2009 begins with a heap of releases

While CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA (arriving on 16th) is the biggest release of January 2009 with RAAZ – THE MYSTERY CONTINUES, which follows a week later, carrying good reports as well, they are not the only ones to kick start the year 2009. Instead, as many as five films would be arriving before these two films, though all on 9th January (which is the second weekend of the year), since traditionally, in the decade gone by, none of the movies released on the first weekend have done well at the box office.

These movies are 42 KMS, BAD LUCK GOVIND, HORN OK PLEASSSS, KAASHH...MERE HOTE and THE PRESIDENT IS COMING. While 42 KMS was earlier titled MARATHON and couldn't see the light of the day, BAD LUCK GOVIND too is a small time film and carried a working title of KISMAT BOLE TOH? earlier on. HORN OK PLEASSSS has been mired in controversy ever since the Nana v/s Tanushree battle made headlines while KAASHH... MERE HOTE just doesn't bring with it positive vibes in spite of a romantic theme. As for THE PRESIDENT IS COMING, one wonders how Rohan Sippy and team would concentrate on its release considering his biggie CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA releases a week later.

No wonder, situation is pretty glum for each of these five movies even as they defy the first weekend jinx. That's because all of them belong to the kind that has been ready for quite some time now and are just being released because no other biggie is interested in arriving during this time frame.
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There’s no bad blood between me and Asin

So far Jiah Khan who plays the other leading lady in Ghajini is almost completely missing from the film's promotion and publicity. Sighs Jiah, "Ghajini is a big film for me. And I'm very happy with my role. As for why I'm not in the promos, what do I say? Wait and watch. The truth will be out when my song Lattoo starts.It's my first big Bollywood item song. And I've been performing to Bollywood songs from the age of 6 in front of the mirror. I've had years of practice. " Jiah's last (and so far only) film came two years ago. "Nishabd and Ghajini are so different. I needed this kind of a challenge. I'm dressed from head to toe—except for that one song where I transform from a Plain Jane to a femme fatale. I hope they accept me in this role." No regrets about doing an unconventional film like Nishabd so early in her career? "None at all. I agree our audiences are still very conservative and Nishabd was a very bold subject. Even in the West Lolita created a huge controversy although they out there are no strangers to sex and nudity. For me Nishabd was a challenge because I got to work with Mr Bachchan and Mr Varma so early in my career. And to be doing a central role in a film featuring Mr Bachchan. It made me what I am. So I am grateful." However the challenge for Jiah in Ghajini is to be accepted in a more conventional role. "If I had Mr B as my co-star in the first film, here it's Aamir. Can't get any bigger." Asin and the rest of Southern crew never made Jiah feel like an outsider. "I love working with the South Indian cast and crew made me feel completely at home." Reports say she was at loggerheads with the film's other leading lady Asin. Jiah protests. "I don't have any scenes with Asin. But recently we were in Panchgani together. And we spoke for the first time then. Without a doubt she was amazing in the original Tamil in Ghajini. This is her first Bollywood film and therefore a big thing. From my side there's no bad blood at all. I think Asin is beautiful. She has been working a long time. This is just my second film. I had a lot to learn from both Asin and Aamir." Jiah admits she was intimidated by Aamir. "To match up with was quite a tough task. I've grown up by ten years in the last two years." As For Kangana Ranaut the problems, if any, are over. Says Jiah, "I saw Fashion and met her and told her she was fabulous. She's a lovely girl. Why would anyone give me trouble? I don't trouble anybody."

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Katrina and Preity's unlikely yaari

In Bollywood there have been many actresses who have been friends for a long time. Just how the likes of Kareena Kapoor-Amrita Arora, Koena Mitra-Tanushree Dutta and Kim Sharma-Preity Jhangiani are. There have been others who have ended their friendships on a sour note. One famous example was when Aishwarya and Rani fell out after Ash got replaced by the Mukerji babe in 'Chalte Chalte'. The Priyanka-Kareena and the Kareena-Esha Deol friendship also didn't stand the test of time. There have been more cat fights than girl bonding between two female celebs in Bollywood. Of late there is a buzz that Katrina Kaif and Preity Zinta have struck up a friendship. Katrina who's considered wooden and cold by many and doesn't have too many females liking her in B-Town says that she absolutely adores Preity Zinta. Apparently the duo take time out of their busy schedules to chat, shop and hang out with each other. Katrina has said, "Preity is such a warm and lovely person." And she goes on to talk about why people think that two actresses can't be friends and so on. It's just that no one takes the 'best-friends-forever' status of actresses seriously. Past experience can make anyone not want to do that. We really doubt that this wooden actress would prove us wrong in the future.

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Love birds Kangana and Adhyayan defy rumours

Eversince Kangana Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman have been a couple there have been negative reports floating around. Earlier it was said that his father Shekhar Suman was not happy with the alliance. Then that the couple played truant on the sets and irked Emraan Hashmi. Adhyayan clears the air about his girl friend and says "my father has always been supportive of my decision. He is happy as long as I am. It's just that he is a little concerned." "Whereas Emraan is concerned he has been a good friend we get along very well. I don't know how these reports have come about" he adds further. Reportedly the duo are playing a madly-in-love couple in the Vishesh Films Raaz –2. Buzz is that the couple was was very spontaneous in a few scenes that they didn't even rehearse before shooting the scene. An excited Adhyayan says that he is looking forward to the film. "this is the first time we are sharing screen space. I think it's my debut film and life depends on it. This film is important for me. Director Mohit Suri has done a fantastic job" There was a buzz that the actor did not get well alongwith co-star Emraan Hashmi. "It's funny" says Adhyayan. "We are good friends. There were rumours that Kangana and myself were locked up in a van but it's ridiculous. We are both professionals how can we do that. I am tired of giving explanations" he says. Adhyayan says that life with Kangana has definitely changed him. "I have calmed down a lot. I was very impulsive earlier but now I do everything on time. Kangana has taught me how to be focussed" he laughs and adds. The actor is now looking forward to his next with Mahesh Bhatt titled Jashn. "Then I have another film being directed by Mani Ratnam's assistant. In February I will be doing a film with Zee. I have signed three more films but right now I can't talk abouot them" he concludes.

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Why would I feel threatened by Jiah: Asin

If all had gone well Asin would have moved into her own home in Mumbai by now. "But I've been traveling non-stop. I had no time time to look around and find a place. But now we're finalizing a place in Bandra. Hopefully by new year I'll lock in to the place.And we'll move in. Right now we feel a little unsettled. In Mumbai you desperately need your own home." Asin's parents have moved from Chennai to Mumbai with her. "Both of them gave up their jobs to be with me. Mom is a doctor. She has taken voluntary retirement. She manages my home now. And Dad had seven business enterprises. He gave them up to look after my career. Right now I'm quite a handful and worth more than all his business ventures." And she bursts into peals of laughter. Asin is a fun-loving extremely atypical South Indian who chatters non-stop, if allowed. She admits she was asked to keep quiet. "The marketing team felt better that I keep my distance from the press until the film's release. However that didn't stop wildly-speculative writeups about me. I read things about myself that I didn't know." Like feeling insecure about her co-star Jiah Khan? "Is that really me? I've worked in South Indian films with female co-stars and never felt insecure. I worked with Nayantara in the Tamil Ghajini without my conflict. Why would I feel threatened by Jiah? Was this a publicity strategy? It was being implied that I was somehow responsible for keeping Jiah out of the publicity. I don't know how one heroine can influence a huge marketing strategy." Jiah and Asin have no scenes together. "But we have of course met and we're very cordial with one another. We got along fine. I've had no fights with any one in Tamil or Hindi cinema so far. All these stories of friction make me feel strange. I wonder who these people who spread such rumours are." And no, Asin was under no contract with the Ghajini makers. "I'm under no contract. Didn't I sign London Dreams while Ghajini was being shot? If I haven't signed another film, it's because I haven't come across anything exciting. I was supposed to do Priyadarshan's film with Akshay Kumar. But that clashed with the Ghajini 's promotional dates." She will be moving into her new home in Bandra in January after the release of her first Hindi film Ghajini. "But even without my own home I feel at home in Mumbai. For one almost the entire unit of Ghajini was South Indian. Most of them were people I had worked with. So we were constantly chattering on the sets in Tamil or Telugu. Except of course Aamir Khan who was new to all of us." London Dreams was much tougher. "The total crew was totally Bollywood. So practically speaking London Dreams is my first Bollywood experience. Ghajini was easier than my second Hindi film London Dreams where I had to start from scratch with the character. In Ghajini my character remained untampered except the language. Here I was speaking Hindi instead of Tamil. Otherwise no changes." Her character is not the archetypal glamorous decorative doll. "I play a struggler in the ad world one of the many eager faces you see hanging out at ads shoots." Asin's Hindi has always been good and she won't require any dubbing from outsiders, thank you. How different is Aamir from Salman Khan? "While Aamir mulls overs scenes Salman must be prepared from beforehand. Because you don't seem him rehearse on the sets. But everyone in Mumbai is thoroughly professional" As for Mumbai being wary of stepping into theaters right now Asin exudes confidence. "I'm hoping by Christmas time they'd be enthused into watching an Aamir Khan film. I'm put in my best efforts in Ghajini."

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I was really trapped by dirty people: Kangana

All of 21, Kangna Ranaut has seen and suffered a lot (in her own words) during last few years in showbiz! In an earlier conversation, she had admitted that she was going through bad times. She had said, "I got everything very soon in my life but personally my life was going through too much of trauma. I was really trapped by dirty people and they wouldn't let me concentrate on my work. They tried to harm me both physically as well as mentally." However, everything seems to be passe now ever since she moved on to 'yoga'. The biggest gift she's received from this, she says, is the practice of Silence or "Maun". The practice of staying silent physically brings to the fore the tremendous busy-ness of the mind and help to bring some quiet there as well. Effervescent and vivacious by nature, Kangna has found a 'thehrav' in her life ever since she adopted 'maun'. "Initially I found it very difficult to stay silent; however through perseverance I did manage to develop this as a regular part of my yoga practice and have benefited ever since." "When I am working, I have to give it 100%. So that's why I took a break for my personal work to sort out all my issues and only then got back to work. I did not want to struggle between work and personal issues. I am not that kind of a person. I can do only one thing at a time", she had stated earlier. "Now, through Silence, I feel I've discovered my Soul, the very centre of my being, which is the source of all my energy - creative, spiritual, emotional and mental. I've always been a very focused person, and I've chosen to portray characters in my film that are challenging and strong. This awareness and practice has given me greater ability to channel my energy effectively to deliver even better on these performances", she says in an obvious relaxed tone. Through shooting Raaz-The Mystery Continues, Kangna has been even more diligent about this practice. That's because the character is one who gets possessed and has to deal with the horrific consequences. "The role required a lot from me. It's a very intense role. So it was imperative to keep my practice alive during the outdoor schedules to be able to maintain the focus and equanimity needed to deliver the required performance." "I know where I want to go. That inner destination's where my eventual goal is", concludes Kangna

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New York Movie Exclusive Wallpaper

New York New Movie of Yash Raj Films Exclusive Wallpaper and first look
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Bipasha was caught in the 26/11 terror attack; speaks for the first time

"I feel vulnerable and helpless. That's why I haven't spoken until now," says Bipasha Basu softly.

Bipasha was returning from Film City on 26/11 when she was caught in the blast. "It happened at Vile Parle as I crossed the area. There was mayhem on the road as my staff and I sat huddled in our car wondering what to do next. Should we go forward? Or go back? I told my driver to drive in the middle of the road as fast as possible."

Three weeks down the line, and as the city nurses its wounds, Bipasha wonders what she can do to help the situation. "I've been extremely affected by 26/11. I haven't spoken to anyone about it until now. I don't know how I can ease the pain of Mumbai. Everyone wants to put forward more than just a point of view. But no one seems to know what to do. I do believe in the mass movement that Mumbai has been seeing over the last three weeks. I think people lighting candles, holding hands, showing their solidarity speaking out...it's all very effective."

Bipasha was skeptical to begin with. "I thought this movement would die down after the first few days. But now I feel it's not losing momentum. And I'm very happy about that. The media is playing a very important part in keeping the movement against terrorism alive. I must admit I thought it would be over after one Sunday. That's why I kept quiet."

But now Bipasha believes in the power of people. "I just hope it continues. If the people's voice continues to be heard whichever government comes into power will be forced to pay heed and provide us with basic security. Sure, our economy is booming and the industries are doing well. But what do we do without security in Mumbai? If the financial capital of India which generates the maximum taxes is hit, how do we sustain global confidence in our country?"

Bipasha can't believe that ten terrorists could do this to Mumbai. "What happened to Mumbai is a shame for the entire country. I went out socially for the first time this week. Life must go on. The important thing is to not forget the lessons that we've learnt from 26/11. Now I feel far less defeated far more optimistic about the future than I did the first few days after Mumbai was attacked. Mumbai won't forget. We have Zero security in the country. Otherwise how could there be continuous blasts all over the city for so many hours? And if the detonated RDX had not been discovered in time, it could have been worse."

Bipasha caught up with a film on the Mumbai blasts. "I saw Neeraj Pandey's A Wednesday after 26/11. I can't believe it's so sensitive and so prophetic. Like Naseeruddin Shah being pushed into destroying terrorism the Common Man is ready take action. A Wednesday should be a textbook on terrorism. All of us should see it and learn its lessons."

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