7 million people on Monday (September 19). The Nielsen Co.

said Tuesday that was more than any other episode in the show's first eight seasons, when Sheen was the star. The sitcom's previous best came in May 2005 following the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond .

Meanwhile, Sheen appeared Monday as the "victim" of a Comedy Central roast that reached 6.4 million people.

That is the second most-watched telecast in the cable network's history, behind only Jeff Dunham's holiday special in 2008. The season-opening episode of Two and a Half Men , television's most popular comedy, was much anticipated.

Producers kept it a secret how they would kill off Sheen's character and introduce Kutcher's. Sheen had been fired from the show last season for drug use and erratic behavior.

He launched a weeks long tirade against his bosses, including show creator Chuck Lorre, and Lorre got revenge in Monday's episode. Sheen's Charlie Harper character was killed when he was hit by a subway train in Paris.

Meanwhile, Kutcher appeared as an Internet billionaire unsuccessful in a suicide attempt over a crumbled relationship. He fell right into the show's randy ways, picking up two women during a bar visit that same night.

The success of Two and a Half Men gave a boost to the premiere of CBS' new comedy 2 Broke Girls that followed it. That show had an audience of 19.

4 million, the largest audience for a fall sitcom premiere since Inside Schwartz a decade ago. The veteran CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother had its best season premiere numbers.

By contrast, the season premiere of Hawaii Five-0 had a relatively modest audience of 12 million. Subsequent episodes will reveal Kutcher's ability to build on the blockbuster opening.

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Chandni Chowk and the older areas in Lahore look identical, and so the last schedule of the film is being majorly shot here. Earlier, a burial scene with Imaad Shah, Om Puri (who plays a village thakur) and Chandrachur Singh was shot in Kasna.

Imaad plays Om and Shabana Azmi's son in the movie. Later shoots included one at Barakhamba Road on Friday night and then at Lodhi Road and GB Road (less)

Our world class modern stations and hi-tech, super speed trains are best locales for film shooting and promotion," said Reliance Infrastructure Limited president Anil P. Gupta.

Already, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has allowed film shooting inside the metro for Bollywood movies such as Paa , Bewafaa , Dev.D , Love Aaj Kal , Black And White and Delhi-6 .

"Shooting at the world class terminals and coaches is quite economical compared to metros of foreign cities. Moreover, AME provides world class, hi-tech facilities to the film producers at very cost effective prices," a Reliance Infrastructure official said.

"At the same time, the shootings will take place in such a way that it will not affect the commuters," he added. Delhi Airport Metro Express will also host a promotional campaign Wednesday at Shivaji stadium metro station for Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming Ra.

One movie. Built at a cost of Rs.

5,700 crore, the 23-km Airport Metro Express line has six stations: New Delhi Railway Station, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Aero City, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector 21. Tweet (less)

"We ran into a delay getting approvals from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Board of Film Certification in India," producer Sheetal Talwar said. Today, Shahid Kapoor is in Delhi to show preview the film before officers and heads of the Indian Air Force, hoping to get their approval for an action sequence the IAF had objected to, earlier.

"Going to IAF tomorrow in Delhi to show them Mausam ..

. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

.," the actor tweeted last night.

Certification from the Censor Board was received yesterday as Shahid Kapoor tweeted: "MAUSAM finally got its censor certificate last night ..

..

..

. Watching it now with family in a bit.

" Three screenings today, tomorrow and Friday in Toronto as well as a press conference with world media were cancelled at the last minute yesterday, September 13. In the film, Kapoor's son Shahid plays an Indian Air Force pilot from Punjab whose love for a woman from Kashmir (Sonam Kapoor) is thwarted by their differences - he is Hindu, she is Muslim.

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But her appearance has led to accusations of betraying her country; her father has disowned her, and she has received death threats. A text message sent to local journalists by ISI's public relations machinery complained that the affair was 'the height of humiliation for Pakistan, on Indian soil'.

Malik has all along accused FHM of morphing her photos. The actor and the magazine have been suing each other for 3 million pounds in a bitter exchange of lawsuits.

She has also hit out at the 'stone age' attitudes in her country and argued that no one is willing to hear her side of the story. "If some mullah on the TV today says shoot the girl, they will shoot me.

But the guy who removed my clothes using some technology, at least say something against him," the Guardian quoted her as saying. "This attitude, I'm sorry, is in the society.

When they say they have become modern, grown up, that's wrong. They still live in the stone age," she said.

The actress said that she was wearing the bottom half of a bikini during the photo shoot and denied that she was even topless, as her hands were hiding her breasts. "My choice was a bikini shoot.

And I did a bikini shoot. They removed my bikini, later on.

It was not a topless, and not a nude, shoot. It was a completely covered shoot," she said.

"When the upper portion of the model is completely covered, by the hands, you can't call it topless," she added (less)

The movie is a love story between two outlaws (reportedly a take on Abu Salem and Monica Bedi's life), and will be shot in Delhi and Mumbai. Apparently, it's Richa's oomph factor that got her the role, and she has already started preparing to play Bedi's character on screen.

Richa was reportedly finalized for this role after an intensive search, since the producer was looking for someone with the right face and attitude. A source from the movie's unit tells us, "She was born and brought up in Delhi and she's also completed her education from here.

She studied at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and did her graduation from DU's St Stephen's College. She has done theatre in Delhi with Barry John and then she started modelling.

So, as someone who has spent so much time in Delhi, she had the right attitude and haav-bhaav to be able to play this character." But before the team had even met her, it's apparently director Anurag Kashyap and the casting director for his film "Gangs of Wasseypur", who recommended Richa.

We hear that Anurag liked her work in his flick and recommended her for this role. When we contacted the movie's producer Suryaveer Singh, he said, "She has a very hot vibe and the role required the actress to be like that.

She's a woman who uses her sexuality to make her way up..

. She's like a typical starlet.

" (less)

The change is dramatic and drastic. Her cheeks and lips (note the upper lip) are those which have changed most.

As a prominent B-town doc claimed that 80% of the industry had had cosmetic surgery. Ash sure looks one of those numbers.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

The change is dramatic and drastic. Her cheeks and lips (note the upper lip) are those which have changed most.

As a prominent B-town doc claimed that 80% of the industry had had cosmetic surgery. Ash sure looks one of those numbers.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

But most of the times for the wrong reasons (anglicized accents, ludicrous scenes, ham acts). And even they are far and few between.

The story keeps beating around the bush and by the time the narrative actually comes to point, the film bores you to death. The good-for-nothing Atul (Chandan Roy Sanyal), his mom (Suhasini Mulay) and dad (Kallol Banerjee) are surviving on the assets of Atul's wife, Sonia (Yuki Ellias).

Her late parents have left behind a fortune for her, which the in-laws want to exploit to their advantage. But when Sonia refuses to fund Atul's new security system project, he and his mother decide to terminate her.

What follows is a series of misadventures in her murder attempt. While the burning-the-bride conflict might sound hoary and hackneyed, director Rafeeq Ellias' treatment to this crime-comedy is way away from conventional.

But so hatke is his direction that in making things wild and wacky, the film ends up turning weird. There seems to be a deliberate attempt to devise crazy characters who have crazier conflicts.

Like the father is wildlife enthusiast, the mother indulges in play-station sessions with the domestic help and Sonia is obsessed with astrology of any kind. None of these attributes contribute to the central plot and so the film tries too hard to be funny.

Amongst the genuinely funny sequences are the one where Atul and his mother negotiate Sonia's murder with a theatre director (Chetan Shashital) and a condolence speech given at a dog's funeral attended by dogs of all castes and 'breeds'. Otherwise the film has a very unusual tone of humour where you see a sexologist (Sohrab Ardeshir) who doubles up as a rockstar - a preposterous 'turnoff'.

Initially the viewer has no idea where the story is heading towards. And by the time one apprehends, they seem to be least interested.

The climax set in the Priyadarshan-Anees Bazmee mould, getting all the characters together, thankfully doesn't get commotional and is smartly executed. While the approach to the humour is never full-blown, much of the wit is lost in the film's subtlety.

The performances are kind of dramatic. One can't help but notice a strong Urmila Matondkar hangover in Yuki Ellias' looks.

She comes up with a decent act. Chandan Roy Sanyal isn't bad but gets overtly expressive at times.

Suhasini Mulay is good. Kallol Banerjee is funny in the restaurant and funeral sequence.

Sheeba Chadha and Chetan Shashital are fine for their parts. Sohrab Ardeshir hams.

Nicholas Brown (last seen as the villain in Kites ) doesn't get much scope. All said and done, Love you to Death had the potential to be a much funnier and entertaining film.

Sadly it shows only sporadic sparks of life! Verdict: Average (less)

A Chaplinesque tramp with holes in his shoes, too-short pants and a slightly goofy hat skips down a country road and sings these lines in Hindi: "My shoes are Japanese/These pants are English/On my head is a red Russian hat/But still," he says, pointing to his chest and delivering the kicker, "my heart is Hindustani." That heart belonged to Raj Kapoor, and his song -- a simple statement of patriotism in a globalizing world -- struck a chord with audiences in the young Indian republic when it appeared in Shree 420 (1955).

And not just in India; it was a hit in the Middle East and the Soviet Union too. Some middle-aged Russians can still sing it.

Kapoor (1924-88), called the Great Showman -- no small tribute in an industry besotted with showmanship -- looms large over the Indian film landscape. But how to explain him and his work to those who didn't grow up with Hindi movies? As an actor, Kapoor was a leading man who played poets and misfits and lovers.

With the actress Nargis, he made up one of Hindi movies' great romantic couples. And he could be comic too, as in Shree 420 , in which his everyman tramp is not above the old slipping-on-a-banana-peel gag.

(No one is spared: Nargis takes a tumble too.) As a director and producer, eventually with his own studio, Kapoor lived the auteur's dream.

In a mostly formulaic and conservative industry, he made inventive, personal films that were entertaining and accessible but also something more. Socially conscious and Socialist-inclined with nation-building themes, they resonated in -- and maybe even helped to define -- a newly independent India busy inventing itself.

For those who have never seen a Hindi movie or are curious about Kapoor, the Museum of Modern Art's well-chosen eight-film series Raj Kapoor and the Golden Age of Indian Cinema, opening on Friday, is an excellent place to start, focusing mainly on Kapoor's heyday, the late 1940s to '50s. And for those already familiar with Kapoor, the series offers a rare opportunity to see his films as they should be seen: on the big screen, in new 35-millimeter prints.

With its restless hero and inventive visuals, Aag ( Fire , 1948), made when its director-producer-star was just 24, announces a new voice on the scene that all but shouts, "Look at me!" Filmed in gorgeously stylized black and white -- pools of darkness are broken by shafts of light, and eyes glow out of faces cast in shadow -- it combines expressionism and homegrown melodrama to tell the story of a soulful upper-class young man (Kapoor) who breaks with his conventional family to pursue a career in theater. Living on his own terms, the hero searches for truth and beauty and long-lost love.

But this isn't just his story, he says, it's the "story of youth." He knows that "creating your own destiny isn't easy" -- are you listening, young India? -- yet prefers a path full of obstacles to the comfortable life he would lead in his father's house.

Set in Kashmir, Barsaat ( Monsoon , 1949), a moody romance, also takes place in a world of inky black and whites, of shadows and light and backlighted haloes. With songs by the team of Shankar-Jaikishin, whose music would become the sound of Kapoor films, Barsaat follows the parallel stories of two city boys, a poet (Kapoor) and his romantically cynical friend (Prem Nath), who fall in love with country girls.

Kapoor is paired with Nargis, and while there's no kissing -- this is Hindi cinema, after all, which had a long-running ban on it -- Kapoor the director finds ways to give their scenes an erotic charge beyond the actors' obvious chemistry. Watch as he rubs her head or grabs her hair or calls her to him with the siren song of his violin.

(She even licks his fingers, calloused from playing.) In Awaara ( The Vagabond , 1951), perhaps his best movie, Kapoor tries out for the first time his tramp persona, though briefly, in the title song.

Both song and film were enormous hits abroad, especially in the Soviet Union, where bands serenaded Nargis and Kapoor with the tune when they visited; in China, Mao was said to be a fan. Here Kapoor's not a pampered upper-class fellow, but a fatherless boy, Raju, raised in the Bombay slums, who falls into a life of crime.

Written by K. A.

Abbas (who also wrote Shree 420 ), the movie mixes mythological themes (the story of Raju's parents, told in flashback, echoes the epic the Ramayana) with social ones: Can a good man come from the gutter? Can the cycle of poverty and crime be broken? Can a man be judged by who his father is -- or isn't? There's also a class-crossing love story, another favorite Kapoor theme, as Raju falls for Rita (Nargis), a lawyer and the ward of a magistrate who just happens to be the father who cast out Raju and his mother. (Kapoor's real father, Prithviraj Kapoor, a distinguished stage actor, plays the magistrate.

) If Awaara is his best movie, Shree 420 ( Mr. 420 ), a clown-rags to well-tailored riches tale, is probably his most emblematic.

Looking for work, his outsider tramp lands in the big city, Bombay, where he finds a home along a footpath with other poor people and falls for a schoolteacher, played of course by Nargis. Their moonlit, rain-soaked love song, delivered as they wander along the footpath, the city glittering just beyond, is a justifiably famous four-minute distillation of movie magic.

The tramp, though, becomes corrupt, a city-slicked swindler. (The number in the title refers to the section of the Indian penal code that deals with cheating and fraud.

) But he's redeemed at the end, making common cause again with the poor and powerless as they rise up to agitate for the simple right to housing. The MoMA series also includes two later color films made at a time when Hindi movies were becoming Bollywood -- the term was coined by journalists in the '70s -- and Kapoor was struggling to recover his place in the industry.

Meera Nam Joker ( My Name Is Joker , 1970), a maudlin working through of the tramp and clown themes, was a colossal flop. An older, puffier Kapoor looks ill matched with his young leading ladies.

But Bobby (1973), a teenage love story starring Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor (Raj's son), was a colossal hit that ushered in a vogue for tales of young love. Bollywood movies today don't look much like the Kapoor films from what MoMA calls the Golden Age.

But the Kapoor dynasty stills flourishes. Raj's brothers and sons have been stars, and now two of his grandchildren, Kareena and Ranbir (they're cousins), are hard at work in the family trade.

Both are actors, but both -- is anyone surprised? -- may have a not-so-secret dream: to direct. Tweet (less)

The first shot took place at 8:45 am and while the unit was expecting for a trouble-free experience at such an early hour, on the contrary they faced a stampede and the shoot had to be wrapped much earlier to its scheduled pack-up time. Moreover the evening shoot had to be canceled and the reason is being told that a lot of people came to see Emraan Hashmi when they came to know that he is shooting at a nearby location in Delhi.

Jannat 2 directed by Kunal Deshmukh (who also directed the first part) is a sequel to the 2008 hit Jannat . Esha Gupta will be seen opposite Emraan Hashmi in the film.

Previously titled Informer , the film is thematically similar to the prequel. Jannat 2 is also a story about a single man's immense desire to make it big in life by any means.

Arjun Dixit, the character played by Emraan Hashmi in Jannat , was a small time gambler turned into a big shot bookie, while this time Jannat 2 will have illegal arms trading as its backdrop (less)

Our world class modern stations and hi-tech, super speed trains are best locales for film shooting and promotion," said Reliance Infrastructure Limited president Anil P. Gupta.

Already, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has allowed film shooting inside the metro for Bollywood movies such as Paa , Bewafaa , Dev.D , Love Aaj Kal , Black And White and Delhi-6 .

"Shooting at the world class terminals and coaches is quite economical compared to metros of foreign cities. Moreover, AME provides world class, hi-tech facilities to the film producers at very cost effective prices," a Reliance Infrastructure official said.

"At the same time, the shootings will take place in such a way that it will not affect the commuters," he added. Delhi Airport Metro Express will also host a promotional campaign Wednesday at Shivaji stadium metro station for Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming Ra.

One movie. Built at a cost of Rs.

5,700 crore, the 23-km Airport Metro Express line has six stations: New Delhi Railway Station, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Aero City, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector 21. Tweet (less)

Made at a budget of Rs 30 crore, which includes cost of production, print publicity and marketing, the Yash Raj Films' venture opened to 80-90 per cent occupancy. " Mere Brother Ki Dulhan has had a good start.

It opened with 90 per cent occupancy and the content is quite appealing to the youngsters. Even Monday has seen a good occupancy," a source from PVR.

Directed by debutant Ali Abbas Zafar, the romantic comedy is set in an urban middle class family and deals with two brothers -- Luv Agnihotri (Ali Zafar) and Kush Agnihotri (Imran). "People are liking the movie as it is a very light-hearted film and has a different concept.

Not only our weekend shows got good response, even Monday, which is a general a working day had houseful shows. Both Imran and Katrina have done a good job.

Even Ali Zafar is good," said Puneet Sahay, senior manager for programming and operations at Spice Cinemas. Yogesh Raizada of Waves Cinemas says it's a well-packaged drama.

"The response to the film is very good. It has opened up with 80 to 90 per cent occupancy.

All the actors Imran, Katrina and Ali have justified their characters. It is a family entertainer and has a mix of emotion, drama and comedy.

Overall it's a good product," said Raizada. Cinema owners say the film is likely to be affected by Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor-starrer Mausam that releases on Friday.

"With the release of Mausam , the film is likely to get affected as the shows will be less but we still expect Mere Brother Ki Dulhan to do well in the second week," said Sahay. Raizada said: "The occupancy is likely to fall to to 40 per cent to 50 per cent.

" Tweet (less)

But an excessive lifestyle of sex and substance abuse, not only makes him lose focus towards work, but also leads to a permanent physical disability. In his world dominated by loud music, Raunak turns completely deaf and is unable to pursue his dreams to make music.

Things change when Raunak meets Gauri (Soha Ali Khan), who too is hearing impaired but has mastered the art of lip-reading. In Gauri, Raunak finds a tutor and life-partner.

Also his passion for music is rekindled, as he attempts to sense sound (if not hear) and study digital waveforms of tunes he knew, to create new music. Thereby a deaf DJ turns a renowned composer.

Debutante director Neerav Ghosh attempts to give a docu-drama shade to the narrative to make it seem like a biographical take on the life of his protagonist. Thankfully the documentary treatment never overcomes the actual story, which has enough scope for drama per se.

The first half seems obsessed with close-up shots of alcohol, drugs, smoke and sex. Raunak boozes as if he were drinking water and smokes like he is breathing air.

The idea might be to give a dark and disturbing shade to the film like Anurag Kashyup brand of cinema (the maverick filmmaker also has a cameo), more so with ample scope for substance abuse in the narrative. But after a point of time, it only gets repetitive and seems forced.

The tone of the film suddenly changes in the second half when the narrative turns more soft and sober, as Raunak goes on a self-rehabilitation drive, shunning all addiction. His romance track (with Soha) is blithe as compared to his hardcore sex-drive (with Mrunalini Sharma) in the first half.

But beyond the somber shade and his chemistry with costars, the narrative isn't able to create as much contrast between the first half and the second that would have resulted in relating and feeling for the protagonist's plight better. The depth that it adds to Raunak's relearning process of music (which is the soul of the film) in the second half pales in comparison to the intensity that it lends to the buildup of substance abuse in the first half.

Which means the film adds intensity where not needed and vice versa. A basic idea of a deaf person composing decent music makes for an inspiring story.

While the promising premise of the film doesn't let you down, one still feels the entire account could have been more stimulating, esp. when the director had straight reference point in the form of the original film.

The entire track of Raunak's fight with his inner demon (clowning around him in a joker-faced mask) looks ludicrous over being symbolic. It gets exasperating after a point and the entire track could certainly have been avoided.

For a film dealing primarily with music, the actual 'soundtrack' isn't as stimulating as one would have expected. Also the length could have been shorter and the film could have done away with several repetitive portions.

However, the dialogues, esp. in the second half, are well-worded and leave an impact.

Soundtrack works to a big extent because of the persuasive performance of its protagonist played by Rajeev Khandelwal . At the onset, one seems uncertain if the sober-imaged actor would be able to pull off a character as wild and weird as this.

But as you see him getting more and more into his character, you are amazed at the conviction he brings to his role. Soha Ali Khan not only plays a deaf character, she has to lisp in her diction too.

And the actress does it with absolute subtlety (as compared to the Bollywood stereotypes that go overboard) and brings grace to her role. It would have made more sense if the story enlightened on the reason behind her lisp.

Mrinalini Sharma looks refreshingly sexy and is not one-bit vulgar in her skimpily-clad character. Mohan Kapur hams.

Manu Rishi doesn't get much scope. Yatin Karyekar is decent.

While it had potential to be a rocking film, Soundtrack, at least, turns out to be sound cinema. Worth giving an ear (and eye) too! (less)

However, it didn't do well at the Box Office as it was considered quite a dark film. An insider says, "Abhishek won a lot of praise for his role in Sarkar and Sarkar Raj.

This is probably why his family banner is keen to produce Angaar, which is in a similar vein and is an intense film." Since talks have just been initiated, no one is willing to officially comment on the story (less)

But now, Abhi's name's cropped up. The film is supposedly a revival of dark comedy.

Says a source, "Since this is a dark comedy, they need someone who doesn't need to pretend to be humourous when he isn't. Abhishek is famous for his dry humour.

" � (less)

..

Fingers crossed and hoping for the best..

," the actor tweeted Tuesday night. Earlier, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had objected to an action sequence and had refused to give a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the film.

This could have delayed the release of the film scheduled this Friday, September 16. The film received a breather earlier today when the Censor Board gave a green signal for release.

This was confirmed by Shahid Kapoor who tweeted: "MAUSAM finally got its censor certificate last night ..

..

..

. Watching it now with family in a bit.

" According to Sheetal Talwar, a producer of the film, the film was shown to the IAF on September 6, but it was only on the evening of September 7 that the objection was raised regarding an action sequence in the film. At the time Shahid Kapoor had tweeted: "Please don't believe rumours about release date as of now we are on track and working round the clock to make 16th happen .

..

" Tweet (less)

5 crore ($1 million) on Kaun Banega Crorepati . The fairytale 'slumdog millionaire' come to life on that new harbinger of change - reality television.

The 27-year-old from Motihari in Bihar, who went from oblivion to fame and wealth in a matter of 13 questions on the fifth season of the quiz show, is the latest in the many talents from far flung corners of the country who have come to the national centrestage thanks to reality shows. When the show was going on air, KBC host, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, had said he wanted to reach out to people in the interiors so that viewers could get to see some of the best brains from small towns.

After Sushil Kumar's spectacular win, aired Wednesday night, Big B said: "This is what the common man is all about. This is what KBC is all about - given an opportunity, the common man has the strength, the ability and the acumen to prove to the world that he is the best and second to none.

" Last month, The Suresh & Vernon Group won India's Got Talent 3 . The group of 30 youngsters from Mumbai suburbs like Vasai, Virar and Nala Sopara were from lower middle class backgrounds and danced their way to the TRPs.

Another rags to riches story was of the Prince Dance Troupe from the backlanes of Berhampur, Orissa. The unlikely stars, including daily wage labourers and two polio-stricken children, won an earlier season of India's Got Talent and even got to perform at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

The trend began in the late 1990s with shows such as Meri Awaz Suno on Doordarshan and Zee TV's Hero Honda Sa Re Ga Ma . Singers like Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghosal first showcased their talent on these shows before going on to make it big in Bollywood, the ultimate dream of every artist.

Thanks to their success stories, reality shows became a rage in small towns. More aspirational than just an entertainment show.

Many talents found their spot in the sun - Sony's Indian Idol turned Abhijeet Sawant into a celebrity post his win while the second season winner Sandeep Acharya from Bikaner in Rajasthan too became well-known. There was also Prashant Tamang from Darjeeling, Amit Paul from Shillong, Emon Chatterjee from Kolkata and Antara Mitra from Maslandapur in West Bengal.

Debojit Saha, a struggling singer from Silchar, Assam, got a new lease of life after winning Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa , as did Raja Hassan, Tochi Raina and Harshit Saxena. With time, reality shows have become bigger and better with X-Factor , Dance India Dance and MasterChef India vying for TRPs along with the staple prime time soaps.

Not just reality TV producers, filmmakers are also walking the dusty hinterland paths in search of talent. "It's a huge country and there is huge talent out there.

We need to make it accessible to people who don't have access to come to Mumbai. I feel there is so much talent in the rest of the country which needs to explored.

We want to try and do it through my film Chauranga ," Onir, the maker of films like My Brother Nikhil , told IANS. Exploring the country's interiors for stories and talent is the need of the hour for Bollywood, agreed filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee.

"I think there's so much within India, in the interiors of India. There is a large pool of talent in the country and so many local stories waiting to be told," the man behind acclaimed movies like Khosla Ka Ghosla said.

But yes, it is a treacherous path. "I think reality shows give you this opportunity and platform.

It can give you that initial visibility towards success in the industry, but at the end of the day what sustains you is sheer talent," Bollywood singer Sunidhi told IANS. Tweet (less)

"I will be directing 'Shab', which means night. It is set in Delhi.

Right now finalising the draft of the script. In one line, it is a love story between a gigolo and a prostitute," Onir, 42, told IANS on the sidelines of the 13th Mumbai Film Festival.

"I will start shooting the film after wrapping up my production venture 'Chauranga'. We will start shooting 'Chauranga' in January and expect to complete it by mid-February.

" The director had raised funds for his film "I AM" through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. "I will start again the process of sourcing people, talking to financiers, and definitely a part of it will be crowd-funded because whoever has been part of 'I AM' wanted to come back as part of our future project," he said.

After "I AM", he will continue with crowd-funding with "Chauranga", which will be a Rs.3 crore movie.

"We started crowd-sourcing for 'Chauranga' by launching a contest for publicity design on social networking sites and got 60 designs from Spain, Bangladesh , the UK and small towns in India and found it exciting." Onir was speaking at the Open Forum of the Mumbai Film Fest on "Queering India: Gay And Lesbian Portrayals In New India Cinema".

"Filmmaking is mostly centred on Mumbai, but to involve people from various parts of the country and other places through the social media to make it accessible is interesting." Soon Onir will launch a hunt for composers for the film on social networking sites.

"We are shooting in Jharkhand for sure because the film belongs to that place. Seventy percent of the cast will be new people.

..

next week we will start the process on the social network - we will put the character profile and if people feel they fit the character they can send their photos. We will then do auditioning and we will also be doing auditioning in Jamshedpur and Ranchi as I need that flavour.

" And then, there will be "Shab". "I will start 'Shab' hopefully around March.

A lot of the cast in the film will be new," he said. Onir's "My Brother Nikhil" came in 2005 and the filmmaker says in the last six years he has grown as a filmmaker.

As people expect something different from him, it is easier for him to make "Shab" now, he said. "Actually this was the first script I wrote, but it didn't get made.

When I wrote the film, it was too bold and at the same time 'Shab' is a bigger film. It's Rs.

5 crore film, while we made 'My Brother Nikhil' at Rs.1.

5 crore. I have also grown as a filmmaker.

People expect a certain kind of film from us. So it's easier for me to make this film now.

" 'Shab' is very close to me and I am very happy with the final shape it has taken." Onir, who is expanding his horizons by delving into other subjects, is producing "Chauranga", which is Bikas Ranjan Mishra's directorial debut.

It is based on a true life story that took place in Bihar. In 2008, a Dalit boy was thrown under a running train because he wrote a love letter to an upper caste girl.

"When I read the script, I strongly felt that this film really needs to be made. As a filmmaker I feel more comfortable with the urban settings but at the same time I don't look at it as my strength.

So I thought if I could be part of this film, I knew I would probably never be able to direct it with the kind of vision that Bikas would have. He is from Jharkhand, he knows the area and the people.

So we (Onir and Sanjay Suri ) decided that we will produce the film," said Onir (less)

Bips was born in Delhi and lived here for eight years, before her family shifted base to Kolkata. Excerpts from the conversation: Coming To Delhi For Metallica My younger sister is a big fan of Metallica; I am not a very big fan but maybe she'll drag me here.

She'll use me as a pass. As far as the Formula 1 races are concerned, I'm going back and trying to figure out my time and definitely, I want to be back.

Grew up in Pampoosh Enclave I was born here and I actually lived till the age of eight in Pampoosh Enclave. I studied in Apeejay High School and then I shifted to Kolkata.

That's why my Hindi is very clear and my second language is Hindi. Memories from Delhi We have a lot of Kashmiri friends because I grew up in a Kashmiri neighbourhood.

I was a lady gunda in school. Everyone was scared of me and I was really short and round.

There are tiny memories like that. When you grow up, you have these images in your mind.

..

I have memories of when my parents took me to Agra, and you know, going to Appu Ghar. Appu Ghar used to be our favourite - sitting on those rides and all that.

Delhi is such a beautiful place. We went everywhere like India Gate.

..

regular things..

. we've all done that as kids.

Delhi Hasn't Changed Delhi is excellent. Everything looks so beautiful.

In Bombay, we don't have such beautiful roads, spacious places and you cannot have the luxury of having houses and bungalows. You have to live in little pokey flats and cost of living is extremely high in Mumbai.

Delhi has a lot that people keep preserving..

. a lot of which is what Delhi is about.

I hope it just stays the way it is always. The Delhi Marathon I think it is a big honour for me to be the face of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon.

That, for me, binds me back with the city and that is the reason why when they came up to me, the connect was not only that I was into sports and fitness - and I definitely want to get more and more people active - the connect was Delhi being my birthplace (less)

" The film, titled " Trishna ", has the story shift to modern day India, where Freida plays the role of an autorickshaw driver's daughter. The tragic love story sees her character fall in love with the son of a property developer.

Winterbottom, who has directed "A Mighty Heart", will premiere his film at the Toronto film festival in September (less)

The actor-turned-producer has already locked a script and the film will go on floors from February 2012. The film is scheduled to be released by the middle of the next year.

"I am producing this film titled Lucky, Unlucky . I will also be acting in it.

The film is comedy-action-adventure type. It is set in north India-- UP, Delhi and Haryana," said Sonu.

The 38-year-old has finalised Mallika Sherawat as the leading lady for the film. About the film, Sonu said, "The film is a journey of two people.

How their lives changes after they meet. One can say it is blend of Jab We Met and Dabangg .

I am 'Unlucky' character in the film, while Mallika is 'Lucky'." Tweet (less)

And this year, the big screen has seen all sorts of teachers - from the idealistic to the irreverent. Lillete Dubey: She has played the role of mothers to perfection.

But this year, Lillete played the part of a feisty English teacher in Always Kabhi Kabhi, who spouts Hamlet to a bunch of rambunctious teenagers. Amole Gupte: Can teachers be greedy? Writer-director Amole Gupte proved it in Stanley Ka Dabba, in which he plays a boorish Hindi teacher named Babubhai Verma, a man more interested in the kids' lunchboxes than teaching - especially Stanley's.

Though his character in his directorial debut was far from lovable, the grumpy, mean-spirited Babubhai left quite an impression on audiences. Bradley Cooper: Bradley's teacher character Phil in Hangover 2 was more involved in bar brawls, drinking games and getting shot in the arm than enlightening children.

Cameron Diaz: Cameron's loud, drunken and surly Elizabeth Halsey elicited quite a few laughs and raised eyebrows in her last film, Bad Teacher. She takes regular swigs of alcohol from behind a desk and shows the students movies while she sleeps during class.

Her wardrobe - which on one occasion included shorts and a knotted shirt - hardly befitted a student, let alone a teacher. Julia Roberts: Julia has played an inspirational teacher in Mona Lisa Smile, but her professor character in Larry Crowne is far less passionate about enriching her students' lives.

In fact, she has something in common with Cameron's character in Bad Teacher - she loves to hit the bottle. Amitabh Bachchan: The Big B has played a teacher several times in various avatars - from the comical Sukumar Sinha in Chupke Chupke, to the idealistic Narayan Shankar in Mohabbatein.

This year, Amitabh played the idealistic Prabhakar Anand in Aarakshan, who doesn't take things lying down when the issue of commercialization of education looms large over the institution. Compiled by Richa Bhatia (less)

Mumbai Mirror has learnt that Banerjee has got former co-stars Abhay Deol and Neetu Chandra of Oye Lucky Lucky Oye on-board for the thriller. According to a source close to the filmmaker, he has titled the thriller Kolkata to pay homage to his hometown.

But, interestingly Banerjee has no plans of shooting the film in his home city. The source explained, "This is the second in Dibakar's 'phantom-city' series.

Just like the sequences in Shanghai were not shot in the Chinese capital, the same will apply for his film Kolkata." According to the source, Banerjee has already started scripting the screenplay of the film with Urmi Juvekar, who also wrote Shanghai.

And Abhay Deol is in for an extreme makeover, claimed the source. "Abhay's character is a very intelligent detective who has been assigned to work on a rather challenging crime case.

He will be required to do a lot of research to get into character," added the source. When contacted, Banerjee confirmed his plans for his next film and said, "It's a detective thriller.

Detective thrillers are perceived in a particular way in our cinema. I want to change that.

" (less)

The shooting will start in Delhi from the first week of October. Earlier, Bhatt had told us that the film is the story of a cop and his snitch, based around the gun trade that flourishes in Delhi.

The release date for the movie has been fixed for April 6, 2012. Imran Zahid, who makes his Bollywood debut with this movie instead of the project on slain JNU leader Chandrashekhar, told us, "I'm a part of this movie with Emraan Hashmi and Randeep Hooda.

I play the role of a cop named Rajinder. Randeep Hooda plays the other cop.

I've been working on my character for the past few months, and we'll start shooting in October." The film will have a 40-50 day schedule in the capital, and will capture most of Delhi's recognisable monuments.

Kunal Deshmukh, the director of the movie, and Mahesh Bhatt have already started auditioning in Delhi for the film. While Kunal had also earlier come to Delhi for a recce, the team has spent a lot of time meeting high-profile officials from Delhi Police for advice on the look and facts of the film.

On Thursday too, the team visited Delhi Police headquarters for a meeting. Garima Sharma & Ranjit Kumar (less)

The director, after his last film Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year, decided to take a sabbatical from direction and go back to where he started from - film editing. A source informed Mumbai Mirror, "The break to edit Mira Nair's film is Shimit's way of going back to his roots.

And his job in The Reluctant Fundamentalist is going to be tougher that it seems. He would have to make Delhi look like Lahore.

Also, Mira needed shots of Old Delhi and other crowded parts of the city. So, she persuaded Shimit to handle the second unit.

Shimit was reluctant since he is editing the film. But Mira dragged Shimit into directing the second unit" Keifer Sutherland comes to India Needless to say, the key actors, including Kiefer Sutherland (better known as Jack Bauer, his character in the American television series 24) was in the national capital with his co-actors to shoot for the film.

In fact, the actor, who left the country last week after finishing his part in the film, became a talk of the unit with his camaraderie with Azmi. Sutherland and Azmi not only bonded over their common passion - acting, but also their common friend Anil Kapoor.

Sutherland who worked with Kapoor in the tele-series 24, was seen chatting with Azmi about the very man. "Riz Ahmed, Shabana Azmi and Keifer Sutherland talked a lot about Anil Kapoor.

They also chatted about the diaspora and Indian cinema. Om Puri however, remained largely aloof from the idle talk, lost in his own world," revealed a source.

Creating Lahore in Delhi The Delhi schedule of The Reluctant Fundamentalist is however, not all about happy friendships. After trying her best to get permission to shoot in Lahore, the place the novel is based, Mira Nair finally decided to recreate the Pakistani city in Delhi.

However, this decision too seemed to pose a problem for the filmmaker. Though, Nair obtained the necessary permission to shoot in Delhi, the fact that the national capital has to masquerade as Lahore, did not go down too well with certain sections of the government and bureaucracy.

A source close to the film revealed, "We're shooting in Delhi. But it's meant to be Lahore.

We can't broadcast this fact. Any hint of the geo-political translocation could cause trouble.

So we've all been sworn to complete secrecy. No one mentions the 'L' word on location and we are not supposed to give out the locations where we're shooting even to our close family and friends.

Strictly no visitors and guests allowed." (less)

Wilson will receive half an acre of land in Jalandhar from the producers. The venture, titled Har Ek Friend Zarori Hota Hai, will be a youth centric comedy, unlike his other releases like Kaalo, Mallika and Ho Sakta Hai, which were all horror films.

When contacted Wilson said, "After the positive reaction that Kaalo recieved, I wanted to make people laugh. When the producers offered me a piece of land, it was like a dream come true.

In today's world, it is easy to become a filmmaker than a farmer." The producer of the film, Pankaj Batra said, "We were moved by the idea of the film and its twist in the end.

We offered him half an acre of land in Jalandhar and he readily agreed. If everything works out, this will be our first Hindi film after producing four Punjabi films.

" (less)

5 crore ($1 million) on Kaun Banega Crorepati . The fairytale 'slumdog millionaire' come to life on that new harbinger of change - reality television.

The 27-year-old from Motihari in Bihar, who went from oblivion to fame and wealth in a matter of 13 questions on the fifth season of the quiz show, is the latest in the many talents from far flung corners of the country who have come to the national centrestage thanks to reality shows. When the show was going on air, KBC host, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, had said he wanted to reach out to people in the interiors so that viewers could get to see some of the best brains from small towns.

After Sushil Kumar's spectacular win, aired Wednesday night, Big B said: "This is what the common man is all about. This is what KBC is all about - given an opportunity, the common man has the strength, the ability and the acumen to prove to the world that he is the best and second to none.

" Last month, The Suresh & Vernon Group won India's Got Talent 3 . The group of 30 youngsters from Mumbai suburbs like Vasai, Virar and Nala Sopara were from lower middle class backgrounds and danced their way to the TRPs.

Another rags to riches story was of the Prince Dance Troupe from the backlanes of Berhampur, Orissa. The unlikely stars, including daily wage labourers and two polio-stricken children, won an earlier season of India's Got Talent and even got to perform at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

The trend began in the late 1990s with shows such as Meri Awaz Suno on Doordarshan and Zee TV's Hero Honda Sa Re Ga Ma . Singers like Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghosal first showcased their talent on these shows before going on to make it big in Bollywood, the ultimate dream of every artist.

Thanks to their success stories, reality shows became a rage in small towns. More aspirational than just an entertainment show.

Many talents found their spot in the sun - Sony's Indian Idol turned Abhijeet Sawant into a celebrity post his win while the second season winner Sandeep Acharya from Bikaner in Rajasthan too became well-known. There was also Prashant Tamang from Darjeeling, Amit Paul from Shillong, Emon Chatterjee from Kolkata and Antara Mitra from Maslandapur in West Bengal.

Debojit Saha, a struggling singer from Silchar, Assam, got a new lease of life after winning Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa , as did Raja Hassan, Tochi Raina and Harshit Saxena. With time, reality shows have become bigger and better with X-Factor , Dance India Dance and MasterChef India vying for TRPs along with the staple prime time soaps.

Not just reality TV producers, filmmakers are also walking the dusty hinterland paths in search of talent. "It's a huge country and there is huge talent out there.

We need to make it accessible to people who don't have access to come to Mumbai. I feel there is so much talent in the rest of the country which needs to explored.

We want to try and do it through my film Chauranga ," Onir, the maker of films like My Brother Nikhil , told IANS. Exploring the country's interiors for stories and talent is the need of the hour for Bollywood, agreed filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee.

"I think there's so much within India, in the interiors of India. There is a large pool of talent in the country and so many local stories waiting to be told," the man behind acclaimed movies like Khosla Ka Ghosla said.

But yes, it is a treacherous path. "I think reality shows give you this opportunity and platform.

It can give you that initial visibility towards success in the industry, but at the end of the day what sustains you is sheer talent," Bollywood singer Sunidhi told IANS. Tweet (less)

In those days, nothing felt more exhilarating and fulfiling than sweating it out for a sport one was passionate about. Later on, fulfilment came through some of the roles essayed in my films and then through the ownership of my cricket team.

Two years ago, in 2009, I had the opportunity of witnessing a mass running event for the first time, when I was present at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, and was truly amazed at the huge level of involvement and enthusiasm of people across sections . Be it participation in the different categories on Race Day, thronging the start and finish area or the race route to cheer on the participants, their intensity, high levels of energy and zest for life invigorated me and instilled in me a pleasant sense of well-being.

It's now time for the seventh edition of the world's most prestigious half marathon on Sunday, November 27, and once again I will be there to enthuse and revel in this huge celebration of friendship, communal harmony, social bonding, health and fitness. After successfully conducting the 2011 Formula1 Indian Grand Prix, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is another opportunity for the capital to showcase its sportsmanship and hospitality.

30,000 plus people have already registered for the event, and I am eager to see the rest of the city come out on the streets early on Sunday morning to show their solidarity with all those who are running for different reasons. I want to be a part of this morning when history will be made with the largest congregation of spectators for a sporting event.

There are definitely enough reasons for spectators to come out in large numbers, besides getting an opportunity to watch the world's, and India's, best long distance athletes in action. The half marathon route will be one huge party zone, with eight specially created areas featuring the Airtel Marathon Rockers, eight of Delhi's best rock bands.

And besides the high voltage music, there will be a host of other fun-filled activities, and most importantly, stalls serving Delhi's lips smacking street food. The overwhelming response from Delhiites to the seven editions of this event shows the strong health and fitness culture of the city.

They have also contributed significantly to the charity drive associated with the event to make this one of the single largest charity raising platforms in the country. The running movement is definitely here to stay, and witness a lot more history being written.

Let's give it impetus and join in the biggest celebration of friendship. See you all on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium! (less)

The song will be recorded on Wednesday at Ashok Honda Studios in Andheri. Vipin Patwa will compose the music for the same.

A source told Mumbai Mirror, "This is the first time Om Puri will be singing a song. He loved the idea when Vipin Patwa approached him.

Om Puri readily agreed to sing the song. In fact the film will be launched with the recording of this song.

" Rambhajan Zindabad also stars Rajkumar Yadav, Seema Azmi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. It is directed by Ranjeet K Gupta and produced by Khalid Kidwai (less)

The upper half of the gown was embellished with silver sequins and the floor sweeping voluminous skirt was made of layered tulle. She teamed it with a slim blush leather belt with a metallic buckle.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

What followed was a racy dialogue that sparkled with ideas, wit and confidence about transforming Rushdie's celebrated novel into film. The audience clearly felt rewarded.

A ten minute clip of the film that will release by October 2012, demonstrated its epic quality. Rushdie called it 'History handcuffed by pathos', while Deepa felt it was a 'love letter to India'.

"It is a very long novel," stated Rushdie while discussing the novel's adaptation into a film script. Rushdie claimed that he is now distanced enough to look at the novel objectively.

"I am not 23 now," said the author who wrote Midnight's Children at that very age. Both were hugely enthusiastic about the actors they finally got on board.

The huge cast includes Satya Bhabha, Anupam Kher, Shabana Azmi, Seema Biswas, Shahana Goswami, Shreya Saran, Soha Ali Khan, Samrat Chakrabarti, Rahul Bose, Rajat Kapoor, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Darsheel Safary. Speaking about his experience in India while on a star hunt earlier this year, Rushdie said, "Its strange that stars in India do not appreciate the concept of an exceptional ensemble cast - they think in terms of only the lead role and not beyond.

" While Midnight's Children was celebrated at TIFF , a small film, Lucky, set in South Africa and directed by an Indian psychiatrist hailing from UK, Avie Luthra, did not go unnoticed either. The story about a 10-year-old Zulu orphan boy Lucky and an elderly South Indian widow Padma upholds human kindness and faith amidst a racist society (less)

Ayesha Takia, apparently, is not one of those who'll compromise on her career perks. She refused to board a flight to Delhi when she learnt she was being 'downgraded', forcing producers of her forthcoming film Mod to cancel the promotional event to be held in the capital.

A source explains, "Unfortunately, the sponsor for the event backed out. But as the publicity was done, the producers decided to go ahead.

They made the bookings themselves for the cast and crew. Given the time of the event, they could only manage to get seats in the economy class of a low fare airline.

" Director Nagesh Kukunoor and co-star Rannvijay Singh were to join Ayesha on the flight. However, when the actress learnt about the bookings, she balked at the thought of flying economy.

"She just didn't want to fly that way and decided to opt out. After some time, the producers decided to cancel the event," adds the source.

Strangely, Rannvijay didn't get the message about the cancellation on time, and so he headed to the airport early morning to board his flight. "He had to make calls when he didn't sight anyone at the airport.

That's when he learnt the event was cancelled," says our source, adding that the VJ-turned-actor decided to go to the capital any way. "More so because a show of the music channel he's associated with was happening in Delhi.

So he went for it and returned in the evening," the source says. Tweet (less)

Having completed filming in Atlanta and New York, Mira is expected to being shooting in Delhi sometime very soon. Nair's movie narrates the story of a young Pakistani (played by Riz) working on Wall Street whose life drastically changes following the 9/11 attacks, when he leaves behind his adopted country and the American woman (played by Kate Hudson ) he had fallen for.

Filming began in the end of September. Days later, Nair mentioned on a microblogging site "Kate Hudson and @rizmc - kya chemistry hai!".

By October 14, filming of the US portions was over. Meanwhile, photos of the Hollywood star shooting in New York or spending time with son Ryder and fiance Matthew Bellamy have grabbed attention.

Her new hair colour (or wig?) as well as how trim she looks just three months after the birth of her son (Bingham Hawn Billamy) with Matthew have also become a talking point. While the debate over whether Kate looks better as blonde or brunette continues, there is also speculation over whether Kate and Liev (Naomi Watts' partner) will be flying down to Delhi, where a Pakistani setting will be recreated.

Riz, who had earlier filmed for Michael Winterbottom's "Trishna" with Frieda Pinto in Rajasthan, will be coming down to Delhi soon though he didn't divulge the filming dates in this country when CT got in touch with him. What he did say, however, was that he would be performing in a gig in Pune in November.

Said Riz, who is as passionate about music as he is about acting, "I am playing in Pune on November 20." The cast includes Shabana Azmi , Om Puri and Adil Hussain (of "Life of Pi" fame).

Industry sources said that Adil, who is now in New York to film "English Vinglish" with Sridevi , is expected to return to India on November 10. The actor will be playing the character of Mustafa and will begin filming his portions in Delhi from November 21.

Another interesting Indian connection for the film is that "Chak De! India" director Shimit Amin will be editing the movie (less)

He surprised us by saying that contrary to what's been reported, the film was not shot in Lahore (where the story is based) and was recreated in Delhi, not because the crew didn't get permission, but because there were concerns with the crew's safety in Pakistan. Was it clear from the beginning that Lahore would be recreated in Delhi, as the team couldn't get permissions to shoot in Lahore? I don't think there were any permission issues.

Because it's an international film with an international cast, films like these have an insurance bond, and it was impossible to get that kind of insurance bond to take these stars to Lahore. There were concerns about their safety there.

Mira met me twice in Lahore in the last two years, and she spent a couple of weeks there, discovering what all she wanted to shoot and where. And then, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was assassinated.

He was a family friend and had promised to support us, but after his death, the whole atmosphere changed. No one felt sure about taking the production to Lahore.

The government was not the problem. How much is Lahore a part of it now? Very much.

Mira has come to Lahore looking for music, Pakistani fashion..

. we went to meet contemporary Lahori artistes.

Even on the sets in Delhi, she'd often ask, "Is this guy looking like a chhalli (bhutta) wala in Lahore?" She's very keen to infuse Pakistan and Lahore in the film. How much are you involved in the making of the film? People often overestimate how much control a novelist has, and it can be very painful and frightening for a novelist to have control over a project like this.

So, early on only, I decided to just stay apart and enjoy the project. I'm like a father and the novel is like my child, who I've handed over to the boarding school.

I can now only sit back and hope that the school is good to my child and he/she grows up to be happy. When did you first give over the rights? I was approached by a few directors immediately after the novel was printed.

Mira was in London , and she took me and my wife out for lunch. Obviously, since "Salaam Bombay", I was aware of her work and I thought she was an enormously talented filmmaker.

I felt a great degree of comfort in handing over the project. I have not regretted that.

She has been very inclusive of me..

. I'd thought that the best thing to do and the easiest emotionally, was to not see it being made.

But that was probably not meant to be. Two years ago, Mira came and said that she was finding it difficult to get a screenwriter to adapt this.

She said those who get the desi context don't get the New York corporate bit, and vice versa. She asked me to draft a first copy of the screenplay.

Was this your first time in Delhi? I've been to India several times. But this is the first time that I spent several weeks in Delhi.

We went exploring the cafes, nightlife, restaurants, etc in Delhi, and it has become a much more international and interesting city in the last several years. Through Mira and the film, and the locations, I got to see places like the Delhi University campus, the Anglo Arabic school at Ajmeri Gate, Ritz Cinema in Kashmere Gate, the Old Delhi Railway Station - I got to soak up a bit of the older parts of Delhi that I wouldn't have done otherwise.

Also, these three weeks were extra special because my family was also here. My wife Zara, my parents, my daughter, my wife's parents, my sister-in-law, too.

..

there were 11 of us here, and we rented a flat. It was the first time in Delhi for a lot of them and I think they left thinking that we are only a 45-minute flight away from Lahore, yet it feels like you're travelling to another planet (less)

And last week, when that actually happened, something totally unexpected occured. Both Khans found themselves in the first class cabin of a Mumbai-Delhi flight recently.

While Salman was travelling to the capital for a shoot of Ek Tha Tiger , SRK was going there to attend a brand-related event. The 'Bodyguard' was already in his seat when the 'Don' got onto the flight.

And the minute SRK spotted his frenemy, he turned around and got off the flight without a word to anyone. A eyewitness reveals, "Salman was already on the flight with his entourage.

Suddenly there was tension in the air. When he turned to see why, he saw SRK standing there.

The minute the RA.One actor saw Salman, he began dialling on his mobile phone and walked out of the cabin.

" Shah Rukh's crew stayed back on the flight. It is learnt that he left for Delhi on a later flight.

A source close to SRK says, "He didn't leave the flight on seeing Salman. He was slated to travel on a private jet, but at the last minute, there was a problem and he decided to go on a commercial flight.

When he was on the flight, he got a call saying that the private jet was ready, so he chose to fly by that instead." After the incident, a person close to Salman put up a status update saying, "Bodyguard scared a Superhero away!" (less)

"(That was) another one that got away. I was gutted.

I mean, to work with Christopher Nolan in that kind of a role," she said. Biel then set her sights on landing the part of prostitute Fantine in filmmaker Tom Hooper's retelling of the classic Victor Hugo story, but says she never got the better of Hathaway.

"I felt terrified when I auditioned for Les Miserables , the movie that Tom Hooper is doing. I was terrified to sing in front of him.

I auditioned for Fantine and I sang I Dreamed a Dream. I didn't get it.

And I would have loved it," she added. Hathaway signed on for Les Miserables last month, joining Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Helena Bonham Carter in the ambitious new film.

Biel also said that she also missed out on the romantic lead in The Notebook to Rachel McAdams. Tweet (less)

Acting was never planned career option for her. She confesses, "Since childhood I always wanted to be different from the others.

I did professional training in Kathak and later joined Ashley Lobo's dance academy. When I told my father that I wanted to take up dancing as a full time career he was not at all happy with my decision.

Initially it was difficult for me but later my family got convinced. I have done lot of shows in India and abroad.

It was two years back that I shifted from Delhi to Mumbai. During my stay in Mumbai I got introduced to the Bollywood industry.

Suddenly one day I got a call from the director of the Love Break ups Zindagi that I got selected for a role in his movie. I just couldn't imagine it came as a big surprise for me and I accepted to do the role.

" So how different was the experience of facing the camera for the first time, "I'm a performing artist so it was not that difficult for me. I wasn't nervous at all.

I have performed live show before huge audience hence I had no fear or nervous feeling. The entire crews of the movie made me feel very comfortable on the sets.

" Talking about her hometown Delhi she says, "I miss Delhi a lot. But yes, whenever I m here in town I ensure that I get to spend some good quality time with my family and friends.

I miss my good old college days in Delhi and the street food. Joh maza Delhi main hain who Mumbai main kahan.

In fact my most of the shooting of my debut movie Love breakups Zindagi has been shot majority in Delhi." So any plans of visiting Delhi soon, Auritra adds, "I shall be there next month to attend the Durga pooja.

Besides that I will be Delhi again end of October to watch the F1 racing event to be held in Noida." She excitedly says, " My friends have already booked the tickets for the F1 event .

And the excitement is more because the event is to be hosted in Noida where I grew up. Earlier if I would tell people that I stay in Noida they would reply me back saying aree woh bahut gunda raaj jagah hain , But now with one of the mega sporting event like F1 event to be hosted in Noida I feel more proud to say that I'm a Noida girl.

In mid of October again I would be visiting Delhi to do a play with Lillete Dubey called August : Osage county." Next she has an interesting project which is an English short film directed by Ajitesh Sharma titled SWEN.

Talking more about her new upcoming project she says, "It is a very interesting film which is titled SWEN that means South , West , east and north. The shooting of the movie begins from next month in Ladakh.

The movie talks about four regions of India - South, East North and West. I have a strong character role to play in the movie.

The movie shoot will start in Ladakh followed by other locations like Assam, Kerala and Bhuj." (less)

. You have just got back from New York after the premiere of your film " That Girl in Yellow Boots" and now you're in Hyderabad.

That's a pretty hectic schedule. Ah! I feel so disoriented right now.

I'm running around for my movie, plus I have been committed to my play for a long time. Of late, my itinerary reads - Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, New York, Hyderabad - all within a short span of time.

Is time management an issue for a newly-married girl like you? Well, it's tough you know. Apart from my plays, I also have movie promotions.

For example, I couldn't join the cast of "Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara" for a few days, because I was busy with my prior commitments to my plays. Somewhere, I have managed to balance it out.

But I also believe that if you want to do something, you will always find time for that. Plus, there have been complete moments of 'nothingness' in my life where I had zilch to do.

And then, there are days like this when everything seems to happen at the same time. Is theatre still a priority? I have to be as professional as I can about theatre as I am with films.

Yes, I agree I haven't been able to give much time to the stage, but once I'm committed to it, I don't back out. For me theatre is very important.

It brings you back to your roots as an actor. Every time I finish a film and get back to stage, I feel so small.

It helps me become more open and bigger as an actor. It's kind of a training ground for me.

I'm taking films very slowly. I'm not trying to be an overnight success or anything.

Hence, I don't sign so many films. Theatre helps me fill the void between films.

If I didn't have it, I would have signed some not-so-good films, because I would have been bored sitting at home doing nothing. So, have you had those moments where you think you should be doing more films? Not really, because I've always been busy enough.

After "Dev D" there was a long gap, almost a year-and-a-half, where I didn't get any work. If I hadn't done the play "Skeleton Woman", which took up a whole year, I would have probably done any film that came my way.

Fortunately for me, I didn't feel that pressure. From no movies for one-and-ahalf year to three releases in 2011,is it too fast paced for you? (Laughs) Yes, it is, to be honest.

All these movies are releasing in one year. Probably, I'll have two years without a single release ! But I've been working on these films for the past year and a half and it's strange that all of them release one after the other - "Shaitan" , "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara" , "That Girl in Yellow Boots" and then "My Friend Pinto" .

I wish they would spread out a little bit because I'm not well-equipped to handle all this media attention. You've had two back-to-back hits with "Shaitan" and "Zindagi.

..

" The success of both came as a surprise to me. I knew "Zindagi.

..

" would do well because it's a lighthearted film. But I didn't know it would turn out to be such a hit.

I feared that it was a bit too upper middle class because it was set abroad. But the story is extremely Indian and the boys are so typical.

That's what worked. "Shaitan" on the other hand, was a complete surprise for me.

It's quite a dark subject. It's stylishly done and has a catchy soundtrack which makes it relevant and commercial too.

At the end of it, it's an entertaining and thrilling film - not those slow placed, boring, arty types. Your husband Anurag said that doing intense films with you takes a toll on your relationship .

Well, it's not like it saps me out or anything. But I wouldn't want to get repetitive with Anurag.

We've done two intense films together - "Dev D" and "That Girl in Yellow Boots" . So the next time I work with him, I want to do something different.

That's all I said to him. But most of your films are intense, except "Zindagi.

..

" True. But for me, it's not about intense or lighthearted films.

It is about the characters I play, which are starkly different from one another. Honestly, all these days have been too super hectic and I just wrapped up Dibakar Banerjee's "Shanghai" .

Hopefully after my next release , I'll take a break. Anurag and I haven't been on a honeymoon yet.

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I was very close to Deepika as well once upon a time. In fact, I had launched her in a music video.

Everybody knows how she walked out of Nihar?s life for Ranbir. Nihar was heartbroken.

He had done everything by the book. He looked after her for three-and-a-half-years.

In fact Deepika stayed in Nihar?s house with his parents for three years. Nobody knows that Deepika actually came crying back to Nihar after breaking up with Ranbir the first time.

Nihar went looking for Ranbir, intercepted his car and asked him what he was doing with Deepika. Ranbir shot back, ?Ask your girlfriend that?.

Even after all this, Nihar took Deepika back. And then the same thing happened with Yuvraaj Singh.

? ?Deepika heard about my plans for the film and asked me if it was true.? ?The film starts with Nihar?s monologue where he says, ?I loved Deepika and wanted my name to be associated for her for eternity?.

Nihar then wonders what went wrong. The film then goes into flashback.

The film is about Nihar?s quest to find out where Romeo went right, and he went wrong in love,? claimed the director. Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

Shah Rukh, who opened the festival at the Netaji Indoor Stadium alongside yesteryears actress Sharmila Tagore, began his speech by addressing Banerjee as "didi" (elder sister). The chief minister returned the gesture by calling Shah Rukh "brother".

But prior to that, while mounting the dais, the two stood at the aisle gesturing to one another to lead the way. Banerjee, in her trademark cotton saree, was the first to reach the aisle, but stopped for Shah Rukh, who was on the way.

The Bollywood celebrity, wearing a dark suit and sporting a ponytail , rushed in, came close to Banerjee and then requested her to climb the podium first. But Banerjee seemed more eager to give him the right of way.

The actor reciprocated by moving his hand and pleading with the leader to ascend the dais first. But Banerjee, known for his bargaining skills, finally won.

Shah Rukh climbed the dais before Banerjee. Sitting on the dais, the two talked animatedly.

When the ceremonial lamp was being lit, it was Shah Rukh who gave a candle to Banerjee, who handed it back to him for doing the honours. The ceremony over, Banerjee and Shah Rukh held a meeting, where the chief minister reportedly asked King Khan to be the brand ambassador for Bengal.

Shah Rukh, on his part, said he would be available whenever Banerjee called him (less)

The 88-year-old versatile actor-filmmaker, who died in London last night, will be remembered for his swagger, which continue to find imitations till date. When his contemporaries like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar stopped playing the leading men in movies, Dev Anand did not lose his innate romantic spirit and continued to woo his young heroines with trademark puff of hair, his sloping walk and smile in movies like Johnny Mera Naam, Des Pardes , Hare Rama Hare Krishna among others.

The actor-director-producer was working till his last. His latest project Chargsheet is ready to release and he was planning a extention of his cult hit Hare Rama Hare Krishna .

But there will be no Dev saab, as he was popularly addressed as by friends and fans, to complete them. In his last interview to PTI in September on his 88th birthday, Dev Anand said that he had still a lot to offer.

"My life is the same and I am at a beautiful stage at 88. I am as excited as I was in my 20s.

I have so many things to do and I am looking forward to the release of Chargesheet . "I am working on a fresh script titled Hare Rama Hare Krishna Aaj on audience's demand.

" His films spoke of his modern sensibilities and desire to portray tomorrow's headlines today. The Bollywood legend always said that his films were expression of his world view and hence dealt with socially-relevant subjects.

His recent movies focused on the themes of present times like Awwal Number, Sau Crore, Censor, Mr Prime Minister and the latest Chargesheet where he played central characters. Even though after Awwal Number , his movies did not do well at the box office, the evergreen hero's mantra was always to think positive.

"I never give myself a chance to get depressed. I think ahead," he would say.

There has always been a hint of romance and intrigue in Dev Anand's personal and professional life which perhaps made him so popular. In 2007, he released his memoirs Romancing with Life where he admitted he has never looked back in his life, always preferring to remain optimistic and confident about future.

Born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand in Gurdaspur of undivided Punjab to a well-to-do advocate Pishorimal Anand on September 26, 1923, he graduated in English literature from the Government Law College in Lahore. He was the second of three brothers born to Kishorimal Anand.

Dev's younger sister is Sheela Kanta Kapur, who is mother of Shekhar Kapur. His older brother was Chetan Anand and younger one was Vijay Anand.

Love for acting made him leave his hometown and arrive in Mumbai (then Bombay), where he began earning Rs 160 a month at the military censor office at Churchgate reading letters written by soldiers to their families. His first breakthrough Hum Ek Hain in 1946, with Pune's Prabhat studios, did little to boost his film career.

He struck a friendship with fellow actor Guru Dutt and they made a pact: if Dev produced a film, Guru Dutt would direct and if Guru Dutt produced a film, Dev would act in it. Dev Anand was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar, who picked him up as the lead actor for Bombay Talkies production Ziddi co-starring Kamini Kaushal in 1948 which became a success.

In 1949, Dev Anand turned producer and launched his own company Navketan. As promised, he signed his friend Guru Dutt to direct the crime thriller 'Baazi' (1951).

This creative collaboration was a success. In the late forties Dev Anand got a few offers to star opposite singer-actress Suraiya, an established actress of that time.

While shooting these films, he became romantically involved with Suraiya. The two of them were paired in seven films together -- Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Shair (1949), Afsar (1950), Nili (1950) Do Sitare (1951) and Sanam (1951), all successful at the box office.

In these films Suraiya was always first billed in credits to imply she was a bigger star than Dev Anand. She fell in love with him during the shooting of the song Kinare kinare chale jayen ge while shooting "Vidya", where during the shooting, a boat capsized and Dev Anand saved Suraiya from drowning.

On the sets of the film Jeet , Dev Anand finally proposed to Suraiya but her maternal grandmother opposed the relationship as they were Muslim and Dev Anand Hindu, and so, Suraiya remained unmarried all her life. He was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar.

He spotted Dev hanging around in the studios and picked him as the hero for the Bombay Talkies production, Ziddi in 1948, which became an instant success. Always the one to think ahead, Dev Anand decided to start producing films after Zinddi's success.

In 1949, Dev Anand turned producer and launched his own company Navketan which till 2011 has produced 31 films. His trademark style of dialogue delivery, an array of hats and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev Anand's style in films like Munimji, CID and Paying Guest .

His style was lapped by the audience and widely imitated. Taxi Driver (1954) and CID (1956) saw him portraying living in the urban underbelly.

He broke new grounds, playing a smuggler in Jaal , absconding gang member in Dushman , blackmarketeer in Kalabazaar and a murderer in Bombay Ka Babu . Still, critics accused him of being more style than substance.

But, Dev Anand proved his detractors wrong - first with a class act in Kala Paani (1958). Then came Hum Dono (1961) and he finally sealed all doubts with a nuanced performance in "Guide" (1966).

In 1970s, his success story continued with Johnny Mera Naam . "Jewel Thief", directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, was another feather in his cap.

Honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002, Dev Anand had also been politically active. He led a group of film personalities, who stood up against the 1975 Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in 1977 Parliamentary elections. He also floated a political outfit, National Party of India, which he later disbanded.

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One went on floors, Shah Rukh Khan has made headlines for prioritising work over all else. From captilising on the country's most loved sport by previewing the film's promos at the 2011 Cricket World Cup to roping in the biggest names in Indian cinema - south superstar Rajinikanth and Big B , SRK has utilized all the ammunition possible for the superhero movie.

And now we hear that the actor has already started chalking out plans for his next venture. Living by his current larger-than-life mantra, his home banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, for the first time since its inception in 2002, will reportedly produce a comedy film.

A source informed Mumbai Mirror that that the film, slated to go on floors in the second half of next year, has been titled A for Apple, B for Ball. "There is also a C for something in the title, but that word is yet to be finalised," said the source.

Apparently the film's title is suggestive of its storyline. The source explained that the film dwells on the challenges of a Delhi resident who is eager to learn English, but still ends up talking in Hinglish.

The source told us, "Shah Rukh will play the lead role in the film. The heroine, however, is yet to be finalized.

" A source revealed that A for Apple, B for Ball was scripted by SRK's very close friend from Delhi. "Shah Rukh decided to explore the comedy genre because he loved the script.

And so, he has also decided to get his friend to direct the film. They have constantly been in contact to discuss the necessary arrangements to get the project going.

They will soon zero down on the locales to shoot the film. The other modalities are fast being worked out," added the source.

Despite repeated attempts, Shah Rukh remained unavailable for comment (less)

"I have have completed five days of shooting in Mumbai and have shot two songs of the movie. I wrote the story about a woman and three generations of men.

The story is spread across seven days. The resemblance to Shobhaa De begins and ends with the fact that my lead character is a fiesty author who writes pulp fiction.

I show three phases in her life. She is a girl who was brought up in an orphanage.

The superintendent of the orphanage was Lillete Dubey who was her surrogate mother figure. Anupam Kher plays a character who owns a publishing house.

In real life, David Davidhar was an employee of a publishing house. A similarity in the surname can't be reason enough to draw comparisons," Sudipto says.

In the film, Raveena falls in love with Rohit's character when she was a journalist in a girlie magazine. "Rohit Roy's character has also been misrepresented in the media.

He plays a suave and charming fashion photographer. He isn't a bad-hopper.

He wanted Raveena to go for an image makeover. She became more fashion conscious but was also traditionally Indian," the director says.

An emotional incident causes the two to drift apart. "That's when Raveena goes through a drastic change in her life to meet a as aspiring actor from a small town.

This character is played by Amit Purohit. To prove a point to Rohit that she is still a very attractive woman, she goes for a makeover.

Her lifestyle changes drastically when she becomes celebrity author. Raveena is now preparing to shoot some sensual and romantic love scenes with Amit.

But the scenes are not sleazy. The film is fraught with tragic nuances.

My movie is about a woman finding liberation." However, none of the characters in the film are negative.

"There is nobody bad in my film. Everybody is a creature of circumstances," he signs off (less)

He'd agreed to attend the event two weeks ago, but a few days before the event he backed out. Why? To attend a fashion show in the capital! His manager conveyed to the organisers that he had a prior commitment he couldn't get out of.

Ranveer's spokesperson says that he had committed to the Delhi event nearly three months ago, so she spoke to Shaina and apologised for the mix-up. Adds Shaina, "We had sent out invites to the function a month in advance.

Hoardings and bus panels have also been put up across the city. Ranveer had confirmed his attendance a month ago.

He was to be awarded for his acting in the films category. However, as late as September 13, an email was sent to us informing us of his unavailability as he had already committed to another event.

" Singh's manager informed Shaina that her client was bailing to attend a fashion show in Delhi. "Ranveer's no-show is extremely upsetting as he backed out at the last minute.

I think it is highly unprofessional to give a written confirmation one month prior to an event, accept an award and then back off four days prior to the awards programme! This is no way for a newcomer to behave, especially since we're honouring him for his work," says Shaina (less)

About the differences between the leading ladies, Imran says, "Katrina is a workaholic. She's always obsessed with her work.

On sets, she strives to be a perfectionist and will keep going at a thing unless she achieves it and is satisfied with the result." Kareena is quite the opposite he says.

"Bebo is the most chilled out person on set. She doesn't believe much in rehearsing and is totally instinctive.

Kareena just switches into whatever character she's playing once the camera is on. Her ability to give an amazing shot in just one take always amazes me.

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He said, "I got a call from the film's producer Deepak Tanwar. He wanted me to do a cameo in his film.

Since dharnas are such a hot topic these days, I thought it would be a good idea to be a part of this movie. The movie will be shot in Delhi, so there would be no traveling hassles involved, keeping all this in mind, I said yes to the role.

" Apart from this, Sangram said, he is considering a few offers from Tollywood. "I have signed one big movie down south.

I'm also reading a few scripts; soon I shall be making an announcement," he said (less)

The change is dramatic and drastic. Her cheeks and lips (note the upper lip) are those which have changed most.

As a prominent B-town doc claimed that 80% of the industry had had cosmetic surgery. Ash sure looks one of those numbers.

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If Bollywood's knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with "Bodyguard" and "Ready". In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.

2) Aamir Khan : What one missed in Salman Khan's films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer "Dhobi Ghat". Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai.

The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, "Wow! What a performance! What an actor!" If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy "Delhi Belly" and the film's success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood . 3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan.

The youngster excelled in his only release " Rockstar ", which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.

4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in "RA.One" to woo his fans.

Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.

5). Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B.

Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films "Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap" and "Aarakshan" - as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students.

In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.

6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in " Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ", which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan.

The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right. 7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality.

If "Kites" didn't allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" helped him unleash his potential as an actor. 8) R.

Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him.

But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.

9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in "Dev D" or a smart thief in "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye", he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past.

He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". 10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in "Omkara" and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility.

This year he had just one release in "Aarakshan", which was not a super hit, but the film's box office performance didn't overshadow Saif's work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.

(Arpana can be contacted at arpana.s@ians.

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Whatever roles he has done -be it films where he had to kiss his partner or fight in the rains -the audience can always identify with his emotions. There is an instant connect.

Even if Emraan is serenading a girl wearing a sharkskin jacket while driving a sports car, he makes the members in the audience believe that they too can do what Emraan is doing. In "Shanghai", I made Emraan play a character who represents this viewer whose icon is someone like Emraan Hashmi.

He is a small town guy eking out a living by being a photographer. He does odd jobs, isn't very well-read or articulate and has two or three press cards on him.

Basically, he is a man of all seasons. What's nice about Emraan is that he is a natural actor and has great comic timing.

He is sharp and his presence adds the laugh lines to "Shanghai". His character undergoes a transformation and by the time the film ends, he is finally facing his own reality.

You are the only director with whom Abhay Deol has done two movies. How did you see him evolve as an actor? Abhay is usually the black sheep in most of his films.

In "Shanghai", he is the core of conservative, middle class India who clings on to his patriotic belief that India has to take over China one day. I've known Abhay as a very spontaneous actor who doesn't rehearse much.

But in this film, Abhay was different. He was playing a Tamil Brahmin who is an IAS officer.

Abhay asked for a language coach and insisted that everyday, before we shot the scenes, he spent at least 40 minutes with him. He researched on IAS officers apart from interacting with two different Tamilians from different social classes.

He also got a book to learn Tamil alphabets. It's a tough task to speak in Tamil-accented Hindi without turning it into a caricature.

Your movie is based on Greek author Vassilis Vassilikos's novel titled Z, the rights of which you had purchased. There is a Costa-Gavras movie that has already been adapted from the same book.

How difficult does the scope of adaptation become in such cases? The organic difference between a book and a film is that while in the former we need to read what the character is going through and figure it out in our heads, the audience has to see those experiences in a movie. Ergonomically, a book often meanders in terms of the narrative.

A film, in contrast, has to be more evocation and linear in structure. Writing the screenplay of an adaptation is a tough job.

Urmi Juvekar and I bickered for a year to get the screenplay in place. It is a continuous iterative and interactive process.

One has to be flexible. In the book, there are two characters who come from the lowliest of society.

They are involved in negative acts but Vassilis has dealt with them quite positively. He understood the compulsions of these two characters.

The earlier film ignored these two characters. I didn't.

Is this because in the Indian context, finding a sentimental reason for a character's flaw is always a great way to win over the audience? No, that's not it. The book was set in the 1960s and was written in the context of the Left and the Right wing politics.

Today's India has no political ideologies as such. It is more about the rich and the poor.

From being a transmutation of a "Left and Right film", "Shanghai" became a "Rich and Poor movie". "Shanghai" is a political thriller at a time when real-life political scenario has become one big tamasha with a lot of thriller element.

Does that interest you? No. Most of the political thrillers in India are about this tamasha.

But my film is about the politics of real life. It is about the politics that decide where you will live and which road will be open for you and which building will be demolished to create which mall.

The great Indian political tamasha, in contrast, is a creation of the bad habits of the elite media of our country. One has to manufacture tamasha and have people opine on every possible event because there are so many pages to fill up.

My interest doesn't lie there. My movie is about the blood and sweat politics of real survival.

While you spent a year deciding on the screenplay of the movie, most of the hits in India today don't even have the script. What's the importance of scripts in the context of Indian cinema then? A script of an Indian film is as important as you make it.

A film with lots of stars and expensive locations might generate 100 crore at the box-office. But who knows whether the film wouldn't have generated 200 crore at the BO if more attention was paid to the script or not.

For me, the important factor is the need to make better and well-made cinema that's organically complete. A well-made cinema should not be judged by its BO success.

The maker and his respect for what he does in cinema should not be judged by what he earns by doing so. Are you happy with what you've earned? Yes, I am.

I have my house, my cars and can afford a decent standard of living. Do you still not have a television at home? I don't.

My mobile still doesn't have Internet connectivity. But do I look ill-informed? I have my iPad and I am very prompt about replying to e-mails.

Does your daughter insist that you let her to watch cartoons on television? We don't have a television at home. She doesn't watch it.

Can she speak Bangla? No, she can't. The fault is completely mine because I have never spoken to her in Bengali.

My wife, Richa, is from Kolkata and can speak the language. But Richa and I speak Bengali only when we have some secret to share in front of others.

Otherwise, we speak in Hindi and English. I certainly want our daughter to be introduced to Bengali literature.

My parents did that to me and hence my world opened up. I too would want that to happen to her and will soon gift her a Barnaporichoy (less)