Barbara wants to work with SRK

After romancing Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan onscreen, Mexican beauty Barbara Mori is now eying to work with superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

The 32-year-old actress has been praised for her sizzling chemistry with Hrithik in Anurag Basu directed 'Kites'.

But before she can foray into Bollywood, the model-turned actress needs to brush up her linguistic skills and learn Hindi.

Barbara, who was here with Hrithik and producer Rakesh Roshan for the promotion of their film, sought help from the father-son duo to translate questions thrown at her by the audience.

When asked if she has signed any new projects the actress replied in negative but added, "I want to work with Shah Rukh Khan."

Barbara and Hrithik were all praise for each other forming a mutual admiration society. The 36-year-old actor said that he has learnt alot from his Mexican co-star.

The onscreen couple seemed unfazed toward the lukewarm response of the critic and audience to their film.

While the actress, who has has worked in Mexican TV soaps and films like 'Inspiracion' and 'La Mujer De Mi Hermano', said 'Kites' was the best movie of her career.
Hrithik said that the 140-crore film is his labour of love straight from the heart which has garnered good reviews outside India.

"To each his own. I don't really trust them (critics). When I debuted in Bollywood they referred me as god and then after two years they said I am finished. So I would rather follow my heart and do what I like than try to please the critics," Hrithik said.

The film's international version 'Kites - The Remix' has been edited by Hollywood director Brett Ratner of 'Rush Hour' and 'X-Men: The Last Stand' fame, which will hit the theaters on May 28.

Follow us on Twitter for more stories

Vaishali walks out on Shiney

Is Shiney Ahuja jinxed? It seems, actresses are walking out on Shiney Ahuja. The latest actress who refused to work with Shiney is Vaishali Desai, who has walked out of ‘Shaunya’.

Shiney’s career just started looking up, as he signed a film after being allegedly accused of raping his maid servant. But controversies refuse to leave the actor alone. As soon as he signed ‘Shaunya’, the lead actress Vaishali Desai walked out immediately.

Shiney's role was initially offered to Adhynan Suman but the producers felt Shiney was a better choice for the film.

Is Vaishali being judgmental or just concerned about her safety? ``It's personal," when we asked Vaishali why she's left the film. “A lot is being written about me that I left the film because of Shiney. I don’t want to comment on it and add fuel to the fire. But I have maintained that personal reasons made me refuse the film” says Vaishali, a former Miss India. Vishali Desai made her debut in Kal Kissne Dekha opposite Jackie Bhagnani.

But is she open to working with Shiney in future? “At this moment I can’t comment on the issue,” says a defiant Vaishali.

Shaunya is a horror flick which is being produced by Puja Bedi, neice of Bobby Bedi and goes on the floors in May itself. And Sayali Bhagat has replaced Vaishali as the main protagonist of the film.

Hrithik's star gazing

It's a story about a gymnast who wants to win the national championships but half way through his journey realises the futility of it all. It's one of the stories that Hrithik Roshan has read in recent times that he feels is in near-perfect synergy with his mind.

The book is author Dan Millman's No Ordinary Moments: A Peaceful Warrior's Guide to Daily Life. The 36-year-old actor, on the brink of a much-hyped release, and currently on a multicity tour in the USA, prefers not to crunch numbers, and instead chooses to dwell on the “magical life that the subconscious human mind propels you to travel towards”. It's a lingo that manages to stun you, given that film-wallahs are known to stick to the tried-and-tested a week before a major release.

Then again, given the puffs of dust that Kites has thrown up in the course of its making, perhaps it is tactful of the star to dwell on ordinary life. The actor refuses to be photographed, given that he is not “suitably prepped up” for the act. We try to cajole him into submission, urging that the processed pictures sent out by the PR-machinery hardly do them any justice, and this one is achingly beautiful.

He enters the sunny-spacious family room on the ninth floor of the Roshan residence in Pallazzo, Juhu, flops himself on a large dark blue couch, lights up a cigarette and manages to offer a welcome relief from the décor defined by an overdose of silver.

Craft has been at the heart of his métier as an actor - from looks to skills. It's been a decade since Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai; Hrithik spent years preparing for the big break and subsequently spent most of his waking hours honing his craft as an actor, even at the danger of becoming self-obsessive: he watched himself closely and had himself filmed at friends' parties, farmhouses, in the privacy of his room etc to perfect himself as a performer.

While all that paid off with the first big success and a string thereafter, he realised that it was also time to unlearn. “With the new film (Kites, popularised as a heart-rending love story, but clearly commensurate with speed and action), I knew that I had to let go completely, something I had only sporadically touched upon in the past.

I understood whatever I went through was only a preparation to get me ready for a role like this; right through films like Koi Mil Gaya, Lakshya, Jodha Akbar, etc... somewhere I knew that there was more to the world of acting,” he says. “All the craft I had built in the last ten years had to be wished away. Dhoom, for example, was all craft. But with this one I had to come out of the safety zone of a small pool and dive into the ocean,” says Hrithik. “I had to get used to enjoy letting me make a fool of myself.

You follow your instincts and do what you have to do without watching yourself. The craft is to have no mind; you just jump off and fly.” That is pretty much in sync with the time all those years ago when at his father Rakesh Roshan's behest he applied for a course in special effects in an American university and when selected, he decided that it was too much of a safety net to live within.

His father wished a more secure life for him much before either of them thought about Hrithik coming into films. Eventually, he tore up the acceptance letter, he says, for it was “going to weaken my thrust; if I had no safety net I could take that jump”. He bears no angst, he says, against the films that came between “Kaho Naa... and Koi Mil Gaya as those were the films where I was experimenting with forms set by senior actors.” That realisation resonates in his life as well. There are no bad experiences, he says, in between many cigarette puffs. “Films have taught me that life is a glass with a bottomless pit.

You tell yourself that once I get an award I will be happy and you start filling your ego with cars, etc, as much as you fill into that glass. So then you must come to a point where you become aware that it is not about filling it up, but enjoying the process of filling it up. And then if you fill it up with that much speed it will always give you an illusion of being full and you live content,” he observes. “I have been watching myself very closely, and have realised that we are all looking for love, so why all the angst and retaliation?”

All that sounds very well; so what would happen if he were to wake up one morning and find out that he is not a superstar anymore? Nothing, he says. Not true. “Yeah, stardom is a nice way to avoid queues.” What if you lose brand Hrithik Roshan? “Nothing will change; except that I will have to find a new way of putting food on the table.”

People around him will change. “Life will get more interesting then. It will then be a challenge and interesting to see how this dot would connect once I look back at it ten years hence. It will make my life a story book and I will be the hero.” That is until he ceases to be the hero.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish, where he plays a wheel chair-bound dying man, a film for which he allowed himself to put on an inordinate amount of weight (he shows a picture of his rotund middle lolling over his belt on his Blackberry) is nearly done after which the actor gets busy prepping himself up for Zoya Akhtar's next, a film where three friends - Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol - take a road trip in Spain. Road trips offer valuable time off, time to map the road ahead.

Mums, listen to your kids: Kajol

Bollywood has some and then a few more. Yummy mummies, we mean. But we chose the lovely actress Kajol to be TOI’s guest editor for this special Mother’s Day issue.

Not because she’s acting in Karan Johar’s Stepmom that will release later this year. But because she’s the only actress who twice in her hugely successful career has unselfishly stepped back from the top to gladly accept motherhood.

The first time after daughter Nysa, Kajol returned in 2006 to win the Filmfare Best Actress Award for Fanaa opposite Aamir Khan. Then this year, just after another stunning performance in My Name Is Khan with her favourite co-star Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol completed Stepmom and settled down to her second baby. It must take some doing. The actress, however, dismissed the putting-career-on-hold and making-a-comeback theory with a toss of her auburn hair.

“Your career is part of your life, your family is part of your life, and your whole life — your personality — is made of every part put together. It’s upto you to strike the right balance,” she said. “I learned from example. My own mother (the actress Tanuja) always put her family first. Even when she was working, we were her top priority, she gave us quality time — when she was there, she was with us 120 per cent. I’m lucky to have had her. And I hope to be like her...”

She’s glowing with the early stages of pregnancy, and she’s comfortable with her condition, she made no fuss about the great commute from her home to our office in peak summertime to take the chair for this issue. Dressed casually in a loose white top and black trousers, feet encased in soft slippers, she slipped into the role emphatically... brown eyes flashing with expression, fists thumping the table to make a point. When coffee and sandwiches were placed before her, Kajol’s face lit up. “I’m so pregrant, aren’t I,” she giggled.

She was unhappy with Mother’s Day, per se. “Mothers are fab and kids bring out the best in women,” she said, “but you can’t relegate your relationship with your mother to just one day in a year. For a child, the mother is God... the mother has the same responsibility to her child as God has to the world. And just as you wake up each morning and worship God whether you’re 14 or 40, you should respect your mother... even when you are grown up, in complete control of your life and are probably looking after her.”

And she had a word of caution for troubled mothers in today’s society of suicidal children: “They should listen to their kids... a mother’s gift to her kid should be the power of speech. Don’t be impatient. Don’t close yourself to your child by expecting her/him to be what you want them to be. Your message to them should be, ‘I love you for what you are and will support you whether you pass or fail your exams.’ Mothers should also stop to consider what they would do if their kid was suddenly taken away from them today. I would die! Compared to that, you can make make every situation work...”

There were more tidbits from this mother and mother-to-be even while she discussed work (“I’m a nice boring person, you won’t get gossip on me!”), babies, motherhood, growing up, families (“they teach you and make you who you are”), the need to discipline kids (“spanking is not bad as a means to get attention... it’s not the punishment, that’s much worse, and devious”) and pregnancy itself (“don’t become a mother unless you’re ready, don’t let this decision be thrust on you, because then everybody will suffer... especially your child”).

Plus, a final word of advice to mothers: “Advice itself is bad, don’t be weighed down by what society says your kid ought to be doing, rely on your own instincts and decisions. As a mother, you know what’s best for your kid, by learning, by instinct, by habit... And, practise what you preach. Your kid learns by watching you. In future, your child takes reference from you.” We had just one question for Kajol, did she subscribe to the public opinion that she was Bollywood’s yummy mummy? “Absolutely,” she declared, giving the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai smile, “I was yummy even before I had my baby!”

Akshay Kumar, the bowler

We've heard of actors carrying their roles home. But Akshay Kumar would be the first actor to take his part in "Patiala House" to the playing field. Getting trained as a bowler, Akshay says he is now almost as good as a national-level player.

"I'm working towards it. Practising my cricket gives me the biggest high," Akshay said.

Akshay is rapidly becoming an expert bowler. "I am not yet good enough to play national-level cricket but I am getting there. I've been taking bowling lessons for 'Patiala House' from one of the best trainers. I'm trying get to a national level. I'm very sporty by nature. So it was quite easy for me to pick it up," Akshay told IANS.

"Every morning I look forward to practising with Balwinder Singh Sandhu."

Akshay trains in cricket for a couple of hours every day. "I'm getting good enough to play beyond the film. And I will very soon. I promise you."

Directed by Nikhil Advani, "Patiala House" also stars Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Anushka Sharma.

Akshay reveals he has already worked with 52 directors and is still looking for filmmakers who can tap the best out of him.

"I'm still hungry. I want to work with directors who can help me tap emotions that I don't know about," the actor said.

Introspecting on his career, Akshay said: "I'm very happy with the kind of work I'm doing. I tried doing more serious films. But they were rejected. So I am back to comedy. Nikhil Advani's 'Patiala House' is not a comedy. But it has comic portions. Priyadarshan's 'Khatta Meetha' is a film on road mafia done in a light vein. That apart, I'm not signing any more films. I've been working the whole year and I need a break. Then I'll be doing another film with Vipul Shah."

So how was it like playing a loser in laugh riot "Housefull"?

"I enjoyed playing a loser more than any macho role I usually play. See, all us men are duffers underneath the swagger anyway. We may act cool for the ladies. But that's all an act. If you take away my wife, my designer clothes and my flashy car, I'm just a scared little boy at heart. Without the support system we're losers. In 'Housefull', I play an out-of-luck guy who gets caught in a crazy situation," Akshay said candidly.

But the actor had a ball doing "Housefull", where he has three wives.

"Not just the three ladies but also Riteish Deshmukh and Arjun Rampal. Riteish was great fun. Shooting was a playground with him around. He just cracks me up. We once put all the cutlery at the breakfast table in a hotel in Italy in Jiah Khan's bag and told the waiter to check her bag. Jiah took it sportingly.

"Arjun Rampal too has great comic timing. Lara Dutta is such an elegant lady and yet she can be one of the boys when it comes to comedy," he said.

In "Housefull", he also got to pay homage to Mithun Chakraborty and Dharmendra.

"Director Sajid Khan's sister Farah was doing the choreography. I suggested we put in the pelvic movements of Mithun-da and the extempore dance movements of Dharam-ji. It was my life-long ambition to dance like these two legends. They dance from their heart. I'm also a big fan of Dutt-Saab's (Sanjay Dutt) dance movements. I remember how taken up I was when 'Rocky' released. He used to make his long hair dance," the actor said.

So what about full-on actioners like the "Khiladi" series?

"I might do another 'Khiladi' film. Who knows about the future? I had said I'd never produce a film. Today I'm co-producing all my films, including Farah's 'Tees Maar Khan'," Akshay said.

Love, Amar Singh aur Dhokha

After acting as himself in films like Apne, Bombay Mittai and Charge Sheet, Amar Singh is nurturing his filmi ambitions. He is now set to produce a Bhojpuri film Dhokha.

The film, starring Manoj Tiwari and Jaya Prada, is based on his personal experiences in the political world, where dhokha is certainly not in short supply.

Although Amar Singh remained unavailable for comment, Manoj Tiwari, the lead actor, said, “Yes, Amar Singhji is producing the film.

We had gone to a remote village, Rampur, when we had this conversation first. I requested him to act in one of my films and he agreed instantly.

After that, while we were travelling, he told me that he should produce a film. It is his concept and Dhokha is his title. I don’t wish to reveal anything about the subject but knowing him, one can expect the unexpected.”

There’s plenty of fodder for a crackling script as politics throws up more surreal scenarios than any scriptwriter can dream up.

Manoj Tiwari added, “Though he knows all the big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and others, I’m happy he wants me to act in his film.

I am also excited about working with Jaya Prada. I will meet Amar bhaiyya on May 10 to take it forward.”

No time for love: Anushka

Anushka Sharma’s off to London to attend the premiere of her latest film. And she says that she wouldn’t be embarrassed to watch the intimate scenes she shares with co-star Shahid Kapoor with her family.

I’ve never hidden anything from them. The biggest reason I signed the film was because of my brother. He has a gut feeling about films despite not being from the industry (he’s in the merchant navy). And the intimate scenes with Shahid are not a big deal. Audiences today don’t have closed minds,” she says.

This is her second film after her debut in 2008. Why is so little happening in her career? “It’s a conscious decision to do as many different roles as possible. Lots of films came my way after Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. But, it’s extremely boring to do the same thing. Unfortunately, the role you play in your first film is a reference point for most people. But, if doing the right kind of films means not being everywhere all the time, I’m ok with it,” states Anushka. All the films she’s chosen till now are big banner projects. “I want to do very classy, good work. It’s the script that matters,” she says. What about established actors? First Shah Rukh Khan, now Shahid and then, it’s Akshay Kumar, who’s her co-star in Patiala House. “I can’t decide the actors I’ll work with. But, I’d be stupid to deny that films with these stars get bigger openings because of the kind of fan following they have,” she maintains.

Anushka isn’t looking at multi-starrers at this point, though. “It’s important for me to do strong roles as I’ve just started my career. When I’m a bigger name, doing better than I’m doing right now, I’ll consider them,” she says.

Isn’t love important to her? “There’s no time for love. Relationships require commitment. I’m too selfish at the moment to be in one. My antenna is not up for love,” she smiles.

Sonam's world’s biggest mush queen

Sonam Kapoor has seen Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge at least 20 times and says she will not tire if she has to see it another 20 times over. “It is one of my most favourite films,’’ says Bollywood’s youngest livewire actress. “The chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol is amazing. I just love them.’’ Simultaneously, she confesses, “I’m the world’s biggest mush queen with a voracious appetite for love stories.”

Quite naturally, Sonam is super-excited about her July 2, release, Punit Malhotra’s I Hate Luv Stories.

“It’s a fabulous film,’’ she says. “And, it has me playing me. I’m playing Simran who advocates love stories, whereas Imran Khan is Jay, and he’s a cynic. Of course, everyone knows that opposites attract and that is what happens in our case.’’

Gushing uncontrollably about IHLS, Sonam adds, “I loved working with Karan Johar. He is one guy who treats me like an individual. He knows my dad, Anil Kapoor, but when he approached me to play the lead in his film, he spoke to me like an independent person who makes her own decisions.’’

Dharma Productions, says Sonam, spoils its actors. “I was pampered by everyone from director Punit to Karan,’’ she smiles. She admits to having got along like a house on fire with Imran, though on screen they’re constantly pulling each other’s legs. “I personally like guys who have a great sense of humour, are well brought up, and have a good body. I like the concept of tall, dark and handsome. Imran may not fit the bill in every sense, however, we have great screen chemistry. He is a super talented actor and kept me on my toes as an actress.’’

Follow us on Twitter for more stories

Recommending IHLS to everyone who believes in love, Sonam says, “The nice thing about love stories is that they bring a smile to your face.’’ She’s excited Aisha — her release after IHLS, is also a romantic film. “Yet they are so different in their approach. I don’t want to give away too much,’’ she says, “but I can tell you that as an actor, both have been equally challenging. And for the audience, both will be equally entertaining.’’

Football fever grips Shilpa

I was a big hit & an embarrassment because she loved to dance at every gathering as a kid, says Shilpa Shetty; as she’s judging another dance reality show

This is your second reality show as a judge, after Jhalak Dikhla Ja. Will you employ the same strategies will there be something different now?

Well Zara Nach Ke Dikha a different show. Jhalak was a different format and this one’s a different format. This one concentrates on the whole war of the sexes. It’s the women against the men, and I am obviously going to support talent, whether it’s a woman or a man.

Who do u think makes for better dancers – girls or boys?

That would be a little difficult – for me to just generalise. Every person has their own USP and forte, and it’s just a question of who is better on that day. It’s pretty much like Twenty20 cricket I guess!

There are reports that you and Raj are starting a football league?

It’s too early in the day to discuss that right now. I definitely believe that football needs to be promoted in this country. We’re a nation of a billion people and we can definitely afford to have another sport. And football is very much loved. We definitely want to promote football. I don’t wanna make any comments in terms of what we’re going to do, we’re still working on it.

Do you think football can take off in a big way here when everyone’s so obsessed with cricket?

You know you’ll be surprised to see how many football fanatics we have in this country. Do you know we nearly have 300,000 registered footballers in this country? These are all things that we got to know, very recently, and you'd be surprised, there are a lot of people who turn to the UEFA, the English premier league, the world cup is welcomed always, so it’s just a question of the right timing and the right kind of promotion.

Do you think after your super successful stint on Celebrity Big Brother, you have become a hot favourite as a reality show judge in India?

No, I don’t see it like that. I’m basically a dancer, classically trained, and I love dancing. I’ve learnt Bharatnatyam for eight years, and I’ve also learnt Odissi and jazz. So I think that is why they picked me to be a judge on the show. I love dancing so much, I idolised Saroj Khan ever since I saw Ek Do Teen. When I did my first song with her, Kitaben Bahut Si, I was so overwhelmed, I had tears in my eyes.

So were you one of those little girls who practiced jhatkas in front of the mirror?

Oh yes. And my parents tell me that when I was a baby and I’d cry, all they had to do was put on some music and I’d be smiling and dancing in my baby cot. And my parents loved to show off. Every gathering we went to, all they had to do was say the word ‘dance’, and I’d be on the floor!

So you were a big hit at parties?

Yeah. And it was embarrassing!

When will we see you in a Bollywood film?

Well, right now I have really taken a break. I’m only doing this programme because it’s not demanding for me in terms of time. There’s been too much stuff happening and I’ve hardly had time to spend with my husband! We’ve been married for the last four and a half months and it still hasn’t sunk in that I’m married. So maybe, whenever I feel the need to take time out to do a film, I would do a film. You know I would give an arm and a leg to do a good role, but right now there’s nothing that has come my way that would make me put it before my family life. I’d rather give priority to my family life.

With so much happening, how do you manage to spend time with your husband?

The IPL kind of kept us together. All our businesses, I think we do everything together, in India. So that’s allowed us to spend time together. But at the end of a day, with coming back to him, I’m quite happy. I think the good thing about our marriages is that, touchwood, we’ve not allowed anything to change after marriage. Other than the fact that I come back to the same house! So we’ve not allowed marriage to affect us! (laughs)

People are saying you are planning to write your autobiography, is that true?

No, no. I have been approached, a couple of times, but I haven’t taken up the offer. It’s a little too early for me to write my autobiography, it makes me sound like an old hag! I’ll have to accumulate a lot many more experiences in my life and I have a long way to go, so I kind of, very kindly said no!

Will Lara, Mahesh tie the knot?

Looks like Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi are serious about taking their relationship to the next level. The couple was spotted at Mahalaxmi temple on Saturday afternoon.

Lara and Mahesh drove down to Mahalaxmi temple in a white Accord. An eyewitness says, “Lara was dressed in a plain white dress and was wearing trendy sunglasses and Mahesh was dressed in denims and a white tee. The couple was busy talking to each other till they entered the main temple.”

“After the darshan they were in the temple for 20 minutes before walking back to their car,” adds the source.

Though Lara and Mahesh have tried to avoid talking to the press about their relationship, they have not shied away from making public appearances together. They made their first public appearance at the Filmfare Awards in February this year.

We had also reported about Mahesh moving from Bangalore to Mumbai for good to be closer to Lara.

His rented Bandra apartment is 10 minutes away from Lara’s house. The actress is also actively involved in doing up Mahesh’s new house.

I'm politically correct: Deepika

I don’t want to burn out so young, so soon, says Deepika Padukone, because in her line of work, it’s very easy for that to happen

How irritating is the media focus, the prying into your life all the time – since you aren’t someone who grew up with the flashbulbs in your face?

Initially, it took me a little time to get used to how it functioned, but now I’m used to it.

I understand that there is a need for people wanting to know. My basic philosophy is that if you understand why anything in life happens, then half your problems in life are solved. If you understand why the media asks the sort of questions they do, if you understand why certain situations happen – understanding situations makes you happier as a person, lets you deal with those situations in an easier manner.

You have described yourself as shy and reserved. Some would describe you as someone who is just too smart to say anything wrong, who watches every word ... which version is true?

I know the sort of stuff people call me. I know people think that I’m very politically correct, but actually, I am like that as a person. I am very shy, I am reserved, I think before I speak, and while I do have my moments when I am spontaneous sometimes, even that is usually not out of context. I think I have opened up a lot more now, but by nature, I am a very quiet person ...

You think before you talk ...

I think before I talk, yes, that’s just the way I am. It’s not intentional. It’s not that I am scared about saying something wrong or anything like that. But it’s just me!

It’s happening even as we speak ...

Well, yeah! I think it’s the way I’ve been brought up. I don’t think I can ever be, you know, what you call muhphat. It’s just the way I have been brought up; I went to convent school, you’re taught manners, you’re taught to speak a certain way, you’re taught to think before you speak. Add to that the kind of upbringing my father has given me, to try and be as calm as possible, to absorb as much as I can, to never get frazzled in situations, to handle things in a mature manner. You can be rubbed the wrong way many, many times – but maturity and dignity and grace comes when you’re in bad situations, and you show how you deal with them. That’s when people can judge how dignified or how graceful you are ... this is how I think.

You seem to be someone who would look to, so to say, mentally detox, switch off at the end of a working day?

I do, I do. My life is such that I’m constantly surrounded by different kinds of people, by different attitudes, but when I come back home – I live alone – I look forward to the time before I go to bed. Since I am a very quiet person, my home is also very quiet. I take that time to sort of let my day sink in, to go over what has happened. That’s my ‘me time’. I do things for myself, I light a candle, just relax, have my dinner ... and go to sleep!

The industry’s supposedly 24/7 lifestyle hasn’t changed that?

No, and I don’t want it to ever change. Because I don’t want to lose the fire that I have in me, the excitement that I have to go back and do my work every day, to face the world and its challenges every morning – I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to burn out. Because in the kind of industry that I am, with the kind of work that I am doing right now, it’s very easy for that to happen. And I don’t want to let that happen to me, so young, so soon.

You’re seeing that happening to other people in the industry, and learning from them ... ?

Not necessarily only in my profession, I see it happening all around me, I see youngsters, at a very young age, working round the clock...

Er, if I may interrupt, not just youngsters ...

Everybody! Everybody, I think. In the last few years, everybody’s life has become so much about work that people are losing out on relationships, quality family time. I think our society and its culture is changing, and, at least as far as I am concerned, I don’t think it’s a good thing. I think it’s nice to have a good balance.

Today, people want to move out at a young age, don’t spend much time with family, are constantly working. If you’re not working, you’re with your friends, or partying ... work is good, but you need to have a life beyond it, too. It tends to bring a fresh approach to the way you approach work as well. A lot of businessmen go out and play a round of golf on Sunday morning – I think it’s a great idea.

You don’t usually exhibit emotional responses to things, unlike the celebs who respond to comments – especially to anything negative – with high-decibel responses.

I have my bouncing boards, I discuss things with them, even if I don’t share it in public or don’t let it show that way. I have my mother and my friends who are very, very close to me, and I can talk to them on absolutely anything under the sun.

And I don’t keep things within me. If something’s troubling me, I pick up the phone and talk about it, discuss it, that’s it. I don’t hold on to negativity, I don’t keep grudges. I forgive and – well, I may not forget, but I definitely forgive. And I move on in life.

That ‘may not forget’ is stored?

Memories are memories, good or bad, they stay with you anyways. But yes, I forgive very easily. I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but that is the way I am. I can’t keep thinking about something. I’ll move on.

Friends from school, college – do they still relate to you on the same wavelength, after all that’s changed for you?

Absolutely. They are my closest friends. Of course, ever since I moved to Bombay, there are many friends I can hang out with, I can spend time with, but my 3am friends still are my childhood friends. We’ve been together since Nursery...

Since Nursery?

Yeah, there are three of us, best friends – Sreela, Hiteshi and myself. Right from day one of school, we’ve been together, and even today, any place, any time, we’re always connected. There are two other close friends; they are people I don’t talk to everyday. One of them is married and lives in the US while one is working in London – I don’t get to speak to them that often, but whenever we meet, it’s like we just met yesterday.

And these friends are the ones who’ll be the first to tell you if stardom goes to your head?

Absolutely. I don’t think anybody should change, actually. But these friends and my family are my reality check, and I know that if I would change, they would be the first people to tell me. When I meet my family, old friends, everyone talks about how I’m still the same – and I take that as a compliment!

Yoga, composure, forgiveness, balance... You’re a spiritual person?

Yes.

You believe in destiny?

Yes, absolutely.

Would you add three As – become Deepikaaaa – if you were asked to?

Absolutely not. I don’t fall in that category. It’s not something that I have been taught to believe in. Maybe it works for some people, great. But I believe in the other kind of destiny. I believe in the Energy and the Power, and in the right kind of destiny, as in certain things are meant to be yours, certain things are meant to be for you. But that also doesn’t mean you put your feet up and wait for God and destiny to do it all for you. You have to work to fulfil your destiny.

You’re content with life, career, as it is today?

Absolutely. though I haven’t achieved what I want to be, and where I want to be, yet.

This ‘what you want to be, where you want to be’, isn’t necessarily about this many movies, this much money, is it?

It’s definitely not that. I cannot work like a machine, and say I’ll work in six films a year, and for each film I’ll charge so much, so that by the end of the year I’d have made X amount of money – that’s definitely not it. I am not a part of the industry as a business. I do it because I love it, am passionate about it, I love being in front of the camera. I don’t need to work; I don’t need to support a family, it’s not a business.

You loved it from day one, or has it taken time to figure it out?

I always knew that I’d always be part of this industry. I knew that – it has to do with what you attract to yourself and to a degree it has to do with destiny also – I somewhere always knew that I would be part of the glamour world; I knew that I’d become a model, and from there I would go on to become a part of Indian cinema – so it’s something I always looked forward to.

And from what stage of life did you know that this is where you were heading?

Very young, very young! Though I did start playing professional badminton, I knew that at some point I would give it up and at some point I’d start modeling, and model for a few years, and I knew that I’ll get a good break and be a part of Hindi cinema... I knew pretty early, actually, I think fourth, fifth standard.

And so when it all began to fall in place, it wasn’t a surprise really?

No, I wasn’t in shock or something, ki ‘Oh My God, mujhe kya ho raha hai, it is so unreal to be true.’ When it happened, it was a nice feeling, but somewhere I knew it was going to happen. It’s ‘wow,’ but it’s not surprise. I’ve worked towards it. When you want something, you work towards it, you achieve it, and you knew you could – it’s a great feeling.In any case, I believe you should never get overjoyed by your success, and don’t let failure get to you, either. In either case, understand what has happened, and move on!

What are you looking at now? What’s going to unfold?

I don’t know, I mean, I know! Problem is, this is going into PRINT, and I don’t like, like, talking about it, discussing it... I have a plan for myself, there are certain things that I want to achieve for myself, that I want for myself...

Ok, so we won’t print the stuff you think will get people commenting about it, deal?

(Laughs) I’m not worried about what people are going to say! It’s more to do with a little bit of superstition that I don’t like to talk about things before they happen, so that...

Nazar and all that?

A little bit... yeah. But where do I see myself two years from now, umm, I see myself doing lots of films with good directors I want to work with...

You’re a strong gut feeling person, aren’t you?

Well, yeah! My gut feeling is... I’m normally right. 99 per cent of the time I’m right when it comes to my gut feel. That’s also because I’m a very sensitive and receptive person. And the only other person who’s noticed that about me is Imtiaz. He tells me that I’m a very receptive person.

The equanimity of failure and success bit - does that mean cine awards don’t matter?

No! Anybody would love to win an award, anyone!

Can you switch off from cinema, take a break for a year, not miss the camera?

No! I can do everything else, but this has to be happening alongside. I cannot switch off. I can not give this up for something else in life – absolutely not, because that’s my plan in life, it’s my direction and my calling...

When the media recurrently links you to A, B and C – do you feel the need to explain?

Ahh... sometimes I feel the need to clarify, sometimes I feel there is no need to clarify...

Would you like to clarify now?

I can definitely say that whatever is being said is absolutely untrue. I think somewhere I’ve always been honest about the people in my life. So when I reach a stage when I need to talk about it, I will talk about it. What is more annoying are false stories. But I guess – I don’t even know if one should react to it, or not react to it – I don’t know how to deal with it. It’s just something that I choose to ignore.

The stories come with specifics – real or imaginary. So if your denials are general, one doesn’t even know what you are negating. So how does that help?

Hmmm... see, what I would say is, very simply, if I go out with somebody for dinner or a movie, that doesn’t mean I’m dating somebody. Yes, I understand that I need to be ‘responsible,’ but at the same time I will not stop myself from leading the kind of life that I want to live. This is the world that I am in, these are the kind of people I am surrounded by, and these are the people I will make friends with. People don’t need to jump to conclusions. Likewise, if I am sitting with the owner of my team, and we hug because our team has won, that does not mean we are dating – we are celebrating the victory of our team. But then people want to jump to conclusions – and now it’s come to a point where every week, or every second week, there’s a new person supposedly in my life. After a while it gets a little distasteful, it’s giving out a wrong impression about me which is not true. Which is why I think I should speak now – because when I choose to keep quiet, I keep quiet because I think, accha chalo, it’ll come and it’ll go. But then – one thing leads to another leads to another. There is no need to jump to conclusions. If there is someone I need to talk about, I will talk about it!

So if you had to tick a status on a Facebook profile, what would it be?

Ha, ha...! I would skip the question!!

If you keep it a blank, others will look to fill it with conjecture, won’t they?

Right now I choose to skip it, and I’ll be back to fill that space soon – either way!

Nursing with love: Soha

Soha Ali Khan flew into Goa four days ago to spend time with the Golmaal 3 unit. Most people assumed she had gone there to bond with her brother’s girlfriend Kareena Kapoor, who is the leading lady of the film.

But the truth is that Soha heard that her ‘good friend’ Kunal Khemu, who is also a part of the Golmaal-3 starcast, had met with an accident while doing a stunt scene.

Rohit Shetty, the director of the film, confirms the news of the mishap. Says he, “Kunal was on a water ski and he injured his leg really badly.’’

One of the unit members said that at one point, Kunal was in so much pain that they thought he had fractured his leg. And that he would be rendered unfit for shooting for a few days. However, it turned out that his injury wasn’t that serious and he is now able to continue shooting with a sprain bandage on his upper leg, just above his knee.

Obviously, Soha heard of the accident and she immediately rushed to Goa to check how badly Kunal had injured himself. What’s more, after she landed there, she apparently decided to hang out in Goa for a few days making sure that Kunal didn’t take any risks with his injured leg and attempt any dangerous action scenes in his hurt state.

An insider says that it was indeed very sweet to see the way Soha cared for Kunal hanging around the sets, though the temperature on the Goa beach where the unit is stationed is a raging 38 degrees.

Of course, the fact that Bebo is around makes things that much simpler. “Soha gets along famously with most of the actors who are around,’’ says the source. “Seeing her sitting around with the cast actually makes it seem like she is part of the unit too.’’

And is Kunal happy with this development? Those who have seen the actor in the last few days say he looks more than happy to Soha around. And he is absolutely basking in all the extra attention that he has been getting.

No Big B's remake for SRK

The friendship between Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan was an enviable one. A dynamic director had teamed up with a man whose sheer star power gave credence to her vision of cinema . Together, they delivered hits and the partnership seemed rock solid. And then, as they say, good things never last.

One fine day the friendship went sour, shocking the entire industry. Was it a temporary phase or did the fissures run too deep? What no one knew was what transpired between the two.

Here’s the real story of what went on behind the scenes between two powerful, s trong headed people. The news was already out that Farah Khan was doing Tees Maar Khan with Akshay Kumar. Shah Rukh had kept her waiting too long, and naturally one can’t wait forever. However, the repercussions were probably more far reaching than Farah bargained for as this took a toll on her next project.

One day, Farah told Shah Rukh that she had decided to remake the 1982 blockbuster Satte Pe Satta. The star, who was already a bit upset that Farah hadn’t waited to do Tees Maar Khan with him, heard her out patiently. But the verdict was a firm no.

Shah Rukh told Farah that he doesn’t want to do the Satte Pe Satta remake. But Farah had already spoken to Raj Sippy’s son Mintoo about buying the rights. Minto was more than happy to sell them to Farah,who was naturally very disappointed with Shah Rukh’s decision.

What stung Farah was that Shah Rukh told her that he didn’t want to do a remake of a film starring Amitabh Bachchan. Fair point, but she pointed out that he had done Don with Ritesh Siddhwani and Farhan Akhtar. Shah Rukh retaliated by saying that she had come to him on the rebound.

Farah left the meeting calmly. “But,” the source added, “How long could Farah wait for him? He even refused Shirish Kunder’s film and didn’t show interest in the film based on Anuj Chauhan’s novel The Zoya Factor which Shirish was supposed to direct for his production house It was because of Farah’s love and respect for Shah Rukh that she went to him for the Satte Pe Satta remake.”A source close to Raj Sippy says, “Yes, Farah is very keen to remake Satte Pe Satta.”

Zeenat’s ready to sizzle

Zeenat Aman has ‘been there and done that’, both in terms of Bollywood and taking care of her family. Now she is all set to start her second innings in the film industry with Dunno Y ... Na Jaane Kyun.

“Ever since my husband expired, I’ve been even more careful in bringing up my kids, and stayed away from work. Now, both of them have grown up, so I can do a little bit of work,” Zeenat shares says. So she’s decided to make a comeback? “I don’t call it a comeback, really. I did play a few small roles in recent films (Boom, Bhopal Express and Ugly Aur Pagli),” she replies. She doesn’t divulge much about the movie, but says she plays a substantial role in it. “I play a Catholic woman, Rebecca, who lives with her children and in-laws, after her husband leaves her.” But didn’t she recently announce that she will not do any ‘bechaari maa’ roles? She laughs. “I’m certainly not playing a bechaari maa, but I won’t call it a glam mom type role either. It’s just a different character,” is how she explains it.

All these years, there was no dearth of roles for the former Miss India. “Only that people wanted me to play a grandmom or even a hermaphrodite! Which I didn’t want to,” she says. So what’s so special about this role? “These days, it’s very difficult to get an opportunity to play so many people in one single movie. This movie lets me,” is her spontaneous reply. “Like in this movie, Rebecca has two male friends, who are attracted to her. She doesn’t love them, but still maintains a friendly bond with them, for she knows she is alone, and might need their support some day to bring up her kids.”

But won’t her fans be a little disappointed, watching a glamorous Zeenat in a non-glam role? “Well, not really. The director has a small sequence where I will be doing something of that sort. So let’s just wait and watch,” smiles the former oomph girl. Zeenat says the movie, which also stars Helen and Kabir Bedi, is “90 per cent in English. It feels great that I’m working with Kabir after so many years.”

Bipasha Basu is supposedly reprising Zeenat’s role of a disenchanted hippie in Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maaro Dum. Did Bips approach her for any tips? “I don’t even know about it. And these days, actresses don’t go to anyone for learning,” she comments. Talking of old times makes Zeenat recollect, “The media named me Zeenie Babs, long long ago. I was even called Babushka.” She relates to these names even today, she says.

And what is she expecting from this film? “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hit or not. At this age and this stage, one really doesn’t feel any competition; I just want to work for the fun of working,” she smiles.

Zeenat Aman isn’t the only yesteryears’ diva to be seen on screen after a long time. Helen is in the film too. Even though the film, Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyun has made headlines for the gay kiss between its male protagonists, director Sanjay Sharma insists that the story is more than a tale of homosexuality. He says, “The movie is basically about complex relationships – between Helen and Kabir Bedi, between Zeenat Aman and Kabir Bedi, and between the two boys in love. All of these are interlinked.” Talking about Helen’s role, Sanjay says, “Helenji is playing the role of a granny, but a very glamorous granny. At this age, she has done a very glamorous dance in one of the scenes. It’s actually a Goan folk song to which she tap dances, despite having a knee problem.”- Helen

Ash’s new guru: Bhansali

Life has come a full circle for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. 16 years after he started his career in cinema directing the songs for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1942: A Love Story, he has once again choreographed an entire song in his forthcoming Hrithik Roshan-Aishwarya Bachchan starrer Guzaarish.

While he did provide inputs through a vital step here and a pirouette there in his various films, Bhansali has never fully choreographed a number in any of his earlier films, which had pivotal dance scenes.

Incidentally, Bhansali has also turned into a full-fledged music composer for Guzaarish. While he became a music composer by design, choreography happened by accident.

A source close to the director says, “It happened last week while he was shooting a dance sequence with Aishwarya. Sanjay wanted her to do an impromptu and spontaneous dance. Sanjay wanted it to look as if Aishwarya was not dancing for the camera.”

But the movements that the choreographer showed them were somehow not working out. Sanjay found the whole effect too rehearsed and premeditated.

The source adds, “Time was running out so Sanjay finally decided to take matters into his own hands. Since he is also the film’s music composer, he understood the song’s core rhythm and soon began demonstrating the steps to Aishwarya. Everyone eventually suggested that he choreograph the entire song. Within four hours the song was done.”

The director says, “In the course of a film one often encounters any number of hurdles. It’s a director’s job to be equipped to handle any eventuality on the sets. Actors often get stuck in situations that they can’t get out of on their own. It’s the director’s job to guide them. That’s all I did.”

The handful of people who have watched the rushes of Guzaarish Dance Of Life (the song’s unofficial title) say it’s one of Aishwarya’s most brilliantly choreographed and executed dance numbers ever.

Now that Bhansali, a devotee and follower of the Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj, has reconnected with his love for choreography, he is seriously thinking of doing all the choreography of his future project Heera Mandi, a film based on classical dancing. And this time it would be official.

I don’t drink or smoke: Asin

Last week, Asin was in Chennai for the first schedule of her new film Kavalkaran with Vijay.

The film, directed by Siddique, is a remake of his Malayalam film Bodyguard. Asin is doing a Kollywood film, nearly two years after her last release Dasavatharam.

The grapevine had it that the actress would not do south Indian films after the stupendous success of her debut Hindi film Ghajini with Aamir Khan. However, her critics were quick to point out that the failure of her second film in Bollywood London Dreams with Salman Khan may have forced the actress to make a comeback to Tamil cinema.

After having ruled the roost in Kollywood not too long ago, does the actress feel she’s starting all over again? Speaking exclusively to TOI, Asin says, “It is not a comeback at all. I have never left the Tamil film industry and have always maintained that I’m open to good projects. I have not restricted myself to any one industry. Even after the Tamil Ghajini became a superhit, I didn’t go on a signing spree though I was flooded with offers. I took my time before doing Pokkiri and Dasavatharam.

Speaking about how she decides on a film, Asin says, “It depends on my role, director, banner and co-artistes. It is a combination of all these factors that go into my decision-making. I was criticised because I did not take up big projects in Hindi with certain big stars. But I have no regrets as the projects on the whole may not have appealed to me. I will not sign a project on the basis of external pressures or a craving to be in public view constantly.

The pretty actress also points out that she is a very private person and doesn’t like her life being written about. She states, “I’m not much of a party-goer, though I do love to hang out and chill with my friends at home. I don’t drink or smoke, so it is pointless for me to go to a club. However, if it is a friend’s party or a film-related event, I do attend.” Ask her about tabloid reports that suggested that Dhoni watched the IPL semi-final between Team Mumbai and Team Bangalore at her home in Mumbai and Asin shoots back, “No comments. Why misunderstand friendship? I know MS because we did an ad together.” At this point, Asin also asserts that she is not on any of the social networking sites and that profiles that appear under her name are fake.

About her one-time arch rival Trisha doing a Hindi film with Akshay Kumar and other south Indian actresses making a beeline for Bollywood, Asin smiles and says, “Well, the more the merrier.” On her forthcoming projects in Hindi, Asin elaborates, “I will start work on a film with John Abraham, which is being directed by Nishikant Kamath. It is a remake of my Telugu film Gharshana (the Kaakha Kaakha remake). After that, I will do Aneez Bazmi’s remake of the Telugu flick Ready with Salman Khan.

Deepika, Ranbir: Jodi's back together?

One of the most talked about estranged couple in Bollywood seems to be on the road to reconciliation.

Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor were spotted together on Friday night with a few of their close friends. The former lovers had gone to see a night show of Deepika's latest release Housefull in a Juhu theatre.

Once they entered the auditorium, Ranbir and Deepika sat next to each other. Onlookers say that the two looked quite comfortable together and were seen chatting merrily throughout the film. “Everybody present in the theatre was visibly surprised when Deepika and Ranbir walked into the multiplex at 10.30 pm. They saw the 10.45 pm show of Housefull. The audience was quite distracted on seeing them together but it was fun,” says a source. A source from the multiplex confirmed the story.

After they parted ways sometime in October last year, Deepika and Ranbir have been in touch off and on, but they haven't met publicly since then. It may be recalled that the estranged couple got talking again late last year at a party hosted by jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor and fashion designer Nandita Mahtani.

“The two have never made a public appearance together after their break up. So, this one came as a shocker,” adds the source.

On December 4, last year, Ranbir had told Mumbai Mirror that he hoped he and Deepika would get back together. We wonder if his wish will soon come true. “It is difficult to say if Deepika and Ranbir are developing romantic feelings for each other once again. Only time will tell,” says the source.

Whatever is the current status of their relationship, Deepika might just be keeping her fingers crossed so that she doesn’t have to go through the trouble of getting the RK tattoo erased from her nape. Deepika and Ranbir were unavailable for comment.

ASHOK CHAKRA

Film “Ashok Chakra” is a tribute to brave officers who gave their lives saving the nation on 26/11/2008 when Mumbai was attacked by terrorists. These real life heros were honoured by Ashok Chakra. A salute to them and to mumbaikers. Rajan Verma, who plays the role of kasab says “Our film is not against the law. We are simply showing the reality. We don’t intend to misguide anyone nor are we making any judiciary judgements. It’s a film and I am only an actor playing the character.” Let’s wish the film a great success which is releasing on 28th May 2010.

Now an animated sequel of 3 Idiots

Everyone knows who the three idiots are. But now, there’s a fourth one in the offing! The 4th Idiot is an animated film that takes off from where 3 Idiots ended. “3 Idiots ended with Aamir Khan’s character, Phunsuk Wangdu, running a school where the kids are given a free hand at learning and experimenting,” says Biswaroop Roy Chowdhary, producer of The 4th Idiot. “We have shown a similar school where students are into innovation and technology – how that school functions, what kind of kids study in that school and how it affects their learning process,” Chowdhary adds. The protagonist of the story is a boy named Pappu, who is similar to Omi Vaidya’s character, Chatur Ramalingam, in 3 Idiots.

Though Chowdhary agrees that his movie is inspired by 3 Idiots, he says that they didn’t speak to Aamir Khan or Raj Kumar Hirani about their movie. “The 4th Idiot is a new tale, with a new twist, new characters and a new storyline. The only similarity is that we have made use of Omi Vaidya’s accent and the way he speaks in 3 Idiots. Apart from that, nothing is common,” he says.

3 Idiots’ Chatur, Omi Vaidya, has done the voiceover for Pappu. “Though The 4th Idiot is an educational movie, we wanted to keep it light and humorous, as it is for kids, and who better than Omi to be the protagonist?” asks Chowdhary. Omi Vaidya has also sung a song in the film.

The producers are hosting the world premiere of the film at the World Unity Convention Centre, Lucknow. “Not many know that the world’s largest school is in Lucknow, the City Montessori School. That’s the reason I wanted to host the world premiere there, so that the maximum number of students watch this movie,” explains Chowdhary.

Sunny is still his papa’s baby

This is the cutest story on Dharmendra and Sunny Deol having their hair snipped turn-by-turn by super-stylist Aalim.

And then the story doesn’t end here. After they approved of each other’s haircuts, Sunny also showed his papa the latest weights he added to his own gym.

An awestruck Dharam, sweetly asked his son “Beta you can actually lift these weights?” And, of course, Sunny showed off like a little boy in front of daddy by lifting the weights with absolute ease.

Yeah, he may be 51, but Sunny is still a toughie. Normally, Bobby is also around for such family bonding sessions. But now, Bobby is in Canada shooting for Anees Bazmee’s Thank You and hence he was missing for the hair cut and exercise sessions.

Is somebody stalking Tusshar?

We find this hard to digest but recently we got to know that a girl might actually be stalking Tusshar Kapoor.

That’s right, apparently, when the actor’s car stopped at a signal, a young girl ran up to his car and presented him with flowers.

Now that was fine, she could have been just one of his admirers. But Tusshar got spooked when a few minutes later, he got a message on his phone asking him if he liked the flowers! Looks like somebody’s smitten with the Kapoor boy! Will the mysterious fan please stand up?

Men care more about their looks: John

He's given us hits like "Garam Masala", "Dhoom" and "Dostana", but they've all been multi-starrers. Now John Abraham says he is in pursuit of solo hero movies after taking a sabbatical to groom himself and restructure his life to step into the best phase of his career.

John's last film "New York" (2009) received much critical acclaimed, but that too was a multi-starrer. "I am trying to do solo films, which could be commercially successful. I'm aiming to do that with certain directors who I believe will kind of create a platform for me and the kind of scripts that will work also," John told IANS in an interview.

The 36-year-old, who made an impressive start with romantic thriller "Jism" in 2003, has experimented with comedy, action and family drama. He says he is open to doing different genres but adds that he would prefer working on real stories. "I look at films that entertain rather than looking at genres. If you speak of genres, then technically I should only do action films, but that doesn't mean I will do only action. The idea is to do real stories," said the actor.

John, who disappeared after "New York", will be seen on the big screen in Abbas Tyrewala's romantic comedy "1-800-Love". "It's a romantic comedy. It's like 'Notting Hill'...And I think Abbas has done a great job."

Talking about his sabbatical, John said: "I was designing my house and reading books. I was restructuring my professional life and trying to understand how I could give better films. I took time off so that I could do quality work."

"I read books to understand the type of films I want to do. I don't want to copy other films. I want to do originals. I want to do human stories. I want to understand how to position myself in front of the audience and decided these are the films audience will enjoy.

"So I was restructuring by trying to select the right scripts, right directors, right producers. You start charting out your life, like a game of chess. Now it's planned and the best part of my professional life starts now," he added. The actor has an impressive line up of releases - "Hook Ya Crook", "Aashayein", "Alibaba Aur 41 Chor" (voiceover), "Saat Khoon Maaf" and "Dostana 2".

John has often been complimented for his good looks and sculpted body and the actor is the brand ambassador of Garnier Men grooming products. He says men care more about their looks nowadays.

"I think men have become more conscious because they have realised that women have become more independent. Today, women have a choice. Earlier, women didn't have a choice. She can tell a man to get out. So men have learnt to groom themselves, become smarter, better. And part of the deal is to smell good, look good, and feel fresh. So that's why men's products have become much more relevant today," said John.

I will make a home in Nepal: Manisha

Bollywood diva Manisha Koirala, who is all set to tie the knot with Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal June 19, says she will definitely have a home in Nepal after marriage and looks forward to spending more time with her parents too.

"I have thought of going back to Nepal and spending more time with mom and dad. Just to be with them, give them moral and emotional support. I was planning that when I happened to meet my would-be husband," Manisha told IANS in an interview. "His name is Samrat and he has done his MBA from the US. Now he is a businessman in Nepal. We have known each other for a while and then our families also met and finally we decided to get married," she said.

Asked if she would settle in Nepal, she said: "I will make a home in Nepal. I have a home here. So I will be shuttling between the two countries." Manisha is the granddaughter of Nepal's first elected prime minister B.P. Koirala. Her wedding might be just months away, but she is almost equally excited about her next film "Ek Second Jo Zindagi Badal De" in which she plays a complex role. Directed by Partho Ghosh, the movie releases June 4, just ahead of her marriage.

Talking about her character in the film, Manisha said: "It's not a double role but shows two characters within a single person. One side of the character is very submissive and docile and innocent. The other side of her is very strong. She is decisive just like women of today's world. I am playing two shades of the same character. It's quite an interesting concept you know." This is her third film with director Partho Ghosh. "I have done 'Agni Sakshi' and 'Yugpurush: A Man Who Comes Just Once in a Way'. I knew dada (Ghosh) has innovative ideas...The script is fantastic. It was lovely working with him," the actress said.

Manisha, who has worked in acclaimed films like Mani Ratnam's "Dil Se" and "Mumbai", Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Khamoshi" and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "1942: A Love Story", has been seen less on the big screen in recent times. Asked the reason, she said she needed to make some space for herself too. "Working for over 17 years, I wanted some space out for myself. I was in search of that. That's why I worked less and spent time travelling abroad," she said. The actress is known to be choosy while picking roles and is always on the lookout for something she hasn't done before.

"Something that is new, something that I haven't done before, something that keeps me on my toes. I was really excited to do Deepti's (Deepti Naval) film 'Do Paise Ki Bhook, Char Aane ki Barish' where I am playing a street prostitute. I was very excited about it because that would be a great experience for me as an actor. Any actor...I think all of us...crave to do something that we haven't done before," Manisha said.

Pammy strips for close pals

Actress Pamela Anderson recently bared it all at a private party as she performed a stunning and sexy strip routine for her close friends.

"By the end of the night, Pam was dancing around in nothing but her birthday suit. Everyone was shocked, but everyone was having fun," starpulse quoted a source as saying. "She arrived in little more than lingerie and then stripped off to show off her dance moves as guests watched in amazement," he added.

Vivek bats for Lara Dutta

Vivek Oberoi, who did a rumbustious song with Lara Dutta in Masti and was also paired opposite her in Kaal, continues to be very fond of her as a co-star.

He made his feelings evident on a networking site, by praising Lara and saying she is very warm, unlike most of the other beauty queens he knows.

Reading between the lines, one gets the feeling that more than praising Lara, Vivek is trying to say something to other beauty pageant-winners, who he personally thinks are very cold.

Salman’s dancing a lot

Salman Khan, who once had two left feet, is suddenly a much-in-demand dancer.

The actor, who was stationed in Dubai for a song shoot of Dabangg with Sonakshi Sinha, realised that he was also committed to perform for a event in Mumbai.

So he ordered himself a charter plane, arrived in the middle of the night, shot till 4 am, and then took the plane back to Dubai to continue with Dabangg.

Incidentally, Salman is so addicted to the social networking website that he keeps his head buried in his phone all the time. Every few minutes you’ll find him updating his status. ‘Arrived from Dubai’, ‘Flying back’, ‘Just finished a performance’... he goes on. Like most things he does, even his messages come straight from the heart. Short and simple.

Kareena is overworked

Kareena Kapoor had to wake up at an unearthly 3.30 am and board a flight to Goa with friends director Lovely Singh and Tusshar Kapoor.

Bebo was in Mumbai to complete the patch work on the Hindi version of Step Mom, and then she had to fly to Goa really early because another unit was waiting for her to start shooting.

Naturally, one spotted her rubbing sleep from her eyes as she boarded her plane.

I’ll sue Saregama: Nadiadwala

The legal dispute over the copyright for the Laawaaris song, Apni Toh Jaise Taise, has resulted in producer Sajid Nadiadwala suing music company Saregama, and not Prakash Mehra’s sons, Punit and Amit, for defamation.

“In all my years as a producer, I’ve never felt so humiliated. It is like I go into a shop and buy something, and then I’m accused of stealing it. Wasn’t it Saregama’s responsibility to make sure all legal and ethical bases were covered before they sold the song’s rights to me?” he asks.

According to sources, Nadiadwala paid Rs 15 lakhs to Saregama for the rights. Says Nadiadwala, “I can’t disclose the amount. But it’s almost five times the money required to record a new song. In any case, it’s easy to buy copyrights for songs from Saregama. In fact, we got Kaanta Lagaa from Saregama for Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and there was no problem,” adding, “My quibble is with Saregama for not going through a proper procedure. I’m a professional producer who knows how to read the fine print. I’m going to sue Saregama for defamation. It’s either that or a public apology.”