It was a special night, as the Bharat Shiromani Awards were presented in the capital recently. The function included 30 series of awards for the Jaya Prada year 2008-09. 
And The Award Goes To: Orissa governor MC Bhandare gave away the awards at the function. He along with former Army chief General JJ Singh and AR Lakshmanan were conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, MP and former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin, santoor player Abhay Rustom Sopori, MP and actress Jaya Prada, fashion designers Ashima and Leena Singh, boxing champion Vijender Singh, Raja Fateh Singh, Gajanand K Malpani, MP Rozario and Vincent Consscaso were among some of the other winners.
Please give me a break! Abhinav Bindra told us, “I’ll be leaving for London soon, to receive the 2010 Commonwealth Games baton from Queen Elizabeth II.” When we asked him about rumours of him acting in a movie, he rubbished them saying, “I wouldn’t be interested in doing a movie based on my life. Please give me a break!”
October 7th, 2009 in
Jaya Prada | tags:
Jaya Prada |
No Comments
Sonam Kapoor
The film Aisha is forty per cent complete. When we caught up with the Kapoor sisters – Sonam and Rhea, recently, they told us, “About sixty percent of the film is left. We’re moving to Rishikesh next and that will be around the 6th of October.”
Based on Jane Austen’s Emma, Aisha’s storyline is based in Delhi. The city sure seems to have become a hotspot for shooting films. Julia Roberts is here too and is shooting in Pataudi. “I know that she’s here shooting for Eat, Pray, Love. I’ve read the book and I think it is nice. Julia is going to be in Rishikesh too. So, let’s see…” Sonam smiled. So, after chhoti begum Kareena meets Julia, looks like it’s Sonam’s turn next.
And while in Delhi, Sonam is absolutely loving the shooting but she hasn’t got time to do things that she would ideally like to do. “We’re shooting nights currently. And there are no places to go to that late,” she sighed, “I wish I could just go eat. I want to have some food. I know my appearance on Farah Khan’s show has been talked about. And so has been my statement that Sanjay Leela Bhansali told me that I look like an Ajanta cave and that I shouldn’t lose my curves. But yeh Delhi hai mere yaar, I want to eat good food!” she said.
September 26th, 2009 in
Sonam Kapoor | tags:
Sonam Kapoor |
No Comments
Balki just left to shoot the last bit of Paa in Lucknow. The incredibly-gifted director’s eagerly-awaited project Paa has been postponed by a month.
However the imminent clash with the other Bachchan starrer Teen Patti has been averted, thanks to the actor’s timely intervention. Apparently, Mr Bachchan personally requested the producers of Teen Patti to not allow it to clash with Paa. So it’s Paa solo on December 4.
Says Paa director Balki, “As far as I’m concerned it was only Paa on December 4. We were supposed to release on November 13. But that was only two weeks after another Amitabh Bachchan starrer Alladin. And we couldn’t ask Alladin to shift. They’ve gone through too many delays,” rationalized Balki before leaving for patchwork shooting in Lucknow on Tuesday. “Though Paa is set in Lucknow this is the first time I’m visiting the city in my entire life,” said Balki.
Believe it or not, but the whole ‘bikini top ‘n’ skimpy shorts’ avatar in short — flaunting Rani Mukerji’s hot new bod wasn’t her idea. Not even the producer or director had anything to do with it.
After she realised how much she had toned up (to play a male cricketer in Dil Bole Hadippa!), Rani just happened to discuss this idea with her designer friend Manish Malhotra. And from there on it was Manish’s game plan, after all, he’s transformed many a Bollywood girl in to glam queens. He suggested that it would be a pity to waste such a well-toned body by not showing it off. That’s how the idea of a special song was born. And is she looking hot? Talk about her ‘shapely’ success, and Rani says, “Believe me, I didn’t starve at all. I love my food, especially rice and sweets. There was no way I was giving up all that. So, I just worked out harder and was occasionally allowed my ‘cheat’ meals of rice, sweets, etc. And I’m happy. All gain, no sacrifice.” Imagine our Bong tigress on a ghaas-phoos diet? That’s not fair to such a beauty, na?
Miffed about unflattering comments about her role by her co-star, Rambha refused to promote Quick Gun Murugun with him Rajendra Prasad and Rambha, the lead actors of Quick Gun Murugun, which released today, no longer see eye-to-eye. The actress is miffed by his comments in a newspaper in the south where he claimed that she has a miniscule role as a bar dancer. Her annoyance was evident as the lead actors did not promote their film together. Rajendra plays the title role of Quick Gun Murugun while Rambha plays his love interest, Mango Dolly. 
Yesterday, Rambha was in Mumbai to promote the film but Rajendra was nowhere to be seen. A source says, “Rambha had made doubly sure that Rajendra is not around. She had categorically stated that if the makers force her to promote the film with him, she would leave town at once.”
In fact, it was only after she finished with her promotional activity and left yesterday that Rajendra was flown down to Mumbai to do his bit.
Rambha said, “I have not refused to promote the film with Rajendra. But yes, I did ask director Shashank Ghosh about Rajendra’s statement. Rajendra has said that I play a bar dancer but that’s not true. He has also said that I have a miniscule role but the audience will soon know that’s not true either. I don’t want to say anything more.”
Currently in Cape Town, South Africa, for a shoot, Neetu Chandra was in for a terrible shock on Sunday night as a drunk threw himself at her car, injuring himself gravely.
Sanjay Dutt and Sunil Shetty, her co-stars in the film, No Problem, rushed to the spot to sort out the matter and soothe Neetu’s frayed nerves.
Our source from the unit of No Problem said, “Neetu was on her way back from the sets to her hotel room on Sunday night when suddenly this drunk lunged in front of her speeding car, crashing against the windscreen.
He was severely injured. Neetu and her driver were in a complete state of shock and she didn’t know what to do. As a crowd started gathering, a crying Neetu called Sanjay to handle the chaos. Sanjay rushed to the spot with Sunil in tow and took stock of the situation. They spoke to the cops and had the injured man sent to the hospital.”
Anees Bazmee, the director of No Problem confirmed that the accident took place, while Neetu said, “Sunil and Sanjay handled the situation well. I am really thankful to the two. If it were not for them, I wonder what would’ve happened to me. I was so scared on Sunday, that recalling the incident still gives me goose bumps.”
August 18th, 2009 in
Neetu Chandra | tags:
neetu |
No Comments
Even though Katrina Kaif is fed up of posing as arm candy, she agreed to star in De Dana Dan only because of close friend Akshay Kumar.
Ask her why exactly did she agree to star in the film, and Katrina replies honestly, “My reason for accepting this film is only because Akshay asked me if I would do it.”
She adds, “Akshay is a friend and I could never refuse. The two of us have given some of the biggest hits together. When I learnt De Dana Dan is Akshay’s home production (Akshay’s Hari Om Productions is producing the film in partnership with Ratan Jain’s Venus Productions) I said yes without hesitation.”
Katrina, who is quite determined to get her ‘act’ together and be very careful about the roles she chooses now on says that De Dana Dan is the only exception to her new decree. She says, “I have played the arm candy in one too many films in the past.” Remember her successful films like Welcome, Singh is Kingg, Partner and Race?
It was New York that changed her perception. “Post New York, I have Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti where I’m the only girl with superb male actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgan, Manoj Bajpai, Nana Patekar and Arjun Rampal. It is a performance oriented film for me and that’s the way I would ideally like most of my future films to be,” she adds.
Now that Katrina has set her bar high, she has consciously not signed too many films post New York. However, she is prepared for being overshadowed by De Dana Dan’s starcast, “It has a host of almost 22 super actors. Obviously, there may not be too much of me on screen,” she admits.
It’s common knowledge that Bollywood’s most romantic couple, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai, pine to spend quality time together.
But the way they were stranded together on Wednesday in the jungles of Athirapilly in Kerala was anything but romantic. 
The day started normally and ended up as one of the most calamitous in the couple’s life. Says a source, “Abhi and Ash left with Mani Ratnam in the morning to check out an elephant which was supposed to participate in the shooting. Little did they know what was in store.” During the monsoon season, elephants are given a month off by their owners to relax and go for an Ayurveda treatment, but for the greedy owners, film shooting means Rs 5,000 per animal.
The elephant went berserk, killing the mahout. It went amok, forcing Abhishek, his wife and the director to hide until people who could rescue the trio could reach.Says the source, “For ten hours, Abhishek, Aishwarya and Mani went without food or water. They just hid from the elephant. Finally, they were rescued late at night. But until then, there was no news of their safety. Abhishek and Aishwarya’s parents were delirious with worry.”
When contacted, a shaken Aishwarya Rai simply said, “All is well, by God’s grace.”
Firoz Nadiadwala has purchased the rights of Hangover—the much talked about film. It will be directed by Firoz’s favourite director Anees Bazmee. In the comedy, four men travel to Las Vegas for a 24 hour stag party. 
They wake up with the worst hangover and find that the groom is missing, as they try to recall the details of the debauched night.
A source said, “Firozbhai loved the script and the film and immediately got into the process of acquiring the Hindi rights of the film. In fact, he has also been casting for the film on the sly. Abhishek Bachchan will play the role played by Bradley Cooper and Paresh Rawal will step into the shoes of Zach Galifianakis.
Katrina Kaif will play the role of the fiancée. The film will start early next year.”
While Firoz Nadiadwala remained noncommittal, director Anees Bazmee confirmed the news. Anees said, “It’s true. I am shooting in South Africa and Sanjay Dutt and I have been discussing the film.
I loved the film and Sanjay is very eager to do it too. Even Ritesh Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan have been finalised. I am shooting No Problem in Durban, once I am free of that, I will start scripting the film.”
Now puhlease don’t get upset Ranbir….your buddy Imran isn’t talking about you here. Really.
He’s only talking about his own ‘chocolatey’ label. Imran’s debut film Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na, which was a huge success, was a candy floss romance, albeit with some freshness and extra flavour, but c’mon it was a rom-com, after all. And Imran was touted as the hottest new chocolate-boy. Along with Ranbir Kapoor, of course.
Recently, when ZOOM was doing a special interview with this dashing Khan, for Luck, he confessed in so many words that he didn’t particularly fancy the ‘chocolate-boy’ image. In fact he said that he hates the word ‘chocolate-boy’. Uh-huh…this is what we don’t get.
If the image works wonders for him (and wins him so many fans, even if they’re mostly women), what’s the problem, yaar? Remember Mamu (Aamir Khan) started his career’s first hit with a lover-boy image in QSQT. Well, so hold on dude, there’s still time to turn into the angry young man. Wotsay, Mamu? Catch the Imran Khan Luck special on ZOOM this week!
