Bollywood SuperStars

"I'm lucky to be a part of the movie industry when leading ladies are no longer decorative. It's providential that I started with a good film. From the very start when dada (Pradeep Sarkar) showed so much faith in me by giving me Parineeta, the industry has made substantial space for me."

So is she doing her Heyy Babyy director Sajid Khan's next film? "There's been no formal talk on this. Sajid hasn't offered me the role. I've been reading reports that I'm doing the film. Right now he's writing his next film."

Vidya had five releases last year – besides the two hits mentioned she's done Eklavya: The Royal Guard, Salaam-E-Ishq and Guru. She also made a brief appearance in the title song of Om Shanti Om. "I was very happy about all my five releases in 2007, though some of them didn't do well. By the grace of God, there're lots of interesting roles happening. I'm in the process of signing some more. Since I came to cinema, my criteria for signing a role remain unchanged. I've never been in a hurry to get anywhere. Things are happening at a pace I'm enjoying. And I'm not insecure."

The actress, who was seen in Rajkumar Santoshi's Halla Bol along with Ajay Devgan this year, has no regrets."I don't regret anything. I'm a hopeless optimist. I feel what I've to go through will happen regardless of how much I fight it."

The industry is looking at Akshay Kumar and Vidya as a hit pair after Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. "I'd love for us to be seen that way. Even Katrina Kaif-Akshay look great together. I'd love to work with Akshay again. Yes, we have offers together. He's a great co-star. The icing on the cake is our films together have worked."

In Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Vidya had a tough role to play. "Yes, it was a frightening experience. My director Priyadarshan handled very intelligently the last 20 minutes of the story when I get into a supernatural rage while dancing. I love Priyan. He's a man of few words. We even converse in Malayalam." …

Any hopes for 2008? "Add some spice to my own life and not wait for others to do it for me. I would like love to happen. But I'm not holding my breath for it. Yes, there are times when I get lonely. But most of the time I'm quite happy being with my family and myself."

Unlike Preity Zinta, Vidya has made no pledge to stay away from actors in her personal life. "Some people are doctors, others are actors. My companion can be from any walk of life. If he's an actor we can both carry our own mirrors to the sets and be narcissistic individually. And we can have mirrors all over the house. Instead of looking into each other's eyes, we can look into the mirrors," Vidya joked. ….read more

They say marriages are made in heaven. But when it comes to marriages in Bollywood, filmmaker and producer Sooraj Barjatya is the undisputed king of making 'the perfect marriage'. The calm and pretty picture of doting couples in their moment of triumph (in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun) has even inspired popular filmmakers like Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Now, Sooraj is keen on bringing back his favourite pair – Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit.

After Vivaah (2006) the shy director is already penning his next script. Although he has kept the project under wraps, he has mentioned about the film to Salman and Madhuri, in passing. Casting for the crucial lead pair starts once the script is ready, says sources close to the filmmaker. "Sooraj and Salman are in touch with each other. But he will formally approach Salman only after the script is ready," says our source from Rajashri Productions.

As far as Madhuri is concerned, it will require a lot of planning as the actress wants to film only during her children's school vacation.

If all goes well, the film will go on the floors later next year. The buzz doing the rounds is that post Vivaah, he has become extremely fond of Shahid Kapur and Amrita Rao, and wants them to play pivotal roles in the film.

Amrita says, "It will be fantastic to work with Soorajji as he is family. He sent me a sweet SMS just a few days back when he was reminded about my character Poonam (in Vivaah) while watching the rushes of their latest production, Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi." ….read more

SRK will soon start shooting for Priyadarshan's film Billoo Barber. The film also stars Irrfan Khan in the title role. Billoo Barber is an adaptation of the story of friendship between Krishna and Sudama.

Our well-placed source says, " Billoo Barber is a story based on the relationship between Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama. Priyadarshan is adapting this story of friendship between two friends - one rich and the other a poor villager - in a completely new avatar. Here SRK represents Krishna, he plays an actor. On the other hand Irrfan Khan represents Sudama and plays a village barber. The two are friends from school who grow up and drift until they meet again."

SRK will be seen romancing three different ladies including Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone. He has already begun shooting with Kareena but is in talks with Deepika and Priyanka.

For the second female lead opposite Irrfan, Priyadarshan is scouting for a powerhouse performer, someone like Smita Patil. According to our source Ameesha Patel and Tabu are being considered for the second lead. Adds the source, "Shah Rukh will take the final decision about the cast." ….read more

If you thought that Women's Day was over, then you better think again, for the 'Brand Ambassador' of women power- Pooja Bhatt- is leaving no stone unturned in taking the Raigad cops head on.

She vocally criticized the Raigad cops for failing to nab the culprits, who on Saturday, had hit two nuns on their private parts and attempted to strip them in Alibaug. And the adivasi women who had tried to save them were also attacked. The mob reasoned the attack by saying that the nuns was influencing the adivasis to turn to their faith.

Pooja backed these nuns saying that she has personally seen them build 200 homes for adivasis with proper sanitation and that she had personally spoken to the adivasis about them being influenced into Christianity and the tribals denied such charges. She also elucidated that she was against forcible or induced conversion, by giving her own family background as an example. ….read more

In today's modern age… it's practically unheard of anybody not having a cell phone… but here's an actor who has been functioning very well without a cell phone!

Talented actor Rajat Kapoor (of BHEJA FRY and MITHYA fame) who will be seen next in Rakesh Roshan's KRAZZY 4 starring Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Suresh Menon, Juhi Chawla and Rajpal Yadav, directed by Jaideep Sen does not carry a cell phone and has his office handle all his calls n shoots… and the team of KRAZZY 4 were maha impressed with the promptness and diligence of Rajat's office as Rajat was available round the clock and never missed a single meeting or shoot and was always before time!

Says the director Jaideep Sen, 'Yes even though Rajat Kapoor doesn't have a cell phone we were in constant touch with his office and he used to immediately get back to us within minutes! His office is very organized and kudos to him for functioning so well without a cell! He was always on time and never missed anything!' ….read more

The good times continue for Katrina Kaif. The actress who had the unique distinction of delivering 4 hits last year (Namstey London, Apne, Partner and Welcome) has been signing some really big and lucrative deals. However this one probably beats them all.

Katrina has been offered a whopping Rs 1.5 crore for doing a dance number and a few more scenes in Shree Ashtavinayak's Blue, which stars Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, and Lara Dutta in lead roles. The hot-n-happening actress didn't deny the amount and has apparently allotted around ten days for the film in the month of May.

Parag Desai, the media consultant of Shree Ashtavinayak confirmed having signed Katrina for Blue but didn't really confirm or deny the amount paid. In fact he even said that Katrina has a proper role in the film and not just an item number.

Looks like the sun is indeed shining bright for the Bollywood's current sunshine girl. ….read more

It's final now. Sonam Kapoor will star opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Aditya's Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. There has been a lot of speculation about casting for this role. Extensive talent hunts were organised by Yashraj Films to scout for just the right girl with the authentic Punjabi look who will play a 16-year-old in the film. Hundreds of authentic Punjabi kudis participated in the auditions held in Punjab. Aditya Chopra himself went through the shortlist, but found no one suitable. Back home in Mumbai, Yashraj receives bio-datas by the dozen every week…

However, it turns out that the girl they needed was right under their nose all the time. Our very own Sonam Kapoor of Sanjay Bhansali's Saawariya fame.

Our sources say, "Aditya Chopra was very keen to have a tall, fair Punjabi girl for the role opposite Shah Rukh Khan. He has himself written the script and knows exactly what he wants in his heroine. The film deals with the love story of a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. Adi was also very finicky about signing the right girl because he was making his comeback to direction after a gap of eight years and wanted to get everything just so."

After all his talent hunts led to a dead end, Adi spoke to Anil Kapoor, who was more than glad to have Sonam get into the Yashraj camp, that too directed by none other that Adi himself. There have been several meetings and Sonam is now on board. ….read more

Salman Khan is still a child at heart and his close friends always expect him to grow up! "Well, his bachelorhood is not what is responsible for his bratty attitude but his tendency to repeat his mistakes", said one of his close friends! However, we are not talking about the alleged mistakes he has made that led the judiciary to intervene and put him under scrutiny, but his habit of falling for the wrong women, time and again!

It's a universally known truth that whoever gets to 'see' Salman Khan gets to breeze into Bollywood! Salman showers his lady love with whatever she wants and her every wish is taken care of… including her wish to work with big filmmakers and big banners! "Ash's entry in Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam can be attributed to Salman to a large extent as it was he who had introduced Ash to Bhansali. Not just Ash, even Katrina has professionally benefited a lot due to being in Salman's company" said our source.

I mean who would cast Katrina Kaif? With daddy long legs and a hindi diction that is painful to hindi film buffs, Kats was cast in films like Partner and Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya … With help from Salman's long time friend, director David Dhawan, Katrina inched her way into a lead heroine's echelon. She is also cast in a special appearance in Sohail Khan's home production Hello and Subhash Ghai's Main Yuvraaj Hoon. Just chill, chill, just chill was her mantra to stardom.. and she is yet to acknowledge that she is Salman's love interest.

However call it misfortune or sheer bad luck, Sallu's relationships eventually die down, inspite of him giving it all to it and to make the matters worse his 'misbehaviour' (according to his ex girlfirends) is often held responsible for the break-up! Sallu's women on the contrary walk away with all the sympathy in the world! ….

Salman's chivalry has somewhere or the other benefited his ladies and no wonder this 'erratic' macho man is thus considered as a ticket to Bollywood or errr a Visa which every woman wants to 'go get it' to realise their dreams!

More power to this selfless Visa man! ….read more

On Tuesday, Kareena who's been on a vertiginous high since the release of Jab We Met finally started shooting a new film at Film City at the outskirts of Mumbai. Nervous like a debutante, Kareena said, "Although we've done Priyadarshan's Kyun Ki before, I always get nervous working with Salman. He was my sister's hero long before we were paired together. And now to be doing a film with him…"

The two were destined to serenade immortality in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani. But the film never happened. Kareena was also signed for Salman Khan's home production My Punjabi Nikaah. That never happened either.

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

Interestingly, this is the first time in her distinguished career that Kareena will be working with a debutant director Prem Soni. "He's very talented. It wouldn't matter even if he wasn't. I'm doing it for Salman," says Kareena emotionally. ….read more

After Fashion, Madhur Bhandarkar is all set to start shooting for the sequel to Corporate, Corporate 2. Bipasha Basu will be playing the lead actress in the sequel too. Our source said, "Madhur had left the climax of Corporate to the viewer's imagination. After Corporate received rave reviews, the director is keen to make Corporate 2, which will give a complete new twist to the original story."

It may be recalled that Corporate had ended with Sonia (played by Bipasha) fighting for justice, but in vain. Her character in the film was left alone with her daughter in the end.

"Corporate 2 will be based on Sonia's comeback into the corporate world. In the original film, Madhur had shown how Sonia was a victim of dirty politics and how she was used by her bosses," adds the source.

But Madhur has completely different plans for the sequel. The source said, "The sequel will show Bipasha's character getting even with those who played dirty with her. As Sonia is far stronger in Corporate 2, she will be shown climbing the ladder of success and seeking revenge on those who had wronged her earlier. It is going to be Bipasha's film all the way. Madhur, whose films have always had a strong female protagonist, is very charged about Corporate 2."

When contacted, Madhur said, "Yes the plan is very much on. But it's too early to give out other details as I am currently busy with Fashion." ….read more

Aamir Khan turns 43 today !

The actor will be going bald today too !! Hold on… he is shaving off his head, not because its his birthday ! As usual, he is getting into the skin of the character for his role in ‘Ghajini’.

Aamir’s wife, Kiran had arranged for a big party, but Aaamir did not want any big bash, as he did not want to go with a bald head ! So, it will be a quiet bash at home with family and close friends.

Here’s wishing the actor a great year ahead and many many more great films !

Aamir Khan has always said they're friends. And we've always enjoyed the potshots they take at each other. On Wednesday, the usually restrained Aamir, who endorses a certain mobile phone, reacted strongly at an event when he was quizzed about the kind of competition he foresees from Shah Rukh, who is promoting another brand these days. He retorted, "Shah Rukh Khan prefers being number two."

Interestingly, the quick-witted Shah Rukh is known for taking digs at his fellow Khan on various public platforms, including Koffee With Karan.

The last time Shah Rukh appeared on the popular chat show Karan Johar had asked him, "If you wake up one morning and you realise that you've turned into Aamir, you would…." Pat came the reply from SRK: "I would tell the world that Shah Rukh is the better actor."

Industry insiders have been speculating about the professional rivalry the duo have had for the last two decades. For starters, Aamir was offered Darr but the fussy actor begged out of the project paving way for Shah Rukh, who ultimately shot to fame by stuttering K-K-K-Kiran and stalking Juhi Chawla in the film.

However, the Khans have been admirably silent about their differences except for the occasional snide remarks that they have made while flashing smiles. ….read more

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They met on the sets of ‘Mohabbatein’ 9 years ago and their friendship has grown ever since.  In Bollywood, where actresses can’t look eye to eye, Preeti Jhangiani and Kim Sharma have sure set a great example of ‘Mohabbatein’. They are known to be one of the closest friends in Bollywood and now, when Preeti […]

Saif Ali Khan breaking up with Italian beauty Rozza Catalano and falling in love with Kareena Kapoor seems to be working wonders for everyone. Where Saif and Kareena are reaching newer heights in their career, Rozza too has finally come out of Saif’s ex tag and is ready to sizzle on the silver screen.
This kohl-eyed […]

Shilpa Shetty was in complete surprise and strongly denied the charges of being expelled from the second run of her successful West End musical, Miss Bollywood.
This rumor spread across when the promoter of the show Farhath Hussain as reported by Mumbai Mirror was in talk with Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta to replace […]

Rani Mukherji may have been away from the media glare for sometime now but things are not at slumber for this talented lady. The actress chose International Women’s Day to step out and let the cameras get some clicks of her. Rani was there with Ashutosh Gowarikar at Inox theatre as a part of special […]

Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krazzy 4’ already has a sizzling item number from the king of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan. Now, to give him a tough competition enters the queen of item numbers, Rakhi Sawant, with her item song ‘Dekhta Hai Tu Kya’ directed by Jaideep Sen!!
Director Jaideep Sen is all praises for Rakhi and says, “Rakhi Sawant […]

With a great start of SRK sporting a turban for the inauguration of Abhijeet Kadam Memorial Football cup at Pune, the charity match has seen a lot of Bollywood stars in action over the last 11 days. The tournament had a good share of star attraction throughout with Shah Rukh Khan on the opening ceremony […]

Although she has the blockbuster Tamil film ‘Sivaji- The Boss’ to her credit, things have not been really rocking for the pretty actress Shreya Saran. Now, the gal, who was also seen with Emraan Hashmi in ‘Awarapan’, has been signed by filmmaker Deepa Mehta for an international project. The film titled ‘What’s Cooking’ is jointly […]

Even, Ajay and Kajol Devgan could not escape from the lure of reality shows which have swept small screen audiences off their feet. So, we are now going to see Ajay Devgan, Kajol Devgan and Tanuja as judges of a reality show on Zee TV which has been named as ‘Airtel Rock N Roll Family‘- […]

The Bachchans have always displayed their solidarity and strong ethics. This is just one more gesture to it. LG offered a highly lucrative price to Abhishek-Aishwarya to be their brand ambassador for their entire range of products across-the-board. And just when everyone expected that Junior Bachchan would never let the opportunity slip, he refused the […]

After much guessing, refusing, smiling and shying, the truth has finally slipped out of the Kapoor prince and promising debutant Ranbir, who admitted in an interview that he has been dating an equally ravishing and promising Deepika Padukone for past couple of weeks.
These new kids in the tinsel town have constantly been in news for […]

After the good response to the music and the innovative promos of her husband Ajay Devgan's directorial debut venture, U, ME AUR HUM, Kajol is on cloud nine. She, along with her loving hubby is leaving no stone unturned to hype the movie further. Whether its reality shows, events or magazine launch, the couple has been seen all over in a bid to promote their movie. In fact, trade believes that U, ME AUR HUM is all set for an exciting start next month, when it hits the silver screen.

Things are really happening for Kajol on the professional front. As is known Kajol's next project, Karan Johar's, KHAN / MY NAME IS KHAN, is with her favourite co-star and friend Shah Rukh Khan. Their last two projects with Karan, KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM have re-written box-office history. While Karan had already broken the news about Kajol's final approval, we were very keen to hear it from the top actress herself. And the good news is that Kajol says that she has given her tentative 'yes', but goes on to add that she has not seen the script as yet.

While on the project that will team up Karan-SRK-Kajol for the third time, it is all set to roll after King Khan completes the shooting of Aditya Chopra's, RAB NE BANA DI JODI, later this year. ….read more

Shilpa Shetty, who created ripples after winning the reality show Big Brother and bagging the Broadway musical Miss Bollywood, has suffered a set back. If sources are to be believed, producer Farhath Hussain (who also organises Bollywood shows all over UK) is now trying to rope in Lara Dutta / Priyanka Chopra/ Bipasha Basu to get into Shilpa's shoes for the second inning.

So what's the problem? Our source informs, "The problem is not how the shows fared. They did reasonably well in most of the places, except Germany. The problem is that Shilpa demanded a lot of money. In fact her mother took charge and asked for an amount that was three times more than what was agreed upon initially. The contract was divided in three parts and she had already taken the Rs 3 crores after the first part of the contract was fulfilled. However, for the remaining part she demanded three times the amount. The total contract was over Rs 12 crores. Naturally, Hussain flared up and decided to strike her off from the upcoming season. Hussain was also upset as he is the one who has been officially promoting her after she won Big Brother. He had also organised many shows and charity events for Shilpa."

The second run of the musical slated to begin in March has been postponed to September. Our source adds, "Shilpa was unable to give dates for March, because she was committed to shoot for Vijayta Films' film Man."

An actor close to Shilpa defends her, "Shilpa has not been booted out. She is simply exhausted because the shows have been held in several parts of the globe. In fact, she herself is not interested in pursuing Miss Bollywood any further." ….read more