He's waiting for the return of his mentor Salman Khan (who is shooting overseas) to finalise the details on the venue for a huge bash. He has given 12 hits with Salman, while Bodyguard's music broke new ground.

Naturally, HR wants Atul and Alvira Agnihotri too to join in the celebrations. Incidentally Himesh will also use the platform to announce his third international collaboration for his album @ da edge at the same venue.

The first two big names already on board are Edward Maya and Li'l Wayne . There are 15 songs in the album and each song and video will have an international featuring artist on the track with Himesh (less)

B-town is abuzz with rumours that Kangana has demanded more money from the producers. The actress did not attend the music launch of the film, nor was she present for the launch of its first look.

"We do have issues with Kangana. She has this starry attitude," said co-producer Sanjay Ahluwalia.

Rascals is produced by Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Ahluwalia and Vinay Choksey. The film releases on October 7.

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According to sources, the decision to take in Amy was reached when the unit was in the US some months ago, and decided to have a special version for its worldwide release. "Since the movie is set in USA and is on the plight of Sikhs post 9/11, it required an overdose of foreign element.

A separate character was created which is played by Amy," said the source. It is also been said that Amy has been paid around Rs 1.

5 crore for the project and that she might also groove in film's title song 'Sher jeha dil sada, I am Singh'. The movie has two versions, one for the Indian market and the other for international audiences.

Confirming this, Puneet said, "Yes the international version is scrunched to 90 minutes from the original 2.05 hours.

Amy is present in both the versions, but she's more prominent in the film's foreign variant." However, the names in both the versions remain the same and it will release simultaneously.

Amy, who has worked in dozens of films, including "Dinocroc vs. Supergator" and "The Unit", is happy to have reserved a berth in Bollywood.

When contacted, Amy said, "Indian film industry is vast and I would want to do more projects here." On "I am Singh" she said, "It's a challenging role and with this I am learning the finer nuances of acting, especially in Hindi movies.

" Standing tall at 5'.10", Amy plays the role of a lawyer who represents South Asian community.

"Her role is designed in keeping her personality," said Puneet. Notably, Amy's also a model and is keen to work in Indian reality shows.

"I have many Indian friends and that's another reason I am inquisitive about Indian cinema," said Amy, who after graduating from the Los Angeles County High School joined Brian Riese acting studio in Hollywood. Tweet'; var stindex=100; var stp=150; var taglen=0; var tmp; var tagcheck = new Array("div","span","br","font","a"); if(storymetalinks==true) { var storydiv=document.

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We take a quick sneak peek into Neha's Bollywood diary and ask her about her journey so far in the industry. Tell us a bit about your character in the movie ' Luv U Soniyo' My character in the film is that of a Punjabi girl who is upbeat and lively.

She is someone who carries positive energy with her wherever she goes. She loves to aspire big and is her family's favourite child.

I did not have to struggle or put in much effort to bring out the real character because 'Soniyo' is very much like me in real life. The fact that I could relate to the character made me believe that I can portray it with correct passion and genuity.

Does acting come naturally to you or have you undergone a professional training for the film? I am a software engineer by profession and Bollywood has never been a conscious decision for me. It happened by chance and now that I am into it, I am ready to explore its depths.

Yes, I would definitely like to polish my acting skills so that I find myself at ease with other film projects sure to come my way in the near future. As far as Luv U Soniyo is concerned, I just let myself loose and that I guess worked! Your experience shooting for Luv U Soniyo It has been a fun ride.

I remember my first shot was in Goa and that was like living a dream. My co-star Tanuj Virwani (son of yesteryear actress Rati Agnihotri) and I shared a rocking equation on the sets.

My director Joe Rajan helped both of us bring out our true potential in the film. Our chemistry in the film is one of the highpoints to watch out for.

I had never met Tanuj before but we clicked instantly at the shoot and I think this will reflect onscreen too. How far has Miss India helped you carve a niche in Bollywood? Did it come easy? Most definitely! Miss India has played the role of a catalyst in giving me a quick entry into Bollywood.

I was adjudged the Bollywood Diva during the pageant and I can proudly say that I was the only contestant (who did not win the International crown) to have been selected by veteran director Madhur Bhandarkar for his film. However, prior commitments, preparation for Miss International pageant and a host of other reasons did not allow me to be a part of the film.

In fact it was Madhur Bhandarkar who recommended me to Joe Rajan for Luv U Soniyo and I am grateful to him for that. Dream directors you would like to work with.

..

Oh! The list is endless. Some of the names that come to my mind are Imtiaz Ali, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and of course the Yash Raj banner.

The kind of roles you'd want to do..

. I am open to all kinds of roles for I believe it is important to be versatile and experimental to be recognised in Bollywood as an actor.

Current projects/ endorsements you are associated with..

. No, there are no projects in the pipeline as of now.

For the time being my focus is only on 'Luv U Soniyo', the shooting of which got completed earlier this month. Dubbing and other technical details are still at finishing stage.

After that I will be off on a vacation to Pune and spend quality time with family and friends. We wish Neha the best for all her future endeavours (less)

Actors like John Abraham and Akshay Kumar have gone shirtless recently. You are now joining the league.

Nervous? n I had done the same for my music video Ek Pal, so I wasn't nervous about going shirtless. I had no qualms about doing it.

I'd have felt weird if it was forced, but this goes with the flow of the movie. I have always been into fitness, but this time I have put in more effort.

I had to get lean, but six-pack abs aren't my priority. Did you hit the gym big time before shedding your shirt? I was careful about what I was eating.

I cut down a bit on carbs. I didn't stress too much about it.

I have my own form of training. I like mixing aerobics, weight training and other things.

I was staying opposite Hyde Park in London, so I would go there for a run. That helped me a lot.

The day before you shoot, you do try and be a bit careful about what you eat. Are six-pack abs on your wish list? It's good to have six-pack abs, but that isn't on top of my mind.

Every actor doesn't need to sport six-pack or eight-pack abs. For this movie, I have tried to go for a lean, toned look.

Some actors even get abs painted before a shot, but that's not for me. I think it's important to be fit and get under the skin of the character.

I mean, normal people don't walk around with six-pack or eight-pack abs, right? Contd. on pg 8 Who according to you has a great bod in Bollywood? I think John Abraham has a great physique; also Akshay Kumar is really fit.

Besides acting, you are composing the music, writing the lyrics and singing for you this film. Isn't it hectic? It's been tough writing, arranging the music, recording and shooting for the film in three locations around the world.

But I thoroughly enjoy it because I am a workaholic. I can't sit idle for a minute.

Also, I am partial to music, so I love composing. You have been shooting all around the globe.

Do you enjoy living out of a suitcase? I don't have much of a choice. Nobody likes to live out of a suitcase.

Also, this time around I have been shooting in London, Paris and New York, and now Chashme Buddoor is being shot in Goa. It becomes very difficult to set up base when you are travelling constantly.

As for my family, they are based in Lahore and travel periodically to spend time with me. You entry in Bollywood has been pretty smooth.

..

I have worked extremely hard for it. I had three offers to choose from for my debut.

In one movie, I had to play a rockstar, while the second was a rom-com, but I chose Tere Bin Laden, where I didn't even have an actress opposite me. I choose what my heart tells me is right.

I love doing edgy stuff. And that unconventional movie proved to be an advantage for me.

The camera doesn't intimidate me because I have done music videos as a singer and acting was the next step. Post Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Katrina Kaif was going to star in a video for you, is that still on? I have yet to write a song for her.

We all have really hectic schedules, but that video will definitely happen sometime in the future. Who according to you has a great bod in Bollywood? I think John Abraham has a great physique; also Akshay Kumar is really fit.

Besides acting, you are composing the music, writing the lyrics and singing for you this film. Isn't it hectic? It's been tough writing, arranging the music, recording and shooting for the film in three locations around the world.

But I thoroughly enjoy it because I am a workaholic. I can't sit idle for a minute.

Also, I am partial to music, so I love composing. You have been shooting all around the globe.

Do you enjoy living out of a suitcase? I don't have much of a choice. Nobody likes to live out of a suitcase.

Also, this time around I have been shooting in London, Paris and New York, and now Chashme Buddoor is being shot in Goa. It becomes very difficult to set up base when you are travelling constantly.

As for my family, they are based in Lahore and travel periodically to spend time with me. You entry in Bollywood has been pretty smooth.

..

I have worked extremely hard for it. I had three offers to choose from for my debut.

In one movie, I had to play a rockstar, while the second was a rom-com, but I chose Tere Bin Laden, where I didn't even have an actress opposite me. I choose what my heart tells me is right.

I love doing edgy stuff. And that unconventional movie proved to be an advantage for me.

The camera doesn't intimidate me because I have done music videos as a singer and acting was the next step. Post Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Katrina Kaif was going to star in a video for you, is that still on? I have yet to write a song for her.

We all have really hectic schedules, but that video will definitely happen sometime in the future (less)

A source informed that Neil and Rohit hit it off during the shooting of Abbas-Mustan's Players , which was scripted by Rohit. "That's when Neil told Rohit about his dream project Paidaar.

Apparently, Rohit also helped Neil with the final shape of the screenplay," said the source. With the news of Neil's latest endeavour doing the rounds, the industry is abuzz with speculations about the likely cast of the film.

And reportedly, the actor's rumoured ex-flame Deepika Padukone is a strong contender for the female lead. As for Neil, he has decided to don the role of music composer as well.

And we hear that the actor and his reputed singer father, Nitin Mukesh will sing one of Mukesh's classic evergreens. The source added that besides composing the music, the father and son are likely to also produce the film.

When contacted, Nitin confirmed, "Well, yes it's true. But I can't reveal details.

I've been working on this script quietly for years now. I was wondering who would direct it for me.

Then, when I got to know Rohit Jugraj, I knew I had found the director capable of doing justice to my dream project. Rohit and I are not only like-minded, but also very compatible in our creativity.

I can't wait to start the film. I'll be singing all the numbers for my character.

Apart from this, I can't reveal anything more right now." (less)

"It was really easy for Akon. When he came to the studio and we told him that he would have to sing in Hindi too, he got really excited.

Once he heard the lines, he started singing fluently. It took him only three-four hours to learn.

..

he picked up everything so well," said Shekhar. The music of the film has been released and the song Chammak Challo has already caught the fancy of music lovers.

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Apart form this, the film also has a Punjabi rap track composed and sung by rap sensation from Punjab, Honey Singh , which has already caught the fancy of the audience. Moreover, upcoming singing sensation Suraj Jagan, who came into the limelight with the success of "3-Idiots", after singing for the hit track, "Give Me Some Sunshine", has also sung a song for the film.

Lastly, critically acclaimed music arranger, Amar Mohile, has composed the background score for the film. The movie's producers, Linc Entertainment - for whom this is a maiden venture - have sold the music rights of the movie to a leading entertainment and music company.

They are also planning a grand official music launch today. So, keep your ears open for a melodious journey from " Shakal Pe Mat Ja " (less)

So, I've seen the life of a musician from pretty close quarters and am glad that my first film that happens to be on music. I was signed on for some other projects too, but things didn't work out then! Maybe since my heart and soul was in music it is only apt that my first film is on music.

" Speaking more about his film, Neerav says, "When I started out as a musician, I'll confess the cool quotient of the profession was attractive and the thought of chics adoring you, alluring! But, when on stage amid while performing amid all that loud music of different instruments, a thought always crosses a musician's mind (and it did mine too) 'what if I go deaf?' And it is this fear that gave birth to my film. And playing the lead role is Rajeev Khandelwal .

" Quiz the director on his choice of actor and he says, "He just seemed so perfect for the role. Also, he's the face of intelligent, urban cinema and I knew that he'll do justice to the character I have in mind.

" How did he steer clear of roping in big names for his first film? He says, "I always believe that a film is made in the pre-production stage itself. If the script is strong, the plan well laid out and locations chosen in advance, then the execution of plan, which is filming, is the last part and easiest.

And if this is done well, your film does well too!" (less)

With names like Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra in the past and most recently even Vidya Balan doing the rounds to play the lead roles, Benegal has not given up hope to make his dream project. The veteran filmmaker said, "Yes, I am keen to revive Chamki Chameli but till everything is in place, I do not want to make any announcement.

I am looking at the possibilities and only when the time is right can I say anything. It is too early for me to divulge any information now.

" Chamki Chameli is inspired by Georges Bizet's opera Carmen but has an Indian setting. The story revolves around Chamki, a gypsy girl who is responsible for the downfall of many men.

In the past, Benegal at that time had already spoken to A R Rahman to score the music and the maestro had agreed. When the project was to get going initially there was buzz that Urmila Matondkar would feature in it.

Later in 2006, Sanjay Gupta was to produce the film for Benegal. At that time there was buzz that Kareena was to be cast as Chamki.

What also added to the buzz was that her sister Karisma Kapoor had featured in Benegal's Zubeidaa . But later Gupta opted out.

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He has a repertoire of over 450 films in a career spanning more than 25 years. "My play Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai is my autobiography, the most creative product of my life that came along only because I needed to survive," he writes in his inspirational book The Best Thing About You is You, released recently by Hay House.

"Today I have completed over 225 shows of my play and it has become an extension of my philosophy. And I want to take that philosophy far and wide to reach as many people as possible, so that they too may share my life changing truths and benefit from my experiences," he writes.

"That is why I will soon be launching Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai as a life-coaching programme. It will contain the essence of life and living.

And it could be the best thing that might happen to you yet because, as I always say, the best book about life is life itself!" In his book, Kher, who has acted in films like Saraansh, Karma, Saudagar, Khosla Ka Ghosla and A Wednesday , reveals how a humble background need not be an obstacle in achieving success. The 50 chapters of the book contain the author's views on a variety of topics like anger syndrome, the phenomenon of change, thought control, dealing with relationships, conquering stress, getting rid of fears, coming to terms with failure, realizing the power within oneself and coping with loss and death.

"This book is a first-hand account of what I have learned throughout my life and I won't be exaggerating when I say that my failures have helped me create the two most beautiful extensions of myself my acting school Actor Prepares and my play," he says. "The purpose of my writing this book is to initiate change for the better in our lives," he writes.

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One" and " Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara " not only satiated the moviegoer's appetite but also yielded profits for the Hindi film industry. Here IANS lists the top 10 movies of the year: 1.

"Bodyguard": Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor's "Bodyguard" broke the opening day records by earning Rs.22 crore on the first day.

Although the story of the film, directed by Siddique , didn't have much to say, the music as well as the action sequences worked in its favour. Salman's signature dialogue - "Mujh par ek ehsaan karna ki mujh par koi ehsaan na karna" - once again struck a chord with fans.

2. "Ra.

One": World class VFX, amazing graphics, innovative marketing, tie-ups with multiple brands and Shah Rukh Khan as the superhero made sci-fi thriller "Ra.One" a profitable venture.

Another highlight of the film was its music, especially the song "Chamak challo" sung by international rapper Akon. And the marathon promotion by the superstar helped bring people to the theatres.

3. "The Dirty Picture": Her sensuous look shocked, her itsy-bitsy clothes astonished and her double meaning dialogues left audiences gasping for breath, but all this nothwithstanding, Vidya Balan swept both the classes and the masses off their feet with her bold avatar in Ekta Kapoor's "The Dirty Picture".

An unofficial biopic of southern sex symbol Silk Smitha, the film broke the myth that only movies with "Khans" work at the box office. 4.

"Ready": Romantic comedies have been a staple of Hindi films and this year Salman Khan's "Ready" used the recipe to earn profits. Shot in exotic locales of Thailand , director Anees Bazmee's drama about mistaken identity saw Salman romancing Asin Thottumkal amid all the hotch-potch in their lives, thanks to their onscreen relatives.

5. "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara": Focussing on three bachelors dealing with their friendship and romance, the well-scripted film, with a resemblance to real life episodes, was supported by beautiful performances by the talented cast - Hrtihik Roshan, Abhay Deol , Farhan Akhtar , with Kalki Koechlin and Katrina Kaif as their love interests.

Kudos to director Zoya Akhtar for bringing liveliness, happiness and joyfulness with such deftness on screen through an adventurous road film mostly based in Spain. 6.

"Singham": An out-and-out action film, the success of "Singham" proves that there are takers for such films. Based on the "good wins over evil" theme, the actioner takes a dig at the corruption within the police department through two main characters - honest cop Ajay Devgn and Prakash Raj as a corrupt politician.

Director Rohit Shetty's film also marked southern actress Kajal Aggarwal's debut in Bollywood. 7.

" Rockstar ": Give him a good role and he can sink his teeth into it. Ranbir Kapoor proved that again by stepping into the shoes of a musician.

From a cute and simple college boy to a crazy lover to a successful but cynical singer, the young actor proved his mettle in every frame. The film appealed despite a faulty script, which had too many loose ends.

In short, it was Ranbir's film, which launched American Pakistani model in the Bollywood business. Other high points of the movie were A.

R. Rahman's music and Mohit Chauhan's singing.

8. "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan": Not good, not bad - that is how Yash Raj Films' "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" could be described.

Thanks to Imran Khan , Katrina Kaif and Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zaffar's tangled love story woven against the backdrop a wedding, the romantic comedy managed to pull the crowds. The film got mixed reviews, but managed to enter the top grosser list of the year.

9. "Delhi Belly": Replete with cuss words, weird situations, witty dialogues, the experimental movie in the English language targeted the urban audiences, who hailed this free will adult comedy as they identified with the characters of Imran Khan, Kunal Roy Kapoor and Vir Das in the movie.

If director Abhinay Deo faced failure with "Game", this film pulled him out of darkness and Aamir Khan once again proved that he has a knack for choosing the best scripts as a producer. 10.

"Yamla Pagla Deewana": After the 2007 release "Apne", the Deol trio - Sunny, Bobby and Dharmendra - returned to the big screen with the comic caper "Yamla Pagla Deewana" by director Sameer Karnik. Though a small budget film, it received an overwhelming response.

The impeccable comic timing between the father and sons struck a chord with the audiences (less)

He has a repertoire of over 450 films in a career spanning more than 25 years. "My play Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai is my autobiography, the most creative product of my life that came along only because I needed to survive," he writes in his inspirational book The Best Thing About You is You, released recently by Hay House.

"Today I have completed over 225 shows of my play and it has become an extension of my philosophy. And I want to take that philosophy far and wide to reach as many people as possible, so that they too may share my life changing truths and benefit from my experiences," he writes.

"That is why I will soon be launching Kuchh Bhi Ho Sakta Hai as a life-coaching programme. It will contain the essence of life and living.

And it could be the best thing that might happen to you yet because, as I always say, the best book about life is life itself!" In his book, Kher, who has acted in films like Saraansh, Karma, Saudagar, Khosla Ka Ghosla and A Wednesday , reveals how a humble background need not be an obstacle in achieving success. The 50 chapters of the book contain the author's views on a variety of topics like anger syndrome, the phenomenon of change, thought control, dealing with relationships, conquering stress, getting rid of fears, coming to terms with failure, realizing the power within oneself and coping with loss and death.

"This book is a first-hand account of what I have learned throughout my life and I won't be exaggerating when I say that my failures have helped me create the two most beautiful extensions of myself my acting school Actor Prepares and my play," he says. "The purpose of my writing this book is to initiate change for the better in our lives," he writes.

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Neil, who is playing a grey character in the film co-starring Ameesha Patel had his reasons to wait two-and-a-half months for this new rough look. "I follow method acting," revealed the actor, and added, "My character in Shortcut Romeo required me to look rough.

And I did not want to wear a wig. The days of wigs have gone, I think.

Also, wearing a wig affects one's acting. Thankfully, my hair grew fast" (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)

He says, "I am sure it will tug a chord in every Indian's heart." He recites the mukhda, "Apni mitti ki saundhi khushbu hain, ragon mein ye basi hain, chumenge ise shaan se, humko to pyara hai watan apni jaan se," and asks, "Isn't it striking?" He doesn't see how his singing a patriotic number for Indians can ruffle feathers in his homeland.

"The musical chords have always remained strong between the two nations. As a small man and a singer, I have been trying to bridge the gap and blur the barriers between the two countries.

" Reflecting on it again, he adds, "India and Pakistan were one, till siyasat played its dirty game and created a siyasi border in 1947. We are brothers, and brothers may disagree, but they are bound by strong ties, and so are Pakistan and India.

How does it matter then if I sing a nationalist song for India or Pakistan? This song will bring a smile on my fans' faces. That's all I want to see," he declares.

Ustaad Ghulam Ali is also venturing into a new territory with this song. He is facing the camera for the first time, and will be playing himself.

"I agreed to do a cameo on Suhaib's insistence. There are great dialogues that I have to deliver in the film and this thought is making me nervous," he confesses.

However, his family is happy and looking forward to it, he shares. Considering that he's always loved performing in India, his debut in Indian cinema seems a mere extension.

Ustaad Ghulam Ali, who holds Punjab close to his heart, says he is regularly in touch with Asha Bhosle , Daler Mehndi , Hans Raj Hans , Nouman Saheb , "and my Indian fans." He remembers Jagjit Singh most fondly though.

The two were to perform together when news of Singh's hospitalisation and untimely demise came. He says, "I was very fortunate to have sung with him.

No one can take Jagjitji's place. I am still to recover from the shock of his death.

" The globetrotting star, who just performed in London and will be performing in Japan next month, assures that his Indian fans will hear from him soon (less)

Veena has already shot for the item song in Ritesh Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza starrer Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya directed by Mandeep Kumar. In the Channo song, Veena plays a dancer, who comes to Mumbai to entertain politicians through her sizzling and sensuous performance.

"Veena was never exposed to item songs; she can groove. I was sure she will do justice to the song by her brilliant performance.

The song is shaping up very well and Veena has given a brilliant performance," Director Rumy Jafry said. Gali Gali Mein Chor Hai has been produced by Nitin Manmohan under the banner of One Up Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

The film, which also stars Fashion actress Mugdha Godse, will release on February 3, 2012. Tweet (less)

It did give me a lot of respect. It did open a lot of doors for me.

Deepa Mehta saw me in Sivaji and took me for Cooking With Stella and again in Midnight's Children . A lot of Hindi movie directors approached me after Sivaji ," said 29-year-old Shriya Saran.

The 2007 movie that had superstar Rajinikanth in the title role was one of the top earners of the year. Though she has made it big in southern cinema, Shriya is still struggling for name and fame in Bollywood and her last Hindi release was 2009 movie Ek: The Power of One .

After a three-year break, she will be seen in a Hindi movie titled Gali Gali Shor Hai which she said "is a political satire. It's not that we are slapping the system.

It's just that we are trying to bring a change." Shriya has teamed up with Mugdha Godse and Akshaye Khanna in Gali Gali Shor Hai , which is hitting screens Feb 3.

"Don't know whether it's a comeback or a long gap, but when I am doing a Telugu film people often ask me, 'Why aren't you doing Tamil films? When I am doing a Tamil film, they ask me why aren't you doing Hindi films. It was never a conscious effort.

I would like to do Hindi films as I am comfortable talking in Hindi," she said. Not only Hindi, she speaks other languages effortlessly.

"Hindi comes naturally to me because it's my mother tongue. Of course, even English! Telugu I have learnt and it is my third language.

I have also learnt Tamil but Malayalam is difficult." She may be working with people from different culture, background and languages, but the actress feels there is no cultural difference when it comes to work.

"Language changes with people, language changes with the sense of humour. The way stories are told changes.

The story said in Telugu will be different, Malayalam will be different and Hindi will be different. But the work culture doesn't really depend on the industry; it depends on the director you work with.

It depends on the people working on the film," Shriya stated. She would love to do more and more films, but remakes do not excite her so much.

"I don't enjoy remakes so much. I mean I am not sure whether I would be interested in remaking my own film.

Sometimes when story is changed and done well, then it's fantastic like Ghajini and Bodyguard . Dabangg and 3 Idiots have been remade in Tamil.

Story line should be changed in remakes," she said. Tweet (less)

Now southern babe Flora Saini to make a foray in B'town. Most of them could not connect with Hindi film audience initially, so they went down south, did big banner, big hero films and returned to Hindi film industry to carve a niche for themselves.

Latest to join the bandwagon is Flora Saini. She has done big projects with actors like Rajinikant, R.

Vijaykant, Prabhu, Kartik, Dr. Balakrishna, Venkatesh, Jagpati Babu, Dr.

Rajshekhar etc. "I am comfortable with any south Indian language and I do my own dubbing.

In fact, I know Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Hindi & English. I have thoroughly enjoyed my southern experience.

And now I am all geared for my Hindi films," says Flora. Flora has signed a Hindi film titled 'Ya Rab' with the director Hasnanin Hydrabadwala at the helm of affairs.

Earlier, he had directed Imran Hashmi starrer film 'The Train' with Mahesh Bhatt. Ya Rub is written by Ikram Akhtar, a name that is associated with box office hit films like Thank U and Ready (less)

From Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam to Shah Rukh's home production Chalte Chalte to all his productions including Om Shanti Om and now Ra.One, their friendship has become stronger with every film.

Bhushan is very excited about Ra.One's music, He says, "The music is a sure-shot chartbuster.

Shah Rukh is involved in every aspect of his films. The music is massy and Chammak Challo will be an anthem!" He reveals that the music of Ra.

One has made record sales, "The music directors Vishal-Shekhar have given it a classical touch."adds Bhushan.

About his equation with Shah Rukh, Bhushan says, "The first film of Shah Rukh that I bought the music rights of was Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam. I have known him for eight years now and Shah Rukh, from then to now, has always respected my taste of music.

" Bhushan always buys the music rights for all Shah Rukh's films. "My company has never made any losses when they have taken up a Shah Rukh starrer.

" SRK has words of praise for Bhushan. King Khan says, "No one is bigger than them when it comes to music.

" Bhushan trusts Shah Rukh's music so much that he's now contemplating launching a music album with rapper Akon, who has sung two songs in Ra.One.

Bhushan concludes, "I was completely blown over by them. I am planning to get Akon to come to India and do an album for us.

" Ra. One music (less)

The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

He says it was relatively easy to convince the renowned actors to be part of the project since they responded well to this universal theme. Kumar shot with Sheen, Barton, Indian actress Tannishtha Chatterjee and several others at that time, and since he had to re-create the 1984 period of Bhopal, he shot the film in Hyderabad and Mumbai on sets and factory locations, and only a few critical scenes were shot in Bhopal.

The "life-changing" experience was like a roller coaster ride for the director, who says that three years after the first shot, he is finally reaching the "end of this long journey". He told us recently, "We have been invited to some major film festivals where it will be premiered.

The release dates will be decided by the distributor all over the world according to their plans." However, after the shoot, the director had come under attack from some local NGOs, which claimed that the movie was misrepresenting reality.

But ask him about it now, and he says, "For us, there are no issues. The script that they objected to, is not relevant as it was an older version.

You have to remember, 95 per cent of the film, crew and cast is Indian, our producer Ravi Walia is Indian..

. hundreds of them came on board as they believed in the script.

Anyone who has seen the rough edit is proud to be associated with this epic and moving story made by Indians." As far as the delay in the release is concerned (from 2010 to tentatively 2012), he says, "The film has been edited carefully, some scenes re-shot, as this is a historical document and people expect the story to be authentic and genuine.

It's been worthwhile fine-tuning the story as this kind of films have a long shelf life. " Right now, the film is with some very senior editors, and music composers from London and LA are working on it, says Kumar.

While he does admit that the whole journey of making the movie has been difficult, he adds, "This is not a commercial project, but I'm glad to say that the finished film feels more suited for mainstream audience worldwide, thanks to the universal theme and the US actors playing crucial roles." (less)

So far, I'm happy with the way my film career has shaped up and I'm not focusing on any particular industry." Shriya, who is back after a hiatus in B-town with a film opposite Akshaye Khanna , is glad that she got the chance to watch it with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare .

"It was like a dream come true, especially since the film revolves around corruption, a cause that Anna is fighting for. We screened the film in his village and Anna was happy with my work.

I admire Anna, who has single-handedly taken up the issue of corruption, and what he has done for the country," she says. But how does she feel about the fact that the campaign is not going great guns, what with slippers being thrown at Team Anna? "I don't want to get into that as I am not a lawyer.

It's a serious issue and I am not an expert to comment on it," she adds. What's the status on Winds of Change, the big-screen adaptation of Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children that has been lying in the cans? "The film is shaping up in an interesting manner.

The director, Deepa Mehta , made me work hard and I spent almost a month working in slums for the film. My character is extremely challenging, something that I have not done so far.

I read the book when I was really young and was blown away by Salman's work." Shriya had recently objected to Salman being banned from making an appearance at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

"It's fine if people get upset if their sentiments are hurt. But that doesn't mean you should ban a person from entering his own country.

Such decisions should be left to the court," she says. Is Shriya, who recently did a cameo in Vikram's Rajapattai, also doing one in Karthi's Saguni as reported? "No one has even approached me for a role.

I'm doing two Telugu films at the moment and an announcement of a Tamil film will be made in March." (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)

This year, the focus of filmmakers still lured by the world of crime seems to be none other than the man being the 1993 Bombay bombings, Dawood Ibrahim. While Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala and Milan Luthria's Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Part 2, both films dealing with the powerful gangster, have already been announced, Kal Ho Naa Ho director Nikhil Advani is reportedly planning a film on the man as well.

Nikhil's film will feature actors like Arjun Rampal and Ronit Roy. According to sources, the film is expected to be shot in Afghanistan .

A source close to the project informed Mirror, "Nikhil has been planning the action film alongside his other project that stars several A-list actresses including Madhuri dixit , Dimple Kapadia , Shabana Azmi and Karisma Kapoor. This action venture will be about guys from RAW looking for Dawood in Pakistan and bringing him back to India from Karachi by road.

" Advani is very keen to shoot the Pakistan portions in Afghanistan. "He is now seeking for the relevant permissions," revealed the source.

When contacted, Nikhil Advani simply said, "My action film is still in the planning stage. I can't talk about it at the moment.

" (less)

Dhanush, who is refreshingly matter-of-fact about Kolaveri Di , said: "It's just a song. Just a phase.

It will pass. I am one of those people who don't know how to speak proper English.

But I manage. Speaking English language was initially a huge problem for me, so I knew how to connect with people like me.

I knew what words to choose so that they connect with people who are not fluent in English." The video for Kolaveri Di was released on YouTube Nov 16.

Its peppy, catchy tune as well as funky lyrics, helped it go viral on the internet, and get more than a million hits on the website within a day of its release. The song, composed by 18-year-old Anirudh Ravichander, will be a part of the film 3 , directed by Dhanush's wife Aishwarya.

Dhanush has no illusions about the quality of the lyrics. "It's not poetry.

Whatever silly words came to my mind, I used it in the song. It's just like any composition, nothing special.

A group of us gen-next kids -- me, Shruti Haasan, my wife Aishwarya and the composer Anirudh -- were open to ideas," he said. "The tune was done in 20 minutes.

As soon as I heard the song, the words simply came to my mind spontaneously. I wanted the words to be understood by everybody regardless of whether they know English or not," he added.

The young actor says that the film's script is equally good. "It seems the song has become bigger than the film.

But the film has a solid and novel script. Once people see the film they'll see the song as just a part of the narration," he said.

Earlier this month, Dhanush performed live in Mumbai at an award function, his first stage performance. Talking about the experience, he said: "Earlier I had sung a song for my brother, filmmaker Selvaraghavan's audio release.

That's my only live performance so far. I wasn't nervous about performing on Sunday.

If I was a professional singer, I'd worry. But I'm an amateur, so it didn't matter if I went off-key.

" Dhanush added to the Christmas celebrations in Kolkata when he performed his Kolaveri Di to thousands of screaming fans Sunday. "Kolkata was a great experience.

It was an overwhelming experience." Next, Dhanush will perform live in Delhi.

"God has been very kind to me. I had a great year.

I couldn't have asked for more. Now I'm just going to focus on shooting the song for my wife's film.

Let's see where it goes from there. It will be shot in the first week of January.

" Tweet (less)

However, the actor is now portraying the role of General Zulfikar. In his first look from the movie, which was released recently, Bose and actress Anita Majumdar (who plays the role of Emerald), are shown on their marriage day.

Shahana Goswami plays Mumtaz's role. The movie, which is reportedly slated for a 2012 release, also has actors Siddharth, Shriya Saran, Soha Ali Khan , child actor Darsheel Zafary, Shabana Azmi and Seema Biswas.

Furthermore, UK-based musician Nitin Sawhney has given the music for it, and British composer and sarod player Soumilk Datta is also said to be a part of the project's music (less)

Presented by Veecon Music & Entertainment & AB Corp Ltd, the album "Shri Hanuman Chalisa", has been recorded in Amitabh's voice along with 20 other renowned singers from Bollywood. The music has been composed by Aadesh Shrivastava.

This is the first time an album featuring 21 singers chanting the chalisa in different ways is being released. This is also the first time, Amitabh has rendered his voice to a devotional song.

At the launch, Aadesh said, "The album is our humble effort to familiarise the youth of this country with our ancient traditions. Proceeds from the album will go towards the education of underprivileged children and children with special needs.

" The 20 other singers who have joined Big B for the album are Aadesh, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Suresh Wadkar, Abhijit, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu , Roopkumar Rathod, Shaan, Kailash Kher, Mukul Aggarwal, Manoj Tiwari, Hansraj Hans, Prasoon Joshi, Kay Kay, Sukhwinder, Shankar Mahadevan, Babul Supriyo, Kunal Ganjawala and Vinod Rathod. The project has been conceptualised by JK Shrivastava and produced by VK Shrivastava, Lalit Shrivastava and the Veecon Group.

The music launch began by the unveiling of a majestic idol of Lord Hanuman. Later Amitabh recited the chalisa in his unique baritone.

The rendition was made more enthralling with a dance performance choreographed by Shiamak Davar (less)

Announcing this here today, Akashya Mohanty Foundation, which gives away the award, said that earlier recipients of the Samman include Manna Dey, Shri Gulzar & Shri Ilayaraja. Born on September 8, 1933, Asha Bhosle is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India.

She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies. In addition, she has recorded several private albums and participated in numerous solo concerts in India and abroad.

She is the sister of leading playback singer Lata Mangeshkar. Renowned for her voice range and often credited for her versatility, Bhosle's work includes film music, pop, ghazals, bhajans, traditional Indian classical music, folk songs, qawwalis .

Apart from Hindi, she has sung in over 18 Indian and foreign languages. Tweet (less)

"First time I met her, she was kind of a daft, dopey person, like, just wandering around, a little bit crazy. She just seemed like an ordinary girl with extraordinary hair.

The first time though I heard Amy Winehouse sing, I thought, 'This isn't just another London chancer, not just another person milling about, trying to be famous'..

. I didn't even know it was her.

..

I thought, 'What is this incredible sound, like a timeless sound, like a roar from the guts of humanity; the kind of voice that Billie Holliday sung with, the kind of voice that Ella Fitzgerald sung with..

. I turn into the arena and I see Amy Winehouse singing," he said.

The Arthur actor then introduced Tony Bennett to the VMAs stage for the first time since 1993. "Of all the young artists I've ever met in the last 20 years she was a true jazz artist in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday; she had the gift," he said.

Tweet (less)

My dream was to be a filmmaker. I started out making music videos and that was how I entered tinsel town.

Now, I guess I'll have to set a new milestone and mull over my next film, which hopefully will happen soon! I believe that a director can sustain his good work for around 10 years. That's his shelf life!" Elaborating on it he says, "From the time I began watching films, I've seen nearly all the works of N Chandra, JP Dutta, Subhash Ghai, Mahesh Bhatt and I've realised that for a decade or so, they give their best work to the audience.

Then somewhere mid-way they lose the plot. This is not to cast aspersions on their talent, it's just the way the industry works.

And then again, there are exceptions to this rule like Sudhir Mishra !" Speaking about this director, Neerav says, "Whether it was Yeh Who Manzil To Nahin, Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi, Chameli or the recent Yeh Saali Zindgai, he always manages to make relevant cinema. Yeah, maybe some of his films are not BO successes, but years later when you pick a CD and watch his film, his film seems to be telling a story of a relevant era, a burning issue etc.

, and how he manages to do this with such finesse is something I admire!" (less)

The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

And now, for his upcoming acting venture Damadamm, he has decided to hand over the music director’s mantle to Sachin Gupta. A source revealed, “Himesh, who is a composer, actor, singer and producer, has for the first time approached Sachin Gupta (of Prince fame) to compose a promotional track for his upcoming film Damadamm.

Himesh and Sachin have co-composed the number. And that’s not all.

While Sachin has lent voice to the number, Himesh too has sung a part of it.” “Himesh really likes Sachin’s work and is keen on promoting new talent.

He really seems to be going all out to revamp his image in the industry,” added the source explaining Himesh’s sudden decision to have somebody else compose his song (less)

If we go by this theory, most audiences of this film will walk out of the hall as rockstars, since the movie will largely leave them heartbroken. But for heartbreak, it is imperative to fall in love first and that's exactly what director Imtiaz Ali does.

He starts off the film on a promising note and just when you fall in love with the amazing first half, the narrative nosedives with a stagnant second half. So you have the naive Janardhan Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) who aspires to be a rockstar like Jim Morrison .

His yearning for heartbreak gets him close to Heer (Nargis Fakhri), as they bond over soft-porn cinema and country liquor. Soon after, the girl is married off to some NRI, the boy is thrown out of his house, he seeks solace in a dargah and next you know he's a singing sensation rechristened as Jordan.

A foreign tour reunites him with Heer and their passive passion rekindles until Jordan is obsessed with her. What follows is another tribute to Devdas or rather Dev.

D with the neurotic, lovelorn protagonist unable to get over his mixed emotions and confused definition of love. But that's not all as the plot meanders to culminate into an undesired arena of Erich Segal's Love Story .

Imtiaz Ali is known for his old-wine-in-new-bottle brand of cinema. Rockstar is very much engaging as far as it is in that familiar territory, where the director adds a refreshing touch to the regular romance drama.

The casual chemistry that he induces between the lead pair through their wacky and eventful escapades has its moments of charm. The passion-play between them when they reunite after years is spontaneous, smoldering and yet tastefully achieved.

Their reunion is also faintly reminiscent of the Jab We Met reunion, where the character-conduct is reversed with the burbling boy now trying to make the gloomy girl's life more exciting. And like Love Aaj Kal , Imtiaz Ali kick-starts the film with a montage song highlighting select significant sequences from the entire film.

But beyond that when the director ventures into uncharted zone, the narrative loses track. While one can still overlook the Dev.

D influenced intoxicating attitude of the proceedings (which you can somehow attribute to the convoluted rockstar protagonist), the subsequent terminal illness conflict takes the film towards an unwelcome and undefined end. After an interesting graph to the narrative in the first half, the story almost turns stationary in the second half.

The screenplay seems stretched and gets monotonous with repetitive media-bashing scenes and flashback shots of what has been already served to you. Another problem with the plot is that it is neither a standalone story about the rise-of-an-underdog who becomes the biggest rockstar nor is it merely a love story with a rockstar backdrop.

The director somewhere attempts to correlate the rockstar's rise with his romance but isn't able to achieve that impeccably. In fact the original one-liner plot with which the movie starts (a painful heartbreak gets out the real artist inside you) goes for a complete toss by the end.

One can never clearly perceive when Jordan's heart is broken in the assorted scheme of events and that's where the film loses objectivity. The storytelling pattern of the film is needlessly intricate for a simple romance-drama genre.

While it is very much linear, the frequent use of multiple montages can have you confused. Initially the montages aid brisk storytelling but subsequently there are so much of them that it gets puzzling.

Editing the film would surely have been a difficult task. Anil Mehta's cinematography is brilliant as he captures the beauty of Kashmir, Italy and Delhi with panache.

AR Rahman's wide range of music has numbers which are instantly infectious ( Sadda Haq ) and others that take time to grow on you. If Rockstar keeps you engaged even after you have given up on the story by the end, it is only because of Ranbir Kapoor.

From his innocence in the opening reels to his arrogance in the climax, Ranbir breathes life into Jordan and keeps you riveted. Whether he adlibs his songs, gives a dance-tribute to Shammi Kapoor or dictates the concert crowd, Ranbir gives cent percent to his character.

How much ever you try to ignore, but Nargis Fakhri fervently reminds of Katrina Kaif through her looks, acting, lip movements (and seemingly also has the same voice dubbing artist). Nevertheless she is likeable and shares good chemistry with Ranbir.

Kumud Mishra as Jordan's advisor-turned-manager is impressive. Aditi Rao Hydari is confident but marred by a short-lived character.

Piyush Mishra makes for an animated-yet-interesting negative lead. And it's pleasing to see Shammi Kapoor is his last decent cameo.

Rockstar rocks you but only partially thanks to the star called Ranbir Kapoor. Verdict: Above Average (less)

The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.

Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

"Though nobody can tell me anything to my face, I don't think people are too pleased about my bald look, although in the film it's relevant to my character. People close to me have got used to it now, but it'll take time for the look to grown on other people," he said.

Sanjay Dutt was out on the Bigg Boss platform promoting his character and the movie quite openly. Agneepath also stars Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra in pivotal roles (less)

It did give me a lot of respect. It did open a lot of doors for me.

Deepa Mehta saw me in Sivaji and took me for Cooking With Stella and again in Midnight's Children . A lot of Hindi movie directors approached me after Sivaji ," said 29-year-old Shriya Saran.

The 2007 movie that had superstar Rajinikanth in the title role was one of the top earners of the year. Though she has made it big in southern cinema, Shriya is still struggling for name and fame in Bollywood and her last Hindi release was 2009 movie Ek: The Power of One .

After a three-year break, she will be seen in a Hindi movie titled Gali Gali Shor Hai which she said "is a political satire. It's not that we are slapping the system.

It's just that we are trying to bring a change." Shriya has teamed up with Mugdha Godse and Akshaye Khanna in Gali Gali Shor Hai , which is hitting screens Feb 3.

"Don't know whether it's a comeback or a long gap, but when I am doing a Telugu film people often ask me, 'Why aren't you doing Tamil films? When I am doing a Tamil film, they ask me why aren't you doing Hindi films. It was never a conscious effort.

I would like to do Hindi films as I am comfortable talking in Hindi," she said. Not only Hindi, she speaks other languages effortlessly.

"Hindi comes naturally to me because it's my mother tongue. Of course, even English! Telugu I have learnt and it is my third language.

I have also learnt Tamil but Malayalam is difficult." She may be working with people from different culture, background and languages, but the actress feels there is no cultural difference when it comes to work.

"Language changes with people, language changes with the sense of humour. The way stories are told changes.

The story said in Telugu will be different, Malayalam will be different and Hindi will be different. But the work culture doesn't really depend on the industry; it depends on the director you work with.

It depends on the people working on the film," Shriya stated. She would love to do more and more films, but remakes do not excite her so much.

"I don't enjoy remakes so much. I mean I am not sure whether I would be interested in remaking my own film.

Sometimes when story is changed and done well, then it's fantastic like Ghajini and Bodyguard . Dabangg and 3 Idiots have been remade in Tamil.

Story line should be changed in remakes," she said. Tweet (less)

Dhanush, who is refreshingly matter-of-fact about Kolaveri Di , said: "It's just a song. Just a phase.

It will pass. I am one of those people who don't know how to speak proper English.

But I manage. Speaking English language was initially a huge problem for me, so I knew how to connect with people like me.

I knew what words to choose so that they connect with people who are not fluent in English." The video for Kolaveri Di was released on YouTube Nov 16.

Its peppy, catchy tune as well as funky lyrics, helped it go viral on the internet, and get more than a million hits on the website within a day of its release. The song, composed by 18-year-old Anirudh Ravichander, will be a part of the film 3 , directed by Dhanush's wife Aishwarya.

Dhanush has no illusions about the quality of the lyrics. "It's not poetry.

Whatever silly words came to my mind, I used it in the song. It's just like any composition, nothing special.

A group of us gen-next kids -- me, Shruti Haasan, my wife Aishwarya and the composer Anirudh -- were open to ideas," he said. "The tune was done in 20 minutes.

As soon as I heard the song, the words simply came to my mind spontaneously. I wanted the words to be understood by everybody regardless of whether they know English or not," he added.

The young actor says that the film's script is equally good. "It seems the song has become bigger than the film.

But the film has a solid and novel script. Once people see the film they'll see the song as just a part of the narration," he said.

Earlier this month, Dhanush performed live in Mumbai at an award function, his first stage performance. Talking about the experience, he said: "Earlier I had sung a song for my brother, filmmaker Selvaraghavan's audio release.

That's my only live performance so far. I wasn't nervous about performing on Sunday.

If I was a professional singer, I'd worry. But I'm an amateur, so it didn't matter if I went off-key.

" Dhanush added to the Christmas celebrations in Kolkata when he performed his Kolaveri Di to thousands of screaming fans Sunday. "Kolkata was a great experience.

It was an overwhelming experience." Next, Dhanush will perform live in Delhi.

"God has been very kind to me. I had a great year.

I couldn't have asked for more. Now I'm just going to focus on shooting the song for my wife's film.

Let's see where it goes from there. It will be shot in the first week of January.

" Tweet (less)

B-town is abuzz with rumours that Kangana has demanded more money from the producers. The actress did not attend the music launch of the film, nor was she present for the launch of its first look.

"We do have issues with Kangana. She has this starry attitude," said co-producer Sanjay Ahluwalia.

Rascals is produced by Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Ahluwalia and Vinay Choksey. The film releases on October 7.

Tweet (less)

I started out making music videos and that was how I entered tinsel town. Now, I guess I'll have to set a new milestone and mull over my next film, which hopefully will happen soon! I believe that a director can sustain his good work for around 10 years.

That's his shelf life!"" His film's name is Soundtrack and Neerav Ghosh is a happy that his debut film is based on a subject that's close to his heart. Says the filmmaker, ""Back in the 90s I was too part of a band in Delhi and I was the lead guitarist in that band.

So, I've seen the life of a musician from pretty close quarters and am glad that my first film that happens to be on music. I was signed on for some other projects too, but things didn't work out then! Maybe since my heart and soul was in music it is only apt that my first film is on music.

"" Speaking more about his film, Neerav says, ""When I started out as a musician, I'll confess the cool quotient of the profession was attractive and the thought of chics adoring you, alluring! But, when on stage amid while performing amid all that loud music of different instruments, a thought always crosses a musician's mind (and it did mine too) 'what if I go deaf?' And it is this fear that gave birth to my film."" Quiz the director on his choice of actor and he says, ""Rajeev Khandelwal just seemed so perfect for the role.

Also, he's the face of intelligent, urban cinema and I knew that he'll do justice to the character I have in mind."" How did he steer clear of roping in big names for his first film? He says, ""I always believe that a film is made in the pre-production stage itself.

If the script is strong, the plan well laid out and locations chosen in advance, then the execution of plan, which is filming, is the last part and easiest. And if this is done well, your film does well too!"" (less)

Directed by debutant Raj Krishna, Oru Nadigaiyin Vaakamoolam (Confessions of an Actress) is said to be based on the lives of many actresses and not any one character in particular. The climax is said to be a moving one.

Yogi fame Devaraj plays Sonia's father in the film. The film's music, composed by Aadhish, has been launched recently.

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Rahman rarely indulges in promotional activities. However, he agreed to shoot one for Gautham Menon's "Ek Deewana Tha".

Rahman will appear in a promotional video for the film, while singing a track "Kya hai mohabbat". In fact, the composer, who is known to delay Indian projects due to his global commitments, has already shot for the track.

But now Menon is unsure of how to use Rahman's footage. "I still have to decide how to put together the music video.

We've filmed Rahman singing the song. I need to put it together with shots from the film," said Menon.

The filmmaker says this is the first promotional music video for a film that Rahman has ever shot for. So, one wonders what made the reclusive composer agree to face the camera.

If Menon is to be believed, Rahman finds himself sharing a deep empathy with the Prateik-Amy Jackson romance in the film. "There's an old-fashioned quality to their romance.

I think Rahman identifies with that," he said. Tweet (less)

I did films like Knock Out and Lamha though both these films were good. But today audiences do not like movies that are preachy or give lecture.

They feel why to see this lecture kind of films..

.as it is they are aware about the issues like that of Kashmir," Sanjay told PTI.

"So I have decided to do just commercial films which I used to do. I am not here to give lecture to the audience," he said.

Chatur Singh..

. , is directed by Ajay Chandhok and stars Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, and Ameesha Patel in lead roles.

About the film, Sanjay said, "It is out-an-out comedy and a commercial film you can go and have a blast. The movie is about a police officer who is funny and it is Sonia (Ameesha Patel) who helps her get right clues.

All this leads to a sequence of hilarious events." When asked about similarity between American-Czech comedy film The Pink Panther (2006) and Chatur Singh--Two Star , the actor said, "There is no similarity.

It is not a copy of the Pink Panther series because not even a single film of the series has clicked in India. It would be futile to copy such a franchise.

" "The movie is based on a novel called Chalaak Jasoos but lot of changes have been made in the original subject, he said. On his character, "I play the role of a silly police officer who thinks he is doing all the right things but whatever he does gets him in a mess.

Also, I had to gain weight for the film." Sanjay has also lent his voice for two songs-- Murga anda dega do oye oye and Singh Singh Chatur Singh for the film.

"I thought I will try singing if anytime I don't get roles in films then I can at least become a singer," he chuckled. Prior to this, the actor has sung for his films like Kaante (2002) and Khoobsurat (1999) and a song ' Aapke dil nein for singer Asha Bhosle's album, Asha & Friends .

Produced by Mohammad Aslam and Parag Sanghvi the movie releases on August 19. Tweet (less)

For the first time, Abhay is paired opposite Genelia D'Souza. Directed by Navdeep Singh and produced by Ekta Kapoor, the film goes on the floor soon and is expected to be released next year.

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Titled Desire The Flying Butter , the film will be co-produced by a "friend of mine", Nirjhar told PTI from Dhaka. Nirjhar chose to keep the cast of the film under a wrap but said, "it will have some known and little-known actors from India and Bangladesh".

Replying to a question, he said efforts were also on to rope in Shakira to act in the film that will be shot in India, Bangladesh, Scotland and some other countries. The director, an architect by qualification and profession, also declined to share the storyline of the film saying "we will disclose everything gradually".

"We are keeping mum right now on the cast and story of the film for strategic reasons but we will let you know everything in course of time", said Nirjhar. Asked about the subject of the movie, he said, "it is going to be unlike ten other films.

It will be a different kind of film. "All that I can say now is that we want to prove our existence, our desire and friendship of the sub-continent so that we in this region stand with our heads held high.

" Nirjhar's alliance with Debajyoti Mishra goes back to 2007 when the composer did the soundtrack of the director's debut film Aha which is about a century-old house and the characters surrounding it. The film, with a cast comprising some of the leading names of Bangladesh theatre and parallel cinema like Humayun Faridi, Tariq Anam Khan and Khaled Khan, won national awards in Bangladesh for best direction, editing, female singer and cinematography.

Aha , screened at several international festivals like Munich, Cairo and Dubai, was also Bangladesh's nomination for the Oscars. However, Nirjhar's second feature film Nomuna (Example, 2009), whose music was composed by Mishra, is yet to get the clearance of Bangladesh censor board.

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Vivek features, for the first time in a Marathi movie, in one of the movies principal songs ' Golmaal Hai ' along with other leading Marathi stars including Bharat Jadhav, Kranti Redkar, Santosh Jhuvekar, Guru Thakur, Purva Pawar, Bhushan Kadu, Bhargavi Chirmule. Composed by the music director duo of Ajit-Sameer this song has been sung by acclaimed and popular vocalist Avdhoot Gupte.

According to sources, Vivek shot till wee hours for the particular song and mingled with everyone on the sets during the shoot. One of the most intriguing things while shooting the Golmal song was Vivek spoke to everyone in Marathi including senior actors like Sachin and Arun Nalawade.

It was super interesting to see Vivek as a part of the entire team of TBTB (less)

Actor Deepraj Rana, who is also playing an important character in this flick sharing some details informs, "This is comedy flick based on a small village, which is totally cut off from the world and where everyone is happy living his own life and is least bothered about what is happening outside," he shares, adding, "Manoj Pawa, Shilpa of 'Chak De', Girjesh Sirji of the serial 'Office Office', and Ram Gopal Bajaj, are some of the prominent names, who are going to be part of this flick." Watch Video'+'';} else {tmpdiV="";} var b1=""; var b2=""; var hid="526"; if(sldemsidcnt>1){imglinksh='View Images';}else{imglinksh='View Image';} var b2 = ''+''+ capt +''+ tmpdiV +''; bellyad.

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Now for Anurag Basu's Barfee , last week in Ooty, Priyanka has done an Anna Hazare, so to speak. For a sequence that required her character to be locked away in a room for three days without food, water or any company, PC declared she would go the whole hog.

No faking for the character, she declared. Says a source, "At first Ranbir laughed off Priyanka's method acting.

' Tu Marlon Brando hai kya ?', the actor joked. He told her to 'just act' the sequence.

But PC was adamant. She made it very clear to Anurag that she would actually go through her character's ordeal for three days.

" All attempts to dissuade the actress failed and Anurag had to give in. However, the director had a condition, that he too, will join her.

Says a source, "To Anurag, who had written the character and the sequence, it seemed unfair that Priyanka should go at it alone. He insisted on going through what the actress' character suffers when confined to a solitary life.

Only then did Anurag allow Priyanka to go through the harrowing experience herself." Significantly, both Anurag and Priyanka have health issues and could ill afford the luxury of "living" their character's trauma.

In fact, PC has earlier suffered two bouts of fatigue and nervous exhaustion, which put her in the hospital. The Barfee experience of staying without food, water and company for three days has been serious pressure on the health of both the actress and the director.

Priyanka, we are told, remained silent and unresponsive for a week after the shooting. Says the source, "We all tried to dissuade both of them from this madness.

But they wouldn't listen. First Anurag locked himself away in the room in Ooty that Priyanka's character was supposed to be confined in.

And then she went through the three-day isolation." The spokesperson for Barfee confirmed the above story.

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Now she's ready to make her entry in Bollywood with Gautham Menon's Ekk Deewana Tha opposite off-screen boyfriend Prateik. Amy has also signed a couple of South films that go on floors this year.

Relationship Status: Dating EDT co-star Prateik. DQ: Great sex appeal and a likeable personality.

Lisa Haydon No. 31 Who: Model, Actress Claim To Fame: One of the hottest faces on the Indian ramps, Lisa made her B-Town debut in Aisha.

The Australian-bred model moved to India a few years back and started out hosting a TV show. A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, she was most recently seen in a sizzling item song in David Dhawan's Rascals.

Relationship Status: Dating musician-entrepreneur Karan Bhojwani. DQ: Dusky siren with endless legs.

Shazahn Padamsee No. 37 Who: Model, Actress Claim To Fame: Daughter of famous parents Alyque Padamsee and Sharon Prabhakar, Shazahn started off with modelling and television commercials before dabbling with acting.

Her first acting project was Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year (2009) with Ranbir Kapoor. She later starred in the 2011 release Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, and will soon be seen in the Housefull sequel.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Hot and intelligent.

Angela Jonsson No. 33 Who: Model Claim To Fame: Chennai-born Angela started modelling at an early age.

An extrovert, she had an affinity for acting during her college days. A swimsuit calendar girl, she recently signed her first Bollywood film with Salman Khan, to be produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.

Angela was also in the news over her alleged linkup with Ranbir Kapoor. Relationship Status: Single.

DQ: Sensuous and sexy. Sunny Leone No.

21 Who: Adult entertainment star Claim To Fame: An established name in the adult entertainment industry, Sunny Leone (born Karen Malhotra) became a household name after her stint on the popular reality show Bigg Boss 5. Canadian-born Sunny had a cameo in the film The Girl Next Door, and even performed in rap star Ja Rule's video Livin It Up.

Her appearance on Bigg Boss was laced with controversy as viewers curiously did online searches to find more about the star. Sunny will make her debut in Hindi films with Pooja Bhatt's Jism 2, where she plays the lead.

Relationship Status: Married to entrepreneur Matt Erikson. DQ: Smoulderingly sexy, with an innocent face.

Ankita Shorey No. 30 Who: Model Claim To Fame: She is the winner of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India-International 2011 title.

Apart from modelling, Ankita has also taken up the cause for blind students. She has done ads with SRK and Ranbir Kapoor.

Recently hosted a segment at the Filmfare Awards. Relationship Status: Single.

DQ: Gorgeous face. Her title and her never-say-die attitude.

Aditi Rao Hydari No. 35 Who: Actress Claim To Fame: A trained Bharatnatyam dancer, Aditi made her debut in Tamil film Sringaram (2006).

Her Hindi film debut was in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Delhi 6, where she played a supporting role. In 2011, she was seen in two films - Yeh Saali Zindagi and Rockstar .

Her first big role as a lead actress is in the soon-to-release London , Paris , New York with Ali Zafar. Relationship Status: Single.

DQ: The quintessential girl next door appeal. Kanishtha Dhankhar No.

45 Who: Model Claim To Fame: The reigning Pantaloons Femina Miss India-World 2011, she won five subtitles including Miss Catwalk, Beauty with a Purpose, Miss Sexy Legs, Best Skin and Natural Beauty, the maximum number of subtitles any girl has won in the pageant's history. She made an appearance as a model in Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Great legs, pleasing personality.

Jyothsna Chakravarthy No. 46 Who: Model Claim To Fame: At 5ft 9, the Bangalore lass has made quite a name for herself in the modelling world.

In 2011, she was among a bevy of beauties who walked for Chanel's Metiers D'Art collection, inspired by India. Another Bollywood aspirant, she aspires to work with Ranbir Kapoor, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar in the near future.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Striking looks, amazing ramp presence.

Candice Boucher No. 41 Who: Model Claim To Fame: The former Playmate from South Africa got her Bolly break opposite Sachiin Joshi in 2011's Aazaan.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Scorching sex appeal.

Hasleen Kaur No. 49 Who: Model Claim To Fame: The winner of the 2011 Pantaloons Femina Miss India-Earth title, Hasleen is a known face on the advertising circuit.

She made a cameo appearance in Imtiaz Ali's Love Aaj Kal. As the reigning Miss India Earth, Hasleen was a part of Nav Jyoti, an NGO headed by Dr Kiran Bedi, dealing with environmental issues.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Charming, sensuous, earthy appeal.

Preeti Desai No. 50 Who: Model, Actress Claim To Fame: Preeti is the first ever Britisher of Indian origin to win the 2006 Miss Great Britain crown.

A popular model who featured in print campaigns and TV commercials, she debuted in Bollywood opposite Heroes actor Sendhil Ramamurthy in Shor In The City. Relationship Status: In a live-in relationship with Abhay Deol.

DQ: Earthy beauty, striking personality Poonam Pandey No. 36 Who: Model Claim To Fame: She became famous when she offered to strip naked if India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

Even though she never really made good on her promise, Poonam got enough publicity to make her popular fodder for the tabloids. She made her TV debut with Akshay Kumar in the reality adventure show Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 4.

Relationship Status: Single. DQ: Bold and hot.

Top 50 Desirable Women of 2011 RANK 2011 Hotties 1 Kareena Kapoor 2 Katrina Kaif 3 Deepika Padukone 4 Priyanka Chopra 5 Anushka Sharma 6 Vidya Balan 7 Jacqueline Fernandez 8 Nargis Fakhri 9 Kangana Ranaut 10 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan 11 Chitrangda Singh 12 Genelia D'souza 13 Bipasha Basu 14 Sonam Kapoor 15 Shriya Saran 16 Shruti Haasan 17 Asin Thottumkal 18 Amy Jackson 19 Trisha Krishnan 20 Ileana D'cruz 21 Sunny Leone 22 Sonakshi Sinha 23 Amrita Rao 24 Bruna Abdulla 25 Dia Mirza 26 Neha Sharma 27 Sushmita Sen 28 Malaika Arora Khan 29 Sameera Reddy 30 Ankita Shorey 31 Lisa Haydon 32 Prachi Desai 33 Angela Jonsson 34 Mallika Sherawat 35 Aditi Rao Hydari 36 Poonam Pandey 37 Shazahn Padamsee 38 Sonal Chauhan 39 Giselli Monteiro 40 Parvati Melton 41 Candice Boucher 42 Nicole Faria 43 Freida Pinto 44 Shonali Nagrani 46 Jyothsna Chakravathy 47 Ameesha Patel 48 Simran Kaur Mundi 50 Preeti Desai Also Check: Times 50 Most Desirable Women of 2011 (less)

The album is an interesting mix of songs with various composers and singers on board including Daler Mehendi, Sukhwinder Singh, Mika Singh, Monty Sharma, Sudhakar Dutt Sharma, Arvinder Singh and Sumitra Iyer. Sanujeet Bhujabal, marketing director, Sony Music India, says, "We are proud to be associated with I Am Singh.

We feel this project is rich in both content and intent, and we are sure its tremendous music will not only appeal to Sikhs and Punjabis globally, but to all music lovers." Says producer, Thind, "The film has some of the most talented musicians on board.

In a way the music of the film is its USP. It's uplifting and carries the spirit of I Am Singh forward.

" Throwing light on discrimination and racism that Indians have faced abroad, post the 9/ 11 terror strikes in New York that occurred over a decade ago, I Am Singh focuses on how Americans mistook Sikhs to be part of Islamic terrorist groups. The film is set to release on December 2, 2011 (less)