Thursday 30 June 2011

A mystery girl slaps Aditya Narayan

Musician, actor, anchor Aditya Narayan has made it to headlines for a wrong reason. 

Aditya was recently spotted at a resto-bar in Mumbai. As sources claim, Aditya tried to spark a conversation with a pretty lady at the bar. When he failed in his attempt, Aditya made some mean remark. He even fell on that girl, as he was a bit drunk as well. 

Irritated with the entire incident, the mystery girl slapped Aditya. 

Though Aditya admitted having a verbal dispute with someone at the restaurant, but he denied the slapping part.

I'll be a good dad: Abhishek Bachchan

AB's Baby is going to have a baby. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan are expecting their first child in the winter of 2011. Here, the to-be-dad talks about what kind of father he will make, why Aishwarya is going to have to worry about him, and why he will make a good father. Read on... 

With the new baby on the way, you won't be the baby of the house... 
(laughs) Yes, I never thought of that. No, I won't be but it's wonderful. It's very hard to describe how I'm feeling.... I mean it's nice, everybody is smiling, everybody is just very happy at home. The house is filled with flowers and people are calling and congratulating. It just feels wonderful. It still literally hasn't sunk in that there's going to be a child... you know, an offspring, I haven't gone into that father zone yet. 

Can you picture yourself as a dad? Or is that daunting? 
I love to spend time with my nephew and niece. I love kids. I think I am pretty good with them. I think when you know you are going to have a child, there's a lot more stuff to think about like how to bring up the child, what principles and morals you will teach him or her... You start thinking of all that kind of stuff... I still haven't started that. But I think I will, as and when as the time approaches. Right now, I am just enjoying the moment but I think pretty soon like every man, I will have to sit down and say, 'ok this is going to be your child, you have to take care, provide....' 

Now you will get lots of tips from everyone around you... 
Yes they've already started. But thankfully, I have a bit of experience with children because of my nephew and niece so, but tips are always welcome. 

Are you going to reading books on preparing and taking care of the child? 
Yeah, I'd love to do that. I've already started looking for them. Although there are so many 'experts' around. My parents, Aishwarya's parents, my sister and brother-in-law and my friends, most of who are all parents. But even so, when you hear your wife is going to have a baby, you just go into a different level of panic. You feel like you need to know more. Just hearing other people say things isn't always just enough. So yes, I am going to do all of that..... I am looking forward to it. I think it's a fun period. 

Are you going to be a hyper father in the delivery room, like you did in some film.. 
Yes, Salaam Namaste. But, no I'll be pretty normal. That way, I am pretty chilled out. 

Better husband or better father, what do you think? 
I'll have to be both. I'll try and be good at both. But I am not worried...I think I'll be a good dad. Because I love kids and they generally take to me. I am feeling bad for Aishwarya because I think am going to be more than a handful to handle. She is going to have to spend more time taking care of me than taking care of the baby. 

Why do you say that? 
I don't know I am just.... You know it's weird, when you finally share something with the world, it suddenly hits you that, 'Okay, this is happening now.' Since we've made it official, I've been only bouncing off the walls. 

Your father shared the news on Twitter. Why didn't this (news) come from you? 
There's a very good reason for that. I wanted my father to announce it because he's the head of the family and I remember him telling me that when my mother was going to have my sister Shweta, he told his father. And dadaji, with great pride, as the head of the family wrote letters saying 'the next generation of my family is coming.' I wanted to give my father that and he was very excited to do it. He's the one who called the rest of the family and announced it. I wanted that moment to be his as well. 

There have been congratulatory calls and a lot of positivity but there's also been some negativity, how do you deal with that? 
There hasn't actually... I haven't faced much of it. But that's life. Right now, it's just such a happy time for the entire family, that I am not even going to bother with it. At a time like this, if there are people who are only going to think negative thoughts, then they don't deserve any attention. 

Wednesday 29 June 2011

B-Town's 'custom' connection!

Our shutterbugs spotted a very sombre lookingAnushka Sharma emerging from the arrivals section of the international airport. 

And that's not surprising, given that the actress spent a couple of hours being interrogated about undeclared jewellery at the customs department. After Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu, she's the third 'customised' actress in B-Town!

Ashish Chowdhary on cloud nine

Actor Ashish Chowdhary is on a high. Back from Toronto, his fil Double Dhamaal is getting rave reviews, so much so that director Indra Kumar is laready planning a sequel to Double Dhamaal too. 

Also the guy had a wonderful time in Toronto. Ashish's trip to Toronto was also made when he met actor Cuba Gooding Jr there. He tweeted about the meeting on a social netwrorking site and wrote, "N look who I met there..!! Cuba Gooding Jr. is a really nice chap as well.. :

Katrina Kaif warms upto Imran Khan, wife

It looks like Katrina Kaif has decided to discard her habitually solemn demeanour and have some serious fun -- by promoting her upcoming film 'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'. 

Her desire to be in the 'fun' zone may have lot to do with the company she is keeping lately, especially her 'Mere Brother...' co-star Imran Khan

Says a friend of the actress: "Katrina found herself warming up not only to Imran but also to his wife Avantika. She felt she was part of a family." 

And the 'family' has convinced Katrina to go on stage for what is secretly being termed the 'Dulhan' gigs. 

Says a source: "'Mere Brother Ki Dulhan' producers Yashraj plan to put Katrina, Imran and Ali Zafar on stage to promote the film. Ali, who plays one of the leads, asked Katrina if she too would accompany him for the gigs that would take them to several metros. At first, Katrina laughed off his suggestion. When Ali was adamant she wanted to know what she would do on stage. Ali suggested she join him to sing. And Katrina is game." 

As things stand, the gigs will be Katrina's first ever live concerts.

Zayed Khan to turn producer!

Following in the footsteps of his father Sanjay Khan,Bollywood actor Zayed Khan is set to make his foray into production with 'Love Breakups Zindagi', a slice of life film about relationships. 

Zayed has teamed up with Dia Mirza for Born Free Entertainment, their production house and the actress will also be seen opposite him in the movie. 

"'Love Breakups Zindagi' can be called as a film which will relate to the audience. The story is about the relationships in one's life. 

"For some relationships are complex while for others they are smooth... While others have a mixture of all.. Our film shows all the aspects and we have tried to focus on the positive aspects.. As how break-ups can be a new beginning," Zayed told PTI. 

The film also stars Mirza and Cyrus Sahukar and Tisca Chopra. 

Zayed, who debuted with 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', says he wanted to make his debut as a producer with a wholesome film. 

"We wanted our first film to have a balance of everything. The genre was apt for debutants like us. It is a rom-com, which is very youth centric," added Zayed. 

In 'Love ......', Zayed plays the role of Jai, who is a sales executive from Delhi. Suffering from mid-life crisis, he hates everything about Mumbai, where he is posted for his job. 

Apart from 'Love....', Zayed will be seen in Priyadarshan's upcoming film 'Tezz', alongside Ajay Devgan, Anil Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut and Sameera Reddy. He is also working in a comedy titled 'Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene'

Akshay Kumar to learn combat karate

He is a black belt in Taekwondo and now Akshay Kumar is learning traditional combat karate for his role in " Rowdy Rathore". 

Directed by Prabhudeva, produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ronnie Screwvala and co-produced by designer Shabinaa Khan, the film has Sonakshi Sinha opposite Akshay. 

The 43-year-old actor, who is extremely fitness conscious, will soon be heading to an undisclosed location for two months to train in this form of martial art. 

"The movie will introduce to audiences a new kind of sport and being the professional that he is, Akshay has decided to take two months off to train intensively in combat karate," said a source. 

"Set in the rustic heartland of the country, the film has a lot of action and required a star who knew the technical know-hows of his dangerous sport. Akshay seemed the perfect fit since being a trained martial arts professional he could pull the role off with panache," the source added.

Kalki, Abhay are back together

Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin, who were last seen together in the unconventional romantic film – "Dev.D", are now back with Zoya Akhtar's "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Abhay and Kalki share a great chemistry on screen as well as off it. In "Dev.D" they happen to find romance, whereas in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" they are engaged and Abhay takes his friends for a road trip before getting married. So in a way, they start off from where they had left in their earlier film.

Talking about Kalki, Abhay says, "Kalki is very chilled out and has grown as an actor since "Dev.D". I have a lot of fun working with her. And our on-screen comfort is quite evident.

It is no surprise that Kalki shares the same views about Abhay. In a recent interview, she had said, "Abhay and I share a great relationship. We are constantly making fun of each other and telling the other one which angle looks better on camera.

Watching both of them in a mainstream Bollywood film is something for everyone to look forward to. Abhay has been applauded for his performance in films like – "Dev.D", "Manorama Six Feet Under" and " Oye Lucky Lucky Oye". Kalki too has given some impressive performances in the films she has done until now, her latest one being "Shaitan

The duo will be seen sharing screen space with Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Katrina Kaif in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Director's take on pregnancy clause

The happy news of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, while shooting her film Heroine has made B-Town producers jittery. While some of them are talking to their lawyers about putting in clauses in the contracts to safeguard themselves in a similar scenario, others are reworking existing contracts with their leading ladies. 

Especially ones who are in serious relationships like Vidya Balan and Kareena Kapoor and those likely to get married.

Apparently, in the history of Hindi cinema, only one producer has done this. Subhash Ghai had a clause in his contract with Madhuri Dixit stating she couldn't get married or pregnant during the making of Khalnayak, when she was in a romantic relationship with Sanjay Dutt. He feared that she would get married and pregnant and abandon his film half-way through. After that no filmmaker has stipulated such a clause.

Aishwarya's pregnancy has rattled some producers, especially the corporate companies who make films, as opposed to independent producers, and they are now adding new clauses to the contracts for the leading ladies. Here's what the producers had to say...

Mahesh Bhatt
Producers would be foolish to have such a contract suggesting such a clause. It's the leading lady's privilege to get pregnant. In B-Town the real contract is the unspoken one which has more weight. Being a member of the Film Producers Guild of India. I would refrain from this absurd exercise. Having said that I will add that it's the duty of the leading lady to see that she doesn't jeopardise the entire film by pursuing her own personal goals thus causing immense hardship to the producer. The leading lady has to provide the glamour quotient and she can become another entity completely in the eyes of the consumer — from a desirable diva to a new mother — which serves as a body blow to producers. Smita Patil had got pregnant when I was directing Thikana but she never treated herself like a Ming vase. She told me that when domestic helps keep working when pregnant, why couldn't she?

Ekta Kapoor 
As a professional I can say all the proper things like yes, we should have a clause and way of compensating the producer but on the personal front as a woman I think it's a big deal for a woman. Pregnancy is a very happy moment for any woman and I can't think like a producer in such a situation. For a woman over 30, getting pregnant is a huge achievement and a moment of happiness. A producer can't come in between. It's like a wow moment for me! Having said that, in the future we will be working on adding the clause.

Vipul Shah
In B-Town, everyone is like a family. I don't know how such a clause will be seen by stars. However, with more and more studio structures coming into film production I feel it will soon become a norm as long we don't violate the privacy of artists because huge money is involved. Not just a clause for pregnant leading ladies but, I feel the Film Producers Guild has to play a much more active role in improving the conditions of producers like Hollywood has control over actors prices and the South industry bans actors who break their rules. Having such a clause or clauses for male and female actors will bring more discipline into the film industry. Anything that derails the process of shooting or leads to financial losses should be discussed and certain guidelines laid down preventing that. As no individual producer has a strong say in the matter, all producers should unite to improve the way we work.

Salman jumps to Katrina's rescue

Katrina Kaif recently found out that being a lone wolf rather than one of the pack doesn't pay. 

Members of FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) recently sent summons to the actress and halted a recent shoot of her deodorant commercial at Mehboob Studios. It is apparently mandatory for every working actor to be registered with the organisation.

She has yet to fill the required forms and sign up for membership. A source reveals, "Some members from the body came and stopped the shoot. They wanted to know her registration number, but since she hasn't completed the legalities, they issued her a warning and asked her to comply with the rules. A visibly upset Kat was disturbed by the entire episode."

Calls were made and it was only when Salman personally gave assurance that she would complete the registration, did they allow the shoot to continue. Dinesh Chaturvedi, President-FWICE says, "We didn't halt the shoot, but we wanted to know why Katrina still isn't a member of our organisation. I understand she has a busy schedule, but it doesn't take that long to finish the formalities. Every one from Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan has registered with us."

He adds, "I did get a call from Salmanbhai saying that the needful will be done. I am speaking only for the benefit of the actors who aren't registered. Since Katrina is the only big star who doesn't have the card, we wanted to know how we could help her out." Chaturvedi adds that the card only costs Rs 600 but has many benefits. "It gives you insurance of around two lakh, besides you can even use it during international schedules. Our organisation is working towards making life easier for the industry."

Uday Chopra to quit films

After the failure of his comeback film Pyaar Impossible, Uday Chopra seems to have given up on his acting career. With no films left in his kitty, the actor is finally planning to quit films. 

Speaking about his plan, Uday informed that his home production Dhoom 3 will be his last film. "Dhoom 3 is my swan song. It will be my last film. No I'm not giving up acting it's quite the opposite, acting is giving up on me," said the actor, who is out of India these days.

Uday is having a great time in Las Vegas and informed that he was kicked out of a bar last night for taking off his shirt. "They just kicked me out of the bar for taking my shirt off. I was just trying to impress a chick." Uday will be seen playing the same character of Ali Akbar Fateh in Dhoom 3. He has also given voice to YRF's animation filmKoochie Koochie Hota Hai.

Vote: Priyanka vs Aishwarya in Heroine

It was reported that pregnant Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has allegedly been dropped from Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine; and that the director is now considering Priyanka Chopra for the same role.

Since Priyanka has already worked with Madhur in Fashion, he can at least be assured that she won’t be walking out on him (like Kareena kapoor did) or get pregnant (since she is single).

But do you think Ash is the only one who is apt for Heroine; or can Priyanka too do justice to the role which is inspired by Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe? Vote for your choice in Heroine.

Tuesday 28 June 2011

Kissing Emma was unnatural: Rupert Grint

Actor Rupert Grint says kissing his " Harry Potter" co-star Emma Watson was "unnatural" because she's like a sister to him. 

"It seemed like the most unnatural thing to do, to kiss this person I'd known since she was nine. It took a while to get into it and put our friendship aside. It's quite full-on, a proper snog. We're soaking wet as well - they dumped gallons of water on us and then we just went for it. We laughed a lot and it took us a while to concentrate. We did it about four times," contactmusic.com quoted him as saying.

The 22-year-old says it wasn't an ideal situation for either of them.

"It's a nice moment for the characters but she's like a sister to me. We're all really close friends, so it was very strange doing that."

Kate, fiance denied entry at Glastonbury gig

She might be the world's most famous model, butKate Moss recently had a slight trouble of being unrecognised. 

Despite having a VIP pass for Glastonbury, Moss and her rocker fiance Jamie Hince were recently turned away from a gig at Glastonbury. 

According to The Sun, the security upset Moss and Hince by not allowing them entry to the backstage area during Pulp's surprise show at the UK rock festival. 

Moss was caught looking dishevelled and upset as she argued with bouncers outside the Brit pop group's show, reports the Herald Sun. 

Pulp was one of the "surprise" Glastonbury acts. It was the band''s first Glastonbury gig in nine years and as they came on stage, singer Jarvis Cocker told the crowd: "We couldn''t think of anything to get you so we brought the sunshine."

Neil Patrick Harris announces engagement


Los Angeles, Actor Neil Patrick Harris has announced that he and his partner David Burka are planning to get married, after gay marriage was legalised in New York last week.
The 38-year-old plays ladies man Barney Stinson in the TV show " How I Met Your Mother", reportsfemalefirst.
"It PASSED! Marriage equality in NY!! Yes!! Progress!! Thank you everyone who worked so hard on this!! A historic night! David and I did propose to each other, but over five years ago. We've been wearing engagement rings for ages, waiting for an available date (sic)," Harris posted on micro-bloggng site Twitter. Neil and David have been in a relationship since 2004 and became parents to twins Gideon Scott and Harper Grace in October last year via a surrogate mother.

Kim's engagement relieves Kourtney

Socialite Kim Kardashian says her engagement to rocker Kris Humphries has taken pressure off from elder sister Kourtney to get married. 

Kourtney has an 18-month-old-son Mason with partner Scott Disick.

"Kourtney doesn't like all the big weddings and big ring thing so she said she's been relieved of a lot of pressure because my mom and everyone was pressuring her and Scott to get married," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Kim as saying.

The 30-year-old is planning to walk down the aisle with Humphries, whom she is dating for six months.

Priyanka Chopra wants to do Heroine

Now that Aishwarya is out of Heroine, buzz is thatPriyanka Chopra is showing interest in the project.

Even though the director hasn't made up his mind, PC is ready to commit dates if need be. A source reveals, "Priyanka thinks it's a role of a lifetime. She has worked with Madhur in Fashion and they share a great equation.

When she got the news, PC was one of the first to send him a SMS implying her willingness to work in the film. She was even cool with smoking, drinking and the intimate scenes. She has advised him against scrapping the film."

There's talk that Madhur will take a call on this in the next few days.

Katrina Kaif's bikini dilemma


Production house orders Katrina Kaif to wear bikini for film or risk losing role in Dhoom 3

The Story : It's confirmed that Katrina Kaif is in talks with a production house for their upcoming project Dhoom 3. However, the banner has laid down a condition that she should be willing to wear a bikini for not just one but two major scenes in the film.

The Hitch : Kaif, who wore a bikini in her debut film Boom (2003), has refused to don swimwear since.

The Dilemma : A source close to the project reveals, "Kat is at the final stage of discussions with the producers. Everything else is on track, except for the two bikini scenes. This is crucial as the banner is famous for getting all their leading ladies in swimwear. There's no way they will write out those scenes just because she's not ready to do them. During the meetings, Kat has raised doubts on the nature of these scenes, and the makers have assured her they would be shot in the most aesthetic manner possible."

The Argument : If Kareena Kapoor (Kambakht Ishq, Tashan) and Priyanka Chopra (Don) can, then why can't she? "These days everyone is ready to get into a bikini. It's a 'flaunt it if you got it' mantra. And they are telling Kat that she will lose out on a good role if she decides to stall the film based on these two scenes."

What next? If negotiations fall through, the banner has a second choice lined up. "If Kat is perisistent in her refusal, they have a newcomer who is being trained at the moment. She will be cast in the film if the star doesn't sign on."

Aamir Khan wins 1 crore on KBC?

Aamir Khan has won 1 crore on the Bengali version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, Ke Hobey Banglar Kotipati, if rumours are to be believed. 

The actor appeared with wife Kiran Rao on the show, hosted by Sourav Ganguly. Said a source from the audience, "Although Aamir had used up all his lifelines before reaching the final level, he was able to give the correct answer after a lot of pondering and discussions with Kiran." However, when Aamir was later asked about how much he won, he refused to confirm anything.

Aishwarya Rai: Sacked for being preggers!


Survival of the fittest is the only way to get to the top, and motherhood is often viewed as a spanner in the works for professional women. Take the case of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who has been dropped from her latest film Heroine because she is pregnant. Director Madhur Bhandarkar should be worried. 

The country's laws protect women from such discrimination in the corporate world, where they can even take their firms to court if they can prove discrimination in the workplace, i.e. denied a promotion or let go of because of the bump. Bachchan is clearly a victim, but will she seek legal recourse against Bhandarkar and the production house?

According to an insider, Madhur met the actress after the big news was announced and informed her that she was no longer required to shoot for the film. It was a big blow to Ash when she was told she could not be part of the project in her current state! ARB is still clueless about whether the film has been shelved permanently or she's been dropped from the film.

It has long been established that unfavourable treatment due to pregnancy is a form of gender discrimination. Ketan Gupta of LegalEye Associates says, "As per the constitution, discrimination on the basis of gender can invite legal action. However, this is subject to contractual terms and conditions agreed upon by both parties." Advocate Rahul V adds, "Generally in the glamour world, contracts stipulate that they can be terminated if the model/actor gets pregnant during the course of an assignment and is not deemed fit to deliver as per the requirements of her role. Most contracts also have a clause where the actor/model is supposed to be paid a certain compensation for the time invested in the project before it is terminated."

In this particular case there is no contract between the actress and the production house, but Ash has shot for the film and wants to complete it. The filmmaker, however, is not relenting. Over to you, Ash! 

Monday 27 June 2011

No plans to acquire an IPL team: Aamir Khan

If rumours on the sets of "Ke Hobey Banglar Kotipati" are to be believed, Aamir Khan has surely lived up to his name. The actor, who appeared with wifey Kiran Rao on the show hosted by Sourav Ganguly, left the city having won a crore. 

Said a source from the audience, "Although Aamir had used up all his lifelines before reaching the final level, he was able to give the correct answer after a lot of pondering and discussions with Kiran." However, when Aamir was later asked about how much he had won, he refused to let the cat out of the bag, "You will have to wait till the show is aired to know the exact amount that we've won. It will be donated to a trust for special children." A li'l birdie informs us that this celebrity special episode might be aired on Dada's 39th birthday on July 8.

So, how was the experience of facing bouncers from Sourav Ganguly as he perched himself in the hotseat? "The questions were quite interesting. There were answers I knew and also, those I didn't, but Kiran and I had a great time. Sourav is a charming host and he really made us feel at home," said Aamir after the shoot. And language proved to be no barrier. "In the beginning, Dada and Kiran were translating the questions for me, but later, I could make out what was happening," he added. Aamir confessed that he was never into quizzing as a kid, but loved watching quiz shows.

Despite offers from the small screen coming his way by the dozens, the star hasn't taken up any. "I have no plans for the small screen just yet," he said. And there was no denying cricket with Sourav Ganguly around, but Aamir revealed that he has no plans to acquire an IPL team.

"I love watching cricket but have no plans to buy an IPL team. I'm part of the film world and I'm quite content with that," he said. On being prodded whether Kiran would like to do something on Kolkata, she said, "I will definitely do something on Calcutta when the time is ripe, but don't have plans for a Bengali film. I might have the characters in my film speak Bengali." 

I'm dating my work: Aarya Babbar


Flaunting a chock-a-block diary, Aarya Babbar is 'Ready' to take on Bollywood; Tollywood's ruled out for now

You were seen in "Paapi". Which is the next Bengali film we see you in? 
There have been offers post-"Paapi". Sadly, I cannot take them up as I am busy with my Hindi ventures and cannot spare dates for any Bengali outing. I would love to do another Tollywood venture when I have the time.

Talking of ventures, how are things shaping up post-"Ready"? 
Things are shaping up fantastically well, post this release. In fact, I was on a signing spree after I had inked the "Ready" deal and while I was shooting for the same. As of now, I am basking in the success of the film and savouring the appreciation. I am waiting for the release of my next titled " Azaan". In the meantime, I'm canning the shots for four Hindi ventures apart from my next Punjabi film.

Doesn't it bother you that in spite of having potential, you are approached for character roles in Hindi ventures? Why not wait for a lead offer? 
I am practical and not stupid. I don't want to say that I'll only wait for lead roles. Why waste time when the audience today is ready to give due credit to actors apart from the lead characters? Agreed that "Ready" was a Salman film. But in how many Salman films will you find a character like mine being noticed? Fact is, these small things will, one day, help me reach my bigger goal.

And what is your bigger goal? 
I am not someone who stupidly thinks 20 years ahead. My goal has just been achieved, which is
making me super busy. I have three to four releases in hand and, I hope, next year, I'll take bigger strides.

Talking of your Bollywood ventures, you are shooting a film with Govinda and Suniel Shetty. Care to elaborate? 
As of now, I am working on four other Bollywood projects. The movie in which I am shooting with Govinda and Suniel Shetty is called "Afra Tafri". It is a situational comedy. I am a huge fan of Govindaji. So, when I was in college, I used to bunk and watch his films. I am super excited and looking forward
to it.

Your first Punjabi film went on to become a superhit and now you are shooting your next. Does it give you a high when you think that you are a star in the Punjabi film industry as compared to your baby steps in Bollywood? 
It feels good when people appreciate your work. I thank God for this. It is their love which makes me work hard and do more and more films. There are very few actors today who manage to achieve this much love, affection and recognition for themselves. I am happy that I am one of them. In future too, if good Punjabi films come my way, I do not mind doing them.

Okay, talking of Prateik, you had lashed out at him when he called Abhishek (Bachchan) his brother. What bugged you the most? 
That's the past, let's leave it at that.

Prateik or Aarya, who is the lambi race ka ghoda and why? 
That you should ask the father (laughs). I pray and wish we both work very hard, we both make our
parents proud and hopefully, work in future together.

Moving away from films, you made a directorial debut on stage with "Ekjute" and now you are planning a sequel... 
Yes, I have already written the script for the sequel which would be called "Gorki + Tinku - Crazy Panti Ka Alien Attack". I am super excited about directing it but I am struggling to find time to come out with a play because of my hectic shooting schedule. I am thinking of showcasing it around Diwali .

Did you ask for help from sister Juhi in this case? 
Obviously, my sister Juhi, my mother, my father matter a lot in my life. Their suggestions are always valuable for me. Once I was directing a comedy act and I wanted to incorporate an interval in it which was not there in the act. I told Juhi, but she said that it was not required and later on, she explained how it was not needed in the act. I realized that she was absolutely right.

Right then, you are young and dashing. What's keeping you from falling in love? 
I am not the type of person to talk about my relationships, whether I am committed or not committed. I think, if you are in a relationship, you need to give 100 per cent to a woman. I would love to have women in my life but, as of now, I am packed with my work and concentrating on my career. You can say, right now, I'm dating my work. 

No item songs in my films: Hema Malini


Hema Malini, the original dream girl of Bollywood, says she will never have skimpily clad women doing item songs in the films that she makes. 

"I won't keep item songs in my films. I'll try my best not to include them. Only if a distributor really forces me to do it, I might incorporate one. But even then it will not be vulgar. It will be decent," Hema told IANS.

Recently Bollywood films have seen a spate of item numbers like " Shiela Ki Jawaani", "Munni Badnaam hui", "Shaalu Ke Thumke" and " Jalebi Bai", among others. 

Murder 2 has 3 lakh fans...

Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt's decision to change their marketing strategies, and to connect with the youth through social networking websites etc. has paid off. 

Mahesh admits, "It was my idea. We need to reinvent not just the content for our films but also the marketing strategies. We are happy with the results." The inward-looking, change-averse film-maker has to reinvent himself, he adds.

Mahesh continues, "Each day, we go up by 10 to 20,000 fans. I call them the digital natives. Way back, when I said that cinema is like an ageing whore and that the new bitch was TV, it was considered blasphemy! At that time, I told people we have to reinvent ourselves through the audio-visual medium — television. Today, with home theatre, smartphones and satellite TV, things have changed drastically again. Marketing is a very important tool in the entertainment world today."

Mahesh says the number of fans on the FB page is the way to measure how hot the film has become. "Come dreaded Friday, it is certain that this is one film that will have a grand opening all over the country. Be it webchats, voice chats or even visiting small towns, we are leaving no stone unturned to push " Murder 2". We have tried all these things with "Murder 2" and if it pays off this time, we will continue the trend for all our future films." 

Ajay Devgn goes Gaga


Who would have thought that Ajay Devgn andLady Gaga would have something in common? After watching the new song from his upcoming film Singham we spotted the actor doing the international pop singers signature claw move. 

We don't know if it was inspired after watching Gaga's Bad Romance and Paparazzi videos, but there's definitely a lot in common between the two.

First Ajay apes her claws and even complements the gesture with some fierce attitude. While the Edge of Glory singer's hand gesture represents freedom and equality, Ajay is merely doing it at the choreographer's behest.

I'm not throwing any grand bash: Katrina Kaif


Katrina Kaif, who tunes 27 on July 16, hasn't been celebrating her birthday since the past three years.

After all, the last birthday bash only resulted in some bitter memories for the actress, when her ex-beau Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan got into a never-ending rift.

However, it's been reported that Katrina is all set to let her hair down and party on her special day next month. Buzz is that Kat is preparing for a grand bash inviting all those who make a difference to her life.

But when we quizzed Kat about the upcoming party, she flatly denied any such plans. She revealed, "No, I am not planning on throwing any lavish b'day party, unlike what the rumours say." When asked if she'll spend her birthday with her family in London or in Mumbai, the actress said, "I have not planned anything yet. My movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is releasing on 15th July so most probably I will be busy with the promotional activities."

A source close to the actress also revealed that the gorgeous actress is planning to do some charity work on her birthday. The source said, "Kats mother is involved in charity and Kat too is inclined towards it. She wants to give back to the society which has given her so much love and what better day than a birthday to do that."

Well, with great buzz around her film Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, which hits screens just a day before her birthday, we are sure Kat will have more reason than one to celebrate. 

Salman patches up with Sajid Nadiadwala

Sajid Nadiadwala's project Kick has been stirring up a whirlwind of controversies. And the producer's strained relationship with Salman Khan has garnered the most attention. However, the two have decided to put aside their differences and start afresh. 

All the ambiguity around Salman coming on-board has finally been clarified by the actor himself. He has personally confirmed to director Shirish Kunder that he is ready to get the project on its way. 

A source told us, "All's well that ends well. Now everything is fine between Salman and Nadiadwala. Their relationship goes way back. They hit it off with Jeet, in 1996, followed by a superhit Judwaa (1997). 

Their professional relationship continued with Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega (2000) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004). The problems between the two began during the filming of their last film Jaan-E-Mann, in 2006. But now, their friendship is back on track." 

The tensions between the two escalated when Salman demanded an additional Rs 5 crore from Nadiadwala to go ahead with the project (Mumbai Mirror, April 8, 2011). The actor was not pleased with the way the filmmaker treated him over the past five years. For a long time, Nadiadwala's attention was diverted completely to Akshay Kumar, who scored the lead roles in the filmmaker's big budget projects. 

Only in 2009, after Salman made a critically acclaimed comeback in Prabhu Deva's Wanted, did he return on Nadiadwala's casting radar. Ultimately, the filmmaker decided to concede with Salman's Rs 5 crore demands. The source explained, "Salman will now get any fee that he demands." 

Prior to the actor's financial demands, he had also categorically stated that he would not go through with the film, if David Dhawan directed it. And that is how Kunder was brought on-board. 

Besides the problems between Nadiadwala and Salman, the project also faced other hiccups. Kick was originally slated to go on floors in September however, it had to be postponed to November due to Salman's hectic schedule. 

The actor is currently busy shooting with Kareena Kapoor for his brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri's Bodyguard. After which, he will move on to YRF's Ek Tha Tiger, where he will fly to Iraq to shoot the action sequences. Then, he will proceed to Sohail Khan's Sher Khan and Nadiadwala's Kick. This questions when Dabangg 2 will get on its way. 

When contacted, Nadiadwala, who is in Toronto attending an award function, said, "My production house is just like Salman's own. We start on November 18. We will be shooting in Mumbai and South Korea. The other details are fast being worked out." 

Kick will be shot in Mumbai and South Korea. Nadiadwala is currently zeroing down on locations to shoot. Simultaneously, a special set, which will resemble a town, is being designed at Film City, Goregaon.

Finally, Sonakshi Sinha gets Ranveer Singh

While Sonakshi Sinha will take away some great memories of her time in Toronto, attending an award function, Anushka Sharma has not been so fortunate. It seems that the weekend started out on a bad note for Anushka and just kept getting worse. 

It all began, on June 22, when the actress had to fly solo, rather than in the company of her beau Ranveer Singh, who was only able to fly out the next day. 

However, her only consolation was performing with Ranveer at the said awards function. But that too was a short-lived happiness. Despite the couple rehearsing for their performance, Anushka was told at the last moment by organisers that Sonakshi was a better fit. 

Previously, Anushka had gyrated to peppy numbers in Rab Ne Bana De Jodi and Band Baaja Baaraat, but she did not seem to impress organisers with her stage performance. A source revealed, "At the last moment Anushka was replaced by Sonakshi to dance with Ranveer. The organisers said that Anushka was not well prepared, and thus they couldn't take any chances."

Sonakshi seems to have lucked out from this whole incident the most. Previously, the actress confessed her crush on Ranveer on a TV show. She couldn't stop gushing about the newbie and said she would have loved to date him, if he was single. 

However, when the topic was brought up to Anushka, on the same show, she refrained from taking an insecure girlfriend approach and instead said, "He is all yours. Please go ahead." 

But, the latest event has not sat well with Anushka, who was spotted with a sullen face.To make matters worse, while receiving an award Lisa Ray mispronounced her name as 'Anushka Shankar'. Even though KJo was quick to correct that, Anushka's expression said it all. 

The actress, however, graciously accepted her award and thanked Karan for correcting the mistake. Fortunately, things seemed to have lightened up for Anushka, when Ranveer, upon accepting his award, said, "Thanks Anushka for making me hot!"

Shah Rukh Khan dances to Dabangg song with bleeding knee

Salman Khan who is usually known for sticking to his commitments has just added his friend turned foeShah Rukh Khan on that list. 

Despite medical advice and his wife's disapproval, SRK performed with his injured knee at an awards ceremony in Toronto, on Saturday night. 

Shah Rukh Khan gave an enthralling risqué performance; so much so that after finishing his performance SRK limped out of the stage with his bloodied knees. An eye-witness said, "It was a scary sight. 

The organisers had modified his steps in keeping with his injury. But Shah Rukh completely disregarded the restrictions imposed by his injury. He danced like a man possessed. But after the performance he just slumped. The highlight was his performance on the Dabangg song." 

Talking about SRK's brave performance, Shiamak Davar said, "Shah Rukh danced through his pain like a true master. He was in agony. But he still rocked the crowds. I'm so proud of him."

Sunday 26 June 2011

Ranbir Kapoor's a gadget guru

Ranbir Kapoor loves his gizmos so much that he has subscribed to all leading digitial magazines that talk about phones, tablets and applications. 

His friends reveal that the actor loves to brag about how well he's updated on what's happening around the world in terms of new launches and technologies. When he's not downloading the latest songs from the internet, RK surfs the web to update himself on gadget news. A source reveals, "He's obsessed with phones. He has this need in him to read up as much as possible on everything related to them. Even if you aren't interested, he will have sit you down and yap for hours about his passion!

Rakhi Sawant prays for Aishwarya Rai

Reacting to Aamir Khan's recent statement, "Even Rakhi didn't pick up my calls" to do an item song for " Delhi Belly", Rakhi Sawant tells TOI that when she saw Aamir's calls and text messages, she thought someone was playing a prank on her. 

"Mujhe laga koi mazaak kar raha hai. But, yes, it is true I couldn't respond to his calls and messages instantly as I was in the washroom for four hours. Mera bad luck tha that I missed the opportunity. But if Aamir becomes an item boy, I feel I should think of shifting to the small screen. Humare liye kya bachega? He is such a perfectionist that the film-makers will prefer him to any other actor." This is not the first time that Rakhi mistook an interesting opportunity for a joke. "I actually called up Rakeshji and asked him if he was playing a prank on me. He was trying his best to convince me that it was him," she recalls.

Elated with the news that Aishwarya is expecting, Rakhi tells us that she has been praying to Lord Jesus for the last eight months for this. "Aishwarya has everything in life - success, fame and money. I'm sure she wanted to experience motherhood. I love the Bachchan family and my best wishes are with them." Is she also contemplating marriage? "Not at all. I still have a few more years left to work before I settle down in life and take a sabbatical. Mujhe pata hai heroines ki kya right age hai shaadi karne ke liye. Of what we have seen so far, 34-35 is perfect for anyone to get married. Fortunately, I still have about five more years to invest in the industry," she says. "Swayamvar ke baad se toh vishwas shaadi se uth gaya. Har kisi ki kismat Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty jaisi nahin hoti. They are lucky to have found the right life partner. It is scary to get married to a person who wants to use you for personal gains.

Dumping and cheating on partners has become a style statement for the youth today. Agar mann bhar gaya toh chhod do - yeh hi toh chal raha hai. Live-in relationships are also bizarre," she adds.

While viewers have their doubts if Ratan will get married on the small screen, Rakhi gives us an insight into her perspective, "Jis tarah ke haalaat hain, agar Ratan ko koi sach mai achcha lagta hai tabhi usse shaadi karni chhaiye. The show is undoubtedly interesting. Par ladkon main koi mazaa nahin hai." The viewers think Rakhi had better options to choose from in her swayamvar. She says, "I have nothing to say on this. For, the contestants have been selected by Ratan and the channel. Mujh mein aur Ratan mein zameen aasmaan ka farak hai. Ratan is not as bold as me." Rakhi, who will soon be seen in " Ratan Ka Rishta", tells us that the viewers will be shocked to see her in a new avatar. "Main show mein shock value ke liye hoon. Main sab ladkon ki taang kheechne waali hoon. Kaun kitne paani mai hai sab pata chal jayega."

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra to pair up again!

Shah Rukh Khan has given Tarun Mansukhani a new task, after the director directed a few scenes for his home production Ra.One. Now that Dostana 2 is on hold, the D2 director will pen a fresh script for SRK andPriyanka Chopra. Since the suggestion came from Khan, Mansukhani was more than happy to jump at it.

A source reveals, "For now, there's a complete stalemate over the Dostana sequel. Tarun has finished writing the sequel but producer Karan Johar is not happy with the second half. After many rewrites, Mansukhani has now given up. Anyway he is committed to do a film with Karan's production house, the PC-SRK film might just be the thing. Dostana released in 2008, and the director has been raring to start his second film, and has kept himself busy directing commercials." 

SRK opined that since Dostana 2 was on hold, Tarun should come up with something featuring PC and him. The source adds, "SRK has already had a chat with Karan and has expressed his desire for the Dostana director to come up with a subject for the pair." 

While details on the project are not known, the source confirms that Tarun is quite excited with the prospect of writing a plot for them. "He has already shown interest and will begin work on a script."

Amitabh Bachchan's ready to be a 'dada'

Amitabh Bachchan on the joys of being a dada after the announcement of bahu Ash's pregnancy 

You are going to be a dadaji soon. How has this khush-khabri affected you? 
We are delighted with the news, and as parents of Abhishek and Aishwarya, we are thrilled at the coming addition to the family. It's the beginning of another generation of Bachchans, a family name started by my revered father. Nothing could be more fulfilling and joyful .

The world got the happy tidings on Twitter. Why did you announce this family matter on a public domain? 
I've always treated my blog and Twitter followers as my extended family. Informing my family of the news was my immediate and first priority .

It's been four years since Abhishek and Aishwarya's marriage. Did you at any point get anxious about their parenthood? 
No... not at all.

What was your first reaction to the khush-khabri? 
Happiness!

It is said that a father grows even wiser when he becomes a grandfather. Do you agree? 
Wiser and child-like. I welcome that and do look forward to it.

What piece of advice would you like to give Abhishek about being a good father? 
"May your son or daughter be the ideal son and daughter that you and Shweta have been for me!"

Saturday 25 June 2011

South wants Sonam Kapoor

Rumours are flying thick and fast that Sonam Kapoor may bag A R Murugadoss' next film with South superstar Vijay. And she is also one of the girls shortlisted by Kamal Haasan for his film Viswaroopam. 

After Deepika Padukone and Sonakshi Sinha, the next girl generating interest down South is Sonam. The best dressed girl in Bollywood is also being pursued by several big filmmakers. An insider reveals, Viswaroopam is about an older man's love for a young girl. If Sonakshi is unable to match dates, Sonam may be approached.

As for the Murugadoss film with Vijay, while the trade buzz is flaunting her name, Sonam says, "I have not been approached for it." Guess it is only a matter of time before an announcement is made!

Aishwariya's Heroine shelved?


Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s pregnancy has put a spanner in the work of Madhur Bhandarkar’s next film Heroine. Heavy duty meetings have been on between Madhur, Ash and Ronnie Screwvala for the last couple of days on whether to defer the film or shelve it altogether. 

A source says, “Ash has alloted 65 days to Madhur to complete his film.” However, Heroine may be left sitting cold on the shelf because of various reasons:

Madhur apparently needs six months to complete the movie; 65 days is not enough.
The script has scenes where the heroine needs to be under a waterfall (a la Mandakini), and smoke cigarettes – a pregnant Ash can’t risk this, or even be on a set that allows cigarette smoking.

Ash is due to deliver in November 2011. Sixty five days from now, she will look too heavy on screen.

There are portions in the film where Ash is supposed to look svelte and sexy. In her current condition that is not possible.
Madhur has already told his team to start work on his next two projects with A-listers. One is rumoured to be a sequel to one of his National Award winning films and the other is a comedy. 

No bikinis for me: Asin

Call it being conservative, but Asin is very clear that she won't be wearing a bikini in the Housefull sequel. 

The actress has a 'no bikini' clause written into her contract. Meanwhile director Sajid Khan will now be dolling up the other leading leady in the film --Jacqueline Fernandez. Since Asin has refused to wear any swimwear, Jackie will provide all the sex appeal required. Guess Asin will lose out!

Katrina Kaif on a house hunt

Katrina Kaif, who lives in swanky apartments and big houses as her on-screen self, in real life, has to make do with circumstances less favourable. With the onset of monsoon, her top floor flat in a building on Waterfield road, Bandra (West) has heavy leakage from the roof. 

Even most of the walls of every conceivable area have damp patches. Thankfully, her bedroom has remained unaffected by the wrath of the weather God. 

Needless to say, Kat is again out on a house hunt. This is definitely not the first time the actress has been driven to look for a flat. Situated on the main road (Waterfield Road), the flat faces two pubs. 

The location has given miscreants an easy access to the star's residence. After a few incidents of fans trying to force their way in, Kat had decided to shift out. However, with film commitments, out-station shoot schedules and a busy schedule, the actress had been unable to look for a suitable accommodation in the past. 

In fact, when her sister Isabelle was about to finish her studies in London and relocate to India and stay with her, Katrina was out looking for a bigger, better place. This was way back in 2009. The actress, who has lived in the building named Guldev Sagar for quite some time now, started looking out for flats in the nearby area. Soon after this, reports of Salman Khan planning to gift her a new home on Valentine's daysurfaced. 

Along with her relationship, rumours of the real estate gift too ended. However, the miseries did not. While last year's monsoon forced the actress to trudge through muck since the drains on the roads choked up, this year, she has literally been thrown out of her living room. 

A source after a recent visit to the actress' house, informed, "When one enters Katrina's home, the first they will see is the beautiful living room. Sadly, with the onset of monsoon, the room, which could have been beautiful, has been rendered unlivable. The ceiling is made of wood and glass. However, most portions are leaking. Also the walls have damp patches. And that's just the living room." 

The other rooms have not escaped the forces of nature either. "Katrina's apartment is almost entirely affected by the rains. Though the living room is the worst affected, other rooms have not been spared. Even the kitchen walls have damp patches. It's damp and cold. It will make anybody feel sick and gloomy. It's a huge flat. And a very beautiful one. But one can hardly stay in flat that leaks," added the source. 

One might wonder how Katrina is managing in a flat like that all this season. "While every room has damp walls, luckily, the bed room remains untouched by the rain. Thank god for that," the source concluded. 

However, the actress who has been planning to shift out for a long time now, seems to be finding no time to actually concentrate on the house hunt. "Katrina wants to look for a flat. She had got this flat repaired twice before. 

Each monsoon, for the past couple of years, she has had to repair the ceiling as well as the walls. But how long can one keep getting their house repainted? She has to look out for a new flat. Preferably before the next monsoon. But she has no time. 

She has too many films on her plate right now. The promotions of Mere Brother Ki Dulhann will begin soon. And then she has the film with Yash Chopra opposite Shah Rukh Khan. She will however, have to find a home fast," informed a friend of the actress. 

With the rain God drenching her with miseries, we sincerely hope, the other Gods help her with a good real estate agent. And soon.