Sanjay Dutt gets six years' imprisonment!

Actor Sanjay Dutt was on Tuesday sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for six years for illegal possession of weapons that were given to him by associates of gangster Dawood Ibrahim ahead of the 1993 serial blasts.

Dutt, who spent 16 months in prison after his arrest in April 1993 and was free on bail, was also fined Rs 25,000 by the special TADA court of Judge P D Kode.

The court rejected Dutt's application seeking exemption from a prison term under the Probation of Offenders (POA) Act. After pronouncing the sentence, the court cancelled the bail granted to Dutt and told police to take him into custody.

Dismissing the defence's argument that the weapons were acquired by Dutt for self-defence, Kode said such an acquisition cannot be called "noble", is contrary to the law and indicates scant respect for the law.

"I must say for every citizen, laws of the nation shall be respected. If you don't, I don't expect you to be called a moral person," Kode said.

Via

Urmila's Mehbooba song from RGV Ki Aag

As the buzz around Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag heats up, the latest promo of the film's version of the legendary Mehbooba Mehbooba has been added to it.

It's the song everyone's been waiting to watch.

The Mehbooba song from Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag has a different sound, with typical Ramu camera angles and of course, his magic formula, Urmila Matondkar.

"There's loads of chemistry and I will be giving away most of the song If I say more. But the chemistry exists between Babban and his Mehbooba," says Urmila.

For Urmila, matching steps with the legendary Helen from the classic and competing with the oomph factor of Mallika Sherawat in Himesh's new version may be a tough task. But she believes that both the composition as well as the choreography by Ganesh Hegde is so original, that the song stands out on its own.

"The song has been done keeping in mind a classic, and we have tried to adapt it to something totally new that will atleast be on par with the original," says Urmila.


We will be hoping that it does something like that, but as far as we can see, this one looks like yet another one of those item numbers rolled out of Ramu's factory!

Chak De! India creates Bollywood record!

Yash Raj Films' next release Chak De! India has created a Bollywood record even before its release.

The film has scored its first goal - it was shot using a little over 1,500 cans of raw stock!

It outscored Boney Kapoor's Pukar which, thanks to its constant shooting and re-shooting, had consumed about 1,350 cans. If you are wondering what's the big deal, spare a thought for the poor editor...an average Bollywood movie consumes about between 300 and 400 cans.


Last heard, Shah Rukh Khan was exasperatedly asking 'Yeh, Chak De itna footage kyun khaya?' to which director Shimit Amin muttered, 'It's a sports film unlike anything ever seen in India before!'

Jagjit Singh to star in film on AIDS awareness

Ghazal virtuoso Jagjit Singh has agreed to star in a new Bollywood comedy film Anamika to promote AIDS awareness.

Prabhakar Shukla, the film's director, said he is planning to cast either Amrita Arora or Nandana Sen in the film that aims to convey the message on AIDS without being preachy.

"Jagjit Singh has agreed to play a role in the movie after listening to the story. I intend to start shooting from September," Prabhakar told on the sidelines of the 9th Osian's-Cinefan Film Festival.

"Since the topic is very sensitive, I will not make the film a serious one and will try to convey the message without preaching to the audiences."

Prabhakar is planning another comedy Dimag Ka Dahi, and shooting is to start from October.

Shah Rukh Khan to battle machines in Robot

Sivaji director Shankar has been signed up by Shah Rukh Khan for his home production company Red Chillies Entertainment.

Rumours state that Shah Rukh Khan will play a scientist who creates a robot for his young handicapped child to play with. However, things turn bad when the robot begins to kill, and it is upto Shah Rukh to terminate this state of the art mechanical machine.

Shah Rukh is hoping to rope in Hrithik Roshan to play the role of the robot, but with Hrithik's other comittments, this may not happen.

John Abraham and Upen Patel have also been touted.

Stay tuned in!

Update: Rajnikant is doing the film and not SRK!

Chupke Chupke remake in the pipeline!

First Don, then Umrao Jaan and Sholay and now, it's the turn of the classic Dharmendra- Amitabh Bachchan comedy Chupke Chupke to be remade.

TV actor- turned-film producer Vishwaas Paandya has acquired the rights of the film and soon, the casting for the film will begin.

Vishwaas' father has worked with Hrishikesh Mukherjee as a film producer years ago and that's one of the reasons why he wanted to remake Mukherjee's film.

"If you pick the top ten Hindi comedies, Chupke Chupke would definitely be on the list. And it's a clean film which the entire family can watch together," he says.

Moreover, Vishwaas adds that his film will not be a frame to frame copy of the original.

"It will be more of an adapted version. I have to keep in mind the changing times as well, but the film will retain it's middle class values."

Here's a beautiful song from Chupke Chupke featuring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Om Prakash and Asrani.

Priyanka Chopra in a Hollywood film?

Priyanka Chopra is being considered to play the female lead in Hollywood producer and former tennis player Ashok Amritraj 's film.

Ashok Amritraj heads the production company Hyde Park Entertainment. He is presently looking for an Indian actress for his next project, which will revolve around an Indian girl and an American man.

Amritraj has reportedly been in talks with Priyanka Chopra to act in the film. Rumours say he has handed over the film's script to Priyanka.

The only problem is, Amritraj wants to begin shooting his film in October this year and this may act as a bummer because Priyanka is most likely to be busy during that time of the year due to her prior commitments.

So, however clichéd it may sound but date problems may prevent Priyanka from doing Amritraj's film.

But it would be premature to jump to conclusions as Priyanka is said to be going through the film's script and has yet to give her final word.

Stay tuned in!

Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya in RGV's Time Machine

It's a star cast that most filmmakers would dream to work with.

And Ram Gopal Varma has managed the feat not once but twice. Even before Ramu completes the sequel of his film Sarkar, he has already made plans of another film with the Bachchans.

According to a source close to the director, "Ramu has planned to rope in Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya for Time Machine. The director took the decision of reviving the film during the outdoor shoot of his film Sarkar Raj which is currently in progress in Hyderabad."

It maybe recalled here that Ramu had earlier planned to make the same film with Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena.

And now, Shootout At Parliament!

After Shootout At Lokhandwala, Sanjay Gupta and Ekta Kapoor are set to make another film based on a real-life incident titled Shootout At Parliament.

The film will be based on the infamous Parliament attack on December 13, 2001.

The film stars all the actors from Shootout At Lokhandwala. Incidentally, Gupta has already registered the title of the film at Association of Motion Pictures and Television Programme Producers.

Shootout At Parliament will also have a huge set of a Parliament just like the makers had a set of Swati building for Shootout At Lokhandwala. However, considering the importance of the subject, this film will be made on a much bigger scale.

When contacted, Sanjay Gupta said, "It is too early to comment on this film."

Stay tuned in!

Hrithik Roshan turns scriptwriter for Krrish 2

Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan will help pen the script for a sequel to the blockbuster Krrish in which he played a masked superhero.

Hrithik's father, Rakesh Roshan, directed Krrish and said he and his son were discussing new stunts that could be part of the sequel.

"Hrithik has always taken a keen interest in scripting and has been an intrinsic part in the making of all my films,'' Roshan told a newspaper.

"He will write the script of Krrish 2 along with me,'' Roshan added.

Akshay Kumar-Twinkle call it quits?

In a shocking report, Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has split with wife and former actress Twinkle Khanna after 6 years of wedlock.

It is believed that Akshay's alleged dalliance with a certain Bengali starlet is at the heart of the domestic dispute in which Twinkle is said to have given her husband an ultimatum to mend his ways.

"Twinkle got to know about this affair and was extremely upset about whatever was going on. She warned Akshay a couple of times, but he didn't pay heed. She finally decided she had had enough," a source said.

Akshay has been, in the past, known for his string of romantic link ups with a number of actresses including Raveena Tandon, Shilpa Shetty, Pooja Batra and Priyanka Chopra.

He tied the knot with Twinkle in January 2001.

Via

Update: Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna have sent a legal notice to the newspaper that had reported baseless stories on their fallout.

Partner - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: Partner may be heavily inspired from the Hollywood film Hitch but the comedy in it is very desi. The music by Sajid-Wajid is funky and goes well with the film's theme.

CNN-IBN: For the joy of watching Salman and Govinda pull out all stops and get down to their loudest best, Partner might just be worth a watch.

DNA India: With Partner, David Dhawan returns to filmmaking after 20 months retaining his typical style with laugh-a-minute gags, saucy and sassy dialogues.

Glamsham: It's not exactly a no-brainer as the script runs through the film holding the scenes together. In fact, it's entertaining and manages to raise quite a few laughs.

Hindustan Times: David Dhawan's 38th comic flick, Partner, though hilarious, seems to have failed his fans, fed on an overdose of laughter.


IndiaFM: Partner is a winner all the way. This one's a laugh-riot that will have the viewers laughing in the aisles and its distributors, laughing all the way to the bank. A sure-shot Hit!

Movie Talkies: It's full paisa vasool!

Now Running: Partner is the kind of comedy that looks glossy and feels good. Go for it.

Rediff: Partner is a laugh riot!

Times Of India: A great cast, a veteran director and a wimp of a film: now that's a real irony, specially since the industry had its hopes pinned on Partner and David Dhawan fans had been sorely missing India's Nizam of Nonsense over the past few years.

Shahrukh Khan introduces new Compaq logo

As if one Shah Rukh Khan isn't enough, sometimes you get two for the price of one.

"You always believed in the future. Don't you always say Kal tumhara hai (Tomorrow is yours)? I believe if you don't have a dream, what do you have?" said Shah Rukh.

On Tuesday, the actor turned up at an event to promote a new range of Compaq computers he endorses.

The computer-savvy star said he doesn't have much time to spend on his computer, in fact he used the opportunity to make a dig at contemporaries like Aamir Khan and Anil Kapoor who have recently taken to writing Internet blogs to promote their films.

"I think one of the reasons that I have good fan following is because I work very hard. So, either I can write blogs or can keep working hard," said Shah Rukh.


Having endorsed practically every available product already, one cannot help but ask him what he would like to endorse next himself.

"Would I want to do more products? The more the merrier. I could promote journalism," said Shah Rukh.

Any takers for journalist Khan? We think not. That one, we'll pass!

Celina is the sexiest woman in India!

She's shooting in New Zealand for her international film, and Celina Jaitley is all smiles.

The lady sure has extra reason to smile these days as she's recently been voted the sexiest woman in India by a foreign publication.

From what we gather, Celina is followed by Mallika Sherawat, Bipasha Basu, Koena Mitra and newcomer Sherlyn Chopra in the list. "I was flattered when I heard this," says Celina. "My fans have been messaging me and I take it as a compliment."

In fact, like few other actresses, Celina doesn't take the 'sexy' tag badly.

"It's cool that I can wear anything and carry it off because of my face. My sex appeal lies in my face. I don't think you need to flaunt your body, when your face says it all."

Trust Celina to come up with a quotable quote!

Shilpa Shetty in a major legal hassle

Shilpa Shetty is in a legal trap.

A London law firm has sued Shilpa's company Cine Entertainment for not clearing their dues. A security company called CTR Services is also planning to sue her on non payment of bills as they had provided security services to Shilpa in the UK sometime back.

According to the reports, Shilpa has also been dropped from famous publicist Max Clifford's client list due to conflicts with Max's employees.

However, her representative in the UK, Farnath Hussain informs that her company Cine Entertainment has already paid every penny that they owe. Their payment got delayed because the figures CTR submitted were not right and her company asked them to rework on it.

Recently, she was allegedly linked up with her "good friend" and producer Raj Kundra. Kundra's wife Kavita openly accused Shilpa Shetty in media for breaking their marriage.

It seems that success has its side effects and Shilpa is going through the rough side of it now.

PPC to distribute Rush Hour 3 in India

Percept Picture Company (PPC) has acquired distribution rights for its second Hollywood film after Spiderman 3 in the form of New Light Cinema's Rush Hour 3 scheduled to release globally including India on 10th August 2007.

Rush Hour 3 will release with over 200 prints.

Percept Picture Company has acquired the theatrical distribution rights in English and Hindi language for all territories in India excluding South.

CEO of PPC, Mr. Preet Bedi, says "After the success of Spider-man 3, we are delighted to release one of Hollywood's biggest brands. The Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker combination has been a roaring success in the last two Rush Hour films. We have no doubt that Rush Hour 3 will be better."


Rush Hour 3 is an action-comedy-crime-thriller starring Jackie Chan who plays Chief Inspector Lee and Chris Tucker playing detective James Carter.

Kay Kay to play 14 roles in Drream Man

Kay Kay Menon is known for his versatility. He does something unique in every new film of his.

Theatre actor-director and filmmaker Makrand Deshpande's forthcoming film Drream Man will now explore a new side of Kay Kay. He will portray 14 different roles in Drream Man, which is a spoof on Bollywood films and actors.

Kay Kay informs that the film is a comic tale with a twist. He plays different characters like a cop, a journalist, an Englishman, a rock star, a milkman and other interesting personalities.

The film is an adaptation of Makrand Deshpande's successful play called Ek Kadam Aage.

Makrand himself will be seen in a cameo role. He portrays the lives of the strugglers, who are an inherent part of the Hindi film industry. The cast also includes Saurabh Shukla and Seema Biswas.

Ayesha Takia opposite Salman in Wanted Dead And Alive

Ayesha Takia was under consideration for a lead role opposite Salman Khan in Boney Kapoor's forthcoming production. Now, the actress has been signed for the project.

Reports say it was Ayesha's performance in Nagesh Kukunoor's Dor that first impressed Boney Kapoor. Boney was looking for a fresh face to pair with Salman Khan in his production which is the Hindi remake of Tamil hit Pokkiri.

The Hindi version of the film is titled Wanted Dead And Alive.

The movie tells the story of an undercover cop who works for a mafia don. His aim is to eliminate the gangsters by being a part of them.

Salman plays the lead role in the film. Om Puri and Mahesh Manjrekar are also among the cast.

The film is directed by Prabhudeva, who also directed the original. Music composer duo Sajid-Wajid have reportedly been roped in to compose the music.

Rajpal to play 16 roles in Bunty Ka Mama!

Rajpal Yadav may not be the suave of Bollywood but he is one of the versatile and busiest actors in the industry.

Rajpal will be seen in 16 different roles in Basant Talreja's film, Bunty Ka Mama.

Excited about the film Rajpal informs that Bunty Ka Mama will be his one of the most challenging scripts that he is working on. Playing 16 different characters in a single film is a big challenge for him.

He also informs that all these characters are superheroes like Superman, Tarzan, Batman, Shaktimaan, Tintin, Krrish, Mandrake the Magician and etc.

The film will be directed by Wilson Louis who made Ho Sakta Hai and Ghat. The film is expected to go on the floors by September.

Rajpal's forthcoming films include Rajiv Kumar's Chal Chala Chal, Priyadarshan's Dhol, Ram Gopal Varma's Ram Gopal Varma Ke Aag, Kumar Mohan's Ho Jayenge Balle Balle, Vinod Pradhan's Masti Express and Nazim Rizvi's Hello Hum Lallan Bol Rahein Hai.

Amrita Arora in Yagnesh Shetty's Boomerang

While the likes of Shilpa Shetty and Bipasha Basu are action-happy, actress Amrita Arora is keen on joining the league.

The actress will soon be seen in an action role in Boomerang.

Ammu says, "It's a very Charlie's Angels kind of movie, and I am doing that kind of action." So, what training did she undertake for this role? "I learned skating and the use of a gun. I also did some harness training." That's some tutoring.

Never mind the Hollywoodish name, but the film is a Hindi movie. "It also stars Kim Sharma, who is also doing a lot of action and Zeenat Aman, who is in a Demi Moore-ish role."

Sounding exciting enough, the movie is directed by Yagnesh Shetty. The team will leave for their last schedule to China soon and the flick is expected to hit the screens in October this year.

We look forward to a lot of boom from Boomerang!

Are John-Bips together again?

There may be a huge controversy on Bipasha Basu and John Abraham's current relationship status, but here's a little bit of news we couldn't keep from you.

Even while the rest of the world was speculating and debating whether John and Bips are together or not, they were spotted sitting together at a suburban eatery as if the controversy never happened!

Those sitting around cast inquisitive glances in their direction, but the duo was not perturbed. Confused? We'll soon have Bips and John clarify this, shall we?

What about the supposed split? Or has the bonding reached such a stage that they're getting back together?

Now, that would certainly be a reason to celebrate, considering the goodwill these two share.

Well, the last word will be yours, Johnny boy and Bips!

Related Article: It's Official: John-Bipasha call it quits!

Amitabh Bachchan has no plans to quit

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who is competing for roles with heroes up to 30 years younger than him, has no plans to hang up his boots as he does not want to ever face a financial crisis or feel insecure.

The star, seen most recently in Cheeni Kum as a man in his mid-60s romancing a woman half his age, explained why he would not consider retirement and why he would not return to politics in an interview.

"I have been through that phase before where I was in a financial crisis, and once you have been there you tend to feel insecure," said the star who will turn 65 in October.

As long as audiences and producers wanted him to perform, Bachchan will appear on the silver screen that he has dominated for over three decades.

"I will continue to work as long as I can," he said. "I am thankful that I am still getting roles that are challenging. After all I am at least 20 to 30 years older than most of the heroes on stage."

More than two decades after his stint as a member of the Lok Sabha, Bachchan also said he was determined not to enter politics again.

"I am a failed politician. I was not good at it, and I have made it very clear that I will not enter (politics) again," he asserted. "Back then, I entered politics on an emotional note," Bachchan said, apparently referring to his close association and friendship with late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, at whose behest he joined politics and contested the general election in 1984.

Bachchan, who burnt his fingers with the company he floated in 1996, was glad that the firm had finally made a turnaround.

" AB Corp (the company he floated) is now finally debt- free and this time at our annual general meeting, I was able to declare a small dividend and that made me very happy. We do have several productions lined up and we are looking forward to those," he said.

Dismissing criticism that Indian cinema aped the West, Bachchan said the country and its people had imbibed several things from the British, including the "police raj" that continued even though "we are an independent country".

"I don't think we (the Indian film industry) ape the West. Our parliamentary system is aped from the British...our laws, criminal procedure laws were all designed by the British and have remained unchanged," he said. "We all know the British Raj was a police raj and even though we are now an independent country, we continue with the same."

The superstar, however, was critical of those who expected Indian films to win Oscars, saying: "Why must we judge our films by Western standards? The number of people who watch Hindi films and love them point to the kind of popularity they have."

Bachchan himself is scheduled to work on two international projects - director Deepa Mehta's Exclusion that centres round the plight of 376 Indian asylum-seekers who were denied entry to Canada in 1914 and director Mira Nair's Shantaram which is based on Gregory David Roberts' acclaimed novel.

NRI's wife blames Shilpa for break-up!

A UK based Indian film producer's wife has accused Bollywood beauty Shilpa Shetty of ensnaring her film producer hubby and wrecking their marriage.

Kavita Kundra hit out against the Celebrity Big Brother winner for pursuing an affair with her hubby, Raj Kundra. The news comes after the stunning actor was spotted shopping with Kundra.

"Shilpa's a cultural icon in the Indian community but she's not what she appears. She can have any man she wants - there are plenty of single men. She didn't need to go after my husband," she said.

According to reports, things started after Raj went to Mumbai to work on a script and when he got back to the UK, Kavita noticed a change in his behaviour.

"He'd been away in Mumbai for a month working on a script. I'd gone to stay with my parents at their home in West Bromwich. But when Raj returned to the UK he sent me a text message, which took my breath away. It read simply - Don't bother coming back," she said.

However, Raj has denied having an affair with the Bollywood star and said that his marriage ended a year ago, and that it had nothing to do with the actor.

"We're just friends. I have a business relationship with Shilpa regarding her perfume. My marriage ended twelve months ago and it was nothing to do with Shilpa," he said.

First Look: Manorama Six Feet Under

A political thriller by debutante director Navdeep Singh, Manorama Six Feet Under is a dark comedy about an amateur detective in a small town who becomes ensnared in a web of lies, deceit and murder.

Navdeep Singh has directed a number of award winning commercials earlier for major clients like Maruti Alto, Garnier, Lux, Parle Hide n Seek and MTV.

The film stars Abhay Deol, Gul Panag, Raima Sen, Sarika and Vinay Pathak.

The Director of Photography is Arvind Kannabiran, who has shot My Brother Nikhil and whose advertising work includes major brands like Garnier, Pepsi, Lux and Maruti.

Naqaab - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: Naqaab doesn't turn out to be a riveting thriller, but it is engaging enough to be seen once.

BBC: Twists and turns don't quite come up to expectations in this love-triangle thriller.

CNN-IBN: A thriller that doesn't thrill!

DNA India: More layers than a wedding cake!

Glamsham: Naqaab does not live up to the director duo Abbas-Mustan's forte of making thrillers.

Hindustan Times: Naqaab is best left unveiled!


IndiaFM: Naqaab is engrossing in parts, with the suspense really catching you by surprise.

Movie Talkies: Naqaab has the makings of a classier thriller. It just fails to take off from its premise of a reality film, which is quite interesting. In the final analysis, the film lacks the all-important punch.

Now Running: Naqaab- a disappointing thriller to say the least!

Rediff: Naqaab is a watchable thriller (because its a 2 hour movie only!)

Times Of India: The problem with the film lies in its transparency. It's a love triangle, where you know at the very onset who's cheating on whom and who is going to end up the victim.

Sunny Deol to direct a film

The success of the Deols' family-film Apne has given Sunny Deol a chance to rise and shine as never before.

Sunny has taken several hard decisions. One of them is to turn director with a film called Man.

"My Apne writer Neeraj Pathak narrated this subject and I instantly fell for it. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the project on the road because I got busy with Apne.

Now that Apne has been accepted so warmly, I've gathered the courage to revive that project. And yes I'll be directing and producing Man along with Neeraj."

Interestingly, Sunny has given the film industry several talented directors including Raj Kumar Santoshi and Gurinder Chaddha (who made the aborted London for Sunny).

"It's another matter that they've started with me and moved on," laughs Sunny mirthlessly.

Even more interestingly, Sunny is the only star from his generation to have taken the plunge as a director.

"I directed Dillagi with my brother Bobby and me in the lead eight years ago .I've always been interested in being behind the camera. I took keen interest in the scripting and other technicalities of my acting debut Betaab. Today I think I'm fully prepared to direct."

Priyanka Chopra to play a supermodel

Former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is all set to play a supermodel in a film that dwells on the darker side of a career in modeling.

The film will be directed by Madhur Bhandarkar who has so far done critically acclaimed films like Chandni Bar, Page 3, Corporate and Traffic Signal .

Before becoming Miss India World and later becoming Miss World 2000, Priyanka had walked the ramp as a model and that made her a great choice for Bhandarkar's project.

The film titled, Fashion Show: The Ugly Side of Beautiful People , is being bankrolled by UTV with whom Priyanka recently signed a three-film contract. Bhandarkar will be venturing into the big league with this movie, which is budgeted at Rs 20 crore.

Rohit Bal has been signed up as the fashion consultant for the film and will also make a special appearance in the film.

Dhokha - Movie Preview

Zaid Ahmed ( Muzamil Ibrahim) is a bright, young Muslim police officer in Mumbai.

Dedicated to his work, respected and admired by his colleagues and community, he represents integration at its most successful. He has learned to live with the violence and the chaos that plagues his city, and on the night of a deadly bombing at the New Century club, he works tirelessly to help the shocked and shattered patients brought to the hospital.

But this night of turmoil and death takes a horrifying personal turn.

His wife's body, the beautiful mysterious Sarah (Tulip Joshi ) is found amongst the dead, with massive injuries. Things turn even more horrific when the police coldly announce that Sarah's injuries were typical of those found on fundamentalist suicide bombers.

As evidence mounts that his wife, Sarah, was responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Zaid is torn between cherished memories of their years together and the inescapable realization that the beautiful, intelligent woman he loved had a life far removed from their comfortable, assimilated existence together.

From the opening of the film to its searing conclusion, Dhokha displays the reality of terrorism and its incalculable spiritual costs. Intense and humane, devoid of political bias and hatred, intensely thoughtful, sensitive and felt, it displays a profound understanding of what can seem impossible to understand.


Dhokha is slated for August 17 release.

Kareena Kapoor in Golmaal Returns

Actress Kareena Kapoor will be seen in the sequel to Rohit Shetty's laughathon Golmaal, titled Golmaal Returns.

The sequel stars Ajay Devgan, Shreyas Talpade, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor.

Golmaal Returns is a part of Kareena's 3-film contract with Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd. The actress will work with the production house for three more films till 2009, after Imtiaz Ali 's untitled venture [co-starring Shahid Kapoor], which is due for release in October.

The shooting for Golmaal 2 will commence in November in Dubai, while the other two films are still in the scripting stages.

Neha collapses on the sets of I Think I Am 24

Neha Dhupia recently collapsed on the sets of her forthcoming movie I Think I Am 24.

It became quite a difficult situation for Neha as they were shooting an important sequence for the movie. The crew got frenzied and left everybody worried about her. The shooting had to be halted for sometime.

Seeing her condition, in no time the producer and director Saurabh Shukla ran for her rescue. She soon caught up her breath and got back to normalcy after taking a break of around 2 hours.

Describing this awful experience, Neha says, "I got enervated, and I fell on the floor. But the crew of the movie was really supportive and helpful to bring me back to the toes. But I was happy that shooting wasn't called off because of me and we resumed back to the sequence."

When today no actress leaves an opportunity to throw tantrums while shooting a film, Neha deserves applause for being professional.

Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu to paint

After a series of Bollywood stars indulged in painting for charity purposes, yesteryear superstar Dilip Kumar and his actor wife Saira Banu are all set to join the bandwagon by exhibiting their artistic skills for charity.

Soap Queen Ekta Kapoor and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh are also going to join them.

Each of them is going to be supported by a renowned artist to bring out the best out of them. While Jatin Das is going to give Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu company, Manu Parekh will help Vilasrao Deshmukh. All the work by these eminent personalities will be auctioned off in October.

Nisha Jamvwal , board member of NGO Khushii, which is responsible for this venture thinks that it is a very good idea to get famous, responsible personalities work together for noble causes.

The money raised from this auction will go to two of Khushii's projects- one for the homeless youth and one for the elderly.

Also see:

• Saif turns painter
• Salman's master stroke

Salman gets candid about his marriage, Hollywood stint, and his earrings too!

This is a new Salman Khan. A more at-peace avatar of the bad boy of Bollywood.

At 42, and with rumours of marriage fast threatening to erode his eligible bachelor image, he is still ruggedly handsome.

Perhaps even more than before, despite (or is it because of?) the silver earrings on both ears now. If anything, age has only given him a softer, more mellow look.

"I am fortunate," says Salman, shrugging off all praise about the way he looks. "I have done nothing. In fact, I have done things that have damaged the way I look and feel."

Like the earrings?

Salman gives his famous scowl, "Arrey! I am a Pathan, and I have to look like one. My grandfather, father and uncles wear earrings. I had my ears pierced when I was a baby."

He is truly back in the saddle these days, and in action - doing art exhibitions, attending film premieres, going for parties.


Post Marigold, he is also open to more Hollywood offers, provided they don't make him look like an idiot! "I have a certain sense of contentment today," he explains mysteriously.

And, he is also inspired by the legendary macho star from the South, the evergreen Rajnikanth. He's inspired by Rajnikanth's philanthrophy, he says. "I want to do what he is doing. Whatever he earns, he gives back to the people."

Ask him about the rumours of him getting married on his birthday around Christmas, this year, and he says with an exasperated look, "The day I get married, or decide to, I will let the world know."

Does he intend to get married at all?

"Of course, I intend to get married, but it will happen only when it's destined to. And I will celebrate the occasion with my friends, family and well-wishers. I won't hide my marriage because I need people's blessings and good wishes always."

Urmila gets injured while exercising

The lovely Urmila Matondkar is not socialising too much these days.

The reason for this is that she has injured her ankle and has been advised rest.

"I was trying out a form of exercise called spinning and I sprained my ankle badly," says the actress, adding, "Now I have to stay at home."

But she's far from being depressed - nothing can keep the Matondkar babe down, it seems. "The best thing about this is that all my friends are making it a point to visit me and I'm having a great time at home. So something good has come of it after all."

Interestingly, with that perfect body, one would think Urmila is quite into fitness.

Clears Urmila, "I've never been into exercising, and that is what my friends are teasing me about. In fact, Manish Malhotra (dress designer) actually joked that it's a sign from above that I shouldn't even attempt exercising."

With her next film Speed, co-starring Zayed Khan and Aftab Shivdasani, all set to release soon, let's wish the actress a speedy recovery!

Bipasha gets intimate with Saif!

Bipasha Basu and Saif Ali Khan have just shot an intense lovemaking sequence for their forthcoming film, Race.

A hush-hush affair, apparently, all crew members except for the director duo, Abbas Mustan, and the cinematographer were asked to leave the sets, when these scenes were being shot.

Says a crew member, "They've just shot this extremely steamy sequence. Saif and Bipasha were quite comfortable with each other."

The lovemaking sequence is a part of a song.

Salman Khan plays host to Sienna Miller

Guess who UK party girl-turned-actress and fashion icon Sienna Miller was with on her first night in Mumbai? Bollywood muscleman Salman Khan!

Yes, the star of such films as Factory Girl, Casanova and Interview was at a party at Salman's Bandra home on Monday night, that was also attended by the actor's family and friends from the industry like Anil Kapoor and Chunky Pandey.

Sienna, who recently broke off with American singer Jamie Burke in London, was the life and soul of Salman's party. And the two struck up such a rapport, that Sienna readily agreed to be the chief guest at the screening of Salman's new film Partner.

The film's screening, organised by the Salman Khan Foundation, is for 500 underprivileged children. And Sienna, who's in Mumbai to promote her film Global Cool along with Amitabh Bachchan, has taken time out from her engagements with the Big B to make herself available for Salman's film because it is being organised for poor children.

Salman's foundation is one of the few that raises money by itself for the many charitable causes it supports. The actor believes when people form foundations in their names and depend on others for money, the purpose behind the effort is defeated.

Global Cool, meanwhile, deals with the issue of global warming. It has been directed by Bollywood's Shekhar Kapur and has former British prime minister Tony Blair playing himself. Hollywood actress Heather Graham also has a part in the film.

Related Articles:

• Amitabh Bachchan, Sienna Miller team up for Global Cool campaign
• British PM Tony Blair in Shekhar Kapur's Global Cool

Ashtavinayak's three film deal with Kareena

These days the production houses have started a new trend of striking film deals with big actors.

Following the existing bandwagon Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd has decided to sign a three films deal with Kareena Kapoor.

A spokesperson from Ashtavinayak Cinevision Said, "We have signed a three film deal with Kareena. I can't talk about films now but we will announce it soon."

According to reports, Ashtavinayak is planning to complete three films by the end of March 2009. The details of the films that Kareena will be doing are not out yet.

Stay tuned in!

Also see:

• Shahid Kapoor signs two films deal with UTV
• UTV signs three-film deal with Priyanka Chopra

Esha Deol loves tattoos

Bollywood actress Esha Deol loves getting tattoos on her body.

Those who have watched the promotional stills of Cash have unmistakably noticed a tattoo on Esha Deol's left bosom in one particular still that has her posing in a bikini.

What comes as a big surprise is that this is not a new tattoo. Esha got it seven years ago!

Esha says that tattoo on her left bosom is a scorpion (her sun sign) and she got it done in London some seven years ago when she visited the city with a friend of hers. The actress says she is fond of getting tattoos.

Not long ago, Esha was spotted with a big tattoo of Gayatri Mantra (from Upanishads ) on her back. Esha knows the mantra by heart and has been reciting it for many years.

Meet Dr. Shilpa Shetty!

The Leeds Metropolitan University has conferred an honorary doctorate on Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty for her outstanding contribution to cultural diversity.

The University has, in the past, honoured prominent Indian personalities who contributed to India's emergence as a fast developing cinema-proud nation during its 60th year of freedom struggle, a spokeswoman of the University said.

Mangalore-born Shilpa Shetty is the youngest actor from the Indian film fraternity to join ranks of Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Yash Chopra who have been earlier chosen for the honour.

Amitabh Bachchan, Sienna Miller team up for Global Cool campaign

Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan teamed up with British actress Sienna Miller to urge Indians to do more to slow global warming.

Miller met Bachchan in Mumbai at the start of a weeklong trip to India as an ambassador for Global Cool, an organization that spreads awareness about global warming.

Miller said people could help by turning their air conditioners down by even one degree or by turning off phone chargers and other electronic equipment when it's not being used. "If each one of us does our bit, we will be helping to keep global warming from harming our countries," she said.

Bachchan announced that the Indian International Film Academy would partner with Global Cool to increase knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions.

"Carbon emissions will be huge from countries like India and China with growing populations and economy,'' said Bachchan. "It will be wise to start doing whatever we can to protect our planet."

Related Article: British PM Tony Blair in Shekhar Kapur's Global Cool

Happy B'day Priyanka!

Bollywood beauty Priyanka Chopra turns 25 today.

Priyanka's rise to stardom has been steady and continuous every since she won the Miss World Crown in year 2000 and began her Bollywood career in 2003 with the romantic action thriller The Hero .

Priyanka has not even once thrown a birthday party ever since she stepped in tinsel town. This was partly because of her shy and reserved nature and partly because of the poor health of her father, Ashok Chopra.

But this year, Priyanka plans to celebrate her birthday.

Firstly, her father's health has recovered, and secondly, she had a wonderful year 2006 career-wise. She had a huge hit in Krrish and a relatively successful Don with Shah Rukh Khan.

In the near future, Priyanka will be seen acting in some big projects like Drona, Love Story 2050 and God Tussi Great Ho .

Happy Birthday, Priyanka!

Shah Rukh Khan becomes Joker!

Guess who is keen to follow in the footsteps of Raj Kapoor? None other than King Khan!

And as a first step he has signed a movie called Joker to be directed by ace chorographer Farah Khan's husband Shrish Kunder (of Janeman fame).

Kunder is lucky to have King Khan's backing, especially after his Janeman's fate at the box office!

Now Partner 2!

Even before the release of Partner, David Dhawan's comic caper with Salman Khan and Govinda, there're whispers in the industry that the makers are planning to continue with the series.

Next on the cards is Partner 2!

"It's too early to think of Partner 2," David Dhawan informs.

"We're too involved with the release of Partner to think of anything else. But you cannot rule out the possibility of Partner 2. It all depends on how Partner fares. If this movie works, Partner 2 will be on the cards next."

Stay tuned in!


Related Article: Partner - Movie Preview

Amitabh Bachchan in Leena Yadav's Teen Patti

Leena Yadav, who directed Shabd with Aishwarya Rai and Sanjay Dutt, is all set to direct Ash's father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan in Teen Patti.

While the director is currently into pre-production and is reluctant to speak about the cast of the film, it is learnt that Big B will have to be adept at playing cards to do this part. "And I'm terrible with cards!" Amitabh laments.

Arshad Warsi is also playing an important role in Teen Patti.

Amitabh has earlier played a cards whiz in Shakti Samanta's The Great Gambler in the late 1970s in which Bachchan played a double role of a gambler and a look-alike cop. Zeenat Aman and Neetu Singh were his co-stars.

Besides the Big B and Arshad, Leena intends to cast a group of youngsters in principal roles. "The audition is on," she says.

Here's a beautiful song from the movie The Great Gambler featuring Amitabh and Zeenat.

Shah Rukh to feature in wildlife conservation campaign

Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in a wildlife conservation awareness campaign shortly.

Sanskara Development Trust (SDT), along with the Asian Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP) / WildAid, will launch a national educational awareness campaign on wildlife conservation.

The campaign is a multi–media education and awareness campaign that aims to protect the future of the world's endangered wildlife by drastically reducing consumer demand for endangered species parts and products.

With the support of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, the campaign will run on leading television networks like Doordarshan, National Geographic, Discovery/Animal Planet, CNN-IBN, NDTV, India TV, among others.

Shah Rukh highlights the challenges faced by forest guards in protecting India's wildlife.

"We hope that the momentum of this powerful and unique campaign will help compliment India's ongoing efforts to save its remaining wildlife and its threatened habitats." Anita Malhotra, Managing Trustee-SDT & Senior Consultant, ACAP / WildAid, said.

20 minutes of animation in Cash

Animations industry is booming in Bollywood as many filmmaker want to make it part of their film.

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has joined the bandwagon by including 20 minutes of animation in his forthcoming film Cash.

Anubhav thought of incorporating animation in Cash while he was in the process of writing it but dropped it because of the cost of the film. Later the team decided that they should add animation to the film. The 20 minutes animation is inspired from Japanese Manga Comics where all the characters will have different hair colors.

Anubhav however liked the animated part so much that he has decided to make a full length animation film. He has finalized the pink colored hairstyle of the protagonist of his forthcoming animated film.


Recently, Yash Raj has also announced their desire of making animation films in association with Walt Disney. Their first venture Roadside Romeo will be directed by Jugal Hansraj.

Pritish Nandy Communications has already started working on the animation venture of their film, Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena.

Filmmaker Karan Johar is also reportedly, working on his forthcoming animation project .

Related Articles:

• Walt Disney+Yash Raj Films=Toon Magic!
• First Look: Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena Version 2.0
• Karan Johar's 'Dog'ged avatar

Celina is popular in New Zealand

Celina Jaitley is spending a month in New Zealand for the shooting of her new film and needless to say, her list of admirers there is growing!

A foreigner saw her at a night club and he was so besotted with her that he took up a guitar and began strumming and singing for her in front of everybody.

Celina blushed a bright red, specially because her mom and the entire film crew was present at the venue. When the actress didn't respond, the man actually penned an impromptu poem and sent it to her.

Later, one of the unit people went up to him and told him that Celina was an Indian actress and that she didn't want to be disturbed. The fan apologised saying, "With such beauty, she couldn't be anybody else."

Celina's spending another month in New Zealand for the shooting of the film and enjoying all the attention from her admirers.

Related Article: Celina signs International film

Kaante sequel to be titled Saath

If my dear readers remember, Bollywood Buzz was one of the first blogs to announce Kaante's sequel in the pipeline, way back in Feb 2007. Now we have an update on the sequel.

The sequel, which is going on the floors early 2008, will be entitled Saath.

There's an extremely unusual angle to the follow-up crime caper.

"It will be an original script. Kaante was definitely inspired by Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. But now I'm done with adaptations and rip offs. Saath will be completely original," promises writer-director Sanjay Gupta.

The cast is yet to be finalized. But Suniel Shetty, Aftab Shivdasani, Arjun Rampal and of course Gupta's pal Sanjay Dutt are expected to be part of the Kaante sequel. However, chances of Amitabh Bachchan reappearing in the sequel are dim.

"The problem is, all the protagonists in the original died," confesses Gupta. "So how do we bring the characters back?"

Well in that case, chances are, there will be a large amount of spiritual doctoring in the sequel. A sort of dead-man walking situation with characters from the original being resurrected!

Related Article: Kaante 2 being made?

A First: Vikram Bhatt's Fear releasing on Internet!

Director Vikram Bhatt's next film, Fear, will be the first to release on the Internet and on DVD and thus open new avenues for marketing.

His films may not have hit the bull's eye off late, but Vikram Bhatt continues to remain one of the foremost directors in Indian cinema.

The man is always looking for new avenues to explore, like he recently did for his film Fear. Apparently, the film was made for two crore but has been sold for five crore.

Ask him about the deal and he says, "This one is going to be the first film to release on the internet and on DVD even before it releases in theatres. It's going to open up new corridors for movie marketing. It's one of the first films made for the internet."

Now do we see other filmmakers making a beeline for this latest source of revenue?

Shahid Kapoor signs two films deal with UTV

After Priyanka Chopra, UTV has decided to rope in one more young and talented actor from the industry for their forthcoming projects.

They have now signed a two films deal with Shahid Kapoor.

Shahid has been signed for two films which will be made over a period of two years. He has earlier worked in the UTV film Chup Chup Ke which was directed by Priyadarshan.

Ram Mirchandani, Vice President, UTV Motion Pictures, informs that they are working on scripts and planning to start the film with Shahid in December this year. He adds that Ken Ghosh will be directing one of the films.

Finally! Ramu's Sholay is Ram Gopal ki Aag

The Bombay high court has accepted Ram Gopal Verma's request to rename his movie from RGV Ke Sholay to Ram Gopal Ki Aag.

Ram Gopal Verma had agreed to rename the film following copyright suit filed against him by the original title holders of the film, the Sippys.

Ram Gopal Verma is remaking the 1975 classic Sholay which broke various records at the box office. The movie has been in the news ever since Ram Gopal Verma made announcement of the film.

Interestingly, Amitabh Bachchan who played the lead role in the original Sholay will be seen again in the remake version but in a new avatar.

Verma who has his expertise in making underworld movies is now looking forward to cash on the popularity of Sholay. It remains to be seen if the director will succeed in this bold endeavour of his.

Related Articles:

• Exclusive: Amitabh Bachchan as Gabbar!
• Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay is not Sippy's Sholay
• How will Jai-Veeru-Thakur of RGV's Sholay look like?

Kareena Kapoor gets in shape for Tashan

Kareena Kapoor has recently been looking very slim and slender. Some people say she might be turning anorexic (lack of appetite).

Just a year back, we saw slightly chubby Kareena dancing with Shah Rukh Khan in Don. A year later, the actress has slimmed down, turned vegetarian and lost lots of weight.

Kareena says that she has lost weight for her role in Yashraj Film's Tashan. Bebo is required to do lots of stunts in the film. That is why she has to get in shape.

She has hired a yoga trainer from Bharat Thakur's school and a dietician called Roojuta who helps her in following a healthy diet routine.

Rakhi Sawant to endorse Mint-O Fresh

ITC Limited - Foods Division today announced the expansion of the Mint-O Fresh portfolio with the launch of Mint-O Fresh Cool Green and has roped in the bold and confident Rakhi Sawant to highlight the brand and product salience.

The communication of Mint-O Fresh has been about breath freshness enabling the protagonist to win over his girl. The tagline "Jab Laila ko karna tha impress to Majnu ne khayi Mint-O Fresh " has stood the test of times and is still widely known and remembered.

Speaking on the new campaign, Ishita Tandon, Brand Manager - Confectionery, ITC Ltd-Foods Division said "Signing on Rakhi will help us get this cut through and improve brand salience. Also, Rakhi is bold, confident and frank and Mint-O Fresh has similar brand values."

Bipasha to endorse Kinetic-SYM scooter

Bipasha Basu has been signed on by two wheeler manufacturer Kinetic Motor as brand ambassador.

Though she can be the ambassador for all Kinetic brands, she would primarily be seen endorsing the upcoming Kinetic-SYM scooter, slated for launch next month.

She is viewed as a woman who has made it on her own merit and signifies the independent modern woman.

Especially her role in the movie Corporate was found to be the favourite portrayal of today's professional woman, and clinched her selection as the brand ambassador for Kinetic.

Image Source

Shah Rukh Khan's statue to be unveiled in Paris

There's new honour for Shah Rukh Khan in the offing.

The Bollywood Badshah will be the first Indian actor to find a place at the French Graven Museum in Paris. A statue of the actor is set to be installed at the museum soon.

SRK admitted that he felt honoured. He is already cast in wax and standing at Madame Tussauds in London along with other Bollywood actors like Amitabh and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

And among his other recent honours is the Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government for his prolific career and his contribution to the development of Indo-French cooperation in the field of cinema .

The French Graven Museum has statues of Salman Rushdie and writer and social activist Mahashweta Devi.

Also see:

• Shah Rukh Khan gets France's top culture award
• Shah Rukh Khan at Madame Tussauds

Aamir Khan's cricket match for Lagaan DVD promotion

As mentioned before, a cricket match organized by Aamir Khan Productions along with Excel Home Videos and Landmark stores was held at the Infinity Mall in Andheri, Mumbai on 14th July to promote Lagaan DVD.

Check out Aamir Khan taking a quick single and that too in his famous Lagaan outfit!
Related Articles:

• Aamir Khan to play a cricket match to promote Lagaan DVD
• A look at Lagaan - the sketch
• Aamir Khan launches Limited Edition DVDs of Lagaan

Mallika has 62 scripts in hand!

Just when we were wondering where the Quotable Queen had disappeared to, and the gossip was that Mallika Sherawat hardly had any films in her kitty, comes interesting news.

The buzz is that she has no less than 62 scripts on hand!

Reveals a source, "Mallika doesn't want to take up any and all films that are offered to her. She's busy with Unveiled which will begin soon and she's doing Fauj Mein Mauj. Then there's Welcome with Anil Kapoor, which is complete. Besides these, she hasn't signed anything."

Apparently, Mallika has burnt her fingers earlier by selecting bad scripts such as Kis Kis Ki Kismet and Bachke Rehna Re Baba, and she's become quite wary about committing the same mistakes again.

After being part of such a good script as Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Mallika has tasted blood and she refuses to meet anybody who doesn't have a sound script.

Also, with the actress making enough money through her item numbers (remember Aap Ka Surroor and Guru?), moolah is not exactly a criteria for her selecting films right now, it seems.

Katrina's a birthday gal

Katrina Kaif is turning an year older today and she's making sure she spends the day with her near and dear ones.

So, the actress has wrapped up her filmi commitments well on time and has flown down to London for a well-deserved holiday to be with her family. With the recent success of her films, she's certainly in a celebratory mood.

So, here's wishing the Bollywood hottie another 'smash hit' year ahead!

Happy Birthday gal!

Heyy Babyy - Movie Preview

Cast

Akshay Kumar as Aroush
The confident, carefree 'man about town', who beds girls with abandon and then abandons them, But then one such causal encounter turns serious and he doesn't know how to deal with the consequences.

Fardeen Khan as Al
Fardeen Khan is Ali popularly knows as Al. He loves to gamble. If his winning ratio with the girls is 100%, his losing ratio is equally good or bad, depending on which side he's betting on.

Riteish Deshmukh as Tanmay
Greatly in demand as Eddie Teddy, the party entertainer. He likes to play with the babes and the babies but that's for work. He also loves to play with the babes and that's strictly for pleasure.

Vidya Balan as Esha
She has no intentions of falling in love till she meets the man of her dreams. But the dream turns into a nightmare and she turns into an angry young woman thirsting for revenge.

The story

Three handsome Sydney bachelors Aroush, Tanmay and Al - are having the time of their lives in Sydney. They flirt around, sleep around and have numerous 'gorgeous' conquests to their credit. Aroush's (Akshay Kumar) only grouse in life is that there are so many women. So little time since he's getting plenty of action in the nightclub where he works.

If Tanmay (Riteish Deshmukh) has a blast playing Eddy Teddy at kiddy parties and playing around with the yummy mummies; then Ali - Al (Fardeen Khan) gambles for a living and grumbles that his biggest strength is his weakness for women!

They suddenly find their dating and mating rituals irreparably destroyed when a dimpled little roommate lands up on their doorstep - complete with her crib. Pacifier and dirty nappy. Aroush, Tanmay and Al know a thing or two about women; but when it comes to babies, they're total zeroes and this bouncing bundle of joy is anything but joyous. But then Angel works her charm and before long, the three lecherous bachelors have been transformed into loving, caring fathers.

But beautiful Esha (Vidya Balan) will have none of it. She's known heart break once and will do anything to avenge that betrayal. And if it means breaking the hearts of three men who've finally discovered they possess one - then too bad!


Heyy Babyy is slated for a August 24 release.

Via

Speed - Movie Preview

What do you do when you get a phone call from a stranger begging you to save her life?
What would you do if your only ray of hope is your phone?
Would you sacrifice your love to save somebody's child?

Speed answers these questions in a dramatic way. It's a great mix of mystery, action and comedy, on the beautiful backdrop of London.

Zayed Khan comes to London to convince his girlfriend Tanushree Dutta to give him another chance to prove his love for her. Meanwhile, Sanjay Suri, an undercover MI5 agent, receives a CD from Aftab Shivdasani and his lady, Sophie Chaudhary, which contains the recording of his kidnapped wife, Urmila Matondkar, and is asked to follow the instructions.

He asks his colleague Amrita Arora to crack the code and moves off. He's completely confused about what's happening. Soon he realizes that he is being used as a weapon to assassinate the PM of India on his London tour. As he is still not agreeing to plans, Aftab finally decides to kidnap his kid.

Sanjay's kidnapped wife, Urmila, starts trying to escape. Her only ray of hope is the telephone call she's accidentally made to Zayed Khan He's in touch with her throughout the movie on his cell phone..continuously talking with her and giving her moral support (I'm reminded of the movie Cellular here!).

As Zayed decides to help Urmila, his love of life, Tanushree gets annoyed and threatens to break up again. A happy-go-lucky brat Zayed, who never takes anything seriously, risks his own life to save an unknown family just because of a call.

Ashish Chaudhary, the super-cop of London is in charge of security of the visiting Prime Minister. But as his girlfriend has her birthday the very same day, Ashish is caught between his personal life and duty. He obviously chooses the later.

Speed deals with many different characters and their lives on a parallel ground. It's a story of how lives of unknown people get intermingled during this crisis.

Will Aftab and Sophie succeed in their sinister plans?
Will Zayed be able to save Urmila and get back his love Tanushree?
Will Urmila and her kid live another day just with the help of Zayed's phone?
Will Ashish be able to protect the life of the Prime Minister?


Speed is a visual extravaganza with a touch of humour, action and suspense. Its slated for a August 2007 release.

Via

Darling - Movie Preview

Aditya ( Fardeen Khan ) is living every man's dream. He's got a beautiful, traditional wife (Isha Koppikar) at home and a stunning wildcat girlfriend ( Esha Deol ) at work. Balancing the two women with clever lies, he gets to experience the best of both worlds.

The going is good. Till his girlfriend shocks him with the news that she is pregnant. Aditya is cornered. He has to confess to her that he cannot leave his wife as he has been promising her all along. His girlfriend is devastated. She flies into a rage. A brutal fight ensues, in which she accidentally dies.

Terrified, Aditya disposes of her body and returns home, thinking that the worst is behind him. But he couldn't be more wrong. For the nightmare has only just begun. His wild girlfriend is back as a ghost. And she will stop at nothing till she gets her revenge…

Darling is slated for a September 7 release.

Via

It's Official: John-Bipasha call it quits!

Bong bombshell Bipasha and John Abraham have finally called it quits.

According to a report from the Times Group's news channel Times Now, they have separated. The channel quotes close friends of the couple Rocky S.

Bipasha has apparently told her close friend, "I am single for the first time in ten years."

First it was Dino, then it was Saif and of course lately it was soccer superstar Ronaldo - it was clear that Bipasha Basu was a woman on the prowl.

While she and John did their best to pretend for a period of time that all were well, it looks like the burden finally got to Bips.

Namastey London makes it to Oscar library

After the likes of Lagaan, Devdas, Kal Ho Na Ho, Lage Raho Munnabhai, Eklavya - The Royal Guard and Life in a Metro , the script of Vipul Shah's Namastey London has also been chosen for Academy of Motion Pictures Library .

The Academy got in touch with Vipul Shah to procure the script. "More and more Bollywood films are on the international radar now. We didn't make any particular attempts to reach out to the library but out the blue I received this call requesting for the script. They are now keeping track of what's happening in the Indian motion picture scene," Vipul said.

The Namastey London script will be there permanently for the reference of cinema students.


The Askhay Kumar-Katrina starrer, which is one of the major successes of this year, was a rib-tickling romance. Namastey London will be one amongst masterpieces like Finding Nemo, Million Dollar Baby and The Passion of the Christ.

The library has more than 32,000 books, 1,800 periodical titles, 60,000 screenplays, lobby cards, over 8 million photographs and over 300 manuscripts.

Also see:

• Life in a Metro finds place in Oscar library
• Lage Raho Munnabhai, Eklavya in the Oscar library

Die Hard 4 action director for Mission Istanbul!

We had told you earlier about director Apoorva Lakhia 's Mission Istanbul -his next venture after Shootout At Lokhandwala - last month.

Now we have some more update on the same topic.

Suniel Shetty (who is producing this movie along with Balaji Tele Films) has hired the services of Brad Martin, who executed action sequences for the recent Hollywood flick Die Hard 4!


Mission Istanbul features Shetty himself along with Bobby Deol, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi and Tusshar Kapoor.

Related Article: After Shootout its Mission Istanbul

Aishwarya Rai: The 9th Most Beautiful Woman in the World!

The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has just added another feather in her cap of fame.

Ash is in the 9th position in a poll of the 100 Most Beautiful Women of Today in the July issue of Harpers and Queen.

Topping the list is Hollywood beauty Angelina Jolie followed by model Christy Turlingron, Queen Rania of Jordon, Director Sofia Copolla and celebrity Chef Nigella Lawson.

"It's wonderful," Ash is quoted as saying in a report.

Ash beat actress Scarlett Johanson, singer Beyonce Knowles and supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

Seems like Ash is getting prettier with each passing day!

Shah Rukh Khan's new commercial with Dia

I just saw this new Snacky Biscuit ad of Shahrukh Khan with Dia Mirza and thought of sharing this with my dear readers.

The commercial has been produced by SRK's production house Red Chillies.

Although Dia has done a few stage shows with Khan, this is the first time that they have shared screen space in the new Snacky commercial.

Dia says, "After I had a look at the storyboard, I noticed that Snacky was unlike any other biscuit commercial. It was so funny, naughty and romantic at the same time. SRK was an additional incentive for me to be a part of the ad."


Designer Surily Goel was roped in for the costumes of the actors whereas Avaan Contractor for Mirza's hair styling.

Preity Zinta says to Punjab: I'm loving it!

Preity Zinta has been shooting Samir Karnik's movie Mera Bharat Mahaan in Punjab.

Shooting on the outskirts of Chandigarh is a welcome change for Preity who is known for shooting most of her films abroad. And in this time of the year when Punjab has witnessed good rains in June and nature is lush green there, Preity is appreciating the beauty of the hinterland.

"Right now everything is so green and lovely in Punjab. It feels good to know one's own country," Preity said.

Staying in the countryside, Preity has also been hanging around cows and buffalos and even feeding them sometimes! In fact, Preity is experiencing the life of a village belle as she also goes out in the fields to pluck jamuns.

After Punjab, the unit will continue shooting the film in east India.

Sushmita thrilled with praise from Ashley Judd

Bollywood star Sushmita Sen says she is "floating in the air" after lavish praise from Hollywood actress-activist Ashley Judd.

"I'm floating in thin air. This was the first time that I interacted with an organisation that works so closely with sex workers. Ashley has been working with them for five years. I'm a newly converted novice in front of her," said Sushmita .

Ashley visited India in March as part of the NGO Population Services International to educate sex workers about HIV/AIDS. Sushmita joined her in the campaign and the two visited brothels and interacted with young sex workers.

After going back to the US, Ashley expressed her views on Sushmita on a blog. The Double Jeopardy star says that she admires Sushmita's self-confidence and her unconventional approach towards life.

She wrote: "I was being joined by a stranger to me, but a beloved star to millions of Indians: Sushmita Sen, maverick yet firmly ensconced Bollywood star. We picked her for her willingness to break with convention in her personal and professional life.

She has that remarkable self-belief, answers to the enigmatic questions I don't dare touch on, stuff about being a woman in this world and other things that leave me tongue-tied. She was focused, clear-eyed, intent, attentive, dazzling."

Sushmita admits Ashley has made her feel special with her compliments.

She says: "Yes, she made me feel very special. Here was a woman coming all the way from America. The only common ground we shared was that we were both actors. She was so humane in her approach to me. The very fact that she wrote a blog like that proves how secure she is within her space and how fluently she deals with the world around her."

Related Article: Sushmita on her forthcoming rendezvous with Ashley Judd

Sanjay Dutt in Rahul Dholakia's Lamha

After his disturbing and hard-hitting movie Parzania, director Rahul Dholakia is ready to make another film.

The movie, titled Lamha, will be a mature love story set in Kashmir. Sanjay Dutt will play an army officer, while the film's leading lady will play a fundamentalist.

The movie's producer Bunty Walia is thinking of signing a top Bollywood heroine to play the female lead. The actress will be needed to perform some daredevil stunts because she plays a radical woman with a deadly mission.

Lamha will be a very realistic film and Sanjay Dutt will have to cut his hair very short to play an army officer in it.

Media frenzy over Shahrukh!

It is not always easy to be loved and mobbed by the media and fans. Shah Rukh Khan learned it the hard way.

The price of being a celebrity can certainly be overwhelming sometimes, as the Bollywood's King Khan learnt the hard way on the occasion of the music launch of the mythological film Jai Jagannath. Khan and director Mani Ratnam were the guests of honor at the event.

A routine music release it was - till the King Khan arrived and the media struggled for one glimpse of the man! First it was crowds jumping on each other, and then a glass door that shattered all over leaving King Khan with mild bruises.

But taking it all in good spirit, Shahrukh said that it was but an example of people's love.

"The media's overtures are always like this - in fact, their love is not complete without some shattered glass thrown in for good measure. So thank you, that you all love me so much. May buildings and monuments crumble next time," said Khan flashing that dimpled smile.

He assured everyone that he wasn't hurt. "I have been abroad for a month, so I guess the people really missed me," he added sheepishly.

We might miss him, we might not - but whenever he's around, he sure does leave a mark!

Hrithik gets scentimental

Hrithik Roshan has a distinct love for perfumes.

Call it a fixation if you may, but the actor wears only one perfume at a time when he's shooting for a particular film. Of course, the fragrance is replaced once a new film starts rolling!

The story goes that the perfectionist actor handpicks a particular perfume before he starts shooting for a film. He then religiously wears the same fragrance throughout the filming process. Eventually, for him, the film becomes synonymous with the perfume brand.

The actor, who is presently filming for Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar, is very particular about the way he wears his perfume. One source from the sets in Karjat informs that he usually, applies the perfume and allows it to dry before slipping into his costume. He feels that perfume should not be oversprayed as the fragrance is not supposed to repel people.

Hrithik has managed to keep his perfume habit under wraps. When quizzed about it, papa Rakesh Roshan says that he is not aware of his son's way with fragrances. "I wouldn't know about the perfume he wears," he says.

However, sister Sunaina has made a note of the actor's all-time favourite in his ever expanding perfume collection. She says, "From whatever I know of him, he is very fond of fragrances by the design house Issey Miyake."

Kim Sharma’s single and ready to mingle

Ever since she broke up with cricketer boyfriend Yuvraj Singh, there's been a shocking silence from Kim Sharma's end.

At first we thought the girl is still trying to come to terms with the painful break-up, but we saw her recently, and changed our mind.

Kim is looking hotter than ever before (if that's possible); the girl's on a complete health trip - with hours of work-outs, yoga topped with an ultra healthy diet. Looks like Kim wants to restart her career with a new avatar, with no strings attached and no distractions. And of course, the signal is that she's hot and single.

Is she ready to mingle? We'll let you know as soon as we find out!

Salman's one crore dance

For Salman, charity begins at home. And that's why he has recently launched his Salman Khan Foundation.

The idea to start his own charitable trust took off when Shahrukh Khan called him to appear in his show. And now, we hear the actor did another bit for his trust. In spite of being down with a cold and fever recently, he danced at the wedding of a Mumbai business magnate's son.
And giving him company were Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapur, Priyanka and Lara, who charged astronomical amounts of money to dance at the wedding. But, unlike the rest of the stars, Salman apparently didn't charge a penny.

And guess what the reason for this was?

The business tycoon, it seems, had bought some of Salman's paintings at a very high price. And the money was deposited with his foundation. So, when it came to doing his bit, Salman was more than happy to oblige the tycoon.

Now, what do we call him - a good boy or a bad boy?

Related Articles:

• Salman's master stroke
• Salman Gifts Own Painting For A Noble Cause
• Salman Khan unveils NGO on KBC

Nisha Kothari is the new 'cover' girl

It seems like only yesterday when sexy girl Nisha Kothari had made her presence felt in Bollywood.

She was and still is Ram Gopal Verma's blue-eyed gal. Having done films like Sarkar, James, Shiva, the actress is currently shooting for yet another film from Ramu's stable entitled, Go.

When the press visited her on the sets recently, the actress threw up quite a fuss as the photographers got their cameras ready.

Dressed in a mini skirt, Nisha instructed that no one click her in that particular attire and changed into something more 'decent' and 'less revealing'.

Since when has the girl become so conscious about exposing, we wonder! The actress soon emerged wearing a red jacket. And in place of the mini-skirt was a pair of denim capris.

This sexy gal has surely become a 'cover-girl' of sorts. She likes being covered up and all, na?

Bobby & Sunny: Stranded in London!

Recently, there was an uncontrollable hullabaloo at the Heathrow airport in London, and the terror alert in UK was just one of the reasons. The other was the Deol brothers.

Yeah, the two Ds were flying from San Francisco to Mumbai, with a connecting flight from London. Sunny and Bobby were stuck in Heathrow with hundreds of other travellers.

But, the wait at the airport was far from torture, because the two were entertained by fans during those long hours. A number of desis went up to the brothers only to tell them how much they loved Apne, and expressed their joy at seeing Dharamji with his betas.

And the two Deols were delighted with all the applause and attention. After all, sab apne hi fans hain, hain na?

Hrithik to play Rambo!!

If you remember, Bollywood Buzz was one of the first blogs to break the news of Hrithik Roshan playing Rambo like character, way back in Feb 2007. Well, we have a major update on this now.

Hrithik Roshan's Rs 35 crore three-film deal with Adlabs, seems to be finally on the road. What's interesting is that he will be working with Ram Gopal Varma for the first time, in one of the three films.

A source from Adlabs says, "Yes, Hrithik's three-film deal is finally on. Ramu will be making an action film with Hrithik. It's supposed to be a stylish action film, based in Afghanistan." Hrithik's look in the film will be like Rambo and the tentative title of the film is Aryan.

The budget of the film will be approximately Rs 40 crore.

Stay tuned in!

Related Article: Is Hrithik Roshan the new Rambo?

Bipasha Basu denies lip-lock with Cristiano Ronaldo

The Bipasha Basu-Cristiano Ronaldo interaction in Lisbon over the last weekend is threatening to snowball into a scandal the likes of which Bollywood has not yet seen.

Hours after a London tabloid ran a front page photograph of the Portuguese soccer star kissing the actress, and the same photograph went on the net, an outraged Bipasha struggled to control the damage to her image in Mumbai.

"All the joy of that meeting with my favourite footballer has evaporated," said Bipasha bitterly. She was in Lisbon to announce the new Seven Wonders of the World on July 7, when she met the Manchester United striker who is fast overtaking David Beckham in the world soccer popularity stakes.

Then, with real vehemence, Bipasha lashed out, "For God's sake, that photograph just cannot be taken seriously! Is that how newspapers define a lip-lock? I'm horrified. Suddenly, because of that photograph, I am internationally famous. But do I want fame at this cost?"

But, is she denying that Ronaldo kissed her?

"The photograph is not doctored, obviously somebody clicked us on a cellphone, but we were just dancing in a crowded disco. This is not a kiss! I cannot even say I was drunk and don't know when and how this happened. Ronaldo had leaned over to say something in my ear, and the camera caught him at that inopportune moment, that's what this is," explained a disgusted Bipasha.

Then, getting on the offensive, she fired, "I don't need to explain my behaviour. I'm a free-spirited person. But I'm not footloose. It takes me a long time to become close to anyone. I'm certainly not some giddy-headed teenager who would get so carried away in Ronaldo's company that I'd kiss him in public. Even if I was single, I would not get carried away at my first meeting with a 22-year-old boy, no matter how big a celebrity he is, to misbehave with him in public."

John Abraham, meanwhile, who must no doubt be eating his heart out over whether the handsome Portuguese soccer star scored with his girlfriend, was unavailable for comment.

Related Article: Bipasha gets cozy with Cristiano Ronaldo!

Shilpa Shetty to launch her fashion label

After launching her signature perfume recently, Shilpa Shetty now has plans to launch her own fashion line.

In this regard, Shilpa has been meeting several people in London. Details are been worked out and a formal announcement can be expected within a month's time.

Even though her fashion line is still to be launched, Shilpa has already begun making friends and acquaintances in fashion circles of Paris. On July 4 she attended a party hosted by German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Apart from starting her clothing line, Shilpa will also launch her production company S2. She is thinking of producing a DVD video on Yoga under her production banner.

Well, Miss Shetty seems to have got her finger in every pie!

Lara Dutta seeing an Italian man?

Even though the talk of Lara Dutta's split from Kelly Dorjee has not died down, there is a buzz about a new man in her life.

Rumour has it that Lara Dutta has befriended an Italian businessman, who reportedly got drawn towards her during Lara's trip to London for a charity show.

If grapevine is to be believed, Lara went for a dinner with this Italian man during her stay in London. The man was reportedly attracted towards Lara's beauty, frankness and outspoken nature. Reports say Lara and her mystery man are presently on friendly terms.

This new man could be the reason of rift between Lara and her longtime boyfriend Kelly Dorjee.

Lara and Kelly's eight-year-old relationship is on the rocks. Kelly has even moved out of her apartment in Bandra and has rented a new house.

Deol family would team up again!

According to sources, the Apne combo of father Dharmendra and sons Sunny and Bobby would team up for another film.

"That's true! It took us more than a decade to get the right script. But it should be easier the next time. At the same time, I wish to add that we wouldn't hurry into our next project since Apne has worked. There'll be a sufficient gap for sure," Sunny said.

It's said that he might direct a film again, after Dillagi.

"No such plans. I wish Dillagi had released today. It came much before its time. With multiplexes around, a film like Dillagi would've worked in a big way today," he asserts.

Bipasha gets cozy with Cristiano Ronaldo!

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu's dreams came true at Lisbon, Portugal when she got to meet her favourite footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and the actress seems to have made the most of it!

Latest TV grabs show both the celebrities in a liplock, sending shock waves across her fans who were still in the process of digesting the rumours of her break-up with beau John Abraham.

Intimate pictures of Cristiano and Bipasha have been splashed all over the Internet and the local television channels are also airing snaps of her close encounter with the football star.

Bipasha hosted the Seven Wonders of the World ceremony at the Benfica Stadium in Lisbon on July 7.

"For two months I had been raving to my boyfriend John (Abraham) that I'd meet Cristiano at IIFA (International Indian Film Academy ) awards. They had promised to make him walk with me. I was crushed when it didn't happen. Who was to know that I'd party with him just weeks after IIFA," Bipasha said.

"I was like a fan to begin with. But after we bonded, we just became two individuals bonding as buddies over an important international event. We're pals now. If I ever have to see a football game, all I've to do is ask Cristiano," she added.

During dinner, Cristiano told Bipasha that he was a big fan of Bollywood. "I thought he was just trying to be sweet. I told him he didn't have to say he liked Bollywood films just to please me. " Cristiano fished out his cell phone and made me hear Tujhse naraaz nahin from Masoom . He said, 'Now do you believe me?'"

Bipasha laughs about her interaction with the soccer star. "I've told him I'm his first Indian friend. We discussed John and my football film Goal. I've invited Cristiano to India."


Well the dusky beauty, who has previously dated some of India's hottest men like Dino Morea, Milind Soman, John Abraham, is seen frequently with actor Saif Ali Khan these days.

All we can say now is - there is something about Bipasha!

Is John Abraham the Prince of Persia?

John is the only actor in Bollywood whose has got 1,750 pages devoted to him on web!

One of his big time fan has suggested him to get into the character of the famous game character Prince of Persia, which is being made into a motion picture now by Michael Bay. The film will be produced by Walt Disney and is all set to release in the summer of 2009.

A few months back, UK-based fan Venetia Sarll posted sketches of the actor posing as the Prince of Persia and kept demanding that all the John fans should start an online campaign to appeal for John being taken as the hero.

For those not familiar with the game, Prince of Persia follows an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world.

It's set in medieval Persia, Earth's mightiest and most mysterious kingdom. It received numerous Game of the Year awards and has become a best-selling title.

Isha Koppikar announced brand ambassador of Police

Italian fashion label Police Time and Jewellery has announced Isha Koppikar as its brand ambassador for India. Koppikar will endorse the entire range of watches and jewellery under the brand in the country.

Ganga Watches Pvt. Ltd has the exclusive marketing and distribution rights of the products in India. The company's managing director Haresh Chainani said, "We chose Isha Koppikar for her confidence and diverse facets. She has a personality and attitude that blends well with Police."

Koppikar said, "A synergy is always important between the brand and the personality; and that's where the Italian brand Police watches-jewellery and I find a common ground, of that of a bold sporty individual who loves challenges and grows with a strong conviction of poise and determination."

Police watches are available at all leading stores of Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle.

Chak De! India -New Promo

Ok guys..I just saw this brand new promo from Shahrukh Khan starrer Chak De! India today and thought of sharing this with all Bollywood Buzz readers.


I'm really looking forward to watch this movie which is slated for a August 10 release.

Also see:

• Exclusive First Look: Chak De India!
• Shah Rukh's Chak De India to be premiered in London

Bipasha Basu underwent a boob job 5 years back!

Rumours claim that Bipasha had breast enhancement surgery about five years back when she came into the limelight with her film Jism.

Sources claim that one Dr. Ashok Gupta who has done a number of cosmetic surgeries for celebrities and other high profile clients did the breast enhancement surgery for Bipasha in 2002. Supposedly Bipasha registered under a fake name as obviously she didn't want her identity to be disclosed.

According to the medical staff that attended to Bipasha while she was hospitalized for the surgery, she has also done a cosmetic surgery for her ears.

It is also believed that the same doctor has also performed Rakhi Sawant's breast enhancement surgery.

Also see: Rakhi Sawant's silicone wonders!

Dharmendra and Hema Malini to appear on screen..together!

If Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis can make comebacks in Hollywood to their Rocky and John McClane avatars respectively, why can't the magical jodi of Hema Malini and Dharmendra do so in Bollywood?

It was left to Pritish Nandy to convince the Dream Girl and Garam Dharam to return to the silver screen together in his forthcoming film Hum Aise Hain. It will be their return to screen together as a couple after 24 years, Razia Sultan in 1983 being Hema and Dharam's last film together.

Why did they take 24 years to consider a comeback as a couple?

Hema replies, "We got busy with our lives and pushed acting on the backburner. I know the audience wants to see us together. But we also have to like what we do, the script has to suit our ages. We can recreate the magic only if the script is right."

The two have worked together in 26 films so far.

The Hema-Dharam magic was first seen in the film Sharafat. "It was a very emotional and romantic film . We did so many together after that. But my favourites with Dharamji are Raja Jaani, Sharafat, Sholay and Pratigya," says Hema.

At home too, the couple is constantly prodded by daughters Esha and Aahana to make a comeback. Aahana, who loved her father's performance in Apne, says, "He's given such a wonderful performance! I don't know why nobody has given them a good script to come together. Esha and I keep nudging dad very often. It'll be a treat to watch them together."

Here's an evergreen song from Sholay featuring Hema and our good ol' Dharam paa-ji !

First Look - Anamika

After directing two films Dil Vil Pyaar Vyaar and Dil Maange More, Ananth Mahadevan is back with his latest venture, Anamika.

Anamika is a suspense thriller starring Dino Morea, Koena Mitra and Minissha Lamba in lead roles whereas Aarti Chabria will be seen in a guest appearance. She plays the title role of Anamika, who dies and the suspense begins.

Written by Anand Vardhan, the film has cinematography by K. Rajkumar, art direction by Gayatri Marwah and music by Himesh Reshammiya.

Bipasha over the moon for the Taj Mahal

No one could be happier than Bipasha Basu at the moment.

The Taj Mahal has been re-elected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. "My cup of joy really runs over," she enthuses from Lisbon. "It was a great experience though I had a cold and a little bit of sore throat I think I managed quite well on the stage."

One fortunate thing of the Seven Wonders experience was Bipasha's interaction with Ben Kingsley and actress Hillary Swank who also hosted the show. Enthuses Bipasha, "Both Sir Ben and Hillary were great fun. We got along famously. I had myself a ball."


Related Article: Bipasha Basu to host New 7 Wonders of the World show

Walt Disney Pictures calls on Shah Rukh Khan

It is believed that Walt Disney Pictures, the bigwigs in the Hollywood's entertainment business, have approached Shah Rukh Khan.

The company is keen to invest in SRK's Red Chillies Entertainment.

According to sources, they want to invest $30 million in the deal. When SRK was holidaying in London with his family, it is believed that representatives of the company flew down from Hollywood to meet him and strike a deal.

Other international companies like Sony Pictures and Rupert Murdoch's company have also expressed interest in investing in Red Chillies. So far, the actor has not confirmed anything about the deal.

So one will just have to wait and watch.

Awarapan - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: The protégés of Mahesh Bhatt have a knack for picking daring subjects that bring harsh realities of life to light. On the whole, Awarapan is worth watching once.

Hindustan Times: Except for its underworld-probing moments, this gangsta flick is as slow as watching paint peeling – this despite an excellent music score by Pritam.

IndiaFM: Choosing an interesting story is difficult. But doing justice to the story is nothing short of an achievement. Awarapan, directed by Mohit Suri, gets it right on both the levels - on paper first, on celluloid later.

Movie Talkies: The world of Mohit Suri's Awarapan is as bleak and cynical as the one in his previous films. The film does a fairly decent job of recounting the story of one man's attempt to redeem himself. The man in question here is Emran Hashmi. And this time round, Hashmi does a fairly decent job of redeeming his status as an actor.


Now Running: European in feel, Indian in texture and supremely secular in its view of love, loyalty and other passionate eruptions, Awarapan is one of those tightly-wound thriller-dramas where the outflow of emotions is so controlled that you forget the implausibility of the plot.

Rediff: Stay off the cinema hall!

Times Of India: In Awarapan, the director failed to match up with a power-packed script, or else, our boy-next-door had a winner up his sleeve!

Apne - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: Director Anil Sharma gets many things right in Apne. Rather than focusing on action, he taps the emotive appeal of the film's story. The result is a film that can leave you with moist eyes.

BBC: A captivating insight into familial conflict and the world of boxing.

CNN-IBN: Apne makes for painful, melodramatic watch.

DNA India: Three is a crowd!

Hindustan Times: It's all about loving your daddy.


IndiaFM: Apne is rich in emotions and has the potential to strike a chord with families. Those who love emotional fares are bound to take a liking for its theme.

Movie Talkies: On a whole, Anil Sharma should be applauded for attempting a unique and original idea, but he should then be rebuked for botching it up with unrealistic moments, over melodramatic scenes, dosed with clichés throughout. Watch this one for Dharam Paaji and the chemistry of the Deols only.

Now Running: In Apne, heart and craft come together to create an amazing graph. It is indeed a very warm film.

Rediff: Watch it for knock-out Dharmendra!

Times Of India: In Apne, Dharmendra introduces the autumn sonata in desi cinema with his committed act of an erstwhile boxer who tries to fight for honour and country, albeit through his sons.

Aap Kaa Surroor - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: AKS is worth a watch if you are a Reshammiya fan. The film's story interweaves romance, mystery and thrills in a way that will appeal to the masses.

BBC: This is strictly for hardcore Himesh fans who want to satisfy their curiosity.

CNN-IBN: The problem with AKS is that it takes itself way too seriously. All blame for this nonsense must be directed towards the screenplay which is cliched, unimaginative and amateurish to say the least.

DNA India: Let's get two things out of the way. Himesh Reshammiya is no actor. And the music of the film is no big deal!

Glamsham: This is not a movie, it's an ego trip that Himesh has gone on, funded by himself!


IndiaFM: AKS has tremendous curiosity-value attached to it. And that, in turn, will ensure a fantastic opening for the film.

Movie Talkies: AKS is about Himesh Reshammiya. But leaving aside the curiosity factor related to him, there is really nothing much to look forward to.

Now Running: Rock meets deadwood in this mixture of staged splendour and doctored misadventure.

Rediff: The film seems disjointed and it's evident that the people behind it just wanted to cash on the Himesh wave.

First Look: Darling

Here's an exclusive first look of producer Bhushan Kumar's new film, tentatively titled Darling.

A T-Series production, Darling is directed by Ramgopal Varma and it's a musical-romantic thriller featuring Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol and Isha Koppikar in the main lead.


Himesh Reshammiya has composed the music and the movie is slated for a September 7 release.

First Look: Dus Kahaniyaan

Ok guys..we have a brand new poster of Dus Kahaniyaan.

I am calling it "new poster" because earlier it had a different poster...but then it was quite some time back and in the meanwhile there were lots of changes in the casting of the movie so alternatively the movie guys released a new poster with changed cast/characters!

Bollywood Buzz has already covered all major stories related to Dus Kahaniyaan in the past (see the articles links below)

Now..I'm just waiting for the movie to release! (August 2007)

Related Articles:

• Mobile film - Dus Kahaniyaan
• Ten stories, five directors, twenty two actors!

Amitabh Bachchan begins shooting for Sarkar 2

Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan has begun shooting for Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar Raj in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Sarkar Raj is the sequel of Varma's earlier film Sarkar in which Bachchan played a Godfather type character Subhash Nagre .

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are scheduled to join the shooting soon.

The earlier film had Amitabh and Abhishek teaming up for the first time in the role of father and son. Both Big B and Abhishek will play the same characters and the sequel will focus on the new generation.

Related Article: Sarkar sequel titled Sarkar Raj

Aamir Khan to play a cricket match to promote Lagaan DVD

After the launch of the Oscar-nominated Lagaan on DVD last month, Bollywood superstar and producer Aamir Khan now plans a cricket match at a mall in Mumbai on July 14 to promote the DVD.

The match is scheduled to be played at Infinity Mall, Andheri West, between the Lagaan XI and 11 lucky consumers of the DVD or VCD purchased from any Landmark store in India.

Says Aamir, ''Lagaan DVD has been a landmark in Indian Home Entertainment and in itself the celebration of the Spirit of Lagaan. We wanted to share the celebration with the fans of the movie and hence have planned this cricket match''.

The event, organised by Excel Home Videos, in association with Landmark stores, will witness a galaxy of Bollywood stars associated with the film. The limited over match will be played at the Mall, barricaded by nets, with area for the general public to enjoy the game.

Related Article: Aamir Khan launches Limited Edition DVDs of Lagaan

The secret behind Shilpa Shetty's deadly figure!

Shilpa Shetty unarguably has one of the best figures in Bollywood.

The actress makes a conscious effort to maintain her svelte figure. She has set a personal gymnasium at her home in Andheri where she works out with her sister Shamita Shetty .

The gym has latest equipment and machines from Italy. On top of it, Shilpa and Shamita have hired a trainer called Sherin Poojari.

Sherin guides the two sisters in their exercises that include circuit training, speed training and high/low intensity training. Besides guiding them in exercises, Sherin also plans a diet regimen for the Shetty sisters.

Shilpa, according to Sherin, is blessed with a naturally shapely body and doesn't have to follow any strict diet regimen.

Her meals usually are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Shamita, on the other hand, is heavily into workouts. She is also very particular about her diet.

Malaika Arora shoots for PETA

After Rakhi Sawant, Celina Jaitley, Rahul Khanna and Yana Gupta, now Malaika Arora Khan has done a photoshoot to support PETA in their campaign to save birds.

Sameera’s tough new avtaar

Her last few films might have bombed badly at the box office, but Sameera Reddy is hardly perturbed.

Putting aside expectations from any of her other forthcoming big releases like Race, she is now looking forward the most to the release of Mira Nair's short film on AIDS, where she plays a victim of the disease.

"The film is called Migration, and Irfan Khan, Shiney Ahuja and I play the main characters," says Sameera. "I have been a part of many big banner movies, but I have come to realise that such meaningful storylines matter more than anything else."

The character in the film, she insists, is one of her most significant roles till date.

"My character in the film experiences some of the most unusual relationships that help her cope with the disease. The film asserts the fact that AIDS is a disease that can penetrate into any sections of society, irrespective of the economic strata you belong to. It clears many misconceptions and throws light on issues surrounding the disease that confront people in their everyday lives," she explains.

Migration is due for release in August with three other films on AIDS by Farhan Akhtar, Vishal Bharadwaj and Santosh Sivan.

Amitabh to recite father's poetry in New York

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is set to recite his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poems at a literary and cultural festival in New York next month.

The event called Bachchan Sandhya will be held on Aug 18 at the Lincoln Center - a premier venue for the performing arts.

The cultural do has been organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, US, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of India's independence and the centenary of late Harivansh Rai Bachchan, a celebrated Hindi poet and litterateur.

H.R.Bachchan's best-known work is Madhushala , a series of quatrains or rubai. On the surface, the book seems like an ode to alcohol, but is actually an allegory about the complexity of life.

Sarkar sequel titled Sarkar Raj

Finally, the title of the much awaited sequel to Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar is out.

It is not Sarkar 2 or Sarkar Again. The film will be called Sarkar Raj.

RGV's spokesperson Ravi Prakash confirmed this news saying, "As of now, the title is Sarkar Raj."

Sarkar Raj will have a host of unknown faces to give the film a fresh look.

It will bring the Bachchans' - Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai together for the first time after the Kajra Re number in Bunty Aur Babli.

Akshay Kumar opposite Salma Hayek!

Bollywood is going more than half way to meet Hollywood's advances.

With a spate of Indian actors being approached for Hollywood films, it's now the turn of our desi Khiladi Akshay Kumar to romance a Hollywood actress.

Rumour has it that Akshay Kumar could be teamed up with sexy actress Salma Hayek in Carving Dreams Entertainment's project with Los Angeles based Hollywood Studios International.

Although the two companies aren't revealing much about the film, a source says, " Irrfan Khan too has been approached for the film and this one will be a Hollywood-Bollywood co-production."

The two companies have signed a $ 100 million (Rs 400 crore approx.) deal to produce five films over the next two to three years.

Bollywood roots for the Taj Mahal

From Shabana Azmi to Priyanka Chopra and Anupam Kher to Hema Malini - most members of the Bollywood film fraternity feel the Taj Mahal, a symbol of true love, definitely deserves a place among the new seven wonders of the world.

Stars apart, people from all sections of society are also campaigning for the Taj Mahal, which is facing tough competition to find a place in the new list of wonders. The grand monument in Agra was built in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Shabana Azmi: Of course, the Taj Mahal has to be one of the seven wonders! It's the only one out of the seven that is a tribute to love. In today's strife-ridden world we need to remind ourselves that there's always room for sublime feelings.

Hema Malini: It's our most precious heritage. If the same Taj Mahal were to be constructed now it won't be half the wonder that it is, in spite of all the technical expertise at our disposal. The Taj Mahal is a labour of love. Even today we marvel at how such a flawless architecture could have been created in those days. How can it not be a wonder of the world?

Anupam Kher: It is the greatest and only symbol of true love in the world today. The rest of the so-called wonders of the world are merely historical monuments. And in the chaos of today's existence, a monument of love is as precious as any near-extinct emotion or entity.

Priyanka Chopra: Should the Taj Mahal be one of the Seven Wonders of the World? It's like asking should birds fly. The Taj Mahal is a symbol of many things - it's the essence of creativity, talent and emotion of mankind. The sheer magnificence and beauty of Taj Mahal puts it ahead of all the contenders. It's an architectural marvel created with thousands of bare hands. It stands tall, proud and above all competition. A testimony to true love!

John Abraham: I think the Taj Mahal definitely deserves to be designated as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Bipasha Basu: In these times of turmoil, terror and tumult, the Taj Mahal stands as a testimony to love. It reminds us of a time when romance was an integral part of life and a pointer to history. On a more surface level, it is breathtakingly beautiful. As a true Indian and a global person I think the Taj Mahal deserves a place among the seven wonders.

Kangana Ranaut: The Taj Mahal is simply the most stunning visual in the world. No doubt about it. Someday I'd like to find my own Shah Jahan who would at least marry me in front of the Taj Mahal and just buy me my own five-bedroom Taj Mahal in Pali Hill!

Lara Dutta: The Taj Mahal has never been just a monument. It's always been the ultimate symbol of eternal love. In these times of increasing stress and violence it is a living reminder of what love can manifest.

Dino Morea: First and foremost, it's one of the most magnificent structures ever built on this earth. The Taj Mahal reminds us of the most beautiful emotion in the world - love. And secondly, who would want to try to build another monument to love that salutes the moon and kisses the stars?

The list will be announced on July 7 in Portugal's Benfica Stadium and actress Bipasha Basu is slated to be one of the celebrities announcing the names of the new seven wonders.

Also see:

• Bipasha Basu to host New 7 Wonders of the World show
• A R Rahman launches movement for Taj Mahal
  

Rakhi Sawant's silicone wonders!

Rakhi Sawant's exaggerated physical assets have often raised a question: Is she all natural?

Rakhi's bust line today is much bigger than what it was a few years back. Many obvious guesses have been made in this regard, but Rakhi never came clean on the issue. But now, she has made a sensational revelation.

In an interview to Mumbai's Mid-Day, Rakhi has shown remarkable frankness in accepting that she has got breast implants to enhance her beauty and sex appeal.

Rakhi told the tabloid that she got the implants one and a half years back by a specialist doctor in Dubai. Rakhi revealed that before the operation she was quite flat on top. Previously she was 32. Now she is 36. However, the busty actress added that she would remove the implants for an upcoming dance show and get them back after six months.

Rakhi says it is not a big deal to get silicone enhancement as, according to her, many actresses in Bollywood have done it!

Hrithik Roshan in Metro 2!

After his film Metro set the cash registers ringing at the box office, Anurag Basu has decided to follow it up with an apt sequel which will be titled Metro 2.

Reportedly, the big news is that Hrithik Roshan , who had earlier expressed a desire to work with Anurag, may star in this sequel!

The scripting is already underway and the film is expected to go on the floors later this year.

Anurag says, "Rakesh Roshan has seen Gangster and Metro, and he loved both the films. He expressed Hrithik's wish to work with me once the script is ready and approved. Once the script is decided on, casting will get going."

Ram Mirchandani, VP, UTV Motion Pictures says, "Yes, it is true that we are planning a sequel to Metro. It is one of the films that we are very proud of. Metro 2 will start where Metro ended. We are currently thinking of various other locations for Metro 2.

Mumbai is not the only metropolitan city, after all. Metro 2 can be situated in Delhi or even in London, for that matter. Anurag will obviously direct it as it is completely his baby and we intend to start the film after the casting is done."

Amitabh Bachchan in Ridley Scott's Body Of Lies

Reports are that Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan may star in Ridley Scott's next film that will have Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as his co-stars.

Talking to a prominent newspaper Bachchan revealed that he received an email from Scott's office last week to star in his ambitious Body Of Lies, a thriller with an Al-Qaeda plot. William Monahan, who also wrote The Departed, has written the film.

"Ridley Scott wants me to play a part of the Jordanian in the film. I've asked for more details. I need to see the script before I take a call. Let's be realistic. Who will notice me when DiCaprio and Crowe are in the same film," Bachchan joked.

The two first met in 2003 at the Marrakech Film Festival in Rabat, Morocco where Scott offered Bachchan a role in the 2005 spectacle Kingdom Of Heaven.

Though Bachchan didn't do that part, things look brighter this time round!

John has lost weight for Aashayein

Bollywood star John Abraham has lost weight to play the part of a compulsive gambler who falls sick after striking it rich.

John told a newspaper that he needed to portray a feeble-looking man in the movie titled Aashayein, which is being shot in Pondicherry and is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor.

''Yes, it is true that I have lost a lot of weight for the film,'' John said. '' I did it to match the brief I was given.''

Producer Preet Bedi said a gym had been set up next door to John's hotel room so he could stay fit.

Also see: Nagesh Kukunoor signs John

Sarkar 2 update: Abhishek-Aishwarya not playing hubby-wife!

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma took time off from finishing his Sholay extravaganza and planning the start of shooting for Sarkar 2, to talk to Times Of India about his forthcoming films.

Sarkar 2 promises to be one of the most eagerly looked forward to films in Bollywood, maybe because Varma has got Brand Bachchan together for the first time. Excerpts from the interview:

You're getting together Bollywood's first family for the first time...

Yes, but I didn't cast them as the first family. I signed Aishwarya long before she got involved with Abhishek. And they aren't a couple in Sarkar 2. Abhishek is already married to Tanisha in Sarkar, remember?

But the audience will look at the couple in a different way...

I disagree. Once the audience enters a theatre, it creates its own ambience in the first 10 minutes. Unless a film is designed to accentuate personal equations between actors, audiences forget what relationships actors share in real life. Sarkar 2 hasn't been written to play up the Abhishek-Aishwarya relationship.

Does Big B play a semi-retired character?

Yes. Sarkar ended showing the senior Bachchan in retirement. But in Sarkar 2, Abhishek isn't willing to take over the mantle. We pick up the story from there. Abhishek's character will be substantially more in the forefront. But like every son in a business empire, he'll continue to look up to his father for guidance and support .

Are you doing Sarkar 2 only because every other filmmaker is into sequels?

It was Abhishek's idea. We decided on Sarkar 2 even before the shooting for Sarkar was over. The characters seemed to tempt me enough to give them renewed life.

Didn't you feel this way about any of your other films, Satya for instance?

Most of my films are remakes of my own cinema. Satya was a remake of my Drohi, Bhoot was a remake of Raat. Obviously, the way the two sets of films were made was different. I've been tempted to do sequels quite often. But not Satya. Everyone died at the end of Satya. In Sarkar, the political family has immense scope to reinvent their lives.

Also see: Aishwarya Rai in Sarkar 2

Mike Tyson smitten by Shilpa Shetty!

Mike Tyson, who recently did a promotional video for Feroz Nadiadwala's Fool and Final, has admitted to his newfound love for Bollywood films.

But what is it that made him join Shilpa's admirers in the West?

"It's her beauty and the way she carries herself that has made me think of her as the ideal co-star. There's something about her that can make anyone go weak in the knees," Tyson has said.

Her spokesperson confirmed that he was aware of Tyson's wish.

Also see: Exclusive Video: Mike Tyson in Fool n Final