Diya Mirza is real hot stuff in Acid Factory

In Bollywood, where the fame and fortune change constantly, there are very few who can actually live upto their name. Dia Mirza is definitely one of them. After having scorched many films with her powerful performances, she is all set to blaze the screen once again with her forthcoming flick Acid Factory. Dia will be seen in a glam-chic avatar in the film.

The credit goes to Nikhil Mehra, of the famous Nikhil-Shantanu duo who, at the behest of a brief given by Sanjay Gupta, has given Dia a very structured, sexy and an action-oriented look. Of all her outfits in the film, we strongly feel that the highlight should be her flaming red dress, which is simply a stunner.

On his own admission, Nikhil says that Dia looks hotter than ever before in Acid Factory. And a little peek on the red outfit 'reveals' that it has a slit showing off her legs and a gun holster high up on her thigh, straight out of Sin City.

Telugu comedian Mallikarjuna Rao dead

Telugu film comedian and character actor Mallikarjun Rao died Tuesday.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

The actor was suffering from leukemia and was admitted to a private hospital Sunday.

Hailing from Visakhapatnam district's Ankapalli town, Rao acted in 375 films over the last 25 years. He was popularly known as "Battala Satyam" for his role in Ladies Tailor. He bagged Nandi award for best supporting actor for Tammudu.

Rao was also serving as general secretary of the Movie Artists Association (MAA).

His body was kept at MAA office here where eminent personalities from the Telugu film industry paid him rich tributes. The body was later taken to Ankapalli, where the last rites are likely to be performed Wednesday.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu also condoled the actor's death.

Diya enjoys being 'one of the boys' in Acid Factory

Actress Diya Mirza, known for her prim and proper image in films, is currently enjoying being bad in Suparn Verma's Acid Factory.

Diya is the only woman in the entire script and plays a girl locked up in a factory with four men with apparently no way out. She is being made to do the most impossible stunts, but the actress doesn't mind.

"What I enjoy is being one of the boys. I'm doing everything that the boys are being made to do. And that includes all the stunts," Diya told IANS.

"After playing dainty, utterly feminine roles I'm enjoying being put on a harness, dangling from ropes, jumping from heights, kicking and punching. In spite of my dainty image, I've always been a tomboy," she added.

What Diya enjoys even more is being mean.

"My character is bad through and through. No apologies. No justification. She just enjoys being bad. I like bringing that dark side of me out on screen because that's the way I can tap into it in real life.

"I like the surprise element in my role in Acid Factory. I remember seeing a film with Julia Roberts where she was a school teacher by day and quite naughty in the night," said Diya, who entered Bollywood with romantic film Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein opposite Madhavan.

Other than Acid Factory, Diya is also doing Shoojit Sircar's Shoebite. And she's just finished shooting with Amitabh Bachchan.

"Though we were co-stars in Shootout At Lokhandwala, we didn't have any scenes together. In Shoebite most of my vital scenes are with Mr Bachchan. And believe me, it was like going to acting school. He taught me one thing I'll never forget - 'To be a good actor you've to be a good listener'. I'm going to follow that mantra," said Diya.

She admits being an introvert and says it was little difficult to play an aggressive role.

"It was hard for me to come out and play the aggressive bad girl in Acid Factory or be part of the goofy comedy in Kunal Vijaykar's Fruit & Nut. I'm basically quiet and shy. I like to read and write."

Diya admits there's no man in her life.

"Oh, the amount of men I'm linked with! Where's the time? Sometimes when I see my friends with their soul mates, I do wish I had someone to cuddle. But then I quickly move on to something else."

Ajay, Kajol to do 'train song'

Bollywood couple Ajay Devgan and Kajol are all set to make a cameo in a song in Anil Devgan's next film Haal-E-Dil.

"Myself and Kajol are shooting for Anil's upcoming film. It is just a guest appearance or cameo in a song, which we call a train song. It is quite nice and very fresh," Ajay wrote in his last blog entry.

Anil, who is Ajay's brother, has also directed the latter in Raju Chacha and Blackmail.

"Anil has worked really hard and the look of the film has also shaped up really nice. Hope Anil gets appreciated with Haal-E-Dil," Ajay said.

The song in the film, starring newcomers Amita Pathak, Adhyayan Suman and Nakuul Mehta, is titled Oye Hoye.

'Ajay and I haven't fallen out'

Belying rumours of a fallout with Ajay Devgan, director Rajkumar Santoshi says he is all set to make another film with his favourite actor.

Santoshi and Ajay collaborated on projects like Halla Bol, Khakee, Lajja and Legend of Bhagat Singh and none of them was well received at the box office.

"We haven't fallen out just because a couple of our films together haven't clicked. That's not how we work. We're just about to zero in on the subject," said Santoshi.

"It is a contemporary film, not the two period films on emperor Ashok and the Ramayan that we were planning to do together. Those are on hold right now. For now Ajay and I are getting ready for another film, though I'll definitely make Ramayan and Ashok with him."

Before launching the project with Ajay, Santoshi is trying to finish Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani with Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.

"I'm finally starting Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. It's my first love story. Though people seem to think it's an intense love story, it is not. It has lots of light and humorous moments. I haven't worked with Ranbir and Katrina before. So, I'm really looking forward to that."

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is to be shot in Mumbai, then Goa and finally Italy.

"A lot of elements in Ranbir's character will remind people of his grandfather Raj Kapoor. I've worked with Ranbir's father in Damini. When I saw the boy in Saawariya, I wanted to work with him immediately.

"Katrina and I were supposed to do a film that had Shahid Kapur in it. That didn't work out. This is a totally different subject."

Ask the director about Ranbir's reported remuneration of Rs 70 million and he shrugs. "That's between Ranbir and the producers Tips."

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani also stars Upen Patel.

"It's a pivotal role. Upen expressed a desire to work with me. We met up. When I narrated the subject, he fell in love with it. I'm working with an entirely new team, including music composer Pritam Chakraborty."

Ajay Devgan: Family Ka Superhero

Actor Ajay Devgan is back in town from Bangkok, where he was shooting for Golmaal Returns. Apparently, a song was left to be shot there. And Ajay made this business trip quite pleasurable by taking along wife and daughter.

However, Devgan is back in good old Mumbai, and after a couple of days break has resumed shooting for Kumar Mangat's Toonpur Ka Superhero.

He and Kads seem to be enjoying shooting with the kids... Wonder if l'il Nysa also makes it to the sets sometimes to mingle with her ilk.

Shilpa joins the Bachchans

Winning the Big Brother 2007 reality show in England escalated Shilpa Shetty's status as an international celebrity and also brought her back with a bang into the limelight in Bollywood.

Being one of the most popular Indian faces in England has led to Shilpa being signed by the Wizcraft International to join the Bachchan family in U.K. as part of the B-Town stars team in the on going unforgettable world tour.

This world tour has been a hot item in the news circles since the first list of actors who will be adding glamour to the world tour led by Amitabh Bachchan came out in the media.

Some top stars later on decided to opt out of the tour and new ones came in. The media reports on the enter and exit of the stars at a time even laid down doubts whether the tour will be able to stand up to the expectations.

Now as the names of the stars participating have been fixed, the preparations are going strong.

Shilpa Shetty will be joining the other stars such as Akshay Kumar and Madhuri Dixit in selected venues.

The other Bollywood stars who will be seen shaking their legs are Preity Zinta and Ritesh Deshmukh.

The main attraction and the most awaited performance of the tour is the coming together of Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the hit song "Kajra Re" from the hit film 'Bunty Aur Bubly'.

Shilpa all set to join Bachchans Unforgettable Tour

Mumbai: Shilpa Shetty is all set to join the Bachchans on their Unforgettable Tour in London and the lady seems quite excited about it.

The actress has already begun rooting for the Bachchan's 'Unforgettable Tour' in London. The actress will be performing alongside Big B,

Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit.

Shilpa it seems is not frightened at the prospect of performing in front of thousands of fans.

"Since I've done a musical, this will be a cake walk for me," says the confident actress.

The actress puts the rumours about her writing an autobiography to rest as she says she doesn't have the time.

"I don't have time to write my diary when I will write my autobiography," says Shilpa.

And if one were hoping that sparks would fly when Shilpa meets her ex-flame Akshay Kumar during the tour, one is in for a disappointment.

"I don't think Akshay is part of the London tour, as far as I know he's doing the Toronto bit," she says.

The most important rumour about the actress these days is that a certain Raj Kundra may have just popped the question, but its only because of the rock on Shilpa's finger that is grabbing all the attention, but the lady in good spirit says, "This is just a trailer."

I am a firm believer of destiny: Shilpa Shetty

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty feels that she has got her due from Bollywood in her 15-year film career.

"I don't think that I have not got my due. You get what you deserve and I believe that I have got more than what I deserve. Afterall, it is destiny. I did the best of what was offered to me. I am happy and content with the way my career has shaped," Shilpa said in an interview.

To a question on how winning "Big Brother", the television reality show in UK has changed her life, the actress said that she is the same person. "Only I have become richer", she laughed.

"It is the people's perception that has changed. I still work on my own convictions and do less work. I have now turned producer," she said.

Offlate, Shilpa has been busy with other engagements except for films.

"I was traveling with the Miss Bollywood troupe for four months; I launched my Yoga DVD in the UK. Hence, people thought that I have vanished from the scene," she added.

To a question on why her career in the U K did not take off after the "Big Brother" win, Shilpa said," to work in U K you need to shift bag and baggage and I did not want to do it."

The actress is currently shooting for Sunny Deol's "The Man" and busy with her home production to be directed by Manish Jha.

"It is a multi-starrer comedy. The untitled film is presently in the scripting stage," Shilpa, who is playing one of the female leads in the movie, said adding, "I am rehearsing for the stunts and enjoying it."

The actress, who won rave reviews for her role in `Metro', said that she firmly believed in destiny.

"I was studying Commerce to take over my father's business. But destiny willed otherwise. I was interested in ramp modeling. My pictures came to the notice of producers of `Baazigar' and my life changed. I was destined to be a heroine," she said adding that she would have made a bad businesswoman.

After a string of flops, Shilpa, who got a boost with "Big Brother", says that she has moved on.

"I am primarily an actress. The television show gave me an opportunity to come closer to audiences in UK," she said.

"In India, film celebrities receive adulation for the roles they portray on screen. But in UK, people saw the real me and connected instantly," she added.

Speaking about the `Unforgettables' tour featuring the Bachchans-Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya, Preity Zinta and Ritesh Deshmukh, Shilpa said she is the guest star for the UK leg of the tour.

"I will be performing in two shows in the UK. It is an interesting concept. Shiamak Davar is the choreographer. It will be a great package. In UK, people identify with me and there is a great opportunity for me to interact with the audience there, which has given me so much love and respect," she said.

"There was no reason for me to refuse the offer to be part of `Unforgettables', she said.

Shilpa Shetty And Aishwarya Rai Being Together

After Madhuri Dixit and Akshay Kumar another Bollywood leggy lass Shilpa Shetty join the Bachchan's Unforgettable tour. The gorgeous actress Shilpa performing with another gorgeous and most talented actress Aishwarya Rai and she also perform none other than Big B and Avishek. Shilpa said about the tour " I've been on a world tour with Amitji earlier, but not with the rest of the family. And Preity Zinta, who will also be coming along, is a terrific hassle-free girl.

As for Aishwarya, we're both from Mangalore. I'm looking forward to going on stage with her," Shilpa, who was seen in hit movie "Life... in a Metro", and she also told that "It's not a last-minute thing at all," said Shilpa. "I had been in negotiation to join the tour for a while. It finally worked out now. I'm looking forward to going on stage with the Bachchans."

Ek The Power Of One

Cast: Bobby Deol, Chunky Pandey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Nana Patekar, Shreya Saran
Director: Sangeeth Sivan

Nandu (Bobby Deol) is an assassin by profession. Somehow he gets wrongly accused of a politician's murder.

Whilst on the run from the police, he boards a train where he meets Shehar (Pradeep).

Shehar is returning home for the first time after 14 years.

As they converse, Nandu gets to know all about his joint family and the imminent wedding of Shehar's cousin. This is the main reason he is going home for.

The twist comes when the police catches up with Nandu on the train. In the shootout that follows, Shehar accidentally dies.

Deeply shocked by the incident, Nandu goes to Shehar's family home to return his belongings to his grandfather and also break the news of his grandson's death.

But when Nandu arrives at Shehar's family home, he is mistaken for Shehar himself.

With no time to explain what had happened, the family members get him involved with the wedding preparations and celebrations.

Preet (Shriya Saran), the daughter of a family friend becomes fascinated by Nandu. In no time she falls in love with him.

Meanwhile, police inspector Rane (Nana Patekar), is given the responsibility of tracking down the killer and he is close on Nandu's trail.

Will Nandu be able to come out of the crisis unscathed? Will the family come to know about his real identity? What would be the fate of Nandu and Preet's love story? And who is actually the real killer?

Ek - The Power Of One is a Bollywood Masala movie full of family emotions and suspense starring Sunny Deol in the lead role.

Drona

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Jaya Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon
Director: Goldie Behl

Drona is a compelling modern tale of one man's journey through the labyrinths of mystic myths and legendary legacies.

As good and evil clash in this contemporary fantasy fable, a fascinating journey unfolds into a world of mythical heroes and malicious magicians with cunning curses.

It is a world, where spells can turn flesh to cold stone.

It is a world full of thrills, magic and adventures.

Directed by Goldie Behl, Drona introduces yet another superhero onto the Bollywood celluloid - Abhishek Bachchan.

According to reports, Drona is going to be even bigger and better in terms of special effects compared with Rakesh Roshan's Krrish.

Mr Bhatti On Chutti

Mr. Bhatti is a normal person. He works in a bank and hasa peace plan to save the world from war and suffering..

Never mind if the peace plan is for Mr. George W Bush whom Mr. Bhatti has been trying to contact at the white house from his bank. And strange things are happening all around him. Like he is being followed and photographed. Wonder who these guys are?

Then he wins a free trip to Europe, though he has entered no contest. But... how can Mr. Bhatti go on this tripwithout telling his favourite star, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan about it. So he stands in the crowd outside the Big B's bungalow, but in vain.

He reaches the picturesque lake district. but again strange things occur to this normal man. An english beauty falls inlove with him. Her name is Alice. Mr. Bhatti is going crazy with so much attention being showered on him, but hemanages to supress his excitement. Soon something stranger happens. Alice vanishes and she is presumed to be dead.

Murdered. And Mr. Bhatti is the prime suspect. Something crazier happens now. He is told that he is not Bhatti atall by the Scotland yard cops. He is a dreaded terrorist Abu Siddique. And then he is made to become Abu siddique.Not by torture.

But because Mr. bachchan convinces him to take on the persona of Abu siddique. Yes Mr. Bachchan himself. His idol, his hero. And amidst all this bhatti's ernest desire to meet Pres. Bush remains the same. He wants to now save the world more than ever.

And for that Mr. Bachchan is telling him to go ahead and fulfill his dream. Inspiring him all the time. And Bhatti … who we people think is foolish and crazy, ends up saving a big part of the world.

Of acheiving the impossible and then meeting his favourite star in person. Mr. Bhatti is told by Mr. Bachchan that you are a hero now. Pooof ! Bhatti gets on to other exploits.

Singh is Kinng

Music: Pritam
Guest Track: RDB (Rap by Snoop Dogg)
Producer: Vipul A. Shah
Director: Anees Bazmee

Singh Is Kinng, the most keenly awaited romantic comedy of 2008, revolves around a gang of crooks transformed by a good man and his selfless love for a pretty girl…

Lakhan Singh aka Lucky (Sonu Sood) is the ‘king’ of the Australian underworld accompanied by his associates (played by Javed Jaffrey, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Pahwa, Yashpal Sharma, Kamal Chopra and Sudhanshu Pande.)

Far away, in a small village in Punjab, where Lucky was born, there exists someone more notorious than him – Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar).

The village is fed up of his magnanimity, which has resulted in a number of hilariously disastrous situations. Out of desperation, they decide to send him on a long trip (that will keep him out of the village for a while!) to bring Lucky back to Punjab, as his despicable deeds were maligning their image in Australia.

The happy-go-lucky bumpkin, taking his mission a bit too seriously, embarks on his journey accompanied by his friend, Tony Singh (Om Puri), who hates Happy for dragging him into it.

The high point of his journey is his chance meeting with Sonia (Katrina Kaif) with whom he falls in love, but upon reaching his destination, things take a precarious turn as he runs into a series of comic misadventures, leaving him penniless. He is fortunate to find warmth and affection in an elderly lady (Kirron Kher) who helps him meet Lucky.

In a strange turn of events, an attempt on Lucky’s life is foiled by a well-intentioned Happy who fights off the attackers by risking his own life.

Following the hilarious altercation, Lucky lands up in hospital paralyzed, and Happy, unexpectedly, finds the tables turned on him when he is expected to assume the role of the new ‘kinng’!

The series of chaos, shocks and comic misunderstandings that ensue eventually result in redemption and an accidental wedding!

Shot in Punjab, Australia and Egypt, Singh Is Kinng marks superstar Akshay Kumar’s re-entry into the action-comedy minefield. With plenty of romance, glamour, laugh-aloud moments and chartbusting music, it promises to be one of the most appealing and entertaining motion pictures of 2008.

It comes from Vipul Shah and Anees Bazmee, the master-makers of blockbusters like Aankhen, Waqt, Namastey London, No Entry and Welcome.

Age doesn`t matter, says Hansika

Seventeen-year-old actress Hansika Motwani has been paired with actors who are more than double her age, but she feels age has nothing to do with acting.

"I am not Hansika when I am playing a role. It is the character I am playing, so the age of my co-star does not matter to me at all, " Hansika told.

Hansika started her career as a child artiste in Bollywood and worked in films like "Koi... Mil Gaya", "Escape from Taliban", "Jaago" and "Aabra Ka Daabra".

She debuted as a full-fledged actress at the age of 16 with an actor who was more than double her age, composer-turned-singer-turned-actor Himesh Reshammiya in "Aap Kaa Surroor".

"As an actor you have to play a character when you are asked to. Even if it is a 70-year-old character you have to perform it."

Now Hansika will be seen with the 40-plus Govinda in the forthcoming comedy "Money Hai To Honey Hai". She doesn't mind the age gap and says getting an opportunity to work with a senior actor like him was a privilege.

"I consider myself very lucky to have worked with Govinda sir. I have learnt so much from him and it will definitely be useful to me in future. I think it is a big opportunity for any actor to work with him."

Hansika is playing the role of a television actor in the comedy.

"I play the character of Ashima Kapoor who is a television actor and wants to make it big in the film industry. The film is about the journey of the actress into the film industry."

She has also acted in serials like "Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand", "Hum Do Hain Na" and "Tum Bin".

Hansika gives credit to her family for shaping her career. "I idolise my mother and attribute my success to her. Without my mother and my family's support, I would not have reached this place."

I hope to be a good wife some day

The ethereal Manisha Koirala has at last found her true love and métier.

Paris is the city that has captured the ethereal beauty's attention completely and irrevocably.

"I've always been a wanderer. I've always gone with my heart.But my romance with Paris has outlasted all others, "she says with contagious joie de vivre.

She's finally decided to pitch her tent where her heart has always been.

Yes, Manisha is buying herself a home in Paris. She has already zeroed in on Saint Germaine as the locality in Paris where she wants to make herself a reliable getaway.

"I've been away from Mumbai for so long. It's good to be back. Mumbai will always be my home. But Paris and I seem to be attached in strange unexpected ways. I've always found the city extremely romantic. Paris just oozes art culture tradition and bonhomie. Every time I go there I feel completely at home."

Recently Manisha took a longish break to be in Paris alone. "And I absolutely loved it. That's when I decided I wanted a second home. I'm in the process of buying my dream home there. But Mumbai will always be home.

It's just a hop and a flight away. Whenever I'm shooting in Mumbai, which would be quite a lot from now on, I just need to catch the next plane. My family can come and join me in Paris anytime."

Family, says Manisha, comes first for her above career and self-fulfilment. "Recently we were all together when my father fell ill. I saw how my mother looked after my father. Some day in the near future I hope to be an equally good wife and mother."

Manisha is also in the process of making a grand comeback to Bollywood. She has lost oodles of weight and looks the way she did in her career-making classics Sanjay Bhansali's Khamoshi, Mani Ratnam's Bombay and Dil Se.

"I know I made serious career mistakes. One lives and learns. I've been restless. But now there's a great deal of spirituality and calm in my life. The home in Paris is an extension of my growth and equanimity as an individual."

Manisha also intends to direct a film soon.In fact she recently went to New York University to learn editing and direction. "I know I have it in me. Some day soon I'll direct a film. But it has to be a natural process. I won't persuade myself to do anything I don't believe in. I never have."

To Gattu Bhai, from Ekta Didi with Love

By Subhash K Jha

The whole world and its favourite television guide have been wondering why Ekta Kapoor allowed her favourite actress Prachi Desai to work opposite Farhan Akhtar in Rock On when she has been openly unresponsive and hostile to the idea of her other actors leaving her company to pursue the big screen.

Now it can be told.

Rock On director Abhishek Kapoor better known as Gattu, is Ekta's favourite cousin. And there's absolutely nothing she would refuse him.

Ekta admits her fondness for Abhishek 'Gattu' Kapoor.

"Yes, he's my favourite brother after Tusshar. Gattu is my dad's own sister's son. So we're very close.We don't meet that often any longer. We're both busy doing our own thing.

When we were younger we used to bond very regularly. We've been on holidays together, just Gattu and me. We don't meet that often any more. But he's my coolest Bhaiyya. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

When Coolest Bhaiyya decided to cast Farhan Akhtar as the lead in Rock On he was on the look-out for a fresh face for the female lead.Gattu seemed to running into stumbling blocks.

Says Ekta, "Gattu asked me about Prachi. And I immediately agreed, " says Ekta.

And never mind it it meant Balajee losing its blue-eyed girl.

Says Ekta, ""Honestly, Prachi is like part of our family. My father, mother and I have adopted her. But as a producer I tortured the hell out of her.

I made her work harder than any of my actors just because I was so close to her. Prachi feels that was unfair. But I didn't want to be accused of favouritism. Now she's moved on.

I want Prachi to give films a sincere try. I've told her to keep away from television for 6-8 months to focus on films. If, God Forbid, it doesn't work out we're there for her."

I can't replace Kareen Kapoor

Amita confesses that though her father Kumar Mangat is one of the leading producers in Bollywood, she was not quite sure whether she would be allowed to try her hand at acting since she hails from a Punjabi family.

"You would not believe it but the fact is eye brows would be raised even if I wear a short skirt in Punjab but now that I have got into films, everyone is happy. My grand parents like the feeling of their grand daughter being on the screen, " smiles Amita.

"I want to give 100% to whatever I do. I think, the role of Sanjana that I have played in Haal-E-Dil was designed only keeping me in mind.

Actually I had gone to Punjab for a holiday to my nana's place for two weeks but my dad called me up and asked me to cut down the trip and rush to Mumbai because he wanted me to go through the script of a film to be directed by Anil Devgan", says Amita as we settle down for this interview at her father's office.

Amita says that though she is glad that she has made her debut with a romantic film like Haal-E-Dil, because she feels that it has been a lucky trend in the film industry to make one's debut with a romantic film, like Hrithik Roshan in Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, Ajay Devgan in Phool Aur Kaante, Shahid Kapoor in Ishq Vishq and Kareena had done in Refugee, she is now very eager to prove her mettle in comedy by acting in a comedy film.

"I did not get the role on a platter just because I happen to be the producer's daughter. However, I do not deny that there may be thousands of new comers out there who are even better than me but do not get an opportunity like me to get launched.

I, too, had to go through the grind of audition for the role, like both Adhyayan and Nakuul, though dad had told Anil that since the character of Sanjana was very similar to me, he felt that I suited the role.

It was only after Anil was happy with the audition and also Ajay and Kajol saw the tape of my audition and agreed that I fitted the bill, that I was approved for the role, " describes Amita.

It was not tough at all for Amita to play the role of Sanjana, because as she puts it succinctly, she had just to play herself in the film.

Amita adds, "I take life as a challenge every day. The ups and downs shown in the character of Sanjana could happen to anyone in life. When I set out to face the camera, I thought how I would react to such situations in real life and acting came naturally to me."

Amita says that she had company in the form of Adhyayan, son of Shekhar Suman, because like her, he was also a rank newcomer as far as acting was concerned, though Nakuul, she says, had been acting on the stage for quite some time and did not have any stage fright at all, though Haal-E-Dil is his first film as an actor.

Amita adds that all the three of them got along like fire on the sets and indulged in a lot of masti and bonhomie; so much so that she could not even imagine falling in love with either of them.

I ask Amita whether she felt that she could have made her debut with the role that Kareena Kapoor did in the star studded film Omkara which her father had produced.

Amita replies, as a matter fo fact, with her head firmly placed on her dainty shoulders, displaying maturity on her part.

She says, "I think Kareena Kapoor was the best as far as Omkara was concerned. She fitted the bill. I do not think I would have suited the role which Kareena did from any angle whatsoever in Omkara.

It would be foolhardy on my part to expect that I can do either the role which Kareena did in Omkara or for that matter the role that Kajol did in Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, though I wish I, too, get opportunities to do roles like that. Now that I have made my debut and proved that I can act."

Amita feels that love is something which just happens.

"I do not believe in having crushes besides the fact that crushes may come and go, because a crush gets crushed soon, though I believe a lot in love. Right now, I am of the opinion that matters of the heart can wait because I am pretty serious about my career.

When people who have seen the trial of my debut film complimented me, I felt that my three years of dedication has paid off dividends to me, " happily goes Amita.

Amita prepared herself for a career in acting by enrolling for Kishore Namit Kapoor's classes.

"I learnt acting there for six months though it was a three month course. I also learnt dancing from Shiamak Davar, besides kathak, salsa, and jive and cha cha cha from Habiba Academy.

To top it all, I attended a three month workshop with theatre person Om Katare. I have also learnt languages like Urdu, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarathi, " adds Amita.

Amita confesses that she was quite plump earlier and used to love eating a lot though now after having taken up acting, she is keener on cooking food for others than eating.

"Right from the time I was a tiny tot of just three, I was keen on acting in films. I remember when dad was making the film Khilaaf with Chunky Pandey and Madhuri Dixit, I, too, wanted to act in the film.

I have always dreamt of acting in a film like Charlie's Angels, " expresses Amita.

Amita admits that Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and of course Ajaybhaiya are her favorite actors. She further adds, "Ajay bhaiya is very concerned about me and is very protective about me.

Though I would have loved it if he had come to bless me at the music launch of my film, I know that at the end of the day, he is always there to support me. It is not just his presence but his support which matters a lot to me.

I will always remain indebted to Ajaybhaiya and Kajol for going out of the way and doing a special appearance in a song with me in the film."

As far as actresses are concerned, Amita confesses that Rani Mukerjee and Kajol are her two favorites. As far as directors are concerned, Amita is very keen on working with Vishal Bharadwaj.

"I have become his fan after watching his film Omkara and would love to be a part of any of his future projects, " concludes Amita. -Jyothi Venkatesh

Will there ever be another Shah Rukh?

Have you heard of any TV star who has made it big in films after Shah Rukh Khan? The answer is a resounding ‘no’!

There may be huge stars around who command big money in the TV industry, but everything comes to naught once they try to up their luck in Bollywood. Bollywood is a totally new ball game for them.

The best example is Amarr Upadhyay who left his successful TV career to try his hand as a film star and achieved a complete void.

Not to forget Rohit Roy who made an obscure debut in a much forgettable film in the late 90s just after his hit serial, Swabhimaan, and received a super flop Plan later.

However, the dude is back with production bubbles and directional projects. However, looking at the gloomy side of the matter, ditto goes for Niki Aneja who did a couple of infamous films in the 90s.

Even TV hottie Mandira Bedi, in spite of a good character role in the superhit, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Sharad Kapoor, Raman Trikha, Sandali Sinha, Gracy Singh (all started out with TV serials) have not been great shakes at all on the big screen.

And Natassha, biggie Ekta Kapoor’s protégée had a string of flops! Kuch To Hai, Yeh Dil, Krishna Cottage etc in the course of her brief film career.

In spite of good friend and guardian angel Ekta Kapoor’s patronage, Natassha has been a no-show (and a non-actor as well!) Seems like Natassha is only cut out for her sob stories and good old cat fights (read: saas-bahu serials).

Similarly, Nausheen Ali Sardar, the famous face of Sony’s past serial Kkusum, still seems to be slogging hard at a movie career.

The glamorous TV siren, Sandhya Mridul, is not considered that glamorous a babe in Bollywood though she has good notice from critics. Even the hot young things, the VJs have got a lukewarm response from Bollywood fans.

Malaika Arora (tagged as item number specialist), Amrita Arora, Shehnaaz, Anusha, Gaurav, Pia, Purab and Sophie Chaudhary, neither of them have had any impact in their filmy career.

Is it the over-exposure that spoils it for them? It might be so that the viewers, who see their good old TV stars’ day in and day out in the comfort of their living rooms, don’t want to venture out and buy a movie ticket to watch them on the big screen.

They want to see something new, somebody who has real star power there. Probably doing the same stuff over and over again for a long time makes them too boring for new experiments and too loud to be considered subtle actors.

Moreover, TV stars are hardly as hot as their big screen counterparts. Mandira Bedi is one among the few TV stars who has a well-maintained body. Then, too, the lady does not have a film career to talk about, not even her husband’s films!

In fact, other than a select few, most TV stars are not too much into body care (their long working hours can be blamed for that). Or you wouldn’t have Smriti Iraani ruling the roost on the small screen. Can you imagine her in any role on the big screen other than of a bhabhi or a maa?

The spare tyres can hang out on the small screen, but on the big screen it better be something else.

Madhavan (of Tol Mol Ke Bol, Ghar Jamaai and now Deal Ya No Deal) achieved some success, but different is, he achieved it only in South films.

So, maybe it will take some time to get another Shah Rukh Khan (in those times of Doordarshan, exposure wasn’t that much anyway and there were no boring soaps, either) who does a successful cross over to Bollywood.

Many failed film-stars, on the contrary, have sought refuge in television after having fizzled out in films. Ronit Roy, failed as a hero in spite of a talked-about Jaan Tere Naam in the early 90s, was seen in television few years later.

Sheeba, Iqbal Khan and now small screen heartthrob, Mukul Dev (after appearing in Sushmita Sen’s debut film, Dastak), Deepshikha, Rahul Roy and Vikas Bhalla, Ravi Behl, Sanober (the trio have also tried their luck as pop stars) the list can go on.

In fact, better talents like Shekhar Suman and art film actress turned TV glam girl Rajeshwari Sachdev are seasoned with their TV careers now.

Ironically, if TV stars are unsuccessful on the big screen, same goes for the track record of film stars on the small screen. Barring the biggest of them all, Big B, all including Madhuri, Sridevi, Karisma, Raveena, Arbaaz Khan, Jugal Hansraj, Govinda, Manisha Koirala, Anupam Kher have failed to leave a mark in television.

Could be that the working style in TV doesn’t suit them! Maybe it’s always better to continue in one’s own space and not venture into new territory.

But, at the same time, we can wish a best of luck for Rajeev Khandelwal, the actor who recently has switched his career from television to broader zone of B-town with his critically acclaimed film ‘Aamir’.

The lad has already bagged another film titled ‘Romeo Gaya Kaam Se’ from the same production house and expecting even more.

Well, we can only wait to see if this Romeo can become the second Shah Rukh of Bollywood.

I have no problem whatsoever in exposing: Jennifer Winget

It's a open heart conversation with Jyothi Venkatesh that Jennifer Winget touches various issues such as the show Zara Nachke Dikha, her fear of stage performance, Ganga in Sangam and above all her indomitable intention to act in films...

What exactly is Zara Nachke Dikha?
From a 10 year old boy to a 65 year old woman, across professions and in every corner of the country, both the genders have always wondered which the greater sex is after all. It is an attempt on the part of Star One to solve the debate on the gender war and is a battle of the sexes on the dance floor.

The show will be telecast twice a week with eight boys and eight girls - all celebrities from the television industry who will be pitted against each other to prove their dancing mettle and hence superiority gender-wise, as a team. The best part of the show is that only the jury decides the winning team of the episode every week.

Is Zara Nachke Dikha your first attempt at taking part in a reality show?
Yes. It is for the first time that I am taking part in a reality show like Zara Nachke Dikha on Star One.

Though I think I have managed to learn acting to a large extent ever since I had made my debut as an actress, I am aware of the bitter truth that I am not a trained dancer and hence I wanted to hone up my dancing talent and I thought by taking part in the show, I will get a chance to automatically learn the various intricate dancing steps.

At the same time I also wanted to get rid of my stage fright.

Shows besides Zara Nachke Dikha you are associated with...
Right now the only show in which I am acting besides Zara Nachke Dikha is Sangam which is on air on Star Plus. I have been teamed opposite Chaitanya Chowdhury in the show, which is going great guns.

How do you manage to strike a balance between your serial Sangam as well as the reality show Zara Nachke Dikha?
I am thankful to Fox, the producers of my show Sangam, that they have let not only me but Chaitanya also to take time off to take part in the rehearsals for the reality show.

What is your role in the serial Sangam?
I play the role of Ganga, a sweet and bubbly girl who makes the transition from being an innocent village girl to a mature lady, thanks to the circumstances in which she finds herself in her journey in life and the trials and tribulations that she faces in her life, because she goes through a lot of muck.

How do you relate your reel life character Ganga with that of your real life?
When we started a year and a half ago, I could relate to Ganga when she was a sweet and bubbly and carefree young girl because I, too, was the same then. Now I am able to relate to the mature character of Ganga because like in reel life, there is thehrao in my real life, too, since, I, too, have matured like Ganga has in the show.

Would you say that your journey in life is similar to that of Ganga?
As far as emotion and growth are concerned, I can say that I relate to Ganga's journey in life somewhere, though I do not think I am as sweet as Ganga.

Tell me about your beginning as a child star.
It was with the film Raja Ko Rani Se Pyaar Ho Gaya that I had made my debut as a child actor way back when I was just a twelve year old kid. The acting bug bit me since my mother has been working for the last several years, with producer R. Mohan who was making films under the banner of Good Night Films.

If I am not mistaken, you have already made your debut in films!
Yes. I had made my debut in films with Kuch Na Kaho as the younger sister of Abhishek Bachchan. Even now I am open for acting in films that come my way but I want to go a step ahead. I do not however want to take up roles as either a sister or a friend any more, because thankfully I have grown out of it after doing Kuch Na Kaho.

How comfortable will you be as far as exposing in films considering there is hardly any need for you to expose in Sangam?
In real life, I can comfortably carry off both western as well as Indian costumes. I am comfortable wearing skirts as well as saris. As far as exposure in films is concerned, all that I would like to say is that as long as one is comfortable with what one is wearing, I do not think should have any problem whatsoever.

You are not a trained actress. Where did you learn acting?
To tell you the truth, the television industry has been my training ground as far as acting is concerned. TV has taught me a lot since the time I had made my debut with Shakalaka.

Though I think that I have to learn a lot, I feel that I have had an immense growth as an actor. When I look back at the beginning of my career, I feel that today I can do any kind of scene, be it an emotional scene or a comic one.

What is your approach to acting?
Though I have always believed that spontaneity plays a very vital role for any actress, I also feel that preparation is equally necessary to bring out the best in you as an actor. I feel that on the spot emotion when you perform on the sets without preparation affects the audience because it comes from within you.

Why do you maintain a very low profile when other actresses flaunt their latest scandals or boast about their latest cars?
I have always believed in keeping certain things private in my life, because whatever I do, people will come to know eventually for the simple reason that I am a public figure since I am acting in a popular serial.

Which among your roles has been very close to you till date?
I would not hesitate to mention that my roles in both Kasauti Zindagi Ki and Sangam have been and will always remain very close to my heart, because both Sneha and Ganga have been diverse as well as rich characters, which have taught me a hell of a lot as an actor. I think I owe whatever success that I have achieved till date to these two characters. -Jyothi Venkatesh

All the women I like are either married or seeing someone: Rajeev Khandelwal

What ideal qualities would you look for in your woman?
My woman should be very feminine, unlike some females today who try to be men only.

Would you prefer a homemaker or a working woman?
Working woman any day. In this age, no self-respecting woman would want to depend on her man for anything.

Hottest getaway with her?
I would like to go to the world's coldest place with the hottest chick. However, I would avoid mentioning names because all the women who are on my mind right now are either married or seeing someone.

Would you go for a live-in relationship if necessary?
No, I would not be comfortable with a live-in. I would get married to the lady, rather than just move in with her. I believe in commitment, while live–ins give the liberty to call it quits very easily.

How would you woo your woman?
I would bring my love home and cook a beautiful candle-light dinner for her. A cozy twosome is much better than a restaurant full of strangers.

If you found your partner having a fling with your best friend, what would you do?
I would quietly walk away. And hope that I never ever cross their path again in life.

Would you allow your future wife to wear short outfits?
If she looks beautiful, sure, but there will be no way, if she looks inviting.

Are men from Mars and women from Venus?
No, both are from bloody Earth.

If most women don't like the supposed dominating nature of men, what is the one trait in women that turns you off?
When women say, 'you are not my type'. At such times, I really wonder what type they are.

Your take on spineless and polygamous saas bahu men…
Ouch! (Laughs) Thank God, I am not one of them…

No serials, I'll only do films now: Rohit Roy

Rohit Roy tells Jyothi Venkatesh that he does not have even one serial in hand ever since he turned an anchor-producer with Inside Bollywood.

You do not seem to have even one serial in your kitty as an actor. Why?
It is true that I do not have even a single TV serial in my hand as an actor. I have called it quits as far as acting in serials is concerned, because I have set my eyes on reviving my career as an actor in films.

Besides acting in films, I also want to devote quality time to my new show Inside Bollywood, as the producer-anchor of the same.

What exactly is your show Inside Bollywood all about?
Inside Bollywood is basically a show which deals with issues which affect Bollywood. It is a show where people like Mahesh Bhatt would set out to articulate at length about the pros and cons of the various problems which affect the functioning of the film industry at large.

How many Bollywood celebrities have you interviewed till date for the show?
I have interviewed directors like Madhur Bhandarkar, Sanjay Gupta and Nagesh Kukunoor, actors like Sanjay Dutt, Dino Morea, Naseeruddin Shah and Sunil Shetty etc. besides actresses like Pooja Bhatt, Koena Mitra, Tanushree, Tabu, Sharmila Tagore and Neha Dhupia.

Have you interviewed Amitabh Bachchan for your show?
Amitabh Bachchan is one of my most favorite actors of all time. It would be a great privilege for me to interview him for my show Inside Bollywood. Though I have not yet interviewed him, there are plans to interview him as and when he is able to allot us the time required for the shooting of the interview.

Besides Amitabh Bachchan, who else do you die to interview for your show?
Though I am keen on interviewing each and every actor in Bollywood, I should confess unabashedly that I am dying to interview besides Amitabh Bachchan also stars like Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan because they are not only articulate but also well informed about everything under the sun.

Do you interview the celebrities extempore or go by the script given to you?
I write my own script for the show though I should confess that there is a separate department in my outfit which sets out to do extensive research on all the celebrities who I set out to interview for the show.

You have the reputation of being very choosy as an actor. Why?
Though I was indeed very choosy about the projects that I set out to sign, at the same time, I should also admit that basically I was quite a laid back actor. I never believed in going in for the kill like some of my colleagues in television who ate more than what they could possibly chew.

Does it mean you are no longer a laid-back actor?
Yes. You can say that. The entire scenario underwent a very radical change in outlook with Manish Goswami's TV serial Sarkar which was on air on Zee TV.

You can say that the whole game on TV changed with the arrival of Sarkar, which set the benchmark for serials. I'd also go to the extent of stating that Sarkar was the revival of Rohit Roy. Before Sarkar, I confess I had done a lot of crappy serials.

Which according to you is your best serial as an actor?
To tell you the truth, though I have quite a few well known serials to my credit, I have never really liked myself as an actor in any serial other than Sarkar till today. I think I did in Sarkar, what I did in Swabhimaan which actually marked my debut on television, years back when actors had this condescending attitude towards television.

How would you rate your elder brother Ronit Roy as an actor?
Ronit bhaiya is a very talented actor who has got his due very late on television though he should have been inundated with the best of roles as far as films are concerned, because he knows his craft pretty well.

Do you plan to cast Ronit Roy in your next film as a director?
Yes. Though Ronitbhaiya is quite busy with his commitment to TV, I have asked him to spare dates for me because I want to cast him in a stellar role in my next directorial venture, the details of which I just cannot divulge at this point of time.

Tell us about your role in Don Muthuswami?
It was a pleasure working with a gem fo a person like Mithunda in Don Muthuswami. I play a smart ass accountant who is not only a smooth operator but also a white collared criminal who cheats the Don of his money.

It is a comedy film but I was sure when I heard the script that I'd portray my role as a role without making it a caricature. To put it a nutshell, Don Muthuswami is nothing but a cat and mouse game with Mithun Chakraborty and me.

How good are you at tackling comedy roles?
I am doing Tanvir Khan's next untitled film which will be an out and out comedy with Celina Jaitley as my leading lady.

I am also doing Kalpana Lajmi's next film Love Mein Koyi Rules Nahin, which will be a multi layered film.

Tell me something about your next film Alibaug, as an actor!
I am acting with my talented wife Manasi for the first time in my career in Sanjay Gupta's Alibaug which will also present me in an entirely different avtar as an actor.

I essay the role of a doctor in Alibaug, which will be a slice of life film. My role in Alibaug is an extension of my personality in real life. I hope that people will set out to appreciate my versatility.

How do you manage to act, direct and produce, besides being a doting husband and a fond father?
I do only whatever I enjoy doing. I never plan. I take up only one assignment at a time. You can say I am good at multi tasking as a person.

Are you producing any other serial besides Inside Bollywood?
I will be producing the serial Rang, The Color of Love for Zee. It will star Ketaki Dave, Rasik Dave, Sejal, Muni Jha and introduce a new girl called Manasvi.

Tell us about you next directorial venture!
I will direct a huge action film with big stars for Sanjay Gupta for his banner White Feather.

Harman owes me Gurudakshina: Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra, the charmingly sweet actress, nowadays probably is the hottest topic in the B-town for her stunningly different appearance in Love Story 2050 and association with Baweja family through her boyfriend Harman Baweja.

She looks very excited for her red-haired strange dolly appearance in the film. Let’s share few moments with the actress to know about the film, her character and little more…

Q. Please tell us about your character in the film.
A. My character in the film is known as Jaisha who is a famed pop singer in the year 2050. I don’t think I should tell you anything more about my character in the film.

Q. Jaisha looks the most different character from all the roles you have played till date. How tough was it portraying Jaisha?
A. I have always been looking for something new and extra ordinary to do, whether it’s the action oriented character in Don or negative babe in Intezaar.

I am very excited that Love Story 2050 offered me to do something really fresh and different. I don’t think any artiste in Indian film history has ever played such a character. I think I am very lucky having a chance to play it.

As far as playing the character is concerned, I faced no problem playing the character. We had no book related to the subject neither we had any example to prepare us.

Despite having so many hindrances Harry sir expressed his point of view in such a way that will surely oblige you fantasizing the different world.

Q. How did your prepare yourself for this character?
A. I always have to prepare for my characters personally. I cannot do anything else for my characters.

As I have already told you that I had no other way to take care of my character in Love Story 2050. I prepared each and every part of the character sitting with Harry sir only.

I understood his point of view and tried my level best to show it on screen. I guess his opinion was the best way to know about the character. I will really feel winning if audiences also love the character.

Q. This is for the first time that you are playing a double role. How was the experience?
A. Yeah, this is my first time experience playing double role. I am very excited as because playing two roles was like having two different opportunities. Now, deciding on how have I done justice to the characters is completely up to you. I cannot say anything on it.

Q. What’s your relation with Boo in the flick?
A. Oh! It’s really an important relationship that I share with Boo in the film. It’s not only my friend but also like my parents and a complete caretaker of my house.

It cuts fruits for me, if for any reason I scold it then it also scolds back at me and besides playing all very important roles in my life it becomes my only shoulder to depend on while I get into the future alone.

Q. What will you do if you get a Boo in your real life?
A. Hope your fantasy becomes a truth only. And, well, I have been asking Harry sir for a long time to gift me his Boo but he has hidden the real one somewhere in his house. At the same time, I don’t think that Boo will come with me as it’s really very costly.

Q. People think there are many similarities between Krrish and Love Story 2050. You have played the lead ladies in both of them. How do you accept the matter?
A. Firstly, the films, that you mentioned, are quite different from each other. You may not believe in anyone else’s opinion but you have to believe in me as because I have worked in both the films.

While Kkrish was the first super hero in India, Love Story 2050 is the first science fiction based love story in India. The special effects that audience will experience in this film, is the first of its kind.

I think Love Story 2050 will prove to be the milestone in Indian film history. The future about the film will be decided only after 4th July but for the time being, we are very confident about it.

Q. Harman says that he has leant a lot from you. Has he accepted you as his Guru on the sets?
A. That will be decided only after he pays me the Gurudakshina. (Laughs) I cannot ask his finger like Dronacharya did. Isn’t it! Well, whether my teaching has really helped him or not will be proved only after 4th July when the film will be released.

Q. How have you found the possibilities in Harman as an actor?
A. Everyone says that each newcomer’s first film looks always excellent, but I would like to say that he is excellent as a human being. It never looks like his first film.

I have witnessed the same acting ability in Harman that I have seen in Boman Irani. And not only acting but also in every field, he is really excellent. What else can I say? Now you watch the film and decide it yourselves.

Q. Would you like to put the film in the genre of science fiction or futuristic films?
A. It’s true that we are marketing the film as the futuristic one in India and we have no second opinion about that. But before all I would like to make clear that Love Story 2050 is a love story at the fore and then it has its futuristic approach.

It starts with a love story and ends with the same. It might have happened at Ooty or in London or even in Mars but for the time being it’s happening in Mumbai. But the most important matter is in spite of 2008, it’s happening in 2050. - Rajnee Gupta

Krazzy 4

Music Director: Rajesh Roshan
Singers: Neeraj Sridhar, Kailash Kher, Soumya Raoh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Kirti Sagathia, Jimmy Moses, Bhavin Dhanak, Vishal Dadlani, Labh Janjua, Sudesh Bhonsle, Ankita Sachdev, Rahul Vaidya
Ratings: **

Rakesh Roshan has roped in Jaideep Sen to direct his home production 'Krazzy 4', but hasn't changed the music composer.

As usual brother Rajesh Roshan composes tunes for this film. He has churned out some fantastic compositions in the past, but does not impress with this one.

'Dekhta hai tu kya,' rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan and Kirti Sagathia, is a typical rusty, folk Bollywood number.

While there have been a few such numbers that have found fans in the audience, yet one can see no such signs in 'Dekhta...' Javed Akhtar has written the rather average lyrics for the tracks.

'Ik rupiya' is not really a sensational song as there is hardly anything musical about it.

Being more of a situational number, this piece has been sung by an array of singers, including Labh Janjua, Bhavin Dhanak, Jimmy Moses, Kirti Sagathia, Sudesh Bhonsle and Rahul Vaidya. The number, penned by Javed Akhtar again, can be conveniently skipped.

The National Anthem, 'Jan Gan Man', gets a slot in the album. Ankita Sachdev lends her voice and as much as the song evokes patriotism in listeners, it has nothing new to offer.

The title track, 'Krazzy 4', which was filmed on Shah Rukh Khan, is an item number with all the contemporary Bollywood instruments. The music is as conventional as it can get. While musically, the song isn't much of an achievement, the audiences are likely to enjoy it.

'Break free' bears a resemblance to the title track. The singers and the lyricist are the same and even the composition sounds similar. While the lyrics might have been altered here and there, differentiating between the two is a hard task.

'O re lakad' surprises the same way as 'Dekhta hai tu kya'. It has a rusty touch to it. The song has been sung by Soumya Raoh, Kailash Kher and Neeraj Sridhar, who make an interesting trio but the song isn't much fun as a whole.

Listening to the entire soundtrack of 'Krazzy 4' could turn out to be a little boring or uninteresting. Even though one gets to hear Rajesh Roshan's composition after a hiatus, he doesn't innovate or offer variations in his regular style.

The songs are purely situational and would probably seem better on screen.

Jannat

Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty and Kamran Ahmed
Singers: Richa Sharma, KK, Kamran Ahmed, Rupam Islam, Rana Mazumdar
Rating: ****

The Bhatts are back and this time they have 'Jannat' to offer which has eight songs. Pritam Chakraborty has composed seven songs and none of them is below average.

In fact, each one deserves to be given at least one hearing. This time, Pritam ensures that the masses enjoy and remember the album. 'Judai' is sung and composed by Kamran Ahmed.

The first song 'Door na jaa' is impressive from the word 'go'. While Rana Mazumdar's rendition is incredible, lyricist Sayeed Quadri's wordings are no less. Pritam brings back earlier compositions of his into the track in a much more classical way and deserves a thumbs up for this number.

'Haan tu hain' also boasts of a great rendition by KK. The track is pretty decent, but not an all rounder like the previous one. The music and the lyrics are okay, but KK does a good job.

The second winner comes in the form of 'Jannat jahaan'. A 'rock' song, it enthrals you with its music that is addictive. Pritam ropes in Rupam Islam to sing the song and he has done an incredible job.

'Jannat jahaan' may have the 'Bhatt Camp' tag on it, but it doesn't get repetitive or boring at all. In fact, it's hard to find an error with this piece.

'Judai', a track sung and composed by Kamran Ahmed, plays next. Falling in the rock genre again, this number is a chartbuster for sure. Out to captivate the audience, 'Judai' has been amazingly rendered, composed and written.

'Lambi judai' sees Richa Sharma rendering her vocals. Richa, who usually signs folksy numbers, does a pretty good job, but one couldn't really blame anyone if they skip the song because there are more interesting songs in the album. Nevertheless, a noteworthy performance!

KK entertains his fans with 'Zara sa' which comes next. While the song has Pritam written all over it, it still manages to surprise you with the music. The music is soothing, pleasing and the kind one would like to sing along with.

Pritam does a good job in 'Jannat' and his roping in of singers from across the border has resulted in noteworthy renditions. In fact, 'Jannat' has been consistent with great singing by each and every singer on board. 'Jannat' is an album that is definitely going to sell.

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Music Composer: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyricist: Prasoon Joshi; Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Anusha Mani, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Sneha and Suresh
Rating: ***

'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' is a feel-good album in which Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have composed five tracks and one remix. Their signature stamp is all over and it surely doesn't disappoint.

The song 'Lazy lamhe' comes as a surprise and singer Anusha Mani's rendition brings with it a whiff of freshness. A sensuous and seductive number, the track is a slow one with a few contemporary sounds thrown in. Prasoon Joshi's experiment with the lyrics is interesting.

A happy number comes in the form of 'Pyaar ke liye kabhi socha hai kya'. The lyrics are centred on life and love and Shankar Mahadevan's rendition makes you feel good. 'Pyaar Ke...' may not have a lingering effect, but it is still quite an enjoyable song.

'Nihaal ho gayi' picks up pace from the previous two tracks but doesn't excite much. While it has Shankar at the helm once again, he doesn't offer anything innovative. Prasoon's lyrics are the only notable feature in the song, but the music composition is just not fresh enough.

Now being a little innovative, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy come up with 'Bulbula kyun koi mujhko haath lagaaye', a track that differs from the typical Bollywood pieces. Sung mainly by Sunidhi Chauhan, it gels fairly well with the story.

'Beetey kal se hum' takes off from where 'Bulbula...' left. Shreya Ghoshal and child singers Sneha and Suresh provide vocals for this fun number. Prasoon's lyrics are poetic. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have kept it simple and peppy so that it will appeal to adults and children alike.

It is a pleasant album that doesn't boast of major chartbuster hits. But the fact that all five tracks don't hurt the ear and have something fresh and pleasing about them makes the album get a three-star rating.

Drona

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Jaya Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon
Director: Goldie Behl

Drona is a compelling modern tale of one man's journey through the labyrinths of mystic myths and legendary legacies.

As good and evil clash in this contemporary fantasy fable, a fascinating journey unfolds into a world of mythical heroes and malicious magicians with cunning curses.

It is a world, where spells can turn flesh to cold stone.

It is a world full of thrills, magic and adventures.

Directed by Goldie Behl, Drona introduces yet another superhero onto the Bollywood celluloid - Abhishek Bachchan.

According to reports, Drona is going to be even bigger and better in terms of special effects compared with Rakesh Roshan's Krrish.

Mission Istanbul

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Sunil Shetty, Zayed Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Shreya Saran, Nikitin Dheer
Director: Apoorva Lakhia

One of India's most respected journalists, Vikas Sagar (Zayed Khan) receives an offer he cannot refuse from Owais Hussain (Sunil Shetty).

Owais is the head of an Istanbul television news channel. He offers Vikas a very high salary package with all the frills if he accepts a position within his company.

For Vikas, this offer couldn't have come at a better time. He is going through a messy divorce with his wife Anjali (Shriya Saran) and needs to get away from the stress of it all.

So Vikas accepts Hussain's offer whole-heartedly. But little does he know that one decision will change his life forever.

Well settled into his new role, he decides to voice his plans to quit the channel and move on to newer pastures.

But to his surprise, he learns from the Turkish commando, Rizwan Khan (Vivek Oberoi), on how others who quit the television channel got mysteriously killed because they knew too much.

So will this journalist be able to survive the onslaught where others have fallen prey?

Mr Bhatti On Chutti

Mr. Bhatti is a normal person. He works in a bank and hasa peace plan to save the world from war and suffering..

Never mind if the peace plan is for Mr. George W Bush whom Mr. Bhatti has been trying to contact at the white house from his bank. And strange things are happening all around him. Like he is being followed and photographed. Wonder who these guys are?

Then he wins a free trip to Europe, though he has entered no contest. But... how can Mr. Bhatti go on this tripwithout telling his favourite star, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan about it. So he stands in the crowd outside the Big B's bungalow, but in vain.

He reaches the picturesque lake district. but again strange things occur to this normal man. An english beauty falls inlove with him. Her name is Alice. Mr. Bhatti is going crazy with so much attention being showered on him, but hemanages to supress his excitement. Soon something stranger happens. Alice vanishes and she is presumed to be dead.

Murdered. And Mr. Bhatti is the prime suspect. Something crazier happens now. He is told that he is not Bhatti atall by the Scotland yard cops. He is a dreaded terrorist Abu Siddique. And then he is made to become Abu siddique.Not by torture.

But because Mr. bachchan convinces him to take on the persona of Abu siddique. Yes Mr. Bachchan himself. His idol, his hero. And amidst all this bhatti's ernest desire to meet Pres. Bush remains the same. He wants to now save the world more than ever.

And for that Mr. Bachchan is telling him to go ahead and fulfill his dream. Inspiring him all the time. And Bhatti … who we people think is foolish and crazy, ends up saving a big part of the world.

Of acheiving the impossible and then meeting his favourite star in person. Mr. Bhatti is told by Mr. Bachchan that you are a hero now. Pooof ! Bhatti gets on to other exploits.

Singh is Kinng

Music: Pritam
Guest Track: RDB (Rap by Snoop Dogg)
Producer: Vipul A. Shah
Director: Anees Bazmee

Singh Is Kinng, the most keenly awaited romantic comedy of 2008, revolves around a gang of crooks transformed by a good man and his selfless love for a pretty girl…

Lakhan Singh aka Lucky (Sonu Sood) is the ‘king’ of the Australian underworld accompanied by his associates (played by Javed Jaffrey, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Pahwa, Yashpal Sharma, Kamal Chopra and Sudhanshu Pande.)

Far away, in a small village in Punjab, where Lucky was born, there exists someone more notorious than him – Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar).

The village is fed up of his magnanimity, which has resulted in a number of hilariously disastrous situations. Out of desperation, they decide to send him on a long trip (that will keep him out of the village for a while!) to bring Lucky back to Punjab, as his despicable deeds were maligning their image in Australia.

The happy-go-lucky bumpkin, taking his mission a bit too seriously, embarks on his journey accompanied by his friend, Tony Singh (Om Puri), who hates Happy for dragging him into it.

The high point of his journey is his chance meeting with Sonia (Katrina Kaif) with whom he falls in love, but upon reaching his destination, things take a precarious turn as he runs into a series of comic misadventures, leaving him penniless. He is fortunate to find warmth and affection in an elderly lady (Kirron Kher) who helps him meet Lucky.

In a strange turn of events, an attempt on Lucky’s life is foiled by a well-intentioned Happy who fights off the attackers by risking his own life.

Following the hilarious altercation, Lucky lands up in hospital paralyzed, and Happy, unexpectedly, finds the tables turned on him when he is expected to assume the role of the new ‘kinng’!

The series of chaos, shocks and comic misunderstandings that ensue eventually result in redemption and an accidental wedding!

Shot in Punjab, Australia and Egypt, Singh Is Kinng marks superstar Akshay Kumar’s re-entry into the action-comedy minefield. With plenty of romance, glamour, laugh-aloud moments and chartbusting music, it promises to be one of the most appealing and entertaining motion pictures of 2008.

It comes from Vipul Shah and Anees Bazmee, the master-makers of blockbusters like Aankhen, Waqt, Namastey London, No Entry and Welcome.

Mere Baap Pehle Aap

Starring: Akshaye Khanna, Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Genelia D’souza, Shovna, Manoj Joshi, Rajpal Yadav and Archana Puran Singh
Producer: Raman Maru, Ketan Maru, Maansi Maru
Director: Priyadarshan
Ratings: *1/2

Taking care of every minute wish of children has been thought of as parents’ duty but while it comes to parents’ wishes, children easily evade attending them. Different from this vogue, Mere Baap Pehle Aap depicts the story of a son for whom responsibility of his father is foremost.

Devoid of motherly affection since his childhood, Gaurav Rane (Akshaye Khanna) thinks of his father Janardan Vishwambhar Rane (Paresh Rawal) as playing the role of both his parents.

Besides Gaurav, Janardan has another son named Chirag (Manoj Joshi) who lives separately with his wife and sometimes comes to meet Janardan as if only to remind Janardan that he has another son.

Settling the characters down, the story reveals how Gaurav, the CEO of Magnum Moll, takes a childlike care of his father. As story further unfolds we get to know as how Janardan has a friend called Madhav Mathur (OM Puri), who freakily tries on getting married and at every attempt he gets caught by Inspector Bhavani (Archana Puran Singh) and, to the worse, Janardan also gets arrested alongside his friend.

Every time Gaurav has to come and set his father free and with each such incident Gaurav’s hatred for Mathur gets hiked. In the flow of incidents Gaurav comes to meet his old classmate Shikha (Genelia D’souza) who stays in Mumbai with her teacher Anuradha Joshi (Shovna).

The story rolls on and reaches a spot where Shikha and Gaurav smell the love story being cooked between Janardan and Anuradha. Keeping in mind the emotions of his father, Gaurav gets his father married to Anuradha.

Shikha’s father, Mr. Kapoor (Naseeruddin Shah), who has been completely against Shikha and Gaurav’s relation only because of Janardan’s affair with Anuradha, understands Gaurav’s emotions and respecting it, he agrees on Shikha’s wedding with Gaurav.

The story may look very nice and touchy but the improper presentation mars the chance of holding audience. Comedy King Priyadarshan seems failing in plotting natural riot of laughter among people.

Truly speaking, the film looks more one-act drama than a complete cinema. Besides the bungalows, Moll, Shikha’s house and beautiful frames of Kerala, there is nothing else that should be recapped.

Akshaye and Paresh show enough chemistry in their father-son relationship. Looking at the positive side of the matter, the film can teach people well to take care of their parents. But that’s all. The film has nothing more to attract audience.

Genelia looks attractive in few scenes but her dialogue delivery would make other directors dither a bit before enlisting her in any other Hindi flick. Even Rajpal looks quite frozen in his character and fails in appealing people.

The character of Madhav Mathur maybe new in Om Puri’s career graph but it creates nothing different. Along with Om Puri, talents like Naseeruddin Shah and Shovna also look helpless in the film. Better to say the film is wastage of talent and their time. Even the music of the film fails in affecting people.

Mere Baap Pehle Aap somehow gives a feeling as if Priyadarshan has also started following Ram Gopal Varma’s footsteps.

Priyadarshan has given loads of hits to the industry and has banked enough expectations from all the audience. Better if the Comedy King also understands the matter and takes it seriously. -Rajnee Gupta

Khusboo

*ing: Rishi Rehan, Avantika, Ninad Kamat, Himani Shivpuri, Prem Chopra, Raj Babbar, Chunky Pandey, Shakti Kapoor (Guest appearance)
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Music: Adnan Sami, Bappi Lahiri
Producer: Pahlaj Nihalani
Director: Rajesh Ram Singh
Ratings - *

2008 seems to be a year for fresh faces in Bollywood. Even the well-known producer Pahlaj Nihalani tried introducing two new faces through his latest flick Khusboo but the garbage, the film showcases, fails in hinting at the fragrance it has been intended to spread.

Raghunathan Iyer (Rishi Rehan) is a project manager at a multinational company. Being very with his job profile, his boss (Raj Babbar) wants to send him to New York but due to some emergency at a project in Chandigarh he has forget about New York and move for Chandigarh. Raghu meets Pinky (Avantika) in Chandigarh and despite having no faith in love he falls for Pinky (just like all the logically foolish love stories).

The representative of modernism in Chandigarh, Pinky slips straight to Raghu’s bed at their third meeting and after two months she returns only to say that she is pregnant with Raghu’s child.

She asks Raghu to meet her parents once so that she can later on easily tell them the reality about the child. Raghu marries Pinky immediately after meeting her parents. But they keep their marriage a secret.

When Pinky’s parents come to know about their marriage, they, like typical Punjabi, come to Raghu’s office to kill him. Being the only daughter in the family, Pinky easily wins the heart of her five brothers. But her father, subadar Arminder Singh (Prem Chopra) forsakes the relationship with her.

Afterwards, the story witnesses a lot of turns and twists and reaches the happy ending (as it’s very usual).

If films are always prone to have one or the other fault, Khusboo is the uncrowned king among flawed entertainers. It’s really sad that despite having keen eyes to find a better moment, the film doesn’t offer anything praiseworthy. Including direction and first appearance of Rishi and Avantika, all are very weak.

It’s quite unfortunate that all the talents, including the lyrics by Javed Akhtar, music by Adnan Sami and Bappi Lahiri and well known voices of established singers, are simply wasted just for the sake of the film. The film seems more an unsolved puzzle than an entertainer.

The reason behind the modern Pinky, willingly sleeping with an almost unknown guy and clad in modern outfits, declining to deport for New York just for the sake of her desh, is really beyond any psychological understanding.

It looks really bakwas to see Pinky thinking about giving birth to her child in this nation only and more than that, her intention of tagging her child as Shikh appears more intended and unfortunate fallacy. If she can ignore cast at the time of marrying Raghu, how come she insists on the same issue during the birth of her child!

The film is completely an unsolved mystery with so many questions like this. It creates question on the director Rajesh Ram and more than that Khusboo is a big question mark on the career of Pahlaj Nihalani.

Enriched with Punjabi culture, the film looks more a Punjabi flick than Hindi one. Being so inclined to Punjabi traditions, the film should not be able to pull the Hindi audience.

Albeit, watching the film is completely dependant on the audience, managing the fragrance in Khusboo will surely be an impossible task for them. -Rajnee Gupta

De Taali

Starring Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh, Ayesha Takiya, Riimi Sen
Directed by E Niwas
Rating: * ½

The funniest moment in this sporadically amusing outing into an ouch slouch is when all torture fails to intimidate the kidnap victim Rimi Sen. Then Riteish Deshmukh fishes out a copy of Ram Gopal Varma's Aag.

Then the kidnap victim screams in anticipated agony.

That's pretty much the best inhouse joke I've seen in a Hindi comedy. E Niwas not only assisted Varma he also made a semi-sparkling comedy Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega for Varma before branching out.

Niwas ab laughter ke liya kuch kuch karega.

De Taali is not quite De Gaali. It falls somewhere in between the taali and gaali. And not quite with a thud. Contrary to the promotional campaign De Taali is not a boys-will-have-fun kind of raunchy comedy we had expected.

Yes there are two boys Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh, both in spirited form as friends, one rich and the other an unselfconscious parasite.

They remind you of Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna in Namak Haraam.

Rest assured, De Taali doesn't aspire to be a serious study of spaces that separate capitalism from serious exploitation.

So relax. Put your feet up in the empty chair in front and let that popcorn do all the talking.

Here's a film that goes from goofy definitions of asexual bonding to purely corny sexual bonding.

The tree-house bonding among Shivdasani, Deshmukh and Takiya (in ever-sprakling form and showing terrific timing in both the light and serious moments) is punctuated by spasms of satire on bonding among a trio that seems to have borrowed its primary rules of friendship from Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and then turned it on its head. Though alas, no bed.

Somehow the bondings never get deeper than the shallow and skittish. The dialogues are deliberately casual and trendy. And 'cool' in a rather thanda way. And the first-half delivers some tangy tendrils of narration that never quite grows into a tree of titters.

The second- half where Deshmukh and Takiya, out of a feeling of misbegotten friendship kidnaps the gold digger who wants to marry their naively sentimental rich friend, gets out of hand and finally runs of breath.

The director E Niwas's penchant for black humour gets the better of the plot. By the time poor goofy Shivdasani realizes he loves the girl on the tree-top we're well past the stage of caring about this woozy anthem on sharing.

The sequence where Deshmukh visits Rimi Sen's monstrously malfunctional family is so over-the-top you wonder which came first, the family or its psychosis. The jokes on Alcoholics Anonymous are hopelessly inadequate, better left alone.

The talented Pavan Malhotra who was so powerfully perched in E Niwas' My Name Is Anthony Gonzalves makes a cameo appearance as a lecherous tutor who gives Rimi Sen lessons on the dining table whike she licks an icecream with suggestive languor.

Yipes….a bit of Mr Bachchan's Bemisaal here.The Big B pops up ubiquitously throughout the narrative. And that includes a fancy-dress party where everyone dresses up as a character from a Bachchan film.

And Aftab's character is even named Abhishek. Cute.

You could enjoy the spurts of wit that keep cropping up here and there.Soon it becomes hard to keep up with the improvisations and innovations in the script.

The quartet of principal actors keep the comedy afloat. Riteish is in specially good form displaying a razor-sharp comic timing in acrowd of faces.

Yup, this guy has got the 'IT' factor. The film misses the bus by a wide margin. But nevertheless makes us smile a while.

Haal-e-Dil

Amita Pathak, Nakuul Mehta, Adhyayan Suman
Rating: *

A bespectacled 'serious' girl on a rigged rail yatra. She seems to have borrowed her demeanour from Kajol in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Preity Zinta in Kal Ho Na Ho.

You know, studious bookish and grumpy…It takes the exuberant won't-take-no-for-an-answer stranger on the train played by new comer Nakuul Mehta to draw the prissy missy our of her frigid emotionalism. This girl is waiting to be liberated. Kaaton se khinch key eh aanchal.

Enter our modernday Raju Guide with more on his mind than melodious music (considering the sporific quality of the songs, he has no choice). He thinks babbling non-stop is a symptom of joie de vivre. Just because extra-volubility suited Kareena in Jab We Met. I tell you!

Helping the couple to come together is a train compartment filled with stereotypes including one over-acting Bengali housewife (Bharti Achrekar), a kindly ticket collector (who behaves as if he just saw Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met and of course Wes Anderson's Darjeeling Ltd and learnt his etiquettes in station mastery from them ) dancing-singing beggars (in newly –stitched ghagra-cholis) and yes, Ajay Devgan and Kajol who clap a few beats at a railway platform and beat a hasty retreat.

So, I am afraid, should we. Before we swear off romantic film forever.This tedious transperantly derivate romance chugs on and on with no respite in sight. The songs are like opium for the snoring masses. Dope in drag.

As some relief in this snail rail trail, in flashbacks newcomer Adhyayan Suman shows up as the bespectacled girl's college lover-boy. He has a sweet sincere presence and should have had more to do in this loco- motivated talkathon shot most on the train parked at Kamalistan studios.

The least you do in a travel film is to make the transportation and the locations look authentic.

Director Anil Devgan makes this one purely an exercise in self-indulgence for matronly spinsters who still think Prince Charming is a artificially exhilarated dude in designer togs giving everyone in the compartment and in the audience a gala time.

Or so he'd like to believe.

Amitabh Bachchan at Madhur Bhandarkar's felicitation ceremony

Amitabh Bachchan at Madhur Bhandarkar's felicitation ceremony.

"Critics may have their own views" - Ritesh Deshmukh

De Taali may not have set the box office on fire but amongst the three movies which came last Friday, it is still being the best of the lot. Also, as have been the feelers for this romantic comedy, the film is giving itself a fighting chance at the theaters.

"I am surprised to hear conflicting reports about the film. A few trade sources haven't been too kind in stating the box office prospects of the film but there are other industry sources who are maintaining that De Taali should do well to come out unscathed", says Ritiesh Deshmukh who, once again has managed to steal the show from right under everyone's nose.

How about the below the par reviews that film has got?

"I don't agree that everyone has gone ahead and ripped apart the film", rightly defends Riteish, "Yes, some critics have been unhappy about the film's execution. They are asking questions as to why the trio of friends (Aftab, Ayesha and myself) have been acting like 12 year olds. But hey, that's exactly the point, you know! We play a bunch of youngsters who meet each other as 12 year olds and ever since then have been happy to stay on in the same time warp. That's the entire idea of friendship in De Taali.

"Still, I am not judging the critics here", continues Riteish, "They may have their own views. See, there are so many others who have indeed liked the film as well. To each his own. And at the end of the day, it all boils down to whether the film is working with audience or not. As per the information which I have gathered from impartial and neutral sources, it is doing well with the youth with every passing day. The film may not have done great business on the first day but it is the kind that would sustain well as days pass by."

Tell him that this time around, even Rimmi Sen has gathered quite a few accolades for her performance in the film along with him and he says in a delighted tone, "See, I had said even earlier that it is Rimmi's character who brings the twist in the plot. In the absence of her character, there wouldn't have been De Taali. I am glad she got a well written part to enact where she has been appreciated for her performance. She deserves it!"

Ayesha Takia to walk the ramp at IIFA

The charming and bubbly Bollywood actress Ayesh Takia will walk the ramp for designer friend Vikram Phadnis at the ninth International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards, starting June 6 in Bangkok.

"I will be there for Vikram Phadnis, who is a very close friend of mine. He has designed some exclusive collections and it will be great fun to be there for him. Besides, I am also excited for my film De Taali," Ayesha told IANS.

Seen in films like Socha Naa Tha and Sunday, Ayesha will also promote her forthcoming film De Taali at IIFA.

"IIFA is a great platform where people from various parts of the world get to see a film. It opens the film to the whole world. I think this is an ideal platform to showcase and promote a film. I am very excited about it," she said.

Directed by Eshwar Niwas and produced by Ravi Walia, the film is about love and friendship and presents Ayesha in a different incarnation along with Aftab Shivdasani, Ritiesh Deshmukh and Rimii Sen.

Explaining her role, the actress said: "I play a tomboyish character for the first time in the film. My character is very close to Aftab and Ritiesh," Ayesha said.

The three day IIFA weekend will start with the premiere of Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar Raj. The political thriller brings together Amitabh Bachchan, who is also the brand ambassador of IIFA, his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai.

The event is expected to draw Bollywood fans to Bangkok from around the region.