Headline News

'Family' team joins hands for new project

Producer Keshu [of D.M.S. Films P. Ltd.] has signed director Rajkumar Santoshi and actor Akshay Kumar for his forthcoming film, Prod. No. 12. One more lead actor is being finalized. The film will go on floors in February/March. Story-screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan and Rajkumar Santoshi.

Salman's three different looks in Jaaneman

Sajid Nadiadwala's Jaaneman starring Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta has been in the news since its inception, be it the tapes controversy or its shooting schedule being cancelled. Thankfully, the talk this time is not about any controversy but is about the look of Salman Khan in the film. It seems that Salman Khan will be sporting not one, not two, but three different looks in the film. And one of these looks, as we all know, is the bald look. The producers do not want to talk about the remaining looks, for fear of the film being jinxed. So we're left with no choice but to wait and watch. And we're sure that the wait will be worth it!

Lara deglamorised herself for Zinda

Now days when all top actresses are looking for change, deglamorising themselves seems to be a trend in the industry. After Bipasha Basu in Apaharan and Kareena Kapoor in Dev, now Lara Dutta is following the bandwagon. Lara is playing a taxi driver in her forthcoming film Zinda, directed by Sanjay Gupta. The lady has deglamorised her look, where she plays a simple girl with out make-up.

This comes in as a little surprise because Zinda is a Sanjay Gupta film who is known as one of the most stylized filmmakers in the industry. But Lara justifies that it was the demand of her role and also a deliberate decision taken by her to go for the deglamorized look. Well, undoubtedly it's a deliberate decision; let's hope viewers accept you in your real avatar Lara!

Kareena is back in news, now for MMS

After the smooch MMS episode with boyfriend Shahid Kapoor, actress Kareena Kapoor is once again in the eye of the storm. This time because of an MMS, which has a look alike of Kareena changing her clothes and revealing her body in front of camera! However, Kareena who is currently on vacation in Bali with boyfriend Shahid Kapur is not aware of the clip. While boyfriend Shahid seems not in mood of spoiling the vacation informs that they are not aware of any such clip and refused to comment on it. He further explained such acts are simply disgusting and products of some really sick minds. He does not want to make it an issue.

After the much hullabaloo over the kissing issue it seems actor Shahid kapoor has stop reacting to such things.

Anil Kapoor flagging off Double Decker

It's a second annual Mumbai festival and Maharashtra Tourism Department Corporation has planned an open-air extravaganza kind of curtain raiser for it. A double dcker has been arranged from Churchgate's Ambassador Hotel to Kalluram Dobeyji's paan pitstop, which will roll out across a lucky section of south Mumbai's sights. Actor Anil Kapoor will be flagging it off at 7.30pm from the Ambassador. 10 lucky contest winners can win the ride while food critic Rashmi Uday Singh will introduce Mumbai to everyone. What are you waiting for? Run and get your seats!

Priyanka Chopra in a sting operation

Priyanka Chopra is all set to lure the audiences

in 2006 as well. She has got plenty of releases lined up this year. One of her biggest movies of this year will be Rumi Jaffery's God Tussi Great Ho. Priyanka will star opposite Salman Khan in this film. The couple will be seen together after Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, which was a big hit.

In God Tussi Great Ho Priyanka Chopra plays the role of a journalist who is about to pull a successful sting operation. This is a new kind of role that she is experimenting with. Apparently, Priyanka is also playing a similar role in Rakesh Roshan's Krissh which is also to release this year. Though Priyanka says that in Krissh she plays a TV journalist who lands up in a situation every other time which is a different from God Tussi Great Ho.

From a fashion designer in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi to a business woman in Aitraaz and now a journalist, Priyanka Chopra seems to be trying out new professions onscreen.

After 'No Entry', it's 'Welcome'

Anees Bazmee is one director everyone wants to sign these days. With NO ENTRY emerging the biggest grosser of 2005, the queue of producers outside Bazmee's residence seems never-ending. Naturally, everyone is curious to know whose film Bazmee would start first.

Well, the wait is over! Bazmee's next film will be produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwala. Titled WELCOME, the film, a multi-hero project again, will have Feroz Khan, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Akshay Kumar essaying lead roles. Katrina Kaif has also been confirmed, while one more leading lady is under finalization.

"WELCOME is a love story with loads of comedy," Bazmee tells me. Meanwhile, hotshot music composer Himesh Reshammiya will record the first song of the film on January 5. WELCOME will be shot entirely in Dubai from February onwards.

The girl who signed Shahrukh and Aishwarya together

We are sure that you don't know this fact about Sameera Reddy. While she was in college, she had done a stint with Omega watches as a Public Relations officer for one and a half years. She was the one who was responsible for signing on SRK and Ash for endorsing this very prestigious brand.

There was this one instance Sameera reminisces about the time when she had featured in Pankaj Udhas's Video – Aahista. SRK told her that if she ever got an offer, she should think about it. And that's all she needed for her to build up the confidence and step into the world of cinema. "In some way I am here today because of Shah Rukh's that statement", she concludes.

Mona Chopra has love written on her heart

Actress Mona Chopra is turning out to be the next Mallika Sherawat of Bollywood. She's making news for all the hot reasons. Firstly she started with a skin-flick 'Time Pass' and subsequently bagged Vinod Pande's 'Red Swastik' that again promises liberal doses of her anatomy. Now the actress has signed another flesh flick titled 'Naughty Boy'. Directed by TLV Prasadh (of Tauba Tauba fame and known for Mithun's low-budget movies), Naughty Boy stars Mona Chopra as the female lead with Hitesh Kriplani and Rahul Roy (yea, the same actor from the yesteryear superhit Aashiqui who was never seen thereafter).

And Mona is using all the right assets to promote her film. Actually left asset! Well that's what one can make out from the first publicity still of the film where she adopts a unique style of expressing her love. That's love coming straight from the heart.

Now with such a stint, shouldn't the movie have been titled Naughty Girl?

The first female to smooch Dev Anand onscreen

The only thing that people are talking about Dev Anand's latest release Mr. Prime Minister is his onscreen smooch with an NRI actress in the film. And while Dev Anand is known for the skin-show in his films, what nobody might have noticed is that this is the first time that he is smooching onscreen. Also this might be the first time that an 82-year-old actor might be lip-locking with a 20 plus actress on the Indian screen.

So who's the girl in question? Here's introducing the miss behind Dev Anand's kiss.

Name: Khursheed Khurody.

Born in Mumbai, India in a Parsi family, brought up in England.

Studied Ph D from Harvard University.

Started as a model in Benadryl commercial.

Has worked with Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan in advertisements.

Debuted in movies with the critically acclaimed Black where she had a one bit role playing a pianist in Nandana Sen's wedding.

Current achievements: The first female to have smooched Dev Anand onscreen.

More on the kiss: Neither Dev Anand nor Khursheed were uncomfortable during the take. She got it correct in just two retakes. The kiss is justified as Anand plays Khursheed's husband in the film and since they meet after a long time, a kiss or two is bound to happen.

Forthcoming film: She has bagged a role in an English film starring Om Puri and Gulshan Grover, where she plays a foreign return Brahmin teacher.