"Let's not trivialize serious issues for commercial gains" - Akshay Kumar

Jumbo

While Akshay Kumar gets ready for an exciting four weeks ahead with the release of two of his films - Jumbo and Chandni Chowk To China - round the corner, he is keeping his promises intact when it comes to being associated with a cause. One such cause is the Special Olympics that offer children and adults with intellectual disabilities in a year-round training. This is then followed by competitions in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports.

Prior to the World Winter Games, a Global Law Enforcement Torch Run is organized and Delhi will be one of the host cities for the Torch Run. Incidentally, this time around, the run would begin from Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

"It's a pleasant coincidence to begin this drive from 'Chandni Chowk', the place which is closest to my heart. I have been associated with Special Olympics as their brand ambassador for quite some time now and am looking forward to the torch traveling across the globe", says Akshay while making plans for his visit to Delhi on 21st December when the torch would arrive in the city.

Tell him that the torch would travel from Delhi to even Shanghai, China, hence bringing real life close to reel life of Chandni Chowk To China and he protests, "Let's not mix up pleasure with a cause here. I will talk about the film when a platform is suited for its promotion. Here we are talking about people with intellectual disabilities so let's not trivialize it for commercial gains. We are dealing with sensitive issues here." While Akshay Kumar will be running along with the Torch, Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Shiela Dixit will be present at the ceremony to flag off the Torch Run. Akshay Kumar has been attached to this worldwide initiative that is considered to be quite prestigious across 180 odd countries where it has its presence. The Special Olympics currently serve 2.5 million people (with 500,000 people just in India) with intellectual disabilities in more than 200 Programs which are carried out across these 180 odd countries around the world.

Chosen as a brand ambassador in 2005, Akshay Kumar hopes to spread awareness about the cause by being associated with it. He concludes by stating, "I believe all these individuals with special needs certainly deserve the same respect that other athletes get. It is a matter of pride to see them participating with great vigor and unparalleled confidence at such a global platform."

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'Big B is unbelievably athletic'' - Madhavan

In Pune, Madhavan who's shooting for Leena Yadav's Teen Patti was in for a huge shock when his co-star Amitabh Bachchan expressed a desire to join him at the golf course.

Maddy, it must be mentioned, is a national-level golf champ and winner of several national and international prizes for the sport. Mr Bachchan had never played golf before.

"Or so he said," says the still-dazed-and-dazzled Maddy from Pune. "But seeing how he played I was shocked. No one except Mr Bachchan can be so good at a game he has never played before."

It happened suddenly when one day Mr Bachchan decided to join Maddy at the golf course. "I thought I'd be privileged enough to teach him a few moves. But I was stunned at the way he played. He was spectacular. And if this was his first time ever at golf then I've just become an even bigger of his," says Maddy who played an Amitabh Bachchan fan in Ramji Londonwale and even got the mega-star to make an appearance at the end of the film.

Now Maddy is toying with the idea of a film based on the game of golf featuring Mr Bachchan and Maddy. "I don't know how he did it! He's unbelievably athletic. His hand co-ordination is extraordinary. Other people generally take four years for what he did on the golf course on his first day…and so easily. He has phenomenal pick-up powers whether it's on the golf course or on the sets."

Not much of a card-player either the Big B picked up the cards game so fast for Teen Patti that he left Maddy and other team members gasping. "He's extraordinary in whatever he does. I feel like his pupil," says Maddy who plays a professor in Teen Patti.

"And then I go right back to playing the student in Raj Kumar Hirani's 3 Idiots. But being around the Big B I always feel like a student," states Maddy

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SRK vs. Aamir: War or Game??

The big war between Shah Rukh Khan, the undisputed King of bollywood, and Aamir the perfectionist, seems to be more part of a publicity game plan than anything else.


At least, that seemed to be the case when Shah Rukh and Aamir met accidentally at Mehboob Studios recently and chatted like long -lost friends. The eyewitnesses present on the occasion say that the King Khan and ‘Ghajini’ Khan were seen animatedly discussing their respective movies and bodybuilding fundas. Aamir was enthusiastically explaining the secret of his fabulous body shown in the promos of upcoming ‘Ghajini’, while SRK looked all ears to him.

This is so when two- three days earlier, Shah Rukh had declared himself to be the biggest brand of Bollywood. And so, he could not employ the same tactics to promote his film ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ as used by Aamir. SRK was responding to a question on Aamir Khan making the employees of multiplexes don ‘Ghajini’ haircut on the day of release of Shah Rukh’s ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’.For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

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Aamir shed tears to get eight-pack abs in Ghajini

No pain, no gain. The saying couldn't be truer for Aamir Khan and the team that painstakingly sculpted those eight-pack abs, snipped up four different hairstyles, and designed the actor's varied looks in Ghajini that have become the rage among his fans.

"It took Aamir 13 months of workout, with a daily regime of about four hours, to achieve the next-to-impossible look for Ghajini," Satyajit 'Satya' Chaurasia, who trained the actor for the film, said.

"He used to get tired exercising and sometimes even used to shriek in pain and cry doing the stomach crunches, but he did not skip a single day. Every week his body used to show results and that kept him going," Chaurasia said.

Getting eight-pack abs was not a cakewalk for the perfectionist Khan. Other than rigorous workouts, he had to go through the pain of "a disciplinary regime of following a proportionate balanced diet". "He had to give up on oil, sugar, alcohol and late-night parties as I strictly asked him to sleep for eight hours at a stretch before the workouts," said Chaurasia.

Releasing on Christmas Day, Ghajini is the much-hyped Hindi remake of director AR Murugadoss's eponymous Tamil hit. The film was simultaneously released in Telugu in 2005.

While the original Ghajini featured South Indian actor Surya along with actress Asin Thottumkal, Murugadoss cast Aamir Khan to play the main lead in the Hindi remake and retained Asin as his co-star.

Apart from his physique, what has been the talk of the town is Aamir's scarred and buzzed off hair in the forthcoming film. "The buzzed hairstyle is given to suit both Aamir's character and him as a person," said hairstylist Avan Contractor. "It's basically for the second half of the film where he has a situation that requires him to shave his hair. It took us around an hour and a half to give him the look and get the scar lines on his head with thickness variations as per the director."

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Genelia sparkles on the cover of 'Seventeen'

She was all over the place a few months and weeks ago, courtesy the smash hit Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, in which she was paired opposite the brand new teenage sensation Imran Khan! We are indeed talking about the one and only Genelia D'souza, whose smiling away to glory on the cover of the fashion mag 'Seventeen'. The cover itself is effervescent enough for the reader to judge what one can find inside the mag.

You can find the quotes (read 'confessions') like "They called me Mowgli in college for the longest time ever!!!", "The one thing that I have learnt from a race or a match is that you have only one take to make it" etc... She also speaks about the wildest thing that she has done and the meaning of her name (which many still do not know, we bet). Besides all these, you can also get a glimpse of the 'real-life Genelia' in this issue.

Get your hands on this issue if you are a Genelia fan. Even if you are not, then, this issue will surely make you one!

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Rajesh Khanna defends his movie

Young at Heart: Rajesh Khanna in a still from Raghukul Reet Sadaa Chali Aayee

Says a defiant Rajesh Khanna, insisting his role in Wafaa isn't everyone's cup of tea

After seeing the intimate pictures of Rajesh Khanna in Wafaa, I wanted to go visit Rajesh Khanna to understand why he accepted such a role.

I just needed to know. And also, for the sake of my mother, who was anguished that her once upon a time favourite hero had stooped to conquer.

I just barged into his sets in Film City, Goregaon, where he was shooting for a Hindi serial, Raghukul Reet Sadaa Chali Aayee and demanded he speak to me. Here are excerpts from my conversation with him...

Tell me about your role in Wafaa?

It has released today... you can go see it! (Smiles)

What motivated you to choose such a role?

What do you mean, motivate? (Pauses) It's a powerful script and a powerful role. It's a dynamic role, which is not every actor's cup of tea and so I chose that role. I know what you really want to ask me.

Okay then, so tell me. What made you do those scenes...
It is a bold script, undoubtedly. It is so bold that the Censor Board has given it a 'U' certificate (laughs).

It received a 'U' certificate after the bold scenes were chopped? As far as I know, it has an 'A' certificate...
I don't think so. I haven't seen the film after the censorship decision. But I've been told that there were very minor cuts. I know you want to ask me I am doing such scenes at this age with a heroine half my age.

Especially after doing 175 films which have been so beautifully oriented in terms of characterisation, in story matter, lyrics and songs. You would want to know that if in the song Roop Tera Mastana (Aradhana) the hero doesn't even touch the heroine, and yet the song had romance as well as sex, why I have done this?
Exactly...

My answer is because the subject demanded it and I'm sure once you see the movie, you will know and understand and will agree that it is justified. I will say that the romantic scenes are not Bollywood, but Hollywood. I'm brave enough to say that to own up to it. I am not at all shy or even reluctant to say this: I am proud of those scenes because behind those scenes there is a story. I am not a fool that at this age, given what I am today, I will do a Hollywood style romance with an actress half my age. I am a very sensible guy. I have my head on my shoulders. I have no dearth of films.

Your fans are very disappointed.

Seeing the photographs and trying to judge and pass judgment is not justified. It is no justice done to Mr Rajesh Khanna because I would not do a thing that would bring me dishonour, or be below my dignity. All my films are not like this. I have not done it in 175 films, why will I do it now??? The story demanded it. The subject demanded it. It is a very new kind of subject, and so I went for it. When one sees the photographs it gives you a wrong impression but when you see it in the film, it gives you an impression that it had to be this way! And it is not done deliberately or to attract audience into the theatre. That's the publicity or game plan of the producer or the director and not the actor! When my fans see the film, they will write in to say they got the wrong impression from the photographs.

What reactions have you received since the photos were published?

We do our role and go away. We are not forced in to it. There is grace in every scene. There is dignity in every scene. Other wise Rajesh Khanna is not game. I went from being an actor to a star, and then a superstar. My audience has made me who I am. I have their love and affection and I don't want to lose that.

Your co-star Laila Khan says you treated her like a daughter, was it difficult to do intimate scenes with her?

No. Laila might have said that but I don't say that. It is not a father-daughter relationship. It is two friends who could happen to be of a different age group but we are friends, we are colleagues and she is my heroine and the only difference is the age barrier.

Laila might have said that but I don't say that. It is not a father daughter relationship. It is two friends who could happen to be of a different age group but we are friends, we are colleagues and she is my heroine; the only difference is the age barrier

I am not at all shy or not even reluctant to say this: I'm proud of those scenes because behind those scenes, there is a story. I am not a fool that at this age, given what I am today, I will do a Hollywood style romance with an actress half my age

It's a powerful script and a powerful role. It's dynamic and isn't every actor's cup of tea and so I chose that role Rajesh Khanna

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What's common to CHALTE CHALTE, TASHAN & WANTED?

Our headlines may lead some of our patrons to assume that by mentioning the three movies, CHALTE CHALTE, TASHAN and WANTED–DEAD AND ALIVE we are merely trying to imply that they feature the top stars of Bollywood like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan respectively. Well, that is true but here is something uniquely common to all the three mentioned films.

Yes, all the three films, the two already released ones CHALTE CHALTE and TASHAN and the third in the making WANTED DEAD AND ALIVE all have the rare distinction of being shot in the beautiful island of Greece.

While we have all enjoyed the pristine beauty of the beaches of Greece in CHALTE CHALTE and TASHAN, news from reliable trade source is that Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia have shot for as many as three songs in Greece. And the report is that the songs are simply awesome due to the beautiful and never seen before locales, despite director–choreographer Prabhu Deva's personal tragedy in the middle of the shootingFor Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

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Neha Dhupia - Bye-bye to lead roles?

Neha Dhupia is certainly on a reinvention spree. She had two successful films to her name early this year in the form of MITHYA and SINGH IS KINNG. Now soon after the release of DASVIDANIYA, where she had a relatively smaller role to play though, she recently appeared in MAHARATHI. With the kind of films she is currently associated with, the ones where there isn't a conventional hero–heroine pairing, does it indicate bye–bye to lead roles?

"Tell me if you see actresses anyways doing something special in commercial films", Neha questions back.

She goes on to state, "So many leading ladies are being merely puppets. Not that I have not done that or won't be doing that, but then I am also taking up other roles to balance it all out. In fact one such film where I get to enjoy the best of the both worlds is RAFTAAR. It has a very balanced out characterization."

And how about MAHARATHI? As Naseeruddin Shah's wife, she was as much as a central character as the man who seemingly shoots himself after throwing a challenge to his wife to make his death sound like a murder and go on to benefit from insurance. How kicked was she about this film?

"The film had everything going for it. What a subject! Also, coming together of so much talent in the form of Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri and Boman Irani was unbelievable. In fact when the film came to me, I went like 'Are you kidding me, I can really be a part of this project'? Yes, the script was ultimately the deciding factor and I can say that MAHARATHI was written quite amazingly", she says in a gleeful tone.

Working with such stalwarts would have been unnerving though?

"I won't deny that I was very nervous initially. But then I tried being normal in front of the camera and come up with a natural act. I just went ahead and gave the shot. I stopped thinking that because of people around me, would I actually be able to do it right", she reveals.

2009 looks bright too for Neha Dhupia with quite some variety of films lined up for release.

"Yes, after a busy 2008, I would be seen and heard a lot around in 2009 as well", says Neha, "There are movies like RAAT GAYI BAAT GAYI and I AM 24 which are completed and should release early 2009. Then I have also just completed PAPPU CAN'T DANCE SAALA. RAFTAAR with Emraan Hashmi is a film I am looking forward to. I would also be beginning work on Priyadarshan's DE DANA DAN with Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif."
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