Hrithik's sister, Sunaina, enters Bollywood

The Bollywood bug seems to have bitten a new Roshan. After Hrithik, his sister Sunaina will be making her debut in films. Well, not as an actor, but as a producer. “Sunaina is co-producing Krazzy 4 with me,” informs Rakesh Roshan.Krazzy 4 has two of Bollywood's superstars SRK and Hrithik doing item numbers. “We just finished shooting Shah Rukh's item number. Hrithik will shoot for his item number on February 15”, states Rakesh Roshan. “The film is about four mentally unstable people who escape from the mental hospital in order to explore the world. They are out on a one-day trip. The film goes on to show if these four characters are crazy or is it the world that is actually crazy,” narrates Roshan.He further adds, “Krazzy 4 features Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon as the crazy characters while Juhi Chawla plays a psychiatrist. The film also has Dia Mirza and Rajat Kapoor who is Juhi's husband in the film.”Krazzy 4 is directed by Jaideep Sen and is slated to release in the month of April. Its theatrical promos will be showcased along with the screening of Sunday.

Bollywood turns patriotic on Republic Day

On Republic Day, patriotism is running high in Bollywood. The stars share some of their favourite patriotic films and songs:

Priyanka Chopra: My favourite patriotic song will have to be Mile sur mera tumhara. Every time I'd see all the stalwarts of the country from Lataji to Pandit Ravi Shankar to Shabana Azmi come together on television to sing that song, I'd get goose bumps. My favourite national figure is late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was a truly remarkable visionary. He dreamt of taking India into the new millennium but couldn't live to see that dream come true. Believe me, we haven't even realised 10 per cent of our full potential as yet.

JP Dutta: My favourite patriotic song is Hum laayen hain toofan se kashti nikal ke from the film Jagriti. My favourite patriotic film will have to be my own Border. And I'd say the true national figure is the soldiers of the armed forces. They represent the true spirit of India.Shabana Azmi: Favourite song has to be Kar chale hum fida from Haqeeqat Favourite national figure? Undoubtedly, Mahatma Gandhi. Though Nehruji was also a remarkable visionary.

Hema Malini: My favourite patriotic songs are the national anthem and Lataji's Ae mere watan ke logon. And Bapuji is my favourite national figure.

Himesh Reshammiya: Favourite patriotic film Upkar and song Ae mere watan ke logon. National figure? Gandhiji, of course!

Rahul Khanna: I thought Chak De! India was incredibly patriotic. My favourite song is predictably our national anthem. It's a truly beautiful piece of music and verse. My favourite national figure is Indian soldiers who toil selflessly at the border to protect our country.

Bhavna Talwar: My favourite song is Ae mere pyare watan from Kabuliwala. Though many great patriotic films have been made, I'd choose my own "Dharm" for its message of national integration at a time when rappers are singing about hatred. My favourite national figure is former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

Ravi Kishan: My favourite song is Mera rang de basanti chola from Shaheed. And my favourite national personalities are Anna Hazare and Sunil Dutt.

Suneel Darshan: I'm a big Manoj Kumar fan and my favourite film is Upkar; favourite song is Hai preet jahan ki reet sadaa from Purab Aur Pachhim.

Mahesh Bhatt: Favourite patriotic song would have to be Kar chale hum fida by Kaifi Azmi. And favourite film is Chetan Anand's Haqeeqat. My favourite national figure? Rabindranath Tagore.

Imtiaz Ali: Favourite patriotic film Rang De Basanti, favourite song Rahman's Vande mataram. And the national figure? Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Boman Irani: Without a doubt my favourite patriotic song is Ae mere pyare watan by Manna Dey. I sing it all the time. It just makes me cry. It's a song dedicated to the country.

Aishwarya to pair with Rajnikant in 'Robot'

Finally it is Bollywood Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan! The glamorous actress is to star opposite Tamil film icon Rajnikant in sci-fi film "Robot" though there is no official confirmation from either the producer or director.

In other words, you can define it as a Bollywood GossipAishwarya told the media that she would be pairing with Rajnikant in the movie being directed by Shankar. This will be her second project with Shankar after "Jeans", which released in 1998. She had starred opposite Prashant in "Jeans".Two weeks ago, Shankar had signed up superstar Rajnikant for the lead role in "Robot". Since then, the media has speculated on Aishwarya or Deepika Padukone for the lead opposite Rajni.

According to the film industry sources, Shankar was in Mumbai with the script and the former Miss World responded positively after "having gone through the script thoroughly".Even for Shankar's "Sivaji: The Boss", rumour mills had predicted Bollywood Actress Aishwarya as the female lead opposite Rajnikant, but low-profile Shriya Sharan was roped in at the end.One of Rajnikant's daughters is also named Aishwarya.After the success of "Sivaji: The Boss", Shankar announced that he will repeat the 57-year-old actor in "Robot" - a Rs.1 billion film, which the industry predicts will be a greater success.Both Rajni and Shankar are reportedly keen on "Robot" becoming an international success.

Maestro A.R. Rahman will compose the music. The film will be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages and will be distributed by London-based Ayingaran International.

Twist In The Tale Of Karisma’s Marriage With Delhi-Based Industrialist Sanjay Kapur...

It is heard from insiders that there’s a twist in the tale of Karisma’s marriage with Delhi-based industrialist Sanjay Kapur. Although Karisma and Sanjay seem to have worked out their marriage, we heard that Sanjay can’t get along with mum-in-law Babita. This is surprising, considering Sanjay’s mother and Babita are close friends. The story goes that Karisma came to Mumbai for the delivery of her baby in 2005 and stayed with her mother (Babita) and sister (Kareena) in Babita’s flat at Hill Road, Bandra. However, about six months ago, she bought a flat of her own in Mayflower building opposite Olive in Bandra and moved there. According to our well-placed source, the reason behind the move was that her husband Sanjay couldn’t get along with her mother, and so didn’t want to visit his family at Babita’s place. Yet he wanted to have some time alone both with Karisma and his daughter Samaira. So he asked her to set up house separately in Mumbai.
Karisma, says that, had no choice but to move out of Babita’s flat to allow Sanjay to spend some quality time with Samaira. Sanjay and Babita hardly talk to each other. However, after Karisma shifted to Mayflower, Sanjay started visiting her once a fortnight. He generally comes over on alternate weekends.They visited Mayflower building last Saturday to confirm that Karisma was indeed staying with Samaira at Mayflower, and that Babita and Kareena were not staying with her. The watchman on duty at the building told us that Karisma, Sanjay and Samaira form a happy family on weekends. He said that Randhir Kapoor, Babita, Kareena and Sanjay visit Karisma, but none of them stay here permanently. Sanjay stays here for about two days whenever he is here, and He saw Karisma, Samaira and Sanjay going out together.

Kunal Khemu plays a double role in Super Star

He plays the title role as well as the role of a junior artiste in the film. Anyway, doing a double role can get quite messy, especially for the make-up man who is shuffling between one look and another. Kunal tells us that it was quite a challenge to get into two different moods because both the characters are poles apart in looks, hairstyle and body language. In fact on two occasions, my make-up artiste got so muddled that he prepared me for the role of the super star when the shot required me to be the junior artiste. After spending an hour getting ready, his director told me that he was to play the ‘other guy’ and so he had to spend an extra hour removing the make-up and sat patiently through the second get up. And this is no made-up story!

Parents react on Amisha's break up with Vikram Bhatt

After she started living-in with Vikram Bhatt, Amisha Patel had publicly severed all relations with her mother Asha and father Amit. But now that she has split with Vikram (they called off their relationship, one month back), Asha and Amit are ready to accept her back, if Amisha decides to return. When contacted, Asha tells us that Amisha is my daughter and she is free to comeback. In fact, she is more than welcome.
However, for Amisha’s mom, Asha, it is still a sensitive issue. She has still not called up Amisha. Asha adds that she got to know of Amisha’s break-up from the newspapers. We didn’t know that she had split with Vikram. We have just returned from Dubai and have read about it now. The concerned mother makes no bones about the fact that her relatives and family-friends are relieved about the break-up. She revealsthat she has been flooded with calls ever since she landed. Everybody is happy about the break-up. Naturally, Asha still does not think highly of Vikram Bhatt. Talking further about Amisha and Vikram, Asha said that she always knew that the relationship would not last. Everybody knew it was a mistake. It should be recalled that Vikram left his first wife for Sushmita Sen. People used to ask me why Amisha was doing this. But she is a grown-up girl and I have left it to her to understand life. Amisha’s relations with her parents had turned sour a few years back over monetary issues when she had complained that her parents had misappropriated her funds. She had served a legal notice on her parents asking them to return her money

Aamchi Mumbai not for Madonna

Even as there are miscellaneous reports doing the rounds about Madonna’s so-called secret visit to Mumbai, a source revealed that the pop star did indeed make a quick visit to Mumbai last week, along with husband Guy Ritchie and adopted son David Banda. Since she didn’t want any media attention, she made a hurried back-door entry into the hotel where she was staying. But things didn’t go down too well with the singer in aamchi Mumbai, and she shortened her already-short trip to Mumbai. Apparently, Madonna was put off by the dirt and pollution in Mumbai, which also made her son unwell, and she left almost immediately for Rajasthan, where she has been touring since the past week. Meanwhile, another source revealed that the short n’ sweet dance session — the cha-cha-cha and the waltz — that she had with choreographer Sandip Soparrkar in Jaisalmer on Sunday was a super success.
But it wasn’t just all dancing, there were serious moments too when Madonna and Sandip sat down and had a chat about children and adoption (Madonna adopted one-year-old Malawian boy David Banda and Sandip adopted Arjun, becoming the first single father in India).

Salman’s wax statue at Madame Tussauds

Surrounded by fans, Bollywood actor Salman Khan unveiled his wax figure at Madame Tussauds earlier this week. Salman beat nine other Indian mega stars including Madhuri Dixit, Hrithik Roshan, Lata Mangeshkar, Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Rani Mukerji, Karan Johar and Kajol, to win a place at the world famous waxworks museum after a public poll conducted last summer. Salman’s statue stands in a special Bollywood section alongside those of three other Mumbai greats — Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. The museum hopes the installation of the new statue, reflecting Salman’s popularity in the West, will attract many more South Asian and British-Asian visitors. The heartthrob actor was measured and photographed by expert sculptors in Mumbai last October to kickstart painstaking work on his wax double. He personally chose and donated clothes for the figure to wear. Salman, who has starred in over 55 films since his 1988 debut film Biwi Ho To Aisi made it to the central London attraction.
More than 10,000 people voted in the poll to choose the “Next Bollywood Star” conducted last August. Ben Lovett of Madame Tussauds said recently that the Asian market is critical to our attraction and our association with Bollywood, particularly the launch of Shah Rukh Khan, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of Asians, from both the UK and abroad, visiting and enjoying Madame Tussauds.

Neil compares Hrithik

Neil Mukesh is hot, handsome and very happening, grandson of legendary singer Mukesh and son of singer Nitin Mukesh is all over the place these days. The hottie is seen launching products, attending premieres... basically basking in the glory of his debut film Johnny Gaddaar.Apparently Neil has made a record this year of appearing in almost every calendar that has launched except for the 'Kingfisher calendar'!
Many people keep telling me that he looks like Hrithik and he takes that as a compliment. He has become a pinup boy indeed! He has been featured in almost every calendar that has been launched this year! He missed out only on the Kingfisher calendar but that too because they needed female models! He thinks it's quite an achievement for him that said Neil.

Bollywood Gossip - Kareena Kapoor thrown out

If the rumors in the industry circles are to be believed, despite here resounding success during 2007, especially ‘Jab We Met’, and hiked performance price, Kareena Kapoor has been dropped from director Imtiaz Ali’s next film.Rejecting Kareena for a role in his film, Imtiyaz Ali has chosen the currently hot Bollywood glamour girl Deepika Padukone for the film.Worse still, in a recent interview, director Imtiyz Ali has told a magazine that he had taken Kareena Kapoor for ‘Jab We Met’ even without liking the actress’ acting qualities and he stressed that Kareena is not a good actress at all.Incidentally, Imtiaz Ali, who was the director of ‘Jab We Met’, has even ignored the recommendations of Saif Ali Khan the hero of his next untitled film, and rejected his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor to opt for Deepika Padukone.

More interestingly, Saif Ali Khan is not only the hero of the film, but it is going to be Saif's first film production!Sources said that Saif Ali Khan had recommended Kareena Kapoor for their new film, but the director rejected Saif’s pleas.Going by the standards in Bollywood, this is something significant as normally the directors seldom have the guts to ignore the requests of the hero and more so when he is also the producer of the movie.But many here would want to know if the director would have the same guts to reject a request either by Shah Rukh Khan or Aameer Khan!

Did Abu Salem love Sushmita ...?

Did you know that the gangster Abu Salem, now undergoing imprisonment in an Uttar Pradesh jail, has confessed that he was smitten by actress Sushmita Sen the very moment he saw her in Dubai in 1995?The story goes back to 1994 when Abu Salem was organizing shows in Dubai where Bollywood stars were regular performers.It is during one of these shows, that he met the former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen in 1995. It was a time when Sushmita had just entered the film industry and was introduced to the gangster by her friend Amir Shaikh from Bahrain. And Salem was charmed by the actress.The two first met in person in a restaurant Wadi Kabir in Muscat in 1999 for a show there and again in Chicago after Abu Salem moved to the US in 2000.However, the gangster’s first wife Samira Jumani did not like of his association with Sushmita and they often quarreled over his relation with the actress. However, he clarified that he did not have an affair with the actress.

While this has been confirmed from the intelligence records of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, the police have said that the actress had no connection whatsoever with the gangster’s business.However, Abu Salem has told the police that he has high regards for Sushmita Sen. The two met several times at different places and on different occasions between 1999 and 2000, but the actress refuses to tell anything on this.

Child actors are victimised in Bollywood....

What can you say about a child of eight, a star overnight, when he refuses an award bestowed on him for his brilliant performance in a difficult role on grounds that he was the 'hero' of the film and not a 'child' actor? The electronic media went wild right across television channels the other day closing in on this wonderful little boy whose instant stardom has clearly gone to his head. Darsheel Safary, the wonder kid of Taare Zameen Par, insists that he is the hero of the film so why should he be chosen for the 'Best Child Actor' category by a weekly trade paper for its annual film awards this year? Shoma A Chatterji tries to find out whether the child actor is a hero, a victim exploited by his family and the film's publicity machine, or an unwilling martyr to media-hype...

It is amusing to discover the contradiction. A boy who does not understand what 'jury award' means refuses 'the best child actor' award. Is his response spontaneous? Or did his parents and family doctor it? Why weren't they questioned about the child's decision? Where were they when the boy, whose final exams are round the corner, was being interviewed by every news channel that jumped on the story for its 'man-bites-dog' element of sensation? Darsheel has been the media's favourite lollipop ever since Taare Zameen Par hit the screens across the country. He has been giving television and press interviews left, right and centre, appearing at press conferences and generally having a whale of a time. Shouldn't he be getting back to where he belongs - to his parents and his school and his games of football and cricket? Should he be questioned about whether girls' attitudes toward him have changed? Or, whether he likes girls or not, again and again? By the simple logic of a child's mindset, Darsheel ought to have been thrilled by the twin awards bestowed on him for his first ever film role. But no sir, he is not a normal child. The media has seen to that. He insists by suggestion that he would have been happy had he won the Best Actor award that went to Shahrukh Khan! The media just laps it up in sound bytes that may have overwhelmed you had you not been so shocked at its blatant violation of the simple ethics of letting a child remain a child.

Maddy approaches Shah Rukh

January 24, 2008
Om Shanti Om directed by Farah Khan with Shah Rukh and debutant Deepika Padukone in the lead roles was declared as one of the greatest hits of last year. The success of this film has led many film makers from other languages to consider remaking the same in their own language and there seems to be stiff competition among them to buy the rights. From Tamil film industry

Maddy was supposed to be very keen to remake the same in Tamil and has approached the King Khan. Even though, the rates quoted by Shah Rukh were said to be astronomical, Maddy is very eager and firm about bringing Om Shanti Om to Tamil. An official announcement is in the offing and we will keep you informed…

Aishwarya Rai signs for Robot

January 24, 2008

A couple of days back, we had mentioned that Shankar was in Mumbai to hold talks with Aishwarya Rai to cast her in his prestigious project Robot. Now it is confirmed that he has been successful with regard to roping in former Miss World in his mega budgeted film Robot. Ms Rai has signed on the dotted line for a jaw dropping sum of Rs 1.5 crore to play the lady lead for Super Star in the

film. Insiders reveal that this could be the highest paid salary for any heroine in the South Indian film industry. This Science fiction film will be produced by Karunamoorthy for Ayngaran International and is expected to be made simultaneously in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu.

Alibaba to be launched soon

January 24, 2008
In Kollywood, there seems to be a trend of brothers of directors smearing the grease paint. Following the brothers of Lingusamy and Boopathy Pandian, director Vishnuvardhan’s brother Krishna will be making his Kollywood entry through a film called Alibaba to be produced for Talking Times Movies Private Limited by S G Sekar, Vijayraghavan and Sanjeev Kapur.

This film will go on floors next month and it will be directed by Vishnu’s associate Neelan. Cinematography will be taken care of by Vel Raj and Vidya Sagar will be scoring music. According to the unit the film fill focus equally on romance, action and music. Currently the director is in Mumbai to finalize a heroine for Krishna.

Irrfan tries being Shahrukh

Irrfan Khan is more known for his tremendous acting skills and he had the audiences floored with his performances in Metro and The Namesake.
When it comes to acting Irrfan can surely give any star a run for his money. Unfortunately Irrfan doesn’t hold the star power that Shahrukh Khan does. Does that bother Irrfan ? We wouldn’t really know but Irrfan has surely taken up the task of imitating Shahrukh.
In Rohit Shetty’s Sunday Irrfan plays the character of a struggling actor who mimicks Shahrukh at the auditions of Don 3.
We wonder why everyone in bollywood seems to be breathing down Shahrukh’s neck so much; be it the character of a monkey in Hanuman that spoke like Mr.Khan or the constant taunts about Shahrukh’s six pack. In any case let’s hope that Irrfan doesn’t upset Shahrukh and don’t be surprised if you hear of Irrfan gearing up to achieve those faboulous six pack.

Mixed verdict for Fardeen Khan in drug case

Actor Fardeen Khan Thursday received a mixed judgement in a drug case when the court acquitted him from the charge of procuring nine grams of cocaine but said he would be charged for attempting to buy one gram of the drug, which attracts lesser penalty. Additional sessions judge P N Deshmukh discharged the actor from the offence of allegedly procuring nine grams of cocaine about five years ago, which would have invited stringent punishment. The judge, however, held that Khan would be charged for conspiracy of attempting to buy one gram of the contraband. Khan was caught here by the police while attempting to buy cocaine from a drug peddler in 2002. Nine grams of cocaine was seized from the peddler. During the trial, the actor told the court that he was attempting to buy only one gram of the drug and hence should not be charged for more quantity.

Aishwarya Rai becomes the Indian Mona-Lisa

Queen of Hearts, Aishwarya Rai, has seen it all. From winning the prestigious title of Miss World to even having a Tulip named after her in Amsterdam, Madame Rai has been there and done that.
But wait there's more to her crowning glory. 72 year old painter Ratan Parimoo (actor Lalit Parimoo's uncle) had an exhibition of his paintings this week titled 'Iconography of a Nayika' at Mumbai's famous Jehangir art Gallery.
The paintings depict the archetypal female across cross-cultural boundaries and needless to say Aishwarya Rai was the painter's muse as he showcased the actress' various moods and moments combining it with his own imagination.
But probably the ultimate tribute to Madame Rai is this painting in which the former Miss World has been painted in a Mona-Lisa like pose, thereby combining the beauty and grace of two really well known female characters from both European and Indian art history.
The event had quite a few prominent tele and theatre personalities like Mukesh Khanna, Lalit Parimoo, Mauli Ganguly , Ananya Banerji , Amisha Mehta , Anil Dharker in attendance. As for Ash, she may not have been physically present but she was seen flashing her million-dollar smile from the paintings that adorned the walls of this gallery.

Sallu becomes sardar for Heroes

Salman Khan may have almost finished two decades in the film industry but he still keeps bettter with age.
The handsome actor who has played a variety of characters in his films would now be doing something which he hasn't done before. He will be seen playing a sardar for the first time in his upcoming film Heroes directed by Sameer Karnik.
Apart from Salman, the film in question, stars Sohail Khan, Vatsal Seth, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Preity Zinta, Amrita Arora, Riya Sen and Mithun Chakraborty. Sallu plays a military official in this road-trip film which is apparently inspired by the cult classic The Motorcycle Diaries. In fact, to make the look more authentic, Sallu even grew his own beard for three weeks and has really worked hard on getting the look right.
One thing is for sure, when the film hits the box-office, die-hard Sallu fans will surely queue up to see their favorite hero in his brand new look.

‘Ash, Hrithik wore 300 kg of gold in Jodhaa-Akbar’

Two hundred craftsmen worked for 600 days, moulded 400 kg of gold and precious and semi-precious stones to recreate jewelleries of Mughal era in Ashutosh Gowariker's historical romance Jodhaa Akbar, releasing Feb 15.
Tanishq, the leading jewellery brand, unveiled the jewellery worn by Aishwarya Rai, who plays the Rajput princess Jodhabai, and Hrithik Roshan, who plays Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar, in the movie.
The exquisite pieces include sarpech (feather pin), archer's ring, arsi (mirror ring), bhor (head jewel like in Indian tika) and hansali (choker).

"The wedding set, which Aishwarya wears in the film, is very heavy. It weighs around three-and-a-half kg. It was difficult for her to wear them. In fact, in the interviews she said the hardest part was to wear the jewellery,” said Alpana Parida, head marketing & merchandising at Tanishq. “But that was how women lived those days and it is authentic."
A blend of Mughal and Rajasthani designs, the handcrafted jewels on display in Delhi are breathtakingly beautiful and give an insight into India's glorious past.
"I think if everything is put together then the total weight will be about 300 kg and it's a huge investment on the part of the company,” said Parida. “We have made 13 ensembles for Aishwarya and eight for Hrithik. We have used gold and gems like emeralds, pearls, ruby, tourmaline and jade."
However, she refused divulge the budget.
This is Tanishq's second film venture. Earlier, they collaborated with Shah Rukh Khan for his home production Paheli.

Amitabh Bachchan shooting in snow covered Manali

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is presently in a picturesque tourist town, Manali shooting for Sujit Sircar's Shoe Bite.
Bachchan arrived here late Tuesday by road from Chandigarh, as his plane could not land due to bad weather in Kullu Monday.
The resort town of Manali received heavy snowfall this year and sources said Sircar has short-listed a host of locations here to shoot for the film.
Actor Diya Mirza is also joining the unit in a couple of days, the sources said.
According to hotel sources, Bachchan is scheduled to stay for five days in and around Manali and then move to the Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla, 280 km away, for more shooting of the same film.

John's diary: I know I have put my career on the line

The downside of being on the road all the time is that I never get to read the same newspaper every day. I get bits and pieces of news from friends and on the Internet, but I do feel quite cut off from the world. I begin to wonder how other people in my industry stay in touch: to stay real with the times and to the audiences that they serve.
On the other hand, every time I am back in Mumbai, I find the city and the country has moved forward a little more than the last time I was there. The fact that there is a perceptible change within weeks and months is in itself a wonder.
A greater acceptance of diverse ideas has steadily taken root in Indian film-making. There is a new adventure in the industry that is fed with new blood. Films are being made to lead public sentiment, rather than to follow it.
Leadership is never easy. Somebody has to be the first to seek out new audiences, forge new routes into the wilderness. There will be poison berries along the way, as well as exotic fruits. There have been path-breaking directors like Guru Dutt who have forged new paths and paid the price for their enterprise.
There is a clutch of young film-makers today, who are going against the grain of established norms in the industry. They are laying the path for others in the future.

Sanjay Dutt may have married Manyata

A prominent half-page colour advertisement by Sanjay Dutt and Manyata in a Marathi newspaper Wednesday, greeting Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on his 82nd birthday, indicates that the troubled film star may have tied the knot with his live-in companion, an indication confirmed by Bollywood sources.
The advertisement has been released in the 88-page special edition Saamna newspaper. Below a large photograph of a reclining Thackeray is the revealing caption: "From Sanjay Dutt and Manyata Dutt".
According to Bollywood sources, the duo had a low-profile registered marriage in the presence of a few family members and close friends.
Though his sisters Priya, Namrata and other family friends remained unreachable on their mobile phones, sources told IANS that the marriage has been kept under wraps since Dutt has been sentenced to a jail term. He is presently out on bail.
"It would appear inappropriate to celebrate a marriage with him behind bars," one of his Bollywood friends said.
Dutt was always expected to tie the knot with Manyata alias Shehnaaz Shaikh, once an innocuous Bollywood item girl, who has been seen with him during the highs and lows in his personal and professional lives.
Ever since the star, convicted in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case, was released from his latest jail stint in November last year, Manyata has been constantly seen with him at all public events, including his film shoots.
Manyata has reportedly become so possessive of late that not only Dutt's friends, even his sisters cannot walk into his apartment and talk to him without her remaining within earshot.
Sources said the couple is now planning to shift out of their Mumbai apartment building Imperial Heights to guard their privacy.

Spot the new 'Gabbar' in town

Veteran actress Tanuja will be seen stepping in Gabbar's shoe and counting on men "Kitne Aadmi the', unerringly the way Gabber did for the TV serial 'Babban Bhai V/s Bimla Tai'.
"Tanuja ji is a complete sporty lady and did not show paroxysm for getting in to Gabbar's character", says Yash Patnaik, show's producer. "She loves to experiment with her own looks and is very co-operative", adds Yash.
"Everybody on the sets simply adore her and is very fond of her", chirps the producer. To sum it up in a few words "Tanuja ji is a part of the family, a wonderful actor to work with and an awe-inspiring human being", adds Yash Patnaik.
Well Gabbar's in awe for sure!
Adds Tanuja, "I always kept receiving a lot of offers. They were all saas-bahu sagas where I had to play the head of the family. I cannot see myself doing these soaps that go on and on. When I was offered the role I like the concept. When I heard about the character I was to play, I freaked out. I thought to myself, what can I do with this character that imparts a social message in a funny way.
I was happy that I would be doing something to make people laugh. Besides the interesting role, the producers agreed to all my terms and conditions. What's more it's a weekly which suits me fine. It's great fun doing this serial."
Talking about her films, she says, "I have three films on hand. One is being directed by Satish Kaushik, it is untitled yet and there's Halle Dil. I am also acting in one Bengali film."
She is also keeping her fingers crossed for U, ME AUR HUM which features her daughter Kajol along with son-in-law Ajay Devgan. She reveals, "Ajay's been inviting me to see the rushes but I have told him I will watch it when it's complete and in the theatre on the day of the premiere. I can wait till then."

Preity rubbishes rumours of split with boyfriend Ness

Preity Zinta is currently concentrating on changing her image in bollywood, she has now moved to doing more serious roles as she has reached a different stage in her career. However there have been rumours that Preity has lately been very busy with work and hence she hardly has time for boyfriend Ness Wadia. Some sources had claimed that the two were even having problems in their relationship. But Preity claims "We are happy and there are no problems between us."Preity Zinta is making a conscious decision to move away from her glamorous roles right now. She is currently doing a strong role in Deepa Mehta's film where she plays a battered Punjabi wife. Recently there were rumours that all is however not well in Preity's personal life. She was shooting for Deepa Mehta's film in Toronto and boyfriend Ness too had accompanied her to spend time with her. However since Deepa is a tough taskmaster, there were reports that Preity hardly had time to spend with Ness and this apparently led to an argument between the couple. Sources claimed that after the showdown between Ness and Preity, an upset Ness returned to Mumbai and Preity was once again immersed with her shoot. However Preity denies the entire story, terming it rubbish. Preity said "I don't know where these stories originate from. A few months ago it was being said that Ness and I were getting married and now it's being said that he and I have split." Preity obviously was not too happy with the media intrusion into her personal life. But she nonetheless said "Ness and I are happy together, thank you very much." Preity will also be seen in a serious avatar in Heroes. In fact she had recently also joined Anupam Kher's acting school to brush up on her acting skills.

Sanjay Dutt shoots a music video for 'Woodstock Villa'

Sanjay Dutt has discovered several musical bones in his personality. After crooning for the album "Asha & Friends" and the film "Zinda", he now features in a music video for the movie "Woodstock Villa". In the debut vehicle of Kirron and Anupam Kher's son Sikandar and Neha Oberoi, Sanjay enacts a song performed by the band Aryan. Sanjay Gupta, who has directed the musical piece, says the song has turned into one of the film's highlights."When Sanju performs a song, it's not just a star lending his name. He feels the lyrics, their pain and passion and projects them on screen. That's what makes the sound so special," Gupta told IANS.Sanjay Dutt apparently was moved to tears by the evocative lyrics.

Amitabh Bachchan shooting in snow covered Manali

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is presently in this picturesque tourist resort shooting for Sujit Sircar's "Shoe Bite".Bachchan arrived here late Tuesday by road from Chandigarh, as his plane could not land due to bad weather in Kullu Monday.The resort town of Manali received heavy snowfall this year and sources said Sircar has short-listed a host of locations here to shoot for the film.Actor Diya Mirza is also joining the unit in a couple of days, the sources said.According to hotel sources, Bachchan is scheduled to stay for five days in and around Manali and then move to the Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla, 280 km away, for more shooting of the same film.

Did Abu Salem love Sushmita

Did you know that the gangster Abu Salem, now undergoing imprisonment in an Uttar Pradesh jail, has confessed that he was smitten by actress Sushmita Sen the very moment he saw her in Dubai in 1995?The story goes back to 1994 when Abu Salem was organizing shows in Dubai where Bollywood stars were regular performers. It is during one of these shows, that he met the former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen in 1995. It was a time when Sushmita had just entered the film industry and was introduced to the gangster by her friend Amir Shaikh from Bahrain. And Salem was charmed by the actress. The two first met in person in a restaurant Wadi Kabir in Muscat in 1999 for a show there and again in Chicago after Abu Salem moved to the US in 2000. However, the gangster’s first wife Samira Jumani did not like of his association with Sushmita and they often quarreled over his relation with the actress. However, he clarified that he did not have an affair with the actress.While this has been confirmed from the intelligence records of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, the police have said that the actress had no connection whatsoever with the gangster’s business. However, Abu Salem has told the police that he has high regards for Sushmita Sen. The two met several times at different places and on different occasions between 1999 and 2000, but the actress refuses to tell anything on this. -Chandan Das

At last, Aamir kicks bad habit

Bollywood actor-turned-director Aamir Khan, whose directorial debut 'Taare Zameen Par' has become a box-office hit, says that he is extremely tired and badly needs to unwind himself.'My God! The past few months have been quite a ride. And the last month the most exciting, nerve racking, exhausting, rejuvenating, draining, enriching. Am I ever going to recover?' Aamir noted in his blog this week.'I feel like I've been stuffed into a washing machine, which doesn't have an off button. After this I really need to be put out to dry in the sun and left alone. But no such luck. I start shooting for 'Ghajini' on Jan 22,' he penned.Hence, the multifaceted actor would take 'baby steps' towards recovery.'First things first... I have just smoked my last cigarette before sending this post. Yes, I have finally kicked the bad habit! I know I know I can already hear all of you all scream and shout. I was supposed to give up on Dec 31. But I didn't (which is one of the reasons I was avoiding posting).'I tried my best... but I am sorry I couldn't then... but I have now... so please don't give me grief... instead support me now.'Second step: get back to sleeping early. Third: work out religiously.Fourth: get back on my healthy diet. Fifth: just stick to the above four for a while before taking the fifth step,' he explained.And while the actor shoots for 'Ghajini' his to-do list includes: Work on the DVD of 'Taare...', work on the release plan of 'Jaane Tu...', Aamir Khan Production's next release, supervise preparations on 'Delhi Belly,' which starts shoot in March.'Start preparation work on the other one that Aamir Khan Production is producing later this year yet untitled. Make innovations and progress on this site. Clean my study and my cupboard. So much junk has piled up in my rooms. Everyday I look at the mess and promise myself I'll get down to it at some point.'Overwhelmed by the Indian cricket team's historic win in Australia last week, Aamir, a sports buff, said the victory tastes sweeter after beating an 'arrogant' team.'In the meantime let us celebrate India's win over Australia. What a glorious win! Sweet and well deserved. We would have won the earlier test as well had it not been for remarkably bad luck with the umpiring.'The victory is the more satisfying because we beat a team, which is unfortunately very arrogant and decidedly badly behaved on the cricket field.'My sincere apologies to any fans of Australian cricket but I fail to understand why arguably the best team in the world has to behave so badly on the field.Or why this team feels the need to use excessively aggressive heckling to try and win a match. Can't they just play better?'Incidentally, Aamir, a more-than-decent tennis player and admirer of Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, said that cricketers must take a lesson from tennis players.'I don't see Federer or (Andy) Roddick misbehaving with each other or anyone. I wish the Indian team didn't get influenced by the childish display and respond in kind. We should just quietly play better and win... or lose, as the case may be. But play with dignity.'

A fan just pierced my thigh...

By Subhash K Jha"There's a very thin line dividing adulation from abuse. Those who adore us stars can also get excessively insistent and abusive," says Anupam reacting to Govinda's violent outburst.Anupam has his own horror story of excessive fan zeal. "Recently in Baroda while I was moving through a crowd a man just pierced my thigh with a bobbin. I was stunned and bleeding. Luckily I had the presence of mind to catch the man's hand. I asked him just one question. 'Why?' The man just looked at me scared and confused. Fans sometimes don't know where to draw the line. With the heroines it's even worse. On so many occasions while shooting in public places the crowd has got over-familiar and started passing filthy comments about actresses.Why is that a mob incites to behave badly? I'm sure those molestors on New Year's Eve at Juhu would've remained civil if they hadn't been together in a crowd." Recalling another incident nearer home Anupam shudders, "I was caught in a Ganapti procession in Mumbai. First the passersby just saw me in my car, smiled and waved. As time passed they got aggressive and began to pound on my car windows and jump on my bonnet.It was really scary. At times like these it's very difficult to keep your cool."For all those who have been wondering where Anupam Kher has been after the Govinda slapping incident broke out, the man for the first time in his career has been unreachable on the phone."I'm shooting in Madhya Pradesh for me and Satish Kaushik's production Hawai Dada. And there's no network here. I came to know about Govinda's only on Friday morning. It's unfortunate. I'm against physical violence of ant kind. But let me also add that Govinda isn't the kind of person who loses his temper easily.I've shot innumerable films with him. I've seen him remain calm through the worst of crisis. The provocation has to be really severe for him to have reacted the way he did. Having said that I repeat, resorting to violence is no remedy specially when you're in the limelight.I learnt this the hard way."Anupam recalls his own much-quoted incidence of physical violence against a journalist many years ago. "It was a very unfortunate incident, and I apologized publicly. No matter what the provocation it's wrong to get physical."

'Save me from female fans!!!'

'Save me from female fans!!!'

An intense scene where Divyanka aka Vidya of ‘Dulhann’ was all out to confront Sindoora (Kamya Punjabi), while she puts Sagar (Sharad) on phone was ready for shoot, but due to some error, the phone gets disconnected and Sagar returns the call on Sindoora’s handset. Since nobody was carrying their handsets on the shooting floor, director Inder makes the call on behalf of Sharad on Sindoora’s cell. Now, this scene was flashed all out on the television screens, which lead to endless calls on director’s handset thinking it is Sharad’s number. The director is still flooded with bizarre calls from male and the female fans of Sharad. It is reported that he is just not able to concentrate on his work since then. God save him!

Saif Ali Khan dreams of making film on music

Actor Saif Ali Khan, who occasionally strums guitars at rock concerts, wants to do his bit for Indian music by making a film about it. Khan, who recently started a film production house, said he wants to experiment with a film about Indian singers and music - a genre largely ignored by Bollywood.Hollywood has several films like "Ray" and "Walk the Line" that are based on the lives of real-life musicians. But the Indian film industry usually shies away from the topic, even though song-and-dance sequences are staple fare in Bollywood films."Our singers are very respected, so is our music," the 37-year-old actor said. "There are films that have been made …but how commercially successful those films were is questionable." "It is a fascinating genre… we have not experimented much with it," Khan said. "I wish to make such a film." The actor, who recently performed with the Parikrama rock band, said he started playing the guitar while still at school."Some of us even formed a band but we were really bad."

Amitabh buys land for `Aishwarya` girls` school

Uttar Pradesh, Jan 24: Film actor Amitabh Bachchan's urge to acquire farmland in this district could surely give script writers some ideas for a Bollywood movie. The superstar seems to be giving a new twist to his intention of buying land after the Allahabad High Court decided to condone the alleged fraud and forgery through which 2.5 bighas (about 70,000 sq ft) of government land was allotted to him during the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime. The court had cancelled that allotment last year. The superstar seems to be giving a new twist to his intention of buying land after the Allahabad High Court decided to condone the alleged fraud and forgery through which 2.5 bighas (about 70,000 sq ft) of government land was allotted to him during the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime. The court had cancelled that allotment last year. Now the star has bought some land from private farmers in the district's Daulatpur village, about 40 km from state capital Lucknow, on which he is setting up a high school for girls. Bachchan professes that his sole intention in buying land was to build an educational institution. On Jan 27, he is to lay the foundation stone for the school to be named after his glamorous daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai. Hectic preparations are on at the 10-bigha plot that Big B recently purchased from different farmers in Daulatpur village to build what has been christened the 'Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Girls Intermediate College', a school for higher secondary students. The actor has never explained what attracted him to Barabanki - a place with which he does not have even a remote connection. Why Bachchan changed his original plan of naming the school after his eminent poet father, the late Harivansh Rai Bachchan, is not known either. "The school would be a boon for all the girls in this area who cannot traverse some 40-45 km to the nearest existing girls' school," says local village head Raj Kumari Devi, who is as excited as the youth in the village over the prospect of meeting the entire Bachchan family. Amitabh is to be accompanied by wife Jaya, son Abhishek and Aishwarya. To add political spice to the show, there will be Bachchan family friend Amar Singh, the Samajwadi Party general secretary who was instrumental in getting Bachchan the earlier government land allotment in violation of laws. Amar Singh is understood to be trying to ensure the participation of Samajwadi Party chief and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, besides three former chief ministers - Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Farooq Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir) and Om Prakash Chautala (Haryana). They are all members of what is known as the third front, the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA). In an affidavit sworn before the high court that condoned Bachchan last month of forgery on the ground that he "was not involved in it", Bachchan had stated: "I purchased equivalent land in the same village and offered to donate it for construction of a school; why would I do that if I had any intention to usurp government land by fraudulent means?"Replying to the state government's charges, the actor further argued: "So what if I am a non-resident of the village or even if my ancestors had not lived there? After all, there is no law to bar a non-resident to acquire land in a UP village." According to the Uttar Pradesh government chief standing counsel Devendra Upadhaya, who argued the case against Bachchan: "The observation of the high court clearly showed that even the judge did not dispute the fact that some fraud or forgery was committed; but he felt that the surreptitious entry was not manipulated by Bachchan or carried out at his behest." It looks as though Bachchan's idea behind the allotment was to safeguard the purchase of a huge 6-hectare farm in Pune district of Maharastra, where land revenue laws do not permit ownership of agricultural property by anyone other than a "farmer". An obliging Uttar Pradesh administration under Mulayam Singh Yadav favoured Bachchan with a land record entry to give him the status of a "farmer". A certificate was promptly issued, allegedly under directions of Amar Singh. Later, on inquiry initiated by the Maharastra administration, Uttar Pradesh officials found the entry had been forged. With his claim to the Pune farmland nearly forfeited, the mega star is apparently trying to prove that his only intent in acquiring land in Barabanki was to do start the girls' school.

Ravi to play Gabbar in Bhojpuri Sholay

The star of Bhojpuri films Ravi Kishen says he has come out of Sony TV's reality show Bigg Boss looking lean and sexy. He has acquired this new look to play Gabbar Singh in soap queen Ekta Kapoor's version of Sholay.
"I've lost 10 kg in the Bigg Boss house to play Gabbar. My Bhojpuri belly is gone. Now I'm lean and sexy. People find me hot. This is a villain like never before," Ravi told IANS.
In the film Ravi plays an ex-soldier who becomes an outlaw.
"Jeetendra-ji is Thakur. I'm aware Amitabh Bachchan is also playing Gabbar. But to compare me with him is wrong. Bachchan saab is god. My film is Gabbar's story," Ravi told IANS.
"We're shooting it in Bihar in the same flavour as Omkara. We'll have the same characters as the original Sholay and the same dialogues. But this Gabbar has nothing to do with Amjad Khan saab or Bachchan saab. Gabbar is the hero of our version of Sholay."
Ravi says he is suffering from a three-month jetlag and has eyes only for his wife.
"I don't want to lose sight of her even for a second. Inside that Bigg Boss house, it was like living in a five-star prison. You couldn't go out and escape. If you did, you had to pay a huge penalty. We had signed a 12-page contract."
After Bigg Boss Ravi's popularity has gone up. He says he's being mobbed in the malls.
"God has turned me into a role model. My wife has also become a star. She can't get a good deal in the shops. They think she can afford to pay up any price."

I want a girl this time: Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan and his wife Sussanne are expecting their second child in May and the actor says he would like to have a daughter this time.
"I don't want to say much about this. But, yes, we're very excited. I thought my excitement level would be lower the second time around, but it's as high," Hrithik told IANS.
Would Hrithik like his second child to be a baby brother for Hrehaan? "No," he says firmly. "I want a girl this time."
Hrithik, who will be seen in the periodical Jodhaa-Akbar, set to hit the marquee Feb 15. He has gone straight to the pop art of advertising biscuits.
Last week, he was in Goa shooting for an ad with the gifted Navdeep Singh, who last year directed the talked-about noir film Manorama Six Feet Under.
It's one more ad for a biscuit company. The last time Hrithik shot an ad for the same guys, it showed him waltzing ethereally with Isha Sharvani. This time, Hrithik's partner in the ad format is upcoming model Gunjan Bakshi, who has so far mainly done ads for the print medium.
But sad luck, Gunjan! This time Hrithik doesn't dance in the ad. And that's quite a change for the actor.
"I'm aware a majority of the ads expect me to put on my dancing shoes. I can't say I've consciously avoided dancing for this one. But yes, when you sit down to create something with likeminded people, ideas do tend to be tossed freely and feelingly. I did feel the dancing bit in the ads was becoming tedious."
Hrithik doesn't do much dancing in his next release Jodhaa-Akbar. And that isn't because he injured his knee during the shooting.
"That's completely untrue. I didn't get injured during Jodhaa Akbar. My knee had been suffering for a long time. I just let it be until it came to a point where it could take no more."
The plus side of the injury is that Hrithik got to spend more time with his wife and son Hrehaan.
The downside? "Well, here I am in Goa surrounded by the sun and sand. I'm staring at this inviting expanse of beach leading into a stretch of the bluest sea I've ever seen.
"And all I want to do is run with the sand and sea flapping on my feet and face. But I can't do that. Thanks to my knee. I've to behave myself if I want to again do what I love doing the most, namely action and dance."

Baba Ramdev's seven packs for Big B, SRK & Aish!

To improve the fitness and health of top Bollywood stars, world famous naturopath and Ayurveda Guru, Baba Ramdev is all set to hold a yoga and fitness camp in the Bollywood capital, Mumbai from the 4th to the 9th of February 2008. The organizers disclose that top Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Mallika Sherawat are expected to attend. As per the yogic guru himself, he will teach the top stars seven types of 'pranayams', nine 'aasans' and eleven 'yogi-jogi' packages. He says that it will improve the health and fitness and hence the lifestyle of the stressed out stars. Here's hoping for the sake of all movie buffs that Baba's magic works and we see a fighting fit Bollywood!

Rohit Shetty: SUNDAY has more than just comedy

Ajay Devgan starrer SUNDAY would be seeing a reasonably well spread-out release when it hits the screens tomorrow. It would be arriving at around 475 prints. Confirms Rohit Shetty, film's director, "The film would be releasing at close to 475 prints though there could be some plus or minus in the final count. Nevertheless, it is a good number and should ensure that the film gets a widespread release." A comic thriller, the film is currently hot in the trade since it is the first high profile film of 2008. With industry being in red ever since the New Year began, all eyes are set on SUNDAY to bring back smiles on the faces of distributors and exhibitors alike. Says the hopeful film maker, "Yes, I am aware that people are looking for some hardcore entertainment. In fact this is what I have been trying to convey through the promos as well. There are numerous comic elements in the film but if you look closely, the film is also what you call as an out and out commercial 'masala' entertainer. Don't just walk in expecting only comedy; there is a lot more in terms of action, suspense, 'naach-gaana' and the works to keep you engaged."

Shirin's Kannada sixer?

She's shed oodles of weight and her skin has an ethereal glow about it these days, making her look hotter than ever. This lovely lady is Shirin, who tried her hand at a one-song gig in Bheemaa, then decided that she would never do it again! The word is that she politely said 'Thanks, but no thanks' to an item dance deal in a big movie for which she was offered, hold your breath, Rs. 40 lakhs! Shirin is quite sure that she wants only to do lead roles, nothing else.
It is now rumoured that a Kannada production house has signed on this pretty belle for six of their upcoming movies! In what language, we know not, but if they live up to their word, six movies in any language is a pretty good deal for pretty Shirin, who pretty well needs a break.

I'm acting with Arya – Trisha

Trisha pairs up with Arya for the first time.



This year has started well for Trisha. Her Telugu film 'Krihna' with Ravi Teja is a super hit and 'Bheema' is not doing too bad either.
She's now acting with Vijay in 'Kuruvi' and in Radha Mohan's 'Abhiyum Naanum' that are to be released this year.
Trisha has also signed on a film directed by Puri Jagannath and another with Nagarjuna as hero. What about Tamil?

The first will be Vishnuvardhan's 'Sarvam.' "I'm acting in 'Sarvam' with Arya," said Trisha to the press. Trisha is particular that she will act only with top heroes like Ajith, Vikram, Vishal and Rajini, so she's waiting patiently for the right offers

C. Venkatesh turns producer

C. Venkatesh turns producer


The Kannada film industry has witnessed the foray of several estate owners into film production. C. Venkatesh, a land developer from Kangeri, is turning producer with the forthcoming film, Payana.
Directed by Kiran Govi, the movie stars Ravishankar, who rose to fame with his lead performance in the television serial 'Silly Lalli'. Ramaneethu Chaudary plays the female lead.
Along with Gandugali K Manju, C. Venkatesh is co-producing Rajkumari, starring Balaji and Kannika in the lead and directed by Govindoo.

Indian govt's response to French awards

The Indian government is showing favoritism towards Shahrukh Khan for awards to be given by the French govt on Indian soil.







The French govt has announced an award for writer Taslima Nasreen. Similarly, it announced an award for Shahrukh Khan for 2007 in the field of art.
The French President Nicholas Sarkozy has arrived as a special guest participating in India's Republic Day celebrations. The French govt had asked the Indian govt if it could give away the awards to the above awardees during Sarkozy's visit.
On the grounds that there are forces working against Taslima Nasreen and an award would create fresh problematic situations, the Indian govt has refused permission for the award to be given here to Taslima. The govt has however agreed to pay Taslima's travel charges if the function is held anywhere else in the world.

At the same time, the Indian govt has no objection to the award being given to Shahrukh Khan.
Even outside cinema, this is yet another instance of writers not being given their due respect.

Madhavan in bi-lingual film

'Yaavarum Nalam' features Madhavan in the lead role. Since the film is being made in Tamil and Hindi, Madhavan will star in both versions


This is the first time Madhavan will be acting in a film that's being released in Tamil and Hindi. Directed by Vikram K Kumar, the heroine role as Madhavan's wife will be played by Neetu Chandra of 'Traffic Signal' fame.
Madhavan is a civil engineer, who lives on the 13th floor of a multi-storey apartment block with his wife. A mysterious event takes place in the complex and only Madhavan is aware of it.

Vikram K Kumar's thriller story so impressed PC Sreeram that he agreed to do the cinematography himself. The Hindi title for the film is '13 - B Mein Sab Khairiyat Hain.' They originally titled the Tamil version as '13-B il Yaavarum Nalam.' But B is an English word and the film would not be eligible for tax concessions, so the title was changed to just 'Yaavarum Nalam.'

Bipasha Basu to pair with Ajith?

Who would pair with Ajith? This million dollar question is yet to be answered.


The Ultimate Star is on seventh heaven after the birth of his child. He announced that he would start work only in Feb but he already flew to Hong Kong in Jan itself.
The fight scenes of the film directed by Raju Sundaram are being shot in Hong Kong. Local stuntmen as well as from here are being used in these scenes.

The heroine has not yet been finalised. The only news regarding that is the information from the producer's side that they have approached Bipasha Basu for her call sheet.
It is said that Katrina Kaif's name is also in the heroine list.

'Mahesh, Sharanya Mattrum Palar...'

Whether the film comes out well or not, they give some catchy titles.

'Thottal Poo Malarum' Shakti will star next in the attractively titled 'Mahesh, Sharanya Mattrum Palar...' directed by PV Ravi.

Sandhya will pair with Shakti. After 'Thoondil,' Sandhya is getting a heroine role in this film.
Music is by Vidyasagar. The film is produced by Senbagakumar.

Without wasting money on pooja formalities, they have started shooting right away.

Since his first film 'Thottal Poo Malarum' did not really blossom well, Shakti has his hopes pinned on 'Mahesh, Sharanya Mattrum Palar...' More eager is his father P Vasu!