Love is surely in the air for Ameesha and her boyfriend Kanav Puri

Love is surely in the air for Ameesha and her boyfriend Kanav Puri. The Gujju babe’s acting career may not be at an all time high but it’s her personal life that’s been more in the news off-late. A user sent us some pics of Ameesha and Kanav spending some lovey- dovey times with each other and needless to say the duo seems really happy in each other’s company.

Ameesha and Kanav are seen having a ball of a time in some of the world’s exotic locations such as ’The Louvre’ in Paris. Kanav even seems to be enjoying the cake off Ameesha’s fingers on the occasion of her birthday.

Must say, this is one couple who certainly seem ’Made for Each Other’.

Karan Johar,says Heart still bleeds for Mumbai after it was hit by the very gruesome terror attack

One of the most popular faces of Mumbai, Karan Johar, says although he may have been in New York when the terror attacks took place but his Heart still bleeds for Mumbai after it was hit by the very gruesome terror attack.

“For someone who’s been born and raised in this magnificent city, this is easily one of the most shattering things to hear - and see. And that’s all I could do. Glued to my television in a hotel room far too far away from where this massacre was taking place, I absorbed everything I saw and everything I heard. Everyone had a sound byte. Everyone had to come out and express his or her opinion. The NSG should be applauded. The media should be praised. Certain politicians should be bashed,” says Johar.

Probably pointing a finger at the Prime Minister’s speech like most of us, Karan says, “Politicians, soulless and emotionless, were addressing the country while reading off of teleprompters. Can you not feel anything? Can you say nothing to make us feel just a little more secure in your hands? Poorly conducted “press conferences” announcing the death and casualty toll for foreigners with the speaker unable to successfully read a list from a sheet of paper, confusing Austria for Australia and generally making us look like illiterate idiots to a global audience. It left me embarrassed and struggling to find pride in our government.”

Speaking about all the outrage in the city, Karan shares a thought that his friend his made. “This one particular observation deserves a mention because it summarizes our biggest strength and weakness as a city. My friend Niranajan, a gifted writer, put across with remarkable simplicity that, “The only people who did anything to mention over the past 3 days were the NSG who quietly came in, stoically risked their lives, killed our enemies, walked out onto the debris filled streets, boarded red BEST buses and went home.”

“I returned home from my trip and went and hugged my mother. We didn’t have an issue to sort out. We’re fine and always will be. But just in case, just to be able to sleep better at night, I had to make sure the simple threads that make up my life were strong and in tact. Only then did I feel fit to tackle the situation outside. But I have to ask, how fit do you feel?” he signs off asking probably one of the most important questions of today.

Neha Dhupia had to scream and literally rave and rant at Naseeruddin Shah

Quite literally!! During the shooting of her latest movie MAHARATHI, Neha Dhupia was very apprehensive about one intense sequence with her co-star Naseeruddin Shah.

During one of the scenes in the film Neha had to scream and literally rave and rant at Naseeruddin Shah. The pretty actress found it extremely difficult to shoot the sequence because she was extremely nervous about showing such wild outrage in front of such a senior actor...

The moment the director said ’cut’, Naseeruddin Shah used to be back in his element with a smile on his face while on the other hand Neha used to be mortified about her onscreen behaviour!!

When we asked Neha she said," I have immense respect for Naseerji and screaming at him was extremely difficult."

Well, Neha these are the rules of the game!!!

Mandira Bedi holding a large cutout of Anil Kumble

Former Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble has always been too conscious about his squeaky clean image. This one has been one gentleman cricketer.

Now the buzz is that cricketer is not so excited about his appearance in the film ’Meerabai not out’ anymore. ’Meerabai not out’ which stars Mandira Bedi as a cricket crazy housewife is a comedy flick with Anil in a guest role. The film is produced by Rangita Nandy.

Apparently the soft spoken cricketer is offended with the promos of the film. He has not taken kindly to the recently released promos of the film which show him on the bed with Mandira Bedi and Eijaz Khan.

Sources close to the recently retired cricketer say that the poster which has Mandira holding a large cutout of Anil and with Eijaz on the other side looks real and has offended the cricketer big time!

Vishal and Shahid crossed Marine Drive and Girgaum Chowpatty they heard firing behind them

Director Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay shoot had to be cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday night because of the serial blasts. The director says, “We were shooting a traffic jam scene for Kaminey at Horniman Circle, which is a couple of minutes away from Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).

We crossed CST at 9.45 pm and headed for the circle. While the men were putting up the lights, we heard firing and explosions close by. We decided to cancel the shoot immediately around 10.30 pm and head home.” According to Vishal, his leading actor Shahid Kapoor had reached the shoot by then. “Shahid left a little ahead of me.

It was a war-like situation on the streets of Mumbai. As we reached Marine Drive there were lots of police vehicles with guns pointed at us. It was terrifying!” As Vishal and Shahid crossed Marine Drive and Girgaum Chowpatty they heard firing behind them. Vishal says, “I could feel something was going to happen at Marine Drive. Later, when I reached home, I heard a couple of terrorists got killed at Girgaum. Again we got saved…”

Amitabh Bachchan gives some tips to Miss Sri Lanka Jaqueline Fernandes

Jaqueline Fernandes, Miss Sri Lanka 2006, who is making her debut alongside the Big B as Princess Jasmine, got some tips while shooting for Aladin. And it was from none other than the Big B himself! We caught up with the beauty and got her take on working with Amitabh Bachchan, her film and much more.

Jaqueline says, “I got the chance to learn a lot from this living legend! I feel really fortunate that I got to share my Bollywood debut with such a great actor.” She adds that even though she was really nervous on her first day on sets the veteran actor put her at ease. She reveals, “On the very first day of shooting I was quite nervous to act in front of Amitabh Bachchan. But he was very calm and even told Sujoy, the director, to let me settle down.”

Big B even attempted to help her calm down by talking to her. Jaqueline says, “He started chatting to me and I told him about growing up and how that everyone in Sri Lanka loved his movies as well!”

Time obviously flies when you are having fun because the actress soon realized that they had been talking for over half and hour. She says, “We chatted for quite some time and he gave me some useful tips. Since my Hindi is not so good he told me to read Hindi newspapers and watch Hindi movies to improve. By the end of our chat I was really comfortable.”

About the film Jaqueline says that the Big B is the best thing in the film. She says, “The film has everything… action, romance, comedy, drama and revenge. The most fascinationg work has been done by Mr. Bachchan. We’re all just waiting for the film to be released!”

Aladin and Mystery of Magic Lamp was earlier suppose to release with Ghajini but due to untimely bad health of Big B put the release of this film on-hold as still Amitabh Bachchan part is still remaining and so the film tentatively release date will be in May - June 2009.

The most expensive film ever made in Indian cinema called Lanka

Bollywood is getting more and more ambitious. If producer Vikas Kapoor and director Samir Karnik (the Heroes pair) can be expected to fulfill their next dream, The most expensive film ever made in Indian cinema, history is on the cards. Tentatively, it is being called Lanka; and, Kapoor and Karnik have five Bollywood hunks in mind for the film and one hot woman.

The film is being described as a thriller, and its production values are already around Rs 90 crore, that’s not counting the fat pay packets of the star cast. Much like
Mission Impossible, Lanka will be shot underwater extensively, and the plot has the six actors trying to recover 60,000 tons of gold from the seabed 6,000 feet below.

Not exciting enough? Then hear this! The cast includes hunk Salman Khan, Greek God Hrithik Roshan, the hot and sexy Abhishek Bachchan, the intense Ajay Devgan and the daring Bobby Deol and the sultry Priyanka Chopra. Kapoor, unwilling to divulge much, admitted, “We are finalising the script and nobody’s officially been signed so far. But, this being an adventurous project, we will require actors of that calibre to fit the roles. We have bounced the script with a few of them and all are very excited.” He is unfazed by the headache of handling so many big stars. “It’s not rocket science,” said Kapoor, “if you have a good script and you respect the stars’ space, they cooperate.

Because everyone works towards making the film a success.” Action experts and technical wizards from Hollywood will be flown down when the film is being shot in India. Otherwise, action sequences are also planned in Las Vegas, parts of Japan, Paris, with the underwater sequences being kept for Australia.

The best pair of eyes in Bollywood

The best pair of eyes in Bollywood, those limpid pools that make us swoon.

And it came as no surprise that the green-eyed stunner Aishwarya Rai was one of the most popular choices.

Celina Jaitley

While Celina’s better known for showing off her body than just her eyes, they sure are seductive.

Kajol

Fiery, feisty, defiant -- and funny. This woman and her expressive eyes cast quite the spell.

Vidya Balan

Big, lovely eyes -- wonderful enough to woo a radio-addicted gangster

Bipasha Basu

A glance from this sultry lass, and you’d be driven to anything.

Rani Mukerji

It’s all in the eyes for Rani, as she makes us laugh and cry with her.

Kareena Kapoor

Ah, how this glam babe bats her lashes. To die for.

Urmila Matondkar

There’s an air of perpetual wildness in Urmila’s eyes.

Hema Malini

This graceful danseuse has eyes deep enough to drown in.

Shilpa Shetty

Beauty lies in the eyes. And we’re all beholders.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's dates have become a big issue

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s dates have become a big issue.

She and her husband Abhishek Bachchan had cancelled their shooting for Mani Ratnam’s film ’Raavan’ owing to the illness of megastar Amitabh Bachchan on his birthday, last month. The shooting of the film had to be completely rescheduled.

But the juggling act of the busy actress is now making things a little difficult for director Shankar. This in spite of Ash working with him in one of her earlier films ’Jeans’ years ago.

Sources say, "Endhiran, which stars Ash opposite Rajinikanth, has been forced to call off a shoot as Ash was busy shooting for Mani along with her hubby. S Shankar had scheduled a shooting stint at Kulu Manali, which was to start on November 14.

He wanted to shoot a few sequences with his leading stars in this valley but had to change his plans. While southern superstar, Rajini, was available, Ash was still holed up in Kochi shooting for Mani’s film."

The buzz is that the director has now decided to shift his shooting to Chennai, where he will shoot all the portions that just require Rajinikanth. He’s trying to quickly wrap up the sequences with the Southern superstar and then will have another schedule, where he hopes to finish the Ash- Rajini sequences.

Well, we can only say that working with a busy actress has its highs and lows!

Amitabh Bachchan safe sleep with his loaded revolver

Amitabh Bachchan has pulled out his revolver many a times on screen. This time he has pulled out the revolver again, but not to shoot anyone on screen but to defend himself and have a safe sleep.

He says, “Last night, as the events of the terror attack unfolded in front of me I did something for the first time and one that I had hoped never ever to be in a situation to do.

Before retiring for the night, I pulled out my licensed .32 revolver, loaded it and put it under my pillow. For a very disturbed sleep," the megastar wrote on his blog.

"My pain has been the sight and plight of my innocent and vulnerable and completely insecure countrymen, facing the wrath of this terror attack. And my anger has been at the ineptitude of the authorities that have been ordained to look after us," Big B expressed in his blog.

He further says, He salutes people who have laid down their lives for us. I can only but salute them and respect their sincerity in the call of duty."

Bachchan was disgruntled over the cliche "spirit of Mumbai" which he said people were using to cover the traumatic experiences that the merry city underwent in recent years.

Bachchan says he salutes the people who have laid down their lives to save others. He says he respects their sincerity in the call of duty. Bachchan says he bows before the ‘spirit of Mumbai’ and wishes this spirit never ends.

The controversial song ‘Choli ke peechhey kya hai’, is now part of Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire

The controversial song ‘Choli ke peechhey kya hai’, is now part of Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. Says Rahman, “The song fitted the mood of the film. It represents the frenetic pace, the colour and the swirl that represents the early ‘90s. I have re-recorded it in the same two voices - Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun - though in a totally re-worked form.”

The song will feature in the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack when it releases in December. The soundtrack is being released on December 12,” adds Rahman.

AR Rahman is very happy about the international success of the film. “They released it on a small scale and are gradually increasing the prints. The success means something positive for Indian tourism. It has brought India onto the cultural map again.”

Besides the background score Rahman has done four songs in the film. “I’ve also collaborated with the rap artiste Maya. We co-wrote a song called ‘Oh saya’. She wrote the English lyrics. There’s also a version of Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s ‘Aaj ki raat’ in the soundtrack.”

I am very much interested to act with Daniel Craig-Priyanka Chopra

Bollywood beauty Priyanka Chopra said yesterday she preferred to act with Tamil superstar Rajnikanth than with Hollywood actor Daniel Craig.

“I am very much interested to act with Daniel Craig but I would prefer to act with Rajnikanth than him,” she said.

The actor, who made her debut in Tamil film ‘Thamizhan’ with Vijay said, “It was my first movie and it is very special”.

Nandita Das has got opportunity to direct a number of noted artists like Nasseruddin Shah

Nandita Das, who is one of the most talented actresses of current Indian cinema, primarily, from the parallel cinema recently directed her first movie; Firaaq which is weaved around the after tension of a communal carnage and activities that occurred within time frame of 24 hours. In this movie she has got opportunity to direct a number of noted artists like Nasseruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Dipti Naval, Raghubir Yadav, Sanjay Suri and Tisca Chopra and some new talents like Shahana Goswami and Nowaz.

Hrithik was supposed to kiss Barbara on her cheek

Who can ever forget the sensuous lip lock between Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan in ‘Dhoom 2’? Now, the history is going to repeat itself with much more passion it seems.

Much is being said about Hrithik’s chemistry with hot actress Barbara Mori amidst the shooting of ‘Kites’. Now the bonding is getting better each day for this The Mexican bombshell has gotten so comfortable working with Hrithik, director Anurag Basu and producer Rakesh Roshan , that she has been giving suggestions to make certain scenes look better. As a result what was initially planned as just a peck on the cheek was modified into a full-blown smooch after actress Barbara Mori insisted.

The scene we are talking about has Hrithik and Barbara jumping from a great height. Before the deadly jump, Hrithik was supposed to kiss Barbara on her cheek. It was a crucial kiss, but Barbara felt a smooch would look better, considering the chemistry between the lead characters in the film.

After some deliberation, Barbara’s suggestion has been incorporated into the scene. And instead of a kiss, Hrithik smooched her before the two did the stunt. What say Papa Roshan?

Karan Johar’s special bonding with Shahrukh

If you talk about Karan Johar, one name which immediately sparks your mind is none other than the Bollywood Badshah SRK. Lot has been written and guessed about Karan Johar’s special bonding with Shahrukh and a lot has been guessed about his sexuality, so it did not come as a surprise when the latest issue of ‘people’ magazine popped up this eternal question to Karan.

The reaction was a bit too hard hitting from Karan who went pat with “That’s not for you to know and not for me to reveal. My personal life will always be my personal life”. But well, that does not end the charm of the issue here. Karan features on the cover and you can find the ever-so-charming Karan share his views on his family, his background (how he had almost landed up in France and what made him stop), his very closet friends and of course, the one and only SRK!

A case has been filed in America against Hrithik Roshan's movie Kites

A case has been filed in America against Hrithik Roshan's movie Kites.
The production company used by the movie, Film Kraft Production, is alleged to have not paid workers hired for the shoot of the film. The company is thought to be owned by Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik's father.
This follows a suit that FilmKraft filed against a company called Spektrum Entertainment, owned by Raj and Bina Shah, on September 25.

In the case filed against FilmKraft, on October 7, 13 people claimed to have been hired by FilmKraft through its local agent and said they were not being paid their dues.
"The 13 members of Local 399's bargaining unit working on the production of 'Kites' have not received wages for their work on 'Kites' during the week ending Sep 13, 2008," the lawsuit said.
"In addition, four Local 399 members working on the production of 'Kites' have received no wages for their work on 'Kites' during the week ending Sep 18, 2008," it alleged.
The lawsuit names two other companies, Nevada-based Happy Hours Productions and Bollywood Hollywood Production, based in Florida, besides Rakesh Roshan himself.
The lawsuit further charges Rakesh Roshan and other defendants of violating California Labor Code and not providing a complete itemised pay slip according to the US laws. Rakesh Roshan's last movie Krazzy 4 was held up on the eve of its release after composer Ram Sampath won Rs 2 crore for a song that Roshan used with credit or payment.
Kites stars Hrithik along with Latin actress Barbara Mori in lead roles and is being directed by "Murder" fame director Anurag Basu.
Hrithik plays a street smart scamster in Las Vegas in "Kites", and the film was extensively shot in New Mexico, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in August and September.
The rest of the movie will be shot in Mumbai.
It is slated for June 2009 release.

Akshay starrer Blue will mirror the 70s classic The Deep

Bollywood means lifting and Akshay starrer Blue will mirror the 70s classic The Deep.
"To a certain extent 'Blue' is inspired by 'The Deep'," said Anthony D'Souza, Blue's director.
So is it about a sunken ship and drug smuggling?
"My film has nothing to do with drugs and cocaine. It is based on lost treasure which three friends try to find. It is related to the obstacles that they face in the process and the deceit and betrayal among themselves and others," D'Souza said.
"My film has certain special characters that will give it a different feel," he said, warning that his movie was inspired by many films not just one. "Blue' is not only inspired by one film but has references from various underwater films and also creature films like 'Jaws'," he added.Starring Sanjay Dutt, Katrina, Zayed Khan and Lara Dutta apart from Akshay, it is being touted as the most expensive movie ever made in Bollywood with a budget of over 120 crore.

D'Souza said that Sanjay and Akshay play fishermen from Bahamas, and Zayed joins them in a treasure hunt. Lara plays Sanjay's wife and Katrina's character has grey shades to it.
"Most of the characters in my film are in grey shades. The bad guy in the film is one among the three main lead characters and Katrina will surprise the audience with her role," D' Souza said.
"The three heroes, who go on the mission, have to encounter sharks before reaching the treasure," he added.

Ayesha Takia is back to wrapping up Wanted Dead and Alive with Salman

Ayesha Takia is heaving a sigh of relief. Her film Wanted; Dead and Alive is finally back on track after her co-star Salman Khan has fixed his dates for wrapping up the film.
For the past three months the film has been on hold as Salman has been busy with Veer, London Dreams and Yuvvraaj. But the problem for Ayesha is that she is rumoured to tie the knot to boyfriend Farhan Azmi in the New Year and therefore wanted to wrap up all her films before that.


“Ayesha is very happy that her pending shooting for Wanted is in its completion stage. The last shooting schedule started in the first week of September but later on Salman was busy with other projects so Wanted came to a stand still. But since Ayesha wanted to wrap up her other projects so she began on Nagesh Kukunoor’s film 8 x 10 which was shot in Rajasthan and South Africa. Barring a couple of scenes scheduled for December that film is almost done. And so now she is back to wrapping up Wanted: Dead and Alive with Salman,” informs Ayesha’s close associate.
Salman Khan didn’t have time to shoot for Wanted: Dead and Alive because of his hectic schedule. First the actor had gone to London in September for Vipul Shah’s London Dreams and before that he was shooting for Veer. After returning to India he was busy promoting Yuvvraaj which released last week and now finally he has come back to filming Wanted: Dead and Alive.
Ayesha is believed to be in a hurry to wrap up all her films by the end of this year as she is planning to get married in early 2009. After having completed Pathshala with Shahid Kapoor, 8 x 10 and Wanted: Dead and Alive, Takia has a clean roster. She was said to be Naughty at Forty and Jaane Kahan Se Aayi but no one is talking about these films.

The 'gifted' lady in question is none other than Bollywood's very own Celina Jaitley

If there's one word that does total justice to this lady's overall persona, then it has to be 'Gifted'. God has blessed her with eyes that speak volumes of love, hair that's enough to give the Rapunzels of the world an inferiority complex, lips that are an inspiration to a million architects, smile that can launch a thousand ships, skin tone that has the best of glaciers melting itself down...well, the list is practically endless! The 'gifted' lady in question is none other than Bollywood's very own Celina Jaitley, who also happens to be Birthday Girl!


With her father and brother serving the army and her mother being a child psychologist, punctuality and duty comes natural to this enviable beauty! Little do people know that, post her graduation this Bombshell had lent her expertise by working in a cell phone company in Kolkata! We are sure of the fact that the said company's sales must have rocketed every single day! Soon after that, it was Bollywood calling for this ex-Miss India! With films like Janasheen, No Entry, Apna Sapna Money Money, Tom Dick and Harry, Zinda etc... to her credit, there is just one way for this beauty...up and only up!
But friends, you don't have to go up to post your Birthday messages for this doe-eyed beauty. All that you have to do is to simply post your messages below and wait for the Lady Luck to smile on you:

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown who invited Kareena as a special guest

Kareena Kapoor is slowly but surely becoming a global superstar. The actress who recently wooed Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone has added one more name to her already increasing list of admirers. This time around it was none other than UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown who invited Kareena as a special guest for an event held at his residence 10 Downing Street on November 18th. She was also to be honoured as an international ambassador and join the Silver Star charity that helps in spreading awareness about diabetes.

However, Bebo couldn't make it because of her hectic shooting schedule. She was shooting with Akshay Kumar for Sajid Nadiawala's Kambakt Ishq, in Mumbai.Bebo's spokesperson was quoted by Bombay Times saying, "She was looking forward to attending this prestigious event, but had to opt out. However, Kareena intends joining the Silver Star charity and working closely with them soon."

Anil Kapoor must be a real heart-warmer

It's near impossible to think of a more talented character in Bollywood than Anil Kapoor. He's excelled in so many characters since his Woh Saat Din days it's almost unbelievable. Once considered to be the Casanova of Indian cinema, he still is growing stronger day by day and year by year, and for anyone fearing that life after 40 is a slow and mortifying descent towards death, the story of Anil Kapoor must be a real heart-warmer. Anil's career has been long, remarkably varied, and marked by a loyalty to the Indian Film Industry that made him what he is today - the Yuvvraaj. In this exclusive, the actor gets candid and canny with London correspondent Devansh Patel about his upcoming film Yuvvraaj, his co-star Salman Khan, Bollywood's lucky mascot Katrina Kaif and the director whom he says has given him the best and the most number of hits in his career, Subhash Ghai.

The promos of Yuvvraaj remind me of your Eeshwar days. How different is your character you play in Yuvvraaj then?For me to say that both my Eeswar role and Yuvvraaj role is the same is not true. Both are different. If I humorously quote then here he is rich and lives in Europe (laughs). He loves music and is a special child of the Yuvvraaj family even though he is the eldest of the three brothers. The only similarity is that both are innocent and autistic.
It's evident that you are Subhash Ghai's favourite after having done 7 films with him so far.Well, if you say so, but you'll have to ask him why he considers me in many of his films. Subhash Ghai is such a filmmaker that he considers his films as life and death. He works like that and you'll only come to know that once you work with him or know him personally. He gives his best to his films. He is an all-rounder and does not collaborate. He does everything on his own and hats off to him. Today's filmmaking has changed a lot. You get the best people on board and make a film. Subhash doesn't believe in that. He is glued on to every department of filmmaking, be it the script, the editing, etc. No wonder he always comes out with flying colours. He is the real Yuvvraaj.
From a fun filled comic role in No Entry with Salman, you're now doing a seriously serious role in Yuvvraaj with him. How was the experience?Working with Salman is always a pleasure. You seem to be in a happy and a joyous mood when you're working with him. You're undoubtedly having a ball while acting. He is a kind of an actor who looks disinterested when off the sets. But when the camera rolls, he is right there, focused and comes out with a stunning performance. You tend to look at the monitor and think he is so young, good looking and awesome.
So who looks young on screen, Anil or Salman?(laughs) Good question. You see, me and Salman discuss the same question when we are together. Jabhi aapko koi apni umar puche, toh use bees saal zyaada bataon. We both have now decided that when anybody asks us our age, we will say that we are 55 to 60 year olds.
Eros International marketed and distributed your baby Gandhi My Father, are you happy that Yuvvraaj is too in their hands?I definitely agree that in today's time, marketing and distribution has become as important as the filmmaking itself. But you'll have to wait and watch how Yuvvraaj is marketed. Eros and Kishore Lulla are one of the top most distributors for Bollywood films. They are the best and I'm sure they will give it their best shot when it comes to distribution. So far, it's been a success and in days to come, it will only double up. So let's wait and watch how Yuvvraaj's fate is decided by marketing.
How was it to be working with the young talent like Zayed Khan for the first time?He is a great looking guy and a lovely human being. I am very fond of their family and get along very well with his sister and mother. They are wonderful people. Zayed's family has been with me since my early days in the industry. Their entire response towards me has been consistent till date and Zayed's warmth, attitude and loving nature comes from this upbringing of his. Zayed has acted very well in the film and I think it's his best role ever.
How do you rate the music of the film?Do we need to mention it when it's A.R.Rahman's music? All the songs are simply superb. Giving an unusual music is a tough job but Rahman knows it best. My favourite song in Yuvvraaj is 'Dost'. It's got a beautiful melody and is very beautifully shot. It is difficult to judge which is Rahman's best, Taal or Yuvvraaj. I think both stand out given the subject of the film.
Katrina is being termed the lucky mascot for Yuvvraaj. It's welcoming, isn't it?(laughs) Yes, you got it right. She has been lucky ever since she has moved in Bollywood and its only doing good for our industry and for her personally. Our last film together, Welcome, grossed the best ever collections for a comic caper. It had Katrina too. So we hope Yuvvraaj to be a blockbuster too. Actually, all of us are banking on Katrina's luck for this film.
All the roles you've played recently have been very different, right from Tashan to Welcome and now Yuvvraaj and next year comes Slumdog Millionaire. Critics are loving you more day by day.Thanks to them but even though Tashan failed at the box office, my role was well received by one and all. Even Welcome was a welcome change. Acting is a commercial business and you have to keep that in mind. I may have done several similar roles but my directors were different. It's art and commerce. These decisions are taken instinctively sometimes. There are no set rules to what I do and what I don't do. If my roles were different and people and the critics have loved it, it's good for them. For me, it's my job and there is no escape. My whole approach is very unpredictable. I will choose my role in a split second.
I hear that you're also going to be seen singing in the film?The most difficult part in the film is the singing I've done. All of it is classical. It was one of the most stressful yet one of the most memorable moments of my life. You have to see the film to know further.
Did you do a bit of research for your role or was it script bound?I went through a book titled 'A Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat'. It's a book about these kinds of characters, autistic and special children. This book was really helpful when it came to my acting in Yuvvraaj. That book gave my character the strength.
Is Lakhan missing his Ram?Always. I always miss him. In fact, I miss my Sita too, Madhuri (laughs). Jackie is a brother to me. We have given Indian Film Industry some of its finest films and all directed by Subhash Ghai.
Any message for your fans?I am awaiting their feedback this year for Yuvvraaj and do watch Slumdog Millionaire next year. It's a hell of a good film. Ditto with Yuvvraaj. It's my best ever role in a Subhash Ghai film.

Farhan was always considered to be this reclusive filmmaker

It's always said that 'All it takes in Bollywood is an eternal push to hit that jackpot'. This couldn't have been more true to the ace director-producer-now-turned- actor - singer Farhan Akhtar. Much before his milestone movie Rock On, Farhan was always considered to be this reclusive filmmaker et al. But the success of Rock On has changed things for this man in many ways than one.

After having garnered (read 'well-earned') sky-high praises for his acting and singing skills, Farhan has now plunged into yet another territory: modelling! Yes, you heard it right. Farhan will now be seen endorsing the automobile major Maruti Suzuki's latest offering, a small segment car named 'A-Star', which has a well-suited tagline 'Stop @ (At) Nothing'. Speaking exclusively , Farhan said, "Yes. I am endorsing Maruti's 'A-Star'. Besides the press ads there's also a TV commercial that has been shot which will get aired by early next month."
If the success of Rock On was any indication of what Farhan's new-found fans are all about, then, its only about time that Maruti should surely follow our advice and make ample cars as the 'demand' will be more 'rocking' than the 'supply'! What say Farhan?

Bollywood actress Rekha lit the ceremonial lamp and China's "Warlords" was screened

The 39th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2008) was inaugurated here Saturday as legendary Bollywood actress Rekha lit the ceremonial lamp and China's "Warlords" was screened as the opening film.
The inaugural lamp was lit with the assistance of Telugu actress of Goan origin Illina D'Cruz.
Actress Amrita Rao hosted the star-studded inaugural function at the Kala Academy in the presence of Goa Governor S.S. Sidhu, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and External Affairs Anand Sharma and Goa Chief Minister Digambar V. Kamat as well as a number of Bollywood legends.


Sharma that as the curtain rises from the 39th edition of the festival, it brings together the film professionals from India and abroad on one platform to recognize the excellence in cinema, and creativity and dedication of hundreds of people who are involved in making films.
He said cinema is a powerful medium of connecting people within a society, nation and continent.
Noting that films are a powerful way of conveying a message and have great ability of influencing masses, Sharma said this, therefore, imposes a great responsibility on everyone associated with the film industry to look at how to use the power of cinema to do good for society through the portrayal of attitudes that help in building tolerant and harmonious societies.
The Indian film industry is believed to be the largest in the world - producing over 1,000 films a year in different languages.
"At a time when every sector of our economy is being influenced and in most cases taking the benefits of the currents of globalization, our film industry can utilize this opportunity too," the minister added.
He assured the film fraternity of all possible support from the government to promote good cinema.
Festival director S.M. Khan announced that in the section of the Cinema of the World, 65 films from more than 40 countries will be screened.
In the Film India Worldwide segment of the International programming, "Tandoori Love" (Switzerland), "Death without Consent" (US) and "Barah Aana and Chaurasta - Cross Roads of Love" (India) will be presented.
A specialized competition for feature films from Asia, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa is being organized. Two Indian entries - S. Priyadarshan's Tamil film “Kanchivaram” and Ramesh Laxman More's acclaimed Marathi film “Mahasatta” - have been selected in the competition section along with 13 other films chosen from Bangladesh, Russia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Philippines, Argentina, China and Japan.
There are three Country Focuses this year - Russia, Switzerland and Iran.
The Foreign Retrospectives are on films of Aki Kaurusmaki (Finland), John Landis (US) and Wong Kar Wai (Hong Kong).
Eight restored heritage film classics are there in the Film Heritage - Thematic “Women” section. Besides there will be a special tribute to Niki Karimi, Khan said.
The Indian programming at IFFI-2008 would be under seven different segments with screening of 83 films, besides the Indian Panorama section wherein 26 feature and 21 non-feature films will be screened.
The Indian programming would have a retrospective of legendary director Bimal Roy and L.V. Prasad.
Under the Lifetime Classics, "Mughle-e-Azam", "Hum Aapke Hai Kaun", "Dil Ek Mandir", "Anbe Vaa", "Kittur Channamma" and "Kabuliwala" will be screened.
Peter Chan, Marco Mueller, Niki Karimi, Lav Diaz and Tabassum Hashmi, the jury members of the competition section, were felicitated during the inaugural function.

From a slim Kangana to a voluptuous curvy Kangana Ranaut

Yes, Kangana Ranaut is no more a bony lass, she is on her way to look curvy and fuller. The waif thin girl of Woh Lamhe and Gangster Kangana Ranaut has turned voluptuous and womanly. No no..that does not mean Kangana is all rounded and gained weight, she is looking stunning and firmer, with weight at the right places. It actually happened when Kangana saw that she looked like a pale figure after the completion of Raaz. So she decided to hit the gym and add some muscle mass. Her dietican advised her to have more of eggs and milk everyday. Kangana also started having many bananas every day.
Kangana knows the merits of a woman having a voluptuous figure. "Gone are the days when I was tomboyish. I feel a lot more feminine now. I am enjoying this phase." What about implants and surgical techniques? Kangana Ranaut is quick to reply "I dont believe in going under the knife and I advocate the same. I believe in being natural".

The voluptuous Carmen Electra to shoot with Akshay Kumar

American sex symbol, pin up star, model and performer Carmen Electra, who can whip up a storm with her presence will arrive on February 10,2009 to shoot with Akshay Kumar for Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kambakht Ishq. Carmen Electra has been seen with her sexy presence in Baywatch and comic horror movies like Scary Movie 1 and 4.

Kambakhta Ishq produced by Sajid Nadiadwala is his most expensive movie to date. The movie co staring Kareena Kapoor also has Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone and heart throb Bond babe Denise Richards. Now with the electrifying Carmen Electra, looking ever hot and sexy at 36, featuring in a song, possibly an item number, Akshay Kumar starrer is sure to rock.

Shilpa Shetty has 'experienced' most of Akshay Kumar's 'stunts'

Woow! This is a cheeky one. In the Bigg Boss jumbo finale, Shilpa Shetty complimented Akshay Kumar about his performing many stunts. Akshay Kumar gave her a smart reply saying “Aapse jyada kaun jaati hain”(who knows it better than you) . Shilpa blushed in the sweetest way possible making us confirm every bit of meaning those words. We all know that Akshay kumar had a torrid affair with Shilpa Shetty at one point of time. Well, we ain’t making it direct but you know what we mean. Check the video for more, between 1:25 and 1:30 frame.

Sharmila Tagore and Anupam Kher are paired together

Nilima is a student of Presidency College. Joymohan is a lecturer. They are in love but must separate for certain reasons and meet after 10 years during a morning walk in Shimla. They are now married to different people. They take a trip down memory lane only to separate again. Their paths cross one more time 27 years later, during a morning walk on the streets of Mumbai. During this last stroll, Joymohan begins to suspect that he is probably the biological father of Nilima's daughter.
For the first time, Sharmila Tagore and Anupam Kher are paired together in a film.

Others in the cast are Nargis Bagheri who made a mark in Priyadarshan's Garam Masala as Sharmila's daughter and model Shayan Munshi who plays her fiancé. Rajit Kapoor plays Anupam's son and Divya Dutta plays his wife. Soumili Biswas and Tanmoy Sengupta play the young versions of Nilima and Joymohan respectively. Suman Ranganathan and little Avika Gor who is playing the title role on Balika Vadhu on Colours, are also in the film.
Arup Dutta's directorial debut Morning Walk is a Hindi film being shot in Kolkata because the story is set in Kolkata and opens during the disturbing days of the Naxalite revolution. Arup Dutta honed his skills in filmmaking with episodes for Balaji Telefilms and other production houses in Mumbai. The Kolkata-based Cinemawallah that also produced Rituparno Ghosh's Utsab and Titli besides producing Anjan Dutt's Bow Barracks Forever is producing the film.
"Morning Walk explores the relationship between Joymohan and Nilima and the title is significant because the morning walks form the backbone of the film's narrative structure, each time functioning as a catharsis in the lives of the man and the woman as they grow older with time," explained Dutta who is shooting at Kumartuli, Victoria Memorial, the Kolkata Race Course and Dakshineswar. The sound track comprised of a thumri sung by Rashid Khan and Shreya Ghoshal, has already been canned.

Ajay Devgan instantly agreed to do the cameo with Amitabh Bachchan

It’s well known that all and sundry in the industry like to respect Amitabh Bachchan. When he requests or orders something no one can afford to turn him down. Actor Ajay Devgan did just that recently.
The news is that there was a cameo role in the film ‘Teen Patti’, being produced by Ambika Hinduja and directed by Leena Yadav. The makers initially wanted Akshaye Khanna, but he had to turn the film down. So they started looking for another actor.
The word is that Akshaye was called at the last minute to dub for ‘Shortkut’, where he plays the lead. The actor had no other option but to go ahead with his dubbing, leaving the makers of ‘Teen Patti’ in trouble.


But the problem was not many actors dared to act in a film which is dominated by the Big B. So many remained uninterested! That’s when Amitabh came to their rescue and use his personal charm.
Not surprisingly he succeeded as actor Ajay Devgan instantly agreed to do the cameo and shoot for a couple of days.

Katrina Kaif is eagerly awaiting the release of her next flick

Katrina Kaif is eagerly awaiting the release of her next flick Showman’s Yuvraaj. The actress who stars along ace heroes like Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor is quite happy with the experience of sharing screen space with such versatile actors.


She says on her working with Salman and Anil, “They were fantastic! This was my fourth film with Anil Kapoor and he always amazes me with his body language and dialogue delivery in each of his films. And, Salman is unique in his way and so spontaneous in his acting. He wouldn’t do something he cannot relate to and will only take up something he believes in. Salman is a very dear person in my life. People read, talk and write what they feel but beyond that I wouldn’t want to comment anything else on this topic.”
Well we wish loads of luck to beautiful Kaif for her upcoming flick.

The most expensive film on Indian Cinema

Producer-director due Vikas Kapoor and Samir Karnik ( Heroes fame) are all set to churn out The most expensive film on Indian Cinema.
The movie is named Lanka, and will have five Bollywood hotties and one sexy heroine.The film’s budget is a whooping Rs 90 crore. The thriller will be filmed alot underwater as the six actors try to find 60,000 tons of yellow metal - gold, 6000 feet below in the sea.


The alleged star cast includes, ultimate hunk Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Bobby Deol and Priyanka Chopra.
The director duo admits, “We are finalising the script and nobody’s officially been signed so far. But, this being an adventurous project, we will require actors of that calibre to fit the roles. We have bounced the script with a few of them and all are very excited.”
Well we just hope that it doesn’t turn out dud like Heroes.

Shah Rukh Khan 15-year-old Pakistani fan released from the jail

Nasir Sultan, a 15-year-old Pakistani boy who was jailed in Punjab after illegally crossing the border to meet Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, will be handed over to Pakistani authorities on Friday.
"He will be released around 11 am. We will hand him over to the Pakistani authorities," said Amritsar's Deputy Commissioner of Police K S Pannu.
The police decided to allow Nasir to cross the Attari-Wagah border, about 30 km from here, after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) gave their clearance in the matter.

Nasir was arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) in September from an area near the India-Pakistan border.
The boy, an avid fan of Shah Rukh Khan, said that he came from Pakistan in August to meet the superstar and to participate in a TV reality singing contest.
Nasir was lodged at the juvenile jail in Punjab's Faridkot town, about 250 km from Chandigarh. He was booked under the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act for entering India illegally.
Nasir, a Class 10 student, is a resident of Dir in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) that is witnessing intense fighting between the militants and security forces.
He left his house on the morning of August 14, saying he would return in the evening but called his parents after about a month to inform them that he was in jail in India.
A petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh in November seeking the release of Nasir since he was innocent. Pakistan's human rights activist Ansar Burney had come to India to plead for his release.

Raima and Riya Sen are constantly online

Raima and Riya Sen are at it again. No, there may be speculation of boys but what these sisters are now interested in are toys!
Yes, you read right. Just toys (read upgraded mobile phones). The two Sen sisters cannot be separated from their phones and are constantly online. While Raima is on Gmail using her iPhone, Riya is on hotmail with her Blackberry.


When we constantly spotted Raima online, we asked her why she has suddenly become tech–savvy and that's when she let us out on her latest gizmo. When we told her Riya too has been spotted online, she replied back saying, "She is on her Blackberry." So no SMS guys just get their email ids... and get chatting!

Top 10 Jodis that should never be paired together in Indian cinema

We have seen Bollywood’s all time favorite Jodis like Amitabh-Rekha, Dharmendra-Hema Malini, Dilip Kumar-Madhubala and Shahrukh-Kajol, set the silver screen on fire with their on-screen chemistry. Ever wondered if Bollywood could go wrong?? This week ‘10 on 10’ brings you Top 10 Jodis that should never be paired together in Indian cinema, only on Imagine Showbiz.


This week on ‘10 On 10’, watch Jodis that don’t share the on-screen charisma and will never make us shout; Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Host Shonal Rawat, gives us a run through of Top 10 celebrities that should never be cast opposite each other. At 5′ 6 Aamir Khan is a strict no-no against the soaring Deepika Padukone at 5′ 10.
Bollywood has more such NoNo’s with Abhishek Bachchan and could-have-been-saali; Kareena Kapoor, whose personal glitch might affect their professional life. That’s not all, as this match-breaking episode shows us strictly prohibited Jodis like Shah Rukh & Katrina, Aishwarya & Saif, Akshay Kumar & Rani and many more.
Watch the jodis you might never see on celluloid only on ‘10 on 10’ on Imagine Showbiz at 1 pm on Saturday, November 22nd, 2008.

Ash entered the sets Abhishekh was seen to be disturbed

According to sources Aishwarya visited the sets of Dilli 6 where Abhishekh was shooting a stunt scene. It was visible that it wasnt a pleasant surprise for Abhi. It seems that inspite of being marrried for over a year and a half there is still some tension between the couple.

The scene that was being shot was a stunt scene though not a major stunt scene but still it was a crucial one. Everyone assumed that after shooting constantly for so many stunt scenes for Drona Abhishek must have got comfortable with them but the moment Ash entered the sets Abhishekh was seen to be disturbed.
In Dilli 6, Abhishek is opposite Sonam Kapoor and Om Puri, Atul Kulkarni, Divya Dutta, Rishi Kapoor and Tanvi Azmi are the other co stars.The movie has been making since December last year and is thought to be based on the life of the director Rakesh Omprakash Mehra and how he spend his years growing up in the old Delhi neighbourhood of Chandini Chowk. The name of the film is actually the pin code of the place and its due for release on February 13, 209.

Salman had said not long ago that his girlfriend Katrina

Salman Khan has a steady girlfriend in Katrina Kaif and Aishwarya Rai (now Aishwarya Bachchan) is happily married to Abhishek Bachchan.They haven’t been seen together ever since the bitter split but they never run out of news. This time around, both Salman and Ash have ended up doing the same thing.


Well, Salman had said not long ago that his girlfriend Katrina could never work with Vivek Oberoi, who he held responsible for breakup with Ash. And as expected, Katrina is said to have refused to act with Vivek.

Interestingly, Aishwarya has done something similar. The news is doing the rounds that Abhishek has turned down an offer for a new film by Yash Raj Films starring Rani Mukherjee and Shahid Kapoor because of Ash. It is said that Ash don’t want to see Abhishek with his ex flame Rani.
Well, Salman is controlling the moves of his girlfriend while Ash does the same to her hubby!

Karan Johar's 'Koffee With Karan' book being published

'Koffee With Karan' - One wonders whether Karan Johar himself is aware about this book being published. Agreed that he has been all busy with Dostana and yet-to-get-on-floors My Name Is Khan, but it is rather surprising that he hasn't uttered a single word on 'Koffee With Karan', the book which has found it's way into the shelves. This is a book which publishes the script of some of the select celebrity chats that Karan Johar engaged with in his extremely popular television show by the same name which has been running season after season. A good idea indeed which is let down completely due to poor layout and presentation!

That's right. What could well have been an engaging exercise is relegated to being a chapter-by-chapter account of what happened in each of the episodes; just like it would happen in a school text book. In fact the layout format of 'Koffee With Karan' appears to be a school/college guide with an unimaginative design, boring presentation and some tiresome read.
Of course, on the face value it did seem like a good idea i.e. to present the scripts of all the episodes verbatim for readers to cherish in case they have missed seeing them on the telly. In fact, even for those who have seen the episodes already, it may not have been a bad idea to revisit all the fun, humor and scandals that were unveiled in trademark Karan style. However, it is choice of publication house which is the piece of the villain here since it doesn't even try to benefit from the big opportunity it had in hand and instead merely places the entire script in a chapter after chapter format.
While the conversational text does become cumbersome after a point (there are close to 550 pages in the book), what makes it readable to some extent are the snippets that are placed page after page which highlights some of the quotable quotes. In fact I found myself only going through them after a point in time since that seemed to be good enough for me to gather any 'masala', if at all it was present in any episode. Beyond this, 'Koffee With Karan' turns out to be a book which one may want to finish one chapter at a time in one's spare time. In nutshell, hardly a book which classifies itself as 'can't be put down till the last page is through' kinds.
For those who are interested to know the episodes that the book covers, the celebrities being covered are Shah Rukh, Kajol, Rani, Kareena, Preity, Saif, Aishwarya, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Fardeen, Zayed, Gurinder Chadha, Farah Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Gauri Khan, Suzanne Roshan, Bipasha, Lara, Ekta Kapoor, Sunita Menon, Sushmita, Sanjay Dutt, Rakhi Sawant, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Shabana Azmi, Shobha Dey, Rahul Bose, Konkona Sen, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Vivek Oberoi, John Abraham, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor, Esha Deol, Shahid Kapoor, Hema Malini and Zeenat Aman.
Some of the quotes that made 'Koffee With Karan' the celebrity show it was are reproduced as below:
"The strangest thing people wonder about me is whether I am a homosexual or bisexual. You know, I cannot have two kids by heavy petting" - Shah Rukh Khan
"Anil Kapoor was the worst dancer I have ever worked with" - Farah Khan
"I often love to hate Aishwarya" - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
"I believe that doctors would give you what God could not" - Rakhi Sawant
"Good girls go to heaven; naughty girls go everywhere" - Amrita Arora
"Vivek Oberoi is the most over rated actor in Hindi cinema" - Sanjay Leela Bhansali
"People came to see Bipasha Basu in Jism; no one came to see me" - John Abraham
"Women's feet turn me on" - Sanjay Dutt
"Aamir Khan told me that I was doing Sameer's character all wrong in Dil Chahta Hai" - Saif Ali Khan
"Aishwarya Rai is the worst dressed Indian woman" - Shobha De
"90 percent of Indian cinema is crap" - Rahul Bose
"I am affirming that the casting couch for men exists in the modeling world" - Arjun Rampal
"The best part about being a superstar is that you can wear the most outrageous of clothes and they say 'it's in!'" - Amitabh Bachchan
Of course quite a few of these quotes were made months back when the episodes were telecast (and may have even lost relevance today) but nevertheless they do make for a spicy read at places. In the end, 'Koffee With Karan' isn't even the kind which would turn on the biggest of the movie buffs. At maximum, its readership is restricted to the select few who have been absolutely clueless about how the show 'Koffee With Karan' looked like (difficult to imagine such a breed!) or those who were in love with the show and want to go through the chapters due to sheer nostalgia.
Price: Rs. 395/=
Rating: **

Kareena Kapoor seems set to take her relationship with beau Saif Ali Khan

Bollywood beauty Kareena Kapoor seems set to take her relationship with beau Saif Ali Khan to another level. She'll soon be visiting his ancestral village Pataudi in Haryana.
"Yes, Kareena has been invited to Pataudi. It'd have been earlier, but it was too hot. Winter is when our family reunions happen every year. And Kareena is now part of the family. My parents are extremely fond of Kareena," Saif, who worked with her in "Tashan", told IANS.


Saif, who started dating Kareena after breaking up with ex-girlfriend Rosa Catalano, is quite happy with their relationship and says he is looking forward to marrying her.
"This relationship is 'IT' for me. Today I feel very settled and very happy. Though a bit lonely. And when I've bad days, I feel I'm being ungrateful. I'm now looking forward to settling down with Kareena. Our marriage will happen very shortly as soon as we both have a little less work on hand and we can give the marriage quality time. Also, her family has to be ready for our marriage," he said.
The actor says he enjoys a good rapport with Kareena's parents - Babita and Randhir Kapoor.
"We're very close. She has been really gracious in inviting me into her family. She's made sure I'm part of her family. I've also met Daboo uncle (Randhir) a few times, shared friendly drinks with him. As for Karisma, I think she's the sweetest girl ever in the world. I'm deeply fond of both Karisma and her husband Sanjay (Kapoor). They're truly wonderful people. Kareena's family has taken to me as warmly as my family has taken to her," Saif said.
The actor, who suffered a mild heart attack in 2007, says his lifestyle has now changed completely.
"My lifestyle has changed completely after the heart attack. Looking back it's hard to believe I went through such a health scare. If it wasn't for that life-changing experience, I wouldn't be in a relationship with Kareena right now. I hardly drink. Don't even look forward to drinking any more. I don't smoke or party."