Movie Review Of "Phoonk 2"

Starring Sudeep, Amruta Khanvilkar, Neeru, Amit Sadh, Ahasaas Channa

Directed by Milind Gadagkar

Rating: **

In one of his multitudinous interviews to promote this intended shiver giver Ram Gopal Varma said the scariest film he had seen in recent times was Karan Johar’s Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna.

Now that’s a scary thought. Because Johar’s film didn’t belong to the horror genre. Phoonk 2 does.And it is definitely NOT the scariest film we’ve seen. Varma’s terror theme has clearly run its course. What we see here are the remanents of another Friday. And definitely not Friday The 13th.

Perched somewhere between crowing (ahem ahem) about the supernatural and crying over the nerve-wracking disruption of domestic harmony by a ghost which just won’t go away Phoonk 2 is like that promised rollercoaster ride which gets aborted in the first lap because of a short circuit.

It’s not really Varma or his director Milind Gadkar’s fault. It’s the nature of the material.

Ram Gopal Varma’s love for horror has never extended beyond the there’s-something-under-the-bed kind of unwarranted foreboding that we all feel in a new environment.

In a majority of his horror films a family moves into a new haunted home and experiences the eerie.

Ironically Varma’s best effort in the horror genre was Kaun where the victim of terror (Urmila Matondkar) was stalked by unseen forces in her own familiar home. The terror, it turned out was not under the bed, but in the mentally disturbed girl’s head.

There wasn’t much terror let alone horror in Phoonk. Under the bed, or in the head.

In Phoonk 2 the characters’ screeching plea to have us believe they are under immediate peril is sadly not communicated to the viewers . We remain tragically detached from the trauma of Kannada star Sudeep’s family.

Haven’t we seen it all?

By now the trademark Varma camera movements, here manoeuvred with emphatic energy by cinematographer Charles Meher, and the intricate cluttured but effective sound design (Jayesh Dhakkan, Jayant Vajpayee) do nothing to suck us into the plot.

The technique remains unfastened to the characters.Their desperate attempts to get away from the supernatural remain desperately detached from the audience.

At the end of the 2-hours into the zone of error-terror we are left wondering why Varma threw open a contest inviting any viewer to undergo an ECG to check his heartbeats.

It is this film that needs a respiratory system. Varma’s last horror outing Agyaat with its spooky ominous wide-open jungles was far more gripping.

In Phoonk 2 you wonder what the fuss is about. These people have nothing to fear except fear itself.

And yes, Ramu was right. The crow does come up with the best performance. And that’s nothing to crow about.

Movie Review Of "Paathshala"

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Ayesha Takia, Nana Pateka, Saurabh Shukla, Sushant Singh, Swini Khara, Dwij Yadav, Avika Gor, Anjan Srivastava

Director: Milind Ukey

Rating: **

There are few films, a star does for friendship and some with the lure of working under a big banner, irrespective of their content.

An extremely choosy actor Shahid Kapoor after giving big hits like Vivaah, Jab We Met and Kaminey has been giving duds like Dil Bole Hadippa (Yash Raj Films), Chance Pe Dance (UTV) and an equally bad follow up with Paathshaala.

Shahid’s friendship with producer of the film, ace choreographer Ahmed Khan is well known. But still we wish, he should have not blindly trusted his buddy when it came to a film!

Shahid plays Rahul Prakash Udyawar the new English teacher joining Saraswati Vidya Mandir, a school established in 1941. Since the school doesn’t have a music teacher, he ends up being one as well.

He gets help in this from the school's nutritionist-cum-admin girl, Anjali Mathur (Ayesha Takia). School principal Aditya Sahay (Nana Patekar).

Anjali ends up falling for Rahul during this process. Sahay who has nurtured the school for 32 years, cannot see it going down financially. So, he gives in to the management's demands of generating more revenue by commercialising the operations of the school.

This is met with intense opposition from the teachers, but they eventually have to comply to save their respective jobs. The school management even decides t hired PR experts to change its image.

Thus began, film and ad shoots happen on campus wherein students are used as extras. And before they know it, all kids have to now keep aside studies for 10 days and prepare for a reality show audition.

The rest of the film is about how the reality show thing tortures the students and how Rahul stands against it.

Director Milind Ukey who gave us the very lovable animated film Hanuman has got a good topical subject on hand but falters big time in the script written by producer Ahmed Khan himself.

While it identifies the problems perfectly, a proper solution is not offered in the end. Also what happens to the school finally is also not made clear.

Bad dialogues are made only worse by loud acting by most of the cast. Certain emotional scenes leave you either bored or end up making you laugh. Hanif Sheikh’s music barring the Lucky Ali number Aye Khuda is nothing much to praise about.

In an attempt to showcase how education goes for a toss in private schools as the managements aims to earn the extra buck the makers also don’t lose out a chance to make a satire out of the media, shifting focus from his original aim.

The pathetic climax is unintentionally hilarious with no conclusion to what happened to the villains of commercialization and all suddenly become well!

Shahid Kapoor and Nana Patekar are the only saving graces of the film with their well nuanced performances. The rest including Ayesha Takia don’t really make a difference. The child stars are just about okay.

Avoid this Paathshaala if you are in no mood for a badly written gyan giving film.

Movie Review Of "Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai"

Starring Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ruslaan Mumtaz, Vishal Malhotra Written & Directed by Milap Jhaveri

Rating: ** ½

They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Those wholesome take-home-to-Mama type of chicks.And they don’t make such innocent yeh-kahan-aa-gaye-hum rom-coms either.

So naturally, or not so naturally, writer-turned- director Milap Zaveri gets his heroine, the toothy, endearing wholesome and fetching Jacqueline Fernandez to fly down to earth from Venus.One-way, business-class.

Women we were always told, were from Venus. Now we’ve proof of that.

Many of this pleasant film’s most likeable moments send out inoffensive echoes of Hollywood comedies about ladies from another world, like Splash and My Girlfriend Is An Alien. The final brew is aromatic in scent and minty in taste. The effect lasts fleetingly, though.

The situations that crop up once the alien beauty lands range from the predictable to the strained. No one in this film is in it for posterity. It’s a film done with a wink and a chuckle that communicate itself to the audience effectively.

Everyone in Zaveri’s film is looking for love. Riteish Deskhmukh more so than others. Apparently love has been eluding his character since infancy. Baba’s searching.

There’s a touch of Ram Gopal Varma’s Rangeela in the way the vagaries and eccentricities of the film industry are brought into play.

Strangely Milap’s writing skills, so much on display in many of the most successful comedies in recent times, is missing in the scenes set within the Bollywood film industry.

Sure. we get a good dekko at well-known stars. But they aren’t woven into the script as they were in other films about the film industry like Guddi and Rangeela.

The scenes where Riteish courts the delectable ingénue from outerspace lack subtlety but get marks for grace.

Riteish Deshmukh, a competent performer in any given circumstance, is engaging in the comic moments, but a little awkward doing the full-on roses-and-moonlight stuff. Matinee idol making girls faint, Deshmukh ain’t.

Ruslaan Mumtaz as his adversary in love is a pleasant surprise. Over the handful of films that this young actor has done he shows a definite growth as an actor.

He plays the ‘superstar’ as a stereotype but with a dash of the human quality. Could we see more of Ruslaan in forthcoming films, please?

Jacqueline’s is more a presence than a performance. She is that mermaid with wings who flies at an altitude where the desi rom-com is comfortably positioned as a family affair.

Absence of vulgarity and double-meanings is not always a virtue in cinema. In Jaane Kaahan Se Aayi hai, it is the papier-mache pristine quality that props up the pleasant proceeds.

Don’t expect to be swept off your feet. This one is meant to tickle your fancy. And it doesn’t fall short.

Movie Review Of "The Bounty Hunter"

Starring: Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston

Directed by Andy Tennant

Rating: *

After Gerard Butler’s last rom-com The Ugly Truth we really thought it couldn’t get uglier.

We were wrong.

The Bounty Hunter is the armpit of rom-coms. It takes us a while to figure out a film this awful can contain stars so saleable and supposedly unassailable.

But there you have it. A romantic- comedy plot written into a project featuring the overrated stars and their most invisible off-screen chemistry, packaged in a plot that seems to have been written on a day when inspiration was at an all-time low for the writers.

The Bounty Hunter begins with Butler cruising in a convertible with Aniston locked in the dickey.

Before we begin to wonder if Butler, who plays a guy appointed to nab people who jump bail, can be called Dickey Tracey (there are multiple puns tucked into that one) the plot jumps the gun in more ways than one as the unbelievably-bizarre situations crowd the couple on the run.

This is Bonnie & Clyde without the biting wit or the acerbic twists. Yes, there is basic sacrcasm in every line. But beyond a point who the hell cares whether this hysterical pair loves or hates each other? Butler and Aniston don’t make a great pair.

They just look like two travelers who could do with a wash. Sure enough during the second lap of their fun-run-gone-phut the couple reaches a honeymoon resort run by a giddyheaded couple who sniff around Butler and Aniston and say, something smells like the cesspit.

We can’t smell anything. But we know exactly what it feels like to watch a film that really and truly stinks in every department.

Aniston and Butler are given to play characters straight out of a late-night risqué sitcom. Tragically they’ve no love-making to do on screen.

That might have been more interesting than watching the couple snarl and snipe at each other in canine fashion. The only use they make of their lungs and mouths is to shout abuses expletives and recriminations at one another.

Finally the anything-but-wholesome twosome get what they deserve. One another.

A word on the performances. Aniston plays all her screen parts as extensions of her prolonged tenure on Friends. She’s flat and spaced-out in most of the scenes. As for Butler, what is all the fuss about? The actor insists on playing every character as an aggressive modern-day Viking with no respect for the fair sex.

The boor is a bore.

Movie Review Of "The Japanese Wife"

Starring: Rahul Bose, Raima Sen, Chigusa Takaku, Moushumi Chatterjee

Written & Directed by Aparna Sen

Rating: **

The final lap in this lyrical but contrived tale of unfufilled love shows two women coming together after the tragic death of the man they both loved. One, the Japanese wife of the title, the other a silent widow of meagre means.

By then it's too late. "The Japanese Wife" has lost its claims to its director's fame.

This story of a long-distance 'marriage' between a Bengali bhadra-lok from rural Bengal Snehmoy (Rahul Bose) and his Japanese pen-pal Miyage (Chigusa Takaku) suffers from an incurable disease known as Inherent Silliness. Based on a true story by Kunal Basu, this is the ultimate non-romance between two people who thoroughly deserve each other.

They're both so annoying and outdated in their naivete, you see! The couple married to each other for over 15 years never meets and barely speaks to each other on the phone a few times (talk about phoney relationships, this one takes the cake).

When Miyage falls ill in Japan Snehmoy goes to the doctor in Kolkata with her medical reports. The doc's expression when he hears why the patient can't come personally to be examined is exactly the way we feel about this long-distance marriage.

Aparna Sen, in what is arguably her most disastrous film to date, intersperses the over-sweet ridiculously idealistic relationship with quaint post-picture images from Snehmoy's rural home life with his aunt (Moushumi) and widow (Raima Sen) who moves into the schoolteacher-hero's home with her son.

Snatches of changing times such as Bipasha sizzling to "Beedi jalayle" on television remind us of how outrageously old-fashioned the basic storyline is.

While Rahul's Japanese connection makes you want to run and cover your face in a kimono, the actor's rapport with the widow's son (Rudranil Ghosh) conveys a natural warmth and grace.

Aparna Sen has always shown a keen eye for visual detail.

The scenes from Snehmoy's home life, the architectural details, the scenic landscape, incidental characters encountered in the toasted-brown lanes, and the boats riding the swelling rivers are done with heartwarming tenderness.

Full credit to cinematographer Anay Goswami for using the screen space to create picture-post card scenes of rural Bengal echoing images from Satyajit Ray's "Pather Panchali".

The art-direction, sound and most specially the composition of the frames once again shows Aparna Sen's glorious mastery over visual detailing and her skill as a celluloid storyteller so evident in her earlier works.

This time Aparna Sen is let down by the basic implausibility of the material. What could have been a poignant and haunting tale of love, understanding and marriage between two people from different cultures and countries ends up being just a misconstructed series of verbal exchanges on the soundtrack between Rahul Bose and the Japanese actress whose individual accents are as grating on our nerves as any put-on accent we've ever heard in cinema.

Bose, who has repeatedly proved himself a skilled actor, is unable to take his character to a level beyond the irritating. What is supposed to be moving and emotional often turns out to be unintentionally laughable.

Watch Rahul masturbating frantically in a boat after he promises his chitti-biwi from Japan to remain sexually faithful to her. This is Rahul's second masturbation scene on screen after Dev Benegal's "English August".

The first time his character was bored. This time he's just desperate. So are we.

To keep a straight face while the characters talk to each other in thick accents about love and togetherness without ever meeting (or mating). This is stretching the imagination. Sorry, it just doesn't work.

As for the long kite-flying sequence it puts you off kites forever. Sorry, Hrithik and Barbara.

Rahul Bose's vast abilities to get into character here fight a losing battle. His performance never goes beyond the accent. Raima Sen is as usual, lovely and in-character. Wonder why she continues to be sidelined!

And it's a pleasure to watch Moushumi Chatterjee return as Rahul's goodhearted but scheming aunt. But as Rishi Kapoor always says about his performances in failed films, 'Faiyda kya hai?' (What's the use)

If you are a fan of Aparna Sen's work (as I am) you would be deeply disappointed by her descent into this self- important but frustrating film about a couple which deserves each other for all the wrong reasons. Arjun Sablok did long-distance love much better with Hrithik Roshan and Esha Deol in "Na Tum Janon Na Hum".

Movie Review Of "Chase"

Starring: Anuuj Saxena, Udita Goswami, Tarina Patel, Samir Kochhar, Rajesh Khattar and Gulshan Grover

Director: Jagmohan Mundhra

Rating: *1/2

It was just last week, with the release of Jagmohan Mundhra’s Apartment we spoke about Bollywood filmmakers destroying the thriller genre by only coming out with blatant rip offs of foreign flicks or non exciting plotlines.

After watching this week’s new release Chase yet another misdirected venture by Mundhra, we wish to plead to the makers that stop murdering this genre! A couple of pathetic twists and sleazy sequences don’t necessarily make a thriller.

Justifying its title, the film begins with a chase. Cops are chasing a terrorist, one Sohail Ansari (Anuuj Saxena). Though they eventually capture him, he gets injured in the proceedings.

He is diagnosed with an illness called locked in syndrome and is sent to a neurological research centre so that he gets cured and spews out the names. An attractive nurse Nupur (Udita Goswami) wants to prove that Sohail is faking his illness and acting.

She therefore tries to wake him up with her strip tease act. She even pushes him into the river which results in Sohail finally waking up. The rest of the film is all about what truth Sohail is carrying about a political murder and how he manages to prove his innocence to everyone.

If Jagmohan Mundhra’s direction is pure bad, the script of the film is plain ridiculous.

Anuuj Saxena’s hard work is noticeable and he succeeds in impressing. One just wishes he gets a good script to justify his talent. Udita Goswami yet again exposes (apart from her body) her limited acting range.

Playing Anuuj’s journalist girlfriend in the film, Tarina Patel’s cleavage gets more scope than her acting prowess. Samir Kochhar and Rajesh Khattar provide adequate support. Gulshan Grover despite getting limited scope leaves his mark.

Shammi Kapoor’s son Aditya Raj Kapoor doesn’t share the acting talent his rest family members have.

None of the technical departments impress much. Vijay Verma’s music too has no recall value. The title song seems to be lifted from BEP’s Pump It.

Chase is one of those utterly forgettable films that keep releasing at regular intervals in Bollywood and are the reason why the flop ratio in the industry is so high. So just don’t even bother to waste your efforts of going to the cinema hall for this one.

Sindhu Menon's Wedding Got Unnoticed

It's a real surprise that media channels seem to have rather ignored the wedding of South Indian actress Sindhu Menon, which was held last Saturday in Bangalore.

Hailing from Kerala, the actress made her debut in the Tamil film industry with Bharathiraja's 'Kadal Pookal' and shared screen space with Murali in K.S. Ravikumar's 'Samudram'. Off late, the actress became busy with other regional film offers including Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

Her comeback in Kollywood with Shankar's supernatural thriller 'Eeram' won her rave reviews and indeed endowed with Hollywood offers.

Last Saturday, the actress entered wedlock with UK based IT Professional Prabhu in Bangalore with several celebrities from the film industry gracing the occasion. 'Eeram' filmmaker, Arivazhagan, and actor Nanda were also present for the marriage.

Movie Review Of "Apartment"

Starring Neetu Chandra, Tanushree Dutta, Rohit Roy, Anupam Kher

Directed by Jagmohan Mundhra

Rating: * ½

Long before Director invented Perversity, Billy Wilder made that tender film The Apartment…not knowing that some day far away in that madness on the look-out for method called Bollywood Jagmohan Mundhra would use that title and little else from Wilder’s gentle movie.

Mundhra’s Apartment reads like a frighteningly disembodied episod, neither passionate nor bloody enough to qualify as a genuine slasher flick, of a television mini-series built around the theme of suburban loneliness.

We’ve seen many films on the theme of what Mumbai does to the outsider.

This one, by its own subverted logic, shows the outsider, a mentally disturbed girl from rural Maharshtra, creating havoc in a neatly-arrange spick-and-span apartment block somewhere in downtown Mumbai.

Neetu Chandra is the life and death of this surprisely-relaxed almost inert suspense thriller. She acts strange and with reason.Her character suffers from acute insecurities. Neetu Chandra makes her home in chic air-hostess Tanushree Dutta’s home and resents the city girl’s debonair boyfriend (Rohit Roy, seeming to enjoy his part).

The build-up is a little too slow for a slasher-movie (apartment gone to the devil!).

By the time the payback is on, we are much too distracted by the trivial atmospherics and incidental characters played by guys and women who seem to have been rejected in fashion shows in the first round itself. These are people probably pronounce ‘champagne’ with the gee.

The four principal characters hold together the unhurried plot. Anupam Kher as Tanushree’s poet neighbour is an engaging diversion. Other distractions like a tacky item song and intermittent song breaks choreographed like a high-school function, are a huge impediment.

It’s Neetu’s show all the way. The girl knows how to hold an expression without looking like she was doing it for effect. Wish there was more to hold up her performance. Most of the time she performs in a vacuum.

Lately Jagmohan Mundhra made film like Provoked and Shoot On Sight which had a point to make. In Apartment he strolls back into the province of the pointless.

Movie Review Of "House Full"

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Ritesh Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Boman Irani and Randhir Kapoor

Director: Sajid Khan

Rating: ***

After a long painful drought (thanks to the exam season and IPL matches) of plain boring to irritating films arrives Sajid Khan’s Housefull. While in totality it does fall short of being the big great summer entertainer that it is been claiming to be, it however manages to bring many laughs for you. However, eventually it settles down in familiar territory.

Housefull narrates the tale of Aarush (Akshay), a perpetually unlucky bloke and a loser in life who moves into the house of his best buddy cum another loser, Bob (Ritesh) and his wife Hetal (Lara). But things continue to go wrong for Aarush.

Convinced that true love can fade away his bad luck jinx, a desperate Aarush enters into many complicated situations while seeking it. Thus enter Sandy (Deepika) and Devika (Jiah) in his life.

Things complicate further with the arrival of Sandy’s angry brother Major Krishna Rao (Arjun Rampal) and Hetal’s estranged dad Batuk Patel (Boman Irani).

How Aarush and Bob in an attempt to hoodwink Krishna Rao and Batuk go on creating more confusion leading to a mirthful chaos forms the rest of the plot.

Much was expected from Sajid Khan who has been literally claiming from rooftops for weeks now that he has made the year’s biggest blockbuster. Though he has not entirely let us down, you do wish he could have opted for a more innovative plot.

The second half ends up being more of an Anees Bazmee film what with characters trying to hide identities and going on a lying spree.

Sajid Khan also seems to have taken the slap stick humour bit quiet seriously what with so many slaps happening within the film. A ‘slapathon’ sequence reminding of his Heyy Babyy takes place too.

The film loses its tempo with the introduction of Jiah’s character. But thankfully gets it back right in the second half where Akshay and Ritesh’s histrionics to hide the truth from Arjun Rampal and Boman Irani.

To give Sajid due credit, he has created many rip roaringly funny situations that are further elevated by his actors. Amongst the most hilarious sequences are most of the scenes featuring Akshay and Ritesh together. They share terrific chemistry.

The climax set in the Queen of England’s Buckingham Palace is a laugh riot (literally). The film is high on glamour quotient what with three attractive bodied heroines (Deepika, Lara and Jiah) parading in skimpy outfits most of the time.

Akshay Kumar is back in terrific form, evoking huge laughter with his poker faced humour. Ritesh Deshmukh is another great comic talent who often gets his timing right. Arjun Rampal suits the part and looks dapper.

While Deepika looks sizzling hot, Lara manages to score over her in the comedy department. Jiah tries hard and ends up being just about passable.

Boman Irani goes over the top as usual. Making a come back on screen after a long gap, Randhir Kapoor playing Jiah’s Sindhi dad doesn’t get much scope. Chunky Pandey is plain irritating playing Akhiri Pasta an Italian hotelier. His fake Italiano accent grates on your nerves.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s music perfectly syncs in with the mood of the film. Mika sung foot tapping number Apni To Jaise Taise featuring Jacqueline Fernandez is a sure shot chartbuster and is fun to watch on screen.

The editing could have been tighter especially in the first half. Vikas Sivaraman’s camera work is good especially while capturing the Italy locales.

Finally, what makes Housefull a watchable film is the fact that it aims to entertain and succeeds in doing so irrespective of its negative points. Go watch Housefull if you seek pure no hassles entertainment.

A.R. Rahman Picked New Singers for Raavan's Tamil Version

Finally, the listing of audio tracks for 'Raavan' Tamil version has been officially released by Sony Music. The title song 'Veera' ('Beera' in Hindi) has been crooned by the same singer Vijay Prakash of 'Hosanna' fame along with Keerthi Sagathia.

The Additional African vocals are rendered by Mustafa Kutoon. Karthik's 'Usure Pogudhey' is expected to be the Tamil version of 'Behene De' and A.R. Rahman has picked Shreya Ghosal for 'Kalvare' (Rekha Bharadwaj's 'Kili Re').

The other tracks are – 'Kodu Poatta' (Benny Dayal), Keda Kari (Benny Dayal, Bhagyaraj, Rayhanah and Grammy winner Tanvi Shah) and Kaattu Sirukki (Shankar Mahadevan, Anuradha Sriram).

Vairamuthu has penned lyrics for all the songs and the stunning response for the Hindi version has already raised everyone's expectations in Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad.

Both the Tamil and Telugu version 'Villain' will be released on the same by first week of May.

Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif The Hottest Couple

Bollywood actors Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif may be tight-lipped about their relationship status, but they have been voted the hottest couple of the decade in a poll by MSN India that also declared superstar Shah Rukh Khan the actor of the decade.

The two have beaten the likes of Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu-John Abraham and Saif Ali Khan- Kareena Kapoor.

MSN India had conducted an online poll and invited its readers to vote for their favourite Bollywood actors under various categories as part of their Decade Special for Bollywood.

Of the 38, 648 readers who responded for 'Hottest couple of the Decade' category, 36 percent opined that Salman and Katrina made for a greater couple than Abhishek-Aishwarya who got 27 percent votes, followed by Bipasha and John with 13 percent votes while Kareena and Saif got only six percent votes.

Katrina also topped the 'Hottest Body of the Decade' poll with 33 percent votes and proved that her curves are more attractive than Bipasha, who got 13 percent votes, Aishwarya Rai Bachcan (10 percent) and Priyanka Chopra (9 percent).

For the 'Actor of the Decade' poll, Shah Rukh topped with 29 percent votes followed by Aamir Khan with 26 percent and Amitabh Bachchan with 16 percent votes.

Ram Gopal Varma's 'Aag' was voted 'Flop of the Decade' and it won hands down with 48 percent votes followed by 'Drona', 'Love Story 2050' and 'Tashan'.

For the 'Hottest Lip Lock of the Decade' poll 39 percent thought that Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat's kissing in "Murder" was more sincere than Hrithik-Aishwarya in "Dhoom 2" (21 percent). It was followed by Saif-Kareena in "Kurbaan" (16 percent) and R. Madhavan-Vidya Balan in "Guru" (7 percent).

Reena Kapoor's Husband Will Attend Her 6th Wedding

Reena Kapoor is getting married for the sixth time in Sahara One's Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki, as we reported earlier.

One would think that even getting married on-screen would get boring the 6th time around, but apparently, the occasion was made special when Reena's husband, Karan, trooped in with few of his firangi friends to catch the action live.

The actress remained unavailable for comment as she's said to be on a trip to Jodhpur.

An actor requesting anonymity confirms the news, “Yes, Reena's husband did come along with few of his friends from abroad. He's a very nice man. He does keep coming to our sets.

Reena is getting married for the sixth time, so I guess it's nothing new for him. This is the first time that he's brought few of his friends, though. Perhaps, they wanted to see the shoot, or maybe they were interested in the rites and rituals that take place during an Indian Wedding Ceremony, and what better to showcase our traditions than a TV Soap, right?”

Meanwhile, it wasn't an easy day for the actors. First, the shoot was delayed by three hours after Suhasini Mulay's car was towed away by the traffic police while she was on a coffee break enroute to the shoot.

A subsequent power failure only added to their misery as the shoot was further delayed by four hours. And then, just when the director was about to call "Action" for the first shot, Karan arrived with his friends.

Well, Mr. Kapoor and his coterie arrived at the right time as they were saved from the early morning blues.

Little Dancing Stars Clash On Small Screen

Small screen is set for a clash between Zee TV's "Dance India Dance L'il Masters" and Colors' "Chak Dhoom Dhoom" - both of which are children's reality dance shows.

Both go on air Friday. While "Dance India Dance..." features ace choreographers Farah Khan and Sandip Soparrkar on the judges' panel, "Chak Dhoom Dhoom" will see Saroj Khan, Ahmad Khan and actor Vindu Dara Singh pointing out the pros and cons of the performers.

This is Zee TV's first children dance reality show -- and expectations are high.

"We expect 'L'il Masters' to be bigger than the last two seasons of 'Dance India Dance'. We visited 18 cities for auditions to select and bring talent from the interiors of the country. The audience will ultimately watch a show that will have better talent. So we will let them decide about competition, " Akash Chawla, marketing head of Zee TV, told.

Post the success of "Dance India Dance", Zee TV is seeing children's reality show as its brand extension.

"For us, 'L'il Masters' is a natural brand extension of 'Dance India Dance'. In the past two seasons of 'Dance India Dance', we built up an identity of the show. Now we are taking off from there just the way we did with 'Sa Ra Ga Ma Pa' to 'Sa Ra Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs', " said Chawla.

Colors' "Chak Dhoom Dhoom" too is expecting to hook audiences with its quality of talent.

"We are pretty confident that 'Chak Dhoom Dhoom' will do very well given the calibre of talent we have on the show. Also, these children will be trained by none other than choreographers to the stars themselves, Bosco-Ceaser, which is a first, " Ashvini Yardi, programming head of Colors, told.

"The jury is yet another plus point. Sarojji's experience as a dancer, teacher and judge is sure to add to the charisma of the show, while Ahmad and Vindu will definitely bring in fresher perspectives, " she added.

The small screen is set for another dance battle on STAR Plus' with "Zara Nachke Dikha", starting Saturday. Nine female celebrities (Masakalis) and nine male celebrities (Mastkalandars) will compete with each other.

In its second season now, the show is aimed at getting as big as it could with Bollywood stars Shilpa Shetty and Arshad Warsi and National award winning choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant in the judges panel.

But the big question is: who will win the larger battle of TRPs Friday?

"Raavan" Inspired Aishwarya Rai To Do Hindi

He is a southern superstar. As Vikram steps into Bollywood at the age of 44 with "Raavan", he is acutely aware of going where perhaps no Indian actor has gone before - playing the hero in the Hindi version and the villain in the Tamil edition.

He admits to being initially scared to be part of the Hindi version of director Mani Ratnam's "Raavan" but says his co-star Aishwarya Rai's brilliant performance in the Tamil venture boosted his confidence.

"Initially, I was very scared because I had this mental block. What kept me going was that Ash didn't know Tamil and she was doing so well," Vikram told in an interview.

"Had I been only doing the Hindi version, I would have been really worried. But it is also in Tamil and everyone made me feel quite comfortable," he added.

Vikram is perhaps the first actor who is doing a film in two different languages and playing two different characters in them. In the Hindi version he will be seen in the positive role as Aishwarya's husband while in Tamil he will play Beera, a negative character being essayed by Abhishek in the Hindi version.

"No one in the world has done the same film in two languages and with a different role. I think that was something that got me hooked," said Vikram.

"For many days I had to shoot simultaneously in both the languages. It was amazing. I would do a sequence then I would go and change the make-up, take out all the dirt and blood, put another design of dirt and blood and do a sequence for the second language.

Usually make-up takes an hour, but for this film here I had to get ready in 10 minutes to finish the fight sequences," said Vikram.

Reports say "Raavan" is a modern interpretation of the epic "Ramayana". Commenting on that, Vikram said "every film has taken something from the epic".

"It's not Ramayana. When you see the film, you may find the main character is like Rama. But the way he (Ratnam) has designed it, the perspective is totally different.

"Whatever film has been made so far, they have something from 'Ramayana'. So when you will see the film, you might find parallels. I think it's very contemporary. He (Ratnam) just wanted to experiment," said Vikram.

Vikram said he had been wanting to work with Ratnam for a long time.

"We had been planning to work together for the last couple of years, but it didn't happen. The dates didn't match, scripts didn't work out. Finally, for this he called me," he said.

Asked whether he would cast a spell on Bollywood, he said: "I guess forgetting everything and coming here (Bollywood) and working would have bothered me. They called me and I really liked the script...

"I, of course, loved the thought that my audience was going to be much larger. There are lots of people who watch my films. Now those who don't speak Tamil even they will watch my films. That's something that excites me."

A co-production of Madras Talkies and Reliance Big Pictures, the much awaited "Raavan" is scheduled for a June 18 release.

Frieda Pinto Will Be The Next Bond Girl?

Slumdog Millionaire" star Dev Patel says Frieda Pinto will be amazing as a Bond girl in the next installment of spy thriller.

"She is stunning. There have been rumours about her being a Bond girl on the next film. I would love her to get the role, she’d be amazing," dailystar.co.uk quoted Dev as saying.

"I’m not sure I could ever play 007 though. I’m too much of a wimp," he added.

Why Nana Patekar Become Angry

And Nana Patekar has done it again. On Sunday, he was supposed to be interviewed by some journalists. Though he is an unpredictable person, no one expected him to put a stop to all activities of the day. The journalists came on time on the respective day in order to interview him for Raajneeti. Nana came there on time, but first went into one room with the director Prakash Jha, who was probably informing him about the interview. Nana then came out five minutes later and Jha went into another room to look after some editing work. The actor greeted the journalists very warmly and then walked straight out of the office. When Jha came back, he was shocked to find Nana, who was supposed to be interviewed, missing. He was left red-faced and couldn't explain why he had left to the journalists. Jha is clueless as to why Nana left and thinks it may be because he was annoyed with something or because he had a prior commitment. He is yet to speak to him. Meanwhile, Ajay Devgn who happened to be around spoke to the journalists and saved the day.

Come! Meet Aamir Khan

Bollywood star Aamir Khan has decided to catch up with his blog fans in Paris when he is there on Sunday.

"I am going to be in Paris on May 2 and would very much like to meet up with those of you who are interested. Will restrict the group to five," Aamir posted on his blog.

"Each one of you can bring one more person with you. If you happen to be below 18 years of age, you will have to accompanied by an adult."

The actor also asked his fans to enter their contact details on his blog page.

"Please post your contact details so that I can reach you, but remember that this is a public space, so only if you are comfortable with putting out that information," wrote the actor.

After Paris, Aamir plans to go to London May 5.

Akshay Kumar Is Going To Be A Director

He had written "Namastey London", turned producer with his Hari Om Productions and has of course acted in umpteen actioners and comedies. Now Bollywood star Akshay Kumar says he may wield the megaphone as well after a few years.

"I wrote 'Namastey London'. I had given the concept of 'Waqt - The Race Against Time'. I don't sit and write a story. I meet people and if their stories touch me, I try putting them on the big screen. In 'Namastey London', the character is real. He is a friend of mine from Jalandhar. It happened to him, " Akshay told in an interview.

Talking about his directorial plans, he said: "As of now, no. But you never know. Three years back, if you would have asked me whether I will produce a film, I would have said no. But then I became a producer...anything can happen in this industry. After three-four years, I might direct a film as well."

Akshay's next film "Housefull" releases Friday and director Sajid Khan presents him as "the world's unluckiest guy". But the actor says he has been quite lucky in real life.

"I have been lucky with my life. I made a good career. I didn't have any godfather in the industry. Whatever I have achieved in life is because of my luck and a little bit of hard work, " Akshay told.

"I am playing a very unlucky man in the film. He believes his luck will change when he finds true love and gets married. So he starts searching for the right girl. It's total entertainment, " the actor said.

Shot in Britain, Italy, Hong Kong and India, the film also stars Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Arjun Rampal and Riteish Deshmukh. Akshay says he's never given a thought to why most comedies are multi-starrers.

"I never sat down to analyse why it's like that, but a lot of people want two, three actors together when they make comedies. Nowadays when you are doing a comedy, you are not a hero, you become a character.

That's the best part about doing a comedy. You have to act not only as a hero but also as a comedian and as an entertainer. There may be more points in it, so they choose to make it a multi-starrer, " said Akshay.

From his first film "Saugandh" (1991) to "Housefull", Akshay has come a long way and in his almost two decades-long journey he has tried every genre, but feels he still has cope to explore.

"There are a few genres, which people can actually do. But these genres, be it comedy or tragedy, are so vast that more you explore it, you realise there is something you have yet to do. Comedy has different angles, romance has different angles; so it's never ending. I would like to do a horror comedy, " said Akshay.

He is known for doing all stunts himself. Asked if he ever felt scared, he said: "I fear doing every stunt. I think one should fear because then you take double care of your safety. There is a good fear and a bad fear. There is a good fear with me, which tells me to do the stunts but safely."

Shahrukh Khan Don't Want To Go Wrong After IPL

Shah Rukh Khan, though upset about the ill health of Red Chillies CEO Bobby Chawla, hasn't put a hold on his work. Bobby was hospitalized following a brain hemorrhage on April 4. Since then, SRK has been taking care of every little thing in his production house. Though Bobby Chawla's hospitalization has messed up the entire shooting schedule of Ra.One, Shah Rukh has decided to take the lead to make sure that everything is back on track. Some of Bobby Chawla's duties have been taken up by Ra.One director Anubhav Sinha as well, but it is Shah Rukh who is controlling Ra.One completely right now. According to sources, SRK has taken up all of Bobby Chawla's work. His job is now calling up every actor of Ra.One and coordinating their dates, discussing their remuneration, making sure that they get their payments on time and talking to technicians, which includes those coming from abroad, for every single production detail, including the special effects involved in the film. SRK is almost holding the entire film together as he is doing production- related work which he wouldn't have done otherwise. As Bobby was taking care of everything at Red Chillies for all these years, SRK only had to focus on acting. So there is no doubt that the actor is missing Bobby a lot. But SRK has made up his mind that he will not give anyone who is a part of the film a chance to complain about anything.

Aishwarya Rai's Fighting Of Impossible

At the moment Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is trying to cope with the most impossible schedule ever faced by an actress. She is in the US to bring in her third marriage anniversary.Then she goes to Cannes for the film festival. In- between she must also start all the promotional work for Mani Ratnam's Raavan.

And now with Akshay Kumar in London for 90 days to shoot for Nikhil Advani's Patiala House where does that leave Vipul Shah with his one remaining so to be shot for Action Replay?

Not in a very happy position! Neither Aishwarya nor Akshay Kumar have any dates to spare for the song. And Vipul won't release the film without the song which he considers ultra-vital to the plot.

So here's the ever-accommodating Aishwarya's plan. She generously suggested that Vipul fly down with with his unit to London. Aishwarya would fly from Cannes to London and shoot the song with Akshay in night shifts when Akshay wouldn't be shooting for Patiala House.

Says Vipul, “It is very very generous and considerate of Aishwarya to suggest that she'd join me from Cannes, that I come to London and shoot the song with her and Akshay. She is really working very hard. Both Akshay she have a genuine date problem.”

Vipul is in two minds whether he should take up his indefatigable leading lady's kind offer. “I need four days to shoot my song. I don't know if I can impose on another director Nikhil Advani's time and money like this. Let's see. In any case I've now postponed the release of Action Replay from July to September.”

Since the other big Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Raavan releases in June Vipul thought it wise to re-position his film to a later date.

Tanushree Dutta Has No Lesbian Angle With Neetu

Apartment is all set to release this Friday. However, ever since the kick-start of the film's shoot around June last year, there have been stories around discomfort between the leading ladies of the film - Tanushree Dutta and Neetu Chandra.

One wonders though that isn't it amusing that during the making of most of the films (and especially around the release time) stories about cat fights start making headlines? Aren't audience expected to understand that there can't be much truth to this?

"I generally believe that these controversy angles have become passé. Whoever is playing up these kind of rumours doesn't realize that it is only ending up harming the film", says Tanushree Dutta who is obviously unhappy with the way this entire episode has taken shape, "I strongly believe though that such stories are not coming from the production house but some outside camps.

These controversies, actresses doing cat fights, lesbian angles - come on, give me a break. And gosh, what was this story around an apparent shower scene in the film? Please, there is none. These are just rumours floating for no reasons."

On a positive note though, her director Jagmohan Mundhra appears to be quite impressed with the very virtue of her picking up the film since supposedly not many girls were keen at playing a victim.

"See, I have played a villain earlier in 'Raqeeb' so I thought of doing something different this time around", says Tanushree with a straight face, "I had a choice of either playing a villain or a victim and I did the latter.

This adds variety to my work platter. In fact I remember asking Jag that which role did he want me to play and he suggested that of the victim. I too am pleased with it because while the character played by Neetu is monotonous, the one that I do has a lot of shades."

Now that's quite a statement from her. Does she wish to elaborate further?

"I am not undermining Neetu's role; after all it is all negative and powerful.

Still, it is monotone character and has one shade to it", she adds cautiously, "On the other hand my character has lot of shades to it. There is an air hostess angle to it which shows that I am a smart working woman.

Also, since I am shown to be in a relationship, you would see a soft sensitive side to me as well. And then when I get victimized, then there is this trauma and pain also that come in. So yeah, I get to do a lot in the film and I am satisfied."

Jiah Khan Was Nervous Before Housefull Babes

For Jiah Khan, last three years have been quite eventful in Bollywood. After making a beginning with Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Varma's 'Nishabd' (2007), she went on to work along with none other than Aamir Khan in 'Ghajini' (2008).

Now she arrives in an out and out masala affair like 'Housefull' where she is paired opposite Akshay Kumar. For any young actor, sharing screen space with three of the biggest superstars in Bollywood would have been akin to a dream journey.

After a couple of serious outings like 'Nishabd' and 'Ghajini', one can well assume that she must have had quite some fun shooting for a much lighter affair like 'Housefull'.

"I completely agree with that", smiles Jiah, "Having said that, I was so very nervous before I started the shoot. I have never done comedy for the big screen though I was quite good at it when I was in the acting school.

However, these are two entirely different things because I was a lot more relaxed at school.

Here I was working with such huge stars and it was imperative that with actors like Akshay, Riteish and Lara around, each of whom is known for his/her comic timing, I get it all right.

Thankfully, this is where Sajid comes in because he has his own ways of making you feel comfortable and deliver well. He has got so many jokes handy with him; he is simply a genius."

For someone who started off on an unconventional note with 'Nishabd' and 'Ghajini', it was a great experience for Jiah to get into something which was far more mainstream in Bollywood parlance.

"To be honest, it is really fabulous to be part of such a big project. However, it also happens a number of times that huge money is spent on the project and it ends up looking and doing good as well but it doesn't do much for an actor.

This is why at the moment I can't really say anything. Let the film release", she smiles, "I know for sure though that Sajid has made a fantastic film and those who watch Hindi films regularly would love it."

Aishwarya Rai Is Lucky To Got Married In Bachchan Family

So at last the long wait for Mani Ratnam's Raavan seems to have come to an end. Film Raavan's music launch was held recently with great pomp and show. Live performances by Abhishek Bachchan were indeed exuberant.

While Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan draped in a glittery white sari with red border not only added a serene look to her beauty but added loads of charm to her persona. Ash anchored the event with great poise although managed it at a short notice indeed. She had just flown from abroad.

A brief chit-chat with Lipika Varma follows-

Ash literary seems to be in awe with Mani Ratnam who launched her in Iruvar in 1997. “I must thank and credit Mani sir for having conceptualized this awesome character for me. I had it all for me.

My character Ragini has to perform dances, stunts as well as facing the brunt of the weird character 'Raavan'. Believe me; I had to perform in the dense, dark and a dangerous forest crawling with snakes, leeches and all the possible creepy critters.

Mani sir would wake us up at sharp 5a.m. All of us would go on a Reiki and come back by eight and had to be ready for our first shot. Mani sir is so polite he would always say 'be your real self'.

Laughs aloud and adds, “We had to perform our real self amidst the snakes, leeches and the other creepy animals. But I must thank Mani sir for making me look so very real without a pinch of make up.”

She goes on to add about her character that, “Ragini is a power-packed character in the sense that I had to be doing every bit myself [which of course was my choice] right from the stunts to getting muddy and swinging all over the sea side holding a rope.

Not only this, we would also perform in horrifying climatic conditions with rain pouring cats and dogs. But it was fun, pleasure and work rolled into one. Nonetheless, Mani Sir would be standing at all odd hours to our rescue.

“Secondly this character is a discovery for me - in true sense that I discovered my new self."

Well! Can her character be compared to Sita then, we quiz? “Actually this film can not be compared to any mythology as such. The title Raavan has been taken just because he behaves badly.

There is no co-relation to any epic as such. This Raavan is a man who can also have good qualities as well as bad qualities. At one moment he can be acting as a cool dude while the very next moment he can be behaving in an obnoxious manner. Yes!

On reel Abhishek performs in an imbalanced manner. But by the end of the day we are husband and a wife we do not discuss much about our filmy affairs once we are off the set.

So all the discussions pertaining to our characters would begin the moment we stepped onto the set only.”

Was Abhishek not fearful of Ash performing such dangerous stunts?

“It was our choice and to tell you the fact we enjoyed doing it all by ourselves. Although Mani sir did not want his actors to perform any such stunts.

One thing I liked about Mani sir he would tell me 'look how fast Abhi and the others can do the dance steps and other serious stunts'?” she replied to Abhishek's answer while Abhi told us that Mani sir always praised Ash's quick responses.”

In short, both husband and wife [Abhishekh and Ash] seemed to be in total awe of Mani Ratnam. To this the quick witted Ash replies, “Yes! To an extent that while I was busy shooting with Mani sir for Guru he kept visualizing me in the character [Ragini] which had started conceptualizing in his mind at the time of making Guru.

Coming to her dancing style Ash says, “I really enjoyed dancing in this movie. At times I would just freak out dancing, keeping in mind the wonderful dancing style of Waheeda Rehman in film Guide.

I had a lot of fun, satisfaction for a simple reason that Mani sir would ask us to just perform in the most casual manner, enjoying the character but yet it had to be so very real.”

Talking about the so called assumption by the media, that Raavan has 4 climaxes. However, Ash denies the story rubbishing it and tabooing it to be a cooked tale. “Infact Mani sir is one director who would not like to leave any scenes unfinished. He loves to complete a scene in totality before going to another”

She further adds, “I had to face the challenge of performing both in Hindi as well as Tamil. It is not an easy task. If Mani sir would recollect something of Hindi take he would immediately ask us to shift to Hindi dialogues while we would be busy muttering our Tamil dialogues.

I would understand my Tamil dialogues and also would learn the dialogues of my co actor in order to emote accordingly. So all in all switching in and out of these two languages was challenging and interesting indeed.

Having got married to the Bachchans' family Ash says, “When a girl comes into another family it is her responsibility to keep up to the family status. So yes! Like any other married ladies she too is professional.

She has to become even more mature after getting married.”

“My professional and family liabilities are different but I need to handle both with enough care to strike a balance between the two. I am also luck y to have got married into a family who have supported me and my career fully well.”

It is time to wait and watch out for one of the biggest movies to hit the screens this year, and after the Music Launch, the anticipation graph has shot skywards!

Katrina Kaif Is No. 1 Actress?

Katrina Kaif surely has proved her acting caliber on the silver screen. From her first film Boom to Rajneeti She has experimented with her look, performances and above all she has improved dancing as well as her speech skills too.

Undoubtedly, the directors and the producers have broken the myth that she is just a glam doll. The credit nonetheless goes to Prakash Jha for his film Rajneeti in which Kats has taken the trouble of dubbing the dialogues in pure Hindi. A heart to heart rendezvous follows with Lipika Varma.

So how was it working with Prakash Jha who believes in hard hitting subjects with purely Hindi dialogues?
Yes! It was not difficult for me I can mug up ten pages at a stretch. I have an accent problem but I've tried to manage it well.

In fact, when I sat down to surf some of the real characters from the political arena; I thought that in the quest of getting into some real political character, I was going wrong.

Hence I decided to follow my reel character only. As a modern contemporary youth, I have tried to get the body language of Priyanka Gandhi. But by no means can you compare my reel character to any living political characters.

You guys are just comparing me to Sonia Gandhi because I too belong to an English mother, with fair skin and black hair which is not really so. ” Quips Katrina.

You came into this industry fresh, who do you give credit to as your 'Godfather'?
Ya! I am not one belonging to the Bollywood industry. Everyone has a God Father. I have not one but many Godfathers who may have helped me attain the kind of success I have achieved in this short span of my career.

Salman and Akshay Kumar have definitely helped me get to the horizon. I would also credit the blessings showered upon me by the almighty God which is why I have been able to achieve success.

It's the survival of the fittest. And you are on the top of the female lead stars. How do you feel about it?
I feel good to be topping the list. If this comparison brings me on the top of the list why will I not like ranking. Human tendency is such that we love to be number one. Why will I not like the number game?

But there ought to be a fair competition. We need not pursue wrong ways to just boost up our career. Our work needs to speak more than our action/words. If you say I'm topping the list in the number one game then I really feel elated.

Is it true that you are essaying Madhubala's character in the biopic on Kishore Kumar?
I am open to doing good films. Being in the profession I need to know the script, if it is going to work or not. Yes! I do discuss it with my close people but the final decision rests with me.

I am in the process of sorting out the details with UTV Productions. Nothing has been finalized as yet. I feel the media is in a bit of a hurry to publish news even before confirming it, which was not the case earlier.

What profession would you have pursued if you weren't a part of the Bollywood industry?
I have always been a day dreamer. Probably because I had a sense of insecurity as we have been wanderers. We never were stationed in one place. I always loved to be a fire-fighter also performing stunts would always fancy me. I love to live in a castle built world.

You seem to be very excited about working with Hrithik, is it true?
Yes! I'm very excited about working with Hrithik tentatively in a movie titled Zindagi Mile Na Dobara. This film is surely going to be a path-breaking and a youthful film. I am sure it will be a brilliant film.

My role is that of a free spirited girl. I'm really looking forward to work with Hrithik Roshan. Although it is a difficult character but I will surely be able to perform to the best of my ability.

How do you manage to stay in such a great shape?
I hate doing regular gym. I feel good exercise twice or thrice a week only. I remember how my trainer of Tees Maar Khan made me do rigorous exercises.

But now I just tell him to schedule it only twice a week. I believe in maintaining a proper diet. I maintain myself by following the right kind of lifestyle.

Ranbir Kapoor's Madhubala Is Katrina Kaif

If Kareena Kapoor considers doing a film on Hollywood legend, Marilyn Monroe, can Katrina Kaif be left behind?

The buzz is that Katz is set to play tragic Bollywood beauty Madhubala in Anurag Basu's next. The filmmaker will be making a biopic on celebrated singer Kishore Kumar's life. He hopes to bring the Madhubala-Kishore romance to the screen. And playing Kishore is the suave Ranbir Kapoor!

Katrina-Ranbir created magic in their first film Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani. Their Jodi was a hit was audiences. The two were supposed to star in Anurag's Silence until Priyanka Chopra stepped in.

Reportedly Katz didn't want to share the frame or Ranbir for that matter with Priyanka, so she opted out. Anurag however was keen to work with her and has cast her as the legendary actress.

Madhubala is regarded as one the most beautiful and talented actresses of India. She has been immortalized by her performance as the doomed courtesan in Mughal-e-Azam.

She has also done films like Mahal, Howrah Bridge and Sharabi. Her most memorable role has been in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi with Kishore Kumar.

Katrina, will her angelic looks will reprise the iconic star on screen. She has already begun her homework by watching Madhubala's films. As for Kishore, the dashing Ranbir too is preparing to do justice to the role.

A source told us that the famous number Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi will be recreated in Anurag's film. After Rajneeti, the Ranbir, -Katrina Jodi will appear in a retro Kishore-Madhubala avtar.

The 25-year-old actress feels that it was her destiny that she came into the Hindi film industry and succeeded. She has many people to thank for her soaring career here.

"There are too many people whom I can call my godfather. I am grateful and indebted to them. Even Akshay Kumar took a risk in working with me initially, " she said. "He did not know me at all. He was at crossroads of his career. When he did Namastey London, people thought he had gone insane.

Nobody is going to damage or destroy himself to help somebody else. Salman and Akshay believed in me and that is my good fortune and destiny. Apart from guiding me, Salman had confidence in me. He is not the person to say that because he is friendly with you. He will say it genuinely" Katrina added.

Barbara Mori Can't Show Nudity In India

Mexican beauty Barbara Mori, who makes her Bollywood debut with "Kites", says she finds the melodrama and song- dance sequences of Hindi films "funny yet fascinating".

She is also amazed at the brouhaha kissing scenes generate in India.

"I knew nothing about Bollywood when 'Kites' came to me. Rakesh Roshan (producer) and Anurag Basu (director) narrated the script to me and the only thing I felt was that this was such a different film, " Barbara, who will be seen as Hrithik Roshan's love interest in "Kites", told in an exclusive interview.

"Then I saw some Bollywood films and realised there's a lot more dancing and singing than we have in Mexico. I found it funny in the beginning.

"There was a scene where Hrithik is supposed to have blood on his body, then there were these singing and dancing sequences - it was a little funny, yet I was quite fascinated. Now I look forward to more Bollywood movies, " she added.

The 32-year-old is on her third visit to India ever since her association with "Kites", to be released by Reliance BIG Pictures May 21.

Another aspect of Bollywood that amazes Barbara is the brouhaha over kissing and lovemaking scenes.

"I respect what culture is followed in each country just as I respect the culture in my own place. The culture in Indian films is different.

There I can show nudity, at least partly if not fully. And kissing is not a big deal. But here somehow it's a big thing. That was quite amazing.

"In fact, before beginning to shoot 'Kites', I told Hrithik, 'We're kissing many times in the script, won't it be a problem in your country?' He said 'Yeah, but things are more open now'.

"I have heard Anurag Basu has made some really good bold movies and I feel kissing must be okay now in Bollywood, " said Barbara who is totally kicked about the release of "Kites" next month.

"This is a very different movie, the first biggest movie I have done, my first English movie and the first action movie for me… I never imagined shooting in Bollywood...it has been so exciting.

"I really love the story. From the beginning, when I met Anurag Basu and Rakesh Roshan in Los Angeles, I felt really touched to see such a different love story - that of a Mexican and Indian falling in love without any language barrier, " she said.

Unlike most other foreign actors who are expected to deliver dialogues in Hindi, Barbara was lucky as her character had to speak in Spanish and English only.

But she was petrified of doing underwater scenes. "Underwater scenes we shot in the Maldives. They were very complicated and tough.

Water, sea… I don't like! Still we had to put oxygen masks, go underwater and act. For me, that was a big thing. It was difficult, but I sailed through…, " she said.

She says Hrithik gave immense support throughout the shooting.

"Hrithik has been a superb co-star. He is a great actor and has delivered some very good performances. I have seen some of his movies.

I don't remember their names but I really liked some. I specifically liked the one in which he plays a soldier… what's that called? Ummmm….'Lak'…' Lakshya', " said Barbara.

She also said that Hrithik taught her Hindi. "I taught a bit of Spanish to Hrithik and he taught me some Hindi…but all the bad words!"

Barbara will be returning to Mexico Saturday and says she definitely wants to come back in time for the film's release.

Twinkle Patel Will Not Appear In The Bikini

Twinkle Patel, who is quite excited about making her debut with debutante director Som Shekar’s film Muskarake Dekh Zara opposite new comer Gashmeer, who happens to be the son of the veteran actor Ravindra Mahajani, who has to his credit several films in not only Hindi but also Marathi, tells Jyothi Venkatesh that she could relate to her role in Muskarake Dekh Zara though in real life she does not look at life the way Preeti in the film does.

Tell me something about your film Muskarake Dekh Zara?
The film is a story of simple emotions and disappointments of love and life. The film’s lighter moments beautifully intersperse with the hero’s portrayal of a character of depth.

I should say that it’s not just love and disappointment but the fresh way they are handled that makes the film unique. If you ask me, the USP of the film is the wonderful play between the nuances of the foreign returned Preeti and the not so urban Vivek, played by Gashmeer.”

What is your role in Muskarake Dekh Zara?
I play the role of Preeti, a very simple girl, who is very grounded even though she has studied abroad. Though the 24 year old Pretti, who is the daughter of an industrialist, is demure and pleasant and has a mind of her own, she stays with her parents and is an independent girl.

Preeti, I should say, is a rare combination of intelligence and innocence and with her wonderful smile, is very appealing.Om Katare and Madhuri Sanjeev play my parents in the film. I was born to a Gujarati mother and a Malayalee father.

I live with my mother since my parents opted for a divorce. You can say that I have the best of both the worlds. I should confess that I bagged the break quite easily even though I am a rank new comer and did not have to struggle at all.

How easy was it for you to bag your debut role in Muskarake Dekh Zara?
I consider myself lucky that I met producer-director Som Shekar through a family friend. Right from the time I was a tiny tot, I was very interested in taking up acting as a career.

Even before I could even think, I bagged my role in the film. I went in for an audition and was selected for the part of Preeti and I should say that it was quite easy for me though it was my debut film to play the role of Preeti, for the simple reason that to a large extent, I could relate to my role in the film though in real life, I do not at all look at life the way Preeti does.

How did you prepare for your part?
To tell you the truth, I did not really prepare for my role. All that I did was just to try to understand my character over all and give it my own inputs. I had to portray my director’s point of view. I actually learnt acting on the sets. It helped me that I attended a workshop by Lovel Prabhu before the film went on the floors.

As an actor, would you take up each and every kind of role instead of playing safe by essaying only the romantic lead roles?
I am first and foremost an actress. If I am destined to be a star, I will become one some day or the other. As of now I am so committed to my craft that I am game even to play negative roles.

In fact, though I should confess that as far as my mind set and psyche go, as of now I am not game to appear in a bikini, I am very keen on getting my teeth into various kinds of characters and deliver my performance with effortless ease.

How was the experience of working with director Som Shekar?
Som Shekar was very supportive and did not at all put pressures on me as an actress. Though I was quite scared of the syndrome of the ubiquitous casting couch in Bollywood, to my great relief, my director Som Shekar put me at ease and made me quite comfortable when I was working on the sets and believe me, I am yet to face any bad experience in the industry.