Vidya Balan to be booked for obscenity

MUMBAI: Controversies continue to dog The Dirty Picture with a city court directing police to book actor Vidya Balan for posing for indecent photographs on the film posters and promos.

Nampally criminal courts ordered the Nallakunta police station in the city to book a criminal case against the Bollywood star.

The court passed the orders on a petition filed by an advocate SK Azad.

The judge asked police to book the actor under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and also under Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

Police was also asked to take action against public display of posters and promotional advertisements of the controversial movie.

The petitioner said the posters and hoardings of the film were spoiling the minds of the people and causing harm to the society.

Produced by Balaji Telefilms, starring Vidya, Naseeruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor, the film was released all over the country on Friday.

There have been protests by anti-obscenity activists in parts of Hyderabad and other towns in the state during last two days.

The film before its release had landed into trouble when former south Indian actress Silk Smitha's brother V Naga Varaprasad Rao moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court, objecting to the way her late sister was portrayed in the film.

The court on December 1 refused to stop the film's release after the filmmaker denied that it is based on Silk Smitha's life.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

I've been in love with bad boys: Priyanka

MUMBAI: Priyanka Chopra was in Dubai on Wednesday to unveil a promo of her first virtual song. Dushman Mera… from Don 2, which features the Don and his ‘Jungli billi’ engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse. “I’m really excited about seeing myself in 3D, and I’m waiting to see how people react to Roma,” she admits. Roma, who had been betrayed by Don in Part 1, returns as an angry young cop in the sequel.

She’s Don’s ‘bad habit’ even though he’s aware that her life’s mission is to put him behind bars. Does Priyanka have any bad habits? “Doesn’t everyone?” she laughs.

“Mine is that I always end up over-working.”

And has she ever been in love with a bad boy? That gets another laugh, “I’ve always been in love with bad boys because bad is good. But jokes apart, a little bit of harmless rebelliousness can be appealing.”

Meanwhile, the music of her other upcoming biggie, Agneepath, will be released on December 19. Priyanka, who has three tracks in the much-awaited remake that opens in theatres on January 26, 2012, is really looking forward to Gun Gun Guna…

“It’s my favourite song from the film because this is the first time Sarojji (Saroj Khan) has choreographed a number for me. A typical ‘latka-jhatka’ number, it is dramatically different from Dushman Mera…. If Don 2 is western glam, then Agneepath is ‘desi’ glam,” she reasons.

In Karan Malhotra’s directorial debut, Priyanka plays Kaali, who lives in a chawl in Mumbai. There’s been plenty of speculation about how closely the character is modelled on Madhavi’s Mary Matthews, who had nursed Vijay Deenananth Chauhan back to health after he’d been shot at and left to die in the Mukul Anand-directed 1990 original.

Retorts Priyanka, “People will speculate, it’s their job. Ours is to put an end to all the speculation. We’ve retained the basic revenge story of the original, and some of the characters too, like Vijay Deenanath Chauhan and Kancha Cheena. But Hrithik (Roshan) and Sanju sir (Sanjay Dutt) have turned them around so completely, that they are unlike the ones enacted by Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan) and Danny sir (Danny Denzongpa).”

She adds, “In my case, these comparisons are unlikely to crop up because the Vijay-Mary track doesn’t exist in our film. Kaali is a completely new character, very Indian, and in her own way, quite glamorous.” There’s talk of a sizzling lip-lock with Hrithik, which was not there in the original either? She sighs, “Ah, the speculation again. Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s no kiss either.”

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

I’m happy Katrina is part of our film: Priyanka Chopra

MUMBAI: Katrina Kaif’s item number in Agneepath, Chikni Chameli is already the talk of the town, but Priyanka Chopra is far from feeling threatened. “I’ve never had issues with any actor. I’m happy Katrina is part of our film too. It’s a very Indian song, and she’s looking beautiful. It adds to the film.”

When will we see Priyanka in an item number? “Soon I hope,” she says. “So far I’ve only danced for my movies, it’ll be cool to do a hot item number in another actor’s movie.”

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Anyone can make Bajirao Mastani: Ekta Kapoor

MUMBAI: Soap queen Ekta Kapoor, a couple of months ago, had announced her plans to turn the classic love story, Bajirao Mastani, into a TV show with a huge star cast. The show was supposedly green-lit by Hindi general entertainment channel Colors.

Within a couple of days, news broke that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose last release, Guzaarish (2010) with Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had bombed at the box office, was planning to resurrect his film project Bajirao Mastani with Shah Rukh Khan, instead of his previous choice Salman Khan.

Riding high on the success of her latest release, The Dirty Picture, Ekta, who is currently working on the 20-year leap in her popular daily soap, Pavitra Rishta on Zee TV, admits she’s unfazed. “Anyone can make Bajirao Mastani. It’s a classic, sitting in public domain. We’ve read about it in schoolbooks and storybooks. No one holds a copyright to it,” she says, adding, “My decision to make a show isn’t driven by anything that anyone else plans to do.”

Ask if she and Bhansali spoke after he expressed his desire to restart his project and Ekta says, “I’m sure whatever Bhansali sir makes will be a classic. But the way we’ll package the story into 500-odd episodes, and the way he’d pack the historic Maratha love story, will be totally different and will be no competition to one another.”

She adds, “We’re making the love story for different viewers, so we’re free to interpret the story in our own ways.”

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Kunal Kapoor takes exam break from Luv Shuv...

MUMBAI: Playing a student in Rang De Basanti (2008) is very different from actually fitting in study time between hectic shooting schedules. But actor Kunal Kapoor, who has long harboured ambitions of getting proper flight training, and acquiring a valid pilot’s licence, has made time between the shooting schedules of his next comedy film, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, to concentrate on his final exam.

“Flying planes is my second passion after acting. I have applied for a pilot’s licence, for which I need to answer an exam. 

So, these days, physics and mathematic are on my mind,” says Kunal, who is currently shooting in Punjab. Hefty textbooks have been weighing down his baggage since he began shooting for Farhan Akhtar’s soon-to-be-released Don 2, but the actor is relieved to have reached the last stages of his preparation, adding, “I will be a professional pilot soon.”

Meanwhile, the actor is excited about shooting for the madcap comedy, directed by Sameer Sharma. The movie, based on a Punjabi family, is also filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s first family entertainer in collaboration with UTV Spotboy. “We live in a country, which is obsessed with food, but we’ve never had a film on how families bond over food. This is the first of its kind,” says Kunal.

Was it tough to do comedy, after playing intense roles in films like Rang De Basanti and Lamhaa (2010)? “It depends on the sort of comedy you are doing. If the situations in the film are funny, then you need not go over the top. I think comedy works best when we enact a funny scene seriously. The audience should be laughing, not the actors,” says Kunal.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Farhan refuses to wear fake turban for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

MUMBAI: Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar is leaving no stone unturned to get into the character of legendary athlete Milkha Singh for his next acting project, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

So from January onwards, Farhan will start growing out his beard and mane to perfect Milkha’s look, and will also don a turban. In fact, the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) actor has refused to resort to an artificial beard and turban, as he wants his look to be as real as possible.

“Farhan is extremely excited to work on this project and wants his character to look completely ‘real.’ That’s why he is also going through intense training to get an athlete’s body. After Don 2 releases, he will throw himself into the project completely,” says a unit member.

When contacted, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra confirms, saying, “We will start shooting the film in mid-2012. So, for the next few months, Farhan will be working towards achieving his look in the movie. Both Farhan and I want his character to look as close to Milkha as possible.”

Reports have already emerged of how Farhan recently met Milkha in Delhi to get some tips for his performance, a rendezvous for which the former sprinter especially travelled from Chandigarh. He spent a few days there, imbibing stories from the athlete, who was famously known as the Flying Sikh. Interestingly, it’s the first time that Farhan will be working outside his production banner, Excel Entertainment.

“After the success of ZNMD, Farhan has been flooded with plenty of offers, but he is currently taking one thing at a time,” says a team member of Farhan’s entourage. At the moment, the actor-director is busy with the release of his upcoming venture, Don 2, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta among others.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Mallika Sherawat to wrap KLPD in three months

MUMBAI: Actor Mallika Sherawat asks makers of Kismat Love Paisa Dilli (KLPD) to finish shooting the film in start-to-finish schedule by mid-February, as she has to rush back to the United States for work commitments, producers oblige.

Juggling a career in multiple film industries is turning out to be quite a tedious task for Mallika Sherawat.

The actor, who will soon start shooting for Kismat Love Paisa Dilli , has informed producer Amit Chandrra that she needs to wrap up the film by mid-February. The reason: she needs to be back in the United States by that time for prior work commitments.

As a result, the film will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule to accommodate her dates. Mallika will fly back to the United States as soon as she finishes the Kismat Love Paisa Dilli shoot, and is expected to return to the country only once the film’s promotional activities begin.

When contacted, Chandrra confirms the news.

He says, “Yes, Mallika has told us about her work commitments in United States, for which she needs to be back in Los Angeles by mid-February. So we will wrap up the entire film starting from December 15 onwards, in a continuous schedule. At a convenient date later, we will shoot a music video with her.”

Although Chandrra remains quiet about Mallika’s foreign commitments, buzz is that she is in talks with a big Hollywood production house for a film that will go on the floors next year.


But Mallika is under contract and isn’t allowed to speak about the project, until an official announcement is made.


The Murder actor has been spending a major part of her time in the United States for the last two years. In Bollywood, she was last seen in three item songs, apart from acting in Indra Kumar’s multi-starrer Double Dhamaal.


In Kismat Love Paisa Dilli , Mallika has been cast as a Haryanvi girl from North India and will be seen starring opposite Vivek Oberoi. Sanjay Khanduri will direct the film.


“She was offered a part in Yashraj Films’ upcoming venture Ishqzaade besides one in Jism 2, but she wasn’t happy with the roles in the films. So, she turned them down,” says a member of her entourage.

Despite being brought up in Rohtak, Haryana, Mallika will go through workshops to perfect her lingo and dialect for the part in Kismat Love Paisa Dilli . She comes back to India from United States this week.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Dev Anand's last wish: Don't show me dead

MUMBAI: Dev Anand, the actor the cameras loved for his good looks and charm, did not want his face after death shown to the public, a close family friend told Hindustan Times.

“It was his express wish not to be seen dead. He did not want to be exposed to the camera any more once he was gone,” the family friend said on Wednesday, giving details of the Bollywood veteran’s final moments.

Anand, 88, died of a heart attack on Saturday night in a London hotel room.

The actor had come to the city for a short holiday after the release of his latest film, Chargesheet. “He just wanted to walk around and not be mobbed... to relax and think,” the friend said.

On Saturday night, accompanied by his son Suneil and UK representative Kenny Muir, Anand ate his last meal at an Indian restaurant in central London, not far from the plush Washington Mayfair hotel where he was staying.

“It was a favourite restaurant of his and he had a pretty healthy meal,” the friend said. It was a “very Punjabi affair” — chana masala, bhindi, chicken, tandoori roti and plain rice.

The three men returned to the hotel at around 9pm (London time) and Suneil went up to the room with his father while Muir went to the business centre to check emails. Anand, who was being treated by a top Harley Street doctor, fell ill soon after.

As the hotel staff called for nurses and paramedics, Anand, held by Suneil and Muir, became unconscious and died soon after, at around 10pm. The paramedics arrived but were unable to resuscitate him.

"It was a very, very peaceful end," the friend said. "There was no struggle."

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Neha Dhupia dedicates role to backup dancers

MUMBAI: Actor, who plays a junior artiste in Pappu Can’t Dance Saala, feels their work often goes unrecognised. She plays Mehek Malvade, a backup dancer in Saurabh Shukla’s upcoming film, Pappu Can’t Dance Saala. And while playing the role, Neha Dhupia realised how much hard work and struggle goes into becoming one.

As a result, the actor has dedicated her role to all the backup dancers in Bollywood.

The story goes like this: At a recent TV show, when the actor met up with senior choreographer Saroj Khan and her team of dancers, Neha made sure that she went up to Khan and told her that her character in the film is a tribute to all backup dancers.

“Since Neha has been working in the industry for a long time, she knows that backup dancers put in a lot of effort to make songs look great. But when it comes to getting appreciation, they are hardly recognised. And when she experienced it for herself in Pappu Can’t Dance Saala, she was surprised to see the struggle involved,” says a member from Neha’s entourage.

When contacted, Neha agreed that these dancers often go unrecognised in Bollywood.

“I would like to dedicate Pappu Can’t Dance Saala to all background dancers in the industry. They play a very important role but are often not given due credit. My character and the film is for them,” she says.

Shukla’s first mass entertainer, Pappu Can’t Dance Saala is a story of two people from extremely different backdrops who, for the sake of love, come together.

Apart from Neha, the film also stars Vinay Pathak and Rajat Kapoor. The film releases on December 16.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT

Karisma to star in Satte Pe Satta remake

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor, who is making her comeback on the silver screen after a hiatus, will be stepping in the shoes of veteran actress Hema Malini for the remake of Satte Pe Satta.

Reportedly, Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit were approached for the role essayed by Hema in the yesteryear hit.

"I am doing Satte Pe Satta. The film will start soon," Karisma told reporters here, after announcing her association with oneline store - Babyoye.

Actor Sanjay Dutt will be playing the role of Amitabh Bachchan and will also produce the film.

Satte Pe Satta, is a 1982, Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini film. The film is a story of seven brothers.

Karisma turned investor with BabyOye, one of the leading online store for baby products. The association is with Arunima Singhdeo, a businesswoman.

Babyoye, is a online store for baby and mother care products, Karisma is the co-investor in the company.

Read more »

Posted in: ENTERTAINMENT