After Munna Bhai Sanjay Dutt comes as Sattarbhai

Sanjay Dutt plays his first real-life character named Sattarbhai in EMI. The character of the reluctant bully who has the thankless job of collecting loan money from bank debtors is based on a real-life EMI (easy monthly installments) collector.

Co-producer Ekta Kapoor confirms Dutt's real life antecedents. "Sanju Sir's character is modeled on a real-life agent.

In fact, the whole film's plot about all these debt collectors who have the thankless jobs of getting bank loans back from debtors was inspired by the real-life Sattarbhai." The real-life character's identity is being kept a secret for a very definite purpose.

Says Sunil Shetty, "We don't want the real Sattarbhai to come into the picture until Sanju Baba's fictional avatar is properly unveiled to the public."

Also, there's the question of copyrights. Would the real Sattarbhai suddenly stand up and claim money for his character being cannibalized? This isn't the first time this question has cropped up.

Recently when Preity Zinta played a real-life battered wife in Heaven On Earth, the woman who inspired the character suddenly came forward to demand what sounded like ransom money.

"She demanded an obscenely astronomical sum of money that really put Deepa Mehta off, " says a member of the Heaven On Earth team.

However, producers Ekta Kapoor and Sunil Shetty and Sanjay Dutt who plays Sattarbhai seem pretty sure the real character won't suddenly demand his pound of flesh. "He's more than happy to be a role model for a character that Sanju Baba is playing. We'll include him in the promotional events of EMI very soon, " says Sunil.

Sanjay Dutt met, interacted with and studied the real-life Sattarbhai very closely before playing the character. "This is my most seriously funny and socially-relevant character since Munnabhai.

And I'm happy to be doing something that doesn't require me to go into the underworld, " says Dutt.

As for the real Sattarbhai, he is free to share the thrill of the film…unless he suddenly decides to become a party-pooper desirous of a bigger share in the film's investments than he deserves.

Another copyright puzzle for EMI... The title is also the acronym for the world's oldest music label. "But we've registered our title. And EMI is accepted bank jargon, short for Easy Monthly Installments. If EMI is a music company then we're glad to be keeping such musical company, " jokes Sunil.
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Aishwarya Rai is back in Vogue

After Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Podukone and Preity Zinta, beauty queen-turned-Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan joins the host of celebrities to appear on the cover of the fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue India.

Sporting an au naturale look without any accessories in a new slim avatar, Aishwarya was photographed by ace lens man Farrokh Chothia for the October issue of the magazine, dubbed as the Glamour issue.

The shoot was done in London, the last leg of the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan's “Unforgettable” world tour that concluded recently.

“Doing the Vogue cover was a promise I made to Anaita (Shroff Adajania) right from the time she joined the Vogue. Anaita was having a baby and she wanted me to do it before she delivers, ” Aishwarya told the NDTV news channel from London.

She added: “I was to do this shoot last month but I fell ill before I left for the world tour. So, we crossed notes and managed to do it on time in London just after we finished almost the last show of the tour.”

Anaita Shroff Adajania is the fashion director for Vogue India and costume stylist for films like “Kal Ho Na Ho”, “Being Cyrus”, “Dhoom 2” and upcoming films like “Drona”, “Biloo Barber” and Imtiaz Ali's untitled project with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone.

The actress' make-up was done by Denise Rabor with hairstylist Josh Wood who couldn't stop praising her beauty.

Incidentally, Aishwarya is presently in Peru, shooting for her Tamil film “Enthiren”, with southern superstar Rajnikanth.
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Meet happiest and the unhappiest actor in town

At the moment Zayed Khan is the happiest and the unhappiest actor from Bollywood. He's on top of the world because he'll be soon be shooting the first underwater song- sequence ever in Hindi cinema.

Excited as hell Zayed who has been stationed in Bangkok and Phuket for the past month says, "It's never been done before. On the concept level itself it sounds too too outrageous…. The entire cast singing in the deep-sea. That's unique-man!"

Hate to burst Zayed's bubble. But decades ago in Anmol Moti claiming to be India's first underwater film Jeetendra and Babita sang 'underwater', which was actually a swimming pool. So yes, Blue is the first Bollywood film that will have the entire cast of Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Lara, Katrina and Zyed doing a song sequence in the deep sea.

A baffling concept for sure.

Laughs Zayed, "Yes. But you've to see how we're going to do it. The director got the concept from an ad. We all jumped at it. It's not often that you get to do something so unique."

But with the excitement comes the damper. Inclement weather in Bangkok is playing havoc with the Blue schedules.

Says the anxious and depressed Zayed, "We knew it was going to rain in Bangkok and Phuket. But not like this! Apparently this area has never had so much rains. Every day we're losing precious time. Today again we're stuck indoors while it pours outside.

The producers are losing Rs 25 lakhs per day. And moreover we can't extend the shooting because we—Sanju Sir, Akshay and I—can't give combined dates for a long time, " said Zayed on Saturday.

A good excuse for the unit to bond? "Not really.I'd rather be back home with my wife Malli (Malaika) and son Zidaan. I miss them specially my son. I want to watch him grow, not be away for long periods from home and miss this phase in my son's life."

Zidaan can't travel with Papa all the time. "He came with my wife to the Bahamas when we were shooting there. But he can't keep traveling all over. He has to develop an immunity system. I do miss my son. But my wife emails me his pictures every day." For Gossips And Mirch Masala Log On To Bollywood Paradize

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Brand Golmaal only belongs to Vishal-Shekhar

"I happened to be associated with Golmaal Returns by chance. However, brand Golmaal will always belong to Vishal and Shekhar. They are the ones who got the initial set up in place and I am only taking it forward.

The title song created by them was fantabulous and I enjoyed rest of the soundtrack too. I believe I have been able to come up with a right follow up score in Golmaal Returns which doesn't let the original down, " says Pritam who has composed the music of this Rohit Shetty directed film.

The film also sees history being created in the world of contemporary Bollywood soundtrack. Never before in a mainstream commercial movie has a composer used a part of a fellow composer's tune from a different film and interspersed it in his own composition.

However, Pritam has just done this in the song 'Vacancy' for Golmaal Returns that liberally picks up the punch spots from Vishal-Shekhar composed title song of Golmaal.

Not just that, Vishal, Shekhar and singer Anushka Manchanda have been duly credited for this as well.

"Music of Golmaal Returns would just not have been 100% complete if the theme of Golmaal wasn't incorporated in it. You can't have a sequel with the USP of the original missing.

I spoke to Vishal and Shekhar and asked them if I could use their Golmaal for 'Vacancy'. They both were sweet enough to readily agree and the result is 'Vacancy', " informs Pritam who is now aiming at his fifth big success in a row in 2009 afterRace, Jannat, Kismat Konnection and Singh Is Kinng.

Vishal Dadlani (of Vishal-Shekhar duo) is glad that the song 'Vacancy' sees the revival of Golmaal, "Yes, I have been told that something like has happened for the first time.

Even we did something similar for our title track of 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' but that was for a composition by R.D. Burman which was created decades back. However, Golmaal is still fresh in the memory of music lovers."

Confirming the development around the merger of two songs, Vishal adds, "When Pritam approached us for that, there was no reason to say no. He is a friend and a great guy. It was super gracious on his part to come to us and seek permission. In fact, even before saying yes to Golmaal Returns as a project, he spoke to us as he believed that brand Golmaal belonged to us."

On a concluding note, Vishal says, "Ok, so we couldn't do Golmaal Returns for certain reasons but we are happy to see the sequel carrying the spirit of the original. It couldn't have been in better hands."

The music of Golmaal Returns releases today all over and boasts of four original songs with five remixes. In addition, bonus comes in the form of Vishal-Shekhar's songs from the original Golmaal, hence making it a complete package deal.
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Aishwarya hurries to be with nervous Abhishek

Aishwarya Rai is currently wrapping her Robot film shoot in hurry to arrive back in India, just to be with her hubby, Abhishek Bachchan on October 1st for his film, Drona's premiere in Mumbai.

Confirming us the news, Aish's secretary Hari Singh said, "Aishwarya was in Peru till last week for a song shoot of Shankar's Endhiran (formerly called Robot) starring South super star Rajnikant.

Now presently she is shooting for the film in the rain forests of Brazil. She wants to be with Abhishek's side on his big day on October 1st. She is as excited as him to check him out in his first super hero avatar."

One can remember, Abhishek making a late entry for Aishwarya's Jodhaa Akbar premiere held on February 14th at the Imax Multiplex in Wadala, Mumbai.

Abhishek was shooting in Jaipur that time for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Dilli 6. He was to reach on time but a flight delay made him arrive at the venue at around 11:30 pm just when the film was about to finish.

But Aish won't be late and will attend the premiere along with Abhi. As Hari Singh has added, "Aishwarya will be reaching Mumbai a night before the premiere."

A source further added, "Before the grand premiere, a special show will be kept just for the Bachchans. Amitabh and Jaya early next week at a Mumbai preview theatre by director Goldie Behl.

Goldie is like family to the Bachchans and he wants to show them the film first before anyone else. Abhishek is a bundle of nerves and would most probably avoid being present at this special show."
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Katrina Kaif se Bachna Ae Haseeno

Katrina is on a career high. Presently she is shooting in Philadelphia in the US for the Yashraj film with John Abraham and Neil Mukesh, directed by Kabir Khan.

Sources reveal that though 'Singh is King' is huge hit, instead of celebrating the success back home, she is shooting non stop for 18 hours at a stretch. Though she has been getting a deluge of complimentary call for the double hat trick in her career.

Industry folks compliment her on her dedication, hard work and professionalism. Success hasn't changed Katrina.

Industry sources also say that if Katrina would have been in Bachna Ae Haseeno, the film would have got a bigger opening, since she is considered as a lucky mascot in the trade circles. Incidentally Katrina was supposed to be in the film, but since the film would have got longer, the producer felt that it would not do justice to her.

Yashraj then signed her for the film with John and Neil Mukesh, directed by Kabir Khan, in a role which will have huge scope to perform. Infact keeping with her stature at the box office, she is touted as the highlight of the film.

With 6 hits in a row, and a promising 'Yuvraaj' later this year, Katrina is truly on a roll !!
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Hari Puttar - A Comedy of Terrors Movie Review

What do you say of a film that's a first for a newly-launched production house which is a very, very bad remake of a successful Hollywood flick? Just one word. Terrible. What were the makers thinking when they went ahead with the shooting of this film? I mean just a smart title to cash in on the success of Harry Potter is not enough! There is absolutely no mind, matter, nor any sense. It's just plain boring. Y A W N!
What might be a consolation for the makers is that the new generation of kids who might not have seen the very famous HOME ALONE flick might just dig into this. But then, 'word of mouth' is a very powerful tool these days. Look at what positive reviews and 'word of mouth' publicity did to MUMBAI MERI JAAN, and A WEDNESDAY!

This is a classic case of intellectual bankruptcy.

Sorry Puttar. This is no way to make a children's film
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Kareena steps into Angelina Jolie's shoes!

Kareena Kapoor has stepped into Angelina Jolie's shoes. No, no apni Kareena hasn't replaced the firangi Jolie in any Hollywood film but like Angelina who enjoys dubbing for animated characters; Kareena too completed dubbing for one recently.

A close friend of the actress revealed, ''Kareena just completed dubbing for an animation film ROADSIDE ROMEO, which is a Yashraj Film. Kareena had fun giving various sounds for her animated character in the film.''

The source adds, ''Before proceeding with the dubbing, Kareena heard the story and made sincere efforts to understand the character that she dubbed for. Kareena knew that it is her voice that will put across the emotions on screen. It was hard work but after watching the end result Kareena felt all the efforts were worth it. She even saw KUNG FU PANDA for which Angelina Jolie dubbed for. ''

It may be known that Kareena and Saif have been roped in to dub for the main characters in ROADSIDE ROMEO that marks the debut of Jugal Hansraj as a director.

Says Kareena, �It was fun dubbing for ROADSIDE ROMEO. It's the first time ever an actress has dubbed for an animation film and since it was a first of sorts, it was particularly challenging.''

Trust Kareena to always be a trendsetter.
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