Bollywood hotties Priyanka,Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina kaif! come together for a Movie

It's the grand mother of all casting coups! And no one's maintaining any 'Khamoshi' over it, either! Least of all UTV, with insiders setting the grapevine abuzz over the acting ensemble.

'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' and 'Raajneeti' have fuelled the interest of filmmakers who want to captialise on the onscreen chemistry between Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor, and the romantic link up spotlighted by the scribe tribe.

Director Anurag Basu's 'Khamoshi' showcases Ranby Boy enacting a deaf and mute character, matching histrionics with a giddy Kat. And post interval… the screen will illumine a mentally challenged character essayed by… Priyanka Chopra!!

Reportedly, Priyanka was swiftly charmed by the script and assented to it, at once. Kat's puzzled industry folks by opting for the Basu flick over Imtiaz Ali's 'Rockstar', which also stars Ranby.

Source:Movietalkies

Kannada Star Upendra ,Surprise entry to reality TV show.

Kannada superstar Upendra, known for his various makeovers and get ups, made a surprise entry on a Kannada reality show recently, on which wife Priyanka is a judge. The actor also gifted Rs. 25,000 to each contestant. "He was supposed to come a while ago, but since he was busy with his latest directorial, Uppi couldn't make it. But the minute he had some time off, Uppi wanted to come there and that's how he appeared on the finale," said wife Priyanka to a leading English daily. "Uppi's very reluctant when it comes to appearing on TV shows; he's also not much of a TV viewer. But the concept of underdogs trying to make it big is what got him on board. Since he's had a tough upbringing, Uppi gets very emotional when people from a similar background strive to achieve something," she added.

Source: Galatta

Tamil Mega Star Vijay's Movie Sura Reaches the final stages.

Ilayathalapathi Vijay's 50th Tamil film Sura, being directed by S.P. Rajkumar, has reportedly finished its shooting schedule and is in its final stage. Sura is expected to grace theatres on April 14. This is the first time Vijay and Tamannaah come together in lead roles. Produced by Sangili Murugan, Sura is Ilayathalapathi Vijay's 50th film. Tamannaah has reportedly upped the glamour in this typical and proper masala movie. Sources reveals that Vijay will don the role of a fisherman in Sura which has music by Tollywood sensation Mani Sharma. The duo have worked together in Shahjahan, Youth, Pokkiri, Thirupachi and many more. Most of them were chart-busters, so let's hope Sura repeats the magic again.

Source:Galatta

Discovery Channel Meets Malayalam Superstar Mammootty

Discovery Channel's 'Travel and Living' programme's host Anthony Bourdain and his crew had an unique experience on Wednesday when they met megastar Mammootty for a personal chat on the sets of his new movie Pokkiri Raja in Kochi. Apart from spending enough time to answer their questions about the delicacies of Kerala, Mammootty shared home-made 'puttu' and 'meen curry' with Anthony Bourdain and crew. Anthony Bourdain reportedly left the sets very impressed, not just with the delicious food that the state had to offer, but also with the hospitality of one of its biggest film stars.

Source:Galatta

Telugu Superstar Nagarjuna Forays into Ad Films

Following the footsteps of his counterparts in Bollywood and Tollywood, action hero Akkineni Nagarjuna is all set to jump into the ad bandwagon for top multinationals (MNCs). Yes. I am planning to act in ad films, Nagarjuna said in reply to a question during an interaction with presspersons at the launch of new Parachute Advanced Cooling Oil in Hyderabad on Thursday. He and Bhumika Chawla unveiled the product introduced by Marico Limited. Both Nagarjuna and Bhumika have also acted in the promo screened for Parachute Advanced Cooling Oil. This is my first promo and more are in the pipeline, he said, refusing to elaborate further. Notably, actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, actors Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun and other film actors acted in advertisement films for a few MNCs and the response from viewers has been overwhelming.

Source:Galatta

The Hot and Sexy Bollywood Queen: Mallika Sherawat

Beautiful Dia Mirza gets choosy with her Movies

Dia Mirza is unperturbed about the fact that she has no films after her just released 'Hum, Tum Aur Ghost' because she says she would rather wait for good films than do unsatisfying work.

'I'm not doing anything after 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost'. If this was the situation five years ago, I would have got so worried and this fact would have killed me; it would have bothered me no end,' Dia told IANS in an interview.

'But now I am in a position where I am financially comfortable; so I am not working in a film to get that extra money. I am working in a film if I want to be a part of it. I'm in a position today that if I don't get the right role, I can sit at home for six months and not do a film that I don't believe in,' she added.

Dia, who won the Miss Asia Pacific beauty pageant in 2000, made her cinematic debut with 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' opposite R. Madhavan in 2001. Later she did films like 'Tumsa Nahin Dekha', 'Deewaanapan', 'Parineeta', 'Dus', 'Fight Club', and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' among others.

Before 'Hum, Tum Aur Ghost' that released March 26, the 28-year-old has mostly been seen in ensemble casts or special appearances in films for quite some time now.

The actress now, however, feels differently: 'It's quality over quantity for me now.'

'For the longest time, I have been getting offers in films that I didn't want to be a part of. Even though they were lead roles they weren't something that my sensibilities could connect with,' she said.

'When you work for nine years you reach a stage when you don't really want to push the buttons any more. You just want to do things that excite you, motivate you and make you go to work the next day,' she added.

'I'd rather come in a good film after three years than do a film every year that I don't relate to. Script really matters,' she added.

In 'Hum, Tum Aur Ghost', where she is paired opposite Arshad Warsi, who is also the producer of the film, Dia played the female lead after many years.

Asked whether she would like to follow the footsteps of other actors in the industry and get into production, the model-turned-actress replied: 'All my friends are pushing me to get into production and direction. I'm not ready for it right now. Let's see how things shape up,' Dia said.

Source:IANS

Bollywood Mother Daughter Esha Deol and Hema Malini Walk the Ramp for Fashion Show!

She's conferred her daughter with a lavish Rs 15 crore gift: 'Tell Me Oh Khuda'. Hema Malini, though, decided to don some pricey stuff too… with Esha Deol in tow!

The two stunning Deols sashayed down the fashion aisle in resplendent Rocky S creations at the 'Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.'

Esha, however, had a wee problem managing the heavy 'ghagra', which she promptly hiked up to her heels! Canny move, considering that fashion bridage members are known to trip over the acrylic ramp.

Awed onlookers, however, were a little perplexed over Hema firmly clutching her daughter's arm during the catwalk. Moral support or balancing act?

Either way, it's a great Deol.

Source:Movietalkies

Perfect Bikini Babe- Lara Dutta

Bollywood Movie : Well Done Abba, Review

Corruption has made deep inroads in every sphere of life and Shyam Benegal focuses on it in his 'Well Done Abba'.

Like his previous film 'Welcome to Sajjanpur', 'Well Done Abba' is also set in rural India and has characters you either know or observed in the course of your journey.

Adapted from 'Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi' by Jeelani Bano, 'Phulwa Ka Pul' by Sanjeev and 'Still Waters', a screenplay treatment by Jayant Kripalani, 'Well Done Abba' is a simple story about simple people and is told in the most simplistic manner, like all Benegal movies.

There's certain honesty about Benegal's movies and this one is no exception. It defies the stereotype and makes you smile without resorting to buffoonery. But there's a flip side too: Unwanted scenes, lethargic pace and the unending length for a waferthin storyline are three factors that go against it. In fact, it takes away from the film what was so beautifully created in its first hour. Bluntly put, the post-interval portions play a spoilsport.

When you weigh the pros and cons, 'Well Done Abba' is an average fare from a maker who has made much better films in the past.

Like most Benegal movies, 'Well Done Abba' has a story to tell with a message. Although the issue [corruption] isn't new and has been attempted in various movies before, the interesting characters and the way the story moves ahead make the effort watchable, in the first hour mainly.

But the writing goes haywire in its post-interval portions, when the 'missing' baudi becomes the topic of discussion, so much so that the government and the opposition party trade accusations and counter-accusations. These portions look farcical and are far from convincing.

Even otherwise, the story loses its sheen in this hour and the sluggish pace and unnecessary sequences only add to the woes. Just when you think that the film would conclude, a marriage song ensues, followed by a sequence in the police station. Not required, for sure!

The by-now-famous Benegal stamp is evident is several sequences. But the length and pace go against it. Shantanu Moitra's music is decent.

The casting is perfect and the performances, super. Boman Irani is the lifeline of 'Well Done Abba'. You can't imagine any other actor enacting the part. He is incredible, handling the two roles differently and of course, impeccably. Minissha takes you by complete surprise. She's fantastic in a role that you never thought she could carry off. This film should make people notice this talented actor.

Samir Dattani is another revelation. The role gives him ample opportunity to showcase his talent and he does it with great restraint, without going overboard. The film has a number of actors in key roles, but the ones who stand out are Ila Arun [fantastic], Ravi Kishan [excellent] and Rajendra Gupta [first-rate].

On the whole, 'Well Done Abba' has some wonderful moments, but they're few and far between. It holds appeal for a tiny sect of viewers, mainly Shyam Benegal fans.

Source: Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood Debutant Luv Sinha inspires curiosity.

He's inspired curiosity among B town filmmakers. Luv Sinha is likely to make his mark in cinebiz with 'Sadiyaan', and director Raj Kanwar has express praise for the young actor. "He has the talent and discipline and a certain star quality required for a film hero," says Kanwar in a media chat. "He has put in real efforts to get into the skin of the character that he plays."

Close insiders also whisper that Luv is quite a rebel, who has no joy in basking in the reflected glory of dad Shotgun. He bagged 'Sadiyaan' on his own merit… without pulling any celeb strings and wants to carve his own niche, strictly on his terms.

Source: Movietalkies

Bollywood Star Hrithik Roshan Makes his singing debut for Movie Kites

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan makes his debut as a singer in his much-awaited film 'Kites', for which he rehearsed 24/7 -- be it while brushing his teeth or taking a shower.

'Early in the morning, I would start with my sa re ga ma... right from the time I would wake up to brushing my teeth to taking the shower, all the time I sang with hand movements trying to reach the highest scale and the lowest note,' Hrithik said.

The song 'Kites in the sky' is in English and will be launched on national television along with behind-the-scenes footage March 29 at 9.30 p.m.

'I was nervous to make my debut as a singer, considering I come from a family that is well known in the world of music, but for this very reason my chacha (Rajesh Roshan) and director Anurag Basu were most certain that I could sing,' Hrithik said.

'My niece has learnt piano and she has this little Casio player which I borrowed. And I have the knack of finding any tune on any instrument. So I practiced on that for a week. Then I realized that it won't work like that and I got a professional trainer.

'I have given this song my best and honest shot but I still don't consider myself a professional singer,' the 36-year-old said.

The actor, who has done hit films like 'Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai', 'Koi... Mil Gaya', 'Krish' and 'Jodha Akbar' among others, also revealed that his recording experience was different from what he expected.

'I had fallen in love with the art of shutting your eyes from the world and going in meditative state where you just sing. But when I went to the studio, it was a totally different story.

'They put you in this little compartment and you are not allowed to move because the mike is fixed. While practicing I had been so mobile. And now I was locked up in one place where I couldn't even move my legs because the breath shifts in different direction,' Hrithik said.

'Finally, I told them to just switch off all the lights of the studio because I wasn't being able to get my best out. So they just blacked out the entire studio. I could not even see my mike because it was so dark. This blackout worked and helped me to come out of the inhibitions in the mind. That's how I finally worked,' he added.

What does his wife Suzanne say about his new skill?

'She is obviously completely biased. She feels I am the best singer in the world. She compares me to Elvis Presley,' Hrithik said.

'Kites' is a film by Reliance Big Pictures and Rakesh Roshan. It is about two lovers and their thrilling journey filled with precious moments and unexpected betrayal.

The film also stars Mexican actress Barbara Mori, It will hit the screens May 21.

Source:IANS

Tamil Films a bad influence in Malaysia?

A Malaysian Indian official has blamed Tamil cinema for young people from the community taking to crime.

N.V. Subbarow, education officer of the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP), was quoted by Malaysia Namban newspaper as saying that the "incidence of crime among Indian youths was related to violence depicted in Tamil films".

Malaysia's estimated two million ethnic Indian community is predominantly Tamil that watches Tamil films, mostly sourced from India.

Subbarow said that so far no concrete action had been taken to cure such social ills as the government, politicians and community were "too busy blaming each other", The Star newspaper said Monday.

Ethnic Indian leaders generally complain of falling moral and social standards among the community due to lack of adequate religious and moral teachings.

Source: IANS

Malayalam Super Star Mohan Lal Elated.

Having done a few army-related films, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is elated after completing his three-day post commission training with the 122 Territorial Army battalion here Saturday. The actor is now its brand ambassador.

'This is India's Army and I had a wonderful feeling in the last three days. Now I know the value of a soldier. I had a feel of this by a doing a few army-related films. Now being a part of that training is something unbelievable,' Mohanlal told reporters here.

The Territorial Army is a part of the Indian Army. Volunteers receive military training and can be mobilised during war or natural disasters.

Dressed in army dress, Lt Col (Honorary) Mohanlal said his job would be to propagate this feeling among Keralites.

'I consider that each one should give something back to the nation. The army is highly disciplined. There is nothing called 'no' in the army, and it is a tough job,' said Mohanlal. The actor underwent various training including night firing.

Colonel Davidson Kolath, who commands the battalion in Kannur, said that in future there would be refresher courses for Mohanlal.

The superstar earned himself an honorary commission last year after it was cleared by President Pratibha Patil, supreme commander of the armed forces.

The actor said: 'Cinema is a make-belief world. But being a brand ambassador of the Territorial Army is a once in a life time achievement. People of Kerala should think how they can serve the nation through this. School children should be given adequate exposure about it.'

Mohanlal's interest to don the uniform came after he did his first major role as an army officer in 'Keerthi Chakra' directed by Major Ravi, a former commando with the National Security Guards, in 2006.

In 2008 came 'Kurukshetra,' also directed by Ravi, about the Kargil war. It was then that the superstar decided to get an honorary commission.

Source:IANS

Kannada Superstar Sudeep feels Actors from down south are sidelined in Bollywood!

He may have rubbed shoulders with the likes of megastar Amitabh Bachchan in only his second Hindi film 'Rann', but Kannada star Sudeep is a little disillusioned with Bollywood. Actors from Karnataka and Kerala, he says, are 'totally sidelined by Hindi filmgoers'.

'I didn't come to Mumbai looking for a career. I adore this personality called Ram Gopal Varma. I think it was basically Ramu's trust in my abilities that prompted me to get on that flight from Bangalore to Mumbai,' Sudeep told IANS in an interview.

The actor, who made his Hindi film debut with 'Phoonk' and followed it with 'Rann', said: 'Somehow I feel South Indian actors are not that well known in the Hindi belt. Tamil and Telugu actors have an upper hand. But Kannada and Kerala are totally sidelined by Hindi filmgoers.'

'I don't want to blame anyone for this state of affairs. It's just that Kannada cinema hasn't grown. But let's be fair. There are filmmakers like Ramu to give us a chance. I'm sure there will be other chances given to South Indian actors.'

His next Hindi film is 'Rakta Charitra'.

Source:IANS

Southern Actress Sada

Bollywood Stars attend premiere of Movie 'Well Done Abba'

Bollywood actors Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba, Ritesh Deshmukh and Ila Arun attended the premier of their film 'Well Done Abba' that hit theaters on Friday.

Directed by Shyam Benegal, the film is a tale of Armaan Ali, played by Irani, who works as a driver with a big businessman in Mumbai.

"I faced problems as I did not know the local language. So, I faced problems in delivering the dialogue. But once I learnt it, it became easy. I have given my best attempt and I hope the audience will like it," said Irani.

The film is a political satire, often witty and sharp but largely an ironic comedy with a central theme that deals with the many development projects that the government has initiated, which frequently get hijacked by systemic corruption.

"It's a different type of film, sensitive film, it is almost like a satire on the system. I am looking forward to the film and I am sure it will be sweet, nice, funny film with a message," said itesh Deshmukh.

Bollywood's Serial Kisser Emraan Hashmi hooked?

Emraan Hashmi embraced fatherhood in February. Allegedly, he won't turn down a tight cinch with Shella Alan, either.The South African model, his co star from "Crook', is known to nurture an express fondness for Hashmi. The unit returned from Cape Town and reportedly spilled the beans over the Hashmi and Alan link.

Says a close source, "Shella plays a stripper in the film. Emraan and she got along like a house on fire. Since Shella is a Cape Town local, she played the role of a guide and would often go clubbing with the boys. She would be present on the sets even when she was not required. Her closeness with Emraan raised a lot of eyebrows."

Unit members expect emotional fireworks on the home front, as Shella is due to arrive in Mumbai shortly to complete the remaining part of the shoot…

Source:Movietalkies

Beauty Queen Sushmita Bowled over!

She'll be batting a fresh controversy soon. Sushmita Sen's rebonding with former love Manav Menon… and yet, a fresh romantic link is allegedly crystallising on the sidelines, if media reports are to be believed. And this one's an unusual suspect: Wasim Akram!

Their friendship took on a deeper note on the sets of the dance based reality show 'Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena' in 2008, where they hit it off rather well. Reportedly, Sen and Akram had first met at Dubai in 2006 when the cricket ace was still married and Sen was in a lovely tangle with Mudassar Aziz.

A lot of water has flown under those celeb bridges. Akram lost his spouse to cancer last year and Sushmita is Sen…tillatingly single now. Earlier, the duo have been spotted at various venues, but matters seem to be really hotting up now.

Apart from their common love for cricket, the pair share a soft corner for Urdu poetry. A close source states, "Wasim was brought in as a judge on Sushmita's insistence. He flirted with her on the 'EKEH' sets and would read out Urdu couplets to her."

The Pakistan ex cricket captain and bowling coach for Shah Rukh Khan's 'Kolkata Knight Riders' bonded closely at SRK's swanky house party recently and at the b'day bash of a model friend. Besides, Sen and Wasim were recently spotted sharing cozy moments at a suburban Mumbai restobar. Wassup, Wasim??

Source:Movietalkies

Tamil Super Hit Director Murugadoss signs Shruti Haasan.

Filmmaker AR Murugadoss, the man behind the blockbuster 'Ghajini', has signed Kamal Haasan's daughter Shruti and Tamil superstar Suriya for his next project.

Suriya, who will soon be making his Bollywood debut, has previously worked with Murugadoss in 'Ghajini', whose Hindi remake starred superstar Aamir Khan.

Shruti, who made her movie debut with 'Luck', has been creating waves not only in Bollywood but also in the South. She had composed the music for 'Unnaipol Oruvan' and is currently working on a Telugu movie.

The new untitled film with Murugadoss is her debut in Tamil cinema.

The music composer for the film is Harris Jayaraj and the cinematographer is Ravi K Chandran. Udhayanidhi Stalin will produce the movie, which begins shooting this April.

Telugu Film Industry Calls off Shutdown againts piracy!

The Telugu film industry on Thursday withdrew its shutdown call to protest against piracy and producer Yalamanchi Ravichand also called off his fast-unto-death after the Andhra Pradesh government assured that it would take steps to deal firmly with the issue

The Movie Artists' Association (MAA) president Muralimohan told reporters that there would be no 'bandh' on Friday as the industry was satisfied with the assurance given by Minister for Cinematography Geeta Reddy.

The industry had on Wednesday announced that all activities related to the film industry would come to a halt for one day on Friday to press the demand for anti-piracy measures.

MAA had also appealed to owners of all theatres in the state to participate in the shutdown.

The minister assured the industry that the government would bring a legislation to curb piracy. She said video libraries would be issued licenses after screening them.

The minister assured the industry that a special anti-piracy cell would be formed.

According to the Telugu film industry, the second biggest after Bollywood, piracy was causing a loss of over Rs.2 billion (Rs.200 crore) every year.

Meanwhile, Ravichand also ended his fast following the government's assurance. He was on fast for the last four days to demand the government bring piracy under the purview of the Goonda Act.

Actor-turned-politician K. Chiranjeevi, and several actors and producers had expressed solidarity with him.

Source: IANS

The Sizzling Hot Bollywood Beauty.

Neghar Khan

Malayalam Superstar Mohan lal gets real Action.

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who joined the Territorial Army (TA) last year, will indulge in real action for the next three days without his customary grease paint while undergoing his post-commission training at the 122 TA Battalion here.

Speaking to IANS, Col. Davidson Kolathu, who is commanding the TA battalion here, said that Mohanlal is expected to arrive any time now (Thursday) and would be with them till March 28.

'Lt. Col Mohanlal will be involved in all sorts of training which includes weapon drill and handling, field craft, night firing, and etiquettes besides knowing what the task of a TA brand ambassador is,' said Kolathu.

The superstar earned himself an honorary commission last year after it was cleared at the highest level by the supreme commander of the armed forces, the President of India.

According to rules, those joining the Territorial Army should be under 42 years, but for honorary-commission officers the training is not mandatory and also there is a relaxation in age.

'His presence in our unit for the next few days is certainly going to be a morale booster for my boys. While four companies of our battalion are in Jammu and Kashmir, right now we have two companies here. Why not, he will also visit our boys doing duty in J&K in due course,' said Kolathu.

Mohanlal became interested in wearing the uniform after his first major role as an army officer in the 2006 movie 'Keerthi Chakra' directed by Major Ravi, a former commando with the National Security Guard (NSG).

Then in 2008 came another blockbuster of the superstar 'Kurukshetra', again directed by Ravi. It was about the Kargil war.

After the movie, the superstar decided to get an honorary commission.

Thursday night the superstar will be joining the unit members here for a dinner and a civic reception would also be held before he leaves here.

All eyes are now set on critic Sukumar Azhikode who for the past one month has been lashing out at the superstar and went to the extent of asking Defence Minister A.K. Antony to come out with an explanation as to why Mohanlal was endorsing a jewellery shop.

Source:IANS

The Best Buddies of Bollywood!

It's a friendly foursome. Preity Zinta, Asin, Sushmita Sen and Diana Hayden met at a Mumbai party... and hit it off like long lost pals!

The gals got along like the proverbial house on fire; an elated Sush invited Asin over to her spacious pad ("Renee is a big fan of yours.")

Soon, Sush had to leave… but Asin and Zinta yakked away, talking nineteen… sorry, ninety to the dozen, even as Hayden got in a word sideways as the trio munched over dessert. Sweet note, eh?

Source:Movietalkies

Anjana Sukhani the bollywood Actress hones her New Skills

A business management degree holder and pure vegetarian… turns mercernary killer! Heyyy, hold your horses… Anjana Sukhani hasn't lost it, folks.

Rather, she lost her kool… over a swarm of mosquitoes wanting to have a taste of her celeb blood! The 'Golmaal Returns' gal swatted down a sizeable number of the offending creatures who invaded her make up van, as they were canning scenes for a film at a locale replete with lush greenery.

Sukhani, though, has a way with daggers. Co star Rehan Khan of 'Tum Milo Toh Sahi' ought to know. He shuddered inwardly as Sukhani zoomed into action for a knife throwing sequence in the Kabir Sadanand helmed flick. A couple of tries later... she got it right, even as a young Khan composed himself and producer Nikhil Panchamiya beamed a relieved grin.

The friendly barbs hurled at Sukhani later… are another matter altogether.

Source:Movietalkies

Hot Lara Dutta hooked!

It's official and has created quite a racket! The scorching publicity surrounding the Mahesh Bhupathi and Lara Dutta liaison will attract fresh media frenzy now.

Reportedly, the duo are readying to take their commitment to the next level. As per close sources, Mahesh has rented out a plush apartment in suburban Mumbai which is a stone's throw away from Lara's residence!

Incidentally, Lara accompanied her new love interest as he showed up to finalise matters on the rental deal, fuelling rumours that she was game for... a live in relationship with Mahesh.

The pair, meanwhile, are just living it up!

Source:Movietalkies

Actress Sonam Learns to manage her time!

Sonam Kapoor is learning lessons in time management these days. The actress is being given these tuitions free of cost by none other than her director Pankaj Kapoor, who will be directing her in the film MAUSAM.

The film stars Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor in the lead. Recently, when Sonam Kapoor showed up late at the director's office, Pankaj Kapoor cancelled the proceedings of the day in order to teach Sonam the value of being on time.

Now, for all her meetings with the director, Sonam makes sure that she reaches the venue on time rather than face the wrath of her director who is so particular about time management.

Well, let's hope these time management lessons help Sonam get rid of her habit of arriving late on her shooting assignments.

Source:GlamSham

Kannada Film Industry backs Bangalore Royal Challengers!

Cricket fans from the Kannada film industry are pitching for Vijay Mallya's Royal Challengers Bangalore and are confident it will win the Indian Premier League tournament this time.

'With four wins in five matches against the strongest teams, the local team is all set to repeat its success in 2009 and move further to win the cup,' said actress Ramya, the brand ambassador for the Mallya team.

Ramya and Kannada superstar Puneet Raj Kumar, also the brand ambassador of the team, are cheering the squad with supporters.

Royal Challengers played against Chennai Super Kings in the 18th game March 23 here and won the match.

Commenting upon Robin Uthappa's performance in the field, Ramya said: 'Robin changed the script in favour of Bangalore Royal Challengers in the last two overs he played. I am a huge fan of Robin and still feel that he deserves to play for all forms of cricket in the national team.'

Other avid cricket fans from the Kannada film industry are also happy over the team's performance.

Puneet's elder brothers Shivaraj Kumar and Raghavendra Raj Kumar are also cricket enthusiasts. Shivaraj, who had even played for league matches in Chennai, says the Bangalore team is in top form.

'The way they have been beating even stronger teams makes me confident that our team will be on top. Everything is going right for the (Anil) Kumble team,' says Shivaraj.

Ramya said: 'Last year our team lost in the finals, but this time it would be a victory for our team.'

The actress is expected to sit on a terrace to cheer the team with 800 supporters. The terrace will be named after her.

Another gallery named after Puneet will have more than 3,000 supporters along with the actor. Ambareesh, another fan, hopes for a big win for the local team.

Reports are that Darshan, currently shooting for 'Sarathi' in Pondicherry, is glued to TV to watch the matches. Young stars Yogeesh, Ajay and Diganth also wants to take their time off to watch a couple of cricket matches.

Source:IANS

Actress Asin has a New Friend

Asin, who is relatively new to the industry, is fast making new buddies in B-Town. Though her act in her bollywood debut won her acclaim, the actress is still trying to figure out who her good friends are in the industry.

After bonding with Sridevi's family, now Asin has found a new friend in Sushmita Sen's daughter Renee. The two apparently met recently and bonded like a house on fire. Actually, Renee is so smitten by Asin's act in the film GHAJINI that she calls Asin by her character name Kalpana didi.

It's learnt that Asin is fast becoming thick friends with Renee and mom Sushmita Sen cannot stop feeling excited about the choice of Renee's friendship.

Source:Glamsham

Bollywood Heartthrob Shahid kapoor Not in his Mom's Movie!

Shahid Kapoor refused his mother Neelima Azim's film because he did not have dates for her.

Neelima had later said he was a big star and wouldn't fit in the role which needed a not- so- known face. However, rumours are rife that he didn't like the script much.

Now buzz is that she has approached Amrita Rao, to play the lead role in the film. Though Shahid and Amrita have given hits such as Vivaah and Ishq Vishq and were said to be romantically linked as well, there isn't much friendship between them these days. Amrita, who is looking out for roles that are different, is considering the project though it's an experimental role.

Reports claim before Shahid's dad Pankaj Kapur began searching for a new face opposite him in their film Mausam , he had a meeting with Amrita for the role. But things didn't materialise. Neelima, meanwhile, is still searching for the right actor to play the hero in her film.

Source:India Today

Actor Sanjay Dutt advices youngsters against Drugs

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who has donned a new avatar of a Game Master in Pepsi's new interactive ad, urges youngsters to stay away from drugs.

'I think whatever the youth of today thinks, they achieve it. The only thing I have to say to the youngsters of today is: stay away from drugs,' said Sanjay at the launch of Pepsi's new ad campaign 'The Game' at Taj Lands End here Thursday. The actor himself battled drug addiction for years.

PepsiCo India has come out with a new tag line - Youngistaan Ka WOW - for their new campaign. In the ad, Game Master Sanjay challenges Ranbir Kapoor.

'The Game' would be played over five films and audiencea can participate in it by helping Ranbir win the challenge through SMS, which in return will bring back prize money of Rs.5,000,000 to a consistent performer.

Commenting upon the concept, Pepsi brand ambassdor Ranbir said: 'I think Youngistaan Ka WOW is about leaving the world speechless with your spontaneity, smartness, intelligence and I hope that's what will hit the world with WOW.'

Source:IANS

Svelte Bollywood Beauty:Kim Sharma

Tamil Movie Kacheri Aarambam' Review

Jeeva delivers yet another commercial potboiler without bothering to worry about finesse. Debutant director Thiraivannan seems to be content with a clichéd story and, hence, takes no strain to tell us anything new or novel. The story is all about a youth coming to the city, falling in love and confronting the baddie.

The hero lands up in Chennai (like many other heroes have done in the past) and takes up the job of an assistant to Vadivelu, who runs a shop in the Burma Bazaar locality.

Enters Madhi (Poonam Bajwa), who accidentally saves Jeeva from a 'road accident' and steals his heart instantly. Our hero keeps following Poonam wherever she goes, but the girl tries hard to avoid him. She is not even ready to accept the customary thanks for saving his life.

The reason behind her mysterious silence is a local don Sivamani (J.D. Chakravarthy), who loves her madly. He threatens that he would kill her parents if she turns down his love. He had killed two boys who had proposed to Madhi.

Jeeva plans to handle the situation in a novel (!) way. He joins Sivamani's gang, wins his trust and then tries to tactically dismantle him from his position. The director wants us to believe that he plays the game smartly but the fact is that the whole drama looks immature and idiotic.

Expectedly, once Jeeva's hide-and-seek game comes out in the open, the baddie tries to kill him but gets killed in the hands of our powerful super hero. All is well that ends well, isn't it?

The initial scenes dealing with Jeeva moving out of his house are entertaining. So are the scenes involving Vadivelu in the first half. The film becomes boring in the second half. But for Vadivelu the movie would have been a real punishment for the viewers.

We have seen many films that show the hero befriending the villain to checkmate him. Moreover, the way our hero outsmarts the villain at every step hasn't been conceived and executed well.

The villain, touted to be a terror in the area, looks like a laughing stock in some scenes. To make things worse, the film drags in the second half and even a spirited Vadivelu cannot save it.

Jeeva, who has impressed as an actor in movies like 'E' and 'Kattradhu Thamizh', has a natural charm and flair but he needs to be more careful in choosing the scripts. J.D. Chakravarthy as the don has done what's expected of him.

After 'Thenavattu', this would be the second time Poonam gets to pair up opposite Jeeva. She does have a beautiful face but her appeal gets diluted as she is seen in a state of grief most of the time.

Nisha Kothari returns to Tamil cinema in a bold and new avatar in an item song, which is good.

Thiraivannan proves that he could make a commercial entertainer which doesn't bother to test anybody's brain. It'd help him if he creates meaningful stories and better scenes.

Music director D.Imman has given a couple of peppy numbers with 'Vaada Vaada', featuring Nisha, standing out. The song, shot in and around Agra in the backdrop of the Taj Mahal, is beautiful.

'Kacheri Aarambam' is for the diehard fans of masala flicks.

Source: IANS

Kannada Movie: Dildaara Review

Surprise of surprises. Here comes a neatly made film. People had least expectations from the movie before its release, but it really carries off so well that it gives a pleasant feeling to the audience.

'Dildaara' made by a bunch of newcomers - debutant director, cameraman, composer and even fresh faces in lead roles - comes as a breath of fresh air though you feel for its wrong release date.

'Dildaara' deals with the emotional connect between the hero and his adopted father. First time director Amar has worked well in writing a competent script for the film that successfully engages the audience.

In the narrative, the main attraction is the way Amar has handled the sequences between the hero and his adopted father. For a change, character actor Rangayana Raghu has given a restrained yet likeable performance, which really touches the heartstrings.

The narrative has realistic overtones which is heartening. Even the dialogues are so natural and casual. More than the love angle between the lead artists, the director concentrates on the sentimental relationship between the father and son which is interesting.

The film starts off well and has a good first half. But it drags a bit in the second half. A competent editing work could have done wonders to the film. But still, it looks that honesty and commitment of new filmmakers have worked and mistakes are due to the inexperience in filmmaking.

The story starts off with a poor tea shop owner Ranga finding a deserted child near a railway track. He brings the child home and calls him Jaga.

Jaga grows up in rough surroundings, but he shares a strong bond with his adopted father. He makes a living out of pasting film posters and dreams of becoming a big movie star. One day he saves Jyothi, who is hounded by goons, and takes her to his house.

Slowly he starts loving Jyothi, but later finds out that she is in love with another person. Later it is revealed that Jyothi is the daughter of an underworld don and she ran away from her home. Later she is killed by the rival gang members and even Ranga gets killed.

But despite his frustrations, Jaga decides to move on to take care of his sister.

It is Rangayana Raghu who impresses most among the artists. His performance reminds us of his role in the award winning film 'Artha'.

Despite being new, both Aman and Nishma Chengappa carry off their roles with aplomb.

Technically, the film is well supported by cameraman Ravikiran and composer Praveen D. Rao. "Honge maradhi" and "Bhoomi baanalli" are catchy numbers.

Director Amar has written some earthy dialogues which go well with the narrative.

The editing work could have been a little crisper.

In short, 'Dildaara' comes as a surprise and showcases talents of some passionate youngsters. Such films need to be encouraged.

Source: IANS

Tamil Movie Mundhinam Partheney Review

One should admit both the film and filming comes as a pleasant surprise. When big films starring big stars can't guarantee success, it is not so easy to make a film that makes one sit up and take keen interest in the proceedings on the screen.

The attempt of debutant director Magizh Thirumaeni, a Gautam Vasudev Menon protégé, to narrate a love story between two typical upper middle-class youths in an almost realistic manner is commendable. The story and the treatment come as fresh air in the cliché ridden Tamil film industry.

Sanjay (Arvind), a software professional, starts narrating his nostalgic moments when he was in love. His expression is worth watching and even other characters force their way into our heart and a gripping first half is over even before you blink your eyes.

Sanjay finds himself madly in love with dance teacher Aarthi (Ektaa). Aarthi is shown as a brazenly arrogant woman because of her rich background. So, Sanjay is apprehensive expressing his love to her, fearing a negative reply.

Slowly he reveals his feelings to her. Aarthi, who has many unfulfilled dreams like pursuing dancing career in London and some untold family commitments, finally reciprocates. When things start getting smooth, Sanjay learns something shocking about Aarthi's personal life.

Shocked by the revelation, Sanjay starts drifting away from her. He even insults her by telling her secret to others. His behaviour angers Aarthi. She is not the kind of person who would go to someone to plead innocence. She moves away from Sanjay who starts dating his colleague.

Later, when Sanjay learns the 'actual' truth behind the secret of Aarthi's life, it's too late for him to go back to her. Then starts Sanjay's nostalgic journey. He moves like a wanderer, unsure of his destination.

The comic portions involving Thirumaeni is depicted in a realistic manner. Lifestyle of the upper middle class youths has also been shown without any artificial or filmy air.

The romance between Sanjay and Aarthi has been shown in a very, very interesting manner indeed. Their meetings, conversations and their dance in a song have been deftly handled. The song sequences, like in Menon's films, have been shot with some aesthetic sense. It's cinematography takes the film to a different level.

Arvind doesn't have a challenging role but manages to impress with his performance. Ektaa gets an interesting role. Her facial expressions and the way she has been choreographed by the director in song sequences tell many things. Lisna, who appears post interval, too has an interesting role.

The director has given a very good account of himself by making a film with newcomers and with a purpose. The screenplay, which falters at times, seems to be the only thing that might go against the makers. Taman's music is reasonably good with some hummable numbers.

The film is surely worth a visit to the nearest theatre!

Source: IANS

Bollywood Star Vivek Oberoi, Loves his Fans!

Mention his name and there's an uncharitable buzz in the air. Vivek Oberoi … believe it or dump it… is famed for being super considerate to his fans!

An admirer from Ferozepur, Punjab, was keen that Oberoi Boy attend his wedding. The 'Prince' star put promotion on hold and scooted off for the nuptial celebration of his abiding fan, who has been in touch with him for years ("he treats me like an elder brother so I had to be there.")

Some of his staunch supporters fly down from various parts of India to meet their heartthrob. Others record song numbers on Twitter and pass them over to their matinee idol."Once I'd tweeted that I had trouble sleeping," reveals VO in a scribe chat. "And the next thing I know is that I get a recorded lullaby!".

Recently, a gushing Oberoi devotee from UP showed up at his doorstep…with a bunch of flowers. Guess, life's coming up roses for Oberoi.

Source:Movietalkies

Bipasha Basu Busy shooting in Goa

Bipasha Basu is canning scenes at her fave hotspot...Goa, for Rohan Sippy's 'Dum Maro Dum'. The Bengal bomb belle, however, is feeling all at sea. Hah, quite literally.

Apparently, her cushy deluxe room faces the aquamarine sea and pool… but Bips has got no time to swim! "I've been shooting all the while," groans the star in a media chat."I can see people enjoying themselves and having a blast in the water, and that makes me feel worse."

Admittedly, Bips can wade in "only about five feet of water." Earlier, she'd made up her celeb mind and taken swimming classes, but had to cut them short mid way owing to her cine assignments.

Presently, the frantic filming has taken it's toll… as Bips was unable to do her gym regime for two days. Fitness video, anyone?

Source:Movietalkies

South Indian Actress Nagma will be Married soon!

Popular South Indian actress Nagma (sister of Tollywood actress Jyotika), who appeared in a number of super hit movies like Baasha, Kadhalan, Love Birds, Gharana, Allari Alludu and Major Chandrakanth in all Indian languages including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, then migrated to Bhojpuri films, will be married this year. The announcement was reportedly made by the actress herself. My marriage will take place this year. I will announce about the bridegroom shortly. There were rumours linking me with director Deepak, Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan and cricket player Ganguly. All these relations were purely business-related. There is no truth in these rumours, the actress reportedly said. Further details are awaited.

Source:Galatta.com

Telugu Hottie Charmi's New Movie Commences

The shooting of charming beauty Charmi's Mangala, directed by Osho Tulasiram, maker of heroine-oriented blockbuster Mantra, and produced under the banner of Mantra Entertainment, commenced at Annapoorna Studios, Hyderabad with producer Bellamkonda Suresh clapping the muhurat shot on Charmi. Sairam Shankar switched on the camera, while Sukumar did the formal first shot direction. I knew Tulasi Ram from the time he was an assistant director. I never thought that Mantra would be a big hit and when I attended the Mantra's opening shot, all the cast and crew appeared in a depressed mood. Later, the movie proved to be a trendsetter. I wish the same for Mangala, Sukumar said. Charmi and Tulasi Ram spoke during the occasion. Music is by Vishwa; cinematography is by Sivendra. Story and screenplay are by the director himself. The cast includes Pradeep Rawat, Yuvaraj, Chitram Seenu, Subash and others.

Source:Galatta

Telugu Aggressive Star Gopichand's Golimaar releasing on Apr 24th

Popular Tollywood director Parasuram, who earlier directed the super hits Yuvatha and Anjaneyulu, is all set to cast aggressive star Gopichand as hero in his new untitled film to be produced by Anand Prasad (maker of Souryam starring Gopichand). Parasuram says this comedy and family-oriented movie will present villain-turned-hero Gopichand in a never-seen-before role. The details about the crew and other cast are awaited. Meanwhile, Gopichand has just completed the shooting of Golimaar, which is gearing up for release on April 24. Priyamani is the heroine in this flick being produced by Bellamkonda Suresh and directed by Puri Jagannath. Nasser and Roja play key roles. Golimaar is inspired by the real life story of encounter specialist Daya Nayak, a Maharashtra police officer.

Source:Galatta

Tamil Cinema's Top Comedian Vadivelu in Tamil Movie Medhai.

Ramarajan, who has given some classics like Karagattakkaran, is all set to come back with a difference. It had already been announced that he will act in Medhai (also referred to as Methai) in the lead role. It is well-known that the Ramarajan-Goundamani-Senthil combination has always been a huge hit among movie buffs. But in Medhai, Ramarajan will team up with comedian Vadivelu for the first time in their careers. Medhai will be directed by N.T.G. Saravanan, who had worked as an assistant to director Hari. Story, screenplay and dialogues have been written by him, and he would like to emulate his teacher Hari and produce commercial hits. The film is being produced under the banner of Kalaimagal Koodam.

Source:Galatta

Bollywood Cult Hit Ek Duhje Ke Liye to be remade?

Do you remember the 1981 cult hit Ek Duje Ke Liye starring Kamal Haasan and Rati (remake of the Tamil/ Telugu Maro Charitra with Kamal Haasan and Saritha in the lead)? Now there are reports that the film is all set to be remade in Bollywood again. Rumours suggest that Kamal's daughter Shruti Haasan and Rati's son Tanuj are all set to act in remake. But actress-singer Shruti has completely denied the news. "I have absolutely no clue how these rumours crop up. I haven't been approached to do the movie and even if I were approached, my hands are full with Murugadoss's project at the moment. I have no reason to deny anything and if I were planning on acting in a flick, I'd need enough time to do justice to it," she clarified.

Source:Galatta

Actress Vidya Balan Stays up late to chat!

Confessedly, Vidya Balan is a confirmed insomniac. And she grabs her first forty winks only in the wee hours of the morning… close to 3 a.m, that is.

A close source avers that Balan remains in chat mode with a rather stylish male and their nocturnal conversations extend for a verryyyyyyyyy loooooooonnnnnng time. Male in question: Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

The topline designer and the lissome star bond over …books! The duo discuss the plots and characters of the latest books that they're both reading in great detail, as they're both voracious readers.

Source:Movietalkies

Bollywood Actors Abhishek Bachchan and Akshay Kumar in a role race.

The 'Flying Sikh' has two in the running too. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra who's readying to film his biopic 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', centred around the life of the 75 year old sports legend Milkha Singh, is thick in the midst of a casting dilemma.

Mehra is keen to pencil in Abhishek Bachchan for the eponymous role, while Singh has expressed that he'd like Akshay Kumar to portray him onscreen.

"Akshay is a 'Punjab da puttar' and he has the right physique," says Singh in a media chat. "Besides, he also acts well."

Mehra has been doing his round of fence sitting, by telling an eager media that, "It's too early to say anything now, since Prasoon Joshi has to finalise the script."

Source:MOvietalkies

Actor Shahid Kapoor saves Bollywood Beauty Anushka Sharma.

Shasha and negative hype seem to be deeply entwined. Have a heart, Shahid Kapoor can prove to be a daring hero…in real life too!

Anushka Sharma will vouch for it. Sharma and Shasha were canning a music video for Parmeet Sethi's 'Badmaash Company', when an overhead chandelier almost came crashing down on Sharma!

But the swift reflexes of her male lead, saved the star! Admitting it as a serious lapse from his end, choreographer Ahmed Khan states in a periodical talk, "My instructions went a little awry. Luckily, Shasha pulled Anuskha towards him and prevented the mishap."

Incidentally, this is the third disaster on the sets of the Yash Raj Films venture, although it's not the premier time that Shasha has displayed his valiant streak.

Case in point: Priyanka Chopra. A sequence in 'Kaminey' required PC to ride a scooter with SK riding pillion. She lost her balance suddenly, and if it wasn't for Shasha who buffered her fall to a great extent, Chopra would have sustained a serious face injury.

Source:MOvietalkies

Upcoming Film' The Japanese Wife' an Idea evolved over a cup of Coffee

Actor-director Aparna Sen says the idea for her upcoming film 'The Japanese Wife' came about over a cup of coffee with author Kunal Basu.

'It's a very, very unusual love story,' Aparna Sen told reporters at a press conference here Tuesday.

She added that the movie, which stars Rahul Bose, Raima Sen, Moushumi Chatterjee and Japanese actress Chingusa Takaku, is set to release April 9.

'The Japanese Wife' tells the tale of Snehamoy (Rahul Bose), a schoolteacher in the interiors of Sundarbans, West Bengal, and Migaya (Chingusa Takaku). They start off as pen pals, fall in love and even get married through letters. And while they have been married for 15 years, they have never met each other.

Aparna Sen's source of inspiration for the unique story is writer Kunal Basu's short story.

'I was actually collaborating with Basu on some other script and was unable to get anything film-worthy. At a normal coffee break, when Kunal told me of this story, every other plot went out of my head,' said Aparna Sen.

Source:IANS

The Hot and happening Amisha Patel

The Bollywood Beauty Queen Jacqueline Fernandez does a Bikini Act

Skin is always in! A show of curvy flesh in a bikini is enough to raise the collective pulse rates of cinegoers. Kareena Kapoor and Bipasha Basu have sported bikinis in their flicks and pulled it off with great panache.

The next babe to follow in their swim wear footsteps is Jacqueline Fernandez, who will show up in a yellow and blue two piece in the teaser promos of 'Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai'.

Apparently, co actor Riteish Deshmukh and producer Nikhil Advani thought of this canny strategy of having a cute and funny promo to catch viewer fancy. "It's not meant to titillate," says director Milap Zaveri. "And there's nothing cheap in it. Jacqueline had no qualms about wearing a bikini since she's been a Miss Sri Lanka and model too."

JF enacts Tara, an alien from Venus who comes to earth and slips into a two piece when she discovers water. Rivals, meanwhile, display ripples of jealousy…

Source:Movietalkies