'3 Idiots' breaks ‘Ghajini’ records

Film makes Rs.93 crore in opening weekend

Aamir Khan starrer comedy-drama "3 Idiots" created a record by earning around Rs.93 crore (Rs.930 million/$20 million) in its opening weekend. Reliance BIG Entertainment, which is the distributor of "3 Idiots", released the movie with about 2,000 prints across 40 countries.

Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's bestseller "Five Point Someone", the film has been produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Rajkumar Hirani.

"Response has been overwhelming from all over the world. Aamir, Raju and I knew from the responses earlier on that people liked the film but this is something else? We have got reports from places like Australia that they have reduced 'Avatar' shows and increased ours," said Chopra in a statement.

Released on Dec 25, its box office collection has beaten the initial earnings of another Aamir starrer "Ghajini", considered Hindi cinema's highest grosser till date, with 30 percent more earnings till Sunday night.

"'3 Idiots' is the highest grossing Hindi film ever in Australia on its opening weekend. Similarly in the US, I have been given to understand that '3 Idiots' would be highest ever for a Hindi film," he added.

The paid previews of the movie also garnered over Rs.9 crore worldwide, above those of the paid preview collections of "Ghajini" that was Rs.7 crore globally.

It also stars R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani and Kareena Kapoor in pivotal roles.

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Shah Rukh saves Asin from unruly mob

Actress gets security tips form SRK

Shah Rukh Khan recently saved Asin from a crowd of over 300 people who were trying to get too close to her for comfort.

At the recent event SRK entered in the nick of the time along with his bodyguards and protected Asin from being mobbed by an unmanageable crowd.

The organisers of the show where both the stars were present had made a makeshift cubicle for the VIPs near the backstage, where the stars were taken before they could go on the stage.

However, as Asin and her spokesperson were about to enter the cubicle, the crowd gathered around them and got within touching distance. They tried to take advantage of Asin by trying to touch her on the pretext of shaking hands with her.

The duo started screaming for help. Just at that time SRK came with his bodyguards, as it was his turn next to go on the stage. He saw the scene and quickly ordered his bodyguards to make their way through the crowd.

Within seconds, SRK and his bodyguards reached where Asin was. Shah Rukh grabbed Asin’s hand with his right hand and with his left caught hold of the spokesperson and dragged them to safety.

Asin even got a piece of advice on her security for future public appearances from SRK. On her part, the actress did not have enough words to thank Shah Rukh.

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Stars head to Goa for New Year’s Eve

Ash, Abhi, Salman, Shahid will all be there

As is the case every year, Goa is once again a hot favourite with Bollywood stars this New Year’s Eve.

As Abhishek Bachchan has been shooting in Goa, Aishwarya too will join him there and the couple will usher 2010 together.

Other celebs scheduled to be in Goa for the New Year’s Eve celebrations are Salman Khan, Shahid Kapur, Deepika Padukone, Sushmita Sen and Dino Morea. They will be partying with family and friends.

However, Salman has said he hasn’t finalised the trip as yet and will take a last minute decision.

Shahid, who’s said to be taking his first holiday in six years, will be in Goa with his male friends, including some childhood buddies.

Sushmita will be spending the New Year with her two daughters, Renee and Alisah. She couldn’t travel abroad as her second adopted baby doesn’t have a passport yet.

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Sushmita to groom Indian beauties for Miss Universe

Her company launches I Am She platform

Sushmita Sen is all set to launch her modeling academy I Am She, which will nurture young models. The winner of the I Am She beauty pageant will go on to represent India in the Miss Universe contest.

Sushmita, who is the first Indian to be crowned Miss Universe, has bought the rights to groom the girls for the pageant.

The ‘I Am She’ Platform is part of Sushmita Sen’s Tantra Entertainment, which was awarded the India franchisee to select “Miss Universe” participant by the Miss Universe Organisation.

I Am She pageant will take over from the Femina Miss India as a pre-curser to the Miss Universe contest.

On the philosophy of the platform, Sushmita said that it was about being comfortable with one’s self. “Though not a perfect human being, I like myself as I am. We are already who we are. Even if we try to live the life of others, we cannot escape ourselves. We need to be strong and confident, especially when things are not going our way,” she said.

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‘I've never felt this way about any man before’

Katrina Kaif smitten by ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattinson

Katrina Kaif is so impressed with "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson that she can't stop thinking about him. And if all goes well, she'll be meeting him during her annual holiday with her family in London.

"You don't understand. This is like an obsession for me. I can't get Robert Pattinson out of my head...I've never felt this way about any man before," Katrina, who has given hits like "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" and "De Dana Dan" this year, told IANS.

"I went and bought all the four books - 'Twilight', 'New Moon', 'Eclipse' and 'Breaking Dawn'. I couldn't put them down. I've been racing through the adventures of the hottest vampire Edward Cullen for the last one week. I finished reading three of the 'Twilight' books in less than four days. Now I'm into the fourth. I just can't get enough of him," she said.

The actress now plans to meet Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" series. Her representatives are in touch with the latest Hollywood heartthrob.

"Obviously I can't stand under his window to get his attention. So yes, the meeting has to be more formal. He says he's single, but I don't believe him. That's what they all say," she said.

The actor had recently denied dating co-star Kristen Stewart.

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Five years back, I was Sameer, says Shahid

All strugglers will identify with his 'Chance Pe Dance' character

Shahid Kapur says his forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance" tells the tale of strugglers waiting for their big break. And the actor reveals he could relate to the character as he too was rejected at many auditions and even had to sleep in his car for a whole night.

"It's a very realistic film on strugglers. The story of the film flows through such a situation that any struggler can identify with whether he is struggling as an engineer, doctor or as a lawyer," Shahid told IANS.

Directed by Ken Ghosh, "Chance Pe Dance" revolves around a talented young struggling actor Sameer (Shahid). Positive and brimming with energy, Sameer juggles various jobs while working towards getting his big break in films. During his struggle, he meets Tina (Genelia D'Souza), a choreographer.

"It's a typical character of an aspiring actor. He comes from Delhi and struggles in Mumbai for three years. He stays in a house but the rent is due for a long time. (He) owns a second hand car, but doesn't have money to buy petrol.

"But having failed in almost 300 auditions, he is still a very positive guy. Every day he wakes up with a hope that something good will happen to him that day. That is the quality that makes him going," Shahid explained.

The actor says he could really identify with the character.

"Five years back, I was Sameer. I had a red Maruti 800. I also went for many auditions, which turned (out) to be futile. There are situations in the film that I have also gone through...I have actually spent a whole night in the car, as I didn't have a place to stay. In the film, there is a long chunk where it shows the guy thrown out of his house because he couldn't pay the rent (and) stays in his car," said Shahid.

Shahid's dancing skills are already well-known but he promises to surprise his fans with brand new moves thanks to American choreographer Marty Kudelka, who has worked with international pop stars like Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson and N'Sync.

"When you do a film like 'Chance Pe Dance', then dance becomes a very important part of it. As people already know that I can dance, so the challenge is how do I surprise people or give them something new," he said.

"Then Ken and I thought that probably if I try a new style of dancing, which I have never done before, it will offer something new to the audience and that's why we got in touch with Marty Kudelka," he added.

Asked if Genelia was able to cope with his dance steps, Shahid said: "Well there is not too much of dancing that Genelia and I have done together. She plays a choreographer in the film. She was very nervous initially, but finally she turned out very well."

"It was great fun working with her. I loved Genelia's work in 'Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na'. I am really happy that she came on to the film. She is a very, very good actor. I was very impressed when I saw her performance in the film."

Shahid is now excited to work in his father Pankaj Kapur's film, which would go on floors early next year.

"He is going away from what people know he is brilliant at and becoming a director because he wants to present me in a certain way. It is a huge responsibility but I am excited to get that opportunity. I really hope that I can justify the amount of time and faith he is investing in me. About the film I can only say that it's a love story," Shahid said.

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Salman Khan planning to buy two horses

His love for the animal grows after shooting for 'Veer'

Salman Khan grew so fond of a horse, Laxmi, during the shoot of his film "Veer" (pictured left) that he has planned to purchase two for his farmhouse.

"My love for horses has grown so much after shooting for 'Veer' that I have decided to buy two horses for my farmhouse," said Salman.

"One horse that stands out was Laxmi. She was my favourite and I was so attached to her that I must have fed her more biscuits than I have eaten in my entire life!" he added.

"Veer", slated to release Jan 22, is a story of bravery, treachery and love. The story revolves around the 18th century Pindaris who preferred death to dishonour and fought to their last breath to save their land. Salman plays a Pindari soldier in the film.

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Katrina joins family in London for festive vacation

Doctors were reluctant to let her go

Katrina Kaif has decided to join her family in London for the annual Christmas-New Year vacation, in spite of being in pain after her minor surgery last week.

The healing process after the recent surgery is not even half-complete. But the actress, who was recovering quietly at her Mumbai home, flew out of the city early on Wednesday (Dec 23) after getting a reluctant go-ahead from her doctors at Breach Candy hospital.

Wincing in pain, she said a few hours before departure: "The pain will remain for a while. But the process of healing is on. I got my doctor's consent in Mumbai and I've another doctor in London who's fully aware of my condition. The doctors said the pain will be the same in Mumbai or London. And as long as I'm very careful about not exerting myself I'll be fine. So I'm off."

Katrina was depressed earlier in the week, thinking she wouldn't be able to join her siblings in London because of her medical condition. But later she decided to go for the vacation.

Said Katrina: "I can't exert myself, can't dance around or be boisterous. But that's okay, because our family is in any case not the dancing type. I just want to be with my sister's little boy, take him to the toy stores in London and buy him everything he wants."

Katrina returns to Mumbai in the first week of January, hopefully fully healed. "Luckily I've a doctor in London who knows how to look after me. So basically I'm just moving into a happier state of mind by being close to the people I love. That would help me heal quicker...Wish me luck."

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Jacqueline Fernandez sizzles up the cover of Grazia

After playing the perfect lass in Aladin, Jacqueline Fernandez is style magazine Grazia's cover girl this month. In an 80's inspired cover, the starlet is seen wearing a halter gown and grey suede heels by Valentino and a gold box clutch by Christian Dior.

Although she carries off the glitz with elan, the half Sri Lankan - half Malaysian former Miss Sri Lanka has no qualms about accepting that all the flashlights and fame can be addictive. She tells the mag, "It gives you a high for sure, but you know at the back of your mind that fame can be addictive and there's a very real possibility that it could spiral out of control... When you're in the line of fire everyday, your every move is being judged, you have to juggle crushing schedules... its hard not to lose it from time to time."

But the actress whose next film is Milap Zaveri's Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai is holding her horses till the time is right. "Hard work always pays off, nothing comes without a price and there's no two ways about that," she signs off.

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Katrina prescribed complete bed rest

She spent most of Sunday in hospital

Katrina Kaif has been prescribed complete bed rest as her health becomes a cause of concern.

The actress, who recently had jaundice, is unwell once again and was seen at a suburban hospital in Mumbai yesterday (Dec 13).

Her hemoglobin level mysteriously continues to fall down despite medical treatment from the best of the doctors. This is of immense concern for her family and friends.

Katrina spent almost the whole of Sunday at the hospital undergoing medical tests, as the doctors too were worried about her deteriorating health.

Despite her frail condition, there have been certain commitments which Katrina hasn’t missed in last couple of weeks. One such commitment kept her on her toes on Friday and Saturday evening. It was the Sangeet and wedding ceremony of Salman’s Khan’s friend Krishan Narayan’s daughter.

After several public appearances over the last couple of weeks, these two hectic days proved to be the last straw and Katrina was unable to get out of bed on Sunday morning and had to visit the doctor.

Now she has been advised complete bed rest.

We wish her speedy recovery and the best of health.

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Aamir and Kareena kiss for ‘3 Idiots’

Actors and director tight-lipped about the scene

Just ahead to the release of the film ‘3 Idiots’ (pictured above), reports doing the rounds are that Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor will share a long and passionate kiss in the film.

Even though Kareena, Aamir and director Raju Hirani are tight-lipped, an insider source confirmed the news.

Aamir generally does not have such kissing scenes in his films and this will be something to watch out for.

Fifteen years back Aamir had done a similar kissing sequence with Kareena’s sister Karisma Kapoor in “Raja Hindustani”, which had made much news at that time.

As for Kareena, didn’t we hear her say sometime back that she will not indulge in such scenes and skin show any more as she is going to be the daughter-in-law of the Royal Pataudi family?

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After Pa, it’s now Dughter-in-Law Ash

Elaborate makeover to turn Aishwarya into old lady

Pa Amitabh Bachchan showed the way to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

After his makeover for Balki’s “Paa”, which portrays him as the 13-year-old Auro suffering from progeria, received acclaim, Ash now will be following in his footsteps.

In her forthcoming film Vipul Shah’s “Action replay”, Ash will go through an equally elaborate makeover to look like an old lady for some scenes.

Even Ash is being given her look by famous Hollywood makeup artists and like Big B, even she has to spend approximately 4-5 hours every day for the makeup.

For the look of an old lady, Ash had to take many sittings before her look could be finalised. While shooting too, Ash has to sit patiently for four to five hours every day.

Vipul Shah has praised Ash’s professionalism and said that she was very co-operative during the makeup and reached the sessions regularly.

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Shah Rukh, Hrithik to come together for film

The will act in it and produce the movie too

Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan are set to come together in a film after almost a decade.

The last time they were seen together was in Karan Johar’s “Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham”, which became a super hit.

While the industry has been divided in two groups because of the fight between SRK and Salman Khan, the close bond between Gauri Khan and Sussanne Roshan has brought out a great friendship between their husbands, Shah Rukh and Hrithik.

Apparently, they have come very close personally and are now taking their friendship to the next level. They are planning a joint production which will star both of them in the lead.

Their companies Red Chillies and Film Kraft are collaborating for a movie. The film will be directed by Rakesh Roshan.

This bonding is likely to come as a big shock to anti SRK brigade – Salman, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgn.

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Deepika to get into a bikini

Lara and Jiah will don it too

Not only Deepika Padukone, but co-stars Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan will pose in a bikini.

They are all set to showcase their bodies in Sajid Khan’s film “Houseful"

Earlier only Lara and Jiah were to wear bikinis but Sajid suddenly changed his mind and decided to even have Deepika sporting a one.

He approached Deepika and she agreed to do it for a song sequence that has been shot on a beach in Italy.

This is not the first time that Deepika will be seen in a bikini. During her modelling days she has posed in bikinis.

Director sending Akshay, Anushka on a dinner date
Nikhil Advani says Twinkle is welcome

Director Nikhil Advani does not want the lead pair of his upcoming film "Patiala House” to face any sort of awkwardness with each other.

According to sources, Nikhil is setting a dinner date between Akshay Kumar and Anusha Sharma at a leading five-star hotel in Mumbai.

He wants to ensure that they spend enough time in each other’s company before they start shooting for the film. Since this is the first time that the pair will star opposite each other, Nikhil is not taking any chances.

Nikhil confirmed the news and said he is planning to send the two out for dinner. All the arrangements will be made by him. Also Akshay’s wife Twinkle would be welcome if she wishes to join them. Nikhil believes Twinkle’s presence will make Anushka more comfortable.

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Bipasha dancing at a New Year Eve party

Hotel refuses to reveal her fee

Bipasha Basu and singer Sudesh Bhosle will add glitz to the New Year eve celebrations at the Sahara Star Hotel in Mumbai, says an official.

"Bipasha Basu will perform in our hotel on New Year Eve," Vivek Kumar, CEO of hotel, told IANS.

He, however, refused to reveal how much Bipasha was charging for her performance.

"She is priceless. We do not attach any price to art, but yes, there are certain commitments that will be fulfilled," said Kumar, and added that Sudesh Bhonsle would also perform.

Asked about other performers, he said: "We are in very advanced talks with some other celebrities and I think it will be confirmed very soon who else are going to be there."

Kumar informed that they have designed various packages and priced them differently for those who want to enjoy the New Year eve extravaganza.

"There are different packages. The food and beverage package will cost Rs.11,500 per head. There are other packages for those who book a room in the hotel for that night."

Bipasha's manager confirmed the news to IANS, saying: "Yes, it's true (that she is performing)."

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Katrina Kaif retains world's sexiest Asian woman title

Indian actresses take eight of the top 10 spots

Katrina Kaif has retained the top spot in an annual list of the world's 50 sexiest Asian women unveiled on Dec 11.

The British Bollywood babe beat off tough competition from other actresses, former beauty queens, models and pop stars to hold on to the Eastern Eye crown she won last year.

Indian actresses took eight of the top 10 spots, with British television star Laila Rouass and Pakistani actress Mehwish Hayat completing the list.

The top 10 of the Eastern Eye 50 Sexiest Asian Women are: Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Freida Pinto, Laila Rouass, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mehwish Hayat and Deepika Padukone.

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Sameera Reddy heats up Maxim cover

Bollywood hottie Sameera Reddy is the talk of the town these days for her hot-shot shoot for the magazine Maxim. The "sultry temptress" stares at the lensman and delivers bold and striking poses, a feast to one's eyes.

And her eyes are what Sameera says "my best physical attributes", her sense of humour coming a close second. Rating her films by the degree of the hotness, she puts Musafir right up there followed by Race and Taxi No 9211. She could romance a pole for all she cares - "The focus is not on who you're romancing, it's on the situation in the film," she tells the magazine.

Finally, in a winner, she declares, "I don't believe in being skinny. Size zero is not hot!" And this time, we have to agree...

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Kareena Kapoor at 3 Idiots promotional event - Pics

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Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan feature on the cover of Hi! Blitz

Father and son are at it again. Mixing masti and work we mean. It's a big deal when Bollywood's apex father-son duo does a special photo-shoot for entertainment magazine Hi! Blitz.

So, what we have is an interesting cover picture (above) and an intriguing insight into the life of the Bachchan's. In an interview to the magazine, Amitabh says, "Sons are always linked to their famous father. My father was a legendary poet. I always grew up from a very young age being called, 'Yeh Bachchanji ke putra hai.' Abhishek has to deal with the issue of a famous father the way I had to deal with it too."

So how does Abhishek react to growing under his father's imposing, larger than life persona? "Pa used to tell me as a kid that Dadaji (Harivanshrai Bachchan) used to tell him that the day your son starts starts wearing your shoes, he stops being your son - he becomes your friend. As soon as I tried Pa's shoes when I was 11 or 12 and realized it fits, from then we do everything together, like best friends do. The first time I went nightclubbing in my life was with my dad in Boston," Abhishek says.

But there's more. The latest star addition to the family, Aishwarya Rai - Bachchan is also talked about. "Aishwarya keeps it very real around us. She never expects me to be different, and lets me be myself," says Abhishek. Like father like son. No wonder we can learn a thing or two about humility and freedom from Bollywood's first family.

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B.O. update: 'Rocket Singh' opens to shockingly low response

Everyone was expecting ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR to start with a bang, given the fact that Ranbir Kapoor's last two films, WAKE UP SID and AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, had fetched a flying start. Also, the fact that Aditya Chopra, Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni had teamed up with Ranbir, only raised the expectations from the film. But the poor start of ROCKET SINGH sent shock waves within the industry. The film had a 20% to 40% start at certain plexes and at places, 10% to 15% start.

The reports are extremely mixed and it remains to be seen if the film picks up on Saturday and Sunday, like Yash Raj's previous two biggies, CHAK DE INDIA and RAB NE BANA DI JODI.

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Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year - Movie Review

Some films absorb you instantly, from the very outset. But it takes time to get into the world of a salesman who thinks from his heart.

Come to think of it, ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is about a simpleton, but the story of his struggle and accomplishment isn't the kind that would charge you or make you charter a similar path in life. Also, the story of an underdog who comes up the hard way should make you feel euphoric in the end, right? But ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR doesn't.

Frankly, ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is more of a documentary on the life of a salesman. It's a decent film, no two opinions on that, but the question is, [a] Is the story powerful enough to excite you and [b] Does it grab your attention in entirety? Sadly, the answer to both the questions is in the negative.

There's another problem and this is strictly from the point of those seeking entertainment. A Yash Raj film with Ranbir Kapoor [after AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI] essaying the title role, coupled with fun-filled promos ['Pocket Mein Rocket Hain'] might make you assume that it would offer loads of entertainment, but this has barely a song or two, as good as no romance and hardly any comic moments - the recipe for most Hindi movies.

In a nutshell, ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is a dull and dry experience.

Harpreet Singh Bedi [Ranbir Kapoor] has just graduated and his marks are, well, let's say a little embarrassing. But marks never stopped him from dreaming of an exciting and adventurous career, and they never will.

He takes a deep, positive breath and dives into the world of sales, rumoured to be an ultra cool career. It's everything he dreamt of, with its smooth dressing, smoother talking men and women who can sell ice to an Eskimo, dreams to an insomniac and a lifetime mobile connection to a dying man. But soon, his idea of success begins clashing with the strange ways of these 'professionals' and 'bosses' he looked up to.

ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR may be based on a simpleton's life, but the viewer gets a hang of things only towards the second hour. The entire first hour is devoted to establishing the characters and also getting used to the way sales persons go about their business.

There's not much excitement in the first hour, barring a few attention-grabbing scenes that pop up intermittently. The story just flows, with the viewer not reacting much to the proceedings. But things change for better towards the post-interval portions when the protagonist and his colleagues' lives get complicated.

At least two sequences deserve a mention here. The first, when Ranbir and his boss have a lengthy telephonic conversation. The second, when the boss realises his folly and apologises to Ranbir. But, unfortunately, the culmination to the story doesn't give the feeling of euphoria or victory. Ideally speaking, it should have. That's one of the reasons why the impact is missing.

Shimit Amin is an efficient storyteller and he has been most faithful to the plot, but if the plot itself has its limitations, there's not much he can do to boost the proceedings. Jaideep Sahni has had the courage to narrate a new story, but the story is one-dimensional. Also, there screenplay is devoid of songs, romance and entertainment, which will go against the film completely.

Salim-Sulaiman's background score is effectual. Vikash Nowlakha's cinematography is alright.

Ranbir Kapoor is an exceptional actor and ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR mirrors this fact. The actor underplays his part beautifully, which only goes to prove that he's equally at ease essaying straight-out-of-life roles. Prem Chopra is exceptional. A number of new faces enact pivotal roles here, but the ones who stand out are Ranbir's boss Puri and colleague Nitin. Both are fantastic.

D. Santosh is first-rate. Gauhar Khan leaves a strong impression. Shazahn Padamsee doesn't get any scope.

On the whole, ROCKET SINGH - SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is more of a documentary on the life of a salesman. Lack of music, romance and entertainment, coupled with zilch hype, will go against the film. A colossal disappointment!

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Winners of 4th Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Hrithik Roshan - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Priyanka Chopra - Fashion

Best Movie
Aamir Khan - Taare Zameen Par

Best Director
Aamir Khan - Taare Zameen Par

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jimmy Shergill - A Wednesday

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Kangna Ranaut - Fashion

Best Actor in a Comic Role
Anil Kapoor - Welcome

Best Actor in a Negative Role
Akshaye Khanna - Race

Best Debut (Male)
Imran Khan - Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na

Best Debut (Female)
Mugdha Godse - Fashion

Best Choreography
Chinni Prakash, Rekha Prakash - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Lyrics
Prasoon Joshi - Taare Zameen Par - Maa

Best Female Playback Singer
Shreya Ghoshal - Singh is King - Teri Ore

Best Male Playback Singer
Shankar Mahadaven - Taare Zameen Par - Maa

Best Music
A.R. Rahman - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Screenplay
Amole Gupte, Neeraj Pandey - Taare Zameen Par, A Wednesday

Best Dialogue
Neeraj Pandey - A Wednesday

Best Story
Amole Gupte - Taare Zameen Par

Best Cinematography
Kiran Deohans - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Costume Design
Neeta Lulla - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Editing
Shree Narayan Singh - A Wednesday

Best Special Effects
Vaibhav Kumaresh, Dhimant Vyas - Taare Zameen Par

Best Sound Recording
Baylon Fonseca - Rock On!!

Best Re-Recording
Hitendra Ghosh - Jodhaa Akbar

Best Art Director
Nitin Chandrakant Desai - Jodhaa Akbar

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B.O. update: 'Paa' starts slow, picks up, 'Radio' is dull

The two new releases, PAA and RADIO, started on a slow note on Friday. PAA, of course, had a better start, with the film opening to a 30% response at several plexes. The occupancy picked up by noon shows and the film was in the 60% + range towards the evening shows at plexes of major centres.

The advantage with PAA is, the film is carrying excellent reports and a jump in business is expected on Saturday and Sunday. One will have to wait for the Saturday and Sunday figures to ascertain the jump in collections.

On the other hand, RADIO had a poor start at the ticket window. The opening collections were 10% to 15%, while the reports are weak.

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Paa - Movie Review

Can you ever imagine watching an Amitabh Bachchan film and not watching Amitabh Bachchan in it? Seems impossible, isn't it? The towering persona and the rich baritone just cannot be overlooked. But R. Balki transforms the legendary actor into Auro, replaces the rich baritone with the voice of an adolescent [who's neither grown up, nor a kid] and taps the hitherto untapped talent of the icon.

Trust me, 10 minutes into the film and you forget you're watching Amitabh Bachchan. For, Auro takes over the moment he is introduced to the viewer.

PAA is a simple film told in the most simplistic manner and that's one of the prime reasons why this film works big time. The emotions would've fallen flat had the writing been sub-standard or the execution of the material been humdrum or the actors been inferior. But, thankfully, PAA scores in all three departments, although it must be said that the entire slum redevelopment episode is a complete put-off.

Yet, all said and done, PAA is an outstanding film. A film for every paa, every maa... for everyone with a heart. Take a bow, Auro!

Auro [Amitabh Bachchan] is an intelligent, witty 13-year-old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing. He suffers from progeria. Mentally, he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks five times older.

Inspite of his condition, Auro is a happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya [Vidya Balan], a gynaecologist, but is completely clueless of his father's identity. Till he meets him, Amol [Abhishek Bachchan], who is a full of ideals politician.

Okay, let's not disrespect Balki by calling PAA a rip-off of THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON or JACK. It's not! PAA looks at the varied relationships so minutely. It may've been publicized as a father-son film, but the women - mother and granny - play equally pivotal parts.

The first hour of PAA grips you in patches. The introduction of Auro is brilliant, but the moment the story focuses on the politician and his arch rival's sub-plot, it goes off-track. Sure, there are some interesting sequences, but the impact isn't mesmeric.

But the post-interval portions take the film to dizzy heights and camouflages the defects. The father-son bonding and the penultimate 25 minutes raise the bar. The emotional quotient is tremendous. Get ready to overhear a lot of sniffs and see a lot of moist eyes once the lights are switched on.

Note the two sequences in the climax, when Auro reveals what his father's first mistake was and the pheras towards the end. Also recall the scene when the girl Auro detests for a certain reason shows up with a sketch of Auro. It moves you completely.

But let's not mistaken PAA to be a rona-dhona movie. It's a positive film with funny/light moments in plenty. The conversation between Auro and his best friend, on various occasions, are superb. Also, not once does PAA show Auro as 'different'. He's one among the kids and there's no discrimination whatsoever, which is remarkable.

Director R. Balki deserves a salute for thinking out of the box and also presenting Amitabh Bachchan like never before. The writing may be erratic, but his handling of the emotional moments is exemplary. Note this, he would be a force to reckon with after PAA. Ilaiyaraaja's music is soothing. P.C. Sreeram's cinematography is incredible.

It would be a blunder if one missed out the contribution of the makeup artists. Transforming the veteran actor into a kid must've been an arduous task and Christien Tinsley and Domini Till deserve to be complimented for making Auro look so real.

Now to the performances! No amount of praise, no amount of adjectives and personifications would do justice to Amitabh Bachchan's performance as Auro. Sure, the icon has enthralled us with superlative performances in his four-decade career, but PAA is something else. The icon keeps surprising you at regular intervals and PAA is one of those beautiful surprises, which will remain etched in your memory forever.

That doesn't mean that the remaining performances get dwarfed by Auro. Sure, PAA belongs to Auro, but not once does Abhishek Bachchan dither from his position or seems inferior. This is the hallmark of a tremendous actor, which Abhishek is. Vidya is another surprise of PAA. She takes giant strides as an actor and proves yet again that given the right roles, she can match up to the best in the business.

Paresh Rawal is effective. Arundhati Naag is amazing. So is the kid, Pratik, enacting the role of Auro's best buddy. His telephonic conversation with Auro is superb. Jaya Bachchan's presence is lovely.

On the whole, PAA is an amazing experience. It makes you realize two things. One, the Hindi film industry is also capable of narrating fresh stories. Two, Amitabh Bachchan is truly the most accomplished actor this side of the Atlantic.

Talking from the business point of view, PAA has been made in a sensible and reasonable budget [approx. Rs. 17 crores, including P & A expenses], which should easily be recovered from multiplexes alone.

In the final tally, here's a film that should win awards [for Auro] and also box-office rewards, given its low costs. A film that should strike a chord with every paa, maa... just about everyone with a heart!

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Shahid sculpts eight-pack abs for 'Chance Pe Dance'

Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh flaunted six-pack abs, but Shahid Kapoor is doing two better -- he will show off eight-pack abs in his forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance".

Trainer Abbas Ali said they managed to achieve the new look in a very short time for"Chance Pe Dance", directed by Ken Ghosh. "Shahid had to look cosmetically presentable. After 'Kaminey' we had only two months in hand to change his complete look. It's Shahid's sheer hard work, dedication and consistency that transformed him from what he used to look a couple of years ago to his present look," Abbas told IANS. "His body in 'Chance Pe Dance' is better than all his previous films. Shahid told me that dancers are coming from abroad and he wants to look like god and move like god. I had to change the entire training to bring that look along with flexibility and muscle endurance which was required for his dance performance," he said. Shahid first started working on his body for Vishal Bharadwaj's "Kaminey" as he had to run with horses in a scene.

"Shahid didn't have a muscular body. I was training him only for fitness. Shahid didn't want a picture perfect body in 'Kaminey' because the film shows that he comes from street and doesn't workout in high-tech gym," said Abbas. For "Chance Pe Dance" Shahid needed a sculpted body and practiced five days a week. He also had to work on his diet. "Shahid is a vegetarian and he doesn't even takes egg so first class protein, which is required to build lean muscle, was not there. White carbohydrate was removed from his diet, like white potatoes and pasta. We added brown carbohydrate like brown rice, sweet potato, oats instead. "We didn't go for low carbohydrates because if you go for low carbohydrates your performance level goes down in real life. He has to dance so we couldn't go for low carbohydrates." "Chance Pe Dance", in which Shahid plays a struggling actor opposite Genelia D'Souza, is set for a Jan 15 release.

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Marry me, Karan Johar!

Recently, a female fan from Uzbekistan in Central Asia has sent filmmaker Karan Johar a carpet and a love letter confessing her feelings for him.

We usually hear about actors and actresses receiving fan mail and stalkers making their lives difficult. Katrina Kaif has had a stalker since May this year, a fan from the Middle East landed at Shahid’s shoot a while ago and Minissha Lamba also had stalker trouble.

Karan Johar is the first filmmaker to receive fan mail of this nature. A source close to the production house tells us, ‘On Sunday, Karan received a parcel from Uzbekistan. He was surprised. He saw the carpet with the design of his face and was delighted. It was only when he read the letter in which the lady named Dilbahar had proposed marriage to him was he embarrassed. No female fan has ever proposed marriage to him before.’

The source adds, ‘Karan Johar is one of the most stylish directors and he is as well-known as his films. He is constantly in the limelight promoting his films and for his famous friends and clout in the industry. He has a way with words too and makes utterly romantic movies which are adored by the female community. Also, people in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are very conservative with little contact with the opposite sex. They love Indian movies and Bollywood personalities.'

Karan Johar has a very busy day today and was unavailable for comment. In a past interview he had said he was looking forward to settling down and maybe he should consider the heartfelt proposal.

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De Dana Dan - Movie Review

Be forewarned. DE DANA DAN is the most bizarre film from the maharaja of laughathons, Priyadarshan. Not even in your wildest dream you'd think that Priyadarshan would place almost an entire film in a hotel and have its entire cast, comprising of 26 [or is it 27?] characters, most of them weirdos, interacting with each other. Brings back memories of BLAME IT ON THE BELLBOY? May be!

But Priyadarshan needs to be credited for pulling it off. There are times when you laugh hysterically at the most outlandish jokes and situations. There are times when a raised eyebrow or a wide-open jaw makes you break into a guffaw.

Be cautioned. DE DANA DAN is a loud film, with each and every character screaming on top of his/her voice, with the characters shouting, running, even floating and swimming in the end.

But what do you expect in a Priyadarshan film that has a title like DE DANA DAN? The promos never promised path-breaking or thought-provoking cinema that would give birth to debates and discussions. So why look for logic in this one?

DE DANA DAN makes no qualms of narrating a story you haven't heard before. Here, the story is non-existent and it's left on Priyadarshan to mix-n-match those two dozen characters and keep the momentum alive for the next 2.45 hours.

DE DANA DAN promises laughter and entertainment and sticks to its promise. This one's not for the hard-nosed types, but for those who worship escapist cinema. Who want to chuckle, giggle and chortle at those mindless jokes. In short, DE DANA DAN is a pure dhamaal entertainer!

Nitin [Akshay Kumar] is a butler, cook, driver, watchman, gardener to a wealthy female industrialist [Archana Puran Singh] in Singapore. Like any young man, Nitin too dreams of a better life. He desperately wants to become rich and marry the love of his life, Anjali [Katrina Kaif], who supports him financially.

Ram [Suniel Shetty], Nitin's best friend, also came to Singapore with the dream of striking it rich, but ended up a courier delivery man. He falls for Manpreet [Sameera Reddy], but her high society parents will never approve of marriage, not unless Ram has lots and lots of money.

In the midst of all this is Harbans [Paresh Rawal], a shrewd businessman, who's looking for ways to multiply his income and avoid his debtors. He decides the best way would be to marry his son [Chunky Pandey] off to a girl whose parents can give him a large dowry. He is introduced to Manpreet's parents at a function and is impressed by their social status. He introduces himself as a well-established businessman, impresses them and they decide to get Manpreet and Harbans' son married.

With several factors working against them, Nitin and Ram soon reach a dead end in their relationships. When both receive ultimatums from their girlfriends, they realize that only a life of vice can help them out of their misery. They come up with an audacious plan to kidnap someone important and demand a ransom.

The kidnapping goes awry and both hide at a local hotel while waiting for the ransom money. But misfortune is never far and the kidnapping spirals out of control.

Meanwhile, Manpreet's wedding reception is being held at the same hotel that Nitin and Ram are hiding in. Soon, they are joined by a motley set of characters including a Chinese Don [Asrani], a hired assassin [Johny Lever], a ACB police inspector [Sharat Saxena], a club dancer [Neha Dhupia], an ambassador [Vikram Gokhale], a young frustrated double crossing wife [Aditi Govitrikar], a letch [Shakti Kapoor], a drunken waiter [Rajpal Yadav] and a dead body nobody wants to check into the hotel.

DE DANA DAN is atypical Priyadarshan film that has the unmistakable stamp all over it. But, at the same time, DE DANA DAN is erratic and uneven - energetic at times, lethargic at places. Also, the culmination to the film is very similar to the director's earlier works, with the entire cast running helter-skelter.

On the flip side, you miss Akshay's presence in the second hour. He disappears [gets locked in a cupboard] for at least 20 minutes and the focus, hence, shifts to the other characters. His fans will miss his presence, for sure. Besides, the film tends to get very lengthy towards the second half and overtly verbose too.

Director Priyadarshan is synonymous with comedies and the ace storyteller promises laughter in abundance. Handling so many characters, plus making a film on mistaken identities could be very tough, but the director gets it right. Pritam's music is alright, while the RDB track, 'Paisa', is the pick of the lot. Salim-Sulaiman's background score is energetic. K. Ahambaram's cinematography is alright.

The review would be incomplete if one ignored the dialogue writer's [Jay Master] contribution to the film. The lines are laced with wit and soaked in humour and bring the house down on several occasions.

DE DANA DAN has so many characters that it gets difficult to pinpoint or single out any one actor. Akshay is at his best in a Priyadarshan film and DE DANA DAN proves it. Suniel is natural to the core. Paresh is incredible; he pitches in a superb act. Katrina and Sameera don't have much to do. Amongst the plethora of actors, Johny Lever, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, Vikram Gokhale and Archana Puransingh deserve special mention.

On the whole, DE DANA DAN is targeted at the masses and it delivers laughter in abundance. Leave your brains behind to enjoy this madcap entertainer!

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Raajneeti - First Look

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Tera Kya Hoga Johnny - First Look

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