Even the mention of the word `Christmas' makes actress Genelia D'souza light up like her family tree

Even the mention of the word `Christmas' makes actress Genelia D'souza light up like her family tree

Even the mention of the word `Christmas' makes actress Genelia D'souza light up like her family tree `THE SECOND THE STAR WENT UP, I STARTED SEARCHING FOR MY PRESENTS'
THERE IS something about Christmas that makes every little girl's heart race. Dresses with frills, beautiful ballerinas, and gifts all around.

But one Bandra girl had her own style statement at one time. Actress Genelia D'souza, beloved for her nonchalant style, was all grunge.

“I had this embarrassing red sweater with a huge patch of a colourful Christmas tree on it,“ she smiles. “Now that I think back, it looked pretty ridiculous, but it was my favourite and I wore it for three Christmas dinners back to back. Later of course, I started dolling up.“ `COMPLETE FAMILY TIME' Christmas has always been Genelia's “most favourite“ festival.

“You can feel the spirit of Christmas in the air,“ she says.

“The city is completely lit up and the year is coming to an end. It's almost poetic. For me it's complete family time ­ the tree, presents and extravagant lunch.“

When she was a kid, Genelia and her brother would prep for the big day a week before it. They'd choose their stockings, tree, get decorations together, and search frantically for gifts. “Once the star was up, we knew Christmas was here,“ she recalls. “Instantly, we'd start looking for our presents. But my mom would find new places to hide them every year!“ Ask what her favourite memory is and she almost shouts: “The treeee!“ She used to hate it, she remembers, when she couldn't reach the top of the tree to place the star, but her brother could.

“Apart from that, everything about the tree made me happy,“ says Genelia. “Shopping for the decorations was such a task, but I loved doing it. We'd go all over the city looking for ornaments, and the tree always looked gorgeous.“

Of course no Christmas is complete without Santa Claus, but Genelia was quick to realise that the fat bearded man with a sack full of goodies was not Santa but her parents. “I think every kid believed in Santa, I think somewhere I still do,“ she says. “But from the Santa in the books we read when we were little, we soon realised that our parents were Santa and we were okay with that too. My letters to Santa obviously worked because somehow whatever I wanted was always under the tree. I always thank my parents for that.“ `WE STICK TO TRADITION' Christmas for the family means being together and Genelia makes it a point to be home for Christmas.

“There is always such a sense of warmth, joy and celebration,“ she says. “Christmas lunch is the best and it's always home cooked. Even now, we make sure we stick to traditional food. But what a feast it is!“ So does she ever step into the kitchen herself? “I stay out of the kitchen because there probably wouldn't be a Christmas dinner if I went in,“ she laughs. “But I do help my mother bake cakes and kalkals.“
This year too, by the time you read this, Genelia will be with her family.
“I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world but home,“ she says.

“Christmas has remained the same for me because I have consciously made an effort to keep it that way. So I could be shooting anywhere in the world, but I will make sure I make it back home in time for the celebrations. I am very traditional in these matters.“

Her sense of tradition extended to Christmas Eve as well. Only once did Genelia ever attend a Christmas Eve Ball, when she was in her first year of college. “It felt like a mixture of a fairy tale and a prom. So exciting! But I preferred to be with my family.“

Her home will be decorated with mistletoe, stars, wreaths, stockings and fairy lights. “We go all out for Christmas. We take special care while decorating and setting up our crib which is the ultimate symbol of Christmas in every Catholic home.“

It's evident that talking about Christmas makes Genelia very happy. Her eyes light up, she gets animated, and a barrage of stories from her childhood comes rushing out. “I can't help it,“ she says. “I just love Christmas!“

‘I don’t want to stress her out’ …says actor Robert Downey Jr on having a quiet Christmas this year as his wife Susan Levin is pregnant

‘I don’t want to stress her out’

…says actor Robert Downey Jr on having a quiet Christmas this year as his wife Susan Levin is pregnant

He is tensed about his new film Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows, but that doesn’t mean actor Robert Downey Jr is celebrating any less. When asked over e-mail what the actor is up to this Christmas, he admits that he would be celebrating the festival differently as his wife Susan Levin is expecting their first child. “This year we are not planning any elaborate party or a celebration. I will have a quite Christmas with family,” says Robert in an email response. It is evident that after breaking up with actor Sarah Jessica Parker and subsequent divorce with actor Deborah Falconer (both reportedly due to his substance abuse problems and jail stints), Robert is now taking his family life very seriously. Robert feels that a party will stress his heavily pregnant wife. “As you know my wife is expecting, so I don’t want to stress her out too much by doing something elaborate,” he adds. Downey’s first child with Susan, a boy, is expected to be born in the month of February, next year. He already has a son, Indio, with Deborah.

‘India is a fun place to be!’ ...says DJ Yves Larock, in an exclusive interview with After Hrs, on his upcoming tour to India

‘India is a fun place to be!’

...says DJ Yves Larock, in an exclusive interview with After Hrs, on his upcoming tour to India



His single Rise Up is still probably one of the most popular clubbing tracks in the whole world. Swiss DJ and producer Yves Larock, is all set to woo the Indians again, when he comes down to India on December 28. Here for a multi-city tour to usher in the New Year, Yves kick-starts his performance at the club, Baroke, this Wednesday night. Here are the excerpts from an interview:

Are you excited to come to India?
Yes, sure. Each time it has been a great time in India. That’s why I keep coming back to India, it’s simply a lot of fun place to be.

How is it like performing in Mumbai?
It’s great; I mean whenever I play here the audience is simply the best. People here are more expressive. They understand your music and they seem to have a lot of fun.

What can your fans expect this time around?
It will be a special performance. I am going to play special stuff. It’s going to be magnetic and people can expect to dance all night long.

Are you aware of any DJ or musicians here?
No, not really but I have heard of AR Rahman. I have listened to his music but am not good with names so I don’t remember.

Currently what are you working on?
I am working on my brand new single, Midnight Run, it’s slated to come out next year.

Your track Rise Up was such a smash hit. Did you ever think that it will become such a world-wide hit?
No (laughs), on the contrary I was quite surprised indeed. This time around though I will be playing a special version of the track Rise Up for the crowd.

At what age did you know for sure that you wanted to be a DJ?
I really didn’t know, I probably never realised it. I was always making music for pleasure. You won’t believe it that I was a Biologist at first. I started being a producer. So, I used to work mainly behind the computer and never got to see the reaction of the fans. I wanted to share my happiness with them, for me the interaction with the audience is very important.

With such a busy schedule what do you do to relax?
I love watching movies, cook for family and friends. When I am in India I watch Bollywood movies that come on the TV.

Talking about food, what do you think about Indian food?
It’s great; I make it a point whenever I am there to try out some delicious Indian food. Only think is that Indian food is a little too spicy.

’Tis the season to PAMPER! Although actor Kareena Kapoor won’t be celebrating Christmas on a grand scale this year, the hottie reveals that it’s still a very special day

’Tis the season to PAMPER!

Although actor Kareena Kapoor won’t be celebrating Christmas on a grand scale this year, the hottie reveals that it’s still a very special day

For actor Kareena Kapoor, Christmas had taken on a new meaning ever since she had become aunt to her sister Karisma Kapoor’s daughter Samaira. “Till then I was the youngest in the family and so naturally the one getting the maximum gifts. But after Samaira and Kiaan, I have turned Santa for them and now I’m the one spoiling them silly with all the gifts,” says the doting aunt who reveals that she just can’t stop pampering the two on Christmas especially. The actor who has some very fond memories associated with the day, reveals that from attending the midnight mass on Christmas eve to helping mum prepare the special lunch, the house is abuzz with excitement during this time. “We even put up a Christmas tree and decorate it with lights and the trinkets,” she says. “Kiaan is too young to help, but Samaaira is real good at it,” she says proudly about her niece. And though this time around, it will be a quiet Christmas for the actor, who is currently travelling, apparently already in Switzerland with beau, actor Saif Ali Khan, where she’s also planning to bring in the New Year, the actor shares that the day continues to be just as special. Post the demise of Saif’s father former cricketer Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, the two are apparently just spending time with each other and dropping all celebrations. “We are not exactly celebrating it in a very lavish way this year, but I make it a point to visit the church to attend the mass no matter where I am,” she says. She is however quick to add that it’s not for religious, but spiritual purpose. “It’s somehow very beautiful and the positivity around is amazing. You actually feel like taking in all the warmth around,” shares Kareena. She may not be spending the day with family this time around, but says that Saif has immense respect for her beliefs. Talking about her annual Swiss vacation she says that she cherishes the two weeks vacation more than anything else. “It’s been a rather eventful year for both of us. Now we just want to give each other some time. Taking this break with Saif is what keeps me going all through the year,” shares the actor who recently also finished the first schedule of her film Heroine.

It’s a special Christmas ...For actor Lara Dutta who is nine months pregnant and all set to welcome her baby with husband, tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi

It’s a special Christmas

...For actor Lara Dutta who is nine months pregnant and all set to welcome her baby with husband, tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi

Actor Lara Dutta may be due to deliver a baby next month, but that hasn’t stopped her from attending events and promoting her recently released film. Though she hasn’t been making too many public appearances, she has been spotted quite a couple of times, sporting her baby bump. “It was difficult to fly to different cities for the promotion, but I have been pretty much involved with the film. When I signed the film, the producers knew that I was going to get married. We didn’t plan for the baby, but everyone’s been accommodating,” smiles the pretty actor. Considering that a new member will joining their family very soon, Lara and hubby, tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi is making sure she has a special celebration at home with her near and dear ones this Christmas. “Mahesh is a catholic and I am half-catholic, so Christmas is that time of the year we look forward to. It has always been about spending time with family. Usually I fly to Bangalore to be with my parents, but this time they are flying down to spend the day with me,” she says. Revealing her excitement, she continues, “The tree has been decorated and put up, the presents have been brought and everything is set. Each year I go for the traditional midnight mass to Church and then spend the day with family.” Ask her what she is hoping husband Mahesh gifts her and she says she already knows it. “I think he is going to surprise me but he doesn’t know I already know what he plans to gift me. I don’t want to ruin it for him by revealing it,” she giggles.

Actor Katrina Kaif gives London a miss for Mumbai this festive weekend

Actor Katrina Kaif gives London a miss for Mumbai this festive weekend

Actor Katrina Kaif, who usually takes off to London around Christmas each year, is in Mumbai this time. Completely inundated with work, the actor has had to forego her annual vacation to be with her family in London. “I usually try to spend time with my family in London during Christmas — it’s more fun with them. It also means spending time with my sisters, whom I rarely get to meet due to my tight shooting.” She further elaborates on the thing she’s going to miss the most on Christmas — snow! “The white Christmas in London is awesome. I have grown up celebrating it,” she said. Besides gifting her friends’ loads of goodies and decorating Christmas tree, Kat wants to play Santa for them. “I will bring in the festival with my close friends here. I am also planning to be their Santa,” she grins. So would that be a sexy Santa?

The Wish Collector Talks to a young California-based filmmaker who is currently in India documenting people’s wishes for a book that she hopes will give them faith to follow what they desire

The Wish Collector

Talks to a young California-based filmmaker who is currently in India documenting people’s wishes for a book that she hopes will give them faith to follow what they desire

On the streets of Dhampur village, Uttar Pradesh, 23-year-old Courtney Kelly Ziegler randomly walks up to strangers. You’d think she’s crazier, as she further asks them to reveal their most secret desire. She does this because, when she isn’t teaching photography and art to children at Pushpa Niketan school, Ziegler moonlights as a wish collector. “I ask people about their wishes. It’s the best way to break the boundaries people put up when they talk to strangers,” says Ziegler. She intends to document these wishes in a compilation she calls The Wish Book. Armed with a book, her personal journal and a camera, Ziegler walks up to people she finds interesting and starts interviewing them. “Sometimes, I am taken aback by how much some strangers open up to me, they’re not afraid to tell me their deepest secrets,” she says. Ziegler’s wish collection is simple: she tells people she wants to interview them, asks them two questions — the wish and why they think it would be good — and finally gets them to draw their wish, her favourite part of the whole exercise. It was two years back, in a bookstore in New York, when Ziegler chanced upon a children’s book of wishes. A blank book, it had about ten pages for children to write down and draw their wishes. Intrigued, Ziegler bought it and then proceeded to interview friends to fill it up. Her first stop was at a musician friend’s home. “I asked him to complete the sentence ‘I wish there were a million..’ and he replied saying ‘birds of a feather so that they could fly together’. He was quite serious and then actually spent half an hour drawing hundreds of feathers,” she says. In over a year she recorded some 60 wishes from friends and interesting people she happened to meet. Back then, it was a part-time project. The project gained priority when she took up the teaching job in India. make a wish The one common wish that touches her the most is when adults talk about wishing they were doing what they truly desired, instead of their daily routine. “In the bigger cities, the wishes tend to become complex and at times abstract,” she says. There were also a few outrageous ones — a boy Ziegler met at an Illinois coffee shop wished Wikipedia was a religion because, then, no one would argue about it and if they did, they would just have to refer Wiki to settle the argument. Not child’s play It’s the children that delight Ziegler. “Children are very practical and simple. They have no inhibitions, are the least hesitant and love the opportunity to draw,” she says. Her favourite ones are — asking for an extra finger to help with homework, a young girl wishing that her shoes were her soulmate so that she wouldn’t need to have babies and a girl asking for pink shoes because she likes the colour pink. Ziegler will travel to Thailand, China and then the US to collect and document wishes. Next on her wish list: “publishing The Wish Book and making a film on the videos I’ve shot”.

Cute Indian Girl in Indian Traditional Dress

Cute Indian Girl in Indian Traditional Dress

RANNVIJAY Interview

Sun sign Pisces
Birthday March 16
Hometown Jalandhar
School/college Army Public School, Delhi/ Hansraj College, DU
Occupation MTV VJ & Actor First break Winning Roadies
High point of your life Doing a solo film, Mod, directed by Nagesh Kukunoor
Low point of your life Had a bad accident l, a few years ago

What are you doing currently?
Helped in designing the Roadies shoes and gearing to host the new season of the show in January

Which character from Sholay do you most resemble and why?
Veeru for sure. Like him, I'm also a romantic at heart, can do comedy and love my friends.

If you were given a chance to remake Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag, the movie, what would you do?
Firstly, I would just make the movie without saying it's a remake and secondly, I would advise my friend Prashant Raj, who played the character of Jai, to choose his roles wisely.
The last line of your autobiography would read...
I would thank everybody who supported me and feel lucky to be who I was.

How would you explain Twitter to your grandmother?
My grandmother is always keen to know what am I up to these days. So, I'd tell her that the best way to keep tabs on me is to follow me on Twitter.

The one place where you would never get yourself tattooed?
On my neck.

One song that describes your current state of mind?
Yahan, the Roadies song. It has the right attitude which is also seen in the shoes that I've helped to design.

Your darkest fantasy?
Instead of darkest, I would prefer to call it the happiest. And both Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie would feature in it.  

What would we find in your fridge right now?
Eggs, chicken, ham, brownies, juice, fruits, rice, dal, milk and seekh kebabs.

If a spaceship landed in your backyard, what would you do?
I'd be very happy as I want to believe that there's life outside earth also.
And I would want to travel in it.

The most clichéd answer you've ever given in an interview?
That “all the actors were very nice and it was great to shoot together.“

If you were an ice cream, what flavour would you be?
Blackcurrant.

Your most irrational fear...
I can't handle the fear of being in water with crocodiles.

The one lie you got away with?
I'm busy in a shoot right now.

Where did you spend your last summer?
Partly in Ooty and then in Europe.

How many pairs of blue jeans do you have?
Around 40.

What's the biggest surprise you've ever given your date?
If I was travelling, I'd return much before the scheduled time and plan a surprise dinner for her.

Vidya Balan, again! She first caught our eye after her demure turn in Parineeta and spunky act in Lage Raho Munnabhai

Vidya Balan, again! She first caught our eye after her demure turn in Parineeta and spunky act in Lage Raho Munnabhai; that's when we did a Brunch cover with Vidya in November 2006.
Then watching her 180 degree reversal in Ishqiya plus the buzz around her playing the Southern sex star, Silk Smitha, there could be no better cover girl for our latest issue of Brunch Quarterly.
And now, when she has taken the entire country by storm and proved that a good movie can sell more than sex, we really had no choice! So, here she is yet again, in a candid chat, as she tells us all about her ride from bhabhi to babe!

 

In the initial flush of excitement, after she had been cast as Mohanlal's heroine, she signed 12 Malayalam movies. 

 

She was sacked from every one of them We talk of Vidya's courage only in terms of her willing- ness to play a sex symbol in The Dirty Picture . But compared to the other things she's done in her life, this is no big deal 

 

I THINK I'VE cracked it. For two weeks now everyone I know ­ and possibly most of urban India ­ has been going crazy about Vidya Balan. Nearly everywhere you go she is the everywhere you go she is the subject of discussion and the conversations are nearly always flattering. The obvious point of reference is The Dirty Picture. For two months before the movie released, Vidya was everywhere. Never before in the history of Indian cinema has a star done so much publicity for a film.
And The Dirty Picture was not even a big budget special effects extravaganza like say Ra.One. But Vidya appeared on every television show you could think of (and many that you would never have thought of) and in every print publication. Talking to her for this interview (and for my Star World show) I asked her what had involved more hard work: the promotion or the actual filming? She took a while to answer and even then she wasn't really sure. My guess is that the promotion took much more effort.
So perhaps India is going crazy over Vidya Balan because she is so ubiquitous today, more omnipresent than even Anna Hazare.
Or could it be that everyone loved The Dirty Picture? The box office figures suggest that it will be a massive hit not just relative to its (somewhat modest) budget but compared to most other films released this year. Obviously, this is a picture that everyone has seen and liked.
Or it could be that they all think that Vidya is terrific in the movie (which she is)? Few actresses could have carried off that role with so much aplomb and managed to hold their own against an actor of the calibre of Naseeruddin Shah who gives one of his best ever performances.
But ­ if you ask me ­ it's none of these things. My view is that India has fallen in love with Vidya Balan all over again (and we've been here before ­ after the release of Parineeta and once again after Lage Raho Munnabhai ­ though it's never been quite so intense) not because of her current ubiquity or because of any individual film but because we have finally come to terms with who she is.
In an industry full of size zero figures, dancing bimbettes and selfconsciously trendy bejeaned muppets, Vidya comes off as a breath of fresh air.
Basically, it's this simple: she is a real person. Everything about her is real: the curves, the little roll of fat that she makes no attempt to hide, the clothes that she chooses herself, the roles that she agonises over before finally selecting one that suits her, the hard work she puts into each performance and then into the promotion, and most of all, the guts she demonstrates in finding her own path against the advice of nearly everybody in Bollywood.
We talk of Vidya's courage only in terms of her willingness to play a southern sex symbol in The Dirty Picture. But compared to the other things she's done in her life, this is no big deal.
In fact, her whole story is one of courage in the face of impossible odds. B o t f becom rn and brought up in Bombay o a middle class south Indian amily, Vidya had a dream: to e an actress. But while other girls with that dream would want to be glamorous heroines, Vidya focused on the acting itself.
Each evening she would stare at the mirror and re-enact Shabana Azmi's dialogues from Arth. A particular favourite was the bit where Shabana tells Smita Patil to leave her man alone.
“I kept trying to cry because that was what the scene required,“ she remembers. “But I didn't know about glycerine in those days and I wasn't sure how to make the tears come. All the same, I kept trying.“
Good middle class south Indian families do not react with delight when their daughters tell them that they want to join Bollywood. So Vidya's parents insisted that she went to St Xavier's College and studied. She did her BA and then an MA in Sociology.
“My father said that I could always become an actress,“ she recalls. “But I couldn't go back to college later in life. So I had to first finish my education and then I could do what I wanted. At the time I was not pleased but now, I can't thank him enough. My parents were absolutely right.“
The education explains why Vidya started off late. But nothing explains why things kept going wrong for so long.
She was eventually signed up for a Malayalam film and though it wasn't the Bollywood career she dreamt of, at least it was a beginning.
Moreover, she was starring with Mohanlal, a legendary figure in Malayalam cinema and one of her idols. But Mohanlal had a problem with the film's makers. And so, halfway through, the movie was abandoned, never to be completed.
Because Mohanlal is such a big deal in the south, it was unusual for one of his movies to remain incomplete. And the film industry, ever quick to blame a newcomer, decided it was because Vidya Balan brought bad luck to the project.
She could have survived this debacle but a second film also ended in disaster. Four days into the shooting she was replaced. The makers decided that they did not want the Balan jinx.
What followed was heartbreaking.
In the initial flush of excitement after she had been cast as Mohanlal's heroine, she had signed a dozen Malayalam films. She was sacked from every single one of them.
She tried Tamil cinema and found a role. There too, things went wrong. The producer also decided that she was a jinx and she was replaced. She signed a second Tamil film, got to the sets and discovered that it was a sex comedy. She had been signed up under false pretences. Naturally she walked out. And as naturally, she was replaced once again.
Desperate to find some work at least, she agreed to act in a Euphoria music video directed by Pradeep Sarkar. This time she was not replaced and the video was completed but there was a fight between labels and the release of the video was stalled.
So, after three years in the film industry, Vidya Balan had been replaced in twelve Malayalam movies, two Tamil films and had made one music video which had been caught up in a legal quagmire and not released.
You tell me: wouldn't you give up at this stage?
Anybody else would.
But Vidya wouldn't. And she didn't. Iasked her about her state of mind during that phase. She says that it took every ounce of will power to keep from giving up. She went everywhere for roles: on one occasion she walked from Nariman Point to Bandra, a considerable distance. At other times, she sat for hours at the Saibaba temple praying with tears running down her cheeks. (“I am a person with a lot of faith and I have conversations all the time but I am not so religious in the conventional, organised sense,“ she says).
Then, slowly, her luck began to change. She was cast in a Bengali film and discovered that she was a Bengali at heart and learnt to speak the language fluently. (She even sings Bengali songs, one of which she sang on camera for me when I seemed somewhat dubious about her linguistic abilities).
Pradeep Sarkar who had kept casting her in ad films and other music videos never lost faith. He had planned to make Parineeta for producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and insisted that Vidya would make a perfect heroine. Naturally, Chopra was leery of investing money in a first-time director and a virtual newcomer as an actress.
He insisted on auditioning Vidya and she says she has lost count of the number of auditions she did over a period of several months.
Finally, Chopra gave in. He agreed with Sarkar that she was the perfect choice for the role and agreed to sign her.
By all rights, Vidya should have been a nervous wreck. Her career had stalled in two different film industries (Malayalam and Tamil) and her reputation for bringing bad luck to projects had spread far and wide. This was really a make or break situation for her.
But oddly enough, she says, she was never nervous. She knew what was at stake. She knew it was her last chance. And she knew that the camera was her best friend. (“The camera is my confidante,“ she says.
“I speak directly to it.“).

 

After some strange films like Heyy Babyy and Kismat Konnection, Vidya decided that this was not part of her original dream I don't think Vidya cares too much about image or about body issues any longer.
She's happy to be a star.
But she'd much rather be an actress
So she gave it everything she had.
And the rest is history. I ac t hasn't exactly been an uphill struggle since the massive success of Parineeta. Lage Raho Munnabhai gave her the stamp of commercial ceptability and it would have been easy enough acceptability and it would have been easy enough for her to have joined the Bollywood rat race since success seemed to come so easily and naturally to her. But after some strange films like Heyy Babyy and Kismet Konnection in which she tried to pretend to be what she is not ­ a Bollywood bimbette ­ Vidya decided that this was not part of her original dream.
“At some stage my sister and brother-in-law sat me down and asked me why I had become an actress,“ she remembers. “I said it was because I wanted to be different people, to play different characters. And they pointed out what should have been obvious to me. If I was going to do these typical Bollywood films, then I wasn't really playing different characters. It wasn't why I had become an actress at all.“
Ask yourself this: if you had only one dream, if that dream had been dashed on the rocks by fate through rejection and replacement and if you finally had found some partial fulfillment of that dream, some measure of success at last, would you really risk it all?
The reason I like Vidya Balan ­ and I guess the reason all of India loves her so much ­ is because she was ready to start from scratch again. She was willing to walk away from one kind of success. She was ready to take risks that seemed like commercial suicide.
All because she still believed in that original dream, not in the commercial fantasy that it had morphed into. The films that have come in the latest phase of Vidya Balan's career are not those that a commercially savvy actress would have signed. She agonised for three months before agreeing to do Paa even though it offered her a chance to act with Amitabh Bachchan, an early idol since his Yaarana days. (She even liked that silly outfit with the lightbulbs that was stolen from The Electric Horseman). It wasn't that she minded playing Amitabh's mother. It was just that she was terrified of screwing up.
As it turned out, she was brilliant.
She was terrific as a deglamourised Sabrina Lal in No One Killed Jessica.
And she was even better in Ishqiya where she played the kind of character she developed further in The Dirty Picture: a woman who is willing to use her sexuality in the advancement of her own interests.
Even so, The Dirty Picture represented a huge risk. Hindi cinema no longer requires its heroines to be virginal angels of innocence. But I can't think of a single other film where a heroine is shown as seducing a man simply to advance her career and is still treated as a sympathetic character.
And then there was the terrible visual deterioration that her character suffered at the end of the movie. Which heroine would agree to do all this without wondering about the effect on her stardom?
But Vidya took the risk. She liked the role, she said. It offered her a chance to take a character that society looked down on and to invest that person with dignity and depth. Her character didn't have to be somebody you felt sorry for. You just had to accept that she was an independent woman making her own choices in her own interests.
“`Treat her with respect,' was my motto,“ she says.
Now that the risk has paid off and the film is such a stupendous success, it is easy to say that Vidya was right to take the role. But had it gone wrong, it could well have been career suicide.
Except I don't think that Vidya cares too much about that any longer. She doesn't care about image or about body issues. She's happy to be a star. But she'd much rather be an actress.
At some level, I think all of us recognise that in Vidya we are dealing with a real person who is making real choices and not with some machinemade, image-manipulated Bollywood star. We respect her risks. We admire her resilience. And we know that even if we didn't do all of this, even if we didn't go to see her movies, it would not make that much difference to her.
Because after those years of disappointment, rejection and experimentation, Vidya Balan has found her destiny.
And her destiny is simply this: to be her own person. To be Vidya Balan.

ISHQIYA Vidya played the kind of character she developed further in The Dirty Picture in this 2010 hit: a woman who is willing to use her sexuality in the advancement of her own interests NO ONE KILLED JESSICA Vidya was terrific as a deglamourised Sabrina Lal in Raj Kumar Gupta's 2011 hit flick PARINEETA For Vidya, it hasn't exactly been an uphill struggle since the success of Parineeta, her 2005 debut PAA It wasn't that Vidya minded playing Amitabh Bachchan's mother in 2009's Paa, She was just terrified of screwing up

 

‘It’s difficult!’ Tennis sensation Sania Mirza recalls her depressive days when she went off the tennis court due to a nasty injury

‘It’s difficult!’

Tennis sensation Sania Mirza recalls her depressive days when she went off the tennis court due to a nasty injury



Back in Mumbai to participate in a training camp, tennis player Sania Mirza says that she has now put her injuries behind her and is ready to start off the block again.
“I’m here in Mumbai for a conditioning camp so that I’m fit and ready for the coming season starting with build-up tournaments to the Australian Open in Auckland and Hobart. So, basically it’s a lot of fitness work since I’ve recuperated from my knee injury,” says the most glamorous tennis player from India.
Sania says that she is in Mumbai for another week before she zooms off again for a month-long playing season. “I’m here for another 10 days before we set out for Auckland. Apart from fitness and training, I’m making it a point to catch up with family and friends here in Mumbai,” she smiles.
The tennis player admits that it’s very hard not to get engulfed by depression when your good run is cut short by a nasty injury. She admits that the last few months have been her toughest. More so, when the doctor tells you that you need a surgery.
“It’s difficult not to be playing tennis especially when you’re on a good run, but I guess having played 160 odd matches in the last year , took its toll. It is tough for sure, having gone through three surgeries before the age of 25. We try and manage injuries as much as possible but at the end of the day, it’s inevitable particularly in a physical sport like tennis!” she reflects.
It’s her family, says the tennis champ, who rallied around when she felt low. “I have my husband and my family around for support. Shoaib (Malik) being a sportsperson himself, understands the emotions that one goes through during an injury lay off; so it definitely becomes easier to come through it, in my case. Also, the motivation of getting back to playing tennis is always there,” Sania reveals.
Now what she’s been married for some time, are there any plans to start a family? Without elaborating on it, Sania says, “I just wish for a healthier 2012 for all. Apart from the Grand Slams, we have the Olympics and the Fed Cup to look forward to next year, so we’ll be taking it one step at a time!”

Instant brandhood Gone are the days when an actor needed several hits for one brand endorsement. Today, all it takes is one hit to bag several deals

Instant brandhood

Gone are the days when an actor needed several hits for one brand endorsement. Today, all it takes is one hit to bag several deals

There are three things that determine an actor’s popularity today — films, link-ups and endorsements. While a B-Towner can either be a good actor or a bad actor, the number of brands they endorse does not have anything to do with the number of flops or hits they deliver. But the intial benchmark of acquiring a credibility as an actor capable of delivering a hit has changed with the advent of young stars. Actors like Freida Pinto, Sonakshi Sinha and the new debutante, actor Nargis Fakhri have bagged endorsements right after their first release; the latter got three endorsement deals worth about Rs 9 crore even before her first film, Rockstar released. Sonakshi, who is just a-film-old has a string of endorsements under her kitty, and the same holds true for Freida, who became a sensation overnight. Her popularity soared to such an extent that she was also offered an international brand endorsement, which she eventually took up. Actor Deepika Padukone had endorsed two brands before her debut film, Om Shanti Om released. Actors Sonam Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor too had an endorsement deal each before their debut film’s release.
Atul Kasbekar, photographer, finds this trend a little bizarre. He is of the opinion that to become a brand ambassador of a product, there needs to be some credibility behind the actor. “He/she must have a track record that proves that he/she is capable enough of endorsing the brand or being the face of a brand. Having said that I believe that it’s fatigue of seeing the same old faces that is giving way to new faces for brand endorsements.”
Harish Bijoor, brand specialist, feels that says that the trend is here to stay. “Endorsements are all about freshness and creativity. People have had enough of seeing the same faces. The trick today is to pick the horse early. Anybody who makes headlines could be picked up. Sonakshi was picked up after Dabanng because she was in the news for at least seven to eight months after the film released.”
Film trade analyst Amod Mehra says it all boils down to the number of zeroes. “Newcomers will obviously charge lesser as compared to a Shah Rukh Khan. Plus they also get to be in constant limelight due to the advertisements. It is always a good choice to catch hold of smaller stars and market your product well,” he said.

Face off on screen

Face off on screen

If there was any curiousity about the new TV show Love 2 Hate You, it was to find out what compelled hunky Arjun Rampal to step into the TV arena so late. But once you get past the checking-out phase, the experience of watching ‘haters’ coming face-to-face with their ‘pet hate’ is quite amusing. It’s a good thing that Arjun begins the series by facing his own hater — writer Farhan Syed. While Arjun shows flashes of impatience when dealing with his hater, his other star guests like filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and actor,singer, filmmaker Farhan Akhtar sit through the at-times cringing dismissal of their work, with a zen-like calm. The show begins with the introduction of the hater and their hate-o-meter reading (which often begins at five). The following segments has the hater rating their feelings after coming face-to-face with their pet hate and engaging in an activity associated with their pet hate — acting, singing or directing a shot. If you overlook the fact that Arjun at times does seem to get defensive of his star guests, the interaction between the haters and the stars does highlight one fact — that all haters sound like stuck records; they just keep parroting that one line to justify their stance. You can count the number of times Farhan may have likened Arjun to a wood and Vasu telling Akhtar that he ‘sucks as a singer’. The one thing that sets the show apart from other celebrity shows is the fact that it does not look like we are privy to stars flaunting their filmi associations, promotions or private jokes.

‘Honeymoon can wait!’ ...says TV actor Kinshuk Mahajan, whose commitment to work has kept him from going for his honeymoon post-marriage

‘Honeymoon can wait!’

...says TV actor Kinshuk Mahajan, whose commitment to work has kept him from going for his honeymoon post-marriage

What is Afsar Bitiya, your new show on Zee TV all about?
Afsar Bitiya, set in Bhagalpur in Bihar, throws light on the importance of female education and issues centring around it. It talks about a young girl, Krishna’s resilience, aspirations, dreams and motivation to work harder and make a mark in society despite all adversities. And I am a strong believer of the tagline of the show — Jab Ek Ladki Padhti Hai Toh Duniya Badalti Hai.

What about your character in the show?
I play Pintoo Singh, an interesting character who is the quintessential village goon and being the youngest child in the family has been pampered all his life. Though he comes across as a brat, rough and brash, deep down he is a good human being.

About your personal life, you recently got married and were back to work right after?
Actually I’m a very dedicated actor you see (laughs). But on a serious note, I had signed Afsar Bitiya much before we decided my wedding date. And the shoot of the show was at a very crucial juncture at that point. It would have been unprofessional on my part had I taken a prolonged leave for my shaadi. Initially I got only five days off for my wedding. Thankfully, when the launch date got pushed a bit and I got three days extra. For me, work comes first and I do not want to compromise on that front at all.

We hear you haven’t even gone for your honeymoon yet?
Yes, actually I want to take Divya (wife) to Europe for honeymoon, but again that would require me to take a long leave which I cannot at this moment. Right now my entire focus is on Afsar Bitiya. I have decided to take mini breaks of three to four days to various destinations in India as well as neighbouring countries in the meantime. We went to Thailand recently, but my proper honeymoon will happen only when I go to Europe. And my writer/producer Rakesh Paswan has promised me a long leave once the show goes on air!

You play a good husband on screen. Are you a good husband in real life as well?
Definitely! I’m a very good and dedicated husband. My wife tells me I’m very caring and understanding. More than husband and wife, we are very good friends. She knows the nature of my work and is very supportive in that sense. I, on my part, try to wrap up my scedules as early as possible and spend as much time as possible with her.

You work with so many beautiful actresses. How does your wife feel about this?
Divya and I’ve known each other for eight years now. She had complete faith in me when I was dating her and that trust is intact even after marriage. As far as I am concerned, I’m too madly in love with her to even let such thoughts cross my mind. At the end of the day, I’m an actor. What I do on screen is all just imagination of a writer or a director. I’m just a medium who portrays that.

If not an actor, what would you have done?
I never set out to become an actor, but always wanted to get into direction. In fact, I also took a diploma in direction. However fate willed otherwise. I first appeared in the film Delhi Heights and was taken to Mumbai for a song shoot. After completing the film, I got a show Dhoom Machao Dhoom and moved on to do other primetime shows. Now that destiny wants me to become an actor, I will wait for my chance to become a full-fledged director.

Toh aaj ka ‘special’ kya hai? Festival or not, special episodes are becoming a regular feature on TV these days

Toh aaj ka ‘special’ kya hai?

Festival or not, special episodes are becoming a regular feature on TV these days

There was once a time, when a show’s ‘special’ episode created much curiosity amongst the viewers. Would there be a star dropping by, or is there going to be a big twist in the tale... the TV viewers kept a watch to know what special offering their favourite show holds for them. And it was on occassions like Diwali, New Year, Holi, etc, when such festival specials would assuredly be aired. However, of late, the line between a regular episode and a special episode is fast blurring, as nowadays there’s some special episode every fortnight or so and they are soon becoming a regular feature. After Hrs talks to experts to find out if these special shows are still as special as they once were.

Accepting the fact that special episodes are not an add-on anymore and are very much a part of the regular programming schedule, Bidaai, Kuch Toh Log Kahengey’s producer Rajan Shahi says, “Intially one hour special episodes were just created to hype and rake in more audiences to watch TV, especially during festivities or when cricket tournaments, etc were on and fiction show viewings often dropped. So specials did help popular shows to generate good TRPs even in such times.”
He adds, “But now it has become a regular feature to have one hour episodes of almost all popular shows as it just adds to the hype and also on weekends when these episodes are telecasted and get few new audience that usually finds it a a tad bit difficult to watch them on weekdays. They also help adding to the TRP of the time band they are aired on. Besides all audiences surely like to see the shows they like for a longer duration.”
Actor Angad Hasija feels that it is a way of promoting and marketing the show. “As an actor we need to shoot more when there is one hour special episode, but then fans and audience also love to see more of us in their favourite shows. Also these specials help in promoting shows, but if not marketed well, audiences can end up missing the show’s important twist,” says Angad.
Fiction shows are usually spread over weekdays and a weekend special is a well-accepted feature by the audiences. Says producer Siddharth Tewary, “We make shows for viewers and they love to see their favourite characters over the weekend as well, it cuts their wait to know what will happen next, also special episodes are planned more than a month in advance, we even write it differently to entertain the viewers. I don’t think the novelty will wear off as we don’t have specials every week, its planned strategically by the channel’s programming team.”
Sukesh Motwane, fiction head, Zee TV, feels it helps to create curiosity in audience. “Such episodes are planned when the story has a big twist or a new character’s entry or a big revelation. Also today stars are going all out to promote their films and hence are seen frequenting shows. But, they work only if planned well,” says Motwane.

‘I used to sit and write songs at the airport sometimes’ …says musician Raghu Dixit as he talks about his first Bollywood project

‘I used to sit and write songs at the airport sometimes’

…says musician Raghu Dixit as he talks about his first Bollywood project

Do we see you inclining more towards Bollywood henceforth?
I always wanted to make great music. That was my only goal and it has taken me along on this fantastic journey, of which, Bollywood is the newest phase. I did not view entering Bollywood as a goal, but I was definitely not averse to it and this project was a fun start, with enough freedom to experiment with various different styles of music. I am working with my band on our second album and that is keeping me busy these days.
So, how did this tie-up with Y- films happen?
The producer of the film and head of Y-Films, knew me and my music and called me to be a part of the project. They were giving me a lot of space to work, and make something fantastic for the movie. They must have loved my sound and the song Har Saans Mein. The experience was incredibly smooth sailing, and composing the songs was a breeze. The only thing is that I was composing for the film while I was still on the UK tour, which was crazy. I used to sit and write songs at the airport at times!

Turning music director for the Bollywood film
industry, is this something you always wanted to do?
I have always been apprehensive about Bollywood, but over the last few years the directors, scripts and music of Bollywood films have slowly evolved. This new Bollywood felt like a place where even a musician like me can thrive and be creative. I have always been told that my sound is not along the lines of ‘traditional Bollywood’ and I think now is a good time for me because Bollywood itself is changing now.

You’ve made music for South films in the past. How’s it different than Bollywood? What’s more fun?
It depends on the script and the team. The language comes next. For all my movies, I’ve had the privilege of working with a really cool team that’s given me enough freedom to experiment. And it’s always fun, to come out of your comfort zone and do something new and different. This was my first real Bollywood project and I loved the experience.

What’s next? More of Bollywood projects?
The material for the second album is ready and being road tested right now. You can expect to hear some good news on the album front by the end of this year! I recently collaborated with Naga folk-blues singer from Manipur, Rewben Mashangava, a musician, composer and instrument-maker, for the TV show The Dewarists.

What’s the secret? Actor Priyanka Chopra admits that she is wary of her ‘secrets’ being leaked out in the lyrics that she has penned

What’s the secret?

Actor Priyanka Chopra admits that she is wary of her ‘secrets’ being leaked out in the lyrics that she has penned

Actor Priyanka Chopra has revealed that she has let out some of her innermost demons in her lyrics. Now that the lyrics of her first album have been locked, Priyanka fears that her fans would find out some of her secrets when they listen to her song. Talking about it in Dubai, Priyanka admitted that the moment the lyrics were ‘locked’, she wanted to change them.

“You know, the more I have written, the more I have realised I am spilling out my life in the music and it’s really scary because I’m a very private person and when I read my lyrics I go, ‘My God, it’s me!’ You can tell so much about people just by reading their lyrics,” Priyanka was quoted as saying. However, sources confirmed that Priyanka has modified the lyrics of the song, as it was recorded. Sources also say that lyrics were apparently changed during the recording process. Though tracks have been recorded for test runs, the final recording and mixing is still to be done. Priyanka was quoted as saying that she will record her single very soon.

“We’re hoping to record a single in the next couple of months and let’s see where it leads,” she said. Priyanka was in Dubai recently to promote her film with actor Shah Rukh Khan.

According to sources, the actor is still working on a date for the release of her album which sources confirmed will be in the latter half of 2012.

Akshay not remaking Kolaveri Di Contrary to buzz, the star has acquired the rights of a popular Telugu song, and not the Tanglish chartbuster

Akshay not remaking Kolaveri Di

Contrary to buzz, the star has acquired the rights of a popular Telugu song, and not the Tanglish chartbuster

Grapevine had it that actor Akshay Kumar had acquired the rights of the Tamil chartbuster Why This Kolaveri Di from South actor Rajinikanth’s son-in-law, actor-singer Dhanush, thus apparently beating actor Shah Rukh Khan to it. But a source close to Akshay has denied that he has bought the Hindi remake rights of the song.
“The song is not being remade in Hindi. The song has been heard in its original version by everybody across the globe, and therefore is not an economically viable option as a Hindi remake. Nobody will listen to it,” says a friend of Akshay.
According to the friend, Akshay and his partner has bought the rights of another South song — the song is in Telugu. “He wants to use that Telugu song in his movie with Hindi lyrics, and has acquired the rights for it. I must also add there was no one else in contention for the song,” informs the friend.
According to sources, the rights of Kolaveri Di still rest with the producers, and if there are any plans to make it in Hindi, it’ll be done by them. “The song is done and there are so many unofficial remixed versions already available on the net. Moreover, nobody wants to sell the rights of the song because the song is already earning money (from downloads etc). However, business deals cannot be predicted and the status might change anytime in the future,” adds the source.
Sources also said that there has been an unanimous decision to use the song in the film Moondru (3), and no where else. The film is due to be released in 2012. Written and sung by Dhanush, the song was composed by debutant music director Anirudh Ravichander, and will be part of the film’s official music release on December 23rd.

Veena accused of copying Kat

Veena accused of copying Kat

Actor Veena Malik has again landed in the middle of a controversy, this time for “ripping-off” actor Katrina Kaif’s look in her item song titled The Item Bomb Channo. But critics believe her look is almost identical to that of Katrina’s in her latest item song Chikni Chameli. Stills from the new film have been dubbed ‘uncomfortably reminiscent’ of the first-look photos from Kaif’s Agneepath, the Mirror reported. Critics have speculated that the similarities in dress, hair, makeup and setting are a PR ploy to generate further coverage after the star’s nude photoshoot row for a mag cover. But Malik claims, “From styling and the set up, to the tune and choreography, everything in this item number is different,” she was quoted as saying, adding that wearing the Nathani (nose ring) was her suggestion as it’s “an important ornament inPakistan

My booty is sexy! Actor Sonam Kapoor reveals her wild streak

My booty is sexy!

Actor Sonam Kapoor reveals her wild streak

Ever since actor Sonam Kapoor stepped into the industry she’s always been known for her sweet-girl-next-door kind of image. But her forthcoming film sees her ditch her cute self for a hot new glam avatar. Her sexy make-over may have surprised many, but Sonam says that in fact, it’s much closer to the real her. As After Hrs catches up with the pretty actor, she gives us a glimpse of the wild child that she really is:

From sweet to sexy, it’s been quite an image make-over for you in Players. So who is the real Sonam?
I don’t think there’s been any image makeover as such. As an actor I only do what my role requires. But people tend to make their own assumptions about how I am in real life too, based on the characters they’ve seen me play on screen. The fact is that I am nothing like anything I’ve played on screen yet.

So are you more sexy than sweet in real life?
Yes, I think so!

What do you think is the sexiest thing about you?
Apart from my attitude, I think my butt is sexy (laughs)! It got me more compliments than my dresses did at Cannes definitely.

You are also known to be quite an adrenaline junkie among your friends. What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done?
Sky diving apart, I think the wildest thing I’d done was to get my tongue pierced. But then I got rid of the ring when I entered Bollywood.

So, how was it getting to do all that action on screen?
I’ve enjoyed it so much, I would definitely want to do more of it. Something like a Kill Bill. But I would change her (actor Uma Thurman) jumpsuit and the colour too (laughs).

Your dad (actor Anil Kapoor) is making a foray into TV production. Is TV on your list too?
I haven’t given TV any thought yet. So, nothing’s on the cards for now.

THE LIST OF SOME OF THE FILMS RELEASED IN THE YEAR 1979..

THE LIST OF SOME OF THE FILMS RELEASED IN THE YEAR 1979..

1. Gol Maal
Amol Palekar,Bindya Goswami,Utpul Dutt
2. Jaani Dushman
Sunil Dutt,Sanjeev Kumar,Jeetendra,Shatruhan Sinha,Reena Roy,Neetu Singh
3. Sargam
Rishi Kapoor,Jayapradha,Shashikala
4. Suhaag
Shashi Kapoor,Amitabh Bachchan,Parveen Babai,Rekha,Nirupa Roy,Amjad Khan
5. Amar Deep
Rajesh Khanna,Vinod Mehra,Shabana Azmi
6. Mr. Natwarlal
Amitabh Bachchan,Rekha,Amjad Khan
7. Kaala Patthar
Shashi Kapoor,Amitabh Bachchan,Shatrughan Sinha,Rakhee Gulzar,Parveen Babi
8. Khandaan
Jeetendra,Bindiya Goswami,Nirupa Roy
9. Prem Bandhan
Rajesh Khanna,Rekha,Moushumi Chatterjee
10. Lahu Ke Do Rang
Vinod Khanna,Shabana Azmi,Danny Denzongpa
11. Kartavya
Dharmendra,Rekha,Vinod Mehra
12. Griha Pravesh
Sanjeev Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Sarika, Danny Denzongpa, Dinesh Thakur, Gulzar
13. Noorie
Poonam Dhillon,Farooq Shaikh
14. Nauker
Sanjeev Kumar,Jaya Bhaduri,Mehmood
15. Muqabla
Sunil Dutt,Shatrughan Sinha,Reena Roy,Bindiya Goswami,Rajesh Khanna
16. Hamare Tumhare
Sanjeev Kumar,Rakhee Gulzar,Amjad Khan
17. Baton Baton Mein
Tina Munim,Pearl Padamsee,Amol Palekar
18. Surakshaa
Mithun Chakraborty,Ranjeeta Kaur
19. Dada
Vinod Mehra,Bindiya Goswami,Amjad Khan
20. Tarana
Mithun Chakraborty,Ranjeeta Kaur
21. Lok Parlok
Jeetendra,Prem Nath,Jaya Prada
22. Ahimsa
Sunil Dutt,Rekha,Nirupa Roy,Prem Nath
23. Dil Kaa Heera
Dharmendra,Hema Malini
24. Jurmana
Amitabh Bachchan,Rakhee Gulzar
25. Ahsaas
Shashi Kapoor,Simi Garewal,Shammi Kapoor,Simple Kapadia,Amjad Khan
26. Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi
Amol Palekar,Ranjeeta,Asrani,Ashok Saraf,Nilu Phule
27. Prem Vivah
Asha Parekh,Bindiya Goswami,Utpal Dutt,Mithun Chakraborty
28. Bin Phere Hum Tere
Rajendra Kumar, Vinod Mehra, Asha Parekh,Sarika, Nazneen, Nadira, Jankidas ,C. S. Dubey, Jagdish Raaj,
29. Hum Tere Aashiq Hain
Jeetendra,Hema Malini,Amjad Khan
30. Janata Havaldar
Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Yogeeta Bali,Ashok Kumar, Mehmood,Mohan Choti, Shobha Khota, Lalita Pawar, Leela Chitnis
31. The Great Gambler
Amitabh Bachchan,Zeenat Aman,Neetu Singh
32. Dhongee
Randhir Kapoor, Premnath, Farida Jalal, Sujit Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Satyen Kappu, Sajjan, Raj Mehra, Ram Mohan, Habib, Asrani, Neetu Singh
33. Junoon
Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendal, Naseeruddin Shah, Ismat Chughtai, Sushma Seth, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Tom Alter, Nafisa Ali, Deepti Naval, Shabana Azmi
34. Inspector Eagle
Sanjeev Kumar, Ranjeet, Mac Mohan, A. K. Hangal, C. S. Dubey, Goga Kapoor, Habib, Paintal, Neelam Mehra, Bindu, Yunus Perwaiz
35. Manzil
Amitabh Bachchan, Moushmi Chatterjee, Rakesh Pandey, Satyen Kappu, A. K. Hangal, Anwar Ali, Dr. Shreeram Lagoo, Lalita Pawar
36. Gautam Govinda
Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha,Moushmi Chatterjee, Aroona Irani, Vijay Arora, Premnath, Nirupa Roy, Madan Puri, Om Shivpuri, Mukri, Abhi Bhattacharya, Birbal, Viju Khote, Manmaujee,
37. Do Ladke Dono Kadke
Moushmi Chatterjee, Amol Palekar, Ranjeet, Nilu Phule, Iftekhar, Asrani,Prema Narayan, Viju Khote,Dina Pathak
38. Atmaram
Shatrughan Sinha, Vidya Sinha, Bindiya Goswami, Amjad Khan, Aroona Irani, Pran, Farida, Sulochana
39. Meera
Hema Malini, Shammi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, A. K. Hangal, Vidya Sinha, Dina Pathak.Om Shivpuri, Amjad Khan, Sudha Chopra, Bharat Bhushan, , Dr. Shreeram Lagoo, Shahu Modak, ,Dinesh Thakur,
40. Aangan Ki Kali
Rakesh Roshan, Prema Narayan, Geeta Khanna, Laxmi, Murad, Leela Chitnis
41. Jhootha Kahin Ka
Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar, Indrani Mukherjee, Satyen Kappu, Keshto Mukherjee, Yunus Perwaiz

It's a jungle!

It's a jungle!
t's all blue when you think of sandy beaches... but this time at the Resort week in Goa, fashion designers gave a glimpse of their wild side, with the help of prints and motifs of flora and fauna on their creations

Mission — Tom Cruise! As Pune gears up to host the Holly star, who is making a quick trip on December 16, here's a dekko at the preparations that are on in full swing to welcome him

Mission — Tom Cruise!

As Pune gears up to host the Holly star, who is making a quick trip on December 16, here's a dekko at the preparations that are on in full swing to welcome him



While the entire country went gaga over Hollywood actor Tom Cruise who was in the city to promote his latest release, Mission Impossible 4, the actor is expected to be back to charm his fans once again. But this time, Tom is not coming to Mumbai. He is making a quick trip to Pune to promote his film and interact with his fans there. He is expected to arrive in the city on the 16th of this month and all arrangements for his stay have been made at the Pune Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre.
While there have been rumours of him bringing his wife, Katie Holmes and daughter Suri along, this time too the actor is coming solo and will be accompanied by co-actor Anil Kapoor. Tom will land in Mumbai on December 16, where he will either make a quick stop over at Anil's residence in Juhu or will proceed straight to Pune with Anil in tow.
Right from the menu for the food to his specific requirements, every little thing that he may need has been paid absolute attention to. Abhijit Chitnis, Director, marketing and sales informs us of the arrangements in store for Tom. "We will be organising a local cultural act to welcome Tom along with a customised creation by our chef, Ajmal Salim. Our team of chefs has also prepared a special menu to cater to the tastes of Tom across all outlets. The hotel is gearing up in all aspects to welcome him with grandeur and style."
He will be staying in the Presidential suite which is spread over 2,000 square feet and is very Indian and ethnic in its decor — it has multiple living room areas, private jacuzzi, private massage room and a home theatre lounge and a private boardroom. His food will comprise of Indian, Continental and signature dishes.
Though it is not sure if the actor will get to visit any place in Pune, sources suggest that he may visit the Osho Ashram at Koregoan Park. The hotel too has ensured that they will also gift Tom something that he will remember Pune for a long time to come. Additionally, Marriot's nightclub, Miami is also organising an exclusive party with Tom where the creme de la creme of Pune will be on the guest list. They will get an opportunity to meet and talk to him. A source reveals, "There will be special bar and finger food menu customised to his upcoming movie. The bar is also creating cocktails inspired by and named after his movies. Special arrangements have also been made for him in his suite which includes providing yoga specific amenities and setting up a special massage therapy room in the suite for spa treatments."

'Tom is a perfect Gentleman!' Actor Abhishek Bachchan talks about meeting Hollywood actor Tom Cruise for the second time recently

'Tom is a perfect Gentleman!'

Actor Abhishek Bachchan talks about meeting Hollywood actor Tom Cruise for the second time recently



When actor Abhishek Bachchan was introduced to Hollywood actor Tom Cruise on his recent trip to the city, many were surprised to find out that the two actors already knew each other. They had met early this year at the Academy Awards (Oscars) in the US, which Abhishek along with wife actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had attended.
This time around, Abhishek met Tom at the red carpet screening of Tom's film hosted by actor Anil Kapoor and though it was a brief meeting of about 15 to 20 minutes, the two seem to hit it off immediately, reveal insiders. According to sources present at the do, the two bonded over films and family. "Tom congratulated Abhishek on becoming a father, while Bachchan Jr congratulated Tom on his new film MI-4. Tom seemed to be aware of a few Bollywood actors including Amitabh Bachchan and he let Abhishek know that. Being the ambassadors of the same watch brand, was also something that the two instantly bonded on," says the source.
When asked about his meeting with the international star, Abhishek admits that it was nice to catch up with him again. Talking about it, he says, "Oh it was wonderful meeting Tom. We didn't get much time… about 15 mins or so, but we spoke a lot about the country. He seemed extremely happy about his visit here about said that he wanted to come back for a holiday with his family. We also spoke about movies and the kind of work we are doing here."
But is he a fan? "Well, I have grown up watching Tom Cruise's films. My favourite performance of his was a small role he did in the movie Tropic Thunder," he reveals. "He is a very sweet man, a great gentleman. It really felt good that he came here. I think it just reflects how important India is as a destination globally today," adds Abhishek.

Music launches hit a high note ...But the high here refers to sky-rocketing budgets in B-Town's music launches

Music launches hit a high note

...But the high here refers to sky-rocketing budgets in B-Town's music launches



Friday evening saw a rather extravagant music release of Players. With stunts, naach gaana, and the works…taking music releases to a completely new level, onlookers say it was nothing less than a mini-movie. Insiders say that the budget for the event was nothing less than what it takes to make a small-budget film. Producers and event organisers peg the figure to be a crore plus, probably the highest budgets allocated to a particular pre-film release event.
But it's not the first time that Bollywood's witnessed burgeoning budgets when it comes to making promotional events bigger and better. More recently, the music launch of Ra.One was held at an equally large scale at Film City, where actors Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal had performed in a concert-like live show and aired it on TV as a special event. Even The Dirty Picture's live performances were like a mini movie.
Says event organiser Bunty Walia, "Calling the cast and crew on stage, cutting the ribbon is the most done thing. Now filmmakers want newer concepts and the event done for Players is one of the biggest done till date. With all this, the budgets shoot up tremendously, but at a time when marketing is everything, we can't tighten purses. And going by the response, the money is well-spent too," he says.
Director duo, Abbas-Mustan agree. "The whole event was devised in a way to introduce each character with a certain flair. When the movie has been made on a such a large scale, it's only understandable that the pre-release events too be on a huge scale and we have had an event befitting the film and the flavour," says Abbas.
Director Milan Luthria (The Dirty Picture) also feels that such events are a must to establish that direct connect with the audience. "Like it or not, but marketing is as important as the film today. And as filmmakers, we do what it takes to help the film," says Milan.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh agrees that the money being allocated to marketing and to promotion related activities is getting ridiculously bigger film by film and in this kind of a budget a small-budget film can be funded easily. "If the filmmaking costs are 60 per cent of the total budget, then marketing is almost 40 per cent. But it shouldn't be surprising to see that very soon it may just be 50-50!" he adds.
Though filmmakers and industrywallahs refuse to say whether it's a positive trend or not, they do agree that it's here to stay.