I'm happy being 'Saif's ex-flame'

It's almost been a year since Italian beauty Rosa Catalono parted ways with Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan. But Rosa says she is making no effort to shed the image of being 'Saif's ex-flame' even though she has moved on in life.

'I haven't tried hard to get out of this image and I am not even trying hard at it. People need time to move out of a relationship and so do I. Right now I am happy, ' Rosa told here.

Her former boyfriend Saif, with whom she is not even on talking terms now, is currently dating actress Kareena Kapoor, but Rosa is still single.

'Love is the most powerful and beautiful experience and I would be very comfortable if I fall in love again. There are lots of special people who are special to me but right now my mom tops the list because she cooks great pizzas!' she quipped.

Rosa, who was in the capital for the music launch of her forthcoming film 'Deshdrohi', says that though she came to India to be with Saif, her mission has changed after her break-up.

'Now I want to act, and right now every day is a new learning experience for me. It's not like I am 20 and have the enthusiasm of doing everything at one time. I want to go easy and grow in Bollywood, ' she said.

The actress is foraying into Bollywood with 'Deshdrohi', where she is doing an item number 'Bewajah yun' choreographed by dance maestro Saroj Khan.

'When I heard the song, I refused to do it as it would have required a lot of Indian touch to it, which I couldn't imagine myself doing. It shows a village girl dancing.

'But Saroj Khan, who is so experienced, motivated me and it wasn't very difficult to do the song. We shot the whole song in two nights and whenever I would get tired, Saroj used to pep me up by asking me to drink Red Bull (an energy drink), ' she recalled.

She has two item numbers in her kitty right now, including one for Sunny Deol's 'Chamku' starring yesteryears actress Zeenat Aman.

'I'm only going through scripts which are in Hindi. I don't know how to speak in Hindi but I know how to sing in it. I really want to learn the language though, ' Rosa said.

The former Italian model says she is very comfortable with her life in India, though it hasn't been all that easy.

She said: 'Even though it's not my country, I don't feel alone here. It's been four years since I have been in India and I have learnt to appreciate the beautiful and spiritual part of the country.

'If people come one hour later than the decided time, I have learnt to be patient and accept the way people work here. I do have to make a lot of adjustments.'

All is well between Kareena and Harman

Lines quoting Harman as making uncharitable statements about Kareena's acting abilities had the new kid on the block shell-shocked and embarrassed.

"I'd never speak like that about anyone, least of all someone who's a senior and was gracious enough to work with me when I was just starting out. That she finally opted out of Love Story 2050 doesn't take away from the fact that we got along really well, " Harman said.

The remarks attributed to him about Kareena being 'robotic' in her performances had Harman so upset that he apparently turned asocial for a couple of days.

"Harman has never bad- mouthed anyone. That's not his upbringing. Kareena is a huge star and a friend. Who is Harman to talk like that about her?

Emotional Scorpio that he is, Harman was really disturbed, to the extent that he told his father that if this is the kind of demolition job the rivals and opponents are going to do with him he'd rather not be a star, " divulges a source very close to Harman.

Harman's agony ended on Wednesday while he was in Delhi to do an event connected with Love Story 2050. On an impulse he smsed to Kareena telling her how awful the words attributed to him about her made him feel.

Apparently Kareena who is in the US shooting for Sajid Nadiadwala's Kambhakt Ishq replied back in a long heartfelt message, saying she has been a part of the film industry long enough to know how such things work.

She apparently ended the gentle and sensitive message by assuring Harman she had no ill-feelings towards him and was looking forward to seeing his feeling.

Harman can't keep the relief and joy out of his voice. "All I'll say is, I'd never talk like that about anyone. Kareena is someone I truly admire. And if people want to spoil my relations with her, let them try. It won't work."

Bipasha: Ek Bangla Bane Nyara!!!

Bipasha just got herself another dream. The home that she always dreamt of. And she doesn't have to step out of her current home to make it come true.

No. All she has to do is dismantle demolish and reconstruct the entire top floor of the highrise in Khar where she lives.

"After I finish shooting the last of my current films I'm taking a large chunk of time off to build my home just the way I would want it to be. It would be my birthday gift to myself."

Bipasha would be traveling to remote corners of the world to get just the right colour and quality of the wood, tiles, furnishing, upholstery and other accessories.

"While I'm traveling my parents who live a stone's throw away from me will supervise the construction."

In fact Bipasha plans to move in with her parents down the road while her home gets re-constructed

The sheer impracticality of 'impulsive Basu''s dream project hits you hard. Wouldn't it make more sense to buy new land and build an entirely new place rather than break down a beautiful place?

"No no!" she demurs. "I love the space that I live in and wouldn't want to leave it for anything at the world. I agree there's nothing wrong with my home as it is.

But when it was being constructed I couldn't give it the time and attention I should have. Now I miss the specifications that I had in mind but never got around to implementing. I need to modify my space to suit my energy."

The re-construction of Bipasha's dream house begins right after the current monsoons. "I know it's going to be tough to get down to doing something so drastic in my life. But I'm forever adventurous.

And I've set a deadline—7 Jan—my birthday for all the construction guys, designers and decorators to finish and move out of my Taj Mahal. I've to set a deadline. Otherwise it could go on forever.

Interestingly Bipasha's building Muktangan on Sarojini Road in Khar, has a history of demolition and reconstruction. It used to be the location of Raakhee Gulzar's bungalow.

When she sold it and moved out (to just two building away) she had only one pre-condition. That the highrise would continue to be called Muktangan. When another Bengali actress Bipasha moved into the newly-constructed Muktangan she occupied the top floor.

New man in Sonam Kapoor’s life

Looks like Sonam Kapoor has found her new love in Kunal Kapoor. This Bollywood Kapoor Jodi is nowadays often scene roaming around coffee shops, malls, etc with hand in hand.

Looking at the recent happenings in both the stars life they really could heal each others broken heart. Where Ranbir Kapoor dumped Sonam for hottie Deepika Padukone, Kunal Kapoor too had a break up with gorgeous Dia Mirza.

So the couple could surely understand each other’s situation and try to bring happiness on their respective lives. Especially, Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam was so depressed after her break up with Ranbir that she went for a 2 months hideout.

But we would like to warn this emotional girl about Mr Kunal who has not only ditched Diya Mirza but also has an flirtatious history of dumping Raima Sen.

Being an emotional girl we would recommend Sonam to think twice before moving ahead in her relationship with this flirt natured guy.

Rekha and me? This is utter rubbish

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan has rubbished reports that he is teaming up with Rekha in the Disney-produced film 'Marma Yogi'.

The news stating that the timeless Amitabh-Rekha pair was likely to come together again had been published in a national daily. The report, which had television channels going berserk, now turns out to be totally unfounded.

'I've no clue what or which film you're talking about. This is utter rubbish,' Amitabh told, putting an end to all the speculation about the screen-pair coming together.

In fact, according to well informed sources, it's not just unikely but impossible that the pair, who made us swoon in innumerable films from 'Do Anjaane' to 'Silsila' will ever come together again.

Years after 'Silsila', the Amitabh-Rekha pair came together in unexpected ways when Rekha dubbed for both the leading ladies, Soundarya and Jaya Sudha, in the Amitabh starrer 'Surayvansham'.

Amitabh Bachchan also denies media reports that his son Abhishek lost his temper and slapped a spot boy on the sets of his film 'Drona'.

'This is a laughable matter. Abhishek does not have the ability to strike a fly. He does have the ability though to attract incongruous and totally incorrect press. There has been absolutely no such incident on set. It is a fabrication of the highest order,' he wrote on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.

Amitabh also rubbished the earlier incident when Abhishek had beaten up a photo journalist.

'The earlier incident with a press photographer was another complete fabrication,' Amitabh stated.

The Big B has been posting a lot of complaints against the media on his blog lately.

His recent addition reads: 'We are aware that certain media and journalists have painstakingly taken it upon themselves to build animosity towards us and follow religiously an unprofessional bias that will never change.'

Akshay is reponsible for everything

It looks like the slump in the music industry is over as music directors and other technicians have hiked their prices. Composer Pritam Chakraborty blames actor Akshay Kumar for this sudden hike.

'It's all because of Akshay Kumar,' says Pritam Chakraborty with a straight face. 'When he started charging unheard-of prices (apparently in the vicinity of Rs.300 million) the entire economics of an average film project altered drastically.

'Today my musicians, arrangers and programmers are asking for a steep hike in their remuneration. I've no choice but to hike my fee accordingly.'

Though Pritam doesn't mention a specific amount, his fee has apparently gone up from approximately Rs.700,000-800,000 per score to around Rs.1.2-1.5 million, industry sources said.

All other composers, including the successful Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vishal-Shekhar, apparently charge similar amounts.

But after the release of the soundtrack of 'Singh Is Kinng', which has been sold at a staggering price of Rs.135 million, composer Pritam is likely to hike his fees again.

'The film redefines the parameters of film music sales. This kind of price for a movie soundtrack was unheard of after people stopped buying music off the shelf as much as they used to, thanks to computer and television outlets,' said Pritam.

However, he hasn't benefited much from the profits raked in by 'Singh Is Kinng'.

'We musicians remain underpaid specially when the music industry undergoes a slump. For me, the turning point was the soundtrack of 'Jab We Met', which gave me a chance to be unusually creative and then 'Race' that had peppy item songs,' he said.

Music maestro A.R. Rahman is a price apart. Apparently, his fee per score used to be around Rs.15 million that, considering the all-round escalation in movie budgets, has gone up to Rs.25 million.

Last year's flamboyant flavour Himesh Reshammiya has stopped doing music for films that do not feature him in the cast. So he cannot be counted among the musicians in the race.

However, composer Aadesh Shrivastava, who composed chartbusters like 'Say shava shava' in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and 'Merii makhanaa' in 'Baghban', feels the bubble is an illusion.

'And it's bound to burst. Who are these people who are suddenly paying in multi-millions for music rights when everyone knows music doesn't sell these days. Very frankly, I look at the Rs.135 million claim for the 'Singh Is Kinng' soundtrack with great scepticism,' said Shrivastava.

'Whom are they giving that kind of money to? The film's leading man Akshay or the music composer Pritam? Have they given Pritam even a fraction of the money they've got for the music rights?' he asked.

Shrivastava feels film music is going through an era of unhealthy competition.

'I remember when Laxmikant-Pyarelal had composed the qawwalli 'Parda hai parda' for 'Amar Akbar Anthony', R.D. Burman was so thrilled that he immediately congratulated the duo and was inspired to compose a qawwalli 'Hai agar dushman' in 'Hum Kissi Se Kam Nahin'.

'Today the competition is so unhealthy. If two plagiarised songs click in a movie, another music director will offer to rip off four songs for the same producer and make them chartbusters. Today, when a listener hears a song, his first reaction is, 'Where is it stolen from?'

'Very honestly I see no future in Hindi film music,' he remarked.

First Look_ Kismet Konnection posters

Divya Khosla Kumar and other hot babes at the launch of Tere Naal Nachna

Amisha Patel on the cover of Seventeen

Stunning Neha Dhupia and Katrina Kaif at Singh is Kinng music launch

People simply love Vidya when Wet

Believe it or not, Vidya Balan’s kismet is tightly connected to monsoon. How? Very simple, see most of Vidya's hit films, be it Parineeta, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Bhool Bhulaiyaa or Heyy Babyy, all were released during monsoon and enjoyed sprinkle of cash at the box office.

You may not look that much satisfied with the reasoning though, but you have to think and believe that Guru was a hit and among few of her screen presences in Guru, Vidya had a drenched-in-rain scene which was obviously the reason behind Guru flaunting a hit.

Unfortunately, people spent time talking about Abhi-Aish and others in the flick. Thus, though the film was not released in monsoon, the film had a monsoon scene to boost Vidya kismet.

I know you must be thinking about the other side of the coin. Thus I have the list of her other films like Salaam-E-Ishq, Bhalo Theko (Bengali) and Halla Bol which domed at the box office for a simple and single reason of not releasing at the monsoon.

Guess what! Vidya’s Kismat Konnection is getting released during monsoon and thus leaving no room to think of its failure at the box office. What else, Vidya has nothing but to wish re-releasing Halla Bol and Salaam-E-Ishq during this monsoon to click hit.

Jokes apart, guess what Vidya will be singing all these days… "Rain rain, come again, make my releases worth and bless me with gains".

Sick of comparison with Hrithik Roshan

His resemblance to Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan may have helped him strike a cord with movie buffs even before his maiden appearance on tinsel screen, but actor Harman Baweja is not happy with the comparison.

"My looks are not something that I have manufactured. It is what I'm born with. There might be some similarity with Hrithik, but I completely disagree that we look the same or I am following his dancing or acting style," Harman said during a product promotion function in the capital.

Harman even got irritated when some audience members kept on inquiring about his resemblance with Hrithik. "Chill. Don't repeat, I have already answered it, " he said.

The actor who is all set to debut with his futuristic flick 'Love Story 2050, ' said, there are several actors in the industry whose resemble each other.

"The tradition of seeking similarity among the actors is not a new trend. When Shahrukh Khan began in the industry, he was compared to Dileep Kumar and similarly Diya Mirza looks like Aishwarya and Priyanka Chopra is being matched with Madhuri Dixit, " the actor said.

Harman, who is being launched by his filmmaker father Harry Baweja in the mega-budget science fiction film 'Love Story 2050, ' has in the movie performed several dance sequences that resembles that of Hrithik Roshan.