BOLLYWOOD- Gossips & News

Deepika Padukone voted 'TIME's Most Desirable Woman of 2012'

The actress received the most votes in the TIMES poll, ahead of Katrina Kaif who came in second and Kareena Kapoor who was third.

Describing what makes her the most desirable woman of 2012, Padukone told The Times of India: "I do hope that my desirability comes from my work and the person I am and that it's not just limited to the physical attributes. 

"I am told I come across as a person who is warm and real. At the same time, people aspire to be like me as I am a young achiever without a film industry background," she added. 

The Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani star said that she regarded Shah Rukh Khan as the most desirable man. 

"Among my co-stars, at the moment my most desirable man will be Shah Rukh Khan. In my first film Om Shanti Om, I was new and extremely quiet and was just absorbing the experience. 

"Working on Chennai Express has brought me closer to him and I can call him a friend. On a daily basis, I see a lot of goodness in him. He is extremely generous and is the warmest person I have met. And I can say this with a lot of confidence."

The 24-year-old star was recently awarded the Critics' Choice 'Best Actress' Award at the TOIFA's.

Watch Padukone in the song 'Balam Pichkari' from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani:

EKTA KAPOOR BOLLYWOOD PRODUCER, RAIDED BY INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT

Bollywood producer Ekta Kapoor was raided this morning by officials from the Income Tax department.

Close to 100 officers searched her home and offices in Mumbai as well as studios owned by her Balaji Telefilms.

Ms Kapoor produces some of India's most-popular soap operas.  Balaji Films' next big movie release, Shootout at Wadala, starring John Abraham and Kangna Ranaut is scheduled  for  Friday, 3 May release, Sources said Ms Kapoor, whose designation is Joint Managing Director, is being investigated for misreporting the income and profits of her production company.

She is likely to be interrogated later today.  Her father, Jeetendra, who was a popular star in the 80s, is a Chairman in her company and will also be questioned, said sources.

Aamir Khan: I wish Salman Khan was part of Bombay 

Talkies!

As the Dhoom:3 star celebrated his 25th year in Bollywood yesterday, he nostalgically shared memories of his growth – from a nobody to the Perfectionist star – with the media at Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, or Film City

There’s something special about Aamir Khan – something that has allowed him to stay in the movie business for 25 years now. But it wasn’t always so; famous filmmaker Tahir Hussain’s son wasn’t blessed with a red carpet welcome when he stepped into the film world. Ever since he began his acting career, there have been accusations coming his way – he’s too short to be a hero, he can’t dance, he’s very choosy, etc. But even today, 25 years later, Aamir Khan is still hot stuff!

It’s simple: you will not survive past your first film if you do not have ‘it’, that X-factor, that special something. And it is likely to keep Aamir on top, along with a strong overseas presence generated over a period of time that will help propel the NRI-friendly Dhoom:3 and Rajkumar Hirani’s P.K. catering to a more desi audience, for at least a few years longer. Khan himself tries to explain how it works….

On completing 25 glorious years in Bollywood!

The first couple of releases were unsuccessful and it was quite a difficult phase. I made mistakes, but I learned a lot from it. I realised I shouldn’t have done those films but now I feel good thinking had I not done these films, I wouldn’t have learned from my mistakes. I’ve learned the most from my mistakes. Whatever I am today is also because of my mistakes, not only because of the wise decisions I took. I made a very important decision – I won’t sign films for money, fame or name and not even for big banners. For me, it has always been whether my gut feeling, my instinct or my heart is allowing me to agree to do a film or not. If that doesn’t happen, I don’t say yes. I’m glad I stick to the decision of doing quality work.

On living the line – Akele hain toh kya gham hai!

Yes, I do believe in it (smiles). Don’t be afraid if you walk alone. When I started walking on the path called cinema, people around me said – he’s very choosy, doing fewer films just at the beginning of his career, ek ya do saal mein out ho jayega. They were also right to think that way because I wasn’t working according to typical conventional Bollywood norms. So people felt ke yeh zyada tik nahi payega. I realised this kind of work method suits me the most. God has been kind – mujhe itni kaamyaabi mili. I give as much importance and value to success as I give to failure.

On Aamir Khan – the brand, the power

I feel strength is connected to your determination. If I have the strength to lift 100 kilos, that’s great. But if that 100 kilos fell on someone and if you can’t lift that and set him free, then what’s the value of your strength? If you can’t channelise your strength in the right direction and towards the right cause, then there’s no point. Sachh aur saahas hai jiske mann mein… ant mein jeet usi ki rahein (smiles)

On his strong and weak points

Firstly, my junoon and madness as an actor to do something new all the time has got me where I am today. I know this could be dangerous. Secondly, I’m very stubborn. This attitude allows me to perform better. There were people who asked me not to do films which I eventually did at the beginning of my career. So the madness and stubborn nature helped me to evolve as an actor.

On why he thought he would never have attained super-stardom

I never thought I’ll reach this level. I never thought I’ll become a star, and that too a successful one! When I analyse my career, I truly wonder how I reached this place. I’m glad I’ve achieved all this by entertaining the audience. I thank filmmakers, technicians, co-stars and the audience from the bottom of my heart for their undying love and support, without which it wouldn’t have been possible. I’m also thankful to my entire family, including Reena (his first wife), Kiran Rao and my kids.

On his on-off equation with the media

It has been very good, so far (laughs). A few years ago I wasn’t happy with some people from the media who wrote false news related to me. They still write (smiles). I got very upset because I’m a very emotional person. I take things very seriously. When I get hurt, I keep mum. So I kept mum and decided not to fight with the media. I decided to stay away. But then the press felt I was getting arrogant. I asked myself what’s going wrong, why is it going wrong. I didn’t get answer. It’s during the pre-production work of Taare Zameen Par that I got the answer. I met a psychiatrist called Dr Shetty and asked him what’s the most important thing a child needs. He said every child needs four basic things – security, trust, dignity and love. It’s only then that I realised like every child, every grown-up and mature individual needs the same. I thought I’ll give these four things to the media, thinking perhaps it can better my relationship. I made up my mind thinking that if someone wrote negative things about me, I’ll not retaliate and not stop talking to him or her. Even if you cheat me, I’ll still trust you. I’ll respect you and won’t insult or slap you. I’ll give love to you. When I gave these four things, I started feeling the media attitude towards me changed.

On his association with Bombay Talkies and Salman Khan

I’m glad I completed 25 years of my career this year when cinema completed 100 years. I feel bad thinking I couldn’t create something related to 100 years of Hindi cinema. I wish I had more time to conceive something related to it. And I wish Salman could’ve been a part of Bombay Talkies. I’m glad to be associated with Bombay Talkies film in whatever capacity I could be.

On TIME magazine’s cover as one of the 100 most Influential People of 2013

I was very glad to be part of 100 most influential people of the world. I’m flattered to receive the honour. I’m a big fan of Daniel Day-Lewis and I’m happy I got the opportunity to spend some time with him. I also interacted with Steven Spielberg. While interacting with the world press, I learned they were quite impressed by the TV show Satyamev Jayate.

Shahrukh Khan to have shoulder surgery in London in June!

The superstar will have his eighth surgery as soon as he completes shooting for Chennai Express and is done with the ongoing Indian Premier League

There is no doubt that Shahrukh Khan is injury prone. Over the years the King Khan has had a total of seven surgeries on various parts of his body (and not the plastic kind, we are assured!), and the actor will be heading for an eight session under the knife very soon.

Apparently SRK has a rendezvous with the operation theatre to fix a shoulder injury that he suffered on the sets of Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express last month. The actor waited for the surgery, since he was in the middle of a hectic shoot for the film, which co-stars Deepika Padukone. Plus, with the ongoing Indian Premier League in full force and with his team Kolkata Knight Riders needing his full support – and they need it, considering they aren’t doing too well in the series right now – SRK postponed the surgery to June.

The actor says that by then he will have finished both shooting for Chennai Express and cheering at the IPL. He then plans to fly to London to consult with the best doctors and find the surgeon he needs to operate on his shoulder, after which he will begin the promotions for Chennai Express. The film hits the screens on August 8.

Among the several injuries that SRK has suffered we counted three broken ribs, a twisted ankle, a broken right toe, an injury to his left shoulder, a neck injury, a broken back bone and an injured left knee.

Well, what can we say? You fall and you get up again and get back to work – after a few painful surgeries of course, if you are SRK!

BOLLYWOOD- Gossips & News

Bollywood ‘Welcomes’ Sunny Leone with open arms

 

Mumbai: With reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ season 5, she ventured into the world of mainstream entertainment in India. And not just that, she went on to bag the leading role in ace filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s film ‘Jism 2’. Sunny Leone has indeed made her presence felt strongly.

After playing ‘Laila’ in an item song from ‘Shootout at Wadala’, the lady has reportedly replaced Mallika Sherawat in a special number in the sequel to ‘Welcome’.

Sunny has become the hot favourite of producers and is all set to give her female colleagues a run for their money. 

Sonam Kapoor wants Bollywood's 'golden period' back

Actress Sonam Kapoor, who is known for her distinct sense of style and fashion, says the 1960s was a golden period for Indian cinema, and she would love it if it comes back. 

"I can only say that the 1960s was the golden period of Indian cinema and I hope that time comes back again," the 27-year-old said at the screening of Bombay Talkies, a film made to pay tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema. 

Sonam says she is humbled to be a small part of Indian cinema. 

"My family has been a part of the industry since the time of Mughal-e-Azam and I am very excited that I am also a very small part of it. Like it is said Jiyo hazaaron saal, that is the best thing to say (for Indian cinema's 100 years)," Sonam said. 

Sonam is the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor and grand-daughter of late film producer Surinder Kapoor, who was an assistant director on the epic film Mughal-e-Azam. 

He later produced films like Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati, Woh Saat Din and Judaai.

Sonam made her Bollywood debut with Saawariya in 2007.

Shahid Kapoor gets a sexy tan for Rambo Rajkumar!

The actor travelled all the way to Goa to get a cool tan for his next action flick to be directed by Prabhu Deva 

Shahid Kapoor looks like an absolute hottie, and we are talking about the new look that he worked on for his next film,Rambo Rajukumar. We hear that it’s an out and out action flick, and Sasha couldn’t possibly look meaner and sexier. He’s got an amazing tan and his hairdo is ruffled,  messy in a nicely stylish way. The actor, we hear, had to sweat it out in the gym to bulk up for the film – but not as much as he did for Kaminey, we presume – and did his thing soaking in the sun in the idyllic locations of Goa, just so that he could look like a ‘mean hottie’.

It seems Sasha has got a tremendous response for his look already. After receiving a volley of compliments, the actor has himself fallen in love with his super scorching avatar.

We love Mr K’s temperature raising look, it makes us drool and how!

BOLLYWOOD- Gossips & News

Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu: Who wears leggings best?

While leggings are being banned by school authorities in California and elsewhere, Bollywood babes seem to be indulging in this style to their hearts’ content

Leggings are the most comfortable things ever. We understand, if you don’t wear them the right way you could make quite a style boo-boo. Some gals displaying serious panty lines, while a few who happen to wear the wrong kind of a top look kinda off-kilter. So while some of these US school honchos think that leg-hugging pants are not a very cool style statement, especially for kids, we wonder what makes them ban them altogether, particularly if they’re not worn in an indecent manner.

Amidst all the hype and hoopla and blowing of things out of proportion, wethinks most of our Bollywood babes are quite  expert at playing with these stylish leg accentuating pants.

Deepika Padukone makes the best use of the amazing bod she has and is often seen wearing leggings in the most creative way possible. For an airport look, she opts for a long shirt and a rugged pair of boots, and for a launch event she settles for a stylish peplum top. Esha Gupta pairs her leggings with a funky shirt and she’s tucked it in, which again works ‘coz of the tight, crease free waistline of the pants. If your leggings have creases around the waistline, avoid wearing short tops. In fact, take a cue from Neha Dhupia, who’s wearing a Pankaj and Nidhi kaftan-like top along with her well-fitted leggings. Doesn’t she look like a diva?

Some B-town babes are absolutely fascinated with leather-look leggings. The hide design seem to bring out the best in them. Sonam Kapoor, Sonal Chauhan, Sonakshi Sinha, Malaika Arora Khan sport this style with such effortlessness. Peplum tops and long shirts are a great choice, but if you have the moxie to wear those itsy-bitsy tops, do it…and erase those style dos and don’ts from your head. But please, for our sakes and yours, don’t make a faux pas!

Laila teri le legi song making: John Abraham says this is the best song of his career!

We could not believe our ears when John said that Sunny Leone’s item number – already under the Censor Board scanner for its controversial lyrics – is the best song of his career. Do you agree with him?

So crude, awful and objectionable are the lyrics of Sunny Leone’s item number from Sanjay Gupta’s upcoming movie Shootout At Wadala that it irked the Censor Board panelists too! In fact, the lyrics have now changed to Laila tujhe loot legi from the original Laila teri le legi. But John Abraham who is seen shaking his booty as the notorious gangster Manya Surve in this number, right alongside pornstar-turned-Bollywood item gal Sunny and Tusshar Kapoor, has a different take on the Laila track. “This is the best song of my career,” says the 40-year-old hunk. Don’t believe us? Take a look the making video and tell us if you agree with John.

Looks like John is so desperately trying to promote his forthcoming gangster drama that he has forgotten some really good numbers he’s been a part of in his career spanning over a decade now – right from the title track of Dhoom to the opening song of Shahrukh Khan’s production Kaal. In fact, Johnny boy was equally good in the dance numbers from Dostana and Desi Boys co-starring Akshay Kumar. And yet the hunk has given his vote to the seedy looking Laila track as the best song of his career. Now isn’t that a bit unbelievable?

Bollywood is not my final destination: Isha Talwar

Actress Isha Talwar is on cloud nine these days, having made a successful debut in Mollywood with 'Thattathin Marayathu' and consequently testing the waters in other South industries.

The actress is just fresh off her first Telugu film,Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde, which is garnering good response from the audience. "I'm still in that zone," beams an excited Isha, who also has a Tamil film with Prakash Raj, which will hit the screens soon. While the Telugu rom-com has her starring along with Nitin and Nitya Menen, the Tamil movie, which is a remake of the 1981 Rajinikanth-starrer by the same name, will have her doing a full-length comic film for the first time.

"It's a mad comedy. Since the Tamil film was itself a remake of the 1979 Hindi movie Gol Maal, which is a cult film, I am well-acquainted with it. So it was easy to slip into the role and the mood of the movie," she says.

Having worked in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil, ask the Mumbaikar actress if her final destination is Bollywood and she says, "Bollywood is not my final destination. If that was the case, it would have happened a while ago. There are offers but I'm not up for it right now. Currently, I'm getting good projects in the South and I want to capitalise on them."

Meanwhile, Isha says she is in talks with a few Mollywood directors and hopefully will sign up something soon. "I would love to do more good roles in Malayalam," she says.

Apart from movies, Isha has been busy filming for ads as well, being selected as the face for several brands post the success of Thattathin Marayathu. "Things are happening in all fronts, slowly and steadily," she signs off.

Who is the Hottest Bollywood couple: Abhi-Aish, Saif-Bebo, SRK-Gauri?

They have made us believe in love. They have taught us how to fall in love. Our Bollywood stars are not only famous for their on screen romance, but also for their off screen love stories. Here is the list of five hottest couple of Bollywood, who stayed together through thick and thin. Shahrukh-Gauri: Shahrukh Khan married Gauri at the age of 21 when SRK was nothing. Gauri's parents were against this marriage as Shahrukh was from a different religion. However, he later convinced Gauri's parents for the marriage. Aishwarya-Abhishek: The first movie Aish-Abhi did together was Dhai Akshar Prem Ke. At that time, Abhishek Bachchan was not as successful as Aishwarya. Their romance started on the sets of Bunty Aur Babli, where Aishwarya was shooting for her item song 'Kajra Re'. Saif-Kareena: The couple started dating during their Tashan days. Saif Ali Khan admitted his affair with Bebo at designer Manish Malhotra's show at the Fashion Week in the year 2007. Akshay-Twinkle: Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna fell in love while doing a movie together. Akshay has claimed that he's been a very lucky guy, ever since he got married. Hrithik-Suzzanne: Hrithik saw Sussanne first time on a traffic signal and fell in love with her at the very first sight. Hrithik finally married Sussanne on December 20, 2000

Bollywood- GOSSIPS & NEWS

Sunny Leone refused permission to perform in Dubai

The controversial queen and porn star Sunny Leone was unable to perform a cage dance in Dubai nightclub called 'Wild and Sunny' which was organized by Javed Shafi, CEO of Premiere Production House. Sunny Leone's show got cancelled last minute due to rejection from DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing).

According to organizer Javed Shafi, all those who had purchased tickets to see Leone were refunded and the entry was made free for the night as opposed to the Dh100 tickets at the door. However, the audience had enjoyed the night with DJ Shadow, Hani and Bollywood dancers. 

After this mess up, Sunny is expected to return with the cast of Shootout at Wadala at Ibn Battuta Mall, alongside John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Tusshar Kapoor. Whereas the organizers of Premiere Production House are wondering how she will get a chance to promote and perform for her movie promotion in Dubai.

Bollywood Actress Vidya Balan in Cannes Film Festival's jury

New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Hindi film actress Vidya Balan and 'Life of Pi' director Ang Lee are part of the prestigious 66th Cannes Film Festival's nine-member jury, headed by Hollywood director Steven Spielberg.

Balan, 35, one of the most respected performers in India, is best known for her path-breaking roles in films like 'The Dirty Picture', 'Kahaani' and 'Parineeta'.

Priyanka Posts Krrish 3 Wrap-Up Pic

Priyanka Chopra just informed us that the superhero sci-fi, Krrish 3, has been finally wrapped up. The actress posted a pic from the sets that has her, Hrithik and Rakesh Roshan, along with the following tweet:

"Film wrap #Krrish3 ! Yay! Congrats team !"

Check out the image posted by Peecee:

Directed by Rakesh Roshan, the film also stars Kangana Ranaut, Vivek Oberoi and Shaurya Chauhan in pivotal roles.

Krrish 3 will release during Diwali this year along with its 3D format on 3rd November.

Unforgettable songs Shamshad Begum gifted to Bollywood

Legendary singer Shamshad Begum, a pioneer of Bollywood’s music fraternity and the voice behind some of its most memorable hits passed away at her Mumbai residence on Wednesday. She was 94.

Be it Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon or her superhit Leke Pahla Pahla Pyar, Shamshad’s songs continued being favourites with music aficionados, even when she was past her prime.

She was born on 14 April, 1919 in Amritsar, and made her singing debut on Peshawar Radio in 1947.

Legendary singer Shamshad Begum. Image: ibnlive

Her very first mentors were sarangi maestro Ustad Hussain Bakshwale Saheb and composer Ghulam Haider. Shamshad Begum’s earliest film songs were in Ghulam Haider’s Khazanchi(1941) and Khandaan (1942).

Here are some of Shamshad’s most popular hits:

Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon- Patanga (1949): This song, picturised on the beautiful Nigar Sultana was a superhit in the late 1940s. The song was composed by C Ramchandra.

Leke pehla pehla pyar – CID (1956): This foot-tapping number from the crime-thriller was one of her many superhits. She collaborated with another musical legend Md Rafi to sing the song composed by OP Nayyar. The song was picturised with Dev Anand and Shakila.

Kabhi aar kabhi paar – Aar Paar (1954) : The title track of the movie Aar Paar was sung by Shamshad Begum. The movie was directed by Guru Dutt, music was composed by OP Nayyar.

Saiyan dil mein aana re – Bahar (1951): Picturised on the beautiful Vyjayanthimala, this song was a huge hit. In fact, the remixed version of the song, which hit the airwaves in the late 1990s,  too topped the charts.

Kajra Mohabbatwala Ankhiyon mein Aisa dala- Kismat (1968): In this hit number, Shamshad Begum sang playback not for the heroine, Babita, but for the hero of the movie, Biswajeet, who was dressed in drag. O P Nayyar was the music director and the song was a duet with Asha Bhosle.

BOLLYWOOD - News & Gossips

Salman Khan's Mental suffers Rs.25 crore loss

Producer-director Sohail Khan and actor Salman Khan's forthcoming film Mental seems to have hit a hurdle, as the movie already has incured a loss of Rs.25 crore due to a tiff between stuntmen from Mumbai and those from the South. 

Sohail had hired a leading South Indian fight master for the film and sources claim that as per the All India Film Employees Confederation (AIFEC), 70% of the fighters have to be from the Hindi film industry and the remaining 30% from the region of the fight master. But fighters from the South refused to shoot, demanding 50% of their men be hired for the action scenes.

A leading tabloid quoted a source as saying, "The unit had to return within a week even though it was a 15-day schedule in Kolhapur because the fighters refused to shoot. There was another schedule in Lavasa, which was a continuity sequence from a Dubai shoot, that needed the same fighters. There too, the Film Employees' Federation of South India (FEFSI) refused to send their stuntmen."

The tabloid quoted another source- Dharmesh Tiwari, President of AIFEC, saying,"The FEFSI is not ready to follow the rule passed in March 2013, and they are forcing the producer to take 50% of their fighters."

This disturbing turn of events has forced several filmmakers to replace South Indian action directors with local ones.

Get ready for a movie on Charles Sobhraj

The Bikini Killer has captivated the attention of many film makers. The story of Charles Sobhraj who is widely believed to be a psychopath will soon be put across on the 70mm. Now the search is on for an actor who can depict Charles' lifestyle on the silver screen.

Charles who made headlines for his one dozen murders has always got the B-town directors fascinated. And the good news is that producer Arun Rangachari has managed to acquire the rights of author Farrukh Dhondy's book titled The Bikini Murderswhich is based on Sobhraj's life.

The book presents an inside account of what is described as Sobhraj's hideous crimes. 

According to a source in a daily, "Earlier attempts at making a Sobhraj biopic have failed because of the quick reaction from his lawyers. But now the hurdle seems to have been circumvented with the acquisition of rights."

Well, the audience is already very excited to see the reel story of Charles Sobhraj.

Prabhu Deva's on a fast track

That Prabhu Deva is a swift dancer is well known. But few know that he calls his directorial shots with equal speed. The strict clock wise precision with which the actor is going about making the Shahid Kapoor andSonakshi Sinha starrer 'Rambo Rajkumar' has kept all the concerned departments of his film running out of breath.

A source revealed that at the recent stint in Gujarat, the unit was on its toes throughout the schedule.

"Prabhu Deva would usually okay the shot in a few takes and then immediately move on to the next scene and call for a change and if he found anybody slow and unprepared he would call it a day. He would then see to it that that person gets well prepared for the next day's work. Not even a second was allowed to be wasted. Thus right from the lightman to the camerman to the dress designers, all had no choice but to be alert on the sets," said the source.

Bollywood - GOSSIPS & NEWS

Pankh director threatens legal action against Zoya Akhtar

Sudipto Chattopadhyay is claiming that Zoya has lifted the concept of his film for making one of the short films in Bombay Talkies

While Zoya Akhtar maintains that she’s not taken inspiration from any film, let alone ripping off the core concept of it, Sudipto Chattopadhyay claims that the portion directed by Zoya in Bombay Talkies looks very similar to his own film – Pankh. His film was about a young lad who is confused with his own sexuality and often confides in Bipasha Basu – who plays a fairy in the film. And even Zoya’s film looks strikingly similar. This small kid is confused about his sexual identity and visualizes Katrina Kaif as a fairy more often than not. Kat is playing herself, a star in the film. Zoya says she hasn’t even seenPankh and it’s her original idea.

The film is surrounded by controversies even before the release. Let’s see if Sudipto’s claim is true or not…we will get to know that once the film hits the screens.

Mandira Bedi will return to fiction on television after nine years

The Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi actor says it won’t be a daily soap and she won’t be playing a mother

TV viewers loved her as Shanti, and they loved to hate her as the Mandira of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. After staying away from fiction shows for nine years, actor Mandira Bedi is set to make a comeback. At 41, she is glad she won’t be playing a mother on screen.

“I’m coming back to fiction shortly, after nine years,” Mandira told IANS over the phone from Mumbai. The actor, who ruled the small screen with her popular fiction show Shanti in the 1990s, is confident that her new show will be a “game-changer”. Without divulging any details about her comeback vehicle, she said it is the project that lured her back.

“I can’t say anything about it because I haven’t signed the contract yet. All I can tell you is that it is going to be a game-changer on Indian television. It had to be something special for me to come back because all these years, I have been away from fiction and, yes, this is not even a daily soap,” she added.

The multi-faceted actor, who has worked in plays, TV soaps, films and live shows, and has featured in two IPL telecasts too, is also kicked about turning anchor for music reality show Indian Idol Junior. But she is overjoyed about returning to the fiction space.

Mandira went to reveal a little bit more about the show. “All my contemporaries are playing moms on screen, I am not playing a mother in this one. I have been able to dodge that bullet so far. I’ve been in this business for 19 years, and so if I’ve managed to dodge the bullet for that long, I hope to do that for some time more,” she said in an excited tone.

Mother of a son who is yet to turn two, Mandira admits there were reasons why she was away from the fiction space all this while. “Shanti was a very aspirational character. Then in between, Indian television went through this phase when soaps got into regressive kind of characters. The sole motive of the protagonists would be to keep peace between family members and the greatsest obstacle would be to overcome a tough mother-in-law,” said Mandira, who is married to filmmaker Raj Kaushal.

“I have been a part of a show like that as well, playing a negative character in Kyunki… But that’s the last of fiction I did. So all this while there is nothing that appealed to me,” she said.

Nevertheless, she pointed out a show like Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, which she felt was “positive” and “out-of-the-box”. By then, she got caught up doing anchoring.

“After I started hosting cricket shows, people just got so caught up with me being an anchor that they didn’t look at me in any other way. And honestly, I didn’t see myself giving 25 days a month to a daily soap.

“I hosted big TV shows after every little while, and I kept myself busy hosting corporate shows. I kept the actor in me alive through theatre. I didn’t see myself getting into the daily soap business,” she said.

Meanwhile, she is enjoying motherhood, watching the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and every bit of being in her 40s! “Why not,” she asked.

Age no bar- now mainstream Bollywood accepting the trend of older heroines romancing younger heroes.

While near, 50 heroes have been habitually romancing girls less than half their age on screen, the reverse trend seems to be catching on in Bollywood now.

Actresses are being paired opposite younger actors, too.

Commercial cinema no longer considers it a taboo for an older actress to court a younger actor on screen.

There have been the stray instances in the past, of course. In the '70s, Zeenat Aman played lovergirl to Rishi Kapoor, a year younger than her. Akshaye Khanna had a love track with Dimple Kapadia in Dil Chahta Haibut that was owing to demands of the script. Aishwarya Rai romanced Vivek Oberoi inKyun...Ho Gaya Na, and Abhishek Bachchan in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke and Kuch Na Kaho. While Vivek is three years younger, Abhishek, who she subsequently married, is younger by a couple of years.

These, though, were exceptions. The trend seems to be catching on now.

Kareena Kapoor, 32 romances Imran Khan, 30 in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

About her:
Kareena has consistently been among the top female stars over the past decade. While her career has mostly been on a high, the only producer who seems to be offering her roles after her marriage last year is buddy Karan Johar. Gori Tere Pyaar Mein , produced by Karan, casts her opposite Imran Khan with whom she has already starred in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, also produced by Karan. While that film was a passable hit, Kareena will hope for a better show this time.

About him:
Imran's career is yet to soar to the heights it was expected to when mamujaan Aamir Khan launched him in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na . Apart from his debut film, most of his hits such as Mere Brother Ki Dulhan ( co-starring Katrina Kaif) and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu(Kareena) have banked on the heroine. Considering his last,Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, bombed, he will bank on his pairing with Kareena for another hit.

About the film:
The romantic comedy is directed by Punit Malhotra, who made the Imran-starrer I Hate Luv Storys, the actor's biggest success so far. Karan signed Kareena after Punit's rumoured ex-girlfriend Sonam Kapoor dropped out.

Kalki Koechlin, 29 romances Aditya Roy Kapoor, 27 in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

About her:
Kalki has carved a niche in Bollywood with her range despite not being comfortable with the Hindi language, ever since she shot to fame in hubby Anurag Kashyap's Dev. D. Not burdened with a set image, she fits the bill in commercial as well as crossover films. She can gel as the second heroine in a mainstream hit like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and score with a strong role in an art film like That Girl In Yellow Boots.

About him:
Aditya has done supporting roles in films such as Guzaarish andAction Replayy. His solo career is expected to take off with Aashiqui2 , releasing next week. In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, he plays a romantic second lead opposite Kalki.

About the film:
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is a coming-of-age road movie directed by Ayan Mukerji. While the rom-com primarily revolves around Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Kalki and Aditya form an important aspect of the script. The film has been shot at scenic locales from Kashmir to France.

Priyanka Chopra, 30 romances Ranveer Singh & Arjun Kapoor, both 27 in Gunday

About her:
Ex-Miss World Priyanka, though counted among the top female stars in Bollywood right now, has had to weather storm lately owing to her alleged fallout with Salman Khan and also because of rumours linking her to Salman's bete noire Shah Rukh Khan. Ranveer and Arjun, considered two of the brightest prospects among leading men in the post-Khan era, seem to be practical choices. Her only upcoming biggie is Krrish 3 but that film is being touted as a Hrithik Roshan vehicle. So, she would bank on the newbie heroes of Gunday for a superhit.

About them:
Ranveer is second cousin to Sonam Kapoor from her mother's side, and he had a smooth entry into Bollywood with Band Baaja Baaraat. He quickly became the blueeyed boy of Yash Raj Films, who produced his debut film as well as his next, Ladies Vs RickyBahl , and the upcoming Gunday. Arjun came with the pros and cons that every star kid faces, being the son of producer Boney Kapoor. Although his debut filmIshaqzaade saw only a middling run at the box-office, he is not short of offers. After his action role in Gunday, he will play the loverboy in 2 States.

About the film:
Gunday is about a couple petty thieves in Kolkata of the eighties who go one to become coal mafia dons. The film is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Aditya Chopra. A major part of the film was shot in Kolkata.

Shruti Haasan, 27 romances Girish Kumar, 26 in Ramaiya Vastavaiya

About her:
Kamal Haasan's daughter Shruti tried foraying Bollywood with Luckopposite Imran Khan but the film bombed. She returns in RamaiyaVastavaiya, with Prabhu Deva directing. The film is more in the new because it introduces Tips honcho Kumar Taurani's son Girish in Bollywood.

Shruti's career as a star is yet to take off and she divides her time between acting and singing. She has also composed music for Tamil films.

About him:
Opting to be launched as Girish Kumar, the budding actor wants to avoid being known by his illustrious surname. Kumar Taurani's son will have the advantage of being introduced in a film directed by Prabhu Deva, known as the man with the Midas touch after Wanted and Rowdy Rathore. Girish has the advantage of being the scion of the family that own Tips Films, one of the biggest banners in Bollywood.

About the film:
Kumar Taurani wanted a launchpad that would showcase his son as a traditional Bollywood hero. He chose Ramaiya Vastavaiya , a simple romantic drama that should give scope to Girish to showcase his dancing skills, romantic image and range in drama.
Jacqueline Fernandez does an item number in the film.

GOSSIPS & NEWS- Bollywood

Feel blessed to be a part of Bollywood: Sunny Leone

Indo-Canadian adult film star Sunny Leone, who landed in film, item songs and endorsements here after hit TV reality show Bigg Boss, says that she feels blessed as everyone is accepting her.

After her entry in the reality show, Sunny began her career in the Bollywood with Pooja Bhatt\'s Jism 2. She will be next seen in Ekta Kapoor\'s home production Ragini MMS 2.

Besides she has done an item song Laila and has a small role in Shootout at Wadala.

"This is a dream come true to be working in this industry. The journey till now has been amazing and hopes it stays that way. I am the new kid on the block. The kinds of offers that are coming my way are good and I feel blessed," Sunny told reporters here at the launch of energy drink XXX.

"I am happy people are accepting me and want to see more of me. I am happy to be appealing to teenagers, old people. I feel very happy and fortunate that everyone around is showing so much love. It makes me to continue to entertain here," she said.

Sunny is also happy that her first item song Laila has garnered good response.

"They wanted me to be part of the song is great and when everyone seeing and liking it makes me feel awesome and it is all because of the fans," she said.

In the same movie, Priyanka Chopra has also done an item songBabli Badmaash.

"I feel honoured to be in a film with Priyanka Chopra. I am not on same level as hers... She is been in the industry for long time. It feels great to be part of the film where she is also there," Sunny said.

Businessman-actor Sachin Joshi, the man behind Vikiing Ventures, roped in Sunny to endorse his energy drink.

Bollywood films are much more fun, says IM3 stunt director

Eric Oram talks about the stunts and story of Iron Man 3. DESIGN: ASIF ALI

NEW DEHLI: Iron Man stunt director Eric Oram feels that Bollywoood films are much more fun than American movies in several ways. He believes that there has been a noticeable leap forward in the production value of Indian cinema.

“The production value seems to be getting better. Over the past several years, Bollywood films are being taken more and more seriously by Hollywood film-makers,” said Oram.

Oram is looking forward to the third part in the enormously popular Iron Man series, starring Robert Downey Jr, Guy Pearce and Gwyneth Paltrow, and is directed by Shane Black.

Iron Man 3 more of an action-thriller featuring popular Marvel comic character, Iron Man. What’s different this time?

There is a big difference in the story and in the tone of IM3. In IM1, we saw the rise of Iron Man. Tony is transformed into a more honest, likeable character than when he began.

In the second film, we saw the reaction and response to his rise. And though Tony manages to keep his tongue in cheek approach to saving the world intact, he is in fact challenged and humbled by his experience.

In this film, we see how being that hero has taken a huge toll on Tony and on those around him. This is a story about the man behind the iron mask, Tony Stark. It is about how he has to come out from hiding (behind the iron shield), and not just face his enemies, but himself.

How challenging is it to train actors?

The challenge of training most actors is time. Depending on the demands of the character, a given scene, or a given shot, we are usually racing against the clock from the word go. Every single actor is different and brings a unique set of strengths and weaknesses into the process. It is our (the stunt department’s) job to hide those weaknesses and showcase their strengths.

Advanced technology and equipment have helped improve shooting stunt scenes. Can you comment on that?

Certainly, there have been many leaps forward in film technology, and in the equipment we use in creating action, that have made it a lot easier to design and develop stunt sequences. When a stunt or fight is done practically, it has a certain look to it, which is still better than what a computer can create. Our goal on IM3 was to do every possible stunt and fight practically, only if it was absolutely necessary, would we turn it into a green screen shot.

The more realistic and practical the stunt or fight is, the more it increases the chances of the actor getting injured. The goal is to find the balance between what we can get away with doing for real, and what needs to be done with computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Hollywood has influenced Bollywood in a big way when it comes to action and adventure. What do you have to say about Bollywood films?

They don’t seem to take themselves as seriously as Hollywood films do. They can gracefully flow from a really intense and dramatic action sequence one minute, into a musical song and dance number the next. That kind of command of multiple genres compacted into a single Bollywood film is quite a feat!

The stunt coordinator on IM3, Markos Rounthwaite, was the action director for the recent hit,Ek Tha Tiger, before returning to Hollywood to work with us on IM3!

How do you control or manage the fear factor among actors?

Fear management among actors is a rather layered process. Because most actors are not trained fighters or stunt performers, they have to appear to be, and they must do so, again, in a very short amount of time. This can be very daunting, even for the most flexible of egos.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2013. 

'Ramanna' becomes 'Gabbar' in Bollywood!

It was earlier reported that Akshay Kumar will play the lead role in the remake of of Tamil hit 'Ramana', a 2002 blockbuster Tamil film which was helmed by A R Murugadoss and starred Vijayakanth and Simran. The Hindi remake will have a catchy title 'Gabbar'.

While it is confirmed Akshay Kumar would don the lead role, the leading lady is yet to decided and the official announcement is awaited. A R Murgadoss who is busy filming for the Hindi version of Thuppakki, supposedly titled 'Pistol' seems not interested in directing the remake of 'Ramana' in Hindi and so Telugu director Krish will be doing the remake.

Bollywood star gets 4 weeks out of jail

New Dehli - India's top court on Wednesday granted Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt four weeks of freedom before he must return to prison for firearms offences, but refused him more time to meet filming commitments.

Dutt, who was convicted for possessing arms supplied by the plotters of deadly blasts in Mumbai in 1993, had appealed on humanitarian grounds for another six months of freedom because of his on-set commitments.

In a ruling by the Supreme Court, a two-judge bench said they were “not inclined to extend the time” by the six months Dutt had requested.

The muscular, tattooed 53-year-old was freed on bail in 2007 after serving 18 months of a five-year sentence and was allowed his liberty while appealing his conviction.

But last month the Supreme Court ruled he must return to jail by April 18 to serve the remainder of his sentence for the possession of firearms supplied by gangland bosses who staged the string of bombings that killed 257 people in Mumbai.

At an emotional press conference last month, Dutt, whose late parents were two of India's biggest film stars, said he would accept his fate and surrender to prison authorities before his deadline.

He tearfully said at the time: “I am a shattered man, my family is shattered. These are tough times in my life.”

The actor, whose mother was Muslim and whose father was Hindu, was acquitted in 2007 of conspiracy charges over the blasts staged by Mumbai's criminal world.

The bombings across the city were seen as retaliation for religious rioting in which mainly Muslims died following the razing of an ancient mosque.

Despite the acquittal Dutt was found guilty of possession of an automatic rifle and a pistol, which he insisted were only meant to protect his family amid the highly charged atmosphere in Mumbai following the mosque's destruction.

Analysts estimate there are some 2.5 billion rupees ($45 million) riding on Dutt in Bollywood, with four or five films in the pipeline. 

Bollywood’s Ayushmann Khurrana latest victim of celebrity death hoax

The actor was declared dead in a skiing accident by a fake news site, which incidentally has declared a Hollywood celeb now replacing Khurrana’s fate

Fans of Bollywood’s latest heartthrob, Ayushmann Khurrana, were in for a rude shock last evening when news spread like wildfire that the actor-singer had died in a horrific skiing accident.

A spoof online news site, Global Associated News, posted this nugget, which read: ‘Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is reported to have died shortly after a snowboard accident earlier today.

‘The actor and novice snowboarder was vacationing at the Zermatt ski resort in Zermatt, Switzerland with family and friends.

‘Witnesses indicate that Ayushmann Khurrana lost control of his snowboard and struck a tree at a high rate of speed’.

The news goes on to read that the actor was air lifted by ski patrol teams to a local hospital; however, it is believed that the actor died instantly from the impact of the crash.

The actor was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and drugs and alcohol do not appear to have played any part in his death.

The only thing missing from this story was ‘April Fool’s Month’ at the bottom.

As news of this story spread on social media sites, Khurrana, who was in Dubai earlier this month for the world premiere of his latest, ‘Nautanki Saala’, tweeted to his fans and reassured them he was alive, well and ready for action.

He wrote:  “I have been hearing some bizarre rumours about my demise. RIP rumour mongers. Thanks.”

Several fans and friends of the actor responded to the tweet, with Demi Lovato writing: “Oh my, thank god you’re alright. I almost got a heart attack when I heard this rumour.”

Hetal Adesara said: “I just read it and I almost died. Came here quick to check. What a nasty piece of news.”

Salil Acharya wrote: “Ayushmann, heroic it was, lovely ski resort too.”

Incidentally, the same spoof site today has removed Khurrana’s name and replaced it with that of Hollywood hunk, Channing Tatum.

In the last few months, several celebrities have been named in death hoaxes, with this particular site naming Tom Cruise, Mickey Rourke, Justin Bieber and several other such big names in this fictitious skiing accident.

At least Khurrana can boast he has finally arrived with his name taken in the same breath as some of the mentioned celebrity A-listers.

I have no Bollywood aspirations: Mohit Raina

Mohit Raina

The poster boy of Indian televison on what it takes to be Mahadev on screen

He plays the Hindu god Shiva onscreen, but he's endowed with the proverbial good looks of a Greek god. Yet Mohit Raina is in no hurry to switch from TV to the silver screen. "I am happy playing Mahadev at the moment, there are still lots of stories to be told, so my loyalties are towards the serial first. There are no Bollywoodaspirations as of now. In fact, after playing God, nothing remains on my wish list," says the actor who was in Varanasi recently to create awareness about a clean Ganga.

But doesn't this godly act limit the actor? There are examples from the past, like Arun Govil and Nitish Bharadwaj, who were extremely popuar as Ram and Krishna respectively, but disappeared from the scene once their shows went off air.

"Times have changed," replies Raina, "Television as a medium is much much more stronger now than it was at that time. Every top Bollywood actor is keen to make an appearance on TV, and the success of television actors in Bollywood has been phenomenal, the most recent example is Sushant Singh Rajput. So, the small screen is no longer small."

He adds, "Moreover, the character of Shiva has different shades, like romance, action..., so for an actor there is great scope to perform. Till now, he (Mahadev) was confined to calendar art, I am happy that through the serial we have been able to present those aspects of his personality that had remained unexplored so far," says the poster boy of television.

However, playing Mahadev has not been a cakewalk. "There was a lot of pressure as the makers of the serial were keen to come up with something different, something which had not been created till now. I sat with the research team to understand what strategy they had in mind, but what really helped me was the day-to-day feedback from the viewers, which helped me to grow and evolve. It did not happen overnight. There were certain scenes that involved dancing, so I made sure that I had done proper rehearsals, since I am not a natural dancer. Even the kind of dancing those scenes demanded required some training, which I undertook," he says.

However, the celebrity status comes with its share of controversies. Buzz is that all is not well between him and Sonarika, who plays Parvati on the show, to the extent that both of them are not on talking terms with each other. "Can you ever believe that all this is possible with the kind of work we are doing? I guess it started with the two of us not spending much time together on the sets. The reason being she is very quick with her lines, while I take some time. I need my own space to rehearse my lines. So, when people see us sitting separately, they misinterpret it. She is Adishakti, so how can she be ignored?" jokes Mohit.

Rumours of him dating Mouni Roy who played the part of the Sati in the serial, were also doing the round, we remind him. "This is not true, people had misunderstood seeing us together. We are just good friends, there is nothing more to it. When you are working round the clock, there is no scope for a relationship," he replies.

He even laughs off being considered the perfect match for Priyanka Chopra, according to the actress' family. "I have heard about that. Perhaps the reason is that Mahadev is too irresistible for any mother who is in the quest of a husband for her daughter, because of the qualities he represents," he reasons.