’s waiting for!

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Hollywood calling

Bollywood has always been making its presence felt at an international level. Now it’s going to the very fount of global entertainment by producing Hollywood films.

Anil Ambani’s Reliance Big Entertainment (RBE) has signed deals to provide development funds to eight leading creative forces in Hollywood. The deals include those with production houses like Nicolas Cage’s Saturn Productions, Jim Carrey’s JC 23 Entertainment, George Clooney’s Smokehouse Productions, Chris Columbus’s 1492 Pictures, Tom Hanks’s Playtone Productions, Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment and Jay Roach’s Everyman Pictures.

This means that the company will provide for the creation of a development corpus for each of the Hollywood A-listers. The movies that will be made could initially amount to $1 billion.

This could easily be the amalgamation of the Indian Film industry with Hollywood. The Indian Film industry has always been closely associated with Hollywood. A number of actors from Bollywood have acted in Hollywood and vice-versa.

The collaboration could also see Amitabh Bachchan who is very close to Anil Ambani acting in a Hollywood film. Bachchan has The Last Lear to his credit and this step can finally see the Sean Connery of Bollywood give the original Sean Connery a run for his money.

We have to wait and watch how things progress from here. But for Reliance Entertainment it is surely going to be a ‘BIG’ step forward.

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Gimme TV, not movie!

Salman Khan will play an anchor twice — 10 Ka Dum on TV and on the big screen in Rumi Jaffrey’s God Tussi Great Ho. But he’s taken his TV job far more seriously.

It could be the money at stake that’s got Sallu all prepped up. Says a source, “Sallu has been paid a whopping amount for 10 Ka Dum and he has left no stone unturned to polish his anchoring skills.

He is seen practising with his family members, with people on his sets and everywhere else.”

A source from the GTGH unit observes, “During the movie shoot, we’d see Priyanka taking anchoring tips and researching her role.

On the other hand, Salman was relaxed and would deliver his shots like any other actor, without working on his role.”

Adds the source, “Salman has taken the show very seriously and wants to connect with the audience. After the growing popularity of King Khan and Big B, Salman too wants to create a mark on the small screen,” adds the source.

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Shahid won’t attend the IIFA weekend in June

Shahid Kapur will not attend the IIFA weekend in June in Bangkok. Reason? The actor is getting into the ‘skin’ of the character for Vishal Bhardwaj’s next, based on Romeo and Juliet even as he shuttles between his other project, the one with Ken Ghosh.

According to a source, “The actor is developing a new look for Vishal’s movie and doesn’t want to make public appearances prior to its release. He is planning to do something out of the ordinary.

Shahid wants to go the Aamir way and is spending a lot of time preparing for the role.”

The source adds, “He is already shooting for Ken Ghosh’s untitled film opposite Jiah Khan.

The actor is keen on getting major portions of this particular film so that the look doesn’t clash with the one he is planning for Vishal’s film.”

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Harman, Priyanka in Ashutosh Gowariker’s next

After Jodhaa Akbar, Ashutosh Gowariker has moved on to his next project. The director has bought the rights of an English play and is currently busy adapting it for the screen.

According to industry buzz, he has approached the yet-to-debut Harman Baweja and his ladylove Priyanka Chopra to play the main leads.

An industry source reveals, “Ashutosh’s next is going to be a romantic comedy.

In the past, all his films — Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa Akbar — have been on an epic scale. This time around, he wants to make a quick and light film.”

Adds the source, “Ashutosh saw the promos of Harman’s Love Story 2050 and called the actor up to say he was impressed with what he saw and that he would like to meet him.

Ashutosh looked at the rushes of the film and decided to sign Harman on."

Play it once more

“The movie is based on an English play called What's Your Raashi? The play is based on the traditional arranged marriage tradition.

Ashutosh recently had a meeting with Priyanka and Harman and both have been signed on. The film will go on the floors by the year-end in Mumbai and foreign locales.”

Ashutosh Gowariker remained unavailable for comment while Harman Baweja refused to comment.

Title booking
Ashutosh Gowariker has registered the following titles for his movie with the producers’ association, Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers:

Raashi Chakra
Raashi Chakkar
Prem Raashi
Baarah Raashi

Now which one will he finally choose?

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John appointed brand ambassador for UEFA Euro 2008

While the whole country has gone cricket crazy (thanks to the ongoing IPL), Bollywood hunk John Abraham seems to be more inclined towards football. The handsome hunk, who always had a soft corner for soccer, has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the UEFA European Football Championship 2008 to be held next month in Austria and Switzerland.

John, who did play some serious football in his last release Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, was also seen promoting the English Premiere League in the past.

With the craze for soccer growing by leaps and bounds, broadcasters ESPN is expecting impressive ratings for the UEFA Euro 2008 which starts in June 2008. Well….with John promoting the game, we are sure that the game will also see a lot of female fan following.

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Lara Dutta turns Bangayi Bhojpuri actress

We were woken up from our Monday afternoon siesta when we saw this picture of Lara Dutta performing at an event over the weekend.

In fact it took us two minutes and more than some vigorous rubbing of our eyes to know that this is indeed the same beauty who sizzled on screen in item numbers like 'Aisa Jadoo Daala Re' and 'Zinda Hoon Main'. A closer look at her and you will realize that her make-up artist has surely not yet received his much-promised raise. And let's not get started on the wig… what was her hair stylist thinking?!!!

That's not all. What's with the outrageous costume darling? The complete mis-match makes her look like a B-grade Bhojpuri actress. May be Lara wanted to be at her comical best while performing at this Comedy Honors night. If that's the real reason, we are certainly having a good laugh.

To let you on a little secret, we were almost about to use these images for our by now famous 'Guess Who?' contest!

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The secret behind Vidya Balan-Madhavan's incredible chemistry

Now it can be told. The reason Maddy and Vidya look so much in love is Maddy's 2-year old son Vedant. The child bonded so beautifully with Vidya on the sets of Guru that she became a part of Madhavan and his wife Sarita's inner circle.

All said and done, it's just an ad. But the chemistry that Vidya Balan and Madhavan share in the ad for a mobile company has spurred movie makers to plan at least a couple of movies with them together.

In fact, the cell phone company has now decided to put out a series of ads featuring Madhavan and Vidya as a couple connecting emotionally on the phone. Madhavan has been running in and out of Mumbai to complete these ads.

Says the busy Southern star, "Initially, I was only the brand ambassador for Airtel's southern market. But now they've signed me on for the whole country. And we've shot a series of ads with Vidya and me. For the last one week I've been running in and out Mumbai and Chennai. During the day-time I'm in Chennai shooting for a Tamil film. Then I take a night flight to Mumbai to dub for the ads."

Curiously Maddy and Vidya have hardly shot together for these ads about love and togetherness. "We've just done one shot together. The rest has been shot with the two of us separately. It's strange; people have noticed so much chemistry between us when we aren't even together in the ad. My wife Sarita loves the ad. She thinks Vidya is better than me in the ad. But then she's my harshest critic. All three of us Sarita, Vedant and I adore Vidya."

Vidya has done ads prior to her acting career. This is her first ad post-stardom. She thoroughly enjoyed doing this new yet old experience. "Years ago, I was supposed to do Tamil film with Maddy. Then we were also supposed to do a Deepa Mehta film together. I think Maddy and I were destined to special things in limited space. Both of us had cameos in Mani Ratnam's Guru. People still talk about our romantic scene in the rain (including a kiss). Now the Airtel ads. It's unbelievable how much chemistry people have seen between us in those few seconds. I always say it's the moments that make a romance. "

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Emraan ecstatic as Jannat matches Race opening

The team of Jannat can't believe it.

Their film has taken an opening which, as per prominent distributors and trade insiders, is at par with that of this year's biggest success Race. In the process, it has supposedly also matched the records set by Welcome, the biggest hit ever of Akshay Kumar.

"Yeah man, I can't believe the kind of numbers which are being thrown in front me", exclaims Emraan who has been promoting his film non-stop across the sub-continent', "People from Bhatt saab's office and other distributors have been sending congratulating notes about the huge opening that Jannat has taken. After Awarapan, on which I was really banking a lot, this success is pretty timely and has acted as a shot in the arm."

Kunal Deshmukh, the first time director reaffirms, "I was there in Kolkata yesterday for the film's premiere and the response there had to be seen to be believed. Especially so, since yesterday there was an IPL match in the city and still people were thronging the theater in a big way."

"Can you believe it that it took us almost an hour to even get away from the theater once the show ended", says a visibly thrilled Emraan, "There were a couple of thousand of people inside the theatre and on the road and it was quite some challenge to get the car out of that place. Of course, I didn't mind this at all. I was charged to see the way crowds were reacting."

Talking about his Pakistan premiere experience, Emraan added, "The moment I reached the venue I was shocked to see as many as 500 odd reporters/journalists out there. For a theater with a capacity of 1500 people, there were 2500 watching the film. They were seated all over on aisles and floors. It was surreal to say the least."

Tell Kunal that though reviews have ranged from average to very good, no one has thrashed Jannat and he laughs, "Thanks goodness for that. It is quite important to see how your first film is received. Yup, critics have been overall fair though you can't stop them from nitpicking. A couple of them feel that Jannat should have spoken more about match fixing. Arrey yaar, it is entirely the team's prerogative on what story it wants to tell. One should comment on what the film 'is' rather than what it 'should' be!"

On his performance being unanimously acclaimed, Emraan says, "That's quite reassuring actually. Now I want box office success to be coupled with good reviews as well. After an opening like this, I am looking forward to how audience continues to react on the weekdays. We have taken up a big challenge of fighting it out with the IPL and we better carry on the momentum now."

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The Stunning Aishwarya at Festival De Cannes

As she walked down the red carpet at Cannes with Eva Longoria, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan finally proved that she was a pro at the routine, be it Bollywood or Hollywood.

But Ash has taken her time to earn these designer stripes. Her debut at the film festival seven years ago, and for a few consecutive years, was nothing less than a design disaster.

What she wore was the big issue, with the Indian designers throwing up their manicured hands in the air and asking Ash to shape up. And that is what the Bachchan bahu has done, although she took her own sweet time over it. Dressed in a Roberto Cavalli number, she ensured that the petite Longoria – Hollywood A-lister she may be – couldn’t take attention away from her. Here’s the design frat doffing their hats to the beauty and her Cannes bit...

Rocky S: Ash is looking stunning, just like one of the Hollywood actresses who are a pro at the red carpet. She surely has evolved and Ash’s sense of dressing just keeps getting better every year. She is looking at par with Eva Longoria and French actress Rachida Brakni, who walked with her on the red carpet. Her hair is right, her purse is right and I like the fact that she has not used to jewellery to mess up the look. Rating: 9/10

Tarun Tahiliani: She is getting better by the day. As it is, she has a stunning personality and I guess whatever she wears looks good on her. She has had some bad dress days initially at Cannes. While I had liked her ice blue dress she wore last time at Cannes, this is looking fabulous. She needs to keep herself on this track. Rating: 9/10

Narendra Kumar Ahmed: Aishwarya is doing a good job by wearing this dress for the red carpet. I don’t think today you have to proclaim you identity as an Indian by wearing a saree. You can be wearing a western gown and still retain your identity, which is what Ash is doing. I guess she went wrong at Cannes the first few times because even she was new and did not know what worked and what didn’t. Her first few appearances were low on confidence and tentative. But this time, she can stand up to Eva Longoria. I would like to call her the new sex symbol of India now! Rating: 8/10

Anna Singh: Ash is looking stunning and very charming. She is happy and confident within and that is making her look gorgeous. I think she has evolved as a person too. What had not worked for her earlier at Cannes were the last minute preparations. She is more prepared now. Rating: 10/10

Varun Bahl: While Ash is looking stunning, I don’t see her wearing a dress like this in India. And that is because in India, nobody wears clothes like this. Then why experiment abroad for a red carpet? She could have worn a saree instead. It is an inherently Indian dress and she looks great in it. Rating: 6/10

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Gauri not going to host a show!

Shah Rukh Khan and his production company are not just busy with movies and IPL; they also have television to think about.

And without wasting much time they have registered seven TV serial titles with Producers Association for Television Shows. “Yes we have registered seven titles and that is the first step,” says moviemaker Samar Khan, who is also the Head of Red Chillies’ Television department.

It was rumoured that Gauri Khan will be hosting one of the shows, called The First Wives Club. But looks like Gauri has vetoed the idea. “We have just registered the titles. The concept still needs to be worked upon and fine-tuned. At this stage, how can we even think about a host for the show?” asks Samar.

Meanwhile, there were rumours that Twinkle Khanna is going to host a makeover show. “Huh? Well, I have no idea about it!” says Twinkle. Though the name of the show is registered as Makeover With Twinkle Khanna, looks like the host and the production company are not ready to speak about it.

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Rab Ne Banaya Jodi

Yash Raj’s latest discovery Anushka Sharma may have landed a dream role, but there is also a dream man in her life. It is learnt that the newbie’s beau is Bangalore-based model Zoheb Yusuf.
Anushka makes her B-Town debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

The model-turned actress has been close to Zoheb ever since they began walking the ramp together a few years ago. Last year, Zoheb had the honour of being the first Indian to feature in a United Colors of Benetton ad an opportunity that came his way through the Elite Modelling Agency.

Like Anushka, Zoheb was also trained by Bangalore-based fashion designer-choreographer Prasad Bidappa and featured in all his shows. Zoheb studied at St George’s Homes, Ooty, and Baldwin Methodist College, Bangalore.

Zoheb also has B-Town aspirations and now shuttles between Mumbai and Bangalore. He says, “Films were something Anushka never planned for. I don’t think she ever wanted to do films or move to Mumbai for that. Th