Articles: Abhishek Bachchan - Page 2

US Air Force band to sing Kajra re

Abhishek Bachchan sure a well-behaved person

Sure media wouldn't miss this gesture of Abhishek Bachchan. Jr. Bachchan was shooting for his Motorola ad at Film City and decided to drop by Om Shanti Om set just opposite the road to meet Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan. Great to hear that Jr. Bachchan is surely trying to better anything that was sour between them and SRK. And SRK also paid a visit back after he and Farah had packed up for the day. Now that's what you call a cordial way to stop the rumors in media circle.

My sis is future of news: Abhi

Shweta Nanda recently stepped under the arc lights as the host of NDTV's new show "Next Gen", and proud brother Abhishek Bachchan can't stop raving about sis.

"Shweta is the future of journalism and I appreciate her sincerity, honesty and feel immensely proud of her," Abhishek, the brand ambassador of Motorola, told while he was in town to launch a new handset.

However, Abhishek thinks the right time has not come for him to explore the world of television.

"I have a number of projects lined up for the near future and I am quite busy completing them. Moreover, I believe you should concentrate on one thing at a time."

He asserts that he endorses a product only when he "believes" in it. Relating with the handset he is endorsing, Abhishek said: "I will strive to be a slim Abhishek."

Ask him about Delhi and he said: "I love Delhi as my nephew and niece are here."

Abhishek, who refuses to talk about his marriage with Aishwarya Rai, says Aki Nirula is his favourite fashion designer but he doesn't know who will design his wedding attire.

Just like the rest of the nation, Abhishek is disappointed with the Indian team's showing in the World Cup: "As an Indian and a well-wisher of the Indian cricket team I am equally disappointed by their performance.

But we must not forget to give them credit for their efforts. It is not easy to perform there. We should give them our love, support them for trying their level best. The boys need our support, especially at this time."

The actor has many films in his kitty and will continue to woo the audiences in Ram Gopal Varma's "Sarkar 2", Shaad Ali's "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom", Pradeep Sarkar's "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag" and Apoorva Lakhia's "Shoot Out at Lokhandwala".

Ash-Abhi to wed on 19th April

The much-awaited wedding of Bollywood couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai will take place on April 19 and will be a small family affair.

"The families met and the decision was taken on Monday. The wedding will be a small private affair with only close family and friends in attendence and it will be held at the Bachchans residence in suburban Juhu," a source said on Tuesday.

Sources close to Abhishek's family said the functions beginning with 'haldi' ceremony will take place on April 18, marriage is expected to be solemnised on April 19. The 'vidayee' ceremony will be held on April 20 at Prateeksha, the bungalow of his father Amitabh Bachchan.

It is also being reported that the guest list will be a close 24, the Bachchan and Rai families and close friends like Amar Singh, the Ambanis. The word is also abuzz that Kapoor family and Gandhi family will also be invited.

Rumours are that there would be two reception parties that would be held in Mumbai and Delhi.

Abhishek is at present shooting for his friend Goldi Bhel's movie 'Drona' and Aishwarya is busy with the shoot of 'Jodha Akbar' directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar.

The rights for covering the mega wedding have reportedly been sold to an international media house for an undisclosed sum of money.

Amitabh Bachchan 's mother, Teji Bachchan, is ailing and admitted to Lilavati Hospital. This is also being cited as a reason for Bollywood's first family not wanting to postpone the wedding any longer.

Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding on April 20


Aishwarya with beau Abhishek


MUMBAI: Bollywood's most talked about pair -- Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai -- will take the plunge into matrimony on April 20 in a "small, intimate affair" without the trappings of film industry weddings.

Unlike the recent Liz Hurley-Arun Nayar wedding, where the paparazzi went berserk, the Abhi-Ash marriage will be a very private affair at the Bachchans' home Prateeksha in Juhu, sources close to the couple said on Tuesday.

"The families met and a decision has been taken on the date," a source said.

"It will be a small family affair attended by close friends like Anil and Tina Ambani and Amar Singh. The ceremonies are likely to be spread out over three days, culminating in the marriage on April 20," the source said.

Only the Bachchans' close friends -- who could be as few as 15 -- will be invited to the wedding.

Speculation about the date and venue for the marriage has been rife since Abhishek, 31, and Aishwarya, 33, got engaged on January 14.

The Bachchans and Aishwarya consistently denied all reports about a date for the marriage but on Tuesday, the actress' manager Hari Singh said he could neither confirm nor deny the news.

Sources said the wedding will be held on April 20, the Akshay Tritiya, considered the year's most auspicious day by most Hindus. The wedding date was apparently advanced because of the condition of Amitabh's mother Teji, who is being treated at Lilavati Hospital here for some months.

Since rumours of the Abhishek-Aishwarya romance began floating from the sets of their film "Umrao Jaan" in 2005, the couple has consistently maintained silence and refused to speak about the relationship in public.

After their engagement, they were seen in public, hand in hand, and visited various temples to perform poojas, but it was Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan who did the talking on the forthcoming union.

Former Miss World Aishwarya, described as a "simple" and "domesticated" girl by Amitabh, is said to be "manglik" and had to make trips to several temples to nullify the bad omen.

At a recent awards ceremony, Jaya gave an emotional welcome to her future daughter-in-law.

"She has a beautiful heart and a beautiful smile and I welcome her into the family," she said, bringing tears to Aishwarya's eyes.

Abhishek's very public engagement with actress Karisma Kapoor ended in 2003 while Aishwarya's relationship with Salman Khan was the talk of tinsel town before they broke up. She was also linked with Viveik Oberoi.

On screen, the couple did not have much luck with films like Kuch Na Kaho and Umrao Jaan, but their latest movie, Mani Ratnam's Guru, was helped to a large extent by news of their engagement on the weekend of its release.

Abhishek had in fact proposed to Aishwarya while on a trip to New York to publicise Guru. Aishwarya was crowned Miss World in 1994 and then entered the world of films.

Abhishek has gone from being known as Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan's son to carve a niche for himself in Bollywood by delivering knockout performances in films like Yuva and Guru.

The couple is currently busy fulfulling their commitments, with Aishwarya wrapping up Ashutosh Gowarikar's Jodha Akbar and Abhishek filming Goldie Behl's Drona.

Reports of their marriage first emerged when the couple sought blessings at Vindhyavasini Temple soon after their engagement. In what was seen as a pre-nuptial ceremony, they performed parikarama (circumambulation) of the deity and the Bhagwati Pooja.

A Kolkata-based designer in all likelihood will design the groom's wardrobe. Aishwarya may ask her favourite designer Neeta Lulla to kit out her wedding dress. Or it may be Abu-Jani, whose rich designs have cast a spell on Amitabh-Jaya, sources said.

It's not just Bollywood that has been affected by the film industry's most anticipated wedding in recent years. British filmmaker Gurinder Chaddha, who is expecting twins later this year, has decided to name them after Abhishek and Aishwarya if it is a girl-boy pair, a newspaper reported.

Aishwarya will continue to work in movies after her marriage, though Amitabh is often heard saying that "it is up to Abhishek and Aishwarya to decide whether she wants to work or not".

Abhi-Ash wedding,Crazy Kiya..

Media reports of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan planning to tie the knot on April 20 have added to the feverish curiosity on the superstar wedding.

Ever since Abhishek and Aishwarya got engaged in January, media frenzy has been feeding an insatiable public hunger for juicy details on venue, date, trousseau and honeymoon.

"It (the date) must be true because the news was probably released from the Bachchans' office. Its apparently a three-day-long celebration," said a source.

Television and radio channels are adding to the cacophony. One TV channel has even gone to the extent of preparing a feature on the wedding with details of where Abhishek's father Amitabh and mother Jaya will stand to bless the couple.

But no one really knows the answer to the big question - are Abhiash - as the couple has been fashionably dubbed of late - actually getting married on April 20?

"All this news is coming from Delhi and everybody is relying on a report published in one newspaper. The Bachchans are closely guarding the wedding details, but I guess very soon they will make the announcement just the way they announced the engagement.

But the reports are a little confusing because, if you see, every newspaper has a different version of the story," said the source.

One media report said, for the wedding, Abhishek would wear a golden sherwani weaved by a Varanasi-based family that has been in the weaving business for the last 400 years.

Abdul Matin, head of the weaver family, said that two months ago they were told to weave a Chaodani (golden fabric with a base of warped silk) style fabric for Abhishek's sherwani, which will approximately cost Rs.500,000. Some other weavers are said to be busy preparing Aishwarya's trousseau.

The venue for the wedding is reportedly Bacchchan's Mumbai residence Pratiksha.

It is the last wish of Amitabh's mother Teji Bachchan, who is unwell and admitted at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital, to see grandson Abhishek settled that is said to be behind all the rush.

Since the engagement announcement, all newspapers and TV channels have come out with a different wedding date, guest list and venues.

Some say it is going to be a big fat wedding, while others are sure it would be a very quiet and small affair. As far as media rights of the wedding are concerned, they have not been finalised yet.

Is Aishwarya a Bachchan already?

"Aishwarya never had any ceremony to get rid of her manglik curse. Nothing like this ever took place," Abhsthek told this week's edition of the "The Week" magazine,calling the widespread media accounts of the ceremonies "intrusive and insensitive."

Abhishek and Aishwarya's marriage is expected to be Bollywood's biggest wedding in years.

Last November the family travelled with Rai to a temple in for what the Indian media reported were prayers to clear up mismatches in their stars.

The Bachchans -- known as the first family of Bollywood for their dominance of the entertainment industry -- held the ceremonies to offset the curse of being a "manglik" hanging over the green-eyed Rai, according to media reports.

Pictures of Rai and the Bachchans emerging from the temple were splashed in Indian newspapers and one well-known astrologer, Chandrasghekar Swami, said he had "advised both the families to perform this corrective puja (prayer)."

Astrologers also said Rai might have to marry a tree before her actual wedding to rid herself of her supposedly unlucky status. This would mean any bad luck would befall the tree, not Abhishek, one of Bollywood's leading men.

Asked why he had not come out earlier with a denial, Bachchan, replied his job was "to act and I guess I am doing fine."

Meanwhile the duo is supposed to tie the knot on April 19. The festivities associated with Abhishek's wedding with Aishwarya are expected to spread over three days. There will be a Sangeet ceremony on the April 18 and a Mehendi ceremony the next day, both at the Bachchan residence - Jalsa.

The Bachchan boy will walk the aisle with Aishawarya in the early morning hours of April 20 at Bachchan's bungalow - Prateeksha. The baaraat will leave Jalsa for Prateeksha on the night of Apr 19.

Though Hindu marriages are traditionally solemnized at the bride's house, these days, it is not uncommon for the bride's side to arrange the wedding at a venue outside their house to accommodate larger number of guests.

But the bride's parents arranging a wedding at the house belonging to the groom's family is unprecedented. If the wedding has to take place in a house, it has to be the bride's house.

Amitabh Bachchan has gone on record saying the wedding will be a low key affair in view of his mother's indifferent health. An inner circle of family and friends are expected to attend.

The Bachchans are known to be staunch and unabashed traditionalists. They believe in their faith, they visit temples and they consult priests and even astrologers.

What happened to their respect for Hindu traditions when it came to choosing a venue for the wedding?

Just wondering!

Mehndi lagake rakhna...

Here's the A-plus list of guests who'll be attending the Abhi-Ash wedding. Incidentally, buddies Sikander Kher and Goldie Behl will be performing at the mehndi ceremony

The final countdown: Abhishek Bachchan with Aishwarya Rai
Just a week to go, and Bollywood can relax. Right now everyone is all strung up about the Abhi-Ash wedding. News is trickling in, in bits and pieces. The guest list (the one aspect of the marriage that's causing maximum heartburn among celebs) is more or less final, so are the song-and-dance performances for the mehndi, on April 19.

The full and final guest list first. Besides family, that's Amitabh, Jaya's and Aishwarya's families and Shweta Bachchan's in-laws, the Kapoors, only a sprinkling of names from the film industry are on the Super A-list. There's Karan Johar and mom Hiroo, Yash Chopra and wife and sons Aditya and Uday, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Kajol, Suneil Shetty, Goldie and Srishti Behl and Sonali Bendre, Anupam and Kirron Kher with son Sikander, Sunil Doshi and his family. And, of course, Anil and Tina Ambani and Amar Singh and his wife.

Two of Abhishek's closes buddies, Goldie Behl and Sikander Kher, will be performing at the mehndi ceremony on April 19. (Sangeet is on April 18). Their clothes have been specially designed by the Bachchans' favourite designer duo, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. We've also heard that a 'non-filmi' choreographer has been roped in by Goldie and Sikander to teach them the turns. Rehearsals are on in full swing right now. Goldie and Sikander want to get their steps just right before their the A-plus audience.
Meanwhile, speculation has already started on where the golden couple will honeymoon. Ash's neighbour Prahlad Kakkar says he did offer Abhishek the option of honeymooning at his scuba diving school in Lakshadweep. He says, "I told Abhishek that I would keep the press off my school. But he refused the offer saying, 'It sounds like a plan!'"