I am single and ready to mingle: Neha Sharma

Neha Sharma, who is just three films old in Bollywood, chose to express her views about love quite clearly. Unlike, many actresses in B'town, The actress claimed that she is single and doesn't mind to be in love, if the right guy walks into her life.

Doing a romantic film like Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story definitely made Neha speak about her opinion on love and about the same, she said, "I am a die-hard romantic person. I love rom-com and for me to do romance genre is amazing experience. I love the idea of following in love. I am single right now, but I would love to fall in love with someone as I am ready to mingle."

On being asked about her ideal partner, she claimed, "Till now I have not found the perfect love, but love and food are very important in life. There is no ideal guy for me. A guy who madly loves me the way I love him and gives me what I give him is perfect. The world should be only of two of us and nothing else."

Neha also revealed about her experience in the past, but claims that every person teaches her something. The actress has no inhibitions about the perfect match and said, "I have been in love in the past. I am looking at finding someone who loves me. He could be from any walk of life, but has to be in love with me. Someone who is going to accept me the way I am, unconditional love basically."

While talking about Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story, Neha believes that love can happen at any stage. "Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story is releasing on 15th of February and as a youngster I am endorsing the film on Valentine," concluded Neha.

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Salman stands out in the current league: Manoj Kumar

"Nothing interesting has come my way. And it is reason enough for me to stay away from acting," says yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar who recently won a lifetime achievement award at an event held in Pune.

"I have done 30 to 40 films unlike my contemporaries, Dharam ( Dharmendra) and Shashi ( Shashi Kapoor), who have done more than 300 films. Maybe they have better stamina but I have always respected my audience's choice. That is why I have been so choosy about the selection of my films. I always wanted to give something to my audience," says the actor, who is soon planning to make a comeback in films with direction.

"Stars have good bungalows, servants and cars. But we forget for whom we make films. Till the time we remember this, we cannot deliver good films," he adds. Kumar feels that he has "invested a lot in indirect direction. Now it is time that I plunge in directing full time again." Among the Khans, Salman is his favourite. "I have watched Dabangg recently and I liked Salman a lot. He stands out in the league. He doesn't have a single wrinkle on his face. He has a personality which can carry off all kinds of roles with elan. Among the actresses, I like Kareena Kapoor and Kajol a lot," he adds. However, for him today's films are unlike the good old days.

"Film is still a director's medium but so much dependence on technology is bad. Today only the star sells," he adds. Kumar also doesn't believe in the 100 crore club. "When Upkaar was made, the population was only 40 crore. And now with 120 crore Indians and multiplexes, there are a lot many opportunities," he adds.

Kumar's life is simple. "I don't have an email id, I don't have a cell phone. I just don't want to complicate my life. I personally attend my calls and I never had a secretary."

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I'll be happy to be a part of TOIFA celebration: Shah Rukh

Shah Rukh Khan unveiled the trophy of TOIFA, to be held in Vancouver from April 4-6.

You just unveiled the trophy that will be presented at the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA). What are your thoughts on TOIFA?
It's a beautiful trophy. And I will be proud to win one, whenever. The TOIFA is being held in Vancouver, Canada, between April 4 and 6. And I will be happy to be a part of the celebration. Coming to Bollywood film awards, personally, I think there is one award too many. But on the other hand, it is nice. I hope that with an organization like the Times of India behind it, TOIFA is more classy and above board. Also, the fact that it has a global reach makes it obviously better and so much more relevant than what we have domestically. I was telling Vineet Jain, MD, TOI, that he should make it on international standards. It has to be of a very high calibre. The award function itself should not be longer than two hours. It should be devised as an evening where the honour should become a little more important than the honoured. Only then will people like to come and participate. For example, me as an actor, as a star, should be there despite and in spite of the fact that I may or may not get the award. Now, everyone lands up saying, 'mujhe milega award'. I hear some people even ask, 'Batao award mil raha hai kya, then I will come'. That's a culture we need to get rid of. Insha Allah, we should create a platform where true merit triumphs above everything else.

You are Hindi cinema's biggest icon overseas. How significant is our cinema in the world today?
I cannot say there is no one better than me, or that I'm the one actor with the largest reach overseas. But I can definitely say that whenever I get an opportunity, anytime, anywhere to take Indian cinema to areas where it is comparatively less known, I grab the chance. Nine years ago, I had gone to Frankfurt on a small plane and addressed an audience of 50 people at a gathering. I recall how a German lady came and sang a Hindi song on a guitar with me. It was an informal thing; there was no professional fee involved. Post Frankfurt, I went to Dusseldorf and, once again, I noticed, across small little clubs, that the Germans liked Indian films. It started off like that. I also met three 60-year-old ladies, who used to head a television channel and whose dream was to create something new for Germany. They too wanted to do something with Indian cinema and, for some reason, I was part of it. To me, the biggest high is that in my term as an actor or movie star, or now an entrepreneur, if I'm able to create inroads into markets where Indian cinema is not watched or popular. In my opinion, our cinema has everything in it, despite the fact that the language is not understood; and hence, I would like to make those inroads. Only when this happens will the crossover thing actually happen.

Are you happy to represent the Hindi film industry on an international platform like the TOIFA?
As I said earlier, I don't know whether I'm the right person. But I must say that I'm very happy to represent the Hindi cinema fraternity on an international platform. I've been to Vancouver for a film shoot; then I went to Toronto for an awards ceremony. It's very nice that we can involve people like Jim Nickel, Acting Consul General and Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in India. It would also be nice if we can get the local Canadian people to participate. Out of the 100 who come to our function, even if seven take back some memories, then it is cool. It's worthwhile. Then, we are increasing the market for our films. The more market we make for our films, the more business we will have. The more business we have, our creativity will find more wings, and the more creativity our cinema has, the more international we can be. We are the last of the non-Hollywood cinema-making nations and we should not let go of that. We should increase that.

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Deols may feature in four films this year

There must be something about the Deols that continue to inspire filmmakers and when served as a family pack with dollops of emotions and high drama, never fail to amuse the audience.

As the success of Yamla Pagla Deewana has proved, the three are better as one. And if the latest reports are anything to go by, this year will see the father-sons combo will feature in at least three films, playing themselves or inspiring characters that resemble their unique dynamics.

The YPD sequel that brings Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby together on screen is scheduled for June 7. And as TOI had reported, Subhash Ghai has already signed up the trio for a rom-com, Ishq De Maara.

"The film is about a father and his two sons. All three of them are in love and hiding the fact from each other," says the filmmaker who dashed to London when the Deols were shooting for the sequel to sign them for his family entertainer.

Ghai said the reason he wanted to sign on the Deols was because the characters closely resemble these actors. "I have known Dharamji (Dharmendra) for the last 30 years and I have worked with Sunny in Right Ya Wrong (2010). They are a wonderful family, very different from the usual film families. I wanted to make a film on them to show the world what they are really like, hence Ishq Da Maara. In fact, Sunny was the one who suggested the title," says Ghai who is gearing up to start the film post August after Kaanchi with Mishti and Kartik Tewari keeps its date with the Independence Day.

Meanwhile, the director of the YPD sequel Sangeeth Sivan, also has similar plans. The script of Cheers is ready and has been waiting for the last year-and-a-half. "Once Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 is out of my system, I will focus on Cheers," says Sivan.

Despite its title, Cheers is an emotional story of a son and a misunderstood father and how relationship changes. "Sunny wants to launch both Cheers and Ghayal Returns under the Vijayta Films banner with Dharamji as the producer this year, both scripts are locked ," says a friend of the Deols.

While Ghayal Returns is Sunny Deol all the way, Cheers revolves around Dharmendra and Bobby. Says Sivan, "If I can write in a in a character for Sunny that will justify his presence, then even he will join his father and brother. Cheers to that!"

By Roshmila Bhattacharya

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Anees Bazmee to direct Aankhen sequel

Titled Aankhen Char, the film produced by Pahlaj Nihalani will begin in August

Pahlaj Nihalani had been toying with the idea of making a sequel to his 1993 blockbuster Aankhen starring Govinda and Chunky Pandey for quite a while. He has signed Anees Bazmee, the writer of the original film to direct it.

The sequel will be called Aankhen Char and is set to go on the floors in August this year. Confirming the news, Nihalani said: "Anees has written Shola Aur Shabnam, Aazad, Andaaz and Andhiyan apart from Aankhen for me and it would be great to have him direct the sequel. He has a flair for comedy. Also, let's not forget that Anees knows the pulse of the audience and ensures good box-office returns."

This must be sweet music to Bazmee's ear, whose sequel to No Entry is unlikely to happen this year.

Talking about the sequel, he added: "This film will be a comedy of errors and will be funnier than Aankhen."

Aankhen, the success of which ensured David Dhawan's rise as the master of the comedy genre, had Govinda in a double role. However, Pahlaj plans to tweak the script a bit so that both the heroes are in double roles.

In Dhawan's version, the two heroes played rich and spoilt brothers who go on to bust a plot hatched to the chief minister of Maharashtra. Also, Pahlaj is ensuring the storyline reserves ample screen space for both of them. The cast of the sequel will be announced soon.

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Shah Rukh Khan and Kamal Haasan are victims of cultural terrorism

Shah Rukh Khan one day and Kamal Haasan the next. Is it mere coincidence or a sign of an increasingly knee-jerk, reactionary India that two of its most loved film icons are forced to go public to painstakingly reassert their secular identity and insist, in case the message is lost, that they are proud Indians?

Given the trajectory of events and the escalating intolerance on a range of issues -- Ashis Nandy and Salman Rushdie are more cases in point -- this is the time to worry. And the question above, merely rhetorical.

Shah Rukh and Kamal Haasan are not mere actors but extremely successful, talented artists with millions of rupees and many jobs riding on them and their films. If one rules over the powerful Hindi film industry, the other is a veteran of south Indian cinema.

Yet, they are under attack, victims of what some term cultural terrorism and even state terrorism. Shah Rukh cornered for his views on what it is to be a Muslim in India and Kamal Haasan for making a film that allegedly has scenes that some Muslim groups find objectionable and that the Tamil Nadu government seeks to ban.

On Tuesday evening, an upset Shah Rukh - in the thick of controversy for an article that sparked a ridiculous war of words between New Delhi and Islamabad after Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the Indian government should offer him security - said the "unwarranted twist" was "nonsense".

Nowhere in the article, a first person account for a magazine, does he state or imply directly or indirectly that he feels unsafe, troubled or disturbed in India, the star said, reading out from a statement.

"It does not even vaguely say that I am ungrateful for the love that I have received in a career spanning 20 years. On the contrary the article only says that in spite of bigoted thoughts of some of the people that surround us, I am untouched by scepticism because of the love I have received by my countrymen and women," said the actor, who has been in the eye of so many storms.

And Wednesday, ironically Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary and the day to recall the spirit of tolerance, came Kamal Haasan's emotional outburst that if the verdict on his Rs.95 crore film " Vishwaroopam" was not favourable, he would have to consider moving overseas to a "secular state abroad".

"M.F. Husain had to do it, now Haasan will do it," said the angry filmmaker, saying that he lost all his property, even his house.

The reference to the late artist, who died in London in 2011 after he was literally chased away from his homeland by rightwing Hindus who took offence at his paintings on goddesses and his depiction of Bharat 'mata', was so apt.

It was the same righteous wrath that links the Muslim groups who objected to "Vishwaroopam", the same calculated move for maximum publicity that saw Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed invite Shah Rukh to Pakistan. A rainbow coalition of fringe, fundamentalist views - all intolerant, regardless of which religion they originate from.

But here is also the difference between Shah Rukh and Kamal Haasan. While the 58-year-old Chennai-based veteran could afford to take the offensive and say he would move away from India, the 47-year-old Khan from Bollywood could just not do so.

Can you imagine what would happen had Shah Rukh spoken of getting out of India instead of stressing: "We, in India, are extremely safe and happy. We have an amazing democratic, free and secular way of life."

Lyricist Javed Akhtar said rightly about Kamal Haasan's outburst: "Don't listen to the words, listen to the sentiments."

Wonder if anybody would 'listen' to Shah Rukh's sentiments had he said the same thing?

As Indian celebrities, even those in filmdom, come under scrutiny and the discourse gets more polarised, there are other victims. Social analyst Nandy had to be questioned by police in Jaipur for his comment during the Jaipur Literature Festival on corruption and caste. And Rushdie was in the country too, promoting "Midnight's Children" but was kept safely away from the Kolkata literary fest.

The right of thinkers to argue must be protected at all costs, an online petition said, defending Nandy.

By Wednesday evening, as the dust settled somewhat over the SRK brouhaha, Kamal Haasan had agreed to make cuts in his film but the Madras High Court had reimposed the stay.

As filmmakers know only too well, if you don't upset the fringe element of one religion or another, you hurt caste groups and other sub-sections, even barbers. It's a tricky tightrope walk. Remember how "Billu Barber" was finally released only as "Billu".

The attack on creative freedom as well as the debate on its limits is not new but it's getting worse.

And where does India go from here? To another SRK storm maybe, to more uncertainty for "Vishwaroopam", more tension for Ashis Nandy. And other casualties of a society where knee-jerk reactions are taking over from considered debates and calibrated decisions.

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Shah Rukh at centre of dispute between India-Pakistan

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan was Tuesday at the centre of the latest round of sparring between two often uneasy neighbours with Pakistan's minister Rehman Malik's comment that India should provide the actor security prompting a sharp rebuke from New Delhi that Islamabad should mind its own 'minorities'.

Malik said in Islamabad that the Indian government should provide security to Shah Rukh, in the thick of a controversy over his remarks on being a Muslim that led to Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed saying the star could move to Pakistan.

Addressing reporters in Islamabad at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commissioner, Malik added that people of both Pakistan and India love Shah Rukh, reported Geo TV.

India was quick to react.

Soon after Malik's remarks were reported in the media, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and Home Secretary R.K. Singh said Pakistan should worry about the state of affairs in its own country.

Both Tewari and R.K. Singh spoke in near identical terms to decry Malik's statement.

"Instead of introspection of how minorities in India are being treated he (Malik) should contemplate how he can improve condition of minority in his country," Tewari told reporters.

He said it would be better for Pakistan if Malik paid attention to domestic matters of his own country rather than worrying about such things.

"Test of democracy is the way you treat your minority rather than majority. The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government has strived to see every citizen in the same light and given equal right under the constitution," he said.

The home secretary spoke out too.

"We are quite capable of looking after security of our own citizens... let him (Malik) worry about security of his own," he said.

Even the Shiv Sena also said that our government is not answerable to Pakistan. "Pakistan should instead protect the Hindu minority in their country," Sena's spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.

On whether the 47-year-old actor courted controversy with his comments, Raut simply said, "he may have." "More than Shah Rukh, South star Kamal Haasan needs security at this moment, as he is receiving threats for his new film," he added.

Shah Rukh, one of Bollywood's more articulate personalities, had written in a magazine: "I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India."

"There have been occasions when I have been accused of bearing allegiance to our neighbouring nation rather than my own country - this even though I am an Indian, whose father fought for the freedom of India. Rallies have been held where leaders have exhorted me to leave and return what they refer to my original homeland," added the 47-year-old star.

He went on say that he became so sick of being mistaken for some crazed terrorist, "who co-incidentally carries the same name as mine that I made a film subtly titled 'My Name Is Khan' (and I am not a terrorist) to prove a point".

"Ironically, I was interrogated at the airport for hours about my last name when I was going to promote the film in America for the first time," he said.

- With inputs from PTI

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I am not interested in losing weight: Huma Qureshi

Huma Qureshi's one-year old Bollywood career is thriving anyway, she tells TOI

Huma Qureshi's Lucknow visit on Monday had her sample the city's way of life first hand - from riding a rickshaw to frying some kebabs in old Lucknow!

The girl, who's done some unconventional roles in Gangs Of Wasseypur (GOW) 1 and 2, and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, comes across every bit as bindaas in real life as in reel.

Talking about both parts of GOW, Huma says, "Jitni galiyan maine apni movies mein suni hain, utni real life mein kabhi na di, aur na hi suni. Having been born and brought up in Delhi, of course I am used to a few well-known gaalis, but yeh Bihar ki gaaliyan toh Delhi ki galiyon se bahut aage hain!"

But all thanks to these unconventional roles, Huma is now getting some really different scripts to read. "A lot of scriptwriters have come to me and said that we have written this script keeping you in mind. It feels great that only a year old in Bollywood, I have people around me who are writing stuff exclusively for me," she shares excitedly.

But everything comes with a price. "Not everyone around me is able to digest this newly found fame and I get to hear some really weird stuff about myself," she adds.

Like? "Like my dad, who is a restaurateur and owns a chain of restaurants in Delhi, is financing all my movies. What rubbish! Why on this earth would my dad finance my movies?" she replies, "Nobody is ready to see how I have struggled in the past before entering Bollywood. I used to do theatre non-stop in Delhi. And that's what has helped me hone my acting skills," she rues.

While her dad might not be the reason she's in films, he is definitely the reason for how big a foodie she is! "I grew up with good food all around me, I just can't resist it and this is the reason behind my weight gain. But I am seriously not interested in losing weight. I just want to stay fit and I gym regularly for that. And I don't think my weight will ever be a problem in my Bollywood career. Cinema today has changed. Real actresses, who can actually act, are in demand. You have Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha as prime examples. It is only acting that matters, not the figure," she stresses.

And though she loves to eat, Huma says she can't cook at all. "And why should I? A foodie doesn't need to be a good cook!" she retorts, and goes on to add, "I have a lot of people around me to cook for me and my guests."

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I respect Mr Bachchan's sensitivity: Ram Gopal Varma

After watching Ram Gopal Varma's 'The Attacks Of 26/11', starring Nana Patekar, Amitabh Bachchan's emotions went from anger to shock, which he expressed on a microblogging site. RGV talks about Big B's reactions and why he wanted him to see the film.

Well, to start with, as soon as I assembled the first cut of the full film - The Attacks Of 26/11 - I showed it to Mr Bachchan for two reasons. First, due to my long association with him, I know he will give me an honest opinion. And secondly, since I respect his sensitivity, I just wanted to see how he reacts to a film that is based on such a momentous and terrifying real-life event.

I remember him mentioning on his blog at that time that he felt like sleeping with his gun under his pillow, which pretty much represented every Mumbaikar's sentiments, post those attacks. I was kind of taken aback to see how strongly he reacted. He couldn't speak for a minute or so because he was choked with emotion, which he mentioned in his tweets too. I would think the mixture of anger, shock and grief that he felt, was primarily due to the fact that no matter how much one heard about the incidents, how many books one might have read or how many documentaries one would have seen, only a feature film can really give a correct emotional perspective to the said incidents and that's what Mr Bachchan connected to.

The emotion... it's one thing to hear that Kasab gunned down scores of men, women and children at CST, but it's another thing to actually see him do it. It's one thing to blame the police for not being able to prevent or control those incidents in time, but it's another thing to see with your own eyes their justifiable helplessness.

All in all, my intention was to honestly and truthfully recreate those attacks and to make the audience feel what the people who were present on the spot at that time felt. And, gauging by the reactions of those who've seen the film so far, I'm happy that I succeeded.

The Attacks Of 26/11, presented by Eros International and Alumbra Entertainment Production, releases March 1.

- Ram Gopal Varma

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Big screen villains getting hotter

Think bad guy in movies and one no longer thinks of intimidating faces like Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) or Loin (Ajit). Big screen villains these days are as drool-worthy, if not better, as the heroes of most films. As if perhaps pandering to the age-old line that good girls fall for bad guys, today's villains — be it in Bollywood or south Indian cinema — are all getting hotter.

Eye candy galore
When an always-on-the-prowl Sudeep looked lustfully at Samantha in Eega, one wasn't turned off. Similarly, Vidyut Jamwal's opening fight in Billa II had women drooling over him just as much as they did over Ajith. And when Sonu Sood fought shirtless in Dabangg, women took notice of his abs, as much as they did Salman's.

"Eventually, the line between good and bad was bound to grow finer. Now, one doesn't have those demarcations of good and evil. Women seem to find characters with shades of grey fascinating. Little wonder, then, that we have mainstream heroes like Ajith doing films like Billa and Mankatha in which they aren't the typical good guys," says Sonu.

What women want
Actress Priya Mani agrees with this. "If I were given a choice, I would go for the bad guy. I have always liked men who have that little bad streak in them, where they can take care of me and fight for me if required. Take a look at how Hrithik Roshan was in Dhoom 2 and tell me one woman who didn't fall for his bad attitude. I was delighted when I got to be paired opposite someone as good-looking as Sonu Sood in Only Vishnuvardhana," she says, adding on a jocular vein, "With the villains getting hotter, we girls now have more options to check out onscreen."

Actress Taapsee Pannu agrees and adds, "I look forward to seeing the bad guys onscreen more than the good ones. I thought Vidyut Jamwal was simply too good in Thuppakki. Similarly, I still remember how Sonu Sood impressed people with his looks and attitude in Ek Niranjan. Today, we want a bad guy who can match the hero and take him head on."

Bad isn't ugly
Psychologists believe that this growing trend of casting good-looking men as bad boys in films was bound to take off. "While popular media has always shown things as black-and-white, it's far removed from how women see it in real life. It's the shades of grey that women find interesting. The bad guy is no longer repulsive; on the contrary, he is someone who looks like any one of us," says psychotherapist Radhika Shyam.

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It is difficult to entertain audience: Neha Dhupia

Actress Neha Dhupia may have proven her comic skills time and again on the big screen, but she feels that doing comedy is one of the most difficult things.

"Comedy is a serious business. It doesn't come easily. I think action and romance and any other genre is far easier than comedy. Comedy is one of the most difficult genres...it is difficult to entertain audience," Neha told.

"Comedy is all about timing not only yours but of others as well. I think one needs to have inherent funny bone," she said.

After tickling the funny bone of the audience in films like 'Chup Chup Ke', 'Kyaa Kool Hain Hum', 'Phas Gaya Re Obama' and others, Neha is now all set to judge a TV show Nautanki- The Comedy Theatre.

"I have done comedy films and I am happy they have been appreciated. I had a great time while doing comedy films," Neha said.

The 32-year-old is making her debut on small screen as she would be appearing along with actor Tusshar Kapoor on a reality show. She will be acting as a judge in 'Nautanki - The Comedy Theatre '.

"I don't know if it is early or late to enter TV. I feel if the opportunity is right you should do it. The format of the show is too good. I always wanted to do television. TV has a huge reach and it is at par with films if not bigger," Neha said.

On the film front, she will be seen in Karan Johar's home production film 'Unglee' alongside Emraan Hashmi, Sanjay Dutt and others. She will make her debut in a Punjabi film 'Rangeeley' with Jimmy Shergill. Both the films are scheduled to release this year.

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Madhuri Dixit has many plans up her sleeve

Looks like Madhuri Dixit's hubby Dr Sriram Nene has become a full time manager of his celebrity wife. Sources say, that from the time Mads sacked her secretary Rikku Rakeshnath, Dr Nene has been handling most of her work, including being a hands-on daddy at home to their sons Arin and Ryan. Whatever happened to the talks of him joining a hospital...

Well, it was heard that Mr Madhuri Dixit (that is how he is being addressed these days) was offered lucrative jobs by some of the leading 'five star' hospitals in the city but he had rejected all these high-flying jobs and had settled for a government hospital.

But all those talks seem to have died down, and at present his hands are full handling several activities for his wife so that she stays in the news and be available for all her fans whenever they wish to know something about her.

Apparentlly, Mrs Nene had appointed a team of gadget freaks and internet experts to work on her website and make her presence felt when she returned from Denver for good over a year back. Industry sources say, now the hubby dearest has taken over and is a full-time manager for his wife.

Interestingly, we also hear that Mads is planning a cookbook which will contain her mother's Maharastrian recipes. Madhuri surely has some unique and innovative plans up her sleeve to combat competition from the younger lot and also keep her near and dear ones happy.

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LiLo's sex scene freaked her out, says James Deen

James Deen, who has made more than 4,000 porn flicks, was horrified by the behaviour of Lindsay Lohan in his first mainstream film 'The Canyons'.

"There were days when she would scream and yell and cry and refuse to come out. In porn I am used to working with professionals who are courteous to others. But Lindsay was like a child lashing out," the Sun quoted him as saying.

The 26-year-old actress, who is desperate to resurrect her career after a series of scandals and a stint in jail for drink-driving, agreed to appear in 'The Canyons' - a film about a group of sexually charged youngsters in Los Angeles, for just 60 pounds a day.

She also agreed to strip naked for the thriller's numerous sex scenes.

But when it came to filming one graphic encounter, James said Lohan fell apart.

"As an adult film star I felt totally at home. I had worked with the other actress countless times and because we were relaxed Lindsay became unnerved. She started to get more and more freaked out," James said.

"We were all standing round naked and the next thing Lindsay was screaming, 'Put your clothes on. For the love of God put your clothes on.' So we all put our robes on. But then she sat on the bed topless. When I asked her why she said she was 'allowed to'. With that I dropped my towel and she stormed off set. She then refused to return until the entire crew stripped," he said.

James said that once Lohan had calmed down, she was a "natural".

On another occasion, Lohan erupted when the director asked her to take her shoes off because she was looking taller than the porn star.

The 'mean Girls' star refused and was crying and screaming that she was the star of the film.

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Nothing in today's films that is memorable: Farooq Sheikh

Noted actor Farooq Sheikh feels that the films today have advanced technically, but their "life span" is shrinking and the writing department is not getting more attention.

"Today, we are 100 times better technically, 50 times better financially and 200 times ahead in number of audience. The quantum of audience has increased, we have international audience. According to me, more attention should be given in the writing department -- be it story, dialogue, songs," Sheikh, 64, told .

"Writers are backbone of the film, so if the spinal cord is weak, how much ever flesh and bone you add, it is going to collapse sooner or later."

"The life span of films is shorter today. Today there are films that come and go. There is nothing in films that is memorable. 'Mother India' was made in 1956... It's been 50-60 years but still the film has caught everyone's attention. You don't feel there are 14 songs so let's skip it and do something else," Sheikh added.

The veteran actor thinks that if the story is not good, songs and dance sequences are put in to grab attention.

"I feel when you don't have a good script in place, you require fight sequences, item numbers, and heroine dressed in skimpy way. It is not that there is no place for such films... there is. But if you have a good story, more and more people will watch it," he said.

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Ranbir Kapoor to strike against film ban

The actor and 'striker' will lead our team in a friendly football match against Bangladesh to commemorate the end of a 41-year-old blackout of Indian films

Cricketers may no longer be the darlings of the nation. And Bollywood may no longer be all starry-eyed at the mention of the sport. What better way then to herald the end of a 41-year-old ban on Indian films in our neighbouring Bangladesh, than a friendly football match between our actors and theirs?

TOI has learnt that on April 15 and in May, a team captained by Ranbir Kapoor will take on a Bangladeshi one, led by top actor Firdaus, at two commemorative matches in Dhaka and in Kolkata.

Bangladesh had imposed the ban in 1972 to protect the indigenous film industry from the onslaught of Indian, especially Hindi films.

While team Bangladesh will be represented by stars from their film industry, team India is likely to have Abhishek Bachchan, Prosenjit, Mithun Chakbraborty and with a host of Bengali stars.Ranbir will play as a striker.

The development was confirmed by Prosenjit, who was in Mumbai to receive a film award. He said that preparations for the high-profile matches are in full swing and the venues have been confirmed.

"We have had meetings with the Information and Broadcasting Minister of Bangladesh, Hasanul Haq Imu on this matter recently in Kolkata. It was decided that the ban will be symbolically lifted with two football matches -- in India and Bangladesh. We are working towards putting together our respective teams," smiled Prosenjit.

A source close to the development confirmed that Prosenjit's meeting with Ranbir was fruitful. "Ranbir was visibly excited to be a part of the team because he is passionate about the sport and has been a part of a few exhibition matches," said the source. While Ranbir is likely to play both in the India and Bangladesh matches, Abhishek has apparently given his consent to one of them.

Sounding optimistic about what he thinks is an ambitious idea, Prosenjit says: "It's been more than four decades since this ban was enforced. Though all our previous attempts to lift it have failed, this time both the countries are willing to go the length. The money generated from these matches will be for the benefit of film technicians in both the countries," he said, adding, "Besides, it will also open up an important market for our films, just as Bangladesh will benefit from sharing our content and expertise."

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'Vishwaroopam' ban can spell Rs.30 crore loss: Experts

The delay in the screening of Kamal Haasan's Rs.95 crore film " Vishwaroopam" in the wake of a ban after some groups tagged it as anti-Muslim is likely to result in an estimated loss of Rs.30 crore, say industry experts.

"A film like 'Vishwaroopam', which was promoted at a huge scale, will perhaps have to bear a loss of around Rs.20 to Rs.30 crore. But it also depends on the fate of the film. If the film again gets delayed, then the loss might even cross more than Rs.30 crore," Mumbai-based distributor Rajesh Thadani of Multi Media Combines told IANS.

After the ban on the international espionage drama, directed and produced by Kamal, in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, distributors and theatre owners are worried about recovering the cost.

Karnataka distributor Gangaraju said that when a star's film gets banned, the losses are heavy.

"If a single-screen theatre shells out about Rs.5-Rs.10 lakh for a film involving a big star, then only good opening can help break even in two weeks' time," he added.

A theatre owner said: "By Jan 22 we started bookings for 'Vishwaroopam' and removed all other other films that were playing. But the ban has come as a shocker and we had to fill the screens again with old films such as 'Alex Pandian' and 'Samar'."

The Tamil and Telugu versions of "Vishwaroopam", which deals with the adversities of war, were scheduled to release Jan 25, but couldn't come out on the schedule time as a ban was imposed by the Tamil Nadu government following protests from Muslim groups.

A day later, the Madras high court restricted the film's release till Jan 28.

On Friday, some theatres in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala screened the film, but had to stop the run after religious leaders approached Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and urged a ban.

Prakash Reddy, a distributor, said: "A Kamal Haasan film is bound to have a good opening but sadly, that was not in the case of 'Vishwaroopam' as the shows were disrupted."

Now "Vishwaroopam" is substituted by "Race 2" and "Akaash Vani" in the multiplexes, while single screen theatres are playing Pongal releases like "Naayak" and "Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu" in Hyderabad.

It was the same in Karnataka.

"We definitely missed the box-office opening of the film. But our biggest problem now seems to be the reimbursement of tickets that were bought and booked online. Some said they don't need their money back and demanded screening of the film again," Gangaraju said.

To watch a film in a multiplex, viewers have to shell out somewhere between Rs.120-Rs.150 for a film. In cities like Bangalore, multiplexes some times charge Rs.250 per ticket at the weekend.

In single-screen theatres, the tickets are priced at Rs.70 to Rs.100 in the region.

Some audiences, who booked online, demanded instant reimbursement and made a ruckus at the theatres.

"Usually, a third party vendor takes care of online booking and it usually takes a few days for the money to get credited into their account, but since the shows were cancelled, most of them were disappointed," added Gangaraju.

In Karnataka, multiplexes are now playing new Hindi releases along with Sudeep-starrer "Varadanayaka". Some are also showing "Alex Pandian" and "Samar".

In Kerala, "Vishwaroopam" released on 82 screens Jan 25, but soon after the first show, most theatres were forced to stop the screenings.

But on Jan 26 the film was shown in some theatres in Kerala with the help of youth wing members of certain parties.

"In places likes Trivandrum there was tension but members of Yuva Morcha and Hindu Munnani opposed the ban against the film and ensured a smooth run," said Arvind.

But those who can't run the film in the state are showing the Mammootty-starrer "Kammath & Kammath".

Initially, the film had a peaceful release in the overseas market, where distribution price is reportedly Rs.1.5 crore.

"'Vishwaroopam' collected Rs.57.13 lakh in Britain in the first three days," tweeted trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

But now the trouble has travelled abroad with a ban on the film's screening in Malaysia.

Confirming the same, A. Ramalingam, distributor of the film in Malaysia, said: "The film ran to packed houses on the first day but following a request from the ministry, we had to stop screening on Saturday."

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HC dismisses petition against Amitabh Bachchan

The Allahabad High Court today dismissed a petition, which had accused Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan of having made a "derogatory" remark "with malicious intention" about the Holy Quran in a more than a year-old episode of game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'.

The petition filed by Jhansi resident Mudassir Ullah Khan, who had taken exception to the use of the phrase "racha gaya" (composed) in the context of the Holy Quran by Bachchan in the episode aired on 28 September, 2011 was dismissed by Justice Manoj Misra.

The petitioner had contended that the Holy Quran was "neither written nor created by anybody, rather it came into existence/revealed by Allah (God) Himself" and hence the use of the phrase "racha gaya" was tantamount to "a serious offence" as Bachchan was a "popular figure" and "words used by him affects all communities".

However, Justice Misra disagreed with his contention and said, "To say 'racha gaya' does not necessarily imply that the Quran was written by some person.

"The phrase can also imply that the Holy Book was composed by Allah Himself, which is another way of saying that it is a revealed scripture," Justice Mishra said.

Through the petition, Khan had also challenged orders of Chief Judicial Magistrate and District and Sessions Judge of Jhansi whereby his pleas for directing the police to register an FIR under sections of Indian Penal Code dealing with hurt caused to religious sentiments were turned down.

He had submitted that while the CJM had dismissed his complaint "illegally and without application of mind", the District Judge turned down his subsequent criminal revision terming it as "frivolous and vexatious" besides submitting that no objection was raised by any "school, institution or the Mohammadan community" nor was there any "fatwa" issued against Bachchan.

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Aamir supports fight against alcoholism among women

Bollywood actor-producer Aamir Khan, who brought several social issues to the fore through his show " Satyamev Jayate", has now lent support to the fight against alcoholism amongst women. He says women should be forthcoming about admitting their addiction.

Addressing a press conference by an NGO, Aamir said the problem is more complex in India as women never come out and admit that they drink.

"In India, the problem is more complex. There are so many modernistic issues involved with drinking that women would be afraid to even admit openly that they are drinking. Its a very difficult thing for them," the 47-year-old said.

"So, the fact that you (female reporters) have come here, will give them a lot of strength, lot of courage and with the media reporting about it, the message that it is a disease will come across. Even if you are a woman and if you are suffering, you need to step out and there is help available to you," he added.

Aamir says eradicating the issue will take time, but it will have to be a continuous struggle.

"Certainly this is a struggle which is a continuous struggle. I don't think that anyone's step is ever the end of it. Its a continuous struggle that we all have to take forward and we have to be committed," Aamir said.

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Bollywood bigwigs on changing trends in cinema

Dumb films, filmmakers and audiences, and the commodification of women in films - here's the sharpest of what the filmi types said on Day 2 of the Jaipur Lit Fest.

Shabana Azmi
On the traditional images of women in cinema: Ram as the dominant husband and Sita as the acquiescent wife shaped our notion of husband and wife, and cinema fed into that. In the 60s, it was like that - the women would say main chup rahoongi - but that changed later to the insaaf ki devi kind of woman, main jeene nahin doongi, main marne nahin doongi, etc. But the heroine had no sexuality - that was left to the vamp/foreigner. The sexuality of the heroine is being celebrated now. However, there is a difference between that and the commodification of women. When in item numbers, slices of the body are focused on, and the angles are only about the swiveling hips and the swinging navel, you make the woman surrender her autonomy to the male gaze. I ask heroines to make an informed choice. They say, 'I have a good body, why not show it off?' But just because Salman Khan takes off his shirt in every film to show his six-pack abs, they can't do the same! It's not kosher for a woman to be commodified just because a man is too!... Instead of mindlessly dancing to the item numbers, listen to the words, focus on your collaboration in that process... We are not giving a single thought to what we are projecting. We have to start by realizing, we are all culpable.

Javed Akhtar
On the creeping of English into Hindi films: With multiplexes, we have liberalized a bit. They have smaller audiences, mostly educated... This gives us the opportunity to deviate from the trodden path - there is a variety of stories available today. On the other hand, these people are having a party. They have no interest in any genuine social issue to spoil their evening. There has never been such a variety of stories, and never have they been so devoid of social issues.

On poetry and lyrics in cinema: The lyrics nowadays - you'd have to be extremely kind to call them lyrics. Language is shrinking in society... The average 20-30-year-old has a smaller vocabulary than her/his mother or father.

On the change in cinema: You will see ugly cinema and ugly politics in the 80s - Sarkai Liyo Khatiya and LK Advani... Woh change hua hai. But the films that are blockbusters today are not the good films. Jo aadmi dukaan chala raha hai, usse kaise kahein ki tujhe pata hi nahin tera gahak kya chahta hai? Gahak toh usko 100 crore de raha hai!

Prasoon Joshi
On commodification of women: It's about the intent - the way items songs are shot is to make you focus on those things (the navel, the hips - in response to Shabana's comment). It affects the male and female psyche. It's inherent in the language. Gaalis in Hindi are about doing something to your mother or sister. Or they say 'humne choodiyan pehen rakhi hain?' Or 'ladkiyon ki tarah kyun ro rahe ho?'
The line between the hero and the anti-hero are blurring, which is a dangerous trend. No one copied Ranjeet (yesteryears' Bollywood villain) when he raped, no one names their son Raavan. Now we have to be careful how they (the hero/anti-hero) are portrayed. You're affecting society as much as borrowing from it.

Sharmila Tagore
On item numbers: Things have changed, why shouldn't cinema? Perceptions have changed, costumes have changed. But decisions are still being made very stereotypically - a woman's passport to life is still marriage. An item song is put into the film for entertainment; it has nothing to do with the film. Earlier, the vamp did the (sexy) song, but then came Choli Ke Peeche and the line collapsed, heroines started doing that. The song had innuendo and naughtiness, which is also traditionally present in Indian tradition. But later in the film, when Madhuri is kidnapped, the villains are humming it to her, and one of them also says cheer ke rakh doonga. That's even more sexist than the song. Why did no one say anything about that when Madhuri had to go to court?

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Akshay hails Padma for Rajesh Khanna

Actor Akshay Kumar is delighted that his father-in-law, the late actor Rajesh Khanna, has been posthumously honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour.

"I am really very happy. I am obliged that the government has recognised my father-in-law's work. I am extremely happy," said Akshay, who is married to Rajesh Khanna's elder daughter Twinkle. The awards were announced Friday.

Rajesh Khanna, fondly known as Kaka, began his career with Aakhri Khat in 1966. In a career spanning five decades, he became a superstar like no other with hits like Aradhana, Do Raaste, Safar and Anand.

He passed away in July 2012 following prolonged illness. He was 69.

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I have matured, settled down mentally: John

The role has to have an edge, says John Abraham, who made sexy look sexier in 'Jism' and grey even greyer in 'New York'. After a decade in movies, the Bollywood heartthrob believes his middle-class roots have helped him balance his personal and professional life.

"I have grown up in a middle-class family; so my value system and lifestyle are also very regular," John, who features in the just released Race 2, told IANS in an exclusive interview.

When it comes to choosing roles, he is very clear that he doesn't "like being normal, romantic 'pyaarasagaatarehtahai'. The role has to have an edge." "I have mastered the art of understanding what my audience wants... I know how to add that extra edge to a character," he added.

John, who turned producer with the super hit comedy Vicky Donor, doesn't want to stick to 'funny' films. His next film "could be a political thriller like 'Madras Cafe' and a human story like 'Humara Bajaj'."

In a candid chat, the 40-year-old actor reveals his fascination for negative roles, his aspirations as a producer and why he chooses to stay away from the party circuit. Excerpts:

Negative roles:
From Jism to New York, Zinda to Dhoom and now Race 2 and Shootout at Wadala, all my roles had shades of grey... I think I like that space. I don't like being normal, romantic 'pyaarasagaatarehtahai'. The role has to have an edge. Someone saw me in Race 2 and said 'bad has never looked so good' and I think that is the plus point.

Personal and professional growth in 10 years: I think maximum growth has been as an individual. I have matured, settled down mentally. As an actor the growth has been tremendous too. If you see Race 2 or I, Me Aur Main, my action hero concept was very strong. But someone saw I, Me Aur Main and said you have transformed from action Abraham to actor Abraham. I have mastered the art of understanding what my audience wants... I know how to add that extra edge to a character.

Pros and cons of celebrity status
The cons of being a celebrity is criticism and I use the cons positively to make myself more superior, better and stronger. So the cons actually work for me, making my pros stronger.

Filmdom and its vagaries:
Whichever industry you enter into, you go with the pre-conceived notions in your head. Similarly when you enter the film industry, you think it is only for film people... that it is ruthless and that if you are not good enough, you are out of it.
Well, all that is somewhere true, but I don't belong to the film industry and I am good enough and I am here. So you defy the rules.

Perks of middle-class upbringing:
It is very natural that a star doesn't always remain a star. Over the years, he or she gets older and carries on with his or her life. Look at a normal person, he also lives with the thought of getting old some day. So everybody's life goes up and comes down. If you keep your lifestyle like a flat line, keep your needs less and live a normal life, then the highs and the lows won't affect you because you are leading a normal life.

I have grown up in a middle-class family, my value systems are very regular. My lifestyle is very regular. So whether I am a star or not, my lifestyle still remains normal and it won't affect me. I train my mind to understand that I am like any other normal human being and I am no different from anybody else; that is it.

Friendship in Bollywood:
I have always been very disconnected with the film fraternity. The industry knows I really don't indulge myself in parties; so nobody feels bad about it. My only three friends in the industry are Karan Johar, AbhishekBachchan and Akshay Kumar and all three of them I speak to once in a while and it's never about work.

Stint as a producer:
If Vicky Donor is a benchmark, I have to make films in that space, which are commercially entertaining. By that it doesn't always mean that it has to be funny, it could be a political thriller like Madras Cafe and human story like HumaraBajaj. It has to be J Entertainment Film', which is completely different.

I have a lot of confidence in my content, my directors and my writers and stars I will create. Like Ayushmann Khurrana became a star, we'll create more stars.

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Pak theatres stay away from movie on Osama bin Laden

Pakistanis will be unable to watch Zero Dark Thirty in theatres as distributors have decided against importing the film on the hunt for Osama bin Laden due to security concerns and fears of upsetting the powerful security establishment.

As the film by Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow racks up award nominations and is rolled out in other countries in region, Pakistani distributors said they were unwilling to acquire the movie because of its unflattering references to the military and the ISI.

"No one has imported it. Some films just don't have commercial potential. It would be unviable for us to import Zero Dark Thirty," Nadeem Mandviwala, one of Pakistan's leading film distributors, said.

Others in the film business said they had learnt the hard way that it would never be easy getting any film with a reference to bin Laden past Pakistan's fastidious censor board.

"Look at the case of 'Tere bin Laden', the comedy starring Ali Zafar. The subject was such that we had to go through so many ministries and the censor board, and it was finally never released," said Mohsin Yaseen, the general manager for marketing for Cinepax, Pakistan's first multiplex chain.

'Zero Dark Thirty' tackles what is still a "touchy subject" for Pakistani audiences, and distributors decided to "keep away from it", Yaseen said. "It would not be feasible for us to screen it in Pakistan," he said.

Though filmed in India, 'Zero Dark Thirty' is largely set in Pakistan and tracks the CIA's decade-long hunt for the world's most wanted man.

Bin Laden was finally tracked to a compound located a stone's throw from the elite Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad, just 120 km from Islamabad, and killed in a unilateral American military raid on May 2, 2011.

The raid embarrassed the security establishment and the ISI, which were criticised by lawmakers and the public for failing to detect bin Laden's presence in Pakistan for five years and to prevent the mission by the US Navy SEALS. Under these circumstances, distributors are willing to take the risk of investing in Zero Dark Thirty.

Yaseen said distributors were wary after their experiences with Tere bin Laden.

"That film was expected to do business worth $ 200,000 in Pakistan and a lot of people lost money," he said.

Though Zero Dark Thirty will not be coming to the big screen, pirated DVDs of the film are easily available in most cities across Pakistan, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The owner of a shop dealing in DVDs said there was a huge demand for the film.

"Everyone wants to watch it because the bin Laden episode is still fresh in people's minds," he said.

Others illegally downloaded the movie from the internet but some viewers complained about inaccuracies in its depiction of Pakistan.

Farrukh Khan Pitafi, a TV anchor, wrote on Twitter that he was "miffed" with the film's "conscious effort to show camels in big cities, obsession with rickshaws, burqas (and) men speaking in Arabic".

Some viewers also expressed concern about the CIA's use of torture to extract information from suspects as depicted in the movie.

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Hollywood action films part of Naxal training manual: Police

Action and war films from Hollywood, the entertainment mecca of 'capitalist' USA, are being used as a training tool by Naxals, a senior police official has said.

Recently, a CRPF jawan's body was found with an explosive device surgically implanted inside. Authorities said that this tactic was straight out of the Oscar-winning war film 'Hurt Locker' (2008).

Chhattisgarh police recently recovered CD players and CDs of Hollywood movies from a Naxal training camp in Bijapur district. These were action films, depicting commando training, bomb making process and warfare strategies.

"The forces recovered 8 CDs of Hollywood movies when they busted a Naxal training camp in forests of Pidiya village," said R K Vij, Additional Director General of Police, Naxal Operations, told .

"CDs of the movies like 'Behind Enemy Lines', 'Delta Force', 'Die Hard', 'Matrix' and 'God Must Be Crazy' were among those recovered from the site," Vij said.

"Prima facie, it appears that Naxals were using CDs for training tribals," he said.

"The proactive measures by security forces have made it difficult for Naxals to hold mass training camps. So they may be taking the help of action films," he said.

A senior official with Intelligence Bureau also said, on the condition of anonymity, that ultras were using Hollywood movies to "learn offence strategies and to get know-how about the latest weapons for the past several years".

"The recent incident in Jharkhand where Maoists surgically implanted bomb inside the stomach of a CRPF personnel (killed in an encounter in Latehar district) was taken from a Hollywood movie," the official said.

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Varsha wanted me to act: Asha Bhonsle

Singing, recording, touring — she is always on her toes. Rarely do you find an octogenarian Asha Bhonsle sitting back and reflecting on a life well-spent. But when she did, on her recent trip to Kolkata, we were all ears. From past to the present and even her plans for the future — the singer poured her heart out to TOI. Excerpts:

Even on January 26 — a national holiday — you are touring. How rarely does a day off come by?
I get day-offs... At times, I stay back for a day in a city I'm touring. That gives me time.

How do you spend an off-day at home?
I wake up early, do my own things and then, sit for riyaaz. Then, I go to the kitchen, do things, look out for my grandchildren, do things for them... Meri bahu bahut achhi hai, we are like friends. If I don't have outside work, I spend a lot of time doing riyaaz.

Workwise, last year was special. After saying no to films for long, you finally okayed one...
You should only do things which you are meant to do. I always thought I should concentrate on singing. Aur kya hai, life jo hai, woh filmstars ka bahut chhota hai, singers ka bahut lamba hai. Aur mujhe khud ko lagta tha ki main itni sundar nahin hoon ki main filmon mein kaam karoon. Toh iss liye maine kabhi films ki taraf dekha bhi nahin, bola bhi nahi kisi ko. Here, what happened was the film's producer and Anand, my younger son, sat me down one night and narrated the story. It was around 1 am and I was back from a show. They said, 'Yeh story hai suno'. Maine suni and mujhe bahut achha laga. The film is about a mother and that made me very emotional. They said, 'Maee ke naam se story hai'. For long, I kept saying no. Bahut din chalta raha... Phir meri beti, Varsha jab thi, ussne kaha tum toh actor ke beti ho. Mere pitaji actor thay aur singer bhi thay. Varsha ne kaha, 'Tumhare mein dono hi hai, tum gaana jo gaati ho uss mein bhi acting hi hai. Dekho pandra din tak, nahin hoga toh chhor dena.' Maine bola yeh thik hai, chhor dena achha hai. Then, when we started, I found it easy. Gaane se bahut asaan hai. Gaana bahut mushkil hai. Gaane ke liye bahut kuchh chhor na padta hai, bahut kuchh dhyan mein rakhna padta hai. In the film, if you look like the character you are given, then it's not that difficult.

What's your role like?
Grandmother ka role hai. I play a mother and a grandmother. I am not telling you the story, but there's a lot to learn. You'll get to know the importance of daughters — ladkiyan kitni mahatwapoorna hai jivan mein. Aj log bolte hai hamein ladka chahiye, ladka chahiye. Ladka kuchh nahin karta hai. Maa se pyaar ladki hi karti hai, ghar chhor jaane ke baad uss ka sara dhyaan maa pe hi rehta hai. Apne ghar ke taraf rehta hai. Ladki ka role bahut bada hai jeevan mein...

What sort of a bond did you share with your mother?
Bahut achhi thi, bahut maarti thi. Maine agar Anand ko ek mara, meri maa ne mujhe do maari. As a youngster, it was different. I got married when I was very young (at 16). Till then, it was good. Chhalaangein marna, gaate rehna... Then, when I got married, she was very upset. Kyunki mere aadmi (Ganpatrao Bhosle) ko sau rupaye milta tha uss zamane mein, ghar chalana bahut mushkil hota tha. Bahut takleef uthayi. Karte karte jab usne dekha teen bachhe hai — Anand toh maa ke ghar mein hua — toh usne mujhe samjhaya. She might have been old-fashioned, but she was modern in her thinking. She taught me the importance of freedom. She would go to the market, where there would be birds on sale. With her little money, she would buy them, take them to Pawai Lake and set them free. She would tell me, 'Tum free hone ka faida uthao.... Tumhe koi nahin bolega khana kyun diya, kapda kyun nahi diya, tum free ho'. At the same time, she got us initiated into puja path. She never stopped me from singing. Woh bolte they, 'Gaana koi paap nahin hai, dance karna koi paap nahin hai. Paap jo hai woh doosre hai, jo log karte hai, kisi ka ghar todna... Tum to paap nahin kar rahi ho na... mann mein shuddh ho toh kuchh bhi kar sakti ho'.

And as a mother, what kind of a relationship do you share with your children?
They are very close, but when they were young, I had no time. I would spend the whole day at the recording studio, when I would be back, they would be asleep. On Sundays, I would take them out for a movie — morning show — and treat them to good food. But I didn't do much to train them. Padai meri zyada nahin hui hai, so woh sab nahin kar saki jo aaj-kal ki maaye karti hai. They, however, took immense interest in music. My brother, my sisters are all from the music industry. There was a music room at home, where songs would be played all day. Anand, Varsha... they grew up in that environment. Music leaves a positive impact on people, that's what happened to my kids. On their part, they had no demands on me; they were quiet and would keep to themselves. They would never tell me, 'Tum kyun jati ho, gaana chhor do...' I would at times tell them, 'Dekho aur kuchh nahin hai mere paas, sirf gaana hai, gaana nahin gayoongi toh ghar kaise chalega?' Every year, for a month, I would take Anand and Varsha to Kashmir during their holiday. Hemant (elder son) was in boarding school. That time, competition wasn't fierce and kids had the liberty to enjoy weekends. Aur sach mein mujhe dhyan bhi nahin hota tha. Life bada achha tareeke se nikal gaya. I wanted to spend more time with my kids, but couldn't. But the time I've given them, they'll never forget.

SD Burman's house is lying barren on Southend Park... Ever thought of turning it into a museum?
Bech diya usko. Burman sahab ne khud becha usko. I remember a very funny incident. Once people from the Tripura Rajvadi had come down. There was a very old man. Bahut mazeedar thay.... Unko Pancham ke mother se milna tha, woh toh behosh hi thi. When I opened the door and said, 'Nomoshkar', he asked, 'Tumi ke'? (Who are you?) Ami bollam je ami Asha (I said I'm Asha). He asked, 'Asha ke'? (Who's Asha?) I said, 'Asha Bhonsle'.... Then he laughed and said, 'I am a big fan of yours'...

A great composer and a great singer coming together must have had its share of ego clashes...
Pancham would compose lovely tunes and make me hear them. He would ask, 'Kaisa lag raha hai?' Kabhi kabhi main bol deti thi yeh toh achha nain hai. He would ask, 'Kya achha nahin hai?'. Main bolti thi, yeh nahin achha lag raha hai, iss ka sur achha nahin lag raha hai. He would be taken aback, phir phat se change kar deta tha. Ek gaane mein mera uss ke saath bahut jhagda hua tha.... Mere saame wali khidki mein. I said, mere ko nahin pasand yeh gaana. He asked, 'Kyun nahin pasand?. Itna achha toh chala hai'. Maine kaha do gaane tera mere ko pasand nahin, ek yeh aur doosra, Tumne mujhe dekha. Sona re sona mein tum lagte ho, iss gaane mein tum nahin dikhai dete ho. Ekdin jhagda hua saradin, phir maan gaya. Bola Aja aja jaisa hai waisa nahin hai.

Are you clued into current Bollywood? After the Delhi gangrape incident, among the things that came under the scanner was also shoddy lyrics...
(Looks at the swimming pool and says) Agar aap lyrics ki baat karenge toh main yahin pe jump kar doongi. Bade gande bol hai... Some are still audible, but most aren't. There was a film — Jab We Met. I loved the song rendered by Ustad Rashid Ali Khan. Achhe gaane aate hai toh hum pasand karte hai, par jo baki ke item songs bola jata hai woh toh bahut kharab hai... Koi bhi... Chipka do photo.... Kya hai?

What do you do when you are not singing?
I have a restaurant chain. There are 10, but I haven't opened any in India, there's no space. Restaurants should be big; they should give out the dhaba feel. I've included Pancham's famous recipes — chingri machher cutlet, sorse maach, moong dal — in the menu. Whatever Pancham taught me is all there. Woh achha khana banata tha. The idea started with my kids. They would often eat out and come back to say, 'Aunty ke ghar ka khana achha hai'; mujhe bahoot cheed aati thi. Mujhe laga itna achha khilao ki aunty ki yaad nahin aaye koi.

Last year, there were speculations about Lata Mangeshkar's professional relationship with Mohd. Rafi and personal equations with Bhupen Hazarika. How did the family handle all that?
Do I tell you the truth? I'm mostly not clued in. Didi ka jahaan tak sawal hai, woh kisi baat ka jawab deti nahin. Aap ko jo samajhna hai samjho. Aur ghar mein hum yeh saari baatein discuss nahin karte hai. Kisne likha, kyun likha, Mohd. Rafi, uss ka beta, abhi kaise jaag pada maloom nahin itne saal ke baad, main nahin yeh sab cheeze janti.

At 80, is there anything still left to achieve?
You can't get all that you want. You might think, I'll do this tomorrow, but you never know when God intervenes. Aap chalte jaiye, samne jo hai bas usko face kariye, mehnaat kijiye bas. I do my riyaaz and am looking forward to singing many more songs. Everytime I hit a low, I take to riyaaz more seriously. People ask God for things, I ask the same from sur.

Any regrets?
Sab diya uss ne. Regret yeh hai ki usske haath mein ek hi badi cheez hai — maut. Koi chala gaya, main ussko jaga nahin sakti.

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Javed Akhtar rues the decline of language in cinema

For Javed Akhtar, who has penned scripts and lyrics for numerous Bollywood films, cinema and society are not watertight compartments but representations of two sides of the same coin.

Akhtar, who is also one of the country's leading urdu poets used a session at the Jaipur Literature Festival to express his dismay at the decline of language and vocabulary in society and thus in cinema too.

"Language is shrinking in society and for this perhaps my generation is responsible as we didn't care enough about it. Young people now have smaller vocabulary compared to their elders," he said.

"When language in society is shrinking then obviously it will reflect in cinema as well," he said quoting an old film song to make a case in point about decline of language and etiquette in cinema.

"Khayalo main kisi ke aaya nahi karte kisi ko khwabo main aake yun tadpaya nahi kerte. You wont find this 'tamiz' in today's songs. Today it will be 'Baby Baby Aaja Aaja' types. It is not just about language but also about etiquettes," said Akhtar.

The 68-year-old writer and poet in the session "Bollywood and National Narrative" elaborated on the journey of films, in India, which is celebrating one hundred years of cinema this year.

"If you see the profile of villains in Indian movies over the years you can easily make out the profile of our country over the years. In the 40s we had the zamindar (as the villan), in 60s when we were dealing with the ideas of socialism we had the industry owners as the villains. Then you had the urban mafia," said Akhtar.

"Then we had politicians as villains and after that there was a time when we had the Pakistanis as villains and then we got tired of all this. Now, we don't have any villain because whatever we looked for in the villain has become our ideal," said the writer.

The lyricist pointed out that movies were reflection of the socio-political situation of its time.

"We are celebrating hundred years of cinema and I must say we have come a long way but we still have to go a long way. If we watch cinema of the last many years it tells us about the society of its time," said Akhtar.

The national award winning writer addressed a session on "Bollywood and National Narrative" at the event.

"The fact is cinema and society is same. Cinema is the manifestation of society. It is not a watertight relationship."

He also expressed dismay that nature has gone out of film songs. "Old romantic songs were beautiful because of involvement of nature. You saw a man and woman and universe and that was big romance. But now with urbanisation nature is missing from everywhere," he said.

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Anushka tags Shah Rukh 'most romantic actor'

She romanced him in her first movie "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" and then wooed him in "Jab Hai Jaan". Anushka Sharma says that superstar Shah Rukh Khan is the most romantic actor, both on and off the screen.

"You really have to ask me that question? Obviously Shah Rukh Khan. On screen and off-screen, everywhere, it's Shah Rukh Khan," she told reporters when asked to name the most romantic hero.

She was speaking at the unveiling of a jewellery collection in Mumbai.

"He (SRK) respects women a lot and I think that is something extremely nice. He is extremely charming," added the model-turned actress who is five-year-old in filmdom.

Expression of love may be larger-than-life in movies, but in real life, Anushka feels love is all about small gestures and not grand displays.

"It (love) is a very subjective thing. To me, I prefer simplicity. I will find love in very small gestures and not in big displays or ways like booking a whole restaurant and all," Anushka said.

"I think it's more about small, small things - like when unexpectedly someone can shower you with love and attention. To me that's more special," she added.

Often seen as chirpy and bubbly girl on celluloid, Anushka's last outing was " Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola" where she featured as spunky girl.

Her forthcoming projects are "Bombay Velvet" and "P.K." with superstar Aamir Khan.

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Neetu Chandra is unsure of her future with Randeep Hooda

He may have been special, but Neetu Chandra says, she is unsure of her future with Hooda

Neetu Chandra and Randeep Hooda have never really spoken about their relationship, neither have they made any effort to quash the persistent rumours of an impending marriage.

Hooda, who has a busy year ahead, will see his Murder 3 release on the same day as Neetu's Southern flick Aadhi Bhagwan. But there seems to be little else in common between the two these days.

According to sources, Neetu is not particularly hopeful about a future with him. When probed, the actress admitted to the ambiguous status of her relationship: "Unless I am sure of a definite future, I don't want to talk about it."

There have been stray reports that Neetu has been unhappy with the good-looking Randeep's sensuous scenes in his films. But sources say the actor may have developed cold feet about any long-term commitment. Interestingly enough, Neetu admits, she "had a wonderful relationship with Randeep," referring to the affair in the past tense. "He has been a very special person," she says with surprising candour, adding: "But I don't know where our relationship is headed."

And in an unguarded moment, venting her inner conflict, she says, "I can't say we are in a relationship... it would mean we are readying for a 'longer and more serious commitment.' And I don't want to give any such impression."

According to reports, the couple, who were last seen at Suniel Shetty's Worli bash, have had a major tiff. But when asked, Neetu gets rather evasive. "I have a very bad memory," she says.

According to Neetu, Randeep is "not ready for marriage." And rather than play the damsel in distress card, she insists: "Neither am I." And it is one of the reasons why despite being together for all these months, she is yet to introduce him to her family. "We are both trying to focus on our careers," she says, adding, "I wish Randeep all the very best."

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Bollywood producer to make film on 26/11 conspirator David Headley

Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul's book " Headley And I", about the latter's friendship with 26/11 conspirator David Headley, is to be made into a movie. Producer Sunil Bohra has bought the rights of the book.

Rahul co-authored the book with Hussain Zaidi and it puts light on Rahul's troubled relationship with his father and how Headley filled that vacuum for a while.

The deal was facilitated and negotiated by a literary and talent agency for an undisclosed amount making this one of the biggest deals of it's kind for the sale of any non-fiction book for film rights.

"When my cousin Abhishek (Vyas) read the book and told me about it's potential, I got in touch with Hussain and his agency. I was almost immediately drawn to the concept and knew that this would really work with our evolving Indian audiences," Bohra said in a statement.

"It's going to be a mainstream production because the world wants to know what the conspiracy really was and about what happens to an innocent guy when he gets involved in the conspiracy of this magnitude.

"The book reads like a documentary and we will use the same format for our screenplay. We will have Hussain around while shooting. I'm looking forward to kick starting this project soo," he added.

Zaidi is looking forward to the story being told to a mass audience.

"I strongly believe in Mr. Bohra's vision for the film based on my book. After both 'Black Friday' and 'Shootout At Wadala', I am pleased that this story of mine will also be made into a film!" said Zaidi.

Pakistani-American Headley received a 35 year jail term on Thursday by a Chicago court.

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I slapped a guy for passing awful comments: Raveena

Actor Raveena Tandon who essayed the role of a woman who rises against all odds, after going through mental and physical torture at the hands of her husband, in her last film 'Shobhna's Seven Nights' says that she feels strongly about the way men treat women.

"I am a daughter and I have a daughter. Sometimes I wonder where this inhuman behaviour comes from. At times when I am waiting at signals and I see some boys torturing a stray dog, I can foresee that these kids will eventually turn into future sadists. What is really required is for parents to teach their children basic things like love and compassion. And compassion comes from roots."

Talking from personal experience, Raveena narrates an incident which was quite disturbing. "Once I was invited as a judge for a reality show on a popular music channel along with actor Arjun Rampal and designer Manish Malhotra. There was no security there. While the three of us were walking towards our seats, some guy standing next to me passed an awful comment about me. My immediate reaction was anger and I slapped the guy because of his comments. In response, the group of guys went to the bar, got liquor bottles and poured it over me. Arjun started hitting the man and Manish covered me. It is something that I can never get out of my mind because of the humiliation I had to face. If I hadn't hit the guy maybe nothing that occurred later would have happened. But my question is why should any girl take this kind of behaviour lying down? I believe it is entirely the government's responsibility to make women feel safe in our country. It is important to eradicate illiteracy, which is also a major cause of such problems," Raveena says.

The actor says that she is deliberately keeping away from films because she has been offered 'shoddy work in mainstream cinema' and will take up offers that 'allow me to maintain my dignity'.

Having done an item song in her last Bollywood film Buddah Hoga Tera Baap that had Amitabh Bachchan, Raveena says, "Item songs are getting raunchier today. Somewhere they should be toned down. Imagine when I did Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast (Mohra) years back people had given me shocking reactions. Though sensibilities have changed, the lyrics of some songs today are quite cheap."

About her bilingual film Gin Liya Aasman which will be releasing in Marathi as well, Raveena says, "Dubbing in Marathi has been quite a challenge. Even though I am familiar with the language, getting the nuances of the language right was tough." And does she have any film making plans in the future? "Not at the moment. My kids are small and it's a big responsibility," she signs off.

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Akshay Kumar's 26 tips to avoid being conned

In Neeraj Pandey's Special 26, Akshay Kumar plays Natwarlal, who performed a daring heist in 1987 posing as a CBI officer. In keeping with the Republic Day date (January 26), the actor shares 26 tips to beat conmen...

Pay your taxes: The I-T officer will hopefully leave you alone.

Self-defence: Compulsory for all girls in all schools. No girl in this day and age should feel that they can be pushed around because they are female.

Stand up for what is right: Not just for now, but for the future, too.

Demand child support from the government for every baby girl: To stop the 'bloody massacre' of India's unwanted daughters. Financial support would free the thought of family burden in every household.

Ask questions: It is your birthright as a citizen.

Stop looking at 'politics' as if it should be the answer: We are our own people. Respectfully, we are owned by no one.

Belief: Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see.

Read: Read everything twice before you even think of signing it.

Words are words, handshakes are handshakes: But your signature could sign your life away.

Get a lawyer: First listen and then make your mind up.

Trust no one: Not even your lawyer.

Certificates can be forged: Always ask for an official background check on anyone you have to do business with.

Spread your money: Never keep all your money in your purse, put some in your socks. If you are mugged you should always have enough money on you to reach the police station.

Make sure all police officers take your complaint seriously: If we allow people to think they can get away with even the smallest of matters, our country's criminals will never learn nor improve.

Do not be intimidated by people who wear a badge: Because without it, they are as vulnerable as us.

Never keep your official documents on you: Only carry copies.

Mind your own business: Unless it becomes your business.

Don't allow anyone to convince you to do anything: You are your own person; you know what is right and what is wrong.

Voice-record every business meeting: No proof, no redemption.

Value people's time and money: And they will value yours.

No one wins the lottery on their phone: Never give out your personal details, not even to your family doctor, and ignore chain mails.

Trust no one but yourself: Then it can be no-ones fault but your own.

Check currency notes with RBI mark: Forgery is easy, don't be simple and fall for it.

Women should carry mace spray: Anyone gets in your face, spray them, temporarily blind them and get the hell out of there.

When someone tells you there's a short cut to being rich, don't ever listen: They are basically saying hand over your money and watch me walk away with it.

My final tip: It may have nothing to do with the concept of my film, but I want my final word not to be about caution, but to be about Time! Let the people you love and care about know how precious they are to you. I lost a very good man on Jan 23, I can only pray he knew how much he meant to me! Let Time be on your side, don't let Time con you.

Special 26, produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, releases February 8.

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Sachin has always been there for me: Asha Bhosle

Singing legend Asha Bhosle's is impressed with humility of ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who launched the music of her debut movie " Mai", and says he's always been there for her.

"He has so much respect for me that whenever I called him, he never said that I cannot come. 'Sachin ek aise ped ki tarah hain jis par phal hai aur woh jhukta hi jaa raha hai'. (As he is growing in life, Sachin is becoming more and more humble)," said the singer at the music launch of "Mai" Tuesday.

Directed by debutant Mahesh Kodiyal, "Mai" tells the story of a woman abandoned by her only son. Padmini Kolhapure, Ram Kapoor, Navin Kaushik and Shivani Joshi join Asha in the cast of the movie.

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Dilip Kumar dragged to court by brothers over Pali Hill bungalow

The two, who shared the house with the star for 60 years, claim they were duped with a promise of an apartment each once the property was redeveloped

Yesteryear superstar Dilip Kumar's brothers have sent him a legal notice, accusing him of reneging on a promise to provide them accommodation in a building that was to be built by razing a Pali Hill bungalow the two had shared with the actor for close to 60 years.

Ehsaan Khan, 77, and Aslam Khan, 75, have also alleged that they haven't been paid the monthly maintenance promised when they were convinced to move out of 48, Pali Hill, the actor's sprawling property, in 2006.

According to the notice, the elder brother was promised a 1,200 sq ft apartment in the new building, and the younger one was to get an 800 sq ft flat. However, while the bungalow has since been demolished, there is no sign of the promised multistorey building.

The brothers have alleged that the monthly maintenance of Rs 60,000 that was to be deposited in a joint account has also not come in many years.

Having lived in a friend's two-bedroom house on Hill Road for many years and survived on help from relatives and well-wishers, the two now have just under a week to vacate the property. "In less than a week, we will have nowhere to go. We also have no money left," Ehsaan told us. Dilip Kumar's wife actress Saira Banu, at whose bungalow he now resides, confirmed receiving the notice but claimed it to be a family matter that should not be discussed in public. "We are entitled to our privacy which others must also respect. We have a lot to say in reply, but do not want to," she said.

In the early '50s, Dilip Kumar, already a superstar with such hits as Andaz, Mela, Deedar and Daag, lived with his nine siblings and father at 21, Mala in Bandra. After his father passed away, he bought 48, Pali Hill for Rs 1.5 lakh and moved in with all his brothers and sisters.

While the sisters were married off and one of the brothers passed away, Ehsaan and Aslam continued staying with the actor. In 2006, the family decided to redevelop the property. While Dilip Kumar by then had already moved in with Saira Banu at her Saira Nivas bungalow, Ehsaan and Aslam were asked to vacate and promised apartments in the new building.

They were told the new building will take three years to complete and the developers - Sharyans Resources Limited and Gold Beam Constructions Private Limited - committed to pay them maintenance for this period.

The brothers, who have made the two developers a party to the notice, claim 48, Pali Hill was a family property and was not bought from Dilip Kumar's earnings alone. "We are only asking for our share and nothing more. We don't want to fight, we just want justice," said Ehsaan.

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Ranbir Kapoor takes Bhansali for a ride

Ranbir Kapoor put his association with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the fifth gear, when he took the filmmaker for a spin in his new car the other day.

The actor, who seems to be keen to put an end to a long season of rift with the man who launched him, drove to the sets of Ram Leela to meet Bhansali.

Incidentally, Bhansali was shooting a solo song sequence with Ranveer Singh when Ranbir arrived. And according to eye witnesses, the two struck up a conversation and went off for a drive in the new car, leaving behind a rather anxious Ranveer.

What made things worse for Ranveer - who is dating RK's ex and evidently is still insecure about his looming presence in his world - that he was even treated to a helping of Hyderabadi biryani after the ride.

Fortunately Deepika was away from the set when this happened, but we hear Singh is keeping a hawk-eyed watch on RK's next move.

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Imran-Kareena to pair up again for 'Gori Tere Pyar Mein'

Actor Imran Khan-Kareena Kapoor will be paired for the second time in Karan Johar's movie titled 'Gori Tere Pyar Mein'.

Director Punit Malhotra is all set to make his second film with Kareena and Imran after 'Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu'.

"After a long wait and lot of brainstorming, producer Karan Johar and director Punit Malhotra have finally decided to title Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer film as 'Gori Tere Pyar Mein'," sources close to the project said.

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Cinema will not create communal divide: Sajid Khan

Reacting to reports of a ban on Kamal Haasan's upcoming film 'Vishwaroopam' in Tamil Nadu, Bollywood director Sajid Khan said cinema will never create communal divides or hurt anybody's sentiments.

"You don't know who is from which community when everyone is watching the cinema. Any person from cinema, a self-respecting person from cinema, will never make a communal divide or hurt anybody's sentiments," Sajid told reporters.

Citing law and order as the reason following opposition from Muslims to the alleged negative portrayal of the community in 'Vishwaroopam', Tamil Nadu government had imposed a ban on the film's screening.

The film's release in Tamil Nadu has been postponed to January 28 by the Madras High Court.

The spy thriller, starring Haasan in the lead alongwith Rahul Bose, Pooja Kumar and Jaideep Ahlawat, was slated for a January 25 release.

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Besharam: Ranbir gets rough and ready for his new film

We caught the actor sporting a stubble and dressed in street-smart gear on the sets of Abhinav Kashyap's next

Ranbir Kapoor has often said that he longs to essay a kind of role that has people dancing in the isles and greeting him with catcalls. Perhaps which is why he signed up for Abhinav Kashyap's Besharam, which according to reports, is about a street-smart guy, who is ready to take on the rough and tumble of a life 'on the run from the law' with style.

Gives you a sense of deja vu? Well, given that Dabangg was his baby, one can expect Kashyap to bring a certain kitsch-cool to his next as well.

Something that endears his characters to the masses and does not turn off the classes either. When TOI lensman Raju Shelar trained his eyes on Ranbir in Film City the other day, he caught the actor dressed in the kind of gear that anyone who has walked the skinny alleys of Delhi would be familiar with.

The set too was reminiscent of the capital where wide roads wind off to gutters and swank cars make way for two-wheelers. There was also a life-like Delhi Metro site recreated for the audiences.

Besharm also stars Ranbir's parents Neetu and Rishi, who incidentally plays a Hariyanvi cop, while newcomer Pallavi Sharda plays the female lead.

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SRK, Katrina top rankers for Times Celebex in November

Announcing the top 50 rankers for the months of September, October and November 2012 for Times Celebex, India's first, most definitive and scientific ranking system for Bollywood actors. (Watch video)

Change is the only constant and Bollywood is its classic example. It's a world where destinies change every Friday, where meteoric rises and sharp dips are occupational hazards. In such a world, assessing star ratings is no easy task.

That's where the Times Celebex powered by zoOm! comes in. Launched in September, the rating index is based on several measurable parameters, including the stars' Box Office performance, their ability to stay in the news across print, TV and online; their brand endorsement, and their popularity among fans on the internet and social media. These are taken cumulatively to assign the actors a final Times Celebex score called the 'T Score'. While Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor were the winners of the first Times Celebex in September with the highest T Score, Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif have got the top ranks in November.

Times Celebex is a scientific and robust ranking system based on data collected from 200+ publications and 250+ TV channels, making it the first ever ranking system for Bollywood. The next rating for the month of December will be announced soon. Thereafter, Times Celebex will be a monthly rating, announced on the subsequent first of every month.

Times Celebex Rankers( Female)

Check out: Top 50 Times Celebex Rankers (Female)

Times Celebex Rankers( Male)

Check out: Top 50 Times Celebex Rankers (Male)

What makes these stars top the list — BO success, high PR visibility or their brand endorsements? Read on to find out

Times Celebex Rankers( Female)

1. Katrina Kaif
With JTHJ grossing `100 crore plus at the BO, the stunning Katrina Kaif joined her co-star SRK at the top spot. She was also the highest scorer in popularity polls and became the second most searched Indian actress on the internet with 1.7 crore searches and 9.2 lakh social media fans. Thanks to the news of her sister Isabella's Bollywood debut, Nargis Fakhri's comments about her and also her 12 brand endorsements, she clinched the numero uno position.

2. Sonakshi Sinha
The sardaarni of Son of Sardaar zoomed past Kareena Kapoor to the second spot thanks to SOS's BO numbers, her role in Dabangg 2 and her pairing with Ranveer Singh in Lootera.

3. Kareena Kapoor Khan
Bebo's nikaah to Nawab Saif Ali Khan, her 12 brand endorsements, the buzz around her item Fevicol Se in Dabangg2 and Talaash kept her in the news..

4. Anushka Sharma
The youngest heroine to be directed by the late Yash Chopra, Anushka gained points from JTHJ's release and her different look in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. The Jiya Re girl also benefitted from the six brands she endorses.

5. Priyanka Chopra
PC's singing her way to the top. An award for her international music debut, 66 lakh social media fans (the highest for any actress and the fourth highest for Bollywood stars) and her upcoming film on Mary Kom have got her the 5th spot.

6. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Ash received France's second highest award, celebrated beti Aaradhya's first birthday, was appointed a UNAIDS goodwill ambassador and became the third most searched Indian actress with 1.3 crore searches, sealing her place in the top 10.

7. Juhi Chawla
Juhi Chawla makes her first appearance in the top 10 thanks to her role in SOS, her first film with Madhuri Dixit (Gulaab Gang) and the five brands she endorses, among other factors.

8. Deepika Padukone
DP was constantly in the news, be it for learning Gujarati for Ram Leela, her rumoured link-up with Ranveer Singh, for doing a Tamil movie with Rajinikanth and for her 60 lakh online searches. There's no surprise she is in the top 10.

9. Kajol
Kajol's redefined the age barrier in Bollywood, consequently, securing a place in his list. The news about her sibling rivalry with Rani, and her meeting with Gerard Butler, made her move to the top 10.

10. Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri's ability to stay prominent helped her score big. She was in the news for Gulaab Gang, Dedh Ishqiya, and her reality dance show Jhalak Dikhla Ja, got her a place in the top 10.

With Salman and Akshay adopting Sonakshi as their favourite co-star, we won't be surprised if the Sinha siren reaches the top. She's already number 2.

Times Celebex Rankers( Male)

1. Shah Rukh Khan
Jab Tak Hai Jaan, tab tak King Khan need not worry. JTHJ, which released in November, grossed over `100 crore, giving him a high BO score. The Challa Khan gained the highest PR score for November because of his screen chemistry with co-stars Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. He also became the second highest searched actor on the net with 78 lakh searches in November, and more than 64 lakh social media fans. His 20 brand endorsements also took him to the top slot.

2. Salman Khan
Being the most searched Indian actor on the internet (with 1 crore+ searches in November) and more than a crore social media fans, Salman got added numbers thanks to his quirky Po-Po song in Son Of Sardaar.

3. Ajay Devgn
All publicity is good and Ajay gained much from the BO war between his film Son Of Sardaar and Jab Tak Hai Jaan. The film's BO success and his four brand endorsements gave him a high.

4. Akshay Kumar
Khiladi Kumar didn't just laugh his way to the bank with his releases Rowdy Rathore, Housefull2 and Oh My God, but also remained firmly in the top 10 due to his PR around his success.

5. Amitabh Bachchan
Big B's big numbers include the second highest PR score for November. He stayed in the news for Aishwarya's birthday and Zanjeer's remake, as well as his popularity as the host of TV's most popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.

6. Aamir Khan
Ace newsmaker Aamir Khan gained points from the release of Talaash, the news of taking his mother to Haj, his next film P.K. with Rajkumar Hirani as well as his look in Dhoom 3. His 90 lakh social media fans also added to his total.

7. Sanjay Dutt
Sanju Baba's films Zilla Ghaziabad and Son Of Sardaar kept him in the news. He gained additional points from SOS's BO collection as well as the four brands he endorses, which got him entry into the top 10.

8. Saif Ali Khan
Everything that Saifeena did made news to the extent that there were countless stories speculating where they would go for their honeymoon. Race 2 also got Nawab Saif Ali Khan points, which helped him retain a place in the top 10.

9. Ranbir Kapoor
Everyone wants a taste of this sweet barfi, be it directors, actresses or brands. No wonder Kapoor Junior always finds a place in the top 10.

10. Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik flew high with Krissh 3 as well as news of Hollywood hottie Kristen Stewart mentioning him in an interview. His seven brand endorsements and his 56 lakh social media fans make sure this heartthrob remains in the heart.

Surprised that Sanjay Dutt is ahead of Ranbir Kapoor? It's because of Zilla Ghaziabad and Son Of Sardaar

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Sonakshi loses movie after fee hike

It's common of stars to increase their remuneration after a couple of hits. While some get luck with a fatter pay cheque, Sonakshi Sinha found herself ousted from the film. Interestingly, the movie in question is Kick. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, it also stars Salman Khan, with whom the actress has given two big hits, surpassing Rs 140 crore collections across India.

According to our source, Sonakshi had not only been confirmed for the Hindi remake of the original Telugu hit, but she had had even taken the signing amount for the movie. As our source says, "Considering that Sonakshi had a hit in Son Of Sardaar and Dabangg 2 was releasing, Sajid Nadiadwala thought it would be great to repeat the Dabangg jodi for his movie too. And hence, he signed her on for his film, with which he's also making his debut as a director, before the release of Dabangg 2."

However, it seems the actress decided to up her fee after the release of her second film with Salman. Says our source, "Considering the opening weekend numbers of Dabangg 2, Sonakshi thought she should get paid more for her newest assignments." Unfortunately for her, Sajid Nadiadwala didn't exactly share her enthusiasm. As our informer explains, "While Sajid knows she has become a big star, he felt Sonakshi didn't really play such an important part in the success of Dabangg 2. So he's said to have refused to give her an increment above the committed feel." The result of this disagreement over money matters saw Sonakshi lose the movie.

It is believed that the filmmaker kept his actor-buddy Salman in the loop of these developments and consequently approached Deepika Padukone, never mind if her remuneration is higher than Sonakshi. Our source reasons, "Sajid felt that if he had to pay more to the heroine, then he might as well cast a bigger actress. And since Deepika hasn't done any film with Salman, this jodi gives the movie an extra fresh touch with such a novel casting."

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