When Neil spent Diwali in Tihar Jail

The cast and crew of Madhur Bhandarkar's new film Jail celebrated Diwali with the inmates of Tihar Jail in New Delhi recently.

Bhandarkar, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Manoj Bajpai and music director Shamir Tandon met the inmates and interacted with them.

The song Data Sun Maula Sun -- sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the film -- was unveiled for the first time at the prison. Shamir Tandon and the Jail team performed the song as well.

The meet and greet was followed by lunch with the prisoners. Sweets were also distributed.

Jail is all set to release November 6

Obama celebrates Diwali

President Barack Obama, accompanied by Hindu Priest Sri Narayanachar Digalakote, uses a candle to light an oil lamp in observation of Diwali, or the 'Festival of Lights,' a holiday celebrated across faiths in India, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Here's how Bollywood celebrates Diwali

It's that dazzling time of the year again. The sparkling festival of Diwali is just around the corner.

Sure, it marks the release of biggies like Blue, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna and All The Best. But there's more to the Bollywood-Diwali connection than you think. Both are synonymous with lights, action and festivity.

rediff.com celebrates Diwali and its splendour-filled elements through the eyes of Bollywood.

It's called the festival of lights. And with good reason. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gets into the spirit of Diwali with a radiant diya in her hand.


Image: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

'Two flops don't matter to Salman's career'

Prem Soni is one lucky director. In his very first film, he has managed to rope in Bollywood's top stars -- Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Not only that, he's also releasing his film Main Aurr Mrs Khanna on the Diwali weekend, a much-coveted Friday for most producers when the biggest movies get released.

Quite an achievement for for the first-timer, who lived in Spain for 17 years before he joined the Hindi film industry.

"I come from a business background," he says. "I had no connection with the film industry. But I've always wanted to make a film."

He decided to pursue his passion by getting the basics right. "I worked in television for more than a decade before I decided to do films," he says.

He spent two years writing on different subjects until he came out with the script for Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. And it was this script that attracted his lead stars -- and producer Sohail Khan -- to his film.


Image: A scene from Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. Inset: Prem Soni