Exclusive Video: Priyanka Chopra with Olympic medalist Vijender Singh on Tere Mere Beach Mein

Priyanka Chopra with Olympic medalist Vijender Singh on Tere Mere Beach Mein

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Sridevi loves salads

Have you seen Sridevi recently? She’s looking fantabulous. Slim, svelte... almost ravishing.

But what does she eat? Salads, salads and more salads. We saw the actress recently at a birthday party piling her plate with salads and virtually no other food. Not only does the diva eat well, she also makes her daughters — Jahnvi and Khushi — eat healthy, too. So when she was filling their food plates, she had a healthy mix of salads plus a few goodies to make the girls happy. What about her husband Boney Kapoor? Well, Sri tries her level best to make Boney eat healthy as well. She has cut down on his chocolate consumption completely, and she has also asked him to give up his love for green chillies. Of course, she still can’t get Boney to live on salads and sprouts only, but at least she is instilling healthy eating habits in Boney, who is a typical Punjabi with a penchant for good food.

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Imran proposes, Avantika accepts

It’s official! Bollywood’s young heartthrob Imran Khan is engaged to his sweetheart and longtime girlfriend, Avantika Malik.

And although the actor is keen on making the formal announcement only in January, the industry has already raised a toast to the couple.
“Yes it’s true. But we’re planning to have a proper ceremony later, so right now it’s just for us and our families,” admitted Imran refusing to reveal the wedding date. But, a source said, “Imran had thrown a surprise party for Avantika on her birthday on July 18, a very private affair, with only very close family and friends present. There he surprised everyone by proposing to Avantika. Amidst much cheering, she accepted.”

But Bollywood got whiff of the news last week at Arjun Rampal’s nightclub opening in Delhi where Imran and Avantika were spotted. When Arjun found out about the couple’s engagement, he doubled the celebration quotient by announcing it. Several Bollywood biggies including Karan Johar who were present congratulated them.

The couple, who’ve been dating for quite a while now, have always been candid about their relationship and are always seen attending parties and events together. Now that the two have taken their relationship to the next level, when’s the wedding?

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Deepika travels solo, but not Kat, Sallu

Is it insecurity, loneliness, or just love for company that drives Bollywood stars
to ensure that they never travel alone? Meena Iyer analyses the phenomenon....

When Shah Rukh Khan was put through secondary interrogation at the Newark airport recently, one thing that appeared odd was the fact that he was travelling without an entourage. On this occasion, SRK was travelling by himself except for his assistant Subhash Jain. His bodyguard Yasin Khan was denied a visa.

Bollywood actors rarely move alone. For most of them, being surrounded by an entourage consisting of personal valet, bodyguard, sycophants and agents, are par for the course.

When Priyanka Chopra enters a hotel lobby, or preview theatre, or a studio or an event, there is no way she can go unnoticed. With Priyanka are valet Raja, secretary Chand Mishra, PR agents, hairdresser Priyanka and a security person. Her group resembles a mini congregation with the star walking in the centre like a hard-nosed politician, and the entourage protecting her perfectly from close public contact.

Kareena Kapoor moves with secretary Zahid Khan, the girl from the celebrity endorsement agency Poonam, and also her close friend and filmmaker Lovely Singh. Zahid says it makes sense to accompany his actress wherever possible simply because she is the biggest Bollywood actress, and they can’t take chances with the crowds. Lovely Singh, who is a close friend of Kareena is her one-point contact with whatever is happening in the film world. Zahid says, “Bebo spends so much time working, it is imperative that she has a comfort group around her.”

Shahid Kapoor has no bodyguards but his PR manager Rajnigandha Shekawat who travels constantly with the actor says, “Post Kaminey, there is so much madness happening, a bodyguard is now mandatory.’’ The actor usually has best friend, choreographer-cum-filmmaker Ahmed Khan, with him to keep him company and also for cerebral games. Also, a part of his permanent inner group is the man who raised him from his childhood, Mamu. “Mamu stays as close to me as my shadow,” says the actor.

Deepika Padukone travels alone to most places, at least in Mumbai.

Katrina Kaif has manager Sandhya with her at all points. “Sandhya can fix everything from a switch in the house to organising my daily affairs with super-efficiency,” says Katrina, who has come to depend largely on her. Those on a flight with Katrina noticed that the actress wouldn’t even talk to the air-hostess, she always conveyed her needs to Sandhya and Sandhya in turn passed on the instructions.

Hrithik Roshan has his security guards and secretary Ashok Vasodia with him at all points, but he doesn’t encourage too many people to travel with him unless it is to a film shoot, where he then has his make-up man, valet and driver around.

In other words, the agents, managers, body-guards act as the wall of security between the actor and the junta. “Often they double as our friends,” says an actress. “I hate to admit this, but I do lead a very lonely existence in Mumbai,” she confesses. “My family is away and whether I like it or not, I find my manager doubling up as my friend, confidante and even soul-mate sometimes.” The only reason the actress doesn’t wish to be named is because she doesn’t want her audience to know how lonely it is at the top.

Dharmendra, who travelled everywhere with valet Bhanwar says, “Bhanwar has travelled with me to more destinations than either of my wives, Prakash or Hema.”

Amitabh Bachchan was one of the first actors to travel alone. Big B didn’t encourage any kind of sycophancy and he spent time between shots either reading, writing or as is the case these days, blogging. Today his valet Praveen travels with him even when he is on vacation because he needs to be given his medication on time and also to ensure his general well-being.

Akshay Kumar used to travel by himself once. Now, he has weight trainer Jenny, two bodyguards, make-up man Narendra and valet Nitin, plus one permanent hanger-on around him at all times.

Salman Khan travels with a team. He has his bodyguard Shera, brother Sohail, and a couple of small-time actors, who owe ‘bhai’ complete allegiance.

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Big B voice-over for 26/11 album

Amitabh Bachchan to do voice-over for album paying homage to 26/11 terror attack victims.

Even as we see a tribute to the legendary Michael Jackson by the cream of Bollywood fraternity in a recent video, composer Aadesh Shrivastav is busy putting together a video as his tribute to the victims of the terrible disaster that brought Mumbai to a standstill on November 26. Aadesh is creating an album of peace to pay homage to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks. And he has roped in Amitabh Bachchan to do the voice-over for it.

Aadesh believes that Big B’s voice will do the best justice to the album which will have tracks sung by various classical and pop artistes not just from India, but abroad too. He wants to make the powerful voice a binding factor. Aadesh says, “No one else can do justice to this album. Only Amitji can serve as the perfect common thread to all the national and international artistes who are coming together for my album.”

To speed up things and make sure that he can release the album in November, the first anniversary of the blasts, Aadesh is flying down to Singapore where Amitabh is enjoying a holiday.

Aadesh’s album will also bring together Amitabh and Javed Akhtar on the same project after a gap of nearly two decades.

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Sonam advises Anil now

Sonam Kapoor is thrilled by dad Anil Kapoor’s second round — the period after Slumdog Millionaire.

Anil, who’s busy shuttling between Los Angeles and Mumbai, is constantly asking for advise from Sonam. And though all of 22, the actress is totally committed to what her father must do and what he must not. An insider says when Anil wanted to do a round of interviews during the release of Shortkut: The Con Is On, it was Sonam who advised him to stay quiet. She knew SD and Shortkut were two ends of the pole and she didn’t want her father to justify why he went from one to the other. So Sonam just asked her father to stay quiet, and talk when something more spectacular comes along. Now that’s a great combination of beauty and brains.

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Malaika to judge new wedding reality show

It’s the Indian version of ‘The Perfect Bride’

After the success of “Rakhi Ka Swayamvar”, the TV channels are now considering television weddings to increase the TRP’s.

While NDTV is considering the second season of Swayamvar with Rahul Mahajan, Star Plus is not behind in the line. They are considering an Indian version of the popular Hollywood show – “The Perfect Bride”.

The sexy Malaika Arora-Khan has been roped in to be one of the judges on the show along with Shekhar Suman.

Malaika has confirmed the news and said that she will be a judge on the show. She said that she has seen “The Perfect Bride” and has liked the show a lot.

According to sources, the show will have women looking for suitable brides for their sons. An audience poll will select a favourite mother-in-law, who will choose her perfect bride. And if the girl accepts, the couple eventually will get married in a magnificent way on the show, in a grand finale.

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Mallika Sherawat can't steal my limelight

Irrfan Khan confident about not getting overshadowed in ‘Hisss’

Mallika Sherawat has been grabbing eyeballs with footage of her body-hugging costumes as a snakewoman in Jennifer Lynch's "Hisss", but her co-star Irrfan Khan is unperturbed and says she cannot overshadow him in the movie.

"Mallika can't steal my limelight - never - let her do whatever she does. That's her game. That is not my game. I entertain people. I be myself, do my work in a way that I enjoy and connect with my audience so that they remember my work for at least two years," Irrfan told IANS. He was in New Delhi on Aug 29 for the launch of the seventh season of MTV's adventure reality show "Roadies".

Speaking more about "Hisss", the actor said: "It's a different kind of action adventure film - a very nice take on a story everyone has seen - 'Naagin'. But through that story, the writer and director have incorporated the elements of how we as human beings call ourselves advanced and evolved, but actually we have made ourselves blind to nature.

"We have become just a consumer of nature and are only concerned about extracting things for our use, and in the process we are creating a huge crisis. On the surface, it's just an action sort of a film with lots of nudity and sex and Mallika plays a snakewoman."

Irrfan, who played the inspector in Danny Boyle's multiple Oscar winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire", said it would be unfair to reveal his part as it will spoil the essence of the film.

Other films that he is looking forward to include Sanjay Gupta's "Acid Factory" and "Paan Singh Tomar" - both of which have streaks of action and adventure.

Why this sudden inclination towards the genre?

"I have loved adventure, especially physical sports. When I went to South Africa to shoot for 'Acid Factory', I sky-dived 18,000 feet. It gives you an adrenaline rush. As for the choice of genre, it's not sudden. People have always taken me as a serious actor but I was dying to tell them I am not. As an actor, I need to do all - comedy, tragedy, action and adventure. I want variety," the actor told IANS.

Irrfan is also excited about his stint on "MTV Roadies 7", Indian television's longest running reality show. He will make special appearances to throw open seven twists based on the seven sins - lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride - during the show.

"I agreed on this show for two reasons - because I love action and adventure and because I love travelling. Now I won't be doing action, but I will be compelling the contestants to do a lot of it. I like the show as it's a test of mental and physical endurance. It gives you a chance to challenge yourself," he said.

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I don't like John too much: Salman Khan

Salman Khan tells Abhijit Majumder he will bid for one of the two new teams and speaks about everything from SRK to Islam.

YOU are there, invisibly pinned to the wall by fear as the massive, bear-like Saint Bernard casually strolls up to you.

"Don't panic, take your fears head on, run into them," advises a grinning Salman Khan, wearing just his blue gym shorts. "Come, let me introduce you to Saint. He's a harmless baby."

For the next hour or so, you have him talking about new films, SRK, Katrina, Islam, close to everything.

He confirmed in this interview at his Bandra Bandstand house on Friday afternoon that he indeed wants to buy an IPL team.

So this is Salman unplugged (just kidding... anybody who has spent some time with him knows an entirely unplugged Salman is too candid, raw and politically outrageous even for our pages). Excerpts of the printable interview:

You haven't had a hit for a while. Does that worry you?
It does bother me like everybody else. But I haven't had too many releases either. With me, there wouldn't be a film for a long time, and then there would be a flurry of them. I just let my films be released whenever they are done. There is no strategy, no game involved.
Also, among many of those that flopped, I had made guest appearances in 10- or 15-minute roles, for a friend, without charging money or anything. But even these films are put on my shoulder.

Are your forthcoming films any different from what you've done so far?
Arey lovely films yaar. These are the ones I have chosen carefully, worked very hard for. The star of the film is the script. Earlier, I would do a film because it's a big banner or name, but many of them didn't do well. Finally, a strong story works. And I have stopped doing films just because somebody has requested me, or is a friend. A large-hearted person is a beokuf, an idiot. Even on planes, they ask you to wear the mask first in case of an emergency before helping others. Till the time you oblige people they'll say Salman is large-hearted etc, the moment you refuse they'll say, Salman badal gaya hain. You get me a good script, I will be a fool not to do it.

What do you think of other stars?
To reach the top, you need to have certain qualities. Aamir is fantastic at his work. Look at how he pulled off an action film, Ghajini. Shah Rukh has the amazing romantic intensity. Amitabh Bachchan is the most professional, most hardworking man even now. Akshay Kumar has tremendous, horse-like focus. Ajay has got his own charm, his own audience. For middle- and lower-middle-class audiences, the only entertainment is cinema. Going to the movies is like a picnic. If we can't entertain them, give them value for their money, shame on us.

Some would say you have been unfair to SRK on the airport controversy. Doesn't racial profiling bother you? Have you never felt that people behaved in a certain manner with you because you are a Muslim?
I don't think Shah Rukh has ever gone through that. He has been politically correct, there are no court cases against him…they still detained him, and he felt humiliated. They were doing their job.

Let me put this directly: what is your problem with the man who lives on the other side of Bandstand? You used to be friends once.
It's just that our thinking doesn't tally. But the world's made of all sorts of people. I did not like what he said once. He respects my family, I respect his. We just don't see eye to eye. Weird things happened one night. It could have been sorted out then and there.
Next morning I came home. But I found that it was blown out of proportion, obviously not from my side.

It was just a joke at a party, wasn't it?
(Looks across, intensely) It was not a joke.
I don't want to talk about it, but as one grows, one becomes magnanimous, more secure…chalo, god has given so much. But not in his case.
I have my family –– my parents, brothers, sisters, everybody. He doesn't have anybody above him. So perhaps it is lack of…guidance perhaps. Or may be some sort of a fear. May be if I were in his place, I would behave exactly like that.

Do you respect Shah Rukh professionally?
He is very effective. Great script sense. He has come up the hard way, from TV. How he has climbed is his problem. But he has climbed a long way up. For me it is not about climbing, it is about growing.

Who are your best friends?
Monish [Behl], but I don't get to meet him often. Sadiq. A couple of my childhood friends have died. Barry, who was in shipping, died in a shipwreck. Dilip was in the US. He died very recently.

Who is the biggest star in Bollywood now?
(Ponders for unusually long) This is the question I want to ask you.

Isn't this your interview?
I want to be really modest here, can't be. It's a difficult question you have asked me and to say the right thing would sound pompous, arrogant. (Ponders again) Chalo I have an answer. Jiski bhi last picture badi hit hain, he's the biggest.
My father says if you want to give your rivals a gift, arrive late for a shoot, sign the wrong films, get drunk, get into trouble…

You have given them quite a few gifts in that case…
(Laughs out loud) Quite a few. But Sanju has given more such gifts than me. If he hadn't, nobody could have dislodged Sanju from the top position. He's a man's man and a ladies' man.

Don't you feel Amitabh Bachchan can still give the big four – you, SRK, Aamir, Akshay Kumar – a run for your money?
He has been there for such a long time, the respect if definitely there as an actor. He was the biggest star there was ever…ever. Among his contemporaries, Dharamji is not interested, VK sir [Vinod Khanna] would do a film once in a while. But Amitji has the passion to go on and on.
Now, we don't have anybody who can play father or god (in God Tussi Great Ho) better than Amitji. Even though Jackie is playing father, he can't do it like Amitji; Jackie is far too young.

Has Salman Khan mellowed down from the wild brat who allegedly had brawls over girlfriends, hunted wildlife and ran over people with his car, to being more of a thinking man?
Nothing has changed.

Are you still as impulsive?
I'm the same guy. Being at the wrong place at the wrong time was part of my destiny. And from there media taking it to a different, negative level was my destiny too, so was going to jail.

Would you still react if somebody bad-mouthed a friend in front of you?
Yes. But I'd ask my friends not to react if somebody bad-mouthed me in front of them.

Have you got more love from your audiences than your contemporaries?
There's no comparison. If people had seen an Aamir or Shah Rukh go through what I went through, they'd have given them far more affection. People have seen me as a real person. For them, Salman 'apna bachcha hain, apna bhai hain'. Also, over time, start doing away with your insecurities, start getting more and more magnanimous, and you will get love.

There are fatwahs against you celebrating Ganpati in your house. Haven't you ever worried that it might alienate thousands of your Muslim fans?
First came human and then came religion. Muslims don't like bad Muslims; Hindus don't like bad Hindus. Fatwa is an opinion. Nobody is allowed to issue fatwas. The relationship is between me, the banda, and god.

Are you buying an IPL team?
Yes, I want to buy an IPL team. I am interested. So is Lalit. He and I have discussed this. It is a long process, involves bidding and all that.

Which team do you want to buy? Kolkata Knight Riders?
No no. I want to buy one of the two new teams that they are going to introduce. People think I want to buy a team because of an ego hassle with Shah Rukh. Suniel [Shetty] put it very well the other day…he said I don't think somebody will put hundreds of crores for an ego hassle.

You like cricket?
My father and brother are crazy about it. I am not that ardent a fan, but once I'm into it, I'll make sure things work.

Is everything fine between Katrina and you?
Ya, ya. Everybody has problems. My parents still have problems, boss. When I get to know that something's not happening, I'll tell you.

Do media reports about closeness between John Abraham and Katrina bother you?
I had asked her to do the film. I don't like him too much. But I asked Katrina to not be influenced by my thinking. He had apparently removed her from a film a long time ago. She was not very comfortable. Right now she is in a position to kick him out. But I told her it is the director's film, she should do it.
Just like with Karan Arjun, Shah Rukh tried to get me out of the film but when we did it, I told him we are now going to play brothers from not one but two births, so let's be like brothers. Ask me for anything.

You are apparently against heroines exposing on screen.
People say I keep on saying 'Don't expose, don't expose.' There's a theory behind this. The audience doesn't want to see you like that. They want you as girlfriend, or want to marry you. They don't want to share you with others.

So your advice doesn't stem from possessiveness?
That also is there. But frankly, exposure doesn't work in this industry. That's why I say, 'Upar se thoda sa upar, neeche se thoda sa neeche.' About clothes, that is.
When the girls come in, the producer or director says, 'iska kapda chhota karo, aur chhota karo.' Then they become established heroines and refuse to bare. And when they are on their way out, they find the younger lot baring, and go back to it. I don't think they should do it.

You still haven't bit the bait, but do you feel marriage still works as an institution?
Of course it does. My parents' marriage has worked beautifully. I would like to get married at some point.

How many kids do you want to have?
I don't know kitne ho sakte hain. Two-three may be.

With whom?
(Laughs) Unless something is confirmed, I can't say anything. If signing a paper means you have married, then sorry I didn't do that. And if signing a divorce paper means you are divorced, sorry I didn't do that either.

What beyond acting?
Being human [his NGO]. There is nothing greater than touching people's lives, addressing their suffering, bringing dignity.

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Yes, I'm hot & sexy: Bipasha

Hot and sexy — that’s the stereotypical image the junta has of Bipasha Basu.

And, well, she isn’t apologetic about it because at the end of the day, every woman aspires to be just that. But what the actress fails to understand is why people can’t see beyond the obvious.

Bipasha, who has done some remarkable work in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate and Prakash Jha’s Apaharan and shown her own histrionics in Rituparno Ghosh’s Shob Choritro Kalponik besides proving she’s no bimbette in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara, said indignantly:

“Despite this, if I have to fight the stereotypical image that filmmakers have of me being just hot and sexy, then it is rather sad. There are a set of people out there who are myopic.”
Perhaps the Bengali beauty has a point. In all fairness one must say she has juggled the sexy parts with the meaningful ones. In the year of Corporate where she displayed acting prowess she also did Dhoom-2 where she romped around in a bikini.

“To remember one and overlook the other is unfair,’’ argued the actress. Her current lot of films though are a happy mix. There is Sanjay Gupta’s Pankh, where she is an actress on screen, Ajay Devgan’s All The Best — a madcap comedy that is a big ticket bet this Diwali, and Priyadarshan’s untitled venture where she has “a thinking role’’.

“Good work is happening,’’ admitted Bipasha. “Priyadarshan is someone I also wanted to work with. He is a filmmaker with foresight and I know I’m in a pair of very capable hands.’’ She is also happy with the way Ajay Devgan’s release has shaped up. “All The Best is one laugh-a-riot,’’ revealed the actress. “Believe me, we not only had a blast shooting it, we had a blast even while dubbing for the film because it’s a situational comedy that is so funny.’’

However, what comes as a shock is the news that Bipasha who has always had cordial relations with her female co-stars, is now having a cold war with Mugdha Godse, the other girl in All The Best. “Are you buying this story,’’ she asked incredulously.

“I read somewhere that I had stopped Ajay Devgan and Fardeen Khan from going to Mugdha’s party. Am I some mastermind who can actually stop my co-stars from doing what they must?’’ She herself was at an official event that day with her co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh because boyfriend John Abraham was not in town. She remembers wishing Mugdha and sending her flowers, a card and chocolates. “Over the years, I have rarely had a problem with my co-stars,’’ said Bipasha. “With some girls I’m friendly, with others I’m cordial. But to suggest that I have a cold war going with Mugdha is ridiculous.’’

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Bebo gives it up for Aamir!

Don’t make any plans for Kareena Kapoor’s birthday this year.

The actress who turns 29 on September 21, is going to be busy on her film 3 Idiots with Aamir Khan, so bechara Saif Ali Khan will have to rework whatever surprise he had in mind for his Bebo.

Originally, she had wanted to spend time with Saif, mother Babita, sister Karisma and niece Samaira around her birthday... but tragedy struck Aamir’s close and happy little khandaan, and Kareena stepped to the rescue.

You know that Aamir’s wife Kiran Rao suffered a miscarriage earlier this month, and that Aamir promised Kiran he would take time off from 3 Idiots to help her recuperate from the trauma.

What Aamir didn’t realise when he made that emotional commitment was that he had given dates with Kareena to shoot a song in Mumbai during the very same period. Hesitantly, he called up his co-star and asked if she would reorganise her own diary to accommodate him at another time. And Kareena agreed, at the cost of her own birthday plans, because she realised how big Kiran’s trauma was.

Now Kareena and Aamir will shoot the song from September 25 to October 2 in Mumbai. She was in Switzerland all the while and is expected back in Mumbai today. While Aamir is in Europe. The actor has left behind his two cell phones and prefers to be incommunicado for the period that he spends with Kiran. He wants nothing to come in the way of her recuperation.

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It was amazing working with Madhur: Neil

When actor Neil Nitin Mukesh arrived in the city recently, the girls pushed and shoved to catch a glimpse of the oh-so-cute star! And well, Neil quite enjoyed the attention!

Said he, “The craziness and warmth of Delhiites gives me a kick.” And stressing on the point further, he said, “They are totally crazy.”

Lekin, despite the Delhi’s crazy quotient, he really likes the city. “Delhi roads and traffic management takes the trophy away from Mumbai,” he said, adding, “Mumbai roads are always congested, unlike Delhi roads which are so spacious.”

With talks that he would be seen playing a pole dancer in a forthcoming flick doing the rounds, we quizzed him to know more, but he simply brushed it away as rumours! Instead, he got talking about his forthcoming flick, Jail. “I am quite thrilled about it. Madhur (Madhur Bhandarkar) is an institution in himself and it was amazing working with him. I am eager to see the final product.”

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Kangna turns Stylist

Known for her chic and classy style quotient, Kangna Ranaut was at home when there was designer to style her for her latest film.

Samir Karnik, the director of the upcoming romantic flick Vaada Raha, starring Bobby Deol and Kangna Ranaut was in a fix when there was no designer to report on the last two days of shoot to style Kangna. Sources say, “Rather than creating a fit like any other actress, Kangna acted thoroughly professional and styled herself with the clothes from her wardrobe. She’s looking completely different from her usual avatar and everyone will be pleasantly surprised.”

From what we have seen of the promos, Kangna looks dewy fresh in sarees, something that one does not readily associate with Kangna, sarees! Ahem, ahem.

Kangna’s penchant for dressing up is known by one and all, the actress loves to create her own styling concoctions as seen at many events. The actress loves to dress up in Narendra Kumar Ahmed, Chanel and Rikroy and is one of the classiest dressers in B-town, known for carrying off many risqué ensembles with panache.

So the news of her turning stylist isn’t that much of a surprise, still we cant wait for Kangna to start her own line, that will be sharing her gift with the world what say?

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America doesn’t know Ash and Abhi

Stars are worshipped like demi-gods in India and people would do anything to get only a glimpse of their favourite stars. Thus stars cannot live normal lives in India but that is not the case when they go to foreign shores where few people know them.

Earlier this week, Ash and Abhi were spotted grocery shopping by a source in Chicago, USA. She told us, “Abhishek and Aishwarya were in the sweets lane at the Walgreens store located near Water Towers in Chicago. Walgreens is a supermarket chain like Walmart. In India, its equivalent would be Food Bazaar, Big Bazaar and Le Marche. They were there buying cookies and cereals. It was raining and Ash was wearing jeans and a black hoodie while Abhishek was wearing a dark jacket with jeans.”

She adds, “Abhishek looked pretty ordinary and pretty Ash, with her fair skin and blue eyes, blended in with the locals. No one made a fuss over them. There were no starry airs. They were shopping like any other couple. There was only one Indian in the store. Abhishek was checking from the side of his eye if that person recognized him and would approach them for autographs but nothing like that happened. After buying what they wanted, they walked out into the street hand-in-hand without any security. There was no car waiting for them.”

Though Aishwarya is an internationally known face and the Bachchan parivaar was photographed at the US premiere of Pink Panther 2, the couple wasn’t hounded by the paparazzi. The only Indian celebrities that get paparazzi attention in the States are Frieda Pinto and Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire fame.

So the formula to live a normal life where strangers and fans don’t go ga-ga over you is crazy. Don’t wear make-up, maintain a low profile and do your grocery shopping in a foreign country. Tch, tch.

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Riteish Deshmukh back to school

Riteish Deshmukh has reasons to feel ‘nostalgic’ these days. The 30 year-old actor will be seen sporting a school bag in Eros International’s Aladin directed by Sujoy Ghosh. He plays a nerdy teenager.

Aladin is a contemporary look at the classic fairy tale where Riteish plays the title character. However, in Sujoy’s version, Aladin shares nothing other than his name with the protagonist of the famous fairy-tale. Here Aladin is a shy, young man who is constantly bullied by a certain gang of boys in his college. Since Riteish plays a college student in the film, he was required to carry a bag. The actor suggested using a sling, since that is very popular with the youth today. However, Director Sujoy insisted on Riteish carrying a typical school bag as it would be a perfect fit with his reclusive character in the film.

Riteish immediately disagreed, but later decided to try it out on Sujoy’s persuasion. He was given a worn-out brown leather bag by Art director Sabu Cyril to try on. After giving a few takes with the bag, he discovered, to his own surprise that the bag indeed added that ‘authentic’ touch to his character in the film and gladly agreed to carry it.

Riteish said, “Sujoy is a brilliant director and knows exactly what he wants. He was very sure about his portrayal of Aladin and though I was initially hesitant, I realised that the bag completely matched Aladin’s personality.” And how was the school-going experience? “Carrying that typical ‘two-shoulder’ school bag initially felt weird, but it was fun too. It was like reliving my school days after all these years,” reminisced Riteish.

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London Dreams - First Look

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Exclusive Watch: SRK'S 'Make it Large - A Tribute to Michael Jackson'

MORE SRK NEWS AT SRKTHEDON.BLOGSPOT.COM

Seagram's Royal Stag Mega Music lives life with
'Make it Large-A Tribute to Michael Jackson',
on his 51st birthday

Creates video featuring India's best music talent to be released on 29th August 2009

Mumbai August 26 2009 In what can be easily termed as musical history, Seagram's Royal Stag has created a special video 'Make it Large- A tribute to Michael Jackson', to be released on music channels across India on the 29th of August to celebrate the pop legends 51st birthday.

A celebration could not be larger than this one where the best of Indian musicians come together to pay tribute to the genius that is Michael Jackson. Written by Vishal, composed by Vishal and Shekhar, produced by Red Chillies Idiot Box, and directed by Samar Khan 'Make it Large' features Shankar, Shaan, KK, Shreya Ghoshal and Michael’s closest dance likeness in India-Prabhudeva.

The video also features testimonials on Michael Jackson from Bollywood's hottest talent; Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Anoushka Sharma, Shahid Kapur, and cricket's best-Yuvraj Singh.

Commenting on the initiative, Bikram Basu, Vice President-Marketing, Pernod Ricard India said, "Michael Jackson is an icon, an undying creative genius. He uniquely stands for Royal Stag's brand philosophy to aspire and 'Make it Large'. This tribute song and video to Michael Jackson is really special."

Composer Vishal said, "The idea was derived with just from the thought of Michael. It's just awesome to see all of us come together out of love for one person and his music. It's magic!" Composer Shekhar said, "A tribute to MJ is something any musician would give his right hand to do."

Director Samar Khan said, "MJ's life and death have made an indelible impression on my life and suffice it to say that I had to be part of that history. The opportunity to direct this video was one I could not pass up and I am certain that it will leave a lasting impression on audiences across India"

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Kareena's not a gadget freak

All her friends have a particular model of a high-end phone but Kareena Kapoor is not tempted to buy a similar one for herself.

Says she, “I don’t want everyone to ping me constantly.” The actress says one has to keep one’s privacy at least at some point in life. “I love my friends, I love spending quality time with them,” says Bebo. “However there are times when I like to switch off completely. I don’t want to share every moment of mine,” she adds.

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It's Mads, Amrita together for Hussain

Maqbool Fida Hussain to paint Madhuri Dixit and Amrita Rao on the same canvas; will soon make a film with the two in lead roles....

After painting several solos of his favourite ladies — Madhuri Dixit and Amrita Rao, legendary artist MF Hussain is now geared up to paint the two together on the same canvas for the very first time. The inspiration for this painting comes from a film, which will star Amrita and Madhuri, and will be made by Hussain.

“Hussain has even asked Madhuri and Amrita to visit him during Diwali this year to discuss the logistics of the film,” said a source.

Confirming the story, Hussain said, “I do a lot of combination paintings. I have started working on the Madhuri and Amrita painting. It should be ready in a month’s time.”

Along with the painting, Hussain has also begun working on the film.

Confirming his plans of making a film with the two Bollywood actresses, Hussain said, “It’s a bit early to divulge any details but yes, there is one such project in the pipeline. I want to make a film starring Madhuri and Amrita. I believe that my painting is incomplete unless I make a film on it.”

When asked if unlike his previous films Gaja Gamini (2000) and Meenaxi: A Tale Of Three Cities (2004), he would now like to make a commercial film, he replied, “No. I don’t want anybody to dictate what I have to make.”

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SRK gets Vishal-Shekhar, Hrithik, Shahid, Priyanka, Katrina for MJ tribute

MORE SRK NEWS AT SRKTHEDON.BLOGSPOT.COM

Some of the biggest names from the film industry would be seen paying tribute to Michael Jackson on his 51st birthday. Come 29th of August and Shah Rukh Khan, Vishal and Shekhar, Shahid Kapoor, Shankar Mahadevan, Prabhu Deva, Priyanka Chopra and Yuvraj Singh amongst others would be featuring in a music video titled 'Make it Large- A tribute to Michael Jackson'.

It was Shah Rukh Khan's idea to get a tribute rolling for the music legend who passed away on 25th June this year.

Says Vishal Dadlani of Vishal-Shekhar duo, "The entire world was upset about his demise and so were Shekhar (Ravjiani) and I. We happened to meet Shah Rukh and he also expressed his thought about doing something that would be befitting the stature of the man who entertained us for decades. This is how the idea around the music video was born."

Vishal and Shekhar soon set a task for themselves and began working on the song. It was decided that the music video would be launched on 29th August to coincide with Michael Jackson's birthday. While Vishal also wrote the lyrics for the song, some of the best singers in the industry - Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, KK and Shreya Ghoshal - were roped in come behind the mike.

"For the moment, the idea is to launch the music video across all music channels just for one day. It is available on Red Chillies Entertainment website though", informs Vishal who is currently holidaying in London.

Directed by Samar Khan, a close associate of Shah Rukh and director of films like Shaurya and Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye,'Make it Large- A tribute to Michael Jackson' is also special since it features Prabhudeva who is yet again seen at his dancing best.

Also, the video features testimonials on Michael Jackson from Shah Rukh Khan himself along with Shahid Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma and Yuvraj Singh.

To extend the tribute, Vishal and Shekhar would also be allowing free download of the song at their website beginning 29th August.

"The video wasn't created for making money. It's a tribute and I am sure there are millions out there who would want to grab a copy of the song for themselves. We are more than glad to share our sentiments with the rest of the world", concludes Vishal.

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I'm not getting married this year: Shilpa Shetty

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is upset over news that she is set to tie the knot with London-based businessman Raj Kundra by the year end. She clarifies that she isn't getting married this year.

"I've said before, I will make an official announcement the day my parents decide on my marriage date and I promise the press will have at least a month to celebrate the announcement. So to set the record straight, no I'm not getting married this year. Yes, I am looking at next year, but date not decided," Shilpa posted on her blog.

A British newspaper reported Thursday that the actress would be getting married between September and December in Britain after her father, Surendra Shetty, wrote so in an application to an Indian court.


But Shilpa has slammed the news. "I am sick and tired of people calling me to clarify after they've put it as breaking news on some channels and wasted reams of paper on concocted news articles," she said.

Shilpa is also upset over the leakage of the details her father gave to the court to acquire his passport.

"My poor dad is already having a tough time every time he has to travel abroad and has to apply for his passport, and as alway it's harrowing enough for him to go back and forth every time for his passport...," she said.

Surendra Shetty's passport was reportedly confiscated after he was charged with threatening a business associate he claimed owed money to his daughter. Since then, he and his wife Sunanda have only been able to travel overseas with the court's permission, which is why he applied for the passport on the alleged pretext of Shilpa's wedding.

"My dad's 67 and ageing, please let the poor man live in peace and dignity, it's annoying. I request the press to report responsibly and not make any baseless assumptions," stated Shipa.

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Hrithik Roshan is the cover guy for the September issue of GQ

Hrithik Roshan is the cover guy for the September issue of GQ that hits stands next week.

The star has spoken candidly about his stammering and how he overcame it by locking himself in a room and practising for hours to talk fluently among others things. Extracts:

A-a-a-ctor: "I couldn't say a word and I wanted to be an actor. And every time I said that, I felt like such a fool because I used to go, 'I-I-I... w-w-w-want... t-t-t-to... b-b-be... a-an... a-a-actor!'"

On adulation: "You get so confused between the person that you are and the persona that is projected on screen.

I've been on stage where I have 40,000 people shouting my name... they have tears in their eyes. And you could so easily take all that and fill your ego with it and feel like a god, but you finally realise that it is a bottomless pit."

On choosing his films: "I see everybody doing the same thing over and over again because it works... I've reached a stage where I have enough courage to do films I believe in."

Being Hrithik: "I am my own product. And I have to take care of myself. That's going to get me my name, my fame, my bread-and-butter, my money for me and my family."

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Daddy Cool - Movie Review

Not all English films can be adapted for the Indian screen. Also, the remake may not necessarily be as interesting as the original. That's what you realize when you watch the Hindi version of DEATH AT A FUNERAL called DADDY COOL. Sadly, DADDY COOL is just not cool. Plenty of reasons why...

* One, this supposedly laugh riot fails to tickle your funny bone, barring in a scene or two.

* Two, the concept is more suited for a play. Setting an entire film on one location, with the story taking place in a span of a few hours, is not too exciting.

Even otherwise DADDY COOL tries so hard to make you laugh, but falls flat on its face. The unfortunate part is, comedy in Hindi movies is now relegated to making faces on camera and that's what most actors in DADDY COOL do.

Another factor that goes against the film is its humour. It's crass and crude. In this film, men roam around either in shirts, showing off their underpants [Chunky Pandey] or stand on a roof with just underclothes [Aftab Shivdasani] or tell people to remove their underclothes so that they can relieve themselves in a toilet [Prem Chopra asks Jaaved Jaffery to do so].

Really, what kind of humour is this?

Chaos erupts during the funeral of Douglas [Sharat Saxena] when the grieved mourners are struck by drugs, romance, jealousy and a scandalous secret, all of which befall the family and friends.

Director K Murali Mohan Rao has helmed several interesting films in the past, but what's this? Sure, DADDY COOL has a few entertaining moments, like the one when Rajpal Yadav reveals the secret [that Sharat Saxena was gay and Rajpal and he were lovers], but the remaining sub-plots fail to cut ice. Adding multiple sub-plots is fine as long as each sub-plot has something fascinating to say, but that's missing here. Even the end is so bizarre, with members of this detached family suddenly professing love for one another.

There's just one song [Raghav Sachar] at the start [a tuneful number] and one towards the end. Dialogues are strictly okay.

With a weak screenplay on hand, there's not much the actors can do. The ones who try hard and manage are Suniel Shetty, Jaaved Jaffery, Sophie Choudry, Chunky Pandey and Prem Chopra.

On the whole, DADDY COOL fails to deliver what it promises - laughter and entertainment.

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Quick Gun Murugun - Movie Review

[English, with generous dose of Tamil]
Recall the cinema of 1970s. The villains would spray bullets at the hero, even throw bombs at him, but the hero would come out unscathed. The hero, in turn, would fire in the air, the bullet would hit the lamp post, bounce towards the villain and enter his skull. The hero was truly a superhero.

Welcome to the crazy, madcap world of QUICK GUN MURUGAN. In this film, the hero and villain are at loggerheads. The fight is between vegetarian and non-vegetarian [meals]. Here, the villain wants to make the best dosa in town and kidnaps women who have the perfect recipe for making delicious dosas.

QUICK GUN MURUGAN is not the stereotypical movie, but it borrows from all stereotypical movies that made Indian cinema so distinct from rest of the world. The best part is, QUICK GUN MURUGAN is innovative.

One sentence verdict? Try this dosa... it's delicious!

Quick Gun Murugun [Dr. Rajendra Prasad] is an unlikely superhero. He is a sincere South Indian cowboy who considers it his duty to serve and protect. The movie revolves around the misadventures of Quick Gun Murugun and his fight with his arch villain Rice Plate Reddy [Nasser].

Quick Gun Murugun enters into an epic battle that spans time and space, from a small South Indian village to Swarglok and then finally to the cosmopolitan Mumbai. He is torn between Mango Dolly [Rambha], who loves him and his first love Locket Girl [Anu Menon] and his loyalty is put to the test.

QUICK GUN MURUGAN depicts the war between good and evil and what makes it a novel experience is that the characters are straight out of 1970s. Director Shashanka Ghosh's choice of the subject as also the execution deserves credit.

But there's a hitch. There's too much Tamil in the film, which though explained by sub-titles, may prove a deterrent in non-Tamil areas. In fact, the South Indian appeal would restrict its penetration into the nook and corner of the country.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Nasser vie for top honours. Both excel. Rambha suits the role. Anu Menon is good. Raju Sundaram does a fine job. Vinay Pathak has a brief role. Ditto for Ranvir Shorey, Gaurav Kapur and Sandhya Mridul. Ashwin Mushran is first-rate. Kishori Balla [Anni] is perfect.

On the whole, QUICK GUN MURUGAN is an innovative experience. The adventures should appeal to the youth mainly.

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HOT: Priyanka-Shahid story in pics

Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor - are they in love? Are they dating? Have they broken off? There's so much we want to know. And the stars themselves have only stayed tight-lipped about all of it. So people, let's check out some pictures from the Rajiv Gandhi Awards ceremony, where Shahid broke off into a jiggy with Priyanka in midst of the audience. And just watch their body do all the talking! Of course I will also provide the juicier tidbits that I keep hearing about the two as you keep clicking.

So Priyanka was dancing and Shahid wanted to dance. So he broke off into a jiggy with the actress after her performance got over. A little birdie tells me the two had been sticking to each other throughout the ceremony.

Just check this out. The duo seemed not to care about anybody else. They were too much into each other. Well, now another thing I heard recently. Apparently Shahid has been checking out prices for all the big cars...

When Shahid boy asked for a price quote and all that, my friend the little birdie thought he must be buying it. But guess what Priyanka said when she heard all of this...

The sexy lady was convinced Shahid was NOT buying the car in question. WHY? Well, she believed she would be the first one to know if he did! Uhm Uhm. We believe she'd be the first one on the passenger seat as well!

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Katz celebrates Ganapati

The magnificent Ganpati at Khetwadi’s 12th Lane Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal had a lovely and distinguished visitor in Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif on Wednesday evening.

Head covered and bowed in respect, hands joined in supplication, and then down on her knees with her forehead touching the idol’s feet, the actress paid her respects to Lord Ganesh with a simplicity and earnestness born of long practice at the Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi.

Is she a Ganesh bhakt? Isn’t everybody who is a Mumbaikar? The actress said she had a lot to be grateful to Mumbai for. And, she believed Lord Ganesh was the presiding deity of Mumbai, everybody worshipped Ganpati... she felt a strong connect to the God, that is why she frequently visited Siddhivinayak.

“Being a part of the puja here is a small gesture on my part to express my gratitude,” said Katrina as devotees gaped in astonishment at her faith and then made a mad scramble to shoot pictures of her on their cell phones.

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Salman is not buying any IPL team, says brother Sohail

There was a buzz yesterday that Salman Khan is planning to buy an Indian Premier Premier League (IPL) cricket team, like Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty.

Salman met IPL commissioner Lalit Modi yesterday at a suburban Mumbai hotel, after which he told the media that the actor had shown interest in buying an IPL team, "He has been interested in buying a team for quite some time.

Today, we had a brief meeting and I explained how to go about with the task. I can assure you that Salman is not the only star who is thinking of buying a team. I have had around 28 queries and the list will surely go up," he said. Modi also admitted that having a film star added to the glitter of the event. "It does add to the spark," he said.

According to Modi, the price tag attached to a new IPL team would be in the region of $200 - 300 million. Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra shelled out almost $15 million for a 12 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals.

However a source close to Salman says, "He bumped into Lalit Modi at a hotel in Bandra and started chatting with him. It was an informal discussion. Salman asked him how he was, what's happening with the IPL and some other details but that was it.

This talk of Salman buying an IPL team has been going on forever. It's just that celebrities bring certain glamour to IPL and people want stars to be associated with them - like Akshay Kumar was the brand ambassador of the Delhi Daredevils. Similarly, many want Salman to be the brand ambassador of their teams."

Salman's brother Sohail Khan says, "It's not true. Salman is not buying any IPL team. Yesterday when he was shooting for Dus Ka Dum I called up bhai and asked him whether it was true and he denied it."

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No chance, cheque please!

Bips skips I-Day event in Chicago because she was only offered part payment for making an appearance; she refused to take the risk.

Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Katrina Kaif, Gulshan Grover and Bipasha Basu performed at the South Asian Carnival on August 15. Bipasha was to be part of the package but she stayed back in London as her cheque didn't arrive.

This was a part of a two-day, extravagant fun fair in Chicago to celebrate India's Independence Day for people to see their favorite stars and get their autographs and pictures too.

Bipasha, who reached Mumbai a couple of days back and is currently shooting in Kadaikudi for Priyadarshan's film opposite Ajay Devgan, says, "Yes, I didn't go for the Independence Day Carnival in Chicago. The money didn't come on time so instead of going to US, I stayed back in London to spend time with John (Abraham) and shooting for Harpers Bazaar."

The actress is very clear about the stance she had to take vis-a-vis her trip to Chicago. "Katrina, Saif, Kareena were holidaying there but I had to take a nine-hour flight to Chicago. I didn't want to fly without any confirmation.

They were willing to pay me part of my entire remuneration. The organisers (Cineyug's Morani brothers) told me to take a chance and fly down from London (where Bipasha was) to Chicago. They said they would try to see what they could do depending on the crowd turnout but I flatly refused.

I couldn't afford to take a chance and fly all the way down without getting my full amount." So she stayed back in London "chilling with John and shopping for bath and kitchen accessories at Heels, John Lewis and Selfridges for my new home in Khar."

Mohammed Morani says, "Frankly, the overseas business is handled by Karim and Aly and I really don't have knowledge of this." Despite repeated text messages and calls Karim and Aly remained unavailable for comment.

Bips' new look
For Priyadarshan's film which is based on honour killings, Bipasha dons "a simple, deglam, realistic and very traditional Bengali look though I play a Bihari girl. "I am clad in simple cotton sarees, with bindi, hair in a bun. I play a housewife and am growing my hair for the role. It's quite a defined one and I am very excited to be playing it," says the Bengali actress, who has Rituparno Ghosh's Shab Charitro Kalponik, Sanjay Gupta's Pankh and Ajay Devgan's All The Best coming up as her next releases.

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How Rani got her hot new body

Yoga expert reveals her fitness secret

Rani Mukerji is all set to fire up the screen in her latest film “Dil Bole Hadippa”. For the first time in her career, the actress will even be seen in a bikini in this movie.

Rani and yoga expert Payal Gidwani have worked as a team to achieve the hot body that Rani would be flaunting in the movie.

Payal started off with Rani on April 16, 2008. At that time Rani weighed 56 kilos, which has now been brought down to 49-50 kilos.

Initially Rani had a heavy lower body. She could only do 5-10 Suryanamaskars and had very weak nerves. As a result, stretching would lead to cramps.

To increase her cardio vascular endurance, Payal had to incorporate simple cardio exercises like getting Rani to walk up and down the stairs of her bungalow.

Now Rani has not only lost the extra kilos but can easily do 100 Suryanamaskars or 2,000-2,500 Kapalbhati in a go and can also hold on to Asanas for 1 minute. Her breathing technique has also improved.

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Priyanka talks about her past on TV show

She reveals what it was like growing up in Bareilly

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who made a style statement with her hot pants and halter tops in "Dostana", wasn't allowed to wear a pair of jeans at home during her growing up years.

The 27-year-old actress, who was brought up in She reveals what it was like growing up in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, faced these restrictions at home after returning from the US, where she had gone to do her high school.

"I wasn't allowed to wear short skirts and then my jeans were also confiscated. And my mother got 12 salwar kameez sets made for me so that I wore only those because when I used to go to school, guys used to follow me," Priyanka revealed on Farah Khan's chat show "Tere Mere Beach Mein".

But that phase is over for Priyanka who is counted among the most glamorous actresses in Bollywood today.

She will be seen with boxing champion Vijender Singh on the show on STAR Plus on Saturday (Aug 29). They would be seen talking about what it’s like growing up in smaller cities.

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Shilpa to marry Raj Kundra this year

Father reveals couple’s wedding plans

Shilpa Shetty, who became a household name here after her win on the reality show "Celebrity Big Brother" in 2007, is set to marry businessman Raj Kundra this autumn, her father has revealed in an application to an Indian court.

Shilpa and her London-based Indian beau formed a successful business partnership following her appearance on the reality television show. Their business empire includes a $16.2 million (10 million pounds) stake in the Rajasthan Royals Twenty20 cricket team and as well as in Britain’s V8 Gourmet Group.

Shilpa's father Surendra Shetty revealed the couple's wedding plans in an application for his passport to be returned to allow him to attend the event. It was confiscated after he was charged with threatening a business associate he claimed owed money to his daughter, reported telegraph.co.uk.

Surendra Shetty is accused of sending gangsters to collect a debt from sari manufacturer Pankaj Agarwal after his firm Praful Sarees failed to pay Shilpa for a modelling assignment when her Bollywood career was at a low point. Since then, Surendra Shetty and his wife Sunanda have only been able to travel overseas with the court's permission.

In his application, Surendra Shetty told the court the wedding would take place between September and the end of December in Britain.

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Salman and Ranbir lose grandmothers

Both passed away on Aug 25

Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor both lost their maternal grandmothers on Tuesday, August 25.

Neetu Kapoor’s mother, Rajee Singh, 71, had been staying with Rishi Kapoor and Neetu at their bungalow Krishna. She died of a cardiac arrest.

Rajee Singh was a familiar figure in Bollywood in the 1970s when Neetu was one of the top heroines. She would often be seen escorting her star daughter.

Ranbir’s girlfriend Deepika Padukone, who was scheduled to leave for Italy on Tuesday, cancelled her flight and spent the day with the mourning family.

Meanwhile, Salman Khan’s maternal grandmother too died the same day. She was 91 years old.

His mom Salma Khan was by her mother’s when she passed away. Salman apparently had visited his grandmother’s Mahim residence just a few hours before she died.

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Bollywood set to shine at Toronto film festival

Event’s co-director gives the details…

Bollywood is set to steal the limelight at the Toronto International Film Festival starting on September 10. For the first time, the world's premier film event will premiere two Bollywood films - "What's Your Raashee?" and "Dil Bole Hadippa".

"You know, last year our audiences launched 'Slumdog Millionaire' that went on to win everything (at the Oscars). And this year, we are thrilled to have two Bollywood movies under big banners making their world premiere," Cameron Bailey, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) co-director, told IANS in an exclusive interview.

He said: "It is the first time that two Bollywood films are making their world premiere here. We had major Bollywood films in the past, but not for world premiere. We had their special presentation and galas with the stars. Those films had opened just before the Toronto festival and we had their presentation."

Bailey, who personally selected the two films during his visit to Mumbai in July, said: "These films were in the final stages when I was in Mumbai. These are highly anticipated films and we will be thrilled to see their stars like Rani Mukerji, Priyanka Chopra and Hurman Baweja in town."

An avid fan of Rani, Bailey said: "Rani is terrific. She can go the whole range - from serious dramatic roles to light comedy. Here (in 'Dil Bole Hadippa') she is in the role of a woman who loves cricket but cannot get on the team because she is a woman. It has that Shakespearean conceit when she dresses as a man to get on the team."

Rating Priyanka one of the most versatile actors today, he said: "Priyanka is incredible. In this film ('What's Your Raashee?'), she does 12 roles transforming herself into 12 completely different women. Now that is incredible."

He said the film festival will also be privileged to host Ashutosh Gowariker whom he described as one of the best directors in India.

"We had Ashutosh here previously as director of 'Lagaan'. He is a great maker of period films with such an attention to detail.

"But what is different about him this time - and people would love to see it - is that he has done a contemporary film ('What's Your Raashee?'), and it is a love story. Wow, he has not done that before. I am sure he will prove himself to be a master again."

Bailey, who gave a big break to Bollywood at the festival three years ago by organising a gala presentation for the film "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" in the presence of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, said he is determined to raise Bollywood's profile here for two reasons.

"One, we have an avid audience which comes (only) to see Bollywood films and their stars in town. Two, we want to introduce Bollywood to our audiences that do not know this kind of cinema."

In fact, he didn't rule the future possibility of live musical performances by Bollywood stars at the festival.

"We would love to showcase the musical part of Bollywood, and it is something we may consider down the line," he said.

"Many may not see it that way, but Bollywood is already a mainstream global player. Stars from Bollywood are globally recognised. People who make and finance Bollyood films are global players. See what Reliance is doing in Hollywood as a major player," he added.

The 34th film festival, which runs from September 10 to 19, will feature more than 300 films, including 100 brand-new, from 64 countries.

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In Pics: Katrina Kaif Meets "New York" Contest Winners

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In Pics: Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra Launch V8 Gourmet Group at The Tiffinbites Restaurant in London

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