Bollywood actors can steal the show when it comes to being tech-savvy

Gizmo gang

Bollywood actors can steal the show when it comes to being tech-savvy. We take a look at six gadgets that our celebs just cannot seem to part with...

Phones
Cell-phones have proved to be a blessing in disguise for our B-towners. While some use it to keep in touch with family and friends, a mojority of the lot uses it to access social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to costantly update and keep their fans posted. Some of them like Ranbir Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh are obsessed with their gadgets and carry two phones with them at any given point of time. Priyanka Chopra who is a self-confessed gadget freak, uses her phone to tweet and stay connected.

Video games
Boys and toys go hand in hand and when it comes to video games, age is no bar. Shah Rukh Khan has an entire floor for gaming gadgets in his house. Farhan Akhtar, a soccer fan, would often compete with SRK on the sets of Don 2. Ranbir Kapoor loves spending time with his Xbox, PS 3, and
Nintendo Wii.

Segway
A comparitively new obsession with Bollywood, the Segway or a two-wheel, small, electric vehicle is what has caught the men's fancy. Actor Sanjay Dutt reportedly took his Segway on the set of Double Dhamaal and got the entire cast and crew hooked. Salman Khan, who is known to be fitness conscious, has also bought himself a Segway. Apart from Sallu and Sanju, Ranbir and Neil are proud owners of this vehicle too.

Tablets
Though I-pads have been around for a while, it is only recently that Bollywood has taken a keen interest towards it. Earlier it was laptops and palmtops but now I-pads have taken precendence. Actor Lara Dutta recently got herself an I-pad and is absolutely hooked to it. Reportedly Shweta Nanda gifted brother Abhishek Bachchan an I-pad and papa Bachchan too owns one. Deepika Padukone and Anupam Kher are also often seen using their own I-pads.

Kindle
Filmdom has a lot of actors who are voracious readers, some of whom are often spotted buried in their books when not shooting. While some love to carry their books with them there are a few who prefer reading it on a Kindle. One amongst them is actor Shah Rukh Khan. The actor who loves reading and has a huge collection of books has bought himself a very sophisticated kindle. This portable electronic book can store multiple books at a time and when SRK is travelling, he prefers reading on his Kindle.

Camera
Most actors live most of their lives being in front of the camera, but there are a few who like to be behind the lens as well. What often begins as a hobby, translates into something more passionate and that is exactly what happened with actors Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and others. PC owns a Nikon D 90 and enjoys taking pictures with it. Akshay Kumar picked up photography recently and is often spotted with a camera around his neck. Actors Emraan Hashmi and Sunny Deol too are often spotted with their cameras.

Top six unconventionally dressed celebs

Call me quirky!

Top six unconventionally dressed celebs

Being quirky, fun loving and a tease is a gift that's hard to match but it seems that international celebs have an upper hand over our desi lot. Be it Lady Gaga, Rihanna or Madonna, these ladies don't seem to hesitate to incorporate novelties in their dress code. After Hrs picks six quirky celeb dressers:

Lady Gaga: Be it her red lace mask dress or the bubble dress, the singer is rightly called as the quirk queen. Not afraid of the fashion police, she is a hot favourite amongst the youth for wearing her attitude on her sleeve. Designer Lina Tipnis says, "Very few people have the daring attitude to wear what their heart says rather than the fashion trends that what magazines popularise. Lady Gaga is one of the few celebs who seems to dress for herself."

 

Rihanna: She changes the colour of her hair with almost every season. Her eccentric hairdos always have been considered quirky, yet chic.


Sonam Kapoor: This desi girl has made fashion her playground. Being one of the very few fashionable stars in Bollywood, Sonam is currently ruling when it comes to style quotient in celebs in Bollywood. Be it boyfriend pants or fun accessories, Sonam nevers fails to impress.She can carry of a sari as elegantly as a short tuk-tuk dress. Designer Masaba Gupta says, " Sonam is a designer's dream as she loves to mix and match and try on new stuff. Her style sense is not according to what the fashion world dictates, but what pleases her mind. I feel she can carry any garment with equal elan. Her 'boyfriend' fashion just sets her apart from the rest. A true stylista in the Indian celebs list."


Madonna: She grabbed headlines all over the world with her fashion sense. She made the not so chic conical bra a rage and oozed style in every public appearance she created her style to make others follow her. Today Madonna might not be singing often but with her lean structure and quirky fashion sense. Madonna is still the very celebs who use fashion differently.

Narendra Kumar Ahmed : This desi designer seems to prefer going against the fashion tide to make way for his own trends. Be it colourful pants, quirky shoes or bright tees, Nari just loves a splash of colour.

Helena Bonham Carter: Her 'do not care' attitude is visible as she prefers taking the route less travelled in the fashion lane. Even at a red carpet event, she prefers showing off her converse style sense, by wearing different coloured shoes, voluminous, asymmetric gowns and bedhead hair. No wonder she is synonymous with quirky fashion the world over.

Fashion police is here!

After Hrs charts up a list of six stylish men from B-town who almost never fail to impress with their style sense

Bollywood has it's share of good looking men with an enviable style sense to match. Here's taking a look at six of the most fashionable men in the industry:

Amitabh Bachchan
Big B has been a style icon since time immemorial and he doesn't disappoint till date despite a steady lot of youngsters trickling in. Sr Bachchan recently went out of his comfort zone and experiemented with his look in Bbudah Hoga Tera Baap where he sported colourful scarves, floral shirts, leather jackets and cool eye gear. Off screen too, the actor never fails to impress with his choice of clothes, be it a simple kurta-pyjama or a chic tuxedo.




Saif Ali Khan
The Chotte Nawab of Pataudi has always been considered as one of the most stylish actors in B-town. He's also known to be open to experimenting with his looks. From sporting long hair in the 1980s to the super-fit, chic look he sports today, Saif has come a long way. He made headlines and body art fashionable when he got lady-love Kareena Kapoor's name inked on his forearm. His red carpet bow-tuxedo look is as sauve and stylish as is his pathani suit and bandana look.













Hrithik Roshan
Pretty much anything works on this actor's tall and muscular frame. Known as the Greek God in Bollwyood, Hrithik, who has a super-fit physique makes even boring clothes look hot. His style is usually clean, fuss-free and he works wonders in a simple, white tee and blue jeans.




Arjun Rampal
One of the hottest models-turned-actors in the industry, Arjun Rampal is definitely amongst the stylish men our industry has today. With a great physique to match his style sense, he often looks good even in a plain black suit or casuals. The actor, who had shoulder-length hair until a few years back, looked extremely hot as a rockstar he played in Rock On!! — a feat very few actors can boast of pulling off.

Shah Rukh Khan
When it comes to style, the Badshah of Bollywood likes to stick to the tried and tested formula. While Shah Rukh is often spotted in ripped jeans and a casual tee, he makes sure he spruses it up with cool accessories — a trendy jacket or sunglasses for instance. No one quite pulls off the formal look like him and he admits he is partial to the colour black.




John Abraham
The actor is also known as a fashion icon and represents the youth's style sense in the country. A bike lover, he prefers the biker-meets-grunge look and is often spotted in casual jeans and tees. With a body like that, we are not surprised when he makes simple clothes look oh-so-good. He looked super stylish in Dhoom, where he played a con-man and we don't even want to get started about how hot he looked in those yellow trunks in Dostana!

Retro rules!

Accessories are all going the '70s way. Designers pick six all-time faves

Fashion accessories have seen a sea of change in the last past year — from the understated, minimalist look going bold and taking a style flashback. So, if long chains are the order of the day, colourful, fruity stilettos have propped up at every shoe store. Retro is sexy now. The more the bling, better it is. Colours, bright and bold, are hot right now. Designer Pria Kataria Puri agrees that the 70s and 80s retro has made a comeback, but in a sophisticated modern version. "Retro is back as an inspiration. You see big hoops, sophisticated clogs, big glasses et al all around," she says. Body cross bags being fashion's latest favourite, Pria is no exception to its charms. Ask her if long neck chains make a statement and she replies in the positive. But she feels it's not everyone's thing.
Designer Nishka Lulla votes for choker neckpieces. "Metallic and colourful cuffs and bracelets are a good bet. Over-sized clutch bags and cat-eye sunglasses are also hot now," she says.
One of Bollywood's favourite designer's Neetu Lulla agrees that sling bags are rocking the fashion world now. "And so is chunky jewellery to offset well with a basic outfit. Oversized clutch bags, cat-eye sunglasses are in vogue right now. The whole 70s look has made a comeback when it comes to accessories."

STYLISH SQUABBLES

Fashionistas make news for things beyond fashion too. Here's to refresh your memory of the six biggest fashion controversies of the year...

Bollywood is not the only industry that is laden with controversies. The glamour world aka the fashion industry has its own share of announcements and faces that manage to grab eyeballs.
The year began with buzz about Puneet Nanda, of fashion brand Satya Paul, planning to quit his position as Creative Director of the company. While he didn't bother to come out and make his reasons known to the public, having to associate a different face with the brand took us some while to get adjusted to.
Fashion designer Manish Arora, probably India's best known export to the international fashion scene, too got caught on the wrong side, when he experimented with Indian Gods on some of his creations. A couple of leggings, harem pants and mini-skirts designed by Arora flaunted Indian Gods and that hurt the sentiments of some people. They took objection and suggested he gave a public apology.
Indian fashion's enfant terrible, Rohit Bal was in the news for his love life. Yes, the designer who is open about being gay split with his longtime boyfriend, model Lalit Tehlan. It came as a surprise because the two were spotted painting the town and the Capital red on quite a few occasions in the past few years. And as if that was not enough, Lalit apparently got married to another gal! But hey, Rohit and Lalit went on record to say that they are still friends and cared about each other.
It doesn't always happen that a model manages to grab eyeballs as soon as she sets foot in the industry. But model Angela Jonsson seems to have impressed lady luck as she became the talk of the town just for having dinner with actor Ranbir Kapoor. Gossip mongers worked over time and said that Angela was Ranbir's new girlfriend. That rumour died out pretty soon, but Angela was not just another model anymore.
The debate between which city is better — aamchi Mumbai or Delhi — is a never-ending one. And that argument is revisited twice a year in the fashion circuit, when the Mumbai and Delhi fashion weeks are hosted. Anil Chopra of the fashion week held in Mumbai and Sunil Sethi of the one held in Delhi are constantly at logger heads — wanting to prove their week as the best in the business. Of course, the verdict on that one is still divided, so it may be a few more years before a winner is actually declared.
A surge of fashion weeks doesn't seem to be the best thing to have happened to industry, at least, not yet. But hey, two of the weeks were talked about more than the rest. The fashion week in Mumbai went through a management overhaul and before designers could complain, the new team promised them that all their grievances would be addressed, pronto. Good move. And the recently concluded couture week in the capital was having its own share of title sponsorship problems. But they pulled it off, and that's what matters, doesn't it?

Sizzlin' hotties on TV

Telly-buffs can't get enough of them! We list out six beauties who sizzle the small screen with their appearances

Sonali Bendre: She has always remained one of the most watched celebrities on television. Apart from lighting up the judge's panel, Sonali's killer smile seems to have had an intoxicating effect on viewers for the last so many years. No doubt she has remained one of the most favourite reality TV show judges on Indian television. The audience has a tendency to go with her decisions and reality show producers know that. No doubt she is also the longest serving reality show judge on television.


Malaika Arora-Khan: Even though she makes her occasional item numbers on the big screen, she is undoubtedly one of those judges who's highly in demand in talent reality shows. Her Munni number has increased her demand on television. Malaika apparently has taken a decision to stay away from television for the time being. Let's wait and watch what she's up to...


Shweta Tiwari: She first gave a glimpse of her oomph factor on a reality show that took her in a jungle to survive. In one episode, she got into her bikini to bathe under a waterfall. The particular clip flooded the Internet and was one of the most viewed TV clips till date. Shweta, who was once seen as a pativrata naari on screen, has now become the sex goddess of television. And her troubled personal life only adds to her charm for the reality-television hungry audience of India. This was again proved when she won Bigg Boss. Shweta however has now limited her television appearances to enhance her demand.

Rakhi Sawant: The tough talking girl might not impress the office executives and the college-goers in Mumbai, but go to Bhopal or Uttar Pradesh and you will know just how popular Rakhi Sawant is. She has managed to pull audiences from the smaller towns of India more than any other star on television. Rakhi is still high in demand to host reality shows in spite of the controversies she has generated. This was aptly proved when her show beat even some of the top Bollywood stars a couple of seasons back.


Ankita Lokhande:
She is surely one of TV's most loved bahus today. We are talking about Ankita Lokhande, popularly known as Archana from the show Pavitra Rishta. The coy and ever sacrificing bahu is quite the opposite in real life. This hottie is every mother-in-law's dream bahu and with a pretty face like that she's also popular amongst male fans. But it was on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa that this coy bahu turned into a sexy dancer and pleasantly surprised all her fans giving a peek of her real self.



Rashmi Desai:
Here's a surprise entrant in this list. She seems to have captured the nation's attention as Tapasya, the scheming sister who's also married to her brother-in-law. Rashmi is also a popular contestant in comedy reality shows. Somehow, this girl has wowed the audience and climbed on top of the popularity lists. She has got a great fan following in the smaller cities.

Who's gonna top the list in bollywood?

Who's gonna top the list?
Priyanka, Kareena, Katrina…or somebody else? Who's the Abhinetri No 1?
The decision will be yours. Cast your vote on www.dailybhaskar.com and you stand a chance to crown your favourite actress as the Abhinetri No. 1.
You will be the judge in the Bhaskar Bollywood Awards, India's first public choice awards and it's time you chose your real 'Superstar'!
Lock your nominations for the Abhinetri No. 1 and who knows, lady luck might hand you the opportunity to present the award to your favourite actress.
The five actresses with the maximum number of votes in the nominations round will go through to the voting round. You can increase your chances of making your favourite actress win by sharing your nomination through your Facebook account or email.
Every time you vote, you win five points and each time you share your nomination, you get 10 points.
So, here is the list of actresses in contention — Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Kajol, Gul Panag, Kalki Koechlin, Kangana Ranaut, Sonakshi Sinha, Vidya Balan and Sonam Kapoor.
In the past year, all of them have come up with stellar performances thereby earning a spot in the Bhaskar Bollywood Awards. Now, you get to decide who will win the top prize.
Here's a look at the actresses in the running for the 'Abhinetri No. 1' award:
Priyanka Chopra: Her rise has been meteoric and through Saat Khoon Maaf, she has cemented a spot in the top league.
Kareena Kapoor: She is known as one of the best actresses of her generation, and her brilliant portrayal of 'the other woman' in We are family reassured her of the top spot. She also shone in Golmaal 3 in the role of a tomboy.
Katrina Kaif: She surprised many with her role in Rajneeti. Katrina's strong and deglam show in the Prakash Jha film was her coming of age performance.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Through Sanjay Leela Bansali's Guzaarish, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan once again won the heart of the country. She was at her best in playing the character of the strong yet vulnerable Sofia.
Anushka Sharma: Band Baaja Baaraat was the runaway hit of 2010, and its biggest strength was Anushka's sensational performance; a role which catapulted her into the A-list.
Bipasha Basu: Known for a glamorous avatar, she surprised fans and critics alike in her role in Aakrosh. The character Geeta, a victim of domestic violence, was played by Bipasha Basu with great sensitivity.
Deepika Padukone: The film might have bombed at the Box Office, but Deepika's fabulous performance as Kalpana Das did not go unnoticed in Ashutosh Gowariker's Khele Hum Jee Jaan Se.
Gul Panag: After the critically acclaimed Dor, Gul Panag bounced into form with Turning 30. The agony and the heartbreak of a woman in her 30's was emoted to perfection by her.
Kajol: She does only a few films now, but when she does, she packs a punch. Kajol pulled off another top-draw performance in We are Family where she played a divorced mother of three, who is suffering from cancer.
Kalki Koechlin: Only a few films old, she has proved her mettle. And with Shaitan, Kalki displayed tremendous versatility. Her role of an NRI brat named Amrita Jaishankar won applause from the cinegoers and critics alike.
Kangana Ranaut: Tanu weds Manu was one of the most-appreciated films of 2011. And Kangana Ranaut's portrayal of the spoilt and rebellious Tanu played a major part in its success.
Rani Mukerji: One of India's most seasoned actresses, Rani Mukerji gave one of her best performances as the fiery journalist battling for justice in No One Killed Jessica.
Vidya Balan: It was a case of perfect casting. Few could have pulled off the role of Sabrina Lal, but Vidya Balan nailed the part with a scintillating show.
Sonam Kapoor: She is considered one of the most promising newcomers and she showed exactly why in I Hate Luv Storys.
Sonakshi Sinha: Shatrugan Sinha's daughter entered Bollywood with a bang with Dabangg. The National Award-winning film saw Sonakshi Sinha play Salman Khan's love interest with aplomb.

How to lose weight in six days!

How to lose weight in six days!


Funnyman Cyrus Sahukar shares some foolproof tried and tested alternate solutions to lose weight. A word of caution though: Try them at your own risk!

Monday: Ask your lover to randomly dump you. It is a known fact that heartbreak kills appetite. If you could just request your lover to kindly cheat on you. If she concurs, it's a straight 6000 calorie burner. PS: Hair loss, heart burn and panic attacks are not our problem.

Tuesday: Help the BMC. Only when you decide to give back is when you lose. Chose a location, dig a pothole, scatter garbage everywhere. Also kindly note, mark your location once it's repaired, (as the competition's tough on this one), and then, a year later, just go ahead and dig it again. 650 calories drowned right there.

Wednesday: Randomly chase parking cars. This sudden-urgent-sprinting technique has worked successfully for street dogs. How many unfit street dogs have you seen? Huh?

Thursday: Declare a row-with-everyone day! Today's your day to randomly pick a fight with everyone! Call all ex-lovers and tell them they were the worst sex you ever had. Tell your boss all his great ideas are bulls**t and everyone in the office he wears a toupee. Delete people from your Facebook friends list and ring them up to tell them so. Go to a screening of a new movie and have loud conversations with an imaginary friend. This will enable you to run at high speeds or leave you hospitalised for a month. Both ways it's more effective than any sauna slimming belt.

Friday: Come home. Lock all windows and doors, then watch a series of horror films. They're known to shoot up your heart and metabolic rates. And if you're the screaming, shrieking variety, then throw in another 200 calories.

Saturday: Eat yourself into a food coma at least six times a day. Think butter chicken, dal makhani, pasta carbonara with extra cheese, that amazing beef burger with a large portion of refried fries. It is a well-known fact that almost 300 calories are used to digest a heavy meal. The more you eat, the more you burn — so eat away my friends. Bon appetit!

Live to Eat

They may be glam and known for their super-fit avatars, but when it comes to indulging their taste buds, these sexy six reveal that there are no compromises


Deepika Padukone
The true-blue Bengaluru babe is a non-fussy eater. Though she makes it a point to eat healthy food and exercise regularly, she does not believe in starving herself to reduce weight and loves to start her day with a traditional South Indian breakfast.


Madhuri Dixit Nene
An absolute foodie, Madhuri reveals that she loves to cook for her two children. While her favourite dish is Chicken Tikka, she also loves the simple, Kande Pohe which she can whip up at any time of the day and of course her maa ke haath ka khana is her soul food.


Priyanka Chopra
While PC's perfect-10 figure says a different story, close friends reveal that the actor is indeed a big foodie. While she sticks to her diet and works out diligently, Indian food happens to be her weakness.


Sonam Kapoor
The young actor's bio on Twitter reads, 'Live to eat and read' in that order. That pretty much gives away Sonam's obsession with food. The actor is an absolute foodie and loves munching on street food, her favourite being pani puri.


Dino Morea
The actor-cum-restaurateur too is a self-confessed foodie. Known for his hot bod, Dino loves to eat everything from dal rice to sushi and his favourite cuisines are Italian, Mexican and Lebanese.


Malaika Arora Khan
One of the most yummilcious hot mummies in B-Town, Malaika happens to be a sushi-lover and hopes to start her own chain of restaurants soon.

Shake that biscuit,baby

Our heroes may flaunt their six-pack abs, but it's the women who are inspiring their fans to get those perfect hotbods


Kareena Kapoor: The actor took the nation by storm when she traded her curves for a waif-like figure. Not everyone appreciated the size-zero mania that was triggered, but Bebo then clarified that she had lost her weight the healthy way. She is yet to launch her own DVD or book, but her dietician has sold many of her weight loss secrets to the eager public.


Bipasha Basu: Her first DVD was a 60-day routine to get fit and tone the body. But so encouraged was Bips by the response to her venture that she announced to come out with another DVD soon. The second version, she promised will follow a different routine altogether.


Lara Dutta: The model-turned-actor, who launched a DVD that preached the goodness of wholesome fitness — focusing on health, fitness and longevity — says that she researched various body types for a year before compiling all her findings into the DVD. And those inspired by her curves are not complaining.


Shilpa Shetty: Known for her killer waistline, Shilpa has always advocated the goodness of holistic rituals like yoga over pumping iron in the gym. Not surprisingly, her fitness DVD gave a glimpse into the asanas that she practised and those who watched it are still raving about her flexible limbs!


Mallika Sherawat: 'Jalebi Bai' is apparently hounded for tips on yoga and belly dancing when she visits the US. Sources say that this has inspired her to demonstrate her knowledge on a DVD. Sounds sizzling, doesn't it? But Mallika's still waiting for the right time to make an official announcement. Wonder what she's waiting for?


Yana Gupta: She may not have as interesting a repertoire as the above Bolly ladies, but Yana's keen on telling all those who are interested, as to how she maintains her slim figure. Recently spotted at the launch of a yoga DVD, Yana expressed her desire to join the bandwagon herself adding that her inputs will definitely help people get fit and slim.

B-town embraced new voices that not only made melodies but also made news

New and nifty!

B-town embraced new voices that not only made melodies but also made news. We run you through our favourite six...


Aditi Singh Sharma
She got us addicted to the brilliantly sung Dilli Dilli track (from the movie No One Killed Jessica). However Aditi, 25, made her debut in Bollywood with the song Chitka Hua (from the movie Emotional Attyachar). She also sang Dil Kashi (in the film A Flat) together with Sonu Nigam, and the title track of the movie Turning 30. Trained in Hindustani classical, Aditi even has her own rock band called Groove Adda.



Anusha Mani
Trained in Carnatic as well as Hindustani music, Anusha Mani started her singing career with jingles. She did an unreleased album with music director Amit Trivedi. However, she got her first break in the movie Johnny Gaddar in which she sang the track Dhoka. An impressive debut only led to Anusha's budding romance with Bollywood. She then sang Lazy Lamhe (from the film Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic), Dil Mein Jaagi (from Dev D), and Lehrein (from Sonam Kapoor starrer Aisha). She even worked with DJ Aqeel on his remix album Dum Maro Dum.


Shruti Pathak
She enamored us with the deeply touching Mar Jawa from the Priyanka Chopra starrer Fashion, and later lent her voice to the song Payaliya from Dev D. While that describes this pretty singer's Bollywood trajectory, what many don't know is that she also sang the remix of Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar from the Baby Doll series with Deepal Shaw.


Mamta Sharma
While it takes countless years and a great number of songs for some to get into the limelight, it just took one Munni (from Dabang) for Mamta Sharma to establish herself in Bollywood. Hailing from Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Mamta had sung many Bhojpuri albums like Gabbar Singh, before she entered Bollywood. Her gruff voice and folk influences make her stand apart from others.


Tochi Raina
His was the voice in the soulful Saibo song from the recent movie Shor In The City. Born in Bihar and brought up in Nepal, Tochi Raina's first Bollywood project happened to be Bulleshah in A Wednesday. Other songs by Tochi include Aali Re (from No One Killed Jessica), Gal Mithi Mithi (Wake Up Sid), and Maldar Ki Jeb (from Bhindi Baazaar Inc).


Channulal Mishra
Pandit Channulal Mishra, one of the finest classical singers of India, has been singing for over 50 years. However he has made his Bollywood debut at the age of 75, in Prakash Jha's upcoming film which stars Amitabh Bachchan. The music for the song Saans Albeli has been composed by Prasoon Joshi.

Shah Rukh Khan needs your support to be Abhineta No. 1

Salman Khan may be the 'Dabangg' of Bollywood, but only your vote can make him Abhineta no. 1. He may be called Mr. Perfectionist, but Aamir also needs your support to get the Superstar badge. Is Shah Rukh still the Badshah of tinseltown despite no releases in the past one year? Who do you want to see as Bollywood's Abhineta no.1? Log on to www.dailybhaskar.com now and vote for your favourite star.
Vote and nominate your beloved actors for the Superstar category. The winner will be chosen from the five finalists, nominated through your votes. You could also get an opportunity to meet your favourite Superstar and give away India's first truly democratic Bollywood Award to your 'hero'.
Actors like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Rajinikanth, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan, Omkar Das Manikpuri, Raghubir Yadav, Ranveer Singh, Sunny Deol, Vinay Pathak, and Vivek Oberoi are frontrunners as nominees in the Abhineta no.1 category.
You can also add the name of your favourite star to the list of nominees. But your choice will become the final nominee only, when more and more people vote for that particular star. So, share your nomination through Facebook or your e-mail account and you will earn a cool 10 points, each time you share your favourite actor's name.
Let's have a look at the top contenders for the Abhineta no.1 award.
Aamir Khan: He tries to do something different every time. Be it acting or direction, Aamir Khan has the ability to win hearts through his hatke style. The talented actor was quite successful in portraying a painter doing justice to his art, in the middle of a congested neighbourhood of Mumbai.
Salman Khan: Salman needed one big hit and Dabangg provided him exactly that. The movie established Salman as the one of the biggest entertainers of Bollywood. Salman, himself admitted that he'd never done anything like the role he played in last year's blockbuster — Dabangg.
Abhishek Bachchan: Junior Bachchan's performance in Mani Ratnam's Raavan is regarded as one of the best he has given till date. Abhishek played the role of a dreaded criminal to perfection in the film. However, only you can judge whether he is the perfect choice for Abhineta no.1 category or not.
Hrithik Roshan: Hrithik was in a completely different look in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish. Portraying the character of a man suffering from paralysis was challenging to say the least, but Hrithik's hard work was appreciated by one and all.
Imran Khan: Imran's role in I Hate Luv Stories was refreshing. His perfect characterisation of a gen-next youth in the movie was adored by the young generation.
Ranbir Kapoor: Ranbir Kapoor completely transformed his 'lover boy' image, thanks to Prakash Jha's epic Rajneeti. His perfect depiction of a young political leader won him accolades from the fans and critics alike. However, whether his fine performance in the flick is enough for him to be declared the Abhineta no.1, is truly your call!
Ranveer Singh: He could not have asked for a better start to his career. The character of a carefree Delhi boy, Bittu Sharma was portrayed to perfection by this newcomer. His performance made him a star overnight.
Ajay Devgn: Ajay's performance was lauded in both Once Upon a Time in Mumbai and Rajneeti. Though Once Upon a Time in Mumbai had a simple story line, Ajay through his intense performance made the film truly special.
Akshay Kumar: 'Khiladi' Kumar is one actor who can carry off a comic or an action role with equal poise. He has had numerous hits in the recent past. Though the script of Action Replayy was weak, Akshay's perfect comic timing removed the flaws to an extent.
Sunny Deol: Deol's emotional performance in blockbuster Yamla Pagla Deewana earned this film the tag of a perfect entertainer.
Vivek Oberoi: Vivek's powerful performance in Ram Gopal Verma's Rakht Charitra was the only high in this movie full of bloodshed and violence. Even though the film had artists like Shatrughan Sinha and Abhimanyu Singh, it was Vivek whole stole the limelight.
So, what are you waiting for? Log on to www.dailybhaskar.com now and decide who do you want to see grab the Abhineta no.1 award

six film adaptations that rocked the Bollywood

Print screen

It's always challenging to turn a novel into a film. We take you through six film adaptations that rocked the BO

7 Khoon Maaf
Renowned children's writer Ruskin Bond short story Susanna's Seven Husbands had Priyanka Chopra display her evil streak, as she kills each of the seven husbands she marries. This black comedy by Vishal Bhardwaj had created tremendous hype before its release, even though most critics didn't have great things to say about it. But kudos to Bhardwaj to turn a five-page story into a 138-minute-long twisted tale.

Aisha
This was a glossy, designer version of Jane Austen's Emma. And it worked. Girls lusted after Sonam Kapoor's couture collection and Sonam, of course, shot high up in the fashion altar with this film.
Once upon a time in Mumbai
This Milan Luthria film had been inspired from Bela Bahadur creator Aabid Surti's book, Sufi, which describes Surti's childhood experiences in Dongri, where he grew up with Iqbal Rupani, the don who trained Dawood Ibrahim. This was the famous underworld locality where Karim Lala and Haji Mastan came from. Producers denied that the film was based on these dons. However, it remains the stuff gangsta rap is made of.

3 Idiots
It was loosely adapted from the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat. A hoopla followed when the author expressed his discontent over not getting due credit. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra screamed on TV and later apologised, thanks to mastermind Aamir Khan's wise advice. The film broke all opening box office records and was the highest-grossing film in its opening weekend.

Dev D
A tripped out modern-day take by Anurag Kashyap on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic Bengali novel Devdas. Abhay Deol got noticed with his portrayal of a drug-addict Devdas. Considered a path-breaking film in Bollywood, it was widely appreciated by audiences and critics alike.

Omkara
The very thought of adapting a William Shakespeare play is unnerving. Vishal Bhardwaj did his version of Othello and showed that the right casting can create magic on screen. There couldn't have a better Othello or Desdemona, played by Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor. The film entered the UK's Top Ten and did well in Australia, South Africa and the US.

Sizzlin' hotties on TV

Telly-buffs can't get enough of them! We list out six beauties who sizzle the small screen with their appearances

Sonali Bendre: She has always remained one of the most watched celebrities on television. Apart from lighting up the judge's panel, Sonali's killer smile seems to have had an intoxicating effect on viewers for the last so many years. No doubt she has remained one of the most favourite reality TV show judges on Indian television. The audience has a tendency to go with her decisions and reality show producers know that. No doubt she is also the longest serving reality show judge on television.

Malaika Arora-Khan: Even though she makes her occasional item numbers on the big screen, she is undoubtedly one of those judges who's highly in demand in talent reality shows. Her Munni number has increased her demand on television. Malaika apparently has taken a decision to stay away from television for the time being. Let's wait and watch what she's up to...

Shweta Tiwari: She first gave a glimpse of her oomph factor on a reality show that took her in a jungle to survive. In one episode, she got into her bikini to bathe under a waterfall. The particular clip flooded the Internet and was one of the most viewed TV clips till date. Shweta, who was once seen as a pativrata naari on screen, has now become the sex goddess of television. And her troubled personal life only adds to her charm for the reality-television hungry audience of India. This was again proved when she won Bigg Boss. Shweta however has now limited her television appearances to enhance her demand.

Rakhi Sawant: The tough talking girl might not impress the office executives and the college-goers in Mumbai, but go to Bhopal or Uttar Pradesh and you will know just how popular Rakhi Sawant is. She has managed to pull audiences from the smaller towns of India more than any other star on television. Rakhi is still high in demand to host reality shows in spite of the controversies she has generated. This was aptly proved when her show beat even some of the top Bollywood stars a couple of seasons back.

Ankita Lokhande:
She is surely one of TV's most loved bahus today. We are talking about Ankita Lokhande, popularly known as Archana from the show Pavitra Rishta. The coy and ever sacrificing bahu is quite the opposite in real life. This hottie is every mother-in-law's dream bahu and with a pretty face like that she's also popular amongst male fans. But it was on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa that this coy bahu turned into a sexy dancer and pleasantly surprised all her fans giving a peek of her real self.

Rashmi Desai:
Here's a surprise entrant in this list. She seems to have captured the nation's attention as Tapasya, the scheming sister who's also married to her brother-in-law. Rashmi is also a popular contestant in comedy reality shows. Somehow, this girl has wowed the audience and climbed on top of the popularity lists. She has got a great fan following in the smaller cities.

With almost all the top Bollywood stars having descended on the tube, After Hrs checks out the hottest six who rocked the small screen these past few months

With almost all the top Bollywood stars having descended on the tube, After Hrs checks out
the hottest six who rocked the small screen these past few months 

HRITHIK ROSHAN
(Just Dance)
He came, he danced,
he conquered... the
hearts of his fans that
is, but also the TRPs.
Having opened to one
of the highest TRPs,
Hrthik’s dance reality
show finds many takers
on the tube. Well,
with Hrithik’s hot bod,
super talent and a way
with words, we aren’t
surprised. A complete
visual treat for all
Hrithik fans for sure!

The game show was not Bollywood Badshah’s
first outing on the small screen and it definitely
won’t be the last. The superstar sure knows how to
steam things up and not only on the big screen,
SRK’s an absolute treat on TV too. Never
mind the TRPs, king Khan sure is
right there in our top hot list.
SHAH RUKH KHAN
(Zor Ka Jhatka)
SALMAN KHAN
(Bigg Boss)
The Dabangg star came with his own intimitable
style and gave the show a super-
boost. Raw brawn appeal topped
with his witty charm, the star’s a hit
whether it’s the big screen or small and
just as much at ease prancing with Baywatch
hottie Pamela Anderson as he’s
with desi Katrina Kaif on the show.
When it comes to stars on TV, he’s definitely
one of the most ‘Wanted’ .
PREITY ZINTA
(Guiness World
Record Ab India
Todega)
The dimpled Bollywood
hottie proved that she’s
just as hot whether she’s
romancing the big
screen or the small. Encouraging
the participants
with her vivacious
smile, the bubbly
star had the fans asking
for more.
AKSHAY KUMAR
(Khatron Ke Khiladi, Master Chef, India)
Whether it’s pulling off maha risky stunts with
absolute ease in the wilds of South Africa or
showing his daredevilry in the kitchen, this Khiladi
sure knows how to spice things up. A downto-
earth approach coupled with his hot looks, Akshay’s
a star to reckon with on the small screen.
AJAY DEVGN
(Emotional
Atyachaar)
His no-nonsense attitude
seems to work
in his favour as Ajay
takes on the liars
and cheaters. What’s
also there in oodles
is his star appeal
and a wicked sense
of humour. One
hears that Ajay’s
now being wooed by
other showmakers
as well.

Bodyguard Movie Trailer 2011 - Salman Khan

After taking everyone by surprise with her sizzling item number, Sheila Ki Jawani, actress Katrina Kaif will be shaking her belly again, this time for ex-boyfriend Salman Khan's film Bodyguard.

Bodyguard is a romantic action film starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles.

"She (Katrina ) is doing an item song in the film. It is a title song...just a bit," Salman told reporters, after his personal bodyguard Shera launched the theatrical promo of the film.

"Kareena had asked Katrina to an item song and I had given the approval for it," the actor said, jokingly.

Katrina's scintillating dance number from Farah Khan's film Tees Maar Khan

Bodyguard, directed by Siddique, is the remake of the director's own 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. It is reported that the item song will be played during the opening credits of the film and will be on the lines of James Bond's opening credits.

The song will be composed by music director-composer Himesh Reshammiya and Ganesh Acharya will choreograph it.

Salman who had once mentored Himesh, had reportedly fallen apart with the music director, who had established his music career with the superstar's films like Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, Hello Brother and Tere Naam.

When asked whether they have patched up, the Dabangg star asked, "When did we break-up. We did not work together because Himesh was busy doing his films and I was not so busy doing my films."

On which actress in Bollywood requires a bodyguard, Salman said, "Those who do not require bodyguards have one. Katrina does not need a bodyguard."

The film is scheduled for release on August 31.

Katrina's secret fetish revealed

Kajal Agarwal

Kajal Agarwal

Where Gabbar Singh and Mogambo came from

The pulp fiction produced by the hugely popular Urdu writer Ibne Safi puts us in touch with the tastes of a newly independent sub-continent, one disposed to easily accept a foreigner as a crook and to see the West as morally lax, writes

The word prolific just about begins to describe the hugely popular Urdu writer Ibne Safi. In a not very long life — he was born near Allahabad in 1928, died in Karachi in 1980 — he produced 241 detective novels, a film script, and a pile of short stories, essays, articles and poems. Blaft and Tranquebar now bring us four books from the Jasusi Duniya series featuring Colonel Faridi and Captain Hameed. The setting is an imaginary coastal city somewhere in the Indian sub-continent. This is a vibrant city of nightclubs, cafes and bars, with a bustling expat population and embassies where plots are hatched. Here young women may drive, ride motorcycles and be active members of the police force; they may also smoke, dance or wear Western clothes and continue to be respectable. The city has mansions and knighted industrialists, and for a measure of realism, even a slum. This city has attracted two new inhabitants. One is Dr Dread, a shadowy American villain who expresses himself through poisons — his victims might bloat up grotesquely and die, or be paralysed, or even find themselves tearing off their clothes in public. The other is Finch — a diminutive former circus performer of boundless agility who frequently disguises himself as a monkey and startles passers-by by asking for a cigarette. Finch has an old score to settle with Dr Dread. These four books see their respective gangs loose in the city, fighting each other and unleashing general nefariousness — abduction, extortion, blackmail, drugs, espionage, human trafficking. Desperate victims and hapless officials usually turn to the ace detective Colonel Faridi. The aristocratic Colonel Faridi lives in a mansion with his hounds and snakes, his permanent house-guest and sidekick Hameed, and the odd damsel in distress. He is an expert at armed and unarmed combat, ratiocination, criminology, the art of disguise, and the use of gadgetry. He is refined and disciplined, will consume no intoxicant, and is impervious to the charms of women (to the constant disappointment of the delightfully named Inspector Rekha Larson). In short, Faridi is depressingly perfect, and the reader can rely on him to prevail in the end. The books are brought alive by Hameed — lazy and whimsical with an outrageous sense of humour. Faridi usually has to drag him out of bed to set him to work, but Hameed is capable of extending himself when the need arises. Hameed, much to Faridi's annoyance, keeps a pet "billy goat" named Bhagra Khan that he adorns with tie and felt hat and recites ghazals to. This starts a fad, and for a while the city is infested with similarly attired goats. "Many respectable persons gave up wearing ties and felt hats," we are told. Hameed's weakness is women, something that both the villains and Faridi use to their advantage. But Ibne Safi's moral code will allow Hameed no more than effusive flirtation. The Urdu originals, when they came out in 1957, were priced at 12 annas (around Rs30 in today's money). These books cost much more, and it is not difficult to see why. The inspired translations by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi surely took much longer per book than the week or two Safi must have spent on them. (At the time he was putting out two novels a month.) These books are printed on quality paper with the original cover-art framed in tastefully gaudy colours. But fun as they are to read, they are not particularly satisfying as detective stories: plot developments can be arbitrarily motivated; there are long stretches of inane dialogue; there are convenient coincidences, hasty endings. Three of the books are just over a hundred pages in length and are over in a flash. Seen purely as pulp fiction, the books come close to being worth less than the paper they are printed on. It might have helped in this regard to combine the books into two volumes, or even one. But the value of these books today might lie elsewhere. We can see in them the origins, or at least the foreshadowing, of some of the conventions of popular Hindi cinema of the 1970s and 80s: the heroes pitted against grand criminals; the extravagant action scenes interspersed with comedy and light romance. The screenwriter Javed Akhtar credits Ibne Safi with teaching him the importance of having larger-than-life characters such as Gabbar Singh and Mogambo. The books also put us in touch with the tastes of a newly independent sub-continent, one disposed to easily accept a foreigner as a crook and to see the West as morally lax. And in the marvel of speculative cosmopolitanism that is the city of Faridi and Hameed, these books from the past may even allow us a glimpse of our future.