Bollywood masti

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.

Jive, bachata, merengue, hip-hop and rock-n-roll -- do these words ring a bell? Thanks to reality shows, these western dance forms have become a rage in cities and Indians know there is more to shaking a leg than just the Latino salsa!"Thanks to dance reality shows, people now want to experiment and are willing to learn new dance forms. Salsa is not completely out but, yes, people are showing enthusiasm in other dance forms also - something that was not there earlier," said choreographer Lucky from the Delhi-based Ballatino dance studio. "People have done so much of salsa that now they are bored of it and want to try something new and different. Hence, they are going for jive, bachata, merengue and other dance forms," added Lucky. The dance reality shows on television like "Nach Baliye" and "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" have created awareness about new dance forms and people are thronging dance schools to learn them. Prashant Wali, 22, is an ardent fan of these reality shows. He says he always wanted to learn dancing but didn't know which form to opt for. These shows helped him to zero in on to hip-hop. "Now I know that I want to learn hip-hop because it is an extended version of break dance. I want to put on my dancing shoes and show my moves to my friends," Wali averred. According to Lucky, bachata, merengue, salsa and jive are popular in the age group of 18-35, whereas cha cha, samba, rumba, the waltz and tango are popular among people over 40 years old.

Imran Khan is a star. In the little time he's been in the film industry he has tasted success and failure, but hasn't let either get to him. And he says what he likes best about stardom is the fact that he gets "great service" at restaurants.Imran has been shooting round the clock for Aamir Khan's "Delhi Belly" directed by Abhinay Deo. There's patchwork shooting to be done for Soham Shah's "Luck", Imran's only other film on hand. Says the affable young "Jaane Tu..." star: "For 'Kidnap' I beefed up a lot. Did weights and worked out rigorously. Then for 'Delhi Belly' I needed to get lean. Now I'll have to get bulky again for the remaining portion of 'Luck' which got stalled because of a railway strike in Nambia. "I'll have to put on weight. I'll have to hit the gym very hard. I stopped going to the gym and cut down on my food intake drastically for 'Delhi Belly'." Imran finds going to the gym very boring. "I'd rather exercise by living healthy and doing outdoor sports. I like offbeat extreme sports like scuba diving and roller skates. I wouldn't say I hate the gym. That's too extreme. But I find it boring. "What I like about stardom is the great service I get at restaurants. I don't need table reservations." It's been a decisive year for Imran. "And now for 'Delhi Belly' I've been working like a dog. It was quite an unsettling experience. On an average I had 15 new experiences every day. I can't complain about it. But it became too much to handle."

Salman Khan’s name and presence was enough to draw the ever reticent and rarely-seen-in -public Sunny Deol to the game show ‘10 Ka Dum’. And what’s more, Sunny Deol will be teaming up with his dashing dad Dharmendra. The father-son duo will be seen for the first time ever on a TV show in this week’s episode of ‘10 Ka Dum’ on Sony TV. Catch them together at 9.00pm on July 4, 2009.

Though he has been in the industry for almost 21 years, Salman Khan has never worked in a Yash Raj film, due to some past differences. Now, thanks to the efforts put in by Rani Mukerji, Sallu is all set to star in his first movie with YRF.Apparently, when Rani she was on Salman’s TV show ‘10 Ka Dum’ last season, she had a long chat with Sallu and convinced him to let bygones be bygones. She told him that Aditya Chopra was keen on working with him and that Salman should sign a film with the banner, which apparently he now has. The trouble between Aditya Chopra and Salman is said to have started when Adi approached Salman for “Chak De India”. At that time Salman quoted a very high price and even kept Adi waiting for a good three weeks. Subsequently, without waiting for Salman’s response, Adi signed Shah Rukh for the film. This created tension between the YRF and Salman and Sallu swore never to work with them ever again. But now Salman has agreed to do their film and the credit for this goes to Salman’s good friend and Aditya’s girlfriend, Rani.

Set against the backdrop of Kashmir, the Sanjay Dutt-Bipasha Basu film “Lamhaa” has faced trouble a bit too often.The latest in its long list of problems is that director Rahul Dholakia (pictured left) has turned his back on the film and is not agreeing to allot dates for the shoot although the “busy” Bipasha has already given dates. Dholakia has some personal work and he reasons that the scenes that have to be shot are very crucial and he has to be in the right state of mind to shoot them. He cannot just shoot randomly, he has said.Due to this producer Bunty Walia and Dholakia are not on talking terms and it looks like the film may face difficulty and delay in completion.

Shilpa Shetty has been accused of throwing tantrums and acting pricey on the sets of Sunny Deol’s film “The Man”. Shilpa was shooting for a stage performance song in which she had to be lifted and passed around by some people after she jumps into the crowd from the stage. Shilpa apparently demanded senior professional fighters for the sequence after refusing to be lifted by junior artistes who were stationed in the front rows.Producer-director Sunny and co-director Neeraj Pathak are said to have had a real tough time over this. They tried their best to convince Shilpa to shoot without the professionals but the actress did not listen to them and finally the two had to give in to Shilpa’s demands. Professional fighters were called in and junior artistes were asked to leave the set. Due to this the cost of the song shot up.In past Sunny has worked with Shilpa in films such as “Himmat” (1996), “Indian” (2000) and “Apne” (2007) but we wonder if they’ll work together again after “The Man”.

Los Angeles-based polygraph test reading expert Herb Irvine has been especially flown in to India for the reality show "Sach Ka Saamna". He will help the organisers in deciding whether the contestants are lying or telling the truth.Irvine, who has been associated with American reality show "Moment of Truth", is in India on his first visit for the show, which will premiere on STAR Plus on Wednesday (July 14). "I had never been to India before coming here for the show. It has certainly been a different experience. Every country I go to is a new experience for me. I enjoy learning about different cultures," Irvine told IANS in an e-mail interview. Irvine has been associated with "Moment of Truth" since the past year and conducted tests in other countries where the show has been telecast. On the show "Sach Ka Saamna", the contestants will have to answer 21 controversial questions about their lives to win a Rs.10 million prize money. Actor Rajeev Khandelwal is the host. The promos show the participants being asked questions about their sexuality, extramarital affairs and has succeeded in creating curiosity among the viewers. According to Irvine, the show will strike the right chord with the Indian audience. "It's a never-been done format - putting regular people on a show to win money by being truthful about personal matters. I'm always curious to hear how the show is doing once it airs. I think it will be successful in India. They have a great production company (BIG Synergy) and network behind the show," he said.

Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut "Luck by Chance" inaugurated Germany's only annual festival of Indian cinema in Stuttgart, Germany, on Tuesday (July 14) amidst great fanfare. Zoya's director brother Farhan Akhter's "Rock On!", which marks his debut as an actor, will also be screened at Bollywood and Beyond, Germany's only festival dedicated to Indian movies. "I'm really excited to have 'Luck by Chance' at the festival. Bollywood and Beyond is a platform for Indian cinema in Europe and it's great to be represented and featured with such gusto," said Zoya by email. However, most other films chosen for screening at the six-day festival, which concludes on July 19, revolve around the issue of security in India. "The emphasis in this year's film programme is on security. Apart from feature films like 'Tahaan', 'A Wednesday' and 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' and short films like 'A Mango Tree In The Front Yard', one of the Tea Talk sessions is dedicated to the same topic," Jessica Cope told IANS. Cope, who worked closely with curators Uma Da Cunha, Indian film expert and Theresa Hayes in Los Angeles to choose the films, added that compared to last year, when 60 films were screened, this year only 47 films have been selected due to the economic downturn

Shruti Haasan's debut in “Luck” is an eagerly awaited one. The young rock star and daughter of the veteran Kamal Haasan is looking stunning and remarkably confident in the promos while her “Aazma Luck” number is steadily on its ascent.In fact, Shruti landed herself this multi-starrer thanks to a suggestion by Imran Khan to director Soham Shah.Shruti’s mother Sarika and Imran’s mom have been friends for many years. When Sarika and her daughters were based in Chennai, they stayed with Imran’s mother during their Mumbai visits and that’s how Imran and Shruti became friends.Confirms Imran, "Shruti and I have known each other since we were 10 or 12. We're friends and get on very well. Soham was keen to cast a new girl and after he gave me a description of what he was looking for, I suggested Shruti. She had the attitude, style and body language that was needed of the character. She was game and flew down from Chennai for an audition. Soham loved her screen test and confirmed her."Imran isn't sparing in his praise for his good friend. "While my favourite song in “Luck” is ‘Khuda Ya Veh’, Shruti's rendition of ‘Aazma Luck’ is fantastic! It's proper rock!"

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.

Shahid Kapur apparently took inspiration from his illustrious dad Pankaj Kapoor to play the role of morally-incompatible twins in forthcoming thriller "Kaminey". And his co-star Amol Gupte feels the young actor has indeed inherited his father's acting skills."When Shahid played Guddu, he had to assume Guddu's stammer. He completely internalised all of the character's traits, including the stammer so that there's nothing caricatural about the character," Gupte, who plays a villain in the film by Vishal Bharadwaj, told IANS. "He stayed on the set throughout, kept absorbing the ambience, the sweaty milieu in which Guddu and Charlie (the other character) had to function in their own separate ways. I know Pankaj works the same way. And I truly believe Shahid has inherited Pankaj's ability and style of performing without seeming to act. It is definitely in his DNA," he added. Gupte, who is better known for scripting Aamir Khan's directorial debut "Taare Zameen Par", says his young co-star surprised him with his excellent performance. "When you're facing the camera with a co-star you become compatriots in the canvas of characterisation. On many occasions I was startled by Shahid's passion for excellence. I saw the same quality in Aamir. "It's an adrenaline-charged performance. On many occasions as we performed together I'd forget how young Shahid is. This level of passion in a performance comes to an actor after decades, not after three-four years of acting," he said. Gupte is so impressed with Shahid, who made his debut in 2003 with "Ishq Vishk", that he now intends to cast him in his directorial venture. He rates Shahid's acting in "Kaminey" as a benchmark for actors essaying double roles.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR is reportedly in hospital in Los Angeles after the death of her close pal MICHAEL JACKSON left her emotionally drained.The ailing 77-year-old icon was taken to a medical centre from her home in Beverly Hills on Monday, according to the New York Post.She is allegedly suffering extreme exhaustion and has been weeping constantly since Jackson's death last month.No further details were available as WENN went to press.Taylor, a long-term friend of Jackson, was so stunned at his death she collapsed in her Hollywood home after hearing the tragic news.

Kirron Kher (pictured left) lost her mother Diljit Thakar Singh recently. She remembers Singh as a vibrant and spirited woman of many talents and says she has inherited her mother's taste in clothes, jewellery and flair for dramatics.Singh died in Chandigarh June 25. She was 84. "She died of a cardiac arrest. The last time I spoke to her in Chandigarh was on June 18 when it was her birthday," Kirron told IANS. "I wish I was with her, but no regrets. My mother wouldn't have liked it. She was a vibrant woman of many talents. She was a painter. My brother, who passed away suddenly five years ago, inherited her talent for painting. My younger sister Kanwal inherited my mother's dexterity at the game of badminton. And I got my mother's flair for dramatics." If Kirron wanted she could have been a badminton champ. "But that mantle was passed to my sister. Do you know, my mother and sister played badminton together at a state level tournament when my sister was 11? My mother was excellent at everything she did. She was a perfectionist, and not one of those parents who think their children are the best. If I wore slippers to go out, she'd reprimand me and wonder why I wasn't wearing high heels. "She was a very elegant dresser. At 5 feet 7 inches, she had the height to look royal in everything she wore. She had the most exquisite sari and jewellery collection. I think I've inherited her taste in clothes and jewellery." Kirron's mother was also a connossieur of cinema and Urdu poetry.

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was so keen to revive the "Race" magic with Abbas-Mustan that he has convinced the producers to rope them in as directors. He reveals that girlfriend Kareena Kapoor will also feature in the movie."They understand the pulse of the plot. 'Race' was a fast-paced action-adventure caper. Not too many filmmakers in Bollywood would've done such a wonderful job of it," Saif told IANS. "Yes, Kareena will be part of 'Race 2'. We're yet to flesh out the details. But 'Race 2' has to be bigger and larger than 'Race'. Otherwise no point in making it," he added. Bipasha Basu's character has been written out of the script to make way for Kareena. Produced by Tips Industries Ltd, "Race", which also had Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, turned out to be one of the big hits of 2008. But for the sequel, Ramesh and Kumar Taurani were not keen to have Abbas-Mustan on board as directors. But Saif has convinced the producers to launch part two with the director duo. Apparently "Race 2" will be more gadget and gizmo-friendly, as upwardly-scaled as "Dhoom 2" was, compared to "Dhoom".

Imagine being stranded in heavy rain and then getting a lift from Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan. That's what happened to a few women in Mumbai recently.Big B did his bit by giving lifts to a few women in his car to help them escape the Mumbai rains that have jammed life in India's financial capital for the last three days. The road outside Amitabh's house Prateeksha is waist deep in water, which has entered his reception area too. When the actor decided to take a ride in his SUV to his second home Jalsa in Juhu, he found the women wading through the waterlogged street. "I muster up courage and help and pull out the SUV...that's the only one that shall go through in all this mess, and float out into the streets now jammed with people wading through and the cars blocking any movement. "I open the door, well just about, to assist a few young ladies in distress who were beginning to lose their composure, and give them a ride towards Jalsa. Everywhere there is just chaos," Amitabh posted in a recent entry on his blog. At his Jalsa home, water leaked through into the bedrooms causing more distress to the actor. "At Jalsa, the water in the bedrooms has leaked through despite the tarpaulin protection monsoon covers. I tell them (workers) to put towels, swabs, water resistant solutions, anything," he wrote. The situation became so chaotic that the actor had to ask son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, who are in Singapore along with politician Amar Singh, to stay there for a while.