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BollywoodPress

September 18, 2006
Shah Rukh Khan desperately trying to quit smoking.



I am desperately trying to kick the habit , he said as he launched a cancer drug developed by city-based Biocon.

Shah Rukh admitted that it? a ?hameful thing? that while he supported the fight against cancer - he lost his father to cancer in 1981 and mother to ?omehow related to the same disease? 10 years later, as he puts it - he continues to smoke.

? am trying my best (to quit smoking). But it? difficult. I am trying to reduce it. I have reduced it (smoking) a lot?, he said, adding it (smoking) is a weakness and it would take while for him to succeed in kicking the habit.

When a reporter said there is a move to give ?? certificate for his new movie Don because there is a smoking scene, Shah Rukh had a dig at it.

He said sarcastically, ?ule is a rule?. ?f there is a rule that from tomorrow, we don? stop at red (traffic) signal, we stop at green signal?. Then, he added that ?t? a good thinking by legal system?ho makes the rule?.

On a more serious note, he said, ?e are believers in democracy?n terms of freedom. (But) when it comes to culture, we suddenly are quite undemocratic. Creativity is not democratic in our country at times?.

Shah Rukh said when he did the character, he insisted that when Don (played by himself) puts a cigarette in his mouth, he says ? am trying to quit it?, when gang members come to light it.

?f you are talking about ?? certificate for that, you see what I do next?moke coming out of all my orifices..?.

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has objected to film actors? on-screen smoking including Khan? in the Farhan Akhtar-directed movie whose promos have gone on air. The movie is set for release on October 20.

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BollywoodPress

September 20, 2006
Asia? sexiest women

The UK-based publication Eastern Eye has released its list of the sexiest Asian women.

Understandably, India and Bollywood dominate the list, with Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Rekha weighing in at numbers 36, 41 and 50, respectively. Sania Mirza has also made the cut, at No 25. For now, here? a look at the sizzling top 5:

5. Laila Rouass



Born to an Indian mother and Moroccan father, Laila was a popular VJ on Indian television with Channel V until she moved to the UK. In London, she rose to stardom as a regular actress on the popular soap, Footballers? Wives, and continues to distract goalkeepers worldwide.

4. Mallika Sherawat



Now, this woman is made for lists like these.

Madame Mallika believes in unashamed heat, primal sexuality aggressively dripping from her every pore. May God bless her.

3. Aishwarya Rai



The inevitable queen of lists.

We may not have sat through an Aishwarya Rai movie in ages, but the fact is this Miss World rules the red carpet and makes flashbulbs dizzy. The world? still in love with Ash.

2. Bipasha Basu



This fiery heroine consistently turns up the heat.

From item numbers to ?erious? films, Bips is doing it all ? with one of the most toned bods in Bollywood. From the promos, the hottest thing in the upcoming Dhoom 2 looks set to be crowned the desi Angelina Jolie. Yum.

1. Priyanka Chopra



They say it? all in the lips.

By which reckoning, this lass packs some serious pucker power. From pouts to quivers, we? willingly hang on to every word coming out of that superb mouth.

And then there? the ultra-desirable body, the big wide grin, eyes that can go from alarmed to naughty in a blink, and tons of spunk.

This babe has attitude, talent and seems tough enough to go the distance. Don may have picked the right star, after all.

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BollywoodPress

September 20, 2006
Bipasha Basu too tall for Emraan



Bipasha Basu, who was approached for Kangana Ranaut? character in Woh Lamhe refused the role because Emraan Hashmi was cast opposite her.

It was not Emraan? kissing images that troubled her but it was just that she thought she would look taller and bigger than Hashmi.

?t? a fabulously written script. After a long time, a strong role was coming my way, essentially a woman-centric film. The only problem was the pairing.?

?mraan is great at his work. I know him from the days he was an assistant director. My only problem is his physicality, so far, he has worked with petite heroines; I am way too tall and big for him.?

Later even Emraan walked out of the movie because he felt that he does not have a very strong role in the film. Mohit Suri, who is Emraan Hashmi? cousin wanted him in all his movies but could not do so in this one.

Woh Lamhe now stars Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja in place of Bipasha Basu and Emraan Hashmi.

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BollywoodPress

September 21, 2006
Krrish bags Rs 180 crores!



If you find Rakesh Roshan beaming these days, it? probably because of the huge collections of Krrish. ?e?e doing very well. I think we must have crossed 180 crores so far,? he informs us.

When we ask him whether the collections had encouraged him to think of yet another sequel, since Hrithik had admitted earlier that he and dad were already throwing ideas at each other on those lines, he replied, ?es, it? true that Hrihtik and I are throwing ideas at each other but that? in the preliminary stages as yet.? Roshan senior is certainly keeping his plans under wraps!

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Rediff News

Actress Padmini dead
September 25, 2006 10:31 IST
Last Updated: September 25, 2006 13:18 IST



Padmini, legendary actress of yesteryear and a famous exponent of Bharat Natyam, died of a heart attack in Chennai at 3 am Monday morning.

Earlier: Actress Padmini to leave US, return to India

The actress, who was amongst the first heroines to make it big in the Tamil film industry, breathed her last at Apollo Hospital. She was 74.

Padmini -- who was the second of the three famous Travancore Sisters, along with Lalitha and Ragini, who passed away earlier  -- made her last public appearance at a function to felicitate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on September 23.

Karunanidhi, on hearing of her death said, "I do not know how Death had the heart to swallow a beautiful and rare artiste. She was a star among the stars."

Padmini acted in more than 250 Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films since 1949.

Born in Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on June 12, 1932, Padmini made her debut in the Hindi film Kalpana. Her first Tamil film was Manamagal (1950) made by the legendary N S Krishnan.

Her memorable Tamil films include Ethirparadhadu, Meenda Sorkam, Uttama Puthran, Theiva Peravi, Thooku Thooki, Mannandi Mannan, Madhurai Veeran, Raani Samyukta, Rajarajan, Rickshawkaran, Arasilankumari, Punarjanmam, Amara Deepam, Vanjikottai Valliban, Chitti, Kuzhandaikaga, Pesum Deivam, Erumalargal, Thillana Moganambal, Vietnam Veedu, among others.

Padmini paired with the late Sivaji Ganesan and M G Ramachandran in many films. She also starred with Raj Kapoor in Jis Des Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Aashiq and Mera Naam Joker.

If Gemini Ganesan-Savitiri and MGR-Saroja Devi were a formidable pair in 1950s and 1960s, the Sivaji-Padmini combination was lethal in films like Uttamaputtharan and Thillana Moganambal. Movie watchers remember her powerful dialogue delivery in Theiva Peravi. Padmini also gave a stupendous performance in MGR movies like Mannadhi Mannan, Rani Samyukta and Madurai Veeran.

The three Travancore Sisters did act together in the Tamil film Thoothu Thooki.

Padmini, affectionately called Papi, had a style of her own and gave memorable performances in her films.

In an interview to a local television channel, she recalled how the late P S Veerappa, villian and actor, encouraged Vyjayantimala Bali and her to dance with enthusiasm to the song Zillu zilluvenru zorai zakatai aithiduvena in Vanjikottai Valiban, which had Veerappa's famous dialogue: 'Sabash sariana potti (Sabash, excellent competition)'.

During the Indo-China War in 1962, Padmini went to army camps and entertained soldiers with her dance-drama performance. Late Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was impressed with her performance as a teenager.

She was a member of the Congress party and gave speeches in many political meetings during the 1967 and 1971 Lok Sabha and assembly elections for the party.

Padmini was showered with accolades for her performance in the Hindi film Chanda Aur Bijli with the late Sanjeev Kumar.

Padmini's favourite directors were Raj Kapoor, V Shantaram, Guru Dutt, Sridhar and K S Gopalakrishnan, among others.

Nicknamed Natiyaperoli (a great light of dance), she would completely involve herself in the characters she enacted -- whether she played a dancer in Thillana Mohanambal or a middle class Brahmin woman in Vietnam Veedu.

Her early Malayalam hits were Snehaseema, Umminithanga, Adhyapika, Vivahitha and Kumara Sambhavam.

She ended her film career after her marriage to Dr K T Ramachandran, and left for the US, where she started the popular Padmini School of Fine Arts in New Jersey.

But she made a comeback after marriage with Malayalam films Nokkethahtadoortahtu Kannumnattu and Vashthuhara, which made her immensely popular among new generation film buffs.

A disciple of eminent choreographer Guru Gopinanth, Padmini hailed from an illustrious family of artists. Besides her sisters Lalitha and Ragini, her cousins Sukumari and Ambika were also popular in South Indian film world.

Padmini is survived by a son, Prem Ramachandran, who works with Warner Brothers, and lives in the United States.

A classical dancer, Padmini started learning dance at the age of four and entered the film industry in 1949.

Family sources said the funeral will take when her son returns from the US.

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Rediff News

'There are no heroines left in Afghanistan'
September 25, 2006 12:58 IST
Last Updated: September 25, 2006 16:20 IST



In one of the first films of its kind: Afghan actors and Bollywood technicians come together to produce Spring Of Hope.

Shot in Kabul, the film is both in Pushtu and Persian.

At a press meet in Mumbai, the lead actor, writer, producer and director, Hashmatullah Khan said, "For the last 25 years, Afghan films and theatres were in shambles. This is the first film made by the people of Afghanistan with the help of technicians from Bollywood. I hope people in India like this film."

Made on a surprising budget of Rs 2 crore, Khan said he was confident that he would get distributors for his film in India.

"But first I will show my film in a few film festivals including the International Film Festival of Goa," Khan said. He plans to release it in December with English subtitles.

Incidentally Spring Of Hope will release about the same time as Yash Chopra's Kabul Express.

The cast of Spring Of Hope is from Afghanistan, except for lead actress Zarina, who hails from Tajikistan.

"There are no heroines left in Afghanistan," rued Khan. "In the last 25 years, all our heroines have grown old. That's why I took a Tajik heroine because my film is set in a college."

According to Khan, life in Kabul is picking up and many cinema halls are opening in the country. "Today, there are 21 theatres in Kabul and all of them run Indian films illegally," said Khan.

The Afghan film industry does not produce much though, he says, and ever since the Taliban were ousted in 2002, only two films have become popular. One was Roya Sadat's Three Dots, funded by a Japanese production company, and Siddik Bramak's Osama.

When Zarina, a citizen of Dushanbe in Tajikistan, was asked if she felt safe shooting in Afghanistan, she replied, "I felt I was at home. The people in Afghanistan treated me like a princess. They are very good people."

Zarina said she grew up on Hindi films and loves Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Amitabh Bachchan.

Asked whether she would like to work with any one of them, she said, "Why not? Sure!" After a pause, she continued, "But I will not dance or do any songs in a film. And no exposure."

Khan has earlier acted in Hindi films like Pahonche Hue Log, Sach, Band Darwaza and Kishan Avtar before venturing into direction and launching his own company Rahmi Films International.

The film's cinematographer is S Pappu (Khiladi 420, International Khiladi).

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Rediff News

Om Puri to play Zia-ul Haq
September 25, 2006 15:39 IST



Om Puri will soon share celluloid space with Hollywood biggies Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the forthcoming film Charlie Wilson's War, where he will play the character of General Zia-ul Haq, late President of Pakistan. The film -- being produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and directed by Mike Nichols (The Birdcage, Closer) -- also stars Amy Adams and Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Puri, who worked with Nichols earlier in Wolf, has just returned from Los Angeles after a session of script reading, rehersals and costume. Shooting will begin in Morocco from next month and in the US in December. The film is a drama based on Texas Congessman Charlie Wilson's dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war against the Soviets have some unforseen and far-reaching consequences.

"Charlie Wilson's War is a political film set during the period when the USSR invaded Afghanistan, and America wanted to use Pakistan to get rid of the Soviets," says Puri, whose body of work in Hollywood includes films like City Of Joy, Ghost In The Darkness, Wolf, East Is East and My Son: The Fanatic among others.

"I was in LA for two weeks on pre-production work and am currently doing research on the character. I remembered Zia having a gold tooth and confirmed it with Shatrughan Sinha and his wife Poonam, who were close to the General. I also found out that the chain he wore on his sherwani had a decorative pocket watch.''

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Rediff News

Rang De heads to the Oscars!
September 25, 2006 19:49 IST



It's official: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti is India's entry to the Oscars next year.

The debate this year has been frenzied -- even among you, dear readers -- especially because only nine films were submitted to the Film Federation of India. Barring the Marathi Bhook and Telugu Amma Chepindi, the list was dominated by mainstream Bollywood trying for Academy Award gold.

Besides Mehra's Rang De, the Hindi contenders were Rakesh Roshan's Krrish, Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Naseeruddin Shah's Yun Hota To Kya Hota, Rajkumar Hirani's Lage Raho Munnabhai, Vishal Bhardwaj's Omkara, and Madhur Bhandarkar's Corporate. Of these, media speculation began treating the choice as a two-horse race: Rang De versus Munna Bhai, with Omkara as a probable dark horse.

It is surprising to have only 9 films submitted. The FFI invites all producers to send in their films if the makers feel the end-result is Oscar-worthy, but this year has seen a deplorable lack of regional cinema.

The FFI assembles a 12-member-panel to watch the films and make a decision. The panel this year included veteran director Basu Chatterji, Kalpana Lajmi, N Chandra, music director Aadesh Srivastava, writer Ved Rahi and A S Ramarao, among others.

So, Aamir Khan heads to the Oscars yet again. Even as Mehra may be uncorking a triumphant bottle of bubbly, articles against and for the decision are already being typed up.

The debate is just beginning.

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Rediff News

'I pray I am active till my last breath'
September 25, 2006 20:37 IST
Last Updated: September 25, 2006 20:41 IST



You could never call her a neglected or forgotten actress.

Many veteran filmmakers and actors -- Raj Kapoor, Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, and more -- called upon Padmini, who made New Jersey her home for nearly three decades until her recent return to Chennai, whenever they were in New York. And often, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, she would be asked by some of the best-known directors including Hrishikesh Mukherjee (who directed her opposite Raj Kapoor in Aashiq) if she could do a significant character role in their films.

"I don't feel a compelling urge to go back and resume my career," the actress had told me 25 years ago, weighing her career options following the death of her husband, physician KT Ramachandran. "I have done practically everything an actress wants to do, I have played all kinds of roles. I have even played a man!" She was referring to her role as a street performer in Mera Naam Joker, befriended by a down and out loser (Raj Kapoor) who realises, in a scene that shocked many, that his new friend is indeed a woman.

"And I have also worked with some of the best actors and actresses, and for some of India's best-known directors," she continued.

"I think I am doing something very interesting here," she said, looking at over a dozen children practicing their Bharata Natyam steps. "I just cannot leave them and go back to India."

"When they are done, I am sure there are going to be more students," she continued, adding that she was not merely teaching them the grammar and steps of classical dancing. "I also get them to find out about Indian culture, religions, and spirituality."

Padmini, who had only one child, a son, started her dance school at the basement of the Hindu Temple in Flushing, New York and moved it to her home some 30 miles away in New Jersey.  "I forget how many children I have," she would joke, adding she felt she blessed she could train dozens of children month after month. The Padmini School of Fine Arts, started in 1977, was the first major Indian classical dancing school in America.

A trained Bharata Natyam dancer, she was proud of teaching the art to second generation Indian Americans. "You watch them dance, and you cannot believe they were raised in America," she added.

While a modest lifestyle ensured she was not afraid of financial constraints, she was certainly afraid of death. Her older sister Ragini and younger sister Lalita, both actresses, had succumbed to cancer midlife. The three were famous as the Travancore Sisters.

"When it is time to go, I know you just cannot do anything," she had said. "But I pray that at least I am active till my last breath." Though she had a number of ailments including diabetes, she remained feisty, and often amazed people with her anecdotes going back to the earliest years of her career in the 1950s.   

Her co-stars included Raj Kapoor (who directed her in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hain and Mera Naam Joker), Shammi Kapoor (in Singapore, directed by Shakti Samanta), Sanjeev Kumar (Chanda Aur Bijli), Ashok Kumar (Kalpana, which also featured her sister Ragini), Sivaji Ganesan (Tillana Moganaambal), MG Ramachandran (Madurai Veeran), A Nageshwara Rao (in Laila Majnu, her first major film, 1949), Nargis (Pardesi, an Indo-Russian production directed by KA Abbas), Vyjayanthimala (Bahar) and Bhanumati (Laila Majnu).

Along with Vyjayanthimala and Waheeda Rehman, Padmini paved the way for South Indian actresses such as B Saroja Devi, Jayaprada and Sridevi to play major roles in Hindi films. She still had a few regrets, however. She would have liked to be in a few art films, she confessed. "It would be very tempting to do even a small role in a Satyajit Ray film."

She did get to do an art film, Vasthuhara directed by G Aravindan (Oridathu, Thampu) in 1991. It was among half a dozen films she did after she settled down. "Sometimes the old habits just won't die," she said in another interview. "I get tempted to do a small part in a film now and then. But I am not going to stage a comeback. "

Working in a brief role in the Aravindan film was something special to Padmini who spoke Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada, and acted in movies made in each of those five languages. The Aravindan-directed film was in Malayalam, the mother tongue of the actress born near Thiruvananthapuram. She was the daughter of Thankappan Pillai, a landlord, and Saraswathi Amma, a homemaker.

Her parents were not too happy with the sisters working in films, Padmini had said. "But when they saw we were getting a lot of acclaim, they were happy," she added. "And none of us ever embarrassed them."

Many interviewers asked her from time to time about the erotic dances and scenes she did for the Raj Kapoor films, especially Mera Naam Joker.

"What I did is for everyone to see, I will never be embarrassed by it," she said. "I did those scenes at the height of my career. It wasn't anything like a struggling actress doing those scenes. I firmly believe those scenes were crucial to the films."

Photographs: Paresh Gandhi

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Bollywood Press

September 26, 2006
Viveik Oberoi gets real!



Bollywood stars are slowly entering unexplored terrain. After Ajay Devgan? villainous act in Khakee, followed by Saif? act in Omkara, now it? the turn of the new breed of actors, Hrithik Roshan and Viveik Oberoi. While Hrithik is playing a sophisticated villain in Dhoom 2, Viveik is doing just the opposite. He? playing the character of a dreaded gangster Maya Dolas, who was killed in an infamous police encounter which took place in the 90? in the suburbs of Mumbai.

And the Oberoi boy who always believes in method acting is meeting people and studying their mannerisms to give his character a real look. ?e? often spotted in a 5-star hotel in the suburbs meeting people and disusing his role with them,? says a friend of the star. From gangster to lover boy to gangster again, Viveik? career seems to have come full circle!

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Bollywood Press

September 26, 2006
Don: Beyond Hollywood



This year? biggest Diwali release is Farhan Akhtar? remake of the 70s classic Don, featuring Shahrukh Khan in the title role played by Amitabh Bachchan in the original. But this time, Don promises to be a lot more exciting. Shot entirely in Malaysia, Don has a slick look with a gritty feel.

And that? not all, Don has been to places where even Hollywood was not allowed to enter. While Sean Connery ? Catherine Zeta Jones starrer Entrapment was denied permission to shoot at the Petronas Twin Towers in Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia, Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani not only got permission to shoot in the towers but also on the fly-bridge between the two towers. In fact, Farhan and the unit was invited by Malaysia? former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir who asked them to use his private office premises for the shoot. This location was reportedly used for the sequence in which JJ escapes with his kids in the original film.

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Rediff News

Aamir's Oscar plans for Rang De Basanti
September 27, 2006 16:24 IST



Aamir Khan is not new to the Oscar race. He has been there before when his home production Lagaan was nominated for the 2002 Academt Awards.

Now, his film Rang De Basanti has been selected as India's entry to the Oscars, and the race has begun once again.

"Our main aim is to promote the movie as effectively as possible," Aamir says. "If it being my second visit to the Oscars generates curiosity in people, it is ultimately good and beneficial for the movie. I will definitely use all my contacts and advise the director and producer at all times."

The nominations in the Best Foreign Film category will be announced on January 23, 2007, and producer UTV head honcho Ronnie Screwvala has little time to waste.

"It's too early for us to elaborate on the Oscar plan," he says. "From an Indian perspective, it has been a landmark year where a lot of movies and directors have broken the mould and made spectacular cinema. It's a bigger complement to the audience as for the first time, they have proved that they are open to new genres. At the end of that, one movie had to be short-listed. We are happy that it's ours. The jury in India has done its job and the onus is on us now to take it to the next level. Our focus is to give it more than our best shot, pull out all the stops and commit whatever resources it takes to make it happen."

He continues, "Our job is to see that all 500 people, who constitute the jury in the foreign language film category actually watch the film. It's important that we go out and position the film very well. We will communicate to the jury the effect the film has had in its home country and the markets worldwide where it was shown."

Screwvala also hopes to change the perception that Hindi movies are very long, with a lot of songs.

"Besides, since Aamir has been there four years ago, there is a familiarity about him. We will announce that the actor in Lagaan, which got nominated in 2002, is back," he says.

He plans to draw resources and expertise from his partners 20th Century Fox and Disney. His offices in Los Angeles and New York are also working on a strategic plan.

The budget for promoting the film for the Oscar race has not been decided upon yet.

Screwvala claims that he has no plans for lobbying his film abroad. "Lobbying implies that you go to each person and ask him or her to vote for you," he says. "If you lobby, you get disqualified. So we have no plans for that. Our job is to see that the maximum people come, watch the movie and then decide."

Rang De Basanti has been screened in various universities in India and abroad, with about 7,000 students and more. Screwvala claims that students abroad have instantly bonded with the film's theme because the issue is universal in many ways.

Music composer A R Rahman has performed in number of concerts across the East Coast of US promoting Rang De Basanti.

If Rang De Basanti gets nominated, director Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, Aamir Khan and Screwvala will go to Los Angeles for the Oscar Awards ceremony.

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Bollywood Press

September 27, 2006
Chelsea Football Stars in Bollywood Movie



The quintessential English game of cricket has featured in Indian films such as ?agaan? and ?qbal?, but now football is all set to be weaved into an Abhishek Bachchan starrer that will feature the popular club Chelsea.

The film, titled ?hoom Barabar Jhoom?, will feature Chelsea stars such as Frank Lampard and John Terry.

The film is about the life and loves of Rikki, a Chelsea fan living in London and going to watch his heroes each week. Rikki is played by Abhishek Bachchan. Producers Yash Raj films are in talks with Chelsea about getting some of the players and manager Jose Mourinho to make cameo appearances in the multimillion pound film. It will be released globally in the spring - when the club hopes it will win a third successive Premiership title.

Chelsea? business affairs director Paul Smith said: ?e are delighted to be involved in a Bollywood movie and we take it as a big compliment to be approached with this storyline and to be associated with this calibre of actors and actresses.

?e have been looking at ways to reach out to the Brit-Asian community and play a leading role by involving them more in football. We already host the Asian Cup final and we are now sponsoring a major Asian community award in London.?

Smith added: ?e are also looking to Asia, particularly India, as part of the strategy of extending the Chelsea brand into new markets. The strategy is focused on media and the power of communicating the club? image. Nothing compares with the glamour and appeal of Bollywood and its stars.?

The cast also includes British Asian actors such as Ameet Chana, Meera Syal, her teenage daughter Millie Bhatia and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Abhishek Bhachchan told the Evening Standard, a local evening tabloid: ?? a big Chelsea fan. I get all the games taped for me in India and watch them when I come home from the film sets.

? love the sport and admire the pressure they perform under, week in and week out. One of my favourite players is John Terry and it has been great to see Chelsea live. London is great city and we love to make films in great cities.

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Bollywood Press

September 27, 2006
Your golden chance to go for a Honeymoon with Don



When you venture into ?on?, be aware that you may as well be taken for a nice little honeymoon. Well, strictly on the screen!

According to sources, the trailer of Reema Katgi? Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is likely to be attached to the print of Don worldwide.

Both the films have been produced by the same production house - Excel [Ritesh Sidhwani]. Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a film about the surprises of marriages with an ensemble cast, comprising Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Raima Sen, Kay Kay Menon, Ayesha Takia, Boman Irani, Karan Khanna, Amisha Patel, Dia Mirza and Arjun Rampal in a guest appearance.

While Honeymoon is likely to release early next year, Don, the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, is the big release on October 20 this year. So be in time to watch Don if you don? want to miss the trailer of Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.!

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Bollywood Press

September 27, 2006
John Abraham & the art of staying fit



What does actor John Abraham do when he is not filming? Right, you know the answer: he does a lot of biking.

?iding a bike is like dancing with a woman. You have to know how she turns and swings. How she rises and falls. You have to understand her body language.? This bit, coming from the Bollywood hotie himself, speaks volumes about his attachment to bikes.

But then nowadays, he does one more thing ? he blogs. He blogs on his own site (www.johnabraham.com) to tell his fans all that they want to know about him ? from motorbikes to muslces, brands to Bollywood and what not!

Writing on fitness, John says, ?itness is a tripod stand. It has three legs. Good food, good sleep and good routine. Without that you are not really up to speed.? And he also advises you on how to burn carbs. Don? diet, eat right and control them, says he.

?here are no shortcuts. Hard work is the only shortcut to fitness. It? important to know that,? says he. ? don? diet. I believe in burning calories, than trying to control them. Eat right and put in a lot of effort in your workouts to expend them. Fad diets and crash diets are not really useful and they only go on to damage your body in the long run.?

So, how does one eat right? ? balanced diet is necessary. Eat the right kinds of food, but eat well. Don? starve yourself because you tend to bloat up.?

As for himself, John says he is predominantly vegetarian fish-eater. ? occasionally have some fish. My family is vegetarian, except for some fish, about once a week. Breakfast consists of six egg whites. A glass of fruit juice. A couple of slices of toast with butter. And my customary two cups of tea. I eat about 10 almonds.?

And then he keeps munching ?omething light every couple of hours, because my body needs it. The kind of action I do and the work that I put in drains me, and I need to put back into my body a little every couple of hours.?

?y lunch consists of some atta chapattis (whole-wheat tortillas), yellow dal (lentil soup), spinach and some stir-fried vegetables. Of course, my favourite food is potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams which are not very highly recommended as far as fitness is concerned. But then, everybody has his vices.?

And the snack consists of a protein shake. ?fter my workout, I eat some corn, or something to munch on, some soup and a vegetarian supper.

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Bollywood Press

September 27, 2006
Sophie Choudhary Bollywood? new Bombshell



Sophie Choudhary , the veejay-turned-actress has caught ample attention despite her brief role in Pyar Ke Side Effects .

She is the girl who many say made Mallika Sherawat feel a bit insecure. When Sophie Choudhary appears in the film PKSE as the sensuous singer Baby Doll Vol 3, the attention naturally shifts from Mallika to her. Her sultry looks, well-toned body and other sundry assets easily qualify Sophie to become the next sex bomb in Bollywood.

But Sophie would rather be known as an actress than a bombshell.

Not many might be aware that Sophie is a girl of myriad talents. In her teens, she was a part of a London-based girlie band named Sansara. She can sing in English, Hindi, Arabic and Spanish. She is fluent in as many as four languages : English, Hindi, French and Italian. And she is trained in Bharatnatyam and Kathak.

Last but not the least, Sophie has big Bollywood ambitions. She wants to make it to the top spot in the Hindi film industry.

So far Sophie has worked in two films only, Shaadi No. 1 and ?yaar Ke Side Effects?. It isn? that she has not been getting acting offers. Sophie says most of the offers she? been getting have been for sleazy roles and that is why she is not taking them.

But she is optimistic that her acting career will take off in a big way.

Our best wishes are with her.

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Bollywood Press

September 28, 2006
Kajra re rocks at Miss World event



Actress Aishwarya Rai? naughty item number Kajra re in the film Bunty Aur Babli has the Polish capital tapping its feet and cheering for the Indian contestant in the Miss World pageant to be held in Warsaw on September 30.

The film was released in Warsaw last week and is drawing large numbers to the theatre, Muranow, to enjoy the charms of the former Miss World.

The song has become so popular that young Poles do an impromptu jig every time it comes on screen and start clapping and whistling.

Karolina Swiastek, a local who has learnt a little bit of Hindi, even tried singing the song.

?he song is on my mind all the time now. I do hope that Indian contestant Natasha Suri will also one day join Bollywood,? Karolina said.

?sh is superb in this item number. How come India is producing so many beauties these days? The power of Bollywood is dominating the world gradually. We in Poland are fascinated by this phenomenon,? another resident, Gaberilla Krzyzowska said.

So far actor Shah Rukh Khan was the sole Bollywood heartthrob of Poles. Now, with this song, Aishwarya seems to be the next Bollywood hot property.

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Rediff News

'In this world, who is worth respecting?'
September 29, 2006 16:24 IST



Shagufta Rafique has a unique story.

Once a bar dancer, she has now changed tracks to being a film writer, and has written the script for Mahesh Bhatt's Woh Lamhe.

An adopted child of Anwari Begum, an actress who worked in Hindi cinema in the 1950s, and a foster sister of actress Saeeda Brij Sadanah, Shagufta has seen the best and worst times. She was left to fend for herself after Saeeda died in a tragic incident in 1990.

"Till the time my sister was alive, my mother and I were dependent on her," Shagufta says. "But I didn't know what to do after she died. Then I met Mahesh Bhatt and became his assistant director in the 1990s."

She worked on films like Tadipar and Sir, but she felt more interested in writing than direction. Hailing from a Muslim family, her command over Urdu was good, and she saw many Hindi films to learn more about cinema. She also read Russian novelists like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky to sharpen her story telling skills. Then, she decided to establish herself as a writer.

Thus started her life as a struggler. Directors wanted to see if her writing worked on screen, and since she had nothing to show, she could not get a break. She had to make do with writing television shows for Doordarshan.

Her personal life was in crisis too; her mother was diagnosed with cancer. A friend offered her a job as a singer in a Dubai bar, and Shagufta agreed reluctantly.

"I owe my life to my mother," Shagufta says. "I had to take care of her. Writing was not paying me enough even for my survival. I thought that if I made enough money to save and sustain myself, then I could come back and become a writer."

Did she ever feel that she was not in a respectable job, I ask. She retorts, "Aren't people who give licenses to run beer bars and policemen who see that they run not doing a respectable job? I never felt bad that I was a bar girl. In this world, who is worth respecting? There are only few people, whom you can count on your fingers, who are respectable."

"Sexual exploitation of women is present in every field," she adds. "You cannot deny that. It is present in beer bars too. But it is up to the woman how she wants to lead her life. Nobody forces you to do anything wrong. Women have their personal freedom and choices. There are bouncers and bodyguards to protect you. In fact, who decides in our society what is right and wrong? There are pubs and discos where women come half-naked but nobody says anything to them. There is no easy answer to this question."

After making enough money, she quit the bar and tried her luck again in the film industry. She returned to Mahesh Bhatt and asked for work. To her surprise, Bhatt had forgotten her.

After Shagufta told him about her life, Bhatt seemed interested and promised her a break.

"Writing is all about understanding life," Shagufta says. "If you don't understand life and its hardships, I don't think anyone should become a writer."

After a stint with writer Jay Dixit, who wrote Bhatt's Kalyug, Shagufta got another assignment from Bhatt.

In January 2005 when yesteryear actress Parveen Babi died, Mahesh Bhatt decided to make a film on his relationship with her. He roped in Shagufta to write the script.

"The film's director Mohit Suri wanted a lady writer and that is why he chose me," says Shagufta. "He felt a woman can bring emotions into the character of Parveen Babi."

Shagufta met psychiatrists and schizophrenics to understand them better, as Parveen Babi was believed to be schizophrenic. After two months, the first draft of the script was ready.

"Woh Lahme is based on fiction as well as reality. I have put my best in it and I hope that people will appreciate my work. The challenge for me was to make this script interesting for audiences and make them be able to relate to Parveen's character in today's context," says Shagufta.

After Woh Lahme, Shagufta will work on two films called Aawarapan and Dhoka.

When I ask what the best gift she has ever given herself was, she replies after a pause, "I have managed to come out from the dark tunnel of my life, years of humiliation and loneliness. I took care of my mother when she needed me the most. And I have become a writer."

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Rediff News

Vidhu Vinod Chopra to send Munnabhai to Oscars
September 29, 2006 16:35 IST
Last Updated: September 29, 2006 18:16 IST

Overwhelmed by the response from fans and audiences globally, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra has decided to send his latest release Lago Raho Munnabhai as an independent entry to the Oscars.

Ken Naz of Eros International, US will prepare the application to seek entry for the film at the Oscars in the foreign film category, Mr Chopra said.

Speaking about his decision, Mr Chopra told mediapersons that the record number of fan mails that he has received from across the world have supported his belief and inspired him to send the film to the academy as an independent entry.

''We strongly believe that Lage Raho Munnabhai is a film that should be screened at all international film festivals,'' he added.

''Our belief has been further strengthened by an invitation by the University of South California for a special screening of Lage Raho Munnabhai on October 27, which has been organised by their cinema students and the Press from Hollywood. USC is one of the top film schools in North America. Many notable filmmakers like George Lucas, Ron Howard, James Ivory and Walter Salles, among others have graduated from here."

Early this week, UTV's Rang De Basanti trounced Lage Raho in the race to be selected as India's official entry into the foreign film category at the Oscars.

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Bollywood Press

September 29, 2006
Mallika: Insecure about other sex symbols ? - male!



One never thought that our confident, sexy diva, Mallika Sherawat would ever be insecure about anyone or anything; but hold on to your chairs hons ? she is.

We asked her how she felt about the ?en? doing all the sex comedies for a change - and successfully too, especially young guns like Ajay, Riteish, Tusshar, Aftab. Tongue firmly in cheek, she quickly replied, ?h yes. Just look at me. I? very insecure. I? shivering, I? nervous!!!!? Touche, Mallika. The male sex ?irens? can go silent. For remember that Ms Sherawat? greatest assets are truly - her brains.