I'm not a chauvinistic husband like in Mere Khwabon...: Arbaaz Khan

Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan, who is married to model-turned-actress Malaika Arora, says that in real life he is completely opposite to his character of a chauvinistic husband in his upcoming film Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye.
"My character in the film is that of a typical husband, a little chauvinistic. He is always busy with his work and in turn pulls his wife down constantly and is forever eroding her self-esteem," said Arbaaz.
"It is true that I'm a total contrast from my character in the film, but every time you don't play characters that you can relate to. If you are an actor, you have to play different roles," he said. MoMere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye is about how distances and one's job create problems in one's married life. Starring Raima Sen and Randeep Hooda along with Arbaaz, the film is set to release on February 6.
Arbaaz, who is Salman Khan's younger brother, started his Bollywood career in 1996 with Daraar where he played a psychotic wife-beater. He then featured in many multi- starrers like Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Qayamat: City Under Threat, Hulchul and the recent Fashion among others.
The actor, who has portrayed various villainous characters on screen, maintains that he was never afraid of being typecast as a baddie in filmdom.
"I was never afraid of being typecast in a certain type of role. I just pick and choose from the roles that are offered to me. If that in turn results in me doing more of a particular kind of character, then that's fine with me as long as the role is interesting," Arbaaz said.
However, he now doesn't mind taking a break from negative roles. Even though his portrayal of a character with grey shades in Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion was appreciated, he is now keen on doing a comedy.
"I really want to do a comedy at the moment. Maybe something like Partner is what will excite me right now," Arbaaz said.
"But I'm very happy that my role in Fashion was appreciated. It definitely feels nice and gives you an impetus to work harder and do more good work," he added.
Arbaaz is no hurry to venture into direction, but he is interested in turning film producer. "I'm now concentrating on my own production house. Salman is the hero of my first film."
The other projects in the actor's kitty include Kissan and director Manish Gupta's thriller Stoneman.

Season Finale of Nach Baliye Features Shahrukh Khan

The fourth season of the hit reality dance show Nach Baliye is coming closer and closer to its finale. There are some special surprises in store for the fans of this dance competition. Of course there will be eliminations and guest star judges. This episode will feature Karisma Kapoor attempting a DIVA act, paying tribute to the diva of all divas, Madhuri, Sridevi of Indian Cinema.
We are not sure if she will be able to live up to the name and style of Madhuri, but we know that especially for the finale, she will have to give it her all and not hold anything back. In addition to paying homage to the diva, she will also be performing some of her own songs. But what's even more exciting than the prospect of Karisma Kapoor performing an amazing and exciting dance routine, is the guest honor judge who will be announcing the winner. The one and only Shahrukh Khan has taken the time out of his busy schedule to help out Nach Baliye. He will be there for all the action and will undoubtedly be a wonderful addition to the panel for the evening. In addition to Shahrukh Khan (as if you needed any other reason to watch) Lara Dutt will also be a guest on the show. We know that this episode will be an exciting conclusion to the already awesome line up that Nach Baliye has managed to have the entire season.
The episode will air Sunday Feb 1st, on Star Plus. We want to know what our readers think about the series finale of Nach Baliye. How many Desi Hits readers watch the show and how many will watch for the season finale featuring Shahrukh Khan as the special guest judge? Let us know what you think.

Salman Khan- Kareena Kapoor cold war ends

It is a far cry from the days when Salman Stopped talking to Kareena when she was dating Shahid Kapur. Shahid and Salman had had an open spat in 2006 Rockstar concert. As a result Sallu stopped talking to Kareena. Their last movie togther was Kyon Ki, a dud.

On the sets of Main Aur Mrs Khanna, initially the cold war is in full swing. Director Prem Soni had to narrate the script to each person, Salman and Kareena separately. After shooting both would head to their respective vans.

But then Kareena made a tactical move. She approached Salman about a scene and the two got talking again. Soon it was laughter and Jokes and the ice had clearly broken between the two.

The company of Saif Ali Khan , Kareena’s current boy friend also helped lighten up things. All heaved a sigh of relief including director Prem Soni and sister Karisma Kapoor who has always been good pals with Salman.

All is well that ends well. The duo has repaired their friendship and now waits together with baited breath for the fate of Main Aur Mrs Khanna.

Katrina and Ranbir to spend V-Day together

Ranbir and Katrina will celebrate this lovers' day together this time. Before your imagination takes flight of fancylets bring it down to the ground and that too with a big thud. Both the actors will be shooting together for their film Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani in Turkey.

But after work they plan to go on a cozy dinner that may add more fuel to their already on the rock relationships with their respective lovers. Salman is quite possessive about Katrina and Deepika is no less about Ranvir, she has posted a spy who keeps an eye on Ranbir and gives regualr update to her.

According to the buzz, Salman will be shooting for London Dreams with Asin on Valentine's Day.

Now, wonder what will Deepika be upto?

Aishwarya said 'Yes' to Vishal Bharadwaj

After extracting a fabulous performance out of Tabu in Maqbool, Kareena Kapoor in Omkara and hopefully, Priyanka Chopra in Kaminay, Vishal Bharadwaj is all set to team up with the one actress he has always wanted to work with - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The project will go into production at the end of the year.

Aishwarya said, “Vishal and I have wanted to work together ever since he was the music composer on a project that got shelved. We had promised one another that I would star in his film whenever he turned director.”

Vishal had offered Aishwarya, a film called Timbuctoo, right after his directorial debut in the children’s film Makdee (2002), but that got shelved. So the wait just got longer.

The actress recollected, “I was very impressed by Vishal’s work. But he insisted that we would work together only when he found absolutely the right project. That has finally happened. Vishal has bounced the script off me. And we both feel this is the right project for us to come together.”

Interestingly, 2009 is a flurry of activity for Aishwarya, what with her giving the nod to new films with Vishal Bharadwaj, Rituparno Ghosh, Abhinay Deo and Vipul Shah.
For Vipul Shah’s film, Aishwarya and Akshay Kumar come together again. Talking about the film, Aishwarya said, “It’s something that Vipul, Akshay and I haven’t done before. The last time Akshay and I came together in Khakee, we played almost antagonists. This time we will hopefully play a more compatible couple.”

Amrita Rao shares her success secrets

The actress has lasted in the world of cinema for seven years now, and although she has still to make a big mark, she remains quite proud of the record she holds. No gigantic scandals, cat fights or interesting rumors. How does an actress in Hindi cinema manage all this and also have quite a decent streak at the box office? Well, for Amrita Rao it all lies in the commitment and passion she has for her work.

Firstly, it is due to her choice of films, which at times may seem scarce but only because the actress has quite a defined criteria for roles that she will take on board. A lot of thought process goes into place before she commits to a film and a role. She has definitely not gone unnoticed, having done movies with the Rajshri banner and opposite King Khan. So we have no doubt that offers aren't the issue, but it's the strict criteria she abides by. Whatever this criteria is or whatever characteristic in a role she looks for is definitely a successful formula because the last few years have encompassed some of the best and most acclaimed releases of the actress's career such as Vivah, Welcome to Sajjanpur and even Shaurya, in which her role was extensively appreciated and praised although it was only a special appearance.

Having said that, she's not a totally perfect child and has had her share of duds at the box office namely Deewar, Pyare Mohan and Shikhar. Regardless of such films, which had so much hope invested in them, the pragmatic actress says that one should putt aside all the emotional attachment that one develops in the making and move on.

The past few years have been particularly busy for Amrita. First, their was the Telugu blockbuster Athidi for which of course Mumbai was not the location, followed by the almost simultaneous shooting for Victory and Welcome to Sajjanpur. Although the schedule was hectic, the actress admits that it wasn't too much of a drama despite Ajitpal Mangat and Shyam Benegal having very contrasting styles of filmmaking and despite the roles being poles apart. Of course there was no need for dubbing for WTS which meant an earlier wrap up than usual!

Well, that's enough talk of the past. What about the future? Is it all bright and shiny for Amrita? That's hard to predict since the box office seems to get more and more unpredictable over the years, but in terms of roles and projects Amrita has a great line up. Releasing this Friday of course is the highly anticipated release, in particular for all cricket fans, Victory opposite Harman Baweja and debutant director Ajitpal Mangat. Despite playing a simple, small town girl in the film and despite the film being sports orientated, Amrita assures the audiences and her fans that she has been given quite a meaty role considering the script which is of such a genre that one would assume it to not be the most accommodating script for heroines wanting to make a mark. After Victory Amrita has set her mind to shedding the innocent, simple and small town look, that has been stuck on her since day one, in Shortcut where she takes on the role of glamour queen. So whoever has accused the actress of not being innovative will surely receive a rude awakening with the emergence a very new, hot and happening Amrita Rao!

If that doesn't get you excited for the upcoming year, then we don't know what will. Will the innocent image of Poonam which put Amrita into everyone's hearts successfully wash off when she adopts this new glamorous persona? Only time will tell, or in your case, BollySpice will tell. Stay tuned and we'll reveal all as the exciting year of 2009 starts to unfold!

Zayed crazy about Hrithik

When we last spoke to Zayed, we found out that the Khan wanted to do something ‘monumental’ as well. “I’d love to play a historic role, but I have miles to go before I get to do what Hrithik is doing. Hrithik is extremely hard working and for me to reach there will require a lot of maturity,” said Zayed. Now his saala’s compliment must be no less than an award for Hrithik... after all family comes first, right Hrithik?

Irfan Khan insecure of Shah Rukh Khan!

Irrfan Khan hung around sets of Billu Barber even though he wasn't required; kept questioning director Priyadarshan and Shah Rukh Khan

All actors are insecure. They may be talented stars or superstars but there are few exceptions to the rule. Irrfan Khan was a perfect example of former statement on the sets of Shah Rukh Khan's home production Billu Barber, directed by Priyadarshan.

Irrfan plays the protagonist while SRK appears in a cameo. However, when King Khan was shooting for a song, Irrfan arrived on the sets and hung around all day even though he was not required to. He wanted to keep an eye on what SRK was doing and followed the assistants and kept hounding them with queries.

Narrating the incident, the source says, "When he heard that a new song was being shot on Shah Rukh and Lara, he got all worked up. The day they were shooting a song, Irrfan was present on the sets all day, even though he wasn't needed.

He refused to leave, even after Priyan told him that he was free to leave. He hung around the entire day. It was clear that Irrfan wanted to hang around to check the song. He kept asking questions to everyone about the length of the track and where does it appears in the film."

Irrfan Khan, tongue firmly in cheek, says, "Yes, I was insecure of Shah Rukh that my wife (Lara) wouldn't fall in love with him and leave me! I play a poor barber in the film jiske paas sirf ek dukaan, biwi, bakri aur do bachche hai aur kuch nahi. The particular day we were shooting for a song between Lara and Shah Rukh and thought it didn't require me to be on the sets.

I hung around asking Priyan and Shah Rukh about what moments would he create between Lara and Shah Rukh.

I was insecure about the romance happening between the two aur kahin meri biwi Shah Rukh ke pyaar mein toh nahi padegi aur bhaag jayegi? However Priyan had his own take on the moments which have turned out to be very sweet and endearing."

Neil Mukesh and Bipasha Basu in Aa Dekhen Zara

The upcoming film Aa Dekhen Zara starring Bipasha Basu and Neil Nitin Mukesh has been making news for sometime now.

However, the last we heard was that Neil has convinced Bips to croon for the title track of the film. Aa Dekhen Zara is apparently a romantic sci-fi thriller movie with Neil playing a photo journalist and Bipasha playing a Disco Jockey.

The film was earlier said to be titled as Freeze, so we at Bollywood Hungama sourced a particular 'freeze' frame from the film that has the dusky bombshell Bipasha and Neil grooving on the dance floor.

One thing is for sure that Neil who plays the photographer will have a wonderful time shooting (if his subject is Bips that is). Besides, considering the theme of this sci-fi film, it will surely make an interesting watch.

Ranbir-Deepika's wavering relationship: too uncertain

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone came together quietly under dramatic circumstances more than a year back. There were talks that Ranbir was seeing his first co-star Sonam and Deepika was oscillating between Yuvraaj Singh and M.S Dhoni after her break up with Nihar Pandya.

They have been officially seeing each other for a while but there have been some uncertainties.

Of late there have been talks about Ranbir getting close to his new co-star Katrina Kaif and Deepika being spotted with some mystery man.

In the beginning, Neetu Singh seemed to be confident about her dear Ranbir's relationship with Deepika. Both Rishi and she seemed to have accepted her as their bahu.

In fact, she was even spotted with Deepika at the Lakme Fashion week and caught the attention of all and sundry.

But now things have changed. Because of the differences they too are uncertain about what the future holds for the young couple.

Neetu has recently said, "Deepika is just another girlfriend in Ranbir's life. Both of them are very young. It's a long way to go before marriage. No one knows what the future holds for them."

The bad thing is that both of them are busy and don't have enough time to sort out things. We too wonder what the future holds for the young love birds

Dedicated Katrina Kaif gives her 100 percent to work

Who says that Bollywood actresses love to throw tantrums and are very unprofessional? The Brit beauty Katrina Kaif has proved the critics wrong by showing complete dedication towards the job at hand. Katrina impressed the entire unit and director Raj Kumar Santoshi while shooting on the sets of ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’.

According to buzz, Santoshi decided that he wanted the song sequences of the film to be shot immediately. Therefore, he requested his actors to put in as much time as they could to finish off with the shoot. According to sources, Katrina did not take a single break throughout the period and was so absorbed with her work that she did not even realise that she had not eaten the entire day.

“It was only when a unit member brought it to her attention that she realised that she hadn’t eaten at all,” a source said to a news daily.

“Katrina gives 100 percent to her work. She is always alert on the sets and that makes her a good learner. She’s willing to go to any length,” the source added.

No wonder Kat baby has some wonderful films like ‘De Dhana Dhan’ and ‘New York’ in the pipeline and is being hailed as one of the topmost heroines of B-town.

Nandana Sen, Amrita Arora bond on Season's Greeting sets

Nandana Sen and Amrita Arora, who star in the film, Season's Greetings, have been bonding well.

In fact Arora reminds Sen of Goldie Hawn. "Amrita's oomph brought Goldie Hawn's earlier roles to my mind. Amu is totally chilled out and fun to work with and not at all like the imperious diva she plays in the film! As for me I play this simple girl next door whose nose is sunk in a book, But she has an open heart and a totally wild side," said Sen.

Shah Rukh Khan undergo shoulder injury surgery

Bollywood acter King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan is set to undergo a shoulder surgery pretty soon. urt his shoulders while shooting for the film Dulha Mil Gaya at Mehboob Studios last December. However, the actor did not take it seriously until recently when the pain became bad to worse. Though the doctors advised that he should undergo a surgery immediately. His last film was Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

Shah Rukh Khan has been taking physiotherapy sessions but had to leave for the shoot of My Name is Khan in LA as a result the surgery got delayed for a month.

Khan is in Los Angeles working on the Karan Johar film “My Name is Khan”. The 43-year-old actor had also undergone spinal surgery a few years ago.

SRK has done his previous surgeries in London but this time he is not sure if he will travel out of the country. He says, “I am in a lot of pain. I may do the surgery in India I haven’t decided that as yet.” He also confirms that he has delayed his surgery by nearly a month for My Name Is Khan, “I wanted to finish shooting for MNIK and also wait for the release of Billu Barber.”

Akshay Kumar and Salma Hayek in a Movie?

We recently reported that Hollywood International and Creative Designs have set up a partnership to make movies together. The $100 million (Rs 400 crore) deal is set to make 5 movies over the next couple of years. This Bollywood/Hollywood venture is set to take movies onto a new exciting path!

Now there is very intriguing news about casting coups. It is being reported that the talented Akshay Kumar is going to be starring opposite the gorgeous Salma Hayek in one of the company's first films.It is also being said that Irfaan Khan will be among the cast! We cannot wait to hear if this cast will be confirmed and what this amazing movie will be! Keep checking back here for more news on this exciting venture!

Akshay 'adopts' 6 wrestlers

Bollywood action star Akshay Kumar has 'adopted' six wrestlers, who are economically backward, in a bid to popularise the sport, an official said.

"Akshay's decision came days before the 10th All India Wrestling Championship opens here on February 1. Participants and lovers of this sport from all over India are expected to gather here," said Sanjay Nirupam, Congress spokesman in Maharashtra and organiser of the event.

"Last year, when Akshay attended the programme, he had publicly expressed a desire to adopt a few wrestlers to encourage more to take up the ancient Indian sport. We are happy that he has honoured the commitment," Nirupam told IANS.

Nirupam introduced six of the year's best wrestlers to Akshay and the star readily accepted the proposal. The wrestlers are - Bipin Varma, Ajay Yadav, Kallu Yadav, Gopal Yadav (all from Mumbai), Amol Patil (Jalgaon) and Ranjeet Nalawade (Kolhapur). Nirupam said that the 'adoption' means that Akshay will sponsor their diet for the next five years.

"Wrestlers usually hail from economically backward sections and are unable to afford the specialised diet to excel in the challenging sport. Akshay's sponsorship will go a long way in helping these six wrestlers confidently tackle domestic and international challenges, including the next Olympics - our prime target," Nirupam explained.

No more fun for Akshay Kumar

The shocking downfall of Nikhil Advani's Chandni Chowk To China has put a huge question mark on Akshay Kumar's ongoing comic journey. Most of his well-wishers in the industry seriously wish him to end his protracted attempts at comedy.

Says a director who has worked with Akshay, "Akshay Kumar has become progressively active in the process of writing scripts and shooting films. He freely makes suggestions some of which, I've to admit, are good. But quite often he wants to take over the project. When I went to him with another project he offered to co-produce it and get someone to re-write portions. It's obvious a lot of scenes in Chandni Chowk were re-written. The result shows."

Apparently, the Chandni Chowk To China writer Sridhar Raghavan was persuaded to continuously change the scenes until the writer (known for his skilled screenplay in Raj Santoshi's film) was a helpless puppet propelling the plot to destinations-unknown.

However, Akshay's staunch producer-director friends are more than happy to stand by him.

Akshay's next crucial release Kambakht Ishq has very little of the comic element. "It's an out-and-out rom-com with stunts of an international order," informs producer Sajid Nadiadwala proudly. "And why are we jumping the gun just because one of his films hasn't lived up to expectations? There could be so many reasons for it. Why should Akshay be blamed for it? Why so much negativity about him? Is he the first superstar to disappoint audiences?"

Sajid shoots down rumours of seriously revamping the comic element in Kambakht Ishq. "Why would I do that? The film is what it is. I don't work with my actors based on how their last film did. Kambakht Ishq will have a lot to offer."

However, on the downside Akshay's pairing with Kareena Kapoor has hardly ever worked, their last few films being Suneel Darshan's Talaash, Dharmesh Darshan's Bewafaa and Yash Raj Films' Tashan.

Vipul Shah's film with Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Bachchan which he launches in March is also not a comic romp. "But I don't think the failure of Chandni Chowk To China means that audiences have rejected him in the comic avatar. The backlash is totally uncalled-for. And it looks motivated by reasons other than the box-office. A lot of people have been waiting to pounce on Akshay. This is their opportunity," Vipul Shah defends his hero stoutly.

It is believed that apart from Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan which is an out-and-out comedy, Akshay Kumar forthcoming projects will seriously cut down or downplay the comic element.

"It's the Govinda factor at work again," says a director who wants to remain unnamed. "He did so much buffoonery on screen, Govinda made people forget there was more to him than meets the eye."

Amrita Rao is fed up of questions on Harman

Guess what makes Amrita Rao go furious these days? The actress can’t help fuming every time questions about her relationship with Harman Baweja are raised.

Amrita lost her cool recently when she was questioned about her link-up with Harman at a press conference for her film Victory, in which she stars opposite him. She thought of leaving the dais first but then realised the film was important for her. So, she said, "These are just rumours and are as much news to me as they are to you." Later, regaining her composure, she added, "I have stopped reacting to such talk.

Harman is a dear friend, so it is rubbish to talk about anything else.” Stories about Harman and Amrita having a good time while shooting in Rajasthan have been doing the rounds, but the actress insists there is no truth in the rumours.

She had also been blamed for the break-up of Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor, so when the news of Harman and Priyanka Chopra’s break-up came to the fore, she was naturally upset.

"Amrita has always believed in maintaining a friendly relationship with her co-stars. But just because she doesn’t believe in reacting to the wild rumours, the bogus stories never stop hitting the headlines,” says a source close to the actress.

Clearly, Amrita doesn’t want to be part of any controversy.

Despite all her clarifications, she has invited the wrath of Priyanka just like she did earlier with Kareena.

Akshay Kumar may displace Shah Rukh and Salman Khan

Akshay Kumar is surely is fast emerging as a strong contender to Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan for the overseas heartthrobs™ tag.

After the strong showing in the overseas circuit of Garam Masala , Deewane Hue Pagal and Dosti - Friends Forever , all of which starred Akshay, his ‘intense lover’ act in his latest film Humko Deewana Kar Gaye has also stormed the box office in the United Kingdom, thus underlining the versatile actors emergence as the "new star on the overseas circuit".

The film, which released all over the world on April 14, opened to record theatre collections. In fact, the opening day collections of the film, which stars Katrina Kaif in the female lead and the sultry Bipasha Basu in a supporting role, in the United Kingdom were a staggering 50,000 UK Pounds (Rs 35 Lakh) from just 38 cinema screens.

Besides the stupendous opening day collections, the film also earned 16,000 UK Pounds (Rs 11 lakh) from paid preview shows held a day prior to its theatrical release.

Shah Rukh's unique way of showing his gratitude to Priyanka Chopra

Shah Rukh has been taking more than a passing interest in the music for the films he produces. And Priyanka Chopra would vouch for that.

If she declares from rooftops that she is Shah Rukh Khan's biggest fan then it is for a reason. The man just floors his ladies, without trying to be charming.

What he did for Priyanka Chopra in Billu Barber would certify as pure magnanimity and generosity, both as a considerate co-star and producer.

Shah Rukh decided to give away a large portion of his duet in Billu Barber to Priyanka. Says the film's music composer Pritam Chakraborty, ''Shah Rukh took very close interest in each one of the songs. He isn't a musician. But he has an instinctive ear for music. It takes him just a few seconds to approve or cut down a track."

With the songs meant for Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Pritam faced no problems. "Shah Rukh loved his songs with Kareena ('Marjani') and Deepika ('Love Mera Hit Hit'). They were straightforward dance songs with shared grooves between Shah Rukh and the two actress."

The Priyanka song needed special treatment. And Shah Rukh made Pritam re-work and re-record the song. Divulges Pritam, "Shah Rukh's song with Priyanka 'Khudaya Khair' is not an item song. It's a love ballad that the pair playing Bollywood superstars, emote to in front of the camera. Being a love song Shah Rukh felt there wasn't enough of the female presence in the vocals. He made me re-record the song with more for the female vocalist (Dominique) to do since he wanted Priyanka to have an equal number of lines."

Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta who play a rustic couple will later be seen enacting the same Shah Rukh-Priyanka ballad exactly the way the village couple had seen the stars do the song.

From sharing Akshay Kumar on screen in Andaaz to sharing the same love song, the Priyanka-Lara Dutta rivalry sure has come a long way.

Laughs Pritam, "It was entirely Shah Rukh's idea to give Priyanka more lines in the song. He's a very generous entertainer. If you see him on screen he never tries to steal the limelight from his heroines. Even 'Khaike Paan Banaras Wala' had a lot of Priyanka in Don although it was entirely Shah Rukh's song."

When told about Shah Rukh's gesture, Priyanka stays silent for a while. She then sighs and says, "What do I say? Now do you know why he's my favourite?"

Akshay, Aishwarya awarded the Padma Shree

It is a proud day for Bollywood. The 60th year of the Indian republic saw top civilian honours awarded to two immensely popular actors.

Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were awarded the Padma Shree by the Government of India.

Since Aishwarya has become the face of India for the world, and has bagged numerous best actress awards, it was a matter of time before she received this high honour.

The surprise however, remains Akshay Kumar, who has only just emerged as an actor and was given the popular choice best actor award a few days ago, which he refused. As Akshay insists on mindless entertainment in his films and refuses point blank to 'meaningful' cinema, this indeed is a strange choice.

Akshay's latest film, Chandni Chowk to China has bombed badly at the Box Office despite a collaboration with Warner Brothers. As of now, he is looking forward to the release of Kambakkht Ishq where he will share the screen not only with Bollywood beauty Kareena Kapoor, but also Hollywood stars like Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Superman Routh and Denise Richards.

Aishwarya on the other hand, is looking forward to the India release of her first Hollywood project Pink Panther 2. As of now, she is busy shooting for Mani Ratnam's Raavana alongside hubby Abhishek Bachchan. She received the popular choice best actress award at the Screen Awards held in Mumbai recently, for her role in Jodhaa Akbar.

The other Bollywood recipient of the prestigious Padma Shree is none other than the legendary Helen. The lady who immortalised the twist in Bollywood and became well-known as the essential item girl has got this award after she has retired from the industry, save a film or two every few years.

'Luck By Chance' - a behind-the-curtains Bollywood tale

Just when you thought Shah Rukh Khan's "Om Shanti Om"was the last take on Bollywood's inside story, Zoya Akhtar makes her directorial debut this Friday with "Luck By Chance", a serious dig at the industry.

Already in the news for its brother-sister camaraderie, the film has been written and directed by Zoya and is the story of an aspiring actor who arrives in Mumbai to make it big in Bollywood. And penning the script seems to have been a cakewalk for Javed Akhtar's daughter.

"This was quite an easy film for me to write. From start to finish, it took me no extra research to pen the story down. It is so because I've seen a lot of strugglers who come to Mumbai make a living out of Bollywood. Also, I have friends who came from Oman and Assam and are doing fairly good work for themselves,"Zoya told IANS in an interview.

Produced by Excel Entertainment in association with Big Pictures, "Luck By Chance"stars Zoya's brother Farhan Akhtar in the lead, who was last seen in his hit debut "Rock On!!"

The film has an ensemble cast and also features Konkona Sen Sharma, Dimple Kapadia, Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Hrithik Roshan and Isha Sharvani. A few Bollywood biggies have walk-on parts too.

The movie is already making its mark in people's minds with its unique promos and rumours that it is Bollywood's next "Om Shanti Om", considering its behind-the-curtains portrayal of the Hindi filmdom.

But Isha Shravani slams all such buzz. She said: "The film is very different from 'Om Shanti Om'. The plots of both the movies are very different. 'Om Shanti Om' was much more of a musical. While 'Luck By Chance' has a different take on Bollywood. It's much more real.

"Zoya has really put together a fantastic script and characters in the movie. The film is unique in its approach."

The soundtrack of the film is already a hit with its experimental music and oft-hummed tunes courtesy composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Featuring a robust mix of songs from multiple genres, the film's medium-paced songs have already enforced the audiences' to shake a leg as well as brood in silence with its varying tempo.

Considering the volatile situation in terms of business in Bollywood, the year started on a disappointing note and has managed so far to give a hit only in Vishesh Films' horror thriller "Raaz - The Mystery Continues".

What is to be seen is whether audiences would hold onto their seats for another behind-the-scenes Bollywood potboiler.

Zoya though is quite confident about the box-office results for her maiden venture.

"I don't think any film made on Bollywood has not done well. At least, I have liked all of them whether it be 'Guddi', 'Rangeela' and 'Om Shanti Om' ... and all of them have done well too,"she said.

Is Katrina skipping meals?

She realised it only when a unit member brought it to her notice. Says a friend of the actress, “Katrina always gives her 100 per cent. She did forget to eat, but that was only because she was concentrating on perfecting her steps.” We are sure that the directors and producers don’t mind Katrina’s forgetful ways!

Hansika Motwani’s electrifying item song

Hansika Motwani who started her acting career in Bollywood Film Industry is now heading towards south film industry. hansika-motwani-221x300 Hansika Motwani’s electrifying item song

Hansika Motwani who looked beautiful in ‘Maska’ is now ready to dance for an item song in Meher Ramesh’s remake of Billa (Tamil) starring Prabhas. Namitha and Anushka are playing the pivotal roles in the film.It is said that Hansika Motwani is doing the item number not because she likes to do item songs but because she has great respect for the movie’s director Meher Ramesh. Hansika Motwani considers Meher Ramesh as her Guru and brother.

If reports are to be believed, the item number is being shot at an expensive set in Hyderabad and the producer and director of the film have kept aside the secrets before the film is released.

This remix song of Hansika Motwani, something along the lines of what Kareena Kapoor did in Don (Hindi), is going to be so exciting that it will be remembered for a long time.

Bipasha Basu walks off Lamha set in Kashmir over lack of security

# Just as the Screen awards were becoming routine, there were two developments at last week’s ceremony to spice things up.

Akshay Kumar refused the most popular star award, saying Aamir Khan was more deserving as Ghajini had outshone Singh is Kinng! Then sparks flew between host Sajid Khan and best-director recipient Ashutosh Gowariker after the latter told Khan to “shut up” around comments regarding Harman Baweja who stars in Gowarikar’s What’s Your Rashee to which Khan snapped “kisika baap bhi mujhe shut up nahi bol sakta!” (Nobody’s father is going to shut me up!). The tension was so severe that it could have been cut with a plastic knife.

# AR Rahman can only chuckle at the treatment meted out to him by the Ameri-can media . When he received the Critics Award for the music of Slumdog Millionaire, Rahman says they weren’t really interested in him — asking him to pose alongside director Danny Boyle. But when the Golden Globe Award came along, they were insisting on solo photographs!

# Shahrukh Khan is bearing the cost of treatment for two child victims of a gren-ade attack in Srinagar. He heard of the orphan’s, Muddassar, 5, and Amina, 3, plight from a senior doctor at Mumbai’s Lee-lavati hospital and decided to pay for their rehabilitation.

# Aamir Khan is eyeing the Indian epic the Mahabharat as the story is very close to his heart. But, he now says, it is not the time as it would need absolute attention (when has that ever been a problem for the perfectionist, I wonder?) Speaking at a party to celebrate Ghajini’s success, Khan said “ It is a film you cannot afford to make mistakes with.” When asked which character he fancied playing, he replied “Karan, but, unfortunately, I cannot because of my height. I would also love to do Arjun, but, I don’t look like a warrior. So it would have to be Lord Krishna.”

# Salman Khan’s taking lessons from Aamir Khan about marketing his films. He has approached Aamir for help ahead of the release of Wanted: Dead or Alive. Previously Sallu rarely cared how his films fared but, having observed Aamir’s input, he now feels filmmaking is a team responsibility.

# Sushmita Sen has come out of hiding after the calamitous Sholay remake Aag. She now has three releases lined up Do Knot Disturb with the comedy dream team of David Dhawan and Govinda, Dulha Mil Gaya opposite Fardeen Khan and her first Hollywood film, Karma and Holi, alongside Naomi Campbell.

# Shahid Kapoor’s the proud owner of a new Yamaha MT-01 superbike. But he bought it only after his parents approved. Pankaj Kapoor and Neelima Azeem, were against him owning a bike as they feared for his safety but relented after he assured them he would exercise extreme caution.

# Mallika Sherawat was a guest of the former Kashmir chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah in Mumbai last week. The National Conference leader invited the buxom babe to savour Kashmiri cuisine.

Others who attended were filmmakers Yash Chopra and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, music maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and ghazal singer Talat Aziz.

# Still with Kashmir Bipasha Basu walked off the sets of Lamha being shot in the troubled region as the producer and director had not arranged the promised security. “The first seven days were abso-lute chaos — nothing was organised and there was a lack of security. Yes, my work is my life but I’ve a life beyond work. I’m not going to risk my life for any film,” said the star who is hopeful that things are being sorted out as she is very keen to play the role of a Kashmiri girl.

# Nayanthara has raised the ire of many fans after she broke a camera belonging to one of them. Nayanthara and her co-star, Dileep, had been housed in a top hotel by the producers of a Malayalam film titled Bodyguard. Fans thronged the hotel foyer and Nayanthara asked that no photographs be taken. When one fan took a shot, she grabbed the camera and broke it. The fan was incensed and said he was disappointed with her attitude. Nayanthara was unrepentant and said fans needed to keep their distance. It was, therefore, a surprise when she decided to watch the screening of her latest film, Villu. She went in soon after the film started, but chaos broke out when fans recognised her and security had to keep them at bay.

# Director Venkat Prabhu is determined to make his third film — his first for Warner Brothers — a film with an international flavour. He has approached several parties to secure the dates of a Hollywood actress. One Chennai weekly reported that Venkat Prabhu’s casting director has even approached Jessica Alba. In the same vein, director Vijay, who is currently working on Madrasapattinam, wants three British actresses to play key roles, and he is determined that at least one of them must be an international-ly-recognised actress. Yet another director who wants an international flavour for his film is AR Gandhi Krishna, who is currently working on Anandha Thaandavam. Only lead stars Sidhharth and Tamanna and one character artist are from India. All other roles are played by Americans or people living there, most of them Indian.

# Is Arjun’s latest film, Adhey Kanngall, a remake of AVM’s classic 1966 suspense thriller of the same title? The cast and crew are tight-lipped about this. Director Major Ravi would only say that it is a taut suspense thriller which will be filmed in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The 1966 Adhey Kanngall was a hit movie that had an ending that few could predict.

# Audience tastes have matured rapidly over the last decade but lead actors remain sceptical about the viability of untried formulas. Directors Ameer and Myshkin have recently decided to act be-cause they could not find actors willing to play the role demanded by the script with-out major changes. While actors like Surya and Vikram are willing to experiment, there are others, like Vijay, whose image has now hampered their acting progress.

# Music director Deva is returning to films in Suresh Krishna’s next venture, Aarumugam, a film with Bha-rath, Priyamani and Ramya Krishnan heading the cast. Krishna is confident that the unusual theme and strong commercial elements in Aarumugam would ensure that it becomes the most successful of his career thus far.

The Khan War

The heart-throbs of Indian film industry trade barbs to drum up publicity for their films.

The war of words among Bollywood’s reigning Khans —Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman—is escalating as younger actors have started snapping at the heels of the ageing trio.

The barbs invariably intensify ahead of the release of their films, as the Khans nervously watch the response of their legions of fans.

Aamir, 43, fired the latest salvo when his romantic action thriller, Ghajini, and the romantic comedy, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (God Made This Couple), starring Shah Rukh, were released recently.Shah Rukh is seven months younger than Aamir. “I’m sitting under a tree. A cool breeze is blowing ... Shah Rukh is licking my feet and I am feeding him biscuits every now and then. What more can I ask for?” Aamir wrote in his blog.Shah Rukh, by the way, just happens to be the name of his caretakers’ dog. “When I bought this house, it came with the caretakers and their dog,” he said.

Obviously, such words are seized upon by the newspapers and magazines, producing instant reams of free publicity for a film.

Indeed, Ghajini has become a blockbuster, grossing US$18 million in the first week of its release, the highest in the history of Hindi films. And a box-office hit is reassurance that a star continues to reign over the Hindi film industry.

A flop would raise doubts about his popularity and marketability. And it could put a dent in the astronomical sums—conservative estimates put it at 100 million rupees ($2 million) per film—that each of the three Khans is said to command.

Thus, it is not surprising that Shah Rukh, also known as SRK, quickly hit back with a snide remark about the buff figure that Aamir shows off in Ghajini, the product of a gruelling 10-month exercise regime.

Shah Rukh himself had already displayed six-pack abs in another film, and noted in a chat with journalists: “I think it’s a good strategy. You take the biggest brand in the country, that is SRK.

“The problem is that I cannot use another brand because there is no one bigger than me.”

Aamir was quick to respond. “People who are No 1 don’t state the obvious,” he said. “For me, Amitabh Bachchan is No 1. Does he ever make claims about that?

“Does (singer) Lata Mangeshkar make claims about it?” he went on. “Superstars don’t need to say anything about their status.”

Meanwhile, Veer, starring Salman, 43, as an Indian warrior fighting British colonialists, is due to be released this year. So he could not resist tapping the publicity with a few choice words of his own.

Taking a dig at Aamir, he said it would be difficult for the actor to maintain his ‘Ghajini’ look. “Next time when he takes off his shirt, he will have (nothing) to show,” he said in a TV interview.

Aamir responded by saying he is an actor, “not a bodybuilder”.

Salman, the ‘Rambo’ of Hindi films, and Shah Rukh have been exchanging barbs ever since their spat at a birthday party for leading lady Katrina Kaif last year.

Some media reports said the two traded insults and almost came to blows over Shah Rukh’s refusal to make a guest appearance in a Salman film.

“You don’t stop the car and start reacting to the dog. You don’t! There’s no point. I don’t wish to react. I don’t have the time for it,” Salman wrote in his blog, reacting to the episode.

Of course, beyond the gossip magazines and behind the scenes, the three Khans are friendlier.

“We have high regard for each other. I have no hesitation in saying that I’m charmed by SRK,” Aamir said in an interview with bollywoodhungama.com.

“It’s just that media takes an extreme stand; it pits us as either enemies or as best friends. As for all our back-and-forth talks, it just shows that both of us have a good sense of humour,” he added.

Shah Rukh, in turn, commended Aamir’s work in Ghajini.

He even teased Aamir by suggesting that they do a movie together and let the audience compare their six-pack abs.

“I was scared as I had lost my six-pack and wanted Aamir to say no,” said Shah Rukh. “Luckily, he said he has lost his pack too, so let’s give a chance to some other actor!”

Amrita Arora going to do marriage with Shakeel Ladak

The buzz is that Bollywood gorgeous actress Amrita Arora has finally decided to get married with her new boyfriend Shakeel Ladak on March 6, 2009.A source reveals, “The wedding date is March 6 and it will be a grand marriage.

The mehendi ceremony will be on 4th march and the sangeet ceremony on March 5. Amrita Arora wanted that her marriage should be in a church, therefore marriage will be in a church on 6th March.

However church is yet to be decided.He further added, “Amrita is preparing the list of marriage guests but her favorite star Shahrukh Khan will not attend the wedding function as he does not see Salman Khan eye to eye.”

Amrita’s elder sister Malaika Arora is extremely busy in marriage preparations and she has selected her suit for wedding. Amrita Arora has not finalized her suit and it is learnt that she has many friends who are designers but she is uncertain about whom she should give her consent to design marriage gown.

Aishwarya Rai is among most desired women

Aishwarya Rai is among most desired women. She is laced 48th among the most desired women on earth.

The poll was conducted by men’s portal www.askmen.com. Aishwarya Rai is one of the most successful actresses of Bollywood. When most actress of her age have turned dotting wives and moms, the former beauty queen is experimenting in new and newer roles that are coming her way. She is still much in demand in Bollywod and also in Kollywood from where she began her acting stint.Her beauty still sets films on fire and ensures the success of the film. Her endorsing a product ensures producers that the company will get better response from consumers. With her father in law and husband she makes the biggest Bollywood brand in the country.

Often acclaimed as the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai made her movie debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Iruvar in the year 1997 opposite Mohanlal. She had her first commercial success in the Tamil movie Jeans 1998, and came to the attention of Bollywood through her blockbuster Hindi movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999.

The film directed by celebrated film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was a super duper success.

The film won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award, and she successfully performed in Bhansali's next project, Devdas opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the year 2002. the film gave her second Best Actress Award at the Filmfare.

Since then, Aishwarya Rai has acted in over forty movies in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and English, including the international productions Bride & Prejudice (2003), Mistress of Spices (2005), and The Last Legion (2007) in English.

Aamir Khan recommends Rani Mukherji

Who can just drop away the transfixing looks of Aamir's 'Ghajini'? Satyajit Chaurasia, the person who made him look so has turned the spotlights of Bollywood on him. Now, every celebrity of B‑town seeks his help for a stunning physique and actresses aren't elision. Satyajit, body fitness trainer, will soon be training Rani Mukherji and for this she has set a gym at her bungalow in Juhu.

The trainer says, 'I had already set her a gym at the Yari Road flat, but Juhu is better. Earlier, we had just the treadmill but now there are more instruments.' Satya had also set-up a gym for Aamir Khan at his Bandra House and it was there for everyone to see in Aamir's 'Ghajini'.

At the moment, Satya is all focused on Rani Mukherji advising her for the best diets and good work-outs to tone her body. Reports indicate that next on the fitness list is Saif who would be sporting his macho-looks for one of his forthcoming projects.

Are Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif married?

Never far from controversy, the turbulent Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif relationship, is in the news again. In an interview to Marathi newspaper Saamna, scriptwriter Salim Khan has said that in his family, religion was not a bar. He has cited the example of his marriage to Helen. But the trouble stemmed from the statement that follows.

The senior Khan, giving more instances of inter-religious marriages in the family, talks about the marriage of his son Arbaaz Khan to Malaika Arora Khan and of Salman Khan to Katrina Kaif.

However, once people noticed the interview, Salim Khan declared that he had been misquoted by the paper. Katrina Kaif, on her part, has demanded a formal apology from newspaper for saying that she was married to Salman Khan.

Though Kaif and Khan are denying the news of their marriage as a misquote, it must be noted that at the time when rumours of Sanjay Dutt and Manyata being married were doing the rounds, it was Saamna that had carried an advertisement by the couple addressing themselves as Sanjay and Manyata Dutt. Saamna has let the cat out of the bag for one couple in the past, could it have gone wrong this time?

Shahrukh Khan doesn't regret turning down 'Slumdog Millionaire'

One successful film can turn the fate of an actor. It’s something which happened to Anil Kapoor after the global success of Slumdog Millionaire . But the original choice for the character of quiz-master was Shahrukh Khan .

Yes, SRK turned down director Danny Boyle and the role later went to Anil Kapoor. However, Shahrukh has no regrets for not doing the film. He recently told a tabloid: “I know Danny felt bad about it”. But SRK was all praise for Anil Kapoor and admitted that Anil has done a fabulous job as the host of the game show.

For King Khan, last year was not so happening as he kept himself busy with cameo roles and only one release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi . He declined 3 Idiots and the role went to Aamir Khan .

Shahrukh has in fact rejected some of the big films in the past. Lagaan and Lage Raho Munnabhai are some of them.

However, he doesn’t regret turning down these roles. “Everything isn’t made for me alone. God has given me enough. I’d better be happy and contented,” SRK is quoted as saying.

Incidentally, SRK seems always ready for a Yashraj film or a Karan Johar one.

Presently, he is committed to Johar’s My Name Is Khan and is also eagerly awaiting the release of his movie Billu Barber .

Hansika shoots a sizzling item number

Cute babe Hansika Motwani , who began her acting career in Bollywood, is emerging quite a head-turner down south.

After showing a glamourous side of hers in ‘Maska’, Hansika is all dolled up for an item number in ‘Billa’ with Prabhas. The movie has Anushka and Namitha in main roles.

Apparently, Hansika is doing the item, the popular remix song of “Naa Paruvam” from ‘Yugandhar’, not because she is fond of item numbers, but because she has high regard for the film’s director Meher Ramesh.

Hansika regards Meher as her brother and mentor.

The song will reportedly have Hansika in a revealing outfit. It is being shot at a lavish set in Hyderabad.

However, the film’s director and producer have taken all measures to keep Hansika’s look in the song a secret before the film is ready for release.

Riya Sen Trying To Lose Weight

Riya Sen, fresh from Heroes, is striking up controversy with her statement that she is trying to lose weight, having felt she'd put on a bit recently. “I’ve been size-zero all of my life," she says, "What’s the big deal about it?”
Riya has been showcased in the media as a goodtime girl, interested only in parties and events but she refutes this: "I know how to lead my life," she says, "I spend most of my time with my close friends and family. Whenever I am in Kolkata, I spend time with my parents and hardly attend parties or events. But the media has created this image. I really don’t know why."

Riya, who performed well in movies such as Tum Ho Naa and Shaadi No.1 is proud of her recent work as a village girl in Rituparno Ghosh's movie Noukadubi. "My work in Noukadubi is the best in my career. Rituparno is extremely happy with my performance. This kind of work gives me the opportunity to reinvent myself. I have to relate to that village girl, portray her feelings and identify with her lifestyle."

However, Riya does not see herself as making a permanent return to Kollywood and has two interesting Bollywood projects lined up. There's Subhash Ghai's Char Yaar with an all-star case including Neha Dhupia, Sayali Bhagat, Celina Jaitley and Aashish Chaudhary. Then this is scheduled to be followed by Krrish 2 with Hrithik Roshan and Rekha.

Shekhar Suman says sorry to Akshay Kumar

When Shekhar Suman made critical remarks about Akshay Kumar vis-à-vis Chandni Chowk To China little did he know it would blow up into such a huge point of debate.

In a reconciliatory gesture Shekhar sent an SMS on Thursday morning apologizing to Akshay.

"It was never my intention to offend Akshay. And if I've done do then I've no hesitation in saying sorry. Akshay is too much of a good soul for me to hurt him. He should've realized my comments had nothing personal about them."

Shekhar us taken aback by the backlash to his tongue-lash. "I never knew my opinion would matter so much. I reacted as an outraged viewer. I've always admired Akshay Kumar's resilient climb from the bottom rung to the top of ladder. In fact I tell my son Adhyayan that Akshay Kumar is a role model to follow. Self-made superstar."

Sadly a section of Akshay's supports including the Chandni Chowk director Nikhil Advani saw Shekhar's comments as below-the-belt attempts to get publicity for Adhyayan's release this week.

Shekhar laughs off this accusation. "My son is talented enough to do without such cheap props. We don't need to use big names to get noticed. Adhyayan's performance in Raaz 2 will speak for itself. I'd say exactly what I did about Chandni Chowk even if my son's film wasn't releasing."

Now Salman Khan wants to do it like Aamir

Ghajini's marketing strategy has started a whole new trend in Bollywood and inspired many.

Yes, it was praised by the Bollywood fraternity and this includes Salman Khan, who wants to do it like Aamir to promote his upcoming film 'Wanted Dead And Alive'.

For the uninitiated 'Wanted Dead And Alive' is a Hindi remake of the hit Tamil film 'Pokkiri' that starred Vijay and Asin. The Hindi version stars Salman and Ayesha Takia as the lead pair and is directed by Prabhu Deva.

The publicity gimmick of 'Ghajini' when the multiplex staffers sported the 'Ghajini' hair-cut, Aamir's interaction with the media, him chopping hair and shaving people's heads has impressed Salman no end.

He told Boney Kapoor to promote 'Wanted Dead And Alive' in a similar unique way and he's doing the needful.

'Pokkiri' was a huge Tamil box office hit and they want the Hindi version to do very well too.

Apparently Aamir was inspired by Salman to get the beefed-up look for Ghajini. And hence he's following Aamir happily now.

And that's not the only new thing happening in Sallu bhai's life. He's all set to endorse beach fashion in his forthcoming film 'Wanted Dead & Alive' too.

Ashley Rebello, who has styled Salman in the film has said, "Salman will be seen wearing neck pieces made from beads, sea shells and everything that is hippie and Goan in the film. The film has been mostly shot in Bangkok... He will wear folded knee length pants and white shirts in the movie. He will also wear a lot of checked shirts and leather jackets which give him that hippie look."

This casual 'beach-boy' look can be an instant hit and could do as well as John's hot yellow trunk in 'Dostana'. Let's wait and watch.

Katrina seeks clarification from Saamna on false marriage report

Bollywood lovebirds Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif have always been media’s favourite for various reasons, and Salman has often been quoted expressing his offence against the write-ups about his love life.

But this time, a news piece published in the famous newspaper ‘Saamna’ has infuriated the couple to the core, especially Katrina.

As it has published a story which claims that Salman has already tied the nuptial knot with Kat, and the news has been given out by none other than Salman’s father Salim Khan.

In the news piece printed in ‘Saamna’, Salim Khan has disclosed in a write-up that the two stars are married now. ‘Religion is not a bar for family’, he added. Reacting to the news piece, Katrina said, “This is not acceptable.

They can’t make such a mistake about somebody’s life. It’s such a big newspaper, they should be careful about what they are writing. They should issue a clarification if not an apology on what has been published.”

“My manager is speaking to them, as I am working right now, but people must be reading the newspaper everyday, and they should read a clarification tomorrow,” she added.But ‘Saamna' has reportedly rejected the news saying it was printed by mistake. A source reveals that as soon as the news was taken up by the other media, editor of ‘Saamna' apologised saying the news was printed by mistake.

After clarifying the issue with Salman’s family members including Salim Khan and Helen, Katrina said, “I’ve spoken to Salim uncle about it and it’s a genuine misquote since the journalist must have got carried away, so I give him the benefit of doubt. But I believe that they have spoken to my manager and have accepted their mistake.”

When asked about her possible marriage plans with Salman, Katrina said, “There is still time to it, not for another three years at least. I’m very happy with my work right now. It’s only in the hands of God and destiny.”

Kangna, Adhyayan promote 'Raaz' in Chandigarh

Bollywood stars, Kangna Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman were in Chandigarh, on Wednesday, to promote their upcoming movie 'Raaz-The Mystery Continues'. We caught up with the duo and asked them about their characters in the movie. Story by - MadhupTWENTY ONE-year-old glamorous girl Kangna Ranaut had started her Bollywood debut with the movie Gangster. Her portrayal of the wife of a gangster in the movie spoke volumes about her talent.

Recently, this Bollywood beauty was in news because of her relationship with Shekhar Suman’s son Adhyayan Suman.

The duo were in Chandigarh on Wednesday (January 21) to promote their upcoming horror-thriller movie Raaz -The Mystery Continues. We caught up with both the stars and asked them about their characters in the movie.

Adhyayan said that he is playing the character of Yash in the movie. “This movie is based on the concept of both good and evil exist within us who help you to escape the evil within you,” the actor said.

On being asked about her character, Kangna said, “Raaz-The Mystery Continues is one of the most expensive horror films with a different story, with different cast and even a different director. I am playing the role of a supermodel, Nandita, who deals with the horrific situations and struggle through darkness to find her strength.” Ultimately, the whole story revolves around her.

While sharing her daily experiences Kangna said, “Yoga is a gift to mankind that introduces me to my real self and disciplined yoga practice and daily interactions help me to keep myself self centred and grounded through activities.”

“I’ve gained greater physical and mental strength through this practice,” she further added.

Raaz-The Mystery Continues will release in theatres across the country on January 23. The movie also stars actor Emraan Hashmi in the lead role.

Kajol's giving Karan Johar a hard time

It is said that art imitates life. Following real life examples, over the years our Bollywood films have been replete with hilarious examples where mothers of top actresses accompany their daughters to film sets and tell sundry spot boys 'baby ke liye juice lao'. However, this time the situation is neither that simple nor lighthearted.

Ask Karan Johar who is not having an easy time shooting for the Shah Rukh Khan- Kajol starrer My Name Is Khan in Los Angeles. Kajol who agreed to do the film after a lot of deliberation is now asking for a far more prominent role in the film. This comes as a surprise considering the deep friendship between Kajol and Karan Johar. And evidently it is Kajol's mother Tanuja, who is accompanying her, who is to be blamed. Our sources say that Kajol demanded that Karan give her more punchy dialogues only on her mother's insistence.

An insider said, “Kajol has realised that she does not have too much to do in the film since the film completely revolves around Shah Rukh. Sensing Kajol's turmoil, Tanuja asked Kajol to convince Karan to give her dialogue which will leave a more lasting impression.”

After Kajol had a talk with Karan, we hear that he had no choice but to bow down to the mother-daughter diktat. We attempted to get in touch with Tanuja but her phone was unreachable.

Aamir Khan’s flattered by cool Katz!

No wonder this Khan has audiences of all shapes, sizes and ages wrapped around his muscled finger (or is it his entire body?). Not only the junta, even industry folks (hot babes with boyfriends included) are in awe of Aamir’s sense of perfection. Recently during an interview with us, Katrina Kaif commented that Aamir Khan has the best body in the business. We’re sure AK must’ve been maha-khush on hearing this, though in his usual nonchalant style he told us, “I’m flattered by what Katrina said.

If you ask me, I like John’s physique. I think he has a great body. I only did what was required for my role. I think Salman has got a great physique, too.” Aha ... we’re sure Sallu will love the latter part of Aamir’s response, but the bit about Johnny boy? We sooo doubt that he’ll agree with his dost. For ‘butt’ obvious reasons, na?

Shahrukh Khan's hair care!

Shahrukh Khan is careful about not damaging his hair while shooting in remote areas.

An actor’s job, besides acting, is also about looking good on the big screen. We all remember how SRK looked in his early days, when he had bristled hair like that of a goose. It has taken years of care to get rid of that hard mane.

Today, when the superstar has got shiny soft hair, he makes constant effort to maintain it. And one way to do it is by washing it with clean, mineral water.

This was evident when SRK shot his upcoming home production Billu Barber in Pollachi. Since the area has unclean water, the superstar used mineral water not just to wash his hair but also to bathe because as an actor he is extra cautious about not damaging his skin.

According to a source, SRK uses high quality gels and oils to maintain the sheen in his hair and using unclean water to wash them would have been a terrible idea.

To those cued in to the working of the industry, SRK’s meticulous hair care may not come as a surprise because almost every actor or celebrity prefers mineral water for hair wash.

Why go far. Sonu Sood demanded mineral water to be used in a rain sequence in Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi because ordinary water would have spoiled his hair.

Talk about water conservation!

Salman Khan shoots for Main Aur Mrs Khanna in Panchgani

Salman Khan is in Panchgani. Now we all know that Salman Khan and Aamir Khan are thick friends, but that does not mean that whatever Aamir does, Salman will follow suit. Salman is in Panchgani for the shoot of Main Aur Mrs Khanna.

The unit of this film shot for a few days in Mumbai before shifting base to Panchgani. Director Prem Soni and producer Sohail Khan were unavailable for comment on their shooting plans despite repeated attempts.

Main Aur Mrs Khanna's action director Mahendra Verma, who has directed most of the action in Khan's films, reveals, "Yes, we are in Panchgani and this schedule will be for a fortnight."

Main Aur Mrs Khanna had a long shooting schedule in Australia. Besides Khan, the film also stars Kareena Kapoor. Kapoor and Khan have earlier been paired in Kyon Ki.

Word on the Street What Makes Katrina Kaif Hot

Katrina Kaif is one hot actress! She was, after all, the most searched Indian celebrity on Google last year and is the reigning sexiest woman in the world as voted by FHM India.

Desi Hits! wanted to know what people who have never heard of this Bollywood sensation think of her beauty. So we hit the streets of New York City to get unbiased opinions, from real people.

We roamed the streets with photos of Katrina Kaif's face, boobs, and legs. We wanted to know which physical feature they thought is Katrina Kaif's best asset.

And what feature makes Katrina Kaif so hot! Then we had a full body shot and wanted to know if they think Katrina Kaif is hot or not. We got some typical answers that you would expect.

Most folks thought that she was a very hot girl. One person that we interviewed couldn't even decide on which physical feature was her best; he liked them all. Others were not so keen on the actress. Some people did not see what all the fuss was about this girl. One guy went as far as to say that she had a goofy looking face.

Ouch! I guess it is true what they say: Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder! Check out the photos below to see what everyone on the streets had to say about the sexy Katrina Kaif. Then let us know your thoughts. Which feature do you think is Katrina Kaif's best?

Aishwarya beats Beyonce in '50 most desirable women list'

Aishwarya Rai has been ranked higher than American singer Beyonce in the most desirable women's list in a poll conducted by leading men's portal

The annual survey titled 'Top 50 Most Desirable Woman in the World' had Ash at the 48th spot while Beyonce rounds the list off on the 50th position.

The survey which asked voters to select their ideal partner based on 'intelligence, charisma and ambition' was topped by American actress Eva Mendes. Some other prominent names on the list were Anne Hathaway, Scarlett Johansson, Rihanna, Angelina Jolie, Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba.

Aishwarya who will be seen in the Pink Panther sequel this year along with some Hollywood big wigs like Steve Martin and Andy Garcia. Incidentally Beyonce had starred with Martin in the 2006 remake of the 1964 original starring Peter Sellers.

Hansika’s special item song for Billa

The vivacious and charming beauty Hansika Motwani is a hit among the youngsters. She is still referred to as the Desamuduru girl for her very impressive debut in the film. Hansika’s latest film Maska is doing well at the box office and her performance and glamour have made her into an even hotter star.

Hansika Motwani has now been convinced by director Mehar Ramesh to do a hot item song for his new film. Mehar Ramesh directed the film Kantri in which Jr. NTR and Hansika played the lead roles. Hansika considers Mehar Ramesh as her godfather in Tollywood so she could not refuse when he asked her to a item song in Billa.

Prabhas is the hero and Krishnam Raju is playing a special role. The item song on Hansika will be hot and sensuous and undoubtedly be one of the big attractions for the film.

Salman spends quality time with Katrina

However, this time it was heartwarming to see Salman Khan deciding to shower attention on girlfriend, Katrina Kaif.

A couple of days ago, Salman shot for the Katrina-Ranbir Kapoor starrer, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, in which he is playing a special role. The film is produced by Ramesh Taurani.

Even after Salman completed shooting for his portions, he chose to hand around on the film’s sets at Film City, in Goregaon, Mumbai so that he could spend quality time with Katrina. Now, that’s what we call a classic case of mixing business with pleasure. Also one good deed deserves another. Right, Sallu bhai?

Our source from the sets said, “Salman and Katrina looked comfortable and quite happy in each other’s company. They even had some snacks together. Salman has an important role in Ajab Prem... and he is enjoying it.”

When contacted, Katrina said, “It’d be better if you speak to Raj Kumar Santoshi (director) about this. I am very busy right now.” Santoshi, however, was unavailable for comment.

Ash, Abhi too busy for 2009

If you are thinking to cast Ash or Abhi in your next flick then do not waste any more time in shaping your thoughts but take prompt action as the duo's calendar is occupied by other producers. The year is going to be quite hectic for both Ash and Abhi. They have signed films in couple as well as in individual. If Abhishek has signed few films in single, Ash also has number of new assignments in her kitty.

The list goes as Ash and Abhi is going to star in Mani Ratnam's path-breaking film Ravan. Next Ash has another big budget film of Sanjay Leela Bhansali with Hrithik opposite her. Bhansali desires to flaunt their chemistry threesome than Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa Akbar. Then coming up is Abhinay Deo's thriller teaming Ash-Abh to be produced by Excel Entertainment. According to Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment, "It will be a thriller film and the entire shooting of the movie will be in Thailand, Greece, London and Istanbul. Abhinay Deo and I want a particular look for the film. We want something different in the film’s visual quality that people have never seen before."

For the first time Aishwarya will share screen space with Akshay Kumar who will play the lead role in the film. Both Akshay Kumar and Vipul Shah will co-produce the movie.

After bikini act Minissha goes for plastic surgery

Minissha Lamba kept on displaying her girl next door image until she got all fed up of it and suddenly decided to turn sexy. She donned a bikini and itsy bitsy clothes in the Id release 'Kidnap' but unfortunately fell flat on her face.

Actually this dame neither has the body nor the attitude to turn hot. The buzz is that now she's gone under the knife to get a better nose.

Minissha is rumoured to have undergone plastic surgery to get a thin and pointed nose. The actress felt she had a broad nose which didn't look good on her face.

'To hell with natural beauty', that seems to be the mantra in Bollywood right now.

Now it's well known that both Koena Mitra and Shilpa Shetty look unnatural because of their nose jobs. Koena recently made a very candid confession that her nose job was a huge mistake that distorted her face, compelling her to go into a shell and avoid being in public for months.

Shilpa has never admitted to having had such complications but her fake nose has always looked unnatural on her face. Same goes for the likes of Rakhi Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra who look made up most of the time.

Well the chances of this nose job actually helping Minissha's sagging career looks difficult. Let's wait and watch.

Haven't I been the woman eternally in Love?

Sushmita Sen, who has been on a long hiatus of more than a year, is planning to return with a bang this year with three back to back releases.

The former Miss Universe admits that the year 2008 has been a bad phase in her life. "Unfortunately, we all go through bag phases. I know I wasn't visible last year.

It was just that my films did not release when they were supposed to and my dad underwent surgery. But I am back with my films and it's nice to know that my fans missed me," says the actress who was in the capital recently.

The former Miss Universe was last seen in the character of a widow in Ram Gopal Verma's box office disaster Aag. This year Sen would be seen in Do Knot Disturb which also marks the return of Dhawan-Govinda together, Dulha Mil Gaya by Mudassar Aziz and her much awaited Hollywood debut with Naomi Campbell and former boyfriend Randeep Hooda Karma and Holi.

The actress, who plays unconventional roles is also in talks to play the character of slain Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto in a Pakistani film. "I have been approached to play Benazir and the producers are waiting for permission from all concerned to begin shooting," says Sushmita.

The Bengali beauty will also be working with southern Indian actor Kamal Haasan for his 110 crore magnum opus Marma Yogi.

"I am looking forward to working with Kamal Haasan. Marmayogi has a budget of Rs 110 crore and I think only a gifted person like Kamal Haasan can do justice to such a film," says Sushmita The star who entered the film industry after winning the Miss Universe pageant in the year 1994, has worked in films like Biwi No 1, Filhaal, Main Hoon Naa and Zindagi Rocks.

The actress has taken a plunge into direction with her ambitious production Rani Lakshmi Bai, which has been stalled for the time being. "Rani Lakshmi Bai is an expensive film and with the industry going through a financial recession, it is not the right time to make a film like that," she says.

Sushmita, who is also a occasional painter herself, was in the capital to inaugurate the collection of Raghu Vyas's paintings inspired by Lord Krishna.

"Like a bathroom singer I am a closet artist but you need time to paint. Life has not been leisurely, my father recently underwent surgery and I have been keeping busy with work, so I haven't done much (of painting)," says the leggy beauty.

"I had earlier done a few paintings on Durga because I am fascinated by her," she revealed. "Krishna is the epitome of romance and haven't I been the woman eternally in love!" says Sushmita.

Hansika Motwani shares her fitness secret

“A diet is a selection of food that helps to loose weight” says actress Hansika Motwani. She may not be called as new entrant as she has been into the industry since long time as a child artist. Just like a fairy tale she grew up fast and suddenly appeared as a beautiful actress. Hansika spoke to us about the secret of her fitness and her favourite food.

“I am not very foodie. I like home made Rajma Chawal. I don’t indulge in oily cheesy stuff.” Says Hansika who loves home made. She begins her day with a healthy breakfast as she believes that it’s the first meal of the day and it should be healthy. She loves to have skimmed milk and an apple in the morning. Hansika believes in diet and follows her guru Micky Mehta’s instructions properly.

After her first movie Aap Ka Suroor Hansika lost seven kilos. Talking about fitness she says, “I prefer both cardio and weight both exercises. I exercise two hours everyday in my gym. I prefer protein milkshake after workout. I believe in yoga and meditation as well.”

Being particular about her food Hansika gives credit to her balanced diet and healthy eating habits. “I don’t starve myself. I take eight meals through out the day. My lunch comprises Roti, daal, dalia, salad and yoghurt. I prefer fruit juice rather than cold drinks. I avoid dinner or any kind of food late at night rather I prefer to have my dinner in the evening.” She concludes.

Kumar the kungfu fighter

BOLLYWOOD star Akshay Kumar has a personal connection with his latest Hollywood-backed film, Chandni Chowk to China.

For starters, the movie is based loosely on his life. He plays Sidhu, a streetside hawker from Chandni Chowk in Delhi who goes to China to learn martial arts.

In real life, Kumar, a martial arts nut, went to Bangkok to learn muay thai. This was after he had obtained a black belt in taekwondo in India.

“I could not afford to go to China, Singapore or Hong Kong. Bangkok was the only place I could go to learn martial arts,” he said over the telephone from London last Sunday, before he was due to attend the movie premiere.

That was more than 20 years ago and he had to earn his keep as a waiter to fulfil his dreams of learning muay thai. The 41-year-old has come a long way since and his visits to Bangkok these days occur in a far more glamorous context.

Chandni Chowk was shot partly in Bangkok, with the rest of the principal photography taking place in China and India.

The movie is about the madcap adventures of a simpleton called Sidhu who is mistaken by two Chinese men as the reincarnation of Chinese hero Liu Sheng.

Sidhu’s opportunistic friend and translator Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey) tricks him into believing that they must make a trip to China. There, Sidhu comes face to face with a vicious village gangster, Hojo (Gordon Liu).

This is Hollywood’s second attempt at breaking into the profitable Bollywood market.

The first Hollywood-backed Bollywood production was the Hindi musical, Saawariya (2007). Backed by Sony Pictures, it earned about US$15mil (RM52.5mil) in 13 countries, according to reports by Variety Asia.

Chandni Chowk has already encountered its first bump on the road, as the Chinese government has denied it a theatrical release in China.

Kumar says he will “keep his fingers crossed that things will eventually work out”. But he is grateful and enthusiastic about his first brush with Hollywood and China.

The international cast and crew involved in the production, helmed by director Nikhil Advani (Kal Ho Na Ho), offered plenty of lessons in cultural differences.

Recalled Kumar of a shoot at the Great Wall of China: “It was supposed to be a 15-day job. But the Chinese cast and crew worked very hard, working 14 to 17 hours a day and we managed to complete it in seven days.”

In the movie, he also spars with veteran Chinese action stars such as Roger Yuan and Gordon Liu in scenes choreographed by stunt co-ordinator Dee Dee Ku, who has worked on movies such as Kill Bill Vol.1 and Vol.2 (2003 and 2004) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004).

“I thought I knew martial arts until I met these Chinese dudes and then I realised how slow I was. I had to learn it all over again,” he said.

Asked if he considered this movie his ticket to Hollywood, the modest Kumar said: “Let me work on promoting this film first and then I’ll think about Hollywood.” – The Straits Times, Singapore / Asia News Network