Scared to approach Delhi girls: Pulkit Samrat

The four boys of Fukrey - Pulkit Samrat, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh and Varun Sharma - share their Dilli gyaan with Times of India.

Delhi foodies' tales
During the shooting of the movie, the four guys took a lot of time out and hung around different places in the city. "It was basically all about exploring some cool places every day and trying to trump the masti of the previous day," says Varun. They especially remember their momo outings, where they had the trademark tandoori momos of North Campus. We ask them to pick out their one favourite place to eat out at. Ali says, "Paranthe Wali Gali at 6am in the morning - best breakfast ever and probably the heaviest too." Pulkit says, "Darshan at Bangla Saheb Gurudwara, especially for the kadha prasad offered there. Main toh baar-baar line mein laga hoon prasad khaane ke liye and I am sure aisa sab karte hain." Varun says, "Pandara Road pe bahut hi heavy khaana and uske baad wahin ki kulfi." Manjot adds, "Mere liye toh CP ka khana. Wahaan khade hoke rajma chawal, kadhi chawal khana. They're out of this world."

Getting the Delhi accent right is not easy
Manjot and Pulkit proudly call themselves Delhi boys. Varun belongs to Jalandhar, and is well versed with the Delhi lingo, thanks to his frequent weekend trips to the city. But even then, the boys maintain, getting the Delhi accent right wasn't as easy as they assumed. Pulkit says, "It seems like bahut easy tha kyunki film Delhi ki hai, ladke yahaan ke hain, toh language koi zyada difficult nahi hai. But we have specifically targeted east Delhi ki language which is very different. So for us, it was still difficult because even the way people greet each other there is very different. We managed simply by following Mrigh (the director) completely." But for Ali, it was the other way round. He had to unlearn the fukra lingo because of his character. "Mrigh actually wanted me to sound neutral. I am the eldest in the group and I am already in college in the movie. But because I was with the three of them all the time, meri language full Dilli ki ho gayi thi, kyunki yeh teeno bilkul kattar Dilli wale hain.

Har ladke ka sapna hota hai Miranda mein ghusna
The introduction song and most of the college sequences of the film were shot in Miranda House, and the boys just couldn't get over being 'legally allowed inside Miranda'. Varun says, "I think the Miranda experience was the most fun. It was right in the beginning of the shooting schedule and it was just so exciting for us to be there." Manjot adds, "I haven't really attended a college. My education was through correspondence. So all my regret about not attending college ended after this shoot because har ladke ka sapna hota hai Miranda mein ghusna. Log sadak ke baahar baithte hain, deewaron se jhankte hain, but hum toh legally andar allowed thay." Ali says, "When we were at Miranda, we knew exactly how big a deal that was for us and for every guy."

Scared to approach Delhi girls
In the movie, Pulkit sends a 'fraandship request' to Priya (Anand) on a kite. While there he does it like a pro, the guys admit that this attitude is only for the movies and that they are too scared to approach a Delhi girl on their own. Having grown up in the city, Pulkit says, "I am toh very scared about approaching a Delhi girl. Unka khauff hi alag hota hai. Even if maybe I know the girl, main darr se approach nahi karta because agar woh known na ho toh seedha thapad hi pad jaayega yahaan. Baad mein woh jaan pehchaan ki nikle aur main unse naa milun toh alag sunne ko milta hai ki itna attitude wagerah wagerah." Ali adds, "The thapad is too much for me. I am a shy guy and I'm not good at approaching girls. If you approach someone, they give you the look which says, 'How could you look at me?'"

Pampering the bholi princess
A part from all their wacky Delhi experiences, the four are more than willing to talk about working with Richa Chadda in this movie. Varun says, "Every scene that we shot with her was so much fun. Woh pura Bholi Punjaban wala keher har scene mein daalti thi woh and mazza aata tha har shot mein. But off screen, she is extremely sweet." Pulkit adds, "We called her the Bholi Princess off screen. All of us really enjoyed pampering her and we actually treated her like a princess." Richa says, "I had the most fun with these guys. Itni pampering mili mujhe. Koi mere liye gaa raha hota tha, koi kuch aur. We had a blast throughout the shoot and even during the promotions."

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Is Jiah Khan's suicide letter fake?

Ever since Jiah Khan committed suicide, and Suraj Pancholi landed in the eye of a storm, a bitter battle has erupted between the two aggrieved mothers. On one hand, Rabia Khan has been gathering evidence to build a strong case against the Pancholi family, on the other, Suraj's mother, Zarina Wahab, has been fighting tooth and nail to insulate her son from surging public outrage.

And now, TOI has obtained copies of Jiah's 'last letter' and a set of five love letters that she wrote to Suraj during their ill-fated affair. The findings seem to suggest that the handwritings do not match.

Check out: What Jiah Khan wrote to Suraj Pancholi

A senior police officer (on request of anonymity) from Juhu Police Station said, "If you look at the letters which were at Jiah and Suraj's house, you get a feeling that something is definitely not all right. However, it will be wrong to say anything emphatically until we get a confirmation from forensic experts."

To solve the mystery of the mismatched handwriting, cops have now asked for answer sheets and bank forms filled by the late actor.

When contacted, Zarina said, "Yes, I am aware that the handwritings look different in the two sets. I think Rabia did not account for the fact that her daughter wrote love letters to my son. She was living under the impression that she only called and texted him. The truth will be out very soon."

Also see: Jiah Khan's life in pics

Added Zarina, "I have faith in God. Once forensic experts say emphatically that the letter, which Rabia handed over to the police, was not written by Jiah, I shall take legal action against that woman. But let me add that I shall consult my lawyers in detail before taking any step. I shall not do anything undignified and unjustified."

On the other hand, when TOI contacted Rabia, she did not take the call. Jiah's sister Kavita responded, saying, "My sister is unwell. She can't talk. The cops who claim that the handwritings have not matched, have not notified us. We maintain that none other than Jiah wrote the letter, which they have collected from our house. Nobody knows Jiah's handwriting better than us. It would be silly to imagine that we would stoop so low so as to fix something like to deal with our angst."

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Priyanka gets emotional on the set

Exactly a week after her father's demise, Priyanka Chopra started filming her next, at a studio in Goregaon (West).

The actress placed a picture of the late Dr Ashok Chopra, in his army uniform, at the mahurat puja. She was accompanied by her mother, Dr Madhu Chopra, and a few close family members.

Priyanka got emotional, but regained composure when her mother comforted her. Incidentally, June 17 was also her mother's birthday. After the puja, the actress, clad in a blue jersey and red shorts, began shooting the film with a boxing ring scene, fighting a US boxer.

Initially, PC was to train under Lucia Rijker, who had trained Hilary Swank in the Hollywood film, Million Dollar Baby. But as she was unwell, Christy Halbert, Team USA's assistant coach, was roped in.

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Meera to promote 'Bhadaas', keen to clear court mess

Pakistani actress Meera wants to sort out issues with "Bhadaas" producer-director Ajay Yadav who had reportedly filed a case of non-cooperation against her when she refused to dub for the psychological thriller. Keen to kiss and make up, she is here for the film's promotion.

"There was some misunderstanding and I had informed the director earlier that I can't be here in May as I had other commitments. I want to solve the court issues and want to stay away from it," Meera, who made her Bollywood debut with Soni Razdan's 2005 movie "Nazar", told IANS.

Produced under the banner of Serene Films, "Bhadaas" has Meera in the lead role and it also features Aryeman Ramse, Ahsutosh Kaushik, Shree Rajput, Ananth Mahadevan, Rudra Kaushish, Mohini Neelkanth and Mushtaq Khan.

"It was only date issues and nothing more than that. I spoke to him over phone and said let's sort this out and I am here for the promotions," she informed.

She says she was "a bit sad" when "I got to know that in my absence, the dubbing was done by someone else. I respect the Indian law and order and I have requested Ajay to take the case back," she added.

Reportedly, Yadav has agreed to take the case back. The film is coming out June 28.

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Randeep Hooda buys a Polo team

Randeep Hooda's love for horses is well known and the busy actor currently owns five of them. But now the actor is adding a whole team of studs to his stable.

"I have bought a polo team and we will be playing when the Indian Polo season begins later this year. We'll be playing post October in Jaipur, Delhi and other places in India," says Randeep.

"I am planning to name the team Royal Roosters, as it has a royal and naughty touch and the sport can do with some fun," he says. Asked about this unusual purchase, the actor says, "Some people buy properties, others precious jewellery, but I have put my money in things I love."

Randeep will need 20-24 horses for the team and will bring in professional players from India and abroad. "They will be stationed in Jaipur. When I get time off from my movie commitments, I can practise and might then be able to play in the team too. I am clear that I won't go on the field without practice or else I will make a fool of myself," he says.

The actor is not new to the sport though. "I had given polo a back seat and taken up show jumping. This probably is the first time that Bollywood and polo have come together in real life. I hope that helps to take the sport to the next level," he says.

While other sports are almost like religion in India, Randeep hopes to popularize polo. "Contrary to the royal and uptight image of polo, I want to bring it to a younger generation. This is a great sport that can have a larger audience and appeal to more people. Sportsmanship is lacking in many other sports that I don't want to name. I am teaming up with the Royal India Polo Company and they are helping me in taking calls for the team. I will be looking at major corporate and private individuals for sponsorship too," he says.

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I’m blessed with an expressive face: Sonakshi Sinha

Sonakshi Sinha is in two minds if she likes being labelled a lucky mascot. "It's a tag that has been given to me by the media and it's temporary," she says, adding, "Luckily however, my efforts have not been undermined. Also, at the end of the day, I don't think being called a lucky mascot is a negative thing. No one is saying, 'Sona can't act,' are they?"

She may have a point there. But she is also making heads turn with her subtle '50s look in her upcoming film Lootera, which the 26-year-old credits to the film's research unit headed by director Vikramaditya Motwane. "A lot of research has gone into the film, not just the yesteryear look but the entire set, locations, costumes - attention was paid to the smallest detail," she says. A lot work has also been put into her expressions, she says.

"There are several scenes in Lootera, especially romantic ones, where a lot had to be said through my eyes," says the actress, who proudly credits her good genes for what she says is the blessing of an 'expressive face'.

Sonakshi claims there were enough and more people who tried to dissuade her from taking up the role in which she plays a Bengal zamindar's daughter deeply in love with a man who has his secrets.

"Usually when I read a script, I imagine someone else playing the character, but not in this one," says the actress. "When Vikramaditya narrated the story to me, I could only imagine myself playing Pakhi (the female lead). I fell in love with the character and when more and more people started doubting my decision, I took it as a challenge, ab toh karke rahungi."

What has also been a talking point in Lootera is her simmering chemistry with Ranveer Singh. The usually rambunctious actor is seen indulging his quieter side and according to reports, Sona's calm presence did act like a perfect foil to his uninhibited exuberance. Ask Sonakshi about their 'yin-yang' energies and she laughs. "Opposite energies not withstanding, it has come out rather well on screen," she says before sounding serious again. "Ranveer had to calm down a lot during the film in keeping with the demands of his character. Initially, I did have some doubts about how we would look on the screen but I think it looks magical now.

What helped Sonakshi retain her composure during the demanding shooting schedule that stretched from the interiors of Bengal to the Himalayas, was a disciplined unit. "It was the most sorted set I know, where people avoided talking as the shoot was sync sound, proper timings for breakfast and lunch, and so on. Usually, you have an hour after one shot is over and the next is getting readied. But it was different on the sets of Lootera and this helps you to concentrate on your work," she says.

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John Abraham's gift to Sanjay Gupta

Bollywood's most handsome actor, John Abraham gifted the Yamaha V Max bike to his special friend and director of 'Shootout at Wadala', Sanjay Gupta in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Shootout at Wadala

got an overwhelming response from the audience.

It comes as no surprise that film's actor; John Abraham decided to gift a brand new bike to his director friend Sanjay Gupta.

Well...we are waiting for more hits from both of you in future...

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Aamir Khan lets Shah Rukh enjoy the spotlight

At the music launch of the Deols' upcoming film where the media pounced on SRK

They were sharing a public platform after a long time. Sunny Deol had not really gone out of his way to be seen with Shah Rukh Khan ever since he felt shortchanged in Darr. Aamir Khan and SRK had not been BFFs after a prolonged season of jibes. But on Tuesday night, they put aside their differences to celebrate the music launch of Yamla Pagla Deewana 2.

And while the pictures of the starry guest list - featuring Hrithik and Papa Roshan, Aamir, SRK, Akshay Kumar, Ritesh Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Sunny, Dharmendra - have since been doing the rounds,TOI gets you the insider's view of what really happened when they all came together.

The buzzing suburban venue saw Aamir walk in early and take his seat. The Deols and the media greeted him warmly. But all that changed once SRK walked in. Thanks to the simmering controversy around his Wankhede episode, all eyes and ears were on the actor, who was bombarded with requests for a comment and a photo op.

Aamir got up from his seat and greeted his peer cordially, but as soon as it became evident that the media and the guests were keener to get a piece of SRK, he moved away, maintaining a dignified distance from him.

SRK was also much in demand by Papa Roshan, who pulled him aside and engaged him in a serious conversation for a good few minutes. We wonder if they were exchanging notes on superheroes. On the other hand, a visibly cheerful Juhi shared a few moments with SRK, who seemed to be sweating under his collar, despite the air-conditioning.

Once it was time to launch the music, SRK took the lead in getting all the actors in one happy frame. Even as the star guests stood shoulder to shoulder for the photo op, perhaps a little awkward in their newfound camaraderie, SRK broke the ice by requesting Dharmendra to do his signature, Yamla Pagla dance move. It worked like a charm as all of them suddenly let go of their inhibitions and broke into a jig, making it a moment to cherish.

As for Aamir and SRK, the two of them made it evident that it was time for mature interactions in public spaces.

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I have the best body in Bollywood: Hrithik Roshan

Actor Hrithik Roshan, who has been working on his physique for a distinct look in 'Krissh 3', feels he has the best body in Bollywood, and would like to pass on some health tips to everyone on fitness.

"I think I have the best body in Bollywood," the 39-year-old said at a book launch event.

"There are some really good action scenes in 'Krrish 3'. You will see me jumping from tall buildings, doing nice punches and kicks," he said.

The Rakesh Roshan directed movie also stars Vivek Oberoi, Kangana Ranuat and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles.

International trainer Kris Gethin, who has helped Hrithik achieve fitness for 'Krrish 3', launched a book.

The actor said he would love to recommend this book to everyone in Bollywood and pass on the health advice to all including his fans.

"One need not starve to get a perfect look. One needs to be happy with their body," he said.

Hrithik will be seen next in Siddharth Anand's film 'Bang Bang' in which he is paired opposite Katrina Kaif. It is a desi remake of English film 'Knight and Day'.

"We will start shooting for it in five days. I am looking forward to it," he said.

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Don't think I want to make sleazy comedies: Saif

Actor-producer Saif Ali Khan is treading new territories with " Go Goa Gone" - a zombie comedy, after making romance-based entertainers like "Love Aaj Kal" and "Cocktail", but he's quite sure he won't ever make a "sleazy" comedy.

There's a thin line between "naughty" and "sleazy", he believes.

Why is comedy all about sleaze nowadays?

"Everything should have a representative, I guess! So, also have a branch of comedy, which is sleazy, but I suppose there is an audience for that as well. There are different kinds of people in our country, and you've got to cater to all."

"But I don't think I want to make a sleazy film. I'd rather make a naughty one," the 42-year-old told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

"Go Goa Gone", his production and acting venture, releases May 10. Starring Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das and Anand Tiwari in key roles, the movie, as Saif believes, is a "naughty" kind!

Narrating a scene from the movie, he said: "There's a scene in which Kunal's character goes and buys condoms. The shopkeeper asks him, 'So what kind of condoms do you want?' and then Kunal's character says, 'Well, the ones for having sex!'

"So this, I think is naughty and funny, but not sleazy."

While the movie has been heavily promoted as a 'zombie' film, Saif says it's not all that "zombie".

"It's a very urban movie, it's a funny one and not aimed at buying anyone into the theory of the zombie. It is essentially a story of these three boys and their ridiculous adventures. So, I think it's nice if we can just laugh a little bit without thinking what's a zombie and all of that," he said.

The idea behind "Go Goa Gone" was also to cater to the audience which wants "new and exciting" genres and storylines.

"The audience is ready and maturing. So it is up to us now to give them the content. I remember Kunal (Kemmu) came up to me with this script, and said this is a comedy about zombies. At first I was apprehensive to try something new, to produce something new, but then when I read the script, I laughed out loud quite a number of times."

"I believe the audience will laugh too," Saif said.

The budget for the film, he said, was "not very much". But he promises they haven't "cheated" the audience.

He said the crew shot a lot on beaches and in jungles of Mauritius, besides getting Hollywood experts to work on the zombies' make-up. Saif's own look is different in the film - he sports blonde locks.

"I liked the idea," he said.

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