Priyanka Wallappers Looking so HOT in Drona

Movie Review Rock On - (IndiaFM)

Is ROCK ON!! DIL CHAHTA HAI 2, one is tempted to ask. DIL CHAHTA HAI was a trendsetter when you look back, paving way for storytellers who wanted a new story to tell. Now, the DIL CHAHTA HAI team of Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar with director Abhishek Kapoor deliver ROCK ON!!, a film that makes you understand the true meaning of friendship.

Put your hands together for one of the finest films of our times. Put your hands together for a director who pulls off a challenging subject with élan. Put your hands together for the actors who pitch in superlative performances.

ROCK ON!! is not just about music. It's about relationships. And relationships can get really complicated and messy as all of us would agree. ROCK ON!! captures it so beautifully, so sensitively, so effectively on celluloid.

Everything is in sync here, everything is just perfect. Flaws? Perhaps, the slow pacing. But come to think of it, you can't play with the edit in a film like this. ROCK ON!! also works because you can relate to the characters, you can relate to the moods, the egos, the highs and the lows...

n a nutshell, here's a film you just can't afford to miss. We've had our share of masala films week after week. Now have a look at a film that India can proudly showcase to the West. ROCK ON!! simply rocks!

ROCK ON!! is the story of four friends [Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny] who put together the greatest band this country has ever seen, Magic, but never make it. Years later, fate conspires to bring them together again and set them on a journey back to where they left off... a soul-searching pilgrimage into their past.

ROCK ON!! bears some resemblance to the Hollywood film THAT THING YOU DO [Tom Hanks], but it could be a mere coincidence. Director Abhishek Kapoor sets it in the Indian milieu efficiently. Watch the bonding shatter into pieces for no fault of anyone in particular actually. It's the circumstances that play the villain here and Abhishek captures it on lens so beautifully. The fragile relationships, how piece after piece is put together and the journey to the climax… the narrative is so compelling, it makes you feel you're witnessing all of it first-hand.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is perfect. It's completely in sync with the mood of the film. Connoisseurs of music have already showered the music with rave reviews and rightly so! Jason West's cinematography is fantastic. The screenplay and dialogues are commendable.

Every performance in the film deserves brownie points. Farhan Akhtar makes his debut as an actor and he displays rare maturity for a first-timer. Known as an accomplished director all along, Farhan will now be acknowledged as a mature actor as well. Arjun Rampal delivers his finest performance to date. Watch him emote those tough emotional moments and also as a failed person in the latter parts and you'd realize that he has only grown with the passage of time. Superb is the word!

Purab Kohli is tremendous and so is Luke Kenny. Purab has always delivered fine performances, but he's touched a new high this time. Luke is equally charged.

Prachi Desai scores in her very first feature. She has a challenging role and footage-wise too, it's substantial. Prachi brings in a lot of freshness and poise. Plus, she's a competent actor. Shahana Goswami is a talent to watch out for. Her performance is one of the most difficult ones for a newcomer and the confidence with which she carries it deserves to be lauded. Koel Purie has a brief role and she enacts it quite well.

On the whole, ROCK ON!! is an amazing experience. The highpoint is the emotional quotient, the skilful performances and the superb execution of the subject. At the box-office, this urban film holds tremendous appeal for metros and mini-metros. Business at multiplexes of Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and NCR, Kolkata and South in particular should be excellent. Very strongly recommended!
 

Mohanlal prepares to film action scene with Jackie Chan

The Malayalam maverick Mohanlal is all set to do a full-on action scene with Jackie Chan. The film in Japanese called Nair San directed by Keralite, Albert, is based on a real-life character. And Mohanlal learnt Japanese for the role. He now steps into the action arena for an action scene with Jackie Chan who makes a special appearance in Nair San.

Says Mohanlal, "Jackie Chan appears in a major action sequence with me. I'm trying to physically prepare for the role. I've already shot for about 150 days for Nair San in Japan and Mongalia. I'm the first actor from Malyalam cinema to feature in a Japanese film. I've to speak not only in Japanese, but also in Chinese and Mongolian."

Nair San will be subtitled in English and released all over the world. The action scene with Jackie Chan will be shot in Mongolia. Says Mohanlal, "Nair was an Indian freedom fighter. I've met the man. He owns a chain of restaurants. I've been to his restaurant in Tokyo. And he has been to my home in Kerala. He passed away at the age of 85-86. I feel very privileged to be playing Nair."

Though Kamal Haasan got Hong Kong's superstar Jackie Chan to come for a music release in Chennai, no Indian male actor has had the privilege of sharing screen space with Jackie Chan. Laughs Mohanlal, "Like I said, I'm lucky. Nair San will definitely get wide release in Japan."

Interestingly, Mohanlal's southern colleague Rajnikanth is a craze in Japan. Speaking on the failure of Rajnikanth's new film Kuselan, Mohanlal observes, "Actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth are larger than life. They cannot be accepted in guest roles. I can get away with small cameos, off beat roles, walk-on parts anything. I'm playing a 90- year old man in a new film. There're some actors in this country like Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi, Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth who are beyond success and failure. They're blessed people. If you say I am one of them then I too am blessed."

Mohanlal's new Malayalam release Akashagoparam is the first film that language to be based on an Ibsen play. "I can tell you this much. Ibsen at this point of time couldn't be done in any other language but Malayalam. I'm fortunate to have done it. As an actor it's my job to do the best of the roles I get. However, the roles have to come to me. I can't go after the roles."

Says the softspoken actor, "It was the director K P Kumaran's dream for twenty years. He had been pursuing me for fifteen years to do a screen adaptation of Ibsen's play. I finally agreed. Ibsen's The Master Builder is a complicated play. I've done stage plays including a play in Sanskrit. But Ibsen is tough. However, I treated the film like any other. I play an architect. Changes were made. For example, my character's Norwegian name was changed for the Indian audience."

Mohanlal has also finished a war film Kuruskshetra on the Kargil war. "It's a major film."

About his last aborted foray in Bollywood, Mohanlal says he has no regrets about doing Ram Gopal Varma's Aag. "People just pounced on Ramu. They forgot how much he has achieved in the past. Such things happen. In fact, Priyadarshan has just offered me a role in a Hindi film to be done in the middle of next year. I get a lot of Hindi films. But they don't interest me. But I'll do Priyan's film. It's 12-13 day film. It isn't a conventional Hindi film. It has a message on AIDS. Priyan is returning to his roots. He recently did a fantastic Malayalam film called Kanjeevaram. I was supposed to do it. But I couldn't. Now I'm looking forward to working with him and to doing a Hindi film."

Rocking Prachi won't return to TV soon

Small screen star Prachi Desai, who has made her way to Bollywood with "Rock On", says she may not be returning to television any time soon.

The 20-year-old plays director-turned-actor Farhan Akhtar's leading lady in the movie that releases Aug 29.

"I don't know when I will go back to TV. If my films don't do well, I will have to go back. But right now I'm doing films and I hope it takes me somewhere, " Prachi told.

"It is not that I don't want to go back to my TV image of wearing saris, but it is too early to do all that again. I have other films in hand also. So TV will wait for now, " she added.

Apart from "Rock On", Prachi is doing Abbas-Mustan's "Life Partner" in which she will be sharing screen space with actors like Fardeen Khan, Govinda, Tusshar Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza.

The young actress walked her way to success with her portrayal of Bani in TV soap "Kasamh Se".

For her debut film "Rock On", she has undergone an image makeover. She gives all credit to director Abhishek Kapoor for her new look.

"What I was doing on TV was very regressive. I have done nothing for my looks in the film. It was all Abhishek's vision. It was all that he wanted me to do in the film and all thanks to the people who have worked on my styling. I just had to carry the character, " said Prachi, who was in the capital to promote her film.

Dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans teamed with a fitted black "Rock On" top with a light cream jacket over it, Prachi looked like any other girl her age.

About her role in the film, Prachi said: "My character's name is Sakshi and I play Aditya's (Farhan's) wife in the film. It is very unlike what you have seen me do on TV. I play a more sophisticated character who is a mature girl and very positive of course. Somebody who can do anything to see her husband happy."

The film narrates the story of four friends who put together a rock band Magik but fail to make it a success. Years later, fate brings them back together and sets them on a journey back to where they left off, only to live their cherished dream.

Other actors in the film include Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny, Shahana Goswami and Koel Puri.

Revealed: Shilpa's emotional talk with Jade

When on Monday Shilpa Shetty was told that her former Big Brother colleague Jade Goody had been detected with cancer, Shilpa didn't know how to react.

"I was shocked and confused. I was filled with so many emotions. No matter what happened at Big Brother I had spent considerable time with her in the House. I felt really bad for her. Now I know why I couldn't recognize her when I met her. Life has put her through so much, she had changed, " says a subdued Shilpa.

Shilpa immediately wanted to meet Jade. "But she had to be whisked away immediately from Lonavla on Monday. Early Tuesday morning she had her flight from where she had to be taken for chemotherapy in London."

Shilpa got Jade's phone number and spoke to her on the airport just before the stunned Big Boss candidate left for London.

It was an incredibly emotional experience for Shilpa, free of rancour.

"Speaking to her was not easy. It was very tough. There was never any rancour, " says Shilpa. "Yes, I was hurt when in the Big Brother House she made some comments about our country.

But even in the House we had made peace after the initial rancour. Once I was out of the House, the media went to town and she got the brunt of it."

Shilpa tried all the time to pacify the world press. "Believe me, it was really sad when Jade was slammed. I never wanted become a champion of the third- world at her cost."

Interestingly the channel Colors had asked Shilpa before inviting Jade Goody to be a contestant on Big Boss.

"Yeah when the channel decided on Jade they asked me if it was okay with me. If I had any ill feelings towards her I'd have said no to Jade. But the truth is, there was no ill feelings towards Jade.

My only precondition was that Jade should be treated well at Big Boss. I knew how it felt when to go into a foreign country and be in a hostile situation (Big Brother).

To my delight the Big Boss contestants were very nice to Jade.I felt so proud to see how she was treated. It just reiterated the fact we Indians are very forgiving and welcoming."

Shilpa is shocked by the cynicism of those who think this to be a TRP gambit. "Jade's illness is not gimmick. She must've done pap-smear before coming to India. How would she know the tests would be so damning?"

Now Shilpa plans to meet Jade. "I only had a chance to speak to her before she left.I will meet her when I go to London for the Unforgettables tour with the Bachchans next week."

Movie Review Phoonk - (IndiaFM)

The great debate between science and superstition continues, but RGV's new film PHOONK tilts in favour of superstition. Surprising, isn't it?

The makers of the film had organized a contest. You'd be given a handsome reward if you've the courage to watch PHOONK all alone in a theatre, we're told. Honestly speaking, PHOONK isn't scary by any standards, but as a subject, it works big time because somewhere deep within us, we've heard of the power of the unknown.

Whether you're superstitious or not, you may've heard tales/experiences concerning jaadu tona. And you're all eyes and ears the moment someone comes up with an alibi.

PHOONK is easily amongst RGV's finest works [although BHOOTH was scarier] and it holds your attention all through. As a viewer, you're keen to know how RGV would culminate this story. The culmination, of course, would meet with extreme reactions. Some would rubbish it, but the believers might endorse the finale. In my individualistic opinion, it's outstanding!

All said, PHOONK is a fantastic experience. The subject -- black magic -- is its biggest star and that alone would ensure House Full boards outside plexes/cinemas.

Rajeev [Sudeep], a successful construction engineer, with a loving wife and two children, is an atheist to the core. He scowls at people who believe in the dark forces, till one day when an evil is let loose in his happy home, which threatens to destroy his family and shake up the very foundations of his convictions and beliefs.

Thanks to the hype and curiosity generated around the movie, you expect to be scared from Scene 1 itself. And RGV emphasises on lighting and artefacts, besides an eccentric woman [Ashwini Kalsekar], to create the right atmospher

Of course, you do get the jhatkas in a scene or two, but you don't clasp your hands tightly even once, nor does your heart goes dhak-dhak at a lightening speed. Gradually, RGV plays with the camera [excellent camerawork by Savita Singh] and sound [Kunal Mehta, Parikshit Lalwani] to heighten the impact. Like all RGV films, the camera angles bear the unmistakable RGV stamp, while the background score [Bapi-Tutul] takes an ordinary scene to the next level.

RGV is back with a bang. There's a certain consistency from start to end and this time, he gets the right subject to prove his detractors wrong. Every sequence bears the stamp of a genius that RGV is, hits and flops notwithstanding.

The performances are uniformly good. Sudeep impresses you with an excellent performance. Amruta Khanvilkar is efficient. Baby Ahsaas Channa makes a strong impression. Ashwini Kalsekar is top notch. Zakir Hussain's tantric act is superb. Ganesh Yadav lends good support. K.K. Raina and Lilette Dubey, both doctors, are competent. Kenny Desai, Anu Ansari and the actress enacting the role of Sudeep's mother are perfect.

On the whole, PHOONK is a fascinating cinematic experience on a subject that's rarely tackled by the dream merchants in Bollywood: Black magic. The subject itself is the biggest star of the film, which would ensure a flying start at the box-office and in turn, prove a jackpot for its producers who've distributed the film themselves.  

Bipasha Basu: The Free-Fall Woman

While rehearsing in Bangkok for one of her dance steps Bipasha got a tear in her knee.

"I didn't even know it was a tear.There was a lot of pain in Bangkok and I didn't know what it was. I thought it was a problem related to my flat feet.

But after I returned to Mumbai and finished with John's brother's wedding reception I got an MRI done. It showed a tear.

It's very common occurrence in the legs of active people like dancers and athletes. That tear just stays. There's no cure for it. If you lead a routine life it doesn't bother you at all.For a housewife the tear wouldn't even matter.

Otherwise there's arthro-scopy. But my orthopaedic surgeons have not advised it. I can walk, work-out, dance do everything."

In Mumbai she kept a physio-therapist handy on the sets. "I didn't want to inconvenience anyone during the shooting.

So as a precautionary measure I kept a therapist around because during a dance movement there was some swelling. None of the dance steps changed. Dancing isn't a routine activity so the therapist was just a precautionary measure."

Says Bipasha, "The biggest of actors have had injuries when they were doing the least dangerous things. It's part of our job. It's no big deal.

You just have to understand your body and be careful. Four years back I ran with the wrong shoes. It caused a knee problem. I immediately corrected that. I read about health. I understand health. I believe in long-term health.

When I work out I listen to my body. If any part of my body gives me any pain I stop immediately. And no trainer can push me."

Bipasha seems to be becoming quite an expert at pushing her co-stars from skyscrapers. She pushed Saif Ali Khan off a building in Race. Now she has pushed Neil Nitin Mukesh off the ninth floor in Bangkok for a sequence in Freeze.

Chuckles Bipasha, "Race was a hit. And if Freeze turns out a success they'll think my pushing heroes off buildings is lucky for a film. Everyone will start writing in heroine-pushes-hero scene into all my scripts.I'm becoming a hero-pusher."

Singh is Kinng Bombs

This has never happened before. A film that does extraordinary business all over the country and overseas has bombed in one specific area.

Aneez Bazmi's Singh Is Kinng is a flop in Bihar, an area where Akshay Kumar's films from Jaanwar to Hey Babby have acquired a blockbuster status without batting an eyelid.

The reason for this incongruous occurrence?

According to on one of Bihar's primary exhibitors Suman Sinha, "The Punjabi dialogues songs and dances went againt the film. The Bihar distributor paid a whopping amount of money to buy Singh Is Kinng and is now going to lose a hefty amount."

Producer Vipul Shah is aware of his blockbuster's tainted spot in Bihar.

"I've heard that the Punjabiyat and Sikh theme have gone against the film's success in Bihar. But I don't understand why. We were aware that some areas would reject the film's USP, namely the Sikh ambience.

Surprisingly the film has done extremely well even in Bengal where we thought the audience would've trouble connecting with the theme. There's really no explanation for what has happened to Singh Is Kinng in Bihar."

Interestingly there have been instances of films that have bombed in the rest of the country doing well in Bihar like Hamesh Malhotra's Dulhe Raja and Riteish Deshmukh's debut film Tujkho Meri Kasam. But never has a world-wide hit been rejected in Bihar.

Vipul Shah's and Anees Bazmi's films have always done well Bihar. And Jab We Met which also had large dollops of Punjabiyat was a hit in the State.

Says Suman Sinha, "But Jab We Met didn't thrust the Bhangra culture up audiences' throats. Like it or not the rest of the country is not as fond of Punjabi culture as Bollywood."

Karzzzz promo creates mass hysteria

This weekend was a special treat for all you die-hard Bollywood buffs. Firstly, there were two big releases Bachna Ae Haseeno and God Tussi Great Ho which hit the marquee.

While the response to both the promos has been simply outstanding, special mention must be made of the buzz that the Karzzzz promo has managed to generate. The reasons for this are manifold.

1. Love him or hate him but you can't ignore Him-esh Reshammiya. Right from the time, the film was announced at a grand mahurat, expectations began soaring. Karzzzz is the second film of actor/ singer/ music composer Himesh Reshammiya after the super-successful Aap Ka Suroor- the Moviee. What sets apart Himesh from other leading actors, is the fact that he is not just acting but also singing and composing his own songs. While the trend is not much common in Bollywood, many of the top international stars like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears or Eminem have achieved tremendous fame doing the same. If Karzzz hits the bulls-eye, the day is not far when Himesh Reshammiya would be truly be considered as a rock-star belonging to an international league.

2. Karzzzz produced by Bhushan Kumar of T-Series and directed by Satish Kaushik is a remake of the 1980 classic Karz starring Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim and Simi Garewal. While Himesh plays the lead role this time, newcomer Shweta Kumar gets into Tina Munim's shoes and glam diva Urmila Matondkar plays the role immortalized by Simi Garewal. With HR paired opposite two lovely ladies, expect some sparks to fly on screen.

3. Coming to the promo, the moment one hears the strumming of the guitar, the haunting tune which was originally created by Laxmikant Pyarelal comes to your mind. A much fitter and leaner Himesh Reshammiya is seen on stage as the crowd go into frenzy. What's more, this is the first time the actor is seen without his trademark cap and his hair do surely has all the makings of becoming a style statement in the days to come. Keeping in mood with the re-incarnation theme of the film, the credits read Gulshan Kumar re-presents which give you a taste of things to come. The promo shifts gears as HR is shown serenading the pretty Shweta Kumar and the glamorous Urmila Matondkar. HR's vocals in the Lut Jaoon Main Uss Karz Mein immediately strike a chord, even as the actor is seen doing some heavy-duty action sequences. After some shots of gun firing and cars exploding, the promo comes to a close as Himesh Reshammiya (earlier introduced as Monty in the promo) tells Urmila, " Main Ravi Verma hoon...Kaamini"

The promo has received a thunderous response and unprecedented hits

Bachna Ae Haseeno - Movie Review (IndiaFM)

BACHNA AE HASEENO is special. Ranbir Kapoor is cast opposite teen deviyaan -- Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Minissha Lamba. It's produced by a premier production house, the credits read 'Story by Aditya Chopra' and most importantly, it's helmed by Siddharth Raj Anand, who merged form and content so beautifully in SALAAM | NAMASTEY and TA RA RUM PUM. The expectations, therefore, are humungous.

Before we go any further, let's clear a misconception at the very outset. BACHNA AE HASEENO is not inspired by THE BACHELOR [the industry feels so, hence this clarification], but it bears an uncanny resemblance to the yesteryear film TEEN DEVIAN [1965; Dev Anand, Nanda, Kalpana, Simi Grewal] and Telugu film NAA AUTOGRAPH [Raviteja, Bhoomika, Mallika, Gopika, Kanyaka]. Of course, Chopra and the screenplay writer try to be different and any resemblance with any film could be purely coincidental.

Now let's move on! BACHNA AE HASEENO has a great cast, great chemistry amongst actors [so sizzling, it could melt butter], great locations [jaw dropping actually] and some great moments. But all these factors combined together don't make a great film. BACHNA AE HASEENO suffers, to a major extent, due to its screenplay running out of steam in the second hour.


The gist of the story is truly captivating -- the guy is a complete flirt, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Enter three women in different stages of his life. Love is in the air. Two dream of marrying him, but he ditches them and the third, whom he intends marrying, says a blunt 'No' to the offer. Heart-broken, the guy realizes his folly and plans on doing prayashchit. He goes back to the first two women and apologises. Wow! A story to bowl you over indeed!

BACHNA AE HASEENO has splendid moments in the first hour. In fact, the three stories, minus the culmination of course, are beautifully told in the first hour itself. There're some attention-grabbing moments in this hour [details later] and you genuinely feel exhilarated after having watched those portions.

Now to the second hour -- the guy repents for his misdeeds and years later, goes back to the first two women in his life. That's where the problems surface...

From the writing point of view, the first story [Minissha] is given an appropriate and beautiful culmination in the second hour. But the second [Bipasha] and third [Deepika] stories face rough weather. These stories don't work and therefore, colour your judgement on the movie. Like it happens with most Hindi films, the writing is the culprit here as well. It lacks the power to keep you hooked in the second hour.

In a nutshell, BACHNA AE HASEENO could've been the ideal youthful entertainer, occupying the position that JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA enjoys amongst the yuppy crowd. But as things stand now, it's a great looking film with nothing outstanding about it. Strictly okay for a single watch, that's about it!

Meet Raj [Ranbir Kapoor]. He falls in love thrice...

The film talks of three love stories: Raj and Mahi [Minissha], Raj and Radhika [Bipasha], Raj and Gayatri [Deepika]. Different ladyloves at different times in his life. And each of them teach him a little bit about love and a little bit about life, in their own sweet, sexy or sassy way.
Director Siddharth Raj Anand knows the craft too well by now and his handling of the romantic and emotional scenes is worth appreciating. Take the sequence at the airport -- Minissha stands stunned listening to Ranbir's tale of 'conquest', with tears rolling down her cheeks. The silence says it all!

Note the sequence when Ranbir woos Bipasha, but eventually dumps her on the eventful day. It's raining and Bipasha just can't come out of the shock. The silence is deafening! Note yet another tragic end to the love story, when Deepika refuses the wedding proposal from Ranbir. Flashes from the past come alive at this point. It couldn't get better!

Post-interval, Ranbir's story with an already-married Minissha and her husband is equally moving. Ranbir's apology looks convincing and the culmination to this chapter couldn't be better. Ranbir moves on to Bipasha and it's here that the writing begins to go downhill. She's a wounded tigress and no amount of cajoling or apologies from Ranbir would melt her. So far, so good! But the path she uses to teach Ranbir a lesson is weird, sorry ludicrous.

The third story, with Deepika, is written in haste, one presumes. The girl suddenly has a change of heart and wants to marry Ranbir, she even writes to him everyday, not knowing that he's out of town. The culmination to this story is amateurish and one wonders whether the writer was in a tearing hurry to end the movie since the 2-hour mark had already been crossed.

Directorially, Siddharth Raj Anand offers stunning visuals and some really fine performances, but is letdown by the script. Vishal-Shekhar's music is just alright, nothing to rave or rant about. Barring 'Khuda Jaane' and 'Lucky Boy', the remaining songs don't have a lingering effect. Cinematography is a class apart. Besides, the cinematographer gets some spectacular locales and he does complete justice to it. Dialogues are good at times.

Ranbir Kapoor is marvellous. An incredible actor. One will run out of adjectives and personifications describing his performance. Amongst girls, Bipasha Basu stands the tallest. First RACE and now BACHNA AE HASEENO, the actress is finally getting the right roles that do justice to her talent. Also, she looks fab! Minissha doesn't work at the start, but scores in the emotional scenes, especially in the second hour. Deepika is a sore point. Her role isn't convincing and that's the reason why this performance doesn't work. The only consolation is, she looks gorgeous.

Kunal Kapoor is supremely efficient, handling his role with utmost maturity. Hiten Paintal is a revelation, a talent to watch out for. His camaraderie with Ranbir is top notch.

On the whole, BACHNA AE HASEENO has an interesting first half, but a weak second hour spoils the show. At the box-office, thanks to the hype built around the film, the opening weekend should be great, but beyond that, has tough chances of sustaining. Multiplexes at some big centres would be better, but that's no consolation.

Akshay v/s Shah Rukh - The war has just begun

Those who thought that SINGH IS KINNG taking over an all time opening record set by OM SHANTI OM was THE war in the happening need to sit tight for some more time. And that’s because this is just a beginning. Just a tip of the iceberg which could well be termed as a battle, the months to come would be a witness to a full blow war. And that’s because between Akshay and Shah Rukh Khan, there are as many as four films lined up for release in next 6 months.

First to come is BILLO BARBER where Irrfan Khan is the central protagonist. In a role where his screen duration is believed to be lower than that of Irrfan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan could well call BILLO BARBER as a film where he is seen in a special appearance. However, Akshay wouldn’t be letting off any steam in months to come since his CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is all set to arrive on full throttle before 2008 comes to an end.

Shah Rukh too would see some exciting months ahead since his much-in-news film RAB NE BANA DE JODI would bring him back with Aditya Chopra, who is handling directorial reins once more after DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE and MOHABBATEIN. Of course, the project becomes a major biggie just with these two names involved which would ensure that Khan and Kumar would have a ‘kaante ki takkar’ with the release of their respective films.

However, Akshay is expected to continue his winning streak with KAMBAKTH ISHQ, a project which brings Bollywood closer to Hollywood. A lavish affair by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film’s shooting is currently on in full swing with the release timeline being the first quarter of 2009. Again, that won’t be an end to the war since Khan’s DULHA MIL GAYA is all set to release in the same period as well.

No wonder, it is going to be one intensely fought war over the next 6 months.

There are all lies: Katrina Kaif

Akshay's on-screen jodi with Katrina is giving Salman heartache and sleepless nights. This news-report in a daily yesterday created a mini-storm in the industry.

After all, Akshay and Katrina make a fabulous jodi (on screen, of course) and the professional that she is, Katrina wouldn't want to sacrifice her career advantage (Akshay) for her personal life (Salman).

Shooting in New York for Kabeer Khan's film with John Abraham, Katrina hardly sounded perturbed by the story. "I've stopped reacting to these stories. Why would Salman stop me from acting with Akshay?

Salman has never stopped me. If he had an issue, would Akshay and I participate in an episode of 10 KA DUM?" Katrina tells.

Which means that if a producer offers her a film with Akshay, she would take it up instantly?

"Of course, yes! Why shouldn't I work with Akshay? He's an excellent co-star. Please don't believe these silly stories, " Katrina adds. The clarification should silence the rumour mills!

'Singh Is Kinng' Success Party

Akshay Kumar with his crew members celebrated the grand success of his film 'Singh is Kinng' in Mumbai. He speaks about the clashes between various industry members notably Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan. Also watch what director Anees Bazmee has to say about the huge success of his film.

Deepika: The sexiest woman in the world!

While only in the limelight for one year, Deepika Padukone has already made quite the splash.

And now, Bollywood's fresh catch just got a little bigger. Maxim-India, the men's lifestyle magazine, has released its first ever Maxim Hot 100 List, and Deeps comes out smelling like roses.

The Om Shanti Om star was voted the World's Sexiest Woman, beating Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Aiswarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Anna Kournikova.

At a time when many pundits have gifted 'top heroine' status to Kareena and Katrina, Deepika might use her Maxim victory as a way to build momentum before her second film, Bachna Ae Haseeno, which is set for an August 15 release.

As for being named India's number 1 hottie, Deepika expressed shock and gratitude in a recently released press statement. 'To be honest, personally I never thought of myself as 'sexy' or 'hot' but if that's the call that people have taken, then I hope I live up to it. I am so excited about this,' she said.

Anup Kutty, editor of Maxim-India, said Deepika was selected because, "apart from her huge fan following with the new generation of Indians, she also has the potential to be an international face."

But all you bachelors out there, don't get your hopes up. The actress has tattooed 'RK' on the nape of her neck, for her beau, Ranbir Kapoor. Evidently, this isn't puppy love, as, like diamonds, tattoos are forever!

Well, at least there are always pictures.