Drona will make you cry: Goldie Behl

Very few filmmakers decide to swim against the tide and go for unconventional subjects; Goldie Behl is one of them.

His second directorial venture Drona is a fantasy adventure (a genre rarely attempted in Bollywood) complete with never before seen special effects and some mind-blowing action.

Starring Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, this film is among the most looked forward to films of this year. Close on the heels of the release of Drona, we caught up with Goldie and got chatting with him on his experiences filming Drona, his equation with AB Jr. and much more.

Goldie, you are back with your second film Drona which is releasing 7 years after your directorial debut Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai. First things first…why such a long gap?
Well…couple of reasons. One of them being I had taken failure to my heart, which I have learnt not to (laughs). I hope not to take success to my head as well. Most importantly my sister and I both thought that we first needed to get a strong hold into production which we did when we started our television software.

I think we are a reasonably established name as far television goes. Then we decided to shift our focus towards films. However, the time when we made our first movie 7 years back, we felt that we were misfits in this industry (ironical as we are from a filmy family) and we felt that we didn't know the ways of working.

But today the atmosphere is different, the working system is different. Today a producer and director can just do what they are supposed to be doing and not worry about distribution, finance and exhibition which is not really our area of expertise. So these were some of the reasons why it took so long for my second film.

However, the most important reason is that I didn't get the right kind of subject to inspire me to go against all odds and make it.

There has been a lot of speculation about Drona. Some people say Drona is a superhero film, some say it's a supernatural film, some say it's a fantasy film, while some say it's an adventure drama. Why don't you clear the air once and for all on what the film is all about?
The movie is a coming of age drama and it is made and presented in a larger than life format. However, if you want to label it in any one particular genre you could say it's a fantasy adventure. But in the soul of it, it is a very simple story of a boy realizing his destiny and his true calling so to speak.

You had said in an interview that Abhishek and you had this fake swordfight during your childhood days and that's when you decided you would make an action film with Abhishek when you grow up. Is that where the idea of making Drona come from?
Yeah…that was part of where the idea came from (laughs). We were young kids then and we decided that when we would grow up, we would make an action-oriented film. I would direct it and Abhishek would act in it. Now we have grown up and I even have a son but we still decided to re-visit that side of ours and make a film on that.

Everybody knows that Abhishek and you are best buddies. Is that, why you cast him in the lead role in Drona?
I have been really fortunate enough to know him very closely. It's but natural for anyone to discuss an idea with their close friends first and that's what I did too when the idea of making Drona came up. I discussed the idea with Abhishek and am glad that something in the story inspired him to say yes to this film. He is truly a great actor.

Could you tell us a little more about Abhishek's character in the film? Is he a super-hero? Does he have super-natural powers?
Well…he's completely human and has got all the weaknesses of a human being (be it emotional or physical weaknesses). That's the fun part of it because you have all these defects and still you emerge as a strong hero (smiles).

What role does Priyanka Chopra play in the film?
Priyanka plays a royal guard, and her duty is to serve and be by the side of the King of the Vir Bhadra Dynasty (the dynasty to which Abhishek's character belongs).

The film also has Kay Kay playing the menacing villain Ritz Raizada. He is touted to be the most expensive villain ever. Is it true?
Yes, he is indeed evil and menacing. He plays a wizard in the movie and is absolutely unpredictable. He has all the trappings of an evil wizard.

As for him being the most expensive villain ever seen on the Hindi film scene, I don't know about the exact figures. That you will have to ask the producers (laughs). But jokes apart, we have put in a lot of effort to try and create the world in which he lives.

Drona also has Jaya Bachchan in a pivotal role? How easy or difficult was it convincing her to act in this film?
I think getting Jayaji on board was the simplest. I just told her that I'm making a movie and I would like you to be in it and she immediately said yes. I was taken aback and asked “Don't you want to hear the script and know what your role is?”

She replied “No need… you are my son and it's your responsibility to take care of me.” It just put more pressure on me to live up to her expectations.

Could you share any funny/ interesting / unforgettable moments which took place during the shoot?
We had hailstorms in Bikaner which is quite unheard of. It made me run out of my actor dates and gave me quite a scare. We also had a dust storm in Namibia while shooting on a train for 13 days. We had snow in Prague. We shot through all of that. So there have been a lot of unforgettable moments like these (laughs).

The audio release sparked off a controversy over some statements made by Jayaji…Do you think what happened was uncalled for?
Whatever happened was absolutely uncalled for and I am glad that it's over now (smiles).

Drona clashes with yet another biggie - Kidnap on Oct 2. Would you have opted for a solo week or do these things really don't matter?
To be honest it's not really my call. It's the producers and the distributors who decide on a suitable release date. My job is to finish the film on time and deliver the quality that I promised.

On a parting note, give us 3 good reasons to watch Drona.
It's got great performances; you will see the same actors but in a very different kind of world and environment.

It's got never before seen stunts and visual effects And what is really the surprise factor, is that the film is very emotional and will make you cry. Abhishek is simply brilliant in this movie.
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How does she know what Bhajji and I were doing in the room

"I have been in the industry for 3 years now and have seen and been a part of some really nasty reporting. But this one just reaches the ultimate depth.

It is horrific to read something like this when all you wish to do is move on further in your career", one finds Geeta Basra in an inconsolable mood as she fumes. Reason?

After a couple of attempts being made by a section of media to link her up with cricketer Harbhajan Singh, a leading tabloid in yesterday's edition went to the extent of creating a news around both, which as per Geeta was truly malicious.

"How could this journalist write something on the tune of 'Geeta spotted entering Harbhajan's room in a hotel'? Didn't she see other people around me? Did she peek into the room to see what these individuals were doing?

Sorry, you can be naughty but certainly not cheesy! And if you ask me, this is downright cheap", says Geeta in a bitter tone.

Wasn't she informed about such an article coming out? "In fact I was and that surprises me even more", reacts Geeta, "When she called me to know the truth behind me seen entering Bhajji's room, I told her that he was a friend and we do meet on a number of occasions.

Also, I asked her to check out the entire group of friends that I was with along with my family members too. However, the worst part is that she not just conveniently ignored everyone other than me and Bhajji, she also chose to ignore whatever I had quoted on the records.

Come on, you can't be making stories spicy at the cost of other person's reputation and image."

Talking about the chat that she had immediately after the incident, Geeta admits that Bhajji wanted her to chill without worrying too much about the write-up, "He said that such things just come and go and it hardly matters to people who are close to you and understand you.

Though he was relaxed about it, I can't get something like this over my mind."

"I may come from UK and be forward thinking but this doesn't mean that my upbringing and attitude should be taken an advantage of. If I had a boyfriend, I won't hide him in a closet. But such below the belt maligning doesn't fly at all", Geeta gives warning signals here.

Making her displeasure loud and clear, she adds on a parting note, "Just because you have a pen and a paper in your hands doesn't mean you can go round writing whatever you wish.

That's irresponsible on the part of this journalist. And I am not blaming the media here since it isn't as if everyone has suddenly planned to gang up against me. However, when one or two individuals like these threaten to take the things too far, I am bound to react."
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Munnabhai (Sanju) gets adventurous!

B–town's MunnaBhai is all set to take his fans for an adventurous ride!!

Before you get puzzled, allow us to be more specific, actually Sanjay Dutt aka MunnaBhai is gearing up to turn producer and start films under his own banner, Sanjay Dutt Productions. And the very first film which he wishes to make is on adventure sports. For that matter Sanju has signed in KAAL fame director Soham Shah. Sanjay, who is already working in Soham's upcoming flick LUCK, was so impressed with Soham's style of working that he instantaneously decided to rope in Soham for his first production venture. According to Sanjay Soham is the perfect director to direct the film on adventure sports.

If the reports are to be believed than this maiden venture of Sanjay Dutt won't be based on a single sport; instead it would be a mix of several sports.

The film is still under scripting stage and expected to hit the floors early next year.

Meanwhile, Sanjay is busy promoting his much–awaited film KIDNAP which hits the screens on 2nd October.
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Bipasha spells her 'jaadu and nasha' again...!

Bipasha Basu aka Bips is all set to cast her ''jaadu and nasha'' on screen once again!

And this time it is in Sanjay Gupta's PANKH directed by Sudipto Chattopadhyay. Interestingly, Bipasha is a mere fantasy of the 20–year–old protagonist Jerry (Maradona Rebello) and does not actually exist in the film.

Explaining the complexity of the story director Chattopadhyay said, ''Bipasha is Jerry's fantasy who exists only in his mind. She is his alter–ego and loves to provoke him at a drop of her hat.'' Sudipto further explains, ''The character of Jerry is very complex. The film shows him as a famous child artiste who crossed dressed as a girl. Thus he is confused about his identity. There's a song, Jiya na Jala, sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, where he fantasizes Bipasha seducing him, creating confusion in his mind about his real identity whether he is a man, woman or an eunuch. But Bipasha seduces him completely and is his sexual fantasy. Bipasha is his only solace from the ugly reality of life.''

The director reveals that he and designers Rocky S and Gavin Miguel worked hard on Bipasha's look in the film. ''We wanted Bipasha to look like a Diva a la Sophia Loren and Liza Minelli in Cabaret. Also we had lengthy discussions over the scenes. And during the shoot Bipasha got so in with her character that as if she was visible only to Jerry and completely unaware of the actor's presence on the sets. Her whole attitude and behaviour while playing the character made the entire experience very interesting.''

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Saif watches as Kareena marries Sharman!

Please have faith in our headline because that is exactly what happened yesterday (Tuesday). While boyfriend Saif Ali Khan watched from a distance, not doing anything, Kareena Kapoor married Sharman Joshi!

Time for some clarifications now. Just yesterday we had told you that the unit of Raju Hirani's 3 IDIOTS was likely to reach the Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla at the first available opportunity. And that is how it has happened. The venue was Shimla's Hotel Woodville Palace (where Amitabh's BLACK was also shot) and the scene being canned was that of Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor taking the seven 'pheras', as per proper Hindu marriage rituals. While the wedding sequence was being shot, Saif Ali Khan was seen hanging around the sets.

As per our unit sources, Kareena had arrived in Shimla (from Ladakh) with Saif and after the shooting was over, they were together throughout the day, enjoying the now clear Shimla weather.
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Minissha Lamba miffed with Sanjay GadhviAdd to hotlist

This is nothing new, whenever a big film is scheduled for release one of the principal artists gets miffed with the maker for not promoting them. Only last week we reported about Priyanka Chopra getting annoyed with the makers of 'Drona'. Now we have the buzz that Minissha Lamba is not happy with Sanjay Gadhvi the director of 'Kidnap' for not giving her importance in the promos of the film. Her absence from the press conference and photo shoot of the film corroborates the same.

'Kidnap' is pitted against 'Drona' on October 2 and call it a coincidence that leading ladies of both the films are miffed with their respective makers.
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Shoot On Sight is banned in Pakistan

It is now filmmaker Jagmohan Mundra's latest film on terrorism 'Shoot On Sight', which has been banned there. Mundra says he is not surprised. "Yes my film 'Shoot On Sight' has been banned in Pakistan because Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfikar who plays Zaheer, a closet -terrorist is shown to be from there".

Pakistan has objected not only to the actor but also to the character of the terrorist being from Pakistan. Mundra is quite amused. "In a dialogue between Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, it is revealed that the character Zaheer is from Pakistan. The Pakistanis didn't like it," added Mundra.

What puzzles Jagmohan is that even after facing several problems, 'Khuda Kay Liye' released in Pakistan. "'Khuda Kay Liye' had Pakistani actors in Pakistan playing fundamentalists. The only thing is, they didn't show any terrorism related violence. They only showed fundamentalism. But, 'Shoot On Sight' doesn't spare the audience. It shows the violent underbelly of fundamentalism. The Pakistanis didn't like that," said Mundra.
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Naseeruddin Shah once again replaces Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan

After Jagmohan Mundhra’s ‘Shoot On Sight’, thespian Naseeruddin Shah has once again replaced Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan in the comic thriller ‘Maharathi’, a film inspired by a hit Gujarati play starring Paresh Rawal.“He (Amitabh) opted out because the role had shades of grey,” Paresh, who also directed the play, told IANS.

“Amitji explained his point of view in detail to me. And I agreed with him. So my dear friend Naseer, who was supposed to do another role in the screen adaptation, stepped into the role.”

Amitabh opted out of “Shoot On Sight”, based on the July 2007 London bombings, because he found it too controversial for his liking.In the film, Naseer finally played the role of Tariq Ali, a Muslim police officer at Scotland Yard, who is asked to track down suspected suicide bombers involved in the bombings.

Roping in Naseer is not the only change “Maharathi” underwent - originally Vikram Bhatt was to direct it, but he was replaced by Shivum Nair.

Paresh says he avoided directing the movie because he could not remove theatre from his sensibility.

“I’ve often been asked why I haven’t directed the film myself. The truth is the play is still fresh in my mind. But I didn’t want the grammar of the stage to be applied to the film version. Then what is the point doing a film? My mind is filled with the play. I couldn’t have detached myself from the stage.

“I needed a fresh cinematic vision to improve on the play. After doing plays for 21 years, I can’t remove theatre from my sensibility.”

All in place, Paresh is now just waiting to wrap up the shooting and see the end result on the big screen.

“It’s been a while since I felt this way about any film of mine. ‘Maharathi’ is based on my own play. When I did the play, I had to hunt around for backers for more than two years. We went on stage with the play in 1987.

“I did more than 700 shows. History repeated itself for the film when I had to hardsell my script for almost three years. Finally, I found a producer in Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd.,” he said.

“Now I’m doing the work that I’d talk about, like ‘Maharathi’. It is a very classy comic thriller. And I got to work with actors I really respect, like Naseer, Om Puri, Boman Irani. It’s a healthy commercial film. I’m sick of doing the unhealthy kind. I enjoy doing a film that takes me back to my roots and to work with the people I wanted to work with.”

Paresh himself plays the same role in the film that he did in the play.

“I play a driver who accidentally meets Naseer’s character. ‘Maharathi’ doesn’t sacrifice logic for suspense. The script is watertight. Everyone and everything are in place.”

Paresh hopes to repeat the success of the play.

“We used to have audiences coming repeatedly for the play although the suspense was out during the first performance. We had to revive it thrice on public demand. I hope to see the same success for the film.”
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Aamir Khan warns forces against dividing India

Bollywood star Aamir Khan Monday cautioned people to stay away from the political leaders who try to divide the country on the basis of religion, caste or community.

Responding to a query on the recent controversy between Raj Thackeray and Jaya Bachchan, Aamir said: “People should stay away from politicians and leaders who try to divide the masses on the basis of religion, caste or community.”

“It is harmful to the country and does no good to anyone. Any leader who tries to divide people on that line does that for his own personal gain and people should understand his intentions and stay away from him.”

“People should not vote them to power as that will be harmful for everyone,” the actor-turned-director said without naming any politician.

Aamir was addressing a press conference, for the promotion for his film “Taare Zameen Par” that has been selected as the Indian official entry to the Oscars.

“India (has) several languages and people should respect each one of them. One should respect the local language as it is also an integral part of any culture,” he said.
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Harri Puttar wins case against Warner Bros’ Harry Porter

Delhi High Court Monday dismissed Hollywood studio Warner Bros’ petition for injunction against Mirchi Movies’ forthcoming film ‘Hari Puttar - A Comedy of Terrors’ for alleged copyright violation.

Warner Bros filed the case against the movie as the title “Hari Puttar…” is similar to “Harry Potter”, Warner’s franchise of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” book series, and, therefore, borders on infringement of its intellectual property rights.

But Mirchi Movies contended that “Hari puttar…” is an Indian name, meaning god’s son. Senior advocate Arun Jaitley was hired to fight the case in the court on behalf of Mirchi Movies.

“Hari Puttar…”, about a lonely kids adventure, was earlier slated to release Sep 19, but was deferred to a Sep 26 release due to the ongoing case proceedings.

Directed by Lucky Kohli and Rajesh Bajaj, the film stars Sarika, Jackie Shroff, Zain Khan, Swini Khara, Saurabh Shukla, Vijay Raaj and Lilette Dubey.

The movie will now release Sep 26.
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Chandni Chowk To China

Chandni Chowk To China, the first ever Bollywood Kungfu comedy takes you on a madcap Journey from the by- lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi, to Shanghai, the Great Wall and rural China, marrying in its wake hilarious gags, breathtaking action, spectacular locations, and heart stirring emotions.

Our protagonist Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is the lowest on the totem pole, cutting vegetables at a roadside food stall in Chandni Chowk in Delhi.

He longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts- with astrologers, tarot readers and fake fakirs - believing anything except himself, despite his father figure Dada's (Mithun Chakraborty) best efforts.

His redeeming moment arrives when two strangers from China claim him as a reincarnation of a war hero in the past and takes him to China. Sidhu now dreams of wine, women, and a princely existence in foreign lands.

Thanks to the devious translator, a conman by the name Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey), little does he know that he is being taken to the Promised Land to rid the Chinese village of the vicious smuggler Hojo (Gordon Liu)!

Therefore, Sidhu blissfully sets forth to China with Chopstick who instigates dreams of a delicious future and forgets to reveal the perils, which await him.

Along the way, he meets Sakhi (Deepika Padukone), Ms. Tele Shoppers Media (Ms. TSM) who has embarked on a journey to pay homage to the land of her birth and her dead father and twin.

Initially, Sidhu through a series of lucky coincidences manages to sidestep being beaten by Hojo's men but finally Hojo catches up with him and exposes him as the country buffoon that he really is. Sidhu has the fire of revenge in his belly and finds the one man who will make him a Kungfu expert and set the village free.

Armed with his Sifu (master), faith in himself and the love of the fair Sakhi, Sidhu sets forth to conquer all!
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I have no wish to join any reality show: Sonu Nigam

Sonu Nigam has traversed a long in his career winning hearts of millions of people both in his country and abroad. The singing king is back to India with his new achievements in the form of experience as well as love of audience from his Birmingham symphony. Here is a brief of conversation with Sonu regarding his journey to the Birmingham…

Q. You have represented Md. Rafi’s voice at the Birmingham. How is the experience?
A. It is fare well. At the same time I am amased with the love and appreciation they offered me with. I would like to tell you about an interesting incident.

Normally you should find very suited-booted kinda sophisticated audience in any symphony. They appreciate songs with almost inaudible claps. But Indians are always Indians. They simply cannot enjoy any concert without screaming and proving their presence aloud.

But the conductor of the show, Michael, was very shocked with the sight. Michael had previously doubt of my presence as a singer also; but then he believed my fame when girls went frantic with my name.

Q. Which kind of songs of Md. Rafi did they enjoy the most?
A. Rafi sahab has fans at every corner of this world. As far as India is concerned, most of the fans are in the age bracket of more than fifty. One can rarely hear out the old melodies on radio here.

There are merely ten songs that one can hear on most of the channels in India. But things are quite different in abroad. They like to hear out old melodies, irrespective of any age group.

The radio stations do telecast all the old songs and ghazals quite regularly. They know even about those songs by Rafi sahab that we have hardly heard about. But they really appreciated all the songs.

Q. Was there any foreigner amongst the Indian audience?
A. Yeah, there were few Pakistanis, Afghanis and few British people also. I think Indians bought all the tickets before British people came to know about the concert. You must know about our specialty i.e. we either don’t buy tickets or we buy it before anyone else can go for it.

Q. What do think is the reason that Md. Rafi enjoyed so much fan-following?
A. There are two things that matter most. First and foremost is the X-factor which is very tough to be defined. Kishor Kumar had it in his appearance. Md. Rafi had it in his voice.

He started his career and became famous only because of his voice and nothing else. I think that he never thought about his X-factor and that turned to be his most appreciative part.

Q. What would you like to say about the singers from the reality shows?
A. They are good because they are not corrupted. But they also can be corrupted once they come to know about how anyone and everyone can be a singer today.

From 14 to 22 of their age they have the will to become good singer but till they reach 25, they lose their intention as because they come to know that they don’t need to sing better to become a good singer.

Q. Music directors are even singing these days. What do you say about that?
A. (Smiling) What would I say? Let all be happy. Who am I to say something? But again, I would like to say that if you will do better then people will appreciate it otherwise people will definitely laugh at you.

Q. But S D Burman, R D Burman and Hemant Kumar were well known as singer cum actor besides their fame as music director.
A. But they never made fool of themselves. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with acting and singing for a music director, but the most important part is that you have to be prepared enough for those roles. Those legends cannot be compared with today’s music directors.

Q. When will you be back into acting?
A. Back in 2001 I hardly had any knowledge about films. Acting doesn’t mean that you always wait for your director to tell you about the expressions. I did the same and now I can understand how it was my mistake.

Now I know that co-starts are also very important in a film. I have also noticed how stories look better but they become something else after going through the shooting and editing stages. I didn’t have any idea about how Jaani Dusman will look like after the post production stage

. I just thought that Akshay, Suniel, Sunny, Manisha, Aftab and Arshad are signing the film so it has to be something better. Now I am decided that I will do only those films that my audience will love to watch. I know that they cannot accept me in any kind of character.

I have many offers but I cannot accept anything and everything. I have to think twice before signing a film. For the time being I am interested in the genre of Vishal Bhardwaj.

Q. What about the reality shows?
A. For the time being I have no wish to join any reality show. I know they offer good amount but I have no wish to break glasses and scream out at people anymore. Even if I have to go for television, I will do something else. - Rajnee Gupta.
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One-Night stands for me is ridiculing your entire personality: Neetu Chandra

Q. What kind of man do you dig?
A. personality driven man is what I like. He should be a man of substance. He should be intelligent and educated.

Q. Should he be from Bollywood?
A. If I have to fall in love, he can be from anywhere.

Q. You crave for internal or external beauty?
A. My man should have a good and pure heart.

Q. Your ideal romantic getaway would be?
A. Having a candlelight dinner on a cruise in the deep sea, with beautiful music playing. There should be no one else present on the cruise.

Q. Which man inspires you the most?
A. There's an imaginary person who inspires me a lot. He comes to me in my dreams and tells me to do a lot of good things in life.

Q. Do you believe in one-night stands?
A. One-night stands for me is ridiculing your entire personality.

Q. Your take on the institution of marriage from the point of view of a single woman?
A. I think marriage is a very beautiful thing that can happen to anyone's life. I completely believe in it. I like rituals —mehndi and other things associated with marriage which I have been seeing from my childhood.

Q. What would you do if your man turns out to be a gay?
A. I will set him free. Love cannot be forced upon. I would be happy and let him be happy.

Q. Is a sense of humour very important?
A. Very much. I talk a lot. Listening to me he should at least laugh. I pray to God, he should be able to also crack jokes like me. It's important to keep laughing and smiling.
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Why everyone is so concerned about my skin show: Gul Panag

Gul, the beautiful dimple, was seen last in Summer 2007, though for a little while as the film didn’t work well at the box office. Now the babe is ready to knock at the theatre doors with her three upcoming projects. Here is a scrap of conversation between Rajnee Gupta and the versatile actress…

Q. Please tell us about your character in Hello...
A. I play Priyanka – a girl who is very glam, and aware of the power of her good looks. She has shades of grey that makes her very real and relatable.

Q. The film is based on a novel. How did you feel giving life to such a character especially while you know that people know about the character?
A. I tried to play the character with utmost honestly and sincerity. I also had lots of discussions with Chetan Bhagat about playing Priyanka. Lastly, I left myself completely in the hands of Atul.

Q. Have you ever read the book?
A. Three times before meeting Atul for the first time. Twice again while filming.

Q. Atul Agnihotri as a director... tell about a good thing and a bad thing...
A. He is a very gentle person, and finds it difficult to be tough with people, which I suppose could be a bad thing. And because he's been an actor, he's fabulous with actors, which is a great thing.

Q. How was the experience of working with actors, especially Isha? You are doing Hello Darling with her and it's because of her that the shoot got delayed all the time...
A. Eesha is extremely talented and hardworking. I got along well with her during Hello and got even closer during Hello Darling. Shoot's get delayed for lots of reasons, but I can assure you not on account of her. She is too professional for that.

Q. Salman and Katrina are also there in this flick. Do you have any scene with them?
A. No. I shot the promo song with Salman, though, and it was a great experience.

Q. Summer 2007 flopped. What do you expect from this film?
A. So? So did many other big films. One can't stop being part of good cinema on the basis of their box office future. As for this film, it is a good film and very well made. Expectations? I never think about things that are out of my control! When a good film does well it shows that the audience has good taste.

Q. You entered Bollywood from a glamour world of beauty contest but accepted non-glamorous roles. Then after all these years suddenly you got entangled in a controversy of skin showing. Do you intend to change your image with that or have some other intention?
A. I am fortunate that I have the image of a "good" and "credible" actor. And I would not want to change that. Actors take years trying to get that.

As for glamour or the lack of it, I have to say it's a complete non issue for me when choosing my roles. And just because I've done de glam roles in the past doesn't make Gul, the person, de glam. I am what I am – someone who is versatile enough to be able to carry off everything.

And about controversy, I am not aware of any!! And skin show?? Please!! When have I ever been the demure one in a sari or salwar kameez off screen??

Not more than a few times and that, too, for maintaining the sanctity of an occasion. I have always dressed in my own way –whether it's short dresses or deep necks there's nothing new or different and certainly no 'intention'.

Q. Your forthcoming projects...
A. Right now I am engaged to three projects, namely Hello, Hello Darling and Straight. In Hello I am working with Sohail Khan, Sharman Joshi, Ishaa Kopikar, Amrita Arora and Sharod Saxena.

In Straight you can watch me with Vinay Pathak and in Hello Darling I am screened with Celina Jaitly, Ishaa Kopikar, Javed Jaffrey and Chunky Pandey.
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The secret of Katrina's hot quotient!

Finally revealed the secret of why Katrina is so super hot. Literally at that! A close friend of the actress reveals, "Katrina has shot in the most extreme weather conditions with temperatures as hot as a burning furnace

. But never once has she complained about it." Giving an example the friend added, "The Singh is King's song shot in Egypt, it was burning hot that time. The entire cast and crew were perspiring profusely except for Katrina.

She looked absolutely chilled out. In fact the hot weather only added to her energies as she went about doing her work calmly. The entire stood surprised." It is the cold weather that leaves Katrina absolutely cold.

"While shooting for Ajay Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani in Ooty, Katrina had wrapped herself in layers of blankets.

In fact it made quite a funny sight where unit members including Ranbir began teasing her saying, "We now know that most apt gift to give you on any occasion—shawls and sweaters.

Guess success has not turned Katrina thick-skinned!
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Drona is my biggest, my best: Abhishek Bachchan

The countdown has begun for the two biggies that are slated for release this Idd: DRONA and KIDNAP. A lot is riding on these two films.

In terms of economics, both are expensive films. Plus, the careers of Abhishek Bachchan (DRONA) and Imran Khan (post JAANE TU… YA JAANE NA) are at stake. Will DRONA live up to the humungous expectations?

"It's my biggest and best film so far," Abhishek Bachchan tells me. He's supremely confident this time. "I don't speak like this, do I? But DRONA is different. It's the most expensive film I am associated with. Besides, Goldie (Behl; the director) has executed the subject remarkably," he states.

Abhishek and Goldie have got together after more than seven years (BAS ITNA SA KHWAB HAI was released in July 2001).

In between, in 2006, Goldie had plans of making a thriller with Abhishek, but decided on making an adventure fare instead. "Goldie was disheartened after his debut film failed. Later, he diversified into television; he wanted to make his company secure before he announced his next film," Abhishek reminisces.

Abhishek credits his directors for the (sterling) performances he has delivered in films like YUVA and GURU (Mani Ratnam) as also SARKAR and SARKAR RAJ (RGV).

"If at all DRONA works -- and I hope it does -- Goldie should get the credit for it. He has worked very, very hard. I am sure, the Indian audiences haven't seen an adventure film like DRONA before," he says confidently.

Abhishek has worked in the DHOOM series as also SARKAR and its sequel. There's talk that a sequel to DRONA is in the offing.

"Oh yes! Goldie has written so much in the intervening period that he's ready to take the DRONA series forward. In fact, the possibility of a sequel can easily be explored," he adds.
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Final verdict of ROCK ON is still awaited - Ritesh Sidhwani

'While ROCK ON is a clear Hit, it is still too early to arrive at the final verdict. The film has long legs and I expect it to continue doing good business for 4–5 more weeks at the least'', says Ritesh Sidhwani who along with Farhan Akhtar has now delivered yet another success in the form of ROCK ON.

For a film which is approximately budgeted at 10 crores, ROCK ON has done quite some roaring business for itself already, isn't it?

''Correction, there are all sorts of speculations that are going around for ROCK ON but let me say it on record that it is much higher than 10 crores. And I am not just talking about adding print and publicity cost.''

In that case, are the collections still good enough? ''Yes, we are very happy with the collections'', smiles Ritesh, ''Just from theatrical business we should be making good profits. Add to that all the satellite/home video rights and overseas collections and it turns out to be a neat number.''

Current numbers indicate around 22 crores from 3 weeks for ROCK ON. ''But that's not all because from so many smaller centers, it takes time to get the final number. Moreover, there are quite a few digital prints floating around and their collections have to be added up as well. I am not surprised if 22 crores is the reported number because in the final run when the balance sheet is prepared for a movie, the numbers always tend to be a little more due to additional information coming on'', explains Ritesh.

Ritesh has good expectations from the final total of the film and keeping his fingers crossed. Meanwhile, the production company has plans of launching many more films in next few weeks to come. Stay tuned!
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Arjan Bajwa flattered by female fan following

If enjoying the company of three beautiful women – Priyanka Chopra, Kangana and Mugdha Godse – was not good enough for Arjan Bajwa in FASHION, here is more for him. To his pleasant surprise, he recently discovered that he has quite a fan following for himself, especially from females. He realized this from the countless messaged and invites which he received the moment he started exploring his 'Facebook' account. Though most of the messages were cute and flattering, some of them were a little naughty as well, something which Arjan didn't really mind.

Arjan opens up after an initial hesitation here, 'Come on, this could happen to any guy, be it from the film world or outside it. Anyways, it was quite a pleasant surprise to see young females talking about me. It was quite flattering though a few of them were seemingly swooning during their compliments.'

Does he care to divulge any details?

'Hey, it would be unfair to any of them if I start giving out details', Arjan becomes a little protective here, 'The only thing I can say is that it is nice to see yourself being an object of affection for someone. I know there are lots of females out there who have very good expectations from me in FASHION. I just hope that I have done good enough work to be able to meet their expectations. A fan base can be truly enjoyed only if you give them back some good performance as well.'

As Priyanka's love interest in FASHION, Arjan is not new to the world of glitz and glamour. Making his debut 4 years back with a love story WOH TERA NAAM THA, Arjan was noticed first for his controlled performance in GURU. Earlier this year, he was also seen in SUMMER 2007 and in a month's time, he would be seen in his biggest project till date, FASHION, which is directed by Madhur Bhandarkar.

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Why sons and daughters not a hit in film

When Abhishek Bachchan had married Aishwarya Rai there was a salivating anticipation among the media planners that the whole family would be a huge brand and there was a great synergy in using them in combination for promoting a brand. However no campaign has been rolled so far, in which even the couples have been featured together, what to talk about the family as a whole.

It indeed is an interesting value proposition that the film star families, where both husband and wives are celebrities are not featured in an ad on a regular basis, though it happens in sports on a regular basis. Could it be owing to the fact that when in a family of sports star appears in a campaign as he is the sole celebrity the campaign uses him or her as the foci and builds up the copy around him, while this maxim is difficult nay impossible to operate in case of film stars as one cannot be excluded at the cost of the other for promoting a brand.

Could this also be the reason that we see a Hema Malini being featured along with Esha and Aahana in an ad campaign as the quotient of halo around Hema Malini is of a higher magnitude when compared with Esha and Aahana. Is it also the same reason that Sharmila Tagore appeared in ad with Soha Ali but has not featured with Saif Ali Khan in a campaign so far?

The celebrity couples are in large numbers but they seldom appear together in a campaign. Amitabh Bachchan for record had appeared with Abhishek Bachchan in a campaign for Maruti Versa but after that there was no follow up. Ajay Devgun had also appeared along with Kajol in few ads but now it is Kajol who is going solo, while Ajay has dropped out.

Is it owing to the fact that the campaign designers still see each of the stars as individual entities and do not go into account the metamorphosis that has undergone into their relationships or do not try to change the relationship in the mind of the consumers through designing a campaign in such a manner. LG who has Abhishek Bachchan as the brand manager tried to do it once, but did not follow it up.

Advertisement after all, is innovation so why not innovate. A beginning could be made with DRONA where Abhishek Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan are appearing together and an ad campaign could be built around it. Or for that matter in the next series of “What an Idea Campaign', Big B could be roped in. Possibilities are endless, only deconstruction in the approach is required.
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SORRY BHAI is a happy film - Onir

''MY BROTHER NIKHIL and BAS EK PAL formed a certain perception about me amongst audience as well as media. I hope it changes with the release of SORRY BHAI'', smiles Onir who has now taken a light hearted route after his earlier attempts that mainly explored dark themes.

'''Dark theme' – I guess this tag attached to me would break with SORRY BHAI'', laughs Onir who got quite some critical acclaim for MY BROTHER NIKHIL and to an extent BAS EK PAL. However, box office success evades him.

''I am sure SORRY BHAI would certainly do the trick'', says Onir whose film stars Sanjay Suri, Sharman Joshi and Chitrangada Singh in a love triangle, ''It is being presented by Vashu Bhagnani. Now from the man who has made quite a few entertainers over the years, you don't expect a serious film coming out, isn't it?''

The film is currently in its post production phase and is eyeing an early 2009 release. Meanwhile Onir continues to have fond memories about his Mauritus shoot which concluded a few months back.

''Working with Shabana Azmi was a dream come true while Boman Irani was one of us youngsters out here. We all became kids; I guess it was the beach affect'', recollects Onir, ''In fact I remember that there was this scene in the film where Sharman is required to step into the sea and play saxophone. Once I called 'cut', it was irresistible for me not to enter into the sea myself. I spent quite some time fooling around the beach even though pack up was announced.''

SORRY BHAI is a relationship based light hearted entertainer which sees two brothers (Sanjay Suri, Sharman Joshi) who fall in love with the same woman (Chitrangada).
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Kajol in RAB NE BANA DI JODI?

It's a known fact that Kajol has been SRK's lucky mascot ever since the duo shared the screen space in BAAZIGAR (way back in 90's). Whenever this hit jodi of Bollywood came together the film worked wonders at Box–office. Audiences adore seeing their blazing chemistry on–screen even if it is for few seconds. And that is the reason SRK prefers to have Kajol's presence (even in cameos/special appearances) in his movies.

Last she was seen in SRK's home production OM SHANTI OM (but in a special appearance) which again turned a massive hit.

Now that SRK's one more esteemed project RAB NE BANA DI JODI, which is being directed Aditya Chopra and stars newcomer Anuskha Sharma opposite King Khan, is impending. SRK has once again roped in his dear friend and lucky charm Kajol for RAB NE BANA DI JODI. No the bubbly actress is not paired with SRK but only doing a song in the film. If the reports are to be believed than it was none other than ace filmmaker Aditya Chopra's idea to have Kajol's presence in the film.

Reportedly, the song will be shot in Mumbai. And Kajol will appear in one of the verses of a song filmed on Shah Rukh and newcomer Anushka Sharma. The setting of the song will be a Punjabi folk event, and Kajol will appear for few seconds before the song ends.

So all those diehard SRK–Kajol fans can enjoy the glimpse of the jodi once again!

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Soha Ali Khan recently hinted in all her interviews at all being well in her love life but we have found out her claims don't exactly hold true under

Vishesh Films had only one release to its name in 2008 – JANNAT – but this one project was good enough to keep them smiling for the rest of the year. A super hit venture for Mukesh Bhatt, Emraan Hashmi and Kunal Deshmukh, JANNAT announced loud and clear that Bhatts are there to stay regardless of countless corporate houses looking at taking over Bollywood in entirety.

Work started soon on RAAZ – THE MYSTERY CONTINUES and though principal shooting of this yet another Bhatts–Hashmi–Mohit Suri venture is complete, next few months would be dedicated on incorporating world class special effects in the film.

Recently there was news around RAAZ – THE MYSTERY CONTINUES arriving in the month of January in spite of biggies like CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA (confirmed for 16th January), BILLO BARBER and VICTORY eyeing for a release in the same month. To make matters further interesting, DILLI 6 and SHORTKUT too have seemingly confirmed plans for 23rd January, the same date on which Bhatts are sure about bringing their horror flick.

"Yes, the film is certainly coming on 23rd January, come what may", announced Mukesh Bhatt, "No ways are we going to move around the release date since we have locked 23rd January after much deliberation."

But how about the massive competition round the corner? Also, DILLI 6 and SHORTKUT are no pushovers with CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA being one movie which would have audience rushing for it even in the second weekend.

"If you look at the way release dates are juggled around today, there is no guarantee if for any movie, the announced date is confirmed or not", reasons Mukesh Bhatt, "In that scenario, we can't play a wait and watch game. We have our own promotional strategy in place and for that we are required to lock in a particular date. 23rd January is confirmed, period!"
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All is not well in Soha and Siddharth's love life

Soha Ali Khan recently hinted in all her interviews at all being well in her love life but we have found out her claims don't exactly hold true under the latest developed circumstances.

The love birds Soha and Siddharth have been fighting yet again of late.

Our source close to Soha revealed, "Siddharth is a very busy star down South. He is settled in Chennai but has to constantly keep shuffling between Chennai - Hyderabad and Mumbai thanks to his shooting commitments.

Though he is a Tamilian he hardly acts in Tamil films and is extremely popular and busy doing Telugu films post the stupendous success of his romantic comedy, Bommarilu.

What irks Soha is that since he is not doing anything much in Chennai why doesn't he leave the port city for good and settle in Mumbai itself along with her and keep shuffling between Mumbai - Hyderabad. Siddharth was in Mumbai last week and stayed as usual in Soha's flat for a few days.

This time they both had heated arguments over this matter. While Soha kept persisting, Siddharth was not interested in moving in to Mumbai at all.

The arguments reached such a point that he left Mumbai a day early than he had scheduled."

"Siddharth's career despite a rocking debut in Rang De Basanti has not really picked up in Mumbai. He was promised many big films but none fell in his lap. Even mentor Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra ditched him at the last minute for Dilli 6.

Its been more than a 2 and a half years since Rang De released.

With no film released yet since then, Siddharth is in a mood to wrap the projects in hand in Bollywood and settle in Chennai for good. Soha is completely against this.

Everytime its been Soha who has taken the initiative for a patch up after they both have fought. It looks hard this time that she will make the first move." the source added.
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Gracy's fall from grace

Name Gracy Singh doesn't need any introduction. She is the same girl who was made a household name by Aamir Khan once he launched her as a leading lady in LAGAAN. Though she had done bit roles in films like HU TU TU and HUM AAPKE DIL MEIN REHTE HAIN, it was LAGAAN which did the trick for her.

Soon she was called the lucky mascot for her films as she featured in GANGAAJAL and MUNNABHAI MBBS. Both the films were critical as well as mass success and though an occasional ARMAAN did prove to be a chink in her armor, it was best forgotten since her other films were working.

However, a flurry of bad choices followed with each of her subsequent films ranging from MUSKAAN, SHART to WAJAHH and YEHI HAI ZINDAGI turning out to be box office disasters. It was shocking to see the kind of film selection that Gracy was making and it didn't surprise when her subsequent films like CHANCHAL and CHOORIYAN found themselves stuck in the cans.

If this wasn't enough, her further fall from grace has been an appearance in soon to be released DESHDROHI which hardly seems to be a project that she would be proud to be associated with. Seemingly a jingoistic tale with Kamal Rashid Khan appearing as actor, producer, story, screenplay as well as dialogue writer, DESH DROHI is primarily an action tale which truly seems to be a misfit in the current scheme of Bollywood.

Directed by Jagdish Sharma, DESH DROHI was recently in news for the controversy centering on non–payment of dues to Rozza Catalano for her item number. Also starring Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari and Hrishita Bhatt, the film is now getting ready for release.
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KIDNAP was my birthday gift : Vidya

How Vidya Malavade got signed for the keenly anticipated Idd 2008 release!

From Shah Rukh Khan to Sanjay Dutt – the CHAK DEY INDIA captain, Vidya Malavade, has now been cast opposite Sanjay Dutt in the much talked about KIDNAP

Revealing how she bagged the role, she smiles, 'I had a phone call on my birthday in March last year. It was from Sanjay (Gadhvi), the director of KIDNAP, asking me if I wanted to play Sanjay Dutt's romantic interest in the film. I read the script and absolutely loved it. I knew I had to do it and agreed almost immediately. I look at KIDNAP as a wonderful birthday present.' Adds Vidya, 'I trust Sanjay (Gadhvi) blindly. I've known him for a long time. In fact, he's one of the first few people I met on entering the industry, the other being Ken Ghosh. I'm really proud of KIDNAP.'

Elaborating on the film, she remarks, 'It's an engaging edge–of–the–seat drama, which everyone will enjoy. The response to the promos has been fantastic and I can't wait for it to release. It's SD's (Sanjay Dutt) first release of 2008 and Imran's first after JAANE TU YA JAANE NA. Thankfully, I will be in Japan on an assignment till the release of the film so that will quell my nervousness and anxiety to some degree!'

Ask Vidya about the difference between Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt, she laughs, 'Shah Rukh is full of energy and life. SD is more reserved and chilled out. Beneath the deadly Dutt there is a soft and tame being. I call him a gentle giant. I absolutely admire him and enjoyed working with him in KIDNAP. We've even got a brilliant song together, sung by Adnan Sami – it's called Haanji. Check it out!'

Released by Indian Films – Studio 18 worldwide, KIDNAP will be out in cinemas on Idd, Wednesday, 1st October, 2008.
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We all know what Sanjay has done to his ladies

When Minissha Lamba was told that she would have to wear a bikini for a key sequence in 'Kidnap', she didn't blink an eyelid. Instead, she pronto started making plans of how to develop the kind of body with which she could carry off her new look in a dare bare attire.

"When Sanjay Gadhvi (director of 'Kidnap') came to me with the film, he was clear about one thing - he wanted to completely change my look and make me go through a transition. He asked me whether I was game for it but honestly, I didn't have any reason not to be a part of it."

Didn't she require any convincing whatsoever?

"Not at all", replies Minissha promptly, "We all know what he has done to his ladies in 'Dhoom' and 'Dhoom 2'. All his actresses have looked fabulous on screen whenever they have gone through an image transformation. He is fantastic at that and for me, it was just a matter of putting myself into the grind and completely focus on the change. It was a matter of going through the perception shift."

Her new look appears to be attracting quite some fan following for her.

"And I must say thanks to Sanjay for this", acknowledges Minissha, "Frankly, if not for him, it wouldn't have been an easy task to go through the entire emotional and physical grind. I had to push myself and do something which I myself never though I could. Thankfully, I did manage to pull it off and in the process even surprised myself. It was Sanjay's vision and I am glad that I followed it with conviction. Results are there to be seen."

'Kidnap' was earlier supposed to be released a couple of months back. Any regrets about the delay?

"It is not a big delay per se in any case", defends Minissha, "It is okay if a film comes two or three months after the planned date. It happens in the industry. I for sure know that this is the best time for the film to arrive. The promotion is going ahead with full vigor and I am excited about 2nd October, the D-day for the film's arrival."
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Yes, I have a man in my life

Shilpa Shetty is not averse to botox, but doesn't feel the need for it yet. She's a household name in Britain after her row with Jade Goody in the Big Boss show.

She told Daily Mail in an interview that she's aware she's aware she's ageing and is practical about it, "I'm aware I'm getting older, but I'll take it as it comes - I'm not averse to having botox, for example, but I just don't feel I need it yet. The way I see it, I spent a long time getting comfortable with who I am. I was an ugly duckling as a child, and it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, where I'm not so self-critical.

"I still don't think I'm as good-looking as my sister, Shamita, or even my mother, who is stunning, even now. But I've metamorphosed into the person I am today, and I'm pretty content."

Shilpa says she owes a lot to the controversial Big Boss show for opening avenues for her. I didn't have that international platform - and I'm not embarrassed to say that I have it now because of Big Brother. I'm very aware that the UK public stood up for me and for what was right, and I'm very grateful for that. Everyone in life makes mistakes - you learn from them and move on."

She has made peace with her former fellow contestant, Jade Goody, now diagnosed with cancer. "I spoke to her before she returned to the UK, but it was a very private conversation that I won't share. She knows we've buried the hatchet. Life's too short to bear any hatred. I can only pray that she makes a full recovery."

She is more open now about her relationship with London-based entrepreneur Raj Kundra. The long-distance relationship - she's in Mumbai - does not come easy, but at the same time it has made them value each other more, she confesses.

So, is she ready for marriage to Raj?

"Definitely, and I'm sure I will, God willing. I intend to try and do that as soon as my professional life has calmed down hopefully in the next couple of years. I don't want to make too many predictions as I don't believe in making too many plans, but, yes, I have a man in my life and, yes, I hope we will get married."
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Deepika and Ranbir make it Official !

They spoke to the 'People', and now they are making it Official, L'Officiel to be precise. We are indeed talking about Bollywood's latest 'it' couple, Ranbir and Deepika, who simply look 'elegance personified' on the cover of this month's L'Officiel. This issue is all about bridal wears et al.

After having tasted success with their latest blockbuster Bachna Ae Haseeno, the awesome twosome looks amazingly stunning on the cover.

Whether the love of this lovely couple will culminate in marriage is yet to be seen! For now, feast your eyes on the latest cover of L'Officiel, although we would have loved to read the 'Officiel' story about the two! Maybe 'L'Officiel' for this pair means Love - Officiel!

What say Ranbir and Deepika!
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I have always done things my own way - Gul Panag

Lo and behold - Gul Panag has gone chic and how! Though in real life she has been a bindaas woman all these years in spite of being a part of so-called serious films like Dhoop, Dor and Manorma- Six Feet Under, on print she has rarely gone the whole hog in projecting a sensual image.

However, she has gone ahead and done what is hardly-unthinkable for her by getting into a dare-bare shoot for Maxim.

"I have always done things my own way and it was irresistible when the magazine approached me to get down to my night suit. Did I feel awkward about doing so? Nope, not at all. What's there at all to feel awkward about?

I have never felt odd driving an Enfield or a F1 car for Renault or picking up the kind of projects I believe in. It was the same in case of this shoot as well.

I was promised a lot of fun and though some may be getting shocked with my dare-bare poses, my message to them is that 'Hey you there, I am like that only'", says Gul in a rapid tone while being mighty excited about the kind of response that her shoot is fetching for her.

Says Anup Kutty from Maxim, "A very simple reason for putting Gul on the cover is the fact that she's stunningly beautiful. Plus, she occupies a space in Indian cinema that not many share.

She has done some critically acclaimed roles and still can carry off a "sexy" look with complete ease. In short, she's a real woman of substance and probably the best thing that could happen to a man! The shoot in itself was a lot of fun."

How did the shoot go?

Reveals Anup, "We booked a suite at the Le Meridien and ordered a bottle of champagne to go with it. More than anything, it was just one big party!"

Gul agrees, "Yes, it was indeed one huge party out there. It was nice to be working with some real chilled out guys who belong to your own age group.

I got such a comfort feel while working on the assignment and the results are there to be seen. Believe me, I truly felt beautiful as the shutter bags went on."
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Farhan thrilled with 'Rock On', but doesn't want sequel

Mumbai, (IANS) Farhan Akhtar is still surprised by the overwhelming response to "Rock On" and says the movie has not only set a benchmark for other music films but also spurred an Indi-rock revival. But the actor-director-singer is not too keen on a sequel.

" 'Rock On' has created a certain parameter within which other films based on music will be gauged. People within the industry feel more adventurous and conscientious after 'Rock On'," Farhan, who made his acting debut with the film, told IANS in an interview.

He said that "Rock On" had gone much beyond films.

"Suddenly there's an upsurge of rock. We suddenly have an Indi-rock revival. Regional bands are again playing ... Newspaper articles are being written about desi rock. Suddenly I feel we've started something we can't control. It's all very encouraging.

"It's a great thing happening here. Credit must go to our director Abhishek Kapoor, who was very adamant on doing a film on a neglected cultural phenomenon," said Farhan, who has made films like "Dil Chahta Hain" and "Lakshya".

But he stressed that he wasn't too keen on a sequel and that he had had enough of the "Rock On" saga.

"The director Abhishek Kapoor should know about the sequel. As for me, I'm not for it. I feel 'Rock On' is a sequel to my own 'Dil Chahta Hai'. Both transported me to the same emotional space. So I've had enough of it. I think Abhishek has a lot more to do as a filmmaker than a sequel."

Farhan had a great time jamming with his "Rock On" co-stars - Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab - and wouldn't mind working together as a band too.

"A camaraderie has set in among the four of us. This bonding is very special. We want to carry our musical togetherness forward. What we saw at the Delhi concert was unbelievable. Before the film's release, we had performed in Mumbai and Pune. But the experience in Delhi post-release was something else. The audience knew us and the songs...They were screaming my character's name Adi," said a thrilled Farhan.

"Like I said, it's gone beyond our expectations."

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Sonam complete antithesis of 'Saawariya' character: Anil Kapoor

Mumbai, (IANS) Anil Kapoor, versatile actor and father of Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, says his daughter is the complete antithesis of the soft character she played in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Saawariya".

"Sonam is very spunky and sporty unlike the role she played in her debut movie. She also has a fantastic dress sense," a proud Anil beamed after watching Sonam walk the ramp with aplomb for designer Anamika Khanna at the HDIL India Couture Week here.

"I was excited to see her walk down the ramp. It was her first time and it was a completely new experience for me," Kapoor told IANS in an interview.

"Saawariya" (2007) was a stark love story based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's classic "White Nights" in which yesterday's superstar Rishi Kapoor's son Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam made their debut.

Sonam played the role of a shy, quiet girl named Sakina whose eyes were always filled with sadness - quite unlike the real Sonam who is bubbly, vivacious and energetic, as her father very aptly pointed out.

After his daughter set the runway on fire, Kapoor said: "I am amazed, she was looking so gorgeous and the best thing was that she was so comfortable on the ramp."

Asked about his personal style statement Kapoor replied: "I do not follow any trends, but my wife and my daughters are so fashion conscious that they make sure I dress up appropriately for the occasion."

"I believe in comfort. So, I have a black jeans that I find very comfortable, but I can't wear them everywhere," he said smilingly.

Kapoor, a multifaceted actor, has been in showbiz for almost 30 years and has proved his mettle in movies like "Tezaab" and "Beta" for which he got the Filmfare Best Actor award. He has also won a National Award for his performance in "Pukaar".

Apart from acting, Kapoor has also donned the producer's hat for movies like "Badhaai Ho Badhaai" (2002), "My wife's murder" (2005) and "Gandhi, My Father" (2007). Though all these movies bombed at the box office this hasn't dampened the actor's spirit.

"I believe in following my heart. Box-office success doesn't matter. Through my movies, I am not looking at commercial success. I want to improve the quality of Indian cinema," he explained.

Kapoor is currently producing "Shortcut - The Con Is On" that has Akshay Khanna and Arshad Warsi in the lead roles.

This apart, he will soon be seen in Subhash Ghai's "Yuvraaj" along with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in a movie that has music by maestro A.R. Rehman.
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Mausam Song - Kidnap

Check out this hot number mausam from Imran Khan and Minisha Lamba's forthcoming filem Kidnap. Just look at the way minisha lamba shakes her leg at the beach in a sexy bikini

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Blue Film - Bollywood girl Deepal Shaw ready for Blue Film

Item girl Deepal Shaw is living happily with her family, and finds her parents ever ready to help and encourage her in the filmi career. She doesn’t find anything vulgar in her videos, though they may be termed hot. She has already completed her other movie and hopes to resume shooting for ‘Blue Film’. She is 19, hence in no hurry to think of marriage. We had a chat with her recently.
What’s your view about hot albums?
I never dare hurt public feelings. I love dance though. So, I have worked in ‘Kabhi Aar, Kabhi Paar’ and ‘Rangeela Re’ videos. However, there is nothing vulgar in these videos.
What’s your plan for the silver screen?
I have almost completed the shooting of Hriday Shetty’s ‘Daag’ and shall begin shoot for Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Blue Film’ very soon.
What about your marriage?
I am 19 only. So, I need to plan my career first. Love can wait until then.
What’s your dream?
I wish to be famous as everyone likes to be. There is nothing wrong in becoming a star. However, I wish people to recognize me as a good human being.
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Fashion Music Review

Fashion is the biggest project for Madhur Bhandarkar. Majority of his films have been low budget affairs (no, we are not counting Aan - Men At Work), whether it is Trishakti, Chandni Bar, Satta or Traffic Signal. Page 3 and Corporate saw the bar being raised when it came to money being spent on projects but Fashion jumps all bars when it comes to budget being set for a Bhandarkar film. The film has been mounted on a lavish scale, boasts of top-line actors (Priyanka Chopra, Kangana) and even sees Salim-Sulaiman coming on board as composers (with Irfan Siddiqui as the lyricist) while replacing Shamir Tandon with whom Bhandarkar has worked in quite a few projects. This is the first step in the right direction for the director since the composer duo come up with the tunes that don't just go by the theme of the film; they also have a couple of numbers in the offering which have a chartbuster appeal to them.
Ten seconds into the title song 'Fashion Ka Jalwa' and you would find your feet tapping to the song's beats. Interestingly arranged and orchestrated, the song (which has Sandeep Nath as the guest lyricist) has 'Jalwa' as it's punch word with Satya Hinduja and Robert "Bob" Omulo giving Sukhwinder Singh company behind the mike. Though the song's base remains to be entirely Western, it is 'singing-with-a-punch' by Sukhwinder Singh which gets an Indian feel to the proceedings. Lasting close to five minutes and also appearing in a 'remix version', this is not a number, which you find humming around the town but would enjoy it being played on screen at a strategic point of the narrative.
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Taare Zameen Par is India's official entry to the Oscars

The verdict is finally out. Aamir Khan's directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, which won the hearts of audiences world over, has been selected as India's official entry to the Oscars.

The heartwarming story of a dyslexic child (portrayed by Darsheel Safary) and his supportive teacher (played by Aamir himself) was both a critical and commercial success. Taare Zameen Par edged out competition such as Jodhaa Akbar and A Wednesday to be chosen as India's official entry to the prestigious Academy awards.

Last time around Aamir Khan Productions' Lagaan made it to the Final 5 nominated films in the Best Foreign Film category. Now producer-director Aamir Khan would be hoping that Taare Zameen Par not just finds a nomination in the Top 5, but also bags the coveted trophy.

Here's wishing Aamir and the entire team of Taare Zameen Par heartiest congratulations and loads of luck for their Oscar campaign.
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Malaika's son has huge crush on Katrina Kaif

Guess who is eyeing Salman Khan's girlfriend Katrina Kaif? It's none other than his four year-old-nephew Arhaan, son of Malaika Arora and Arbaaz!

'My four-year-old son Arhaan has the most incurable crush on Katrina. Whenever she's around, I become completely unimportant to my son,' Malaika told IANS.

'It's a family joke that Arhaan is smitten by Katrina. Every time Katrina and I speak she wants to know where Arhaan is so she could take him out,' she said.

After Katrina, Kareena Kapoor too is a favourite with the little boy.

'When Arbaaz and I visited Kareena's location in Hollywood last month, Arhaan became a total lamb. I ceased to exist. Everything was about Kareena only. And I was shocked when my boy, who gives me a hard time feeding him, would ask for everything that Kareena ordered at restaurants and eat quietly without taking his eyes off Kareena,' said Malaika, who's known for her dance moves in hit songs like 'Chaiyya chaiyya'.

Far from sharing cold vibes with Salman's friend Katrina, Malaika actually shares a good rapport with the actress who has written new box office rules by giving six back-to-back hits.

So what are these stories about Malaika's cold war with Katrina?

'There's absolutely nothing to this talk of my cold war with Katrina. I've no space or time for having these kinds of issues with people. I feel life is too precious for these kinds of run-ins.

'It was written that I didn't attend Katrina's birthday. But I was shooting for my reality show ('Zara Nach Ke Dikha') and I couldn't make it. Is that a crime? Are there laws against skipping a family gathering because I was working?

'It was said I didn't go to Katrina's birthday because I couldn't get along with her. Bullshit! And now we're supposed to have shared cold vibes with Katrina at Salman's sister birthday party. Why would I spoil Arpita's party by behaving like such a party-pooper?'

Malaika says she's a total family woman.

'These are very upsetting rumours because it involves the entire family. I'm such a family person. I'd drop anything for family. Katrina isn't someone I hang around with every day or go out with for coffees and lunches. But she's part of our family and I completely respect her presence.

'But, no, she isn't part of my close friends' circle. Both of us come from decent families. My parents would slap me if I misbehaved with anyone, least of all Katrina who is part of our family.'

'No one from Arbaaz's side or my own side of the family can accuse me of behaving highhandedly or aloof. I go out of my way for family. My mother would kick my ass if I behaved like a prima donna. Someone is obviously getting a lot of pleasure by spreading these rumours.'

Is it someone from the Khan family?

'I wouldn't know. But whoever it is, I hope he or she is having a good time,' said Malaika who will be seen in a full-fledged role in forthcoming film 'EMI'.
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Tahaan Kid Purav Bhandar Signs Hollywood Film By Steve Barron

So much is happening in the life of eight-year-old Purav Bhandar, the child actor of the just released film Tahaan, but he seems to be quite naïve about it all. He has been earning rave reviews for his acting. But ask him about his ambition in life and he is quick to respond that he wants to become a 'dentist', just like his parents. On second thoughts, Bhandar quips he will mange both.

The child actor in Santosh Sivan's Tahaan, apparently, is also oblivious to the fact that he has just bagged a big Hollywood project. He has been roped in by director Steve Barron, who has made hit flicks like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Arabian Nights, for his new project. One hears that Purav Bhandar will be playing the role of an Indian boy adopted by a Western couple who comes home to his roots in Bangalore.

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