I never lost confidence in Hurman: Gowariker

When 'Love Story 2050' tanked at the box office, not many in Bollywood were willing to put their money on Hurman Baweja. But Ashutosh Gowariker, who had already signed him on for 'What's Your Raashee?', continued to show his trust in the youngster.

"Even before the release of 'Love Story 2050', Sunita (Gowariker's wife and co-producer of 'What's Your Raashee?') and I did ask each other if the fate of Hurman's debut flick would make any difference to our decision? The answer was 'No'," Gowariker told us.

"Why just 'Love Story 2050', we were prepared even if 'Victory' (Hurman's second film) wouldn't have worked," the filmmaker said.

Gowariker began shooting for the film even as things didn't look bright for 'Victory'.

"It's unfortunate that 'Victory' didn't work, but its success or failure was never going to make any difference to our venture," he added.

Support also came from Ronnie Screwvala, whose UTV Motion Pictures has co-produced the film with Ashutosh Gowariker Productions.

"Ronnie was always there behind the film and Hurman. He too strongly feels that even if a couple of movies didn't work for Hurman, he was always going to be someone who would go on to stay for a long time.

"Meanwhile, we commenced the shoot for 'What's Your Raashee?' and never looked back," the director said.

With his latest film, Gowariker has moved from making historical 'Jodhaa Akbar', a period film like 'Lagaan', and a socially relevant film in 'Swades' to something much lighter and contemporary.

The film also stars Priyanka Chopra, who plays the role of 12 girls who meet bride-hunting NRI Yogesh Patel (Hurman).

With two back-to-back flops, 'What's Your Raashee?' is actually being looked as a sort of re-launch for Hurman. Did that put any extra burden on Gowariker and his team?

"See, I am like a horse who wears blinkers and stays on a path defined for him. Regardless of what happens on a Friday and regardless of what people have to say, Hurman as well as I had to just stay true to our path and follow a certain vision. I worked on him only as much as it was required to get the characterisation right...that's about it," he said.

Hurman's knowledge about cinema, courtesy his formal education on filmmaking from Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, helped as well.

"That's right. I remember my early interaction with Hurman when his 'Love Story 2050' was yet to be released. I learnt that he had spent a lot of time studying cinema in New York. Being the son of an established filmmaker (Harry Baweja), he could have afforded to take it easy and dreamt of being an overnight star. Still, he did everything to earn the craft and be skilful," Gowariker said.

There were a couple of other things that impressed Gowariker enough to rope in Hurman as his leading man even after working with established actors like Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan.

"On seeing the rushes of 'Love Story 2050', I was immediately attracted to Hurman's innocence and endearing quality. Moreover, his passion and dedication for acting and performing showed. All of this contributed to me being completely convinced with the fact that he was just right for 'What's Your Raashee?'. And once that decision was taken, I never ever lost confidence in him," he said.

I didn't want to win any beauty pageant: Deepika Padukone

Mumbai, Sep 24 (IANS) Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone says she always wanted to carve a niche for herself in the glamour industry but without participating in a beauty pageant, unlike many of her colleagues.

Mumbai, Sep 24 (IANS) Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone says she always wanted to carve a niche for herself in the glamour industry but without participating in a beauty pageant, unlike many of her colleagues.

'I had set up an objective to become a model without winning any beauty pageants,' Deepika told choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan on STAR Plus' "Tere Mere Beach Mein".

But the actress didn't give any specific reason for her aversion to taking part in beauty contests.

A lot of Indian actresses including Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Celina Jaitley, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza joined Bollywood after earning fame through national and international beauty pageants.

Ranbir Kapoor's love has various shades

Known as the 'eternal loverboy' of Bollywood, Rishi Kapoor, throughout his career span enchanted us with his lovey-dovey, romantic, sentimental antics. Now the proud son Ranbir Kapoor carries the legacy of playing the loverboy onscreen. But unlike the soft characters which his father portrayed over the years, newbie Ranbir's love has various shades which can be seen as follows:
SAAWARIYA - It's very rare to see a debutant beginning his career with a film, where he has to play a LOOSER IN LOVE. Despite of it, this handsome saawariya, without getting finicky, went ahead and played the role with utter sincerity and was accepted open-heartedly.

BACHNA AE HASEENO- It takes sheer courage to play a completely contrasting character in the very second film. But Ranbir proved it with elan that if he can be a looser in love, he can be a (Casanova) DISHONEST LOVER too wooing haseenas.

WAKE UP S!D - After portraying 2 loverboys as different as chalk and cheese in earlier films, Ranbir is all set to showcase an absolutely unique, a never-seen before kind of a character, LAZIEST, IRRESPONSIBLE LOVER in his upcoming film WAKE UP S!D (releasing 2nd October 2009).

AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI- Although this Rajkumar Santoshi film is an out-n-out laugh riot packed with lots of humour, but Ranbir plays a DEPRESSED LOVER BOY WHO IS MADLY IN LOVE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL Katrina Kaif. And will cross all limits to make her fall in love. The film is tagged as the craziest, wackiest love story.

ROCKET SINGH: SALESMAN OF THE YEAR - This upcoming young romance from YRF starring Ranbir Kapoor will see him in an altogether different avatar. Donning the get-up of a Sikh, Ranbir plays a bright, intelligent and mature salesman in the film, who falls in love with young and juvenile Shazahn Padamsee. ROCKET SINGH, a light hearted coming of age film set in the new Indian economy, is slotted for a December 2009 release.

RAJNEETI - Filmmaker Prakash Jha's much in news RAJNEETI stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif in lead. It's being said that Ranbir plays NRI in the film. And he will portray the character of notable political figure, Rajiv Gandhi, who falls in love with Katrina Kaif. Katrina's character in the film is said to be inspired by Sonia Gandhi. The love story is set against the backdrop of politics.

Priyanka Chopra: I was insecure about playing multiple parts

Priyanka Chopra was initially quite ecstatic when being told by Ashutosh Gowariker that she would be playing all 12 roles in WHAT'S YOUR RAASHEE. However, as realization sunk in, she did eventually feel insecure and was wondering if the team would indeed be able to pull it off?
"It was quite funny actually because for first couple of days or so, I was so excited", recollects Priyanka, "However, I became a little insecure as I started realizing that each of these 12 girls had to be so different from each other in terms of looks and personality. See, when actors play multiple parts, they generally get some differentiation by means of age factor, prosthetics, their cultural background etc. In case of WHAT'S YOUR RAASHEE?, each of them was in the same age group except for one girl. Also, culturally there wasn't much difference since each of them was a Gujarati."

Director Ashutosh Gowariker agrees that Priyanka was indeed worried about playing 12 different characters.

"Her first reaction was that of thrill. She was like - 'Wow, this is mind-blowing. Nobody has done something like this before'", smiles Ashutosh Gowariker, "But after a day or two when all of this settled in, she said - 'Maine haan to bol diya hai but kareinge kaise [I have said yes but how are we going to do it?' I was very confident though that she could do it. She is very finely nuanced as an actress and gives a lot more for camera. She has been consistent in her approach for each of the films she has done so far."

"I do a lot of homework for my films", Priyanka says, "I did the same for this film and along with Ashutosh, I did a lot of reading and got those personality traits that were required for the characters. Now I am again nervous because I am keen to see whether audiences actually catch the nuances that make each of the girls different from the other."

MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA inspired by a true story

As per debutant director Prem Soni, MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA is an absolute original script and not lifted from any American or European film. What's more, it is actually based on an idea that he got from a real life story.
"Around 4 years back, I had seen a close friend of mine going through a troubled marriage. He along with his wife were quite nervous about splitting and were actually trying hard to be with each other", remembers Prem, "The only emotion that bounded them together was that of love. And then there was a third angle to it as well; someone who was looking at them from a different point of view. This third angle was me."

After dropping this bombshell, Prem goes on to elaborate, "Looking at their story from my perspective, I thought that I could write it all well for big screen presentation. I dramatized it and played neutral to both husband and wife here. The way I looked at Mrs. Khanna was perhaps different from the way Mr. Khanna looked at her. This was the basic germ of an idea that I further went on to develop."

Once he presented the script to Salman, he immediately green lighted it.

"I was quite categorical in stating that this was an absolute original script with no references to Hollywood or European cinema. I went to Salman with a bound copy and as luck would have it, he was quite impressed and immediately on board", smiles Prem.

Reflecting on the incidents that happened 4 years back, Prem says, "See, at that time things were a little different as having a good job and a steady career were of paramount importance. Somehow there was a battle of love v/s career in my friend's life too. It's the same battle and different perspective as a resultant that has been explored in MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA."

London Dreams is all about the boys

First up, a few observations about Shankar Ehsaan Loy's London Dreams.

There is not a single track by a female vocalist (apart from the backing vocals in the remixes), making it a significant album in Bollywood history. Secondly, after Shreya Ghoshal's [ Images ] superb turn in Blue, here's another rediscovery of Roop Kumar Rathod who literally sings his heart out. And finally lyricist Prasoon Joshi [ Images ] is back with his 'happiness in your pocket' kind of imagery.

Let's begin with one of the most high-octane tracks in the album.

When a hard-core rocker and a seasoned ghazal singer come together, you can expect some smoke on the water and fire in the skies. And that is what happens in Barson Yaaron. Vishal Dadlani [ Images ] and Roop Kumar Rathod go full throttle in their unique ways in this rock-to-raga song that will drench you with its energy.

Listen to Rathod soar in the chorus and you'll know he has not sounded as good in a while. Blending dhol- driven Indian sounds with heavy duty guitar licks and drums, this fusion track ends with an inspiring Hanuman [ Images ] Chalisa (Rathod again) at the end. The exuberance is absolutely infectious.

Up next is a fun song with old-school Hindi lyrics Man ko ati bhavey (Shankar Mahadevan [ Images ]). It is kitsch, energetic and has a certain street-smart feel to it, making it the kind of number the average Indian male would spontaneously shake a leg to. The mischievous Hai Re Hai Re chorus adding that extra spark to this track.

Tapkey Masti sees Bhangra going metal, almost, with a string and horn section in between making it a rather unusual number. Sung by Bhangra singer Feroz Khan [ Images ], and very Praoon-ish lyrics that go 'Zeb mein tu bharle mastiyaan', Tapkey Masti makes for a very danceable track. And reappears as a remix version later.

Another zesty track pops up next. Khanabadosh (Mohan) is a sexy, hip composition with a catchy pace and very 80s' guitar parts. This kind of draws the listener and engages him in an interesting conversation.

Babysitting Saif Ali Khan

One such reader is Nazir Patel, from Canada, who got a chance to babysit Saif Ali Khan way back in 1983. He shares his experience.

If you've bumped into any star and had memorable experiences, mail them in! We would love to publish them right here on rediff.com!

I used to work in the accounting department of one of the largest travel companies at the time, known as P Lawson Travel. From my office, I could see the Westbury Hotel where popular Indian stars and singers used to be stay when in town.

Around that time, I met Saif and his parents, Nawab of Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore. I was 54 then.

I remember these two well dressed children in shorts standing beside them. One was perhaps Saif and the other one I cannot recall. I had met them at the hotel. The Nawab came across as a very polite and classy man while Sharmila was quite reserved.

We made small talk. I said hello to the children and they smiled. Thereafter all of them went shopping in the hotel. It was later that I got a chance to take a photograph with Sharmila, who even without makeup looked quite pretty.

Shilpa Shetty misses seafood during Navaratri

Mumbai, Sep 23 Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who is currently in London, is missing non-vegetarian delicacies, especially seafood, since she is maintaining a pure vegetarian diet for nine days as part of the ongoing Navratri celebrations.

'This is the only time in the year that I turn vegetarian for the whole nine days and fast on the last (day). It's difficult, especially since I travel so much and to top it all I love sea food,' Shilpa posted on her blog www.shilpashettylive.com/blog/.

In London after a 'fun' holiday in the Maldives, Shilpa is currently busy working on her food and beverage project, Gourmet Creations. She has invested in it with fiance Raj Kundra.

The actress has teamed up with Andy Varma, celebrity chef and head of the wholesale division and business development of the V8 Gourmet group, to bring out ready meals, pickles and chutneys.

'The curry project would be out by end of this year,' she confirmed.

Lately, Shilpa has been able to do a lot of other things after the shooting of 'The Man' has been delayed. While Sunny Deol plays male lead, Shilpa will be seen as his love interest in the action thriller.

'(I'm) reading scripts for my home production, and working on my Ghatkopar center for my Medispa. (I'm also) thrilled to announce the opening of IOSIS Medispa in Jalandhar,' she added.

'3 Idiots' Again Looks for Christmas Release

Rajkumar Hirani's '3 Idiots' is all set to resume shooting after a break next week. The shooting date shad been adjusted because actor Aamir Khan needed to take a break with his wife Kiran. But now the actor, who was holidaying in France, is back and Hirani and will be looking forward to finish his movie. Apparently, the upcoming schedule will see the director canning the one and only romantic song between Aamir and Kareena's characters. The rest of the cast, consisting of Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi and R Madhavan, are also expected to feature briefly in the song. Anyway, the other good news for Hirani is that the movie is all set to release on Christmas Day.

Katrina's tweeting troubles

Recently reports were doing the rounds stating that Bollywood's most sought after lady Katrina Kaif, like her counterparts from industry, loves using the popular social networking site Twitter. But Katrina denies being on the site or using it.

Govinda Aala Re

Govinda is one actor who can never be written off. There are some things which only he can do and how. Even his brief appearance in 'Wanted', where he dances with Salman Khan on one stanza of the song 'Jalwa', just goes on to reassert the point that he is one of a kind. Nobody can quite dance like him.


Despite being so talented, the actor has been guilty of taking his success for granted and he has paid a heavy price for that. But Govinda has been lucky to have been given not just one chance but two to make a comeback. The first can be traced back to 'Partner', where his old friends Salman and David Dhawan helped him to make a comeback. But right after 'Partner', which was quite a success, the actor was unable to capitalize on his success fully. The films that followed were not able to showcase the vintage Govinda that we are so used to seeing. But Dhawan has come to his rescue once again and given Govinda another chance to stage his comeback. The film is 'Do Knot Disturb' and when it releases next month, the audience will hope to see vintage Govinda again. The film's promos look very promising and, let's face it, the Dhawan Govinda combination has generally been a sure fire winner. The actor also probably realizes that is yet another chance for him to re establish himself as a comic actor par excellence. As for being a versatile actor, he even has Mani Ratnam's 'Raavan' coming up, which will see him in a new light. Hence, things are really looking up for the actor. In fact, one would not be exaggerating if one said that the Dame Luck is keen to bless him with good fortune.

I've gone de-glam for 'Jail': Mugdha Godse

New Delhi, Sep 19 The lipstick, gloss, eye-shadow and mascara were all in place for Mugdha Godse when she played a model in her debut film 'Fashion', but the actress says she has gone 'completely de-glam' for her role in Madhur Bhandarkar's forthcoming 'Jail'.

'My look in 'Jail' is very de-glamourised. On the first-day of the shoot, I came for my shot with make-up on, and Madhur asked me to wash my face and get the make-up off. He wanted a completely natural look and I finally ended up with only kajal and mascara,' Mugdha told IANS in an e-mail interview.

'My personal stylist Deepti Mhatre, who styled me in 'Fashion', did my styling for 'Jail'. I started off with her and she gave me all my outfits for the movie, which are plain, simple and yet elegant,' the model-turned-actress said.

The 24-year-old actress, who starred alongside Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut in Bhandarkar's 'Fashion', is playing the lead in 'Jail' opposite Neil Nitin Mukesh.

'It's a very powerful role and I am sure the audience will be surprised to see me in this new avatar. I play Parag's (the protagonist's) girlfriend and I am his strength and sound-board through most of the film,' she said.

'Wanted': For the die-hard Salman fan!

Fans rejoice, as Salman Khan makes a dazzling comeback with 'Wanted'!

Review

'Wanted' rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like 'Wanted', in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish.

A remake of 'Pokiri' [made in Telugu and Tamil versions], 'Wanted' is a full on masala film. Recall the successful potboilers of yore. Recall how the good guy would reduce 10 hoodlums to pulp in a fraction of seconds. Recall how heroism prevailed in the end, no matter how adverse the circumstances were or how powerful the villains would be. Recall those movies in which logic took a backseat since the focus was on entertainment...You relive those moments as reel after reel of 'Wanted' unfolds.

A departure from candyfloss movies and diabetic-sweet characters that most Hindi movies boast of, 'Wanted' takes you back to those days when popular cinema reigned supreme, when the sole motive of the film-maker was to entertain.

The daring hero and his herogiri, the naïve girlfriend, the corrupt cop, the dreaded don, the don's moll, the fist-clinching henchmen... 'Wanted' is for those who seek unabashed entertainment and relish masala films. Damn the indomitable critics, pseudo intellectuals and connoisseurs of parallel cinema, this one's not for them. 'Wanted' is for the aam junta.

Film songs don't make sense any more: Asha Bhosle

Acclaimed playback singer Asha Bhosle does not want to make any "new albums of film songs" as she says Bollywood music has lost its "soul".

"Film songs do not make sense any more because the television channels in the country do not want to show anything else barring Bollywood music. I want to make meaningful Indian music," Bhosle told us.

"Playback singing in Bollywood is not the same anymore. Music has changed over the years. The technology is very modern and sophisticated, but it has taken out the jaan (life) and atma (soul) out of music. There is no spirit in Bollywood music any more and it is this rooh (spirit) I am seeking in music now," said the veteran singer.

Bhosle was in the capital to inaugurate the concert 'A Life in Melody - A 100-minute tribute to Ustad Vilayat Khan' organised by Seagrams 100 Pipers Pure Music at the FICCI auditorium.

Man of the match: Rani Mukerji

There's indulgence and there's overkill. But when it stretches beyond that, it's simply an excessive fest of clichés. In that sense alone, Dil Bole Hadippa ,though not necessarily a bad film, suffers from too many déjà vu-evoking distractions to wholly work.

To begin with, there's Yash Raj Films's stock supply of Punjab .The open-terrace block house looks awfully familiar. Do Veer and Zaara still live here?

And pray, where have I seen those lush, green fields before? What do they grow, quizzes Shahid Kapoor to Sheryln Chopra in one scene. Who cares? They never really provide any food for thought anyway.

Then there's Ik Onkar humming incessantly in the backdrop. Perhaps Surinder Sahni and Taaniji plan to drop in? Also,if you thought you had seen the last of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Bachna Ae Haseeno , etc, etc) tributes, you got another thing coming.

Sushmita Sen brings sexy back!

Sushmita Sen is back.

The actress, who has been on a rather long hiatus from films, was spotted gyrating to a dance number on the sets of her forthcoming movie Do Knot Disturb at a studio in Mumbai on Thursday.

The movie, which also stars Govinda and Reitesh Deshmukh, is produced by Vashu Bhagnani and directed by David Dhawan.

Birthday Suite: Hot pics of Isha Koppikar, who turns 33, today!

Isha Koppikar, a Mumbaikar of Mangalorean origins, is one among the rare actresses in Bollywood who combine beauty and brains. She has added brawn to this already-deadly combo by becoming a Black Belt in karate, recently.

The "Khallas" girl, known for her bold characters, turns 33 on September 19, 2009.

Here is a pictorial ode to Isha...

Now, Rahul Mahajan has a Swayamvar

After the huge success of Rakhi Sawant Ka Swayamvar, NDTV Imagine is launching its second season with Rahul Mahajan .

Rahul, who became a household name after his stint in Bigg Boss , 2, signed on the dotted line two days ago.

The prospective brides will be introduced to the media next week.

The show is likely to go on air in December.

Son of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan ,Rahul was married to Shweta Mahajan, whom he dated for a year. Unfortunately, the marriage lasted 15 months only. Shweta filed for divorce in 2007.

NDTV Imagine hopes to cash in on Rahul's fame, post Bigg Boss. The channel heads feel he can do wonders for the show, just like Rakhi did.

John Abraham has a new love

John Abraham has found a new love.

No, we're not talking women.

We're talking bikes.

The actor launched the new Yamaha 1,680cc Super Bike VMAX, priced at Rs 20 lakh, in Delhi [ Images ].

John used to ride the Suzuki Hayabusa and even confessed in an interview that he preferred his Hayabusa over girlfriend Bipasha Basu [ Images ].

The Yamaha 1,680cc Super Bike is the most expensive bike launched in India so far.

Photograph: Vijay Mathur/ Reuters

Abhay Deol's Road, Movie is fantastic

The one complaint I have against Dev Benegal's Road, Movie is that it ends in 95 minutes. How I wished this road journey had continued for another hour.

This lovely, wise, witty and soul-stirring film has irresistible charm to become an instant art-house hit.

The film takes us on a journey across a rough and exotic terrain, but never forgets to let us know that it is also about the inner journey of a young man called Vishnu . The journey also brings us in contact with issues like police corruption, corporate culture, a desert warlord's philosophy, ethnic stereotyping and passion for cinema.

Vishnu (Abhay Deol )abandons his father's failing head oil business and offers to haul his thoroughly worn out truck to a far away destination across the desert.

He discovers his uncle used to show films in the outdoors to villagers during his week-long drive.

In the climatic scenes, Benegal offers a truly touching tribute to world cinema. People who love cinema will weep at the scene.

The ensemble performances by Tannishtha Chatterjee ,Satish Kaushik and Mohammad Faizal are consistently excellent.

Tannishtha sings a lovely song, using her own voice. And for the love of the movies, she can really kiss. The kissing moment is so important to the film that the censor board should not touch it.

This is Dev Benegal's third film, following English, August (1994) and Split Wide Open (1999). It is difficult to imagine why he has not made more films.

I saw Road, Movie at a 12.45 pm screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday. I could have seen three more movies subsequently. But I was so full of the film that I did not want anything to spoil my joy. I sat in a coffee shop and re-visited the movie for over an hour.

I suspect I will be doing so for quite some time.

Wanted is watchable... casually Review

For those who have missed the priceless Wanted promo, here's a recap: various shots of Salman Khan walking, talking, 'loving' and firing guns are set to a rather unbelievable voiceover telling us that 'He walks casually... he talks casually... he eats casually... he loves casually... he kills casually... but... he dances seriously.' On cue, of course, we cut to a montage of Salman dancing his feet off. I kid you not.
Wanted is a film directed by Prabhu Deva, the spectacularly spineless super-dancer some call the Indian Michael Jackson,or, even more iconically, Benny Lava. It is an adaptation of the Tamil Pokiri, which he had directed, itself an adaptation of the Telegu Pokiri, directed by Puri Jagannath. I would like to confess to fans of these originals that I haven't seen either of the two versions, but I confess it really doesn't seem to matter: borrowing the delightful phraseology of the Wanted teaser, all I can say about Prabhu Deva is that 'he directs... casually.'

Wanted is a modern-day rarity, a B-grade actioner that really doesn't spend any time trying to class up its tackiness or pretend to make sense. Scenes merge for no reason whatsoever, the girl pops up wherever guns are fired, and Salman Khan's schizophrenic hair changes style in every single shot. The writing is both amateurish and crass, while the songs are plain hideous. And hey, who wants to waste time with twists? Just keep the punches thick and fast.

As a very frequent viewer of Hindi cinema, I hasten to assure you that an overall lack of pretension is a pretty good thing -- even if the product is unashamedly stupid. This film is longer than it should be, often makes no sense, and has one inexplicably bizarre moment involving Vicco Vajradanti, but it's a film that knows what it is. As a film made solely to let a Khan kick a**, it's decidedly more fun than Ghajini. (Not that that's saying much.)

Salman stars as a boorish gun-for-hire named Radhe, one various goons from various Mumbai mafia families hire at various times to kill each other, and Khan dutifully executes for the highest bidder. The ruthless mercenary doesn't ever seem to spend any of his money, however, and hangs around with an entourage of dolts (one of whom is Inder Kumar, best remembered from the horribly, fantastically masala Akshay-starrer Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi).

Meanwhile, Govind Namdeo is a tough commissioner hellbent on scrubbing Mumbai clean, not even letting politicians stand in his way. On the other end of the khaki spectrum stands Mahesh Manjrekar ,playing an atrociously lecherous police inspector, as corrupt as humanly possible. The mafia ranks are topped off by Prakash Raj playing all-powerful don, Gani Bhai. And then there's Ayesha Takia playing The Girl, a painfully braindead shrieker masochistically drawn towards our hitman hero.

Chitrangada Seems Here to Stay

Actress Chitrangada Singh, of 'Hazaaron Khwaishen' fame seems to have finally decided on her khwaish of making it big in films. The actress is set to enjoy a long second innings and her mentor Sudhir Mishra is all to make another film with her in the lead. The actress has started making her presence felt in the industry. And it's not just about the roles. Chitrangada has bagged a prestigious brand endorsement for herself. The actress has been signed up by Garnier for their Age lift range of products. Incidentally, this is not the actress's first foray into brand endorsement. The ads featuring her endorsing Frito Lays new snack Aliva is currently on air. As for the new deal with Garnier, it will definitely go a long way in establishing the actress as a wellknown face across millions of households in the country, something which her films may not have managed to do so far. And if this Smita Patil lookalike is serious about her career as she says, then bagging prestigious endorsements like this one, is just another way to make hay while the sun shines. Of course, the actress has made all other serious gestures like setting up house in Mumbai. As of now, it seems that Chitrangada Singh is here to stay. Well, at least, she has joined the brand wagon!

I suggest girls try their hand at cricket: Rani Mukerji

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) She was not a cricket fanatic but after preparing for her role in the just released 'Dil Bole Hadippa!', Rani Mukerji has become a huge fan of the game. She not only wishes to go and watch it in the stadium, but also suggests that more girls should try their hand at the sport.

'It's a great sport to play... people say it's a gentleman's game but it is a ladies' game too because it is a lot of fun. I would in fact tell a lot of girls to try their hand in cricket,' Rani told IANS.

'I would also love to go and see a game now in the stadium because watching it there is much more exciting than watching it on TV. Now that I know the game, it's become pretty interesting for me to watch. Now I know there are so many ways to get out in the game other than what I knew of just a run out or a catch out.

'I wasn't into cricket at all. I would rarely watch a match if it was a very interesting one as I wasn't really educated in the game. When you don't know much about the game, you can't enjoy it,' Rani said.

She dons the garb of a Sikh in the romantic comedy to highlight a woman's aspirations for cricket. Playing the part involved 'rigorous training sessions' for Rani.

'I trained for six months in cricket and tried to learn it to the best of my ability because it was important for my character to know the game very well. I didn't even know how to hold the bat correctly. So for me, to start from there to hit the shot was satisfying.

Salman arranges a special chopper for Kareena

We all know how generous and helpful our actor Salman Khan is by nature. When it comes to helping friends he will never stay behind and can go to any extent to comfort them.
Something similar happened on the sets of upcoming film MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA, where Salman Khan made special arrangements for a chopper so that his leading lady, Kareena Kapoor, does not get delayed in reaching the location of her next shoot.

"When anybody is a part of Sohail Khan Productions, Salman Khan takes full care of the actor. The artiste is under his wings. Kareena had to reach for another important shoot that day. Time had already run out of hands and Kareena did not know what to do," said a source.

Salman instantly made arrangements for a chopper for her. "It was thanks to Salman's timely arrangement that Kareena could make it on time," said the source.

Truly Salman's generosity knows no bounds!

Himesh is Back in the News

Himesh Reshmamiya is back in the news. The music composer cum singer cum actor had been lying low for a while after his 'Karzzz' flopped. But he seems to have resurfaced again with the latest music release of the 'Radio' album. Not only that, the man has emerged much trimmer and looking better than before. But he seems to be back at his good old game of ruffling feathers. It seems that at the shoot of a recent reality show, where he was to make an appearance as a celebrity guest, Himesh kept Anu Malik and Farah Khan waiting for quite a while as he arrived late for the shoot. According to reports, he was more concerned about his five meals a day diet and hence ended up delaying the shoot even further by taking his numerous snack breaks. According to reports, Malik was not amused. But Himesh's strict adherence to his diet seems to have paid off as the man is believed to have lost more than 12 kgs of weight. 'Radio' has also seen him shed his trademark high pitched nasal tones for a more base voice. Another reason the man is back from hibernation is that he has some four films lined up for release. There is 'Radio' of course!, to be followed by Pooja Bhatt's 'Kajraare', John Mathew Mathan's 'A New Love Istory' and 'Ishq Unplugged' being made by Studio 18. His next target is directors like Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar and Vishal Bharadwaj. He has set his sights high and remains true to his strategy of only singing and composing for his own films. That's brand Himesh for you. If nothing else, you have to give the man his due for his sheer persistence. It remains to be seen, however, if all that persistence pays off?

Rani got cricket tips from SRK, moustache help from Aamir

New Delhi, Sep 16 Rani Mukerji disguises herself as an aspiring Sikh cricketer in the upcoming film 'Dil Bole Hadippa!'. And Bollywood's superstars were more than willing to help her get into the character's groove - while Shah Rukh Khan gave her cricketing tips, Aamir Khan helped her with wearing a moustache.

'Shah Rukh gave me a lot of tips on cricket and I was very happy to have him give me tips for my character in the movie,' Rani told reporters here.

Aamir, with whom Rani starred in 'Ghulam', too did his bit to help her don the garb of a Sikh.

'Aamir helped me with the moustache... I was shooting a song with Rakhi (Sawant) before I had the moustache on and he gave me tips on how I should put it with a little smile so that it doesn't hurt,' said the actress.

Rani was in the capital with her 'Dil Bole Hadippa!' co-star Shahid Kapoor at the Big Cinemas Odeon to promote the movie.

Produced and distributed by Yash Raj Films, it is directed by debutant Anurag Singh.

It also stars Anupam Kher, Dalip Tahil and item girls Rakhi Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra.

'It is a commercially entertaining and audience-friendly film. Everyone will enjoy it whether it is with family, kids or friends,' said Shahid.

I have different helmets for different days: John Abraham

New Delhi, Sep 16 Bollywood heartthrob John Abraham's passion for motorbikes is well-known. But very few know that he loves collecting helmets too.

'Bikes are my passion and I take care of my helmets as my babies. Like people go and buy clothes, I go shopping for helmets. I have different helmets for different days,' John told reporters here, Wednesday.

'People feel I'm crazy, but I love shopping for my helmets and I have all major brands,' he added.

The 36-year-old actor who is the brand ambassador of Yamaha, was in the Capital to launch three new bikes - Vmax along with limited edition of Fazer and FZ series.

After launching the motorcycles, John talked about safety measure that bikers should keep in mind while riding.

'Safety is very important and that's why helmets should be a biker's priority. Safety of pillion riders is also important and they should also wear helmets,' he said.

'Indian roads, mainly Mumbai is not very conducive for two wheelers. There are riders who don't take any precautions and are very irresponsible. On the other hand, there are people who walk on the road without thinking and taking care,' said the actor who will be next seen in films like 'Hook Ya Crook' and '1-1800 Love'

I'm not on Twitter or any network: Katrina Kaif

I'm not on Twitter or any network: Katrina Kaif

Mumbai, Sep 16 (IANS) She is planning to launch her official website by the end of the year, but Katrina Kaif denies being on the social networking site Twitter and says someone has been impersonating her.

'Something has to be done to stop this sort of vandalism. I am not on Twitter or any other social networking website. I plan to start my own website by the end of the year,' Katrina told IANS.

Katrina doesn't believe in half-measures. It comes as no surprise to know that she intends to start her own website after months of research, preparation and build-up before the Internet's most 'hit' girl delves deeply into her own domain.

'I don't want this to be something I start and then leave to others to take care of. Of course, there will be professionals employed to oversee my website. But I'll pick and choose all the material and pictures that will on the site,' said the actress.

Katrina's website will be called katrinakaifofficial.com and the actress wants it to be a one-stop all-purpose stopover for all her fans.

'My website will be comprehensive. It will have my exclusive pictures. In fact, I'll be doing photo sessions done specially by me. It will also have pictures taken by me on my sets and on location.'

But the website won't carry reports on her day-to-day activities.

'I don't think it's cool to let people know where I am or what I'm doing throughout the day. I'm not on any of the social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. I guess my life is not an open Facebook,' she puns.

The design, colours and format for her website are ready. It has been designed by her sister's boyfriend and two professional designers from Britain.

'I looked at several designs presented to me. Then I saw a British actress' website which I quite liked, though it was too dark for my personality. My website will be fun, feisty, bubbly and colourful, to go with my image.

'There's nothing haphazard and everything official about it,' she said.

Hottest Young Directors of B-Town

It's time to break away from the conventional, and our young B-Town directors are saying it loud! Apart from their Gen X films, they seem to be creating waves with their sex appeal and charm! Glamsham lists the hottest young directors of Bollywood who the ladies just cannot seem to get their eyes off! Any favourites?? Write in!
Ayaan Mukherjee:

Geared to make his debut as a director with ''WAKE UP SID'', Ayaan Mukherjee is the new dude on the block! He's young, dashing and his chocolate boy looks seem to be grabbing quite a few eyeballs! Psst...he's also related to the two hotties of the industry, Kajol and Rani.

Farhan Akhtar:

He can dance, sing, act, write, direct, produce films and he's piping hot! With his suave and sexy look in his debut film, Farhan sure made many hearts ROCK ON! We still cannot seem to get enough of his bandana, guitar and head thumping! What say?!

Siddharth Raj Anand:

BACHNA AE HASEENO! Make way for Siddharth! SALAAM NAMASTE to the director who can sweep the ladies off their feet with his cute looks and charm!

Imtiaz Ali:

With successful films like JAB WE MET and LOVE AAJ KAL, Imtiaz hogged the limelight. But what's more, his unconventional looks and rugged curls are making many girls sit up and take notice! Hmm...Mauja hi Mauja for the director it seems!

Soham Shah:

LUCK may have boomed at the box office, but you cannot miss the smashing director! He may have had the hottest stars in his film, but Soham's killer cute smile just leaves you wanting more! Must say, he could well make for an actor in his next venture!

Abhishek Kapoor:

The ROCK ON! director is also an actor, and no, this does not come as a surprise! He's got style, poise and well makes for a strong contender on our chart!

Shahid Kapoor: HADIPPA is a complete contrast to KAMINEY

Even though he has worked in films across varied genres, the lover boy image seems to be stuck around Shahid Kapoor, courtesy his recent successes like KISMAT KONNECTION, JAB WE MET and VIVAAH.
"Even when I was on the verge of signing KAMINEY, people discouraged me. Since on paper itself it sounded such a different film, I was advised that I should follow a conventional route and do more love stories. People felt that I was on a wrong path by signing on something experimental when I should have rather consolidated my image as a lover boy. I am glad I took a firm stand though because I sincerely believe that audiences today want a change", explains Shahid.

He isn't turning his back away from romantic films though.

"They will also continue for sure", he smiles, "Now DIL BOLE HADIPPA is a complete contrast to KAMINEY with a lot of 'bhangra-shangra' and other related stuff. See, at the end of the day, I do want to do different kind of work and find acceptance in all spaces. It's just that I am not willing to restrict myself to a particular genre, especially in the times when change is the order of the day. Thankfully, audiences have become much more receptive to you being seen in a different avatar."

No wonder, in weeks to come, DIL BOLE HADIPPA would be followed by CHANCE PE DANCE.

"It's all fun though crazy situation to be in", says Shahid, "DIL BOLE HADIPPA will release on 18th September and a day after the film's release, I leave for USA. Then soon after I would be back to promote Ken's CHANCE PE DANCE. Meanwhile I am shooting for Parmeet Sethi film with Anushka Sharma. I don't really have time to breathe though honestly, it's a happy problem to be a part of!"

Imran Khan gets engaged

Finally the much expected seems to have taken place. Bollywood's current heart throb Imran Khan according to latest reports has got engaged to his steady girlfriend Avantika Malik in a closely kept secret ceremony.
Though, Imran has always worn his heart on his sleeve, but this secret announcement has been received with much surprise as many expected Imran to announce his engagement in full public glare. Buzz is that Bollywood got the whiff of the news during the launch of Arjun Rampal's nightclub in Delhi were many celebs were seen congratulating the couple on their engagement.

Now, with Imran having taken his love affair to the next level, let's hope his marriage ceremony makes up for all this hush-hush news.

Yash Raj to distribute Ajay Devgan's 'All The Best' globally

Mumbai, Sep 15 Yash Raj Films has bagged the international distribution rights for Ajay Devgan Films' movie 'All The Best - Fun Begins'.

Releasing Oct 16, director Rohit Shetty's comedy promises audiences a perfect blend of action, and comedy with a strong dose of fun, said a press release from Yash Raj Films.

The movie will have Ajay as a wannabe chartered accountant and Bipasha Basu as his wife. Fardeen Khan will be seen as an upcoming singer who depends for pocket money on his millionaire brother, played by Sanjay Dutt, while Mugdha Godse will essay the role of Fardeen's girlfriend.

Harry Potter stars enter Guinness book

Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson have entered the Guinness World Records book by becoming the highest grossing lead actors of the decade.

The young actors were ahead of their many Hollywood counterparts, the Telegraph reports.

Radcliffe's films made massive 558 million dollars, while Watson, who appeared in The Tale of Despereaux apart from the wizard series, raised 753.7 million dollars.

Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus was ranked the highest earning child actor, making an approximate 25 million dollars last year.

Nicole Kidman was listed as the most overpaid actress in Hollywood.

Image: Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in a scene from The Half-Blood Prince.

What scares Akshay Kumar

Everyone knows how Akshay Kumar likes to do his own stunts on screen. The actor will perform stunts for his television show, Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi Level 2 as well, as a special treat for his fans.

The actor talks to Rajul Hegde about his action show, and his stunts over the years. He also admits the one thing that still scares him even today.

Over to Akshay Kumar:

How is Level 2 different from the first?

The stunts are tougher and more dangerous compared to the earlier level. Last year, people complained that I didn't perform any stunt. Though as a host, I am not supposed to do any stunts, I did some this time because I enjoy it. My stunts are a bonus -- a treat for my fans.

This year, the girls were tougher because they had watched the first level. They were prepared for the dangerous stunts.

Shamita Shetty shows off her sexy side

She lives life with carefree abandon. But the 'bad-boy' phase in her relationships is over. Today, actor Shamita Shetty is secure in her own skin.

We get a fix on what relationship action makes Shamita fly, what she digs in a man, and why she rates spiritual growth in a potential suitor higher than sexy abs.

What attracts you in a man?

I have crossed that phase of being attracted to somebody because of his looks. Been there, done that. When I was in college, it was all about looks. With every relationship you understand what you are looking for, you learn from your mistakes and things that didn't work out.

I have realised that relationships that start out based on looks last only for a while. There has to be something that goes beyond the physicality.

But I still do have a thing for sexy abs and a tight butt.

What kind of a man would interest you?

Now, I need a man who is intelligent, has a passion for life, and is spiritually inclined. When both partners are spiritually inclined, it takes the relationship to another level. There is growth and satisfaction.

I wouldn't like to date a movie star. People throw themselves at movie stars -- I want to be the priority for my man. It has to be someone from outside the film industry. I would want him to encourage me with my work, love and respect me and be accepting and adjusting.

Today if I met a guy who is average in looks but can make me laugh, talk to me, make me want to continue talking to him, is classy, can flirt, then, that is the guy for me. I haven't come across anyone like that in a while.

'Bad-boys' bring with them a lot of baggage

If you found someone like that, would you make the first move?

I can't ever make the first move. I expect the guy to make the first move. I want to be treated like a queen, to be wooed and made to feel special.

Rishi Kapoor, Hema Malini reunite after 21 years

Neil Nitin Mukesh was seen as a child actor in the 1988 film 'Vijay', which also featured Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini. The trio is now set to come together after 21 long years for Ken Ghosh's new film.

"Now isn't that a once in a lifetime coincidence?" Ghosh exclaimed. "For me, getting Neil Nitin Mukesh, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini to star in the film was good enough and now this fact being highlighted has only proven to be the icing on the cake," the director told us.

In 'Vijay', each of the three actors had a rather strange screen appearance and they hardly shared screen space. While Neil played Hema Malini's little son, Rishi went on to play his grown up version. This made Hema Malini Rishi Kapoor's on-screen mom.

"Well, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini are pretty much paired opposite each other in my film. While they represent the older generation, Neil would play a contemporary character. And, yes, unlike 'Vijay' where the script didn't allow the three of them to share screen space together, there would be ample scenes between them here," Ghosh said.

As a child actor, Neil has played not just a young Rishi but also a young Govinda in 'Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni' in 1989.

On the other hand, Rishi and Hema Malini have worked together, the most notable being 'Ek Chaadar Maili Si' (1986).

But apart from Ken Ghosh' yet untitled movie, the two will also share screen space in Raj Kanwar's 'Sadiyaan'.

Coming back to Neil's film, apart from the three principal characters, the rest of the cast is yet to be finalised.

"We are looking at an ensemble casting so there could be quite a few names that you would hear soon," said Ghosh, who has earlier made movies like 'Ishq Vishk' and 'Fida'.

'Chance Pe Dance', Ghosh's forthcoming film starring Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza, is set to release in November, but there were many rumours regarding its title. So will there be any confusion over the movie's name this time around?

"Unlike 'Chance Pe Dance' where titles like 'Star', 'Yahoo' and many more were floating all around in the last one year, we have something locked pretty much in advance. We were very clear that this time around, we didn't want any ambiguity or speculation around what the film would be called. You will soon hear an announcement about it," the director said.

'Wanted is a rocking film'

She's cute, bubbly and very much married. But the last bit doesn't make Ayesha Takia Azmi any less 'Wanted' by her fans.

The actress, whose latest release is Wanted opposite Salman Khan, got to find out how much her fans adore her in a rediff chat on Thursday. For those who missed the chat, here's what transpired:

Ayesha Takia says, Hi everybody, it is great to be here chatting to all of you today.

deepak asked, u r lookin so beutiful in ur upcoming movie
Ayesha Takia answers, Deepak, thank you so much!

jjjjj asked, how you have plan to pusue both carrier and marriage life
Ayesha Takia answers, Ya. I am going to pursue both career and marriage.

pooja asked, Tell something abt prabhu deva
Ayesha Takia answers, He actually seems like a quiet person at first but he is someone who jokes and smiles all the time. It was a pleasure working with him on this film as a director.

santanu asked, hi what is the release date of the movie 'Wanted'
Ayesha Takia answers, Wanted is releasing on September 18. Go and watch. It is a fun film.

JITENDRA asked, HELLO AISHA IM A BIG FAN OF URS. CONGRATULATION FOR UR WEDDING. I M WAITING FOR UR UPCOMING FILM WANTED BCOZ I LIKE SALMAN ALSO.UR PAIRING WITH SALMAN IS TOO GOOD
Ayesha Takia answers, Thank you very much.

jimmy asked, Why you got married so early because your career just started?
Ayesha Takia answers, Career and marriage don't have to do anything with each other. In 2009 people can do both successfully.

ayushi asked, What do you like to do for fun ??
Ayesha Takia answers, I watch lots of movies, both English and Hindi. I love going through fashion magazines, love to read -- Paulo Coelho is my favourite author. I love going on long drives with either my mom or sister, and Farhan.

Rotts asked, Wanted promos rock...the dialogue promos look awesome...never expected u & Salman to have such a great chemistry...man this is so cool...waiting for Sep 18
Ayesha Takia answers, Thanks for your support with the promos of Wanted. I promise you it is a rocking film.

Shiney Ahuja's bail rejected again

A Mumbai sessions court rejected Shiney Ahuja's bail plea on Friday, nearly three months after the actor was arrested for allegedly raping his maid at his Mumbai home.

The court rejected Ahuja's bail on the ground that it is a 'serious offence' and there is prima facie evidence against him.

The court had rejected his bail plea on July 8 on the same grounds.

The 36-year-old actor again filed for bail on September 5 after the city police filed its chargesheet against him.

Charges against Ahuja, who is currently lodged in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail, will be framed on September 23.

His lawyer Shrikant Shivade said he would challenge the lower court's order in the Bombay high court.

The actor's case was transferred to a fast track court after Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan gave an assurance that the victim would get justice soon.

Rani Mukherji steals the show at Toronto film festival

Rani Mukherji walked the red carpet just the way George Clooney and other Hollywood celebrities had done in recent days. But her entrance was far more spectacular than Clooney's.

Rani was at the gala for Dil Bole Hadippa that had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sunday. She was accompanied by over a dozen Punjabi Bhangra dancers.

Rani, wearing a gown, walked past over 300 fans. However, not everyone was pleased with her choice of gown. "Rani looks good in anything she wears," said Mary Allen a caucasian journalist who was wearing a sari. "I wore a sari for everytime I've seen Rani, in a movie, wearing a sari, I thought how gorgeous Indian women look wearing a sari."

Many fans waved signs that read, "Our Dil Bole Hadippa," "We love you Rani" and "Hadippa Forever."

Some fans had come expecting Shahid Kapoor for the event; but director Anurag Singh who also walked the red carpet said that Shahid was doing publicity for the film in India.

"Rani is so committed to this project that she flew into Toronto from London although she could give only a day and a half of her time." She left for London a few hours after the premiere.

"Toronto, I have heard, is a city full of people who love all kinds of movies," Rani said. "Yet our film is a masala, commercial film. And to be featured in as a gala event is a very big honour."

Out of the 21 gala movies, there are three from India. This is the first time so many Indian films have been featured in the gala. Apart from Dil Bole Hadippa, there are Cooking With Stella, produced by Toronto based Deepa Mehta and India's Ravi Chopra (BR Films) and What's Your Raashee?, is the concluding gala film of the festival.

"We are holding the premiere of the movie in Toronto even before it opens in India," director Singh said. "The film opens across the world this Friday. We knew we had made a very good masala film but we had no idea it could go to a major film festival."

Though Yash Raj Pictures' Kabul Express was shown at TIFF two years ago, it was not a gala event.

"Everyone at Yash Raj is excited that Dil Bole Hadippa is a gala event. When Cameron Bailey, co-director, TIFF, saw the film and invited and told us that it should be shown at the festival we were over-excited. Our confidence in the film became even stronger than ever before. Shahid and Rani are absolutely thrilled with this film. If Rani had more time, she would have stayed back in Toronto, meeting many of her fans."

In the past five years, TIFF has started showing extravaganzas like Bollywood movies along with austere arthouse fare. Given the fact Toronto has over 350,000 Bollywood fans, from India to Afghanistan, Dubai to Ethiopia, and Morocco to Russia , Indian stars at the festival are a big draw in the city.

A Nigerian cab driver, in Toronto, who waited 2 hours to get a glimpse of Rani said, "We see Indian stars many times in a year but they are busy shooting. They hardly look around them and smile because they are busy with their work. At the gala event, everyone dresses beautifully and everyone smiles. And when Rani smiles, I feel I'm in heaven."

If a man can afford me, I will marry him: Sushmita (Film Snippets)

New Delhi, Sep 13 She's been linked to a string of men in the past including Randeep Hooda and Mudassar Aziz, but 33-year-old actress Sushmita Sen says she has no plans to settle down until a man can 'afford' her.

'If a man can afford me, I'll definitely do that,' Sushmita told IANS.

The former beauty queen, who will be seen on screen after a long time in Big Pictures' and Vashu Bhagnani's co-production 'Do Knot Disturb', is otherwise content with her life.

'My life has been very good and exciting. I am making sure that I do only commercial films as I don't want to waste time doing anything else other than what is saleable and what can give my audiences something to see after such a long wait of not seeing me as an actor,' she said.

Also starring funny man Govinda, Riteish Deshmukh and Lara Dutta, 'Do Knot Disturb' is set to release Oct 2.

-*-

Work it out like Rani

Not content with shedding all those excess kilos and getting into super shape for her role of a cricketer in 'Dil Bole Hadippa', actress Rani Mukherjee is now also trying to entice co star Shahid to take up yoga. This is something which even his former girlfriend Kareena Kapoor could not get him into.

Akshay Kumar's 'Blue'

Akshay Kumar, the People's Hero of Bollywood, is celebrating his 42nd B'day on September 9, 2009. They say the greatest tribute to an adventurer is the celebration of his adventure.

After storming the B.O with pop classics such as 'Singh is Kinng' and 'Kambaqht Ishq', Akki will be back with the deep sea action thriller, 'Blue'. This time, he will be battling it out with the deadly sharks of the Atlantic recesses, in search of a fabled treasure.

We present to you the latest pictures of Akki's Deep Sea stunts from 'Blue'. This exclusive picture gallery is not only for Akki die-hards but also for all those who love "Adrenaline Movies".

Bipasha has never looked so simple: Rocky S

New Delhi, Sep 11 Dusky beauty Bipasha Basu, known for her bold and sensual image, is playing a Kashmiri girl in 'Lamhaa' and designer Rocky S, who has draped her in the Bollywood movie, says that she has never looked so simple onscreen.

'In this movie, you will be surprised to see Bipasha in a non-glamorous role. She is without any makeup and has worn simple clothes to fit in perfectly for this role,' Rocky S told IANS in an interview.

'She is looking very simple, and trust me, she has never looked that simple. She has always looked glamorous onscreen but this time, it would be the girl next door look,' he added.

Elaborating on Bipasha's look, Rocky said: 'In this movie, you will see her in salwaar kameez, kaftans and dupattas. The colours that I have used there are also very subtle.'

'She is playing the role of a tortured girl in the movie and this demanded a very subtle look,' he added.

Was it difficult to portray Bipasha as a simple girl?

'Not at all. She is someone who carries every outfit with elan. She is beautiful and sexy and looks very feminine. The character of this simple Kashmiri Muslim girl has brought out that femininity,' Rocky explained.

'It took me about one-and-a-half months to create the look for her. But at the end of the day, I am very happy with her look,' he added.

Mumbai-based Rocky S is in the capital to participate in the three day Van Heusen India Mens Week (VHIMW) that opened Friday.

Rocky's Bollywood clientele includes John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Bipasha Basu and Shilpa Shetty. When asked which celebrity would walk the ramp at VHIMW, the designer said: 'Now I don't need any celebrity to prove myself.'

Apart from 'Lamhaa', he is also designing for Katrina Kaif in Priyadarshan's 'De Dana Dan' but refused to divulge any details.

Ajay Devgan whips himself black and blue in 'London Dreams'

Mumbai, Sep 11 When Ajay Devgan first heard he had to whip himself in 'London Dreams', he wasn't comfortable with the idea. But after director Vipul Shah convinced him to do so, the actor went all out and flogged himself black and blue for hours to get a 25-second clip right.

'We had a detailed discussion. Audiences could easily end up laughing at what is meant to be a moment of extreme self-loathing. Ajay was very concerned about how he would look whipping himself on screen. I assured him that we'd shoot the sequence in a way that it would look nothing less than stunning,' director Vipul Shah told IANS.

It's a sequence where the impulsive emotional character punishes himself.

'It is sequence of repentance, but it is not religious. I saw the self-flagellation as a perfectly-defining moment for the character. It's not done with a whip. It's done with a belt. And Ajay hit himself powerfully. Once or twice I called 'cut' in more ways than one. But Ajay didn't want a cut. He didn't want to go through the experience in pieces. It was that harrowing for him,' said Shah.

'And that too for a shot which would last no more than 25 seconds on screen. I'd tell him that we should stop. But Ajay insisted we do it non-stop. We didn't want the aesthetics to be lost. I've never taken longer on any sequence.'

Shah admits that sequence goes against Ajay's image.

'It's not a very macho thing to do. And it certainly goes against the image of the action hero and the comic hero. Quite naturally Ajay was zapped when he heard that he was to do sequence which required him to punish himself by whipping himself.'

The director also clarifies that the scene has nothing to do with religion and that Ajay isn't playing a Muslim character in 'London Dreams'.

'I'd be very alarmed if people see in a religious light. It'd just show we're cynical about religion. Ajay plays a very intense and emotional character who does shock people with his extreme behaviour. I wanted to shock audiences.

'Ajay's character is on the edge. I had to show that edginess. Ajay is such a chilled-out, in-control person. He would never be expected to punish himself. But I'd rather let the character define its actions rather than the image of actor.'

The film, that also stars Salman Khan and Asin Thottumkal, is scheduled for an Oct 30 release. Does Shah expect censor trouble? 'I expect trouble from the censors any time.'

Right before we see Ajay whipping himself, we get him whipping up the laughs in 'All The Best'. The laugh riot, which is directed by Rohit Shetty, is set for Oct 16 release.

But Shah is not at all worried.

'In a span of two weeks, audiences will see Ajay in two drastically different roles. If 'London Dreams' was funny, I'd be nervous. But mine is a completely different film from 'All The Best'. 'London Dreams' is my most intense film to date. And if Ajay is the only leading man to whip himself, I'd say he has guts,' he said.

First Look: Shahid's 'Chance Pe Dance'

Directed by Ken Ghosh, 'Chance Pe Dance' stars Shahid Kapur and Genelia D'Souza. The movie will release on November 6, 2009.

Saif & Kareena Wisen Up?

Actor Saif Ali Khan and actress Kareena Kapoor would love it if they could only work opposite each other. That way, they could end up spending maximum time with each other. The only thing that probably keeps them apart is their professional commitments.

Everybody knows how keen Kareena was to work with Imtiaz Ali again, and specially for Saif’’s home production. Despite being on the best of terms with the actress, Imtiaz stuck to his decision and opted for Deepika Padukone, a fact which did not go down too well with either Saif or Kareena.

But as the film’s shooting progressed, Saif probably realised how overboard he had gone. His subsequent statements when ’Love Aaj Kal’ was being promoted had a different tone altogether. And then, of course, the film went on to create a dhamaal at the box office. Well, the fact remains that Kareena will be a part of Saif’s second home production, ’Agent Vinod’. The couple will also be seen together in Rensil D’Silva’s ’Qurbaan’.

But they have realised that professionally, they cannot always be working with each other. Also, the fact remains, that their jodi has the danger of looking stale. Hence, both have realised that they need to work with other people professionally as well. So far, the duo has done one film together and also a couple of ads.

However, contrary to rumours, Kareena may not actually be a part of ’Race

2’. The script is yet to be completed and the cast yet to be finalised. The original ’Race’, starred Saif, Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu and Katrina Kaif. The couple seems to have wisened up and realised that they need other partners in their professional life as well. But they also need to do that occasional film with each other.

Mallika says Yes to sex, No to kiss!

“I Mind It, I say” - That must be Mallika’s reaction when she was asked to kiss in Hisss by filmmaker Jennifer Lynch. TV channels better buck up for you have got your ‘Breaking News’ in the form of Mallika Sherawat’s yet another ‘hilarious comment’ on a social networking site.

The actress, who didn’t shy away from locking lips with Emraan Hashmi in Murder or even Khwahish, apparently expressed discomfort over doing the same in her forthcoming film Hisss.

Mallia who plays a sexy snake in Hisss recently confessed how she has done nude and intimate scenes in the film but hasn’t kissed! “As a snake I don’t kiss in Hisss, but I lick quite a bit. I swallow whole. I’m naked in some scenes. Hisss will make eyeballs pop out,” revealed Mallika uninhibitedly on the site!

Co-star Irrfan Khan told us, “Hisss is scary, mysterious, exciting, violent, gory. It has nudity in it but the censor board needs to mature before they put their hands on the film as the subject required what has been portrayed by the director.”

We wonder why Mallika said no to kiss in Hisss when she was fine with everything else... We mean after all that’s her forte and given her track record at the box office, isn’t this the wrong time to let go of her USP? Tsk tsk..

Saif not flamboyant in real life: Kareena Kapoor

New Delhi, Sep 9 Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who doesn't like to make her private life public, has opened up about beau Saif Ali Khan and says he is not as flamboyant in real life as he looks on screen.

'Saif is very different (from his on screen image). On screen I think he is very flamboyant, but in real life he is very understated and relaxed,' said Kareena.

'He is very classy but he has an amazing charm about himself, an inherent charm which can be seen on screen. And I think that is what's there with him personally also,' she told choreographer-director Farah Khan on STAR Plus' chat show 'Tere Mere Beach Mein'.

The episode featuring Kareena will be aired Saturday at 9 p.m.

Rani Doles Out Fitness Tips

Not content with shedding all those excess kilos and getting into super shape for her role of a cricketer in 'Dil Bole Hadippa', actress Rani Mukherjee is now also trying to entice co star Shahid to take up yoga. This is something which even his former girlfriend Kareena Kapoor could not get him into.

Apparently, Rani has gone even a step further and even offered to lend her trainer to the actor. Incidentally, Rani's trainer trained Kareena during the Tashan days, when the actress was trying to acquire her size zero figure. Talk of connections. Meanwhile, Shahid is believed to be quite open to the offer of going the yoga way as he is looking for something which is more natural and holistic. Of course, the transformation in Rani is proof enough of that. The actress seems to have gambled heavily in 'Dil Bole Hadippa'. She has done things that she never needed to do in career before, like getting into a bikini. In her time, Rani never needed to resort to all that. But times have changed and it is Rani who needs to lure in the audiences. And so the actress has done everything that she can to match up with today's girls. One hopes for her sake that the film works. It has lots going for it and the icing on the cake should be the presence of Shahid, who is on an all time high after the success of 'Kaminey'. Maybe, Rani's gesture of lending her trainer is just her way of saying 'thank you' to the young actor.

Comedies galore for Neha Dhupia!

Just a month or so back we had brought you a feature on how Neha Dhupia has worked hard and upgraded herself from z-grade sleazy films to prestigious projects. And for those who want to know more about what Neha is up to and her latest films read on.
As per the beautiful lady, she has currently four films in hand, all of which are ready for release - PAPPU CAN'T DANCE SAALA, DE DANA DAN, RAAT GAYI BAAT GAYI and RAFTAAR. Amongst the four, only RAFTAAR is a thriller. The rest of the films are all comedies. Citing this as a coincidence, Neha says that she did not sign the film because she wanted to act in comedies after the super success of SINGH IS KNNG. She just loved her characters in all the three films. She added that PAPPU CAN'T DANCE SAALA and RAAT GAYI BAAT GAYI are meaningful, situational comedies, while DE DANA DAN is totally a Priyan stylized film which she had to do at all cost as she wanted to be part of the team that has made a cult film like HERA PHERI.

Well Neha, keep laughing and making us laugh as it is the best medicine!

BAABARR: I care a damn

The cat is out of the bag. While so far the promotion of BAABARR has clearly stated that the film is based on true events, there wasn't much being spoken about the man on whom the film is actually based! As it has turned out, the film is actually a biopic of sorts as it tells the story of a man (whose name was different from 'Baabarr') who was a dreaded criminal in the state of UP and had supposedly killed 25 people.
Says a source attached to the film, ''Yes, Baabarr's character is indeed based on a real person from the early 90s. He was based out of UP and people out there were really terrified of him. In fact he is no more today as he was shot dead in an encounter. He died quite young in fact.''

Talking about the might of the man who talked with his gun, the source adds, ''He was such a powerful and confident young man that he dared to call up people and tell them in advance that he would kill them the next day. He even challenged them to go for police protection and promise that he would still go ahead and succeed in his mission. He had a wild look and came with 'I care a damn' attitude.''

In the film, the character of Baabarr is played by newcomer Soham Shah. However not many are aware that in spite of BAABARR being Soham's debut film, he is actually a trained actor and comes from a strong theatre background.

''That's right'', confirms the source, ''The film didn't require a big actor and that's the reason someone like Soham was roped in who didn't come with any baggage. Though he looks quite deadly in the film, in real life he is quite a sweetheart. All credit must go to his theatre background and director Ashu Trikha that completely turned around his personality.''

A multi starrer with actors like Mithun Chakravorthy and Om Puri heading the cast, BAABARR releases this Friday.

Which celebrity makes the best host?

It's become too regular to even call it a trend anymore.

When any Bollywood personality -- actor, director, item-girl, former vamp -- isn't busy working, then they decide to take up a TV channel's offer and go host a chat-show.

But which of these chat-show hosts are really worth it? And who are just wasting your time? Here's a look at names new and old, so you can vote for the best of the celebrity chat-show hosts:

Farah Khan, Tere Mere Beach Mein

The latest addition to the chatshow-host circuit, Farah Khan promises to bring about a more candid side of superstars and not give them just another forum to talk about their upcoming releases.

If the first episode featuring Salman Khan and mother Salma was any indication, this show should be high on emotion and pretty darned frank. Then again, will she be as mean to her friends as she is catty to those she doesn't like?

Image: Kangna Ranaut, Hrithik Roshan and Farah Khan

'Plastic smile and heart': Vivek on Ash, films

In a revealing interview to Farah Khan on her show on Star Plus, Tere Mere Beech Mein, Vivek Oberoi spoke his mind about his ex -- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , films and his infamous tiff with Salman Khan.

The revealing promos of the show were aired on many news channels on Thursday night. Tere Mere Beech Mein will be aired on Sunday.

When Farah quizzed him on what triggered him to call a press conference to vent his anger against Salman, Vivek replied, "Uss waqt mere aaspas bahut log the aur woh apni 'RAI' dete the.' Farah interrupted Vivek saying, "Accha word chunna aapne, 'RAI' (You choose a good word 'RAI' (Opinion)

Vivek amended the word saying, "Mashwarra dete the and I went by their word. Moreover I was young that time and my father (Suresh Oberoi) too was not in town when I took that decision."

Vivek also said that it hurt him when people whom he trusted didn't stand by him during his hour of crisis.

Vivek was dating Aishwary Rai in 2003. She had just split up with Salman Khan, who then called Vivek and threatened him to stay away from Aishwarya. In response, Vivek called a press conference in April 2003 and told the media about how Salman misbehaved with him.

Post the debacle of their film, Kyon Ho Gaya Na and then Vivek's Home Delivery , Aishwarya broke off with Vivek.

On a final note, Vivek said, "There is less plastic in Tupperware factory than our film industry. People with plastic smile and plastic heart."