'I had fun singing for Anjaana Anjaani'

Former Indian Idol contestant Monali Thakur -- best known as the playback singer of songs like Zara Zara Touch Me and Khwab Dekhe Jhoothe Moothe from Race -- made her latest number from Anjaana Anjaani very peppy, and popular.

She talks to Rajul Hegde about music, boyfriend Meiyang Chang -- another former Idol contestant -- and much more. She also gives us a taste of her music -- just click on the videos for a dekho.

The title track of Anjaani Anjaana has become quite popular.

It feels amazing because it's the first time that I have worked with (music director duo) Vishal-Shekar. They are my favourite composers and I'm happy that the song has clicked. I loved the song because of its youthful feel.

How was it working with the musical duo?

Recording was fun. Vishal-Shekar are amazing. Working with them was an honour. They give creative space to others. I had fun singing this track because it's a party track. The first recording was done in 10 minutes while the final dubbing took less than 30 minutes.

Shekar told me to make the song young and peppy. It's a total party song. The tempo itself demands fun and energy.

What Rajni and Will Smith have in common

Mary Vogt is a senior Hollywood costume designer who has worked on several big budget productions.

She specialises in science fiction film costumes and her filmography includes Men in Black 1 & 2, Hocus Pocus, Inspector Gadget and Batman Returns.

Given her specialisation, Vogt was approached two years ago by the team behind filmmaker Shankar's new sci-fi drama Endhiran-Robot starring superstar Rajnikanth.

Her job was to design specific clothes for Rajnikanth and the many different robot costumes seen in the film.
contributor Aseem Chhabra in New York City about her experience designing costumes for Endhiran -- the most expensive film to be made in India.

Chhabra met Vogt at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York, where she is currently overseeing a huge project -- designing hundreds of costumes for director Barry Sonnenfeld's Men in Black 3, which will once again star Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones along with Emma Thompson and a variety of aliens.

Chhabra and Vogt sat down to talk in the designer's office. But before that there was a brief tour of the rooms where the Men in Black 3's costumes were being designed and stitched, and a visit to an elaborate set of a Chinese restaurant, where a crucial scene will be shot in November.

Rajni's Most Outrageous Look in Endhiran/ Robot

There's many reasons to watch Endhiran/Robot but none as compelling as the bilingual's leading man, Rajnikanth, who creates hysteria wherever he goes. And rightly so.
The man may be unassuming in real life. But when he dons the greasepaint, he becomes a chameleon. Nothing is impossible for the Tamil superstar as he transforms into a fighting machine half his age.

And while he's at it, he sports some outlandish outfits. We decided to present some of those right here. Click through the slide show, and vote for the most outrageous look at the end.

Rajni in gold

Makeup can do wonders like giving the 60-year-old star a full head of hair and an unlined face. Then there's the military style metallic gold jacket and flares to go with the whole 'Robot' look.

Predictions: IIFA 2010

'Working in Raajneeti was like a dream come true for me'

Here's a question -- What is common between Mera Naam Joker, Junoon, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Kites and Raajneeti?

The last two are actually giveaway clues! In case you still have not got it, the correct answer lies in the foreign actors who have played a significant role in all these movies.

If it was Russian actress Kseniya Ryabinkina in Mera Naam Joker, Shashi Kapoor's Junoon saw British actress Jennifer Kendal, Rachel Shelley was seen in Lagaan, Alice Patten in Rang De Basanti, Barbara Mori and Nicholas Brown in Kites and finally Sarah Thompson in Raajneeti.

Prakash Jha's multi starrer movie will see Sarah Thompson play a key role. rediff.com's Srabanti Chakrabarti caught up with the pretty actress for freewheeling conversation. Excerpts from the meeting.

How did you land up in India?

A year back my manager in LA asked me whether I would be interested in an Indian film. I have always been fascinated about Indian culture and wanted to come to India and work here, so I said yes.

He asked me to meet Prakash Jha immediately in LA. I still remember that we had a long breakfast meeting which went on for three hours! We discussed everything -- right from from Indian politics to American politics, Indian heritage, culture, films our families and almost everything under the sun!

He watched some of my work and then offered the role in Raajneeti. Since I was so fascinated with India, it was almost like a dream come true for me

Gags that'll make you gag

That's right, the closing credits of Sajid Khan's [ Images ] latest film Housefull feature video from Sajid Nadiadwala's birthday party, complete with shots of cake, cast and crew assembled grinningly around the producer. It's an unbelievable new low, and trust Sajid Khan to hit it before anyone else does.

The film itself is just as distasteful. Just as you've stopped cringing at a typical farcical stereotype, another one comes along: the black baby makes way for the gay jokes, after which come pun-laden Sikhs Santa and Banta, all while people reassuringly tell their elder brothers things like 'oh, of course he's rich.' You get the drift.

The director of Heyy Babyy is an offensive humourist, and while there might not be anything wrong with that approach per se, he tries far too hard to forcibly inject consistently lame humour from every pore of his film. Watching Housefull is exhausting, above all else.

It's also a film starring Akshay Kumar [ Images ] surrounded by a parade of increasingly bad actors. The superstar occasionally (very very occasionally, maybe three times in total) deadpans a bad line and makes it shine, but around him is a festival of bad acting: led by Deepika Padukone [ Images ] of the miraculous legs and plasticky expressions, Jiah Khan [ Images ] who can't stop smiling, presumably at being in a film of this scale, Lara Dutta [ Images ] louder than ever, Chunky Pandey [ Images ] trying to play an Italian, and capped by Arjun Rampal [ Images ], whose scowling world-weariness reaches ridiculous heights as he grimaces to himself in a bubble bath.

To Kumar's credit, keeping a mostly-straight face in this monstrosity is quite a feat. The writing is abominable, the plot not worth a mention, and the generous helpings of syrupy melodrama around the 'comedy' plain unforgivable.

You may wonder if this film's a ripoff of any particular Hollywood DVD, but Sajid would probably say its his homage to Ben Stiller's [ Images ] worst films, picking plotpoints from Along Came Polly, The Heartbreak Kid and Meet The Parents.

Leave all that aside, however. Bad taste, plagiarism, lack of logic: none of these are impediments to an effective comedy.

Khan, however, seems to be daring us to enjoy this uneven film, serving us essentially a Priyadarshan [ Images ] farce, only replacing Paresh Rawal [ Images ], Rajpal Yadav [ Images ] and Asrani [ Images ] with people who look good in bikinis.

The funniest moment in the film -- and there are very, very few contenders -- comes when Riteish Deshmukh [ Images ], driven to hysterical giggles presumably by the sheer absurdity of it all, talks about a phone falling into a bathtub and joyfully puns on it, calling it having 'phone tub-ble.'

Yes, that is the film's finest moment -- not particularly hard to believe when two grown men slap around a father-figure with great gusto, over and over again in the hope that there will be laughter. Well, when they aren't slapping a monkey, anyway.

On the Akshay Kumar filmography, this film deserves pride of place right between Chandni Chowk To China and Kambakkht Ishq. Kumar's paid dozens of crores for this shtick, but what's your excuse for watching?

HC stays use of Lawaris song in Housefull

CommentThe Calcutta High Court restrained the use of the 1981 hit song Apne to jayse tayse from Amitabh Bachchan [ Images ] starrer Lawaris in the Sajid Khan [ Images ] directed Housefull, which premiered on Friday.

In an interim stay till June 2, Justice Nadira Patherya on Friday restrained producer Sajid Nadiadwala from the cinematic use of the Kalyanji-Anandji number in the new film, where it has been remixed with another song Dhanno.

Anandji and the heirs of music directors Kalyanji had filed a suit before the High Court claiming that the producers of Housefull had used the song Apne to jayse tayse, thodi aise ya oyse without the copyright.

Heirs of Prakash Mehra [ Images ], producer of Lawaris, also filed a separate suit before the court claiming that the song was written by the late Mehra and the right to the lyrics remained with them.

After hearing the two songs, which had similarities prima facie, Justice Patherya ordered the injunction restraining the defendants from using the number till June 2.

Justice Patherya directed the parties to file affidavits in two weeks and the matter would be heard again after three weeks.

The counsel for Nadiadwala sought a stay of the order of injunction so that he could appeal before a larger bench, but the judge turned down the plea.

Nadiadwala's counsel had earlier stated that they had bought the rights from music company Saregama India Ltd [ Get Quote ], which claimed to have the rights to the songs of the 1981 film.

Lawaris was a blockbuster and the song, sung by Kishore Kumar [ Images ], continues to be popular 29-years after the film's release.

Variety in attire will be spice of Ash's life this year

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has lined up a range of diverse looks for 2010. Her looks in Raavan, Endhiran, Action Replayy and Guzaarish promise variety.
In Mani Ratnam's thriller Raavan, fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee has given Ash what he defines as a "very organic and rustic look". Vipul Shah's Action Replayy, a story that moves through four decades, will see her sport attires defining the seventies, eighties, nineties and the 2000s.

Mukherjee is also designing Ash's attire in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish . He promised never - before ethnic splendour for the actress in that film. Tamil bigwig Shankar's Endhiran ( earlier titled Robot ) will see the former Miss World in bright colours, often bordering on the garish, typical of South Indian cinema.

"Ash's beauty can be limiting... So, she tries to underplay her beauty by taking up diverse and challenging roles," Mukherjee said. "In Raavan , she plays a classical dancer who is an educated and urban girl. Since the character is rooted to her culture, I have designed a contemporary yet rustic look with a puritan feel and realistic sensibilities. I gave her a lot of Khadi dresses and clothes from handloom shops," he added.

Ash, on her part, said her character Ragini is a strong woman in sync with modern India. Endhiran - opposite Rajnikanth - packages Ash as a typical south heroine. Her wardrobe mostly comprises saris and dresses in loud hues and even includes feathered and jewelled headgear.

Fashion designer Manish Malhotra, has styled Ash's look and attire for the Rs 120 - crore film. The look is in sync with the masala fantasy adventure film, he said.

The actress's look in Endhiran is multi - dimensional. "Ash's character in the film is a simple one that gradually gets a contemporary avatar that borders on fantasy," Malhotra said. He shopped in New York for the right colours in Ash's costumes.

The year - end will see Ash's fourth release of 2010 — Guzaarish , opposite Hrithik Roshan. While Bhansali maintains strict secrecy on the film, Mukherjee said Ash's look will "be completely different from what we have seen till date". But Action Replayy promises the biggest variety. Ash sports over 125 dresses in it. The makers of the film said this was justified as her character travels in time. Director Shah said Ash's character "loves to wear all sorts of clothes and keeps shopping all the time". Ash will sport everything from simple salwar - kameez to funky leather attire and multicoloured wigs in the film.

In a song dedicated to seventies screen couples such as Rajesh Khanna - Mumtaz, Amitabh Bachchan - Jaya Bhaduri, Dharmendra - Hema Malini and Rishi Kapoor - Dimple Kapadia, Ash and her co - star Akshay Kumar will be seen in heavy retro gear.

Shah refuted claims that the retro look is a copy of any specific film or star.

He said Akshay, Ash and the costume design team went through videos footage, especially TV footages of live cricket matches of the seventies, to arrive at the right look.

'People are going to laugh when I speak Hindi'

In his upcoming bilingual film, Raavan in Hindi and Raavanan in Tamil, renowned director Mani Ratnam has put the skills of National Film Award-winner actor Vikram to the ultimate test!

In the Hindi version, Vikram stars as Dev, alongside Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (as Ragini) and Abhishek Bachchan (as Beera).

But in the Tamil version, Vikram plays Beera, the part played by Abhishek in the Hindi version! Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stays on as Ragini while Prithviraj Sukumaran plays Dev.

Confused yet?

Imagine how difficult a task it must have been for Vikram, to play two distinct and different roles. Even more challenging? The films were shot simultaneously, forcing Vikram to constantly change his clothes, make-up, body language and mannerisms.

The iconic Tamil actor described this unique experience to rediff.com's Patcy N. Excerpts:

Was it difficult to dub in two languages Tamil and Hindi, considering you are not fluent in Hindi?

It was difficult, but I think I was lucky that I had to do Beera in Tamil. Beera is more volatile. If I had to do Beera in Hindi, it would have been more difficult. Dev is quite cool and very focused. He does not go ballistic, so it was quite easy. And I always had Mani sir's help.

Monkeying around is a no - no for Akki

What do you expect when Akshay Kumar is in da house? Fun? Witty one - liners? But the star was not his usual chirpy self as he came to the Capital on Tuesday with the star cast - minus Lara Dutta - of the comedy film, Housefull.
To start with, Akshay scolded a young journalist when he asked him about a funny sequence with a monkey in Housefull. Akki took off, saying, "It's just a film, it has got nothing to do reality. Sajid (Khan) has just written a funny scene." That's not all. Akshay was terse in his reply to a question about his fat pay cheque. "Now, I have started producing my own films. So, there's no question of any fee cut now."

One wonders whether this lack of cheer is the effect of the six back-to-back flops that the actor churned out last year. But at least the wry one-liners were in place. "I did 8/10 Tasveer, but I didn't even get 4/2," he said.

Sajid, on his part claimed that the film would be the biggest blockbuster of 2010. "My film has already got 90-95 per cent advance booking in single screen halls. Plus, its songs are highest selling music as ring tones," said Sajid, who also added that the film was going to be "career-defining" for most of the cast members.

The Housefull ladies - Deepika Padukone and Jiah Khan - were largely quiet as the male cast members did most of the talking. Jiah, in her heavy accent, asserted that Deepika was absolutely gorgeous - and that there were no catfights on the sets. Lara meanwhile was absent due to a severe back ache.

Riteish Deshmukh and Arjun Rampal were on a mutual admiration spree. Riteish claimed that Arjun plays the toughest part because the comedy is happening around him; the National Award winner on his part said that life was easier with such talented co-stars around.

Sajid also announced that he has used antipiracy software, Republique, to ensure there are no illegal downloads of the film. "If anyone tries downloading it, not only will the files get corrupted but their IP address will pop up and they will be prosecuted," he said. Whether the film will be downloaded at all, remains to be seen.

'The highlight of Housefull is not the bikini'

Her decision to don a bikini in Housefull has won her legions of fans but Deepika Padukone says she is taken aback by the attention the short sequence is receiving.

The leggy beauty will be seen strutting her stuff on an Italian beach with her co-stars Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh in Housefull, but she says there is more to the film than just bikinis.

"When you are shooting on a beach in Italy, you have to look sexy. However, the highlight of the film is not the bikini here. I remember people making a big deal about Priyanka (Chopra) wearing a swimsuit in Dostana but we know that the film was a lot more than that," Deepika told PTI.

The actress, who has paired up once again with Akshay a year after the Chandni Chowk To China debacle, has no qualms about wearing a bikini, if the script demands so.

'"All the advertising is fine as long as everyone related to the film is aware about the real intent. On the same lines in Housefull too, we girls appear in bikinis for a while but the film moves on. The focus is not skin show. But then when some people think so, it takes away the credibility of the director," said Padukone.

Akshay's role in 'Tees Maar Khan' inspired by Robin Hood: Farah

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Akshay Kumar plays a con man in 'Tees Maar Khan' and director Farah Khan says his role is inspired by English folklore hero Robin Hood.

'In 'Tees Maar Khan', Akshay plays modern-day extra smart conman, who steals the money from the rich and gives it to the poor, someone like Robin Hood,' Farah told IANS in an interview.

'Around 50 to 55 percent of the film is complete and we plan to finish shooting by September. Like always, in this film also you will see a mix of action, comedy and emotions.'

This is Farah's third film after 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Om Shanti Om', but first one without Shah Rukh Khan who played main lead in both her previous movies.

The choreographer-turned-director is expected to release the film on Christmas. Apart from Akshay, 'Tees Maar Khan' also stars Katrina Kaif, Akshaye Khanna, Arya Babbar, Aman Verma and Ali Asgar.

With 'Tees Maar Khan', Akshay is gearing up for an image makeover - he will be seen sporting an Indian Muslim look. Renowned designer Aki Narula has worked on his costumes alongside an international team of make-up artists and hairdressers.

Apart from choreographing and directing, Farah has hosted the chat show 'Tere Mere Beach Mein' on STAR Plus. She was also a judge on dance reality shows - 'Nach Baliye 4' and season one of 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa'.

Farah has once again taken the judge's seat on Zee TV's dance reality show 'Dance India Dance Li'l Masters', where she will be seen judging kids aged 5-14 years old.

'I am a reality show junky. I enjoy judging because these shows make us believe there is so much talent here. I feel reality shows are a great platform as it gives great exposure as well as recognition to individuals. As a judge I'll try not to be harsh to the kids,' said Farah who was recently here to promote the show.

When asked what does she think of the government guidelines that children under a certain age should not be a part of reality shows, Farah said: 'If these kids are not brought forward how will we get to know they are so talented.

'I feel it depends upon the parents how they mould their children, whether they turn out to be aggressive or take the competition in a healthy way.'

I want to work with Aamir Khan again: Darsheel Safary

New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Child actor Darsheel Safary, who teamed up with Aamir Khan in 'Taare Zameen Par', says he wants to work with his mentor again.

'I'm really looking forward to work with Aamir Khan again. I have been appreciated for my work so much and that is all because of Aamir sir,' Darsheel, who will be seen in 'Bumm Bumm Bole', told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

Directed by Priyadarshan, 'Bumm Bumm Bole' is a remake of Iranian film 'Children of Heaven'.

'Me and my family have been in constant touch with him (Aamir). Moreover, before starting my shooting for 'Bumm Bumm Bole' I took blessings from him, after all he is my guru,' said Darsheel.

Talking about 'Bumm Bumm Bole', he said: 'The film was very fast and very quick. Priyadarshan sir used to explain everything very fast and the sets were all ready.'

Releasing May 14, 'Bumm Bumm Bole' is a poignant story of two siblings, their dilemmas and how they fight their way to overcome these.

The 14-year-old will also be seen in Walt Disney's 'Zokkomon' as a superhero. Debutant Satyajit Bhatkal has directed the film.

Deepika Padukone - before the camera and behind it too!

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Being in front of the camera as a model and then as an actress has taught Deepika Padukone how to give the right shots, but did you know that the 24-year-old is a keen photographer and always carries her camera.

The actress, who was here Wednesday to announce her association with Sony India's Cyber-shot digital camera range as the brand ambassador, said even though she is not a gadget person, she always carries a camera with her.


'Apart from my mobile phone, I always carry a camera,' Deepika, who came in a copper metallic short dress, told reporters here.


'In fact, it is very important to carry one of these and just capture moments because you never know when, where, what is going to happen and you can capture one of the most beautiful moments and look back at them years later and cherish them,' added the actress.


There is nothing particular that the actress wants to capture. She likes using the camera for anything and everything that excites her.


'I shoot all kinds of things. I shoot people, I shoot if I see something strange or funny. If I find a funny poster somewhere, I shoot that because it brings back old memories,' she said.


Talking about her association with Sony, Deepika said: 'It's (camera) classy, fashionable, sleek, stylish and at the same time very user-friendly and I think these are the qualities that Sony saw in me as a person and I see in them as a brand.


'I eagerly look forward to making a positive contribution to the brand imagery of Cyber-shot cameras and fulfil the expectations from this association,' said Deepika.


She also endorses brands like Levi's Strauss Signature, Kingfisher Airlines, Tissot watches and BSNL, among others.

Masaru Tamagawa, managing director of Sony India, said: 'We were looking for a brand ambassador whose personality could mirror this experience and give it a materialistic form. Deepika is a free spirited, bubbly, young girl who at the same time is extremely talented and a professional.

'The association seemed obvious with so many common factors between Cyber-shot and Deepika which appeal to the youth instantly.'


Tamagawa also revealed that the company will invest Rs.500 million towards marketing activities with Deepika, which include television commercials, print campaigns, outdoor and shop-front display.

Shilpa Shetty visits Ajmer Sharif in a burkha

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, the co-owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals, visited the Ajmer Sharif shrine wearing a burkha to escape public attention.

'Visited the famous dargah Ajmer Sharif. Yusuf (Pathan) very sweetly arranged everything even the burkha...thank god I wore it,' Shilpa posted on her Twitter account.

However, the burkha was not enough to hide the 34-year-old's identity.

'Thought we had fooled people but the word spread, it was manic but so glad we could visit. (I) have a lot of faith in Faith,' she added.

'I may get married in two years'

Katrina Kaif has replaced Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan as the brand ambassador for Nakshatra Diamonds. On Wednesday, when she launched Nakshatra Vivaah -- an exclusive bridal line -- she also answered questions about her marriage and soon-to-be-released film, Raajneeti

What are your plans for the future? When do you plan to marry?

I may get married in two years. At the same time, two years is long time so things may change.

Life has taught me not to make plans because man proposes and God disposes -- everytime you make a plan, God changes it. I try to live for now and right now I live for my work.

I am young and can do a lot of things for myself. I want to be genuine to my work. You should respect what is given to you.

What does marriage mean to you?

Marriage is special. I think marriage is a time of happiness. It takes a great deal of character and confidence for two people to make such a commitment to each other.

Wedding bells for Nagma?

Popular South Indian actress Nagma (sister of Tollywood actress Jyotika), who appeared in a number of super hit movies like Baasha, Kadhalan, Love Birds, Gharana, Allari Alludu and Major Chandrakanth in all Indian languages including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, then migrated to Bhojpuri films, will be married this year. The announcement was reportedly made by the actress herself. My marriage will take place this year. I will announce about the bridegroom shortly. There were rumours linking me with director Deepak, Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan and cricket player Ganguly. All these relations were purely business-related. There is no truth in these rumours, the actress reportedly said. Further details are awaited.

Jiah Khan: I wasn't competing with anyone in the bikini shot

Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

After tantalizing audience in NISHABD and GHAJINI, Jiah Khan has gone a step ahead in HOUSEFULL by wearing a two piece bikini for a song sequence. Since the film also has Deepika Padukone and Lara Dutta turning on the glam avatar while being seen in a bikini, one can well expect a healthy competition between the trio, right?
"No, I am sure that was not the case here", immediately negates Jiah, "There was never any competition whatsoever around who would turn out looking better than the other. See, no one is immature out here, least of all someone like Deepika or Lara. They are here for long and everyone understands that people are just playing their roles. Also, the most wonderful thing is that all of us look so different. You may say that I am being diplomatic but if you ask me then if at all there was someone who was feeling nervous, it was me."

And pray, why was that so?

"That's because compared to Deepika and Lara, I am the real short one", laughs Jiah, "While both of them were super confident, I was worried if I would look really proper. See, Lara has been a Miss Universe and has been a professional in the glamour world for long. She is pretty mature about things like these. As for Deepika, she has been a model and worn bikini in the past. Both these females boast of such huge confidence which is remarkable. This is the reason why there was no competition at all. How could I even think that I would be competing with them?"

Kat Faces Sonia Sting!

The political whip has started cracking. And expectedly, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi hasn't taken to it too lightly. Reportedly, Mrs. Gandhi stonewalled a Press Meet of 'Raajneeti' at New Delhi leaving director Prakash Jha rather red faced!

It's been alleged that Madam Gandhi's sycophants alerted her that Katrina Kaif's 'look' in 'Raajneeti' has been acutely modelled on the Congress politico, including her basic sari styling.

Jha… all excited to present viewers with his premier glimpse of 'Raajneeti' realised that… there was a ban on 'Raajneeti' events in public places! Finally, the event had to be convened indoors in a Gurgaon hotel on the outskirts of Delhi!

"I would like Soniaji to see my film," urges Jha in a tabloid chat. "She will know the truth."

Saif -Bebo at Padma AwardsShowing 1 of 7 Photos See All Photos Start SlideshowPrevNext

Patil with actors Rekha Ganeshan, Saif Ali Khan Pataudi and Kareena Kapoor during Padma Awards 2010 function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Subhav Shukla

On-Spot: Rambha's Wedding

Actress Rambha married NRI businessman Kasi Pilaai Indra Kumar in Tirumala...Click on, for exclusive snaps of the event!

Spotted: Sania and Shoaib in Dubai

'I met Sania (Mirza) and Shoaib (Malik)... the much-talked-about wedding these days.

'The couple was there in Dubai, Indian consulate, for some documentation and paper work for Sania to be a resident of Dubai.

'As soon as they came out of the embassy they were hugging and holding hands,' writes Gaurav.

Thank-you, Gaurav, for sharing this picture!

A statement by Sania's father Imran Mirza stated that 23-year-old Sania and the 28-year-old all-rounder will be based in Dubai, where Malik is a resident.

'This is a unique case where the husband and wife will represent their respective countries in sport,' said Mirza in Hyderabad.

'My wedding inshallah is going to be the biggest day of my life. I have been in the constant glare for too long and would appreciate privacy at this very personal moment in my life,' Sania was quoted as saying.

If you encounter your favourite cricket/sports personalities, do send the photograph or video to sportsdesk@rediff.co.in We will feature the best images right here on Rediff Sports or Rediff Cricket.


- More reader photographs: Cricket Sports


Image: Sania Mirza and Gaurav Mehta

Bollywood's most awaited multistarrers in 2010

It's been an interesting start to 2010. Already we have two young filmmakers setting the bar way, way high with films like Ishqiya and Love Sex Aur Dhokha, and Karan Johar's shown he's in box office form as well with Shah Rukh Khan starrer My Name Is Khan.

Still, the year hasn't yet shown its big releases, the ones that rely on several names to draw in the crowds, the ones with the big posters.

Ladies and gents, here are the multistarrers to expect in 2010:

Housefull

Sajid Khan's optimistically titled release stars Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Jiah Khan, Lara Dutta, Arjun Rampal and Ritesh Deshmukh, with Malaika Arora and Jacqueline Fernandes.

The Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy soundtrack is already making waves. We haven't heard which Hollywood blockbuster this one's 'inspired by' just yet, but its heartening to see Sajid sticking to conventional spelling this time around.


Image: A scene from Housefull

Arbaaz mad at impersonator

Social networking sites have their flip side. Now, Arbaaz Khan is bearing the brunt of it. Recently, a person posing as his brother Salman Khan sent him vicious personal messages on Twitter . 'I'm shocked by the way some people spew venom on Twitter and use it to vent their anger and frustrations. This guy posing as my brother abused and threatened me and sent me 20 malicious messages,' says Arbaaz, who has now blocked the person from his account. 'I am fine with constructive criticism or a difference of opinion. But personal jibes and abuse to one's family is not done,' said the actor.

Are they on or off ?

Rumours about Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor refuse to die down.

Don't know if it is all smoke or there's fire as well.

Apparently, Ranbir loves the linkup with Kat and never discourages gossip in the media.

Katrina, too, on her part, keeps adding fuel to the fire. Like when she went on the sets of Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan in Mumbai recently on a day she wasn't needed.

Some said Kat made sure she was seen on her own movie set, but the real reason for her visit was to meet Ranbir who was shooting an ad on a set nearby. The actress thought Tees Maar Khan shooting would help her camouflage her real motive. Surely, some thought went into that, gal!

Hrithik is dancing in dreams!

YOU WILL see Hrithik Roshan perform an electrifying dance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish . He plays the role of a paraplegic who wants permission from the court to end his life. That makes one wonder how Hrithik will dance. Well, Hindi films are famous for dream sequences and it will be in one such dramatic scene that the actor will shake a leg.

Hrithik tweeted recently: ' Did a lyrical jazz dance for Guzaarish . Best dance experience ever! Thanks to Ashley Lobo and his team! His dancing is like an out- of- body experience!' This jig left him with a pulled hamstring, bruised shoulders and knee. But Hrithik wrapped up Kites after his knee surgery.

Now, he has been advised not to do any dance scenes or stunts.

But knowing the perfectionist that Hrithik is, nothing will stop him from giving his best.

Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2010. MTNPL. All rights reserved. By Priyanka Srivastava, Kavita Awaasthi and Noyon Jyoti Parsara

'Going de-glam was new for me'

She first appeared on the film scene with Yahaan in 2005. Since then Minissha Lamba has acted in a couple of films like Bachna Ae Haseeno and Kidnap.

The films didn't exactly set the box office on fire though her skimpy outfits in Kidnap did manage to keep her in the news.

Now, the actress hopes that she will be noticed for her acting in this Friday's release Well Done Abba directed by Shyam Benegal, where she sports a de-glam look. After all she is playing a village school kid in the movie, which also stars Boman Irani and Sammir Dattani.

Nithya Ramani finds out more. Excerpts:

You don't look gaon ki ladki in anyway...

[Laughs] This is indeed something I have never done before. I play a village girl Muskaan. She's a school-going kid in pigtails, who wears a white salwar kurta with a well-pleated blue dupatta. I have no clue how Shyam sir saw Muskaan in me!

I got a call from his office asking me to meet him, and that he had a role for me in his next film. I didn't think twice, because it was Shyam sir! I was willing to do any role he offered me, as long as I was working with him.

Well Done Abba is a comedy, a political satire and a very entertaining film. Muskaan isn't the stereotypical village girl. She is bold, confident and lives her life on her own terms.

Her father -- Abba aka Armaan Ali -- is a progressive Muslim, who does something to deserve a pat on the back.


Image: A scene from Well Done Abba

Lots of static!

The idea of a mystical assistance to succeed through life's inevitable disappointments is quite a fascinating one. Genie in the lamp, Fairy Godmothers or any wish-granting medium is an upshot of this peculiar human fantasy.

Karthik Calling Karthik, too, stems from this deep-rooted desire.

Only our eponymous hero (Farhan Akhtar) isn't Aladdin, Cinderella or Bruce Nolan (of Almighty fame). A stereotypical weak geek at the receiving end of his scowling landlord (Vipin Sharma doing what he does best -- snap) and growling boss (Ram Kapoor with his snarling skills should sign up for Wolf Man), he's pretty much invisible for everyone else in the world, including, the leggy colleague in a pencil skirt (Deepika Padukone) to whom he's written a thousand plus unsent drafts of affection. Basically, he is Amol Palekar of Chhoti Si Baat, sans the goofy smile and mysterious past.

Dude seems to be in desperate need of Cinkara (Hamdard ka tonic, anyone?). But this is Farhan's production. And he's all about indelible charisma, hip aesthetics and urban wit. While the easygoing charm and wall decor is spot on, absence of crisp humour is conspicuously felt all through its loitering 16 reels.

Having said that, it's imperative to remember this is a Vijay Lalwani film. The first-time director is the strength or weakness behind its story, screenplay, dialogue and direction. If you view this with the expectations of a Farhan caper, you're doing both of them great disservice.

In other words, herbal tonic is out of question. Instead Karthik starts receiving strange calls from another Karthik who promises to help him attain everything that is rightly his -- power, money and love.

Desperate for comfort, Karthik doesn't need too much convincing before he takes up the seemingly unconditional offer. In no time, he's promoted from cabin to cubicle and single to boyfriend status.

No personality makeover in Hindi films is complete without a change of wardrobe. Even Sai Paranjape couldn't resist doing this to Farooq Shaikh in Chashme Buddoor. And so it's bye-bye Surinder Sahni and say-hello-to-Dil-Chahta-Hai.

Quickly enough, Lalwani runs out of ideas and till intermission KCK seems to be heading nowhere. Pace (editing by Aarti Bajaj [ Images ]) is one of the film's recurring problems. It's unnecessarily pensive and long-winded for its genre.

Even the romantic interactions are sluggish and uninspired. Although Farhan and Deepika are a cool couple to look at, you don't feel the vibe, mainly, because the conversations are just so 'meh'.

Their chemistry fares better against the breezy Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy [ Images ] composition, Hey Ya, choreographed effectively around their courtship and dating in office, malls, coffee shops and Khandala.

Things get dark and creepy in the second half when the Karthik-Karthik pact takes a beating. This is when Lalwani comes in his element and shows a flair for gritty thrillers without resorting to cheesy exaggeration or relying on excessive technique (camerawork: Sanu John Varughese, background score: Midival Punditz and Karsh Kale).

At this point, the on-going events on screen lead me to construct a sort of Dr Faustus meets The Dark Half brand of murkiness. If only Lalwani was as ambitious as the sinister alternatives in my head.

Teen Patti: Just one big bluff

Teen Patti is a card game, which can have seasoned gamblers salivating at the mouth. Even casual players who may just indulge in a couple of rounds at Diwali or New Year love the excitement. With such a title and Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role, one would have thought the producers have a sure shot winner on their hands.

Unfortunately, not.

One of the most popular moves in Teen Patti is 'Blind'. But here, it seems director Leena Yadav was moving blindly in all directions.

Amitabh Bachchan (Venkat Subramanium) is an unsuccessful Maths professor whose superiors claim his research projects have no practical applications. But his latest is a dissertation on the Theory of Probability which can help them predict the winner in a card game and earn megabucks in the process. So the tutor and his bunch of students are encouraged to take a shot at implementing the theory in the real world. And then all hell breaks loose.

The students, who started out as middle-class simpletons, turn into raving lunatics overnight. They come and go as they please, stash hundreds of rupees in their hostel rooms and get hysterical.

The script doesn't evolve, it just jumps jerkily from one level to another so that the director can take her story to a predictable end. Such a pity because co-writer Shiv Subramaniam has written such brilliant films like Parinda and Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi.

It's getting tiring watching R Madhavan [ Images ] doing young man roles. He hasn't lost his acting abilities but he really needs to rid himself of his flab. The energy and zest that the actor used to bring on screen -- especially seen in Guru -- is missing.

After The Last Lear [ Images ], it was just a matter of time before somebody tried to recreate a similar persona for Amitabh Bachchan. But the consistency is missing here. Bachchan does his best but he's tied down with a clichéd script.

Also, his costumes don't make him look like a millionaire, who can afford to lose lakhs of rupees in one night. In a few scenes, he is seen wearing a white shirt and coat, and looks straight out of Cheeni Kum.

The script is not the only place where the clichés abound. The underground gambling dens are garish and look straight out of Dev D [ Images ]. The high-profile parties and casinos look even more bizarre. It's apparent they were trying to create a Las Vegas [ Images ] kind of effect but it just doesn't work.

Shakti Kapoor [ Images ] was the fun part of the film. He's called Prem London [ Images ], a loud-mouthed compulsive gambler. His dialogues are full of expletives. His daughter Shraddha makes her debut in the film as Aparna. Though a bit raw, she has a lot of potential.

In fact, it is the acting prowess of the ensemble cast that gets you involved. Newcomers Dhruv Ganesh, Siddharth Kher and Vaibhav Talwar show great promise. This is one aspect where Leena Yadav has really delivered the goods.

Three decades after Gandhi, Ben Kingsley still weaves magic for the Indian audiences. As Kingsley and Bachchan share their life experiences, there is the sheer pleasure of watching two legends share screen space. And since there is no attempt to overshadow the other, the experience is memorable. It's difficult to visualise other actors in these roles. Teen Patti is worth a watch just for the actors.

Khan Turns Right… Into American Television

Anil Kapoor strode into the world limelight with 'Slumdog Millionaire' and strangely, Irrfan Khan, who's garnered fame from global fests and the foreign Press kept a comparatively low key image.

Kapoor beamed some more with '24', but presently, it's Khan's turn with two notable offerings: 'Right Yaaa Wrong' on the Indian front and season 3 of the American series 'In Treatment'. Buzz has it, that Khan who will scoot off to New York to shoot all the 43 episodes is all gung ho about his television appearance in the US.

The Neeraj Pathak helmed 'Right Yaaa Wrong' showcases Khan as Vinay Patnaik, a cop whose close pal happens to be Ajay Shridhar (Sunny Deol). But a dramatic twist in the tale and a clash of ideologies pits them against each other as harsh rivals!

Konkona Sen Sharma, who enacts a lawyer in the 'Right' flick, enlists Khan as "her favourite actor apart from Naseeruddin Shah" And Deol hasn't been parsimonious as regards his praise either. "Irrfan is such a talented actor," gushes Deol in a media chat. "That you're inspired to give off your best when you work with him."

Neil Nitin traumatised after 'misbehaving' with SRK

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) 'Never again!' Neil Nitin Mukesh shudders at the very thought of the way he was forced to misbehave on stage with Shah Rukh Khan -- by Shah Rukh Khan himself.

Trust Shah Rukh to espouse irreverence. But Neil hasn't been able to get over it. Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu were in a state of shock after Neil's outburst on stage against Shah Rukh Khan at the Filmfare awards.

Two days after Neil told co-hosts Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan to just plainly and simply shut up on stage at the Filmfare Awards at Yashraj studios, the debate rages in the film industry.

Was the well-behaved blue-eyed-boy's aggressive impudence towards his superstar seniors on Neil's home turf (he's known as a full-on Yashraj boy) for real? Or was it just an act?

To rewind a bit: At the Filmfare awards, co-hosts Shah Rukh and Saif Ali Khan decided to take on Neil on stage, riling him endlessly. The final straw was the digs that Shah Rukh took at Neil's name.

'Neil,' said Shah Rukh, 'Why do you have three first names and no surname? My name is Khan. Saif too is a Khan. How come you have no last name?'

Neil couldn't take the slight to his family name. He not-so-gently reminded Shah Rukh that he ought to restrain himself because his, Neil's, father was sitting in the audience.

And then, horror of horrors, he told Shah Rukh to just shut up.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the auditorium.

Recalling the incident with an uncomfortable laugh, Neil said: 'I'm still shaking. Imagine me telling Shah Rukh Khan to shut up! But I did. That isn't all. At the end of the show I walked up to Shah Rukh and Saif and broke eggs on their heads.'

But relax. It was all part of an act.

'It was all planned by Shah Rukh sir. I was told by the organisers, the Moranis, from beforehand that I was supposed to be part of Shah Rukh's act. I was supposed to reach early and rehearse for it. But as luck would have it I had gone to town to pick up my parents and got stuck in the traffic. By the time I reached the venue there was only time for a quick briefing on what I had to do.'

Shah Rukh walked up to Neil and quickly told him the plan on stage.

Neil was aghast. 'How could I say shut up to Shah Rukh Khan? I've never been rude even to my driver. But he insisted. He also told me to throw eggs at him and Saif at the end of the show. I begged and pleaded to spare me. But Shah Rukh didn't listen.'

Neil did his own on-the-spot improvisation on stage to spare himself the aggravated agony. 'Instead of throwing the eggs I walked up to Saif and Shah Rukh and broke the eggs on their heads. How could I throw eggs at them? Their fans would never forgive me!'

After the act Neil's shocked father has still not forgiven his son, although he has been told it was all in jest.

Says Neil: 'Bipasha rushed to me and said if it was an act then it was really scary. Katrina stormed up to me after the show and told me to apologize to Shah Rukh, at once.'

Laughing nervously, Neil re-lived the trauma of being forced to be rude to a hero he worships.

'I'm glad people finally got to see my mischievous side... But no thanks. Never again.'

Three brides in waiting - who will Rahul choose?

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Three nervous hopeful brides have their fingers crossed for the big event - who among them will Rahul Mahajan choose to marry at the lavish televised wedding here Saturday night.

Kolkata-based Dimpy Ganguly and Nikunj Malik and Harpreet Chhabbra - both from Delhi - are decked in wedding finery for the finale of NDTV Imagine's much-hyped reality show 'Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega', to be telecast at 9 p.m.

Rahul, son of slain Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pramod Mahajan, will make his decision on who among the three he will marry. It will be his second marriage.

Harpreet, a 21-year-old model and anchor, is nervous and says 'I hope Rahul's decision is in my favour.'

The girls have wooed Rahul in every possible way during the show, leaving behind 14 contestants. Over 16,500 women applied to be on the show.

After Rahul gives his decision, the wedding is set to take place with many celebrities in attendance as well as Rahul's immediate family.

Rahul, who ended his marriage with childhood friend Shweta Singh in 2008, has planned to go to the Maldives and Ireland for his honeymoon, if a court which is holding his passport allows him to do so. He is facing charges of using banned drugs.

Article on Aishwarya is 'slander' says Bachchan

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan today defended his decision to boycott the Filmfare awards, where he was adjudged best actor for his role in 'Paa', saying he did it to protest against the "slanderous" media report about his daughter-in-law Aishwarya.

"The article was indecent and any man in the world must oppose if such an obscene article is written about a woman in his family," the 68-year-old actor said on his blog.

The veteran movie star termed the article in a city-based tabloid, as "slanderous".

Lambasting the report Bachchan said "the modesty of a lady in my house was slandered...the article slandered Aishwarya, so it was very difficult to participate in a function organised by the same media house."

No women would like her personal issues such as fertility or motherhood being discussed in this manner, he added.

An article published last week claimed Aishwarya, married to Amitabh's son Abhishek was suffering from stomach tuberculosis and this might be the reason that she had not yet conceived.

Amitabh demanded a public apology from the media house and since this did not take place, the entire Bachchan parivar boycotted the Filmfare award ceremony organised by the same group yesterday.

Even Aishwarya, who was to perform at the awards, pulled out from the event and the Bachchans have served a legal notice to the newspaper.

"For the moment... that despite a few personal apologies from the management and owners, no public apology has taken place. You cannot abuse me in public and then come and say sorry to me in private," he wrote on his blog.

(Source: PTI)

This year enjoy IPL matches live at cinema halls

New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Many cinema halls around the country have decided to create a stadium-like atmosphere by screening live the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.

The matches, from March 12 to April 25, will be played in India after being held in South Africa the last time. The matches will be screened in multiplexes as well as on single screens.

'It is a new and exciting offer. Usually the traditional method is to show films in theatres, so this is something innovative,' UFO Moviez India CEO Rajesh Mishra told IANS.

UFO Moviesz is a digital satellite cinema network that will facilitate the live showcase of matches in cinema halls.

Mishra revealed that many multiplexes warmed up to this initiative because not many big budget films are releasing during the period of the IPL.

'IPL has become a strong property. On top of that, no big budget film is releasing during this period. So, screening matches will be beneficial for the halls because no major film shows will be affected and they (theatres) will have something to fall back upon for sustenance,' he added.

Amit Awasthi, manager (programming and operations) of Spice Cinemas, told IANS: 'We have eight screens and no big films are releasing during the IPL. So we thought it will be good to experiment and see the response by screening the matches.'

Industry sources say there will be benefits of watching cricket matches in cinema halls.

It will be a high definition live event, there will be uninterrupted advertisement-free viewing, 33 percent more image as well as the stadium atmosphere.

Around 800 screens around India, including close to 65 in Delhi and surrounding areas, are expected to screen the matches.

Multiplexes like Cinemax, INOX, Fame and PVR among others gearing up for this new offering.

As far as the ticket prices are concerned, halls have decided to keep them equivalent to movie ticket prices.

'We are not increasing the ticket prices. People would have to pay what they pay for films,' said Yogesh Raizada, corporate head (cinemas) of Wave Cinemas.

'We are planning corporate and marketing tie-ups to increase our profits. We won't put any pressure on ticket prices,' he added.

'We will decide something between Rs.400-500 for the tickets,' said Rohan Doshi, in-charge of bulk bookings, Cinemax.

So are they expecting a good response?

'Its an experiment. We don't know what to expect but I'm sure we won't suffer losses even if we don't make heavy profits,' said Awasthi.

Cricket fans are excited too.

'We now experience the feel of a stadium without being in the stadium. I am planning a bulk booking for all my friends so that we can watch the matches together,' said Shantanu Roy, a banker.

Amitabh Bachchan feels proud to be associated with Indian cinema

Mumbai, Mar 1 (ANI): Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has said that Indian cinema is one entity that brings all together, adding that he feels proud to be associated with it.

Brooke Bond India Limited honoured Bachchan with a special award named 'Taj Enlighten Tareef Award' for his contribution to Indian film industry.

In his thanks giving and acceptance speech, Amitabh Bachchan said, "In many ways I feel that Indian cinema is a great integrator and at a time when all of us are thinking separately wanted to do things separately of bringing divides amongst ourselves."

" Indian cinema is one entity that is bringing all of us together and I think I feel very proud to be associated with it," he claimed.

Bachchan made his film debut in 1969 as one of the seven protagonists in 'Saat Hindustani' but won critical acclaim and success in 1971 with the film Anand.

The film, which catapulted him to the path of super-stardom, was 'Sholay'. After this Amitabh kept giving hits like 'Amar Akbar Anthony', 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Trishul' and 'Muqaddar Ka Sikander' among others and since then he has never looked back. (ANI)

Bollywood's Richest Actor

The fast, furious and fleeting appearance of King Khan in Gurgaon takes the revellers' breath away. Even more breathtaking, however, is that SRK flew back to Mumbai the next morning, richer, reportedly by Rs 5 crore that was paid for his 10-minute cameo.

By: Dhiman Chattopadhyay and Anusha Subramanian (Business Today)

December 31, 2009: Time: Close to the witching hour. Location: A party hotspot in Gurgaon on New Delhi's outskirts to which a city-based gutkha baron has invited hundreds of celebrities and wannabes to usher in the New Year. A string of performers-from singer Shankar Mahadevan to starlets such as Minissha Lamba-strut their stuff. Suddenly, out of nowhere emerges an eminently recognisable bundle of nervous energy-a certain Shah Rukh Khan. He jokes, shakes a leg and does a quick song-and-dance routine. The fast, furious and fleeting appearance of the 44-year-old Badshah of Bollywood takes the revellers' breath away. Even more breathtaking, however, is that SRK flew back to Mumbai the next morning, richer, reportedly by Rs 5 crore that was paid for his 10-minute cameo.

November 2009: SRK is shooting a new ad for direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Dish TV-a film in which SRK as a senior citizen relives his romantic heydays thanks to the pictures beamed by Dish TV on the telly. Between shots he quizzes company COO Salil Kapoor on the DTH business, and is keen to know how it works. He also doesn't lose the opportunity to tell the agency, McCann Erickson, that the ad was conceptualised by him. "But what impressed me most was his knowledge of consumer behaviour and marketing. He could easily give a lecture at an IIM on the subject," says Kapoor. The ad is shot over three days after which SRK walks away with a Rs 7-crore cheque.

February 12, 2010: My Name is Khan, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, is slated for release. The story of an autistic Mumbai Muslim who marries a Hindu could add some Rs 10 crore to SRK's kitty if audiences lap it up. Eleven days prior to this, Shah Rukh rang the opening bell at the New York-based NASDAQ stock exchange, an honour usually reserved for CEOs.

February 26: Discovery Travel and Living's 10-part series, Living with a Superstar-Shah Rukh Khan, will go on air. The biggest Indian show on TV, with a budget of nearly Rs 20 crore, delves into different shades of SRK's life: As a father, a husband, a businessman, and of course, an entertainer. SRK personally will not earn much from this show. Red Chillies Idiot Box, an arm of SRK's Red Chillies Entertainment, which is co-producing the show, stands to gain much of the spoils. Discovery has already sold all ad inventories for this show.

Every step he takes, every move he makes, somebody's out there watching him-and somebody's out there willing to pay a small fortune to see him perform. Whether he's acting, or endorsing a brand, or just being himself at an awards ceremony, SRK mints money. And let's not forget the company he owns along with wife Gauri: Red Chillies Entertainment, which has diversified into highgrowth areas of entertainment like visual effects, television commercials, television programming, in addition to the mainstay of film-making. Put all these interests together and you have a superstar with a net worth of roughly Rs 1,500 crore, making him arguably Bollywood's richest star.

Bollywood's Richest Actor

THE Rs 1,500* cr HERO

BRAND ENDORSEMENTS : Rs 238 cr, 34 brands; charges Rs 7 crore for each

SHOWS AND EVENTS: Rs 75 cr

ACTING IN FILMS: Rs 12 cr Per film or a share of the profit

RED CHILLIES ENTERTAINMENT (Including Kolkata Knight Riders): Rs 500 cr

MISC. ASSETS: Rs 10 cr Includes luxury cars, designer watches, etc.

REAL ESTATE: Rs 650 cr Includes homes in Mumbai, London and Dubai, and other real estate investments

* Estimates based on sources such as TAM, www.mca.gov.in, and industry sources.

'3 Babes In Bikinis' With Action Kumar!

Get a load of this! Three hot(tt) gals: Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan, are all enacting Akshay Kumar's wives in 'Housefull'! Furthermore, the trio of beauties will all… get set to drool now… show up onscreen in bikinis. ;))))))).

Sajid Nadiadwala's flick has also aided in cementing the bond between the actresses. "Lara and I are both from Bangalore, and so there was camaraderie from day one," reveals Deepika in a tabloid inter phew.

"We come from similar backgrounds," states Lara in a media chat, "Like me, Deepika too was a model in Bangalore, so that was the common factor." Jiah, they aver, is the baby, and the duo are usually busy mollycoddling the saucy Khan.

Flashing a thigh, showing some cleavage, revealing skin… are all fine with the 'Housefull' girls. Presently, we're just 'Housefull' with anticipation….

Asin replaced by Shruti?

Legendary actor Kamal Haasan's daughter Shruti Haasan's Kollywood debut opposite reigning actor Suriya in a film to be directed by talented A.R. Murugadoss is one of the major happenings in the South Indian film industry these days! While the shooting of this yet-to-be-titled flick, being simultaneously made in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, is all set to begin this week, we hear that the makers' original choice in the female lead of the film was Asin, but they finally chose Shruti Haasan instead of Asin as reportedly Shruti Haasan has a face which is more suited for Bollywood. To be produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, this untitled film will have music by Harris Jayaraj. Ravi K. Chandran will be the cameraman. More details including the title, shooting schedule, cast and crew are awaited.

Lots of static!

CommentThe idea of a mystical assistance to succeed through life's inevitable disappointments is quite a fascinating one. Genie in the lamp, Fairy Godmothers or any wish-granting medium is an upshot of this peculiar human fantasy.

Karthik Calling Karthik, too, stems from this deep-rooted desire.

Only our eponymous hero (Farhan Akhtar [ Images ]) isn't Aladdin, Cinderella or Bruce Nolan (of Almighty fame). A stereotypical weak geek at the receiving end of his scowling landlord (Vipin Sharma doing what he does best -- snap) and growling boss (Ram Kapoor with his snarling skills should sign up for Wolf Man), he's pretty much invisible for everyone else in the world, including, the leggy colleague in a pencil skirt (Deepika Padukone [ Images ]) to whom he's written a thousand plus unsent drafts of affection. Basically, he is Amol Palekar of Chhoti Si Baat, sans the goofy smile and mysterious past.

Dude seems to be in desperate need of Cinkara (Hamdard ka tonic, anyone?). But this is Farhan's production. And he's all about indelible charisma, hip aesthetics and urban wit. While the easygoing charm and wall decor is spot on, absence of crisp humour is conspicuously felt all through its loitering 16 reels.

Having said that, it's imperative to remember this is a Vijay Lalwani film. The first-time director is the strength or weakness behind its story, screenplay, dialogue and direction. If you view this with the expectations of a Farhan caper, you're doing both of them great disservice.

In other words, herbal tonic is out of question. Instead Karthik starts receiving strange calls from another Karthik who promises to help him attain everything that is rightly his -- power, money and love.

Desperate for comfort, Karthik doesn't need too much convincing before he takes up the seemingly unconditional offer. In no time, he's promoted from cabin to cubicle and single to boyfriend status.

No personality makeover in Hindi films is complete without a change of wardrobe. Even Sai Paranjape couldn't resist doing this to Farooq Shaikh in Chashme Buddoor. And so it's bye-bye Surinder Sahni and say-hello-to-Dil-Chahta-Hai.

Quickly enough, Lalwani runs out of ideas and till intermission KCK seems to be heading nowhere. Pace (editing by Aarti Bajaj [ Images ]) is one of the film's recurring problems. It's unnecessarily pensive and long-winded for its genre.

Even the romantic interactions are sluggish and uninspired. Although Farhan and Deepika are a cool couple to look at, you don't feel the vibe, mainly, because the conversations are just so 'meh'.

Their chemistry fares better against the breezy Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composition, Hey Ya, choreographed effectively around their courtship and dating in office, malls, coffee shops and Khandala.

Things get dark and creepy in the second half when the Karthik-Karthik pact takes a beating. This is when Lalwani comes in his element and shows a flair for gritty thrillers without resorting to cheesy exaggeration or relying on excessive technique (camerawork: Sanu John Varughese, background score: Midival Punditz and Karsh Kale).

At this point, the on-going events on screen lead me to construct a sort of Dr Faustus meets The Dark Half brand of murkiness. If only Lalwani was as ambitious as the sinister alternatives in my head.

Teen Patti: Just one big bluff

CommentTeen Patti is a card game, which can have most seasoned gamblers salivating at the mouth. Even casual players who may just indulge in a couple of rounds at Diwali [ Images ] or New Year just love the excitement. With such a title and Amitabh Bachchan [ Images ] in the lead role, one would have thought the producers have a sure shot winner on their hands.

Unfortunately, not.

I haven't seen Hollywood film, 21, which is supposed to have inspired the film. But we've had some interesting adaptations in the past.

One of the most popular moves in Teen Patti is 'Blind'. But here, it seems director Leena Yadav was moving blindly in all directions. Amitabh Bachchan (Venkat Subramanium) is an unsuccessful Maths professor whose superiors claim his research projects have no practical applications. But his latest is a dissertation on the Theory of Probability which can help them predict the winner in a card game and earn megabucks in the process. So the tutor and his bunch of students are encouraged to take a shot at implementing the theory in the real world. And then all hell breaks loose.

The students, who started out as middle-class simpletons, turn into raving lunatics overnight. They come and go as they please, stash hundreds of rupees in their hostel rooms and get hysterical.

The script doesn't evolve, it just jumps jerkily from one level to another so that the director can take her story to a predictable end. Such a pity because co-writer Shiv Subramaniam has written such brilliant films like Parinda and Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi.

It's getting tiring watching R Madhavan [ Images ] doing young man roles. He hasn't lost his acting abilities but he really needs to rid himself of his flab. The energy and zest that the actor used to bring on screen -- especially seen in Guru -- is missing.

Shahid and his women!

28th Birthday Shahid Kapoor! This Aries born actor is a Bollywood sweetheart! Known for his cool histrionics and superb dancing skills, Shahid has come a long way from being an extra in ads and being in a dancing troupe to being one of Bollywood's most wanted actors.

SRK: Friendly Tune For Farah?

Shah Rukh Khan makes for a super pal; a fact that he's proved time and again. Hence, this recent gesture should come as no shocker; rather, the only surprise here is that it has been directed at Farah Khan, with whom his relations have been reportedly strained.

SRK and Farah Khan's friendship goes back a long way, much before the choreographer turned full fledged director with their two collaborative efforts: 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Om Shanti Om'.

But the equation soon struck a faltering note: Shirish Kunder. To her horror Farah discovered that Kunder and SRK couldn't see starry eye to eye. Matrimony and a trio of triplets later, when the duo decided to kickstart 'Tees Maar Khan' under their own production house, there was little surprise that SRK wasn't a part of it.

Meanwhile, SRK is all set to start work on his next venture, 'Ra1', a fantasy thriller starring him alongside Kareena Kapoor. 'Tees Maar Khan' is all set to commence in March.

Tunesmiths Vishal and Shekhar found themselves in an awkward spot as they were revving up music for both flicks simultaneously! But trust SRK to smoothen out the issue… by insisting that they craft the music of 'Tees Maar Khan' first, so that Farah's flick faced no delay owing to the music score.

The canny composers, however, decided that since SRK and Farah are both rather accommodating, they would have the best of both worlds… and finetune the score for both flicks side by side.

Two much, too much, Vishal Shekhar!

Copy Kat Kaif Follows Madhuri's Moves!

Katrina Kaif is up against a tall order. 'Tees Maar Khan' showcases Katrina Kaif performing a hot(ttttt) song number, a feisty chartbuster, clad in a sinfully sexy 'ghagra choli' styled by Aki Narula, no less.

Director Khan wants Kaif to be showcased in a 'dhak dhak'ish number, and has piled up Madhuri Dixit's DVDs for referencing. 15 to 20 days of training, under the sharp gaze of Khan, is expected to produce those fruitful results: 'jhatka matkas' and 'thumkas', all supplemented by the right facial expressions.

Khan reveals in a tabloid chat that since Kat is essaying a "sizzling gaon ki gori" song number, Dixit's pulsating gyrations seemed apt to ape. Copy Kat Kaif!

Kangna's Kool Rs 5 Crore Fee!

By movietalkies
Friday Feb 26 4:15 PM
Priyanka Chopra pocketed Rs 6 crore as her starry fee for 'Pyaar Impossible' and Kareena Kapoor will romp home with a whopping Rs 7 crore for 'Golmaal 3'. And Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is also being wooed for a new venture. Her asking fee: a superrrrrrrr Rs 10 crore!!

Not to be outdone, national award winner Kangna Ranaut ('Best Supporting Actress' for 'Fashion') has upped her remuneration to a whopping… Rs 5 crore!

Apparently, Kangy is no mood to let any filmmaker shortchange her on the moolah front. The Maverick Productions venture, wherein Ranaut will share acting honours with Chirag Paswan, scion of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan is being helmed by Tanvir Khan('Deadline')


Produced by Anuj Saxena, the film is being touted as a "different love story" with three heroines in the cast.


A reliable source at Maverick Productions confirmed the pricey fee news with finality. Kooooooollllllll, Kangy!!

Verrrrry Sari Ms. Kaif!

Her sartorial sense is rather classy. But Katrina Kaif, suitably deglam for Prakash Jha's 'Raajneeti', seemed to be thick in the midst of an argument over the… colour of her saris in Jha's political thriller.

Reportedly, Jha wanted her to sport sombre, light toned saris in keeping with her character of a politician. Kaif, however, wanted to sport simple, but dark coloured saris.

The argument escalated to a heated discussion, but eventually Ms. Kool Kat saw sense and assented to the sober sari ensembles. "It was a healthy discussion," asserts Jha in a tabloid quote. Kat, however, refused to bite the byte bit. Guess, she'll make the cut.

Maddy Tees To Superstar Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan may have enacted his professor onscreen in 'Teen Patti', but the indomitable veteran turned student, every time the camera was switched off.

Reportedly, Bachchan Senior was suitably impessed with R Madhavan's skills at golf! Watching him teeing off during a Pune schedule, Bachchan expressed a desire to pick up the final nuances of golf from 'Idiot' Mady.

Needless to add, Maddy was only too happy to oblige. And when it came to canning scenes for 'Teen…, it was Bachchan Sr who coached Maddy in a few finer points of histrionics. Guess, Maddy's bonding to the tee…

Bobby Deol to star in two Sangeeth Sivan films

Mumbai, Feb 21 (IANS) After horror film 'Click', director Sangeeth Sivan has two projects in hand and Bobby Deol will be playing the lead roles in both.

'I am going to start my next projects. I am making two films. My next film 'Cheers' is a drama where you will see Dharam-ji (Dharmendra) and Bobby Deol together,' Sivan told IANS.

'It's a father and son story. The story is about a road trip...a journey where a father and son re-discover each other. It's a story very close to my heart,' he added.

The other film the director is working on is a comedy, coming long after 'Kya Kool Hain Hum' (2005) and 'Apna Sapna Money Money' (2006).

'See everyone who comes to me, comes for a comedy film. I was resisting the temptation. I wanted to tell the people 'see what else I can do'. Now a point has come where you can choose...you have done action, horror, comedy and a romantic comedy. Now it's quite exciting for me to make people laugh again. I am also doing a full-time comedy film 'Jab Jab Fools Mile' with Sanjay Dutt, Bobby Deol and one more actor (yet to be confirmed),' said Sivan.

Bobby played the lead role in his last film 'Ek: The Power of One' too.

So what made him choose Bobby for both his films?

'Bobby is there in both the films because he actually fits into the parts,' said Sivan.

First Look: 'Kites'

In the harsh terrain of the Mexican desert, a mortally wounded man is left for dead in the heat of the desert sun. This is J (Hrithik Roshan) - once a street smart, carefree, young guy and now a wanted man.

The only thing that keeps him alive is the quest to find the love of his life, Natasha (Barbara Mori). A woman, engaged to another man, but surely destined for J. A woman, who comes into his life like a bolt of lightning, and changes it forever.

'Kites' is a story of love that goes beyond barriers, boundaries and cultures. It is a story of passion that defies every rule, of a relationship that takes two lovers on a thrilling journey filled with precious moments and unexpected betrayal.

Ash Commands (B)Rai...ght Fee!

They're jaw dropping... and as awe inspiring as the ones who command them. Star prices, that is! Even as the industry is abuzz with the seven crore fee being doled out to Kareena Kapoor... comes the pricey news that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has beaten her in the remuneration game.

Reportedly, Ash is being lavished with a whopping 10 crores! The venture produced by Bobby Pushkarna ('Page3') will spotlight the international icon in a realistic opus along the lines of 'Provoked.'

A close insider states that Pushkarna has been chasing Rai for close to three months, valiantly asserting that if the Bachchan bahu turns down his proposal...he will scrap the project. Period.

Rai has three projects in her kitty: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Guzaarish', Vipul Shah's 'Action Replay' and Shankar's 'Robot.' And a reliable source avers that she's scanning the script before voicing her decision. Ash per her wish.

'I feel like doing a typical Bollywood film'

During the promotion of his 2008 film Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Abhay Deol had once posted on passionforcinema.com (a website where quite a few film personalities share their cinematic views) that he hated promoting films. 'Can I risk saying that the part of films I hate most, is promoting it? It's not about the ego, it's not about projecting an image, it's not about being lazy or anything else you might think. The truth is, I love making movies but I just don't have it in me to sell them. I am an actor not a salesman, but most people seem to think that the two are the same,' he wrote.

And during my many interactions with him, Abhay's decreasing interest in giving interviews has become more and more apparent.

At the film promotion of his March release, Road, Movie, we try to capture Abhay Deol once again. Here's what he had to say:

What made you sign Road, Movie?

I always try to do different kinds of films. When I read the script of Road, Movie, I felt the story idea was novel, something I had not seen it in Bollywood before. I have seen (director) Dev Benegal's (earlier) work and have liked it. I love to travel and wanted to see Rajasthan, where this film was shot. So I decided to do this film.

I play Vishnu. His father owns an oil company. He wants me to take the family business forward. But Vishnu has plans of his own. At the first opportunity that he gets, he leaves his hometown and explores the world.