Sanjay Dutt-Bipasha's LAMHAA is complete

G.S. Entertainment Pvt. Ltd's, LAMHAA, starring Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher is now complete. Naturally, the director, Rahul Dholakia (PARZANIA) is a relieved man. The marathon sixty day shooting schedule went smoothly in Kashmir recently. The shooting included the picturisation of climax scenes, as well as a few songs and action sequences.
Those following proceedings in Bollywood will remember how the shooting of LAMHAA was disrupted in Kashmir due to protests by miscreants and later the alternative Manali shift had to be cancelled due to heavy landslides. Amidst all the obstacles, the producers, Bunty Walia and Jaspreet Singh Walia, as well as director, Rahul Dholakia never gave up and convinced the stars to return to Kashmir and complete the film. The stars too were very accommodating and despite encountering some bad weather, they, very much like professionals, completed the film, which will now go into post-production.

The completion of the LAMHAA shooting schedule definitely forecasts only good things for tourism in Kashmir. Moreover it will set a good precedent for other makers to follow and help bring normalcy back in Kashmir, so that the good old Shammi Kapoor 'Yahoo' days will be back, both for Bollywood and J andK!

Salman tells Kareena what men want

The shooting of TV show 10 Ka Dum had some humorous moments when Salman decided to advise Kareena Kapoor on her looks.

Apparently, the actor told Kareena that men prefer their women with some flesh. Salman advised Kareena that rigorous dieting and exercise could make one’s face hard.

Sallu also jocularly compared her with Karisma, Kareena’s elder sister who was also present at the show.

However, the actress took all this sportively, it is reported. It may be recalled that Kareena Kapoor has been shedding weight drastically to get that perfect figure.

Rajesh Khanna will be given the lifetime achievement (IIFA)

Yesteryear's superstar Rajesh Khanna will be given the lifetime achievement award at the 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Macau next month.

Rajesh, who gave hits like 'Aradhana', 'Kati Patang, 'Anand' and 'Amar Prem', will be felicitated at the award ceremony of the 10th IIFA celebrations on June 13, an IIFA press statement said.

'Over the years, we have paid tribute to the greats of the Indian film industry, recognising their contribution to cinema. In our 10th year at the IIFA Awards in Macau, we honour Rajesh Khanna who has undoubtedly defined romance in our films,' said Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft International Entertainment, the organisers of the glitzy event.

'He (Rajesh) is considered the first superstar of Indian cinema and has influenced an entire genre of romantic movies, creating a legendary persona that strikes a chord with the youth, even today.' added Joseph.

In the past, IIFA has awarded Bollywood stalwarts like Waheeda Raham, Asha Parekh, Yash Chopra, Dharmendra, Mumtaz and others for their contribution to Indian cinema.

Over 500 luminaries from the Indian film industry are expected to watch Rajesh Khanna receive the award.

The 10th IIFA Weekend will be held at The Venetian Macau Resort June 11-13.

The three-day event will see a host of Indian celebrities as well as international film personalities including brand ambassador megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his family, actors Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapur, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kangana Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta.

Aishwarya Rai, Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor will be among the star performers at the event.

Bachchan turns down Australian doctorate to protest attacks

Actor Amitabh Bachchan has reacted to racial attacks on Indian students in Australia [Images] by rejecting an honourary doctorate offered to him by an Australian university.

The Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, had offered the 66-year-old veteran a doctorate for his contribution to the world of entertainment and Bachchan had earlier accepted the title.

The honour was to be conferred on the star in July as a part of celebrations to commemorate a retrospective of his films in the city.

"I have been witnessing, with great dismay and shock, the recent violent attacks on Indian students in Australia, on the electronic media the entire day," Bachchan wrote on his blog.

"I mean no disrespect to the institution that honours me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen," he added.

Australia has recently seen a series of attacks on Indian students, the most serious being the assault of Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh, who is battling for life in a Melbourne [Images] hospital after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens.

Priyanka Chopra dives dangerously for fun

Priyanka Chopra, who is shooting for her upcoming film 'Pyaar Impossible' in Bangkok, went overboard with her adventurous streak when she decided to dive into a swimming pool from a four-storey film board just to have fun.

"Priyanka jumped from a four-storey flip board into a 40 feet swimming pool while she was shooting in Bangkok for 'Pyaar Impossible'. It wasn't a part of the movie shoot but just for fun," a source from the sets of the Yash Raj Films' project told us.

Actor Uday Chopra, who is cast opposite Priyanka in the movie, followed suit but ended up hurting himself.

"Uday also jumped from the same height and injured his hand. It was a fun thing - just a side activity that they were doing," the source added.

'Pyaar Impossible' is a romantic comedy story of a nerdy, awkward, socially challenged and bespectacled geek and a beautiful girl. The movie is Jugal Hansraj's second directorial after 'Roadside Romeo'.

The movie went on floors in April and is due to release towards the end of the year.

Yash Raj denies SRK's presence in 'Dhoom 3'

The grapevine has been abuzz with news that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will play the villain in Yash Raj Films' (YRF) action-adventure series 'Dhoom 3' but a source from the production company has denied any such development.

"This story is completely untrue and baseless. We have no idea where this rubbish originated but like all wildfires has spread rapidly," Rafiq Gangjee, vice president (marketing and communications) of YRF, told us over e-mail from Mumbai.

The rumours that Shah Rukh would soon follow in the footsteps of Hrithik Roshan by playing a villain opposite actor Abhishek Bachchan in the 'Dhoom' series began when a British news website reported it.

According to the article which was published May 26, a source was quoted as saying: "Shah Rukh had been approached by the banner to play the main villain in the most successful franchise of Bollywood - the 'Dhoom' series - and he has immediately given the nod. Last few days there has been a lot of buzz that Saif Ali Khan has signed the dotted line for the same role but it seems they were just plain rumours."

However, as per Gangjee, there is no truth in any part of the report.

'Love Aaj Kal' is like Test cricket, T20 rolled into one

'Love Aaj Kal', Saif Ali Khan's maiden venture as producer that also stars Deepika Padukone, is like Test cricket and Twenty20 rolled into one. The makers of the film, about love across generations, have even tied up with the ICC T20 World Cup, says co-producer Dinesh Vijan.

"'Love Aaj Kal' has major similarities with cricket. Like there is Test cricket and T20, the film too has love of two generations - love 'aaj' and love 'kal'," Vijan told us over telephone from Mumbai.

"The story basically revolves around the fact that though the process of relationships and love has changed over time, its essence and basic character remains the same," the producer said.

So Saif and Vijan, who are co-producing the film under their banner Illuminati Films Pvt Ltd, have tied up with the ICC T20 World Cup, which starts June 5, for the movie's promotion.

"We have associated with the T20 World Cup. We will shoot a promotional video on the T20 World Cup. Deepika and Saif will also go to London to cheer the Indian team," Vijan said.

Directed by Imtiaz Ali of 'Jab We Met' fame, the film also stars Rahul Khanna and Rishi Kapoor in pivotal roles and is expected to be released in June.

Asked why they zeroed in on Ali for their first film, Vijan said they instantly fell in love with the script he showed them.

"I had seen 'Socha Na Tha' and had liked Imtiaz's work. He had then told us about this script and we loved that too. We realised that he will be the best first director of our banner. This was before 'Jab We Met'. Then when 'Jab We Met' hit the screens and became such a big hit, we knew we had made the right decision," he said.

Aishwarya to perform at IIFA again

Aishwarya Rai is all set to dazzle audiences with her dance moves at the 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards night in Macau, China, next month - her second such appearance at the glamorous event.

She had enthralled audiences by dancing to hit song 'Kajra re' at Amsterdam in 2005. She will perform at The Venetian-Macau Resort on the night of June 13, an IIFA press statement said.

Aishwarya's father-in-law, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, is the brand ambassador of IIFA.

Also performing at the event will be Sonam Kapoor, who will make her on-stage debut, and Kareena Kapoor, who will show off her belly dancing skills.

Bollywood actors Boman Irani and Riteish Deshmukh, who had the audience in splits with their humour at the awards last year in Bangkok, will play hosts to the glitzy cine event again in Macau. Joining the two would be beauty queen-turned-actress Lara Dutta.

The three-day IIFA Weekend will be held June 11-13 and is expected to draw over 500 luminaries from the Indian film industry.

On why Macau was chosen as the destination for celebrating a decade of IIFA, the orhanisers said they hoped it would 'end the deadlock between India and China over the exchange of cinema'.

'We feel it's (Macau) the Las Vegas of the East. In this 10th year of IIFA's existence we wanted either the US or China to be our venue,' said Sabbas Joseph, one of the directors of Wizcraft, the organisers of the event.

'We chose China because we feel it could be a gateway for Indian cinema to the West. We also hope to end the deadlock between India and China over the exchange of cinema. We haven't come away from one venue without opening up doors for the India film industry. We are confident this would be the case in China,' he added.

Deepika in demand opposite Hrithik in Krrish 2

The success of Krrish is all set to bring out a sequel for the film. This was disclosed by the Roshans who had produced the film.

Krrish had Hrithik Roshan play the lead and was produced by Rakesh Roshan’s FilmKraft.

According to sources close to the Roshan family, papa Roshan is keen on signing up Deepika Padukone to star opposite his son. However, nothing has been finalized as yet.

It is also said that several foreign technicians will be roped in to work in the sequel. The ball of this new venture will set rolling once Kites hits the marquee.

The latest buzz doing the rounds is that Rakesh Roshan is planning to cast Deepika Padukone in Krrish 2 opposite son Hrithik Roshan.

If all goes well then Deepika will be seen opposite Hrithik. Earlier, the role was played by actress Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra in Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish respectively. Rakesh Roshan is believed to be in talks with the Om Shanti Om girl as he is very keen to rope her into his film. All that he is ready to reveal now is, that he is very busy working on two projects, Krrish 2 and Krazzy 4. He says that if Deepika suits the role, he would definitely consider her. But since nothing is finalized as yet, he said he would not like to talk about it right now. It will be remembered that Priyanka was not appreciated for her looks or her performance in Krrish and hence the Roshans would not like to sign her on again. Now after Om Shanti Om's stupendous success, Deepika seems to fit the role. Rakesh Roshan is also working on Krazzy 4 which stars Juhi Chawla, Arshad Warsi and Irrfan Khan. Hrithik is expected to perform an item number in the film.

Danny Boyle signs up Aamir Khan?

The director of the Oscar winning film Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle landed in Mumbai a couple of days ago.

He also hosted a party for some of the select crew of Slumdog Millionaire including the kids that starred in the film.

However, Bollywood is abuzz with news that his purpose of visit was to meet Aamir Khan to discuss a new venture. In fact, Boyle had openly stated a few months ago that he wished to sign up Aamir for a project.

Rumors are also afloat that Aamir was offered a script for consideration. An official word is expected soon.

Ajay Devgan’s inspiration

Ajay Devgan is all set to play ala Haji Mastan in his forthcoming venture Milan Luthria's Once Upon A Time In Mumbai.

According to the actor his role is that of a smuggler-turned-film producer in the film. However, he was quick to add that the role will be inspired by Haji Mastan and he will in no way try to emulate him.

It may be recalled that Amitabh Bachchan played a similar role in the 1975-released Deewaar.

Sources close to the film unit say that Once Upon A Time In Mumbai will focus on issues that were not dealt with in Deewar. The female lead in this film is yet to be finalized.

Ghajini collection report is false

Following the orders of the Madras High Court, the producers of the Hindi Ghajini submitted the accounts of the film’s profits yesterday.

When the matter was taken up for hearing, the producer of the Tamil version, Salem Chandrasekar, alleged that mere submission of accounts are not enough but should be in the form of documents.

The advocates on behalf of the petitioner (Salem Chandrasekar) brought to the court’s notice that newspaper reports suggest that the film has raked up over Rs. 200 crores from December 25th to January 15th but the defendants have shown a mere Rs. 104 crores profits in India and Rs. 7 crores from abroad.

The case was posted for hearing on February 5th. The Judges also ordered the defendants to file the collection report from January 15 to February 15 on the 17th of February.

A.R. Rahman knows nothing of ghazals

Lashing out strongly on the present generation of music directors and filmmaker, ghazal singer Jagjit Singh asks, What does AR Rahman know about ghazals? He will never use a ghazal in his films.

All they do is pick up tunes from the West. He rues that there is no poetry in the lyrics these days and language used is tapori, which is a mix of Hindi and English.

The singer says that the audience for the ghazal form of music has only increased over the last few years.

He added that he tries to improvise on this ghazals and this brings a lot of audience to his concerts. Interestingly, the singer only performs for a cause nowadays.

'Dance is easier to judge than comedy'

The king of comedy David Dhawan will soon judge a comedy show, Hans Baliye on Star One, with his one-time favourite actress Karisma Kapoor.

The new laugh riot hopes to bring out the funny side of marriages, and will have celebrity couples participating.

Karisma tells Rajul Hegde what to expect from the show.

After judging the fourth season of Nach Baliye, you're back on the jury with Hans Baliye. What prompted you to take up this show?

When the channel approached me for this show, I liked the concept. It's a unique comedy show where real life couples are doing stand-up comedy for the first time on television.

Nach Baliye is already a successful brand name and they are now doing a spin-off in a unique way.

Karisma, Kareena Kapoor on 'Dus Ka Dum 2'

Bollywood sisters Karisma and Kareena Kapoor will kick off the second season of Salman Khan-hosted quiz show 'Dus Ka Dum', which will go on air Saturday on Sony channel.

Sania gets engaged to Hyderabad-based businessman

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has got engaged to a Hyderabad-based businessman but her family has ruled out an immediate wedding or early retirement for the star.

The 22-year-old, who is the most successful woman tennis player of the country, will continue playing the game and her father Imran Mirza said it will take a while before the two families decide on when the wedding would take place.

"This is to confirm that Sania Mirza is engaged to Mr. Muhammad Sohrab Mirza, whose family hails from the city of Hyderabad. Although not related, the two families have had friendly ties for several decades. However, the wedding is not expected to take place for a while," Imran Mirza said.

"I would like to state that the news appearing in certain sections of the media about the two maternal grandmothers having fixed the liaison is baseless. It has also been wrongly projected that Sania is contemplating early retirement from tennis. These reports are absolutely untrue," he said.

Sania's career has been marred by injuries and countless controversies but despite the off-court woes, she has been the lone flagbearer of Indian women's tennis internationally.

Sania was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title and earlier this year added an elusive Grand Slam title to her kitty when she combined with Mahesh Bhupathi to win the mixed doubles event at the Australian Open.

Sania is currently in Paris playing the French Open.

My parents want me to tie the knot soon: Salman

My parents want me to tie the knot soon: Salman
Salman Khan is ready with the second edition of his television show 'Dus Ka Dum'. He also has four big films ready for release. The "Bad Boy of Bollywood" speaks to us in an exclusive tete-a-tete.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. What are you upto these days?

I have been working non-stop. I am tired and I need a good sleep. I am just back from London after shooting for 'London Dreams' and now I start shooting for 'Dus Ka Dum'.

Q. Have you been consciously avoiding the media these days?

I never avoided the media. I don't have any grudges. I am ready to give answers. I have decided not to speak about my personal life to the media. If someone asks such questions, I can always get annoyed.

Q. There are reports about a growing friendship between you and former Playboy model Claudia Ciesla. Your comment.

I too have been reading about this in the newspapers. I know Claudia as an actress and a friend. She came to my house once and spent an evening with my family.

Q. How does it feel to return back to 'Dus Ka Dum'?

I am thrilled. I am hosting it for the second time and I would love to host it for another couple of seasons. It is a common man's show and my fans also get to see me as the common man.

Q. Any special guests on 'Dus Ka Dum 2'?

I am looking forward to having some interesting guests on the show. The episode with Aamir Khan last year was one of the best episodes of 'Dus Ka Dum'.

Q. Tell us about your upcoming movies.

'Wanted', 'Main Aur Mrs Khanna', 'London Dreams' and 'Veer' are my upcoming movies.

Q. You have written the story of 'Veer'. Are you seriously considering scriptwriting?

It is in my blood. I plan to write more in the future.

Q. When are you planning to tie the knot?

My parents want me to tie the knot soon.

Rain…Rain…Come Again

Dancing in the rain has been an integral part of Indian Mainstream cinema since time immemorial. Drizzles on celluloid are as important to the Indian film fan as monsoon torrents are to the Indian farmer.

Rains are a shortcut to scenarists who don’t believe in wasting precious screen time over “trivial pursuits”. Rain is an alibi for the Indian hero to consummate hidden love. It is an excuse for the Indian heroine to flaunt her “husn”.

And no rain song has ever gone by without a whistle and a clap from the dark.

Here is a pictorial ode to Indian’s cinema’s rain fixation.

Cars Model for Mugdha Godse!

Mugdha Godse had recently been involved in a nasty accident on the Pune expressway resulting in her car being damaged beyond repair. So this leggy actress had to scrap her old car and look out for a new set of wheels!

But her subsequent schedule in Goa for Ajay Devgan Films' production 'All The Best' directed by Rohit Shetty left her with no time at all to buy a new car. And now the actress is in the city for 5 days for a short schedule of Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Jail' and the actress is making the most of the opportunity to look at cars before she heads back to Goa! Since the actress is on a tight schedule, she apparently checks out auto magazines and calls for various models of cars for trial on the sets of the film!!!

"I've already checked out a lot of models and will mostly be settling on a SUV. Reading up so much on them, now I'm much more clued in about vehicles and their technical specifications!" the actress mused.

Now who said cars and girls don't have a bond?

Shruthi, jumping from the airplane

Shruthi Haasan is going places with prestigious projects like Luck where she stars opposite Imran Khan.

The film is directed by Soham and the music is scored by Pritam Chakraborthy. Shruthi will also score for her dad’s next film Unnai Pol Oruvan.

As per sources, the lady has agreed to do some risky shots for Luck. The Luck crew has flown down to shoot a sequence where Imran and Shruthi would jump into the sea from an airplane.

It remains to be seen if the lady will do so without opting for a dupe.

Aamir Khan commands, producer relents

Well known producer Vashu Bhagnani was all set to release his son Jackky Bhagnani’s debut venture Kal Kissne Dekha on May 29th.

However, reports flow in that Aamir Khan’s phone call stopped him from releasing the film. Sources say that Vashu wanted to release the film at all cost even if it meant defying the multiplex strike.

But the timely intervention of Aamir and his reasoning saw to it that the film is not released as planned. Apparently, Aamir requested Vashu to postpone the film and the latter agreed to it.

The producer has set the balling for promoting the film and was adamant at first. However, he has now said that he will use the promos to promote Jackky Bhagnani.

How Deepika bagged the role opposite Ranbir?

Ranbir Kapoor will play double role in the film Mera Jahaan. This film will be directed by Vikramjit Singh who has also penned the story and screenplay.

The story of Mera Jahaan happens in two different time periods and so Ranbir will appear in two totally different get ups. Further, the actor will be seen sporting many different looks in the film.

Deepika Padukone, Ranbir’s real life love plays his love interest in Mera Jahaan.

It is worth mentioning here that Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam Kapoor declined to play the lead role because the film had two heroines.

Rekha gets the government rename her award

Just a few days ago the Maharashtra state government had announced that Bollywood actress Rekha has been selected for the Raj Kapoor Jeevan Gaurav award (Lifetime Achievement).

However, the actress refused the award stating that she was still into acting and hence she cannot accept the Lifetime Achievement award. This was conveyed to Harshwardhan Patil, the Maharashtra cultural affairs minister.

With Rekha’s contention, the ministry has decided to rename the award as Raj Kapoor Pratiba Gaurav.

Rekha will get this renamed award on May 30th at the 46th Maharashtra state film award distribution ceremony.

Sallu-Kat in splitsville?

It seems Salman Khan has finally made his mind about Katrina Kaif. After her career took an upward swing, Kats and Salman's relation has been going through some ups and downs.

It was special when Kareena held my hand: Jackky

He may be disappointed with his debut film 'Kal Kissne Dekha' being delayed, but newcomer Jackky Bhagnani perks up when he recalls the special moment he shared with childhood friend Kareena Kapoor last week.

In Ahmedabad for a concert to promote his upcoming film, Jackky was nervous until Kareena assured him that everything would be all right.

"I couldn't have been more thankful to her that particular evening when I had to step up on stage in front of a 25,000-strong crowd. I was extremely nervous and was wondering whether I would be able to crack the show till Kareena gave me a helping hand," Jackky told us.

He is currently on a six-city tour to promote his debut film, which is a musical thriller.

"She supported me at every step that evening. She calmed me down even as I openly told her that I was very nervous. She simply told me that 'Jackky, you are a nice dancer, just go with the flow and leave yourself to the beats'," he said.

"It was especially sweet of her when she held my hand after the show and introduced me to the public. I will cherish that moment forever because Kareena has been a great friend during my growing up years. However, now it was a superstar actress bringing a newcomer in front of the audience. It couldn't have been bigger," said Jackky, who admits that during the last three years he wasn't really in touch with Kareena.

"We grew up together as kids. Her sister Karisma has worked in a number of movies with dad ('Coolie No. 1', 'Hero No. 1', 'Biwi No. 1'). We all share a great relationship personally as well as professionally. However, even though we were not in touch, she was sweet enough to be just a call away when we requested her to make it for the show," said Jackky.

Added dad Vashu Bhagnani: "The show was a huge success. As the three-hour long show started warming up, close to 25,000 people assembled there to watch the performance. In fact, they got crazy when Kareena and Jackky got together for 'Mauja hi mauja' and 'Marjaani'."

The release date of the film, which was to open in theatres May 29, has not yet been finalised because of the tiff between producers and multiplex owners over revenue sharing.

Starring debutant Vaishali Desai as the leading lady, 'Kal Kissne Dekha' also features Rishi Kapoor and Akshay Kapoor in principal roles with Sanjay Dutt in a special appearance.

Star or struggler - Mumbai addresses reveal all

If you're in India's entertainment capital and in showbiz too, then it's not hard to tell whether you are a Bollywood celebrity or a television actor or a struggler - just by knowing which part of town you live in.

While stars can afford to live in the posh lanes of Bandra and Juhu, the amateurs share cheaper rented apartments in Oshiwara and Lonkhandwala in Andheri West.

"Most of the established celebrities stay in areas like Bandra, Vile Parle and Juhu because these are posh areas. While upcoming actors prefer Lokhandwala, strugglers, TV and small-time movie actors hub around Oshiwara," Divakar Shetty of D.S. Estates told us.

Added Suresh Wadhwani of Sunville Agencies: "But the star presence in Bandra is only restricted till Carter Road and Pali Hill and not beyond that."

Superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Dilip Kumar (Pali Hill), Salman (Galaxy Apartments, Bandstand), Jackie, Sanjay Dutt etc stay in Bandra, "which is the highest priced place in Mumbai, both on lease and outright sale because of its star value and prime location," said Shetty.

Other big names like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Dev Anand and Mahesh Bhatt live in Santa Cruz and Juhu.

While Shetty has had a clientele of celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, Jackie Shroff and singer Shaan, Wadhwani has helped finalise deals for John Abraham, Sarika who recently moved here and artists from Balaji Telefilms.

Shetty says actors' house preference is influenced by the traffic status.

"Celebrities avoid south Mumbai. Lokhandwala is in fact becoming a new place where stars are moving in because it's close to the main road (SV Road), making it accessible to different studios. Asin (Thottumkal of 'Ghajini' fame) recently bought a flat there (Green Acres). Sridevi already lives there among others," he said.

Wadhwani told us: "Most of the industry is located in west Mumbai, especially the Mhada colony, SVP Nagar, therefore celebrities prefer Lokhandwala because it's spacious, upcoming and in close vicinity of studios. Even hi-fi builders like the Oberois etc are coming up with independent penthouses there. Newcomers prefer Andheri West because of its close proximity to various production and editing houses. These areas also have multiple recruitment agencies and offices as well as a lot of dancing and acting schools."

'Slumdog' kid's father slams Danny Boyle

'Slumdog Millionaire' director Danny Boyle, who rushed to India on Wednesday to help the film's child stars, was stunned when a child's father accused him of ignoring them.

Some of the children have become homeless after civic authorities razed their shanties. Boyle had come down to offer them help.

However, Rafiq Qureshi, father of Rubina Ali, 9, left their meeting in anger accusing the filmmaker of neglecting them after the film's global success.

"A house is being provided for the kids...we have been listening this for the last five months...I don't see any house coming our way. The shanty that we were living in has already been razed...where are we getting a house from?

"If they are providing us a house, when are they going to do it? Our kids are literally living on the road now," an exasperated Qureshi told a news channel later.

'Slumdog' producer Christian Colson also participated in the meeting held at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on the outskirts of the city.

"We are looking for a legal accommodation that should be held by the trust (Jai Ho) to ensure the safety of these kids and it would be properly monitored as well," a calm Boyle told the reporters.

The kids including Azharuddin Ismail M. Shaikh, 10, the main child star of the movie, apart from Rubina, were both thrown on the streets after Mumbai civic authorities demolished their shanties May 14, terming the slum unauthorized.

The producers of the multiple Oscar-award winning underdog drama had earlier announced a setting up Jai Ho Trust to look after the two child stars and ensure that they receive quality education and a house to live in.

Imran jumps from plane onto train for 'Luck'

Bollywood's celebrity action director Allan Amin, who is set to train passionate bikers to perform stunts on MTV's new adventure reality show, says he made actor Imran Khan jump off a plane onto a moving train in the forthcoming movie 'Luck'.

"In 'Luck', Imran would be seen jumping from an airplane onto a moving train. It was a brave scene and was shot in Bangkok," Amin told us over telephone from Mumbai.

Imran, who won many hearts with his debut 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Ya', said it was an important scene, but refused to divulge any details about it.

"It is a major scene in the film and we will most probably use it for the promotion of the film. It will be a major part of the film's publicity campaign so I don't want to reveal much about the scene," said Imran.

The scene might bear resemblance to Anil Kapoor's famous jump in the 1993 movie 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' as well as Hrithik Roshan's anti-gravity stunt in 'Dhoom 2' (2006).

Apart from this particular act in 'Luck', the action director has also choreographed an underwater action scene set in South Africa with Imran and his leading lady Shruti Haasan - the two will be seen swimming with sharks.

Sanjay Dutt, who is also a part of the Soham Shah-directed project, will be seen in a spectacular stunt in which he is supposed to run towards fast moving trains - something we saw Aamir Khan doing in 'Ghulam'.

Amin has been in the film industry for the last 25 years and says more actors now prefer to do their own stunts instead of asking for a body double.

"A lot of actors today want to do their stunts for the excitement. Not only the younger lot, even experienced actors like Amitabh Bachchan likes to do stunts on their own. I made Amitabh do one in 'Aks' when he had to jump through a waterfall," said Amin, who has directed stunts in actioners like 'Dhoom', 'Dus', 'Kaal' and 'Main Hoon Na'.

Deepika Padukone in Bhandarkar's 'Corporate 2'?

Deepika Padukone in Bhandarkar's 'Corporate 2'?
Buzz in B-Town is that Deepika Padukone will replace Bipasha Basu in the sequel to 'Corporate' directed by Madhur Bhandarkar.

Deepika Padukone will play the protagonist who takes a dig at the corporate world and exposes the malevolence that has become an intrinsic part of the business culture.

Bipasha Basu had received wide acclaim and fetched awards for her performance in 'Corporate'. Let's hope Deepika will hit the bull's eye with Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Corporate 2'.

Sanjay Dutt adjusts dates for Ajay Devgan

Sanjay Dutt adjusts dates for Ajay Devgan
It seems the bonding between Ajay Devgan and Sanjay Dutt is getting stronger by the day. Not only has Sanjay agreed to do Ajay's home production "All the Best" in spite of his decision to concentrate on his newly-started political career, he has also decided to immediately allot dates to the film.

"All the Best" will be directed by Rohit Shetty. The shooting was supposed to start from March 5, but it has been moved to March 10, leading to speculation whether there's trouble.

But Dharam Oberoi, CEO of Sanjay Dutt Films, rubbishes controversy.

"Before people start imagining there's a problem between Sanjay and Ajay let me say the dates have been kindly re-adjusted by Ajay to accommodate the last schedule of 'Blue', which now begins on March 1," Oberoi told IANS.

Apparently, coordinating Sanjay's dates with Akshay Kumar for "Blue" has been a problem.

"Yes, it has been a problem coordinating their dates. In fact, the last schedule from March 1 has been arranged to accommodate Akshay because he has to leave," Oberoi said.

Ajay and Sanjay teamed in films like "Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin" and "Mehbooba".

PETA requests IIFA, Bachchan to promote vegetarian food

India International Film Academy (IIFA) and its brand ambassador, Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, to avoid non-vegetarian meals at the forthcoming event to be held in Macau, China next month.

On behalf of PETA, its chief functionary Anuradha Sawhney sent a letter in this regard to Sabbas Joseph, one of the directors of Wizcraft that organises IIFA, and its vegetarian celebrity face Amitabh after learning that the event will have a 'Go-Green' theme, said a press release.

"We were thrilled to hear that this year's IIFA Awards are going to have a 'Go Green' theme, and we commend you for helping to once again draw attention to the global climate crisis. On behalf of PETA India and all our members and supporters, we respectfully ask you to serve only green (vegetarian) food at the event.

Honorary doctorate for A.R. Rahman

Oscar winning composer A.R. Rahman will be conferred an honorary doctorate by Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Rahman shot to international fame with his Oscar award winning compositions in Danny Boyle's underdog drama 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Apart from Rahman, Gopichand Narang, former president of Sahitya Academy, would also be conferred an honorary doctorate at a convocation June 7, said a press release from AMU.

West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi will be the chief guest at the 59th annual convocation function. AMU chancellor, A.M. Ahmadi, also former chief justice of India, will preside over the annual event.

First Look: Mallika Sherawat's 'Hissss'

Directed by Jennifer Lynch, 'Hissss' stars Mallika Sherawat, Irrfan Khan, Jeff Douchette, Divya Dutta and Raman Trikha.

The movie is about the Vengeance of Naagin, the Snake Woman. In 2009, George States (Jeff Douchette), a ruthless American travels to the jungles of India and captures the naagin's mate. She transforms into a stunningly attractive woman (Mallika Sherawat) with absolutely no clue about contemporary civilization or the ways of mankind, and ventures into the city in desperate search for her lover with vengeance on her mind and venom in her fangs.

What follows is a chase at breakneck speed, with horrifying deaths, narrow escapes and special effects never seen before in India, as Vikram Gupta's (Irrfan Khan) chases down a beautiful sexy killer more dangerous, powerful and terrifying than Hannibal Lecter. This is India's Werewolf, Vampire and Hannibal the Cannibal, who has an axe to grind with the villainous human race who has dared to desecrate her environment and capture her mate.

ROADSIDE ROMEO at Shanghai and Seoul film festivals

Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures' ROADSIDE ROMEO - India's first fully animated 3D film created on par with Hollywood productions - has been selected for The Shanghai Film Festival in the Panorama Section. The Shanghai Film Festival runs from 13th June to 21st June.
The film has also earned a place in The Seoul Film Festival, Korea, in the Invitation Section Out Of Competition. The Seoul Film Festival takes place from 19th August to 25th August.

ROADSIDE ROMEO released worldwide on 24th October 2008. The movie has received immense praise all along and was awarded The Golden Cursor Animation (GCA) Award in 5 categories, the Screen Award for Best Animation Film, the 24 FPS Animation Award for the Best Animation Film and the coveted FICCI BAF Award for the Best Animated Feature Film.

Featuring the voices of Bollywood superstars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor along with comedian Jaaved Jaffrey as Romeo, Laila and Charlie Anna respectively, the film has been written and directed by the talented Jugal Hansraj.

Two names - Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures - that are synonymous with quality and success add yet another feather to their caps with the selection of ROADSIDE ROMEO at The Shanghai Film Festival and The Seoul Film Festival.

Watch this space for more to come!

Fans 'Meet and Greet' Hrithik in Chandigarh!

A leading cold drink multinational (which Hrithik promotes) organised a 'Meet and Greet' event in Chandigarh, for the fans of superhero, Hrithik Roshan. The 226 winners were chosen through a contest and were thrilled to meet Hrithik, who had flown in specially to meet them.

A die hard Hrithik Roshan fan Ravneet, who had seen her favourite only on the silver screen, was overcome with emotions to meet him in flesh and blood. On his part Hrithik expressed his happiness to meet so many of his fans live, for the first time in this part of India!


We bring you exclusive pictures of the event

Deepika to settle scores which Bips couldn't!

Buzz doing the rounds in B-Town hint that drop-dead gorgeous Deepika Padukone, and not sultry Bipasha Basu, will star in the sequel to CORPORATE directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. Since the film had an open ending left to the viewer's imagination, director Madhur Bhandarkar had expressed a desire to make CORPORATE 2. The movie had ended with Bipasha's character left all alone, fighting for justice.
Deepika is being approached to play the protagonist who takes a dig at the corporate world and exposes the malevolence that has become an intrinsic part of the business culture in the times of cutthroat competition. She gets even with those responsible for her (Bipasha) debacle.

Bips had received wide acclaim and fetched awards for her performance in the original film, but the makers are opting for a younger actress this time around, the reason why Deepika is being approached. Hope this decision to add a dash of exuberant youth to the character turns out to be equally fruitful for the makers this time too!

Divya Dutta goes International!!

Well, the vibrant actress has sure got her kitty full!! With her oh! so many Bollywood releases lined up for release this year looks like Divya Dutta is all set to make her mark on the international front too!
After working with Jennifer Lynch in the much hyped snake story, HISSSS, Divya has recently bagged another international project.

This time over, the actress is all set to be directed by award winning director Fred Holmes for an American Film!We hear that the film also stars Amelia Jackson Gray and Reg Grant and is partly to be shot in the US and partly in India.

If that's not all, she seems to have a French connection too!

Not just has her film SANYOGITA - THE BRIDE IN RED released in the French territories to an amazing response but the teaser and promos of her film HAAT-THE WEEKLY BAZAAR is also being screened at the prestigious Cannes festival!

With the whole world looking on, looks like Divya is all set to impress audiences worldwide!

Way to go girl!!

Ranbir Kapoor's double whammy

Lover boy Ranbir is these days following girlfriend Deepika Padukone's steps quite diligently. After her double role stint in Nikhil Advani's CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA now Ranbir Kapoor is jumping on the bandwagon to double up the quotient in Vikramjit Singh's MERA JAHAAN where he plays a comic book writer who is lost in his world and his own perceptions of the world. Not only that, Deepika has also been finalized to burn up the screens with Ranbir in the film.
The latest buzz is that Ranbir plays two different characters from two different time periods one based in the 1950s in India and abroad while the other is from 2009 and is based in India. There's a full range of acting for him to go through where he sports various looks in the film from a young guy to an old man.

Hope this euphoria to watch this blue-eyed boy of B-town playing the double role won't die down that easily and scale new heights in this filmi jahaan.

Mithun da gets the perfect look

Perfectionism is the new mantra of Bollywood! And to achieve this, there was a major tug of war between the director Girish Joshi and actor Mithun Chakraborty for the upcoming film ZOR LAGAA KE...HAIYA. And as a result, Girish went around clicking pictures of beggars and vagabonds. Idea was to do the perfect look test for Mithun's character in the film.
Confirming about the incident the Director Girish Girija Joshi said, "This was a demanding role and we wanted somebody very seasoned to carry out the requirements. When Mithunda heard about it he was ready in an instant. But when he heard that he will have to wear beard and all, he refused because he is allergic to the glue used in sticking beard. He said that beggars are without beard."

So to prove his point Girish Girija Joshi arranged to photograph around 70-80 vagabonds and beggars and showed them to Mithun da to convince him about the beard issue. Seems there is a variety of beggars but most of them prefer the beard look. Then in consultation with Mithunda, they short listed a couple of them and finally chose to sport a different look for the role.

Adds Girish, "The role required him to sport dirty look. Once convinced, he did the needful without any complaint. He wore dirty clothes and beard which was very uncomfortable and caused him itching all the time but he did it."

Presented by Gemini Motions Pictures ZOR LAGAA KE...HAIYA is written and directed by Girish Girija Joshi and stars Mithun Chakraborty, Mahesh Manjrekar, Riya Sen, Sachin Khedekar, Raj Zutshi, Seema Biswas and Gulshan Grover along with children Megan, Ayesha Kaduskar, Hardik Thakkar, Ritvik Tyagi and Ashwin Chitale.

Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif in '7 Days In Paris'

Sanjay Gadhvi is all set to start his new film. This one will be produced by Studio 18 and stars Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif. It's a romantic/comedy and is titled '7 Days In Paris', since Paris happens to be one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Says Sanjay: "I will begin filming in July as I want to capture the summer in Europe. It's a uniquely structured script, but I can't reveal much at this stage."

Sanjay plans to wrap almost 85% of the film in Paris, while the remaining portions will be filmed in London and Mumbai.

"The only film to be shot so extensively in Paris was 'An Evening In Paris'. Of late, 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom', 'Don' and 'London Dreams' were filmed in Paris as well, but not extensively," Sanjay adds.

Shah Rukh Khan to play the villain in 'Dhoom 3'

After the super success of the villains John Abraham and Hrithik Roshan (in 'Dhoom' 1 and 2 respectively), B-town is getting more confident when it comes to anti-heroes and sequels. Now the Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, joins the bandwagon. he will play the glamorous villain in 'Dhoom 3'.

Yash Raj has approached SRK to play the main villain in 'Dhoom 3' and last week, SRK sat for a one-line narration. Instantly impressed, he agreed to be part of the film.

SRK, who began his innings in the Hindi film industry with trend-setting baddie roles, is gung-ho about the new opportunity. He played a psychotic lover in 'Darr', a killer with a vengeance in 'Baazigar' and an obsessive man in 'Anjaam'.

Although in Farhan Akhtar's 'Don' Shah Rukh's character had shades of grey, it would be 'Dhoom 3' which will mark SRK's return to dark roles. Seems like Life has come a full circle for the Baadshah!

Bollywood in crisis: Superstars on 'idle' mode!!

Just as in the last year, Bollywood is looking up to the top four actors to bail them out of the crisis following the multiplex stand-off. But, their films are being delayed for one reason or the other.

With the first five months of the year almost over, there is not even a single hit, barring Emraan Hashmi's 'Raaz- The Mystery Continues', which is just a semi-hit. And with the multiplex issue still going on, things seem bleak for Bollywood.

Shah Rukh Khan's latest, 'My Name Is Khan', has been delayed due to SRK's surgery and other unrelated factors and as per Karan it's just around fifty per cent complete, and will now release in February 2011. So, it's now up to Aamir Khan, with his '3 Idiots', Akshay Kumar with 'Kambakkht Ishq' and Hrithik Roshan with 'Kites', who are expected to come to the rescue of the beleaguered Bollywood.

Last year, the top four actors of Bollywood - Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar- had bailed the industry out of crisis with their blockbuster successes. Leading the pack was Aamir Khan, with his all-time blockbuster 'Ghajini' (Rs. 113 crore). King Khan too was next with his blockbuster, Yash Raj's 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' (Rs 87 crore). Akshay Kumar, the then hit machine, chipped in with his superhit, 'Singh Is Kinng' (Rs 75 crore) and superhero, Hrithik Roshan too contributed with his Ashutosh Gowariker directed historical, 'Jodhaa Akbar' (RS 62 crore).

Saif becomes King Khan!

Saif was always known for his pedigree and his talent. And it's not surprising that he is turning out to be the blue-eyed boy in the endorsement ratings.

Accordingly to sources in the advertising industry, Saif has the perfect persona to endorse brands. In fact they rave that his look is very international and his attitude compliments his overall personality. He is the top favourite when it comes to endorsing big brands. A recent survey declared him the number one brand endorser.

A source close to the actor reveals, "Saif is almost like a Hollywood star in his brand appeal. He has the right mix of charm, sophistication and success to be the number one choice for every brand."

Despite injury, SRK shoots for 'DMG'

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan was slated to shoot just a qawaali for upcoming film " Dulha Mil Gaya", but he shot a special promotional track for the film as well. And he finished his portion within three days despite nursing a shoulder injury.

Producer Viveck Vaswani is all praise for Shah Rukh, who volunteered to shoot for the film even though his shoulder injury hadn't healed completely.

"The moment he thought he was ready, he came for the film's shoot. He could have rested, but he chose to finish the film first. I had always left it to him to decide when he wanted to shoot," Vaswani told IANS.

"With these three days of shooting, Shah Rukh has now completed his entire portion for the film. The man is a bundle of energy. He just breezed through his part and before we knew, we were done," he added.

"Dulha Mil Gaya", which is directed by Mudassar Aziz, stars Sushmita Sen and Fardeen Khan as the protagonists.

Vaswani is happy because the shooting of "Dulha Mil Gaya" is now done with.

"Now with the shoot of these two songs, 'Dulha Mil Gaya' is 100 percent complete," he said with a smile.

"The qawaali track is going to be the major highlight of the film. It is eight minutes long and features the entire principal cast of the film," the producer added.

Revealing more about the second number that Shah Rukh shot for, Vaswani said: "This would be a track for promotional purpose and would also appear in the end credit titles roll. This one is going to be a special number too and there's a lot in store for Shah Rukh Khan fans."

Who's been 'capturing' Shahid's attention?

In case you think we are offering a run-of-the-mill love saga with traditional Vidya Balan, or KAMINEY co-star Priyanka Chopra, you're in for an absolute surprise.
As the dashing actor been devoting undivided attention to his new priced possession and it accompanies him everywhere. So much so that filmmakers Ahmed Khan and Ken Ghosh these days have been getting distracted on the sets of their films PAATHSHALA and YAHOO respectively. And the reason being, Shahid's newfound love for photography. Touted as youth icon, he has just splurged on a brand new camera with some sophisticated lenses, worth a couple of lakhs.

So, nowadays it's not unusual for Ken and Ahmed to get blinded by sudden flashes, only to realize that it none other than Shahid taking their candid shots, but much to the unit's amusement.

And with Shahid's well known knack for perfection, the actor is often spotted indulging into long discussions with the shutterbugs to enlighten himself about lenses and angles. Now, he ends up clicking more pictures of the photographers than they take of him. Needless to say, But we are sure this is one company Piggy Chops wouldn't mind seeing Shahid in, right Priyanka?

Sonam actually likes Vivek Oberoi

After Sonam Kapoor denied her link-up reports with VJ Cyrus, buzz is that the man in Sonam's personal life is none other than Vivek Oberoi. Reports are that the two are good friends and get along well with each other.
Though Sonam's personal life has been a matter of great interest for her fans, the lady seems to be playing the guessing game well. From Ranbir, Cyrus and now to Vivek, the intrigue continues to interest us all.

Akshay Kumar's BIG FLOP completes 50 days

These are strange times at the box office. Some of the biggest disappointments are also managing to complete 50 days at the box office. A few weeks back it was DELHI 6 and this weekend it is 8X10 TASVEER.
Ok, now before Bollywood enthusiasts start jumping with joy, the fact remains that in spite of a 50 days run, the box office collections of this Akshay Kumar starrer are far from being impressive. Yes, the film has been on for seven weeks now but that has been only for a few shows at few multiplexes. Also, a major factor behind a sustained stay has been the producers strike due to which multiplexes have been left with no choice but to screen a film that (at least) has an Akshay Kumar staring from the film's posters, hence bringing in the star value.

The film has now entered its 8th week and chances are that till any major film arrives (which doesn't seem to be a possibility till July beginning, with an exception of KAL KISSNE DEKHA), 8X10 TASVEER would find continued support from multiplexes and some prints would be retained.

One wonders though about the fate of this Nagesh Kukunoor film has it been genuinely well made and found acceptance from the audience. With lull in new releases since 1st week of April, this dramatic thriller could have made pots of money due to no other choice of movies for audiences. The film has made more than 15 crores by now but it certainly had the potential of making much more than this figure which is in fact the lowest ever for an Akshay Kumar film as far as one can remember.

Guess, the film was indeed strategically placed in the market but the product in itself being a huge let down didn't help its cause.

Subhash Ghai takes his TUESDAY to Cannes

Last year, Neeraj Pandey directed A WEDNESDAY had shocked the nation by its contemporary theme, execution and an ultimate box office performance. Turning out of a cult film, A WEDNESDAY had dealt with the issue of a common man being trapped in terrorism. CIRCA 2009 and a film called TUESDAY has been made on a similar theme, that of terrorism. Incidentally, the film is being presented by none other than Subhash Ghai. In fact the film has also travelled to the Cannes Film Festival which is currently on though not much buzz has been created about its entry.
Informs an insider from Subhash Ghai's Whistling Woods International (WWI), "The school is in fact showcasing films made by nine of its students at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. The films will be shown at the Short Film Corner. And TUESDAY is one of them."

A 20 minutes film, TUESDAY is based on the backdrop of the terrorist attacks which took place on 11th July 2006. The film was made at a shoe string budget of mere Rs. 5 lakhs in spite of being shot at busy locations like the Mohammad Ali Road and VT Station in Mumbai. Touted to be a mix of reality with fiction, it is said to be the first film to have a 4 minutes long single take shot on Mohammad Ali Road. Shot on a high definition camera, the film has been made in sync sound.

TUESDAY is a film revolving around the character of Farhan, a 22-year-old University student, who time travels 22 years from the future to the year 2006 in order to avert his father's untimely death. Farhan's aim is to stop his father (Junaid) from boarding one of seven trains that were to be bombed on the suburban railway in Mumbai on 11th July, 2006. He eventually does meet his father and follows him all the way to the railway station. To his horror though, he realizes that his father turned out to be none other than one of the seven terrorists who planted the bombs on the trains!

TUESDAY has already seen a DVD release on a couple of world cinema DVDs.

Produced by Vishal Gandhi, directed by Jogvinder Khera and presented by Subhash Ghai, TUESDAY stars debutant actors Akshat Trivedi along with Garauv Ghatnekar in the title role.

Salman to start another charity foundation

It seems Salman Khan doesn't believe in earning for himself alone. Now, we hear the actor is all set to launch another charity foundation to help the larger social cause which is something close to his heart.
Though Sallu Bhai already has a foundation by the name of 'Being Human', through which he helps the underprivileged, it seems now the actor wants to be more active with his social concern.

Looks like Sallu Bhai is making all efforts to bring-in a new image for himself!

Shilpa and Katrina to perform at IPL!

Undeterred by her team, Rajasthan Royals, not being able retain their championship status, Shilpa Shetty revealed her true sportsman spirit as she joins American RandB sensation Akon singing 'Smack That...' at the closing ceremony of IPL in Johannesburg Sunday night.
Joining at the event will also be the beautiful and gorgeous Katirna Kaif dancing on Oscar winner AR Rahman's 'Jai Ho' with Indian and South African dance troupes led by Shamiak Davar. "Shilpa and Katrina are the only two actresses performing at the show thus ending the speculation that a host of Bollywood beauties would be making their presence felt at the show," said a source.

The source added, "Besides Shilpa's and Katrina's performances the show will also feature percussionist Shivamani and a group of Indian and South African drummers."

The huge crowd will also be introduced to the Miss Bollywood IPL South Africa finalists, culminating with the crowning of the winner of the beauty competition, who will get a guided tour through Bollywood as one of her prizes.

"This apart, 1,500 flying lanterns will be lit and released while a thrilling pyrotechnics show using several thousand rounds of fireworks will light up the Johannesburg skyline as final awards signal the end of an unprecedented cricket event which was keenly taken up by locals, who also opened their hearts to the thousands of Indians who came to watch the series," said the source.

Vidya Lover's

We all know how crazy Vidya is about her cutting chai. Now we recently came to know Vidya loves kappi (cappuccino) too.(