Saturday, January 31, 2009

Sallmans the wind beneath Bebo's wings

That Kareena Kapoor and Salman Khan have kissed and made up, is now known.

Kareena Kapoor

Lucky for Bebo, because Sallu immediately proved why he makes one of the nicest friends in Bollywood. The actress, who was in Panchgani, would have failed to reach Karabi in Thailand where she had to shoot a song for Sohail Khan’s Main aur Mrs. Khanna. Enter generous Salman. He organised a chartered flight for Bebo. The actress, stressed with hectic schedules, could catch a much needed shut-eye on the flight and when she reached her location was able to shoot the whole night and complete the song. Incidentally, Bebo and Sallu play a couple in the film... and she has an extra-marital affair with Sohail.

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Deepika's turning Pink

She is just three films old but that doesn’t stop her from being one of the hottest actresses in Bollywood.

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Recently, the Pink City caught a glimpse of glam girl Deepika Padukone who was here to be a part of an event organised by a soft drink brand. However, this is not Deepika’s first visit to the Pink City. The actress was here last week too.

This time around, Deepika arrived in the city on Thursday and was directly escorted to her hotel amidst tight security. In spite of spending an entire day in Jaipur, Deepika did not venture out of the hotel to sight see or shop. Says a source from the hotel, “Deepika was inside her room most of the time and security was tightened inside the hotel. Even the staff from the hotel was not allowed to wait on her. She was looked after by the staff from the soft drink brand. Deepika was served a buffet lunch which comprised of traditional Rajasthani dishes which included chicken curry, dal, paneer, chapatti and rice.” Deepika left her hotel early on Friday morning. She walked into the airport looking lovely in a white sweatshirt, white capris and huge sunglasses. Most of the passengers at the airport were not able to recognise the stunning actress immediately, but when they did, there was a beeline for autographs. As she was whiskered away by the security personnel of the airlines, the Pink City was left hoping that this pretty woman would be back soon.

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Sexy Jiah Khan, Worst dressed

Jiah Khan is known for her outrageous and wild style statements. However at a recent do, we were quite shocked at the girl's avatar.

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Hair combed back, the girl was wearing a body hugging bright red evening gown that showed off a careless hunch and gawky posture more than her size zero figure.

Now Jiah, it is your bindaas demeanour that we prefer to this trying-to-be-ladylike attempt. So next time, do let the hair down and be your flamboyant self. That's the way we love you gurrrl!

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Birthday girl Shamita’s in for a big Surprise

It’s Shamita Shetty’s birthday today and the lady is in for a lot ofsurprises.

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Sister Shilpa is throwing a big birthday bash for her. Shamita loves diamonds, so Shilpa has bought a set of expensive diamond jewellery. Well, we must say behen ho toh aisi.

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I'm Incapable of any violence: Adnan Sami

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Singer Adnan Sami says his wife Sabah filing a police complaint against him for abuse is the "most humiliating moment" of his life and rubbishes her allegations as he is "incapable of any violence".

"All I can say is this has been the most humiliating moment of my life. I know I'm being accused of violence. But the truth is I'm incapable of any violence. The cops were more amused than intimidating," Adnan told us.

A non-cognisable offence was registered against Adnan at the Oshiwara police station here in the wee hours of Friday after Sabah accused him of "mental and physical torture". The Pakistani singer was then summoned to the police station and warned against misbehaving with his wife in future, a police official said.

According to a friend of Adnan, trouble has been brewing between the couple for sometime now.

"It started after Adnan's reunion with son Azaan (from his previous marriage). When Azaan came over to spend a fortnight during Christmas with his father, Sabah left for her home in Dubai. She felt somewhat insecure about the presence of a son in her husband's life. But Adnan has wholeheartedly accepted Sabah's son Abdullah from her earlier marriage. And Adnan saw no reason why Sabah should have a problem accepting Azaan since he's a mature and endearing boy," the friend said on condition of anonymity.

Azaan reportedly even tried his best to win Sabah's love. "Azaan accompanied Adnan for a concert in Dubai and there tried to win his mother over with flowers and chocolates. Sabah melted. But not for long."

Real trouble began when Sabah returned to Mumbai and Adnan's ailing father had to be hospitalised.

"Again Sabah felt neglected because Adnan was giving all his time to his father. Apparently when Adnan's father was hospitalised she refused to let his mother stay in their house and insisted she check into a hotel. Adnan was distraught. When his mother heard this she said she's stay in the hospital with her husband," the friend said.

Matters apparently reached a head Thursday when Adnan's father had to be discharged.
"Adnan insisted on bringing his parents home. But his wife would have none of it. This is strange considering Sabah's Filipino female friend has been their house guest for sometime now."

Sabah suddenly called the police home Thursday afternoon. "When they asked if he had caused any physical or verbal abuse she had no answer. On Thursday night-Friday morning at around 3 a.m. Sabah again complained and Adnan had to go to the police station to explain himself," the friend added.

Adnan's father was rushed to hospital after he had a relapse of the cancer of his pancreas, Adnan had said earlier. The singer has been in and out of hospital for the past two weeks.

Asked about his father's health now, he said: "By the grace of god my father has recovered...No one can stop me from bringing my parents home."

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Vidya gets chatty

At the heart of a star resides a child that Vidya occasionally gets to nurture when she can free herself from the trappings of her profession, when she surprises morning-walkers at the Victoria Memorial lawns at the crack of dawn or has luchi sabji at Shri Hari before catching a morning flight to Mumbai.

Vidya Balan

Stardom doesn’t allow her indulgences, but Vidya isn’t complaining. Recollections of things past and an urge to experience some of what has been left far behind, even in small measures, doesn’t let her get blinded by the stardust.

“Nothing matches the innocence of a child. My mother’s name is Saraswati. Vidya is a very common name among Tamil Brahmins. Since education always takes a precedence over everything else, Vidya was a natural choice of name for us. We Tamil Brahmins celebrate Saraswati Puja on Vijaya Dashami. We’d offer books, pens and ghungroos at the deity’s feet. Trust me, that one day of being told not to study seemed like a huge loss just before the exams,” she says, recalling the compelling urge she’d invariably feel every Saraswati Puja to do her revision!

Conversation soon meanders towards the importance of education, especially when the success rate of drop-outs in the industry is pretty high. “I’m thankful to my parents for insisting that I give up Hum Paanch and complete my graduation. Education gives wings to broaden the horizons. I’d not judge the success stories of school drop-outs in the industry. I’d only say that one must not waste a chance to get educated, since there are so many others wanting and yet not being able to do so.

Recently, I ran the Mumbai Marathon for an NGO that supports the education of the girl child.” Yet, what Vidya doesn’t support, is how today’s children are being taught to only score the highest marks. “While it’s nice to see driven children, I wish they could fit into a system where education is an end in itself and not a means to an end. Today’s children have an instant reply to every question. In the name of professionalism, parents are often forcing child artistes to pick up the fine art of being battery-operated,” she says.

So, how is she as a student, when it comes to working with different directors with diametrically opposite working styles? “With Mani Ratnam, you will hardly get an okay when you expect one. It’s only when you are unsure, that he will say that the shot is okay. While Dada (Pradeep Sarkar) goes for multiple takes, Raju Hirani loves spontaneity.”

Challenging her skill with the constant process of learning and unlearning, has instilled in Vidya a renewed confidence in her strengths and an understanding that there is something about her vintage appeal that continues to mesmerise her audience, waiting to see her light up the screen again with Ishqiya and Pa this year.

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Aish signs up for Vishal's Film

Finally Vishal Bharadwaj and Aishwarya Rai's wish to work together is going to be reality. The hit maker who is currently busy with 'Kaminey' will be starting a movie with Aish towards the end of this year.

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It was for a film titled as 'Timbuctoo' that Vishal had approached Aishwarya in the past. But that film never materialized.

Talking about the project with Vishal, Aishwarya said "Vishal and I have wanted to work together ever since he was the music composer on a project that got shelved. We had promised one another that I would star in his film whenever he turned director".

Well, Vishal took up direction way back in 2002 with the wonderful children's film 'Makdee'. He followed it up with the commercially and critically acclaimed flicks 'Maqbool' and 'Omkara', becoming one of the most respected film makers of B-Town.

Confirming about the proposed film the actress said "I was very impressed by Vishal's work. But he insisted that we would work together only when he found absolutely the right project. That has finally happened. Vishal has bounced the script off me. And we both feel this is the right project for us to come together".

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Friday, January 30, 2009

Playing sexy save's my Career: Mallika

Love her or hate her but you can’t ignore her. That’s Mallika Sherawat for you. Recently, we heard (one more) interesting bit of hush-hush news about one of Mallika’s films. After doing bold roles in Khwaish and Murder, the actress was all set to play a seductress in Forbidden.

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According to sources, Mallika was quite excited about her role in the erotic thriller (which doesn’t surprise us). Unfortunately for Mallika, the film was shelved.

The film was to be produced by Ratan Jain and directed by debutant Manish Gupta. The entire film was to be shot in a palatial villa in England. Interestingly, the script required Mallika to seduce her 20-something step son.

“Mallika had some qualms when it came to who would play her step son. She did not want any well-known face for the role. At one time, Tusshar Kapoor was considered and the producers had a meeting with him. But, Mallika refused to work with Tusshar. Left with no choice, Ratan Jain and Manish Gupta finally signed Aditya Seal who had made his debut as Manisha Koirala’s juvenile admirer in Ek Chhoti Si Love Story,” said our source.

All was going well and Manish Gupta was scheduled to go to UK to finalise the location when he suddenly learnt the film had been shelved. “Later, Manish learnt that Ratan Jain did not want him to direct Bobby Bedi’s film Stoneman Murders, which he was also supposed to make. Manish was told that he solely concentrate on Forbidden or opt out. Manish chose to direct Bedi’s film instead of Jain’s.” said our source.

Manish Gupta confirmed that he was to direct Forbidden with Mallika Sherawat in the lead. When asked if Ratan Jain had given him an ultimatum, a tactful Manish said, “I was unable to direct Forbidden because I started work on Stoneman Murders at the same time.”

When asked why Forbidden was shelved, Ratan Jain said, “Is it necessary for me to tell all this? I don’t want to talk about it.” While Ratan Jain and Manish Gupta continue their fight, Mallika we suppose is desperately looking for another sizzling role to put her flagging career back on track.

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Zayed Khan Wants to be Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan is busy collecting accolades and trophies for his performance in Jodhaa Akbar and one man who is extremely proud of his achievements is his bro-in-law Zayed.

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When we last spoke to Zayed last, we found that the Khan wanted to do something 'monumental' as well.


"I'd love to play a historic role but I have miles to go before I get to do what Hrithik is doing. Hrithik is extremely hard working and for me to reach there will require a lot of maturity", said Zayed out of utmost respect for bro-in-law Roshan.

Now his saala's compliment must be no less than an award for Hrithik... after all family is family!

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Shahrukh mends bridges with Manoj Kumar

Signaling the end of the bitter war that ensued between Shah Rukh Khan and yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar with the release of Om Shanti Om in 2007, Shah Rukh visited Manoj recently and spent nearly four hours with him.

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He shared some light moments with Manoj’s grandchildren too. Shah Rukh also went to enquire after the health of Manoj’s ailing mother-in-law, Savita Devi, who is SRK’s late mother’s good friend.

Says Manoj, “Look, there wasn’t ever an epic war between us that we wouldn’t meet again. He made a mistake and apologised for it. My 94-year-old mother-in-law had to be recently operated upon, and Shah Rukh wanted to meet her. My mother-in-law used to make khakras for Gandhiji. She is a former MP from Congress and Shah Rukh’s mother was a social worker, that’s how they met.”

Ask him more about the visit and Manoj continues, “Shah Rukh asked me why I was not making films anymore. I asked him what his problem was if I don’t make any and just rest at home. We joked about it. It was nice to meet him, I hardly interact with present day stars. I’ve just spoken to Aamir Khan over phone. And imagine, I haven’t met Salman since the last 19 years, despite his father, Salim Khan, being one of my closest friends.”

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Anil Kapoor better than Big B: SRK

Slumdog Millionaire is getting rave reviews world wide and one man who couldn't be happier is director Danny Boyle. When we bumped into Danny recently the director was all praises for apna Lakhan bhai, Anil Kapoor.

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Expressing his liking for Anil he stated, "Anil has been a great ambassador for us, for this film and Mumbai. The way he represents India is phenomenal. He is such a wonderful actor."

Showing no regrets for not having Big B and SRK in the movie, he further added, "Amitabh and Shah Rukh have already hosted shows and are legends in their own right but I needed an actor who can be a legend and also make the character his own. I was happy with Anil."

Anil definitely seems to be the man of the moment.

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What's common to Shahrukh, Aamir and Danny Boyle?

For those who are unaware, Sham Kaushal has been in the news for composing the stunts and action sequences of last week's release, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Moreover, he is also the action/stunt coordinator of Karan Johar's Shah Rukh Khan starrer, MY NAME IS KHAN and Rajkumar Hirani's Aamir Khan starrer, 3 IDIOTS. He has an impressive list of releases coming up this year in the form of Vishal Bhardwaj's KAMINAY, Nagesh Kukunoor's TASVEER and Prakash Jha's RAJNEETI, apart from the three prestigious films mentioned above.



SHAHRUKH KHAN, AAMIR KHAN and DANNY BOYLE



Well, Bollywood may have woken up late to the talent of Sham Kaushal, but King Khan spotted it very early on and gave Sham a break in his home productions, ASOKA (2001). Later he stunned the film industry by composing some amazing stunts and action sequences for Hrithik Roshan's KRISSH. Sham then went on to do OM SHANTI OM for SRK's home banner, Red Chillies and he is now coordinating the action sequences of two of the most anticipated releases of 2009, MY NAME IS KHAN and 3 IDIOTS.

Way to go, Sham and here's looking forward to all your stunts (literally!) in your forthcoming films...

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Deepika beats Katrina in Popularity

Deepika Padukone managed to outdo her b te noire Katrina Kaif for once.

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The Om Shanti Om and Bachna Ae Haseeno star who beame the new stuntwoman of Bollywood with her recent flop flick Chandni Chowk to China, Deepika was declared the most searched name in the People category by Yahoo! India.

Yahoo! India's top people search 2008 was dominated by Deepika Padukone as opposed to Google's India Zeitgeist 2008 where Katrina Kaif was the most searched person in India.

Yahoo! had announced the most popular searches, themes, and trends as part of its 2008 Year-ender Special on the basis of searches conducted by millions of users from India. Following Deepika in the top people searches were Shilpa Shetty and Aishwarya Rai. Also in the race were other actresses like Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor .

Well Deepika might have outshone Katrina for a while, but it remains to be seen that in the matters of heart concerning certain Mr Kapoor which of the two leggy beauties will finally win!

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SRK's back time for Television

It is pay back time for Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh Khan had begun his acting career with television and now he is launching himself in television in a big way.

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His entertainment arm Red Cillies Entertainment is set to venture in TV production. This will be another venture by King Khan who has diversified in different sectors including sports, real estate and production.

Shah Rukh Khan made his acting debut in 1988 when he appeared in the television series, Fauji, playing the role of Commando Abhimanyu Rai. He went on to appear in several other television serials, most notably in the 1989 serial, Aziz Mirza's Circus, which depicted the life of circus performers.

The same year, Khan also had a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film, In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones, which was based on life at Delhi University and was written by Arundhati Roy.

Shah Rukh Khan’s entertainment company Red Chillies Entertainment is foraying into the world of television by launching The First Ladies. It has been appreciated by the viewers and television critics.

After the success of the first TV progamme, Shah Rukh Khan is making a foray into Television Fiction with a comedy show inspired from the runaway hit series in the 70’s Yeh jo hai Zindagi.. The show is titled ‘Ghar Ki Baat Hai’.

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Salman Khan in strange different tune

He acts, he paints, he sings, he dances, he writes scripts and now he is gearing to make music. That is Salman Khan for you.

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A source close to the actor said, ''While working on the music of Partner, Salman didn't approve of a particular song and discussed the shortcomings of the song with Sajid and Wajid. Although the alterations were technically incorrect, the duo went ahead with the modified song which went on to become a huge success.''

Our source added, ''Salman has always taken keen interest in the music of all his films. He listens to the score and at times puts his foot down and makes sure that the music is altered according to his preference.''

The Sajid-Wajid duo has been creating music for Salman's films for over a decade right from Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998) to God Tussi Great Ho (2008) and the forthcoming Main Aur Mrs. Khanna (2009).

Sajid, who spoke to us from Patyaala, confirmed and said, ''Salmanbhai has a great sense of music. He always gives valuable inputs. We are encouraging him to become a full-fledged music director. We are also trying to get him to sing his songs. Wajid and I will assist him.''

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Juhi's karmic Connection with SRK

Many years ago when the pretty Juhi Babbar couldn’t make it big in films, it was father Raj Babbar who gave her a reassuring word and said, ‘You Juhi Babbar know, Shah Rukh will suit you well’.
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Juhi says, “His words stuck with me over the years and today, it seems so amazing that I am making my debut on the small screen with Shah Rukh Khan’s TV show. I feel I have a karmic connection with him.”

Having grown up on comedy hit series Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, it was only natural that the script of the new show was an instant hit with Juhi when it was offered to her. “We need clean, hilarious and homely fun. Such that can be watched with the entire family and enjoyed to the hilt. So, I was happily on with the team. My family was supportive about my decision and that meant a great deal to me.”

It’s however, hosting a talk show that Juhi aspires. “I am a well-informed, well-educated and theatrics-equipped sort of an actor. My language skills are good too, so I can host a talk show. Topic could be any, I’m game to take it on,” says Juhi.

The New Year seems to be working out well for her, considering the past year was one with personal upheavals. “This year, I resolve to do good work, hard work and loads of work. And personally, I want to look forward in life. I have parted ways with my husband (Bijoy Nambiar). And I do want the world to know that he is no villain. Sometimes, two people are nice but do not turn out to be great with each other. Bijoy is working for Mani Ratnam’s Ravana and I wish him the best ahead.”

Being a spontaneous actress, positivity is her mantra. “I am all set to explore different aspects of my personality and take each day as it comes.”

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Real life Inspirations in Movie Luck By Chance

An actor (Hrithik Roshan) who is caught in the web of his own stardom. A producer (Rishi Kapoor) who is finding it hard to find stars for his film.
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A star kid (Isha Sharvani) who is getting into 'Helloji Namasteji' mode. A Diva (Dimple Kapadia) who is looking at taking her brand name forward. A filmmaker (Sanjay Kapoor) who looks for West for inspiration. And still filmmaker Zoya Akhtar insists that Luck By Chance is not a spoof on the film industry. Also she denies that her film makes any promises of getting into the underbelly of Bollywood.

"No ways does Luck By Chance get into the underbelly of the film industry? Come on, I don't have that kind of access," smiles Zoya Akhtar, daughter of Javed Akhtar and brother of Farhan Akhtar, "Also, the film does not spoof Bollywood. It's just that because of my industry background, I can share quite a few anecdotes and incidents that I have witnessed over the years."

Talking more about the film she says, ''The film will show a lot though of how the film industry functions. Still, primarily it's a journey of two strugglers, how they meet and who are the people from the industry they meet on their way. Other than them (Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma), the film is about a producer and a Diva and the star kids.''

Any real life inspirations here. ''A lot, otherwise Luck By Chance couldn't have shaped the way it has today,” she responds quickly, ''I have shared examples of people whom I have hung out with or interacted with like the extras, dancers, hair stylists, assistant directors etc.''

As per Zoya, the film is more of a satire, ''But definitely not spoofy. See, most people in the industry are entertaining by themselves in any case. So, there is no need to spoof them; just portray them the way they are and that's entertaining enough.''

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Freida's mentors-Kate and Jolie

Guess who's guiding 'Slumdog Millionaire' star Freida Pinto in her maiden Academy Awards experience? Not able to come up with an answer, well then here it is: Kate Winslet and Angelina Jolie.

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The two Oscar winning superstars are offering the Indian actress words of advice and wisdom on the red carpets of glitzy awards ceremonies.

And Freida is convinced that she can go to the Hollywood leading ladies in case of any questions or concerns.

"Angelina was really wonderful to talk to and very supportive of newcomers... She's just like, 'Embrace it. Enjoy it and keep it real. Don't get affected by all this. Enjoy every moment,'" Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

She added: "And every time I have a question, Kate Winslet is always there to answer it. I found this new-found support in her."

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Imran Khan and Genelia share cold vibes

In another corner the cold vibes could leave one frigid.

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Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na co-stars, Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza, stood within minutes of each other but hardly exchanged a word, even consciously turning away to avoid an awkward moment.

C’mon, jaane bhi do yaar, why is all that on-screen chemistry missing off-screen? Kiss and make-up, dearies. Puhlease...

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All for a Glimpse of Madhuri Dixit

Well, ZOOM’s lavish Mumbai premiere of Danny Boyle’s Oscar nominee was indeed a million dollar opportunity for our photogs.

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Madhuri Dixit looking resplendent as ever caught everyone’s attention. In fact, when Mads went to use the restroom, there was a huge queue of producers, etc, waiting outside to get a glimpse of her. Mads in Mumbai — is a rare photo-op, na?

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Aishwarya Rai to contest polls

After 'Munnabhai' Sanjay Dutt, it could be the turn of Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

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Samajwadi Party workers and leaders in Bihar have decided to offer Aishwarya the party ticket for the Madhepura seat against Janata Dal-United (JD-U) national president Sharad Yadav, a party official said.

In view of the overwhelming demand of the party workers, the Samajwadi Party Bihar parliamentary board has recommended Aishwarya's name to party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Senior party leader Tulsi Singh said that a large number of party workers and people had requested him to convince Mulayam Singh to give the party ticket to Aishwarya from Madhepura. Singh is chairman of the party's state parliamentary board.

The Madhepura seat is held by the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Pappu Yadav, who is serving life imprisonment in Tihar Jail in Delhi for his involvement in the murder of Left leader Ajit Sarkar. His wife Ranjita Ranjan is a Lok Janshakti Party MP from Saharsa.

JD-U leader Sharad Yadav is likely to contest from Madhepura, his old seat.

In the last Lok Sabha polls in 2004, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, the RJD chief, won from Madhepura by defeating Sharad Yadav. Lalu Prasad later resigned the Madhepura seat and opted to retain the Chapra seat.

Madhepura, a rural seat, is dominated by the backward Yadav caste. Last year, Madhepura was hit by devastating floods when the Kosi river changed its course after a breach upstream in Nepal.

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Why does Neha Dupia hates Valentine's Day?

Now when all are gearing up to celebrate this love-ly day, Neha Dhupia seems to be in a different mood altogether.

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She tells us that she hates Valentine’s Day. Now let us assure you that everything’s alright between Neha and her boyfriend Ritwik Bhattacharya. Neha just finds the whole thing oh-so-stupid. “I think it’s really a stupid concept. I don’t understand why do we even need to celebrate that day? It’s not a festival to celebrate; so what’s the significance of it,” she asks. But there could be another reason for this hatred. “I was very fat when I was in school,” reveals Neha, “And very ugly, too. Every Valentine’s all girls used to get chocolates except me...” Now, now, that’s one sad story. But how much ever you may hate the day, we’re sure Rits can give you loads of chocolates for all those years that you didn’t get any! Cheer up Neha.

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SRK loves Priyanka more than Kareena, Deepika

If Priyanka Chopra declares from the rooftops that she is Shah Rukh Khan's biggest fan then it is with reason. The superstar, who has been taking more than a passing interest in the music of the films he produces, decided to give away a large portion of his duet in " Billu Barber " to her.

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"Shah Rukh took very close interest in each one of the songs. He isn't a musician, but he has an instinctive ear for music. It takes him just a few seconds to approve or cut down a track," told composer Pritam Chakraborty.

With the songs meant for Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Pritam faced no problems.

"Shah Rukh loved his songs with Kareena ('Marjani') and Deepika ('Love mera hit hit'). They were straightforward dance songs with shared grooves between Shah Rukh and Kareena and Deepika," said Pritam.

The song with Priyanka needed special treatment and Shah Rukh made Pritam re-work and re-record the song.

"Shah Rukh's song with Priyanka 'Khuda-ae-kher' is not an item song. It's a love ballad that the pair playing Bollywood superstars emote to in front of the camera. Being a love song Shah Rukh felt there wasn't enough of the female presence in the vocals. He made me re-record the song with more for the female vocalist (Dominique) to do since he wanted Priyanka to have an equal number of lines," the composer said.

"It was entirely Shah Rukh's idea to give Priyanka more lines in the song. He's a very generous entertainer. If you see him on screen he never tries to steal the limelight from his heroines. Even ' Khai ke paan banaras wala ' in 'Don' had a lot of Priyanka in it although it was entirely Shah Rukh's song," Pritam added.

Asked about Shah Rukh's generosity, Priyanka sighed and said: "What do I say? Now do you know why he's my favourite?"

Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta, who play a rustic couple in "Billu Barber", will later be seen enacting the same Shah Rukh-Priyanka ballad.

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Shahrukh's view on Slumdog Millionaire

Many critics and prominent industry people have been fuming about the fact that the Oscar nominated film Slumdog Millionaire highlights poverty in Mumbai. But the Baadshah of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan has no problem with it.

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He thinks that the poverty seen in the film is a reality and hence wrong for people to become cynical when the film is getting international acclaim.

Shahrukh, who has read the original book as well as the script said, "Isn't that (poverty and slums) a reality? If you (critics) have a problem with the word slumdog, why don't you look positively and see that there is a word millionaire or 'crorepati' also."

King Khan has returned from Los Angeles after a month-long schedule of Karan Johar's My name is Khan. He said, "I have just returned from the US and people there have become crazy about the film and its music. The film's sound is also good apart from a good story and screenplay. The film deserves all awards."

However he doesn't regret turning down Anil Kapoor's role in the film. He said maybe he wouldn't have done justice to the role of a game show host like Anil Kapoor. He was already hosting 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC) and later 'Kya Aap Panchvi Pass Se Tez Hai' during the time Danny Boyle shot the film and will do the new season too.

He added, "I love awards and I hope to feature in a film comprising Indian cast and crew some day which will go to win these awards. The success of Slumdog Millionaire worldwide is an incentive to all Indian filmmakers."

And we always thought that the Baadshah was totally in love with Bollywood only and didn't really care about anything else. It's nice to see him talk with an international perspective for a change!

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Monday, January 26, 2009

Bollwood Choreographer Really dating Britney Spears!

Ace Indian choreographer Sandeep Soparrkar wants to once and for all put to rest rumours about his alleged affair with Britney Spears and says he is too much in love with his partner Jesse Randhawa to even think of dating the American pop star.

Sandeep Soparrkar and Britney Spears

"I don't want to talk much about it as I am already in the news for the wrong reasons, but I want to make one thing clear that I am not dating Britney Spears," Soparrkar said.

Just a few months ago, the international media was abuzz with the news that Spears is dating Soparrkar. Media reports had said that the two met at Madonna's party, hit it off immediately and later Spears came to India to spend time with him.

"I am very much in love with my partner Jesse Randhawa. I enjoy dancing with her. Whenever I dance with her, it gives me a feeling of closeness and pleasure," he added.

Soparrkar specialises in Latin American ballroom dancing and says the attitude of Indians towards this dance form is changing and people are now taking it seriously.

"People are becoming aware about treating dance as a career option and those who are serious know how to go about it. Dance is not a hobby any more and many study dance as their subject," he said.

"The most important thing is to understand and learn dance; only then can you excel in classes. There are people who are born with some dancing skills, but it is something that can be learnt over a period of years," he added.

While many have taken to learning western dances like salsa, Latino, rumba and cha-cha-cha, Soparrkar feels that the popularity of Bollywood dances overshadow these elegant dance forms.

"Bollywood dancing is the weirdest dance form and it can be learnt as a hobby. All those moves look good on screen and they are fun. Bollywood has a major influence on our everyday life and people love to imitate the moves of a popular song, but it isn't a serious dance form," the dancer said.

While Bollywood actors like Hrithik Roshan and Shahid Kapur have become a rage for their dancing skills, Soparrkar's personal favourite is Govinda, who according to him is a carefree and energetic dancer.

"He dances so beautifully and his effortless moves and great expressions make him a treat to watch. He dances from the heart and you can see the pleasure dancing gives him," he said.

Although he finds Bollywood dance weird, Soparrkar will be choreographing for three movies – ‘Raftar 24x7’, ‘Cyclone’ and ‘Phir Kabhi’, which features Dimple Kapadia and Mithun Chakraborty.

"I'm not going to follow the Bollywood style. It will be a completely different form of dancing," he said.

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I don’t Support Big B: Sonam Kapoor

The occasion was to announce Worldwide Media’s title sponsorship agreement with IDEA Cellular Ltd for the 54th Filmfare awards. But guess who hogged the limelight? The vivacious Sonam Kapoor! And why not? Her ‘Delhi 6’ opposite Abhishek Bachchan is ready for release...

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We spoke to her on the obvious, and much more.

Excerpts:

What is so special about ‘Delhi 6’?
Sonam Kapoor: I love Delhi. I love the food here; Chhole Bhature, Golgappas and chaat at Chandni Chowk. My family lives here. So obviously shooting in Delhi was fun. Working with Abhishek and Rakeysh Mehra was special too!

Your favourite song from ‘Delhi 6’ is...
Sonam Kapoor: I love animals so Masakalli obviously! It is about me, a free-spirited bird. During the shooting I developed a bond with this pigeon. The way Masakalli is composed, sung and shot makes it special.

‘Saawariya’ bombed at the BO, are you scared for ‘Delhi 6’?
Sonam Kapoor: I am hopeful and have high expectations from the movie. I got what I wanted from ‘Saawariya’, so I am happy!

Last year the Filmfare went to Deepika. Were you upset?
Sonam Kapoor: Yes I was. But as I said I got a lot from ‘Saawariya’ - endorsements, popularity, and ‘Delhi 6’. I am young, invincible, and on top of the world. Should I be upset?!

Your dad Anil Kapoor is part of the ‘Slumdog...’ phrnomenon. How does it feel?
Sonam Kapoor: We attended ‘Slumdog Millionaire’s premiers and did bhangra on the red carpet. The movie is about triumph of underdog, love, and India as it is. I am proud of it.

Your response on Big B’s disgust and Anil Kapoor’s performance...
Sonam Kapoor: It’s a democracy and everyone has a right to say what he/she feels. I don’t’ support Amitabh ji’s opinion. SRK in KBC, Big B in KBC, and my dad in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’: well, my dad is the best!

Anil Kapoor says he never gets awards...
Sonam Kapoor: Ghar mein itne saare to pade hain... He is a liar. How can you trust him?

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Kareena Kapoor Vs. Salman Khan

The long-drawn-out cold war between Kareena Kapoor and Salman Khan has come to an end.

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Much to everyone’s relief, the two stars finally broke the ice while shooting for Main Aur Mrs Khanna at Panchgani on Friday. Cracks in the Kareena-Salman friendship developed when Salman had differences with Shahid Kapur during the Rock Star concert in 2006. Since Kareena and Shahid were romantically involved, Kareena’s relationship with Salman too hit troubled waters.

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Madhuri, Preity and Sushmita gunning for Size zero?

It's great to see these glam-sham maam's on the big screen. And it was even more pleasurable to bump into them at this filmi do.

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Anyway, the three women - Madhuri Dixit, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen - were looking as gorgeous as ever. And yes, they all seem to have lost tons of weight, so much so that we think Mads, Zints, and Sush are soon going to be size zero!

From hero-giri, it's the fad of zero-giri that seems to be taking over our filmi duniya. Hai Ram!

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Sushmita Sen awaiting clearance to Play Benazir Bhutto

Former beauty queen and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen will be enacting the role of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in a biopic to be made by Pakistani filmmakers.

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Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

"Yes, I am keen to play the role. The producers are waiting for a clearance from the Pakistan Peoples Party (Bhutto's party). Once we get the go-ahead, we will start the movie," Sushmita had earlier told reporters.

Sushmita is reportedly working hard to get into her character by reading extensively on the life of Bhutto and watching footages on her. She is simultaneously working on her Urdu diction as well.

Co-produced by Pakistani producers Zaid Aziz and Henna Rai of Karachi production firm Vox Vision and Leicester-based Sum Films respectively, the film will be bilingual - made both in English and Urdu.

Tentatively titled "Benazir Bhutto: The Movie", it will be shot at various locations in Pakistan, the US, Britain and Dubai, where Bhutto spent years as a student and later as a political leader in exile.

Apparently, Mahesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films is also battling out to make a biopic on the leader.

Indo-Asian News Service

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AR Rahman & Sukhwinder to perform at Oscars

While we are all glad with AR Rahman receiving the Oscar nominations for Slumdog Millionaire, here’s the icing on the cake. Rahman and singer Sukhwinder Singh have been invited to open the eighty first Annual Academy Awards night, scheduled for Feb 21 at Los Angeles. The duo will perform their super-hit number ‘Jai ho’.

A R Rahman and Sukhwinder Singh

Giving us the great news, our source, who is close to Sukhwinder, says, “Rahman had called up Sukhwinder, telling him that the authorities of the Academy Awards had asked him to open the ceremony. Rahman asked Sukhwinder to prepare himself for another live performance. Nothing new in that, except, this time, it would be for the Oscars! Gulzar, who has written the song, is likely to make an appearance on the awards night too.”

Adds the source, “Rahman will work on the song and modify it to set it in sync with the live orchestra and make it suitable for a stage presentation. Rahman and Sukhwinder are looking forward to it. Sukhwinder is of the opinion that the Slumdog nominations have raised India’s bar in the international market and hence, they would now have to be extra cautious about the quality of work they deliver.” An ecstatic Sukhwinder tells us, “I’m waiting for an official confirmation, till then I cannot comment on it.”

Interestingly, the trio of Rahman, Gulzar and Sukhwinder had earlier worked together on ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’ from ‘Dil Se’, which was included in the Denzel Washington starrer ‘Inside Man’.

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Nandana Sen bonds with Amrita Arora

Catfights among actresses is nothing new, but then to strike a friendship is surprising. We hear there’s some bonding happening between NandanaSen and Amrita Arora.

 Nandana Sen and Amrita Arora

Says Nandana, “Amu is totally chilled out and fun to work with. She has an open heart and uncontroablly wild side.” Here’s to the new dosti in Bollywood.

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Celina Needs some love

This glam doll is bored with her single status and so badly wants to mingle.

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So when we met Celina Jaitley recently, she spoke to us candidly about pyar-vyar. Not ready for shaadi-vaadi yet, the girl wants to fall in love all over again. “

I am not really ready for marriage, but I would definitely like some love in my life. I would love to enjoy the feeling of being in love.

I have been single for almost three-and-a-half years, can you believe that?” So besides some hatke film offers, Celina is on the lookout for some love as well.

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Freida Pinto’s Wardrobe Worries

Freida Pinto, the female lead in Slumdog Millionaire, is enjoying every minute of her new-found stardom, but she’s also experienced the downsideof being in the public eye.

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The off-shoulder dress she wore for the Golden Globes has come in for some criticism and when asked about it, she says, “It seemed the right choice at the time, but I’m obviously going to be more careful now.”

But, apart from that, she’s quite thrilled at the reception she got after returning to India. She says, “It’s been a great homecoming. I need to treasure these moments for the rest of my life. For someone who’s never acted before, this break was a blessing.

Working for Danny Boyle was like attending the best acting school in the world. When we started working, he told me, ‘Life isn’t always the same. Brace yourself for the world!’ The attention does get overwhelming at times and I’m still getting used to it. I’m actually quite shy.”

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Sophie reveals her Secret Ambition

Sophie Chaudhary’s (pictured left) secret ambition is to win over Simon Cowell, TV producer and a judge on “American Idol”.

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The singer-actress has always had a weakness for the man most people are scared of. She says she would love to audition for “American Idol” because it’s her favourite show and that she is ultra confident about her singing English having been trained by the lady who taught Annie Lennox and George Michael.

In fact, many of Sophie's close friends feel she is a lot like Leona Lewis who is not only a leading singer but someone Simon discovered.

“Simon always looks for the complete package - good voice, great looks and personality plus he tends to go for warmer skin tones. It would just be a high to win over Simon,” says Sophie.

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Minissha goes Under the knife!

Yeah ,according to the latest buzz Minissha has gone under the knife to get a pointed nose. And that's the reason for her flaring nose these days. The actress is miffed about these rumours.

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"Anyone says anything they want!" says Lamba who turned another year old only recently. However 'cosmetic correction' has long been the practice in Bollywood.

Koena Mitra has been doing her bit by telling all and sundry to stay away from the surgeries. She has learnt through her mistake and has vowed never to settle for the knife ever again. Some cutting truths, these.

But then the actor always 'knows' best!

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Ghajini Vs. Ghajini

Expectations, expectations and more expectations. Every movie has its fair share of it. Some less
and some more. Regardless, it always seems to be a reason behind a film's success. If it exceeds Justify Fullor meets expectations they say its a success, and if it falls below then a failure.

For Ghajini these very expectations came in all shapes and sizes. First and foremost, thanks to Aamir Khan. How can a project not have sky high expectations when associated with it is the acclaimed perfectionist of Indian cinema. Secondly, being the remake of a hit and acclaimed Tamil film, Ghajini was already expected to win the hearts of audiences. Lastly, the leading lady and director remained the same in this counterpart, so naturally it was expected that they would combine the same successful ingredients this time around with Aamir Khan to deliver yet another masterpiece. Did they succeed or does the original remain the one and only masterpiece? Read on to find out…

Drawing contrasts between the two version of Ghajini is quite difficult because director A R Muragadoss remained quite true to his original masterpiece. In fact, rarely did they differ from the original dialogues. Of course one does not blame him the least bit. Why sabotage something that is already a hit formula. Although, some small tweaks were made in the script and screenplay to prepare it to appeal for its new targeted audience. Unlike Tamil cinema audiences, Hindi cinema audiences may not have the stomach for the violence that Tamil cinema is accustomed to. The makers rewrote small sequences in the action segments of the film which was a very wise decision to ensure appeal to its new audience. In addition, the glamour quotient has been raised in particular for song sequences, perhaps with a higher production value (merely a speculation). However, A R Muragadoss didn’t stray off completely from the true essence of Ghajini, which is that at heart it remains an action packed adventure so definitely don’t go in expecting a totally action-toned-down version of the Tamil Ghajini.

The main focus of drawing contrasts that perhaps you are interested in is the performances. Was the perfectionist really perfect for the role? Was Jiah the right counterpart to Nayantara? The former is a difficult question that we’ll get to in due time but the latter is quite easily answered. And that is no. Jiah Khan simply did not look the part of a final year medical student. Perhaps this role should have come at the time of her career when her talent had been better groomed. As for now, the maturity required for the character was certainly not present in Jiah’s performance. She did not look or act the part. One wonders why Nayantara wasn’t brought over for the role like Asin had been or why Kangana Ranaut didn’t remain signed on. After witnessing Jiah’s performance, you’re almost certain anyone would be better than her.

Surya Shivkumar was the original Tamil actor who did the role of Sanjay Singhania (originally Sanjay Ramasamy), and when one has witnessed his performance it is hard to imagine that someone else can step into the same shoes. Although, it can safely be said that Aamir Khan came very damn close to delivering an as perfect performance, and in fact it is almost impossible to think of anyone else in the Hindi film industry who’d do justice to the part. Aamir’s performance is both endearing and heart breaking depending on what was required, particularly in the opening sequence where the audiences discover his mental situation. You really feel the pain of a man who everyday has to wake up and find out that the woman he loved the most in this world is no longer in it. The only sequence, in comparison to the original, in which Aamir fails is bringing across the expression of confusion. Surya was more successful in bringing across the emotions of a man who is constantly lost but still is on a mission that he is not too sure about what it is anymore. This was a particular highlighted expression in the original introduction sequence of Sanjay where he is beating up Ghajini’s goons but at the same time is very lost as to what he is doing or why he is doing it. In order to successfully convey this situation a better use of background score was also needed. Like our very own reviewer, Aly Kassam, pointed out in his review of Ghajini, the background score was amateurish in various portions. Even though it may seem as if it doesn’t contribute much to the performance of an actor, it certainly does contribute in getting across a character’s situation because it creates an atmosphere of emotions for the audiences to feel.

Lastly, the music of the original was a chartbuster to say the least, and it was very wise to entrust this big responsibility upon the man that never fails, A R Rahman. Of course picturisation was bollywood-fied without any typical Tamilian numbers such as 'Rangola' in the original, which would not have been a hit up North as much as down South.

On the whole, Ghajini vs. Ghajini would be a battle that ends with a tie, expected because the captain of the ship remains the same. Ghajini is a remake in its true essence. It pays tribute to a fantastic movie and has simply been tailored and translated for its new group of audiences, nothing more and nothing else. Audiences of the original, do not fear as justice has been done to your masterpiece. Fans of the remake, be proud of a fantastic piece of cinema that has been so intelligently crafted. It is a masterpiece that will go down in the history of Indian cinema. Take a bow the team of Ghajini!

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Aamir Khan to do Another Cricket-based film

It seems one movie per year resolution is going to be null for Aamir Khan who will start working for a cricket-based film as soon as he finishes 3 Idiots .

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The movie, titled ‘Ferrari Ki Sawaari’, has cricket as the central subject. Aamir, who is riding high on success with Ghajini making records at the box office, was the natural choice for producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra . And guess what? The actor is learnt to have given his nod to the project.

The film is conceived by Rajesh Mapuskar, who was once associated with Rajkumar Hirani . Now, according to sources, Rajesh’s idea has been well received by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. In fact Vidhu will co-write the script for the film.

Aamir, who is currently working for Vidhu and Hirani in ‘3 Idiots’, has already impressed the duo with his fine acting and perfectionist streak. ‘Ferrari Ki Sawaari’ is about a young boy who gets attracted to a cricketer’s Ferrari car and dreams of playing cricket in reality.

For the Perfectionist Khan, a project has to be extraordinary to spark his interest. And it seems ‘Ferrari Ki Sawaari’ promises that.

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Aishwarya beats American singer Beyonce

Aishwarya Rai has been ranked higher than American singer Beyonce in the most desirable women's list in a poll conducted by leading men's portal AskMen.Com.

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The annual survey titled 'Top 50 Most Desirable Woman in the World' had Ash at the 48th spot while Beyonce rounds the list off on the 50th position.

The survey which asked voters to select their ideal partner based on 'intelligence, charisma and ambition' was topped by American actress Eva Mendes. Some other prominent names on the list were Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johansson, Rihanna, Angelina Jolie, Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba.

Aishwarya who will be seen in the Pink Panther sequel this year along with some Hollywood big wigs like Steve Martin and Andy Garcia. Incidentally Beyonce had starred with Martin in the 2006 remake of the 1964 original starring Peter Sellers.

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Slumdog is wonderful: Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, who had stoked a controversy by slamming Slumdog Millionaire, Friday said the movie was "wonderful" and expressed happiness that composer AR Rahman won three Oscar nominations for his score and songs in the movie.

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"The sound engineer of this wonderful movie Slumdog Millionaire, Rasool, an Indian, has also won a nomination along with Rahman. I am so happy. Bhanu Athaiya was the last Indian to win an Oscar for the designing the costumes of Richard Attenborough's Gandhi in 1982," Bachchan said at an overflowing venue at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Referring to his comment regarding Slumdog Millionaire that "the film projects India as Third World's dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots", he said, "I write a blog. But the opinions expressed in my blog were not my own. So many people write on my blog site and I was just quoting one of them. I have spoken to Anil Kapoor and Danny Boyle and cleared the misgivings. But everyone must have freedom of expression."

The superstar was here for a day to release his biography, Bachchanalia: The Films and Memorabilia of Amitabh Bachchan, spanning 40 years of his career in the Hindi film industry.

The book – co-authored by Mumbai-based author Bhawana Somaaya and the Mumbai-based auction house and archive OSIAN's Centre for Archiving, Research and Development (CARD) wing – is the maiden publication of Osian's publishing and design department. Founder and chairman of OSIAN's Neville Tuli was in conversation with the superstar.

Bachchan, clad in a pink shirt and a black velvet blazer, cut an amenable figure as he fielded queries from his host and the audience alike. "Indian cinema is gaining global acceptance. I was in Paris two weeks ago for Salon Du Cinema, a festival of world films, where India and my family were the focus this time.

"I realised that the Indian movie industry was being acknowledged and Hindi movies were being shown on television channels in countries like France, Germany and all over Europe – even in those European nations where there had been no awareness about Indian movies before."

"If you want a personal and an honest opinion, I think Indian movies are paramount. They don't fall short in any way globally – be it in terms of cinematography, content or the cast. I am very happy with the kind of movies we are making. The Oscar is in its place – the fact that they have decided to nominate one of our artistes is heartening," Bachchan said.

The superstar held forth on a variety of subjects – ranging from his relationship with his son, reading habits, concern for junior artistes in Mumbai, secular fabric of the country and his own life. Striking a patriotic note, the Bollywood veteran said he was proud to be a movie star.

"I'm proud to be in the profession because once people walk into a movie theatre they forget the identity of those with whom they are sharing the hall. You do not ask if the person seated next to you is a Hindu, Sikh, Christian or a Muslim. We watch the same emotions, cry over the same grief and sing the same songs. I think the integrated India lies inside the movie halls of this country," Bachchan said.

The superstar was emphatic that his angry young man image, which had a created a new metaphor in Indian cinema after his hit action movie, Zanjeer, was not setting a violent precedent among the youth. "For every angry young man, I have played a benign Anthony bhai (Amar Akbar Anthony). The maximum violence as I read in the papers happens in Bihar," he said.

"The history of this country is more than 1,000 years old – I don't want to look down upon the younger generation. You have to give space to each generation to progress," he said.

As a model citizen of India, Bachchan said his dream was to ensure that every Indian should know, understand and follow the Constitution and work together for an integrated country – especially in these troubled times of terror.

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Sonam Kapoor: Musical Tunes!

Sonam Kapoor’s whacky persona in ‘Delhi 6’ is getting quite popular of late. Not only are Sonam’s costumes in the film becoming a rage, but even her bindaas attitude has been noticed by all.

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For all those who are wondering what Sonam is doing in the film, let us tell you the girl plays an aspiring singer!

“My character in the film dreams of achieving her goal in the world of music and that’s why you see me doing riyaaz in the film promos,” Sonam revealed.

Let’s hope that this one at least manages to strike the right chord... and doesn’t go awry like the musical Saawariya ! We are keeping our fingers crossed.

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Aamir's Night out with the Boys!

Monday night was one of those rare occasions when Aamir Khan stepped out with co-stars Madhavan and Sharman Joshi for a night out in Bangalore.


The actors, who are in namma Bengaluru till early February shooting for Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Three Idiots’, had a quiet dinner at a plush heritage hotel on Race Course Road.

“They were here until late night and enjoyed a meal at a Vietnamese restaurant. Thai red curry and rice, grilled vegetables, noodles, fish and mousse was what they chose to have that evening,” says a source from the hotel.

The actors, adds the source, “were non-fussy” and willingly posed for photographs and Aamir even autographed a plate for one of the stewards. “He appreciated the food and was courteous to the staff,” says the source adding, “They were here for three hours and were laughing and having a good time discussing films and their stay in Bangalore.”

Madhavan’s friend, actress Ramya, was also called by the actor to join them for dinner. “How did you get to know that? I wouldn’t want to elaborate much on this because it was a private dinner,” says Ramya.

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Victory is not just Cricket

Love Story 2050 may've gone completely unnoticed at the box-office, but Harman S. Baweja is raring to go.

Victory

"It hurts if your debut film fails, but you can't let failure overpower you," says Harman, who's ready to face the audience again next week. Victory has to succeed. It's a do-or-die film for him. "Every film is a do-or-die film actually. The business is so different today. That one film plays the deciding role," he asserts.

Tell us about Victory. "At the outset, when I signed Victory, I didn't realize it would be so tough. The role was very demanding, plus one wasn't facing actors on field, but real-life cricketers. Also, the shooting was spread over various stadiums, depending on the availability of a cricketer. Whew... this was the most unforgettable experience ever," Harman smiles.

At a time when every second television channel is either telecasting a cricket match or there's some discussion on cricket, why would people be interested in spending Rs. 200 for a ticket to watch a cricket match on the big screen? "Because Victory is not a cricket match. It goes beyond that. It shows what happens behind closed doors, when a cricketer fails or is out of the team. His highs and lows, how his family gets affected, how his frustrations take over… So it's different," Harman defends Victory.

Harman has two more films lined up in the coming months, both directed by super-successful names - Ashutosh Gowariker and Anees Bazmee. Also, a film produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, starring Amitabh Bachchan in the central role. "I am really nervous about this one, but I am looking forward to working with Mr. Bachchan," he states.

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Shahrukh not to attend Amrita's Marriage

Amrita Arora's wedding (March 2) guestlist consists of the who's who of the film industry. And yes, Shahrukh Khan is on that list.

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It will be interesting to see if SRK will attend the wedding festivities that kick off next month. Says a source close to Amrita, "Amrita Arora and her sister Malaika are extremely fond of Shahrukh and Gauri Khan and are regulars at every party at Mannat. The SRK-Salman fight did not affect the equation between the women of the families, who continue to be friends."

However Sohail and Arbaaz stopped accompanying their wives Seema and Malaika to SRK's home after King Khan's jhagda with Sallu. Which is why it seems like the only person from Mannat who will be seen at the Arora shaadi is Gauri. Sources close to King Khan are sceptical about his presence at thewedding, because Amu's like a member of Salman Khan's family. Given the equation between the two actors, to avoid unpleasantness, SRK will probably stay away. He wouldn't want to be on Sallu's turf, given what happened the last time.

Says the source close to the bride-to-be, "Amu has always held Shahrukh great regard for SRK and she is keen that Shahrukh attend the wedding. Amu personally called to invite him. Apparently, the actor voiced his concern about bumping into Salman and causing a tense situation on her special day." Amrita plays it safe, "I can't comment on this. I haven't yet decided my wedding date, so where's the question of inviting anyone?"

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Abhay Deol hates Promotion

This modern-day Devdas believes in his own unique things be it his films or his thoughts. He just loves to be different.
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Now when all the big stars including Aamir, SRK and Akshay believe in strong promotion for their films Abhay dares to say that he doesn't like to promote films.

Now this lazy actor has got an easy way out to deal with this problem. Abhay has started blogging and through that he is promoting Dev D. "It's not about the ego, it's not about projecting an image, it's not about being lazy or anything else you might think. The truth is, I love making movies but I just don't have it in me to sell them. I am an actor not a salesman, but most people seem to think that the two are one and the same."

He continues "But I am not a salesman but an actor and the two are not one and the same, but I hope I did a good job of selling the film to you through this article more than any representative from any studio could have."


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Jiah Khan desperate for Attention

Now we all know that Aamir Khan's ambitious 200-crore movie Ghajini was a huge hit in spite of some critics not liking it at all.

http://www.jiah-khan.com/pics/Jiah-Khan-Pics-003.jpg
It was Aamir Khan and Asin who walked away with all the accolades. But the dame whose first movie Nishabd flopped badly in spite of it revolving around herself and Amitabh Bachchan is not ready to give up as yet.

She's now working on Yahoo with Shahid Kapur and is trying to get as much as attention as she can from there. Currently she can't stop raving about Shahid who is learning an urban dance krumping for the film. Maybe she thinks that it will give her a whole lot of attention too. She also has Housefull with Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone and Riteish Deshmukh to talk about. She has other means and ways too. As a member of PETA, she has been campaigning against the use of glass-coated manja used in the strings of traditional kites in India.

She's added, "Glass-coated manja is a public health hazard and causes excruciating death for birds that get tangled up in it. We had asked participants in the Makar Sankranthi contests and all kite-flying competitors to immediately stop using glass-coated manja and to conduct their sport in a way that isn't deadly to humans and wildlife." Now we understand that this is a noble exercise. We just hope the attention hungry chick is not doing it just for publicity.

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