Ekta Kapoor to dance to ‘Ooh la la’ at Anita Hassanandani’s wedding

TV actress Anita Hassanandani is all set to tie the knot with her beau at a lavish wedding to be held in Goa, and guess who is going to dance at her sangeet? Anita’s close friend Ekta Kapoor!

It’s learnt that Ekta Kapoor will groove to the famous dance number Ooh la la from her own production The Dirty Picture at her actress friend Anita Hassanandani's sangeet. Anita will marry Rohit Reddy -- an investor -- in Goa this October 14 (Catch the couple on the next page).

Anita and Rohit are dating for the last two and a half years, and Anita is excited about the nuptials. The wedding is going to be a south Indian affair, reveals Anita. Thus, it seems a song like Ooh la la suits the theme.

“It is a three-day affair, and Ekta has decided to dance to Ooh la la at the sangeet ceremony. After attending the wedding, Ekta will join her family for a holiday in Goa,” a source tells a daily.

The TV czarina, also a successful film producer, shares a very special bond with the actress Anita Hassanandani whom she gave the first break in the serial Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii. In fact, the former even launched the latter in Bollywood with the movie Kucch To Hai. But Anita’s career in Bollywood couldn’t soar high, and she returned to the small screen. Now, she is part of the silent comedy Gutur Gu - 2, and is enjoying her stint. Ekta’s Ragini MMS 2 too has Anita in a small role.

No Salman Khan and Aamir Khan in Andaz Apna Apna sequel

Rajkumar Santoshi is gearing up to make the sequel of his comedy cult classic Andaz Apna Apna. But will the director retain the original cast in the sequel too?

There is no doubt about the fact that the Aamir Khan and Salman Khan starrer Andaz Apna Apna (AAA) is one of the best comedies that Bollywood has ever had. The movie created magic ‘coz of the stellar star cast and impeccable performances by them. Besides Aamir and Sallu, Karisma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon too were a part of the comic caper. Now that Rajkumar Santoshi is writing a new story for the AAA’s sequel, the director is leaving no stone unturned to rope in his two male actors. However, if both the actors are unable to commit for the sequel due to their tight schedules, the director then plans to bring on board new faces.

“I am working on the script. I have had discussions about it with Aamir and Salman. When I complete the script, I will hand it over to both of them. If everything falls in place, they will be part of the sequel too. But if, in case, they don’t have the time, I will get new actors on board,” said Rajkumar Santoshi in a recent interview. Also, Santoshi believes that the sequel would be incomplete without Karisma and Raveena in it. So the two B-town beauties will feature in a scene at the beginning of the film if not in full-fledged roles.

We hope the entire original cast is repeated in the sequel as nobody can step into their shoes successfully, do you agree with us

Salman Khan blocks Eid, Christmas; What's left for SRK, Ranbir, Aamir?

Actor has planned his 2014 calendar with three big releases

As far as movies are concerned, Salman Khan is completely out of the radar in 2013. Barring his upcoming TV show 'Bigg Boss 7' which starts at September 15, he was absent from the big screen where he truly belongs.

But come 2014 there will be Salman Khan’s movie blitzkrieg against the rest of the big guns. It will be Salman Khan against the rest.

His first ammunition, 'Mental' directed by brother Sohail Khan, will be released during the Republic Day's weekend in India.

Speaking exclusively to Emirates24|7 in Dubai in May, Sohail Khan put all speculations about the release date to rest, "The movie will be released in January 24, 2014".

'Metal' is a rehashed version of Telugu hit 'Stalin' Salman in the lead along with Tabu, newcomer Daisy Shah and Sana Khan.

Next up Salman has locked the Eid date, July 27, 2014 for 'Kick', which will be the directorial debut of Sajid Nadiadwala.

For the past several years, Salman’s 'Wanted' (2009), 'Dabangg' (2010), 'Bodyguard' (2011) and 'Ek Tha Tiger' (2012) have always released on Eid and they have all been blockbusters and the biggest hits of those years.

So, fans do not expect to witness anything less in 2014 either.

Sajid and Salman decided that they will complete Kick at breakneck speed so that the film can release on Eid.

The latest entry in Salman's list will be directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by Ramesh Taurani. The untitled movie is rumoured to be an action-romantic and is slated to release in 2014. Salman has delivered back to back hits ever since he worked with Prabhu Deva in 'Wanted'.

With Salman blocking all the major dates in 2014, we wonder how other superstars are planning to release their films or are all set to lock horns with the Dabangg Khan at the box office.

Shah Rukh Khan whose 'Chennai Express' is breaking all records will start work on Farah Khan's 'Happy New Year' and will be released next year.

Aamir Khan 2013 Christmas gift is 'Dhoom3'. Aamir’s only film in 2014 is PK (Peekay) which is been directed by Rajkumar Hirani Cast: Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sushant Singh Rajput, Sanjay Dutt, Ram Sethi, Boman Irani. Aamir and Rajkumar Hirani had earlier worked in '3 Idiots'.

Following the footsteps of biggies who release their films during festival season, actor Ranbir Kapoor 'Bombay Velvet' is also going to hit the screens next Christmas.

Ranbir's 'Roy' is also slated to be released in 2014. This romantic action thriller will be directed by debutante Vikramjit Singh and produced by Bhushan Kumar. Along with Ranbir the film will feature Arjun Rampal and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Shahrukh Khan heading to Dubai again...

SRK will soon been in the city not for a film promotion, but something bigger this time!

Shahrukh Khan, Farah Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and many more will be in Dubai this September. Why you ask? Well, Farah Khan will begin the shoot of the much awaited Happy New Year, with an ensemble cast and of course with the hit Chennai Express jodi – SRK and Deepika from September 1. The Om Shanti Om director is quite excited about it, and took to the micro-blogging site to express her excitement. Farah wrote, “Hectic Packing 4 a month’s stay in dubai..all I really want 2 pack n take are my 3 kids! Ticket ke paise bhi bachenge”. Aww Farah will certainly miss her three angels and a month is not a short period. We’re sure her buddy Shahrukh will share the same sentiments with his darling daughter Suhana and new baby AbRam back in Mumbai. While we really feel sad for these two parents who are out for work, well there wouldn’t be any dearth of entertainment with buddies on the film sets. We feel really bad for Deepika Padukone’s alleged boyfriend Ranveer Singh who might miss Dippy’s company – errrrr well during the promotions of Ram Leela of course!

Farah’s excitement is quite evident from her tweets but it seems that she is not the only one who is excited. Writing to Jr Bachchan on Twitter, the filmmaker asked, “YAAAAAYYYY!!!”R u Ready 4 the ride junior?!” To which the Dhoom actor replied, “are YOU ready for me Farahbia? Who can b ready 4 a Hurricane?!”. Also joining this party will be Dabangg’s villain Sonu Sood who who has a key role in Happy New Year. The Shootout At Wadala actor wrote to Farah on Twitter, “coming bare feet all the way from bangkok just to hear those magic words from u “A C T I O N “.

While we can expect the boys to bring on action its the babes who will up the glamour quotient – you see Deepika will have another dusky beauty for company Sara Jane. Do we hear cat fights???? Well we hope Farah will give us all the dope once she’s back. Wink! Wink!

Ranbir Kapoor wants to romance girlfriend Katrina kaif on-screen

Bollywood’s young, dynamic and good-looking couple, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif off late hit the headlines for their personal reasons and now the couple is again in the limelight for their professional reason. Ranbir who is head over heels in love with Katrina wants her in his films too. It is heard that the Kapoor lad recommended Katrina’s name for ‘Besharam’ to Anurag Kashyap but his request was denied.

Anurag Kashyap shares a special bond with ‘Besharam’ actress Pallavi Sharda and therefore he has signed her opposite the heartthrob of Bollywood. It is also heard that on Ranbir’s request, Anurag Basu has signed Kat opposite the actor in his forthcoming film, ‘Jagga Jasoos’.

In the past, Katrina lost few chances to pair opposite her boyfriend. She lost Imtiaz Ali’s untitled film to her arch-rival Deepika Padukone. It was heard that Ranbir requested Ayan Mukherjee to sign Katrina instead of Deepika for ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ but Ayan felt the ‘Cocktail’ actress would be the right choice for the film.

It's not that RK and Kat’s jodi not highly appreciated. Filmmakers preferred to cast Deepika opposite Ranbir more than Katrina. Kat and Ranbir delivered hits like ‘Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani’ Prakash Jha’s multi-starrer political drama ‘Rajneeti’ and their chemistry was appreciated.

The couple who was playing hide-and-seek with media for years has finally come out in the open after their Ibiza beach holiday images circulated all over the net.

The image shows that they are totally in love and romance blossomed between the two. The duo who were all though the years maintaining a dignified silence has come out in the open air and their action spoke everything about their relationship.

Katrina was upset after the personal holiday pictures went viral on net and she wrote an open letter to media as how they have hurt them by invading her privacy.

'The Lunchbox' must be India's frontrunner for Oscar: Karan Johar

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is presenting acclaimed film 'The Lunchbox' under his banner Dharma Productions, believes that the movie must be considered as a potential frontrunner for India's entry for the Oscars.

At a press conference here Friday, the filmmaker was asked if he sees 'The Lunchbox' making its way to the coveted Academy Awards platform.

He said: "As far as Oscars is concerned, it is not up to us. It's (the decision is) upon the FFI (Film Federation of India). We can only communicate. They (FFI) have a certain positioning when they choose they look into potential world cinema films."

"We can only say that yes, this should be a frontrunner, and India should look at it in its selection very carefully."

Releasing in India Sep 20, the film will have its worldwide release either in 2014 or by the end of this year.

Karan said he will try to make the film reach an audience as wide as possible.

"'The Lunchbox' will get the maximum possible platform theatrically," he said.

The film, which features Irrfan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is directed by debutant Ritesh Batra. Karan admits he can never make a film of this standard himself.

"There are films which are most superior in content, absolutely brilliant in its storytelling. When I saw 'The Lunchbox' I wished that my name was associated with it, and that has happened," Karan said.

"I feel proud seeing such a film as an audience member and a filmmaker because I know that I am not capable of making such a film. So if my name gets associated in this way, then I am happier and I think it's a good way forward for the company," he added.

'The Lunchbox' has been co-produced by multiple people, including actor Irrfan, who plays the lead role in the film.

Priyanka’s Zanjeer and Parineeti’s Shuddh Desi Romance to release together

 Priyanka Chopra starrer Zanjeer remake and her cousin, actress Parineeti Chopra’s romantic-comedy Shuddh Desi Romance are set to clash at the box office September 6. But the Desi Girl is unfazed and calls it a ‘Chopra weekend’.

“The way I see it, it’s a Chopra weekend. So go and enjoy the movies,” Priyanka told reporters here Wednesday, while promoting Disney’s animation film Planes, for which she has lent her voice.

“She (Parineeti) is my family and she is my sister,” she added.

Produced by Amit Mehra and directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Zanjeer is a remake of 1973 film of the same name and features southern star Ram Charan Teja with Priyanka.

On the other hand, Shuddh Desi Romance features two film old Parineeti with Sushant Singh Rajput. It also features veteran actor Rishi Kapoor in a key role.

“I think it is very cheap when people try and use that (same day release of our films) for creating some sort of interesting controversy, so that you can write a bit more about it,” the 31-year-old said.

Meanwhile, Parineeti, who is busy promoting her film these days, is also unfazed about it and is looking forward to watch Zanjeer.

“It’s just happens that her (Priyanka) film and my film are releasing together, but it doesn’t affect us. I will watch her picture and she will watch mine and you all will watch both the films,” she said.

Shuddh Desi Romance, directed by Maneesh Sharma and produced by Aditya Chopra, also features newcomer Vaani Kapoor.

Hope Shah Rukh will shell out more money for my film says Farah Khan

Choreographer-director Farah Khan hopes the success of Chennai Express helps her next film Happy New Year, which she is making with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.

Shah Rukh co-produced Chennai Express, which had Deepika Padukone in the female lead, with UTV and the romantic comedy is reaping gold at the box office having made the fastest Rs 200 cr at the box office. Farah is interpreting the success of the film as a good news for her movie because Shah Rukh is producing her project as well.

"I am very happy at the success of Chennai Express. It has broken all records. Shah Rukh is the hero and producer of my film. Now he will come on the sets of my film filled with more energy and hopefully will shell out more money for my film. I am very happy," said Farah.

Farah is repeating the hit pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in Happy New Year. She worked with them in Om Shanti Om, which also marked Deepika's debut in Bollywood.

Farah also informed that the film, which also stars Abhishek Bachchan, is set to go on floors next month.

"The schedule will start on September 1st in Dubai," said Farah.

First look of Anil Kapoor’s tv show ’24′ unveiled

Bollywood actor-producer Anil Kapoor unveiled the first look of his debut television production ’24′, which is a suspense drama series based on the American series of the same name.

The 56-year-old actor, who recently joined micro-blogging site Twitter, shared the photo on his account page.

“First look of ’24 India’! The teaser looks great. Can’t wait to show it to you guys,” Kapoor posted.

The ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ actor was part of the eighth season of US version of the action series.

The Indian version of the show is written by Rensil D’Silva and directed by Abhinay Deo. Besides Kapoor, the show will also star Mandira Bedi, Tisca Chopra. Actor Anupam Kher will do a cameo-as a Research and Analysis Wing officer-in the series.

24 will premiere this October on Colors channel.

Movie review : Madras Cafe

Cast:John, Abraham, Nargis Fakhri and Rashi Khanna
 
Director: Shoojit Sircar

Rating: 3.5/5


Madras Cafe is a sinewy and riveting espionage thriller that entertains without having to play to the gallery.

That isn’t the only departure from norm that director Shoojit Sircar makes. He also attempts a risky tightrope walk between staying true to recent geopolitical history and the need to serve up an imagined, dramatised spy story.

He succeeds on both counts. At no point does Madras Cafe appear to be in danger of losing its balance and plummeting into a void. Sircar hits the right strides, and blends fact and fiction with great narrative aplomb and visual flair.

Madras Cafe draws upon actual events that are still fresh in the nation’s collective memory and crafts a compelling and fast-paced political drama. The story hinges on a conspiracy theory that links the assassination of a pacifist ex-Prime Minister to the machinations of giant corporations and foreign agencies out to destabilise the subcontinent.

That central plot trigger might seem stretched and fanciful to some, but in terms of both style and treatment, Madras Cafe is remarkably restrained and yet makes for compelling viewing.

There are no heroes and villains here for Sircar is clearly not interested in turning the film into an oversimplified, hackneyed good versus evil yarn.

It is driven more by its overarching theme – it rests on a conflict of attrition between ethnic and political opponents that has no winners or losers – than by its characters, intriguing as they might be.

At the centre of the drama are an undercover intelligence agent Vikram Singh (John Abraham) and a London-based war correspondent Jaya Sahni (Nargis Fakhri) who are up against daunting odds in a war zone. Neither, however, possesses the attributes of larger-than-life daredevils.

Madras Cafe stands apart from run-of-the-mill smack-downs because it does not celebrate vacuous militaristic machismo.
What the film does instead is bring home the horrors of a civil war and its human ramifications.

The writers (Somnath Dey, Shubendu Bhattacharya) obviously have their hearts in the right place. And so undeniably does the director.
He constructs an account of what might have happened in the last two and a half years leading up to the elimination of an Indian political leader by the world’s first-ever human bomb.

From the opening scene of a brutal terror attack on a bus in Jaffna to the climactic explosion that shatters the hero’s hopes of stopping a heinous act, Madras Cafe does not let go of its grip on the audience for even a moment.
Its muscles stem primarily from its steadfast eschewal of narrative conventions that are a part and parcel of spy thrillers.

For one, the male protagonist is no superhero primed to perform acts of logic-defying bravado. The only ‘grand’ statement of intent that he is allowed to make is, “I will do it my way”. It turns out that it easier said than done for he is in a game that is controlled by forces and agencies that are far bigger than him.

He is only an ordinary army officer who is sent to strife-torn northern Sri Lanka on an undercover mission in the early 1990s after the pullout of the Indian peacekeeping forces from the island.

His brief is to spread disaffection within the ranks of an intransigent rebel group that refuses to fall in line with the peace accord.
He has the official mandate from his bosses in New Delhi (Siddharth Basu as the RAW chief, Piyush Pandey as the Cabinet Secretary, among other) to adopt the methods that he deems fit.

On the ground, however, treachery is rife and leaks from within the organisation pushes him repeatedly into deadly traps laid by the adversary. It is a world where danger lurks at every corner and violence erupts without much warning. Worst of all, in the shadows, it is difficult to tell friend from foe.

Most of the real historical markers are all in place and the filmmaker takes only minor liberties with issues of chronology and detail. But the names given to the key individuals and organisations engaged in the Sri Lankan civil war are strictly in the realms of fiction.

The Indian Prime Minister who signs the agreement that sends the Indian army to Sri Lanka is shown a few times – he has a receding hairline but is taller and leaner than the political personage that inevitably comes to mind. However, he is never named.
The main Tamil rebel outfit that refuses to be disarmed ahead of a provincial council election is led by a man called Anna Bhaskaran, who looks uncannily like Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Although Madras Cafe has not been shot on real Sri Lankan locations, the production design, the camerawork and the editing ensure that what unfolds on the screen never looks less than authentic.

John Abraham, cast against type, throws all his weight behind the character of the R&AW agent who loses more than he gains in the line of duty. As an actor, he comes up trumps.
Nargis Fakhri, playing a journo who converses only English, strikes the right notes.
Debutante Rashi Khanna makes an impact in a brief but significant appearance as the army man’s wife.

The other characters that complete the canvas – sundry secret agents, soldiers, militants and bureaucrats – are all identifiable figures who look and sound like real people.
Madras Cafe is not your average Bollywood thriller. It crackles with genuine energy and is marked by true empathy for humanity.

It is an unqualified triumph.

Exclusive: Rockstar sequel likely, Ranbir Kapoor, Amyra Dastur to play lead

Bollywood’s ace film director Imtiaz Ali is going to make the sequel of the 2011 hit film ‘Rockstar’. The sequel will be titled as ‘Emptiness Love’. Like the former, Ranbir Kapoor will play the male lead while Nargis Fakhri has been replaced by ‘Issaq’ fame Amyra Dastur, as per the sources.

The music of the sequel will be yet again composed by the Oscar winning music director AR Rahman.

The 2011 acclaimed film ‘Rockstar’ won many awards. Ranbir Kapoor got the Filmfare award for Best Actor and Filmfare Critics award for Best Actor for his outstanding acting in the film.

At present, Imtiaz Ali is busy in the shooting of his upcoming venture ‘Highway’ which stars Randeep Hooda and Alia Bhatt.

Aamir Khan is definitely keen to donate his organs: Kiran Rao

Filmmaker Kiran Rao, who has taken a pledge to donate her organs, reveals that her actor-filmmaker husband Aamir Khan is also keen to follow in her footsteps.

"Aamir is definitely keen to donate his organs as well," Kiran told reporters at an organ donation camp Tuesday. She was present on the occasion along with Ship Of Theseus director Anand Gandhi.

She feels that Ship Of Theseus spreads the message beautifully. Kiran has released the film in the country in collaboration with UTV Motion Pictures.

"If anyone has seen the film (Ship Of Theseus), I hope they will definitely be convinced that it's the most beautiful and most logical thing to do," she said.

Kiran, who directed Dhobi Ghat, would now try her best to encourage the members of the film fraternity, friends and family to go in for organ donation.

"Anyone I will meet, I will definitely discuss it with them. I am not necessarily going to call up the celebrities, tell them and convince them of this cause.

"I don't know whether it is going to be easy for me to talk to all the celebrities and become the ambassador for this (organ donation). I am happy to try, but certainly I would like to encourage friends in the fraternity, people I know and definitely my family to donate their organs," she added.

I am not a marketing guru: SRK

 Shah Rukh Khan left no stone unturned to promote "Chennai Express" but the superstar, who made exhaustive rounds to all the popular TV shows, did city and world tours, held live chats to create a buzz about his latest outing, says he is not an expert in marketing.

The 47-year-old actor says he simply likes to inform his audience about his films. And it seems that SRK's efforts have paid off in a huge way as Rohit Shetty directed film has become the fastest entrant into the elusive 100 crore club despite garnering average reviews from the critics.
   
"I am not a marketing guru or a romantic hero. I promote my film to inform about it to my audience. I feel since they had to shell so much money to watch a film, they have the right to know about it. I inform my audience and give a brief overview of it," Shah Rukh said.

The actor's last similar promotion blitzkrieg was for his home production "Ra.One".
   
"I promoted 'Ra.One' fanatically because it was a new genre in India. I didn't promote 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' much because it was a love-story and Yash uncle's sudden death upset me. I have been talking about 'Chennai Express' a lot because many think it's an action film but it’s an out and out comedy. I love to live with my films," he added.
   
Shah Rukh, whose banner Red Chillies Entertainments co-produced "Chennai Express" with Disney-UTV, is on cloud nine after the film's success at the box office.

"It's a good sign for Bollywood and I am happy with the business part of it. The film has done good overseas and has done good as compared to a Hollywood film (I am not comparing my film with 'Ironman' or 'Superman'). It shows that our films have a huge market overseas," he said.
   
Earlier, Salman Khan starrer "Ek Tha Tiger" collections had crossed Rs 100 crore in six days but Shah Rukh, whose iftar hug with friend-turned-foe created headlines, is vary of comparisons.
   
"In India people tend to compare things right from the footfall to the occupancy of theatres. But, in foreign countries people don't compare their work. I have seen in London that during an opening day of a film only four people were watching it in a theatre. But the film is still a success at the end," he said.
   
Shah Rukh is now geared up to shoot his next film "Happy New Year" with friend Farah Khan from next month. For the film he will again team up with his "Chennai Express" co-star Deepika Padukone. "I will start shooting for the film next month. I have decided to do only one film in a year. We are planning to release the film by Diwali next year. Earlier, we had planned to release it during new year but since I met with injury I could not start the shooting," he said.
   
After "Happy New Year", Shah Rukh will decide on the project he will do with Aditya Chopra, who is currently writing a script for him.
   
"Adi (Aditya Chopra) is a family. We sit and discuss work. He is writing something for me. But I am not deciding on something now from Yash Raj. I will finalize the deal next December after 'Happy New Year' releases," he said.
   
SRK and Chopra have given hits like "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge", "Mohabbatein" and "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi". -

Yami Gautam loves street shopping

 Yami says an average girl like shopping from stores as well as the streets.

She became a known name after the success of her debut film Vicky Donor and is looking forward to work with Ajay Devgn in her next. But when it comes to shopping, actress Yami Gautam loves picking up stuff from both the street and stores.

"I am a regular girl who loves shopping from showrooms and I also like picking up things from streets. I think that's what an average girl likes to do," Yami said.

The actress, also busy wrapping up Eeshwar Nivas's Aman Ki Asha, which features Ali Zafar, came dressed in short floral dress teamed up high heel peep toe sandals at the launch of second Forever 21 store in Delhi.

Talking about her style statement, Yami said: "I think you just need to be happy about how you are looking and that comes across the screen as well. I think one should be very confident about what they are wearing and that's the most important thing."

"I have jeans in every colour. Also, I have peep toe sandals and pumps in different colours, so even if I wear a plain top, I am done for the day. Also, a very smart A-line dress or well-fitted black dress is a wardrobe must-have for me. I look good in Indian wear also," she added.

The actress, who made a successful transition from TV to film, is excited to share screen space with Ajay in Prabhudheva's yet-to-be-titled directorial venture.

"I am very lucky to get a chance to work with him at such an initial stage of my career. He is one of the biggest superstars and working with him is totally different set up altogether," said the actress who was seen in TV shows like Chand Ke Paar Chalo and Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam

Chennai Express a big hit in Karachi

The Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer Chennai Express has become a huge hit in Karachi.

The Rohit Shetty directorial movie eclipsed all other releases on Eid day by a big margin in Pakistan, the Dawn newspaper reported.

"Being Pakistanis, we like to promote our films. Therefore, we ran Ishq Khuda for two days but it didn't attract sufficient audiences," said Aziz Khan, general manager of Capri cinema.

"On the other hand, Chennai Express is doing a roaring business from the first show."

Anita Kenneth, head of marketing at Atrium Cinema, added: "From day one ... Chennai Express has been sold out."

"It's a typical Rohit Shetty comedy and masala movie. Then, of course, the glamorous Deepika Padukone is in the movie."

30 'dimaag-ki-dahi' dialogues form movie Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!

Let it be clear that 'Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara' (OUATIMD) does not look like a gangster movie; it is instead a romantic movie, gangster style. Like its prequel, OUATIMD was highly expected to woo audiences with a spate of power-packed dialogues, but the movie turned out to be disappointing. Woven around a weak storyline and made with an inappropriate starcast, OUATIMD is a letdown. While the dialogues from its prequel were highly lauded, Rajat Arora this time dashed hopes by including a hatful of cheesy dialogues, which will make you wince throughout the movie. Here is a list of 30 crummy dialogues from the movie (in chronological order as they are delivered in the film), which may stop you from watching this sequel.

1. Naam bata diya toh pehchaan bura maan jaaegi

2. Tevar na dikhao toh log aankh dikhaane lagte hain

3. Doodh mein nimbu jisne daala, paneer uski ho jaata hai

4. Main ek baar dhandhe ke paise chor sakta hun par jeet ka maan nahi

5. Sophie Choudry: Ye kaala chashma aap pe bahut suit karta hai. Akshay Kumar: muje kisi ne kaha tha mera future bahut bright hai tab se ye kala chashma...

6. Peechli waali ne neeyat kharaab ki thi, ye toh Raavan se bhi Ram Ram bulwaaegi

7. Bahut dino baad Mumbai ne muje apni baahon mein bulaya hai, ab dekhna ye hai ki wo gale lagati hai, ya gala kaat ti hai.

8. Metre kitna bhi tej bhaag le, taxi se peeche hi rehta hai.

9. Bambai badal rahi hai, Kumkum se Kimi Katkar ki tarah lag rahi hai.

10. In chamakte hue pathron ko dekh kar aurtein galtiyaan maaf kar deti hai Shoaib nahi.

11. Peene ki capacity, jeene ki strength, account ka balance, aur power ka khauf kabhi kam nai hona chahie.

12. Kaam bhale hi main gande karta hun, lekin saaf suthra rehne ki gandi aadat hai muje.

13. Maa behan ki gaali theek hai, lekin tune muje maara kaise.

14. Saale koi pehli baar hamare saath punye karne chala hai, tu wahan bhi paap karne ki soch raha hai.

15. Ladkiyaan jab roti hai toh bahut saare reasons hote hai, lekin jab ek ladka rota hai toh wajah sirf ladki hoti hai.

16. Ae ladki jitne tune roze nahi dekhe, utni maine chaand raatein dekhi hai.

17. Meri shakal pe mat jaana, kehte hain mera dimaag museum mein rakhne layak hai.

18. Ye aakhein nahi khatarnaak ghaat hai - ek taraf khaai hai, ek taraf pahaad hai, kahin fisal na jaana.

19. Tuje chaand la ke diya, toh baaki sab eid kaise manaaenge, aur tuje taarein dilwa diye, toh chaand akela pad jaaaega.

20. Aadmi toh aurat ke hote hai, muje toh mard chahiye.

21. Galti karne waalo ke liye Shoaib sirf ek hi raasta chorta hai upar ka.

22. Kabhi toh insaan ki zindagi pe shak hota hai, bus wahi nahi milta jispe haq hota hai.

23. Ye jubaan ki chuppi pyaar ki puppy lene hi nai deti.

24. Mehnat se sirf ghar bante hai ,sapno ke mehal nahi.

25. Pyaar bahut badi googly hota hai, pyaar se mil jaae toh baadam. warna mungfali bhi nahi hota hai.

26. Insaan ki zindagi ki swarg aurat banati hai, aur swargwaasi bhi.

27. Agar main hero ban gaya toh pehchaan bura maan jaaegi.

28. Himmat ko aage badne ke liye paaron ki jarurat nahi hoti.

29. Logo ki itni buddayien mat lo ki log duaoon mein bhi tumhari maut maange.

30. Bachpan se leke ab tak is shehar ne sab kuch diya hai, par jab baat pyaar ki aayi toh sabne sotela khada kar diya hai.

Dostana 2 likely to go on floor in November says Abhishek Bachchan

Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, who is on the verge of wrapping the Dhoom 3 shoot, is keen to commence the shooting for the sequel to 2008 superhit flick Dostana.

Abhishek reveals that the film would go on floor in November.

In an interview, Jr. Bachchan said, "We have also been waiting for a very long time to make the film. We haven't started shooting yet. We will start shooting later in the year ... November if I am not mistaken."

Dostana 2 will reportedly see one major change as instead of Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif will be playing the lead. While John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan will reprise their roles.

The film will be directed by Tarun Masnsukhani and produce under the Karan Johar production banner.

Movie Review: 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai... Dobaara'

Starring Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan, Sonakshi Sinha

Directed by Milan Luthria

Rating: * *

How do I put this politely? This is arguably one of the most ill-timed gangster drama with most performances so loud and unassimilated that these characters could easily be contestants in a Eid special segment of Comedy Circus where the theme is 'Gangsta Rap' This is done-to-noisy-death gangsterism done with heartbreaking seriousness.

It takes some doing to wrap up such a time-worn love triangle into a pretence of modern storytelling. Milan Luthria's earlier films like Kachche Dhaage and Dirty Picture had some interesting conflicts between characters who are driven by a desire for revenge but are frustrated in their malevolence by their love for the very same people they want to hate.

The problem with Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara is that the two main characters who love each other to death, literally, are people we've met over and over again. Most notably in Ram Gopal Varma's Company where Ajay Devgn and Viveik Oberoi played gangster and protege with great conviction and ballsy velocity.

The subsequent spinoffs have gotten seriously diluted.

This one is a sequel to Luthria's 2010 film where Ajay Devgn's imposing personality and gravelly voice had made the pale and sometime unintentionally funny proceedings bearable.


Except for Sonakshi Sinha playing a starlet who talks too hard and too much and gets the male protagonists (who need to be spanked for playing with guns when their IQ level suggests video games would be more apt) into a serious conflict merely because she's too dumb to see they both love her. . . . Dobaara has no redeeming qualities.

Akshay Kumar as a Dawood doppelgang(st)er is inept, to say the least. His dialogues meant to show his mastery over the hoary art of rhetorics, come out sounding like wimpy words of wacked-out wisdom picked up from messages in Chinese cookies, if not from forwarded sms messages. 

I'd just like to suggest to the dialogue writer Rajat Arora to go easy on the bumper-sticker wisdom next time. You can't make the hero look heroic by spilling tacky wisdom all over the frames in the hope that audiences would applaud the bombastic words without thinking about their relevance.

This film wallows in a kind of imbecilic irreverence where the protagonists seem bold brave, sexy and even brazen but are actually cardboard versions of the triangular lovers in Raj Kapoor's Sangam and Vinod Kumar's Mere Huzoor.

But at least love triangles of the past were honest about their melodramatic intentions. Once Upon A Time. . . Dobaara cloaks its outdated radical ideas in a rumbustious display of trendiness.

Undoubtedly some sections shine brighter than the rest. Aslam (Imran Khan)'s friend making out with his girlfriend in the car while Aslam gives angrezi lessons to Jasmine (Sonakshi Sinha) is a nicely-conceived moment that loses its sheen in repetition.

One of the 'jokes' that ties Sonakshi's character to her lover-by Imran Khan is his misuse of the word 'intercourse'. The film uses the word (prudishly beeped out by the censorboard) over and over again like a school boy that has just found a non-punishable way to say 'sex' in the classroom. 

A flavour of flagrant criminality is created through back-projected nostalgia. The film opens with an archival cricket match 'fixed' by the all-powerful underworld don. The sequences seems more 'fixed' by the director than the Dubai-based ganglord would have ever imagined.

Fleets of black and yellow Fiat cars ply up and down Mumbai's roads in a show of periodicity. A wanton woman (Sophie Chowdhary, in a seductive cameo) cheats on her unsuspecting husband, making out with the dreaded don in the backroom at a noisy party.

You can almost smell the cheap perfume and the discount-rated champagne trying to pass as the genuine stuff in Shoaib's party. This guy thinks he is menacing. He is actually a joke. And if the real Dawood is anything like the way Dawood-like gangster portrayed here by Akshay Kumar, we have nothing to fear except his cheesy dialogue-baazi.

Where in all this self-defeating noise and activity is theslippery sinisterness on the streets of Mumbai?

The gangster-villain (Akshay insists he is a villain, and who are we to argue with an overgrown brat of a guy who keeps smashing up furniture and appliances every time he doesn't get his way?) and his cronies appear to have walked out of 'loin' Ajit den in the 1970s, not quite sure which way they are supposed to head in the present-day milieu of such awe-inspiring gangster epics as Luc Besson's Taken and Amit Kumar's Monsoon Shootout.

This one comes too late. Except for a skillfully-shot train robbery sequence featuring Imran Khan at the start, it has too little to offer in the way action and adventure.

The stunts appear stunted. Except for Sonakshi Sinha who plays the self-seeking starlet with earnest air-headedness, Pritobash Tripathy who plays Imran's sidekick with misplaced sincerity and Sonali Bhendre who delivers the only truthfully-worded monologue in this verbally-cramped drama, the other performances are all of the watch-me-ham variety.

And really, what this film has done to the Mohd Rafi Qawwalli Tayyab ali pyar ka dushman would make Manmohan Desai wince if he was alive. 

Dobaaraa done. Please please, no third helping. Otherwise, to rephrase one of Akshay Kumar's favourite dialogues in this film, Agar ek baar dobaara aur kiya toh sequel ka silsila bura maan jayega.

Akshay Kumar as ‘Boss’: First trailer

The first trailer of Akshay Kumar’s home production Boss is out! His fans can catch the promo of his action-packed film with the release of Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!. Don’t miss Akshay’s slick hair and clean-shaven get-up.

Those who wanted to see the star in his famous action avatar can jump with joy now! Boss is one of Akshay Kumar’s most awaited films of 2013. Directed by Anthony D'Souza and co-produced by Viacom 18, the movie will see Akshay as a benevolent gangster. Actually, Boss is a remake of the South hit Pokkiri Raja starring the superstar Mammootty.

The trailer of Boss has received a good response from the audiences as everyone is taking delight in watching Akshay take on the baddies in his cool ishtyle. Also, the look of the film clearly reminds us of Khiladi 786.

The movie has Aditi Rao Hydari playing the female lead. The cast also includes Shiv Pandit, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Roy and Johnny Lever. Boss is slated to release on October 16.

Akshay Kumar was the first to tweet the trailer and he wrote, “Here’s the todu teaser of #Boss. Watch to know exactly what 2 expect from the trailer on Aug 27. Don't fear,#BossIsHere”

Catch the trailer of the film. Is it really todu or phadu?

First Look: Vikram Bhatt’s 'Horror Story'

Seven youngsters take on the challenge of spending a night in a haunted hotel. What begins as a fun outing soon turns into a nightmare. Here’s the first look of Vikram Bhatt’s upcoming spooky film Horror Story.

The film is not directed by Vikram Bhatt but by Ayush Raina, who has previously directed 'Bombay High', one of the short films in the anthology flick Mumbai Cutting.

Horror Story features all newcomers. Leading the brat pack is television actor Karan Kundra. The newcomers include Ravish Desai, Hasan Zaidi, Nishant Malkani, Sheetal Singh, Aparna Bajpai, Radhika Menon and Nandini Vaid.

The first look of the film shows a ragged ghost sitting on a swing and looking downward. Seven silhouettes wield torchlights in the background. They are the characters who are trapped inside a haunted hotel.

Vikram Bhatt is quoted to have said, “This is a scare-a-minute film in the truest sense. It's horror from the first scene to the last and has been shot in an international format.”

Horror Story is slated to release on September 13, 2013. Ominous date!

Dhoom 3: First look revealed

The first official look of much awaited Dhoom 3 is out. The first poster of Dhoom 3 has actor Aamir Khan showing his bare chiseled back with a tag line "This year will end with a Dhoom."

Aamir Khan will be seen in a negative role for the first time in Dhoom 3.

Dhoom franchise started in 2004. John Abraham and Hrithik Roshan played the villains, respectively, in the first two franchise of Dhoom.

Aamir's partner in crime, Katrina Kaif, will also play his lady love. Aamir has shown some great acrobatic skills in film as a thief.

Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra will also be seen in the film along with Aamir Khan.

Abhishek Bachchan returns as a cop with Uday Chopra by his side.

Written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, Dhoom 3 is produced by Aditya Chopra and is slated to release on Christmas this year.

Watch Dhoom 3 motion poster:

Yami Gautam excited to work with Ajay Devgn and Ali Zafar

Yami Gautam is really excited about her forthcoming movie with Ajay Devgn and Ali Zafar. The movie that she will be doing with Zafar is an Indo-Pak love story.

Vicky Donor fame Yami Gautam is on the brink of starting to work with Ajay Devgn and is currently wrapping up Aman Ki Asha, which features Ali Zafar.

“I will start shooting for my next film next month which is opposite Ajay Devgn and it is going to be directed by Mr. Prabhu Deva, ” the 24-year-old said.

Aman Ki Asha, is apparently a movie that deals with the ties between India and Pakistan without being too preachy about it, thankfully.

“My next film which would be releasing is ‘Aman Ki Asha’, where I play Asha, an Indian Punjabi girl and Ali Zafar plays Aman, a Pakistani Muslim boy. Neeraj Pandey is the creative writer and producer,” Yami Gautam said.

“We have tried to throw light on India, as the name suggests, in a very non-preachy, non-love saga kind of way. He (Neeraj Pandey) has always made different yet entertaining films, so it’s going to be something different,” she added.

“Aman Ki Asha” is being directed by Eeshwar Nivas. It also stars Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher.

SRK’s Son AbRam is Adorable says Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan met Shah Rukh Khan's baby son, AbRam, at the latter's residence during his Eid party.

"A lovely evening spent at Shahrukh's place for celebration of Eid and his new born son AbRam, who is adorable," the 70-year-old posted on his facebook page.

Amitabh also revealed he had taken his grandson Agastya to see SRK's latest film 'Chennai Express'.

Meanwhile, SRK's admitted that his two other children, Aryan and Suhana, are often embarrassed by their father's celebrity status. When posing for pictures with his family outside his Mannat residence, he said: 'I enjoy celebrating functions with fans. I can't be alone. Now that my kids are grown up, I would like them also to say hello to all those who made me who I am today.

"They were feeling embarrassed, shy and were even angry but I feel they should do this," he added.

Saif Ali Khan-Katrina Kaif in 26/11 counter-terror film

Saif Ali Khan was seen playing a RAW agent in Agent Vinod. Now, he’s set to play a counter-terror specialist in director Kabir Khan’s next movie that apparently features Katrina Kaif opposite him.

Filmmaker Kabir Khan's last film Ek Tha Tiger was about the life of a RAW agent. He is now set to cast actor Saif Ali Khan in a film about counter-terrorism post the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

The film is to be written by Hussain Zaidi, a prominent crime writer whose scrupulously researched books have earlier been the basis of Anurag Kashyap's "Black Friday" and Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala.

This wouldn't be the first film that Saif would be doing on global terrorism. He has earlier done Rensil D'Silva's Kurbaan, in which he played a terrorist. In Kabir's film that Sajid Nadiadwala will produce, Saif crosses over to the other side.

Said a source: "Saif plays a counter-terrorist deputed to tackle a post 26/11 scenario. It's a kind of extension to Salman Khan's RAW agent's role in Kabir Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger'. But the politics of this film would be far more topical."

Saif Ali Khan, according to sources, would be required to undertake remarkable research to get his data on counter-insurgency right.

"It's a different world for Saif and producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Sajid has only done mass entertainers so far."

Check out the first motion poster of Akshay Kumar’s film ‘Boss’

Here is the motion poster of Akshay Kumar’s upcoming actioner Boss, directed by Anthony D'souza who had previously made Blue with the actor.

The motion poster shows a fist slamming a hole in the wall with a knuckleduster that reads BOSS. The film’s punchline is “This October, Don’t Fear…The Boss is here”.

Yes, the film’s slated to hit theatres in October 2013. It features Aditi Rao Hydari, Mithun Chakraborty, Shiv Pandit, Danny Denzongpa and Johnny Lever.

Boss would also feature a special song on Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhu Deva. The team of Sonakshi, Prabhu and Akshay Kumar had previously worked together in Rowdy Rathore.

Boss will be produced by Ashwin Varde. The film’s Todu teaser will be released on August 14, along with Akshay Kumar’s Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!. The trailer would be released on August 27.

Movie Review: 'Chennai Express'

Movie review of 'Chennai Express'. 

Try as hard as one might, it’s not possible to keep Shahrukh Khan’s comical antics from rubbing off on you. When in form, the actor can be a riot. And in Chennai Express he’s in a roaring form, perhaps his funniest self to date. Add to that Deepika Padukone’s wonderfully droll Tamil accent and director Rohit Shetty’s brand of unbridled entertainment and action, and you have a two-hour-twenty-two minute joyride all the way, a few ouch-inducing bumps notwithstanding.

Chennai Express is a film tailor-made to tickle you at all the right places with whatever masala the story writer K Subhash, screenwriter Yunus Sajawal and Rohit Shetty find handy to sprinkle. They recreate the famous DDLJ platform scene when Shahrukh Khan gives a helping hand to Deepika Padukone to come aboard the moving train. They mock it by adding four beefy, shabby, bulldozers of goons who take the similar favour from our do-gooder hero one after another, and, after coming aboard, take him hostage.

Our hero Rahul (SRK) is a 40-year-old single man whose 99-year-old grandfather has kicked the bucket just shy of hitting a century. Rahul is packed off by his grandmother to immerse the deceased old man’s ashes at Rameswaram right at the edge of south India. He, however, has other plans: to go on a vacation to Goa with his friends. But all the best laid plans go haywire with the entry of the feisty Meena Lochini (Deepika Padukone), the bringer of nonstop troubles in Rahul’s cushy life. Thereafter, Rahul is held hostage in the train Chennai Express, taken to Kumbun village where Meena’s father (Sathyaraj) is the much-feared don with a dedicated bunch of machete wielding, dreadful looking goons.

There’s no end to Rahul’s troubles and he escapes from one bad situation to land into another worse one, until Meena, the magnet of all his misfortunes, becomes the object of his affection.

Director Rohit Shetty packs the film with gags aplenty, and some of them -- like Shahrukh Khan’s choked voice protestations against his oversized oppressors -- are genuinely funny. But some -- like SRK and Deepika communicating through songs -- aren’t as hilarious.

The film has a good share of Tamil dialogues some of which are translated by Deepika’s character Meena, but those that aren’t don’t put a viewer at a loss. The meaning is implied by the situations to which they are set. That’s one clever bit by Rohit Shetty. Caution is also taken to not paint the south Indians in a bad light by offsetting all the scumbags of Kumbun village with the genial folk of another village that welcome the eloping hero and heroine with open arms.

Chennai Express wouldn’t be half as good without the spirited performances by Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. If he is a consummate jokester with all those stutters, stammers and chokes, she overplays her thick Tamil accent to a right effect. Sathyaraj is convincing as the overbearing but stoic father of the heroine, and so is Nikitin Dheer as the seven-foot hulk who wants to marry Meena, and cut Rahul into little pieces.

The stunts and action, choreographed by Rohit Shetty himself, are good, particularly a car chase through the crowded Kumbun village. Music by Vishal-Shekhar throws a few catchy melodies. What Chennai Express could have done well without are a few pointless sequences (like one on SRK and a midget) to cut short its running time to under two-and-a-half hours.

Yet, one doesn’t find much to sniff at in Chennai Express. The film is a rip-snorting entertainer with some good gags, catchy songs and a riotous Shahrukh Khan having a field day with a sporty, gorgeous Deepika.

Definitely worth a ride.

Rating: ***

A R Rahman turns producer, story-writer

After donning the role of music composer, singer and lyricist, double Oscar winner A R Rahman will now turn producer and story writer for a Hindi film.

Through his latest production venture YM Movies, Rahman along with Eros International, would produce the yet-to-be titled Hindi film.

"For the first time, A R Rahman has conceived the movie and written the basic story... It is a young sensual movie based on love, art and self-discovery," a release said.

"It is a 16 year relationship with Eros and this time it is extending the role a bit more.It is about exploring the other side of creative partnership", Rahman said. On his production venture, Rahman said YM Movies was born out of sheer aspiration to create movies which could bring a "lot of joy, fulfilling the artistic and cinematic demands."

"..It is with great pleasure that we announce this very special venture with him. With this film, we wish to present music and cinema at its best and entertain fans and audiences with an unforgettable experience," Eros International Media Managing Director, Sunil Lulla said.

Akshay Kumar, wife Twinkle go house hunting in Dubai

Bollywood star couple Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna is buying a house in Dubai and said if they ever plan to move out of Mumbai they would shift here.

"I was busy with the film promotions all day but my wife has been looking at properties here," Kumar was quoted by Gulf News as saying.

The 45-year-old was in town for the promotion of his latest release Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!.

"Dubai is such a dynamic city. It's so welcoming that it feels like a second home now. And I have been here so many times so that's why we decided to purchase a home here," Kumar said.

Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty and Sohail Khan already own property in Dubai. Kumar says he wants Dubai inviting as a city.

"There are so many Indians and Pakistanis here, the environment is comforting and it feels like I haven't even left home. If my family were to shift anywhere, this is the home we would like to move to permanently," he said.

Producer of Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara! ", Ekta Kapoor also gave her nod of approval.

"Dubai is an amazing city and I come here for a holiday often. When I holidayed with my mother, we stayed at the Burj Al Arab. She loved it. We didn't step out but we just hung around the hotel all day," Kapoor said.

Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Jagga Jasoos’ to star Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt

The latest buzz to grip the tinsel town is that Anurag Basu has roped in Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt for his film Jagga Jasoos toplining Ranbir Kapoor. Yes, it’s been a while since Alia’s name was touted as the second lead in the film, and as per trade sources, Priyanka too is on board for this two-heroine project.

Ooh! that’s quite a casting coup pulled off by Anurag Basu. The twitter world has already taken a shine to this news. “Anurag Basu has signed Ranbir, Priyanka and Alia for his next "JAGGA JASOOS". Cant wait. WOHHHOOOO,” writes a fan of Priyanka Chopra on twitter. However, an official confirmation from the makers of the film is awaited.

It’s learnt that Anurag is currently busy completing the script of the film, and has already met Alia Bhatt regarding his project. Incidentally, it was Alia’s father Mahesh Bhatt who was instrumental in launching Anurag’s career in Bollywood through Murder.

Alia Bhatt is glad that an offer like Jagga Jasoos has come her way. She doesn’t want to let go off this opportunity of working with Anurag Basu and Ranbir Kapoor, that too in a Disney film, reveal sources. As far as casting Priyanka Chopra is concerned, the actress and director share a great rapport after Barfi!, and there seems to be no reason why Pee Cee wouldn’t want to be a part of Anurag’s film.

Jagga Jasoos is a first of its kind venture by Disney, co-produced by Picture Shuru -- Ranbir and Anurag Basu's new production company -- and UTV. The movie will be a full-on Disney franchise and the long term plan would be to take it into multiple sequels, merchandising, consumer products, graphic comics, television, gaming and much more. Phew! that’s quite an elaborate planning.

The movie is expected to go on the floors by the year-end.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to do an item number in Ram leela

Her last big-screen appearance was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish (2010). Then, in 2011 Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan gave birth to her daughter, Aaradhya. Understandably, she took a break from films. Now, if rumours are to be believed, Bhansali seems to have approached her to do an item number in
his upcoming film, Ram Leela. The film stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in the lead.


“Sanjay sir is keen to have Aishwarya doing the special number. He has already contacted her regarding the same. And though nothing is finalised yet, she is considering the offer seriously,” says an industry insider. Aishwarya and Bhansali have worked together in films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2012) as well.

Before Aishwarya, other names like Madhuri Dixit and Sonakshi Sinha were also doing the rounds as Bhansali’s choice for the item number, but both actors denied the rumour. “Sanjay sir shares a warm equation with Aishwarya, and he feels she would do justice to the song,” adds the insider. The actor, meanwhile, is believed to be getting several offers — for films and special appearances. Recent reports have suggested that Aishwarya has got offers from Karan Johar and Sriram Raghavan, among others. Aishwarya couldn’t be reached for a comment.

And Bhansali, when asked about this, says, “First, it was Madhuri’s name, and now Aishwarya’s.” About his apparent offer to Aishwarya, he just chose to say, “No, not true”. However, the insider insists that the offer has indeed been made, adding that “Sanjay sir will not speak about it, since talks are presently at a nascent stage.”

A-list item girls

Priyanka Chopra: Initially, Bipasha Basu’s name was doing the rounds for an item number in Shootout At Wadala. Later, Priyanka Chopra and Sunny Leone stepped in.

Madhuri Dixit: One of the most hyped item numbers of late, Madhuri Dixit returned to on-screen dancing with the ‘Ghagra’ number with Ranbir Kapoor in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

Kareena Kapoor: Last year, Kareena shook a leg with Salman Khan — for the first time after her wedding — in the track ‘Fevicol’ from Dabangg 2 (2012).

YouTube to launch Graphic India's animated Mahabharata series

Video-sharing site YouTube today said it has partnered with entertainment firm Graphic India and renowned comic book writer Grant Morrison to launch an animated web series on the epic Mahabharata titled '18 days'.

The series is part of YouTube's global event, Geek Week, and the first episode of the series will be available today, while subsequent episodes will be launched exclusively on YouTube, it said in a release.

The series will feature weekly episodes through the year and will be distributed exclusively on the Graphic India YT Channel and will be in English, Hindi and Tamil, it added.

"Mahabharata is an epic story and we are very excited to bring the animated version of this great Indian epic to YouTube users worldwide," YouTube APAC Director (Content Partnerships) Gautam Anand said.

Partnering with Grant Morrison and Graphic India for this YouTube exclusive will set the bar for more such high quality web original series, he added.

The show's creator Grant Morrison said a genre mash of superhero action and mythology grounded in the all too human passions of its warriors, villains and monsters, 18 Days will rewrite the rules of epic fantasy.

Morrison's was behind DC Comics' Animal Man, Batman, The Invisibles, and Marvel Comics' New X-Men and Fantastic Four.

"18 Days takes one of the most enduring stories of the east, the Mahabharata, which is known by over a billion people, and places it in the capable hands of Grant Morrison, one of the greatest storytellers of the West," Graphics India Co-Founder and CEO, Sharad Devarajan said.

Graphic India was launched recently and is owned by the US comic book company, Liquid Comics and CA Media LP, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group, LLC (TCG).

An exclusive trailer for the series was posted last week on YouTube to coincide with a over-packed panel at the San Diego Comic Con, global pop-culture event and exceeded over 150,000 views within a few days of release, YouTube said.

Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha pray at Ajmer Sharif dargah

Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha on Monday prayed at the Ajmer dargah for the success of their upcoming film Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!. But the visit turned out to be quite nightmarish for Sonakshi due to the fans that mobbed the stars.

As soon as the news of the arrival of Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and producer Ekta Kapoor spread through Ajmer, hordes of fans came down to see the stars on Monday morning. By the time the two actors arrived, there was already a huge crowd and despite the presence of police and security personel, they kept pushing and shoving.

Sonakshi Sinha was visibly scared, so much so that Akshay had to put his arms around her to protect her from the mob.

The two stars paid obeisance to Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti at the dargah. They stayed for about 15 minutes and then left. Leaving, too, wasn’t made easy by the fans who kept screaming and shouting at them.

Akshay Kumar kept his cool throughout the visit and even waved to the fans and politely told them to make way.

Check out 'Krrish 3' trailer: Hrithik Roshan returns as superhero

Hrithik Roshan returns as the superhero Krrish to save the world from annihilation at the hands of an evil Kaal, played by Vivek Oberoi. The first trailer of Krrish 3 packs in a lot of action.

The trailer begins with Hrithik as the ingenious and aged Rohit Mehra discovering the secrets to the power of the alien Jadu. He conducts a high-tech experiment in which withered leaves bloom back to life. “Iss experiment se puri duniya ko ek nayi shuruaat milegi,” says Rohit.

But then we are introduced to the kingdom of Kaal in a far-away land. Kaal is more of an android but with an evil brain and super powers to unleash terror on the world. Kaal is set to rule the world. We are also introduced to Kangna Ranaut’s character Kaya. She takes a vertiginous leap from the edge of a skyscraper and lands on her feet.

There is just a fleeting shot of Priyanka Chopra, as Krrish’s love interest. The two are seen locking lips.

Fans would love the introduction of the caped superhero Krrish in the trailer of Krrish 3. They would also admire Hrithik Roshan’s levitating leaps in the air.

The film seems set in a metropolis that’s been destroyed piece by piece by the evil Kaal, until Krrish the superhero throws a spanner in his works.

The film is directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan and slated to release this Diwali.

Watch the Krrish 3 trailer featuring Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Kangna Ranaut.

Meet Anita Pratap - Nargis Fakhri's inspiration for 'Madras Cafe'

Sources say Nargis Fakhri's upcoming journalist role in 'Madras Cafe' is based on Indian scribe Anita Pratap

With a slew of Bollywood actresses playing journalists in recent and upcoming films, now it's Nargis Fakhri's turn. Insiders say the actress' role in Shoojit Sircar's upcoming film co-starring John Abraham is based on real-life Indian scribe Anita Pratap. Incidentally, Anita was the first journalist to interview the slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran.

A source says, `John has been showing his film to his close friends in the industry and after the first trial itself, everyone has been talking about her character being inspired from Anita.`

Perhaps the similarity struck home as the film shows Nargis interviewing Anna (Ajay Ratnam), a fictional character portrayed as the head of the rebel terrorist group while covering the political unrest in Sri Lanka.

Media frenzy

Madhubala played a reporter in the 1960 film Kala Bazaar. In recent times, Konkana Sen Sharma essayed a celeb journo in Page 3 while Preity Zinta did hardcore reporting in Lakshya.

While Kangna Ranaut was a suave journalist in Knock Out, Rani Mukerji performed convincingly as a bad-mouthed TV journalist in No One Killed Jessica.

Kareena Kapoor will be seen essaying an international journalist in Prakash Jha's upcoming film. Amrita Rao is portraying a journo in Anil Sharma's next.

Raveena Tandon will play a journalist-columnist who forms an intense relationship with a younger lad in Sudipto Chattopadhyaya's forthcoming project. Neha Dhupia essays the role of a scribe in Rensil D'Silva's upcoming film. 

Sequel to Ronit Roy starrer Jaan Tere Naam soon

Filmmaker Deepak Balraj Vij is all set to make a sequel of his 1992 musical hit Jaan Tere Naam.

The original catapulted its lead actors Ronit Roy and Farheen to stardom. Its music was also a chartbuster with songs like Akha India Janta Hai, Kal College Band Ho Jayega, and Romance Period etc.

Titled Jaan Tere Naam 2 (JTN2), the movie will star

newcomers in the lead roles and will be a musical with dance

sequences.

"It has been 21 years since Jaan Tere Naam released

and I have been toying with the idea of directing it all over

again with an entirely fresh setting, concept and newcomers,"

Vij said in a statement here.

The director insists they are looking for someone having excellent dancing skills as it is must for the lead pair.

"We intend to hold a nationwide talent hunt to select the lead pair. The story idea is ready and if all things fall into place we should finalise the lead pair by August end and start shooting in September or October." he said.

The filmmaker has already got on board lyricist Javed Akhtar, music director Anu Malik and choreographer Longinus Fernandes for the movie.

Vij has films like Zakhmee Insaan, Sailaab, and Aaya Toofan among others to his credit.

Amitabh Bachchan is Bollywood's style icon, says young Actor

Bollywood's young brigade of actors like Ranveer Singh and Kunal Kapoor look at megastar Amitabh Bachchan as the most stylish actor in the industry. For them, he is their style icon.

"By far Mr Bachchan is the most stylish actor. For so many years he has been a style icon. He is the best dressed man ever and best style icon," said Ranveer.

Actress Dia Mirza added, "He really carries himself in a very cool way. At his age to do what he does and the way he pulls it off are very cool."

The 70-year-old actor has not only been ruling the film industry since his first hit Zanjeer in 1973, but he has also become an inspiration for younger generation.

If he has wowed with his performances on the screen, the Paa actor's subtle sense of style makes him very special. His bandgalas, scarves, long and short coats, blazers and shoes are stylish without being loud.

In February this year, Big B was also voted the most stylish icon in a poll.

Kunal Kapoor too finds Mr Bachchan classy, and said: "There is nobody more stylish than him. He is 70 and still he is always very well turned out. He can carry off anything. He is extremely stylish."

Bade Acche Lagte Hain to take nine-year leap

Popular television show Bade Acche Lagte Hain is set for a nine-year leap.

The drama explores the worlds of two different personalities, Ram Kapoor and Priya Sharma, who accidentally discover love after they marry.

The series, produced by Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms, stars Ram Kapoor (whose character has the same name) and Sakshi Tanwar (Priya) in lead roles.

Bade Acche Lagte Hain is going for a nine-year leap. Ram and Priya's on screen daughter Pihu will say goodbye to

the show to pave way for the grown up Pihu, played by Amrita

Mukherjee, a statement issued said here today.

The new Pihu will be revealed on the episode to be aired on August 12. The show is aired on Sony Entertainment channel.

I'm Robert Pattinson's sister: Katy Perry

Katy Perry has rubbished Robert Pattinson romance rumours, saying they share a great friendship.

The Perry-Pattinson romance rumors began swirling back in May after the Twilight actor broke-up with girlfriend

Kristen Stewart.

"He's my bud, I'm like his big sister. We just hang out. The other day, I said, 'One of the things I'm most proud of is not sleeping with you, Robert.' And that's true," Perry told Elle magazine in an interview.

The 28-year-old singer earlier revealed that she cleared things up with Stewart through a text message.

"I sent her a text message saying, 'I know you've seen all this stuff, but you know I would never disrespect you. I'm not that person. I'm just trying to be a friend to him..."

Pattinson has been linked to Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, Riley Keough recently while Perry is back with boyfriend John Meyer.

Check out: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone wow Dubai

Salaam Dubai!

The promotional campaign of Chennai Express has chugged all the way to Dubai with the film’s leading stars Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone drawing huge crowds in the Gulf state.

The two Bollywood stars made their presence felt at The Oberoi in Downtown Dubai. Later on, at the Arabian Center in Khawaneej where SRK was slated to break his Ramadan fast with fans, a huge throng turned up.

True to his style, Shahrukh Khan entertained them all. He and Deepika Padukone even gave autographs to a few fans.

At the press meet, the two stars fielded questions about the film and the King Khan was particularly asked how it felt to wear a lungi in Chennai Express.

“I’m not used to wearing things that make me feel insecure. With all the lights on set you had to be careful,” SRK wittily replied.

When asked about the fans in Dubai, Shahrukh said it was great and humbling to see so much love from the fans. Deepika Padukone was quite moved at the warm reception by the Dubai fans.

Chennai Express is slated to release on August 9. It stars Shahrukh Khan as a 40-year-old man who makes a journey to south India to immerse his late father’s ashes. But on the way he gets embroiled with the feisty daughter (Deepika) of a don and falls in love. The film is an out-and-out entertainer.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara makers to release Eid song "Bismillah"

The soon to be release Akshay Kumar- Imran Khan starrer Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara had earlier changed its release date by a week, from Eid to August 15 to avoid a clash with Chennai Express. Now we hear that to capitalize on the Eid weekend the makers of the film have decided on releasing a special track for the celebrations.

Apparently, the said song will be a club song set in a Muslim milieu, making it appropriate for the occasion. Titled Bismillah, the song was recently shot in Film City and at one of the nightclubs in Mumbai, which was recreated to give it an 80s ambience.

Picturized on Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha it is sung by Anupam Amod, with lyrics written by Rajat Aroraa.