Bollywood masti

The tattoo mania in Bollywood continues. Now it is Abhishek Bachchan who is getting wife Aishwarya’s name tattooed on his wrist, just like Hrithik Roshan had wife Sussanne’s name inked recently. The trend actually started with Saif Ali Khan, who got Kareena’s name tattooed across his arm.Among those who wear tattoos of their loved ones are Sanjay Dutt who has got his parents name tattoed on his chest. Ajay Devgan wear a tattoo of his daughter Nysa’s name, Akshay Kumar of his son Aarav and Arjun Rampal has his daughters Mahika and Myra’s names inked on his arms.

Preity Zinta’s first EVER item number, Happening in Main Aur Mrs Khanna, is supposed to have been kept as a big surprise for her fans. But teasers of the song are out and tongues are wagging about how close it is to Aishwarya Rai’s stunning Kajra Re.From the background to Preity’s costume, hairstyle and even dance moves, everything seems to have been copied. (Wonder how choreographer Farah Khan will react to this, since Kajra Re was conceptualised by rival Vaibhabi Merchant?!)Preity and Ash were best friends until last year’s Unforgettable tour, which soured things between the two A-listers. Preity reportedly told her friends that Ash and the Bachchans grabbed all the limelight and treated her like a glorified extra on tour. Perhaps the bubbly Ms Zinta is now trying to prove that if Ash could re-invent herself with an item number, so could she.Or is Preity simply trying to be one up on ex-friend-now-rival Rani Mukherji, whose svelte looks in Dil Bole Hadippa is the talk of town?Alike!1 Preity’s gold dotted ghagra is very similar to Aishwarya’s ghagra in Kajra Re.2 Her long loose hair looks exactly like Ash’s in the song.3 Preity’s also done plenty of Kajra Re jhatkas and matkas.Different!1 Ash was sizzling in the song, Preity is looking cute. At most.2 Ash had Amitabh and Abhishek for company and Preity has Sohail with her. (EEEKS!)3 Ash’s body was far more toned; Preity’s is definitely more curvy.

The latest annual list compiled by the Internet security firm McAfee has named cricketer Yuvraj Singh and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the top two most dangerous Indian celebrities to search online. Yuvraj Singh tops the list with Ash on number 2. They have overtaken Katrina Kaif, who topped the poll last year as the riskiest Indian celeb on the web. According to McAfee, fans searching for celebrity downloads, wallpapers, photos or screen savers have a one in five chance of landing at a website that’s tested positive for online threats such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware. So searching for the latest celebrity news and downloads can sometimes seriously damage one's computer.The other celebrities on McAfee’s top ten list include M.S. Dhoni, Namitha, Shriya Saran, Harbhajan Singh, Sania Mirza, Asin, Bipasha Basu and Shahid Kapur in that order. "Cricket and Bollywood are two subjects which every Indian is passionate about. It is no surprise that cybercriminals capitalise on celebrities from the world of sports and cinema to lure innocent fans to encourage the download of malicious software in disguise," said Kartik Shahani, regional director, India, McAfee Inc.

If reports are to be believed, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya will be getting a whopping Rs.25 crore to feature in a soap commercial together. Celebrity couple in ads have found a new place in the ad industry. Leading brands are roping in such couples to add to their brand value. The first of its kind was when John Abraham and Bipasha Basu appeared in a shampoo ad. This will be the first time that Abhi and Ash will be seen together in an ad. Even though nothing has announced as yet, if this turns true, they will be the highest paid couple for an endorsement.

Aishwarya Rai has refuted rumours that she was to play the female lead opposite her husband Abhishek Bachchan in Ashutosh Gowariker's next "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se". The actress says that the director knew about her packed schedule and the discussion never took place.Recent media reports suggested that Aishwarya was to play the lead role before Asin was finalised for the film opposite actor Abhishek. But both - the actress and filmmaker - deny it. "I don't have the dates right now as my schedule diary is super packed. This film ('Khelein Hum...') starts next month. So there never was that possibility," Aishwarya, who played Rajput princess Jodhabai in Gowariker's historical epic "Jodhaa Akbar", told IANS. "And since Ashu (Ashutosh Gowariker) is a close friend and his main lead is my husband, they obviously knew it. So the discussion didn't even arise," she added. Gowariker confirmed it saying: "I had not approached her (Aishwarya) for 'Khelein Hum...'. Aishwarya, for me, belongs to a fairytale. She is a quintessential princess and by far one of the finest actresses we have. "But we need to plan things in advance. She is extremely professional and hence I would never like to upset her schedules in any way. I'm very happy with the coming together of Abhishek and Asin." "Khelein Hum..." will feature Abhishek as freedom fighter Surya Sen, who was the chief architect of anti-British freedom movement in Chittagong, now in Bangladesh.

Abhishek and Aishwarya were spotted outside their Juhu residence in Mumbai last night (Oct 7). Apparently, the seinor Bachchans were waiting for them at home.It was Karva Chauth, but Ash seemed rather simply dressed for the occasion.More importantly, why were the two wearing such glum expressions? Were they bored? Tired? Upset?

Multiplexes are looking to find their pot of gold this Diwali with the Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Dutt starrer "Blue" which is itself about a treasure hunt. Other films competing for their place in the viewers mindspace are "Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna" and "All The Best"."Diwali is mostly for big-budget movies with huge star casts and that is what actually brings in footfalls. Considering the buzz around 'Blue', we are trying to keep the maximum number of shows for it - 16 per day. We have opened advance bookings on Thursday (Oct 8) for the film," Amit Awasthi, manager (programming and operations) of Spice Cinemas at Noida, told IANS. Tusshar Dhingra, COO of Big Cinemas said: "Diwali is a big movie season. Even the audiences expect big releases during this time and are very liberal when it comes to spending during Diwali. We have opened the advance bookings for 'Blue' as of now and will open it for the other two also in a day or two." Anthony D'Souza's directorial debut "Blue" is not only the country's first underwater film but the most expensive too. According to an industry source, producer Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd has splurged Rs.80 crore on its making. It also stars Lara Dutta, Zayed Khan and Katrina Kaif along with Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue in a cameo. "We are expecting the movie ('Blue') to stay at number one on the festive weekend with a terrific initial. While 'Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna' and 'All The Best' will be at the second and the third spot respectively as per our calculations. We are keeping around 13 shows per day for the other two," said Amit Awasthi. Added a source from PVR Cinemas: "It is being distributed by PVR Pictures in North India and we opened the advance bookings for the film from Oct 4 onwards on the Internet and the response so far has been very encouraging." "Main Aurr Mrs.Khanna" is a co-production of Sohail Khan Production and Ronnie Screwvala and is being distributed by UTV Motion Pictures. Made at a budget of around Rs.40 Crore (Rs.400 million), it is releasing with around 1,200 prints worldwide. Starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead, this romantic drama is also made by a first time director, Prem Soni. Director Rohit Shetty's "All The Best - Fun Begins", on the other hand, is a comedy starring Ajay Devgan, Bipasha Basu, Fardeen Khan, and Mugdha Godse. Made at a budget of Rs.40 crore, the film is produced by Ajay. "We are also going to open advance bookings for all three Oct 9 onwards. Considering the audience queries and the hype, 'Blue' is going to take a very good advance booking as well as initial. We haven't received the censors (censored prints) yet but as soon as we do, we will try to keep a mix bag of all the three as far as shows are concerned though 'Blue' will be on the maximum scale," said Amit Shah, chief manager (programming) of DLF DT cinemas. Despite an unprecedented buzz for "Blue" and the same day of release as his film, director Soni is unperturbed at the competition. "I have no apprehensions. It takes a lot of energy for every filmmaker to make a movie. So there are no hard feelings for anyone. May the best win because they are all of different genres and have their own set of audiences," he had told IANS.

Tarun Mansukhani, director of “Dostana”, was recently invited by the Government of Thailand to be a part of an entertainment expo that was organised by them. They event was held to improve the working relationship between the two countries. The officials wanted Tarun to be a part of the expo as they wanted him to check out a few locations in the country and probably shoot the sequel of “Dostana” there. It was a three-day visit and Tarun had a good time enjoying the hospitality bestowed on him by the Royal family of Thailand. He was invited for dinner by the Royal family. Tarun also indulged in adventure sports like swimming with the sharks. Says Tarun, "It was a pleasant surprise that I was invited by the government of Thailand. They were very hospitable towards me. I also had fun with the sharks. I’m toying with the idea of shooting a few scenes of my next there. Overall it was a good trip."

Preity Zinta's bubbly nature has always been a talking point in tinseltown and Bollywood star Salman Khan confesses he is smitten by her demeanour."I love her (Preity's) bluntness, jovial nature, positive thinking. I like her happy personality," Salman said on his show "Dus Ka Dum 2". Salman spoke of Preity when actors Shehnaz Treasurywala and Sonal Sehgal pinned him down to name his favourite heroine, said a source from the channel. Both Shehnaz and Sonal had come on the show to promote their upcoming film "Radio", which also stars Himesh Reshammiya. The film will release on Dec 3.

Shah Rukh Khan’s wife Gauri turns 40 today (Oct 8) and she’s celebrating her birthday in Rome with SRK and some of her closest friends. Gauri has invited Kaajal Anand, Bhavana Pandey, Neelam and a few others to be part of the celebrations. In fact, their holiday pictures are already up on the internet as some fans managed to catch them without any security hassles in Rome. Shah Rukh and Gauri will be back in Mumbai next week to be part of Karan Johar's fashion show at HDIL Couture Week where Gauri will be walking the ramp along with 20 male models.

Amitabh Bachchan may have sung numerous songs for his films but the legendry actor surprised musical duo Vishal & Shekhar while recording a song for Eros International’s “Aladin”’ (pictured above). The song in question is “O Re Saawariya” that is already famous for Big B’s signature pink pagadi and white kurta from his “Namak Halaal” days. The song is sung by Sudesh Bhonsle. While working on the song, at the spur of the moment Amitabh Bachchan came up with an ‘alaap’ and hearing that the music directors Vishal and Shekhar decided to incorporate the ‘alaap’ in the song.Says Vishal, “The alaap at the end of the song was never planned. Mr. Bachchan came up with this impromptu addition which turned out so well that we decided to make it a part of the song.” What impressed everyone all the more, was the fact that Big B, who is not really professionally trained, was able to sing it so well. “Doing an alaap is not easy and requires thorough practice. But Amitji did it wonderfully and that’s really amazing,” adds Vishal.

Both Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan have their individual movies (“Main Aurr Mrs Khanna” and “All The Best”) releasing on October 16, but Vipul Shah's magnum opus “London Dreams” (pictured above) will see the two stars reuniting on the big screen after a decade!Last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's smash hit “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” in 1999, Ajay and Salman never got cast together till “London Dreams”, in which they play music aficionados in a London-based rock band.Says Vipul, "I never cast them because I wanted to repeat the Hum Dil... magic. In fact, it didn't even occur to me that the two hadn't been together in a film since. I wanted Ajay for his intensity and Salman for his madness and after I cast them someone pointed out the casting coup of sorts. “In fact, not many know that Salman and Ajay are great friends in real life and have immense respect for each other. They aren't very overt about it but they share amazing vibes and that will be visible on screen in London Dreams."Ajay walked away with Aishwarya Rai in “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, let's see who gets lucky with Asin in “London Dreams”!

It will be a clash of biggies with two major films releasing on the same day - both Amitabh Bachchan starrer "Teen Patti" and Farhan Akhtar's "Karthik Calling Karthik" are scheduled to hit the screens Feb 12 next year.

Starring two acting legends Amitabh and Oscar winning Hollywood actor Ben Kingsley, "Teen Patti" is an emotionally riveting and razor sharp thriller. Set in India and England, the film revolves around greed, deception and imagination.

The film is directed by Leena Yadav and produced by Ambika Hinduja under her banner Serendipity Films.

Directed by Vijay Lalwani, "Karthik Calling Karthik" is about a man who gets phone calls from himself. It is co-produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under their banner Excel Entertainment and Amit Chandrra and Vijay Lalwani of Magic Beans.

Way back in 1998, Karan Johar's directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai clashed with David Dhawan's much-hyped Bade Miyan Chote Miyan - both released on the same day. Now a little more than a decade later, history is repeating itself with Wake Up Sid coming face to face with Do Knot Disturb on Oct 2.And Vashu Bhagnani, who has produced both Do Knot Disturb and Bade Miyan Chhote Miya, is surprisingly happy that his film is hitting theatres on the same day as Karan Johar's production."I am really very pleased that both our films are releasing on the same day," Bhagnani told IANS.Doesn't he feel that two much-hyped films should not clash with each other?"I am someone who believes a lot in coincidences. When Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai were released on the same day, there were murmurs even then around which film would eventually succeed. We all know that both the films not just survived each other at the box office but also registered huge numbers. They both met with blockbuster success," he said."Isn't that a coincidence that earlier our film was supposed to release on Sep 25, but then it got postponed by a week to come along with Wake Up Sid? Such things just happen and I like to call them happy coincidences," the producer said.While Do Knot Disturb is directed by Dhawan and stars Govinda, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta and Riteish Deshmukh, Wake Up Sid is Ayan Mukherjee's directorial debut with Ranbir Kapoor and Konkana Sen Sharma.In 1998, things worked well for both Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as they belonged to different genres and hence found good audiences. Bhagnani is confident that the situation won't be any different in 2009 either.Do Knot Disturb and Wake Up Sid belong to diverse genres due to which I am sure that audiences won't really have to pick and choose. I am happy with what David has made and I am sure Ayan too would have done good work in Wake Up Sid. I would want both the films to succeed," Bhagnani said.Dhawan is also eager to know how the audiences will react to his latest comedy."I am aware of the fact that people look forward to me and Govinda coming together. However, I have to add that Riteish (Deshmukh) too has done an excellent job in the film. I'm happy that I roped him in..."I have worked with Lara earlier in Partner as well as Sushmita in Maine Pyaar Kyon Kiya, Biwi No. 1 and Kyonkii Main Jhuth Nahi Bolta. I really understand their worth and audiences would be in for some treat when they watch these gorgeous women on screen," he said.Another coincidence is that while Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was Karan's directorial debut, Wake Up Sid is Mukherjee's first film as director. Karan, who has produced it, is quite forthcoming when it comes to backing his young team."Ranbir (Kapoor) along with Ayan (Mukerjee) have been able to model Sid really well. They come from the kind of age bracket that Sid belongs to and live the same kind of life. This is why they were able to bring their own selves to the film."It's the combination of Ayan and Ranbir that has made Wake Up Sid real and honest. Ayan's honesty and conviction is the kind that is bound to connect with the audience. He is convinced with the world that he has created and is quite honest about his writing more than anything else," said Karan.

He is 43 and she is 29, but their age difference is no matter. Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor make an "adorable" couple on screen in his forthcoming Main Aurr Mrs.Khanna, says debutant director Prem Soni."The age difference between Salman and Kareena was never a consideration. They make an absolutely adorable couple and complement each other on screen," Soni told IANS over phone from Mumbai."They look good together in the film as there are no loud moments between them. The film has romantic instances here and there, but it has a very subtle treatment. There are cute scenes in the film and both of them have carried them really well," he added.Newcomer Soni considers Salman his "godfather" and says the superstar was on board the project as soon as he heard the script and even asked his brother to produce the film."I had written the script and then fixed an appointment with Salman. His reaction after the narration was overwhelming. All he said was, 'I'm doing it'. That's how the project began," the director said."Salman is indeed my godfather in the industry as he is the one who has given me a break," he added.For Soni, it was a cakewalk to get Kareena to play the heroine. "I went for the script narration to Kareena in Goa where she was shooting Golmaal Returns. She loved the role and when I told her that Salman is doing the film, she said - 'Why would I say no to Salman?.' She instantly agreed," he said."Kareena is such a delight to work with. She is among the finest actors these days. She is so effervescent and dedicated as an actor," he said. A co-production of Sohail Khan Productions and UTV SpotBoy Pictures, the film also features Sohail in a pivotal role. But unlike popular belief, the film's plot is not based on an extramarital affair, Soni clarified.Main Aurr Mrs.Khanna is not based on an extramarital affair. It is just a story of three people. The whole extramarital thing is only a perception. For the real thing, you need to go and check out the movie," he said.Asked about the USP of the movie, Soni said: "Its simplicity. The movie is very ordinary, very simple. It will touch a billion hearts with its real touch and that is what will make the story effective to the audience. We have given it a very contemporary look, but it isn't flashy at all."Main Aurr Mrs.Khanna releases Oct 16, the same day as much-awaited action flick Blue and comedy All the Best, but Soni says he is unperturbed."I have no apprehensions. It takes a lot of energy for every filmmaker to make a movie. So there are no hard feelings for anyone. May the best win because they are all of different genres and have their own set of audiences," he said.

Ghajini producers Allu Arvind and Madhu Mantena are going to make a Hindi remake of Telugu blockbuster Magadheera and they are reportedly considering Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan to play the main leads."Yes Allu Arvind and I are remaking Magadheera in Hindi. As for the cast, it's too early to talk about it. But Magadheera is definitely being planned to be bigger than Ghajini," Mantena told IANS.Released in July this year, Magadheera has already grossed over Rs 65 crore in India alone and is said to be the second-biggest Telugu hit after Ghajini.With this Telugu remake into Hindi that is expected to take off early next year, Arvind and Mantena hope to raise the bar for action-drama cinema in Hindi once again. The remake, to be budgeted at Rs 70 crore, is highly ambitious. While in the original, which is set in 17th century and present, the hero Ram Charan Teja plays a double role, the remake will split the hero's personality into two parts. Apparently Hrithik will play the samurai from the Middle Ages while Aamir will play his present day avatar.

On the rebound from his high profile relationship with Lara Dutta, Dino Morea has rekindled his romance with old flame, Nandita Mahtani.The couple is not shy about their public appearances, and Nandita was Dino’s date at Arjun Rampal’s restaurant launch. One source says “they were seen hand-in-hand at the party throughout the evening”.Our source said, “Dino and Lara broke up about eight months ago and ever since, Dino and Nandita have become close again. They have always remained friends and Nandita’s constant presence in Dino's life was always a worry factor for Lara. After Lara and Dino broke up, Lara moved on to date tennis star Mahesh Bhupati, while Dino was single for a few months. However, he became close to Nandita again and they have been dating for a while. They have been extremely comfortable with each other at private parties; however they have been mum about their relationship to the media.”Dino Morea has not commented on his relationship with Nandita Mahtani.

Vijendra Singh, world champion boxer, is venturing into showbiz. The Olympic bronze- medalist will debut in Bollywood in the Anand-directed film, entitled One. The screenplay of the movie, which is inspired by true events, is written by Yagnesh Shetty.The boxer will be required to train in martial arts for the action-packed thriller. Yagnesh has taken up the responsibility of preparing Vijendra for the role, “It’s an interesting script and Vijendra is very excited about it. The film also has a lot of action sequences because of its terrorism backdrop. I am currently training vijendra in martial arts and stunts”.Vijendra seemed thrilled about his new project, “I am doing the film. The role suits my image of a boxer. However, I don’t want to reveal too much about the film or my role right now. I will speak when the time is right.”

Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar says that she wants to continue singing forever, provided she is offered meaningful songs."I want to continue singing for the rest of my life," said Lata who turned 80 on Monday."I’m open to all kinds of songs, but the only thing I look for is the lyrics. The lyrics have to be meaningful. I would like the producers and the directors to approach with soulful and meaningful tracks,” added the veteran singer at the launch of an album here.The melody queen, as she is popularly known, has sung more than 30,000 songs in over 20 Indian languages. And she has sung all kind of songs - from light classical music to film songs, from ghazals to bhajans and pop.Having worked with almost all top music composers and singers in the industry, Lata has also featured in the Guinness World Records from 1974 to 1991 for having made the most recordings in the world.When asked about her opinion on the number of reality shows that are doing the rounds, Lata said that more than singing, the focus is on performance. Reality shows these days are all about singing, dancing, performing and latest fashion. New singing stars have potential but they concentrate more on overall performance rather than singing itself, which is a total contradiction."Singing is a divine form of art and blending it with other art forms takes away the very soul of music. So it’s better if reality shows concentrate purely on the talent of singing and music,” Lata maintained.Now, after more than six decades in the industry, the singer says that she doesn't regret anything."Whatever I achieved is by god's grace. I'm completely satisfied and content with my life and career," she said.

Veteran Hindi film actress Shabana Azmi, who was in Dhaka to inaugurate a painting exhibition, says that South Asians will have to work together without losing their diversity if they want a place in the global arena."We, South Asians, have to work together if we intend to make our presence felt on the global stage. No, we're not talking about homogeneity. This is not a melting pot where individual identities get submerged. The subcontinent is a colourful mosaic and this diversity is our strength," she said, while inaugurating the painting exhibition.The actress was moved by the works of Bangladeshi artist Shahabuddin that depict the travails of the people during their liberation war against Pakistan in 1971."Words cannot adequately express the overwhelming emotions surfacing when I saw his works," The Daily Star quoted her as saying Monday.The exhibition has been named "Jai Bangla", a slogan given by the country's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It became the war cry during the freedom movement."I was looking at Shahabuddin's works, and I wasn't alone. This was not the best setting to fully appreciate art, but these images stopped me in my tracks. I was immersed in the world of his paintings."When you give even one viewer this feeling, as an artist you have earned your greatest honour," she said as her eyes glistened with tears, the newspaper reported.

Ever since her new makeover, Ram Gopal Varma’s muse Priyanka Kothari (pictured left) is being asked about the secret of her alluring curves. Priyanka says that being the strongest non believer in size zero, she believes Indian women are best when they are curvy. She attributes her sensuality to yoga, attitude and confident body language. As supports what famous Hollywood actress Mae West once said: "Cultivate your curves, they might be dangerous but definitely won't be ignored."Currently, Priyanka can be seen at her sensula best in the 'Kiss Mix' song in her upcoming film “Agyaat”, releasing on August 7.

Akshay Kumar's gallant nature was revealed in London when his "Housefull" co-star Deepika Padukone was laid up with a bout of malaria. He not only made sure Deepika was looked after, but also persuaded her to stay away from shooting.While Deepika was resting, alternative scenes that didn't require her were shot. "I'm recovering. I was bedridden for three days. And yes, I did return to the set on Saturday. I had to shoot. But I'm not sure whether it was the wisest of decisions, considering it was malaria," Deepika told IANS from London. Akshay and Deepika earlier teamed up for "Chandni Chowk To China", which turned out to be a box office dud. But the film's failure hasn't affected their friendship. "I'm lucky to be surrounded by gallant men. Whether it's my dad, Ranbir (Kapoor), Akshay, Shah Rukh Khan or any of my co-stars, I haven't so far encountered any ill-behaved men," said Deepika whose next release is "Love Aaj Kal". Directed by Imtiaz Ali, "Love Aaj Kal" hits the screens on Friday (July 31). And Saif Ali Khan, who plays Deepika's cynical love interest in the romantic saga, also gets high marks from Deepika, though she admits they aren't close friends. In the movie, Saif plays a guy who doesn't believe in romantic love whereas Deepika is a die-hard romantic both in the film and in real life. "He (Saif) also believes in love and realises it when he can't do without the girl. So I guess there's a romantic in all of us. It just needs to be tapped. But you need to experience that journey from disbelief to love, like I have in real life. "So many times I advice people on their love life. I can always tell the difference between those who understand and don't understand the value of true love," she said.

Vidya Balan had rejected an offer from Yash Raj Films on two occasions in the past, for some reason or the other. But it’s been third time lucky for them, with Vidya accepting their latest offer.After “Parineeta”, Vidya was on a high. At that time YRF approached her for “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom”, but she turned down the role, which eventually went to Lara Dutta. YRF again approached her for “Laaga Chunri Mein Daag”, but Vidya wasn’t interested in picking up the offer too. This did not go down well with production house and decided to never cast Vidya again in their movies. But a long time gap has apparently mended the differences and made YRF change its decision.Now, Vidya has again been asked to be part of a Yash Raj film and this time she has accepted. In fact, she received a call not from Adi Chopra but from Yash Chopra himself.

She debuted opposite John Abraham in a film written by Mahesh Bhatt but failed to live up to expectations after that. Model-turned-actress Udita Goswami is now set to make a comeback and has five films lined up - two opposite Akshay Kumar, two with Sunny Deol and then a supernatural thriller."My time is coming, you see," Udita told IANS. "Just imagine, from one film in a year, I am rolling as many as five. It's good to be occupied and be doing some nice work," she said. Udita is looking forward to the two films with Sunny Deol as they enable her to do something different from her earlier work. "Yes, I'm working in 'Fox' and 'The Man', both of which are action films with Sunny Deol in the lead. Both films give me a chance to do something that I haven't done before," she said. Apart from these two films, she will also be seen in "Chase" and "Hello India" -- both opposite Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. Udita had a good beginning in 2004 with "Paap", which was directed by Pooja Bhatt. But the film didn't do as well as expected. And since then she has featured in a few movies like "Zeher", "Aksar", "Aggar" and "Kisse Pyaar Karoon". So why did she sign on such few films after "Paap"? "Well, I had a certain thought process around signing only those films that had me in a central role. But this didn't quite work because how many women-centric films are actually made today? Guess I had to have a change in mindset and thankfully now I have revisited my priorities. Yes, I have become flexible in my choice of roles but am still particular about the banners I sign and people I work with," the actress explained. She is now attempting a different genre with her latest film "Rokk" - a supernatural thriller that is set to go on floors by August. " 'Rokk' will be extremely different from anything that I have done so far. It was important that I work on diverse genres. After giving myself a break to ponder over what I really wanted to do, I decided to work on 'Rokk'," said Udita. "Rokk" is about two sisters and former Miss India Tanushree Dutta plays Udita's sister. According to Udita, the film has no heroes and the narrative is primarily character-driven. "The film is directed by this new guy called Rajesh Ranshinge," she said. "He is new to films but has been making some good supernatural thrillers for years on television. He has seen it and done it all in TV serials like 'Shh...Koi Hai', 'Aahat' and 'CID'. He is a great guy...someone who is very clear and focussed," Udita added.

Fardeen Khan has finally accepted Farhan Furniturewalla. Till some days ago, Fardeen and his sister Laila’s boyfriend Farhan were not even on talking terms. In fact, they recently had a brawl at a nightclub and the two almost came to blows. The crowd had to intervene and separate the two. It was said that Fardeen wasn’t happy with his sister’s relationship with Farhan. But all’s well that ends well. Recently the two families sat down together and sorted out the differences as they realised that Farhan and Laila were pretty serious about each other and wanted to get married. So now Fardeen has no problem with Farhan and has even permitted Laila to go with him for a short holiday to London. Confirming the news Farhan said that they will tie the knot soon, but the date and venue has not been fixed as yet. He said that he is happy that the misunderstanding with Fardeen has been sorted out. For those not in the know, Farhan was earlier married to Pooja Bedi and has two children with her. They have been divorced for many years. Laila was formerly married to Delhi-based national level tennis player Rohit Rajpal.

As much as Rs. 6 crores (Rs.60 million) was spent to create the sets for historical series "Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur" (pictured above) and a Porsche car worth Rs. 17.5 crores (Rs.175 million) was used to shoot a scene for another daily soap - television producers don't mind loosening their purse strings to create opulent sets and the right ambience.For "Chittod Ki Rani Padmini...", National Award-winning art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai said he paid great attention to detail while producing the serial and didn't want money to be a constraint. "The show is set in a certain era. And it often becomes expensive to get the right look when you are doing period dramas - whether for TV or for films. I went ahead because I like doing everything in an extravagant manner," said Desai, who has used parts of the sets he had designed for Ashutosh Gowariker's epic drama "Jodhaa Akbar" for the show. Apart from splurging on sets, Desai also spent Rs.25 million on costumes and jewellery for "Chittod Ki Rani Padmini...". Sagar Pictures, the producers of the latest historical epic "Meera", also admit that they have taken utmost care of the smallest details. "Meera" narrates the story of the legendary princess who renounced the luxuries of royal life and became the greatest devotee of Lord Krishna. "A lot of research and effort has gone into the designing of the costumes in 'Meera'. We undertook months of research for the show - right from the colours to the fabric to the embroidery, care has been taken to keep the authenticity of that era alive," Meenakshi Sagar of Sagar Pictures told IANS over phone from Mumbai. "The jewellery was difficult to design as we didn't want to repeat anything done before; nor did we want to go overboard with the look. So almost all the pieces are exclusive and handmade," she added. But Meenakshi didn't reveal the budget set aside for the sets erected in Baroda and only said it was "a lot". Historicals apart, other producers are also spending generously on their shows. "For some big shows, which have lavish sets, producers and channels are ready to shell out minimum Rs.10 million just on sets," said Waseem Sabir, who has directed serials like "Saat Phere" and "India Calling". "At times 40 percent of the total budget is kept aside for sets, costumes and jewellery," he added. Rajan Shahi, the man behind shows like STAR Plus' "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" and "Sapna Baabul Ka...Bidaai" as well as Colors' "Mata Pita Ke Charno Mein Swarg", admits to spending "much beyond what the channel provides (in terms of budget)" to work on his characters' looks and the story's presentation. "I spend anywhere between 15 to 20 percent of my total budget on the looks and costumes of my characters. And I spend a lot of money on my show's presentation. For example, if the channel gives me Rs.100 for a scene, I would easily shell out Rs.35 to 40 for my presentation," said Shahi, who recently used a Rs.175-million Porsche car to shoot a scene for "Mata Pita Ke..." But he stressed that it's vital to maintain a balance between simplicity and opulence to be able to connect with audiences. According to Purnendu Shekhar, the writer of "Balika Vadhu", shows are getting grander by the day because "every channel needs a good-looking show". To meet the demand, the makers are either shooting in a palace or in a palace-like house or sets with characters dressed in fine jewellery and attires. For instance shows like Colors' "Balika Vadhu" and "Jai Shri Krishna", NDTV Imagine's "Bandini" and "Rakhi Ka Swayamvar" and STAR Plus' "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat" - are either shot in a palace or old havelis. "Every show needs to have an edge over one another and every channel needs at least one such show. It's very important to have something larger than life to draw in the audience. And channels are ready to pay for that," said Shekhar.

Actress Priyanka Kothari is petrified of lizards, but she had to share her room with the reptiles for a month while shooting in the Sri Lankan jungles for her forthcoming film "Agyaat" (pictured above)."I had to live with eight creepy lizards who used to roam around in my room. I can say that I'm braver now. Earlier, I used to be petrified if I used to see even one lizard in my room... but I had so many in close proximity in the same room in the jungle," Priyanka told IANS over phone from Mumbai. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, "Agyaat" was extensively shot in the Sigiriya jungles in Sri Lanka. Priyanka has teamed up with Telugu star Nitin in the thriller that revolves around a film unit that goes for a jungle-shoot. Soon the crew members get killed one by one, leaving the rest running for their lives. Priyanka, who suffered several injuries while shooting the film, reveals that the cast and crew faced many problems during their stay in the dense forest. "A lot of things happened with me during the shooting - like my ankle injury, elbow injury, then so many scratches, insect bites, et al. It's a part and parcel of a film like this," said the 25-year-old who plays an actress in the film. "Apart from the injuries, there were other problems as well. The hotel we were staying in was surrounded by wild animals. You wouldn't even come to know when a snake might enter your room. Then the biggest threat was from wild elephants. A lot of times we had to change our route to avoid them," she said. But the actress has no regrets signing on the film, which is set to release on Aug 7. "On the whole, I have no complaints. It's all worth it because I got to work in a wonderful film. I will get a romantic (film) or a comedy to work in future, but adventurous films like 'Agyaat' are not made every day," she said. Priyanka, who kick-started her Bollywood career with Varma's "Sarkar", went on to act in other films with the director like "James", "Go" and "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag". "It's always an honour to work with Ram Gopal Varma. He is a mastermind. I love working with him and I really respect him. He gives liberty and freedom to his actors which is the best part," said the actress, known for doing glamorous and sensual roles. Asked if she was comfortable with skin show, the actress said she wouldn't hesitate from doing something if the role demanded. "Actors are like props on the sets. You do what your director says. And I'm the kind of actor who listens to her director. If the role demands and if the director asks, then I don't have problems in doing sensual scenes. That's my profession and there is nothing wrong with glamour. I trust my director - that's the reason why I accept a film," Priyanka said.

Its songs have already become a hit and the promos are good, but "Love Aaj Kal" (pictured above) is an acid test for actors Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone as their last couple of films have turned out to be duds at the box office. There are indeed lots of expectations from this romantic comedy that releases on Friday (July 31).Despite giving 2008's first hit in "Race", Saif's "Tashan", "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic" and animated venture "Roadside Romeo" (voice-over) fell flat at the box office. So did Deepika's much-hyped "Chandni Chowk To China" opposite Akshay Kumar. "Love Aaj Kal" is not only Saif's first outing this year, it is also his debut as producer. "'Love Aaj Kal' is garnering a lot of buzz. In fact it is after long that a proper love story is coming on screen. The concept is novel and will draw a good initial. It is also expected to re-boost Saif and Deepika's career after their flops," Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan told IANS. "The promotion of the film has been very good and the songs are already a hit. Moreover Saif is in a double role in the movie, which will be something to watch out for," he added. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the movie has been co-produced by Saif, Dinesh Vijan and Sunil A. Lulla. Also starring Rishi Kapoor, Shweta Gulati and Rahul Khanna, the movie is said to be a remake of Taiwanese film "Three Times", which the producers have denied. Neetu Singh also makes her comeback with the film in a cameo. "'Love Aaj Kal' is one of the most relevant films to come out in a long time...it looks at relationships in a very new light and a very new language," Vijan posted on the movie's official website. "The film's storyline is such that any common man can relate to it. It's so real and as you watch the film, you would feel that so many instances shown in it have happened to you too in real life," said Deepika. "The film has a universal appeal. Whether it's the younger or the older generation, all will be able to identify with the proceedings," she added. Showing love in two different eras - 1965 and 2009 - through Veer Singh and Jai Vardhan Singh respectively, the film is about the essence of love that never changes. While Jai treats matters of the heart without passion and parts with from his lady love Meera (Deepika) in the name of being practical, Veer is naive about his love for Harleen (Shweta) and travels long distances to catch a glimpse of her, but fails to open his heart in front of her. As both stories unfold, the broad message it gives is that relationships might be different in different eras, but the experience of being in love remains the same. The film has got an unprecedented buzz due to its share of controversies too. First it was in the news for its unabashed kissing scenes and the lead actors mouthing expletives and then the Punjabi Cultural And Heritage Board objected to Saif's bearded look and reasoned that Sikhs do not sport a trimmed beard as sported by him in the film. All controversies at rest, the director is neither excited nor nervous before the release. "I'm completely stone-hearted at the moment. I'm still doing 16 hours of work for the film's promotion and don't have time to feel the excitement or the nervousness," Ali said.

The Salman-Shah Rukh fight at Katrina’s birthday party last year has become one of T’Town’s most notorious bust-ups ever. Sallubhai had made it very clear then that he would never speak to SRK again, let alone act in movies with him. But looks like time’s been a healer for Salman.In an exclusive interview in Mumbai, he talks to Masala! about SRK, Dus Ka Dum and Katrina.Is there any possibility of the three Khans coming together for a film?Not three, but definitely in a pair of two. Aamir and I, Shah Rukh and I or Shah Rukh and Aamir.So will you work with SRK on a film?Yes, why not? I am not marrying him. What’s the harm in doing a film together? If I get an offer I will definitely work with him.What made you take up the second season of Dus Ka Dum?Despite troubling the organisers so much, they decided to have me for the second season! So I thanked them sincerely and took up the offer. I really never expected the show would run well in the first season, since I was the host.Would you have liked to play the game rather than host it?Yes definitely, if the channel guys would have guaranteed me a certain amount of money. It would be quite embarrassing if I did not win anything. I don’t know how other celebs manage. I would be scared to play. But most of the celebs have won over Rs10 lakhs (Dhs750,000), except for my brothers who managed to win only a lakh (Dhs7,500)!

Another actress has been reinvented at the hands of stylist Manish Malhotra. Amrita Arora, one of Bollywood’s favourite girls-next-door, has shed her old wardrobe, put on trendy makeup, and is ready to step on to the silver screen wearing a sexy new look. ‘Short Kut – The Con Is On’, releasing on July 10, is a very funny film, she says, but it will present Amrita as never seen before. Bikini tops, cleavage on show and a sultry look have normally not been associated with her. However, Amrita says the character she plays is someone she could instantly identify with, adding that, “Mansi is the heart of the film, she brings in a certain grace to this otherwise madcap film”.In an email interview with masala.com, she also opens up about her co-stars, calling Arshad Warsi ‘superb’, Akshaye Khanna ‘a cutie’ and producer Anil Kapoor, ‘absolutely brilliant’.

Scriptwriter-director Amol Gupte, who plays a villain in Vishal Bharadwaj's forthcoming thriller "Kaminey", says he has no problems being touted as the biggest 'kamina' (rogue). On a more serious note, he says he discovered his mean side from failures in life just like his character in the movie."Essentially 'Kaminey' is a kind of metaphor for meanness and it has its shades for the characters in the film. Even in the contest 'Sabse Bada Kamina Kaun' to promote the film, I am being touted as the biggest 'kamina' (rogue) and I don't mind that," Gupte told IANS in a telephonic interview from Mumbai. "I take it completely in my stride as I've tried to discover my mean side from massive amount of failures just like Bhopey, my character in the movie. The essence of the meanness quotient is what you'll find in my character. His emotions are on a gallop and he is a dangerous man. He has got multiple shades," he said. Gupte came to the limelight for penning the critically acclaimed 2008 movie "Taare Zameen Par". Initially, Gupte was directing the film, but Aamir Khan later took over the reins and debuted as a director with the movie about a dyslexic child. Asked if he had to undergo any research for his screen comeback, he said: "Thirty years of cinema study has got me a good experience and that is exactly the form of R&D that has gone from my side into the film." Also starring Shahid Kapoor in a double role along with Priyanka Chopra, "Kaminey" releases Aug 14. In the crime thriller, Gupte will be seen as Priyanka's elder brother who is a small-time gangster and later turns into a rogue politician. Being a director himself, Gupte revealed he had no problems following Bharadwaj's instructions. "You have to see what position you are taking while you are on the sets of a movie. If I'm on the sets as a director, I'd like my actors to be fully committed to the project... I gave the same position to Vishal. I exploited myself as an actor and he did so in direction," said Gupte. The writer-director was also all praise for Shahid and Priyanka. "They are extremely dedicated and have no ego issues with anyone. I never saw them disappearing to their vanity vans after a shot, unlike other actors... that shows their commitment," he said.

After Asin Thottumkal and Trisha Krishnan, Nayanthara (pictured left), one of the leading actresses in the Tamil film industry, is set to enter Bollywood as Prabhudeva is planning to make a Hindi film with her in the lead.Prabhudeva, who is currently directing Salman Khan starrer "Wanted: Dead or Alive", a Hindi remake of his Tamil blockbuster "Pokkiri", is said to be dating Nayanthara. And he plans to launch her in Hindi films with his next directorial venture, said sources. The film will go on floors once the choreographer-turned-actor-turned-director completes the Salman starrer as well as director Thangar Bachan's "Kalavadia Pozhudhugal", in which he is playing the protagonist.

When director Imtiaz Ali needed a leitmotif and a link to connect the past and the present in his latest film "Love Aaj Kal", guess what he got - one of Delhi's oldest wedding brass bands, the Jea Band."To understand what the Jea Band means to Delhi's wedding culture, you have to belong to the city. It's literally more than 100 years old, it's so much a part of the city's marriage ethos, you can't escape its influence at any wedding," Ali told IANS. Starring Saif Ali Khan in a double role along with Deepika Padukone, the film releases on July 31. This is Ali's third outing as a director after "Socha Na Tha" and the hit "Jab We Met". When the "Love Aaj Kal" plot needed to connect the present with past, a Delhiite at heart, Ali immediately thought of the Jea Band. "They were there at every wedding. And I told Saif why not the Jea Band to show your character's link with the past? So while recreating Delhi in 1965 we got the vintage cars, the proper clothes and roads... and the Jea Band which plays in our film in 1965. It also plays in the contemporary portion of the film." Founded by Jealal D. Thadani in 1936, the band also performed at the wedding of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in Mumbai April 20, 2007. Now when brass bands are no more that fashionable and in-demand at weddings, the band was thrilled to be approached for Ali's film. "They haven't changed. Earlier, the fathers played at weddings. Now their children play. When they were told they're part of the film and that they will be performing on camera for the song 'Chor bazaari', they got new uniforms stitched for the entire band at their own cost," said Ali. A part of Delhi in 1965 in Imtiaz Ali's new film had to be recreated in Mandawa, Rajasthan, and Patiala, Punjab. And the Jea Band contributed not only to the periodicity but the film's energy levels too during shooting. "We shot with the Jea Band not only in Delhi but also in Patiala and Mandawa because the 1965 Chandni Chowk look does not exist in Delhi any longer. "We took the Jea Band with us to Mandawa and Patiala. After shooting, they kept us entertained for hours with old film songs," said the director. Saif picked up many of his actress mother Sharmila Tagore's old hits from those evenings in Mandawa and Patiala with the band. But unfortunately Jea couldn't record in the soundtrack of "Love Aaj Kal".

She is one of the reigning stars in Bollywood, but Priyanka Chopra says she was a very bad actress when she debuted with "Andaaz" six years ago. While the former Miss World has set high goals for herself and is experimenting with roles like never before, she is also clear about what she is looking for in her 'Mr. Right'."I think I was a terrible actress when I started off as compared to what I'm today. I still have a lot to learn, but I believe that I have grown as an actress and I evolve constantly. I always had the hunger to learn and become better at what I do - just like a sponge, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible," Priyanka told IANS in an email interview. The actress, who won the Filmfare Award for best actress for "Fashion", wants to take her career to greater heights. She has no plans of getting married right now but knows what she wants from her man. "No plans of settling down at the moment. But when I do... Mr. Right has to match a lot of my parameters... He has to be someone who knows how to make me feel special... make me feel like I'm walking on air...," said Priyanka, who turned 27 on July 18

Even though everything is being kept under wraps, if reports are to be believed, Preity Zinta is set to make her television debut and is negotiating with a leading production house to host a sports-based show. Preity too is refusing to talk anything about the show as the matter is still in discussion stage and she has not yet signed the deal. However, speculations are rife that the show will be a game-based concept and Preity will be inviting her celebrity friends from the industry and also cricketers from her Kings XI Punjab team.

Cast: Anubhav Anand, Nandana Sen, Anupam Kher, Boman IraniDirector: Ajmal Zaheer AhmadRelease date: July 24, 2009Aman (Anubhav Anand), a talented young architect, raised by his uncle Mr. Bhalla (Anupam Kher), has all the love and care a family could offer, even if he does take it for granted. While working towards his very own dream, his life takes a beautiful turn when he bumps into the perfect girl Neha (Nandana Sen). The two fall in love, and nothing seems able to come between them.Nothing, that is, until it comes time for their families to meet. Sparks fly. Every known disaster strikes when the hyper-vibrant Mr. Bhalla and the rigidly-conventional Mr. Patel (Boman Irani) meet and their differences become hilariously apparent. The two are woefully mismatched from the start. Disapproval inevitably comes when the two fathers lock horns, but the lovebirds, true to their feelings, are ready to do anything to make their dreams come true. They must find a way to bring their families together which leads to a comical series of misadventures of the two disapproving, faultfinding fathers. Between the struggles of making his career dreams a reality and bringing two families together, Aman realizes the true definition of family and what it really means to love someone. The movie is a passionate view of hilariously star-crossed romance while never forgetting the importance of family, culture, and staying true to one's emotions

We’ve often heard of cat fights between the two leading ladies of a film, but what happens when sisters are working together in the same film? We are talking about sisters Riya and Raima Sen who will be seen sharing screen space together for the first time in Rituparno Ghosh’s Bengali film, “Noukadubi”. Apparently Rituparno had approached Riya and Raima for the film at the same time and both of them even received the script together. They were offered two very diverse roles and both of them had no qualms playing the characters. However, according to our sources, Riya initially thought Raima’s character had a lot more prominence and had much more scope and dimension to it as compared to hers.But being a thorough professional and a doting sister, Riya chose to go ahead with the role she was offered, as it was extremely challenging. Interestingly, both the actresses are playing roles very contrary to their public image. While Riya Sen is considered to be a sexy siren who can give half the population with the Y chromosome sleepless nights, in this movie she will be seen in a complete de-glam avatar! On the other hand, Raima, who is known for her intelligent and matured roles, will be playing a sophisticated woman. And what did Raima have to say about her experience working with Riya?

Kareena Kapoor admits she gets upset when uncharitable remarks are made about her or her performance. Though the actress doesn't mind healthy criticism, she isn't amused when comments are made without any provocation or reason."I have realised over a period of time that the higher you go, more and more people will try to pull you down. I used to hear about this from my sister (Karisma) but am experiencing this first hand now. It isn't really funny actually," Kareena told IANS. Kareena was obviously referring to a section of the media coming down heavily on her since the release of "Kambakkht Ishq" (pictured left). "Well, the movie has released, done well and it's time to move on to newer things. Critics had things to say about the film and it's okay if they didn't like the film. In any case, audiences had their own take on the film and they made the film a success. It's all balanced out at the end of the day," she said. Some critics did feel that the "Kambakkht Ishq" content was too abusive at places. "That continues to beat me," she said in an amused tone. "Come on, it was just a movie. We were not developing any rocket science there. However, I guess some people did take it all personally and equated 'Kambakkht Ishq' to World War III," said Kareena. She can't be immune to criticism though, isn't it? "Yes, I do tend to get upset and depressed when people try to pull me down. Sometimes it just comes from nowhere and you end up feeling that what did you really do so wrong to be facing such criticism.

National Award winning actress Raveena Tandon wants to do only mature roles in her second innings in films and is excited about playing a lawyer in "Chaasni"."I'm getting to play a lawyer in the film and I'm excited because this is going to be my comeback film," Raveena, who played an advocate in 2005 gripping drama "Pehchaan", told IANS in an interview. The film is being directed by Revathy Sharma and also stars veteran actress Jaya Bachchan, Ayesha Takia and Urvashi Sharma. "Chaasni" is a remake of the Tamil film "June R" and stresses the importance of adoption of those who are old. It is Sharma's homage to elderly people. Raveena, who made her Bollywood debut with "Patthar Ke Phool" in 1991, is returning to the arc lights after a four-year hiatus with the movie and says she was "hell nervous" when she gave her first shot for the movie. "The first day of shooting for 'Chaasni' was very encouraging. I gave my first shot and the entire unit started clapping. I felt like - 'This is where I am meant to be'. I delivered one dialogue in one take and Revathy said 'Okay' and my day was made," said the actress who took a sabbatical after tying the knot with Anil Thadani in 2004. Raveena also said that she wishes to do only such roles in her new innings in the industry. "I'm very glad that I'm making a comeback with the kind of roles that I want to do now - the kind that challenge me more than I can cater to. I do see a lot of scripts, but I'm now inclined to roles like I played in 'Shool', 'Daman' and 'Satta' - something more evolved and something that suits my personality now," she said

Twinkle Khanna always has a major role to play as far as husband Akshay Kumar’s dressing and styling are concerned. But that has been mainly off screen, with Twinkle otherwise being busy with her career as an interior designer. But now she will be making her on screen presence felt with Vipul Shah’s “Action Replay”. She is styling Akshay’s look in the film as well as designing some costumes for the movie. “Action Replay” is based on the Hollywood film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, starring Brad Pitt, and also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Twinkle liked the concept of the movie and requested director Vipul Shah to let her design for the film.

picture: Viral Bhayani
What interests actress Amrita Rao besides acting is the art of editing. The actress says she would like to take it up in future. "I have always been quite fascinated with editing. Later in life, when I feel I have done my share of acting and want to do something else, I might do a course in editing and take it up professionally. But nothing is planned as of now," the 28-year-old told IANS. Amrita, who has done films like "Ishq Vishk", "Masti", "Main Hoon Na", "Vivah" and "Welcome To Sajjanpur" among others, was recently seen in a glam doll role in "Short Kut - The Con Is On".

After eminent personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh Ambani, Sunita Williams and Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood actor Shahid Kapur becomes the latest recipient of the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Award.The 28-year-old is going to be presented with the 12th Rajiv Gandhi Award in the best actor category. The award function will be held in the second week of August. "I was pleasantly surprised to get the news about my being chosen for the prestigious award. I am only 28 years old and it's really early in my career. I feel humbled and honoured to be chosen by the jury," said Shahid. This year, Shahid will be seen in three films - Vishal Bharadwaj's "Kaminey" opposite Priyanka Chopra, Aditya Chopra's "Dil Bole Hadippa" opposite Rani Mukerji and a Ken Ghosh movie opposite Genelia D'Souza.

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani, Amrita Arora, Vindoo Dara SinghDirector: Sabir KhanProducer: Sajid Nadiadwala (Eros International, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment)Music: Sulaiman Merchant, Rdb, Anu Malik“Kambakkht Ishq” explores the relationship between two individuals as different from each other as chalk and cheese. No matter how many times they are pushed together, there are only fireworks... no fire. Viraj Shergill (Akshay Kumar) is a swashbuckling stuntman in Hollywood who lives by the mantra ''women are only good for two things... making love & making love''.Simrita Rai (Kareena Kapoor) is a hardened feminist, part time supermodel and an aspiring surgeon who does not see the need to have a man in her life. She is a firebrand who is more than able to stare down the most arrogant male with her caustic wit and sardonic tongue... her firm belief is ''there's no such thing as love''. So what happens when the two people who hate each other the most meet at the wedding of Simrita's best friend Kamini (Amrita Arora) and Viraj's brother Lucky (Aftab Shivdasani)... A wedding both Viraj and Simrita are violently opposed to and desperate to stop. Sparks fly, accidents occur and both are thrown together in the most absurd and hilarious situation until one dramatic twist of fate binds the two together in a manner that they could have never ever even imagined in their wildest fantasies. The battle of the sexes begins. Who is going to throw the punches and who is going to blow the kisses

The sexy and voluptous Shradha Shrama (pictured left) has turned down an offer to play the main lead in a Bollywood film titled "The Secret Life of Karina". The film is loosely based on the life of Bollywood superstar Kareena Kapoor and has some very controversial scenes which deal with the love life of the characters in question. It also features a rogue character called Saifee and another called Shaheed – subtle, but apparent references to Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapur. Sources say Shradha Sharma was offered Rs 50 lakh to do the film which itself is a big budget production pegged at Rs 20 crore.Says Shradha Sharma, "The production house Spectra Multimedia approached me last week with a script for their film – ‘The Secret Life of Karina’. The script is very interesting and is a combination of ‘Murder’, ‘Kwashish’ and ‘Jannat’. It has murder, sex, passion, romance and is also features a gambler who falls in love with the heroine who is a sex doll. "However, when I learnt that some portions of the script were 'inspired' from the personal life of Kareena Kapoor, I decided not to do it, as I really admire Kareena Kapoor and doing this film would definitely mean rubbing her the wrong way."According to sources at Spectra Multimedia, the film’ which is expected to go on floors by the end of this year’ has a scene where the hero slits his wrists when his lady love (supposedly Kareena) refuses to take his calls. The script writer has used a lot of poetic license and freedom to portray the characters of Kareena and her former boyfriend Shahid Kapur.

Twitter is indeed very popular in Bollywood. Now producer and veteran journalist Pritish Nandy has used the online messaging service to blast Kareena Kapoor, terming her work in the film “Kambakkht Ishq” as a joke. Kareena went on to slam Pritish Nandy by saying he seems to have too much time to comment on blogs and through other medium about others, rather than concentrating on his own work. A furious Bebo even advised Nandy to be more focused on his production activities and not interfere in other people’s lives.And Nandy is not regretting a bit of what he said on Twitter. "She is pathetic! I am of course not referring to Kareena as a person but the character she has portrayed in the film. If Kareena chooses to put out such priceless acts in movie after movie, the audience won't take much time to switch loyalties. If this is the beginning for Kareena, then this is the beginning of the end," Nandy has said. Meanwhile, the gallant Saif Ali Khan has jumped to Kareena’s defence, and has blasted Nandy too for talking about a woman in a demeaning manner.

Adhyayan Suman had to call co-star Shahana Goswami a whore in one of the first scenes he shot for upcoming "Jashnn", and the young actor says he felt "awkward" to mouth the expletive."Yes, there is a scene like that in the film where in a fit of anger I end up calling Shahana, who plays my sister, a whore. It was quite a difficult scene to do due to two major reasons. "First, it was one of the first scenes that we shot for the film. Secondly, I didn't know her (Shahana) too well due to which it was a little awkward for me to mouth such words," Adhyayan told IANS. Though he refused to reveal more about the scene, Raksha Mistry, one of the co-directors along with Hasnain S. Hyderabadwala, is a little more forthcoming. "Adhyayan plays Akash who wished to form a band of his own, but Nisha (Shahana) feels that he is not cut out for it and wants him to settle down in life. An argument follows and since Akash is aware that Nisha is multi-millionaire Aman Bajaj's (played by Humayun Saeed) mistress, he ends up calling her a whore," said Mistry. Those who have seen the film say that the real drama in "Jashnn" begins from this point on and a distressed Shahana throws Adhyayan out of her house. Slowly, Adhyayan too realises that he was wrong and goes on the path of retribution. He struggles but works hard to gain an identity of his own. In this journey of his, he is supported by Sara (Anjana Sukhani). "The entire sequence has come out quite real and the chemistry between Shahana and me has to be seen. Actually, she is one of the finest actors we have around her. I loved her in both 'Firaaq' and 'Rock On!'. In 'Jashnn', she has a serious role once again. It is not easy to play someone's mistress but she has done extremely well once again," said Adhyayan

Cast: Adhyayan Suman, Anjana Sukhani, Shahana Goswami, Humayun SaeedDirector: Raksha Mistry, Hasnain S. HyderabadwalaBanner: Vishesh FilmsRelease date: July 17, 2009On every street in every home, somewhere in India, there is a 'nobody' who wants desperately to be a 'somebody'. “Jashnn” is the story of one such nobody...Akash Verma (Adhyayan Suman), a 20-year-old Indian lad, thirsts to become a singing icon who can blaze a trial for himself among the galaxy of existing stars. But though he has dreams in his heart, he has been unable to find that distinctive voice that he can call his own, that will propel him to the top. Only when he's shattered by life and unflinchingly looks at the sordid truth straight in the face - that he is living off his elder sister Nisha (Shahana Goswami), who, in order to offer him a decent life style, has become the mistress of a rich businessman, Aman Bajaj (Humayun Saeed); is he is able to touch his inner core. Call it irony or a twist of fate, but the person who sees him through this dark night and mentors him when he's down and out is none other than the sister of the person who he hates most in the world...Aman Bajaj. It is Sara (Anjana Sukhani), Aman's sister, who makes him realise that he is an extremely talented man who is simply going through a bad phase and that the biggest crime a human being can commit, is to give up on himself. Spurred by life's bittersweet lessons, and Sara's genuine love and support, Akash, in the harshest winter of his life discovers an invincible summer within himself...thereby discovering his own voice. With this very special tune which has been soaked with the passion of his lived life, he not only touches his inexhaustible potential and becomes an overnight star but also brings dignity it his beleaguered sister, humbles his biggest detractor Aman Bajaj and in the process, lives up to the faith that Sara had in him all along

Filmmaker and composer Vishal Bhardwaj had set high standards for himself after the hit music of "Omkara" and he has fulfilled all expectations yet again with "Kaminey". Full of punch, experimental and hummable, the soundtrack of the film is a must hear.The album, which has lyrics by Gulzar and vocals by some of the best singers in the industry, has five originals and two remixes.First comes an edgy and full of energy track called "Dhan te nan" sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Vishal Dadlani. While Sukhwinder gives the track a rustic flavour, Vishal adds the rock touch to the song. "Dhan te nan" has a certain magic that is intriguing and holds the interest of the listener till the very end. It is already a big hit with audiences."Dhan te nan" has a remix version too that is more like a raw and scratchy variant of the original. Lower on instruments, this one focuses more on the vocals.Up next is a totally different track. "Pehli baar mohabbat", which is brilliantly sung by Mohit Chauhan, is a soft, free-flowing love ballad that instantly strikes a chord with the listener.Then we have the fusion of Western and Indian influences in "Raat ke dhai baje". It's a foot-tapping, fast-paced track that has Suresh Wadkar, Rekha Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan and Kunal Ganjawala behind the mike.The song also has a remixed version - an amalgamation of rap, pop and touches of classical.Next in line is a track that has a deadly combination of two very talented singers - Sukhwinder and Kailash Kher. The song "Fatak" has a folk flavour with a fast tempo and amazing vocals. Gulzar makes his presence felt with his trademark lyrics. The song's ending sung by Sukhwinder packs a punch.The title track of "Kaminey" has the composer going behind the mike as well. It has a very soft start but a few seconds into the song, the tempo rises. It's a different number mainly because of its out-of-the-box lyrics. A decent hear.

Ram Gopal Varma's movies like "Rangeela", "Satya" and "Mast" offered great songs that went on to become huge hits, but the music of his latest venture "Agyaat" disappoints. Lack of experimentation and ordinary tunes make it a lacklustre affair. The film, set to hit screens on August 7, has six songs. First is "Jai shiv bum bum" sung by Runa Rizvi. A fusion of English and Hindi lyrics, the number starts slow but gains tempo within a few seconds. It does attract in the beginning but soon the interest peters out. The track only has beats but no substance. Up next is "Jungle jungle", which is a wild forest song crooned by Jankee Parikh and Imran. The song is high on beats, but vocals are extremely jarring. Avoid it. "Khoobsurat", a soft romantic number, is slow in pace. The song has Shweta Pandit and Vickey B. Joshi behind the mike and is much better than the earlier two songs. But if seen in isolation, the track has nothing extraordinary to offer and is just another love ballad. The song "Kiss you day and night" sung by Earl and Banjotsana has a heard-before feel. It has western music in abundance, but turns out to be an average number. "Kiss Mix" sung by Earl, Jankee and Banjotsana is a put off and doesn't interest at all. It's a racy number with weird sounds. Next is "Na koi", which is instrumental and has vocals in just a few parts. The song has Shweta behind the mike and is a number pushed in to create a haunting impact. But the song, which tries to be edgy, doesn't fulfil expectations.