Aishwarya Rai: The World's Most Beautiful Women

This name needs absolutely no introduction. From the time she stepped her feet in the glamour world she has been ruling the roost.

Let's have a quick run–through over her successful journey so far.

Belonging to a traditional South Indian family, she started her career with modeling. At the tender age of 17 she won Ford Supermodel contest. Her famous Pepsi commercial with Aamir Khan & several other high–profile AD campaigns brought her into limelight.

After creating enough dhoom in ad world, she registered herself in Miss India pageant and won second place. And then went on to win the coveted title of Miss World. Her life changed drastically after winning the Miss World title. Since then there was no looking back for this gorgeous lady.

Further she embarked towards Bollywood and gained her first critical and commercial success with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM which continued in DEVDAS also. With that she entered the top league and got established as the successful actress also.

Success of DEVDAS opened the doors of Hollywood for her. It was during this time that she garnered the attention of the West as an Indian actress and went on to appear in a few Hollywood projects. Since that time she is regarded as the first Indian actress to star in Hollywood projects. Not only this, she was also the first Indian to become one of the jury members at Cannes film Festival.

Prominent Hollywood actress Julia Roberts once said that she is "the world's most beautiful woman". She was also titled as the Most Beautiful Miss World of All Time. According to Harpers and queens' list of most beautiful women, she is ranked the most beautiful women in India. In the list of women which was voted by 15 million people in 27 countries all around the globe she comes at number 9.

As her name gained popularity overseas, she was chosen by Time magazine in 2004 as one of the World's "100 Most Influential People", and appeared on the cover of Time magazine. A month later she appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman. She was also featured on Oprah's "Women Across the Globe" segment.

By now she gained an international stature as well and in October 2004 a wax figure of hers was put on display at London's prestigious Madame Tussaud's wax museum which is a great achievement in itself. She is the first and only Indian actress to have wax statue at London's Madame Tussaud's museum.

With her ever-increasing popularity and demand across the world, she became the highest paid Indian actress.

In early 2007 she married the handsome Abhishek Bachchan, son of legendary Amitabh Bachchan and is now happily married.

Right from schooling to modeling to acting to stardom to marriage she has always made the right decisions and is always in the news! The reigning queen of Bollywood Aishwarya Rai Bachchan would be celebrating her 35th birthday on 1st November.

So lets wish her a warm birthday and all the good wishes for her birthday.

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Hrithik is planning to custom-make a vanity vehicle for Barbara

Hrithik Roshan is leaving no stone unturned to make sure Barbara Mori, his co-star in Anurag Basu's Kites, feels at home when she shoots in India. Sources reveal the actor is planning to provide her a lavish vanity van when she arrives for the Mumbai schedule.

Apparently, Hrithik is concerned that the Mexican model-turned-actress may not take well to the work environment in Bollywood, and so wants her to feel extremely comfortable.

Says a source, "As she is new to Bollywood and its style of functioning, Hrithik wants to ensure that she has a pleasant experience here."

The source adds, "Hrithik is in talks to make a special vanity van for Barbara. It will be lavishly done up with all the modern amenities. Since this is the first time she will be working in the city, Hrithik has planned to make it a memorable experience."

The source says that the cost of the van is estimated to be anywhere between Rs 1.5 to 2 crore.

"Apart from the basics, it will also be laden with foodstuff and other goodies according to the actress's needs. Hrithik is very protective of Barbara and has become very friendly with her. He also plans to introduce her to other Bollywood stars."

Buzz is that Barbara's love child Sergio, who Hrithik dotes on, will accompany her for the Kites shoot here.

"The van will also have games and other things Sergio might enjoy. Hrithik has met Sergio and shares a good rapport with him." It is learnt that Hrithik and Sergio got close during their schedule in New Mexico.

Produced by Rakesh Roshan, Kites also stars Kangana Ranaut. The film is a multilingual one, as it has characters of different nationalities.

Informs director Anurag Basu, "The Mumbai schedule of Kites will begin from December."

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Salman Khan's beefed up, bronzed look in Veer

Few years ago, Shah Rukh Khan played the role of Veer in Yash Chopra's love story Veer-Zaara. Now Salman Khan is all set to star in an action film titled Veer.

The story of this film (directed by Anil Sharma) has been written by Salman himself and while we did show you some pics of the actor in his new look for Veer earlier, this picture gives you a clearer idea of what to expect from this flick.

Salman, who is always known for experimenting with his looks, is seen in a beefed up, bronzed look with unusually long hair. The actor is seen wearing a fur jacket and an ethnic neckpiece and kada (bangle) Also from the looks of it, Salman seems to be playing a warrior of another era given the fact that he is seen holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

In the recent past, Abhishek Bachchan tried the 'superhero meets warrior' look in Drona but unfortunately the film sank without a trace. Will Sallu bhai be able to pull of this warrior act in Veer, one will have to wait and watch.

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John, Abhishek shoot an additional song for Dostana

It's customary for two stars to be pitched against one another in real life whenever they are paired on screen. The last time we heard murmurs of discontent was when Bipasha and Deepika apparently couldn't stand one another while shooting Bachna Ae Haseeno.

But John and Abhishek get along like a house on fire. To their regret, they had to shoot a music video for Dostana separately.

Producer Karan Johar who just landed in Mumbai after two weeks of location hunting in Los Angeles says the song 'Maa Da Ladla' was shot during his absence. "I left it entirely to my director Tarun Mansukhani and to the choreographer Feroz (who's been Farah Khan's assistant for ten years). So you'll have to ask Tarun what happened."

Tarun Mansukhani has his own explanation for why Abhishek and John shot the song separately. "I deliberately didn't shoot the song with John and Abhishek together. I wanted at least this one song 'Maa Da Ladla' to look different from the rest of the film where they're constantly together, fooling around, chumming it up. They shot individually, so the masti of the rest of the movie was missing on the sets." Tarun trails off sadly, and then perks up. "The last shooting before this was for 'Desi Girl' where all of us were together. It was so much fun."

The 'Maa Da Ladla' song was shot on 15, 16 and 17 October at Filmistan studios and onlookers watched Abhishek and John arrive on separate days. "This is a music video which we'll use for promotion and probably for the end titles," explains Tarun.

Says Abhishek, "It was wonderful to shoot with John Abraham again after Dhoom. It was fun on the sets because we were all friends."

Adds John, "Abhishek is not co-star or colleague. He's a friend. I dote on him. I love him to death. We never compete. We complement each other in Dostana. We share a great chemistry. Abhishek and I are a couple in the film."

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Box Office update: 'Golmaal Returns', 'Fashion' bring cheer

The morning and matinee shows on Thursday, October 30 were affected due to Bhai Dooj festival. Resultantly, the business of practically all movies was down by approx. 30% - 40% at several places, but things picked up again from noon and evening shows onwards. GOLMAAL RETURNS continued to lead with excellent collections in North and also Hindi belt mainly, but the real surprise was FASHION, which is running to packed houses at plexes of metros and mini-metros. However, the single screens aren't too strong. HEROES too picked up considerably on Wednesday and Thursday.

After two days of festivity [Wednesday, Thursday], its back to work from Friday [today] onwards. The new movies have opened at major single screens today. Also, the shows have been increased at plexes everywhere. The industry is keenly watching the response to GOLMAAL RETURNS and FASHION on Friday. Will the dream run continue, we'll keep you posted on that!

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Ash turns 35 on November 1

At 35, Bollywood's blue-eyed-girl Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who celebrates her birthday Saturday, continues to woo Indian filmmakers with her international appeal, making her one of the most bankable stars in the Indian film industry.

Says popular film critic Taran Adarsh: “Aishwarya's career graph has been very good though not excellent but she is the only actress who can attract national and international crowds. She is the face of so many international brands and a very good actress also.”

London-based Indian filmmaker Jagmohan Mundhra, who directed the actress in the critically acclaimed English movie “Provoked”, also credits her as a superstar with an international appeal.

“She is a superstar. Not only is she a recognised name worldwide; she is a totally bankable star. My personal experience with her from 'Provoked' says that the film wouldn't have worked without her.

“The best thing about her is that despite her stature, she is completely a director's actor. She would also give her inputs in the character and would never come back to see a shot once the director approves it. She is thoroughly professional,” Mundhra added.

Aishwarya, now married to Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, was born in Mangalore to Krishnaraj Rai, a marine biologist, and Vrinda Rai, a writer.

After winning the Miss World crown in 1994, Aishwarya took to acting in 1997 with a Tamil film “Iruvar” opposite southern superstar Mohanlal and made her Bollywood debut in the same year opposite Bobby Deol in "Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya". Both films bombed.

In the following year, she won her first Filmfare Best Actress award South for the Tamil film “Jeans” but became an overnight star with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” in 1999. She bagged the Filmfare Best Actress award for this too.

In 2000, she gave a power packed performance in Subhash Ghai's "Taal" but followed it up with a string of flops like "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai"(2000), "Dhai Akshar Prem Ke"(2000), "Albela" (2001), "Hum Kisise Kum Nahi"(2001) and many more.

In between, she was recognised for her supporting role in Yash Chopra's 2000 hit “Mohabbatein”.

Her career was resurrected in 2002 with Bhansali's “Devdas” fetching her another Filmfare award in the Best Actress category.

She was highly appreciated for her performances in “Chokher Bali"(2002), “Raincoat” (2004), "Guru"(2006), “Dhoom 2” (2006), "Provoked"(2007), “Jodhaa Akbar” (2008) and “Sarkar Raj” (2008).

In her career spanning 11 years, Aishwarya has acted in over 40 movies in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and English. Her English projects included “Bride & Prejudice” (2003), “Mistress of Spices” (2005), and “The Last Legion” (2007).

She is also starring in another international project “Pink Panther 2”, a sequel to the original comedy.

The beauty queen-turned-actress is also counted among the 100 most beautiful women in the world.

Actress Priyanka Chopra feels that “Aishwarya has a perfect face”.

“She is a gorgeous lady, a very elegant person and a great representative of India abroad and I think she has made some great cinema recently. I'd like to watch a lot more of her in films,” Priyanka told IANS.

After her wedding in April last year, Aishwarya has cut down on her projects and has become very choosy too. But critic Adarsh feels it is only due to her “added family responsibilities”.

Currently, the actress is busy shooting with Abhishek in Kochi for Mani Ratnam's forthcoming film tentatively titled “Raavan”.

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Deepika Padukone glitters on the cover of Cosmopolitan Luxury

After having been a top model, she made a stunning debut opposite superstar Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om. Her next film, Bachna Ae Haseeno, had her romancing her real-life sweetheart Ranbir Kapoor. And now she is 'All Yours' as she graces the cover page of fashion magazine 'Cosmopolitan Luxury'. She is none other than the super sexy Deepika Padukone who is the cover girl in the October issue of 'Cosmopolitan Luxury'.

Deepika is seen sizzling in a golden colored dress which perfectly compliments the Diwali festive season (a time when people do indulge in some gold shopping). The actress also talks about her breakthrough into films, her relationship with Ranbir and her style statement. For all you die-hard Deepika Padukone fans, this one is a complete must-have!

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I am a very homely girl, says Kareena

Kareena is shooting for a TV commercial and she looks like a million bucks. On spotting you , she says, "Come. Let's settle down for a chat."

Excerpts from the interview:

You look far calmer these days; quite unlike the restless Kareena we all knew a few years ago.
I was a child then.

Is it the Saif effect?
Of course, it is. Also, experiences have made me stronger.

Like?
I mean whatever I have gone through in my personal and professional life. I’m a stronger girl now, far more at ease with myself than I was earlier. I’m doing things, which I want to.

You have moved on in your personal life. Was it difficult parting with Shahid?
Yes, it was a very difficult period. Whatever went wrong between Shahid and me is very personal. I have always maintained that Shahid will always be part of my life. But, we are better off as friends. There is no animosity.

On hindsight, do you think you could have done something to save the relationship?
Sometimes there are no reasons for things which happen in life. Even if there’s one, I don't think it’s right to talk about it openly.

Did it take time for your family to absorb the fact that you were in love with Saif?
No, I don't think so. My mother is cool about it. And Karisma and Saif get along like a house on fire.

How is Saif as a partner?
He is fun and extremely loyal. He has all the qualities which I always wanted in a man.

Is he very possessive? There were stories that he was upset with your dress at the IIFA awards and also when you gave a peck on the cheek to Sylvester Stallone?
Saif is very supportive. He gives me space. All those stories were false.

You get along well with his two children, Sara and Ibrahim?
Both his kids are very loving. They are like Samaira (Karisma's daughter) to me.

Are you in touch with Shahid?
Oh yes. I message him and he messages me.

What about marriage with Saif?
Way in the future.

Way in the future? Not in the near future?
(Laughs) Yes, it's in the future definitely, but not for the next two-three years. But, we want to be together.

You value marriage. You helped Karisma reconcile with her husband Sanjay?
Contrary to what people believe, I am a very homely girl. I am always there for those who are there for me. Frankly, I am nobody to help somebody with their marriage. But as a sister, I can only offer support and advice. It has worked.

You lost out on Dostana and Dilli 6 because Abhishek didn't want to work with you?
Firstly, there was no fight with Abhishek. He has decided not to work with me and I have decided the same.

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Exclusive promo of 'Raaz - The Mystery Continues'

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Exclusive promo of 'Ghajini'

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Aamir Khan unveils the first promo of Ghajini at PVR Juhu

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7 crore!

Kareena Kapoor has just signed on with Pepsico's Kurkure for an amount in the vicinity of Rs 7 crore. This will be Kareena's eighth endorsement this year. The actress, effectively, has become the highest paid B-Town actress in the ad world.

Says a source, "Kareena is perhaps the only actress today who can command such a price. Several A-list companies are vying for and want her as their brand ambassador. The actress was paid Rs 5 crore for ITC's Vivel soap ad. She has now signed on for Kurkure at Rs 7 crore, which also has Juhi Chawla."

Adds the source, "Kareena will be portrayed as the younger, bubblier face of Kurkure. After her vivacious portrayal of Geet in Jab We Met, Bebo is seen as an ideal choice when it comes to endorsing cosmetics, personal care products and jewellery. She also spells class so when it comes to lifestyle products and the star is an obvious choice. The actress is also a youth icon, so companies sign her for products that target the youth. She's finished her contract for ICI Paints and Citizen watches and is now in negotiations for an international project."

The actress, who shot for the new Head & Shoulders ad at Mehboob Studios yesterday, will be shooting the Kurkure ad tomorrow.

Today, the busy actress has taken a day off for Diwali. The source adds, "Saif will be coming today to Mumbai to spend Diwali with Kareena and they will attend Akshay Kumar and Twinkle's Diwali bash tonight."

Kareena's endorsements

ITC's Vivel soap
Airtel
Head & Shoulders
Globus
D D'mas for Geetanjali
Anne French
Emami

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No Khans for Aamir

Unlike most B-Town stars who throw parties to prove their clout, Aamir Khan chooses to be different. On Monday night, the actor held a pre-Diwali bash for close family and friends at his Bandra residence but none of the Khans were present.

Says a source, "While Shah Rukh was in Dubai and Saif was in north India shooting for his home production, Salman (Aamir's close friend) was in Mumbai but wasn't invited. When Aamir hosts parties, they are intimate ones only for family and friends."

It is learnt that Aamir loves the warmth of Diwali and makes it a point to have a party every year. The bash was attended by Aamir's cousin and Imran's mother, Nuzhat (Imran wasn't able to attend) and close friends like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Kunal Kapoor, Prasoon Joshi, and Aamir's pals Amin and Karim Haji among others."

Adds the source, "Aamir's wife Kiran had also taken a break from her directorial debut Dhobi Ghaat and played hostess till Aamir arrived around 1.30 am from Film City where he was completing the final edit of Ghajini's first promo. Everyone had fun and played cards till 6 am, including Aamir, after which the actor went to sleep and attended an event yesterday afternoon."

The source says, "Aamir came late to the party because he has been working around the clock trying to put together the promo of Ghajini and release it on Diwali."

The Taare Zameen Par director released the theatrical promo of his film Ghajini yesterday. He held a screening of the promo at PVR Juhu for the media where he mentioned that he was very keen to have Ghajini release on Diwali but couldn't because of his ligament injury and had to take a break for two months.

Aamir further stated that he wanted to have some kind of release on Diwali as it was an auspicious day and hence the release of the Ghajini promo, yesterday. The promo showed Aamir with his rippling six-pack abs and introduced the lead actress, Asin.

Moreover, instead of attending Akshay Kumar's lavish Diwali bash last night, Aamir quietly flew off to the USA to begin his lobbying for Taare Zameen Par at the Oscars.

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Rani Mukherjee plays a 'Sardar' in YRF's next

Yes, there have been several rumors about Rani Mukherjee's role in YRF's next directed by Anurag Singh. But the truth is finally out. Looking at the pictures above, you must've guessed by now that Rani disguises herself as a Sardar in the film.

Rumour has it that Rani plays the character of a cricket enthusiast, who is obsessed with the sport, so much so that she will go to any level to play it. This obsession pushes her to disguise herself as a man and enter an all male cricket squad.

Shahid Kapoor, who plays the male lead opposite Rani in the film, also seems to be a part of the cricket team. However, no official confirmation about the film's storyline has come from Yash Raj Films, hence, we'll have to wait and watch how Rani makes her way into the cricket team and how well she is at playing the sport.

Also, it will be interesting to see the chemistry between Rani and Shahid onscreen since the camaraderie between the two looks marvelous in the picture above.

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YRF felicitates KJo to celebrate 10 years of association with Dharma Productions

Thursday (October 23) saw the doors of the Courthouse Hotel graced by Bollywood's most successful film director Karan Johar, as he joined members of the public and media to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Box Office smash Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and the release of his hotly anticipated film Dostana, hosted by Yash Raj Films.

The intimate and exclusive gathering allowed the invited audience to pose challenging questions to get to the heart of Karan's thoughts and ambitions. The fascinating and often revealing interview session hosted by actor and radio presenter, Ameet Chana, took guests through Karan's 10 year journey from the new boy of Bollywood to the hottest property on the other side of the camera.

It was the first time that members of the public had been given access to Karan and his frank, open and amusing answers to their questions. Visitors were given a unique insight into the man that has given global audiences such memorable films as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and of course Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna amongst others.

Event host Ameet Chana said, "It's been an honour and a pleasure to host this celebration and to be one of the first to quiz Karan about the new film, Dostana. He is such a prestigious figure in the Bollywood film industry and it's great to finally get him in the hot seat!"

Talking about Dostana, Karan said, "Dostana was great to produce as it is a light hearted look at friendship, love and relationships of all types. Filming in a great location such as Miami inevitably leads to fun and frolics for crew and cast alike. As you know, I like my films to break barriers and create lots of discussion and debate and I hope Dostana will continue the trend."

Avtar Panesar, Vice President of International Operations for Yash Raj films said, "Our relationship with Dharma Productions has been growing and developing, just as Karan's portfolio has. We are delighted to be part of the team that brings his films to global audiences. It seems fitting that we not only celebrate the huge impact that KKHH had on audiences across the world, but also mark the next decade of Karan's journey with the launch of Dostana, which I know will successfully follow in the footsteps of all Karan Johar films. This is our way of thanking Karan Johar for his 10 years of 'Dostana' so far and hopefully we'll be back here in 10 years time to do it all over again."

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"I don't feel glamorous anymore" - Kangna Ranaut

Very recently, Kangna shocked the industry when she made the bold declaration that 'she never felt like being a part of a hardcore Bollywood commercial film because she had no respect for such cinema'! Joginder Tuteja catches up with Kangna on the eve of the release of Fashion for a candid conversation. As the clock has started ticking for the arrival of the film at theaters across the globe, a pertinent question which one can't help but ask is - 'Who amongst the three actresses in Fashion would walk away with the honors. Over to Kangna:

Priyanka has been hailed as the central protagonist in the film. Where do you and Mugdha fit in?
(Smiles) Should I really be commenting on it at this moment when the film is ready to be seen by on and all? You should watch the film and you'll get to know.

But with most of the promos centered on Priyanka, didn't you feel left out?
I didn't. Because the central character of the film is Priyanka. Even the publicity stills and promos are giving the right impression of the film. People should not get the wrong notion about the movie that the promos were focused on one person and the story is about someone else.

Madhur's realistic cinema has always raised eyebrows. Do you want to elaborate on Fashion is it again comes with similar traits?
Raised eyebrows? I don't know in which way? But he has always been appreciated for the films that he has made. He has also won National Awards. I am sure that this film has a possibility of winning him one more award and I think its going to be a very high impact film rather than a controversial one.

You have been a model yourself. That must have helped your performance in Fashion, right?
(Scowls) Puhleeze, let me clarify this once again...and on the records. I was never a model! It is a misconception that some people have been carrying with themselves.

After being in the industry for around 3 years, do you feel wiser when it comes to making career decisions?
Today when I have to make a decision, I do feel much more confident and much stronger. I was just discussing with my friend the other day about how people change and how we grow up from inside. I was 18 yrs when I started, I am 21 today, tomorrow when I become 45 years and when I look back I won't be the same Kangna. At 18- I was different, at 21- I was different and at 45 also I will change. I do feel much wiser while talking decisions today. I feel stable today.

Once upon a time, Kangna was a simple girl from Manali with big dreams. Has the world of glamour allowed that simplicity to remain?
I think I was much more glamorous before I entered films. I was very funny as a person and I used to think of myself as a huge superstar compared to what I think of myself today. Like when I was in school I used to compare myself to American actors and Miss World and Miss Universe. But today after being in this world I don't feel glamorous anymore.

Seriously?
Yup, seriously. In fact I have become boring. I don't want to think about acting all the time. I have completely changed as a person, I am not exciting anymore and my life is not exciting anymore. I think, before I came into this glamorous world I was much more fun and funny and exciting as a person.

What happens from here?
Roshan should be releasing any time. Then there is Raaz 2 that is confirmed for January 2009. Kites is another film and I am also doing an international project!

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The D-Day arrives!

Happy Diwali! It's that time of the year when everyone hopes and prays that the festival of lights spreads light in our lives. This year, I sincerely and genuinely wish, from the bottom of my heart, that the gloomy scenario fades and Diwali brings in cheer and prosperity to everyone within and outside the industry.

Till a few months ago, everything seemed bullish. But the last few weeks have been tough. Movies are flopping, the footfalls at plexes -- single and multi -- have reduced sharply, the corporates are in no mood to clinch deals, the independent producers are reeling under the shock over inflated prices of stars, the independent distributors are wary… Things have slowed down considerably.

But let's not lose hope. Or lose sleep. Let's keep our fingers crossed on GOLMAAL RETURNS and FASHION, the two movies that open today.

The pre-Diwali phase was dullest this year. HEROES, despite tremendous appreciation from all quarters, hasn't shown that big jump at the ticket window. The viewers were gung ho, the critics were generous too. But the numbers never reflected that appreciation.

After a decent start on Friday, things were more or less the same on Day 2 [Saturday]. There wasn't much improvement. Sunday was no different either. However, movie business hit rock-bottom on Monday and Tuesday, while Wednesday, today, should show an increase, provided HEROES manages to hold on to good shows.

Of course, GOLMAAL RETURNS and FASHION will be the first-choice, but let's remain optimistic. Also, the film deserves to be tax-exempted and the sooner the makers act on it, the better.

The other release, Yash Raj and Walt Disney's ROADSIDE ROMEO, has failed to lure the kids -- its target audience. No doubt, the animation was top notch, but the content was outright predictable. In fact, below mediocre level. We're moving ahead in terms of presentation and technology, but how about upgrading the content as well

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Golmaal Returns - Movie Review

Two years ago, Rohit Shetty came up with a breezy entertainer GOLMAAL, which, most people agree, is the capable director's finest work to date. The comic scenes hit the right notes and buttons. Perhaps, that must've prompted its producers [Shree Ashtavinayak] and Rohit to continue with the GOLMAAL series.

But GOLMAAL RETURNS treats the viewer like a nitwit, with zero brains. No-brainer laughathons have worked in the past and people have catapulted these films to 'must watch again and again' category. But GOLMAAL RETURNS is simply unbearable!

35 years ago, the Kiran Kumar - Radha Saluja comedy AAJ KI TAZAA KHABAR [1973] is the inspiration for GOLMAAL RETURNS. No issues with that, it's an interesting concept. But screenplay writer Yunus Sajawal makes a mincemeat of the material, so much so that your head starts aching after a point and you want to tear your hair in disgust.

Seriously, what was the writer thinking when he came up with a pathetic screenplay? And how did a talented director like Rohit Shetty agree to ride on it? And how could an accomplished actor like Ajay Devgan green signal this enterprise? Questions, questions, questions...

GOLMAAL RETURNS was never meant to be a thinking man's film, but the attitude is, no-brainer comedies have worked and this one will work too. To give the credit where it's due, a few jokes/sequences involving Tusshar and Shreyas do bring a smile on your face, but in the absence of a tight screenplay, the film falls like a pack of cards.

Final word? Golmaal hai bhai script golmaal hai!

Gopal [Ajay Devgan], who lives with his wife Ekta [Kareena Kapoor], sister Esha [Amrita Arora] and brother-in-law Lucky [Tusshar Kapoor], gets stuck in a yacht after saving an attractive woman Meera [Celina Jaitly] from some goons. Both end up spending the night on the yacht and when he comes home the next day, his painfully suspicious wife, who is also a hardcore fan of the saas-bahu serials, smell fish.

Gopal knows it's going to be hard to quell her suspicion, so he concocts a cock-and-bull story about having stayed the night with a fictitious friend called Anthony Gonsalves. Ekta refuses to buy his yarn and writes to Anthony [on a fictitious address given to her by Gopal], asking him to visit her.

Gopal convinces his junior at work, Laxman [Shreyas Talpade], to pretend to be Anthony. Everything goes according to plan till the real Anthony turns up.

If that isn't complication enough for Gopal, a dead body is discovered at the location where he had saved Meera. The Investigating Officer, Madhav [Arshad Warsi], who is Esha's boyfriend and also who cannot stand the sight of Gopal, learns that the latter had been missing from home that eventful night and begins checking on him.

A sequel carries the baggage of humungous expectations. And you definitely expect GOLMAAL RETURNS to be a step forward. The makers had thundered, "GOLMAAL RETURNS is bigger, it's better" and that raises the bar. But the film is such a put off.

Writer Yunus Sajawal takes an interesting premise, but instead of upgrading it, only downgrades it with lacklustre situations. The writing is so weak, so lifeless that after a point you sit motionless, looking at the goings-on mechanically, instead of being a participant.

A few sequences do entertain you, but they're few and far between. Not enough to camouflage the defects. In view of the fact that the writing is so weak, there's not much that director Rohit Shetty can do to save the ship from sinking. However, the dialogues are howlarious. Music is not as inspiring. 'Tha Karke' is the best track, while 'Tu Saala' [well promoted] isn't there in the film and 'Meow' comes during the end credits. And you're exasperated by then!

GOLMAAL RETURNS belongs to Tusshar Kapoor and Shreyas Talpade. Tusshar is terrific yet again, the real scene stealer, while Shreyas displays his comic side very well. Both, in fact, provide respite to the viewer. Ajay Devgan is likable. Kareena does the suspicious wife act well. Celina stays on your mind even after the show is over.

Arshad Warsi is relegated to the backseat. Amrita Arora is strictly okay. Anjana Sukhani gets no scope. Vrajesh Hirjee is alright. Sharat Saxena, Rakhi Vijan, Sanjay Mishra, Murli Sharma, Mukesh Tiwari and Ashwini Kalsekar fill in the blanks.

On the whole, there's tremendous curiosity to watch GOLMAAL RETURNS and the terrific promotion has only enhanced the excitement. But the film is a major letdown in terms of content. Barring a few jokes and gags, this GOLMAAL pales when compared to its first part. At the box-office, expect a terrific start for the film, but GOLMAAL RETURNS lacks the power to stand on its feet after the initial euphoria settles down.

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Fashion - Movie Review

Are you ready for an expose on the fashion industry? Where designers pass off 'Indira Market, Bangkok' stuff as their own creation. Where ad agency/fashion mag honchos call the shots. Wild lifestyles, backstage dramas, wardrobe malfunction, casting couch… ouch, ouch, ouch!

Madhur Bhandarkar, the undisputed king of realistic fares, comes up with yet another hard-hitting film that enlightens you, moves you, motivates and deflates you, even shocks and surprises you and of course, entertains you.

The solid reason why FASHION works is because Madhur brings alive everything you've read in newspapers or watched on TV as an outsider, to the big screen. And that works and how!

But let's not give the subject material all importance, for Madhur's handling of the subject is exemplary. Madhur dresses up his mannequins well, but most importantly, infuses life in those prime bodies. A number sequences leave you tongue-tied [more on that later].

But there's a hitch. And this problem tones down the impact considerably. The running tine of almost 2.40 hours makes you restless, especially the penultimate 25-odd minutes. Yet, all said and done, FASHION has all it takes to be the showstopper this Diwali!

FASHION tells the story of a small-town girl with a dream and the determination to make it a reality. Meghna [Priyanka Chopra] is ambitious, she wants to attain the status of a supermodel. She realises her dreams and rises to walk the ramps for leading designers across India.

But Meghna has to pay the price for her fame and her journey to the top. Her career starts sliding downwards. In this journey of Meghna, she encounters a number of people. Most importantly, Shonali [Kangna Ranaut] and Janet [Mugdha Godse]. Also, Abhijit Sareen [Arbaaz Khan], a tycoon who controls the fashion industry.

CHANDNI BAR, PAGE 3, SATTA, CORPORATE, TRAFFIC SIGNAL -- every Madhur Bhandarkar film has a new story to tell and he tells it most convincingly. In fact, Madhur strikes a fine balance between realism and entertainment in every film. Given the fact that FASHION is all about the fashion industry, the narrative is inevitably filled with lots of glam-n-glitz moments. The fashion shows, the stunning models, the superb styling, the vibrant colours and the behind the scenes drama is worth every penny spent on the ticket.

But it's not just ramp shows and style-n-fashion here. There's a story running concurrently -- of three models. One, the rise of an unknown into a supermodel. Two, the fall of a supermodel to dust. Three, the ambitious model not achieving success, but opting for a marriage of convenience.

While Madhur has handled the theme as if he were an insider, this review would be incomplete if you ignore two major sequences that are simply outstanding. One, Kangna's wardrobe malfunction and two, when Priyanka exposes Arbaaz to his wife [Suchitra Pillai].

Mahesh Limaye's cinematography captures every aspect of the fashion industry to the fullest. The screenplay [Madhur Bhandarkar, Anuradha Tiwari, Ajay Monga] is perfect, except for the penultimate portions. Niranjan Iyengar's dialogues are fantastic. Nitin Chandrakant Desai's production design is truly upmarket. The costumes and styling are top notch, a feast for the eyes. Salim-Sulaiman's music is well synchronised as well. 'Mar Jaava' and 'Jalwa' are lilting creations.

Madhur places immense trust on Priyanka and she is remarkable all through, more towards the second hour. Post AITRAAZ, FASHION is another medal that shines the brightest when you look at her body of work. But the real star is Kangna. Her role may not be as lengthy as that of Priyanka, but the actress pitches in an awesome performance. Her confidence at the very start is infectious and her overall performance deserves an ovation.

Mugdha Godse is, again, supremely confident. She has dum. Arbaaz Khan is first-rate. Arjan Bajwa does well. Harsh Chhaya, the gay designer, stands out with a realistic performance. Ashwin Mushran, Priyanka's confidante, is top notch. Samir Soni is good. Suchitra Pillai and Kittu Gidwani are effectual. Raj Babbar and Kiran Juneja are seasoned in such roles.

On the whole, FASHION has tremendous curiosity value and also shock value for the Indian audiences. Its subject -- the behind the scenes working and drama of the fashion industry -- is its USP. At the box-office, the pre-release hype and buzz will ensure a successful run for the film. Its business at multiplexes mainly should be bountiful. However, trimming the film will only help; not only will it enhance the film, but also its business. Must watch!

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Shahrukh Khan Rocks Dubai Audience

They came, they saw, and they rejuvenated the hearts of their fans in UAE who gathered to witness "Temptation Reloaded 2008".

The Country Club Hotel, Dubai presented the mega event of Bollywood Badshah Shahrukh Khan on 25th October 2008 at Dubai Festival City Arena. This event was witnessed by over 25,000 music fans from all over the emirates. The show began at 9.45 p.m sharp with a bollywood dancing troupe dancing to the tunes of "Jhoom Barabhar Jhoom".

Bollywood queens Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor, dazzled the audience with their stunning looks and performance. Katrina made an impact with the number "Jar Jara Touch Me" while Kareen Kapoor stole the first part of the show by dancing to the tunes like Dont look at me like that, Chaliya Chaliya, Yeh Ishq Hei, Dhoom Machaa Pyaar Mei. The rocking Arjun Rampal holding a guitar in his hand circled round the audience on top of a crane and kept waving at the crowd and made a dashing entry on stage, with hit numbers like Dil Kya Kehta Mei Paagal Hu, and "Rockon". The popular Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Hegde presented some of his dance sequences on stage and made an impact too. The dashing and sensational MTV VJ Anushka Dandekar stole the show with her captivating looks and Hard Kaur drew a huge round of applause for the song "Singh is Kingh".

It was now time for the Baadshah of Bollywood and the winner of 14 film fare awards "Shah Rukh Khan" (SRK) to make an entry on stage. The crowd was excited to see him descend on stage like a real king and perform live on stage with his first song "Dard ye Disco". They could not believe their eyes that he was standing right in front of them and welcomed him with a huge round of applause. He is indeed the heart throb of many women (young and old) and a lot many fans. He has carved a niche for himself and he rightly deserves the title "Baadshah of Bollywood" for he really is one and there couldnt be another better than him. SRK is indeed a multi talented personality. He stunned the audience with his sonorous voice and interacting abilities. He is indeed a gift from above and this was revealed by the crowd who cheered and kept on applauding in between his dance sequences. He highlighted his new project SRK boulevard in RAK properties UAE. He gave the audience what they expected from him a thorough entertainment and dance sequences for songs like Aanko mei teri, Don, Pretty Woman, Thumko Paaya, Thum Paas Aaao, Thuje Dekha Tho Ye Jaana Sanam, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Tauba Hei Kya He Ishaara, Dil Ka Maamla to name a few. .

It was a 3 hours non-stop entertainment of rocking and mesmerising Bollywood melodies, glitz, glamour, songs and dances in true Bollywood style performed by SRK, Katrina, Kareena, Arjun Rampal, Anushka, Hard Kaur and Ganesh Hegde along with the troupe.

The Consul General of India Venu Rajmony addressed the gathering on this special occasion and said that Bollywood with people like SRK has the best to offer. India is really proud of all that Bollywood has achieved and congratulated each and every artist that entertains millions of viewers spread all over the world. It was SRKs and Gauris Wedding anniversary and a cake was cut to mark the occasion.
The event was produced by Red Chillies International and supported by Country Club Dubai, SRK boulevard, Pan Emirates, Sony and Orbit Events. The stage, sound, light and screen installations were well synchronized and was a treat to the eyes and ears of the audience. Kudos to the organizers who put up such a magnificent show.

The finale round saw SRK along with all the artists perform on stage with foot tapping songs like Bachnaa Yeh Hasino, Dance with me baby, Dont talk to stranger, Mauja Mauja, Dekho Dekho Yeh Shaam Mastani, and concluded with the title song of Om Shanthi Om. Sharukh Khan has proved to the audience that he is indeed an ace performer with his mix music, songs, dances and acting abilities all rolled into one big showcase.

He proved that he is indeed a thorough entertainer in the "Temptation Reloaded 2008" show. His fans would look forward to many more events like these in future.

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Shahrukh Khan Rocks Dubai

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Crowd goes berserk, fan faints at Shah Rukh Khan press conference

Dubai: A girl fainted while waiting outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of Bollywood charmer Shah Rukh Khan and was rushed to hospital, while inside it was pandemonium at a press conference venue.

Fans shouted, “Shah Rukh we love you,” as sponsors of the show had invited hundreds of guests while some people with cameras posed as photographers to get closer to the star.

Shah Rukh is in Dubai for the Temptation Reloaded 2008 show at Dubai Festival City Arena on Saturday. The sponsors expect a huge crowd and will open the gates at 3 pm for the 9 pm show.

The press conference venue at the Country Club seemed very small for the number of guests invited and there were more fans than media persons. As the conference ended, teenagers ran behind the star seeking his autograph.

The Khan entourage at the show includes Bollywood beauties Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and UK-based singer Hard Kaur dancing to their hit Bollywood numbers.

'I have reached a point in my life where I don't have to do live shows for money. It's not about the money anymore nor do I think it's a platform to showcase our talents. Such dance shows are my way of thanking my fans for their support and their love,' says Khan in his signature exuberant yet self-effacing style.

Unfortunately, his loyal fan-base on seeing their superhero at an arm's length got a bit carried away. Girls swooning and dozens pushing against the flimsy barricades to catch a glimpse of the actor was the order of the evening.

Asked if he regretted his decision of turning into a property developer in the UAE earlier this month considering the dismal economic climate, Khan said he was optimistic about the scenario.

'Yes, the timing was a bit off. But I am positive that it would turn all around. And honestly, the global recession has not touched us as yet. In my opinion, recession is not going to take people away from their homes or their decision to buy one,' says Khan.

The actor is now involved in a Dh8 billion (US$2.18bn) residential development on Dana Islands in Ras al Khaimah.

Meanwhile, the reticent actor Arjun Rampal, who has found success recently as a guitar-toting musician in the movie Rock On!, promised to kick up a storm in true head-banging style.

Khan was quick to pitch in that the extravaganza would be a testament to all the gruelling rehearsals.

'We have put in a lot of hardwork and though we may not look as good as Kareena or Katrina, you will not return home disappointed.'

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Everyone's invited to Shah Rukh's party

It’s Shah Rukh Khan’s 17th wedding anniversary. And all his fans in the UAE are invited to the party. Arjun Rampal revealed that October 25, the day on which SRK’s Temptation Reloaded 2008 show is scheduled in Dubai, is the star’s wedding anniversary.

“It’s rare for him to get permission from wife Gauri to have a show on this day. So we are going to make it a memorable night,” said the actor.

Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Hard Kaur, Anusha Dandekar and Ganesh Hegde are among the stars slated to perform along with SRK and Arjun at the show to be held at the Dubai Festival City Arena.

SRK and Arjun spoke about the show at a press conference in Dubai held on Thursday at the Country Club Hotel, the main sponsor of the event.

It was the most badly organised press conference we have ever attended and we hope the show will be better organised. But despite the crowds of fans at the venue and SRK having to pass the single mike around to the organisers and sponsors who spoke before him, the actor kept his cool and was as witty and charming as ever. He answered questions about his films, endorsements, cricket and controversies.

“As you get older, occasions like anniversaries become moments to celebrate the love I share with my family. So I am happy that my family, friends and fans will be with me on that day. The show will be informal and you can see me be funny and make a fool of myself like I usually do with my family. These shows are not about displaying my talent. They are about getting in touch with my audience to say a personal thank you. It is our way of hosting a party for those who have given me a lot of love,” said SRK.

“It has been four years since I performed in the UAE and we want to give our best. Although Arjun and I are not good dancers, we have been rehearsing hard to match steps with Katrina and Kareena. We will dance and jump our hearts out and make sure that everyone has a great time and feels entertained,” he added.

Here’s our pick of five SRK quips of the day:

Between Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Raj Thakeray, who would you like to invite for tea?
SRK: I don’t drink tea. I drink coffee or Pepsi. And invitations to our house are decided by my wife. But jokes apart all three are old friends and would make for interesting teatime conversation. And I can tell you that they all behave like gentlemen at teatime.

Are you a better actor or property developer?
That is for my audience and the people who buy the homes to decide.

Will the financial crisis affect your plans for SRK Boulevard?
My timing was perfect wasn’t it? But my partners tell me that people will still need houses.

After movies, cricket and property, which other field do you want to get into?
I would like to do something for the education of kids and women. I respect women and really want to do something for all the women of the Eastern world.

Will you join the Country Club?
I had a lower middle class upbringing and was not fortunate enough to go to clubs, so I am not used to the club culture. My wife is a member of all the clubs and I just go along.

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The hottest gay couple of bollywood

Ok, who’s the hottest couple in Bollywood? Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, right?

Wrong! After Karan Johar’s Dostana next month, it’s going to be Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. The two hunks, according to the buzz from the film’s sets on Miami’s sunny beaches, share such a terrific chemistry... that audiences are going to wonder.

Check out this rumble-tumble they’re indulging in and decide, is there a vibe between them? For sure! John, of course, is the international gay’s fantasy. And Abhishek is fast getting there with his switchover from dark-and-brooding to naughty-and-mischievous. Apparently, John and Abhishek had no hesitation about putting their leading hero and straight images on hold for the time being and playing gay with conviction on screen. Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss, who was all for changing the law that makes homosexuality a crime in India, will be delighted.

Karan, who’s always pushed the romantic genre and taken it to higher levels in cinema, admits that he’s experimented with the gay theme. “But not in an offensive way,” said the director, “this is not Brokeback Mountain, you understand, but it’s also not the same triangle with a train, plane or automobile climax and somebody rushing to stop someone from going away.

Our audiences are more ready than filmmakers for new formats and path-breaking films. Ten years ago, who would have thought A Wednesday would pack in multiplexes or a Taare Zameen Par would do multi-crore business?

They would be parallel cinema. Today they are mainstream.” Agreed. Times are a-changing and kuch kuch hota hai in Bollywood!

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Yuvvraaj - First Look

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Priyanka Chopra features on the 12th Anniversary Edition of Cosmopolitan

They always say that 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend'. But the shocking thing that we discovered is that there are times when even the best of diamonds loses its shine! Don't believe us? Then check out the latest edition of 'Cosmopolitan' that has got not just Priyanka Chopra adorning the cover.

Priyanka looks very elegant and beautiful in the green dress, so much so that shines brighter than the diamonds on the cover! No wonder then, she is aptly called the 'Sunshine' girl of Bollywood! Even though Priyanka does not speak more than what she has told in her zillion interviews so far, this issue does make a good read due to the way she has presented her answers!

Way to go, Priyanka. And Congratulations to 'Cosmopolitan' team as the mag completes 12 glorious years!

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Upen's African Diwali

For the first time in the last three years, Upen Patel will be able to spend time with his mom during the festival of lights. Upen's mom who lives in London, is presently in the city. He has booked her on a flight to South Africa (where he is going for a shoot) so they could celebrate Diwali together.

Patel says, "I haven't been able to share much time with my mom. In fact, even though she's in India more often than before, I have been very busy with work. However, we are spending Diwali together. Festivals are always family time and I didn't want her to be alone."

Upen is shooting for an ad in South Africa and arranged for Mrs Patel to join him, "She keeps complaining that I don't spend time with her. Now I have got her a ticket and we both will be travelling to Cape Town and then Johannesburg. It will also be an opportunity for me to finish my work and also be with her at the same time."

He adds, "Diwali is special for me, and this year I plan to look at the positive side of life. I am working very hard with the films I have and will be coming up with some good releases next year."

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Raaz 2 promo with Fashion - Scary and intriguing

Glamour meets thrill as the first theatrical promo of Raaz-The Mystery Continues will be showcased with upcoming movie Fashion on 29th October.

This writer had an exclusive dekko at the film's 90 seconds promo and the impact it has managed to create is truly stunning. Get ready to jump from your seat and engage in some shocking moments as the promo catches your attention in the first 10 seconds itself. Kangna Ranaut hanging on a wall with a haunting background score in play is good enough to set the mood in for this horror flick which is next in the series of Raaz.

While there are a couple of shots featuring Adhyayan that give a romantic angle to the tale, the promo remains true to the film's subject of mystery and intrigue as Emraan Hashmi's character finds himself engaged in an all around suspicious environment. What takes the cake though is a shot where Kangna suddenly jumps and sits up on her bed while giving out a loud cry. Scary, really scary!

What really stands out in the promo is that never once do the frames turn gory or ugly. Instead, the promo showcases the film to be a thrilling encounter with some spine chilling moments intact without resorting to 'let's scare you with ugly faces' look! Also, the promo focuses on Kangna's character, who plays the central protagonist with Emraan Hashmi following next as the star attraction.

Says Mukesh Bhatt about the importance of the promo, "We wanted it to convey the right mood of the film without resorting to being gory or too violent. Raaz - The Mystery Continues, as conveyed by the title, is centered on mystery and this is what remains to be it's true essence."

A supernatural thriller, the film is directed by Mohit Suri. This is Mohit's fifth film with the Bhatt Brothers. Incidentally, Kangna Ranaut plays a fashion model in Raaz-The Mystery Continues after Fashion.

Raaz-The Mystery Continues deals with issues of the "evil within" the human psyche and how it manifests itself. It is based on the myths and superstitions that are still widely existent in the contemporary Indian society. The film attempts to challenge one's beliefs about paranormal phenomena. It is about anticipation of fear and the fright residing within ones' self.

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Katrina Kaif to perform at J.W. Marriott in Mumbai on New Years' eve

Katrina Kaif is surely riding high these days. After delivering hits like Namastey London, Welcome, Race and latest being Singh Is Kinng, Katrina has indeed moved to the A-league. Now the actress is cashing in on this very popularity of hers by agreeing to perform at a grand show in Mumbai on New Year's Eve.

Katrina would be performing at Mumbai's plush J.W. Marriott hotel on 31st Dec 08. The actress, needless to say has been paid a huge sum of money, for this performance. Noted designer Rocky S would be in charge of her costumes while Bosco-Caesar will be choreographing her act.

It may be recalled that last New Year's Eve saw Bipasha Basu performing at the same hotel while the year before that saw Mallika Sherawat move her body. This year however, all eyes will be on Katrina, as she brings in the New Year performing to some of her biggest hits. So all you die-hard Katrina Kaif fans, you know where to go this New Year's eve.

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"I have no respect for hardcore Bollywood commercial film" - Kangna Ranaut

Kangna Ranaut is in an explosive mood. May be it has something to do with the 'explosive' cinema that she has been a part of ever since she made her debut with Gangster. From playing a gangster's love interest (which was straight out of headlines) in Gangster to re-enacting the trauma of Parveen Babi in Woh Lamhe and most recently expressing the dilemma of Senior Executive at a Call Center in Life In A Metro, Kangna has been busy making her own space outside a world which goes by the name of Bollywood.

While working in aforementioned films, didn't she feel like being a part of a hardcore Bollywood commercial film to at least stay in the reckoning during her relatively leaner period?

"Everybody asks me this. But I never felt like being a part of a hardcore Bollywood commercial film because I have no respect for such cinema", Kangna makes a shocking confession.

She continues, "It is like an immortal work of art. For me my movies are my heart-beat. I cannot do a stupid film in which people laugh while they are watching it. So I have to be very careful".

Seems like she detests such cinema? "Yes, because it hurts me emotionally and mentally when people make fun about the characters in the film. I don't like people making fun of movies and characters. You should be given respect in society and for the work you do."

In that case, is Fashion the kind of film which should get the actors in it the kind of respect she aims for? "I really hope so. Fashion will change the thinking of the society and what they think about the fashion world. I don't have a crystal ball to see what the future holds, but yes I do know that the film will do very well", says Kangna in a positive tone.

There has been long gap between her last film Life In A Metro and Fashion. Was a break like this planned? Replies Kangna, "It was not planned. Some times it just takes too long for a project to complete. Even Fashion for that matter took about 6- 7 months to complete. In fact I did a film in the middle called Roshan but it didn't come. It will now come out after Fashion".

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Wishing Mallika Sherawat a Very Happy Birthday

We have seen models and supermodels becoming the Brand Ambassadors of a zillion products, but if at all there was a Brand Ambassador for guts and confidence, this Birthday girl will win it hands down, for she is none other than the Madame' of Madames, the Royal Queen amongst the Princesses...Mallika Sherawat .

Having started her career in Bollywood with the much talked about Khawahish, Mallika made it to the big league with Murder, Bollywood's very own version of the Hollywood hit Unfaithful. She followed it up with a series of hits, mega hits and smash hits like Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Aap Ka Suroor - The Moviee - The Real Love Story, to name a few.

Her fame was not just restricted to Indian frames alone, as it spread its wings to foreign shores also when she made a widely publicized appearance at the Cannes Film Festival to promote The Myth, alongside none other than the mega star Jackie Chan! So much so that Mallika has even been voted as one of Asia's 100 most beautiful people by the Hong Kong based fashion and beauty magazine, 'Cover'.

Folks, in order to wish 'Happy Birthday' to Mallika, simply zip, zap and zoom your heartfelt wishes by posting it below

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Ghajini - First Look

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Aamir Khan's chiseled physique in Ghajini

"One has either to feed people or amuse people in order to be remembered for life"

These are the words of a famous English philosopher, who, we are sure had just not heard of Aamir Khan! Aamir is one actor who dares to defy all of the above 'methods'. Instead, he takes his super highway and 'shocks' people at equal intervals!

Few months back, Aamir shocked the masses when he released the pics of his near bald look in Ghajini. Also, since a quite some time, there have been talks in the media that Aamir is working hard on his physique for Ghajini. And just when the 'six pack abs' fad seemed to be dying out, Aamir has unveiled his chiseled physique in Ghajini and how! People close to Aamir have been raving that he currently has the best physique in the film industry and well, we really can't deny that.

For starters, the tattoos on his body are actually 'reminders' of 'To-do' things. The reason? Well, the news is that, in Ghajini, Aamir suffers from a memory lapse every 15 minutes and in order to remember things, he tattoos reminder notes on his body!

After looking at this image, we just can't wait to see Aamir's performance in the film.

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Aish's eyes voted the ‘sexiest’

Aishwarya Rai, known as the world’s most beautiful woman, has now walked away with another coveted title of having the ‘sexiest eyes’ in US TV E!’s Sexiest Body Parts List.

Aishwarya’s dazzling eyes have been voted the most sultry, beating the likes of Hollywood superstars Angelina Jolie, Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen walked away with the sexiest legs award.

‘Monster’ star Charlize Theron took away E!''s decolletage award with her sultry shoulders. Eva Mendes lovely locks were voted the sexiest, reports News.com.au

Taiwanese actress Shu Qi trounced Angelina Jolie fopr having the sexiest lips. ‘Pearl Harbour’ star Jennifer Garner''s sweet smile emerged victorious among Rachel McAdams and Sienna Miller.

Scarlett Johansson has been voted the female celebrity with the best breasts. Actress Jessica Biel’s butt has topped the list of E!''s sexiest bottom.

Singer Fergie’s flat stomach has been named as the hottest abs. Among males, Mario Lopez won for best male dimples while, rapper LL Cool J walked away with the sexiest lips.

Atonement star James McAvoy beat Johnny Depp with the sexiest male hair. Irish actor Jonathan Rhys-Myers won best male eyes award. Matthew McConaughey topped the list of the sexist chest, while Usher was named as having the best male washboard abs in E!''s Sexiest List.(ANI)

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Karisma and Kareena on TV together

It's Diwali time on “Nach Baliye 4”, and for the first time on Indian television, viewers will witness Karisma and Kareena setting the stage afire on “Nach Baliye 4” on October 25, on Star Plus.

They will be wearing outfits specially designed by Manisha Malhotra for the Diwali special.

Kareena's appearance on Nach Baliye is part of promotions for her forthcoming movie “Golmaal Returns”.

Both the sisters will be seen exchanging their places and Kareena will pose as the judge while Karisma will be the special guest on the show.

Karisma was elated to see her sister on the show and said, "On an occasion like Diwali which is usually always celebrated with family…and I am really glad that my sister is here with me today. She was gracious enough to accept the invitation and I am thankful to the team of ‘Nach Baliye’ for giving me such a lovely surprise."

Commenting on Kareena's dancing skills Karisma further added," I will give 11 out of 10 to her. She has really improved a lot and has surpassed everyone with her dancing skills. I have started taking dancing and acting tips from her!"

Kareena was in a fun mood and commented: "Karisma is one of the best dancers in the industry and she must have definitely given a lot of other actresses a complex after her first sizzling performance in Nach Baliye 4’.”

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Hrithik is in Bora Bora

Kites is Hrithik Roshan's first English home production and papa Roshan is loosening the purse strings to find exotic and unusual locales to film. So after shooting in Las Vegas for almost 2 months, Hrithik is taking a breather.

Hrithik says, "Yes it has been a hectic shooting schedule, from Mexico to Las Vegas. But now I am in Bora Bora enjoying some time with my family."

Bora Bora is off the beaten track for most film makers, some160 miles from Tahiti. The last we had heard of Tahiti was when Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan flew down there for their honeymoon. And now its Hrithik and his family.

Wonder of Hrithik did get some tips from his childhood buddy Bachchan Junior...

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'Shut Up and Bounce'

After Desi Girl, it's now time for Shilpa Shetty to Shut Up and Bounce. That's the song in Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana that will air soon.

Producer Karan Johar says, "Shilpa has done a sizzling job but the credit also goes to Tarun and Vaibhavi Merchant (choreographer). Composed by Vishal-Shekhar, the track is an introductory song picturised on the film's stars John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan in Miami.

Tarun and Vaibhavi wanted a hot actress to be with them. We all brainstormed and felt that Shilpa undoubtedly has the best body in the business."

Tarun adds, "Vishal-Shekhar and I were bouncing all kinds of tunes when they both got fed up with me and said, 'Shut up and give me a song that won't bounce' and that became the catchword."

About choosing Shilpa, Tarun says, "She is the quintessential bikini babe. She was comfortable about wearing everything and is very dedicated. We were to shoot the song in seven days but completed it in four and a half."

A source close to Shilpa says, "The actress had stopped doing item numbers as people had stopped taking her seriously. She was concentrating more on performance-oriented roles. When Karan asked her to do the song, Shilpa wanted to hear it out.

The moment she heard it, she loved it and agreed instantly. Shilpa also loved the perfect amalgamation of her favourite people working with her which included apart from Karan and Vaibhavi, Manish Malhotra (designer), Mickey Contractor (make-up) and Latika (hairstylist).

Adds the source, "When she landed in Miami, her baggage went missing. But she went shopping with Manish and bought stuff from designers Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana to wear."

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Abhi - Ash to finally start Mani's film after Diwali

Mani Ratnam's untitled film starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will finally take off after on October 29 after Diwali.

The first major schedule with AbhiAsh was supposed to start on October 12 a day after Amitabh Bachchan's birthday. But the Big B fell ill the morning before the shooting, leaving his son and bahu with no choice but to cancel the shoot.

Says a source close to the project, "Mani made it very clear that there was no rush for Abhishek and Aishwarya to return. Having gone through a personal bereavement recently, he knows family always comes first. There was no pressure on the pair to show up in Kochi for the shooting."

Abhishek was very clear about returning to work only when his dad completely recovered. Abhishek and Aishwarya return to the shooting after the festival of lights. There are no Diwali celebrations in the Bachchan household this year because Big B's mom Teji Bachchan passed away last December.

Meanwhile, the unit has packed up in Kochi. Ravi Kissen who plays Abhishek's elder brother says, "We couldn't do any shooting because all my scenes are with Abhishek."

Incidentally, the Big B's schedules would need considerable adjustment when he gets back to work. The project most immediately affected is Leena Yadav's Teen Patti. The Big B was shooting for it when he fell ill.

Says director Leena, "Mr Bachchan had taken the day off for his birthday when he fell ill. Very honestly, his health is far more important than any film schedule. We'll resume shooting only when he has recuperated fully."

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Bebo flew to Delhi to be with Saif on Karva Chauth

Despite a hectic schedule, Kareena Kapoor flew down to New Delhi last Thursday to celebrate Karva Chauth with beau Saif Ali Khan. The actor has been shooting in the capital for his home production, directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Says an eyewitness, "Kareena and Saif were together on October 17 (Karva Chauth). The two were stuck to each other. After hanging out on the sets, the couple visited a jewellery store."

Adds the source, "Kareena didn't reveal to anyone the purpose of her visit. However, buzz did the rounds that she had arrived for Karva Chauth. As soon as Bebo reached the sets, Saif wrapped up the shoot up and even gave his co-star Deepika Padukone two days off."

Kareena however maintains, "It's not true. I don't believe in Karva Chauth. I went to Delhi for an ICICI show. Saif wasn't in Delhi, he was shooting for his home production in Rajasthan."

Buzz is that Saif and Bebo also spent time at his home in Pataudi, which is two hours away from Delhi. He then gifted her an expensive jewellery set for Karva Chauth. But Kareena laughs, "Saif got me nothing. He was shooting in Mandwa. I haven't met him since I was shooting in Italy for Kambakht Ishq."

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Jodhaa Akbar, Hrithik win awards at Golden Minbar Film Festival in Russia

Ashutosh Gowariker's magnum opus Jodhaa Akbar has not only captured the hearts of audiences in India but impressed the audiences globally and is winning accolades internationally. Yesterday, Jodhaa Akbar won the prestigious Grand Pix award at Golden Minbar, the Film Festival for Muslim Cinema which is held at Kazan, Russia. The lead actor, Hrithik Roshan, was awarded the Best Actor Award for his magnificent performance as Emperor Akbar.

Jodhaa Akbar shared the Best Film honours with an Iranian film, M for Mother. The films were selected by the Jury in the Official Selection consisting of 35 films in Competition (10 Full-length feature film, 12 Short-length feature films and 13 Documentary films).

"This is wonderful! I am overwhelmed with this news. It is an honour not only for me and my co-producer Ronnie Screwvala, but for the entire team of Jodhaa Akbar. And I would like to thank the Jury for it. I am especially happy and proud that Hrithik won the Best Actor. His portrayal of Akbar is a magnificent one, full of nuances and detailing which is very rarely seen on screen. I would also like to thank the Organizers for including Jodhaa Akbar in The International Film Festival of Muslim Cinema Golden Minbar", said a very honored and grateful Ashutosh Gowariker.

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Heroes - Movie Review

Jog your memory a bit. Samir Karnik's first two movies [KYUN HO GAYA NA, NANHE JAISALMER] have been critical and commercial disasters. But Samir has assembled an impressive cast for his new outing HEROES. The billboards look really impressive. You think, chalo, dekhte hain, will Samir deliver this time? Will his fortunes change for better? Come to think of it, you saunter into the auditorium with zilch expectations. HEROES is an underdog.

Before we delve any further, let's clear a few misconceptions pertaining to this film. Just because the promos highlight the men in uniform, it doesn't mean HEROES is a 'war film'. Sure, it talks about love for the nation, but HEROES is not anti-Pakistan, is not jingoistic either, is nowhere close to BORDER, LOC and the likes, in terms of content.

HEROES talks about a journey undertaken by two boys and the three letters they've to deliver to the families of the deceased. HEROES is more of an emotional experience, how each family copes with life after their beloved has become a martyr.

Besides evoking strong emotions, HEROES also arouses strong patriotic feelings. There're moments in the film that compel you to salute those who guard our nation, so that we can sleep in peace. At the end, the message it delivers is simple -- You don't have to be a soldier to love your country.

Back to the two pertinent questions we raised at the outset. Question 1, Does Samir deliver? HEROES is a revelation. Cinema is all about narrating stories and Samir proves that he's a proficient storyteller. Question 2, will he prove lucky this time? Well, HEROES has all it takes to strike a chord, with family audiences mainly. The moments linger in your memory much after the show has concluded.

Final verdict? HEROES salutes the heroes who guard our nation. It's a powerful film. A moving experience!

HEROES is the story Sammy [Sohail Khan] and Ali [Vatsal Sheth] who travel a thousand miles to deliver three letters as a part of their film school assignment. But little do they know that the journey they have embarked upon will give a new meaning to their life.

HEORES unfolds in three chapters. But before that you get to see the wild side of two misled youth who don't take life seriously. The first chapter, Salman-Preity, is the highpoint of the film. The emotional moments in this chapter are worth applauding. Note the moments between Salman-Preity and also between the kid [Dwij Yadav] and the two youth. The scene at the Indo-Pak border -- the fence dividing the two nations -- is amazing. Watch Preity missing her husband and also embracing his uniform. Another brilliant stroke! This chapter deserves a 10 on 10 for its high emotional quotient and captivating performances.

Chapter 2 is slightly less impactful than Chapter 1. The portions between Sunny and Bobby are well executed, but the writing isn't as compelling. Yet, the fight sequence -- when a group of hooligans act smart with Sunny's girlfriend [Hrishitaa Bhatt] -- is superb. Sunny's 'dhai kilo ka haath' and the way it shatters the tiles on the floor leaves a strong impact. Watch this sequence with the masses and you'd only hear whistles and claps. Another scene from this chapter -- Sunny paying his last respects to Bobby -- is moving.

The third chapter [Mithun, Dino] is the softest link. Nothing wrong with the writing or its execution, but something is missing, the pace suddenly dips. The match in the end works mainly because it has been edited well.

Samir Karnik takes giant strides as a storyteller. Binod Pradhan and Gopal Shah's cinematography is top notch. The DOPs have done complete justice to the panoramic locales of North India. Sajid-Wajid's music is a major asset. 'Mannata' is the pick of the lot. What a soothing composition! Ditto for 'Makhana' [filmed on Sunny, Bobby]. Dialogues are magnificent at places.

The ones who leave the maximum impression in this multi-starrer are, in this order, Salman [superb; one of his finest works], Preity [outstanding; has spoken Punjabi so fluently], Sohail [pleasant surprise; evolving into a very fine actor], Sunny [very likeable] and Mithun Chakraborty [mature]. Bobby is effective in a cameo. Wish he would've got more footage. Vatsal Seth is decent. Dino is just about okay. Dwij Yadav is first-rate. Prateeksha Lonkar is fair. Amrita Arora and Ria Sen are passable.

On the whole, HEROES is a genuinely well-made film with strong emotions as its trump card. At the box-office, the pre-Diwali dull phase notwithstanding, it has the merits to climb the ladder with a strong word of mouth. The film deserves to be tax-exempted for its noble theme and noble intentions.

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Sallu not seen on Yuvvraaj posters

It seems Katrina has over shadowed Sallu in the first publicity posters of Subhash Ghai’s movie “Yuvvraaj”.

Interestingly, only Katrina features in all the posters and hoardings placed all over Mumbai as part of the film’s promotion campaign.

This again goes to prove how big a name Katrina has become in Bollywood. Is it because of her star power that the male lead of the movie, Salman Khan, is not seen in the posters at all?

However, Subhash Ghai denies this possibility and says the current publicity material is in sync with the music release of the movie, which took place a few days back.

Since Kat is playing the leading musician in the movie, they decided on this particular marketing strategy.

Even Katrina says that the photo on the poster was everybody's favourite picture in the movie, even Sallu's. In fact, he loved Kat so much in the photo that he wanted to paint her!

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Celina, Amrita and Anjana sidelined

It is yet another case of people being unhappy over a movie’s promotional campaign.

In the publicity of “Golmaal Returns”, only Kareena Kapoor is being given importance while the other three heroines – Celina Jaitley, Amrita Arora and Anjana Sukhani – have been completely sidelined.

Apparently, the three leading ladies are very unhappy that the producers of the film, Shree Ashtvinayak Cinevisions, have not given them their share of publicity.

But they refuse to speak up in the open and voice their anger as they are all aware that Kareena is the boss, and she sells too!

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Big B and RGV join hands again

After the disastrous performance of “Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag” and “Sarkar Raaj”, Amitabh Bachchan had decided to maintain a distance from Ram Gopal Varma.

He was reportedly upset with the performance of the movies at the box office and did not want to be a part of RGV’s Factory.

But apparently things have changed and once again both of them have decided to join hands for a project.

Confirming the news Big B said Ramu has always entrusted him with challenging roles and this time too it will be a very challenging one. He also said he enjoyed working with RGV.

However, Bachchan refused to divulge any details about Ramu’s project. So we have to wait till things are finalised.

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Kinng's JUMBO voice for nine crores!

The remuneration being paid to superstar Akshay Kumar has been the favourite subject of discussion all over. The prices being speculated vary from Rs. 31 crores to Rs. 70 crores! While we will explain the truth (if any!) and the nitti–gritties of the same later, here is something much more interesting!

As per trade sources, Akshay Kumar has been paid a whopping Rs. 9 crores for dubbing the dialogues and participating in the picturisations of two promotional songs for Percept Picture Company's animation film, JUMBO. What is amazing about this deal is that Akshay Kumar does not have a deep baritone voice and it is not one of his strong points!

For the information of the fans of Akshay Kumar and all others, the upcoming JUMBO is all set to hit the screens on 18th December 2008, a week before Aamir Khan's GHAJINI.

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Crown Princess of Sweden dines with Aamir Khan

Crown Princess of Sweden, Victoria, who also happens to be the apparent heir to the prestigious throne of Sweden, had invited our very own superstar, Aamir Khan, for an exclusive dinner with her during her ongoing state visit to India.

Since she happened to be one of the many zillions who had seen Aamir's masterpiece Taare Zameen Par, she was highly appreciative of his film. And in reciprocation, Aamir replied, "It is a privilege to receive a special invitation like this".

Needless to say that, in this moment of honor, Aamir's lovely wife Kiran Rao was there by her hubby's side! As it was time to bid farewell, Aamir gifted Princess Victoria an antique lithograph (sketches of India during the colonial period), while she gifted him a DVD collection of the legendary Ingmar Bergman's films.

Way to go, Aamir!

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The Girls of 'Golmaal Returns'

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Definitely not Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor or Shreyas Talpade! A scene for Rohit Shetty's 'Golmaaal Returns' requires the funny four to dress up, literally! The guys get dolled up to celebrate Women's Day in the film, and like any desi hottie, they just had to hit the mall up! Well, guess what? No entry unless you're packing pantyhose and lipstick! Director Shetty comments on the actors' willingness to go girly: "I was quite taken aback when Ajay [Devgan] agreed to this scene in particular. He was very gung-ho to go ahead with the scene! In fact, none of the guys had any reservations, which made it one of the best scenes in the film!" Hmm... Maybe the guys should have auditioned for Karan Johar's 'Dostana'!

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Karisma and Kareena on Nach Baliye 4

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Lara Dutta to do a voice-over for the animated film Jumbo

A while ago, we had reported about Akshay Kumar and Dimple Kapadia lending their voices for Percept Picture Company's forthcoming animated flick Jumbo. Now, news has it that Lara Dutta would also be doing a voice over for the same.

This is the first time that the beautiful actress would be associated with an animated film and surprisingly, Lara has agreed to lend her voice for free. The actress apparently loved the film when she watched it and immediately decided that she would want to be a part of it.

Looks like animation flicks are the latest craze for all our B-town celebs. After all, everyone from SRK (The Incredibles) to Saif Ali Khan (Roadside Romeo) and Kareena Kapoor (Roadside Romeo) to Lara Dutta (Jumbo) seem to be more than excited to lend their voices to the animated characters.

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The three sizzling bombshells of Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion

Madhur Bhandarkar is known for making hard-hitting and realistic cinema. While his film Chandni Bar dealt with the lives of bar-dancers, Corporate looked at the games people play in the world of business. Page 3 gave an interesting overview into the lives of the rich and famous while Traffic Signal exposed the lives of beggars and street urchins in a metro like Mumbai. Now, the director is ready with his latest film Fashion that gives us more than a sneak peek into the world of modeling and Fashion. The film slated to release this Diwali (Oct 29th) stars Priyanka Chopra, Kangna Ranaut and Mugdha Godse in lead roles. What is interesting is the fact that all the 3 leading ladies have been successful models at some point of their career, hence it surely must have been easy for them to play models on screen. Bollywood Buzz brings you a snapshot of the characters which Priyanka, Kangna, and Mugdha play in Fashion along with their experiences of shooting for this film. You simply don't wanna miss this one!!!

Priyanka Chopra as Meghna Mathur

Call it a coincidence or what, but just like in her real life, Priyanka plays a small town girl who comes to the big city with dreams in her eyes of making it big in the world of Fashion. Her character Meghna is someone whose strength, determination and feisty spirit takes her on a journey far from home. Meghna Mathur is an elusive combination of beauty and intelligence. She aspires to be a part of the fashion world. She knows that she has what it takes to become a supermodel and will pursue it to the fullest. She has an added advantage of an in-built self-esteem & a sense of morality and will not compromise on her dignity.

Speaking about her experience of working on Fashion, Priyanka says, "It was great working on the film. The experience was more like working for a fashion show than working for a film. The ramp walks, the costumes, the make-ups, the changes everything was so exciting, it just brought back old memories of my modeling days"

Kangna Ranaut as Shonali Gujral

Kangana Ranaut has also has done some modeling before she got her first big break with Bhatt's Gangster. That film went on to become a super-duper hit and since then there has been no looking back for this curly-haired actress. Kangna is now looking forward to her role in Fashion where she plays the character of Shonali Gujral

Shonali Gujral is the reigning model on the runway and an icon for Meghna to aspire and look up to. However, Shonali is also a victim of the choices she has made. She bears the consequences of a steep rise to fame and fortune without a resolute backbone especially when the weight gets unbearable. Shonali is the poster child for glamour and unfortunately, even for self-destruction. Famous, envied, lost and confused she is a prisoner in a world, which will lead to her ultimate downfall.

Kangna is known for her excellent acting skills and even in Fashion, we are sure to see her perform to the best of her capacity. Speaking on her experience working on Fashion, Kangna says, "Fashion is the most stylish film I have done till date. Though I have walked the ramp before, playing a model in Fashion was a completely different experience. I play a super model in the film. I got to wear some really good costumes and getting styled by Rita Dhody was amazing. I completely surrendered myself to her and I think I look very good in the film. It is my first film where I have donned so much of make up because in most of my previous films I was seen with minimal make up. I must say I really enjoyed playing Shonali Gujral in the film."

Mugdha Godse as Janet

Mugdha Godse may not be a well-known name in Bollywood but in the world of fashion, she is a name to reckon with. Having done numerous stage shows and commercials, this real-life super-model is now all set to make her mark in the big, bad world of films with Fashion. In fact it was during one of her fashion shows that she met director Madhur backstage, who immediately offered her the role of Janet in Fashion.

Janet is the tough talking girl with a heart of gold, who becomes Meghna's best friend. A model, who may not have reached the heights that someone like Shonali has reached, yet Janet remains carefree and lives life by her own terms with no demons or regrets. She seems like she has made a pact with life - 'You keep me alive and I'll walk around with a smile on my face.' But Janet has something which the others who survive like her don't: She has a heart. She values the importance of a family. And she knows that you can find love in the strangest of places.

Mugdha who is really banking on this film to kick-start her Bollywood career says, "My role in Fashion is like a tailor made character for me. I play Janet who is a true to life girl, someone who is carefree and lives life on her own terms. I thought that playing a model would be a cakewalk for me as I belong to the fashion industry but as we started shooting, I realized it was not that easy. Walking the ramp in fashion shows is quite different than walking the ramp for a film but working in the film was an amazing and a great learning experience."

With 3 stunningly good-looking actresses portraying such contrastingly different characters, Fashion looks like yet another quality product from Madhur Bhandarkar.

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Hot Muggs merchandise for Roadside Romeo

Hot Muggs, a stylised drinkware concept, has entered into an alliance with Yash Raj Films for producing licensed merchandise on Roadside Romeo. With about a dozen characters in Roadside Romeo, this is the first animated film with an India-U.S. co-production of Yash Raj Films and the Walt Disney Company, and is scheduled for release on October 24, 2008.

With the concept of film merchandising catching on in the Indian film industry, Hot Muggs has integrated a first time concept of incorporating cool one-liners from the movie like "Tension Not", "Stay Cool" and "I'm Good Na" on the mugs. These mugs will not only appeal to the movie lovers but also to a wider audience who emote with the appeal and positioning of the characters from the movie.

The merchandise has been designed, manufactured and marketed by Hot Muggs, and will be available at malls, bookstores, and concept shops in over 40 cities across the country. Cartoon characters-based merchandising market is expected to be in the region of Rs.300 crore. Hot Muggs plans to promote the merchandise through a multi-channel promotional campaign with emphasis on below-the-line activities and other promotional programs.

Mr.Rishi Jain, Managing Director - Hot Muggs, said, "The product class of Hot Muggs, the concept of entertainment, funkiness, adventure, adaptability has an ideal connect with Roadside Romeo. Characters such a Romeo - a small cute looking pet of a super rich human family, Laila - the hottest girl ever, Charlie Anna - the dreaded Don of the Slum, these characters lend themselves to being merchandised. We are upbeat about the fact that we not just offering a product or merchandise, but an object of desire that one would want to own."

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Prying cameras upset Amitabh

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan says that prying cameras disturbed the Karva Chauth, a festival that celebrates wedded bliss, at his house.

"The prying electronic media positioned themselves at vantage points to invade private space inside our home. It is callous, abhorrent act. Our privacy was invaded without our consent," Amitabh told IANS.

Karva Chauth was on Friday and Amitabh was discharged from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai the same day after being treated for six days for an abdominal condition. This was his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai's second Karva Chauth.

"Otherwise, the ladies of the house were happy and content. They involved themselves with all the rituals connected with the occasion and the evening went off delightfully well," he added.

On Aishwarya's first Karva Chauth too secret TV cameras planted behind bushes ruined the solemnity and sanctity of the occasion.

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Health trouble predicted for Shah Rukh

Renowned numerologist Sanjay B. Jumaani had predicted Amitabh Bachchan will have 'stomach trouble', and that too on his birthday.

Though unfortunate, Bachchan was hospitalised owing to stomach trouble on October 11, validating Sanjay's prediction which he had done two days prior.

After Big B, Sanjay has now predicted health trouble for Shah Rukh Khan.

"Shah Rukh is entering his 44th year and the addition of 4 + 4 amounts to number 8, which represents Saturn or Shani that can cause over anxiety, stress, blood pressure and diabetes.

“Again I am hoping I am wrong. I was, of course, very moved by Mr. Bachchan's plight and conveyed my concern to his family," says Sanjay Jumaani.

Well, only time will tell if SRK will go under the weather or sail through the not-so-favourable times ahead. We truly hope he does!

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'Ash is just a pretty face'

Ash just has a pretty face… but can she act too?

These comments on Aishwarya Rai have reportedly come from Russel Peters, a leading Canada-born stand-up comedian of Indian origin.

Peters says he dislikes everything about Bollywood and will not watch a Hindi film ever. He feels there is nothing except singing and dancing in these movies. Story is absolutely missing.

Speaking on Aishwarya Rai he says she is the best example of bad acting. In fact, she is one person who has proved that bad acting can do wonders and she has become a big name in the industry just by having a pretty face, Russel has said.

Russel Peters will be in India shortly and is scheduled to perform in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi in the last week of October.

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Preity Zinta: The most influential business woman

Preity Zinta along with her entire Mohali team is headed to Bangkok to address a media conference. ''I am looking forward to the conference. I want to be the driving force behind my team,'' she says.

Recently a foreign publication named Preity as the most influential business woman who owned an entire IPL team. But Preity says that things aren't easy just because she is a boss of a team.

''In fact it is the other way round,'' she says. ''As a boss I have to not only to remain in constant touch with my team but also pep them up time and again so that they do their best on the field.''
''Besides that,'' Priety says, ''I am the one who looks into all the details about meetings, conferences, chalking out agendas and also making it a point to be on the field. I take care of all the minute details. In that sense it is hard work––sheer hard work!''

Interestingly, Preity, the boss, prefers the no makeup look when on the field. ''I don't want to come across like a heroine in the cricket ground, ''she says laughing.

Obviously Preity Zinta the brand is stronger than Preity the heroine!

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Karisma - Kareena together for GOLMAAL RETURNS

If things go as planned, we might see Shahrukh Khan digging into the past and hunting for treasure in a film inspired from the famous Indiana Jones series from Hollywood.

Acclaimed director Santosh Sivan is set to make a fantasy film on the lines of Indiana Jones. Earlier, in an interview, he mentioned his desire to make an adventure-cum-fantasy film.

In the movie, we will see SRK in hunt of treasures a la Indiana Jones through mystic lands and jungles. According to a source, this film is going to be a big-budget movie with a touch of romance and comedy. Moreover, it might also star John Abraham .

The movie details are not yet out, but Sivan has clearly said about his interest to direct a fantasy film. Locales are yet to be finalized.

This is the second time Shahrukh would team up with Sivan after a long gap of seven years. Previously, they worked together in Asoka . Sources said that Shahrukh will start shooting once he has finished working for other projects.

In the meantime, Sivan’s movie Tahaan is releasing next week which boasts of a bunch of talented actors like Sarika Rahul Bose and newcomer Purab.

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The New Director of Bollywood

Rani Mukerji is currently working on a Yash Raj film with first-time director Anurag Singh. The yet untitled film is based around a cricket match and stars Shahid Kapoor. Recently, the cast and crew had a schedule in Amritsar where they shot major portions of the film.

Sources reveal that Rani is quite unhappy with the way the film is shaping. It is learnt that she's taken to directing major sequences herself. A source adds, "Anurag has been an assistant to Rakesh Roshan in the past on Koyla, Karan Arjun and other films. This is his first time directing big stars like Rani and Shahid."

Apparently, Rani isn't too happy with the way Anurag lights up the scenes and with his style of working.

Onlookers from the sets reveal she often walks to the monitor checking her scenes. If she isn't satisfied, then she directs the scene herself. "There have been a couple of instances when Anurag has okayed the take, but Rani has incorporated changes on her own. However, whenever she's happy with Anurag's takes, she goes and congratulates him."

It is clear that Rani doesn't want to take a risk with a newcomer and wants to make sure the project is a success for her.

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London holds reception to celebrate Farah Khan's career

Farah Khan's body of work continues to find global followers. Come 22nd October and The Mayfair Media Club, London, would be hosting a reception to celebrate her award winning career as a Film Director and Choreographer. The event would be held at The May Fair Hotel, London.

Confirms Farah Khan who is getting ready for travel, "They are holding a reception for me and I would also be interviewed on my life and work. They wish to speak to me about my love for Hindi cinema and also about my inspirations, role modes, favorite actors and directors I have worked with."

As per insiders, the event would also feature a wide variety of footage from the films that Farah has been involved in and would showcase her work as a choreographer on some of the most memorable Bollywood films and international productions including Vanity Fair, Monsoon Wedding, Bombay Dreams and Shakira music video.

This won't be all as the exclusive event would also hold a Farah Khan Masterclass on 'A Unique & Detailed Insider's Perspective on Bollywood' on 24th October.

"Here, I am required to present an in-depth Masterclass on working within the Indian film industry. From script development, producing and directing through to distribution, casting and choreography, this is required to be a thorough, comprehensive insight into the specific dynamics of Bollywood", adds Farah Khan.

This Masterclass, which promises to be a mix of presentations, screenings, discussions and an interactive Q&A session, would see Farah sharing tips on 'Bollywood and the Wider Indian Film Industry: Structures and Hierarchy', 'Breaking into & Surviving in Bollywood', 'Raising Finance & Producing', 'Casting & Directing', 'Choreography: The relationship between Lyrics and Image', 'Female Directors in India & beyond' and 'The future of Indian Cinema' amongst other topics.

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Big B goes home with Abhi-Ash

The Big B was discharged from Lilavati hospital, Mumbai, yesterday on the auspicious occasion of Karvachauth. He was admitted on his birthday after he complained of severe abdominal pain. His son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were there to take him back home. We caught the superstar on camera as he left the hospital. Take a look!

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Arjun Rampal, Farah Khan, Karisma Kapoor at the media meet of 'Nach Baliye 4'

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Akshay Kumar and Vijender Kumar at a special event organised by 'Make a Wish' foundation

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Antonio Banderas met Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra spent all of two hours with Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas and wife Melanie Griffith at the opening ceremony of the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF).

The couple was seen conversing very warmly with Priyanka. Apparently, Banderas even expressed a keen wish to work with the actress.

Confirms Priyanka, "What you've heard is right. I did spend come time chatting up with Antonio and his wife Melanie. We sat together at the opening. Antonio was extremely charming. He was familiar with the Bollywood film industry and the financial leaps it has made in recent years." Banderas even spoke to Priyanka of a possible tie-up.

So is Priyanka finally going international? "The language doesn't matter. It could be Hindi, English or Punjabi it's all the same to me."

Fashion was supposed to premiere at the MEIFF. "And that's how I found myself there. Fashion was supposed to be shown at the opening night of the Middle East Film Festival. But the post-production wasn't done. They still invited me. I was very happy to represent Bollywood. I was in Abu Dhabi for just half a day.

I went in the afternoon and returned to India late night, to Delhi for another event next morning. There's too much going in my life: the dubbing of Fashion, the promotion of Fashion and Dostana and my new film What's Your Raashee? is starting."

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Ants in Aamir Khan's pants!

It's been over a month since Aamir Khan blogged. The busy actor has had no time, of late, due to his Ghajini post production and canvassing for the Oscar nomination for Taare Zameen Par. But at 6.50 am yesterday, he was compelled to blog - all because he had ants in his pants!

Unbelievable that a B-Town star would be afflicted with this agony and that too at his own home!

He writes, "A few days ago, I had a very bad night. I had this vague feeling of being bitten. Gradually, I was being bitten on my stomach, legs and neck. I was so sleepy that I just kept scratching, turning and tossing. Finally, it got unbearable, and I woke up - to see my bed filled with ants. There were hundreds of them crawling all over! I had to jump under the shower and then went and crashed on my couch. Can't figure out for the life of me how they got there and why? I guess they found something really sweet on that bed, and since K (that's how he refers to his wife Kiran Rao) was out on a night shoot (for her directorial debut Dhobi Ghat starring Prateik Babbar), I am assuming it was me! Isn't it amazing how ants find their way to the unlikeliest of places? Maybe I should dig a moat round my bed."

We suggest you call the pest control ASAP! Before The Ant Bully comes your way… recall this 2006 Hollywood flick? The battle for the bed has begun!

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Imran Isn't shying away from the adult content of Delhi Belly

Ranbir Kapoor had opted out of Delhi Belly with a squirm, protesting to producer Aamir Khan that he wouldn't be able to watch the film at the premiere with his parents.

But Imran's cool with the sexual content of his mamu's film, "I'd have no problem watching it with my mom or girlfriend. I have a cool rapport with my mom."

Imran has been attending workshops for Delhi Belly. "We started shooting from October 4. Delhi Belly is in English, so it's inherently limited in appeal." Imran has lost weight for this role, "I needed to lose that muscular look. So I've stopped gymming completely. I'm not exercising at all. And I'm eating as much as I want because I'm not prone to fat at all. For Kidnap and Luck, I needed a bulkier body."

He continues, "I played a daredevil and had to jump off the 20th floor. I insisted on doing it myself although the body double was present. I got a shouting afterwards from my mom, girlfriend and Sanjay Dutt. In fact, Baba phoned Aamir to complain. That's how Aamir got to know about it.

Having jumped from that height, I've lost fear of stunts. My next action film will have to be really big. I grew up being thrilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. I had decided that if I were offered those kinds of stunts, I'd do them on my own."

After Aamir heard that Imran had performed a dangerous stunt for Kidnap, Aamir called Imran home and gave him a dressing-down.

Says Imran, "He said, 'You have to be more responsible towards yourself and your family.' He's right but I don't know if I can listen to him in this case."

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Nach Baliye On Air

Jet Airways' Boeing 777-300ER snakes along to the runway and takes flight. The airline has tied up with dance reality show, Star's Nach Baliye: Season 4 to offer an experience (with a twist; much like the promos are screaming).

At around 35000 feet, the seatbelts come off and an announcer informs the waiting mediapersons that a walkthrough and photo-ops with the 12 jodis and the three judges will follow. Well, truth be told, only 10 jodis (excuses, excuses) turn up. The MIA jodis (Vineet Raina and Tanushree, Abhijeet and Shilpa Sawant) were supposedly busy working or had prior commitments. Well, if you buy that spin...

Karnvir Bohra (accompanied by Teejay Sidhu) has a confident swagger in his step and a digicam that flashes right back at the surprised and much amused photogs. Another sporting couple that makes the most of their poses were Jaspal and Savita Bhatti who strike a Balle Balle pose as they sashay around. The others seem like they were there simply to get the job done.

Next, troop in the judges. First up, is Karisma Kapoor in a stylish black number. The actress seems out of sorts, though and appears to be quite distant. Next, trots up the affable Farah Khan, who plays to the gallery with lines like, "I've been told that there are only three parachutes on this plane and they're only for the judges."

Arjun brings up the rear in a white tee, and a sports jacket and obliges the ladies (for pictures). He asks, "Lekin yeh flight jaa kahaan rahi hai?" Of course, that's a rhetorical question. He already knows the answer to that.

As do we. We take a U-Turn (as indicated by the GPS) and descend to aamchi Mumbai's terra firma soon enough.

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Amitabh Bachchan discharged from the hospital

After quite a traumatic last week, the Bachchan parivaar finally had some respite as Amitabh Bachchan was discharged from Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital yesterday (Fri- Oct 17th) morning. The veteran actor was accompanied by his wife Jaya, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya.

What was quite amusing was the fact that a few hours after reaching home, Big B even posted an entry on his by now famous blog where he thanked his fans and well-wishers for their love and support. He also said that he is going to be resting and recuperating for a while now.

The Bachchan bahu, Aishwarya Rai must be doubly happy, as even her father Krishnaraj Rai who was admitted at Hinduja hospital was discharged yesterday.

We at Bollywood Buzz wish Amitabh Bachchan a speedy recovery as everyone is waiting to see him back in action. Get well soon!!!

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Minissha sizzles in a saree on the cover page of Seventeen

Over the last couple of months, Minissha Lamba has been all over the place. First it was her sweet girl-next-door act in Yash Raj Films' Bachna Ae Haseeno where she was paired opposite Ranbir Kapoor. And then just as everyone thought she could only play the sweet, innocent kind of roles, she surprised one and all by shedding some weight and clothes and sizzled in a white bikini in Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap.

Post Kidnap, everyone has been talking about Minissha's image make-over and the actress who was once only considered 'CUTE' is now being termed 'HOT'. Minissha features on the cover of fashion & style magazine 'Seventeen' in the October issue and even though she is seen donning a pink saree with golden yellow polka dots, she certainly has set the temperatures soaring.

In this must have issue, Minissha talks about her experience of romancing some of the hottest guys in Bollywood, shares some of her high-school days' memorie

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"I am sure Bhansali would cut down his price to work with me" - Akshay Kumar

On the big screen, Akshay Kumar and Sajid Khan came together in Heyy Babyy. Now a year later, they return with 'Sajid's Superstars' where Sajid chats up with Akshay Kumar.

- Getting candid, Akshay Kumar talks about his early days as a waiter in Bangkok and as a struggling model/actor. He mentions an incident, which has left a huge impression in his life. When he had just started off as an aspiring model, he got a furious lashing from a modeling coordinator. Apparently, he was signed for a few thousand, a princely amount for him at that time, and he was so happy that he was already in a celebration mode. Suddenly, he got a call and the person from the other side of the phone was quite rude. Reason? Akshay was quite late. He was surprised though since he was supposed to be at the venue at 6 PM. This is when he realized to his horror that the committed time was in fact 6 AM!

- He lost the assignment and was truly dejected. He thought that his career was in doldrums and this is when a man (now his make-up dada) spotted him and referred him to filmmaker Pramod Chakravorty. The veteran producer-director took an instant liking for him and signed him there and then for a film as a lead hero. His signing amount? The same as promised by the modeling agency. The time at which he was signed? 6 PM!!! Filmy, very filmy!

- Sajid Khan mentions an interesting anecdote about Akshay's earlier days when he had just started off as an actor. None of his films had released by then but he was already working on 6-7 films. This is when Sajid had invited Akshay to be a part of an inter-college dance show as a judge. Footage of this real life event is shown exclusively on 'Sajid Superstars'!

- Akshay Kumar shows a different facet of himself as he sings a song. However, surprise factor here is that he does so in Swahili language. Apparently, he learnt the language when he was in Bangkok!

- To spice things further up, Sajid brings up the incident, which happened around a year back on the sets of Welcome. As reports had come in then, Akshay Kumar had allegedly slapped Nana Patekar during filming of a dance sequence. Akshay Kumar reveals what had really happened!

- Akshay Kumar was in a tit-for-tat mode during the entire conversation as he faced quite a few bouncers and answered them tactfully. Sample these!

- Karan Johar - 'Amongst your last six films, which is the one that you feel should have flopped? Akshay - Kabhi Alvidaa Naa Kehna. Why did Akshay mention KANK when he hadn't even acted in it? Find it out?

- Riteish Deshmukh - 'Aren't you bored of your hits?' Akshay - 'I am surprised that you are saying that. Isn't Heyy Babyy your biggest hit till date?'

- Anil Kapoor - 'Would you cut down your price for a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film?' Akshay - 'I am sure he would cut down his price to work with me'

- Malaika Arora Khan - 'If Twinkle Khanna were to host a chat show, would you still charge for it?' Akshay - 'My money is her money and her money is my money. Our money is our children's money and I handle my children's bank account'! So, there you go!

- Dia Mirza - 'You and Shah Rukh Khan dance at weddings and charge for it. Is there anyone for whom you would not charge money?' Akshay - 'You, because by that time I would have cut a deal with your husband'!

- No wonder, with majority of questions being centered on money, Akshay cried out loud that why was his bank balance being the center of attraction. He did refute reports though that he is paid 50/60/70 crores as written by some sections of media. The news may have never failed to shake up the industry but Akshay truly denied by stating - 'I don't charge that kind of money'!

- However, Vidya Balan's question still remained to be on the similar lines. She asked - 'What is your real price? And in case it is indeed around 50 crores, can you give me 10% of that?' Akshay - 'I will give you entire 100%, provided....' What did Akshay say in the end? What is his condition?

To know about this and a lot more, tune in to 'Sajid's Superstars' at 2000 hrs IST, Saturday on the newly launched channel COLORS!

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Fashion to arrive with 700 prints

Fashion is turning out to be the biggest film ever, for Madhur Bhandarkar. Not just, it is the costliest; it is now also seeing the biggest release ever of the National Award winning filmmaker.

With Bhandarkar as the film's co-producer, Fashion is heating up well in the market and is seeing good demand amongst the exhibitors. Diwali being the festive season, the film is being pitched in a big way across the globe, notwithstanding competition from Golmaal Returns and EMI, both of which release on the same day i.e. October 29th. No wonder, the film is arriving at 700 prints across globe.

Confirms Madhur Bhandarkar who is working 24X7 to meet October 29 deadline, "Fashion is turning out to be a big film in all ways. Feedback has been unprecedented and the success of the film's music has further enhanced it's visibility. We all are super charged about the prospects of Fashion and are bringing it at 700 prints which includes India as well as Overseas count."

Golmaal Returns is releasing along side Fashion; does it worry him? "Fashion has its own audience and two films coming on Diwali is nothing new," says Madhur who promises that Fashion would yet again get into the 'expose' mode.

There have been talks that Ram Gopal Varma expects a lot from Madhur's Fashion. "It's nice of him to think that way", Madhur comments, "We both met recently and he told me that he is looking forward to Fashion. Everyone has quite a lot of expectations from Fashion but I am confident that the product has turned out to be good. Each of the actors has done quite well and I am sure audience's expectations would be met."

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B.O. update: 'Karzzzz' opens to mixed response

The sole release of the week, KARZZZZ, has opened to mixed houses. The opening was best in U.P. and parts of Rajasthan. Single screens, in several circuits, were also good. However, the multiplexes sported a different picture completely. The opening at plexes was below par almost everywhere, taking the trade by complete surprise. In fact, the trade was unanimous that the opening would be huge, but that wasn't the case at all. Too many prints and too many shows are being attributed to the below the mark occupancy. Will things improve on Saturday and Sunday? Let's wait-n-watch!

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Celebs at the relaunch of Poison

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Shilpa and Shamita Shetty at book launch on Oneness University at the BSE

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Amisha Patel at the launch of 'Nailspa'

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Priyanka Chopra at the launch of 'White Ribbon Initiative'

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SRK rides Knight Riders wave

Industry sources say, Khan’s popularity has soared after his association with Kolkata Knight Riders, with many Kolkata-based brands looking beyond Sourav Ganguly, tagged ‘maharaja’ of Bengal, and pursuing the ‘baadshah’ Khan’s endorsements instead.

Shahrukh Khan has emerged a brand that is selling not only through Bollywood movies but also through new endorsements.

Industry sources say, Khan’s popularity has soared after his association with Kolkata Knight Riders, with many Kolkata-based brands looking beyond Sourav Ganguly, tagged ‘maharaja’ of Bengal, and pursuing the ‘baadshah’ Khan’s endorsements instead.

Moreover, Shahrukh Khan, who gave two hit movies in the year - Om Shanti Om and Chak De India - reportedly earned more from the advertisements and endorsements.

Khan’s most recent endorsement after Indian Premier League (IPL) was with Linc Pen, one of the largest players in the branded pen industry, which appointed Shahrukh Khan as its brand ambassador.

This is also the first time that Linc Pen has opted for a celebrity brand ambassador to endorse its products.

According to Deepak Jalan, Managing Director, Linc Pen, “Shahrukh Khan is someone who personifies style, entertainment and popularity and these values resonate perfectly with our brand attributes. Moreover, Shahrukh cuts across age groups and demographics and appeals to a universal audience just like our products and was therefore a natural fit for the brand.”

In hand phones, Shahrukh Khan endorses Nokia.

According to Nokia India managing director D Shivakumar, “We are planning to bundle exclusive content featuring our brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan for handsets sold in India.”

Nokia recently bundled the full length ‘Om Shanti Om’ movie in Nokia N96. It will look at bundling video clips and music of Shah Rukh Khan movies in the handsets.

Shahrukh Khan, on his part, would extend collaboration with Nokia for such possibilities through his production house Red Chillies Entertainment.

Khan also has Kolkata-based Emami to add to his long list of endorsements.

Khan is reportedly paid Rs 5 crore every year for his association with Emami.

Emami is known for having the maximum number of celebrity endorsers including Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Sunny Deol, cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and also Amitabh Bachchan.

Shahrukh’s ad campaigns for Emami include ads for Chyawanprash and few other herbal healthcare products of Emami. The Kolkata-based Emami gets more than half of its revenues from their personal healthcare range.

Emami’s prime catch, however, has been Amitabh Bachchan, who is its umbrella brand ambassador, though he was signed on for Emami Fast Relief and Emami Navrattan Oil. Bachchan reportedly is paid a remuneration of Rs 10 crore - Rs 12 crore per annum, for this endorsement.

This year, Shahrukh Khan, who gave two hit movies in the year - Om Shanti Om and Chak De India - reportedly earned more from the advertisements and endorsements.

Also, Shahrukh Khan gets Rs 1 crore for being present in a function arranged in India.

Shahrukh Khan currently endorses more than 30 brands, including Pepsi, Hyundai, Airtel, Videocon, Sun Feast, Tag Heuer, Dish TV and Mayur Suitings.

According to TAM Media Research, Shahrukh has logged 4.25 million TV seconds in 2007 and has endorsed 39 brands. He was followed closely by Amitabh Bachchan, who logged 3.16 million seconds, having endorsed 36 brands.

However in 2008, Aamir Khan has been the highest paid star-endorser having bagged a fee between Rs 12-Rs 15 crore per annum for his last three commercials, including Tata Sky, Samsung Mobiles and Parle Monaco biscuits. Khan’s competition?

Till a year ago, the gap between Shahrukh Khan, the No 1 player in Bollywood, and Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan was big.

However, now, Akshay is the highest-paid actor currently getting Rs 17 crore for a film, and Aamir having produced two super hits in Taare Zameen Par and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na which have grossed Rs 220 crore, has pushed up Aamir Khan’s market value in sync with Shahrukh Khan.

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Lolo, Bebo together!

Karisma and Kareena Kapoor will finally share screen space together on TV. The siblings will feature together in an episode of Nach Baliye 4. The Star reality show has Lolo as the judge while Bebo will be the celebrity guest.

The sisters have yet to feature in a film together. On Tuesday, Golmaal Returns producers (Ashtavinayak) pencilled her in to promote the film, on the reality show. She will be the only star from the cast who will be present. Considering that it is a dance-based show, the Kapoor girls will also shake a leg together.

The shoot will happen on October 20 and the episode is slated to air on October 24.

It is learnt that when Bebo was informed about the plan, she was thrilled and agreed without even a moment's hesitation. As all eyes will be on the twosome, they are looking forward to make it a memorable experience for them, the participants as well as the audience.

Says Kareena, "It is a reputed show and Lolo is there, so I'm really excited about being on it. Golmaal Returns is very close to my heart. It's crazy and I had a blast shooting for it. I'm sure the audience will have one watching it too."

Along with Karisma, Farah Khan and Arjun Rampal are also on the panel of judges that has telly couples gyrating to B-Town tracks for the coveted title.

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Shahid Kapoor's incredible chemistry with kids in 'Paathshala'

A man of few words, Shahid Kapoor is all set to don a new role, of a teacher, in Ahmed Khan's Paathshala. Shahid must have been a master of dance but now he has to prove his expertise in Music and English in the film.

Paathshala, as the name suggests, revolves around kids, and is set in a school campus. The film also has actors like Nana Patekar and Ayesha Takia playing key characters along with a bunch of renowned child artistes. The picture above displays Shahid grooving with the kids to the beats of a song. And we must add, he surely has an amazing chemistry with the kids.

Shahid has managed to touch everyone's heart recently with his performances in Jab We Met and Kismat Konnection. Now, it only remains to be seen if he can strike the emotional chord of the audiences, yet again, with Paathshala.

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Deepika Padukone's favourite designer is Manish Malhotra

Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone, who is in New Delhi to walk the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) ramp for designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil, says she does not follow any fashion trends.

"I believe in being comfortable in what I wear instead of wearing something in fashion that does not suit my body. I don't follow fashion trends," said Deepika.

Deepika says her favourite designer is Manish Malhotra, who is popular with most Bollywood icons.

"Manish always goes out of his way for me and does a good job. He also did my first film 'Om Shanti Om'," she said.

On Thursday, the actress was dressed in a one-shoulder, short salmon coloured dress designed by Shantanu-Nikhil, who are showcasing their collection at the WIFW as part of the sponsor show for personal care brand Fiama Di Wills.

"I am really looking forward to be a part of the show," Deepika said.

Deepika attended an event here to announce the winner of a Fiama Di Wills Beautiful Face 2008 Hunt, organised in collaboration with the Elite Modelling Agency.

Delhi-based Prerana Sharma was crowned winner of the event by the actress.

Deepika said: "During my days of modelling, I never got any such opportunity or platform to showcase my talent. But god has been kind to me."

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Priyanka Chopra on Indian Idol 4

If the auditions of Indian Idol 4 on air had its share of fun, laughter and tears… now get ready for a spate of emotions and rush in the adrenaline as contestants gear up for the fiery test.

This Friday, October 17, will see the top 15 girls perform.

Flagging off the first episode of the Indian Idol 4 - Piano Round will be none other than the glamour girl and star of Madhur Bhandarkar's “Fashion” – Priyanka Chopra.

While Priyanka's presence will boost the confidence of the pretty little ladies, past “Indian Idol” winners will also be present to boost the morale of the girls.

Abhijeet Sawant, Sandeep Acharya and Prashant Tamang will be there to support and cheer the girl's brigade.

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Mallika won't have any dialogues in 'Hisss'

Mallika Sherawat has often played the blabber-mouthed girl-next- door roles. However in her forthcoming film, Jennifer Lynch's Hisss, she won't have any dialogues. Mallika who plays a snake woman, will express her emotions and feelings through body language and expressions.

Confirming this, director Jennifer Lynch says, "Mallika is a snake so how is she expected to talk? She doesn't know the human language. The world of words and sentences is unknown to her. As a snake, she has other senses with which she communicates.

Even when she transforms from her snake from to the human one, she doesn't speak. Mallika kind of freaked out when she was told that she had no lines. As an actress, she is used to convey her emotions and expressions through dialogues."

A source reveals that this is Mallika's most challenging role to date. "It's not just mentally exhausting but also physically. She has to forget that she's human when she takes the snake form. Her body movements and expressions change. Her make-up takes about five hours to be put on and she has to wear contact lenses which resemble a snakes eyes all day, which is quite a painful ordeal."

When asked how Mallika is coping with these requirements, Jennifer says, "She is a sport and is doing everything possible in her capacity to make this role her best. She realises it's a big challenge but is fully determined to go all out to bring it alive on screen."

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Big B SMS joke creates havoc, People thought Bachchan was dead!

An SMS, which was meant to be a joke, though a rather tasteless one, created havoc.

A message sent by a socialite from Mumbai to over 2500 people which included media, ministers, celebrities and others at around 2.30am on Tuesday morning put everyone in a state of shock.

As a result of this message was TV channels took no time to reach the hospital with their OB vans and many reporters too turned up to cover this breaking news.

They, in fact, did not read the complete message and were fooled by the joke.

The message was…

‘Amitabh Bachchan has just passed away…
His ... U pass yours and relax’

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Amitabh Bachchan improving

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan's health continues to improve and he has been put on a liquid diet on the fifth day of his hospitalisation following complains of abdominal pain, a spokesperson for Lilavati Hospital said in Mumbai on Wednesday.

"Amitabh Bachchan continues to improve in health. He is on a liquid diet. While the doctors are definitely happy with his constant progress, they are not ready to comment on when he is going to be discharged," said Lilavati Hospital spokesperson Mohan Rajan in a statement.

"The media has been requested to do factual and responsible reporting and not indulge in any speculation whatsoever," Rajan added.

Bachchan was rushed to the Nanavati Hospital, Vile Parle, a northwest suburb Saturday afternoon following complaints of abdominal pain and breathlessness. Later he was shifted to Lilavati hospital. He was celebrating his 66th birthday at his bungalow Pratiksha in Juhu.

Apart from his wife Jaya, daughter Shweta Nanda, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai are present at the hospital.

Bachchan is now talking to his family members, all of whom are with him.

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Priyanka walks the red carpet at the Middle East International Film Festival

2008 seems to be quite an eventful year for Priyanka Chopra. After having four of her films hit the silver screen this year, the actress is now looking forward to two big films- namely Fashion and Dostana.

However, it's not just her film assignments which are keeping Piggy Chops busy. Priyanka recently made her presence felt at the ongoing Middle East International Film Festival in Dubai. The event which kickstarted on Oct 10th continues to go on till Oct 19th at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Dubai.

More than 130 films from 35 countries will be screened at the second edition of the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH).

Around 70 movies including feature and short films and documentaries will compete for the Black Pearl Awards with prizes totaling more than $1.5 million (Dh 5.5 million), which according to organizers is the world's largest purse for film awards.

Priyanka, who walked the red carpet in a bright red dress coupled with a stunning necklace during the opening day of the festival, surely had a memorable time as she got a chance to meet some big names of Hollywood such as Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith.

Must say Priyanka is certainly making her presence felt not just in Bollywood but world over.

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Hrithik says yes to Sanjay Bhansali

If all goes well, we will get to see Hrithik Roshan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next.It is said that Bhansali, who had deperately been trying to get the Jodhaa Akbar star in his film, flew to the United States to narrate the script to him. Hrithik, who had earlier rejected many of Bhansali's scripts, has finally given the nod to the Saanwariya director.

Our source reveals that the yet-untitled project will go on floors next year and according to rumours, will also star Bollywood's latest sensation Deepika Padukone.

Our source further says, "The two had been in talks for a long time, but Hrithik is very choosy about his projects. Satisfied with the latest script narration, the superstar has finally said yes to Bhansali".

Both Hrithik and Bhansali remained unavailable for comments.

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Deepika not to take a break for Diwali

Deepika Padukone has a very tight schedule and will not be getting any break for Diwali this year. She is shooting for Saif's home production directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Confirming the news Deepika said she will be shooting in Delhi and thus will not be able to celebrate Diwali with the family.

Last year, too, Deepika was busy with the release of her debut film “Om Shanti Om”, which kept her away from home during Diwali. But her parents and her sister had come down to Mumbai to visit her.

After shooting in Delhi, she will be back in Mumbai to shoot a promotional video for “Chandni Chowk to China” with Akshay Kumar.

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"I believe that all the religions are basically the same" - Salman Khan

Now you really need to be lucky to have a sunny day with 18 degrees in London in the month of mid October. Or should I simply say that Vipul Shah is too lucky? It's 1 pm in London and I get ready to visit Ajay Devgan and Salman Khan on the sets of London Dreams. I was given the deadline of 2pm but then there was no need to rush as both were going to be on the set one hour late. Bollywood timings you know? But the result was the opposite. Being stuck in the Underground train due to a signal failure, I reached the beautiful London Bridge location 20 minutes late. Ajay and Salman were seated in their tent with a couple of electronic guitars. Their co-star, MTV VJ Rannvijay walks in. Vipul is behind the camera as usual almost ready for the song sequence with extras getting their steps right. In walks the gorgeous Asin. Both Salman and Asin arm in arm get the shot right in three takes. Sallubhai walks in the tent again where I was chatting with Ajay. I ask Salman if he could give me an exclusive on Heroes. To my surprise, he grabs my hand and takes me on one side and says, "Lets do this dude". We sit on a flat concrete seating and just as I was about to take out my dictating machine, Salman says, "The Hero is here, start recording".

Hello Hero!
(Laughs) Nice way to start huh! But the ultimate hero is not me but Sohail Khan. Watch out for him.

Sohail has done really well for himself, hasn't he?
Yes. When Sohail did Maine Dil Tujhko Diya, he was appreciated in the film but the film didn't do really well. So somewhere down the line he got a bit demoralized. He was doing well as a director and with his production company. At that point of time he wanted to do action but the fact was that he was good at comedy. He is one of the few people who can do justice to action and comedy. But as a family we thought that he should concentrate on comic roles. That's when Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, God Tussi Great Ho, Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, Hello and now Heroes happened.

Your absence was really missed at the premiere of your recently released Hello.
You're right. I truly missed the premiere. But I was here in London shooting for London Dreams. Also because the whole family was present at the premiere and it's the first time I've stayed away from my family on Id.

As you must be aware by now that Mr. Bachchan is in the hospital. Anything you'd like to convey to him or his well wishers through this interview?
Yeah of course. He is one of the senior most and talented actors we have in our industry today. It affects the industry big time. We all are worried for him. Abhishek is too close to Mr. Bachchan and vice versa. So we are confident that he will be fine and don't forget that Mr. Bachchan is a fighter and will come out as a winner. But something like this to happen on his birthday is quite depressing.

Is Heroes a tribute to the Indian jawans in a way?
Heroes isn't about the Indian jawans or the Indian soldiers or against Pakistan. It's about two guys who just want to have fun in life and then they get an exercise to find out whether joining the army is important or not. The jawans in Heroes played by Sunny, Bobby, Dino and myself can be Pakistani, American, Chinese or Japanese but you will find such guys anywhere. Infact, there is one of my dialogues in the film saying, "Yeh jung kab khatam hogi?" and my co-star replies, "Yeh jung thodi hain. Jung to tab hoti thi jab raja maharaja khud aage aate the ladne ke liye. Jis din woh neta jo yeh treaty sign karte hain, woh ladenge, tab yeh jung khatam hogi". It's a very meaningful film.

you were wearing a turban. Very touching I should say?
Yeah, that's true. That's the reason I am trying to quit smoking. I normally don't talk about smoking and I try not to smoke whenever possible.

Well, it means that you not only respect your country here in Heroes but also other cultures.
If you're going to respect somebody's religion and somebody's culture, I think they're going to respect your culture and your religion. I believe that all the religions are basically the same. They preach and teach the same things. It's just that they have different ways of doing it. But I don't understand this Hindu - Muslim rifts sometimes. Tell me one Hindu man or a girl who does not have a Muslim friend or the vice versa. This is just a card that the politicians play and some people do this for money too.

Do you think Vatsal Seth has a long and a bright future ahead of him?
He is the cute 'Tarzan' Boy. He is an adorable kid. Even though he is around 26 or 27, he looks 15 to 16 year old. He is training hard and trying to put on a bit of weight. And once he gets that, he will be an even better looking boy, not that he is not now. You know, those lover boy roles which Kumar Gaurav, Aamir Khan and I've done in the past don't work now. It's time for a change, a drastic change. Vatsal will have to change his image if he wants to survive in the industry. With this film, he will do justice to his role just as Riteish, Aftab and Arshad have done in their films. Two hero projects are good for him right now. I think he has already signed three to four films.

From a serious conversation to something not that serious - Preity Zinta. Let's talk about her.
(Laughs) She is a serious actress but sometimes she is a complete brat. Can you believe it; she went to some acting classes to learn the Punjabi accent. So when she came and started talking in Punjabi, I was shocked. It was too good. I've worked with Preity in more than five films now. So we jell along well and have a good rapport.

Is it true that Heroes has nothing to do with war on the battle field?
Yes. Heroes has nothing to do with war, fights and violence. It has nothing in it. Sohail and Vatsal have to deliver three letters to the parents of the three shaheed jawans. Heroes is not a Gadar or a Border or Maa Tujhe Salaam. When you see this film, you'll come to know that it is a very entertaining film with an important message.

You play one of the jawans in Heroes. How did you make your character look rough and tough?
First of all, I did not put a fake beard. I wanted to grow my own beard and make it look very authentic. Then again, we are actors and we have to act. There is no way out. It's more about the convincing nature of the character you play. So even if I was thin, I can look tough. In addition, the postproduction, action coordinators, fight sequences, etc also helps build a tough guy. It is not physically possible to do the kind of stuff what Khalli or the Rock can do (laughs).

Brief us the experience of the 'Mannata' song with Preity. It's soothing to the ears.
Yes it is. Actually we were not getting the right lyrics for the song. I did hear the same song from Sajid - Wajid in Hindi and advised them to change it into Punjabi. So they had to re-work on the lyrics. 'Mannata' is an outstanding song and I love it. We shot the song in the fields of Punjab and it was fun. I can still remember the smell of the fresh fields and the sand.

Have you seen Heroes?
Yeah. I've seen the trial of the film and the rushes too. Heroes got tears in my eyes about six to seven times while watching it. That's the maximum I've cried while watching any film. Samir Karnik has done an outstanding job with Heroes. He is the true Hero. The film is also very well shot.

Both Nanhe Jaislamer and his debut film Kyun, Ho Gaya Na were not successful at the box office. Then why did you say Yes to Heroes?
First of all, I told Samir not to make Nanhe Jaisalmer but he wanted to do it. He did approach me for Nanhe Jaisalmer but I said No to it. Then he comes up with Heroes, to which I immediately said Yes. I think this film is going to be a sure shot hit. I mean, I will be surprised if Heroes did not do well. Plus Eros International is doing the marketing. I mean, their last Samir Karnik film did not work. So I hope they do justice to Heroes (laughs).

Your manager Vikas Kapoor has now turned producer with Heroes. He has formed his company Future Picture Productions along with Samir Karnik. You happy for him?
Of course yes. He is my manager and quite efficient with his work. He used to handle production side of things and then turned manager. But after sometime, you need to move on in life, which he did. He then started to handle Sohail Khan's work as a production manager. Then the title of executive producer was tagged on him and now he is the producer. Vikas has always gone a step further in his career and I'm very happy for him.

Hows the mid October sunny weather doing for you Salman?
(Laughs) I hope it stays like this for a few months till I am here. I am here till October 24. It is pretty strange because even when I was shooting for Salaam-E-Ishq it was summer time and it was cold. I don't know what is happening to our planet man! But a sunny season in October and people around me taking sun bath is a strange sight especially in London. Everything is becoming too unpredictable.

How much of Salman Khan off screen represents Balkar Singh of Heroes?
Every character I play or I've played is somewhere close to me. There is some personality in me, which has to have this resemblance. If I don't have that spark of the character, I cannot play it. I choose those roles which I think I can comfortably do it. My onscreen roles bring out some kind of Salman Khan, which is off-screen. Balkar Singh is tough, patriotic, loving and a good guy. I too am a good guy and not a bad one as many people think I am.

Where do you want the premiere of Heroes to take place?
I'm here till the October 24 and then going to Mumbai. Vikas and Samir are in Dubai on the October 22. So if they come here and do a special screening, nothing like it. I'd love Heroes to premiere in London on the October 23.

Why not go shopping during Diwali, why watch Heroes instead?
Wrong question dude! That's too brave of you to say that. But I would disagree with you. There are lots of reasons to go and watch a movie - 'Kya kar rahe ho aaj? Chalo picture dekhte hain', 'do ghante ki film hain, chal dekh kar aate hain', 'maine is film ke baare mein kaafi accha suna hain'. The publicity, the word of mouth, your favourite hero is in the film, it's a good story, etc. I think Heroes would be a combination of just about everything. Plus, there is no 'chechorapan' in the film at all. It's a meaningful film and it doesn't bore you. It's a fun film.

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Karisma Kapoor, Farah Khan and Arjun Rampal at the launch episode of Nach Baliye

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Aamir Khan launches Tata Sky's latest offering this festive season

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It was difficult to play half man-half woman

Seasoned actor Aamir Khan, known for portraying versatile characters in films, says playing half male and half female (pictured left) in an ad was one of the most difficult tasks he had ever done.

"It was one of the most difficult tasks to play a male as well as a female in the TataSky ad. But it was a challenge for me and I accepted it. I am very happy with the output," said Aamir who is the brand ambassador of TataSky.

Aamir was speaking at the announcement of TataSky's new interactive feature TataSky + in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Aamir refused to divulge any details about the next ad for TataSky, saying: "You will get to see it whenever it comes. But it will be an interesting one."

On being asked about his favourite programmes on television, Aamir said he prefers to watch various sitcoms, news and documentaries.

"I also watch History Channel because it is very informative. Besides, I also like 'Takashi's Castle' because it is my daughter's favourite. We really enjoy that programme and the hilarious commentaries by Javed Jaffrey."

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Amitabh shows 'definite' improvement

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who was admitted to hospital after he complained of abdominal pain, is showing "definite" improvement, said a spokesperson for Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, on Tuesday.

The medical team attending on Bachchan is pleased with his progress over the past four days. Amitabh was taken to hospital Saturday when he was celebrating his 66th birthday at his bungalow Pratiksha in Juhu.

"Bachchan is definitely improving and doctors are happy with his recovery. Any other news is rumour," said Lilavati Hospital spokesperson Mohan Rajan in a press statement.

"Bachchan is also able to converse with his family members, all of whom are with him constantly," he added.

The Big B has expressed his gratitude and said that he felt "most humbled" by the prayers and good wishes of his fans and well-wishers. However, there was no indication when Bachchan is likely to be discharged from the hospital.

Apart from his wife Jaya, daughter Shweta Nanda, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai are present at the hospital.

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Kareena charged up about Golmaal Returns

Kareena Kapoor is surely going down the Aamir Khan route by taking a personal interest in the well-being and promotion of her next film. She wants to ensure that “Golmaal Returns” does not fall short of creating the magic it promises at the box office this Diwali.

According to industry sources, even while shooting for “Kambakth Ishq” in Venice with Akshay Kumar, Kareena was in regular touch with the film's producers about the promotion of “Golmaal Returns”, which, in her opinion, is an out-and-out commercial family entertainer.

In fact, Kareena was very keen to have Pritam (her “Jab We Met” music director) compose the score of “Golmaal Returns”, which she voiced to the producers at the outset. She even took a big interest in listening to the songs after their recording and voicing her opinion.

The result was a chartbusting soundtrack, including her “Tu Saala Kaam Se Gaya” number, which has become an overnight hit.

Upon her return to Mumbai from Venice on the October 15, Kareena is said to have made herself available for the publicity of “Golmaal Returns”, which hits the cinemas on October 30.

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Khiladi Returns!

Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, which completed its first season on Colors will be back on TV screens for its second season. Akshay Kumar, who had a successful stint as a TV show host, returns.

Sources reveal that Akshay has agreed to reprise his role as the host of the action-adventured-based reality show. While the first season was 13 weeks long, the second is rumoured to be longer. A source reveals, "Fear Factor was a huge success for the channel. And they were thrilled with their choice of the host.

The connect was perfect as Akki is an action-junkie. And he was professionalism personified. A natural in front of the camera, the actor went that extra mile and was also involved in the creative aspects of the show as well."

When the production house approached him with the proposal of returning as the host, Akshay readily agreed. "Details of the format and nature of the second season are still being worked out. While the first season was shot in South Africa, it is yet to be decided where the second season will take place. While the first season only had female participants, plans are afoot to include male contestants in it's second coming."

Akshay's dates for the second season are being worked out and creatives are dicussing his new look as well. "There was mixed reaction to his look in the first season."

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Get well soon, sir!

Sanjay Dutt, who is in London, was shocked to hear about Amitabh Bachchan’s hospitalisation, he has been calling up Abhishek Bachchan every hour to check on his father’s health.

Dutt, who is currently in London, also called up his friends Bunty Walia and Dharam Oberoi to check if all was well and offered to fly back to Mumbai immediately. Dutt is waiting for Manyata to join him in London where the couple plans to travel to New Zealand to scout for locations for their home-production, to be directed by Soham Shah.

When contacted, Dharam Oberoi (CEO, Sanjay Dutt Productions) confirmed Sanjay’s frequent calls to Abhishek. “Yes, Baba has been calling up Abhishek every hour. Baba and Bachchan saab go back a long way. He is in awe of Bachchan saab and Bachchan saab too loves him very much.”

Oberoi added, “Baba has also been calling up Bunty. Walia met Bachchan saab in the hospital and he conveyed Sanju’s concern and best wishes to him.”

Meanwhile, Sanjay has zeroed down on Amitabh to play a pivotal role in Soham’s venture. He had even called up AB’s secretary, Rosie and sought an appointment with Bachchan, but the latter was out on The Unforgettable tour. Oberoi confirmed, “That’s right. Baba wants Bachchan saab in the film. It’s a film on sports, titled India. It will go on the floors next year.”

Amitabh was admitted to Lilavati hospital on Saturday morning (on his 66th birthday) when he complained of acute abdominal pain.

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Big B to star in PNC's thriller titled 'The Actor'

Amitabh Bachchan is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors we have in Bollywood. Now, strange as it may sound, Amitabh, the actor, is all set to star in Pritish Nandy Communications next film titled The Actor.

Bollywood Hungama spoke to Pritish Nandy himself who confirmed this news, "Yes, we have signed Mr. Amitabh Bachchan for a film called The Actor. It is a thriller and will be directed by Kushan Nandy. We are still in the process of finalizing the rest of the cast," said Mr. Nandy

Mr. Nandy also dismissed rumors which said that The Actor is a biography based on Big B's life.

Hope Mr. Bachchan (The Greatest Actor) recovers soon and continues to entertain his millions of fans world over.

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Aishwarya Rai, Rajnikanth complete second 'Endhiran' shooting schedule

'Endhiran - The Robot' stars Aishwarya Rai and Rajnikanth completed another week long shooting schedule on location in Goa on Sunday, October 12. A new schedule is expected to start soon.

The break in filming must have come as a welcome relief to a worried Aishwarya, whose father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan who was hospitalized on his 66th birthday on Saturday, October 11, for severe abdominal pain.

According to a family statement, Bachchan is currently in Lilavati Hospital and will stay there for the next two days to undergo tests.

It is being reported that he is suffering from incisional hernia, a condition that has dogged him since the near-fatal accident on the sets of Coolie in 1982.

The producers of the Sci-Fi film, Ayngaran, have released another promotional still that shows Rajnikanth, 58, sporting long hair and French beard, attired like a noble of the Mughal empire, amidst guards dressed like Roman soldiers! Bollywood at its best, you may say!

The FX heavy movie is being simultaneously produced in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and other languages.

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Priyanka going blonde

After the disastrous performance of “Love Story 2050”, we all know red hair did not work for Priyanka Chopra.

Now Ashutosh Gowarikar wants Priyanka to colour her hair golden for his next film “What's Your Rashi”.

Do you think she agreed? No ways. She has put her foot down and said she will never colour her hair again, at least not for films!

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Preity's karmic connection with Punjab

Preity Zinta feels that she has some strange karmic connection with Punjab. "I must have been a Punjabi in one of my incarnations," she
laughs.

Interestingly, out of the three forthcoming releases, “Heroes”, “Heaven On Earth” and “Har Pal”, the former two have Preity play a Punjabi woman.

"’Heroes’ has me as a bubbly and vibrant village girl from Punjab, while in ‘Heaven On Earth’ I play a battered Punjabi housewife living in Canada. Though both characters have me as a Punjabi women, they are as different as chalk and cheese."

Preity also says that speaking and acting like a Punjabi wasn't easy. "I didn't know how to go about enacting my character initially. Pum-Pum (as she lovingly calls Anupam Kher) helped me out. We conducted a three-day workshop where I learnt to act and speak like a Punjabi woman," Preity says.

Incidentally, all the three films begin with the letter H. Tell her about that and Preity laughs saying, "There's some strange karmic connection there too."

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Amitabh responding well to medicines

The Mumbai hospital where Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan is recuperating from a stomach ailment on Monday set at rest the uncertainty over his medical condition, saying he was responding well to treatment.

"Amitabh Bachchan is responding well to medication and doctors are happy with his progress. We respect the patient's right and confidentiality and hence would not like to discuss this matter further,” Narendra Trivedi, vice president of the Lilavati Hospital, said in a statement.

There were reports earlier on Monday that Bachchan's abdominal pain had resurfaced.

The veteran actor was admitted to the hospital on his 66th birthday on Saturday after he complained of abdominal pain.

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Kolkata fans worry about Bachchan

They were celebrating Amitabh Bachchan's 66th birthday at a temple built for him in Kolkata when news of his hospitalisation came like a cruel blow. Now the Bollywood superstar's fans are spending sleepless nights praying that their "god" gets well soon.

"Amitabh is our god and you can imagine how the devotees feel when their god is unwell," Sanjay Patodia, West Bengal secretary of Amitabh Bachchan Fans Association, told IANS on Monday.

The Big B's fans have been very worried since the actor was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday with abdominal pains.

"When we saw news of his illness on television, our hearts stopped beating for a moment. Since then we are spending sleepless nights thinking about his health," Patodia added.

The temple to Amitabh is located in south Kolkata. The actor's fans also performed a 'yagna' (holy fire ritual) and prayed for him at the Kalighat temple in south Kolkata.

"We performed a yagna at the Amitabh Bachchan temple and also prayed for his health at Kalighat on Sunday. We have couriered the 'prasad' (holy offering) as well as a piece of Goddess Kali's holy attire to Jaya-di (Amitabh's wife Jaya) on Monday. We have requested her to keep the holy cloth under Amitabh's pillow," Patodia said.

Patodia is planning to fly to Mumbai to meet the actor.

"But Amitabh's secretary said he is better and asked me to meet him after he returns home from hospital," he said.

The superstar's fans feel it is high time the actor cuts down on his work load for the sake of his health.

"We understand he is an workaholic. But we wish 'dada' (Amitabh) should reduce his work pressure and take care of his health," Patodia said.

Amitabh was celebrating his birthday at his residence Pratiksha when he suddenly experienced severe abdominal pain and was rushed to hospital.

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Uncertainty over Amitabh's health creates flutter

Uncertainty over the medical condition of megastar Amitabh Bachchan created a mild flutter in Mumbai on Monday but the hospital he is being treated in insisted he was recovering though it was too early to say when he would be discharged.

"There is no deterioration in his health and he is showing signs of improvement," Lilavati Hospital spokesperson Mohan Rajan told IANS.

"The doctors are not ready to comment about his getting discharged and the sort of tests he is undergoing, respecting the privacy of the actor. We don't want any baseless rumours to surface. He needs rest," Rajan added.

However, a source at the hospital said Amitabh's abdominal pain resurfaced due to unknown reasons and an endoscopy had to be performed on him.

“The doctors are trying to diagnose the cause of the pain,” the source told IANS.

The source also said that henceforth, the Bachchan family and not the hospital would be issuing statements on the actor's condition.

“Whatever statement will be issued now will come from the Bachchan family and not from the hospital,” the source said.

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John bares all... most!

John Abraham has shows off his bod in his forthcoming flick, Karan Johar's Dostana, directed by Tarun Mansukhani. Here he talks about doing a bare dare...

Let's talk about the yellow trunks...
Well, I think that they fit well. Karan and I sat down and discussed the exact trunk that I'd be wearing. We looked at some black-coloured ones but decided to go with the yellow one. The fact that we shot in Miami has something to do with the colour. It's a vibrant, fun place and my styling was done keeping that in mind.

Were you hesitant at all to strip?
There was no such hesitation at my end. For me, it was the brief that mattered. Karan told me exactly the way I was supposed to look in the film and that helped me work towards achieving the same. It was important for me to follow that vision and deliver.

How comfortable are you in your skin?
I am extremely comfortable. I think it's very important when it comes to playing a role like I did for Dostana. I think it also has something to do with my modelling background. I have always been very much at ease with the way I look and feel. For me, it's more the personality that matters than the looks.

Would you show it all if a role required it?
Yes, definitely. Why not? In fact, I have always chosen films and roles that have asked me to do something different. I am extremely comfortable getting into the skin of my character and bringing it alive on screen. However, it doesn't have to be perverse. Also different characters demand you to adapt to what the script demands. Maybe you are shown nude in a torture scene, it doesn't necessary have to be sexual.

Did you do extra workouts for the scene?
Yes, I had trainer Mike Ryan fly down from LA to Miami to work on my body. Back home, I worked with Aalimbhai at Gold's Gym. The point wasn't just to have abs, or a great chest or looked bulked up, I had to work on the entire look, especially my legs. I believe whatever is attainable is also desirable. I also had to keep in mind my diet and focus on eating the right stuff.

What have been the reactions to your Dostana look?
The reactions have been overwhelming and amusing. I am happy that people are looking at my body and appreciating the look. In fact, at times, I even feel like a meat shop!

You are now a gay icon. Comment.
I know a lot of my fans belong to the gay community. All power to them. I have always maintained that respect for this section of my fan base. I have friends who are gay. Tarun (Mansukhani) deserves a lot of credit for not making us look like caricatures and bringing so much life and fun to our roles.

How did you prepare for the part?
As far as preparations go, Karan told me, 'you've forgotten the sensuous side of you'. He told me that I appealed to both genders and that I shouldn't forget that. The preparation didn't just include getting a Baywatch body but went much beyond all that.

Any possibility of backlash from the gay community for the part?
I don't think there will be one. Both of us have taken extreme care to not come out as loud, or OTT anywhere. It's a very non-offensive, laid-back easy- going fun film. Something everyone will enjoy.

This is your second film with Abhishek after Dhoom 2...
I think after Dostana, everyone will call us the next Shah Rukh-Kajol. He isn't just a co-star or a friend but it goes much beyond that. He's a great human being and fun to work with. Of course, not to forget Priyanka who compliments us both.

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SRK's REAL Boulevard

Shah Rukh Khan has begun work on his lifestyle boulevard project at Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. The actor appears in the project's promotional campaign posters. As reported ('Realty Raja'; Hitlist, Sept 30), an SRK boulevard is being built on Al Dana island in Ras Al Khaimah.

In the posters, SRK talks about his experiences in B-Town and how he looks at his new venture.

One of the posters says, "There are a few things I've learnt from making movies. You can't hire a great sunset.
You can't say, 'let's get the seagulls to fly in from the right' . You can't ask the wind for a retake. Some things should never go according to a script. Some things should be real."

Another poster has the words, "An on-screen romance lasts three hours. With a break-up thrown in between for drama. Real-life romances are better. They last a lifetime. The ups and downs are real. People fight harder to keep their romance alive. And that's the way it should be. Some things should be real."

It is learnt that King Khan will launch a full-fledged campaign in the coming weeks.

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Harman hosts a party for close pals including Priyanka

Harman Baweja has been in and out of the city in the last few months. Recently, when he was in Mumbai for a while, he decided to make the most of it by partying with a close group of friends last week at his Lokhandwala home. The Love Story 2050 actor soon flies off for a three-week schedule of Anees Bazmee's It's My Life.

A source close to the newbie says, "As Harman had been away from home for over a month, he was missing his pals and family. As soon as he returned from shooting for Victory and It's My Life, first he caught up on sleep and then got into the party mode. His friends and cousins were keen to catch up with him."

Adds the source, "The guest list also included close friend Priyanka Chopra. The menu at the party was strictly vegetarian as it was Navratri time. A DJ belted out popular B-Town numbers including tracks from Priyanka's latest flick, Drona."

Admits Harman, "Yes, I did have a small get-together. I was so busy the last few weeks that I wanted to unwind and catch up with near and dear ones."

Harman will be shooting for It's My Life in Thailand and New Zealand. He will be back next month to start work on Ashutosh Gowariker's What's Your Raashee?

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Hrithik excited about Bhansali's project!

Hrithik Roshan is still riding high on the big success of Ashutosh Gowariker's JODHAA AKBAR, despite stiff opposition from the genre (historical), politicians and a section of the trade. When we had last heard, Hrithik Roshan was on verge of completing a long shooting schedule of his home banner's international project KITES in Los Angeles. The superstar is expected in Bombay, anytime this week.

Waiting impatiently for KITES, the fans of the super choosy actor are keen to know as to whether Hrithik is doing a film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, as per media reports. Well here is the exact situation.

While Hrithik's business manager neither confirmed nor denied the news, a very reliable source, quite close to the super star assures us that Roshan junior has indeed signed the film. And before we leave, here is more joy for Duggu fans. The superhero is super excited about the script of the Bhansali film, which he says is his best till date!

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Yash Raj Films' New York is being shot in Philadelphia

Residents of Philadelphia were in for a surprise last weekend when they saw helicopters with FBI written across them zooming above the PNC Bank Building. What's more there were even quite a few SWAT officers who made a dramatic entry, suspending themselves from the aircraft carrying rifles. Just as localites began to worry if there was a panic situation on hand, did they see a film crew with cameras et al shooting this whole scenario.

This was not any hostage attack or terrorist threat but the shooting of Yash Raj Films' upcoming project New York (working title) which was in progress in the busy and central area of Philadelphia. The film's stars, namely John Abraham, Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh, were present as the crew along with director Kabir Khan filmed some action scenes in and around the PNC Bank Building. While New York has been quite a prominent feature of many a Bollywood films, this was a relatively new experience for the residents of Philadelphia who after initially getting a trifle scared seemed to enjoy the most of this Bollywood film shoot.

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Priyanka Chopra signed as the brand ambassador for Nokia

We always believed that in Bollywood, fame and fortune changes every Friday...till we came across Priyanka Chopra. Priyanka career graph may have been badly affected this year, as most of her films this year flopped back to back. But contrary to what one would expect, this Chopra girl is going great guns and how!

After having lent her signature to a million brands worldwide, she has now been signed to be the Brand Ambassador for Nokia, world's largest mobile phone maker. Speaking about Priyanka's association with the brand, Nokia's spokesperson said that they selected Priyanka in order to create a deeper connect with its young and style-savvy consumers.

With Priyanka now at the helm of things, the company will also flag off a new campaign with the tagline 'It's not just a phone, it's who we are', which would be on air from next week.

Way to go Priyanka!

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Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! - First Look

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Amitabh Bachchan recuperating in hospital

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai on Saturday following abdominal pain, was recuperating after being treated for the condition, according to a health statement.

Bachchan, who turned 66 on Saturday, was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in the afternoon "with the history of abdominal pain, which has been relieved by medicine", the hospital statement said.

"It is being investigated by a team of doctors and the reports will be available by the coming morning (Sunday)," the statement read.

Bachchan, who was in the midst of his birthday celebrations at his bungalow Pratiksha in Juhu, was rushed to the Nanavati Hospital early afternoon after complaining of abdominal pain and breathlessness.

He was then shifted to the Lilavati Hospital where he continues to be under observation. Bachchan was being treated in the suite number 1101 on the 11th floor of the hospital.

The megastar "has undergone blood investigation and CT of the abdomen, reports of which are awaited", the statement said, adding further treatment will be decided on the basis of the reports.

However, the statement didn't divulge any more details, "appreciating the privacy of the patient".

Unofficial sources indicated that he might be required to spend at least a couple of days in the hospital.

Bachchan had been experiencing abdominal uneasiness since late Friday night.

His wife Jaya, daughter Shweta Nanda, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya were attending the senior Bachchan in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Reliance ADAG head Anil Ambani and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh were among the large number of people who visited the hospital to enquire after Bachchan's health.

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Get well soon Big B

The news of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan being hospitalised on his 66th birthday Saturday caused consternation the world over, prompting fans to wish him "get well soon".

Amitabh was celebrating his birthday at his Mumbai residence Pratiksha when he suddenly complained of severe pain in his abdomen on Saturday morning.

He was rushed to the Nanavati Hospital and then shifted to the Lilavati Hospital after a preliminary medical check up.

And his worried fans across the world think that Big B, as he is fondly called, should cut down on work considering his age. Students from abroad have also expressed concern over the veteran's health.

"I have been following his films since childhood as I am a great fan of his. I can't think of his going down on health. He should really not stress himself that much at this age as he is above 65 and cut down on his work," Sabitri Chakraborty, an M.Sc student at the London School of Economics, told IANS in an email interview.

Deepti Malhotra, a post-graduate public relations student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand heard the news on television and was yearning to know more.

"Is he okay? We got to know on TV and since then I have been exchanging text messages with my Indian friends here. We really look up to him as a great actor but he should realise now that he is getting old and should pay heed to his health," Malhotra said over the phone.

Another Big B fan, Anuprita Survase of Mumbai, said the actor is an inspiration for many people and upcoming stars aspire to follow in his footsteps.

"I hope he gets well soon. It's chaos all over after we heard the news. I wish I could at least go to Lilavati and get a glimpse of him," said Survase, an executive assistant at Welingkar Insitute here.

Prarthana Garg, a CA aspirant from PKF Sridhar and Santhanam (PKF S&S) firm, Chennai echoed this, adding: "He is such a mesmerising artist who has given direction and definition to the Hindi film industry. I pray he gets well soon."

In Kolkata, where Amitabh started his career as an executive and also has a temple in his name, fans could not help but praise the actor and were praying for his speedy recovery.

"He is an artist of huge stature and we also have a temple after him where people literally worship him," said Punit Agarwal, a businessman from Kolkata who has a copy of every Bachchan film available on VCD and DVD.

"He is an institution for all. I wish he gets well soon and pray for his speedy recovery."

Another fan also added that it was ironical for Big B to fall ill on his birthday.

"It is ironical that he has fallen sick on his birthday. I wish him good health for the upcoming year thought it has started on a sore note with all the physical hazards troubling him," said Kushal Chand, another CA aspirant from the PKF S&S firm.

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Colleagues wish Bachchan a speedy recovery

Friends and colleagues of Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan have wished him speedy recovery as he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital on Saturday with severe abdominal pain.

Amitabh was celebrating his 66th birthday with his family at his Prateeksha residence when he complained of severe pain. Though the reason for the stomach pain is still unclear, most colleagues feel it could be due to overwork.

Music director-singer Shekhar Ravijani of Vishal-Shekhar duo, who had recently accompanied the actor on their worldwide Unforgettable concert tour, told IANS that he had called the family to check up on Amitabh's health and there was nothing to worry about.

“We have called up and checked. Everything is fine. Otherwise we would have been with him. He has just gone to the hospital for a routine check up. Nothing serious,” said Shekhar.

“It's his birthday today. It's so sad that he has to be in hospital! My brave soldier, excellent co-star should get well very soon. Maybe it has happened due to the workload, but you can't stop him from working hard because it is in his nature,” actress Nafisa Ali, who has played Amitabh's wife in “Major Saab”, said.

Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi, who shared screen space with the actor in a song “Masti bhari raat hai” in “Mrityudaata” in 1997, feels the same.

He said: “It might be due to exertion. With the kind of profession we are in, it requires loads of travelling, assignments, shoots and erratic food timings that do take a toll on a person's body.

“Amitabh-ji is a very energetic person but maybe because of stress and workload, he has fallen ill. My good wishes are with him.”

Aman Verma, who essayed the role of his son in two films - “Baghban” and “Baabul”, feels the veteran's illness is due to his “stressful life”.

“Why are you all hyping it up? Let's all be positive about the issue. He is a man above 65 years of age and it could just be a mild case of food poisoning.

“He works a lot. Maybe this illness is a combination of fatigue and stress or maybe he ate something that did not suit his body. I hope he gets well soon as we all need him around,” Aman said.

“Amitabh is a fighter,” says filmmaker Ravi Chopra, who has directed the actor in most of his films including “Baghban”, “Baabul” and “Bhoothnath” among the recent ones.

“I am very sure that he will be okay. You cannot say that stress and workload is responsible for this because work is something that keeps him healthy,” he said.

Actress Shefali Shah, who played his wife in “Waqt: The Race Against Time” and was also in his most recent release “The Last Lear”, was unaware of the actor's illness when IANS contacted her.

“I am not aware of his illness but I hope he gets well soon. I am no one to comment on it. The doctors should tell what has happened. All I can wish is a speedy recovery for him. We all know that he is an incredible person and has very high energy levels,” she said.

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Shah Rukh Khan : Fortune of the King

Find out in this soul-baring interview why this member of Bollywood royalty, whose parents named him ‘face of the king’, is often in tears. Deepika Shetty unravels the mystery called Mr.Shah Rukh Khan.

TO his tens of millions of fans, actor and producer Shah Rukh Khan is the unrivalled King of Bollywood, known for his macho film persona.

But the high-energy, fast-talking superstar, who is in Singapore this weekend for the Zee Carnival, showcasing Indian entertainment, gives a rare glimpse of his sensitive side in an hour-long telephone interview from Mumbai.

India’s top romantic leading man confesses that in real life, he is “painfully shy of women”. Khan, who turns 43 next month and has been married to Gauri Khan for 17 years, with whom he has two children, adds: “I am just very shy of girls. I have never looked into my wife’s purse or her wardrobe.”

The man who is everywhere in India €“ from movie billboards in the streets and shows on TV to making headlines for buying a cricket team and supporting the recent Bollywood film workers’ strike - also has another surprising revelation.

He says he is “an intensely private and reclusive man” who cries when he thinks of his late parents.

Khan’s Muslim parents - Meer Taj Mohammad Khan and Lateef Fatima - died before he found fame in Bollywood and to this day, he mourns the loss that time cannot heal.

He says: “I often go to the terrace of my home and cry. I cry not because they haven’t been able to see the successful side of me, I cry because even if I was a complete failure, they would have wished me well and loved me unconditionally. Sometimes I cry over silly things, like my car breaking down.

“I end up saying, ‘Mum, I wish you were around, you could have told me what to do.’ Even my kids know that it’s okay to see their dad cry.”

Another thing he does not talk about much publicly is his bad back, caused by his gruelling work schedule and risky action sequences. He became a man of steel after a titanium disc was inserted into his spine for a prolapsed disc in 2004.

But he says: “I don’t like to talk about it simply because so much love, so much goodness has been given to me by my fans over the years. I don’t want to bog them down with the little pain I am dealing with.”

He promises his fans will only see the good stuff when he visits Singapore for the Zee Carnival, organised by the Indian Television network at the Suntec Convention Centre (yesterday and today). Khan and TV stars such as Aditya Narayan, Raja Hasan, Iqbal Khan, Poonam Jatau, and Sharad and Kirti Kelkar will make several appearances. Also present is India’s celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

Beyond his fans, Khan also stands by the people he works with. He called off his shoots and lent his support to the protest by Bollywood workers about low wages, late payments and the persistent use of non-union actors. (The strike ended after two days on Oct 3.)

The star, who has an 11-year-old son, Aryan, and a daughter, Suhana, eight, declares: “People think I am flamboyant. I am not at all like that. I’m becoming more and more reclusive. All I do is work and spend time with my family.”

Of course, there is much more to him than that daily grind. His face represents the largest film industry in the world. India produces more than 1,000 films a year, of which a third are in Hindi, India’s official language, and their estimated viewership is said to be 3.6 billion annually - that is a billion more than Hollywood.

Though the numbers may be tipping in favour of Bollywood, he believes there are things that the Indian film industry can learn from Hollywood: “In terms of organisation, technology and its distribution network, it is way ahead of us. I have a lot of respect for these aspects of Hollywood. But I think the stories are with us here in Bollywood.”

Critics often say Bollywood’s plots are far-fetched. Actors can go through multiple costume changes and the location can go anywhere from Agra to the Alps in a single song sequence.

No-nos on screen

But Khan does not think Indian cinema is all fantasy. Referring to themes of Hollywood blockbusters such as Deep Impact and Independence Day, he says: “To me, the president of the United States saving the world from a meteorite is an amazing fantasy.”

On the other hand, “our fantasies are achievable; our fantasies are smaller - they are about having a house, a small car. We are not bothered about aliens”.

Those fantasies certainly sell. He has delivered some of the biggest hits in Bollywood, including Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) to more recent ones such as Chak De! India (2007) and Om Shanti Om (2007).

And that is despite the fact that he says there are some things he would never do on screen: “I won’t ride a horse and I won’t kiss a girl.”

He adds: “I think it’s because I am so painfully shy of women that I romance them so well as a character on screen.”

Khan has acted in more than 60 films and produced seven of his own. His roles have been as varied as the films he has made though one onscreen character does come close to the real Khan.

“I am a lot like the no-nonsense hockey coach Kabir Khan in Chak De, though I am not that stern,” he adds with a laugh.

A lot has been written about Khan - documentaries have been made on his life, there are books on him and the awards keep coming. But he feels a lot of this would not have happened without help from his co-stars.

“I have been blessed to work alongside some of the most beautiful and talented women in the industry. I owe at least half of my success to these women. Among other things, they have taught me how to dance and how to look good. I am what I am because of what they have done for me.”

He holds a special place for choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan, who directed him in Om Shanti Om and Main Hoon Na (2004).

“Women directors end up making films a certain way. They are sensitive and emotional. But Farah has gone for sheer entertainment. She has the balls to make a film like a man. I respect that,” says Khan.

And when he is not talking or making films, he likes to settle down with a book.

His home library has a collection of more than 5,000 books, of which there are at least three that he wants to turn into films.

“Other talented film-makers are already doing that, though. I read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts even before it came to India and asked my director friends if they’d want to make a film - now Hollywood has taken it. Two other books I’ve enjoyed a lot are Mark Haddon’s murder mystery The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Yann Martel’s fantasy adventure Life of Pi.”

For now, he has his eyes peeled on biopics. “I am interested in biopics about people who have led interesting lives.”

During the lengthy interview, he breaks only to call out for a cup of coffee and a cigarette.

The temptation to light up comes despite the fact that India’s Health Ministry has said it planned to bombard the actor with literature detailing the harm caused by cigarettes. (A ban on smoking in public places took effect in India on Oct 2.)

When asked about his light-up during the interview, this very public man with a very private persona says ruefully: “I am law-abiding to the extent of being stupid sometimes. I never beat a red light, I always obey the rules. Of course, my cigarette-smoking is always getting me into trouble.” -

The Straits Times, Singapore

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EXCLUSIVE: Big B taken to hospital

On his 66th birthday Saturday, Amitabh Bachchan was taken to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai for some tests when he complained of stomach pain at his residence, Pratiksha in Juhu. Later, he was shifted to Lilavati Hospital, where his mother Teji Bachchan had died lat year. We bring you exclusive pictures of the happening.

Abhishek, Shweta and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan take Amitabh Bachchan to Lilavati Hospital

Abhishek and Shweta help Amitabh get in the ambulance outside Nanavati

Amitabh being ushered in an ambulance by daughter Shweta, outside Nanavati


Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gets out of the ambulance outside Lilavati