Amitabh Bachchan+Abhishek Bachchan=Akshay Kumar?

Now that Akshay Kumar is a consistent hit-maker, he is demanding $250,000 (approx Rs 1 crore) per show for the Bachchan world tour titled Unforgettable (organised by Wizcraft). He has made this demand to Wizcraft CEO Viraf Sarkari who was shocked to hear it. After all, Akshay is demanding payment equal to what both Amitabh and Abhishek would get put together !

Not justified

The latest is that negotiations are on with Akshay and should he agree, Wizcraft will not pay him more than Rs 50 lakh per show (nearly 30 shows are being planned). A source close to Wizcraft says, "Akshay does not understand the economics. It's a sad reflection of what actors today are doing to kill shows that are a craze with the NRIs. Astro-nomical fee demands have made these shows a losing proposition, that's why there's no show with film stars this year."The source adds that the last two shows with Bollywood stars — Heat (SRK and friends) and Rockstar (Salman Khan, John Abraham, etc) — did not do well at all. "Today, only a show led by the Bachchans/ SRK/Hrithik Roshan can draw crowds. The selling price of a SRK show touches $650,000 (approx Rs 2.6 crore). Akshay only commanded a crowd of 2,500 people for his performance in Heat, for which he was paid Rs 30 lakh per show," he explains.Wizcraft director Andre Timmins covers up for Akshay. "We have no problems with Akshay. He has agreed to be part of the tour. We have a long association with him; he is like family," says Timmins.However, Sarkari contradicts his partner by saying that they haven't finalised Akshay yet. "Our main line-up includes the Bachchans, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh and Shiamak Davar," he says.Viraf adds, "We cannot reveal the money being paid to the stars. We are still negotiating with Akshay. He has been busy with his shoots."An hour later, Viraf calls to clarify, "I am in Bangalore and wasn't aware of the details. I believe Akshay has been finalised for the tour."The buzz is that Akki has agreed to a pay cut and will get about Rs 50 lakh per show. Akshay was unavailable for comment.

The pay-offs
(Approximate figures paid to the stars for the tour)

Amitabh Bachchan: Rs 60 lakh

Abhishek Bachchan: Rs 50 lakh

Aishwarya Rai: Rs 35 lakh

Bipasha Basu: Rs 15 lakh

Lara Dutta: Rs 10 lakh

Riteish Deshmukh: Rs 10 lakh

Courtesy:Midday

Bipasha Basu has a baby to pamper!

Bipasha Basu is over the moon. Her elder sister Bidisha has just delivered a baby girl. And Bipasha, who's currently shooting an item song at Film City with boyfriend John Abraham couldn't be happier.
"I'm so happy. Because now I have both a nephew and a niece. I can buy the sweetest girlie things for her. And that's so much more fun than shopping for a boy. I was bored of buying Spiderman and power-ranger kits. Now I can buy the barbies for my niece. I'm so excited."
Incidentally Bipasha loves to have her nephew around the house. "Though he's quite a handful and keeps me on my toes it's good to keep up with his energy level. And now with a niece in the family I can have both of them to keep me busy when I'm not shooting."
And that won't be too often in the near future.
Courtesy:sify.com

Jodha Akbar will release on October 12

There have been rumours about the release date of much-awaited movie, Jodha Akbar. It was assumed that the release of the movies is postponed. But the director Ashutosh Gowatrikar refutes all these rumours and says the movie will release on the decided date.
"I've been reading stories of Jodha Akbar being postponed every couple of months. These rumours are not true at all. We had locked in on October 12 as the release date since it coincides with Eid when audiences swamp the theatres. We've to be stupid or careless to let go of such a coveted date. I've one song and some scenes left to shoot, some people might be jumping to the wrong conclusion. But October 12 was and is the release date for Jodha Akbar"

Nisha Kothari to do item number in Darling

Ram Gopal Varma's forthcoming film Darling starring Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol and Isha Koppikar has a surprise addition. Ramu's latest muse Nisha Kothari is also a part of Darling but in the form of a promotional music video for the film.
However, this video will not be part of the movie and will be used only for promos. Its music has been done by Pritam and choreographed by Remo. Says the sizzling actress, “It is just a song which is not part of the film. I have shot for a music video that will be used for the promotion of Darling. Ramuji asked me to do that and I agreed. I would not do any item numbers unless I feel like doing it. The song has been picturised on me and Fardeen Khan. We have shot this song in three days.”

Amitabh Bachchan on small screen again!

Actor Amitabh Bachchan is all set to make a comeback to television after the roaring success of his innings on game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.
"Yes, I'm definitely doing television again. Talks are on with several channels. And I plan to take up one or maybe even more of these offers very shortly," said Bachchan.
Asked whether it would be a game show, the actor laughed and said, "It's too early to say right now. It could be another non-fictional show. But I'm not ruling out fiction either. I've a whole lot of proposals from a whole bunch of channels. The offers are under serious consideration."
Courtesy:ibnlive.com

Anil Kapoor says Akshay Khanna is born to play Harilal's role

Anil Kapoor says Akshay Khanna is born to play the role of Harilal in Gandhi, My Father. Akshaye Khanna plays Gandhi's eldest son Harilal Gandhi in the film that deals with the personal and private life of the father of the nation.Here he talks about the role and the movie.
"He is born to play this role. You have to see it to believe it, the kind of work he has done. The script really moved me. I felt that this film should be made. That's the reason, I have produced this film"

Manoj Bajpai says, he's choosy!

Manoj Bajpai talks on fewer movies, he's doing and his focus on the scripts.
"I don't do many films, I like very few scripts. That's my DNA problem which I can't change. There are very few scripts that could satisfy me. That's the way I operate. I really don't know what I look for in a script but it happens with me that I choose most of my films after the first narration. I work for myself. Just because I want to make audiences satisfied, I won't choose my films. If they get satisfied in the process of me getting satisfied through my roles, nothing like it. I won't choose films just for the sake of it"

Nobody can deny that Manoj is one of the excellent actors we have. But sometimes, being visible on movies get you other good films. Some compromise is necessary in bollywood. Otherwise even the best of actors go unnoticed!

NTR junior's acid test!

Director SS Rajamouli gave NTR Jr. the break of his life with Student No. 1. Later, with Simhadri he helped NTR establish himself as a mainstream commercial hero. So when Rajamouli wanted to make another film, the young hero was the obvious choice. The duo hope to be third time lucky in Yamadonga.NTR Jr. has lost 25 kgs for this film, which weaves in and out of fantasy as also deals tackles serious social issues. The film has seven heroines, Mamta Mohandas, Priyamani, Navneet Kaur, Parvati Melton, Rambha, Preeti Jhangiani and Veda Sastry. But clearly the biggest attraction of Yamadonga is the presence of the ever-charismatic Mohan Babu as Lord Yama and Kushboo, who plays his wife
Courtesy:Buzz18.com

Salman Khan and Ali Carter bonding

Marigold brought a new woman in the life of Salman Khan. Surprised? The mighty Khan has found a great friend in his Marigold star Ali Larter and he is making no bones in admitting that they share wonderful vibes.
Here Salman talks about Ali Carter
"I met her for the first time she gave me a very frosty-nosed look. I got an impression that she didn’t like me. In fact she didn’t even talk to me properly. I met her for the first time in one of the restaurants in Mumbai. She might not have liked so many people treating me as a big star. When I entered the restaurant, she didn't greet me warmly. But over the period, while working together in the film, we developed a very good friendship."

"Now we are so close to each other that she does not hesitate to seek advice from me. I have familiarised her with many things in Bollywood. She doesn’t know how film industry functions here. She is quite inquisitive about our culture, tradition and rituals. She wants to visit Indian and know it as closely as she can. I am really impressed with her.
I like people who show interest in India. I am happy that we are getting along so well. She has told me that she will be in touch with me even after our professional relations get over."

Konkona Sen Sharma wants to make us laugh now

Konkona Sen Sharma, known for her versatile acting, says she is doing a comedy film Sunglass because she wanted to try her hand at this genre.
"It is an important film for me because I have never done an all-out comedy," she said on the sidelines of the 9th Osian's-Cinefan film festival here. "I always wanted to experiment in this genre and I guess it's very necessary for me to do all kinds of films."

Rahul Bose to act in Santosh Sivan's Keral

After a peripheral but poignant role in Aparna Sen's 15 Park Avenue, Rahul Bose is playing a well-educated village guy who wants to bring changes into his birthplace in Santosh Sivan's period film Keral.
"It is a very interesting take on cross-culturalism. My character joins hands with a British planter. He believes this collaboration can bring changes in his village. At the same time the freedom movement has started. So he is torn between patriotism and progress."
"It is produced by a very respectable Hollywood company called Echolake who have produced Deepa Mehta's Water. It is written by an American called Cathy Rabin. It is set in pre-Independence day, though the period isn't the plot's point.
"But yes, it's my first period film. So far I have been offered urbane characters only," says Rahul.
Though Rahul refuses to reveal more, the film has four key British characters. Well-known actors from England are playing these roles.
"I can't reveal their names. But Nandita Das, who plays a girl from my village, is my co-star."
"Keral gives me one of the most sensitive roles I have been offered. They auditioned several actors across the world. For some reason they thought I had the best understanding of the character."
Santosh Sivan, whose last directorial project Navrasa was in Tamil, is shooting this intriguing film in his home state Kerala.
Courtesy:HT

Asin to be Kamal Hassan's leading lady

Asin made her entry into films with the Malayalam movie Narendra Makan Jayakanthan Vaka in 2001.Later she also made her presence felt in Telugu films. But the lady was determined to conquer new territories. So she ventured into Tamil films and became a successful actress in Tamil film industry.
Currently she is completing her last two Tamil films has now shifted base to Mumbai. Asin is residing in Lokhandwala and working diligently on the Hindi remake of her Tamil blockbuster Ghajini with Aamir Khan in the lead. This will be followed Rakeysh Mehra’s Delhi 6 starring Siddarth in the lead.
She has also been signed for an English movie, The Night 3 Step by Bharat Bali based on a story by M.T. Vasudevan Nair. It is believed the director is trying to rope in Kamal Haasan or Mohanlal for the male lead.
courtesy:buzz18

Sanjay Dutt pack his girlfriend off to South Africa

Sanjay Dutt's hearing has been postponed to the 31st. Sanju is Bollywood's Papa Bear and knows he isn't alone. But apparently he isn't getting the best of support from his 'good friend' Manyata. So it seems our man has sent her off to South Africa and even opened a boutique for her there. Obviously given the situation he is in right now, he doesn't want anything he cannot handle. Given the controversies surrounding him and Manyata, he preferres to have her at an arm's distance. So she's off to SA. The boutique is, of course, to keep her occupied.
Courtesy:buzz18.com

Baby boy for Sonu Nigam

Singer Sonu Nigam has become a proud father. His wife Madhurima delivered a baby boy on Thursday, July 26. Both, the mother and the baby are in good health. Sonu has taken a short break from work to spend quality time with his wife and baby. He informs that he is enjoying his new found father status with his family in USA. Sonu has named the baby boy as Nevaan (which means holy). Sonu plans to return India in September.
Courtesy:Indiafm

Govinda to act in Ganesh Acharya's next film

Choreographer Ganesh Acharya wore the director’s hat in Swami. It was a very simplistic film which starred Juhi Chawla and Manoj Bajpai. Ganesh is now busy setting things up for his next venture, titled Money Hai To Honey Hai. For this film, Ganesh has signed his favourite star Govinda to play the lead role. The film will be produced by Kumar Mangat.
Mangat informs that along with Govinda, Irrfan Khan and Upen have also been finalized for the film, while they are yet to finalize the leading lady of the film. They are also looking out for one more hero for the film for which they are in talks with some big stars.
Director Ganesh Acharya says that Govinda is like his brother. When he decided to turn as a director, Ganesh expressed his wish to work with Govinda. Govinda, though didn’t do Swami, promised to do Ganesh’s second film.
Talking about Govinda’s character, Acharya says that Govinda plays a carefree man who lives in the moment in MHTHH. Mauzam Baig has written the script of Money Hai To Honey Hai and Nitin Arora and Sony Chandy will be the music directors. Ganesh plans to start the shoot in October. The film will be shot entirely in Fiji Islands and Mauritius.
courtesy:indiafm.com

Crazystar Ravichandran composes again

Crazy star Ravichandran is working hard for his upcoming film, Manjina Hani. Poonam Kaur plays the female lead opposite Ravichandran. The movie, produced by Sandesh Nagaraj, is being directed by Ravichandran. The director is putting all his efforts to create a good film.
The movie, being shot in and around Sakleshpur, has music composed by the director himself. Despite of the bad weather in the areas around Sakleshpur, the entire team is working with full spirits for giving their best performance. Ravichandran will have a different look in the film. Reportedly, the actor also underwent a weight reduction programme for the role. The movie also casts Charulatha playing the role of a lady constable.
Courtesy:galatta.com

Mungaru Male Ganesh plays TV host

Ganesh has come a long way from a TV anchor, hosting the popular show, Comedy Time in Udaya TV to a successful actor today. He rose to fame with his blockbuster movie Mungaru Male which has earned an estimated forty crores till date.
He now plays the role of a TV anchor in his forthcoming film Krishna being directed by M.D. Sridhar. The movie, produced by Ramesh, will have Pooja Gandhi and Sharmila playing the female leads. Music is helmed by Harikrishna.
Courtesy:galatta.com

Mr.India was written for Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan was supposed to do Mr.India, says Anil Kapoor

Amitabh is one of the greatest actors. Yes, it's true I acted in several films whose screenplay was written with Amitabhji in mind. Amitabh was going to do Meri Jung. Initially, he was meant to do Mr India also. But I added my own style to these characters. If you see Mr India, you will never feel that this film was going to be done by Amitabh. Then I acted in Javed Akhtar's film, who used to write films only for Amitabh. I worked with Yash Chopra, who used to make films with Amitabhji. When people compared me to Amitji, I considered it an honour that at least I have reached this stage where people are comparing me with Amitji.

Rajnikant's Sivaji will compete with Shah Rukh Khan's OM shanti OM

Pottermania may come and go, but seems like the Rajnimania is far from over. The latest on Sivaji is that parts of the superhit film will be re-shot in Hindi. AVM, the production house had already planned to dub the film in Hindi. But the re-shoot will further cater to the tastes of the north Indian audiences.
Nabi Rajan, distributor and owner of Mumbai's Arora Talkies confirmed the news. He said, "The producers have decided to re-shoot some parts, especially the comic sequences. Rajnikant will lend his voice as he has always done for his Hindi movies." The Hindi version of Sivaji will be released in Diwali along with Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om and Sanjay Leela Bansali's Sawaariya. Besides Hindi, Sivaji is also being dubbed in Chinese and Japanese. In India too, despite its language barrier, the film did amazingly well in the northern belt. It will be interesting then to see how the audiences take Rajni rattling off dialogues in Hindi.

Puneet Rajkumar's latest movie with Hansika

Puneet Rajkumar is not called a power star for no reason. Appu, Akash and Arasu, Now the super hero is back in action with his next film, Bindaas, which is basically a love story. The film is the story of an average man who falls in love with a young girl and hoping to woo her, he gets involved in criminal activities. The former child artiste Hansika Motwani plays the female lead.
The movie is directed by D. Rajendra Babu, who makes a comeback after 18 months. The film promises to be a blend of emotions, sentiments, action and comedy. Chandrasekhar will be the producer under the banner of Udaychandra Productions.
Janardhana Maharishi, who was the writer for both Akash and Arasu will also be writing the script for Bindaas. Suman of Sivaji the Boss will play the villain's role. The other cast includes Nazar, Rahul Dev, and Vanita Vasu.
The tagline for the film is unique in itself. 'Be Happy. No BP'.

Pakistan doesn't hate Sunny Deol!

It wasn't too long ago, when Sunny Deol played a Pak-bashing Sardar in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. But looks like with times, tables have turned, and how! Sunny's latest film sees him playing a Pakistani national involved in human trafficking.
The film has already been in the news for being the first to be released simultaneously in Pakistan and India. Now with 20 trailers being released in Pakistan, it seems Kaafila has scored another first. It doesn't end there. Never before Kaafila, have trailers of a film been censored. Amitoj Maan who also acts and directs the film reveals, "With the buzz and expectations rising for our movie, there is further demand for the trailers in Pakistan. We are hoping the film further strengthens the ties between the two countries."Having seen the trailers (and the movie), the authorities are convinced the film is not anti-Pakistan. Kaafila will hit the screens in the both the countries on August 10.
Courtesy:buzz18

Ali Larter is promoting Salman Khan in Hollywood

If his Marigold co-star Ali Larter has her way, Salman Khan might just be the next Indian superstar on foreign shores. Apparently, the Heroes TV star has been talking about Sallu to several high-profile studio bosses in Hollywood.Says Marigold director Willard Carroll, “Ali is very impressed by Salman, and so am I. She’s been praising him in Los Angeles and has been telling people what it’s like to be an Indian superstar. I won’t be surprised to know that she’s spoken about him to big studio bosses.” While Marigold releases on August 17, it seems unlikely that Ali will be in India to promote the film. She’s recently been voted the sixth Hottest Woman in the World by Maxim magazine and also has a Hollywood film called Resident Evil: Extinction coming up for release.
Courtesy:midday

Kareena's nakras

Kareena refuses to dub for Boney Kapoor’s Milenge Milenge. Wants Imtiaz Ali’s film (also co-starring Shahid Kapur) to release first
The long in making Shahid-Kareena starrer Milenge Milenge, produced by Boney Kapoor, is in troubled waters again. This time, Kareena has refused to dub for the film.Debacle jodi?Says a source, “Kareena does not want to dub for Milenge Milenge even though it’s been ready for two years, as she is not excited about it. Apparently, she thinks that the Ashtavinayak film with Imtiaz Ali as director is a better proposition to upgrade the commercial prospects of her jodi with Shahid. Hence, she wants this project to release before Milenge Milenge.” The couple’s past films together, including Ken Ghosh’s Fida, Priyadarshan’s Chup Chup Ke and Abbas-Mustan’s 36 China Town failed to make a mark on he box office, so Kareena wants to play safe. “In the process, she is being very unprofessional with Boney, who paid her a whopping amount for Khushi simply because she agreed to do Milenge Milenge,” says the source.Murky watersInterestingly, Kareena’s beau Shahid is the reason Salman Khan did not do a guest appearance in Milenge Milenge, even though he had committed dates for it to Boney. The buzz is that he developed a problem with Shahid during last year’s Rockstars tour. When he returned from the concert with Shahid and Kareena, he refused to give dates to Boney. Apparently, Salman was angry at Shahid’s reluctance to reduce his concert fees when the organisers were in a tough spot. When we try to contact Kareena, her publicist simply says, “Kareena does not want to talk about it.”Satish Kaushik, the director of Milenge Milenge, does not deny that his film has been ready for two years but passes the buck on to Boney. “The delay is from Boney’s side. Kareena has no problems. Boney’s production house had a few financial problems (until No Entry did the trick), which have been sorted out now. We plan to release the film by the end of this year,” he says.Funnily enough, Boney says he hasn’t planned the release of Milenge Milenge yet! He says, “I will decide the release date of Milenge Milenge only after I return from Bangkok, where I am shooting Pokhiri. Kareena and Babita have seen the film.” An actor (requesting anonymity) from Milenge Milenge says he has no clue about when the film will see the light of day. “I have not been called to shoot for a long, long time. I have no idea what’s happening to it. I don’t know who is dubbing and who is not, but I pray it sees the light of day soon,” he says.
Courtesy:midday

We are very much together:Akshay Kumar

A couple of days back, Mumbai Mirror had reported that as per their ‘sources’, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna had a fallout due to which Akshay moved out of the house and checked in at Mumbai’s J.W.Marriott hotel for four days. But this story hasn’t gone down well with Akshay and Twinkle who has slapped the tabloid with a legal notice.
Says an annoyed Akshay Kumar, “The article is a clear representation of careless and irresponsible journalism. The freedom of press comes with responsibilities, which seems to have been put aside to give way to shock value journalism”.
But why did he feel to react to the story if it was just a baseless rumour? “We have never reacted to what is written about us because we are happy in our own little world and have never felt the need to prove anything to anyone. But people are taking advantage of our silence to slander us and write things without an iota of truth, which we shall not accept anymore. Furthermore this has been done with a clear mandate to tarnish and damage our image”, explains Akshay.
“We are aware that we are public figures and accept and understand that we would be in constant public glare, but we definitely have an objection to baseless and incorrect stories based on a figment of imagination.”
So will he be taking any action against the newspaper? “A legal notice has been sent to the concerned publication and we will take them to court. A petition in this regard will also be filed in the court. We do not feel this article published warrants any comments from our side besides what has been listed above and therefore would leave it to our legal representation to handle ”, concludes Akshay.

Madhur Bhandarkar with a model?

Madhur Bhandarkar has always been very selective about his public appearances. So when I happened to see him at the birthday party of a Mumbai model Mugdha Godse, I was a little surprised. Mugdha has been on the modelling circuit for a while now. She won the 2002 Gladrags MegaModel and Mahunt contest and has been featured in quite a few commercials. One of them was with Shah Rukh Khan. But somehow, I couldn't draw any connection between Madhur and Mugdha. The only reason for Madhur's appearance at the party could be his eye for women... to cast them in his films, of course.
Courtesy:Buzz18

Salman and Katrina make a great couple:Govinda

Salman Khan evades any question about his girlfriend Katrina Kaif and answers queries on his marriage philosophically. So media talks to anybody close to Sallubhai about his girlfriend. Most of his friends refuse to talk about Salman's personal life. But Sallubhai's latest bhaisaab Govinda doesn't hezitate to talk about Salman's personal life. He says "Salman and Katrina love each other very much. Katrina is a wonderful girl. She is graceful and simple. I admire her as an actress. She is constantly trying to strengthen her presence in Bollywood. And Salman also cares a lot for Katrina. I think they make a wonderful couple"
Wah Netaji!

Omkara should have been India's Oscar entry:Viveik Oberoi

Vivek Oberoi, whose role as Kesu Firangi in Omkara, Bollywood's version of William Shakespeare's Othello, won him critical acclaim, said the film should have been India's entry for Oscars as it represented the sentiments of the country much better than any other movie that was produced last year.
"The film (Omkara) should have been our entry to the Oscars. It represents India better than the other movie," he said during the 9th Osian's-Cinefan film festival being held in New Delhi.
Vishal Bharadwaj's film narrates the story of a successful chieftain Omkara, who is turned against his wife by a trusted member of his cohort after Omkara does not make him his successor. The movie has a powerful script backed by charismatic performances by Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kareena Kapoor and Vivek.
Although the film got rave reviews from critics, it failed to strike gold at the box office and was elbowed out of the Oscars race by Rakeysh Mehra's Rang De Basanti, which was selected as India's entry for the Academy Awards.
Courtesy:HT

Kay Kay Menon to play 14 roles

Kay Kay Menon is known for his versatility. He does something unique in every new film of his. Theatre actor-director and filmmaker Makrand Deshpande’s forthcoming film Drream Man will now explore a new side of Kay Kay. Menon will portray 14 different roles in Drream Man, which is a spoof on Bollywood films and actors.
Kay Kay informs that the film is a comic tale with a twist. He plays the Drream Man and also different characters like a cop, a journalist, an Englishman, a rock star, a milkman and other interesting personalities.
The film is an adaptation of Makrand Deshpande’s successful play called Ek Kadam Aage. Makrand himself will be seen in a cameo role. He portrays a struggler, who wants to make it big in the Hindi film industry.

Nandigram Massacre on screen

The Nandigram massacre, where defenseless villagers in West Bengal were allegedly killed by the ruling party enforcement troops and cadres, will know be brought alive on the silver screen. The nation had watched in shock and disbelief as one of the biggest scandals to rock the communist party regime in Bengal, unfolded, not too far from the intellectual capital of the country.
Ujjwal Chatterjee, maker of Escape From Taliban, who makes controversial films, is directing the project. The film will be made in Bengali and will star Mithun Chakraborty, Gracy Singh and ruling superstar of Tollywood, Prasenjit.
Read more

Peter Mukerjea takes on Star TV

What happens when the ex-CEO of a TV channel is tied down by a non-compete agreement preventing him from being a part of any broadcasting activity or business? Simple, he continues his activities but technically speaking the company is owned by his wife.
Indrani Mukerjea, wife of Peter Mukerjea (ex-CEO, Star TV) had set up a company by the name of INX Media. They will be launching a Hindi entertainment channel, a music channel and an English news channel towards the end of the year and nine more channels have been planned over the next two years.
Now some of the biggest names in the entertainment business have come forward to pledge their support to the fledgling media company. The 'content partners' INX Media has managed to rope in so far include Ekta Kapoor, Siddhartha Basu, Smriti Irani and Dheeraj Kumar, amongst others. These producers create fairly diverse content, but they do have one thing in common. They were all the favourite producers for STAR TV earlier. In fact some of them produce content for Star TV even now.
Guess Peter is sending out a clear message to Star TV!
Courtesy:Buzz18

Dino Morea dumps Nikta Anand

Apparently Dino Morea dumped Former Miss India Nikita Anand and she is traumatised. Says one of her close friends, "It happened three weeks back and she has been cribbing ever since Dino dumped her. ‘I've always been there for him, but he never cared enough' is what she has been repeating."
Our source also tells, "She was never too serious about Dino and had a liking for filmmaker Vikram Bhatt which landed her a small role in one of his film Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee.
Ironically, she wants to marry an industrialist-cum-politician."
While Dino was not available for the comment, the lady laughed the matter away saying "When was I seeing Dino?"
Courtesy:HT

Govinda on Khan brothers
"After Partner I've been indirectly offered another film by Sohail.I don't know what the project is, and I don't care. I'd do anything for the Khans blindly. When I was down and out they could've given me any role, I'd have happily accepted. They instead gave me a parallel role to Salman in Partner.I refused to accept any money for Partner although they kept insisting. I won't accept any money for this new project either. Does one talk about money with the people who have embraced you as a brother?.
Sohail and Salman are largely responsible for my second innings. When I didn't take any money for Partner, Sohail drove a Mercedes into my residence and gifted the key to my wife. Who does these things in this industry? I wish I had met more people like Salman and Sohail earlier in my career"
Courtesy:HT

Marigold director Willard Carrol loves Bollywood

Willard Carrol is the director of Salman's Hollywood movie, Marigold. Willard Carroll's love story with India started four years ago when he landed in Chennai for personal work. He sat and watched Salman Khan's Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. A director, producer and scriptwriter, Carroll was determined to meet the hero with a script. And he did come up with a script soon and Salman was bowled over by the script and Marigold happend. Here Carrol talks about Salman and the movie.
On India
India is one of the reasons for making Marigold. I wanted to spend as much time in India as possible. We shot in Vancouver only for three days. The rest of the movie was shot in India with an Indian crew and almost an all-Indian cast.
On Salman Khan
He is terrific but an underrated actor. He is easy to work with. He's instinctive and natural before the camera
On the character 'Prem'
It was a conscious decision to name his character Prem. I've seen quite a few of his movies. The name he told me is reserved to certain types of roles. In Marigold, his performance comes closer to some of his earlier ones. He also found it a good omen.
Hollywood or Bollywood?
The movie is for an American audience. They don't know what Bollywood is. So, I made a behind-the-scenes story. It's an affectionate tribute to the movies here.I've seen over 100 Bollywood films. My favourites are Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Black, Khamoshi, Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is immensely talented. I would like to work with the other Khans too. Ditto Amitabh Bachchan. His was the only name I was aware of before I came to India.
courtesy:HT

From Army to the film on Rajiv Gandhi

Major Ravi, a former Indian army officer had a passion for making films from his childhood. He joined the Indian army as a jawan in 1975, then graduated from the Army Cadet College to become a commando in 1988. He has won various gallantry awards, medals and citations for his brave works as a commando.
Now that he ha retired, he has made his foray into films, his childhood ambition. He first made a children’s film, Punarjani, starring Mohanlal’s son Pranav. His first film was a bi-lingual (Keerthichakra in Malayalam and Aran in Tamil) which threw light on the events that took place in the Indo-Pak border of Kashmir, Ladakh, Jammu and Kargil.
While in the army, he had led the team that investigated the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In his recent movie, Mission 90 days, he has beautifully shown the tribulations his team had to undergo before breaking into the house of the main convict, Sivarasan.
After bringing the raw facts about the operation to the public at large, he also wants the Gandhi family to see the film. He is organizing a special show in New Delhi for Sonia Gandhi and family to see the movie.
Courtesy:galatta.com

Pradeep Sarkar in a fix!

After years of struggle in Bollywood, Pradeep Sarkar finally managed a break with Parineeta. The film was well received and Sarkar even won an award for best debutant director. No mean feat at the age of 51. I would have thought this man would remain eternally grateful to Vidhu Vinod Chopra the producer. On the contrary, Sarkar moved into the Yash Raj Camp before anybody knew what was happening.
Now Sarkar is in a dilemma. He’s been in an atmosphere where the producer Vinod Chopra believes a director is the king. Suddenly in the Yash Raj camp he finds his script for Laaga Chunari Mein Daag has been changed, large portions of the film are being re-shot and the great god Aditya Chopra is calling the shots. Appealing to the other directors is of no avail as Kunal Kohli and Shaad Ali are total ‘yes’ men. So Mr Sarkar is one unhappy man.
Of course, it goes without saying Vinod Chopra is having the last laugh.
Courtesy:Buzz18

Silpa shetty sued!

Carter-Ruck, a law firm in the UK has sued Shilpa Shetty's company Cine Entertainment for failing to pay a bill of £13,000. The Celebrity Big Brother winner has not paid up Carter-Ruck whom she had consulted after the racial row on the reality show.
This is another blow to Shilpa since she was reportedly also dropped from famous publicist Max Clifford's client list due to conflicts with Max’s employees. Not only that, CTR Services, a security company claims the Bollywood star owes them £3,000.

New Vikram in Kandasamy

For the first time in Tamil cinema, so much of detailing and research is being done by a director and his team regarding the finer aspects and the look of a movie. Susi Ganesan and his team have been working overtime to see that their Vikram –Shriya starrer Kandasamy is a class apart.
Susi had taken off, for over a month location hunting in Africa and Italy, where no film has been shot. The costume schemes and concept for Vikram and Shriya were discussed with reputed Italian designers in Milan and Paris, where world's most revered and prominent fashion houses are situated.
A photo session with the lead pair of Kandasamy- Vikram and Shriya was shot in a Chennai along with the official costume designer Chaitanya Rao. Director Susi had got all the costume made for the photo shoot from Bangkok.
Now you know why Kandasamy is going to be a visual treat! When asked about his much talked about “new look”, Vikram just smiled and said: “You will definitely see a new Vikram in the film .I do not want to talk more about it at the moment”
The actor has just got back from a shopping spree in Singapore and Malaysia for the costumes for the film. He has also picked up quite a few designer labels like Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Giorgio Armani outfits for the film.
Courtesy:Sify

Anupam Kher says Bollywood needs more actors.

Anupam Kher says there is a dearth of actors in Bollywood and that is why he is making his second directorial venture with newcomer Ruslaan Mumtaz, who recently made his debut in the teenybopper romance Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar.
"The industry needs at least three dozen new actors. There are just a handful of stars now ruling Bollywood. Most filmmakers cannot afford them. We sincerely need to cultivate new talent," says Anupam.
Ruslaan is an ex-student of Anupam's acting school Actor Prepares.
"Whether it's Ruslaan or Sammir Dattani or even my own son Sikandar, these boys have the talent and the will to excel. That's where our acting school comes in. We're trying to create a talent bank for Bollywood. And if I don't use my own students, why would other directors do the same?" he asked.
"Ruslaan is an ex-student from my acting school and my proudest product so far. For my second attempt at direction I needed a face that was sensitive and vulnerable," added Anupam.
Anupam toyed with the idea of casting Ruslaan after the young actor's appearance in Mera Pehle Pehla Pyar got him encouraging reports.
"But the clincher for me was the boy's second film Tere Sang which Satish Kaushik is directing for our production company. Ruslaan's confidence level, his dancing and emoting were just right for the character I have in mind."
Anupam's untitled directorial venture is a romantic film and goes on the floors in January or February
Courtesy:HT

Rajpal Yadav to play 16 superheroes in Bunty Ka Mama

Rajpal Yadav may not be the suave hunk of Bollywood but he is one of the most versatile actors in the industry. Rajpal will be seen in 16 different roles in Basant Talreja's film, Bunty Ka Mama.
Excited about the film Rajpal informs Bunty Ka Mama will be one of the most challenging scripts that he is working on. Playing 16 different characters in a single film is a big challenge for him. He also informs that all these characters are superheroes like Superman, Tarzan, Batman, Shaktimaan, Tintin, Krrish, Mandrake the Magician and etc.
The film will be directed by Wilson Louis who made Ho Sakta Hai and Ghat. The film is expected to go on the floors by September. According to Wilson, Bunty Ka Mama will be a comedy and it will have lots of SFX.

Sushmita to adopt another child?

The real diva of Bollywood, Sushmita Sen is going the Angelina Jolie way. As per the sources, she is scouting for a girl child for adoption. Reasons behind this adoption are multiple, like she always wanted lots and lots of babies, preferably girls, doesn't matter if they were biological or not. But the most plausible reason seems to be her split with Manav Menon with whom her daughter Renee got very attached.
The immediate motive behind the adoption is to get Renee (who's missing Manav) a companion. However, the former beauty queen was not available for the comments.

Javed Akhter is not happy with Ramu's sholay!

Sholay's co-writer Javed Akhter on Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay
A film made nearly 32 years ago has had such an impact on every generation. There have been ads revolving around the characters, people have produced gags. Lines of dialogue from Sholay are still spoken at functions and shows.
Sholay has been the most powerful script of all time. Actually, whether it's Ram Gopal Varma or anyone else who remakes Sholay, leaves me indifferent and amused.
The original will always be fresh in everyone's memory. After everything now, here's a full-fledged movie basking in the glory of Sholay. My best wishes to Mr Varma. Don faced flak from the critics. I'm not against remakes per se. But a filmmaker must be creative, give it a different perspective.
Martin Scorsese's The Departed won an Oscar this year was a remake of Hong Kong movie. Ten Commandments was reattempted by a few people. Mother India was a remake of Aurat. P C Barua's Devdas was a remake.
Even Mughal-e-Azam had shades of Anarkali. But Ben-hur is among the few classics which has never been re-attempted.. there was no scope left for another version.

Akshay Kumar fights with wife Twinkle and stays in a hotel!

What do most mortals do after a domestic squabble? They swallow their pride and head back home. But of course if you are Akshay Kumar you can check into a five-star hotel.According to sources, last month after a furious altercation between him and his wife Twinkle over his alleged philandering, Khiladi Akshay checked into the JW Marriott, Juhu, for four days. "Yes, Akshay was staying with us and he was alone," confirmed a hotel staff on condition of anonymity. It is believed that Akshay's alleged dalliance with a certain Bengali starlet is at the heart of the domestic dispute in which Twinkle is said to have given her husband an ultimatum to mend his ways. "Twinkle got to know about this affair and was extremely upset about whatever was going on. She warned Akshay a couple of times, but he didn't pay heed. She finally decided she had had emough." Says another source, "We often saw Akshay's car stopping by at the actress' place to pick her up, at odd hours. They were spotted together, sometimes even on the sets, where either one of them was shooting." When contacted, Akshay Kumar who is shooting in Ladakh for Yashraj Films's Tashn, denied the whole story.

Shah Rukh to work with S. Shankar

Shah Rukh KhanAfter the blockbuster film Sivaji, starring Rajnikanth, director S Shankar is all set to work with Shah Rukh Khan. Shankar and Shah Rukh Khan will work together for an action thriller. Apparently, Shah Rukh has been in talks to work with Shankar for a long time now. Though the actor has yet to sign on the dotted line, the duo has discussed the script and other details of the film. It was only on the actor's request that the shooting will commence after a while. SRK has agreed to begin shooting for Shankar's film only after as he completes Shirish Kunder's film, which is untitled so far.

Shankar has won tremendous accolades for his recent release, Sivaji, prompting the makers to dub the film in Hindi and other foreign languages. A popular director from Tamil Nadu, Shankar has made many commercial Tamil movies based on social themes. He is also credited with delivering expensive, high-end computer graphics in most of his films. He started his career with Gentleman followed by blockbusters like Kadhalan, Indian, Jeans (one of Aishwarya Rai's first Hindi film) and Mudhalvan. He also directed the remake of Mudhalvan in Hindi titled Nayak with Anil Kapoor and Rani Mukherji. His recent release Sivaji: The Boss, which released on June 15 is said to have broken all Indian ticket sale records.

Courtesy:Mumbai Mirror

Carol and Anupama still can't stand each other!

Cold cats!

Looks like things haven’t still settled down between the contestants of the reality show Bigg Boss even after its end. Sources reveal that Anupama Verma and Carol Gracias who never got along well on the reality show, still haven’t patched up. Both the models seemed friendly in the initial episodes of the show but soon, the two had major issues with each other. Two’s a crowd?

According to our source, the two exchanged cold vibes and nasty stares recently at Ravi Kissen’s birthday bash last week. “Everyone knows that Carol can’t stand Anupama. At Ravi’s party, she bonded with everyone except Anupama.”

Cold vibes

Apart from the cold vibes being exchanged at the party, the buzz is that the two models even refused to be part of the same fashion show. A source from the fashion industry adds, “Anupama and Carol always check if either of them are doing the event. They are not too keen on walking the same ramp.” When contacted, a hassled and somewhat irritated Carol says, “Why would you be interested in what’s happening in my life? I have nothing to say on this.” Anupama was unavailable for comment.

Courtesy:Midday

Himesh Reshammiya talks candid on Koffee with Karan

The man who uses his nose to effect, now uses his mouth to clear the air about his wife and son for the first time on Koffee With Karan.

The one thing that impressed host Karan Johar about Himesh Reshammiya on Koffee With Karan was his honesty. Himesh (who celebrated his birthday yesterday) spoke for the first time about his wife and son on the show. In a chat, Himesh reveals why he has keep his family away from the spotlight, his relationship with Salman Khan, his career and the future:

You spoke about your wife Komal and son Swayam for the first time?

Yes and I added that I don’t like talking about my personal life. My friends had told me to be honest and I did. My personal life is separate from my career. But I acknowledged the fact that I am married with a 10-year-old son. Komal is a simple, home-loving girl and it serves no purpose bringing her under the spotlight. She won’t be comfortable. I am a very simple Gujarati boy from a traditional family.

Is that why you have kept your wife and son hidden?

It’s not just Komal and Swayam but my parents too. They have never attended any film functions. My mom’s birthday is on June 29 and I wanted to release Aap Kaa Surroor the same day. It was an emotional moment for me. I have no intentions of keeping my family away from my success — I want to keep them away from the media because my family doesn’t like it. My wife and son have seen the film and loved it.

There has been a buzz about you and Sonia Kapoor.

Those were baseless rumours. I am a devoted family man. She and I have always maintained that we are friends and there is nothing more. In fact, she recently said in an interview that she’s single.

Who is Swayam’s favourite star?

Shah Rukh Khan.

Does that make you envious?

No. SRK is my favourite too.

When did you get married?

At 21 and I started my career producing Gujarati serials at 16. Salman had promised to give me a break as a music director and he did it with Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya. It was only after Bhushan Kumar wanted me to feature in the Aashiq banaya video that my look and style was planned.

So you never wanted to become an actor?

Never. It was all totally unplanned. After the music videos became hits, my friend Prashant Chaddha was very confident that he could launch me as an actor. Music is in my blood. I have taken training from my father.

There has been talk of a problem between Salman and you.

It’s rubbish. We have always kept in touch. I met Salman during the Nagpur show and we performed together. He called me to the Partner trial last week. In fact after Aap Kaa Suroor released he called me the next day, wished me and said the film was doing good business. Recently, on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, he told one of the contestants naak se mat gana but I haven’t taken any offence to it. I love Salman — he can say anything. He’s my mentor who will always be there for me.

Aap Kaa Surroor raked in more than Rs 45 crore. Today Adlabs, Percept and others have approached you. How does it feel?

I’m honoured that they have. I’ve always thought that more than talent, it’s the blessings of God, the prayers of lakhs of people and my destiny which has helped me. I am not a big star nor am I conventionally good-looking. Now I have to treat every film of mine like a newcomer. The song Tadap in Darling will be my last song sung in my voice for a film I have not acted in. Kamal Hassan’s Dus Avaratham will be my last as a music director. Now I have to give quality work as every 18 months.

Courtesy:Mid-day

Shilpa Shetty, a home-breaker?

Yesterday, the Daily Mail carried details about a liaison between NRI businessman Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty.. as well as a heart-to-heart quotespeak with the estranged wife Kavita.
The widely read London tabloid, Daily Mail, has gone hammer and tongs against Shilpa Shetty, who till recently was the toast of Britain following her win on the television reality show Celebrity Big Brother. The actress, who has been jet-hopping between Mumbai and London, has been charged guilty of breaking the marriage of an affluent millionaire NRI couple of London. Of late, there have been reports claiming that Shilpa could tie the knot with Raj Kundra, a well-heeled London businessman and film financier.
Kundra's estranged wife, Kavita, 25, has blamed her marital break-up on the actress. Kavita has been quoted as saying, "My husband's obsession with Shilpa Shetty has broken up our marriage."
The Daily Mail story reports elaborate details about how Raj split from Kavita last November, weeks after their daughter Deleena was born on September 9.

The story adds that Kavita went to stay with her parents in the Midlands but when Raj returned to the UK after a visit to Mumbai, he sent her a series of terse text messages. "Don't bother me," was the first one.
Kavita is reported to have said that the subsequent messages were even more cruel: "He made it clear that he considered our relationship was over and didn't want to work on repairing our three-year marriage."
Kavita has gone on to lament that Raj was always enamoured by Bollywood and had had a fling with another actress last year. She added that Raj had been praising Shilpa and her family of late and said that they liked him. She added: "If he is planning to marry Shilpa, I would say to her, good luck. I was never the kind of wife he wanted. He always told me I wasn't ambitious."
Raj confirmed to the Daily Mail on Sunday that his marriage was over. Vis-a-vis Shilpa, he said, "I am the licenser of a perfume with Shilpa Shetty. We are just good friends. My wife has always tried to link me to any woman I have been associated with professionally. She is very insecure. I am divorcing her on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour - that she never supported my interests or wanted to go out with me."
He is the support behind her recently launched perfume - S2 and also her official representative in the UK. With time, the business association appears to have graduated to a personal one, as the two have been seen together at restaurants and also at a recently concluded awards ceremony in Yorkshire.
Raj Kundra's name has been heard in connection with Velocity Entertainment which distributed the Om Puri-Sophie Dahl movie King Of Bollywood in the UK.
Kundra co-produced Mere Jeevan Saathi featuring Akshay Kumar-Karisma Kapoor which was delayed in production and eventually sank without a trace. Another film, It Could be You, has not made any ripples

Courtesy:Hindustan Times

Aamir may work with Mani Ratnam

Aamir Khan's desire to work witn Mani Ratnam is not going to die down soon. It is believed that Mani Ratnam himself wants to go ahead with the much awaited film, Laajo. According to industry sources the problem for the delay seem to be the producer, Bobby Bedi. Even in his blog Aamir Khan hinted at the problem. Apparently Aamir is also not keen on working with Bobby Bedi.
Recently Mani Ratnam met Rang De Basanti writer Renzil D'souza to discuss the script of Laajo. Now the movie is taking a concrete shape and sources say Aamir Khan himself may produce the film, keeping his desire to work with Mani Ratnam. We are waiting!

Mungaru Male sweeps state award

The veteran director of South Indian films Singeetham Srinivasa Rao has been conferred the S.R.Puttanna Kanagal annual award by Karnataka State. The Film awards committee headed by Nagathihalli Chandrasekhar for the year 2006-2007 announced the awards recently. Singeetham gets Rs.2 lakhs award money and a gold medal.
Veteran actress M.N.Lakshmi Devi has been given the Dr.Rajkumar ward of Rs.2 lakh and gold medal. Producer, actor, director Dwarakish gets the life time achievement award. The award committee after viewing 37 Kannada films in the fray for the annual state awards declared Vijay of 'Dhuniya' and Thara of 'Cyanide' as the best actor and actress.
The mega hit 'Mungaru Male' has bagged six awards in the category of first best film, dialogues, music, cinematography, lyrics, sound recording, and 'Dhuniya' pocketed five awards at the Karnataka state awards. Duniya' has clinched the awards in the category of best actor (Vijay), supporting actor (Rangayana Raghu), Screenplay (Soori) and Playback singing (M.D.Pallavi for the song Nodayya Kwate Lingave….).
'Kada Beladingalu' has bagged two awards in the category of best socially relevant film and Janaki wins the best story award for the same film. 'Kallarali Hoovagi' has to be content with three awards in the category of art direction (Vittal), editing (Basavaraj Urs) and costumes (Nagini Bharana and Roshni).
The other category awards are – Murali for dubbing (Soundarya), Deepa for female dubbing artist (Arasu), Male playback singer – Hemanth for Janapada (Song - Thanuvinolaganudhinaviddu), Master Revanth for best child actor in 'Daatu', best regional film 'Badhi' (Tulu language). The special awards are given to 'Daatu' and dumb and deaf actor Dhruv for his role in 'Snehanjali' Kannada film.

Ajay Devgan to retire from action movies

Ajay Devgan made his debut in Bollywood with Phool aur Kaante, with his dare-devil stunts. Being Veeru Devgan's son he was expected to do all the stunts with ease. So, during his intial years, he was branded as action hero. Some movies bombed and some made money. But later in his career he started to experiment with comedy, romance and some offbeat movies. And in that phase he has grown as an actor tremendously. Now this fighter boy wants to quit fighting on screen. No more action movies for him! Why?
The reason is his very sweet daughter Nysa! As a caring father he wants to act in a movie which he can watch with his daughter. Isn't it sweet? So, Devgan is staying away from action movies, now. It is rumoured that Devgan’s directorial venture, U, Me Aur Hum has no fight sequences!

Sajid Khan the director

We all loved him on TV. We laughed our heart out when he tore apart each and every movie on TV shows. He's Sajid Khan. And the good news is he's directing a movie. The bad news is he's not going to tear his own movie apart! But hopefully he will sportingly accept all the criticism when his movie Heyy Babyy premieres! In an interview given to Hindustan times, he talks about his movie, his passion and his personality.

ON direction?

It’s very tiresome. You have to be a coordinator. Being a director just doesn’t mean writing a script, talking to actors and taking shots. There’s much more involved — you have to mediate between egos, make sure everyone is comfortable, take care of your crew, always liven up the sets with your jokes. I decided nobody was going to have lunch in their vans and everybody sat together and had lunch under the same roof. Initially there was a bit of resistance, but later everybody started doing that. And being a director means answering 100 questions a day, out of which 99 of them you don’t have an answer to. But I still have to answer them so perfectly that sounds convincing.
On debuting with a comedy!

The reason it is a comedy is that my name is synonymous with comedy. I have tried to keep it very Chaplinesque where the humour has a reason and takes the story ahead. If I were to compare it, I would like to do it with Munnabhai. It’s a comedy, which will also make a tear roll down your eyes. It has a message, but not as dramatic as the one in Munnabhai. The message is simple —don’t treat women badly all the time and not all men are bastards. My job is to make an entertaining film. I believe that it’s a big crime for a maker if you can’t make the audience enjoy your film.
On the title track of Heyy Babby, which

has all the bollywood heroines.They all are my friends and it was the title track. They all agreed to come on a one-month notice. You know it’s a big budget film, the most expensive comedy film ever made. Its budget is Rs 42 crore.
On his personality

I am not funny by nature. In fact I am a very serious person, very reclusive. I don’t like parties. What you see on TV is a paid job. What you see is not exactly what you get. I sit at home for days. I don’t like being in the limelight. I am on the job only because I need a job. If there were more money driving a truck, I would drive a truck. Talking without a script comes naturally to me.
On being single
As soon as you find me a girl my friend I will marry, but she has to share the same passion as I have for films. And she has to be intelligent. I can’t share the rest of my life with someone who doesn’t love movies.
Courtesy:HT

Dhirubhai's death secret on the screen?

When Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani died, there were rumours that the news of his death kept secret for few days just to protect the stock market from crashing. But nobody substantiated this rumour. Now the another rumour is making rounds in Bollywood. It is rumoured that Rahul Rawail's new movie 'Buddha mar gaya' is based on Dhirubhai's death.

Though Rahul Rawail himself says film is not based on Dhirubhai's death, but agrees that the storyline is similar."My film is about a man who has a lot of money riding on him and how the family hides his death for monetary reasons…" he says! The character who plays the dead old man is none other than Anupam Kher. But even Kher has no idea about the Dhirubhai angle in the film. "My character is that of a businessman who dies and the family hides his death from the world to avoid the stock market from crashing.This is the most challenging role of my career. It is really difficult to play a dead man whose eyes are kept open all the time so that people do not realise that he is dead"

Seems like an interesting film (Hopefully a comedy!)

Talking about comedies, the best character being a dead man was done by none other than Satish Shah in 'Jaane bhi do yaaron'. Just thinking about that movie brings huge grin on my face. whattefun!

Rajnikanth as animated character!

Finally Indian showbiz is looking at animation seriously, though bit late. The late wake-up call is attributed to the lack of animation expertise in India. But I would disagree to say it's because of the lack of huge funds that an animation movie needs. In terms of the expertise, though we may not have the talent pool of Hollywood, our studios still manage to get work from animation studios abroad. And they have been doing good job. But the animation movie is not just about quality animation. It's a fine combination of strong story/script/sceenplay and the quality of animation which make a quality animation flick.
We tried our best in some of our movies to bring in animation. But never matched the quality of Hollywood films. We never had the budget to spend huge amount of money on animation and graphics. But now India is on a different platform. The market for Indian movies is stretching beyond the Indian subcontinent. And the producers are willing to shell out more moolah on a movie which has ambitions. So, we see a rejuvenated efforts by film-makers to dream of animation movies. Nandys, Johars, Chopras and every other film producer is dreaming about animation movies.One danger I see here is, though these people see animation as an universal artform, the characters may still be Indian. the storyline could still be Indian. To win over the overseas market, we need to touch a subject which is universal (though with Indian character). We need to work hard on the story/script and screenplay. Otherwise the efforts will be lost and you're not only bringing a bad name to Indian animation movies, even the efforts of talented animators may go waste.
The latest to hug the animation craze is none other than the THE BOSS! Yes, Rajnikanth wants to have his own role in the animation show!Rajnikanth will be made into an animated character in the movie titled SULTAN-the warrior! Cashing on the Indian(partly global) phenomenon that Sivaji has become, this animation movie will be made in Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu. The budget has never been a constraint for Rajni movie. This one will have a huge budget too with Rajni's younger daughter Soundarya herself producing and directing this movie through her Ocher studio in association with Adlabs. The movie is slated to release during Pongal 2009
Now the challenge is will the animation movie do justice to an icon like Rajni? Will the Rajni's animation character able to grab the mannerisms, style and the screen presence of Rajni? I have my doubts. All an animation can add to Rajni movie is grandeur, nothing else. Better idea would be to have an animated Rajni character in Rajni's own movie. Wouldn't it be fun? What you say!

Sivaji's villain Suman in Kannada film

After getting a lot of accolades playing the bad man in Rajnikanth's 'Sivaji', Suman is now accepting more such roles. He is now playing major villain in Puneeth Rajkumar- Hansika Motvani starrer 'Bindhaas' that went on the floors recently at Sankey Tank Park in Bangalore.
With Suman the other baddies Nasser and Rahul Dev are also playing important roles. Action for this film is composed by Vijayan. Three of the songs will be shot for 'Bindhaas' at Canada, says director D.Rajendra Babu who is directing his 51st film in a career of 35 years.
There is love, crime, comedy and sentiment in this film produced by Chandrasekhar. The tagline for the 'Bindhaas' is Be Happy… No BP . Janardhan Maharshi has lent his third story for Puneeth Rajkumar film and he is looking for hat trick. His earlier two films `Akash` and `Arasu` have done well in the box office.
'Bindhaas' is the debut for child artist turned heroine Hansika who did 'Desamuduru' in Telugu. Says the actress: “ I find a positive vibration and so I am here in this modern role with different attitude to love” . Hansika's latest release is 'Aap Ka Suroor' with Himesh Reshmiya. She has acted as child artist in 'Koi Mil Gaya'.
“I play an outspoken guy in 'Bindhaas'” said Puneeth Rajkumar. I want to take up one film at a time and I was committed with this producer so I could not take up Yogaraj Bhat's 'Gaalipata' said Puneeth answering a question.
Courtesy:Sify

kareena in golmaal sequel

Remember the new Golmaal which left you with loads of laughter(though mindless). Now it will be back with a sequel. The director Rohit Shetty decided to keep the major part of the cast, to add glamour Kareena Kapoor will be roped in. And ofcourse, Sharman Joshi will be missed. The title of the movie is GOLMAAL RETURNS! The sequel stars Ajay Devgan, Shreyas Talpade, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor.
Its shooting will commence in November in Dubai.

Kangana caught with a GUY in her room!

This incident is so funny, just like straight out of popular joke.
During the shooting of Gangster a crew member had some work with Kangana Ranaut, so knocked on her hotel room. He had a sense that there's somebody else in her room. A GUY!
When Kangana opened the door and let me in, the crew member couldn't find that GUY in the room. But he tried to stay back long hoping the GUY would trace. But for no use! The crew member had to leave Kangana's room with disappointed look.
But all this while the GUY in Kangana's room was waiting outside the balcony in almost zero degree temperature!
Just imagine the price thie GUY had to pay just for some intimate moments with Kangana! May be worth it!
The GUY in question is a South Korean Graphic Designer,who was with Kangana in her room, spending some intimate moments, when the crew member spoilt the show!

Dia Mirza on her link ups

Hyderabad's diva Dia Mirza is bitter about media linking her with each and every male in the showbiz.
In an interview given to Hindustan Times , she talks on different things.
On media bashing
No, I didn't do media bashing. True I did speak on the media but there was no bashing as such. I said most of the time the information that is published is an extracted part of an extended story. The seminar was on mass communication and its repercussions and influence on society.
I gave the example that on a particular day, the news of the death of our ex-PM Chandrashekhar was covered by a section of the press on Page 3.. while the front page had the speculated kiss between Ronaldo-Bipasha Basu. I also said that it is not media's fault but ours because we subscribe to such information they feed us with. It is a vicious cycle. I spoke about the honest and unbiased reporting by some senior journalists. All this was ignored.. it was only reported that I bashed the media.
On weirdest fan
A young man came to Mumbai from London and signed me for an endorsement. I even did a press shoot for the product. He paid me the agreed sum and vanished into thin air. There has been no news from him for a year now. So, I haven't touched his money. I'm still trying to figure out if he was a fan or what?
On Marriage
I'm 25. I'd like to get married eventually. I don't want to be involved in just affairs or relationships. Which girl would? Now if I go out with someone, it will be because I want to spend the rest of my life with him. If a man offers me that, I'll be with him. Otherwise, sorry I'm not interested.
On her link-up with Sanjay gupta
The one with Sanjay Gupta shocked me. We share a professional equation. After Shootout at Lokhandwala, I will be doing more films with White Feathers.. because they are making many films.
It's irritating when you read that I'm getting close to someone to get work out of him. How sick is that! Honestly, I can't stand being linked with men who are married or who are in a relationship already.
courtesy:HT

Bipasha and John back together!

Omigosh! Just when you thought it was all over between Bipasha and John, comes this bit of juice from Juice, the salon in suburban Mumbai. Bipasha it seems, drove down to the salon in John's car, with him, and they seemed pretty chilled with each other, as though nothing really had happened. The two were accompanied by a friend and Bipasha's gym instructor, or so we were told.
What's more, the goodlooking twosome were happily pampering themselves with a manicure and pedicure for over two hours. Chatting and smiling and even cosying up to each other, John and Bipasha seemed very much together. At the end of their pampering, the four friends had coffee and chilled some more. Well, well, something still tells me, this is not the last we heard of the couple.
Courtesy:buzz18.com

Salman Govinda have great chemistry

IBN review by Rajeev Masand
Step into la-la land for director David Dhawan's Partner, a leave-your-brains-at-home comedy that's been blatantly ripped off from the Will Smith starrer Hitch.
In this desi version, Salman Khan stars as a love guru who doles out romantic tips to those who can't woo their sweethearts left to their own devices. Everything from how to charm a lady, to how to behave on a first date… Everything from dancing skills to bedroom manners… Love guru is the one-stop problem-solver for geeks and freaks.
But when dumpy Govinda shows up for advice on how to win the affections of his cute-as-a-daisy boss Katrina Kaif, even Love Guru can't seem to come up with a good enough plan.
Clearly Govinda is aiming for the sky, evidently the dumpling has bitten off more than he can chew. But determined to find a place in her heart, gol-matol Govinda convinces Love Guru to take up his case.
Now in between training his new student, Love Guru himself falls hook, line and sinker for tabloid photographer Lara Dutta, who's always on the run from a midget gangster whose pictures she's secretly taken. In the end, both men learn that it's only good old-fashioned sincerity and a big heart that it takes to woo your girl.
When David Dhawan's in form, there's nobody who can do comedy quite like him. But truth is the director's been slipping up lately.
(Read full review)
Rating: **1/2

Overdose of laughter

Partner review by Khalid Mohamad in Hindustan Times
Just imagine. Milord, the accused in the court today are David Dhawan, Govindaji and Salman Khan saheb. I come to defend them because I am quite fed up of hurling accusations at them. Mr Dhawan has been left off scot-free every time.
Sir, Partner is his Movie No 38. Since I have never ever received justice, I have resolved to go over to their side. I want to sing the praises of this Dh-company.
(Pandemonium breaks out in court, the Ram Gopa Varma - lookalike judge shouts, “Order! Order!..silence returns) Milord, this time around Dhawanji has to be absolved of all charges. So what if a small boy—as in Adam Sandler’s Big Daddy — is shown urinating all over a rest-o-pizza joint’s restroom? I will never eat a pizza again.
Second, Govindaji is Bhaskar and Salman Khan is playing Love Guru. So what if the name Bhaskar is used for some terrible puns? All the Bhaskars of the world don’t mind, so why should you? And then this mastana duo wonder which part of a woman should be looked at first? I am sure that no double meaning was intended. Ha ha, I laughed till my belly ached..ha ha.
(Courtroom erupts in guffaws.. the judge orders, “Order! Order!”) Now milord, it’s no point in accusing Dhawanji of purloining Will Smith’s Hitch, no? So what? Have fun, time-pass man! Okay, so, Govindaji is a 40-year-old virgin (excusez the French, sir) who meets this Prem Guru, and wants to be hitched with his boss lady, Katrina Kaif. Prem tells him to buzz off.(Read full review)
Rating:**1/2

Mallika Sherawat caught in burkha again!

‘Reema Lamba aur burkha? Daal mein kuch kala hai...’ thought an immigration officer at Sahar airport, only to discover later that it was Sherawat in disguise!

In a freaky incident at the Chatrapati Shivaji Inter-national airport, Mallika Sherawat took immigration officers by surprise. The actress, who arrived from Bangkok recently, walked to the immigration counter wearing a burkha to get her travel documents cleared

Kuch gadbad hai

A source in the immigration department says, “After going through the passport details, which mentioned the passenger’s name as Reema Lamba, the immigration officer became suspicious. How could a woman with a Hindu name be wearing a burkha?”The officer, not familiar with Bollywood personalities, was even more perplexed as the passenger looked him straight in the eyes without any hesitation! Woh kaun thi?The officer, who does not wish to be named, presumed Mallika (aka Reema Lamba) was involved in nefarious activities thanks to the identity crisis. “He got suspicious as she had a Hindu name in the passport and was wearing a burkha. He asked other officers to summon her, match her identity with the picture in the passport and go through her travel documents thoroughly,” adds the source.

‘Yeh to Mallika hai!’

The atmosphere at the immigration counter turned tense for a moment, but one of the officers, who recognised Mallika after she unveiled her face, exclaimed, “Arey, yeh to Mallika Sherawat hai!” Within no time, officers and airport staff thronged to the department for a glimpse and picture of the actress.The actress acknowledged their appreciation with a typical ‘aadab’ (thank you in Urdu). “She took time out and got some pictures clicked with us without a burkha,” laughs the officer. A source close to the actress says that Mallika has often encountered such situations, hence she generally travels wearing a burkha to avoid being mobbed by fans.
Source:Midday

Hansika to star opposite Puneet Rajkumar

Former child artiste Hansika Motwani made her debut as an actress with the Telugu film Desa Muduru starring Ali Arjun in the lead. As a child artiste, she has worked in Bollywood films like Jaago, Hum Kaun Hai, Abra Ka Dabra and Koi Mil Gaya.
She is cast opposite Himesh Reshammiya in the latest film, Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love Story. She has also signed a Hindi film, He: The Only One starring Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh.
The young actress, who has already appeared in a Telugu film is now making her foray into Kannada films with Bindaas starring Puneet Rajkumar in the lead. The movie by D. Rajendra Babu will be produced by M. Chandrasekhar under Udayachandra Productions banner.

TN Seetharam's new movie, MMR

Meera Madhava Raghava (MMR), by veteran film and television director, T.N. Seetharam is ready to hit the theatres on July 27th. The movie has script and story written by the director himself and casts Ramya, Diganth and Thilak in the lead roles.
Veteran music composer Hamsalekha helms the music for the film and H.M. Ramchandra cranks the camera. The audio of the film was released recently by Jhankar Audio.
Courtesy:galatta.com

Partner is a laugh riot

Partner is yet another David Dhawan laugh riot.
REDIFF review by Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Inspired by the Will Smith-starrer Hitch, Partner, starring Salman Khan and Govinda, works wonderfully because of the chemistry between the two central characters.
Prem (Salman) plays a love guru, who gives advice to people who cannot win the hearts of the women they are in love with.
Enter Bhaskar (Govinda)who is in love with Priya (Katrina Kaif), who is worth Rs 1,000 crore.

Bhaskar asks Prem for some love advice. Prem turns dissuades him because he feels Priya will never fall for Bhaskar because of their financial disparity.
The way Govinda manages to convince him is a treat to watch. His comic timing, his dancing abilities -- despite of the evident flab -- makes you wonder why our film industry has ignored such a talented actor for the last four years.
Salman, on his part, plays the dude, and gives Govinda -- who seemed to have been overshadowed by Akshay Kumar in his last film Bhagam Bhag -- enough scope to perform.
I repeat, the actors have great chemistry -- you never feel one is trying to outdo the other.
Sajid-Wajid's music and the lyrics and dialogues by Sanjay Chhel make this film work even better. The one-liners are hilarious, and very original.
Katrina does not have much to do except smile.
Lara Dutta, who plays a reporter, clicks more pictures than writing stories. One wonders if she is a reporter or a photographer. Her chemistry with Salman is great, however, and it's time she gets her due like her contemporary, Priyanka Chopra.
Among the film's low points is Rajpal Yadav's character, Chotta Don. It is an imitation of Shah Rukh Khan's Don. Later in the film, Yadav's character just disappears.
Also, the film's end is very abrupt.
But despite the shortcomings, you will not feel disappointed because you will have had a good laugh through most of the film.
A must watch.
Rating:***1/2

Yana gupta to do item song in chiranjeevi's film

Top model, Bollywood actress and item girl Yana Gupta is going to shake her legs with Megastar Chiranjeevi in Shankar Dada Zindabad.
This peppy number tuned by Devi Sri Prasad is currently being canned at Padmalaya Studios, Hyderabad. The audio of the film is likely to be released on July 4th. Prabhu Deva the director of the film is very confident and said recently that the film has shaped out extremely well.
Gemini Film Circuit is producing this remake which has Karishma Kotak as the heroine.

Rajnikanth watches Periyar

Rajnikant finally caught up Njana Rajasekharan's off-beat Periyar at Four Frames preview theatre. Satyaraj and the director were there at the theatre for the special screening.
Rajni was so moved by the movie, that he kept on asking the director during the screening about the historic importance of a particular scene or event. After the film he got up and hugged Sathyaraj and congratulated him for his brilliant performance.
Says Sathyaraj: "Rajni seemed to have liked the movie. He told me that he did not realize that Periyar was such great reformer and pathbreaker. He said that I lived the role and made it life like."

Tamil film Kireedam review in Sify

Kireedam review in Sify.com
For once a Tamil remake of a Malayalam classic, lives up to our expectations. Kireedam is quality cinema, one that is daringly different from the run-of-the mill superstar films that are dished out in the name of mass movies.
High on adrenaline as well as human emotions, it turns out to be a well-packaged family entertainer. It is not your typical Ajit film as there is no larger-than-life hero bashing up a dozen men at one go or a vigilante trying to clean up the society. It is about real people and their anxieties that you can relate to – a loving father, a sincere policeman whose dream is to see his son wear the police uniform before he retires from service.
There are many scenes and moments that touch your heart. This film wouldn't be half the film it is if it weren't for the remarkable performance of Raj Kiran and Ajit who play father and son. It has an intelligent screenplay, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant and gripping which leaves a lump in your throat.
Rajarajan (Raj Kiran), a policeman, is a doting father and upright head constable posted at a Tiruchi police station. Sakthivel (Ajit), his eldest son, is the apple of his eye who is waiting for his selection to the police force. Rajarajan is a policeman who follows the book and believes that policemen are guardians of the society and should do good for the public.
He has a large family of a loving wife (Saranya), two daughters with one of them married to a good-for-nothing guy (Vivek), and two sons. Meanwhile Sakthi meets Divya (Trisha) a college student and after a few comic incidents they fall in love. Both the families agree for the marriage but in a sudden turn of events, Rajarajan is given a punishment transfer for slapping the local MLA’s son who misbehaved with another policeman in public.
When Rajarajan refuses to apologise to the MLA’s son, he is transferred to Kodaikal, a notorious small town, ruled by a gangster Varadarajan (Ajay). When he arrives there, he finds that the local Sub Inspector (Ravi Kala) has been brutally beaten up by Varadan, and the cops, fearing the don, have not filed an FIR!! It is the beginning of more trouble for Rajarajan and his family, especially Sakthi, who gets sucked into a difficult situation, for no fault of his. On the day Sakthi gets selected as an SI, something untoward happens, that changes the course of their life.
Kireedam showcases Ajit as never before, it is his best performance in a very difficult role. He looks so dashing and at the same time exudes menace with his expressive body and eye language, and the climax belongs to him. Don’t miss his on-screen chemistry with Trisha, especially their romantic encounters. And Trisha can’t ask for more in an action-based family drama about father-son relationship. She spells magic on the screen with her bubbly comedy act, the naughty and talkative girl who falls for the soft spoken guy. She is irresistible, and looks great in the dream song Akkam Pakkam…, which is beautifully picturised by cameraman Tirru, with the backwaters and forest green as background.
Raj Kiran as the doting but strict disciplinarian father writes an actors` manual for impeccable acting. Saranya and K P A C Lalitha are adequate for the mother and grand ma act. The Vivek-Santhanam comedy track raises a few laughs. However, Trisha steals the thunder with her comedy antics especially in the scene when she speaks her heart out to Ajit on what she thinks about his family sitting in the water tank, as Vivek and rest of the family overhear their conversation.
On the downside, the main villain character done by Ajay is a little weak, and does not have the necessary menace in him. The introductory song of Ajit could have been better picturised. G V Prakash’s music is rocking, especially the song Kanavellam… on the father-son relationship and their aspirations with meaningful lyrics of Na. Muthukumar.
Antony’s editing is crisp without using any gimmicks, which enriches the story telling. Tirru’s camera work is eye catching and has used Vizag and Kerala locales suitably to fit in with the mood of the film. What makes the film work is the charm of the central characters, the father-son bonding, and the sentimental ending contributes considerably towards tugging at your heart strings.
The film may not be typical Ajit mass masala formula movie, but there is an elegant charm and a straight-from- the-heart feel about it. Bravo director Vijay, producer Suresh Balaje and his team for making a gutsy, daringly different film within the commercial format. It needs a lot of guts and conviction to make a realistic film without resorting to crass clichéd formula associated with a superstar film.
On the whole, Kireedam is an engaging entertainer which is so rare to find these days. Go for it!
Verdict: Good

Aamir Khan's desire to work with Maniratnam may not happen soon

It seems, Aamir Khan's desire to work with Maestro Mani Ratnam is not going to be a reality soon. The much-awaited Mani movie Laajo, starrring Aamir may be scrapped, fears Aamir himself in his blog. Aamir recently posted the following message on his blog (http://www.lagaandvd.com/blog. php?topicid=43), stating, "Laajo I'm afraid doesn't look like its happening (sic). I have been very keen to work with Mani for quite a while now and I was very much looking forward to this. However I think I'll have to wait longer. The best person to answer why the project is not happening would be Bobby Bedi and Mani, so I will not venture an explanation. Suffice to say that it has nothing to do with me. And I hope that I will get to work with Mani soon." Do we sense a tinge of unhappiness here?

Is this Sushmita Sen's new boyfriend?

Is Sush dating Globosports exec Bunty Sachdeva?

After being linked to Dia Mirza and Neha Dhupia, it seems that Globosports vice-president Bunty Sachdeva is now dating Sushmita Sen.Says a source in the film industry, “Bunty and Sushmita have been dating for over a month and have been dining out a lot together. Sush broke up with ad filmmaker Manav Menon before she left for Trinidad & Tobago for Dulha Mil Gaya in May.”It seems Bunty and Sush were good friends, but now the relationship has developed into romance. While Sen is unavailable for comment, Bunty Sachdeva tries to laugh off the rumours. He says, “A lot of people have been asking me this question but I am not dating Sushmita. I’m her manager and handle her endorsements.I have known her for the last seven years and been handling her work for the last two. We share a great rapport and she’s a close friend, but it’s not a romantic association. I am dating someone else.”
source:midday

Partner movie review

Partner review in indiafm.com
Some do's and don'ts you need to follow while watching PARTNER…
-Lock your brains in the almirah, before you head for the nearby movieplex to catch this zany entertainer.
-Don't look for logic. Don't ask questions. Don't raise eyebrows. .
-Don't argue with what the master chef David Dhawan serves on your plate. .
-Do carry some earplugs/earwax if you're allergic to noise. The cineplex will reverberate with high decibels of laughter, which could tax your ear-drums if you're overtly sensitive. .
Welcome to PARTNER, David Dhawan's new comic caper. It's stylish, it's crazier, it's a bigger entertainer than David's last two laughathons, MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI and MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA. Making people laugh is an art and David has mastered this art over the years. Like wine, he has only matured with time. Let's come straight to the point. PARTNER is for those seeking non-stop entertainment. It's targeted at those who swear by masala films. Those who want to get transported to a world of make-believe in those 2 hours. It's definitely not for those who actually know what to expect, but pretend to rubbish escapist cinema. Also, it's not for certain critics [looking for art cinema in a masala entertainer] whose star ratings are a much bigger joke than the one David Dhawan pulls off with élan. The film works, and works big time. In a nutshell, if you're into escapist cinema, if you're looking for laughter unlimited, if you're curious to watch the bonding between Govinda and Salman Khan, if you're a big fan of David Dhawan movies, if you believe in shelling out Rs. 150 for a ticket and expecting entertainment worth Rs. 200, PARTNER is just for you! Prem [Salman Khan] is a 'date doctor' who, for a fee, has helped hundreds of men woo the women of their dreams. In his childhood, he understood a woman's likes and dislikes in food, clothes or men. His aim is to help those men who like or love women, not to take them to bed. The ultimate professional bachelor, Prem discovers that his tried and tested tricks are no match for Naina [Lara Dutta], the one woman he truly loves, who works for a newspaper as a journalist. He comes across Bhaskar [Govinda], who is in love with Priya [Katrina Kaif], the rich and famous daughter of a tycoon [Dilip Tahil]. Prem helps Govinda find his lady love and eventually also finds a soulmate in Naina. Inspired by director Andy Tennant's likable Hollywood hit HITCH [2005; Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta], PARTNER is a true-blue David Dhawan film. It's glossy, has some stunning visuals, boasts of very catchy and hummable music and of course, hardly has any tense moment in those 16 reels. What works is the casting of the two characters, who're as dissimilar as chalk and cheese. Although the romantic portions have the right chemistry between Salman and Lara and Govinda and Katrina, the USP is undoubtedly the terrific bonding between Salman and Govinda, whose on-screen escapades take the film to dizzier heights. Besides, the witty one-liners [Sanjay Chhel] are another ace that has the viewer in splits. The dialogues are truly funny and actually accentuate the impact of every sequence. Any 'hitch'es? Yes, there's one! The track that leads to the misunderstandings in the climax looks unwarranted. Writer sahib [screenplay: Yunus Sajawal, David Dhawan], this track [Rajat Bedi, Aarti Chhabria] compels you to break into a yawn. Also, it adds to the length of the enterprise. But the subsequent portion [Govinda's honeymoon travails] is rip-roaringly funny. David Dhawan gets it right yet again. He's on familiar ground and like a seasoned cricketer knows the game inside out. He hits a boundary yet again. Sanjay Chhel's dialogues are superb. Sajid-Wajid make a terrific comeback, with every song having the stamp of a chartbuster embossed on it. Even their picturizations [choreography: Bosco-Caesar] are excellent. Cinematography [Johny Lal] is first-rate. The film bears an opulent look all through. Costumes of Salman and Govinda [Alvira Khan Agnihotri] are stylish. The question is, who steals the show? Actually both! Salman performs like never before. Sure, he looks dapper [one compliment he's heard umpteen times], but he packs in a solid punch whenever he's on screen. His fans will only multiply with this film. Govinda sets the screen blazing with an incredible performance. Although the actor has featured in a few films after a hiatus [BHAGAM BHAG, SALAAM-E-ISHQ], PARTNER is his comeback film. He has the viewer eating out of his hands actually. Those who felt that he's a spent force will have to eat back their words. Lara Dutta looks gorgeous and pairs off very well with Salman. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous and pitches in a natural performance. Rajpal Yadav is really funny. Puneet Issar is alright. Dilip Tahil is okay. Suresh Menon is excellent. Child artiste Ali Haji is wonderful. His confidence level is astonishing! On the whole, PARTNER is a winner all the way. This one's a laugh-riot that will have the viewers laughing in the aisles and its distributors, laughing all the way to the bank.
Rating:A sure-shot 'Hit'
courtesy:indiafm.com

Bipasha says she'll talk to John

Bollywood siren Bipasha Basu wants to come clear out of her recent kiss controversy. The actress avers that the episode has not affected her relationship with John and they are together not for ads but for love. Catch the sultry actress in a tête-à-tête with HTTabloid.
Do you think Ronaldo episode will affect your relationship with John?
I don’t think so. I know what the truth is all about. As far as I remember, he never kissed me. So, there is nothing that I am hiding from him. I am sure Ronaldo episode will not affect our relationship.
But don’t you think the photograph being circulated in the media suggests otherwise?
I have already given clarification on that. It’s not clear from the photograph that he is kissing me, as nothing of this sort really happened between two of us. While dancing with me, he might have come closer to whisper something into myear.
Do you remember that he whispered something in your ear?
No. I don’t remember any occasion when he came so closer. But I can’t say that for sure because I was a little drunk. I danced with him the whole night. It was not just the matter of a few seconds or minutes, but a long time.
There are talks that you and John are together because of advertisement contracts. How far is it true?
It’s not for the first time that such things are being talked about. We are together for love not for ads.
Have you spoken to John after this?
Not yet. He is busy with his shoots. But once he gets free, we will talk. I will share everything with him about my trip and all controversies, which are taking rounds.
With whom did you share your kiss controversy first? Wasn’t it Dino Morea?
I didn’t share that with him first. In fact he called up and told me that such photograph is being circulated on the net.
Do you think this kind of kiss controversy will earn you international fame?
I don’t want to earn international recognition with this kind of controversy. I am already internationally known.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times