Rageeni pressurises director to edit kissing scene

While Rageeni Nandwani is kicked about her debut venture, 'Dehraadun Diary', the actress was reportedly uncomfortable kissing Rohit Bakshi, who plays her love interest Anushal, on screen. We hear that the scene was edited by director Milind Ukey at Rageeni's behest. When asked about it, she laughs it off. "I can't talk about it," she says.

In the movie, produced by Anita Dhawan Nandwani and Yatin Nandwani, Rageeni plays Preeti, the daughter of a local politician. She faces a dilemma after her lover is killed by her brother, Vishesh (played by Vishal Bhonsle). Anushal's brother Akash, played by Adhyayan Suman, decides to settle scores with Vishesh.

"Preeti doesn't know whether to support her family or take a stand against them. Playing a small-town girl, who finally dares to take a stand, was quite a challenge. I got to depict a gamut of emotions. I could completely relate to my character," she says.

The actress vouches for issue-based films. "I like to do commercially viable films that put across a message and make people think. It is important to raise one's voice. We are living in a democratic country and have the right to put across our views," concludes Rageeni.

Dehraadun Diary, produced by Swami Samartha Creations and Ashwagandha Ent Pvt Ltd, releases on January 4, 2013.

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This illness is a teacher: Manisha

Manisha Koirala, who was diagnosed with cancer recently, describes the illness as a 'teacher'. The actress took to a social networking site to express her feelings.

"If not anything else, this illness is a teacher indeed and not only towards obvious reasons but the ones we overlook and ignore..now I am watching everything with magnifying glass," she wrote. She also thanked her spiritual guide who "taught her to grow with every situation, face fear, pain and the voices within and be a witness" to all of it. And with positivity, Manisha is trying to overcome such a pain.

"Yes, I am trying and it is helping me bit by bit...thank you all for your love and prayers. I am recovering and preparing all of me to face chemo," she wrote.

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I don’t want to limit myself as an actor: Rajeev Khandelwal

Ahmedabad is my second home and it feels great to be here as always," confessed Rajeev Khandelwal when AT caught up with him recently. The dimpled heartthrob was in Ahmedabad to promote his film, and catch the India-Pakistan T20. "Cricket is like a religion in India and like all Indians, even I love cricket. Although I'm not a fanatic, but an India and Pakistan match makes me super excited."

Rajeev, who's done movies like Aamir, Shaitan, Soundtrack and Will You Marry Me, says, "I like doing films with strong content and storyline. I don't want to limit myself as an actor and like to push the envelope as much as possible. I want to shatter preconceived notions about me as an actor with every film I do. So you will never see me doing routine Hindi films."

For any actor being part of offbeat films could be professional risk though. Rajeev admits, "Once an actor starts playing safe, he starts weighing his chances in everything he does, which is no fun."

Rajeev reportedly has some steamy scenes in his forthcoming movie with co-star Tena Desae. Ask him how comfortable he was doing them and he laughs and says, "I had a few steamy scenes in Soundtrack also. If I am convinced that intimate love scenes are justified, then as an actor I'm comfortable doing them. But I don't believe that a film can work because it has some smooches or skin show."

So how does his wife react when he shoots such scenes? "She is today's girl and knows that the man on screen doing those steamy scenes is an actor. There's nothing real about those scenes at all," Rajeev explains.

What makes Rajeev take short breaks before each cinematic outing? Is it a well-planned move or coincidence? He says with a shrug, "There are times when I'd like scripts and verbally commit to doing the films because they sounded promising, but sometimes the projects didn't take off beyond the sounding board, while some got shelved halfway. Sometimes good scripts are ruined by people without creative vision. A film can't be treated like a business proposition."

Rajeev, who quit television at the peak of his success, says, "I've never been obsessed about making money, otherwise I'd still be doing daily soaps. If I keep doing the same thing, I'll never grow as an actor. If I come across good projects, I'd love to do them, which means even TV shows. I'm even open to doing theatre."

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Playing 'Bijlee' was mentally draining: Anushka Sharma

For Anushka Sharma, playing the role of Bijlee in 'Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola' was far too complex than the roles she has done till now, and even left her mentally drained.

"So far the characters which I have played have been very strong girls so I cannot play them in a relaxed way. I played them the way they were written. Bijlee is one of the most complex characters I had to play," Anushka told IANS.

"My character is saying something and means something else, you have to read between the lines. It is a complete dichotomy. For me, the way she (Bijlee) was, was not something which I could relate to naturally. I just could not relate to her. She is very vague and vain," she added.

Written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, Matru Ki Bijlee... also features Imran Khan and veteran actor Pankaj Kapoor. It is due to hit screens Jan 11.

But being a Vishal Bhardwaj film, Anushka says she was prepared for the unexpected.

"Vishal Bhardwaj's films are not obvious. That is what I had to learn. Human beings are flawed and he works in this grey area. When a film is not very verbose, it is the in-between spaces you have to fill, which becomes difficult," said the 24-year-old.

"Mentally it was draining. After a few days, I sent a message saying I don't think I can do this. Everything which I have done has been simple till now. Here there are too many layers. I would have spoilt it if I had played it linear," she added.

However, the actress agrees she has learnt a lot during the course of the film.

"When I started shooting this film, I saw the world in either black or white. After doing this film, somewhere I started accepting things more, and became less judgmental. I started to sympathise with people. Everyone has made mistakes in life and acceptance of that was what I learnt in the film," said Anushka, who made her Bollywood debut with 2008 film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

"Vishal Bhardwaj has seen a certain kind of life. He has seen so much which you and I won't even think is true, because we have lived in big cities. He has learnt a lot from life and that's what you see in his films," she added.

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Where are the Bollywood stars this new year's eve?

A quick look at the stars and where have they planned to be on new year's eve

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Shah Rukh Khan with wife Gauri are at their home in Dubai. SRK flew out on December 30, while Gauri had gone ahead a few days earlier.

Hrithik Roshan This year Hrithik Roshan has decided to fly to Bangkok with his family instead of joining SRK.

Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Akshay Kumar and Twinkle hosted a party in Mumbai for Twinkle's birthday (December 29) and are expected to ring in the New Year in Mumbai. Ajay Devgn and Kajol Ajay Devgn and Kajol are spending their holidays at their farmhouse in Karjat with their kids, their parents and extended families.

Aditya Chopra and Rani Aditya Chopra is in London. The buzz is that Rani Mukerji was expected to join him there, but one heard nothing further.

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are at their favourite resort in Gstaad.

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif Ranbir Kapoor is in New York. He will reportedly be joined by Katrina Kaif, who is flying to the Big Apple via London.

Tusshar and Ekta Kapoor Tusshar and Ekta Kapoor will be bringing in 2013 separately. While she has flown off to Bangkok to celebrate it with her friends, he will be partying with his friends in Mumbai.

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Vishal Bhardwaj takes over 'Oye Boy' choreography

In her long and illustrious career, this must be the first occasion when choreographer Saroj Khan's work has been scrapped. Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj chose to choreograph the entire song "Oye Boy Charlie" again after he felt that the moves given by Khan didn't go well with the mood of the song.

The song features Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma, Pankaj Kapoor and Aarya Babbar. After Khan completed the choreography, Bhardwaj realised it was not what he wanted.

"Vishal has the greatest regard for Saroj Khanji. Who doesn't? To have her choreograph the Charlie song was a dream come true for Vishal. And to her credit she did a brilliant job of it. But finally what Sarojji did with the song was not what Vishal wanted," said a source.

"The director had envisaged an air of unrehearsed spontaneity in the movements. The characters in the 'Charlie' song shouldn't look like they knew their dance steps from before. To get that spirit of on-the-spot improvisation into the choreography, Vishal had to reluctantly re-do the entire choreography of the song," the source added.

However, Imran and Anushka, both extremely busy actors, readily accommodated the second round of choreography for the song.

Apparently, there was a certain amount of all-round trepidation and misgiving about doing away with the veteran choreographer's efforts.

"Vishal, Imran and Anushka felt sorry about dancing to the 'Charlie' song again, more so since Sarojji's choreography was, as usual, brilliant. But they all felt it wasn't what was required," said a source.

Bhardwaj revealed that he did indeed do the choreography of the 'Oye Boy Charlie' number.

"Something inside me told me I should," said Vishal.

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Marriage to a married man no longer taboo in Bollywood

An unmarried top actress of the 90s (she's still single) jokes about how good men are hard to find because the most eligible ones are either gay or married. Not to be stymied by her tongue-in-cheek finding; our top-notch Bollywood actresses have chosen the lesser of the two evils — they have chosen the married man.

On October 16, Kareena Kapoor wed Saif Ali Khan, who was earlier married to Amrita Singh. And on December 14 this year, actress Vidya Balan wed twice-married producer Siddharth Roy Kapur.

Both couples are currently on their respective honeymoons and oblivious to everything said and pronounced. A few years ago when Kareena started dating Saif, her father Randhir Kapoor had reservations. But he backed off when he realised that the two were madly in love, especially when he saw that during their five-year-long courtship, Saif made Bebo happier than she ever was in her entire life. Ditto the case with Vidya, who blossomed and came into her own personally and professionally after a certain SRK became her constant companion.

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt who has been married twice says, "We are in the second decade of the 21st century. And it is high time you realise that the reference and wisdom of our ancestors is withering and falling off the tree of life naturally. Something that happens to all societies has happened to us too. We have evolved. A married man need not be a person who is disqualified because he has had a previous marriage. The human heart doesn't adhere to social constructs. It follows its own dictates. If love happens between a single girl and a once-married man, that means there are larger designs of the universe which is compelling you to walk in that direction.''

Bhatt says, "I bet all these people, who are in a situation where the girl is attracted to a once-married man, must have gone through the initial process of hiding this natural attraction towards each other. It is not possible that they must have jumped into it like you would jump into a relationship with a person who is unattached. They must also have had an endless number of people giving them advice on how they should ideally avoid such a situation. But if they choose to still follow the dictates of their heart, then there must be something there. Our idea of love needs to be revised in the second decade of the 21st century. Kareena and Vidya are two very brave women and they have done that. I say more power to them.''

Bhatt jokes, "On a lighter note, let them live with uncertainties; as if people who get married the first time around don't live with uncertainties.''

Actresses who chose married men
Hema Malini — film actor Dharmendra
Helen Richardson — screen writer-actor Salim Khan
Shabana Azmi — poet-lyricist-director Javed Akhtar
Smita Patil — film actor-politician Raj Babbar
Sarika — actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan
Jayaprada — producer Srikanth Nahata
Soni Razdan — filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt
Sridevi — producer Boney Kapoor
Sangeeta Bijlani — cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin
Juhi Chawla — businessman Jai Mehta
Karisma Kapoor — businessman Sanjay Kapur
Raveena Tandon — distributor Anil Thadani
Mahima Chaudhary — businessman Bobby Mukherjee
Maanayata — film actor Sanjay Dutt
Amrita Arora — businessman Shakeel Ladak
Shilpa Shetty — businessman Raj Kundra
Lara Dutta — tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi
Kalki Koechlin — filmmaker Anurag Kashyap

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Is Ranbir back to his flirtatious best?

Ranbir Kapoor certainly loves to live up to his tag of being Bollywood's most eligible bachelor. From Deepika to Katrina, the man has been linked with quite a few leading ladies. However, the romantic in all of us would love to see the Casanova settle down. The question is who will he close the deal with?

At a recent party, zoOm happened to catch Ranbir in a masti mood with none other than Anushka Sharma. Anushka probably experienced a bout of affection when Ranbir playfully threw a twig at her to get her attention.

It came as no surprise that Anushka knows how to fight fire with fire. Being a fun-loving girl herself, she jokingly called security and gave Ranbir a little lesson on appropriate public behavior - all in good fun.

What got us interested is that before this flirting episode, Ranbir was found waiting for Katrina Kaif at a hotel lobby. Does Ranbir love to play the field or is he just simply waiting for the one?

To know more, tune into Planet Bollywood News every day at 7 pm on zoOm - India's No. 1 Bollywood Channel.

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Ram Gopal Varma's reel life Kasab goes hysterical

Last week when Ram Gopal Varma shot Kasab's execution for his film The Attacks Of 26/11 Sanjeev Jaiswal, the theatre actor who plays Kasab, was traumatized in a way that is not unknown to method actors. Dilip Kumar while playing Devdas had to consult a psychiatrist.

Jaiswal, one hears, was so heavily into his character that, in the words of a crew member, he "lost it completely" when the hanging sequence was being done.

Says a source from Ramu's crew, "Ramu had every detail of the actual hanging in the script. When we shot the sequence it was eerily authentic. All of us felt as though we were at a real execution. It was bloody chilling."

Apparently Ramu took the actor playing Kasab through the motions right up to the execution, so that when the black mask and the rope was slipped on to the actor's face he simply went berserk.

Says the source, "Sanjeev freaked out when the black mask was put on his face. We had an actually hangman's noose. And Sanjeev Jaiswal who had lived with the character of Kasab right up to the actual execution, went hysterical."

Apparently medical help had to be rushed to the set to calm the actor down. Ramu still shudders at the thought of how much worse the situation could have got.

Says Ramu, "Sanjeev Jaiswal who's playing Kasab is quite a method actor and since he's been in Kasab's mind space for the past one year, I dread to think his emotional state when I was doing the hanging scene with him."

Ramu says Jaiswal got into Kasab's head but couldn't come to terms with Kasab's heinous crime. "Inspite of knowing what kind of a guy Kasab was and knowing that he was hanged for the brutal murder of innocent people, it still felt very chilling to prepare for the shooting of the hanging of the reel-life Kasab. I think the authenticity of the sequence got to the actor."

Ramu took the actor through every detail of the hanging as it must have been when the real Kasab was executed. "I don't think any film crew has been in such an authentic space before. The sheer detailing of various chores that have to be performed before executing a man was so graphic that the crew members were scared even to be standing near the hatch which would open when the screen-Kasab was executed."

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Prithviraj to act with Shah Rukh in Farah’s next film?

Farah Khan's next will apparently have him sharing screen space with SRK and Abhishek Bachchan

It seems Prithviraj could not have asked for a better start to his Bollywood career. A dream debut with an Anurag Kashyap film with Rani Mukerji in Aiyyaa, followed by another big film — Aurangzeb; and now, his biggest project yet in B-Town is here, with the actor reported to have a landed a role in Farah Khan's Happy New Year, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan.

It is learnt that the story revolves around a bunch of friends and how they end up participating in a dance competition, despite none of them knowing how to dance!

While Prithviraj could not be reached, a source close to the actor confirms his casting for the film which will begin filming by April next year. "Yes, the news is true and Prithviraj has been roped in to play a supporting character in the film, alongside Shah Rukh and Abhishek," says our source.

Incidentally, Prithviraj and Abhishek are good friends ever since the two of them acted in the Tamil and Hindi versions respectively of Mani Ratnam's Raavan.

Our source tells us that Prithviraj is currently enjoying a vacation in France with his wife Supriya.

"It's been a busy year for him career-wise, and his hard work is finally paying off. He's been travelling up and down the country with back-to-back Hindi and Malayalam films and has been dying for this break to spend time with his family," says our source, adding that the couple would be spending the New Year in France.

Prithviraj is set to return to India by January 15, after attending the launch of his mother Mallika Sukumaran's restaurant in Doha.

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Karan Johar plans Vidya-Siddharth’s post wedding bash

To be held on January 4 at Ronnie Screwvala and Zarina Mehta's home, the party promises to be a starry affair reminiscent of the filmmaker's films

Karan Johar, Bollywood's resident wedding party planner, after masterminding the Abhi-Ash sangeet in 2007, Riteish-Gen's sangeet last year and Saifeena sangeet earlier this year, has got yet another assignment on his hands.

Karan will not just plan but also host the post wedding bash of Vidya Balan and her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO UTV, which is being scheduled for January 4.

Vidya and Siddharth had a rather private wedding on December 14 at Green Mile bungalow in Bandra with just their families in attendance. But thanks to Karan, UTV chairman Ronnie Screwvala and his wife Zarina Mehta, the January post-wedding bash will be a noisy affair. We heard that Karan has even planned a few surprises for the evening - stuff that he hasn't shared with anybody yet.

A source close to the newly wedded couple told us, "Karan is totally involved with the big bash that he will host after Vidya and Siddharth returns from their Caribbean honeymoon. He has drawn up the guest list and will be sending out the invitations too. He loves weddings and has promised to make this one a gala affair. Ronnie and Zarina are helping him out. In fact, the bash is likely to be held at Ronnie and Zarina's home."

Karan's involvement in Siddharth's wedding bash has not surprised the industry insiders.

The filmmaker had started working with UTV in 2009, when he signed an exclusive worldwide distribution deal with the production house for the theatrical, home video, overseas and satellite rights for Wake Up Sid and Kurbaan. "They are good friends and hang out together often," said an insider.

And though Karan hasn't worked with Mrs Kapur yet, many say that the filmmaker is planning a film with her to be produced under Dharma Productions banner.

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Arshad Warsi joins Aamir Khan in Rajkumar Hirani’s next film

Arshad Warsi gets third time lucky. The actor, most famous for his portrayal of Circuit, Sanjay Dutt's sidekick in the Munnabhai films helmed by Rajkumar Hirani, has been confirmed for his third film with the director.

He joins Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma and Sushant Singh Rajput in the filmmaker's next, P.K., the shooting for which is scheduled to start early February next year.

Before Sushant and Arshad were signed on, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi were said to be cast in the film. According to a source, "Arshad is playing an interesting role in the film. It is meant to be an entertainer, and Arshad is the best actor to play such a character." The movie is said to be a satire on God and godmen.

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Amitabh Bachchan slams media over Delhi rape case

The Shahenshah of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan is reportedly angry with the media for not respecting the privacy of the Delhi gang-rape victim while being shifted to another location.

The 70-year-old actor, who was rushed to hospital a couple of years ago, recalled the difficulty he and his family faced because of the media frenzy, which delayed his treatment by 20 minutes.

"Lot of debate and discussion and comments on the media coverage of patient (Delhi gang-rape) being shifted in ambulance to another location ... patient privacy is an important element in the Constitutional Journals of Medical Ethics," he said.

"Couple of years ago when I was in an emergency and taken to hospital, media had blocked the ambulance door to such an extent that it took my family and the doctors 20 minutes to open the door to get me out, while I suffered pain inside, impatient to get immediate medical attention," he added.

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Priyanka to preserve sari that she wore in 'Barfi!'

It's been a few months since the release of Barfi!, for which Priyanka Chopra earned acclaim for her portrayal of the young autistic girl Jhilmil. Now the actress wants to preserve something that will maintain her connection with her character and the film for years to come. It is learnt that she is keen to keep the yellow sari she wore in the movie as her personal memorabilia.

According to a source close to the actress, "Priyanka considers Barfi as something very special that happened to her. And that's why she wants to preserve the sari she wore in the movie, to add to her special collection. So she has also conveyed her wish to the film's director Anurag Basu, and she's now looking forward to getting it from him soon."

Interestingly, her family too considers Barfi a special film for Priyanka. So much so that her father, Dr Ashok Chopra even calls her Jhilmil at times. "In fact, when he's in a very affectionate mood, he calls PC as 'meri pyaari Jhilmil'," adds our source.

Barfi, which toplined Ranbir Kapoor in the title role, playing a deaf-mute character and Ileana D'Cruz, had been chosen as India's official entry for the upcoming Academy Awards. However, it failed to make it to the nine shortlisted for the Best Foreign Film category, for which Priyanka expressed her disappointment recently.

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The 100 crore directors of 2012

This year, we saw eight movies crossing the 100 crore target — the 'benchmark figure' as it's popularly called in the trade circuit. While Rohit Shetty (Bol Bachchan) has become a regular in this club, Karan Malhotra got in with his directorial debut (Agneepath). Kabir Khan (Ek Tha Tiger), Anurag Basu (Barfi!), Sajid Khan (Housefull 2) and Prabhudheva (Rowdy Rathore) are the other new entrants to the club. Unfortunately, the legendary Yash Chopra wasn't around to see his final film Jab Tak Hai Jaan's box-office performance. These eight films contributed to about 30 per cent of the `2600 cr plus national net earnings from Hindi films this year.

Arbaaz Khan: Assisted Mahesh Bhatt before debuting as an actor with Daraar. Produced Dabangg. After Abhinav Kashyap opted out of Dabangg 2, Arbaaz took up the reins. The film made Rs 100 crore in eight days.

Prabhudheva: Following the succes of his Hindi directorial Wanted, this actor turned director made Rowdy Rathore inspired by the Telugu film Vikramarkudu. The Akshay Kumar film made Rs. 132.25 crore.

Yash Chopra: Chopra returned to directing eight years after Veer-Zaara and announced that Jab Tak Hai Jaan would be his swansong. He passed away before the film released. The film took home Rs. 106 crore.

Anurag Basu: After debuting with Saaya, his next film Murder was a hit. Basu further established himself as a director with Gangster and Life In A...Metro. His Barfi! made Rs. 105.68 crore.

Kabir Khan: After Kabul Express and New York, Kabir Khan made his most ambitious venture with Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif. It saw Salman collaborate with producers Yash and Aditya Chopra for the first time. Ek Tha Tiger made 186.26 crore.

Rohit Shetty: He's best known for his family entertainers like the Golmaal series and blowing up cars in action sequences. This time round, he remade Hrishikesh Mukherjee's original Golmaal. Fortunately, the gamble paid off, making Rs 102 crore.

Sajid Khan: The erstwhile comedian has had a dream run as a filmmaker with comedies like Heyy Baby and Housefull. He promised that the sequel would be a bigger hit. It was no empty boast. Housefull 2 made Rs. 111.63 crore.

Karan Malhotra: Karan Johar's former assistant director revisited Agneepath at KJo's behest. Considering that the failure of the original film broke Yash Johar's heart, Malhotra couldn't have made KJo more proud. The film made Rs. 121.14 crore.

(The figures are India theatrical earnings after deducting tax)

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I was jobless for a year: Kangna Ranaut

Even though Kangna Ranaut has been in the news this year, she was hardly on the screen. But that didn't seem to matter to the actress, who was shooting for the film Queen in Delhi recently.

"I've done amazing work this year - Krrish 3, Shootout At Wadala, Revolver Rani. And all these films have been so special. I've also recently signed Rajjo, which is such a good film with a very interesting script. This is a very, very good time for my career," she says.

The only film of hers that released this year was Tezz, and that fizzled out at the box office. Does it bother her that out of sight may mean out of mind? "I am not worried about that. This business is very uncertain, sometimes you can't really tell what is going to work in your favour here. I mean, if you see, by the book, this year should have been a bad year for me. Only one film of mine released and it flopped. But I have been working for six years in this industry, and this has been my best year so far," she said, adding, "So it really doesn't matter. None of my films released and the one that did flopped, but it doesn't matter because I'm in a very good place. I am charging a lot more than any other A-league actress, I have the best projects, solo projects with big heroes, I am doing the kind of work I always wanted to do. What more could I ask for? And when my films actually did well - Gangster and Fashion - then I was jobless for a year. So it's a strange job. Sometimes you do well when you actually shouldn't be doing well, and sometimes you don't do well even though everything is in your favour."

So, is there anything she would want to change in the coming year? "No, I would want to stay me, I am very happy with my life at the moment, and I wouldn't want to do things differently. If at all, I would love to travel more. Other than for work, I mean. I keep meaning to make these plans but I never do. So next year, I'd love to do a lot more of that," she says.

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I am very harsh on myself: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone may have chartered a successful Bollywood career for herself in a short span but the actress says she is rarely happy with her work.

The 25-year-old says her self-criticism helps her do better with each film.

"I am very harsh on myself. I am very rarely satisfied with my own work but I am glad that it is like this. I would rather be harsh on myself than be happy with the smallest thing that I do. I compete with myself and challenge myself to do better everyday. It gives me the drive to push myself otherwise I would be stuck in the rut," Deepika said.

She proved that she is more than a pretty face with her powerful performance as Veronica in Cocktail, her lone release this year.

"I am glad that this film happened for people to realise that. I have always believed in my work and myself but sometimes you have to wait for the right script and opportunity to come your way. Cocktail did that for me."

She has already won an award for her performance in the film. Deepika, however, says she is more happy to see that the audiences' perception about her has changed for good.

"I think awards are always welcome. Big Star awards recently acknowledged my contribution. But I am more happy about the energy shift that I feel from the audiences post Veronica. There is nothing in the world that compensates for that feeling."

With her latest film Race 2 ready to hit the screens on January 25, Deepika says she is looking forward to 2013.

"I could not have asked for more this year. I invested a lot emotionally into the character of Veronica and I am very happy with the result. It has been a great year for me not only in terms of Cocktail's success but also with the kind of films that I signed post that. I have an interesting line-up for 2013."

Deepika is looking forward to a busy year in 2013 with Race 2, Kochadaiyaan and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani releases. She has also reunited with Shah Rukh Khan for Chennai Express after Om Shanti Om besides working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Ram Leela.

"Yeh Jawaani... is almost done and we have just started shooting Chennai Express. I am working with Shah Rukh again after four years. The film is true to Rohit Shetty's style. While Ram Leela with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a love story," says Deepika, adding that Kochadaiyaan with superstar Rajinikanth is ready for release.

Talking about Race 2, her first release of the year, Deepika says she plays a manipulative role.

"It is for the first time that I am doing an action thriller. The first part was very successful and Race 2 has similar twists and turns. My character Alina is very manipulative and intelligent and she knows how to get her way through whatever she wants."

The Abbas-Mustan film also stars Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ameesha Patel and Bipasha Basu.

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Sunny Leone loves Delhi's gol-gappas!

Indo-Canadian porn star Sunny Leone is set to perform in the capital on New Year's Eve. She says she enjoys the street food, especially the spicy gol-gappas.

"I love Delhi! My favourite thing about being there was before I came here as Sunny Leone (was) walking on the streets, eating gol-gappe," she said.

Sunny made her Bollywood debut with "Jism 2" this year. She has now even settled in Mumbai and is loving it.

"I moved into my new place a couple of months ago in Mumbai, it's beautiful. It overlooks the Arabian Sea. I never thought I will wake up in the morning and say 'I am looking at the Arabian Sea'. So it's really special for me. Everything is coming together and I love it," the 31-year-old said.

Sunny will soon start shooting for " Ragini MMS 2", her second Bollywood project.

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Salman Khan’s manager Reshma reportedly slapped a socialite?

Socialites Anu and Sunny Dewan's party on Christmas eve was the talk of the town for two reasons.

To begin with, it saw an enviable turnout from Bollywood and Mumbai's social circuit. Several stars, including Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan, showed up. Secondly, the night saw a lot of actors and socialites letting their guard down and partying hard.

The Dewans were throwing their annual bash after a few years' gap. Like in every party, spirits ran high and one hears that Mozez Singh, who is into interiors and filmmaking, reportedly tried to get familiar with the firebrand Reshma Shetty, who is Salman's manager.

An onlooker says, "It was a brief moment. At one point, Mozez tried to lean hard onto Reshma, who turned around and slapped him." One hears from other guests that some of Salman's close associates, who noticed the hullabaloo, took Mozez aside and gave him another round of ticking off.

After this, the crowd around the 'fight' dispersed and the party continued to rock till the wee hours. Like it's said, what's a Bollywood party without some sparks flying!

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Shah Rukh makes me feel special: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone, who made a dream debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2007 movie "Om Shanti Om", reunites with the superstar on screen for " Chennai Express" and says the two are closer now.

"I feel Shah Rukh is still the same. He is as talented as he was (then). Now I have got even closer to him than before. You never get bored with him! He always makes me feel special," Deepika told IANS.

The actress is busy juggling commitments for her two films, "Chennai Express" and " Ram Leela".

"For 'Chennai Express', we are shooting in the outskirts of Mumbai, and 'Ram Leela' will be shot in Mumbai, Gujarat and Rajasthan," she said.

"Ram Leela" is a project by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and Deepika features opposite Ranveer Singh in it.

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John Abraham says no to Bipasha Basu?

While news is that John Abraham and Bipasha Basu would be coming together for a marathon in Mumbai, the real picture seems far from it.

John has been associated with the event for a couple of years now and Bipasha will also be present this year as she is participating for a special cause. As a result the two will be sharing the podium at this event.

While there has been talk of the two of them burying the hatchet and moving on, John seems to be in no mood to let bygones be bygones. He does not seem to be in any mood to be ready to team up with her professionally after their break-up.

At a recent event, when he was asked if he would be open to working with Bipasha, he curtly replied, "I haven't thought about working with her and it's not even on my mind."

While Bips seems to be more welcome to the idea of them teaming up, John wants to stay as away as possible from working together.

After their bitter break-up, the two make sure that they don't land up at the same parties at the same time to avoid awkward situations. But since they have a lot of common friends, they have more often than not, landed up at the same parties on a couple of occasions.

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30-plus divas make screen comeback in 2012

Gone are the days when thirty was considered the age for the screen divas to shift their focus from silver screen to their personal lives.

The year gone by saw thirty-plus actresses like Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta making a successful return on the big screen.

2012 turned out to be a year of the returning divas who broke the myth that post-30 is the wrong age for starring roles in mainstream Bollywood.

Sridevi, 49, returned to the big screen after a gap of 14-years with debutant director Gauri Shinde's "English Vinglish".

As a middle-class Marathi homemaker, who sets out to master English to reclaim her lost respect in the family, Sridevi wowed both critics and the audience. The film was different from over-the-top masala films that made her a superstar in the '80s.

After her blockbuster performance, Sridevi is now looking for meaty roles.

Rani, 34, returned to the big screen after a year's gap with "Aiyaa" and Aamir Khan starrer "Talaash". For "Aiyaa", the actress worked really hard. She lost oodles of weight and learned belly dancing but the film did not do well at the box-office.

Rani got another chance to prove herself by playing Aamir Khan's troubled wife in "Talaash".

After taking a sabbatical of six years, Karisma made a comeback with director Vikram Bhatt's 3D thriller "Dangerous Ishq". Though the film was not successful, it has relaunched the career of 38-year-old mother of two.

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Didn't get acting break because of Priyanka, says Parineeti

Actress Parineeti Chopra, who made her Bollywood debut last year with Ladies VS Ricky Bahl, says she did not get her first break because of sister actress Priyanka Chopra.

Parineeti cleared the air during an episode of a television show.

Parineeti said there is this popular belief that she got her first movie because of her sister, Priyanka, but the fact is that she knew Maneesh Sharma, who directed Ladies VS Ricky Bahl, since a long time and that's how she was approached.

Tuhin, a fashion designer from Kolkata, met Parineeti on the show.

Parineeti told Tuhin how she is called a tomboy by her father and he always tells her to act feminine and classy. She says he wants her to behave a little more reserved instead of being the frank person that she is.

Tuhin gifted Parineeti a gown, that he created in one night, after being informed that he was selected for the show.

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Hrithik’s priority upsets Ashutosh?

Having collaborated with Hrithik Roshan for Jodhaa Akbar, director Ashutosh Gowariker was keen to cast the actor in his next period film, a love story set against the backdrop of the ancient cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.

However, the actor signed up for Siddharth Anand's remake of Knight And Day with Katrina Kaif, the shooting of which is scheduled to start early next year.

Consequently, Gowariker is disappointed that his first choice isn't available for his movie right away. Now, industry sources are saying that the director is considering other actors to step into Roshan's role as he will be extensively shooting in five countries for Anand's action-thriller.

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You all have seen only 20% of me: Manoj Bajpayee

Manoj Bajpayee sure has set a new benchmark with his performances in Gangs Of Wasseypur (GOW), Chittagong and Chakravyuh. He currently has Prakash Jha's Satyagraha, which starts in February, followed by A Wednesday-director Neeraj Pandey's next production.

When asked what does he look for in a movie, Manoj says, "A great script, something that has never been told or enacted before. I'm also looking forward to working with some fine directors like Vishal Bhardwaj, Dibakar Banerjee, Shoojit Sircar, besides Prakash Jha and Neeraj Pandey. Waiting is not something new to me. After Satya, I waited eight to nine months before Shool happened." Further, the actor asserts that he's learnt from his past mistakes and is not in a hurry to sign films in desperation. "Good scripts are not in abundance. Even if a good role is being written, it doesn't mean the director will offer it to me. So that makes my wait longer. As long as my bank balance doesn't start depleting, it doesn't matter," he smiles.

His power-packed performance in GOW got him many compliments. But the one that he cherishes the most was a message from his Satyagraha co-star Amitabh Bachchan. "By the time I finished reading Amitji's message, I had tears in my eyes. I felt all the hard work has paid off," he says.

Right now, the actor is looking forward to Special Chabbis and Shootout At Wadala. "When I saw A Wednesday, I was blown away by the structure of the script. That pushed me to call Neeraj incessantly. It's been a great learning experience to be directed by him," he says. About Shootout..., he says, "Sanjay Gupta has done a brilliant job of creating an aura around my character Sabir Ibrahim. I enjoy working with Sanjay, cracking jokes and having white wine and pasta with him. His technique fascinates me."

When he is not working, the actor spends time with his daughter Ava Nayla and wife Shabana. Question him if he's happy with the way his career has shaped up since Satya and the actor says, "I'd say you all have seen only 20% of Manoj Bajpayee. I'm waiting for a director who challenges me with a different role. I'd love to work with Anurag (Kashyap) again and again. He's written Satya, Shool, Kaun and now GOW."

When asked whether he has got his due in his 15-year career span, he replies, "It's too soon for me to say whether I've got my due. Don't be in a hurry, you're yet to see the remaining 80% of Manoj Bajpayee. Wait for 10 years, I've to do 50 more films before I decide whether I've got my due or not."

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Rekha to play super granny in Indra Kumar's next film

It is a dream come true for director Indra Kumar, who managed to get Rekha to play the protagonist in his next film, Super Nani. The film, which also stars Sharman Joshi, Randhir Kapoor, Anupam Kher and Indra Kumar's daughter Shweta, is about a grandson inspiring his grandmother to do something worthwhile in life.

Says the director, "The first person that came to my mind was Rekhaji. When I narrated the script to her, she agreed immediately. My film is about women empowerment and she has always projected that image. She had no reservations about playing a grandmother because her role is a lot of fun. I'm hoping to learn a thing or two from her. It is great fun working with Sharman as well." The movie went on the floors on December 12 and will be completed with a two-month schedule in Mumbai.

Says producer Ashok Thakeria, "The film is a family entertainer. It will touch you, heal you and leave you feeling good. It is all about the respect and power of women."

Super Nani, produced by Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria's Maruti International, will release mid-2013.

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Dad's frail health makes Priyanka forget her lines

Priyanka Chopra is said to be going through tremendous turmoil and stress because of her father's frail health. It was evident at a recent shoot when the actress faced the camera with Sanjay Dutt for Apoorva Lakhia's " Zanjeer".

Priyanka kept forgetting her lines, says a source. "It was not like Priyanka at all. She is never known to forget a single line. But there she was standing in front of Mr. Dutt, faltering and fumbling over her lines repeatedly," the source said.

Sanjay was indulgent and understanding as he himself began to forget his lines on seeing Priyanka doing the same.

This is said to have gone on for hours, as the leading man Ram Charan Teja who has his own problems with the Hindi language, sat patiently and waited for his two co-stars to get their act together.

"Priyanka said she was forgetting her lines because she was overawed by Mr. Dutt's presence. But we feel it was something a lot deeper. Priyanka is not known to lose her cool under the most trying circumstances," said the source.

A friend reveals how her father's illness has indeed begun to take toll on Priyanka's concentration.

"Outwardly, she is doing fine... Going about all her duties as per schedule. And god knows, her plate is more than full at the moment, what with her international singing career and a slew of Bollywood projects happening simultaneously."

"But Priyanka is deeply troubled by her father's illness. She will never talk about it with any of us, not even her mom or kid brother. When her father had first been diagnosed with a serious illness some years ago, Priyanka didn't even mention it to her friends. She is a very strong girl. She can take any kind of adversity in her stride.

"Just see how calmly and confidently she dealt with all the backlash regarding her friendship with Shah Rukh Khan. But this (her father's illness) has overpowered her equipoise," said the friend.

Priyanka is extremely close to her father, and even has a tattoo - "Daddy's Li'l Girl", on her wrist.

Priyanka's doctor father, Lt. Col Ashok Chopra, retired from the Indian Army in 1997.

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Salman’s Panvel farmhouse is in his sister Arpita’s name

Salman Khan has a farmhouse in Panvel, which is a favourite destination for the superstar and his entire khandaan.

This expansive place is in the name of Sallu's youngest sister, Arpita Khan. It is called Arpita Farms.

One hears that Salman suggested naming this recreation facility after her because she is the youngest. Arpita means an offering from the Gods and the Khans believe that the Almighty blessed them after Arpita became a part of their family.

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Aamir is a living legend: Kareena

Actress Kareena Kapoor calls actor Aamir Khan a living legend.

"Aamir is a living legend. He has a beautiful mind and he definitely is one of the finest actors of all time," Kareena said on a TV show.

The actor is competing with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, A.R. Rahman and Narendra Modi for the title of "India's Prime Icon".

Kareena's elder sister Karisma Kapoor, who has worked with Aamir in Raja Hindustani, also heaped praise at the actor.

"Aamir is most definitely an icon and a true legend. He is always up to something new and different. I've had the opportunity of working with him in iconic films like Raja Hindustani and Andaaz Apna Apna," Karisma said.

"I'm really happy that after Talaash and 3 Idiots even Kareena-Aamir jodi has become a hit pair," she added.

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Salman Khan's fans converge at Bandra court to see him

Hundreds of fans of Bollywood actor Salman Khan turned up at the Bandra court to catch a glimpse of their favourite star who was summoned by a Magistrate for his involvement in a hit and run case.

Most people waited patiently in the compound of the court to see the actor, who turned 47 today.

Salman was asked to appear before a Metropolitan Magistrate on a complaint that he had allegedly delayed the trial in connivance with police.

A strong posse of policemen guarded the court and its precincts and did not allow Salman's fans to go upto court number 9, which is located on the first floor of the building in suburban Bandra.

Many fans of the actor stood on the bridge overlooking the court building while others waited at the two entrances apparently to say best of luck to the "Dabangg" hero.

The actor, however, did not come to the court although his two sisters Alvira and Arpita were spotted along with lawyer Dipesh Mehta.

Ahmed Patel, a diehard fan of Salman, told that he was from Gujarat and had come here to meet his relatives. As he had read in newspapers that Salman was summoned today by the court he had come to meet the actor.

Raju Mehta, another fan of Salman, said he arrived at the court at 10 AM to get a vantage seat so that he could see the proceedings from a close distance. "I will come again on January 30 when the matter would be heard again," he said.

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2012’s romantic patch-ups

Strange are the ways of love. One day you fall in it, the next day you're out of it. Sometimes, you're hooked for months, years even. In other cases, you part ways only to get back together...

Katrina kaif and Ranbir kapoor

Earlier this year, we reported that Kat and Ranbir were in a relationship. They have chosen not to comment. However, Ranbir was clicked visiting Kat's building a few months ago and the couple was also spotted at theatres. They will also ring in the New Year together. Destination? That's a closely guarded secret.

Status: Rediscovering one another

Taylor Swift and Harry Styles

They went on a ski trip together, but later, Taylor headed to Australia on work commitments while Harry went off to the UK to spend time with family. It appears that they love each other's company and intend to spend more time together.

Status: Madly in love

Katy Perry and John Mayer

Mayer, the lothario, was rumoured to be cheating off and on over the past five months since they started dating. The latest, however, is that after a brief break-up sometime earlier this year, they got together for Christmas with Mayer designing a guitar for Katy as a gift.

Status: Together

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber

The young lovers were spotted acting a little more than affectionate last weekend at an airport. This, despite Selena reportedly asking Taylor Swift to hook her up with Niall Horan from the band One Direction. She was rumoured to be with Ronan Farrow, Woody Allen and Mia Farrow's son.

Status: Together

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson

This Twilight couple was the twinkle in the eyes of their fans. It took a scandal that had pictures of Kristen canoodling with married director Rupert Sanders to separate them. After weeks of separation, the actress got back together with R-Patz, claiming they were stronger than ever.

Status: Engagement rumours

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Rajeev-Paresh play mind games

Paresh Rawal and Rajeev Khandelwal, the actors of Aditya Datt's Table No. 21, first met at a coffee shop of a Mumbai five-star hotel four years ago. The veteran had walked up to Rajeev, praising him for his performance in his debut film Aamir (2008). Paresh even told Rajeev that he looked forward to sharing screen space with him. And, now, their wish has been granted. In the film, which also stars Tena Desae, Paresh plays the host of a reality show and Rajeev a contestant. Excerpts from an interview...

How was it playing the game with Paresh?
Rajeev Khandelwal (RK): He was really intimidating. Pareshji looked eerie because of the kind of look he has donned and, with our intense plot, it got even worse (laughs)

Paresh Rawal (PR): But Rajeev, you pulled it off nicely. Saamne ek achha actor ho, it is half the battle won. Acting is all about action and reaction and there are very few actors who can make you react. I was keen to work with Rajeev. Though the look is intimidating, my character is affable, just like a game show host should be.

RK: But Pareshji, I am curious to know what prompted you to walk up to me that day at the coffee shop?

PR: I had heard a lot about you. I had even briefly watched an episode of one of your television shows. My friend Uttam Gada also mentioned you. At the coffee shop, I could not resist introducing myself and talking to you.

RK: That was an encouraging moment for me. It also taught me a lesson in humility.

Any reference points to essay your characters?
RK: I actually felt what a contestant feels before a question is thrown at him. But nothing more than that! I never borrowed any instance from my television reality show, just because I was on the hot seat.

PR: I can't reveal my reference point otherwise it will give away the plot. Thrillers in Hindi cinema defy logic, but that is not the case with this film.

Paresh, though you loved the script, you hated shooting in Fiji...
PR: Fiji ka naam bhi mat lo! Aisa lagta hai jawani main gaye aur laute toh bhudhapa aa gaya. It is too far. In fact, I turned down another film recently just because they wanted to shoot in Fiji.

RK: (Laughs) But I can never forget our evening sessions where you shared anecdotes of working with other actors and directors. Fiji will be fondly remembered for that.

Table No. 21, presented by Eros International and produced by NextGen Films, releases on January 4.

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Shooting at Sikar Jail

To bring the harsh realities of life on to the big screen, director Abhishek Kapoor, shot for a jail sequence for his upcoming film Kai Po Che at Sikar Jail in Rajasthan recently.

"We have extensively shot on outdoor locations, with the aim to make it more authentic and close to real life. And that is why we shot at Sikar Jail in Rajasthan," shared Kapoor, whose film is an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's The Three Mistakes Of My Life.
For Kapoor, just a day's shoot at Sikar Jail, which is about 115 kilometres from Jaipur, turned out to be a memorable experience. "Though I shot at the jail only for a day, it turned out to be quite an eye opener for me," Kapoor said, adding, "It was my first visit to a real jail and a first-hand experience about how people live in jails - a life which is far from our imagination. Life behind bars is very tough and difficult.

I even interacted with the inmates who are serving life sentences. It was depressing to see the pain in their eyes." The film stars Sushant Singh Rajput, Raj Kumar Yadav and Amit Sadh, and revolves around the lives of three friends.
"This one is not a regular Bollywood film. It's a celebration of life in the real sense. The film depicts modern India and it would be no exaggeration to say that the film is quite similar to Slumdog Millionaire, which puts light on contemporary India," Kapoor said.

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'Ishkq In Paris' director undergoes successful cancer surgery

Preity Zinta's Ishkq In Paris director Prem Raj who was detected with cancer, has undergone a successful surgery in London.

Prem flew to London earlier this month with his mother and immediate family.

After the surgery bright cheer and optimistic, Prem texted to this writer, "The treatment is going successfully. By God's grace I am out of cancer. I am looking forward to life now."

Preity, one hears, has been constantly monitoring her director's progress report. Their film Ishkq In Paris would now release after Prem returns to India, hopefully towards the end of January.

Isabelle Adjani who plays a pivotal role is expected to join Preity and Prem in Mumbai for a renewed round of marketing activity.

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Imran mistakenly receives Emraan's clothes

It was nothing short of a farcical faux pas when clothes meant for Emraan Hashmi in Mumbai were carried to Imran Khan in Chandigarh leaving the two stars amused and the production house common to both the projects, a little red-faced.

There is Imran Khan. And there is Emraan Hashmi. And the two shall never meet. Or at least one can safely say they lead very different personal and professional lives.

Until now when they are both part of two different films produced by Vishal Bharadwaj. And now we hear there was a massive confusion over their identical names, thought spelt differently within Vishal Bharadwaj's production team eventuating in outrageous miscommunication regarding the requirements of the two actors.

Says a source from Vishal's team, "Though Emran was shooting for Ek Thi Daayan in Film City, Mumbai and Imran was on location in Chandigarh for Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, clothes meant for Emraan in Film City were transported to Imran in Chandigarh. "

It was left to the two stars to see the lighter side of the confusion created by their similar-sounding names. We hear the Imran and Emraan were highly amused when the production team insisted on sending shooting-material to the wrong Imran/Emraan.

Says the team member, "We were even able to joke about it. Some of us suggested that perhaps wearing Emraan's clothes would make Imraan a terrific kisser. Luckily Emraan and Imraan saw the lighter side of the mix-up."

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Geeta Basra wants her secret Santa to grant her wish!

Actress Geeta Basra's much talked about song from her new film is just days away from going on air.

And while the actress is excited on the professional front, on the personal front - this is also probably the first time that she cannot make it to London to spend Christmas with her family.

Says Geeta, "Christmas is one of the most anticipated festivals in UK. I remember as kids we used to really look forward to it. As the day came closer we used to start decorating the house with pretty baubles and stuff and prepared the Christmas goodies. We also expected gifts from Santa, which was conveniently conveyed to my parents and on Christmas Eve the house would be filled with gifts and goodies. I also remember baking my first Christmas cake - when I was only seven. That was one memorable Christmas day, as my cousins from India had come to spend the entire week with us."

She also remembers the mass. "Attending the Christmas mass was another thing I used to look forward to during Christmas. Till date this festival is celebrated with great fun, frolic and enthusiasm, which unfortunately I would be missing this year as I am caught up with work commitments. Though somewhere I do hope my secret Santa would grant me my wish."

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Ram Gopal Varma switches one railway terminus for another

Ram Gopal Varma didn't want to venture out of Mumbai for his film on the November 2008 terror attack in the city.

After being denied permission twice to shoot at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), the filmmaker was reportedly planning to shoot those portions at Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad.

However, it is learnt that he did make a last third attempt to get permissions to shoot at CST, but he wasn't willing to shell out the fees the authorities were believed to be charging him. So he applied and managed to get the permissions to shoot at Mumbai Central terminus.

According to our source, "Ramuji shot at Mumbai Central for five days and the charges he paid to Western Railway for those days is what the Central Railway was reportedly charging for one day at CST. And the way he's shot it, the audience might not be able to tell one terminus from the other."

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Sridevi teases daughter Jhanvi

Sridevi and Boney Kapoor's daughter Jhanvi has trouble speaking in Hindi. In fact, Sridevi keeps teasing her about it.

A source said, "Sridevi keeps pulling Jhanvi's leg by making Hindi conversations with her. Jhanvi lands up speaking the language funnily, with a nasal twang and a little bit of an accent and that humours Sridevi."

Jhanvi, however, takes all this very sportingly. "Jhanvi has no qualms admitting that she is weak in the language and hopes to master it one day," said the source.

Interestingly, it took time for Sridevi to get familiar with Hindi when she started her career in Hindi films. In Aakhree Raasta, veteran actress Rekha had dubbed for her.

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Leander Paes wants to play long innings in Bollywood

Tennis player Leander Paes, who makes his Bollywood debut as an actor with " Rajdhani Express", says he is here to play a long innings.

"India is ready for multi-talented people. I believe that, as an individual, my passion for being an actor, my passion for films, goes very deep. I am not here to do just one or two movies, I am here for the long run," the 39-year-old said in an interview.

"I am here on my journey as an actor to see how well I can do and how well I can entertain my fans away from the court of things," Paes said.

He asserted he is not here "to be a celebrity, I have already got that from my tennis".

Directed by Ashok Kohli, "Rajdhani Express" also stars Jimmy Sheirgill, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Sayali Bhagat and hits theatres Jan 4.

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Priyanka makes a style statement with red

Red, which is the colour of the festive season (what with even Santa Claus wearing it), also happens to be Priyanka Chopra's favourite colour.

The actress was recently spotted sporting red pants and red footwear, not to forget her ubiquitous red lipstick.

When asked about her obsession with the colour, PC said, "Every girl likes red. I for one love it. As for my red fancy footwear, I saw this pair when I was overseas and completely fell for it. Now me and my red chappals are inseparable. I look for clothes to match it, instead of the other way around where people normally look for footwear to match their clothes."
One hears Priyanka has the best collection of red dresses in her personal wardrobe.

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Sonam and Punit partied with Imran

Sonam Kapoor and director Punit Malhotra are rarely seen together. The young actress and her I Hate Luv Storys director are good friends in Bollywood lingo, and even take in the occasional film at local theatres, but they are very low key in public.

On December 22 though, both of them made an exception to spend time together at their common friend Imran Khan's housewarming party. Sonam looked stunning in a white gown and red lipstick with solitares dazzling in her ears, while Punit looked interesting in a black shirt and jeans. The couple hung out with common friends like Karan Johar, Shakun Batra and of course Imran and his wife Avantika Malik Khan.

The day after the party, Sonam flew off with her family to celebrate her father Anil Kapoor's birthday (December 24) in Goa and Punit flew to Bangkok to shoot a commercial.

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Priyanka makes a style statement with red

Red, which is the colour of the festive season (what with even Santa Claus wearing it), also happens to be Priyanka Chopra's favourite colour.

The actress was recently spotted sporting red pants and red footwear, not to forget her ubiquitous red lipstick.

When asked about her obsession with the colour, PC said, "Every girl likes red. I for one love it. As for my red fancy footwear, I saw this pair when I was overseas and completely fell for it. Now me and my red chappals are inseparable. I look for clothes to match it, instead of the other way around where people normally look for footwear to match their clothes."
One hears Priyanka has the best collection of red dresses in her personal wardrobe.

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Imran’s MMS: Matru messaging service

Actor Imran Khan is hoping to start the New Year on a high note as his next flick, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, is scheduled to release just two days before his 30th birthday. Imran is gung-ho about working with Vishal Bhardwaj and hopes the film will be a good learning experience for him.

He says, "The film and my role were exciting from the word go. The transformation from a clean-shaven Bandra boy to a hardcore Rohtak guy was a challenge. Not only did I click photographs of myself everyday after I started growing a beard, but also enrolled with National School of Drama's Professor NK Sharma, who taught me Haryanvi language, voice modulation, body postures, etc. The transformation was interesting and it kept me hooked."

This is the first time Imran has attempted a film with a rustic feel. Matru... is also special to him, because he got to work with Vishal, someone whose work he has always admired. The filmmaker, too, said Imran's effort to portray Matru was commendable. "Imran has the rare ability to surrender to the director's vision. Working with him has been one of my finest moments as a director. No one else could have been my Matru other than him," Vishal says.

While the actor has always been known for his chocolate-boy looks, his new avatar has been noticed and appreciated by a lot of female fans, one of them being co-star Anushka Sharma. She finds it to be his hottest look till date. Along with giving creative inputs, say sources, Imran has also been closely involved with the film's marketing strategies. He has reportedly suggested an innovative idea called Matru Messaging Service (MMS), where Matru, in his unique style, will deliver festive messages to people.

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, presented by Fox Star Studios and produced by Vishal Bhardwaj, releases on January 11.

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Daily soaps are far from reality: Dipika Samson

She's been playing a much loved beti and bahu for over two years now in 'Sasural Simar Ka', but her foray in TV was entirely accidental. Life took an interesting twist for Dipika Samson when she gave up a lucrative job as an airhostess for health reasons and went to audition for a TV show, landing the lead role! Excerpts from a chat with her:

An accidental actress

When I resigned from my airline job, I was clueless about what would come my way. My mom was keen that I should try my hand in daily soaps, so I got my portfolio shoot done and auditioned for various shows. After eight months of struggle I got a character role in the mythological show, Devi. I realized early on that a small screen actress, you don't have to take any acting workshops — if you follow the directors, you can learn a lot. That's just what I have done.

Future forward

I'm happy about the roles I got in both the shows that I did. Of course Simar has established me as a face to reckon with on TV. Now as an actress, the challenge for me is to ensure that I don't stereotype myself. After playing the good bahu, now I want to play an urban character, a working woman or even a negative role. For an actress it's challenging to portray a different character from what she's done earlier. As to movies? I have not thought much about taking a leap to Bollywood yet. Television has given me a lot and I'm happy with it for the time being.

Soapy saga

It is really unfortunate that most of daily soaps are far removed from reality. In order to add 'drama' to their existing plots and storylines, producers devise twists and turns, even if it those call for some unreal situations and over the top elements. There are very few good shows like Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak that address real life issues. I would like to take up a show like that in the near future.

Mom and me

I'm very close to my mom. She's my world. I can't stay away from her for more than two days. She's a friend with whom I can share everything. At the same time there's this childish streak in her and has her own wishlist of what can make our lives perfect. It is great to be with her. I am looking forward to have a great time with her on Christmas, provided my director-producer gives me half-day off work.

Love in the air A lot is being talked about my romantic relationship with my co-actor Shoaib Ibrahim. It upset me a lot when this news came out — but, now I'm used to this kind of gossip. I'm just good friends with Shoaib. There's nothing remotely romantic brewing between us!

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Sur Kshetra grand finale takes over Dubai

The grand finale of Sur Kshetra was held at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. The show brought together popular names from Indian and Pakistani music — Ismail Darbar, Suresh Wadkar, Janab Ghulam Ali Sahab and Sajjad Ali — along with the jury — singers Asha Bhosle, Abida Parveen and Runa Laila.

The evening opened with incredible performances by the finalists — Diljaan, Yash Raj, Nabeel and Mulazim.There were power-packed performances by the mentors — Himesh Reshammiya and Atif Aslam — and Runa Laila as well.

Host Ayesha Takia kept the contestants' spirits high as the competition got fierce with a final face-off over a medley of songs. The grand finale also saw performances by the ex-contestants. Watch the grand finale of Videocon presents Sur Kshetra, powered by Dabur Amla Hair Oil, on December 29, 2012, at 10pm only on Colors.

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Sporty biopics on celluloid

Bollywood seems to be drawing inspiration from the stories of successful sportsmen and women

Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh: Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar will be seen playing sprinter Milkha Singh in his forthcoming film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Milkha Singh has sold the story for just one rupee. The remuneration from movie will be used for the benefit of needy athletes. Farhan followed a rigorous exercise regime and changed his eating habits to attain a six-pack for the film. He went through various training sessions.

Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom: Priyanka , who recently said that she tries to do at least one unconventional film a year, will now be seen packing a punch on the big screen. She will be seen playing boxer Mary Kom in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's biopic on the Olympic medalist. We hear that she even met with Kom and stayed with her in Manipur to learn more about the boxing champion's life.

Saina Nehwal's story will be told too: Bollywood has shown interest in Saina's story. Saina comes from a middle-class family and has been groomed into a world-class player in the face of awesome odds. Her parents - Dr Harvir Singh and Usha Rani - supported her decision to become a professional badminton player.

Meanwhile, Sania Mirza writes her autobiography: The tennis player will reveal all, including details about the Olympic controversy, in a book that's set to release soon. Is a movie deal in the offing?

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Ayushmann Khurrana’s next release undergoes upgrade

One doesn't have to be a fortune-teller to see which way Ayushmann Khurrana's career is heading.

Having lately bagged a Yashraj Film with Sonam Kapoor we now hear that the Vicky Donor actor's next release Nautanki Saala has been postponed for what a source close to the project describes as a "serious upgrade".

Scheduled for release on 8 February the film will now open in May 2013, thereby buying for itself a 4-month window to make changes in keeping with Ayushmann's growing equity in the film industry.

One hears that the plot is being re-structured,the film is being re-edited and extra songs are being added .

Says a source, "Suddenly the project is much larger than it was when it started. To begin with, Nautanki Saala was meant to be a smaller comedy about two friends played by Ayushmann and Kunal Roy Kapoor with the latter playing in the words of an insider "a pukka pile-on" who sponges on Ayushmann's hospitality. Now,since the shooting started Ayushmann's boxoffice potential has grown. The project is being re-designed accordingly."

Among other things, the film's original music-content is also being re-designed. One hears there would be 8-9 songs on the film now, many of them sung in Ayushmann's own voice.

Ayushmann Khurana admitted the film's release is indeed being postponed for changes.

Though he refrained from specifying those changes Ayushmann did say, "We are working towards making it a premium product. For one,we are shooting several extra music videos for each of the songs."

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Anand Abhyankar, Akshay Pendse killed in road accident

Well-known Marathi actors Anand Abhyankar and Akshay Pendse were among three people killed in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway early Monday, police said.

According to the State Highway Police, the accident occurred shortly after midnight when a rashly driven tempo on the Mumbai-Pune lane climbed on the road divider and rammed into the Wagon R car coming in the opposite (Pune-Mumbai) lane, near the Urse Toll checkpost.

The seriously injured victims, travelling in the Wagon R, were rushed to a hospital in Nigdi, a suburb of Pune, where Abhyankar, Pendse and his two-year-old son Pratyush Pendse, succumbed after a couple of hours, said investigation officer S.P. Mane of Wadgaon Police Station.

The bodies of those killed in the accident are kept in Y.C.M. Hospital in Pune.

Pendse's wife Deepti, who was also in the same vehicle sustained minor injuries and was discharged this morning after treatment, Mane said.

Abhyankar, 48, and Pendse, 35, were seen together in the roles of father and son in the ongoing teleserial "Mala Sasu Havi" on Zee Marathi.

A familiar face in Borivali suburb of Mumbai where he lived, Abhyankar had also worked in several Hindi movies, advertising films, Marathi movies, serials and jingles.

"The entire Marathi film industry is shocked by the sudden death of the two popular actors... We shall miss them," said leading Marathi director Amol Shetge.

Abhyankar and Pendse's funerals shall be held in Pune Monday afternoon, said a Marathi films spokesman Deepak Choudhary.

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Pooja Bhatt wants to get back in shape

Actress-turned-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt, who has been busy making her films' heroines look beautiful, says she now wants to devote time to get back into shape.

"I want to get back into shape... not for a film role now. At this phase of my life, very exciting things are happening. I want to focus on myself," said Pooja.

"Since two years, my focus was outside me -- the priority was to make Sunny Leone look good, to make Bipasha Basu look good and Pooja Bhatt was in the back. Now I have time. Now I have lost six kg and I have 12 kg more to go," she said.

But the size zero figure does not tempt her.

"Size zero does not work for me -- neither mentally nor physically," said the 40-year-old.

Is acting on her mind?

"I have got all kinds of roles early in my career, and they were meaty. I had films like 'Daddy', 'Zakhm', 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin' and even 'Border'. If there are such exciting roles, then I would like to do it," she said.

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Rishi Kapoor, Huma Qureshi bond over food

It seems Huma Qureshi and Rishi Kapoor have become friendly while shooting a film together.

Both are foodies and that's the common interest that both are bonding over. And sometimes they also exchange friendly banter over which is the best place to savour a particular dish.

Like the other day, they were debating over who makes better mutton yakhni, Kapoors or Qureshis.

Huma, whose family owns a chain of restaurants in New Delhi, invited Rishi to savour their specialities, including mutton yakhni and decide for himself.

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Prosenjit rallies for screening of Indian films in Bangladesh

Prosenjit Chatterjee rallies for screening of Indian films in Bangladesh; wishes to start screening Amitabh Bachchan's films

Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee has now confirmed talks with the Bangladeshi government to lift the 48 year-old-ban on Indian films in the country.

The actor had a day-long meeting with the Information and Broadcasting minister of Bangladesh, Hasanul Haq Inu, on December 21 and is all set to release films in the country on and after April 14, next year.

"Finally we have done something good. The meeting turned out to be very fruitful and we are also in talks with the cities and theatres of Bangladesh which will screen our films," says Prosenjit.

Though priority will be given to Bengali films as the national language in Bangladesh is Bangla, Prosenjit wishes to release a film of "Mr Bachchan first."

"Mumbai and Bollywood are the most important platform for a film industry. So we cannot do without releasing Hindi films as well," he adds.

The talks were a part of the celebration of the 100 years of Indian cinema. So what took five decades for the ban to be lifted? "The ban should have been lifted long ago but we are not officials who could take a call in terms of legalities. We are only artistes who could protest to spread our films across every nook and corner of the world. Now it is the duty of others to take it forward. It was a challenge for us and we have overcome it through this platform," he adds.

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Manoj is afraid of needles

Manoj Bajpayee is scared of injections. Recently, when he took ill, his doctor suggested he take a shot.

The actor, who hates injections, is believed to have created quite a stir at the clinic.

Interestingly, when he knows in advance that he's going to get an injection, Manoj takes his wife Shabana along.

She holds his hand and distracts him while the doctor does the needful.

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Bipasha back with a fitness DVD

After the success of her first fitness DVD, Fit And Fabulous You, Bipasha Basu is set to launch a second one — Break Free.

Says Bipasha, "While the first DVD was more of a functional type, combining cardio, strength and abs, this one is a dance routine comprising 68 moves, starting with warm-up, main section and Bollywood routine. In India, we dance for all occasions and Bollywood steps are very famous. So much so, that it's termed as a genre in an international dance reality show. The idea is to use dance as medium for workouts."

Working with a choreographer, Bipasha says she started with four moves for each body part —— especially problem areas like the tummy, loose arms and love handles. "I had to put together the steps first and then add the music for every step to the beat of eight. Once I finalised the steps for a 30-minute routine, I had to set the tempo," she adds.

Hiren Gada, Director, Shemaroo Entertainment, which is releasing the DVD, says, "We worked closely with Bipasha Basu to produce her first fitness video — Fit And Fabulous You, which was a grand success. With this second video, Break Free, we want to continue the success story. Her keen interest in fitness has helped her to achieve a great and fit body, which, we're sure, will inspire many others to follow through. We have completed 50 years in the entertainment industry and have moved ahead in accordance with our customers' tastes. We are sure that our audience will have fun with this dance workout while burning fat."

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My character in 'Table No. 21' not negative: Paresh Rawal

Actor Paresh Rawal, who will soon be seen in thriller Table No. 21, says his character may come across as negative, but it is not entirely black in shade.

"It may look like negative but as the story moves forward you'll realise it's not just negative, it has all kinds of shades," the 62-year-old said in an interview.

"Similar shades can be found in Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae's characters as well. There is no black and white, all three characters are grey and all three are victims of circumstances," he added.

Being the seniormost actor in the film, Paresh might look like the only actor who has the responsibility to shoulder the film. But he says it is not so.

"As far as responsibility is concerned, if the film's story and script is good, our responsibility decreases. If the script, cast, actor and producer are good then the responsibility lessens. There is a hope that a good film reaches the audience and they like it," Paresh said.

The film has been primarily shot in Fiji, where Rajeev and Tena play a newly married couple. Directed by Aditya Datt, "Table No.21" will release Jan 4, 2013.

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Rs.100 crore club is a publicity gimmick: Pankaj Kapur

Veteran actor-turned-filmmaker Pankaj Kapur says the buzz around Rs.100-crore club movies is the same as the olden day's silver jubilees. He terms it as a mere tool for film publicity.

The actor has witnessed the celebration of several silver jubilees - the completion of 25 weeks of a film's run in theatres.

"Rs.100 crore club is a publicity gimmick, but if you say 25 weeks or silver jubilee, that also meant that 'this is the amount of money that the film has made'. Basically, everybody is looking for success. Let's not look at it in a derogatory way. Let us look at it in a positive way. I would say let us make more films which make this kind of money," said the actor.

The actor, who will soon be seen in Vishal Bhardwaj's " Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola", says successful films provide employment opportunities, so the trend must be encouraged.

"In case the film does well and earns a large amount of money, it helps the producers to make more films and provide employment to lot of people," he said.

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Leander showed his humane side

Tennis player Leander Paes, who's currently shooting for his debut film, Ashok Khohli's 'Rajadhani Express - Point Blank Justice', showed his humane side by helping a co-actor, Chaturbhuj, who suffered a heart attack while shooting. Leander rushed him to the hospital and took care of all the medical expenses.

However, Chaturbhuj succumbed to the fatal stroke. Leander, on his part, stood by the family in their difficult time, extended monetary support and also made arrangements for the funeral. Says a source from the unit, "We have always seen him as a champion player and now, will see him as an actor. But we never expected to see this side of him... he's a gem of a person."

Rajadhani..., a social-political drama, also stars Jimmy Shergill, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Puja Bose, Sudhanshu Pandey, Gulshan Grover, Sayali Bhagat and Mukesh Rishi.

Rajadhani Express - Point Blank Justice, produced by Manoj Kejriwal, Ritika Kohli and Rajesh K Patel and presented by Keval Garg and Vivek Agarwal under the banners of Trueman Entertainment, SLA Impex Pvt Ltd and Cine Acts, releases January 4, 2013.

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CCL III gets a national reach

Bipasha Basu, who has been chosen as the Brand Ambassador of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), along with team owners Sohail Khan and Riteish Deshmukh and K Madhavan, MD Asianet Communications Ltd, announced Star Network as the broadcast partner for CCL III.

A fitness enthusiast, the actress felt it was just the right platform to encourage sports and support all the eight teams of the league.

"I love sports and feel honoured to be a part of this," she said at a press conference held at a surburban hotel. The actress added, "I know it's going to be a lot of fun like a reality show. There is going to be a lot of drama and actors are dramatic and it is all going to be on the field," she laughed.

Bipasha even displayed her characteristic sense of humour when asked what fitness tips she would share with the team members. Her retort was, "I don't think men in India like to take fitness tips from women." She further added, "Cricket and entertainment are religions for the people of our country and it's a perfect combination to be associated with."

The cricketing event will be broadcast on eight channels of Star Network and in eight different languages across India while the curtain raiser to be held on January 19 will be aired on Star Plus and all the Bollywood team (Mumbai Heroes) matches will be telecast on Star Gold.

K Madhavan enthused, "Another star joins the team. It's a great product to be associated with." Vishnuvardhan Induri. MD and founder, CCL added, "CCL III is going to be a pan-India property as we have teams from across the country participating this year and Star Network will help us reach more audiences across the nation compared to earlier seasons."

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Hottest heartthrobs of 2012

Toi picks out the hippest and and hottest heartthrobs of 2012 who rewrote the rules.

The goal machine: There's something magical about this Argentinian footballer. When he takes the ball under his possession, no one can deny his supremacy. Being the guy to seal the highest deal in the football world, Lionel Messi has a radiant charm of his own that has his fans screaming their lungs out in complete awe and admiration. Becoming the highest goal scorer of the year, Messi surely has a 'foot of gold.'

Pose perfect: B-Town's sexy desi girl Priyanka Chopra kick-started the year with a 100-crore grosser, Agneepath. The actress also got much critical acclaim for her power-packed performance in Barfi! But what garnered maximum attention this year for Priyanka was her first music album In My City. With the much-talked-about Zanjeer remake , Krrish 3 in her kitty, a biopic on Mary Kom in offing, there's no stopping Priyanka who seems to be on a roll.

Something about Mary: Tough, classy and determined, pugilist MC Mary Kom is the woman every girl likes to have as a role model. The awe-inspiring Mary, whose resolute stint in the London 2012 Olympics won her many accolades, has become the face of the Indian woman, so much so that there is a biopic underway. Her's is a story of a die-hard fighting spirit, passion and grit. And this is what makes Mary one of the most admired and revered sportsperson of the year.

Tomorrow's superstar: He is flamboyant, glamorous, stylish and the man of the future. Cricketer Virat Kohli has changed the tide in his favor with back to back match winning performances that not only won him the ICC Cricketer of the Year, but also won him a bevy of female admirers as well. His aggression and antics on the field, his stylish game and his brilliant fielding has got Virat into the league of extraordinary gentlemen. Not to mention the brand endorsements that are just the icing on the cake.

Queen bee: She sure knows how to make headlines and stay there. Be it her professional life or her personal, Kareena Kapoor Khan sure knows to be in the limelight. Be it films like Heroine, Talaash, Agent Vinod or her sizzling moves in Halkat Jawani and Fevicol Se or much talked about wedding with Saif Ali Khan, or leading the brand endosrment deals, the year clearly belonged to Kareena. There is something undeniably engaging about this Kapoor girl that makes her the most talked about heroine of the year, despite archrivals breathing down her neck for ads and films.

Oomphilicious: Girls swear by his well chiselled body and Greek God looks and even the guys feel envious with his lazy swagger. Whatever Hrithik Roshan does, he does it to perfection. And just when we think Hrithik couldn't get any hotter, he was voted Asia's sexiest man in a recent online poll, made a screen scorching turn in Agneepath earning critical acclaim and commercial returns and is also topping the list of celeb brand endorsers with his plum deals.

A Bolt of lightening: They call him the fastest man on Earth. There was a challenge before him to do it the way nobody has done it. When he took on the challenge, it seemed there were no competitors. With a thumping victory in 100m London 2012 Olympics, Usain Bolt proved no man could match his speed. The only man to retain titles in both 100m and 200m, his positive attitude and the self-belief makes Usain the hottest guy on the tracks and a true legend.

Incredible Hulk: From pinning down opponents in the ring to taking the challenges of life head-on, grappler Sushil Kumar got the adrenaline pumping with his muscular body and a simple yet attractive personality. He not only led the Indian contingent as the flag bearer in the London 2012 Olympics, but also led the medal tally with a lone silver medal in 66kg freestyle wrestling. With a humble heart and an equally humble small town lifestyle, Sushil radiates the good old Indian traditional charm.

Boyzone unlimited: Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan sent girls in a tizzy when they walked out of sea and the swimming pool respectively, in their bare bodied splendour showing off some fab abs. The guys rocked the debutants' block with their raw sex appeal in the youth romance Student Of The Year. The two hot debutants sure wowed the audience with their impressive acting chops and perfect dance moves.

Bond supremacy: They said he is nothing close to the earlier Bonds, but Daniel Craig has carved his own fan base. With Skyfall becoming the highest grosser of all times in the UK, Daniel sure hit the right targets with an impassive craggy face, piercing eyes and a finely sculpted body. What makes him a hit is not his invincible attribute, but a more human persona that pierces many hearts, shaking and stirring them.

Poppin' All Over: Maroon 5 have rocked the world of Pop music right from their debut album Songs About Jane. Although their last album Hands All Over got a moderate response, Maroon 5 came back strongly this year with the album Overexposed. With their singles Payphone, One More Night and Moves Like Jagger, is a collaboration with Christina Aguilera rising quickly to the top of the charts, Maroon 5 is one of the much-touted contenders for all popular music awards, including the Grammys, Brit Awards and the Billboard Awards. With a tattooed-all-over sexy lead singer Adam Levine and his sexy voice swaying millions of people around the world, Maroon 5 comes across as the sexiest Pop band this year in the international music scenario.

Sound of music: Here is a newcomer who grabbed attention from the entire nation. Sneha Khanwalkar walked away from the regular sounds and decided to do something very different when it came to making music. With her 'original' sounds created from out-of-the-box musical instruments, Sneha Khanwalkar's music in Gangs Of Wasseypur Part 1 and 2 was much appreciated in Bollywood. Also, her show Sound Trippin' on a music channel, where she went to rural places of India and composed songs with commoners caught the attention of music lovers throughout the country. Her hatke music just ups the intrigue factor of this hot musician.

Ready for a big innings: It takes more than just talent to hog the limelight and make headlines if you are a male lead actor on small screen. Well, Barun Sobti. simply changed the existing rules of the game and became the most talked about actor on television this year. As Arnav Singh Raizada in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? Barun stole a million nubile hearts and garnered a huge fan following, owing to his good looks and easy charm. The current flavour of Tellytown (a top GEC is reportedly keen to sign Barun for an exclusive contract) his decision to quit the show to move on to the big screen created history on television, as the show shut with him. For all the fan frenzy he generates, his trademark smirk, and raw sex appeal make him the small screen's sexiest heartthrob.

Master of multitasking: The unofficial superstar of the small screen, Ram Kapoor's presence makes all the difference to his show on TV. He shares a superb chemistry with co-stars Sakshi Tanwar and Amrita Mukherjee in Bade Achche Laggte Hain, and has his own popularity quotient and faithful fan following. He has also swept in most popular awards for the Best Actor on TV this year and made a mark on the big screen with character roles in Bollywood flicks, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Agent Vinod and Student Of The Year in 2012.

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Tusshar Kapoor gets turned away from US casino

Heard Tusshar Kapoor recently got a dose of highhandedness at a casino in Detroit.

Sources say that when Tusshar landed there with a bunch of his university friends for an evening out, the security stopped him saying he needed to produce proper identification to enter the casino.

Tusshar promptly pulled out his American licence but to his bad luck, the licence had expired and therefore he wasn't allowed to enter the club.

No amount of cajoling would get the casino security to relent.

When asked about the incident, Tusshar replied saying, "Yes it is true that I was stopped at the casino entrance and asked to produce an ID because they wanted to check my age. I did produce out my driver's licence. But to my bad luck, it had expired. Since I wasn't carrying my passport on me, I went back to my hotel and brought it. Obviously, I was allowed to enter this time. It's no big deal. The security was only doing their job and doing it right. Next time when I'm partying anywhere in the world, I will ensure I carry my passport with me."

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Actresses who made a difference in 2012

Bollywood may be considered a male dominated industry by many, but 2012 saw Vidya Balan, Kareena Kapoor and Sridevi becoming the champions of change by carrying films on their more than able shoulders and establishing that actresses are more than just a glamour quotient with the success of their ventures.

" Kahaani", featuring Vidya Balan, who had already challenged the male bastion with her 2011 big hit " The Dirty Picture", was the first female-centric film of the year that hit the bull's eye.

Made on a shoestring budget of Rs.8 crore, Sujoy Ghosh-directed "Kahaani" revolved around seven-month pregnant Vidya Bagchi. High on suspense, thrill and drama, the film entertained audiences so much so that it became a gold spinner by raking in Rs.59.26 crore at the box-office.

Following the success of the film, Vidya commented: "Women are taking centrestage in various walks of life all over the country and cinema is just a reflection of that. I'm happy to be part of the film that is celebrating the new role of women."

"Kahaani" was followed by the release of Karisma Kapoor's comeback film "Dangerous Ishhq", in which she played a supermodel who undergoes past-life regression. The story spanned across 500 years. Though it fared averagely, Karisma's acting was appreciated.

Although few in number, women-centric films stood out among big-budget and big-starrer ones and forced everyone to sit up and take notice.

One of them was Bipasha Basu-starrer " Raaz 3", which turned out to be a saving grace for the actress who has not given any substantial hits in recent times. She not only won critical acclaim for her portrayal of a successful actress struggling to keep up with the stardom but her film also became a hit with an earning of reportedly Rs.70 crore.

The success of "Raaz 3" was followed by Kareena Kapoor-starrer "Heroine". Made at Rs.32 crore, including marketing and promotion costs, it did good business and grossed Rs.44.25 crore.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh welcomed the change. "Making women-centric films was earlier considered a risky proposition. But actresses like Vidya, Kareena and Sridevi have turned out to be game-changers. Their films have not only done well at the domestic box-office, but also in overseas market. These actresses have brought in a new wave of change and it seems to be a positive trend."

It's a known fact that Sridevi used to have a magical presence on the big screen and her charm remained intact even when she returned after 15 years with "English Vinglish".

Her portrayal of a non-English speaking housewife who decides to learn English to keep up with her children and husband in Gaurie Shinde's directorial debut struck an emotional connect with all and sundry.

Shinde said that her mother was the inspiration for this film. "Most people in India struggle with this language. It is the insecurity and insensitivity that I have shown in the film," she added.

Reportedly made at a budget of Rs.15 core, it earned Rs.45.78 crore worldwide in 10 days.

Some other noticeable women-centric films that came out were "Jalpari" and "Jism 2".

Historian S.M.M. Ausaja too feels that the "year has been really good in terms of women-centric films working at the box-office, whether it is Vidya Balan, Kareena Kapoor or Sridevi". She however adds: "I wouldn't say it will bring a new wave in the film industry."

"There was a time when in the 1930s actresses were shown in a bigger way on film posters than the actors. So times keep changing. Bollywood still remains male- dominated," he said.

But Vidya said what is important is that new kinds of roles are being written for actresses and feels a lot has changed over the years.

"New kinds of roles are being written for them and they get such a wide variety to play on screen. I'm glad that I am working in this era where different roles are being written for women. I credit the filmmakers for bringing in such a big change," Vidya said.

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Sonakshi and Sania new BFFs

Sonakshi Sinha and Sania Mirza are turning out to be the latest BFFs in glamourville.

The girls were spotted partying till the wee hours of morning on the rooftop lounge of a suburban five-star hotel in Mumbai recently. Our source revealed, "It was a private bash hosted by Kajol's younger sister Tanisha Mukherjee to celebrate the success of Ajay's latest home production.

Sonakshi was at the do. Sania was also present and the two danced the night away. Sonakshi and Sania have been friends for more than a year now and have several friends in common too. The tennis champ shuttles between Mumbai, Dubai and Hyderabad often, but, ensures she catches up with Sonakshi whenever possible. Sania had also visited her actress friend on the sets of her forthcoming film in Dubai recently."

As far as Bollywood is concerned, the tennis star is also friends with actor Rana Daggubati.

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Working with Rajinikanth is a costly affair: Kamal Haasan

Fans of both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan have been waiting to see the two superstars re-unite on screen but the actor-filmmaker says their coming together for a film would be a costly affair.

They have done a few films together in the early stages of their career, notably Apoorva Raagangal, which was the breakthrough film for Haasan and the debut film of Rajinikanth.

When asked about him teaming up with Rajinikanth again, Haasan said, "Working with Rajinikanth is a costly question. If both of us starred together, there would be no money to make the film! If we have a lot of money, maybe then we can star in a film together."

Remakes and sequels are the order of the day, but ask him about revisiting his old hits like Sadma and Ek Duje Ke Liye, Haasan says he won't fit into those films anymore.

"There are talks about making a part two of 'Sadma', where the female protagonist remembers him and comes back, but I don't think I would fit into the hero's role anymore. Moreover, a tragedy is best left at that, it is a tragedy because she doesn't return," said Haasan.

The 58-year-old actor is currently gearing up for the release of his new big-budgeted thriller Viswaroop, to release on January 11.

Haasan has written, directed and acted in the film, which also stars Pooja Kumar, Rahul Bose, Andrea Jeremiah and Jaideep Ahlawat.

"It is a fast-paced thriller with an international subject. It is very different from all the films that are being made in the genre of terrorism and spy thrillers. The way we have made the film is different," said Haasan.

The film will was shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi and also stars filmmaker Shekhar Kapur in a special role.

"Shekhar and I have been discussing about making a film togther. When I asked him to be a part of 'Viswaroop', he went about with the enthusiasm of an amateur and worked on this film," Haasan said at an event.

"We are also shooting a second part of the film, which will be out soon," he added.

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