Vivek Agnihotri’s next a political thriller

After making sports-oriented film “ Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal”, director Vivek Agnihotri is set to helm an edgy political thriller starring Mahie Gill and Arunoday Singh.
Agnihotri’s yet to be titled film, will be based on some sensitive true incidents. He even travelled extensively in politically volatile eastern India and Maoist-infested central India last year.
Veteran actor Anupam Kher has a a prominent role in the film, which is being co-produced by Agnihotri along with Friday Night productions, a production house by the current students of Indian Business School, Hyderabad.
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Virat Kohli hottest, Shoaib Akhtar most annoying!

Cricket World cup is on and though the hype surrounding the grand event is not as per expectations, Bollywood beauties are keeping a close eye on the tournament.
Why wouldn’t they, after all there are 11 reasons (read players per team) for the ladies to ogle at! Renuka Vyavahare chatted up few hotties to know who they fancy and also do not fancy!
The gorgeous Kainaat Arora who herself got listed as the 36th Most Desirable woman in India this year, in the poll conducted by Zoom, revealed, “ The hottest has to be Viraat Kohli. The Delhi lad has an amazing sex appeal on and off the field. The tattoo on his forearm makes him a bit edgy. The century against Bangladesh was like an icing on the cake. His performance made him the most desirable batsman according to the 36th most desirable me”.
Kainaat unabashedly added, “Annoying cricketer should be the great Shoaib Akhtar. He makes these weird faces while playing. Its so annoying. He tries way too hard to attract attention and that does not work for women.”
An actress on condition of anonymity revealed, “Kohli has to be hottest and South Africa’s Dale Steyn the most annoying! He looks too harsh and mean to be desirable!”
The gorgeous Marathi mulgi who rose to fame though Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion, stood loyal to her role of being a judge of Marathi talent hunt show ‘Marathi Pauul Padhte Pudhe’ as she voted for aapla Mumbaicha ‘Sachin Tendulkar’.
Backing her choice Mugdha added, “The entire country and the world knows why I find Sachin Tendulkar the hottest. I don’t even need to say why. He is the best. As far as most annoying is concerned, any player who does not deliver when it’s needed the most is annoying according to me.
The bold and beautiful Veena Malik has her eyes fixed on Punjab da munda Yuvraj Singh. “Yuvraj is fabulous. I want to see him repeat the six chhakas (sixers)” she said. Co-incidentally, Yuvraj’s father Yograj Singh Bundhel happens to be one of the contestants of the Indian tv show that Veena will be hosting.
Hottie Payal Rohatgi who was allegedly linked to South African Cricketer Herschelle Gibbs, is all praises for Delhi hitter ‘Virender Sehwag’. “Any player who delivers is hot according to me. Sportsmen are supposed to win and play a fair game. Viru does that” reasoned Payal.
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Priyanka Chopra’s ‘perfect’ husband!

If you happen to be a Priyanka Chopra fan and dream about asking her ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’ every day, we are about to help you woo the lady!
All you men, who aspire to be wed PC, should have the following qualities!
Priyanka revealed to TOI, “I want my husband to have a decent sense of humour. I want my man to make me laugh. No matter which language he speaks, he should be good at it. I hate those who look down upon Hindi. I find many such people in showbiz who take great pride in declaring they cannot speak Hindi. I cannot stand that. Also, he should have good family values as I am a complete family person. Last but not the least, he should be a happy man with a great smile. His smile should reach his eyes.”
Now, why do we feel only two people fit the above criteria Priyanka..Shah Rukh or Shahid! Tsk Tsk
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Shah Rukh Khan torn apart

Actor Shah Rukh Khan is going through the grind as he shoots for Ra.One and Don 2 side-by-side.
With him playing superhero in Ra.One, Shah Rukh gets into heavy costumes that make him lose weight. Unfortunately, he has to put on all that lost weight back on for his continuity in ‘Don 2’.
It’s this constant losing weight and putting on weight that has got SRK exhausted. But the actor says he’s loving the process nonetheless, simply because the masses are going to be entertained at the end of it all.
However, with most of the shooting done for both films, Shah Rukh is breathing a little easy now. “He is working hard on the post production of Ra.One.” The battle isn’t over till the film is out in the threatres. Till then, Shah Rukh won’t rest,” says a unit member.
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Mahesh Bhupati, Lara Dutta to exchange vows in Goa

Tennis star Mahesh Bhupati and Bollywood actress Lara Dutta are all set to tie the knot in a formal wedding ceremony today in a grand Victorian style.
The celebrity couple, who have registered their marriage in Mumbai, has planned a grand reception for 200 invitees at a five star hotel near Sinquerim beach, 10 kms away from here.
Last night, a star-studded ‘sangeet’ ceremony held at Club Fresh on the Candolim beach in North Goa saw people having fun on the dance floor, swaying to Bollywood and Hollywood numbers.
DJ Whosane set the music ball rolling while group Lucent Dossier from Los Angeles performed aerial acts on the occasion.
Media was kept away from the event. A source close to the couple said that Bhupati wanted to keep the sangeet ceremony and wedding out of the media glare.
A big posse of mediamen stationed outside the venue for the ‘sangeet’ failed to get a glimpse of the ceremony.
A source who was the part of ‘sangeet’ said Lara was wearing a marigold-coloured lehenga designed by Manav Gangwani, and Mahesh was donning a ‘chikankari’ churidar kurta.
The wedding today is expected to be a starry affair with Bollywood celebrities including Raveena Tondon, Reitesh Deshmukh, Celina Jaitley, Dia Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani and sporting sensations like Rohan Bopanna and Bhupati’s doubles partner Leander Paes along with his wife Rhea Pillai attending the wedding.
Shahrukh Khan’s presence was not confirmed although there were rumours that wife Gauri Khan is already there to bless the couple, sources said.
The five star resort hosting the wedding has offered a menu of Goan food, Sushi and Thai cuisine for the guests.
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Acting is a crazy profession, says Ranveer Singh

Meet Ranveer Singh, the star in making , with floppy hair falling on his forehead, the casual college boy looks.
The debutant , who made inroads into Bollywood’s big banner Yashraj with his very first film — Band Baaja Baraat, has emerged winner with the box-office success and several awards already in his kitty. Bollywood’s top honchos Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar have predicted him as the next superstar!
However, his striking resemblance to rising star Ranbir Kapoor is purely incidental, he maintains. “It’s just our names that are similar. I’m an experimental actor and want to carve my own niche,” he says.
Ranveer had celluloid dreams from the time he finished high school. He says, “It all seemed so farfetched then. Given my non-filmi background, I felt like an outsider, who didn’t stand a chance. It was like wanting to belong to an elite, exclusive club.”
The next best thing was to take up copywriting, says Ranveer, who grew up on a steady diet of television. “As a kid, I was fat. When children were playing outside , I spent my time in front of the television , enjoying commercials and wondering how they were made. I was good at writing jingles and one-liners . I interned at O&M , but my love for cinema never died,” he reminisces.
His dream was fulfilled when the casting director at Yashraj finalised him after several screen tests. He rubbishes rumours that his businessman father funded his launch film. He asks, “It’s absurd . You think Yashraj needs my Dad’s money? I have no idea how that news spread. It takes away from the fact that I got the film on merit. I had heard that people in this industry are ready to bring one down, but I didn’t know it would happen so soon.”
However, things are looking up as he has been contracted for three more films with the production house. and he is in the final stages of talks with the top-most directors of Bollywood. Stardom, though, still eludes him and so do big-budget mahurats and a PR machinery that can prop up an actor in the initial years. “I don’t agree with larger-than-life launches and screaming headlines. If my acting gives me stardom, great, but I am not striving for it,” says the newcomer, who is happy with the current trend in the industry. “There’s a break from formula films and acceptance of an intelligent story, which is very encouraging for a new actor. Boys and girls from non-film backgrounds want to be part of these stories,” says Ranveer. Does he resent the advantages star kids have in the industry?
He reacts, “Of course, their parents’ connections make it easier to meet the right people. I had to hit the ground running . The best of star sons can have several comebacks.” “I too have an advantage,” he continues, “I’m like a blank slate, you can make what you want of me, there is no baggage. People don’t come with pre-conceived notions , thinking, ‘yeh uska beta hai, iske baap ne kiya tha, toh yeh aisa hoga?’ There are no comparisons.” For now, he is happy not being trapped inside an office. He says, “I don’t know if I’m here to stay but I would like to have a unique identity. I want to focus on acting and not glamour or the money. Acting is a crazy profession , it can get surreal and volatile... I’m having the most exciting time of my life...!”
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Diamonds rule Lara Dutta’s wedding jewelry

Uncut diamond necklace set studded with vilandis, rose-cut diamonds, round diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls will rule Lara’s wedding jewelry.
Lara Dutta has been in the news for her impending marriage to tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi. This is going to be one of the most high profile weddings of this year and is an amalgamation of sports and Bollywood.
The sangeet ceremony is scheduled for today evening at Candolim in Goa. The seaside party will see the presence of only close friends and family. For the Sangeet, Lara will be wearing an uncut diamond necklace set studded with vilandis, rose-cut diamonds, round diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls with maang-tika. The Christian style Victorian wedding which will happen tomorrow will see Lara in a very classy and elegant diamond necklace and earrings.
Incidentally Lara Dutta has been the brand ambassador of the D’damas brand of diamond jewelry for quite some time now but has chosen to get her wedding jewelry designed by Anmol Jewelers from Mumbai.
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Saif Ali Khan makes script-reading easier for Big B (Amitabh Bachchan)

Saif Ali Khan loves to keep himself updated with new tech applications and has introduced Big B to one.
Amitabh Bachchan is enjoying shooting with Saif Ali Khan for Prakash Jha’s Aarakshan . After Eklavya both will be seen together in Aarakshan . The duo has got more time to spend with each other in Bhopal where the film is being shot these days. Apparently Saif enjoys Big B’s poetry sessions and Big B loves to workout with Saif these days.
But apart from that there’s more that bonds them these days. The techno-savvy Saif has introduced Big B to a new technique which has made his rehearsals easy. Speaking about it Big B says, “Saif has introduced me to a cool application on iPad called ‘Rehearsal’. It is useful particularly for us artists in reading scripts.”
iPad Rehearsal is a popular application used in Hollywood especially for location scouts as it can create quick and easy reports. Makeup, wardrobe and set dressers can keep track of continuity and looks from scene to scene. It is useful to directors and cinematographers as well as they can create on-the-fly storyboards.
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It’s not a comeback, says Esha Deol

Even though Esha Deol is doing a film after ages she insists that she is not making a comeback.
I did not go anywhere to dub this a comeback. I was around. I just did not like the films that were coming by and I thought it is best to wait and do something meaningful. I did not get the films that I wished for. Now that I’m a producer I will only do films that I love, she tells TOI.
Esha is in her best of shape for her home production Tell Me Oh Khuda and she informs us that the producer Esha will is as much strict about content as the actor Esha is.
I really don’t think that I have chosen my films well. But I have wisened up and I, as an actor or producer, will only take up films that has some good content. Today that is the driving force not how many stars you have or how big the banner is. Films like Bheja Fry, Phas Gaye Re Obama and Tere Bin Laden have created breakthroughs,’ says this star-kid.
She is very excited that for the first time she has acted with her father Dharmendra.
I will tell you a secret. I have for long wanted to do a film with dad but nothing ever worked out. I think everything happens for the best as now I have my dad in my own movie. It makes it doubly awesome. He knows so much about movie-making that he has been a constant guide to me through the making of the film, she says.
Esha adds, My mom too is very hands on. She is the more stricter of the two actually, but I have had my way too in some decision making processes, Esha chuckles.
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Minissha Lamba plays doting daughter

Minissha Lamba took up the onus of publicising her mother’s (Manju Lamba) art show in Bandra.
She played the perfect daughter as she coordinated with the venue, the media and was also in charge of hospitality and invitation to their near and dear people. Minissha, who is a passionate art enthusiast, wanted her mother’s show to be the talk of the town.
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Shilpa Shetty praises Priyanka Chopra

Now this is a rare compliment coming from an actress for another actress - Shilpa Shetty is all praises for Priyanka Chopra’s work in Vishal Bharadwaj’s “7 Khoon Maaf “.
“Watched 7 Khoon maaf,last night Well directed@priyankachopra rockd,really complex role but u did a gr8 job effortlessly,U go girl,all d best (sic),” Shilpa posted on her Twitter page. In the film, Priyanka plays the role of a woman who kills her seven husbands. It released Friday.
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Jiah Khan celebrates birthday in Goa

Jiah Khan danced the night away on her birthday on Feb 20th in Goa .
The sexy lass, who is in India for some 15 days for her endorsement work, headed out of Mumbai two days before her birthday to party in Goa. Her mother and close friends joined her for the celebrations.
Jiah, who likes to get surprised, was pampered by everyone who showered her with gifts. Jiah now returns to her London pad where she is preparing for her Hollywood docu-drama.
She will return to India again next month during which she is expected to meet the Indian character actors of her film.
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Sex sells for Bollywood

From Katrina shaking her belly to a film with 22 kisses, Bollywood has rediscovered sex! Ritu V Singh reports
Even those who have not seen Sudhir Mishra’s Yeh Saali Zindagi are aware that it has 22 kisses. Contrary to its title, the Censor Board believed that Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji was for adults only. Konkona Sen Sharma-starrer Mirch was touted as India’s first erotic film. Love, Sex Aur Dhokha thrived on its bold theme, suggestive dialogues and titillating scenes.
If Shah Rukh Khan and sex sold earlier, the latter seems to have won the round for now! Bollywood filmmakers take on bold themes and use abusive language liberally in a bid to depict ‘reality’ . In a competitive industry where numerous films release every week, item numbers and double-meaning dialogues perhaps help a film attain its USP.
Trade analyst Komal Nahata says, “Sex scenes and item numbers draw the audience’s attention . In the case of Yeh Saali Zindagi, the screenplay is complex and the audience didn’t understand the film. However, they laughed at all the abuses. Obviously, this makes a film more saleable.”
Sanjeev K Bijli of PVR explains, “I don’t think today’s youngsters would prefer watching a kissing scene shadowed by a bunch of flowers. A good item number, certain dialogues or scenes that grab eyeballs work in favour of a film. You can build your promotional campaign around it. Munni badnaam hui did wonders for Dabangg. Though Tees Maar Khan bombed at the box-office , Sheila ki jawaani was a hit.”
No prizes for guessing that actors don’t mind raising their hemlines or getting cozy onscreen. After Malaika Arora Khan and Katrina Kaif, now it’s Deepika Padukone’s Dum Maro Dum that people are looking forward to for titillation.
Actor Emraan Hashmi, better known as the serial kisser of Bollywood, will be seen next in Murder 2, which revolves around the dark world of prostitutes, cross-dressers and pimps. A lot of steamy action is guaranteed. Emraan reveals, “The movie has sensuality, but also a strong story to back it up.”
Jacqueline Fernandez, who plays a pin-up girl in the same film, said in an interview, “I have no issues in shedding clothes, if the role demands. Why am I an actor if I can’t give my best to a role?”
Actor Arunoday Singh is suddenly all over the place thanks to the success of Yeh Saali Zindagi. He even invited trouble after he kissed a girl at a promotional event. When asked how important it was to abuse and kiss his heroine in the film, Arunoday said, “It’s a big part of the character I play. My female fan following has increased. In Hollywood, it doesn’t matter how many times an actor has kissed onscreen. Why have different standards for Bollywood ? And, if it helps my film sell better , why would I have a problem?”
Filmmakers claim their films are getting bolder as a reflection of society. They want their films to be more real. In Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, Shruti Hasaan boldly confesses watching porn films. Shazahn Padamsee, who plays Ajay Devgn’s subordinate at work in the same film, asks him when he lost his virginity.
Director Madhur Bhandarkar explains, “Shazahn’s character is that of any teenager who’s cool with issues like virginity and sex. Take a look at how youngsters talk and behave on reality shows. Why does the Censor Board have different norms for reality shows and films? My film would have done better business if it was given a U/A certificate . These days, we have a smart multiplex audience that wants to see a movie they can identify with.”
Director Sudhir Mishra was miffed with the Censor Board when he was asked to drop the word ‘saali’ from the title, as he thinks it doesn’t really count as an abuse.
Censor Board member Nandini Sardesai explains, “Attitudes have changed. As a lecturer, I’ve witnessed youngsters who are open about their relationships. In films, it may go a little overboard, just to add drama. Otherwise , sex is not something alien to them. If the theme of the film is bold, we allow the film without cuts, but with an ‘A’ certificate.”
Films are no longer made for a common audience. Bijli says, “Not all films are targeted at families. In fact, in many families, kids and parents go separately for the same film. Even the censors are becoming liberal. These films are made on a small budget and are targeted to a certain section. No One Killed Jessica was made on a budget of Rs 11-12 crore, Love, Sex Aur Dhokha had a budget of only Rs 2 crore.”
Rachika Shrivastava, a 19-year-old college student says, “I can’t go for just any movie with my family. I generally read the reviews or ask my friends if it’s meant for family viewing. My family is not conservative, but we still changed the channel when Veena and Asmit made out on Bigg Boss. My mother laughed at the title Kaminey, but I couldn’t tell her that I saw a film titled Love, Sex Aur Dhokha.”
Sometime ago, Salman Khan confessed he can’t kiss on screen as he wouldn’t be able to face his father later. Not too many current actors or filmmakers would agree with him now.
As long as sex sells, there will be takers!
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