Directors pick Rani's best

Rani Mukerji turns 31 today. As she celebrates her birthday, we spoke to some of the directors she has worked with and they are well, (almost) unanimous in their decision that Black is her best performance so far. Read on to find out.

Vikram Bhatt, Director, Ghulam: Black would be my favourite performance of Rani Mukerji. It takes a lot of courage for an actress to de-glamorize herself and makes faces. It is very important for actresses to look pretty all the time and for an actress to sell all that for a performance that it noticed in mainstream Bollywood is commendable

Goldie Behl, Director, Bas Itna sa Khwaab Hai: I think everyone’s favourite performance if Rani would have to be Black and there are no two ways about it. I was awestruck by the way she carried herself and communicated without saying a single word. It was a sensational performance right from the first frame where she walks towards the Church.

Tarun Mansukhani, Assistant Director on Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Paheli and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: I loved Rani in Black. My favourite scene in the movie is when she calls her mother to tell her she has failed. It is am amazing piece of work to say so much without speaking a word. She makes you cry and feel your own failures and then realize that we are all the same and go through the same emotions in life.

Aziz Mirza, Director, Chalte Chalte: Rani is a very fine, natural actress. No matter what the roles, she shines in all her performances. I can’t pick a favourite performance. She was brilliant in Black and very good in Chalte Chalte.

Ravi Chopra, Director, Baabul: Black has to be Rani’s best performance. She was terrific, she made me believe she was the character she was playing and not anyone else. You felt for her character. My favourite scene was the last scene in which she gets her degree.

Kunal Kohli, Director, Hum Tum, Mujhse Dosti Karoge and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic: My favourite Rani film and performance would have to be Hum Tum. It was the first film with which I got success and she got her first best actress awards at all the functions. More importantly, she was a big support to me during the making of the film and I will always remember her very warmly for that.

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Preity Zinta: I am in a content and happy space now

Preity Zinta is a Bollywood icon but when it comes to numbers, she is not part of the top three. Younger actresses like Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra have taken her place. She gives us her take on competition.

“When I entered the industry ten years ago, I said that there will always be someone younger and hungrier standing behind you to take your place. At that time, I was the younger and hungrier person. Today, I want different things. What I wanted ten years ago, I don’t want that now. There are bigger mountains for me to climb. If I start comparing myself to the younger, newer heroines, or compare what I am now to what I was ten years ago, it would be a very sad situation for me. Competition is healthy but if it depresses and worries you, you must be a very insecure person with low self esteem. I am a very secure person from within”, asserts the vivacious Miss Zinta.

Preity explains she wants different things in life now. “I want a lot of growth in other areas of my life. Even film wise, the films I want to do now are not the ones the younger girls are doing. I don’t want to sound presumptuous but I turned down a lot of these roles and other people went ahead and did them. I don’t talk about it because I don’t think it is cool. So I think as an individual who is secure within oneself, every day is a new day and once you achieve what you have aspired to achieve, you go for a higher goal, you go for a different dream. The dream and success that you have realised isn’t that sweet if you keep sticking onto it. You have to go for higher ground, to a newer dream and ambition. I am in a very happy and content space today. The films that I am doing today are very different from what I did earlier because even the actor within me has grown up. Two years ago, I was frustrated because I didn’t feel I was growing as an actor. Five years from now, I will want to achieve something else and totally different from what I want now.”

And Preity has already garnered praise for her stellar performance in the independent film Videsh: Heaven on Earth. “The film has made a lot of money abroad. Foreigners have understood the message of the film completely. I was even nominated for the Genie Awards, which is the Canadian equivalent of the Oscars, alongside Susan Sarandon, so that felt amazing. I remember at the first screening in Toronto, a famous American actress from the 70s grabbed my arm and said, “Where have you been hiding? You are such a talent!” It feels great that I have done something different and I am being appreciated for that. Now I just want people in India to like the film,” signs off the actress.

Videsh: Heaven on Earth hits Indian theatres on March 27.

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Lara Dutta’s modest avatar!

Lara Dutta’s oomphalicious looks in her forthcoming film Blue are already becoming the talk of tinselville. And with good reason.

Those who’ve seen the promos swear by her sizzling hot avatar. And director Anthony D’Souza credits it completely to the Bollywood actress. “Once we explained the required look to Lara, she just gave it her 100 per cent. She was really determined and regular with her work outs and diets,” he revealed. However, Lara on her part prefers to be modest about it. “Well, the role required me to be really fit and I just concentrated on that,” added Lara. Well, it’s not surprising then that the compliments flowing your way too seem to ‘fit’ you completely.

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Karan's dostana is intact

There’s been news about Karan Johar opting out of the biz deal with Yash Chopra on the distribution of his films.

But the filmmaker is insistent that it is all a purely business decision and that the relationship between the two parties —the Johars and the Chopras — hasn’t strained at all. We believe him! We really do! And there are some more clarifications...this time on the astro front! We did tell you of Karan’s decision to let go of superstitions et al. He clarifies, “Suneeta Menon (his astrologer-cum-dost) is a great friend; we go out to dinners and all that and I do consult her on certain issues, but doing away with the ‘K’ fixation with Dostana was purely my decision,” he says. Now ‘D’ surely did wonders for K as well!

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Sonam, the matchmaker

Sonam Kapoor might be happily single but the bubbly actress loves to play matchmaker — she hooks up her single friends!

“I am happily single, but I do play a matchmaker at times for my friends. However, I often end up fixing the wrong guys with the wrong girls!” laughs Sonam. It’s a little uncanny then that the actress will be essaying the role of the match-making Emma from Jane Austen’s classic, in a celluloid, modern-adaptation (called Aisha) of the same. Now, if only the girl can do some ‘fixing’ for herself... But it better not go wrong this time round.

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Lara Dutta's magic unfurls on Knights & Angels

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British reality TV star Jade Goody dies of cancer

LONDON, England - British reality TV celebrity Jade Goody died early Sunday morning following a public battle with cervical cancer, her publicist has announced.

Jade Goody married her fiance Jack Tweed weeks before her death.

Goody, 27, died in her sleep at home in Essex, east of London, just before 4 a.m. (midnight Eastern Daylight Time), a spokeswoman for Max Clifford Associates said.

Goody's husband, Jack Tweed, who she married last month in a lavish wedding ceremony, was at her bedside when she died, Clifford said.

Her mother, Jackiey Budden, who was also at the house, said: "My beautiful daughter is at peace."

Goody leaves behind two sons, Bobby, 5, and Freddie, 4, by former boyfriend and TV host Jeff Brazier.

"She died knowing that she had touched a lot of hearts and minds across the world," Clifford told CNN by phone from Portugal.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply saddened" by Goody's death.

"Her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer which will benefit thousands of women across the U.K. Every death from cancer is a tragedy and my thoughts go out to her two sons, husband and family at this time," Brown said in a statement.

The British media has reported a rise in the number of screenings for cervical cancer since Goody announced she had the disease, a phenomenon some have dubbed the "Jade Goody effect."

Goody's death marks the tragic end to a very modern tale. Images of her shrinking frame and bald head have dominated the pages of British media since she announced she had just weeks to live.

However, she has openly courted the attention since bursting into the spotlight courtesy of the British version of "Big Brother" in 2002.

At first the former dental nurse was a hate figure for Britain's vociferous tabloid newspapers, who attacked her for being ignorant and stupid.

The public, however, warmed to her loud, honest streak.

She did not win the series, but was able to parlay her popularity into a series of reality television and business deals.

Her face was soon regularly boldly looking out from the cover of gossip magazines and you could buy the fragrance Shh... Jade Goody, fitness DVDs or pick up a copy of her autobiography.

In 2007, with her fame starting to dip, she agreed to return for the celebrity edition of "Big Brother," with her mother and then boyfriend, Jack Tweed, joining her in the house.

It was to prove an ill-fated decision.

Goody was soon accused of making racist comments and bullying her housemate -- the Indian actress Shilpa Shetty. More than 50,000 complaints were received.

When she was voted out of the house the show's producers took the unusual step of banning the public from attending her eviction.

Goody was tearful and apologetic but British PR guru Clifford summed up the general opinion at the time by saying: "It looks like she has ruined a very lucrative career."

Ever resilient, Goody had a Christmas cookbook out at the end of 2007 and in 2008 signed up for India's version of "Big Brother."

Two days into the show her cancer diagnosis was revealed on air. She flew home immediately to begin treatment.

Last month Goody revealed her cancer was terminal and that she only had weeks to live.

With typical bravado she, with Clifford's help, organized her wedding to Tweed, who had only just been released from prison after serving a sentence for assault, selling the exclusive rights to OK! magazine for a reported $970,000. It was also filmed for her reality TV show.

The British government even stepped in to extend Tweed's 7 p.m. curfew, a condition of his release from jail, so the couple could spend their wedding night together.

Despite her weakening state Goody continued to open her door to the media, saying she needed to keep selling her story to help secure the future of her sons.

In the days leading up to her death there were newspaper stories on a hammer-wielding woman getting into her room, the baptism of her sons, her last view of "sun-kissed" fields and final farewells with family.

There was also controversy when OK! published a memorial issue nearly a week before she died. The issue, with a coverline announcing "Jady Goody, 1981-2009," went on sale Tuesday.

Clifford said Goody had loved her time in the spotlight.

"I think they've (she and the media) exploited each other. Both have benefited. In Jade's own words, she's loved the last 7 years. They've been wonderful. All the people's she's met, all the things she's done."

CNN's Glen Scanlon and Per Nyberg contributed to this report.

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Kajol the best dancer!

Kajol is nowhere in the news of late... How is it that we suddenly remembered her? Well, it’s thanks to dance expert Sandip Soparrkar.

While in conversation with him, we gradually went on to speak about the dancing talents in Bollywood. And, he bravely claimed, “Kajol is one of the best dancers we have! Nobody has tapped her dancing talent on screen as yet. I have seen her doing the salsa and have to say that she is simply superb. She can do hip-hop, folk, any form of dance with equal ease!” Ajay Devgan, it’s time to make a musical next and get wifey dearest dancing to your tunes all over again!

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