Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Sanjay Dutt gets six years in jail


The special TADA court on Tuesday sentenced film actor Sanjay Dutt to six years rigorous imprisonment for illegal arms possession in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. His bail bond also stands cancelled.

The actor will be taken directly into custody from the special TADA court. The actor will spend the night at the Arthur Road Jail. Dutt had been convicted under the Arms Act. He had applied for relief under the Probation of Offenders Act.

Earlier, Judge PD Kode on Tuesday refused to examine the probation report of Sanjay Dutt and two friends,

“Their crime is not a minor offence. They committed an imminently dangerous act,” the channel quoted Judge Kode as saying.

Unlike previous occasions, the actor was seen sporting a white shirt instead of his trademark 'lucky' blue one as he entered the court.

Dutt’s lawyers had argued that his past clean record be considered.

He has been on bail for the past 12 years after serving 18 months in jail following his arrest for unauthorised possession of an AK-56 rifle and a pistol, allegedly supplied by suspects in country’s deadliest terror attack.

Koena Mitra: Lips don't lie


Looking good comes with a price! We’ve heard that Koena Mitra was housebound until a few days ago, after a recent lip job went terribly wrong.

She went through a silicone implant surgery, but the result was a far cry from what she had expected. The actress now intends to get a correction surgery done to get rid of her swollen lips.

Says a source close to the actress, "She got a lip job done about ten days ago, but, the result is far from pretty. She has almost locked up herself in the house and doesn’t want to meet anyone."

Close friends of the actress inform that she has been craving for a perfect pout. After having consulted a few high-profile cosmetic surgeons in the city, she decided to get lip implants done, instead of collagen injections.

The procedure was painful and expensive. With the not-so-favourable results, she will have to go under the knife very soon and bear the pain again. A reliable source says, "She used to complain about her thin lips. But her lips are completely swollen now."

When quizzed about it, the actress refused to come clean. She denied having got any surgery done. The actress has been mired in similar controversies before. Her fellow colleagues have alleged that she has had other cosmetic surgeries done including a rhinoplasty. A reliable source says, "She has definitely worked on her nose. She is very careful when her make up artist applies make-up on her face on the sets."

Monday, July 30, 2007

Sherlyn Chopra


Sherlyn Chopra (aka Mona Chopra aka Menaka Chopra) is from Andhra Pradesh, India. She is an Indian model and hot actress who performed in sexy thriller Red Swastik recently. She is also the winner of Miss Andhra crown.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Cool with Cotton -- Amrita Arora


Actor Amrita Arora posing for photographs while inaugurating Cotton Council International's 'Cool with Cotton' carnival in Chennai on JULY 13, 2007.

MTV VJs at -- Its My MTV


MTV VJs Rannvijay and Anusha Dandekar pose for media during the launch of new tagline 'Its My Mtv' for new generation in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Manisha smiles


Actress manisha koirala smiles during an interactive session on "Doors in Consciousness-The Enlightenment of Man" in Kolkata on Monday, which organised by Ladies Study Group.

Police trap actresses in sex racket

An international internet sex racket, involving ‘professional’ Bollywood actresses and models, was busted here today.

Speaking to newsmen, Nagpur district (rural) Superintendent of Police (SP) Yashaswi Yadav said three girls, in their twenties, were arrested, while entertaining a dummy client from a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city this afternoon.
One of the girls has done five movies, while another girl has appeared in several advertisements and even done modelling for a Mumbai-based tabloid, he said.
The third girl had also done modelling and starred in two movies, the SP said.
Police received confidential information that a sex racket was operating through two web sites, named
www.hotpari.com and www.damesndesires.com. The sites were being allegedly operated by persons, identified as Nick alias Niraj and Rajiv, both residents of Lokhandwala in Mumbai, he said.
On the basis of the information, police got a dummy client to call up Nick and asked for girls, Yadav said. During the conversation, Nick claimed he could provide ‘high-class’ actresses and models and even foreigners, including Russian and Swedish girls, for a high price, he said.
Nick agreed and sent the three girls to Nagpur, whom the dummy client received at the airport, he said adding the girls were supposed to charge rupees four lakhs for a night.
On receiving the girls at the airport, the dummy client took them to the designated farmhouse, where a trap had been laid and paid them Rs 75,000 as advance, the SP said. After receiving the money, the girls started to give sexual favours to the dummy client, he said.
At a signal from the dummy client, police raided the farmhouse and arrested the girls, Yadav said.
The police have registered an offence under various sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act and Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, he added.

Neetu: The new officer on duty?


Sometimes there’s a thin line between reel and real roles.

Recently, actress Neetu Chandra almost crossed that line. She’s playing a cop in One Two Three and was shooting in Pondicherry.

While travelling back to her hotel dressed as a cop, Neetu came across real cops cordoning off a section of the road. But when Neetu reached the barricade, the men saluted her and made way for her vehicle mistaking her for an officer on duty. The rest of the crew waited at the check-post.

Now that’s what we call getting into the skin of the character!

Friday, July 27, 2007

Rani of Jhansi continues to inspire: Sush


Actress Sushmita Sen is currently neck deep in the pre-production work for her ambitious English film Jhansi Ki Rani, which she says is a homage to a woman she admires tremendously.

"By producing Jhansi Ki Rani and casting myself in a role that I've cherished for ever, I'll be paying homage to a woman I admire tremendously," Sushmita said.

"I feel Rani of Jhansi isn't just a source of inspiration for me but also very relevant to our times. When I went through her story and read about her interaction with friends, family and enemies I realised sometimes you need to look at the past to know what mistakes you don't make in the future."

Making a period film is not an easy job as it involves a lot of risks but the actress is unperturbed.

She said: "The truth is whenever you create something, there's bound to be risks, financial and creative, involved. When have I ever been afraid of taking risk?"

However, she is ensuring that all the homework is done carefully.

"Once we go into production I don't want to be caught in any kind of uncertainty. Neither do I want to be an interfering producer. I want to put everything in place as a producer so that once we start shooting I'll focus only on the acting," said the actress who is yet to finalise the director.

Asked about Ketan Mehta's film on the same subject with Aishwarya Rai in the lead role, she said: "I'm very happy for both of them."

Excerpts:

Q: You seem to be totally consumed by the idea of making Jhansi Ki Rani.
A: You bet! My interest isn't just professional but also personal. By producing Jhansi Ki Rani and casting myself in a role that I've cherished for ever, I'll be paying homage to a woman I admire tremendously.

Q: And how is your project progressing so far?
A: So far so good. I think we're on the right track. For me Jhansi Ki Rani is the only raison d'etre at the moment. But then the world doesn't come to a standstill for the sake of one's passion. I will continue to fulfill my other obligations as an actor.

Q: You are the sole producer of Jhansi Ki Rani?
A: Yes absolutely. My company Tantra is the producer. And there's no fear of falling from my high horse because Rani of Jhansi rode across the horizon fearlessly. If I'm making a film on the life of a fearless woman I'd better be fearless. This woman inspires me like none other.

The truth is whenever you create something, there's bound to be risks, financial and creative, involved. When have I ever been afraid of taking risk?

Q: Any fear of failing with a female-centric film?
A: None whatsoever. Please remember I started with a woman-centric film Dastak. Sure, my recent films Chingaari and Zindaggi Rocks revolved around me and they didn't work at the box office, whereas a film like Main Hoon Na where I had, at the most, an extended cameo, brought me tremendous appreciation.

But do I stop going by my instincts because of commercial failure? Or do I try to see where I've gone wrong, correct myself and move ahead on the path I've chosen? That doesn't really need an answer, does it?

Jhansi Ki Rani is not the kind of film that you shoot over two months, release and forget about it. It's a film about history that hopefully will have a history beyond the average lifespan of a film.

Q: And about the director?
A: Frankly, I'm still not decided on that. We've a few names short-listed. They're all filmmakers with a track record for an epic vision.

Q: So what steps are you taking to ensure that Jhansi Ki Rani doesn't go wrong?
A: I'm making sure we're doing our homework very carefully. Once we go into production I don't want to be caught in any kind of uncertainty. Neither do I want to be an interfering producer. I want to put everything in place as a producer so that once we start shooting I'll focus only on the acting.

Q: How long have you been prepping for Jhansi...?
A: A year-and-a-half. It's my dream project. And life for me has always been about living out my dreams. I feel Rani of Jhansi isn't just a source of inspiration for me but also very relevant to our times. When I went through her story and read about her interaction with friends, family and enemies I realised sometimes you need to look at the past to know what mistakes you don't make in the future.

Q: What would be the film's language?
A: It'd predominantly be in English. Since a majority of the characters would be British, English does seem the logical language. My Jhansi Ki Rani would be a totally global film. Anybody who wants to get inspired will want to see it.

Q: Finally, Ketan Mehta is also a planning a biopic of Jhansi Ki Rani with Aishwarya Rai.
A: I'm very happy for both of them.

Tanushree Dutta's secret passion


We all have our secret passions and Tanushree is no exception.

The actress is learning Kathak with a vengeance. And she’s taking training from a Kathak exponent, for the last six months.

The actress religiously wakes up every morning at five and practices for two to three hours every day – it’s also her way of keeping fit.

“I’m learning Kathak because it is a fine form of dance, which not only keeps me fit but is also great for my body. I had learnt it in school and now I’ve gone back to it. Dancing brings in a lot of discipline in your life, and also adds a lot of grace to a woman,” says the actress.

Tanu baby seems to love the idea of killing two birds with one stone.

And learning Kathak seems to be just that.

Must say, it has brought in a lot of grace in her personality and acting.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Bipasha lashes out again


Bipasha Basu isn't enjoying the way her relationship with John Abraham is being linked to her absence in the new commercial, the brand they both endorse.

"People can say what they like. They do that anyway, no matter what explanations we give. John and I are not answerable to anyone," Bipasha said.

Regarding the speculation about John doing the shampoo ad with another model, Bipasha said: "When we signed the contract for the shampoo we didn't even know we'd be doing any of their ads together."

Bipasha and John, who will be seen together in "Goal" after a long gap, signed their contracts separately.

"And my association with that brand of shampoo continues. At this point of time John and I are advertising different brands of shampoo. So the question of me being replaced in the new ad doesn't arise.

"People can continue to speculate as much as they like. It doesn't bother me."

In fact, the loose talk about the status of her relationship with John has begun to annoy her.

"Let them say what they like. My life is mine alone. I'm answerable only to myself, my family and my close friends. Beyond that, does it really matter?

"What I'm doing in my personal life shouldn't be of any consequence to anyone except me. I mean no harm to anyone. So why harm me with such endless speculation?"

The gossipmongers have been going to town with the now-off-now-on observations.

"Precious news space shouldn't be wasted on such trivia. There's so much more worth writing about. From now I won't discuss my private life in print."

Police foils gangsters' plan to shoot Reshammiya


It's established now: Not everybody is a fan of singer-performer and now an actor Himesh Reshammiya.

The Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday arrested four sharp-shooters, who allegedly work for the Ejaz Lakdawala gang, on suspicion that they were on the take to bump off the pop artist.

The STF nabbed Anees Radiowala, Namdeo alias Sagar, Mohammed Raheem Khan and Ishrat Warsi on the outskirts of Lucknow, from where they were allegedly going to collect sophisticated weapons to pull the trigger on Reshammiya and film-maker Raj Kumar Santoshi.

"Anees told investigators that after Reshammiya didn't respond to Ejaz's message to contact him, the latter planted a youth in the audition for an international singing competition, aired on an entertainment channel, where Reshammiya was a judge," Additional DG STF Shailja Kant Misra said.

The plan, says Misra, was an audacious one: Shoot Reshammiya at the studio during the recording. But, Ejaz's man wasn't shortlisted for the show and the scheme fell through, he added.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

After New York RIVAAZ invited to LA Film Fest


It was a big day for the entire crew of film RIVAAZ. Lead actors Ritisha, Meghna Naidu and Sadhika walked on the red carpet for the screening at New York International Film Festival along with director Ashok Kumar Nanda, Producers Vidya D Kamat and Sandeep Jain.

The film got a surprising house full screening at prestigious City Cinemas at East Village, New York. At the end of the screening, the movie got a standing applaud by the viewers. Festival Director Stuart Alson said, “This is the most disturbing and controversial film I have ever seen in festivals.” He was so overwhelmed with the reactions by the viewers that he gave an on spot invitation for RIVAAZ for forth coming LA Film Festival.

Performance of all the three leading ladies Ritisha, Meghna and Sadhika was highly appreciated by every viewer at the screening. Legendary actors Deepti Naval, Vijay Raaj, Alok Nath, Yashpal Sharma have delivered high intense acting in Ashok Nanda’s RIVAAZ.

The Cast and Crew of RIVAAZ are highly charged with the response they got from New York and now heading back to Mumbai to spread the essence of success at our own Bollywood.

The film has established a strong base for the Director Ashok Kumar Nanda in Bollywood as well as it has revealed the acting capability of previously known item girl Meghna Naidu. Debutant Ritisha Vijayvargiya has done a great job in RIVAAZ and has shown her talent as an intense actor in her very first film.

Sadhika Randhawa has delivered her best in RIVAAZ. Lets hope team RIVAAZ maintain the magic of New York at home too, coming September.

Shilpa hasn't found her Prince Charming


Denying rumours about Shilpa Shetty's marriage to NRI businessman Raj Kundra, the actress' spokesperson and publicist Dale Bhagwagar said that Raj is the licensor of her recently launched perfume S2 and also a good friend of hers - nothing more, nothing less.

"Shilpa is not the kind to hide her relationship. When she gets engaged to anyone, she will announce it from the rooftops. But as of now, she hasn't found her prince charming and there is no marriage on the cards," said Dale Bhagwagar.

He feels that this kind of reporting gives a bad impression about Indian media.

"Shilpa is aggressively promoting India, our country's heritage and culture in Britain. And Indians abroad also see her as an ambassador of sorts. Therefore, such insinuations and controversies attacking her reputation only portray our country and our media in poor light to the outside world," added the spokesperson.

The actress recently received an honorary doctorate from the Leeds Metropolitan University and has laid some groundwork for her Broadway musical due to be launched in London by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, her signature perfume S2 has reached the No.3 slot, competing with 500-odd perfumes all over Britain.

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!

Music sets the mood


What a way to say bye: A south Delhi outlet is hosting a series of events to bid adieu to its current location. As part of the same series of events, DJ Kunal and DJ Aashish played to full house and set the mood for a rocking evening. DJ Aashish began the night spinning the latest tracks, and then DJ Kunal took over, playing through the night to the crowd.

DU to DJ: That’s what Kunal told us about his journey to the DJ console. A student of DU, he took up DJing as a profession because “it’s better to follow your passion than get stuck in a 9 to 5 job you don’t love”, he explained. We couldn’t agree more, Kunal!

Groovy evening: The young, happening crowd seemed to agree with Kunal too, as they jived to the music till the wee hours of the morning.

Hot Hot Hot: Gayatry, who looked good in a short, strappy black number, got a lot of attention from the shutterbugs. And the attention was also because of the unusual name!

Bring on the foam machine


THE WARM UP: This hot party started on an interesting note. Before it began, youngsters were seen gorging on paranthas. A rare treat at a party that had mostly students who study abroad in attendance, the paranthas were savoured by one and all.

FUN WITH FOAM: Getting wet was not the only idea of having fun here. “I haven’t seen such a setting before. The idea was to create something that nobody amongst us had ever seen before,” said Gobind who along with his buddies Avishkar, Rishabh and Viraaj hosted this bash. Added Arjun, “Most of us study abroad and whenever we are back in India, we try to get together. This is a groovin’ party and I’m glad to see all my friends letting their hair down.”

IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON: DJ Karan said, “Youngsters want any kind of music to groove on, they just want to have fun!”

NO WORRIES! The dudes and the dudettes at this party freaked out in the foam. There were some who chose not to dance nor get wet under the water sprayers, but they walked around the venue with their friends. The mantra was, ‘enjoy every bit of the do’.

Testing times for Ayesha Takia


A young fan of Ayesha Takia managed to track down the actress’ mobile number, and called her up. The polite girl that Ayesha is, obliged and indulged in conversation, and when the little lass told her that her exams were just around the corner. Ayesha said, “If you do well in your exams, I’ll speak to you.”

And as luck would have it, Takia got a call from the same girl, a month later, saying that she had done well in her examinations. Now the actress finds herself chatting with this schoolgirl pretty often. It’s ‘testing times’ for Ayesha, too.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Never a nervous moment for Gul Panag


Gul Panag seems to be settling into Bollywood with the same ease with which she settled down in her swanky new home a couple of weeks ago. And she’s learnt to say ‘no’. Ask her to say or do anything that she doesn’t want to, and she dimples prettily, smiles and puts her foot down.

“You’ve got to learn to do this. There’s no limit to the kind of things people make you do or want from you otherwise,” she says. But then, this is one lesson that must have come easy to Gul who likes to weigh her choices before getting into something.

For someone who’s stepped into Bollywood very cautiously, this Delhi gal, a former Miss India-Universe (1999) has done some good movies in a short span of time.

“Well, there was never any nervousness or diffidence even when I did my first take. I was pretty sure of what I wanted to do. And then, my goals are different,” says Gul.

Then she suddenly says, “The AC isn’t working? Are you also feeling hot, or am I the only one?”

Looking at her in an off-shoulder evening gown, her shoulders all air-brushed bronze, one tells her who’s hot in the room at that moment. “Thank you,” she smiles. “But I’d rather be the talent that’s not dependent on looks to deliver. It’s the intellect that sustains you, not beauty.”

Going back to her statement on goals, does she mean that walking the ramp is completely out for her? “I can’t say that. But there’s so much to do in cinema. I have been given the opportunity, I’d like to explore my potential.”

From there on, the talk veers to the butterfly tattoo she got done when in the US. “I guess tattoos are no longer a haute fashion statement, but I wanted one anyways,” she says.

So, she follows her heart, does she? “And my mind,” she adds.

Priyanka Chopra makes daddy cry


Actress Priyanka Chopra is happy to see her dad healthy, alive and singing. Recently, when she was the guest of honour at a function that was held for collecting funds for an old age home in Karjat, it was an emotional time for the Chopras.

While dad Ashok Chopra sang a song on the occasion, daughter Priyanka also rendered a couple of lines and spoke of her childhood days. That was enough to get Daddy Chopra weeping – those were tears of joy, of course. And all were touched.

Shahid Kapur's zest for work


Actor Shahid Kapur is a dedicated ‘hero’. While many actors feel that their jobs are done once the film has entered the post-production stage, Shahid thinks differently. In spite of the near completion of Imtiaz Ali’s yet-to-be-titled project, we find that the actor is taking keen interest in the production activity of the film.

He is also discussing marketing strategies and all that. Looks like the boy’s ‘heart’ is truly in this one. Yes, Bebo’s a part of the project but that’s not quite what we are referring to. Shahid has now learnt to keep his personal and professional interests separate. And this can be gauged from his changed attitude.

For Kim, it's party time again


She was always a bindaas party animal, but ever since her split with Yuvraj Singh, lovely Kim Sharma is single and is ready to mingle in the party circuit again. And her new mantra in life these days is to work hard and party harder.

Of late, she is spotted at all the happening places in town. Can’t say, if she is happy to be single or is trying to look happy. However, the way she is partying, looks like Kim is back in her element and is glad to be single again.

Priyanka Chopra back on the ramp with Madhur Bhandarkar


Madhur Bhandarkar had been out of news for quite some time now. But he made sure that he comes with a bang! After his Traffic Signal flopped badly at the Box Office, Bhandarkar was out of scene preparing for his next introspective film ‘Fashion Show’. As all of his films, Bhandarkar reveals the darker side of the Fashion world in this film. And guess who stars the movie. None other than the former Miss World and the most sought after heroine in Bollywood- Priyanka Chopra! And this time around Bhadarkar makes sure that his film crosses a big budget – a whopping Rs 20 Crore! Let us see what new, apart from gay designers and cut throat competitions, has to be revealed about the fashion world.

Sameera is a home bird


Actress Sameera Reddy is a home bird. Ask her of the one place she keeps returning to and she says, “My home!” The actress is well-travelled, and while many keep cribbing about city Mumbai – the traffic and the heat, Sammy seems to like everything about it. “I have travelled the world, but there is no city like Mumbai,” she insists. Now this is aamchi Mumbaikar !

Monday, July 23, 2007

NRI's wife blames Shilpa for break-up


Kavita Kundra hit out against the Celebrity Big Brother winner for pursuing an affair with Raj Kundra when they had just welcomed their first child.

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," News of the World quoted her, as saying.

"Raj bragged Shilpa and her family had been sounding him out as a potential husband. I was stunned. Up until then I didn't even know they'd met," she added.

According to reports, things started after Raj went to Bombay (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 Bombay 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.

The 25-year-old also revealed that Raj was keen on bringing their relationship back on track, but suddenly things just fell through.

"I thought I had every chance but the arrival of Shilpa wrecked everything. Suddenly Raj's attitude changed and he wanted a divorce," she said.

Last week, the film producer sent a message to Kavita saying 'Lots of rumours in press regarding Shilpa and me. Dad says press were standing outside house all day asking questions'.

Kavita also said that whenever she tried to probe into the depth of their relationship, Raj avoided her questions or laughed off the topic.

"I texted back saying, ‘Is this your way of telling me?' He just ignored the question. Since then, every time I try to find out the depth of their relationship, he avoids the question, or he laughs," Kavita 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.

Marriage or nothing: Manisha


Various emotions flit across her face. Lost in thought one minute, smiling warmly at a compliment the next, sad one moment, laughing gaily a minute later... tell Manisha Koirala this and she says, “That’s the way I am. I like to live every emotion to the fullest, even if it is momentary.” She adds, “Though right now I feel a little lost. I have just lost my granny and am yet to come to terms with that.”

But we have hardly seen on screen? “I have been travelling, holidaying, taking a break,” she waves her hand. And? “Planning.” Planning what? “I am going to begin producing films early next year. So I have been shortlisting directors, reading scripts, and thinking a lot about all things related to that,” elaborates Manisha. “I will be directing too – that’s another ambition of mine. So I have been planning for all these things, and readying myself to get into the execution mode.”

Does she really have to push herself into action? “It’s not that. Don’t read what I am saying as ‘I am lazy’. It’s just that last time I jumped into it without any proper planning. And I’ve learnt enough from my mistakes to not repeat them again,” she replies.

Her mobile intrudes, with a message. As she reads it, we ask about the rumours of her joining politics. She looks up, and says, “Not now. I come from a political family, so I am well-versed with what the game is all about. Too many of my family members are involved in politics for me to feign ignorance of the subject. But at the moment, I am happy helping them, without being actively involved. Let’s see.”

She begins to text a reply. So, what happened to the actress in her? She was the most promising talent in Bollywood at a point of time. Why did she lose her grip? She looks up, and for a long moment, doesn’t speak. And then, says softly, “You’re right. I did not explore or exploit my acting potential. I did fairly decent work, but never made it that big. I know I could have, if I had tried. But then...,” she pauses, and adds, “But time hasn’t run out for me. Not yet.”

The beep of her mobile shatters the moment yet again. Who is it? Manisha smiles, and says, “Don’t go on that track now. I am single. And now, I will settle for nothing less than marriage. Earlier I would have got into a relationship for love, but that phase of my life is over.”

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Urvashi Sharma comes into limelight


Her debut film, touted as the most shocking thriller of the year received a lukewarm response at the box office.

The film served the purpose for actor Urvashi Sharma, nevertheless.

She has been in the news and has hogged quite a lot of the limelight. She feels that she has been lucky to have the right kind of people backing her.

“For a newcomer, it is important to be in good company always. That is the reason I have never had to think about the casting couch, being in this profession,” she says.

You sure have been lucky, Urvashi!

Govinda Alaa re..............


With yet another girl being eliminated, the number of girls for the title of Indian Idol seems to be dwindling. It’s now becoming more difficult for the top 10 contestants to move towards the title.

Each week, the competition becomes tougher. In the coming week, the contestants will have to show their flair in singing both slow and fast numbers. The result: a mind-blowing show of talent and determination to excel. The best part of the show was that the celebrity guest, the janta ’s actor Govinda, also matched their talent with his own at singing and dancing! Govinda sang, danced and simply swept the contestants, audience and even the judges off their feet.

Puja kick-started the show with a superb performance and everyone followed it up with their best too. Chang once again proved his mettle. But it was Emon who dominated the show with his spirited performance, which had even Anu Malek acknowledging it with his trademark poetry!

But the two people who stole the show were once again Amit Paul with his heartrending Why did you break my heart... and Tum kya jaano mohabbat kya hai . If Amit brought the house down with his singing, Ankita burnt the dance floor with Govinda to the tune of Babuji dheere chalna and Babuji zara dheere chalo . The ace performer that Ankita is, she managed to entice Govinda to dance with her. Together, they were a riot!

Not to be left out of all the song and dance, Anu Malek and Alisha joined the gang on stage to bring down the curtains on a delightful evening. Govinda’s presence seemed to have brought out the best in everybody. And it was great to have Javed Akhtar back in the judge’s chair.

How did the celebrity judge, who sang and danced and rocked the show, feel about coming back after a hiatus? He candidly confessed that Salman Khan was indeed the friend who helped him out of his rough patch with a role in Partner, his comeback venture.

Now that he is back, he has promised he is going nowhere... he belongs to the world of glam and glitz and he is here to stay.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Did the Deol connection help Neetu?


Neetu Chandra’s on-screen romance with Akki and Johnny boy in Garam Masala didn’t register with the audiences. Thankfully, with Madhur Bhandarkar’s Traffic Signal, the gal got the green signal and many more offers followed.

Much to her amazement, her close association with Sunny and Bobby Deol has helped her move up the ladder. She’s bagged a role in One Two Three where she plays a Jat cop. “I had a lot of Jat friends in college, thanks to my conversations with them, I picked up their accent. This role required the cop to use such an accent and I bagged it,” she says. Well, the Deols will surely give you a warm welcome, Neetu!

Kareena to make you laugh


Actress Kareena Kapoor is the latest entrant on the Golmaal wagon. The lady will play the female lead in the sequel titled Golmaal Returns , which is supposed to be a laughter riot.

Producer Dhillin Mehta confirms, “Yes, we have roped in Kareena for the sequel of Golmaal , which will be directed by Rohit Shetty.” To be shot in Dubai in a forty day schedule, the producers are keen to make some more maal with Golmaal!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Shilpa Shetty awarded 'doctorate of arts'



Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty was praised for her "dignity and poise" as she received an honorary degree today.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner was awarded a doctorate of arts by Leeds Metropolitan University.

She was praised for the way in which she handled the Celebrity Big Brother racism row earlier this year.

Wearing an orange outfit, deep red robes, a blue and orange hood, black cap and gold strappy sandals, Miss Shetty took her place on the stage with academics from the university.

Addressing the graduands, Vice Chancellor Professor Simon Lee described Miss Shetty as distinguished and inspirational and said they may have been placed in similar difficult situations to the one she faced in the Celebrity Big Brother house when viewers complained about the way Miss Shetty was treated by former housemate-turned-celebrity Jade Goody, singer Jo O'Meara and model Danielle Lloyd.

Prof Lee said: "There are some parallels between the challenges faced in any house and student life.

"Someone at some time will behave badly, not necessarily to you but to others or the wider community, to someone or some group who cannot defend themselves.

"In Shilpa Shetty you are graduating with someone who rose to that challenge with great dignity and poise, making a difference."

Joy Kumar, director of students centred change management, paid tribute to the 32-year-old's contribution to film and music and her charity work with HIV sufferers. She also praised Miss Shetty for how she dealt with the problems in the Big Brother house.

Awarding Miss Shetty with her degree, she said: "For showing great character, for making a difference to our multi-cultural society, for using her talents to the full."

Miss Shetty was clearly emotional as she accepted the degree.

Sonu Nigam alleges sexual harassment


Films like Page 3 have long shown page 3 people asking sexual favors from ambitious people who come for work. But this is the first time that news like this has come on news. Ace singer Sonu Nigam has accused famous film journalist Subhash K Jha of unreasonable sexual demands and harassment after he rejected the latter’s unreasonable advances. “He used to harass me with his homosexual desires to an extent that my family was affected. We all know that the film industry consists of many gays and homosexuals. Even I have many gay friends but they have never tried to come close to me because they know that I am not interested in it,” news website zeenews.com quoted the Sonu Nigam as saying. He also added, “In 2001, he proposed me and said that he loves me. He even misbehaved with me after getting drunk but later apologized in the morning. I even told him that you are Lataji’s friend and elder to me so please don’t talk such things with me as I’m not gay. But he still continued harassing me with his calls.” Jha has been writing harsh criticism on the singer for quite some time now and Sonu calls it deliberate attempt to defame him. Sure the industry is known to have such hidden secrets but not all time do they become public. At the outer sphere the industry portrays a happy and flourishing world!

Meghna Naidu is getting nervous


Meghna Naidu is all set to go shopping for the New York Film Fest, where her film Rivaaz is being screened.

“I am elated,” confesses Meghna. “I am wearing a saree for the Red Carpet and I’ve butterflies in my stomach already.”

Interestingly, Meghna shopped for her accessories in Malaysia where she recently did a show. Malaysian accessories with an Indian saree, now that’s what one calls creative thinking with a cosmopolitan touch!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Upen Patel loves speed machines


Talking about living life in the fast lane, Upen Patel is right there, ahead of the road.

He’s already proved that he’s a fast mover in tinselville. No, we’re not talking about the hotties he’s spotted with. But, with roles from good banners tucked under his belt, Upen seems to be making his way around fast.

Now, the boy is flaunting his passion for hot wheels. He loves sporty cars and bikes, and is often seen vrooming around in his fancy BMW. He’s already set eyes on a new machine he wants to own, but that will have to wait for a while, as he’s stocking up the moolah.

Hey Upen, don’t whiz around so fast that we lose touch with you. We can get you a speedometer if you want. Wot say?

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Koena's take on Bipasha's kiss


When we got chatting with Koena Mitra, the first thing we asked her was -- what if someone like Tom Cruise kissed her, after the much publicised Ronaldo-Bipasha kiss? "Bipasha is my senior and I don’t want to talk about her. I’m a professional. What I do outside work is none of anyone’s business. Hugging is a normal form of greeting abroad."

Koena feels that the media shouldn’t hype the kiss. "In a serious relationship, nobody will like their partner being presented in that way by the media," she says.

Monday, July 16, 2007

John Abraham and Bipasha Basu reported to have split


It might be tough to realize but looks like it is all over between John Abraham and Bipasha Basu. Timesnow quoted Rocky S, Bipasha’s designer friend, saying the lady declared, “I am single for the first time in ten years.”

First it was rumors of John having flings with his co-stars and then it was Bipasha’s friendship with Saif Ali Khan that got the media talking too much about the rift between the couple. After Bipasha’s smooch with the famous sports person Ronaldo, media went berserk about the split rumors. Looks like, finally the media has been successful in splitting the couple.

But we wish the Bollywood’s hottest couple would get back strong enough to burry the media speculation forever.

Emraan thinks he is a superstar


Now, what will you call someone who actually thinks and firmly believes that he is a superstar?

No we aren’t talking about any of the Khans, but a superstar is what kisser boy Emraan Hashmi considers himself.

Ask him how he rates himself as an actor and pat comes the reply, “Ten on ten”. And Emraan ain’t an ordinary siuperstar, he thinks that an actor like him doesn’t need to break into any of the Yashraj or Karan Johar camps to make it big.

But the big question is whether Yash Chopra or Karan Johar want to work with him?

Akshay Kumar in the Oscars library


The script of Namastey London, a film starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, has made it to the Oscars library.

And basking in this glory is director Vipul Shah.

When Vipul was asked about the achievement, he said, "It’s a great feeling. It’s amazing how one incident in Akshay’s life gave birth to a story idea which was then made into a film, and now finds itself in the most reputed library. I think life’s come a full circle."

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Nisha Kothari covers up her sexy image


Did any one miss what Nisha Kothari tried to communicate Bollywood with all of her Ram Gopal Varma films? The blue-eyed girl had made sure that she was considered bold and sexy. But recently the actress was found putting up a different tone to her image. When the press came to snap her pictures on the sets of Ramu’s next ‘Go’. She asked the press to wait and went to change the mini skirt which she was wearing and came out in something ‘less revealing’- a red jacket and a denim Capri. That’s when the sudden change dawned on the press. Well…good way to make a statement.

Naqaab Moview Review






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. Add to this the lethargic pace of the narrative — almost a heresy for a thriller — and you begin to count your yawns before its curtain call. Also, the twist isn’t tantalising enough to jerk you out from your seats, hence the enervation as you watch newcomer Urvashi do a tango for three, first with billionaire Bobby Deol and then with wannabe actor Akshaye Khanna. Officially betrothed to Bobby, our Burger King delivery girl suddenly discovers a passion for penniless Akshaye, maybe because he drinks wine from a mug, like her dad. And the passion, like the wine, threatens to spill over in a clandestine encounter just before the billionaire and the burger girl exchange their marriage vows.


Nothing wrong with that, no? Except that there’s a secret camera following them all around. Obviously Bollywood’s greatly inspired by television these days; too many sting operations and reality shows showing up on the big screen too. Of the three, it’s Urvashi who charms you with her breezy act, leaving behind Akshaye and Bobby longing for more to do. And, unlike most of Abbas Mustan’s earlier films, the audio track is almost pathetic here. Nah! this one ain’t going to turn the current tide of Bollywood flops.

Deepika Padukone hits headlines for love


Deepika Padukone is not just making news because of her debut with Shahrukh Khan but also because of her love life, which looks very vibrant.

First the damsel was found in the arms of Nihar Pandey, but after she met Ranbir Kapoor the wind seemed changing tracks. However, Nihar stayed as a good friend. Now that the kapoor family is very unhappy about the close relation, Deepika is back in Nihar Pandey’s arms. And Ranbir is just her friend. Hmm…life is not a Bollywood story baby! If you ask me these are teach tactics…but who’s asking me. I am just a writer!

Friday, July 13, 2007

Bipasha denies the lip lock with Ronaldo



This is what Bipasha had to say about her and Ronaldo’s lip lock news, “All the joy of that meeting with my favorite footballer has evaporated. 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? 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. 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.”

Rituparna Sen is on a roll


It’s the first time a Bengali film has been extensively shot in the UK, as well as the first time that a Bong film is running to packed multiplexes in Kolkatta.

"Touchwood, Anuranon is doing really well, and now the makers are planning to release the film in Hindi," says National Award winning actress Rituparna Sen. "This will really take Bengali films to another level, and it’s high-time such films receive the credit that is due to them," she adds.

After matching emoting skills with Rahul Bose in Anuranon, Rituparna is busy with Saab Chai Paani, where she’s cast with Om Puri.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Bipasha caught kissing Ronaldo


With the new seven wonders list being announced Bipa sha has grabbed back headlines so much so that she has to give explanation to the unguarded acts that were caught on camera by media. Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Bipasha got really cozy with each other during the post-event party. Digital Spy quoted a sources saying, “Cristiano and Bipasha were all over each other. If he has got a girlfriend she was the last thing on his mind. They were kissing and he was being very tender, cupping her face and staring into her eyes.” So did Bips deny the news? She didn’t instead she said, Yes it is me (in the picture). The picture was taken at an opportune moment and taken out of context and again it looks like a case of irresponsible assumptions.” Let us see what John Abraham has to say on this. Well, well, well Bips, I guess Bollywood has to get used to public kissing sessions after all!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Shakira goes straight


Last Saturday, Shakira might have done her bit to help raise awareness about global warming by performing at the Live Earth concert in Germany.

But shocking her fans, curvy Shakira stepped onstage minus her trademark curly hair, which she had had straightened, casting a palpable ‘global cooling’ among her hardcore fans. So, has the new and straight Shakira become less hotter than we would like her to be? Our very own sultans of the scissors give us their take on Shakira’s new hairdo...

Aalim: To think of Shakira without curls is sacrilegious. They go so well with her voluptuous, sexy body. I have nothing against straightened hair, but they lend a more classy, elegant image as opposed to Shakira’s brazen-n-bold beauty.

Sapna Bhavnani: I hate her straight hair. It looks so boring and limp. Jawed Habib: Her new look will take some time getting used to because it shows a much softer, demure Shakira that none of us have seen till now. But this look of Shakira may create a new trend of sorts.

Dilshad Pastakia: I think Shakira is stunning and yes, the curls were synonymous with her, but I think she’d carry off any look very well.