Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s

The buzz is that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s not just a hanger-on in the international film ‘Pink Panther 2’. The latest is that Ash doesn’t really have two minutes of screen space as rumored earlier.

The buzz the movie would be incomplete without her role as the actress is apparently playing the main villain in the movie.A source close to the unit of the movie has apparently said, “She is actually the one who steals the Pink Panther diamond, and in the end, Steve Martin finds out.”

The role that Ash plays is that of Sonia Solandres, a criminology expert, in the film and she’s a part of the team of detectives who are trying to find the Pink Panther diamond.But reportedly towards the end, Inspector Clouseau figures out that Sonia, played by Ash, is the real culprit and no criminology expert.

Priyanka breaks her silence on Shahid Kapoor

Priyanka who has been quiet about her private interactions with Shahid Kapoor on Facebook until now, calls it, “a clear and brutal invasion of privacy.”

Priyanka rationalises, “My brother Siddharth clued me in to Facebook. Almost everyone I know, is on the site.

If a couple of those conversations are picked on, what can I do?” However she says she isn’t affected by rumours of link-ups with Shahid, “I’m not here to live up to anyone’s expectations.

Because then I’m constantly conscious of what I’m doing. And that takes away from the honesty of my job. I’d much rather live up to my own expectations.

Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

After reading Navdeep Singh's early review of "OLLO" at PFC, I wanted to see this film the moment it was released here. After all, director Dibakar Banerjee directed the impeccable drama/comedy "Khosla ka Ghosla", and Navdeep Singh directed that gorgeous foray into desi noir "Manorama six feet under". They both couldn't be wrong, could they ?

After watching the 2 hour long OLLO, at the earliest possible time, I have to say that they aren't wrong, but they aren't very right either. Of course I went in to the film, buoyed by thoughts of "Khosla ka Ghosla". Of course I went in to the film relishing the thought of another well-made movie, from a director who knew what he was doing. And while it did turn out to be a well-made film, with exquisite attention to details, and wonderful character development, it definitely did not give me my money's worth.

Why, oh why, does this film not succeed, you might well ask ? Here's the short answer - there is no plot. At heart, I'm an old-fashioned girl. I like my films smart and sassy and with a "hook". The film must have a story, and the story must have a "problem", i.e.; the hook. The film must hold your attention, and progress(which it does) and RAMP UP (it does not).

OLLO as the title suggests is the story of Lucky, or Lovinder Singh Lucky, a Sardar born in dear old Delhi. And not the swanky side either, this is the Delhi of rooftops studded with TV antennas, open courtyards, and narrow galis. For one familiar with the city, or of the city born, this rendering of much-loved Delhi, warms the cockles of one's heart. Young Lucky (played marvellously by Manjot Singh) is a the son of a philandering father who's brought his mistress (whom everyone euphemistically refers to as Auntyji) home to live alongside his wife. Beaten by his father, Lucky is a kid with a false swagger in his step, and a sly word on his lips.

Lucky develops a penchant for trickery, because he wants the finer things in his life, fast. His small-time cons stay with him throught his growing years, only getting honed with time. As a young man, Lucky is an audacious thief, stealing because he can, and because it's his one-way ticket to every material thing he might covet. His life goes from one small-time heist to another, selling and pawning stolen goods, until there's only one possible way this could all end . . .

Abhay Deol really does pick off-beat films; from his "Socha na tha" to the very recent "Manorama 6 feet under", the roles he plays are not the standard Hindi film hero roles at all. As Lucky, Abhay does an excellent job, portraying the "good-natured thief" to the hilt. He holds his own against actor Paresh Rawal. Rawal plays three un-connected roles, and was fault-less in each of them; the only problem I saw lay with his accent, which did not appear to be Punjabi at all (dubbing might have given him more authenticity).

Manu Rishi plays Lucky's best friend Bangali, and Anurag Arora, with his very true Punjabi/Haryanvi lilt is a Special Branch Officer, in pursuit of Lucky. Neetu Chandra, as Lucky's lady love, is another excellent actress. Archana Puransingh, played a shrewish Punjabi house-wife, with all the typically Delhi-ite oily, overt posturing. Overall, the film featured an excellent cast.

It is obvious that Banerjee has taken pains with his characters. From the middle-class Dolly (Richa Chaddha), who realises that she is not English-speaking "gentry", to the apparently gentrified Mrs. Handa (PuranSingh), each role is carefully delineated. The screen-play is solid and dialogues apt. Banerjee makes sly digs at Delhi and it's class-consciousness as only one familiar with the city and it's culture can.

This film savors nostalgia. It features old melodies, goes quite retro in the begining with the titles, and makes quite a few references to that charismatic 80s icon, Vinod Khanna. With it's well-drawn characters you can't help feeling for, and it's very charming Delhi, Punjabi (you can call it what you want) feel, this film feels like a well-worn and much-loved garment; you cling to it because it reminds you of a city and a people you might have once known. The only problem here is that this garment is thread-bare.

Slumdog Millionaire

2005: Black (India); 2006: The Lives of Others (Germany); 2007: Juno (USA); 2009: Slumdog Millionaire (Britain). Every year it happens to me, watching a film from any country, that makes me think, be entertained, and fuels my passion to one day be a filmmaker and share my vision with the world. I had the pleasure to watch Danny Boyle’s, Slumdog Millionaire, with no knowledge of the plot, and being blown away by the endearing story. Was the entire movie really shot in India? Wow! You see the slums of Mumbai in all it’s glory, you see the innocence of children running through the streets through riots, you see the bustling commuters of a busy city as the backdrop of searching for someone’s true love.

Based on the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup, we are introduced to Jamal (Dev Patel), who is on his way of winning KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI (Who wants to be a millionaire?), yet there is scepticism from the game show host (Anil Kapoor) that a slumboy could know the answers and he gets him arrested. The policeman (Irrfan Khan) demands to know how Jamal could possibly know the answers to all the questions, and thus begins the journey of his experiences through flashback. With each question asked in the present, we learn from his past, that he learnt many things that common people would never know, without reading a book. As we move from flashback to the current time, where Jamal is proving his innocence, we learn that his real goal is to reunite with his true love Latika (Freida Pinto), whom he’s been searching for since he was a boy.

Slumdog Millionaire is the feel good movie of the year and is the biggest contender for best picture at the Oscars on February 22nd. The pacing of the story is fast-paced and you become eager to know how Jamal gets the answers right. Even though life has been unfair, he’s shown as a fighter and just never gives up despite all obstacles.

The film sets a benchmark on all levels. The adapted screenplay by Simon Beaufoy is suspenseful and intriguing. The cinematography is award winning by Anthony Dod Mantle. Editing by Chris Dickens is crisp. Music and score by AR Rahman blends perfectly in the background to the plot. Director Danny Boyle zooms competently through Jamal’s life and with ease so the viewer can’t help but fall in love with the main characters and the story. There is no bias, there is no religion, and the filmmaker ensures that even India is seen as a character in all its beauty.

On the acting side, all the newcomers are rising stars. Dev Patel acts confidently as the ambitious, defiant, courageous Jamal and you root for him till the very end. Bravo! Freida Pinto is a natural beauty that fills the screen with her damaged innocence. Her subtle chemistry with Dev is what made the characters feel real. Anil Kapoor is quite good as the cunning and cocky host; it’s great to see him really dig his teeth in this role. Irrfan Khan and Mahesh Manjrekar (villain) are adequate. Madhur Mittal, as Jamal’s older brother Salim, stands out. All the young actors playing Latika, Jamal, and Salim did an excellent job, especially in the sequence where they run away from an orphanage.

Thinking about this movie makes me smile and proves that the magic of movies is very much alive! Slumdog Millionaire is among the finest and most compassionate films I’ve ever seen about an underdog and is highly recommended to everyone. Enjoy!

Victory

Ajitpal Mangat's Victory may not be a masterpiece but it does provide a big opportunity for Harman Baweja to showcase his acting abilities after a very forgettable debut in last year's sci-fi blunder, Love Story 2050. The good news is that the actor makes a superb comeback and carries a very average film all by himself with confidence.

Victory is the story of Vijay Shekhawat (played by Harman Baweja), a middle-class boy from Jaisalmer, whose dream of playing for the Indian cricket team gets fulfilled when he gets selected for India's tour of Australia. He becomes an overnight sensation but soon gets entangled in wealth, wine and women and loses focus on his game. Consequently he is suspended from the team and on realization of his follies, he decides to fight his way back to regain what he has just lost. The film also focuses on the relationship between Vijay and his father (Anupam Kher) and his friend (Amrita Rao).

It's very evident that director, Ajitpal Mangat, is a huge cricket fan and he succeeds tremendously in creating the numerous cricket sequences with flair. Roping in international cricketers like Brett Lee, Sanath Jayasuriya and Harbhajan Singh have definitely helped those sequences look very real. But Mangat is terribly let down by some uninspired writing. Agreed that most sports based films generally follow a formulaic plot but there are examples like Chak De India and Bend It Like Beckham which have improvised through smart writing and interesting characters. That just doesn't seem to happen with Victory. The screenplay is heavily clichéd, predictable and is mostly boring. That said, Mangat does have good hold on certain scenes and the emotional quotient works here and there. The film as a whole may not really appeal to the multiplex junta but it does have good chances at the single screens considering its commercial approach.

Victory is a major challenge for Harman Baweja to compensate for his disastrous debut and fortunately he does very well. He looks much more comfortable in front of the camera and his dialogue delivery has improved by a large extent. I truly believe he is that lambe race ka ghoda and hopefully things will only get better for him with Ashutosh Gowariker's What's Your Raashee. Given the right director and the right script, this guy has the potential to do wonders. Amrita Rao manages to leave a mark. Gulshan Grover is terrific as the shrewd businessman and so is Dalip Tahil as the coach of the Indian cricket team. Anupam Kher is bearable. We've seen him in similar roles before and it's somewhat of a disappointment after his brilliant act in A Wednesday.

The soundtrack has some very poor compositions by Anu Malik with We Love Kirket (sung by Kailash Kher) leading the pack. Lyrics are equally poor. The opportunity to create a cricket anthem is totally wasted, instead we get a very loud gibberish version of Balla Utha Chakka Laga. It's difficult to imagine a National Award winning composer churning out such run of the mill tracks. Cinematography is consistently good throughout the film and as mentioned the cricket sequences have been shot very well. Ballu Saluja could have done a better job with the editing; some odd 15-20 minutes require trimming. Background score is average.

Overall, Victory lacks an attention grabbing script and has nothing fresh to offer. It's not an entirely bad film but when cricket is involved, expectations are way higher. Watch it only for Harman Baweja and the impressive line-up of top cricketers.

Delhi 6 a tad too loud

The unique aspect of Delhi 6, by the director’s own admission, are the particular sights and sounds of the city.

This, for one, is not something that’ll excite the viewer who has already felt the city’s vibe and visited it in recent films – Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Dev D and the like.

Yes, this is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s autobiographical vision, but it has lost that edge of being the first one to give us a penetrating darshan of the city. Next: a young American coming to local city, saying `awesome’ and observing from a distance, falling for the girl next door, getting embroiled in local issues despite himself was seen in Swades. It’s a cliche that most protagonists who visit their home country must inevitably follow in our movies.

But Delhi 6 is not without fun and deeply etched characters. American citizen and a product of a Hindu father and Muslim mother, Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan) agrees to drop his grandmother (Waheeda Rahman) to her home in Delhi where she has decided she wants to die.

The story starts as he reaches the city, and surrounded by traffic and people all around, exclaims an overwhelmed “awesome”. Warm and gregarious neighbours welcome them, and Roshan likes the place immediately.

That evening, at the Ramleela, he meets the Delhi-6’s people: his father’s childhood friend Ali Baig (Rishi Kapoor), Lalaji (Prem Chopra) who has just bought a young bride, a slimy young photographer who feeds off others’ dreams (Cyrus Shaukhar), and the two quarrelling brothers (Om Puri , Pawan Malhotra) who live side-by-side, the younger one better off than the other, and their wives (Supriya Pathak, Sheeba Chaddha) who pass mirchi pakodas to each other through a loose brick on the wall.

Then there’s the `masakali’ Bittu Sharma (Sonam Kapoor), daughter of the older brother (Om Puri), who wants to be the next Indian Idol, but is too terrified of her short-fuse dad to confess. So, when her father is all set to fix up marriage, having paid gold coins to the groom’s father and promised an expensive car, she wonders if rat poison is the answer or running away. The love story flourishes as Roshan encourages Bittu to stand up to her inflexible family.

Meanwhile the Kaala Bandar scare is full-throttle --- the panic conveniently used by everyone (a young wife sleeping with her lover, hopes her older husband will believe that is was the Kaala Bandar who was in her bedroom), with each story getting more fantastical than the other. Mehra uses this aspect to bring out the issues about the city—where at one point, the locality is divided in deciding whether the Monkeyman is a Hindu or a Muslim.

On a lighthearted note are moments where the traffic halts to make space for a cow giving birth, a holy man in saffron robes saying `Oh My God’, and the Dadi shopping (even bargaining) for her death.

Again, in Ramleela (the `untouchable’ Jalebi, played by Divya Dutt, is made to sit separately) where there is a sermon against this practice, Gobar (Atul Kulkarni) looks at Roshan’s piercing glare guiltily saying, “Ramji to bhagwan hai, unhe sab allowed hai.” Mehra refuses to show only the lighter side of the city and delves into its sinister side by showing the power-abusing local cop played by Vijay Raaz (whom Roshan calls a public servant and is immediately slapped as the cop thought he was called a servant), the hatred simmering below the open-hearted sharing of food, and the refusal of letting daughters think beyond marriage.

The picturisation of songs (and what songs!) is disappointing: one can visualise Genda Phool as a woman’s consortium singing together, and indeed you see the song when the wives are pounding chilies. Delhi 6 is again, expectedly, a melange of city’s slice-of-life shots. What surprises is the utterly romantic Rehna Tu, not picturised in a tender situation and Dil Gira Daftan pictured indulgingly.

Roshan’s character is immediately likeable, though there is hardly any complexity and we are never questioning what to make of him. Abhishek Bachchan is utterly believable , though the same can’t be said about his spotty accent.

Bittu is interesting, but you don’t warm up to her. We’ve seen too much of the sweet girl who loves chaat, jumps at jalebis and talks of her ambition with a , “mujhe apni pehchaan banana hai” dialogue. Sonam Kapoor is an earnest and effortless performer so she does make you like the character somewhat, despite the typical Delhi-girl recipe.

The portrayal of Delhi and its people seems tad too loud: note the aarti where the men go almost berserk, singing tunelessly, till the electricity goes off silencing them.

Towards the end, the film goes ballistic with sermons about nafrat and laalach; and you won’t believe this, a trip up in the skies where we see Amitabh Bachchan in an off-white shawl.

Camerawork (Binod Pradhan, Rang De Basanti) matches the city’s dynamism and is as delightfully chaotic as its subject. Sound by Nakul Kamte is fantastic. Art Direction is marvelous. But the real star is the soul-stirring music by AR Rahman, lending the film its very essence.

Delhi 6 is like a great song you want to like anxiously. But only, it's distorted for being played decibels too loud.

kshay Kumar cooks for Kylie Minogue

Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue dropped in at Akshay Kumar & Twinkle`s home for lunch on Thursday.

Kylie is in India to film a song for Akshay`s underwater thriller Blue, which is being directed by Anthony D`Souza and produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd.

`Kylie and some of Akshay and Twinkle Khanna`s close friends from the industry, plus the Blue crew were invited for lunch by the actor on Thursday afternoon. This is supposed to be his way of making her comfortable in Mumbai,` a source close to Akshay revealed.

Akshay had decided to do some of the cooking himself for the special guest.

Sanjay Dutt to join ANC rally at Durban

Durban: Film actor turned politician Sanjay Dutt may still be finding his feet in politics back home, but in South Africa the Munnabhai star is being billed a "comrade" and he will be sharing a platform with top African National Congress (ANC) officials here on Sunday.

Sanjay Dutt disappoints Lucknow fans

Dutt, who has been at the centre of much controversy in India of late for his decision to join the Samajwadi Party that is in opposition to the Congress Party that his late father Sunil Dutt represented, is expected to make a fleeting visit to this coastal city, joining ANC president Jacob Zuma at an election rally in the huge Indian township of Chatsworth.

South Africa is heading for what observers say will be its most hotly-contested elections yet since the first democratic votes were cast in 1994, as the ruling ANC will on April 22 also be fighting a party started by some of it former leaders, the Congress of the People (COPE).

The first hint of Dutt's support for the ANC came in a radio commercial which says: "Greetings, my name is Zweli Mkhize and I'm the provincial chairperson of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. I want to take this opportunity to invite all members of the public to a mass rally with our president Jacob Zuma at the Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday, March 1, at 9 a.m.

I will contest on SP ticket: Sanjay Dutt

"This will be one of the few occasions that people of Durban will have a chance to listen to Comrade Zuma as we prepare to go into elections. An added surprise will be the inclusion of Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt on the programme.

"Sanjay is currently visiting South Africa and has given his full support to the ANC. Come and listen to Comrade Jacob Zuma and Comrade Sanjay Dutt live at the Chatsworth Stadium this Sunday at 9 am. You are all welcome - see you there!"

Dutt's appearance will probably lure thousands of Indian to the stadium as Bollywood stars have a huge following here. The move has been seen as a strategic one by analysts here as parties across the spectrum have in recent weeks been using various ways of attracting the vote of the local Indian community in the province where 75 per cent of the 1.2 million South African Indians reside.

In Lucknow, Sanjay Dutt promises to follow father’s footsteps

An informed source said that Dutt would also visit the Mahatma Gandhi Settlement at Phoenix, where the community centre and school started by then young lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his tenure here at the turn of the last century are still being run today.

Jugaad

Producer	Sandeep Kapur
Director	Anand Kumar
Music	Sachin Gupta, Krishna
Writer	Sandeep Kapur
Lyrics	Sameer, Rohit Sharma, Mohd. Nasir, Saahiel
Release Date	13-Feb-2

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Director: Karan Johar
Music: Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Year: 2006
Running Time: Approx 3.5 hours

Whenever Karan Johar releases a new film it is a very big deal and an increasingly rare event – comparable to a royal coronation or the birth of a Panda at the National Zoo. He is the wunderkind of the Indian film industry (34 years-old now) and news of his next film is followed by the public with a voracious appetite for every morsel of data or every stray rumor. Having two of the biggest films in Indian history will cause that kind of reaction. His debut film in 1999, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (KKHH), is one of the most popular romances ever and his next film in 2001, Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Gham (K3G), was an enormous box office hit. Then Johar went silent like a submarine waiting for the depth charges to pass by. Lots of stories circulated about various projects and directions that he wanted to go in, but they were like wisps of smoke in the wind and one had to begin to wonder if there was a certain trepidation on his part about his next film – doubts that he could possibly match his earlier efforts must have hung over him like a giant shadow.

Johar is the master of the emotional counter punch – he sets up his audience with breezy humor and likable characters and then piles on the melodrama with the force of a heavyweight boxer at the top of his game – a couple jabs to the face, stick it hard to the stomach and then a crunch to the head as your emotional façade crumbles like jelly. He could pull tears out of a desert rock. His manipulation of your emotions is obvious and nearly cruel and though you realize what is happening it doesn’t really matter because he aims at the big fat targets that affect most of us – love of family, love of country and a fated love. Though a slick feel of modernity color his films with hip fashions, discos and attitude, behind this is an adherence to traditional Indian film values - respect for your parents, faithfulness and patriotism. Both of his first two films inched out of this broad outline ever so barely – in KKHH the male character falls in love with a another woman (Kajol) after his wife has died but gets the ghostly blessing of his dead wife before doing so and in the very conservative K3G a man breaks with his parents but in the end is of course reconciled to them and the one non-traditional female (Kareena) is brought back into the fold of Indian womanliness by the end.

In Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (KANK) Johar seems to be attempting to go for something that breaks the ropes of tradition but in doing so he seems to have lost his magical touch – he looks uncomfortable crossing this unfamiliar terrain and the film never comes close to reaching the emotional heights of either his two previous films. One might argue that his subject material has grown up – it’s no longer Archie and Veronica in college with obvious straightforward messages of love but instead he goes for a conflicted emotional canvass where nothing is absolute – and this is very true but in doing so there is no final knockout blow – no moment in which you simply lose yourself within your weepy solitude. There is no love to cheer for and in reality no characters to root for – everyone is so flawed that you sit back and wait for them to self-destruct. This certainly makes for a much more unpredictable film than before and I found myself surprised that in the end Johar didn’t fall back into the comfort of a traditional Indian ending but instead a much more realistic one (the specific melodrama withstanding) in today’s world where very little lasts forever. A part of me admires him for taking some chances for a change, but I just wish I had liked the film more.

The film tells the story of two married couples – NRI’s living in NYC – and in retrospect one suspects that setting the film outside of India allowed Johar to go where he does with the story and the moral questions that are raised. One couple is Dev (Shahrukh Khan) and Rhea (Preity Zinta) who have been married about ten years with a small son and from all evidence their marriage is going through a rough spot. He had been a top football (soccer) star until an injury forced him to become an elementary school coach, while Rhea has become a huge success in the fashion magazine business. This change in their status causes much friction and bitterness on Dev’s part. The other couple has been married only for a few years but there too it appears that all is not well - Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan) is a fun loving party animal who won’t grow up while his wife Maya (Rani Mukerjee) wants him to settle down and become more serious. Left unstated for the most part but clearly an underlying concern is her inability to have children. But beneath all of this seems to be the real demon in the house – neither Dev nor Maya are truly in love with their mates anymore and perhaps never really were.

Dev and Maya meet cute and over time first become friends who agonize with each other over their respective marriages and slowly begin to realize that they are in love with one another – but they both try and fight off these feelings and patch up their marriages – divorce is not something they want to contemplate. Their better halves stay unaware of this growing attachment of their partners and in fact begin to believe that their marriage is working itself out. It doesn’t. And everybody lives happily ever after.

There are a couple basic elements that never allow you to fully embrace this story or the characters. The focus of the film is clearly on Dev and Maya with their spouses showing up primarily as jousting points – but they are not very likable people for the most part. In fact both Rishi and Rhea seem to be much better rounded appealing characters but instead the audience is stuck having to wallow in the self pity of the other two. Dev or Shahrukh’s characterization of him is all edges, sarcasm and anger and his well-known charm feels so brittle and bitter – probably a little like what Shahrukh is after a few drinks and a fight with his wife. It’s not a bad performance per se but it was a poorly written script that made him so one-note. I found him so unlikable that the less time I spent with him the better and it’s difficult to conceive of the sensitive and needy Maya falling for this emotionally hollow angry man. Yes, love is strange but even stranger in the movies. Maya is no prize either, as she has no sense of fun, romance or passion and is as cold a fish as one could find – all allure on the outside and frozen on the inside. This is certainly explained by the fact that she is trapped in a marriage with a good man that she can’t force herself to love as much as she wants to, but that makes her no more appealing. Again, a good performance but it is hard to give a fig for either of them and for their finding each other as “soul mates”.

The film breaks into two very definite sections – the first half is spiced up by some comic set pieces that are in fact very funny even if they approach sitcom territory – the scene with Rani in leather and whip mode is rather classic but so out of character and absurd that it feels like we jumped into another film. Their “meet cute” scene is similar – it works because it is funny but again it felt so untrue to reality (which is where Johar is trying to push this film) that it is almost uncomfortable to watch. The scenes with Amitabh Bachchan playing the womanizing father of Rishi treaded through the same strange mongrel world – his over the top character was amusing in itself but it felt like it was written for another film – and when he finally tones it down near the end and brings his acting weight into the film it made me sad that we had so little of this previously – no one today has the animal force of a serious Amitabh but as a whoring old man it seemed a rather frivolous use of his time. At the same time these comic moments are easily the most entertaining of the film because the love story that evolves in the second half of the movie has the movement of oil sludge but a lot less impact – it takes so long to go anywhere that I would not have been surprised to have found out that Bush had invaded another country or two in the meantime. By the end you just want them to be together – to torture each other and not the audience. KKHH admittedly had a similar structure – a light somewhat cartoony first half followed by a second half with a truckload of melodrama, but it worked perfectly there because it created two characters that you loved – here you just want them to leave you alone. Cue for Maya to cry some more.

Another element that has made Johar’s films so strong are the musical numbers filled with memorable tunes and wonderful choreography, but again he went in another direction using Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy as his composers. At least on first go through none of the numbers seemed particularly interesting – the two big numbers were both semi-disco driven beats with MTV edits and dance moves and the others were forgettable ballads with dull picturization. The cast is top choice as is the case with all of his films – Shahrukh now being in all his three films as is Rani – and certainly bringing Abhishek and Preity into his group of favorite actors is a good thing. And let’s not forget Kajol who gives the film more zing in her small cameo than it deserved. All do fine jobs and are not to blame for this film simply not having the energy that it is missing. This film might grow on me in time, but my guess is I won’t give it many if any opportunities to do so.

MUSIC REVIEW OF JAANE TU… YA JAANE NAA

'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' has undergone a complete transformation from its earlier avatar a year ago. And, this has been possible because of extraordinary efforts of Bollywood's perfectionist Aamir Khan. The latter has taken enough pain to pay his gratitude to his uncle whose son Imraan Khan is producing his debut. Since turning a co-producer of the movie , Aamir Khan changed the music director ; he dropped Himesh Reshammiya and chose no less than the best A R Rahman and entrusted the job to him, presumably impressed by the latter's music of 'Jodhaa-Akbar' and 'Ada'. Incidentally, the music is sung by a large number of new faces, besides the biggies like Rahman and Sukhwinder. Interestingly, the movie's director Abbas Tyrewala is also the movie's lyrics writer, and he has given good and meaningful lyrics to the music director.

Let's start with A.R.Rahman's "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi". This is a funky hit and the acoustic guitar's strings have successfully supported the song. As its title indicates the song uplifts the listener's mood by providing him or her complete relaxation from the worldly worries. Then enters Rashid Ali; his vocals are refreshing and youthful. We may treat it as a lounge number.

Now, comes the hip shaking track "Papu can't dance Sala". This is rendered by young singers like Blaze, Mohd. Aslam, Tanvi, Anupama Deshpande, Benny Dayal, Darshana and Satish Subramanium .This is another good and peppy one. This track has come up very well despite the singers hailing from amongst the younger lot. This track has Remix version as well but Hinglish lyrics haven't fared too well.

The next track is "Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai" by Runa Rizvi, who is the most suitable person for this song. Though this is a slow paced track yet its lyrics are a pleasure to ears. The track has another version, too, sung by Sukhwinder. Since it's a slow paced track, it has turned monotonous.

Now, is the turn of 'Tu Bole Main Boloon'. This is sung by Rehman himself. Again, it's a slow paced track, but with a loud music. Wish Rahman had reduced its sound. This is followed by another track "Nazrein Milaana Nazrein Churaana". This is sung by a team comprising Swetha Bhargave, Naresh Iyer, Satish Chakravarthye, Tanvi, Darshana, Benny Dayal and Anupama Deshpande. This is another good song on the lines of A.R.Rahman though by his younger lot. One cannot miss it and if one misses, he or she will be a loser. The last track of the album is "Kahin To Hogi Woh". This is rendered by Vasundhara Das and Rashid Ali. Though this track is also slow paced but the singers have made it listenable. The credit goes to the lyrics writer. Rashid's voice is sweet and forceful and so is Vasundhara's rendering.

On the whole, the album is good and a listenable one. And, its credit goes to Rahman who has directed the team of his younger lot very well.

DIA MIRZA'S CRAZE HER DREAM ROLE

Dia Mirza is still very far from what she deserves in the industry and therefore rightly rues the fact that she has not yet found her dream role. She said this in a recent chat with the media. She has been lying low for quite some time though she is being seen in Rakesh Roshan's 'Krazzy 4'. She reveals as to why her name was kept a secret from the star cast of the movie. She has played a journalist in the film, trying to reform the four crazy people. It's an important role. Juhi Chawla plays a psychiatrist and she acts as a journalist. Though the film is a comedy, she plays a very serious role, she asserts. Her role in 'Krazzy 4' is much different from her earlier character in Apoorva Lakhia's 'Shoot Out At Lokhandwala' though she plays a journo there, too. She has several movies on hand like Ashu Trikha's 'Zindagi Tere Naam', Sanjay Gupta's 'Alibaug', and another comedy - 'Fruit and Nut' and Soojit Sircar's 'Shoebite' with Amitabh Bachchan. However, she is banking on National Award-winning director Manmohan Mahapatra's 'Bits and Pieces'. Excerpts of the interview:

Are you satisfied with your present status in the industry?

I have done good work and I am almost 30 films old, but I have yet to get that one role which I can really talk about.

What's your latest movie?

I am making an appearance in Rakesh Roshan's 'Krazzy 4'.

How come this fact didn't come out in the open?

I am the surprise package of the film. This was deliberately kept a secret. Rakeshji didn't want the audience to know that I am featuring in the film, as they wanted to give the viewers a surprise.

What's your role vis-à-vis lead actor Juhi Chawla?

I play a journalist in the film, trying to reform the four crazy people. It's an important role. Juhi Chawla plays a psychiatrist and I am a journalist. Though the film is a comedy, I play a very serious role to play.

Isn't your role in 'Krazzy 4' quite different from your earlier roles?

You are right. I played a journalist in Apoorva Lakhia's 'Shoot Out At Lokhandwala' in the past. But the two roles are poles apart. Here I am shown doing a lot of social work.

What else?

I am also doing Ashu Trikha's 'Zindagi Tere Naam', where I will also be performing an item song. Sanjay Gupta's 'Alibaug' is also a wonderful film. I am doing another comedy - 'Fruit and Nut'. Then there is Soojit Sircar's 'Shoebite' with Amitabh Bachchan, but it is too early to talk about this.

What are you looking forward to?

I am now looking forward to National Award-winning director Manmohan Mahapatra's 'Bits and Pieces'.

BOLLYWOOD MOVES TO HOLLYWOOD

Brad Listermann, a US banker, has turned a complete filmmaker. Though he may not confess it but it appears that he entered into film production following his marriage with Indian actress Kashmira Shah. Brad claims that his 'My Bollywood Bride' is going to be better than 'Bride And Prejudice'. Besides, he also claims that he has taken Bollywood to Hollywood rather than vice versa. "Yes, my real life seems to have sneaked into 'My Bollywood Bride' to lend the movie more excitement", he adds. Besides, Brad has written two other screenplays apart from this, and wants to direct them too. When asked about his cast, Brad proudly informed that he has signed a Hollywood hero Jason Lewis of 'Sex and The City' fame.

How come he has been reluctant to offer the heroine's role to his wife, Brad says that he wanted her to play the lead role, but Kashmira thought of sparing her energy to help him in the film production. Later, she agreed at the persuasion of Sanjay Suri, another lead character, of the Hollywood romantic comedy set in Mumbai. Brad admits that Kashmira would certainly prove her worth in the movie. He is firm in his opinion that Bollywood provides a better working environment than Hollywood. Since the movie is made for the western audience, the duration of the movie is limited to 95 minutes. Similarly, it has only short songs unlike Bollywood's having long duration ones He is very excited that his movie will run at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. From there, Brad will take it further to other parts of the world.

Kareena Kapoor

Name: Kareena Kapoor
Birthday: Sunday, September 21, 1980
Star Sign : Virgo
Family: Father - Randhir Kapoor, Mother: Babita Kapoor
Address: 2-B/110 Excellency, 4th Cross Road, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 061, INDIA
First Film : Refugee

Biography
Kareena Kapoor, nicknamed "Bebo" (born September 21, 1980 in Bombay, India) is a Bollywood actress. She is part of the famous Kapoor family.

Kareena is the great-great-granddaughter of Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor, and great-granddaughter of Prithviraj Kapoor, who was a famous actor. She is the granddaughter of actor and producer Raj Kapoor and daughter of Randhir Kapoor and actress Babita. Her great uncles are Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor. Her uncles are Rishi Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor.

Her cousins are Ranbir Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor, Shivani Kapoor and Nikhil Nanda who is married to Amitabh Bachchan's daughter, Shweta Nanda. Her sister Karisma Kapoor is also in the film industry.

Her first movie was J. P. Dutta's Refugee which was released on June 30, 2000 and included co-debutant Abhishek Bachchan in the cast. Though the film didn't do well her performance was praised. Her first hit was the film Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai.

Her other notable roles include "Pooja" in the inter-generational melodrama Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham, "Kaurwaki" in Asoka, the title role in Chameli, in which she plays a prostitute and her role as a riot victim in Dev, for which she won the Filmfare Critics Award Best Performance.

Since then she has appeared in the hit Aitraaz, but succeeding film have not done as well.

She is currently dating actor-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor (they starred together in the 2004 movie Fida which did not succeed at the box office).

A passerby with a camera phone filmed Kareena kissing her boyfriend Shahid Kapoor (in a hotel's public area) and released the video. A Mumbai newspaper published stills from the video. Kareena and Shahid at first denied that the pictures were of them, but later reversed themselves and complained of an invasion of privacy.

Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif

Personal Profile (Personal Biography)
Date of Birth (Birthday): 16 July, 1984
Hair Color: Black
Birth Place: Hong Kong, China
Marital Status: Single
Languages: English, Poor Hindi

Family Background
Mother's Name: british
Spouse: boyfriend Salman Khan

Film Background (Filmography)
Debut Film: Boom
Famous Movies: Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, Sarkar, Boom
Latest Movies: Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya
Other Facts: She is half indian

Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai is one of Bollywood's pre-eminent leading ladies. This Indian darling burst upon the world stage when her striking beauty, poise and commanding intelligence won her the Miss World crown in 1994. This former architecture major soon became one of India's most famous models landing a prestigious Pepsi campaign and appearing in Vogue Magazine. India's top Bollywood directors were soon lining up to work with Ash. Her film debut in Mani Rathnam's 'Iruvar' (1997) received critical acclaim and her performance in Rahul Rawail's '…Aur Paar Ho Gaya' (1997) garnered her the Best Female Debutante Award. In 2000 she was awarded Best Actress by FilmFare and Zee Cine for her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", in that same year, nominated for Best SUPPORTING Actress for her special appearance in Aditya Chopra's MOHABBATEIN. In 2001 Ash was nominated for FilmFare's Best Actress Award for Satish Kaushik's "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai".



Ash's star continued to rise in 2002 working again with Sajay Leela Bhansali in 'Devdas'. 'Devdas' is the most ambitious and most successful film in Bollywood history. It became the first Bollywood picture to ever receive a special screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival and broke box-office records in India and the United States. Daily Variety's (06/12/02) Derek Elley describes 'Devdas' as "some of the most sumptuous production values in Bollywood history…" Elley describes Ash as "almost Audrey Hepburn-like", Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann says "I loved her in Devdas" and Julia Roberts calls her "the world's most beautiful woman".




2003 brought even more exciting opportunities. Ash became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. Ash is also the latest member of the elite L'Oreal Dream Team, joining beauties Catherine Deneuve & Andie MacDowell as their international ambassador. She graced the covers of India Today and the prestigious TIME Magazine. Time Magazine has also listed her on their list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World Today”. She has graced numerous covers worldwide including USA, UK, CHINA, RUSSIA, ISRAEL, UNITED EMERITES, ITALY, SPAIN and FRANCE. Ash was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's annual "Hot List", Hello Magazine’s Most Attractive Women in the World”, Stuff Magazine, FHM magazine, V-Life from Variety Magazine, GQ Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Harper’s & Queen and countless others.


2004 saw Aishwarya take on the leading role in her first English language film for Gurinder Chadha in “Bride & Prejudice”. She also became the first Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London.
2005 started with appearances on “60 Minutes”, “David Letterman Show” and the most watched television program in the world the “Oprah Winfrey Show”; Aishwarya’s career continues to grow even stronger - she will soon be seen in Mistress of Spices for director Paul Berges, Jag Mundhra’s Provoked, Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom 2 and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis’s Last Legion opposite Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley. The Queen of Bollywood is already becoming the talk of tinseltown and is currently in negotiations on two major motion pictures.

Filmography 1997 : Iruvar by Mani Ratnam (in Tamil) (Telugu title: Iddaru)

1997 : Aur Pyar Ho Gaya by Rahul Rawail

1998 : Jeans by S. Shankar (in Tamil)

1999 : Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Filmfare Best Actress Award)

1999 : Aa Ab Laut Chalein by Rishi Kapoor

1999 : Taal by Subhash Ghai

2000 : Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai by Satish Kaushik

2000 : Mohabbatein by Aditya Chopra (cameo)

2000 : Dhai Akshar Prem Ke by Raj Kanwa

2000 : Josh by Mansoor Khan

2000 : Kandukondain Kandukondain by Rajiv Menon (in Tamil)

2000 : Sanam Tere Hain Hum by Jayant Paranji (special appearance)

2001 : Albela by Deepak Sareen

2002 : Devdas by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Filmfare Best Actress Award)

2002 : Hum Kisise Kum Nahin by David Dhawan

2002 : Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam by K.S. Adiyaman (special appearance)

2002 : 23rd March 1931 : Shaheed by Guddu Dhanoa

2002 : Shakti (movie) by Krishna Vamshi (special appearance)

2003 : Kuch Na Kaho by Rohan Sippy

2002 : Nee Kidappen Njan Adippen: The Power by Krishna Vamshi

2003 : Dil Ka Rishta by Naresh Malhotra

2003 : Chokher Bali by Rituparno Ghosh (in Bengali)

2003 : Khakee by Rajkumar Santoshi

2004 : Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na by Samir Karnik

2004 : Bride and Prejudice by Gurinder Chadha (in English)

2004 : Raincoat by Rituparno Ghosh

2005 : Shabd by Leena Yadav

2005 : Bunty Aur Babli by Shaad Ali (special appearance)

2005 : The Heart of India by Ganapathy Bharat (in English)

2005 : Mistress of Spices by Paul Mayeda Berges (in English)

2006 : Provoked by Jagmohan Mundhra (in English) (filming)

2006 : Dhoom 2 by Sanjay Gadhvi (filming)

2006 : Umrao Jaan by J.P. Dutta (filming)

2006 : Singularity by Roland Joffé (in English)

2006 : Akbar-Jodha by Ashutosh Gowariker (pre-production)

2006 : The Last Legion by Doug Lefler (in English)

2006: "Chaos" by Coline Serreau (in English)

2006 : Indie Pop by Miko Reyes (pre-production)

2006 : Guru by Mani Ratnam (announced)

Aishwarya Rai : Biography

Aishwarya Rai was born in the South indian state of Karnataka in Manglore on 1st Nov 1973. She was younger of the two siblings, her brother being 3 years elder. When she was about 4 years old, her family moved to Bombay permanently. Her father worked as a merchant navy officer. Aishwarya did her schooling at Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz. Academically, she did very well and earned her position as the head girl of her school. Ash chose the science stream while at DG Ruparel College, her favorite subject being Zoology. Aishwarya wanted to do medicine, but circumstances didn't let her. Instead she chose Architecture and passed the interview at Raheja College with flying colors. By this time, Aishwarya had started getting modelling assignments. She then decided to take a break from architecture and concentrate on modelling. This green-blue eyed beauty stole ads for many prestigious firms, the ones which brought her into the limelight were the garden sari and the pepsi ad. Crowned Miss femina '94 runner up, she was a hot favorite to win the miss world title, which she did ! Her beauty and charm made her India's darling. She bagged Filmfare Award for best actress for her performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) as Ajay Devgan's wife who is in love with another man. She also won rave reviews for her performance as a rape victim in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000). In 2003 she bagged another filmfare award for best actress for the role of paro, she portrays in film Devdas. She had a well publicised affair with Salman Khan which lasted 2 years. Apparently his endless tantrums traumatized her enough to give a press conference in spring 2003 where she declared that she would never work with him again for personal reasons. In April 2003, she suffered an accident on the sets of Khakee (2003). She broke a bone in one foot and suffered severe cuts. The incident rekindled the discussion about poor safety standards on Bollywood film sets. Aishwarya's bagged a parallel role opposite 'Meryl Streep' in French director 'Coline Serreau's' Chaos. 2003 has been her annus mirabilis. On the jury at Cannes, the international festival circuit with Chokher Bali, the crossover sets of Bride And Prejudice, the cover of Time magazine. And now she's all set to waltz into Hollywood. The film trade traditionally treats its heroines as completely interchangeable assets. Aishwarya Rai is the only Indian woman in world's Top 10 looking women.

Aishwarya Rai: Movies

Mohabbatein ( Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Jimmy Shergill, Shamita Shetty, Kim Sharma, Preeti Jhangiani, Aishwarya Rai), Shabd ( Aishwarya Rai, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan), Khakee ( Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Tusshar Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai), Raincoat ( Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan), Kyon, Ho Gaya Na ( Aishwarya Rai, Vivek Oberoi, Amitabh Bachchan), Bride and Prejudice ( Aishwarya Rai, Martin Hendersen, Namrata Shirodkar, Meghna Kothari, Peeya Rai Choudhary, Naveen Andrews, Anupam Kher), Chokher Bali ( Aishwarya Rai, Raima Sen), Kuch Naa Kaho ( Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai), Dil Ka Rishta ( Aishwarya Rai, Arjun Rampal, Priyanshu Chatterjee), Devdaas ( Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit), Hum Kisise Kum Nahin ( Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai), Albela ( Govinda, Aishwarya Rai, Jackie Shroff), Dhai Akshar Prem Ke ( Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai), Taal ( Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor), Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai ( Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Sonali Bendre), Josh ( Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Priya Gill, Chandrachur Singh, Sharad Kapoor), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ( Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan).

Aishwarya Rai Photo Gallery

Aishwarya Rai

International Stardom Devdas, in which Aishwarya joined Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit, was a huge hit, lavishly produced as it was. The film attracted overseas attention as well, receiving a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rai was becoming an international star rather than simply a Bollywood one. In 2003, Rai was a member of the jury at Cannes. In 2004, she was chosen by TIME Magazine's Asian Edition as one of Asia's "100 Most Influential People." Rai was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile on January 2, 2005 - "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World." A month later she appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and on April 25, 2005, she was featured on Oprah's "Women Across the Globe" segment. A wax figure of Rai is on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum.

Although frequently the subject of gossip column speculation about an imminent Hollywood career, it was only in 2004 that Rai finally acted in a foreign film. British director Gurinder Chadha hired her to play the heroine in Bride and Prejudice, a Hollywood-funded but Bollywood-ized version of Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride and Prejudice. The movie did well at the box office and Aishwarya's Hollywood profile rose a notch.

Rai is now said to be signed for another Hollywood movie, Rolland Joffe's project Singularity. She will star opposite Brendan Fraser.

She is in the cast for The Last Legion co-starring Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley.

She recently (summer of 2005) completed filming on director Jagmohan Mundhra's film Provoked. She is co-starring with Nandita Das. The film was shot mainly in Britain.

Profesion	Actress & Model
Nick Name	Aishu
Also Known As	Aish
Date of Birth	November 1, 1973
Zodiac Sign	Scorpio
Place of Birth	Mangalore, India
Height	5' 7"
Weight	122 lbs
Eyes	Blue-Green
Favorite Car	Mercedes
Favorite Film	Casablanca
Fluent in	English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil & Urdu
Food Habits	Not fussy about food at all.
She Loves	Honesty, Family, Friends, Dignity, strength of character, and Chocolates!
She Dislikes	Gossip, hypocrisy & Cockroaches.
Her Dream Man	Real!
Idea of Love	What her parents share
Worst Weakness	Willingness to take people at face value.
Best Strength	Self assurance
Best Quality	Genuineness! Nothing about her is plastic
Philosophy	It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice
Favorite Perfume	Sporty colognes for the day while working. Exotic, oriental and woody fragrances for the evenings
Turn On's	Razor sharp intelligence, witty repartees.
Idea of Sexy	A combo of vulnerability and intelligence.
She Admires	Strength of charector
She Bbelieves in	God above everything else and then herself
Family	Father: Krishnaraj Rai Mother: Vrinda Rai Brother: Aditya Rai
Favorite Compliment	A child at an orphanage told her that her warmth over shines her beauty. Also, that she is "REAL" inside and out.
Favorite Colors	White & Blue
Favorite Actor	A.B, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor
Favorite Actress	Madhubala & Nargis
Education	Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz, Bombay, India
Academic Record	Excellent
College	DG Ruparel College, Matunga, Bombay, India
Message	Life’s a stage, and we’re all characters. So play your part and play it well!

Trivia Was positioned at number 3 in the Filmfare Top Ten Actress' List.[1]

Praised by several people, including Julia Roberts ([2], [3]) and film critic Roger Ebert ([4]) as the most beautiful woman in the world.

Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista is reported to have called her "stunning".

She is said to have been offered a stint as a runway model for Roberto Cavalli.

Is the highest paid actress in the Bollywood film industry.

India Times named Aishwarya #1 on the list of the "100 Most Beautiful Indian Women in the Past Century".

Was featured in the 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

L'Oréal signed her as its new international brand ambassador, on April 2003.

Was placed number seven on "The World’s 101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies On Earth".

Is fluent in languages such as English, Hindi, Kannada, and Tamil.

Awards

Sanjay Dutt

Sanjay Dutt son of Nargis and Sunil Dutt was born on 29 July 1959. His hell raisin's days are behind him. Now he has settled into a steady pace. He's moved on from lover boy and action hero roles to try his hand successfully at slick gangster movies and comedy. He has turned producer also from film Kaante. Now he is in the position when he can book himself the kind of roles he fancies. He started his film career with Rocky (1981). Although the film did well, but it failed to promote him as an established actor. In a period of 20 years in Bollywood, he acted in about 60 films which uplifted Sanjay Dutt and established him in the Film Industry though he had many ups and downs. Today he is one of the top 10 Bollywood actors. He had an affair with actress Madhuri Dixit when they were doing Thanedaar (1989)together. Sanjay's personal life was exacerbate by drug problems and worsened with the death of his first wife Richa from cancer. He was arrest two times once under 'TADA' then for having illegal possession of several AK-57 weapons and was imprisoned while the case continued. After his release from jail he had three consecutive hits ... Daag - The Fire (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Vaastav (1999). All these movies brought him moderate success. His performance in Vaastav (1999) earned him the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at Film Fare. Then sanjay appeared in the movie Mission Kashmir (2000), Kaante (2002) which were another award winning performances. Sanjay Dutt has got married to his long-time girl friend, Rhea who stood by him in times of grief, agony and at a time when he really needed one who could well understand him. The wedding was a sensation it was held at hotel Taj on Valentine's Day. His last movie Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) was a super duper comedy hit of the year. He also got the Film Fare best Comedian award for this movie.



Sanjay Dutt: Movies

Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi ( Sanjay Dutt, Shahid Kapur, Amrita Rao, Arshad Warsi), Mohabbat Ho Gayi Hai Tumse ( Sanjay Dutt, Shamita Shetty, Chandrachur Singh), Dus ( Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Shilpa Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan, Zayed Khan, Esha Deol), Parineeta ( Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Sanjay Dutt, Raima Sen), Shabd ( Aishwarya Rai, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan), Rakht ( Bipasha Basu, Sanjay Dutt, Dino Morea, Neha Dhupia, Sunil Shetty, Amrita Arora), Tango Charlie ( Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Bobby Deol, Ajay Devgan, Tanishaa), Musafir ( Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Sameera Reddy, Koena Mitra, Mahesh Manjrekar), Deewar ( Amitabh Bachchan, Akshaye Khanna, Amrita Rao, Sanjay Dutt), Rudraksh ( Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu), LoC Kargil ( Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Sunil Shetty, Manoj Bajpai, Sanjay Kapoor), Plan ( Sanjay Dutt, Dino Morea, Sanjay Suri, Bikram Saluja, Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Manjrekar), Munnabhai MBBS ( Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Dutt, Gracy Singh, Arshad Warsi), Ek Aur Ek Gyarah ( Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff), Hathyar ( Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, Sharad Kapoor), Annarth ( Sunil Shetty, Preeti Jhangiani, Sanjay Dutt, Ashutosh Rana, Shweta Menon), Maine Dil Tujhko Diya ( Sohail Khan, Sameera Reddy, Sanjay Dutt), Kaante ( Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Lucky Ali), Hum Kisise Kum Nahin ( Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai), Pitaah ( Sanjay Dutt, Nandita Das, Jackie Shroff, Om Puri, Anupama Verma), Jodi No: 1 ( Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Twinkle Khanna), Kurukshetra ( Sanjay Dutt, Mahima Chaudhary), Mission Kashmir ( Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Preity Zinta), Haseena Maan Jayegi ( Govinda, Sanjay Dutt, Karisma Kapoor, Pooja Batra, Kader Khan, Anupam Kher), Khoobsurat ( Urmila Matondkar, Sanjay Dutt, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Om Puri), Chal Mere Bhai ( Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan), Vaastav ( Sanjay Dutt, Namrata Shirodkar, Mohnish Behl), Kartoos ( Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala, Gulshan Grover).

Sohail Khan

Personal Profile (Personal Biography)
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Birth Place: India
Religion: Muslim
Marital Status: Married
Languages: Hindi, English

Family Background
Mother's Name: Salma Khan
Brother(s): Arbaaz Khan, Salman Khan
Sister(s): Alvira Khan, Arpita Khan
Spouse: Seema Sachdev
Son: Irfaan Khan

Film Background (Filmography)
Debut Film: Maine Dil Tujhko Diya
Famous Movies: Fight Club, Aryan, Jeet: Feel the Force, Mazhab: The Religion, Raakh, Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya, Krishna Cottage, I Proud to Be an Indian, Lakeer Forbidden Lines, Darna Mana Hai, Maine Dil Tujhko Diya

Johnny Lever

Personal Profile (Personal Biography)
Original Name: Johnny Rao
Nick Name: Lallu
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Birth Place: Andhrapradesh
Religion: Christian
Education: Andhra Educational Society
Marital Status: Married
Languages: Hindi, English
Contact Address: R 303 Marvel, Shashtri Nagar Hsg. Soc., Near Lokhandawala Complex, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 053

Family Background
Spouse: Sujata

Aamir Khan : Biography

One film at a time, one shift a day, he decided for creative integrity. He is the highest paid star in hindi cinema. The flip side is that he won't reduce his price for anyone. Despite his bulging pay packet and superstar status the tag we put on him is Actor. Aamir Hussain Khan, the PET-SHOP boy of the bollywood, was born on 14th March 1965 to Tahir and Zeena Hussain Khan. He is having one younger brother Faizal who is a VJ and an Actor and two sisters Nikhat and Farhad. He was married to Reena Dutt and having two children son Junaid and daughter Aira. But in 2002 he was legally separated with his wife. Aamir Khan, is known as AK everywhere, although his first movie was Holi, but his debut film as a Hero Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak turned out to be a blockbuster of 1988 and set a new trend in cinema. In 1996, he has got the Best Actor award for his outstanding performance in Raja Hindustani which was a smash hit at the box office and he has placed himself among the top heroes of the Bollywood. Sarfarosh and Dil Chahat Hai were again the blockbuster films. He has got the best actor award for Dil Chahata Hai. This movie created a new trend of hairstyle and beard for youngster. He set trends with every film, including his last film Lagaan His next release will be The Rising in which his character name is Mangal Pandey.

Aamir Khan: Movies

Rang De Basanti ( Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddartha), The Rising ( Aamir Khan, Toby Stephens, Amisha Patel, Rani Mukherjee, Coral Beed), Dil Chahta Hai ( Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Dimple Kapadia, Sonali Kulkarni), Lagaan ( Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley), Rangeela ( Urmila Matondkar, Aamir Khan, Jackie Shroff), Dil ( Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher), Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak ( Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla), Raja Hindustani ( Aamir Khan, Karisma Kapoor), Mann ( Aamir Khan, Manisha Koirala, Sharmila Tagore, Deepti Bhatnagar), 1947: Earth ( Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, Rahul Khanna, Maia Sethna, Kitu Gidwani, Gulshan Grover), Mela ( Aamir Khan, Faisal Khan, Twinkle Khanna), Sarfarosh ( Aamir Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Sonali Bendre, Mukesh Rishi).

Aamir Khan Photo Gallery

Aamir Khan

Bollywood star Shah Rukh in hospital for operation

2 days ago

MUMBAI (AFP) — Indian Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan was admitted to hospital in Mumbai on Monday for an operation on his shoulder, which he injured during filming last year, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The 43-year-old actor -- popularly known as King Khan -- was hurt while acting in the movie "Dulha Mil Gaya" (I Found my Groom), in December.

"Shah Rukh is set to undergo surgery later today," a spokeswoman for the Breach Candy hospital told AFP.

The star is expected to be discharged by the end of the week, but could be out of action for more than a month.

Shah Rukh flew back from London on Sunday night after promoting his latest film "Billu."

TAhaan

Summary:
'Tahaan' - is a fable-like journey of the eponymous eight-year-old boy, whose life revolves around the pursuit to find real purpose in his little world.

Tahaan (Purav Bhandara) lives with his grandfather (Victor Banerjee), his mother Haba (Sarika) and older sister Zoya (Sana Shaikh,) in the serene meadows of Kashmir. They all live in the hope that someday Tahaan's father, who's been missing for over three years, will return................

Star Cast
Purav Bhandare...... Tahaan
Rahul Bose...... Zafar
Anupam Kher...... Subhan
Sarika...... Haba
Victor Banerjee...... Grandfather
Rahul Khanna...... Kuka Saab
Sana Shaikh...... Zoya
Ankush Dubey...... Idrees
Dheirya Sonecha...... Yasin
Rasika Duggal

42 Kms Music Review

Seems like Harman Baweja's Victory may not be the only sporting movie this season as another not-so-talked about film will not be far behind. 42 Kms, releasing on the 23rd January this year, is going to tackle the journeys of five different individuals who themselves will be tackling a 42 km run. The movie stars Mandira Bedi (Shaadi Ka Ladoo, Dus Kahaniya, Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jayenge), Sammer Dattani (Corporate and Pyar Mein Twist), Bikram Saluja (Fiza), Purab Kohli (Rock On!!), Nauheed Cyrusi (Lakeer) and debutante Prashant Chainani. In the director's chair is debutante Nisha Chainani while music and lyrics have been given by Tubby-Parik and Shahab Allahabadi respectively.

The album has six songs with Gayatri Ganjawala, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shreya Ghosal and Sonu Nigam making the playback singers list.

The album commences with the inspirational Chaand Zameen Par sung by the extremely talented KK whose vocals do not fall short of the emotions and expressions that is crucial to a motivational song such as this. The music is relatively modern and trendy as it has shades of rock and rap through-out. Fortunately, the rapper does not blabber on gibberish, a well deserved breather for all the listeners out there. Allahabadi's lyrics are slightly clichéd and lack the power the song needs. However, the lyrics are saved by KK's intense rendition which invokes strong emotion in every word.

Next is Zara Aankhon Mein by Sonu Nigam and Gayatri Ganjawala. Sonu is heard in a different avatar after a long time. Hip and trendy numbers like this have not come Sonu's way for a while as he has been relegated to romantic and melancholy numbers. 'Zara Aankhon Mein' will definitely get Sonu fans a tad bit nostalgic as we'll reminiscent the 90s and Sonu's Indipop days when every Sonu number was packed with a punch. Gayatri Ganjawala can give her husband, Kunal, a run for his money because she is right up there with him when it comes to oozing oomph and attitude into a song. Tubby and Park score bonus points with pulling off such a trendy number with utmost ease. Allahabadi's lyrics are strictly okay. Once again, the English lyrics interspersed throughout the song do not act as a hindrance or a turn-off. 'Zara Aankhon Mein' also appears as pumped up remix at the end of the album.

After the two up-beat numbers, the album cools down with the melodious Ae Meri Jaan. Like 'Chand Zameen Par' it is also an inspirational number, however it aims to cheer you up in a sweet and affectionate manner. Roopkumar Rathod, who has been winning hearts all over with the recent blockbuster 'Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai', sings this beautiful number with the talented Mahalaxmi Iyer. Rathod and Iyer sound great together and the sincerity in their vocals is amazing. The soft number is well composed by Tubby and Parik with a nice blend of western and traditional music. Lyrics by Allahabadi while simple prove to be effective.

The next track, Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan's Tumse Milke Hua, is a definite let down. The song is a mediocre, musically and lyrically. Allahabadi pens the same old romantic lines that Bollywood has been generating since the dawn of time. Tubby-Parik compose a routine romantic number with a sweet melody, a little peppiness and crooning backup singers. Sunidhi Chauhan, who is incapable of singing a bad song, is the high point of the song. Her partner Shaan, on the other hand, sounds a tad bit pretentious.

The last track other album is Aate Jaate, a desi number rendered by the reliable Udit Narayan and Shreya Ghosal. Again, the music is very run-of-the-mill, especially the percussion. The silver lining of the track is its lyrics, well penned by Allahabadi. The song narrates a person's relationship with their surrounding regardless of how vague it sounds, and Allahabadi's choice of words is brilliant. Udit and Shreya work hard at resuscitating the lifeless melody Tubby-Parik provided them with but sadly fail.

In summary, Tubby and Parik make a genuine effort to be innovative and creative but their success only lasts for the first three tracks and everything goes down the drain after that. The fact the 42 Kms has not been in the public eye may also hinder the album's chances. 'Zara Aankhon Mein' is without a doubt the strongest track of the lot. The other tracks are relatively good but they ultimately sound like something you have heard before. That is why 42 Kms does not make it to the finish line.

Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye Music Review

When Kajol danced around to the lyrics 'mere khawbon mein jo aaye' in the all time favourite Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jayenge, the song became an instantaneous hit. Now its namesake, a movie tilted Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye, is up for release in Febuary 2009. This Randeep Hooda (Monsoon Wedding) and Raima Sen (Parineeta) starrer has music by Lalit Pandit, of Jatin-Lalit fame. This musical duo ruled the 90s and gave us hits such as Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Khamoshi, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and finally Faana after which the brothers ended their professional relationship.

Now, let's see if Lalit can create the same magic he did countless times before with Jatin.

Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye album includes 8 songs comprising of the talents of Shaan, Shreya Ghosal, Alka Yagnik, Anuska Manchanda and Lalit himself. The lyrics have been penned by Javed Akhtar.

The album commences with Pathron Ke Bane In Shahron sung by Shaan. It is a somewhat situational number about the harshness of the city life, well written by Akhtar. However, the melody and the music is very old-school and not in a good way. It is as if the song was an outtake from a 90s album and re-surfaced from a time-capsule in 2009. Nevertheless, Shaan sings the number exceptionally well and does not disappoint his fan-base.

Next is Pehle To Meri In Aankhon Mein sung by Shreya Ghosal. The track gets off to a promising start with a beautiful yet edgy flute solo and violins but falls flat when Shreya starts singing. It is an enthusiastic song, relatively fast paced, even danceable but Shreya does not look the part or rather, does not sound the part. The song would have been better performed by someone like Sunidhi Chauhan or Anushka Manchanda who are much more suited to a song such as this. Musically, the track is still stuck in the 90s to an extent. That being said, the musical arrangements are still entertaining. Lalit's fusion of dhols and flutes against a modern backdrop is worthy of commendation. Meanwhile, Akhtar pens quite mediocre lines for this track, letting us down the song in the lyrical department.

Sehmi Sehmi is next, a melodious romantic number sung by Shaan, Alka Yagnik, Lalit, Runa Rizvi and Clinton Cerejo. It is a well made track with excellent performance by the singers with relatively good music as well. However, the song sounds like something who have heard countless times before. It contains nothing to distinguish it from the crowd and hence the song gets lost with all the other riffraff out there. It is quite a delight to hear Alka Yagnik though. Jatin-Lalit had always given her excellent material and she had always performed to an optimal level. This time round she does the same even though the song is so run-of-the-mill. Akhtar's same old lyrics do not help either. 'Sehmi Sehmi' also appears as remix at the end of the album that neither improves nor hinders the original track.

As mentioned previously, Anushka Manchanda is one of the it-girls when it comes to singing lively and youthful numbers. She has proven this with 'Ek Hockey Doongi Main Rakh Ke' and obviously the award-winning 'Everything's Gonna Be Golmaal'. Lalit made the right choice putting her behind the mic for Kabhi Kabhi. It is a contemporary number about sometimes living life on the edge and taking risks for a change. The track's low point is that Anushka's enthusiastic vocals are no match for music which lacks the power and life that Anushka's vocals have. While the lyrics paint a lively picture, the music fails to meet the songs motivational requirements.

Kab Talak is easily the worst of the lot. What was supposed to be an emotional number high on melancholy falls flat on its face. Caralisa's expressionless vocals combined with the equally soulless music writes this track off completely. Rohit Bhatia, if he has a day job, is advised not to give it up in favour of pursuing a career in writing songs.

Next is Zindagi Mein Nayi Baat Hone Ko Hai, a track straight out of the 90s. Lalit opts for the clichéd dhols for percussion and makes a pithy attempt to be modern by throwing a little bit of techno in. Regardless of being stuck in a time warp, Aishwarya manages to deliver a good performance. Hopefully, he gets a better gig soon. Akhtar disappoints majorly in the lyrical department once more.

The album draws to a close with an Instrumental which just a reproduction of the low quality music heard previously.

This album is utterly useless to the music bazaar, unless amidst all the mediocrity you can hear it saying 'the 90s just called and they want their songs back'. It is unbelievable that someone who gave Indian Cinema some of its greatest songs could create something so dreadful. When it comes to Jatin-Lalit, there are no truer words than: United we stand, divided we fall.

The music of Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye is a total failure. If you loved the 90s than maybe this album holds some appeal for you, but for the rest of you who like living in the present, give this one a miss.