Ajay Devgan-Salman Khan starrer taken over by Vipul Shah

London Dreams, the film starring Ajay Devgan and Salman Khan, has been taken over by Vipul Shah. The film was earlier to be finished by Raj Kumar Santoshi, and released already. However the film's in-limbo and stalled status has led to director-producer Vipul Shah stepping in now.

It is believed the stars are being asked to relinquish parts of their fees in order for the project to roll in some reasonable schedule now. Salman Khan has already relented to this end. London Dreams was at one point said to be releasing in early 2007. The film is another look at Punjabis in Britain.

The search is on for a heroine.
Source-ibosnetwork.com

I always get nervous working with Salman: Kareena

Kareena Kapoor, who's been on a high since the release of Jab We Met, finally started shooting a new film "Main Aur Mrs. Khanna" with Salman Khan. She says the idea of working with her "sister's co-star" makes her nervous.

"Although we've done Priyadarshan's Kyon Ki... before, I always get nervous working with Salman. He was my sister's hero long before we were paired together. And now to be doing a film with him," Kareena told IANS.

Kareena started shooting on Tuesday at Film City at the outskirts of Mumbai.

Kareena and Salman were expected to serenade to immortality in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, but the film never happened.

She was also signed for Salman's home production My Punjabi Nikaah. That never happened either.

Kareena chuckles in disbelief.

"Main Aur Mrs Khanna is an intensely romantic film. I don't think Salman has done a pure love story like this before. Neither have I. Sohail is also in the film."

Interestingly, this is the first time in her distinguished career that Kareena will be working with a debutant director Prem Soni.

"He's very talented. It wouldn't matter even if he wasn't - I'm doing it for Salman," said Kareena emotionally.

It's Hrithik versus Salman on small screen

Mumbai : Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan is the "goodwill ambassador" for NDTV Imagine's new musical show `Junoon-Kuchh Kar Dikhanaane Ka' which will aired from June six, the same day when actor Salman Khan makes his debut on small screen as the host of `Dus Ka dum' on Sony TV.

`Junoon' will be telecast every Friday and Saturday at 2030 hours while `Dus Ka Dum' will be aired on same days at 2100 hours from June six.

Hrithik will lend its support to the show celebrating its cultural and artistic diversity and will also perform with the participants on the first episode. However, he will appear on the show during important occasions and not every week.

Announcing Hrithik's association with the show, Shailja Kejriwal, Executive Vice-President (Content) NDTV Imagine said in a statement that Hrithik's role is very unique--he is not a host, judge or a performer. He is here to lend support to the participants.

"What makes this association special is that we truely believe that he embodies the spirit of `Junoon' and epitomises the passion which is present in all the talented artistes that are part of the show. He symbolises the personality of the show brilliantly," she added.

Hrithik said he can identify with the participants and their desire to achieve success with their god given talent. "I relate to their positive and exuberant spirit because I believe that I have a similar junoon -be it my work or personal life," he said.

Gajendra Singh, producer of the show said Hrithik's passion, talent, spirit and commitment are great motivators.

Kejriwal said `Junoon' will have three teams and each will have six contestants and will be mentored by an eminent personality from the music industry-- Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for Sufiteam, Ila Arun for folk team and Anand Raj Anand for filmy team.

'Not my fault if I look like Hrithik'

Debutant actor Harman Baweja and Hrithik Roshan

Debutant actor Harman Baweja has hit the headlines from the day one for his uncanny resemblance to one of Bollywood's superstar Hrithik Roshan. Harman's looks and mannerisms are strikingly similar to Hrithik.

Harman is also Priyanka Chopra's beau and is all set to debut opposite to his lady love in Love Story 2050, which is being described as the costliest Science-fiction film ever made.

However, Harman, who's looks have been compared to Hrithik's Greek god persona ever since he made his first public appearance, does not mind and even adds a dash of humour to all those comparisons.

Harman has said, "It's not my fault. My mom and dad have done that. I have not done any plastic surgery. I believe that every new comer will be compared."

That sounds like Hrithik too! And if the Roshan's are listening they certainly have competition coming their way.

Source-timesnow.tv

Hrithik turns to small screen too!

MUMBAI: After actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda and Salman Khan, it is now Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan's turn to join the reality show bandwagon.

Hrithik has been named the goodwill ambassador of NDTV Imagine's new musical reality show “Junoon - Kuch Kar Dikhaane Ka” scheduled to start June 6.

“I am very pleased to be associated with this show. I can identify with the participants and their desire to achieve success. I can relate to their positive and exuberant spirit because I believe I have a similar enthusiasm - be it for my work or my personal life," the Bollywood star said.

The actor would neither be hosting, judging or performing on the show. Hrithik would instead be a support system for the contending participants and teams on the show.

Commenting on the association, Shailja Kejriwal, executive vice president of NDTV Imagine, said: “Hrithik epitomises the passion, which is present in all the talented artists that are part of the show.”

The show, being hosted by Annu Kapoor of “Antakshari” fame would have three teams - folk, sufi and filmy - contesting to become the country's most popular genre of music.

The teams, each having six contestants, would be mentored by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (sufi), Ila Arun (folk) and Anand Raj Anand (filmy).

IPL becomes Bollywood's latest blockbuster

Built on a mountain of cash from some of India's richest individuals, the IPL began 44 days ago with a vision for the future that seemed almost as crackpot as the idea that India would boast one of the world's booming economies.

Suspicion and scepticism greeted its beginning, but ever since Brendon McCullum set alight the opening match, the tournament has gathered strength and exceeded expectations. "It has been an unprecedented blockbuster," said one of the franchise owners, Vijay Mallya - and his Bangalore team bombed dismally.

The tournament culminates in the IPL play-off weekend, ending with tomorrow's final, where the organisers will be desperate to show the world their gleaming new toy. VIPs gathered from the world of cricket will be told how the IPL have broken their own targets in the first year.

The franchises expected to break even after year three. For the majority, it has happened in year one. Television viewing figures are astronomical, even by the standards of a country with a population of more than one billion. The huge advertising revenues have enabled people to ignore the inconvenient fact that 20 to 30 per cent of match tickets have been given away.

Finding a critic of the IPL is hard. The few dissenters within the Indian cricket board have been silenced by the £40 million they are set to make from the IPL's first edition. "It has been sensational," said Kepler Wessels, coach of the Chennai Super Kings. "I've coached and played all over the world and over different eras and this reminds me very much of the Kerry Packer World Series that I played in. That was when cricket became professional and there is a similar vibe here. This has been a tremendous tournament and it will grow from strength to strength."

That strength has been built on decent cricket, looking good for the cameras and appealing to the masses. Preity Zinta, the Bollywood actress and owner of the Punjab franchise, flashes her smile on cue, while one obsessed fan fell from the stands at Eden Gardens trying to get a glimpse of Kolkata owner, the superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

But this is India and cricketers are also kings. New stars have emerged, and predictably, they are mostly Australian. Shaun Marsh, the Western Australian batsman, was a snip at $30,000 (£15,171) for the Kings XI Punjab and is the tournament's leading run scorer with 593. Over at the Rajasthan Royals, Shane Watson has shown what he can do when he stays fit, while Marsh's team-mate Luke Pomersbach has biffed the ball at will.

It is a serious business for the players, who, for the first time in their careers, have had to publicly account for huge salaries.

"I remember lots of lads laughing and joking in the first year of T20, but people are taking it very seriously now," said Jeremy Snape, the former England one-day player who is performance coach for the Rajasthan Royals. "Five years later it is having a big impact on the game."

Off the field the talk is of reconciliation. Players who clashed while competing for their countries have been forced to get on or get out as they share dressing rooms with old foes. There was no greater rivalry than that between Graeme Smith and Warne. But at the end-of-tournament party, held at Mumbai's Grand Hyatt on Thursday night, the pair were seen swapping altogether nicer sentiments.

"So many different combinations have come together," said Warne. "We don't normally get to share ideas and methods and that has been one of the lasting memories for me."

There is one thing missing from the finals weekend - the home side. There were longer queues yesterday afternoon at screenings of the new Indiana Jones movie than there were at the Wankhede Stadium ticket office.

The IPL's decision to hike prices for the day did not help on that front, with the top tickets set at £140. A quick rethink led to a 50 per cent reduction. Swathes of empty seats do not look good on television, and looking good on screen is what really counts.

Built on a mountain of cash from some of India's richest individuals, the IPL began 44 days ago with a vision for the future that seemed almost as crackpot as the idea that India would boast one of the world's booming economies.

IPL is Bollywood's latest blockbuster

Crowd pleaser: Kolkata owner and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan

Suspicion and scepticism greeted its beginning, but ever since Brendon McCullum set alight the opening match, the tournament has gathered strength and exceeded expectations. "It has been an unprecedented blockbuster," said one of the franchise owners, Vijay Mallya - and his Bangalore team bombed dismally.

The tournament culminates in the IPL play-off weekend, ending with tomorrow's final, where the organisers will be desperate to show the world their gleaming new toy. VIPs gathered from the world of cricket will be told how the IPL have broken their own targets in the first year.

The franchises expected to break even after year three. For the majority, it has happened in year one. Television viewing figures are astronomical, even by the standards of a country with a population of more than one billion. The huge advertising revenues have enabled people to ignore the inconvenient fact that 20 to 30 per cent of match tickets have been given away.

Finding a critic of the IPL is hard. The few dissenters within the Indian cricket board have been silenced by the £40 million they are set to make from the IPL's first edition.

"It has been sensational," said Kepler Wessels, coach of the Chennai Super Kings. "I've coached and played all over the world and over different eras and this reminds me very much of the Kerry Packer World Series that I played in. That was when cricket became professional and there is a similar vibe here. This has been a tremendous tournament and it will grow from strength to strength."

That strength has been built on decent cricket, looking good for the cameras and appealing to the masses. Preity Zinta, the Bollywood actress and owner of the Punjab franchise, flashes her smile on cue, while one obsessed fan fell from the stands at Eden Gardens trying to get a glimpse of Kolkata owner, the superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

But this is India and cricketers are also kings. New stars have emerged, and predictably, they are mostly Australian. Shaun Marsh, the Western Australian batsman, was a snip at $30,000 (£15,171) for the Kings XI Punjab and is the tournament's leading run scorer with 593. Over at the Rajasthan Royals, Shane Watson has shown what he can do when he stays fit, while Marsh's team-mate Luke Pomersbach has biffed the ball at will.

It is a serious business for the players, who, for the first time in their careers, have had to publicly account for huge salaries.

"I remember lots of lads laughing and joking in the first year of T20, but people are taking it very seriously now," said Jeremy Snape, the former England one-day player who is performance coach for the Rajasthan Royals. "Five years later it is having a big impact on the game."

Off the field the talk is of reconciliation. Players who clashed while competing for their countries have been forced to get on or get out as they share dressing rooms with old foes. There was no greater rivalry than that between Graeme Smith and Warne. But at the end-of-tournament party, held at Mumbai's Grand Hyatt on Thursday night, the pair were seen swapping altogether nicer sentiments.

"So many different combinations have come together," said Warne. "We don't normally get to share ideas and methods and that has been one of the lasting memories for me."

There is one thing missing from the finals weekend - the home side. There were longer queues yesterday afternoon at screenings of the new Indiana Jones movie than there were at the Wankhede Stadium ticket office.

The IPL's decision to hike prices for the day did not help on that front, with the top tickets set at £140. A quick rethink led to a 50 per cent reduction. Swathes of empty seats do not look good on television, and looking good on screen is what really counts.

Lalu wins 1 Crore on SRK's Paanchvi Paas

Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain

Shahrukh Khan and Lalu Prasad Yadav share one thing in common, their habit of giving out witty one liners. So when the Railway Minister participated in SRK's Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai the audience had a lot to cheer about. The grand finale episode of the first season could not have had a more popular participant.

Shahrukh who was eager to meet Lalu for a very long time started the episode by calling himself a fan of Lalu. Leaving up to his great sense of humour, Lalu replied by calling himself SRK's 'air-conditioner'. The Railway Minister was sharper than the audience expected him to be and answered all the questions without using the cheat option.

In the end Lalu managed to win a whooping Rs 1 Crore which he later donated to a railway charity fund. During the show Lalu shared some interesting stories from his school life. The episode promises to be the most entertaining of the season featuring the Baadshah of Bollywood and the political showman of India.

Jannat revives cricket in Bollywood

Barring a select few like Lagaan and Chak De! India, movies based on the sports theme have hardly clicked at the box-office.

But the Emraan Hashmi starrer Jannat, about match fixing in cricket, has proved the world wrong.

Released with 317 prints on 700 screens across the country, the film produced by Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt has completed two weeks and in Mumbai alone it has garnered more than Rs 20.5 million.

The film's all India collection is about Rs 200 million and the movie has already made profits, considering that it was made on a modest budget of Rs 100 million.

Approaching the third week of its run in 47 cinemas in Mumbai, it continues to draw house-full crowds.

Ashok Ahuja, director of Percept Picture Company which is the distributor of the film, gave credit to the marketing strategy for its success.

"The out of the box marketing strategy has played an important role in the success of the film. Though it had only one star, we changed the perception of the film through marketing and it has paid off," said Ahuja.

He also claimed that it was the first hit of the year in the true sense.

"Although people say Race, etc, are hits, the distributors of those films barely recovered the money. Only producers earned profit. But as far as Jannat is concerned, both the distributors and sub-distributors have earned profits."

This is also Emraan's first big hit after duds like Awarapan, The Train and Good Boy, Bad Boy.

"It's for the first time that an Emraan Hashmi film was released with so many prints in the country," added Ahuja.
The money largely went into adding production values - a commercial need the Bhatts realised belatedly.

"It is the film's making in totality, which has made it appealing to the audience. We knew it would be a big hit and it is, is it not?" quipped Mukesh Bhatt.

According to him, Jannat will also have a longer run in Pakistan where it is running successfully at present.

Since cricket is a popular fodder in the Indian subcontinent, the Bhatts chose the appropriate time to release the movie - just when the Indian Premier League cricket matches reached the crescendo with the elimination process starting for a place in the semi final.

As no other major movies were released with Jannat - as producers feared the IPL would rob their chances at the box-office - it found the field open to itself and the movie being cricket-centric proved a boon.

Actors turned directors in Bollywood

There’s no doubt that our film industry is full of talented people. Bollywood has a wide range of versatile actors who go much beyond their acting field. They have also tried their hands on direction. While some actor-turned-directors became a hit, some bombed at the box office too.

We are talking here about the finest actor of our film fraternity, our very own Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan. Aamir is stated to be one of the best actors we have got in our industry. He is a perfectionist, an achiever and a fighter too. He has proved that he is the future of the country and he is here to stay for a long time. He has always got into the skin of each of his character and gives the best. Aamir has not just shown his versatility in acting but also by directing one of the finest films of last year ‘Taare Zameen Par’. The film proved how sensible and sensitive Aamir is. Aamir was awarded the best director of the year. He surely is one guy whom we can call the Jack of all trades.

A star is launched: Harman Baweja

What do Ashutosh Gowarikar, Karan Johar, Goldie Behl and Madhur Bhandarkar have in common apart from the fact that they are directors? Well, they all have a common leading lady for their forthcoming films in the form of the gorgeous Priyanka Chopra. And so smitten are they by the actress’s commitment towards her work that they made sure they were present right in time at the music launch of ‘Love Story: 2050’, a film that is close to Priyanka’s heart since it marks the debut of close friend Harman Baweja.

Music launches are star-studded affairs and this one was no exception. But what made it special was the presence of family well-wishers, the likes of which included Raveena Tandon who looked as smashing as she walked in with hubby Anil Thadani and Sonali Bendre who charmed everyone as she wished her very best to Harman who is extremely close to the Behl family.

Bollywood speaks on IPL

Sushmita

Cricket does different things to people.

The action on the field, the edge-of-the-seat, last-ball finishes bring out the boys in men watching the sport. While the sweat and dressing room gossip make women go weak in the knees. The Indian Premier League (IPL), which goes into its semi-final stage today, brought plenty of such excitement into our living rooms for the past month. Now the time has come to separate the champions from the also-rans, the men from boys. Which team will be the T20 championship winner, the final will decide on Sunday. But which IPL player wins the ladies’ vote for being the hottest player of the championship... BT will help you decide. And joining us in this task are some of

Bollywood’s hot and glamorous women who know a thing or two about men... if not cricketers.
Sushmita Sen, an avid cricket enthusiast who’s been following the IPL with great gusto, says Shane Watson is the hottest cricket star emerging this year. “He is definitely hot. With a winning attitude and killer looks to match,” she says. The sexy Malaika Arora-Khan, sister Amrita Arora and sister-in-law Alvira Khan, agree that Watson’s the cricketer who makes them go weak in the knees. “There is no doubt, he’s the hottest. And he has performed like a dream,” say all three.

There are more votes in favour of the Aussie cricketer and if Shane Watson ever thought of switching careers, he would be most comfortable in Bollywood. Leading lady Dia Mirza and the lovely Urmila Matondkar are thrilled that Team Rajasthan, which came in without any hype, has played some of the IPL’s best cricket and attracted so much attention. Both think Aussie bad boy Shane Warne was an inspiring captain... but it’s Shane Watson who sets their blood on fire. Joining them in his praise is the pretty Vidya Balan who says, “I’m not such a cricket enthusiast, but when I saw Shane Watson playing, I couldn’t take my eyes of him. What a good looker! And that killer instinct... it makes him the hottest among all.”

Interestingly, Delhi Daredevils’ Gautam Gambhir too has supporters in Amrita Rao and Urmila again. “He’s not just stylish but also a cricketer who sets trends. I think he rocked the T-20 World Cup too,” says Amrita. Urmila agrees, but on Gambhir’s performance at the crease, not his sex appeal, “I think Gambhir’s batting steals the show.” Then there’s Team Chennai captain and India’s ODI skipper M S Dhoni, the IPL’s most costly player, who has made Shilpa Shetty fall in love with him. “His calm demeanour is so infectious. He plays superbly and the icing on the cake is his great style,” says Shilpa.

If these Bollywood hotties have given Shane Watson their vote, Priyanka Chopra and Bipasha Basu can’t make up their minds... but that’s only because they haven’t been able to give the IPL all their attention. “But next time we will,” said both actresses when told they had to pick the hottest cricketer from among all eight teams. And at the other end of the scale is Riya Sen who’s not a Watson, Warne or Dhoni fan. She thinks her close friend and Team Mohali captain, the hunky Yuvraj Singh is the most irrestible player of all. “He’s hot and he’s got all that it takes to be a great player,” is Riya’s verdict.

Promotion of Bollywood film ‘Mission Istanbul’ held in Mumbai

Promotion of Bollywood Film ‘Mission Istanbul’ was recently held during the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) fashion extravaganza news conference in Mumbai.

Present at the occasion were Bollywood stars Vivek Oberoi, Zayed Khan, Shweta and Niketan Dhir and leading fashion designers Vikram Phadnis and Manish Malhotra.

Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Sunil Shetty and Shabbir Boxwala have jointly produced the film ‘Mission Istanbul’ which is written and directed by Apoorva Lakhia, who is known for his films like Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost, Ek Ajnabee and Shootout at Lokhandwala.

Apoorva Lakhia’s film stars Vivek Oberoi, Shriya Saran, Zayed Khan, Sunil Shetty and Shabbir Ahluwalia besides many others.

Mission Istanbul is the story of a journalist being played by Bollywood actor Zayed Khan who is offered a job by Suniel Shetty in Istanbul.

Zayed Khan who had put on 11 kilograms to weigh 75 kilograms for the first time in his life spoke about his hectic workout schedule at the behest of Apoorva Lakhia.

Yes, I have really gained weight for this film but it was only on the request of my director at the end of the day these three months were very painful. I had to really workout double and eat the right foods and not associate to any chocolates or to any intoxicating drinks. So it was really hard for me considering I love life and I love to live. I have many good habits as I do have bad, said Zayed.

Vivek Oberoi who made his debut in Ram Gopal Varma’s film Company said that he had really worked hard for this film and was excited about it too.

We are very excited as we have worked very hard for the film ‘Mission Istanbul’ which is releasing on July 11. As you all know that IFFA, is a big platform for interaction with media and with our fans. We are happy that Mission Istanbul’ will be showcased on the big screen and we all will be doing live performances on the music of the film and will be promoting its songs. So we will be performing on the stage and we are very excited about it, said Vivek.

Music of the film has been rendered by Annu Malik, which is slated for a July release.

This year IIFA Weekend 2008 is being held from June 6-8 in Bangkok. The highlight of this year’s event will be the spectacular Idea IIFA Awards, which are considered amongst the most-watched global annual events.

IIFA is a movement that brings together the worlds of Indian and International cinema and business on a common global platform.

Bollywood IIFA awards go to Bangkok

After being held in Yorkshire last year, 2008's International Indian Film Awards (IIFAs) will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from June 6. Why Bangkok? Amitabh Bachchan, brand ambassador of the IIFAs explains: “The idea is to move to different parts of the universe, to try and make this a global effort; to build bridges rather than just make this another awards ceremony.”

Director Karan Johar will host the IIFAs award ceremony. Actors Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, and Govinda are confirmed to attend. The highlight will be the premiere of Sarkar Raj, the Godfather remake, which reunites all three Bachchans – Amitabh, his son Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan – after their last screen appearance in Bunty aur Babli.

Bachchan is also excited about his upcoming Unforgettable World Tour which will be unveiled in Toronto from July 18. “We are going to Europe and America and the West Indies; Trinidad is one of the places.” In addition to the Bachchans, Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta and Ritesh Deshmukh are confirmed to appear in the song and dance extravaganza. Madhuri Dixit, the leading actress of the 90s, will be joining the global show. Dixit confirms: “We are in talks.”

Putting on weight

Aishwarya Rai looked stunning in her various appearances on the red carpet at this year’s Cannes Film Festival so it is a mystery as to why she has been told to lose weight. Tamil director Shankar has allegedly asked Ash to revert to her stick-thin Dhoom 2 look for her forthcoming Robot. Her secretary confirms: “The weight loss is necessary because Ash had put on weight for her role in ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.” Has marital bliss led the self-confessed foodie to pile on the pounds or is a baby B on the way? Let’s wait and see!

Cowboy Khan

“The first horse I rode was called Charlie and he was really cute,” Salman Khan reveals. “Once the saddle broke and he smiled at me as if daring to ride bareback and I did!” Khan’s latest horse is called Maximus and it is one of four which he has stabled at his farmhouse. Khan is perfecting his riding skills for his role in the forthcoming Veer. It is not the Bollywood version of this week’s release Zoo which deals with people who share a predilection for animals.

Goa lovers

The recent tragic murder of a British teenager in Goa has not deterred Bollywood and international celebrities from vacationing and even buying holiday homes in the Indian state. Meg Ryan recently spent a week in the former Portuguese colony. Akshay Kumar bought a bungalow near to the famous Anjuna Beach and the latest to gush about Goa is former Miss Universe turned Bollywood actress Lara Dutta. “I plan to spend my weekends and holidays with my family at this second home. I love Goa!”

Indiana John

After cutting his trademark long locks for his recent release Goal, John Abraham will sport a new look for his forthcoming Aashayein. John will adopt the Indiana Jones outfit as both the director Nagesh Kukunoor and John are major fans of the series. Kukunoor openly admits that it was only after watching Raiders of the Lost Ark that he decided to become a director.

Just good friends

Is former Miss World turned Bollywood hottie Priyanka Chopra dating her Love Story 2050 co-star Harman Baweja? Chopra, in true Bollywood fashion, denied this: “He’s a good friend; I am friends with all my co-stars. I don’t call Harman at 4 in the morning.” Baweja, on the other hand, was not so boringly discreet when he was asked to name his one 4am friend: “Priyanka Chopra.”

Just close friends

It looks like the Aamir Khan-Shah Rukh Khan blog war is over. Last week Aamir apologised for any offence he may have caused by revealing that his pet dog was called Shah Rukh. “The blog was just in good humour. My sincere apologies to all who were disturbed by that posting. There is no misunderstanding between Shah Rukh and me. We are close friends.”

Roadies winner heads to Bollywood

Young dhaba owner Ashutosh Kaushik's life has taken a U-turn since he won the just-concluded fifth season of MTV's reality show Roadies last week. Now he is set to try his luck in Bollywood.

"I'm feeling great after winning. I am in Mumbai now and will be joining acting classes soon. I want to act in films," Ashu said. He hails from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh where he owns a roadside eatery.

The 27-year-old, who has won an expensive Hero Honda Karizma bike and Rs.230,000, gives the credit of his win to his fellow contestant Sonel, by whom he was totally smitten.

Sonel, a model by profession, always stood by Ashu through the game.

"Sonel was a dumb player but is more intelligent than most others on the show. She is my special friend and, yes, I still have to go on a date with her. Our relationship is very much on and I am really grateful to her," he revealed.

The show is now over and Ashu does not get to see much of Sonel but speaks to her whenever they have the time.

Although rejected in the Delhi and Lucknow auditions, he didn't lose hope and went to Jaipur for the audition and got selected.

On being asked whether he has plans of expanding his dhaba into a swanky restaurant, he said: "A restaurant won't do well where my dhaba is. And at the moment I am not so well-off that I can open a good restaurant anywhere."

"Even my film's website is futuristic" - Harman Baweja

It is not just Love Story 2050, season's biggest and most spectacular release, which is on the right path of being a 'futuristic' launch for Harman Baweja. Even film's website is, as per the newcomer. Harman Baweja talks to Joginder Tuteja about the 'futuristic' website.

Why the effort?
Why not, I would ask? For a movie which is set in future, has a sci-fi theme, talks about flying cars, 200 storey buildings, a revamped Mumbai, robots, a love story and of course red hair (chuckles), you can't have a mushy looking conventional website with red rose petals dominating the screen! You can't have a fluorescent/glossy look and feel to justify a love story which belongs to a different era. And of course, you can't have captions of 'When Two Hearts Meet etc. etc. etc.'!

So what was the idea?
Clichéd as may it sound but the fact was that while working on the promotional design for the film, I was set thinking around how to make the film's website turn out to be a cut above the rest! How could I actually have it set in a futuristic mode? How could I have it designed in a way that the love story theme could be amalgamated with a setting 40 years from now? Net net, how could it turn out to be different (in true sense) from anything that surfers would have seen in a Bollywood film website.

Cool idea, but how about execution?
I was in talks with Bollywood Hungama team for promotional tie ups. This is when the suggestion around designing a site like this came up. I had a vision, they had the skills and together we sat down on a plan. I was amazed with the way the team out there started putting the plan on paper and then from paper to actual visuals.

We deliberated upon the kind of stuff we wanted to have on a very frequent basis and in just a matter of 2 months, we were ready with the final version. Yes, 2 months sounds a little on the higher side here but then we have to also see that this wasn't a basic HTML/flash website for a regular film which could perhaps be readied in a jiffy. We were talking about something which hadn't been attempted before, just like the movie, and considering that, I am amazed that we could still get so much done so soon.

What makes the website special?
See it to believe it, that's all I would say for now (smiles)! The moment you enter it, you would realize it for yourself that you have marched into a different space altogether, pun intended. And by the way, it is not going to be like 'one single click and voila, I am in the site'. You would have to have a permutation and combinations of clicks to enable you to crack a code which would allow you success.

A friend of mine took 2 minutes to crack it though. He created a record - well, that of being the slowest cracker ever! And guess what, he is an IT professional! I am sure regular surfers would be able to do it much faster.

Movie v/s Website
Website took 2 months to make; the film took us 3 years. Doesn't that tell the tale? The point here is, don't try to judge the enormity of the movie through the website. The website is great but at the end of the day, it is mainly a promotional vehicle. What you would see on the big screen would certainly be far more grandeur than what you see on your 14-inch monitor. The clips you see on the website are mainly 2D while in movie there are ton leads of 3D graphics. To put it right, the website here mainly acts as a teaser to give you an idea around what bigger to expect!

How about some website promotion?
Yes, for the first time in the history of Indian cinema, especially after the advent of websites being made for Hindi movies, we have great plans to promote the website itself. We have designed 15 second teasers around the website itself and these would be out on all prominent websites. These teasers would indicate what to expect from the Love Story 2050 website which we are making LIVE soon. We are arriving with a bang and once the website would be up, we won't be leaving it just till that. We would be continuing to upload newer stuff on a frequent basis to make it the most happening site of the season!

Sarkar Raj to kick off IIFA weekend in Thailand

Amitabh Bachchan starrer "Sarkar Raj" will kick off the 9th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards starting from June 6 in Bangkok.

The annoucement was made here Wednesday.

"I am delighted that my film Sarkar Raj is being premiered at the prestigious IIFA awards and am eagerly looking forward to this splendid event," Amitabh, the IIFA brand ambassador, told media.

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, the film also stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Ra. The three day event will end on June 8 with handing out of the awards .

The event is expected to draw Bollywood fans to Bangkok from around the region and to generate more business between India and Thailand. The two countries have signed a trade agreement.

The IIFA Weekend Bangkok is being sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Dusit Thani Hotel group, Siam Niramit Co, Indorama Group and the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Saif Ali Khan latest film's music release

Saif Ali Khan at music launch of "Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic"

After Tashan's box office failure, the Chopra's have pinned their hopes on their next. Saif Rani-starrer "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic". So, let's check out what's the 'pyaar' and what's the 'magic' all about from none other than actor Saif Ali Khan.

Saif Ali Khan speaking about the music after its launch said, "I think the music is quite different from the music of other films. It is always nice to see Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy playing music on stage. There is a nice blend between the movie and its music."

Talking about the movie, Saif said, "The movie is about the four orphans, and I play the role of a stern businessman and a loner who is not used to dealing with kids. A moment comes where I need to deal with others. Rani plays the character of God or angel. The character I play is attractive since we never se him in a comfortable situation."

Speaking further about his role, and asked whether he plays the role of a bad boy, Saif explained, "It is not really the role of a bad boy."

Saif has some appreciative words for the four kids who were part of the movie. Saif said, "It is nice to work with them. It was always fun and very easy."

On the question of working with director Kunal Kohli, Saif elaborated, "He is tremendous film maker, and as a person he is much more chilled out. I always have success with him and also tremendous experience. We both got along really well specially since "Hum Tum".

Source-timesnow.tv

Harman versus Imraan- The battle of the debutants

Aamir Khan is determined to make a success out of his nephew Imraan's career, come what may. And even if that means taking on the competition headlong, so be it. Anything for family, seems to be the marketing motto, as Harry Baweja puts in 80-crore plus Priyanka in the hi-fi sci-fi Love Story 2050 to ensure his son's super success on July 4.

Enter Aamir Khan with nephew Imraan's Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and on same Friday as Harman's debut. "The Bawejas were shocked," says a source close to the film. "They had planned and strategized their film's release almost six months in advance. They had spoken to all their potential competitors from Salman and God Tussi Great Ho to Ram Gopal Varma and Sarkar Raj to Apoorva Lakhia 's Mission Istanbul and Aziz Mirza's Kismat Konnection to Yashraj and Tips. Harman called them up personally to make sure his film comes on a freed Friday. Then suddenly Aamir showed up to create an almost Saawariya-Om Shanti Om crisis. Jaane Tu's release was nowhere in sight when Love Story 2050 was announced. Suddenly they came out of the blue! "

Harry Baweja made a panic call to Aamir. Says the source, "Harry Baweja knows Aamir from the time he did B. Subhash's Love Love Love where Harry was an assistant director. Ever since then they've been in touch. When they spoke, Aamir told Harry he was indeed thinking of coming on 4 July. The reason given was that Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap in which Imraan has a key role was coming on July 25. Aamir reasoned that Imraan couldn't have two releases too close to one another. Later, the Bawejas were horrified to know that Kidnap was scheduled for August 22. Harry urged Aamir to move his film to July 11. But Aamir is adamant. "

Incidentally, Genelia Dsouza who plays Imraan's leading lady is also Harman's girl in his second release Victory. "The Bawejas first trailer started on a Sunday. That same day a blog went up saying 'Imraan Versus Harman'. That's when the Bawejas first came to know that the Khans were planning to release on the same day. Since then there has been a systematic campaign to bring down Harman on the blogs with comments like 'Harman looks gay'. He looks like a lot of things. But not gay. One of the blogs comments cattily on actors like Hrithik Roshan and Harman Baweja relying on their physique. Someone even broke into a website (wikipedia.com) sponsoring Harman's film and defaced it. They even changed Harman's picture to an unidentifiable man, and said the film was budgeted at 60,000 rupees and was to be released for 30 seconds in July 1950. The Bawejas traced the defacers to Delhi. The identity of the hackers was used just once, to deface Harman's face."

Harman smiles off all the competition. "Healthy competition is always welcome. I'd rather focus on my work. We've just started the promotion of our first song. It's one of the costliest songs ever filmed."

Age no bar, men dig SRK's 6-packs

AHMEDABAD: Let's call it is the SRK syndrome. Months after Shah Rukh Khan flaunted his six-pack abs in dard-e-disco in blockbuster Om Shanti Om , teens, youth and middle-aged alike are slugging it out, afflicted by the obsession to get six-packs a la SRK!

"Six pack joiye che!," gym instructors say this is the first thing men, irrespective of their age say when they join the gym these days.

"It's a rage. In our gym, be it a 16-year-old teenager or a senior gentleman over 50, all want six pack abs. We have a 58-year-old gentleman who is working his way out towards six-packs," says Nikhil Vaswani of Wellocity, the newly opened hi-end gym in Satellite.

Vivek Khare, 42, is heavily inspired by SRK who, he feels, has shown those approaching middle age that they need not sport a bulky middle! "SRK's abs have influenced me 95 per cent to join the gym. He is like Baba Ramdev for people like us, especially the ones above the age of 40," says Khare who puts in over an hour-and-a-half at the gym daily to reach his goal.

Experts say youngsters in their 20s take six to eight months to develop six-packs while men over 40 may take nearly a year as they cannot be put on gruelling ab exercises which can wreak havoc on their backs stressed out by sedentary corporate life! Mayur Patel, a 50-year-old businessman, has hired a personal trainer to tighten his middle. "If SRK and Shekhar Suman can do it, so can I," says Shah, who has taken the slow and steady approach.

"Shah Rukh Khan's abs have made men above 40 think that the target is achievable. It's a trend that is propelling people towards fitness," says fitness programmer Dr Bhargav Upadhyay.

Youngsters say six-pack abs are magnets to attract the fair sex towards them. "When girls look at a man with six-pack abs they believe that the guy is hard-working, committed, focused and works towards achieving his goals. In a way, it reflects his personality," reasons Amit Singh, a 21-year-old from Bopal.

The long haul, however, comes between many aspirants and the six-packs. "We have a lot of young people wanting to get six-pack abs in a month and eat their pizzas too. It's is hard work," says Kulin Rana, director, Studio dè physique.

‘Bollywood must produce less films’

Raghav Sachar, touted as India’s first multi-instrument pop star, is not happy with the Bollywood scene today. He thinks there are too many films releasing in Bollywood. With more films, comes more music. And that is deteriorating the quality of composition. And unlike the West, where music composers are valued more than singers for their originality and effort, they lose out on their identity in the big melee here.

Raghav says, “The number of films produced in India should be cut drastically. Every production house producing 30 films should concentrate on making just four. That will bring some much needed originality in film music.”

Raghav, who has composed music for films like Sunday, Kabul Express and the recent Haal E Dil, is disappointed with the fact that music composers are widely ignored during the film’s promotions as actors steal all the limelight.

“In India every credit goes to the actor, more so due to the illiteracy of the audience. In Bollywood everything is actor-centric and this is a big disadvantage to cinema,” he says.

Raghav, who is in talks with Yash Raj and Popcorn for a couple of films this year, wants to stick to these banners because he thinks that other production houses interfere too much in the work of music directors.
He says, “The kind of creative freedom that Yash Raj gives is found nowhere else.”

Raghav is also not too happy with the fact that many singers are opting for singing remixes as a short cut to launch themselves in the music world. He says, “Remixes are definitely overkill. Since there is already an original track and composition, all that the singer does is to rearrange the track.”

However, he thinks that there is no future for classical music in the market. He says the target audience of music companies has changed and fusions and international blends are the types of music that appeal to the audience.

His disappointment has reached such a level that he wants to deviate to acting. “I have been getting so many offers to act. But unfortunately they are all for second leads. After taking acting classes for quite some time now, I think I am ready to audition for lead roles,” he says.

And when asked what kind of role he would like, he shoots back, “Maybe roles in films that revolve around music and rock stars.”

Shah Rukh backs tax breaks for Bollywood

Mumbai, May Shah Rukh Khan wants the entertainment industry to be put on the concurrent list so it can enjoy tax concessions under central regulations.

“It has become necessary to bring in the entertainment industry under the concurrent list so that it can be governed by central rules and enjoy tax concessions announced by the latter from time to time,” he said in a statement, before releasing a study on entertainment and media by Assocham.

The industry now comes under the state government.

Shah Rukh also called for the removal of value-added tax (VAT) and service tax on the entertainment industry.

Assocham president Venugopal Dhoot is known to be close to Shah Rukh, who is brand ambassador for his company Videocon.

According to the Finance Act, 2007, the central excise department has issued notices for recovery of service tax from the film and entertainment industry in cases of renting, leasing and letting out immovable properties.

“The film industry is burdened with various types of taxes and fees imposed by the state government. The Centre should exempt transactions between producers and distributors,” the study said.

Shah Rukh and Assocham are being backed by several producers’ bodies. “There is a need for a uniform entertainment tax across the country,” said Anil Nagrath of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association. “Retaining the industry on the state list deprives the tax concession given by the Centre,” said the study.

The study said the 12 per cent VAT was too high. “Producers are put under heavy burden and if waiving of VAT is not possible, it should be brought down to four per cent,” said Dhoot.

Bollywood stars to walk the ramp at IIFA on June 7

Mumbai, May Bollywood stars are set to walk the ramp alongside Thai models on June seven at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) fashion extravanganza in Bangkok, where prominent Indian and Thai designers will present their latest fashion lines.
Sabbas Joseph, Director of Wizcraft, the company which organises the IIFA weekend, said the fashion event will be hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar and will showcase designs by Thai brands Alta Moda, Mufti and Indian designers Sabyasachi, Rohit Bal, Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis.

He said the show will be choreographed by Luba Adams. Vidya Balan will add elegance to Sabyasachi's line while Kareena Kapoor will up the glam quotient for Manish Malhotra's designs.

The cast of forthcoming film "De Tali" ---Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh, Ayesha Takia will walk the ramp for Vikram Phadnis while the 'Love Story 2050" couple Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja will be the show stoppers for Rohit Bal.

Also, "Mission Istanbul" cast Zayed Khan,Vivek Oberoi, Shriya Saran, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Nikitin Dheer, Shweta Bharadwaj as well as the "Acid Factory" cast of Dia Mirza, Fardeen Khan, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani will showcase the first look of their respective movies by walking the ramp, Sabbas said.

Proceeds of the extravaganza will go to the IIFA foundation, a charity set up by the academy to support families of the film industry workers who have been adversely affected during the production of a film.

"IIFA believes in continuing this humanitarian mission by raising funds and resources to light up lives with everlasting rays of hope," he added. PTI

A homecoming for Akshay Kumar!

Shooting his film Chandni Chowk To China in Bangkok has been like a homecoming for Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar .

Akshay’s life-story would truly make for an emotional potboiler. Before he came to Mumbai and began his acting career, the actor used to work in Bangkok restaurants where he used to do pretty much everything from waiting tables and cooking food to washing dishes. From there, Akshay has today risen to the status of a sought-after mega star in Hindi film industry, but the man has not forgotten his days of struggle and penury.
When he began shooting Nikhil Advani’s film ‘Chandni Chowk To China’ – which is roughly based on Akki’s own lifestory – in Bangkok, the actor says he felt like returning to his home.

“So much has changed and yet there is so much that is still the same. There are more buildings and flyovers, but the traffic is still a mess that it was. The massages here are still as wonderful and the people are still hospitable,” Akshay is quoted as saying.

While shooting the film in Bangkok, Akki decided to catch up on his past and visited a restaurant where he used to work as a waiter. The actor couldn’t control his emotions as he walked through the same place where he had struggled day and night.

Today, Akshay calls Bangkok his “second home”. He thinks it is the most humble city in the world where people are happy sitting on the beach, selling coconuts or getting massages.

With ‘Chandni Chowk To China’ Akki is returning to action after a long gap of five years. The actor says his son Aarav inspires him to do more action roles.
Source-apunkachoice.com

Lekha Washington Bowled over by King Khan

Not only the regional cricketers but aspiring actors and vee-jays are also getting benefited by the cricket revolution brought about in the country by the shortened form of cricket.

Being a field anchor for Sony Max in the Indian Premier League has certainly given the cute and stunning former SS music vee-jay Lekha Washington to get the attention of the media players in Bollywood but also gave her a chance to meet and interact with some of greatest cricket players like Shane Warne, Sanath Jayasuuya, Adam Gilchrist etc.

The reason why Lekha will always consider herself lucky to be the field host for SonyMax will be due to the reason that in this first session of the IPL itself, she was presented with a chance to meet up and talk with none other than the badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan.

The upcoming actress will soon be seen in the film 'Jeyam Kondaan' and is also said to have come in focus of the film makers in Bollywood.

She herself has come out with the news that discussions are going on with some film makers but nothing has been finalized.

Although the actress has admitted that she was not able to talk much with Shah Rukh, simply due to the fact seeing the King Khan standing in front of her made her totally dumbstruck and she forgot what she was supposed to talk with him, who knows this chance meeting with the king of Bollywood may prove out to be a lucky star that will shine in the future for Lekha.

SRK's last gift for Knight Riders

Now the recent speculation about a rift in the team-management angered Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan so much that he refused to attend any of Kolkata's home games, and had to be persuaded by the players to attend Sunday's match. Shah Rukh, who was angry with the media for rumour-mongering, signed off by giving his team gold-plated helmets and promising their fans that the next season will be much better for his Knight Riders.

If Shoaib Akhtar or any of the Knight Riders were ever to be marooned on a deserted island, they'd certainly be able to entertain themselves with their new playstations, laptops, speakers and watches, all thanks to Shah Rukh Khan. And now, adding bling to that treasure are the 24 carat gold plated helmets for the entire team.

"The biggest prize that you can have for trying in life is this golden helmet so you can only desire this helmet if you deserve it and I don't think nobody deserves it more than all the young boys and all the men who have played for Knight Riders. I wish I could also have played and got one but lately I have not been allowed on to the field but I'll still try to make it," Shah Rukh said.

Shah Rukh's noble speech was followed by Shoaib's noble intention, which he announced later in the evening during the game against Kings XI Punjab.

"I'll give it to charity or to Mother Teresa. I'll put it on e-bay, collect lots and lots of money and then give it all to charity," the Pakistan pacer said.

So, SRK and his team are still one big happy family with the actor rubbishing reports of a rift with captain and coach. He was also quite categorical in saying that he's not about to abandon his team.

"I have told the children who've bought the Knight Riders t-shirt that in 6 months this t-shirt is going to be small for you but the t-shirt will never make you feel small ever and that can only happen if I stick to it with my passion and belief so all these talks are quite irrelevant."

Shah Rukh Khan signed off by saying that he will stay connected to the city and come back next year with his knights to give Kolkata more reason to cheer and this failed IPL script has made him even more hungry for success.

Bipasha Bonds With Ranbir And Neil

Bipasha Basu has bonded very well with her young co-stars Ranbir Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh .

After a successful pairing with Saif Ali Khan in Race , Bipasha has paired with two newcomers of last year in her upcoming films. She has already shot with Ranbir Kapoor in Italy for Yashraj Films Bachna Ae Haseeno .

Bipasha says she bonded with the young Kapoor scion very well.

“Ranbir is a super-cute and we got along like house on fire,” the sultry actress is quoted as saying in a media report. Bips added that she had a ball working with Ranbir and Siddharth Anand (director) in Italy.

After the Italy schedule, Bipasha flew to Miami to be with her beau John Abraham for a few days before heading to Bangkok to shoot Freeze with Neil Nitin Mukesh.

Bipasha says bonding with Neil is special because he is also a Capricorn like her.

“As for Neil, we're both Capricorns, and like me, Neil is extremely organized,” Bipasha is quoted as saying.

In ‘Freeze’, Bipasha plays a DJ while Neil plays a photographer.

Bipasha said she has known two Capricornians – Uday Chopra and Hrithik Roshan – and she bonded with both of them.

Bipasha is expected back in Mumbai by mid June when John’s film Aashayein is set to premiere.
Source-thehimalayantimes.com

Harman Baweja - The Hrithik in making

It has been quite some time since Bollywood got its bona fide dancing star. Hrithik Roshan was the last major star to get rocking with 'Ik Pal Ka Jeena' and 'Sitaron Ki Mehfil' Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and since there has been a long lull. And yes, we are ready to ignore Mimoh Chakraborty here for his criminal Jimmy!

Well, the wait gets over the moment Harman asks the question - 'The Party Is Over?' in Love Story 2050. And he himself gives the answer as he gets dancing to the tune of 'Milo Na Milo' which is put to music by Anu Malik and is written by Javed Akhtar.
A complete package material which is just the right start for
a dancing star to make his presence felt, 'Milo Na Milo' allows Harman to demonstrate his prowess when it comes to moving his body on some pulsating music. Set in future, the song is even more fun with red-haired Priyanka Chopra choosing to watch from a distance as dozens of aliens/robots give Harman some good company. Yes, the wait is indeed over and here is looking forward to a lot more of the dancing star!

Priyanka's red-hair days

Priyanka Chopra is making waves not only for her involvement with the new kid on the block, Harman Baweja but also for hopping into the future in a completely new avataar in her upcoming sci-fi release Love Story 2050.

"I am very excited about the film. It's a double role, they are entirely two different characters. It was challenging," said Priyanka.

But what's with the red hair? Priyanka says her character demands it. But didn't the idea of dyeing her hair it freak her?

"Oh my god. Can you believe asking someone to colour their entire hair red. I was like no way, but then Mickey wanted it and so did Harry sir," she said.

Love Story 2050 will also mark the launch of another star-kid Harman Baweja or should we say Hrithik Baneja.

Priyanka is quick to clarify, "Everyone compares a new comer, but I think they are totally different. The only thing commom is that they are extremely hard working."

SRK: Ganguly and I are not fighting

Shah Rukh Khan has put to rest all rumours about a rift between Kolkata Knight Riders captain Saurav Ganguly, and himself.

"Saurav and I are good friends. There is no problem between Saurav, John [Buchanan, coach for the Knight Riders] and me," he says. "Certain sections of the press have misquoted me on this. I do not think that I need to justify that we are a team. I am too old in this business of winning and losing. I do not think that I need someone coming and telling me about anti-corruption after 40 days into the tournament. I own the Knight Riders and I have paid them to win. Now, if they are losing, does that mean that I am paying them to lose?

"There is more to life than just winning. I read somwhere that I was kicking chairs. I have seen too many victories and losses, and I'm too old in this game to react like this," he continues. "When we won, it was said 'Prince and King ruled.' Now that we are not doing well, they assume that somthing must me wrong between Saurav and me. I would like to clarify that nothing is wrong. Saurav has sent me messages asking me to clarify to all that we are friends. We are not fighting, the team is not going to be sold. John is not angry with Saurav. Saurav is not angry with me. I am not kicking chairs. There are no issues. Yes, I do have certian issues with the IPL on the code of conduct. That needs to be clarified. Only then will I go to the matches."

Preity Zinta Celebrates With Yuvraj Singh

Preity Zinta celebrates the victory of Punjab XI with Yuvraj Singh Men, Sport and Victory! Henry Tham rolls out the red carpet for Cornerstone to celebrate the pumping testosterone! Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. hosted a private screening of the European Championship League at Henry Tham on Wednesday night for Yuvraj Singh with the Mohali team and the Mumbai Indians team from the IPL. Reason of celebration was multi-million dollar worth client, Yuvraj Singh's passion for soccer and patronage toward the Man U team. In a battle of adrenaline rushing, pulsating sport, Man U, much to the delight of their fan following gained victory over Chelsea. A double victory of sorts Mohali team having won the IPL match for the day, Yuvraj Singh was seen celebrating with manager Bunty Sajdeh (COO Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.), team owners Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta, coach Tom Moody, team members like Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Kumar Sangakara, Piyush Chawla, Sreesanth, Mahela Jayawardene, Karan Goel, fellow cricketers from the Mumbai Indians team such as D Smith, Ashish Mehra, Andre Nel, etc. Adding the glamor quotient and the buzz of the city were restaurateurs Henry Tham (owner of the eponymous restaurant) with sons Ryan and Keenan Tham, model/VJ/wine consultant Shamita Singha, models Tina T and Candice Pinto, fabulous designer Rocky S, sport favorite Ravi Krishnan, Surily Goel, Nishant Joshi (CMD Mod'Art International), etc. Serving the perfect concoctions behind the Henry Tham bar to keep the pulse of the game alive was star bartender Ankit Negandhi, Indian representative of the Bacardi Martini Grand Prix to be held in Italy. Sporting Man U jerseys and Chelsea merchandize the crowd sure knew whose side they were rooting for and had no trouble making it Loud and Clear!!!

Akshay’s blog banter

Akshay Kumar has been away from India for almost three months. No wonder then that he’s sorely missing home. He says, “I am missing all the action back home. I hear a lot is happening there.”
Tell him that a ‘blog war’ has erupted in his absence and that he might have to quickly start his own blog once he’s back and he says in jest, ‘Main bolega to bolega ki blog ta hai!”
Presently, Akshay is enduring heat in Cairo, where he is shooting for Singh is King. “It has touched 48 degree Celsius here,” he informs. Tell him that we are in a better position ‘weather wise’ than him here in Mumbai and he retorts, “In a day or two I’ll be off to Johannesburg, where the weather will be somewhere between 13 to 14 degrees. So I will be in better position then!”

Harman shakes things up with Milo..

It has been quite some time since Bollywood has seen a bona fide dancing star. Hrithik Roshan was the last major star to get the crowds rocking with Ek pal ka jeena and Sitaron ki mehfil (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai).

Harman Baweja has finally broken the lull. (We choose to ignore Mimoh Chakraborty’s moves in the ‘criminal’ Jimmy.) In Love Story 2050, Harman dances up a storm in the song Milo na milo, which has been written by Javed Akhtar and put to music by Anu Malik.

With enough pulsating beats to help Harman showcase his best moves, Milo na milo is even more fun because we get to see a red-haired Priyanka Chopra and loads of robots.

Here’s looking forward to a lot more from this dancing star.

'I love being SRK's princess'

Being a part of reality game show Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is the best thing to have happened to her, says 11-year-old child actor Shriya Sharma.

"Shah Rukh is my favourite actor and I love being his princess. Being on Paanchvi Paas has been my best experience," Shriya said on phone from Mumbai.

She is ga-ga over the actor who lovingly calls her his "princess" on the show.

"He is so friendly and sometimes when we don't know an answer on the show, he really encourages us. We have our kids' room at the sets, so he also comes and plays with us there," she said.

At the moment Shriya is gearing up for her upcoming film Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, a Yash Raj production, with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji.

The film revolves around the lives of four children forced to live with a man they hate and how an angel comes to their rescue as their nanny. Shriya plays one of the children, Aditi.

"We are the main characters in the film and I really enjoyed shooting for it. We went to Los Angeles, danced and learnt new steps," the vivacious girl said.

While Shah Rukh is Shriya's favourite male actor, she loves Rani among the female stars. But what does she have to say about Saif?

"Saif used to share riddles with us and teach us new gaming tricks. He is good, but Shah Rukh is the best!" she said.

She went on to share details about how the two girls and two boys in the film used to get divided into Rani's and Saif's camps and play cricket. "Shooting for the film was my second best experience ever."

With her performance in the Kunal Kohli-directed film, Shriya, a class 6 student, is pinning her hopes on winning a child actor award.

Shriya is most prominently remembered for her stint in Balaji Telefilms' popular soap Kasauti Zindagi Kay as the young Sneha Bajaj. She won an Indian Telly Award for the best child artiste in 2004 and also bagged the favourite child artiste award at the Star Parivaar Awards the same year.

And what if she had not been in the acting field? Then she would have grown up to be an astronaut, she says.

Out of IPL, SRK's tirade continues

The defeat of his Knights in the Indian Premier League seems to have left the team owner King Khan with a bitter aftertaste. The first season of the Indian Premier League will be now remembered for Shahrukh Khan's tirades, which show no sign of easing.

Still apparently in a fit of sulks, Khan has lashed at the IPL, saying on Thursday (May 22) that he hadn't paid his team to lose, but to win.

Khan had felt quite at home among his Knights - so much so he wouldn't budge an inch from their side. But then one fine evening he was asked by the authorities to keep his beloved team at arm's length - the actor was miffed, and swift came the first salvo in these words:

"My hanging around in the dressing room, is apparently 'anti-Anti-Corruption'. I'm like, listen, don't tell me that I am corrupt...let CBI, ICC Code of Conduct team - anybody - dare try to stop me from meeting my team for every match."

Khan was then provided with a solution - following the tradition of handing out purple and orange caps to the players, IPL announced a red, all-area accreditation badge to one member of each of the eight franchisees, to be given by the ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) which gave them access to the team dugout and dressing room as well.

But Khan did not take the bait provided by the officials and was absent from the very next match.

Subsequently the Kolkata Knight Riders were knocked out of the IPL, and afterwards the Kolkata team came under some battery. The egotist in the showman came out and the second salvo hit when it mattered; Khan's supposed SMS to his team, which took another dig at the IPL, has become a public dossier.

The message comes close to ridiculing the IPL governing body. Khan says he has again decided not to come on the ground till he figures out the "headmaster's rules".

"I am still trying to understand the code of conduct expected of me at the matches of the IPL.... ICC... Etc.... After I understand it, I will decide whether to accept it or not.... Till such time, I will be with you guys at the hotel... in the meetings etc., but won't come for the matches.... So, please don't ever feel it is anything to do with us as a team," read the SMS which was published by The Telegraph.

What is more, Khan has since been crying foul wherever he goes. The latest was outside the studio of his popular TV show.

Reiterating that he was not corrupt, SRK lashed out at the governing body saying he has paid his players to win and not to lose.

"I have paid my players to win. Will I pay them now to lose? This is illogical," he said yesterday (May 22). He added, "Why pick me? Other team owners are seen near their players. Is it because I am a celebrity and vulnerable?"

All in all, it's a joy that has gone haywire, a tale that was scripted, hit an incredible high only to turn a damp squib within two weeks.

Bollywood Blogging, Welcome Salman Bhai

After Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan took on blogging, the other inhabitants of B-Town have woken up to the power of writing on the web.

Salman Khan will blog on a Blogspot website run at Sony Entertainment, the producers of the reality television show Dus Ka Dum. Sallu has already posted two blogs on Dus Ka Dum that too from Australia, where he is shooting at the moment. [Link: Mid-Day]

Yes, you heard it right, folks! Apna Sallu has entered the nasty world of Hindi Film Industry blogging. Agreed, it is nothing more than strategic PR move i.e. publicity for the upcoming reality show, Dus Ka Dum on Sony Television. But then a similar motive is what got the likes of Aamir Khan and Big B entering the blogging scene as well. And look, today they are the prime sources of Bollywood Bitching for our Page 3 writers.

Similarly in Salman Khan’s case, the possibilities are endless. After all, he is Bollywood’s foremost bad boy for no reason. Think about it – The endless John Abraham spanking (finally someone to share my responsibility), mixing it with potshots at Vivek Oberoi, his recent tussle with (the ever sexy) Akshay Kumar. Also if you wish hard enough, then maybe, just a maybe a little thrashing of his Ex and now Mrs. Ash. And adding to all of the above, Salman’s in-your-face attitude and wacky sense of humour, believe me you, blog posts are bound to get spicier.

With such wholesome fodder insight, needless to say that I am ecstatic. And so will be countless Salman Bhai fans and other Bollywood-roaches.

Therefore as an adamant Bollywood Fan, I can proudly state: I have seen it all. And if I drop dead now, I would depart with a content heart. Err…but then again, I might as well wait for the entertainment industry’s motor mouth aka. Ms. Rakhi Sawant to join our gang as well.

Ah! The joys of blissful thinking, seriously where would we be without it?

Aamir's apology to SRK: sincere or fake???

At last, Mr. Perfectionist has dropped his spears down posting his sincere apologies for his offensive act towards Shahrukh in which he mentioned in his blog, the name of Shahrukh as one of his dog's name at Panchagani. But when the media launched its onslaughts against Aamir, he found it better to apologise rather than extending the issue further to prevent the further degradation of his image.

At the music launch function of his new film 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' he asked for forgiveness if the blog hurt any of his or Shahrukh's fans saying that it was not directed to offend anyone and that it was just projected in good humour. The fans of Shahrukh as well as Aamir were shocked beyond measure to read the contents of the Blog and are highly unhappy with Aamir's filthy approach towards humour.

It can be assumed as a publicity stunt which in turn brought SRK in limelight more than Aamir himself who is instead pushed towards derogatory criticism by both media and public. Hats off to King Khan who proved to be a real media figure by not responding upon the unhealthy message showing a real sportsman spirit........ Well... the IPL has taught something of great assistance to him. The actor who was known well for his mocking acts upon other stars (but of course whose comments have never been so seriously offensive) has surprised the media by this unusual act.

Finally the whole matter is settled now by Aamir himself with his public apology. The question which still lurks in the air is that was Aamir actually in a light mood while writing the Blog or was he just trying to imitate the art of mocking (which essentially belongs to King Khan) and failed to do so. Anyway, Aamir will learn that walking in someone else's shoes is not so easy...

SRK to stay away from Knight Riders matches

Kolkata: Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has decided to stay away from Indian Premier League (IPL) matches involving his team Knight Riders until he has a clear understanding of the code of conduct.

Shah Rukh was reportedly peeved after being not allowed to sit in the players' dug-out by ICC Anti-Corruption officials.

Match in Images: Kings XI Punjab win a heart-stopper | Hayden to miss first Test against West Indies

"I am still trying to understand the code of conduct expected of me at the matches of the IPL... ICC etc. After I understand it, I will decide whether to accept it or not. Till such time, I will be with you guys at the hotel, in the meeting, but will not come for the matches," Shah Rukh said in a lengthy SMS to the Knight Riders team.

Shah Rukh said his absence from the field had nothing to do with the team's poor performance.

"Please do not ever feel it is anything to do with us as a team. I am as dedicated to my Knights as I am to my kids. Only, I won't be coming to the class room till the headmasters' rules are understood by me. I am a bit anti-establishment kind of a guy, so I apologise for this quirk to you all."

Shah Rukh also denied reports of any rift with Knight Riders captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Buchanan.

"Ignore all this bit about Dada, me and John having issues. It's a normal thing in the world. People like to hit you when you are down... It will make us stronger. The only way to avoid this is to win," he wrote.

Knight Riders, who are virtually out of the semi-finals, have two matches left. They are taking on Delhi Daredevils in Delhi on Thursday and then play Kings XI Punjab in their last match at home.

"Chin up and don't spoil your character in the next two games. Let’s go out with a bang and not a whimper. In films, we say you are only as good as your last film. So let’s make the whole world know how good we are in the last two games."

Seeing that the morale of the team is low in the face of being eliminated from IPL, the actor has been since Monday sending morale-boosting SMSes to all team members to keep them in good humour for the remaining do-or-die two matches.

Khan asked Sourav's team to keep up its "fighting spirit" and clarified that he was completely behind the team and had not distanced from it, as reported in a section of the media.

Hollywood's Bollywood saviour

The Indian billionaire Anil Ambani's big-bucks deal with Tinseltown's big players is an almost romantic tale of rescue, albeit a corporate one.

It's a plot device that stretches from Dickens to Romy & Michelle: the wealthy benefactor swooping in at just the right moment. But as the credit crunch makes Hollywood financing more and more unstable, the Indian industrialist's agreement with production companies headed by celebrities such as Jim Carrey, George Clooney and Tom Hanks is worth even more to all concerned than its billion-dollar price tag.

While Disney, Sony and Warners have all put their money behind their interest in the expanding Indian media market, this mammoth transaction marks a significant Indian stake in the world of Western film. Inevitably, speculation has already begun as to whether this means that Bollywood's masala will start to make an appearance in the movies of Hollywood. But amusing as it would be to see Brangelina bhangra, or to watch Clooney croon in the rain, this represents corporate rather than creative control.

If we are to believe Ambani's media company, Reliance Big Entertainment, which stresses that the films developed for these A-listers will be free from editorial interference, then this is something of a breakthrough for the image of Bollywood abroad. Its backing of American cinema swiftly takes it out of the all-singing, all-dancing ghetto at the margins of mainstream entertainment in the West. Bollywood now means money, and money is something everybody respects.

So far so good for Hollywood - it gets the cash it needs. And also for Reliance Big - it gets the credibility afforded those who supply that cash. Context, however, is everything. Back in India, Ambani has also just announced a major media launch of 20 TV and radio channels.

Media is one of the subcontinent's economic trailblazers. Along with shopping malls, highways and gated communities, it is consumed by a growing middle class in the nation's race towards modernity. But it also underscores the country's lopsided growth and the worsening of its deep social and economic divisions.

Following the economic growth of the 80s, one commentator, echoing Benjamin Disraeli, made an observation since popularised by Indian novelist Arundhati Roy: that rich India was trying to secede from the nation. Ambani's buying-up of swathes of Hollywood puts India at the heart of American culture and offers it global status. But behind this alluring, almost cinematic fantasy come true, perhaps we should keep in mind the less appetising reality of how that clout has come to be created.