Dino and Kangna Get Cosy

Dino Morea is one of the most well-known Casanovas in Bollywood and that isn’t a hidden fact. In the past the actor has been linked with Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta and Nandini Mahtani. After breaking up with his former girlfriends, Dino, it seems has found himself getting comfortable in the arms of Kangna Ranaut. The duo were spotted displaying much affection towards one another at Sanjay and Manyata Dutt’s second marriage anniversary. At the bash, many witnessed the two indulging in some public display of affection towards one another which involved some lip and tongue action too.

A guest at the party went on to confirm, “Dino, who made an appearance sans his steadiest girlfriend Nandita Mahtani, had lots to talk about with Kangna Ranaut. Before long, they were chatting away so intimately that it was difficult to believe that this was their first proper meeting at a private party.” He continued with more intricate details, “During the course of the evening, Kangna was seen mostly around Dino and they were overheard discussing movies, especially their common interest in Hollywood films. Dino flattered her with many compliments about her best roles. Interestingly, when they both decided to leave at the same time, they hugged each other rather warmly and the peck on the cheek was as hot as it gets. In the lobby, as they waited for their cars, a happy Dino couldn't resist hopping on a kiddie car lying there, which made Kangna burst into delighted laughter.”

Needless to say, the avid tweeter, went on to tweet and clarify the situation by saying, “am in the news again for reasons am not too happy abt.. for all tweeps who asked abt k and i, far from the truth.”

Is there a new couple on the brink of arrival in B-Town? From the looks of it, we may hear more about a Kangna-Dino alliance in the near future.

(Bollyspice.com)

I don't believe in 'over exposure': says Udita

Bollywood actress Udita Goswami, who will return to the big screen with the supernatural thriller Rokkk, says that she chooses to do less work because she does not believe in "over exposure".

The former model, whose bold roles in films like Zeher and Aksar earned her the tag of a sex symbol, said that she is satisfied with the way her film career has shaped up.

"Even though I am just five films old, I am content doing less work and don't care what people say about me. I am satisfied and don't believe in over exposure," Udita who made her debut with Pooja Bhatt's Paap said.

Rokkk releases on March 5 and is directed by Rajesh Ranshinge and produced by Krishan Chaudhary for Ikkon films, starring Tanushree Dutta and Shaad Randhawa.

Udita essays the character of Aahana, a MBA student from Delhi who comes to Goa in search of her missing sister.

The actress is super excited about her role in this genre.

"Even though horror and super-natural genre is not very popular, I think Rokkk is by far the best super-natural thriller made in India. Success of a film depends on how the story is handled and brought on screen by the director irrespective of its genre," she said.

Fresh after the shooting of Jagmohan Mundra's Chase opposite Anuj Saxena, Udita will shortly start dubbing for the film.

"Chase is an action thriller and I will be seen in an unglamorous avatar," she said.

The actress will be playing a spy in Sunny Deol's The Man.

"I have shot only for a day for The Man, but working under Sunny's directorial baton was a good experience. The prolonged schedule will start from April which I am looking forward to," she said.

Udita said that both actors from film backgrounds, as well as "outsiders" like her, have to struggle to succeed in the competitive industry.

"Unlike us, actors from film families have tremendous pressure of fulfilling expectations but I agree the path is much easier," Udita said.
(India Today)

Aamir Khan's Peepli Live sold to Germans

After rave audience and critics reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, Peepli Live, directed by Anusha Rizvi, co-produced by UTV Motion Pictures and Aamir Khan Productions has just been picked up by specialty film German distribution company Rapid Eye Movies.

Theatrical release for Peepli Live in Germany is planned for third quarter of 2010. Rapid Eye has also acquired the Home Video and Television for the territory.

Stephan Holl, founder of Rapid Eye Pictures commented on his acquisition, "We are thrilled to bring to the German audience a true Indian art house film that entertains whilst telling a serious story."

Amrita Pandey, VP, International Distribution and Syndication, UTV Motion Pictures, said, "Rapid Eye is an ideal distribution partner for us to plan a theatrical Germany release for the film."

Peepli Live is Anusha Rizvi's first feature. It is a fresh and intelligently spun satire of the real-life epidemic of farmer suicides that have plagued India for the past decade. With a deft hand, Rizvi infuses humour and buoyancy in depicting this tragic predicament, illuminating the true colors of many corridors of Indian society. Peepli Live is the first Indian film ever to be selected at the Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Dramatic competition) and is also screening in out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

Critics who have watched the film say:

"A peppy screwball comedy with elements of social satire... Debuting writer-director Anusha Rizvi manages to wrest a lively feature out of a gravely serious issue, capturing the desperation of India's village farmers, as well as the nation's shift from agriculture to industrialization, without losing sight of the entertainment principle." – Rob Nelson, Variery.

"A comic gem set in India's beleaguered rural communities... Both funny and sobering, this film, produced by Bollywood icon Aamir Khan (the Oscar-nominated Lagaan), aims beyond Indian audiences." – Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter.

"Peepli Live is a film about land ownership and suicide that makes you laugh. In her debut feature, Anusha Rizvi entertains with a bawdy take on the rural class struggle as she examines a serious injustice in India today. Her comedy is as wildly funny as it is outrageous." – David D'Arcy, Screen International.

(Buzz18)

On a Date with Jacqueline Fernandez

12 gorgeous dates in 2009. What's installed in 2010? January was dry. Come February, the hunt was still on. Then I wish for my Valentine. With a day to go, my Valentine Date arrives in the form of Jacqueline Fernandez. It's magic, heh? The genie answered my wishes. I felt like an Aladin. What I forgot to wish though was the magic carpet. I mean, I could've spent the Valentine Day with my cute and charming date in Paris. After all, she loves the city and the French. Then I wished to turn into a Frenchman myself. Back to reality, I arrive at 1 pm at Indigo Cafe in Andheri with a wrapped surprise for my Valentine. Reserved a table and time. I was informed that she could be there any moment. She arrives in less than a minute. What made this day and date so different was that I had never before met or heard about Jacqueline from anyone in the Indian Film Industry. So to call it a 'blind valentine date' could've been just apt. But I like the unexpected. One of the newest entrants in Bollywood, Jacqueline is one of the most talked about girl in town. But what if you turn that upside down. Here's what you get - She is the girl who just talks and loves to talk. And this is what's in-store - you sit and see her talk about food to cities to bikinis to French men to her perfect date (that's me??). Dressed in a chequered knee length sleeveless dress, Fernandez looked adorable and huggable. She looked like a perfect soft toy holding your heart that you'd want to treasure for the rest of your life. For a change, she was a perfect date with a mind working ten times faster than mine. I mean, could you have ever thought of Jacqueline triggering yet another brilliant idea into my head - 'Extra Marital Dates' is what she advised me to start off with. Mrs Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Esha Koppikhar Narang, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Ayesha Takia Azmi, and many more...get ready! The question was - Will this end my string of single dates? Who knows? I got my Valentine gift - Thank You Jaqueline. I love you!
(Bollywood Hungama)

Shah Rukh Khan: Love will keep us alive...

(Excerpts from the interview)

What drives him even today?
I think this frenzy of work is not a necessity; it is a way of life. It is like breathing. You never see someone specially sitting down and breathing, you just breathe. Stop it and you will die. I really believe acting is spiritual. I’m happiest when I’m working. Everything that is good in me comes to the fore when I’m acting.

So why did you get onto Twitter?
Karan and I were chatting one night when he asked me why I wasn’t on Twitter. He insisted I sign up and I did. Karan tweeted about this and we instantly had some 900 followers. Frankly, I was a little overwhelmed. The problem with a courteous person like me is that when people say ‘hi, how are you, so glad to have you here’ the least I’d like to do is to thank them. The next day Karan said I had 2000 followers. I didn’t know what to say. The idea was not to talk about the film, though to be honest, they did ask. But film promotion will be film promotion. It will be done. But I’m not on Twitter to put up thought-provoking statements and have people comment on them. It’s a platform to say hello. Yes once or twice I may comment on an issue like I did on hockey but basically it’s to interact with people. I feel odd talking about my movie on Twitter. I could keep at it the whole day because there are 1200 people coming in per minute. But I don’t want that. I want to take it to a level where I can create a more entertaining platform on the Internet.

How do you cope with the frenzy?
Everyone is frenzied. I’m not doing anything special. Earlier, I used to do an interview with you, you used to write it. There was a gestation period and then the magazine would be on the stands. Now I say ‘Hi’ on a channel and it’s beamed right away and people call you to say they saw you on the channel today. And I’m like I haven’t even finished my interview yet. Like it happened on my birthday, I finished an interview with one channel. Before I could do an interview with another channel, I started getting calls saying ‘We saw your interview’. Like I’m talking to you now. It will be tweeted ‘Hey I met Shah Rukh’. The information is out. The pictures are already out. So one piece has gone out even before its release. Already people know that Shah Rukh and Kajol are doing an interview for Filmfare, the shoot was great fun. Some where down the line you will have to add incentives to give information to people. Most information all around is the same, so the incentive here will be Shah Rukh and Kajol come together on Filmfare after nine years. You have to create an event. And what’s going to happen with this is that the enigmatic quality of stars will slowly fade. And I’m very happy about that.

Kajol says that even though you have a larger-than-life aura about you, when someone meets you, you are completely humble.
See, things came to me so plentifully that it’s made me shy almost to the extent of being embarrassed about acknowledging it. Like when you meet a really, really good looking person, sometimes that person shies of his good looks. He’s embarrassed about the excess he has. I tell two things to people depending on my mood and my rapport with that person. To someone like Kajol I will say that I am great enough to be humble. But if I say the same thing to someone else they’ll ask me how can you say you are the best? So I tell them I am not great enough to be humble. Thankfully, I have a good sense of humour so I cover up the things that have happened to me with a wicked sense of humour or humility that neutralises the star aura. They say your aura precedes you. And your aura should be able to make people feel intimate with you. It should not intimidate. Your aura should be such that when you meet a person, you should come back feeling elated and should want to meet him again. I remember cricketer Imran Khan got angry with me once and that left a hole in my heart. I was a kid and my mom took me to a match. I stood there for his autograph but he had an off day so he was generally screaming at everyone in sight. So it happened that while asking for his autograph I stood in the line of fire and he yelled at me. I held that against him for the longest time. Then as a grown up and as a celebrity myself, I met him, I chatted with him and I told him about the incident. He said that the team was losing, the pressures of captaincy were all reasons for the incident. Imran Khan was my God but I was shattered that day. I would never have done that myself. I’ve never been angry with a fan. You see I make fans wait, sometimes for hours and sometimes for years. But I believe if you are not worth the wait, you are not worth the stardom. I can never make a fan wait and then let him leave disappointed.

So what does stardom mean to you?
Stardom for me is not the screaming crowds, but the time when I walk out and the fans make way for me. Many years ago, when ABCL was gaining attention, I went to meet Amitji at the ABCL office in Juhu. I was a big star too. I’d had Baazigar, Darr and Dilwale… I walked into the office and people were lined up outside in thousands waiting for Amitabh Bachchan to meet Shah Rukh Khan. I went in, finished the meeting and out of courtesy Amitji came to drop me to the door and I got to know, he was leaving as well. So out of courtesy, I asked him to go first. The thousands lined outside were shouting and howling. Amitji, got into his car and as soon as the car moved a few inches, the crowd quietly parted and made way for him. Then my car came out and people were falling all over on the car, thumping on the windows and pulling at the handles. It is then I realised what true stardom is. Great stardom is when you are able to calm screaming people as you walk in.

Okay, what do you expect from My Name Is Khan?
It is a good story to tell. I have issues with the way it is told. But I have come not to trust my instincts on these things. In the past, my perceptions about what will work and what will not have been thwarted so many times that I have started questioning my own judgment on these things. There are portions in MNIK I think are not right. Like I felt there should have been more fun, but Karan wanted it to be more dramatic. Yes there were these minor differences but I also think it is one of the finest roles ever given to me. And from the bottom of my heart I thank Kajol for doing this movie with me. The strange thing is every film that Kajol has done with me, Dilwale..., Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I have felt that the film was written for Kajol and not me. Karan has also told me that I wrote the film for Kajol and you managed to do well. But this film I can genuinely say was written only for me. And I believe this film wouldn’t work if Kajol were not so brilliant in it. I can take my performance and hang it anywhere, even on top of the Eiffel Tower but people will still first notice Kajol’s performance. Sometimes in the film, the mirror character to the protagonist needs to be strong to make the protagonist look stronger. In MNIK, what Kajol has done is brilliant. Even Karan Johar is brilliant. It doesn’t look like a Karan Johar film. I’d keep telling him, kuch alag banate hain but now he’s made it so different that even I am scared. I am glad Karan took things so seriously and put the money where his mouth is and made a big film which is different. Making a film like MNIK in Rs 6 crore is an okay feat, but to make it in Rs 80 – 90 crore is a bold decision and it takes a lot of guts. When I see the film I feel Kajol and Karan have joined hands to promote me. It’s like a whole set of people have gotten together to make Shah Rukh act in a role he’s never done before. Everyone is thrilled at what I have done. It really is a showcase for what I could possibly do as an actor. I think once and for all, people will stop saying that yeh banda acting nahin karta hai. And if they still say it, then I’ll accept that mujhe acting aati bhi nahin hai.

Did you feel the chemistry while working with Kajol after nine years?
People talk about the chemistry between us. I’ll tell you what the chemistry is. Whenever I’m giving a shot, Kajol looks at me and she’s only watching whether I’m doing it nicely according to her. And I’m only watching if she’s doing it nicely. Invariably, whenever Kajol and I have asked for a retake, it’s because Kajol has turned around and said no I think Shah Rukh can do much better, or I’ve said Kajol can do much better. She’s one of the few actors I’ve worked with who’s observing my acting more than hers. And I’m observing her more than myself. There’s a strange concern for each other. After she saw MNIK she was relieved that I’d done well. Just as I was relieved that she’d done well. We’re responsible for each other’s performance in a film. That’s the chemistry between us. One day she was very cold and wasn’t doing the scene well. So we said let’s pack up. I’ve never met an actor who’s come and said sorry for mucking up the shoot. I found that very sweet. Kajol doesn’t have to say ‘Sorry ya’. I’ve worked with actors who should be just sorry that they’re acting. But Kajol comes and says sorry. I’ve never said sorry to a director. I know she’s bothered that I hope this is a big film for Shah Rukh. And I’m like if she isn’t planning to do another film for two years then I hope this is the nicest film she’s done. I always wish nice for my film. But I don’t know how many times I’ve wished nice for someone else in the film. It’s this niceness that comes across as chemistry.

(For the full explosive interview by Anuradha Choudhary, get your hands on the Filmfare issue dated February 17, 2010)

(Filmfare)

My fitness DVD is for busy, lazy people: Bipasha Basu

Mumbai: Bipasha Basu is a self-confessed fitness freak. She says her workout DVD is essentially for the "busy, lazy" people who can`t afford gym fees. Calling it her "baby", the svelte actress says boyfriend John Abraham supported her all through to make her dream a reality.

"There were so many unhealthy people around me. Every time I`d try to push them into the gym, they`d say they`ve no time. My music video is for busy, lazy, shy and non-privileged people who can`t afford the gym fees.

"I wanted it to be concise exercises that could be done in just 25 minutes and I didn`t want them to look intimidating, like `Oh my God only Bipasha Basu can do them`," Bipasha told IANS in an interview.

"The idea was to make it fun and easy...I wanted to be comprehensive and that included precautionary measures to make sure no injury happened," she said.

"This project was my baby ...It provides a 25-minute fitness regime with all the shot posturing being made very clear on camera so that the audience would be led into the exercises shot by shot. I`ve never done anything like this. I did it all by myself with the help of a team.

"I wanted maximum eyeballs for this. A lot of hard work has gone into it...Eight months of toil. Even at the gym I kept working on the video," the glamorous star said.

John didn`t mind helping Bipasha with the video even if it was in the middle of the night.

"I`d be up at 3 a.m. scripting my video and I`d poke him awake to get his feedback. He would give his inputs no matter how tired or sleepy. He has been a great help. He`s always there for me. He has been a wonderful support."

But she did miss him during the row with the hotel management in New Delhi after her DVD launch.

"I missed him when I was under attack in Delhi. He has been a pillar of strength throughout the making and marketing of my fitness video. John is always there for everything I do...I like to do everything on my own.

"Emotionally I need tremendous support from all my loved ones including my parents and John. But when it comes to my work I`m fiercely independent. I`ll only take advice from someone who shares my passion, like John does."

The song "Love yourself" in the video is sung by Monali while Bipasha did some parts of the song.

"The concept `Love Yourself` has clicked. People have always asked me why I look so content. That`s because I like myself. Everyone has an added passion besides their main vocation. John has bikes. Likewise I`m passionate about health and the mechanics of the human body. Whether it`s yoga, swimming or running. Anything that helps me remain physically fit is good for me," she said.

Bipasha is sporting a chiselled figure and she`s proud of it.

"I`ve worked out for the last six years. I`ve done all kinds of exercises. But in the last eight months, while trying to put forward a regime for my fitness video, I ended up following the same regime. With each passing year I think my physical fitness is getting better."

And now John thinks she has the best body in show business.

"He could be biased because he`s my boyfriend," Bipasha said with a laugh.

"We`ve been told we`re the sweetest and fittest couple in our gym. That means a lot to us. It`s not just the body that makes an individual attractive. You`ve to have a face and a personality to match. We`re in a visual medium. And I`ve to admit most of my colleagues look good, both men and women."

Bipasha hopes to inspire a lot of people. "Fitness and health are becoming really big in India. Everybody wants to be fit. I`m glad I came out with my health video at this time."

"Love yourself" is just the beginning.

"I already have the idea for the next fitness video. I`ll do something completely different in my next. The first one was tiring because I was groping in the dark. The second and third will be far smoother. Sometimes working on the first fitness video was like banging my head against the wall...I had to remind people on my team this was a fitness not a music video. I was like Goddess Durga protecting my project. This is one baby that had nothing to do with John."
(Spicezee)

Badmaash Company – First Look

Here we have the first look of Yash Raj Films’s next release - ‘Badmaash Company’. The film is written and directed by Parmeet Sethi and produced by Aditya Chopra.

The film stars the young and charming Shahid Kapoor and the talented and pretty Anushka Sharma, who are certainly a pair to watch out for with their great on-screen chemistry. They are ably supported by Meiyang Chang and Vir Das. The music has been composed by Pritam.

“Badmaash Company” is an extraordinary story set in the 90’s in middle class Mumbai, of four young friends who get together to start a company. Their business is an instant hit because they find a way to beat the system.

By doing all the wrong things… the right way!

Coming soon to a theatre near you on 7th May 2010!

(Indiaglitz)

Revenge of the Saas, TV is back on the glitzy track

New Delhi: The flashy sarees are back and so are the over dressed vamps. After a period of austerity where 'social realism' ruled the roost, the grand family sagas are making an opulent comeback on the small screen.

Be it the four sisters of Behenein or the troubled residents of Swarna Mahal in Yahan Mein Ghar Ghar Kheli, the programmes hark back to the ornate trappings of the earlier soaps like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kasauti Zindagi Ki.

They are a far cry from soaps like Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo and Bairi Piyaa which focussed on the lower middle classes and their day to day struggles.

So what is the reason which has prompted the television industry to change it's direction from "issue-based" productions to the formulaic family dramas?

"The audience was tired of the so called socially relevant soaps. There was a flood of them because in TV if a certain thing works, duplicates mushroom everywhere. But new audience surveys have revealed that the viewers want the opulent dramas back," said JD Majethia, producer of Behenein, on Star Plus.

The channel had monopolised the top spot in the race for TRP's for years with superhit soaps like Kyunki.. and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and is now in the forefront of the return of the genre.

Their latest offering Behenein, which was launched with a series of glitzy sangeet ceremonies across cities, has much in common with their best remembered soap Kyunki..., the longest running serial in Indian Television history.

"Our new soap Behenein has a compelling story line and though it is again set in a Gujarati family like our cult hit Kyunki, it is not a copy or a rehash. Family dramas have always been our strength though we did experiment with socially relevant themes like in Mitwa: Phool Kamal Ke etc," said Anupam Vasudev, EVP, Star India.

NDTV Imagine, which scored brownie points with the superhit reality show Rakhi Ka Swayamwar' too has jumped on the bandwagon with soaps like Palkon Ki Chaon Mein.

"All serials are based on homes. But there are two types, one is the home that the larger urban audience can identify with and the rich settings are attention grabbing props that make for interesting viewing. And there are the serials that look at the opposite spectrum of the society, the rural, the underprivileged," said Shailaja Kejriwal, EVP, NDTV Imagine.

So is the play between the cruel Saas and the suffering Bahu again in vogue on television?

Audiences seem to agree, given the high TRP's the shows are garnering.

"The shows incorporate a fantasy element, which is highly entertaining. We all know that people don't really wear such ornate costumes in real life, but the plots, the clothes, the sudden twists are all entertaining to watch," says Kirti Sukhkar, a self confessed "soap junkie".

But, Sukesh Motwani, Creative Head, Zee TV begs to differ saying that the modern family dramas are a lot more believable and a lot less "cheesy" than their earlier counterparts.

"The treatment of the current bunch of soaps is totally different from the previous ones. Earlier the settings were often so grand that it overpowered the plot, but there is increased emphasis on believability now," said Motwani.

But did the Saas-Bahus ever go away, no says Kejriwal who believes that Indian soaps are primarily focussed on the relationship.

"Even Balika Vadhu, which is considered a trail blazer in the social issue based soap department, is at it's core a saas bahu soap," said Kejriwal.

(DNA)

No plan to rename 'Tees Maar Khan': Producer

Mumbai, Feb 13 (IANS) There were reports that the title of "Tees Maar Khan" may go through a change as lead actor Akshay Kumar was not happy with it. But producer Shirish Kunder says the whole controversy was "fabricated".

"Perhaps pages were required to be filled in and a news around our film made for a spicy story. I guess someone just fabricated an entire article about Akshay being unhappy with the title," said Kunder about the film which will be directed by his wife, Farah Khan.

The filmmaker, who has earlier directed Akshay in "Jaan-E-Mann", said: "Do you know that most of the compliments that we have received so far on the film have been around the title? There is no point changing it since it truly reflects the spirit of the film. If it had to change, it would have happened by now."

Many felt that the word Khan in the title would indicate some kind of connection with one of the top 'Khan' actors, something that didn't quite amuse Akshay.

"How idle minded can people get? Arrey, when you spell a word in Hindi, it has to be 'Khan' and not 'Kha'. Now we can't have our title as 'Tees Maar Kha' which would then lead people to say '....maar kha', get beaten up.

"Come on, it's a plain and simple humorous title that conveys the real spirit of the film. Our intention is not to create any controversy whatsoever."

Kunder's debut production has been surrounded by controversies since it was announced late last year.

If Farah Khan opting for Akshay instead of Shah Rukh Khan wasn't a good enough reason to set tongues wagging, there was a toss up for the leading lady between Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor.
(Nowrunning.com)