Why is Priyanka losing out on pals?

Priyanka Chopra's career is not exactly going great guns contrary to expectations. Is it because she has managed to make several enemies along the way.

Instead of feeling over the moon with the success of her last film Agneepath, looks like Priyanka Chopra has hardly anything to cheer about. In the past few months, PC has been attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. From her film, her friends and her love life, everything seems to be attracting controversies. So what has really forced a bunch of Bollywood biggies to sideline this leading lady? Read on...

Friends no more
They say Bollywood isn't really a place to make friends and these days, no one knows it better than PC. Her link-up with Shah Rukh Khan has cost her more than what she could have imagined. Ever since the SRK's Eid bash in 2011, the entire coterie of star wives has apparently kept away from Priyanka.

Mehr Rampal steps in 
Says a source, "Even at the bash she was confronted by Mehr Rampal about why she was at the party when she wasn't really a part of their clique or family. Shah Rukh however stood up and defended her then."

However, post that party Gauri's friends have made sure Priyanka isn't part of any of their social gatherings.


No place for PC at Agneepath success party
In fact all this is apparently the reason she wasn't present at Hrithik Roshan's Agneepath success party. Adds the source, "They said she couldn't attend the party because of some brand endorsements in Hyderabad, but the fact is that she wasn't invited. It was a party where Hrithik was celebrating the success of his film with his closest gang and obviously they did not want any unnecessary tension. In fact, Hrithik even tweeted a picture with Gauri saying she is the most beautiful woman in the world. Now that goes to prove how much Sussanne and he care for Gauri."

KJo gives PC a cold shoulder
Strangely, Karan Johar too seems to have joined the list of people who want little to do with the actress. Adds the source, "She was sidelined during the promotions of Agneepath as well, because Karan isn't too happy about the rumours doing the rounds."

PC's quick fix: In fact, it is Priyanka who is trying to go out of the way to make amends to no avail. She recently went up to Kareena Kapoor and hugged her at an awards event.


Films no more
Apart from the films she had already committed to over a year ago, there's nothing new coming her way. In fact, besides SRK, none of the senior superstars want to work with her. Says a source, "Salman has had a problem with her ever since God Tussi Great Ho. Akshay Kumar won't work with her. And Aamir Khan does not have an equation with her."

Current projects
At the moment she is working on Rakesh Roshan's Krissh 2, Anurag Basu's Barfi (Anurag too had a problem with PC throwing tantrums) and Kunal Kohli's Teri Meri Kahani opposite Shahid Kapoor. However we hear that she completely ignored her ex-beau Shahid during a recent award function in Macau.

Adds a source, "She has had a love-hate relationship with Shahid and though she is doing a film with him, they don't share the kind of friendship they used to at one point."

No other film with KJo
And last we heard Karan Johar clarifying to the media that he hasn't signed any film with Miss Chopra.

Adds the source, "She has been part of one of Dharma's biggest hits to date, Agneepath. It's strange that despite that Karan hinted that he isn't really working with PC anytime soon."

PC's quick fix: We hear that PC now plans to devote more time to her music and is also planning a few concerts. In fact, the Creative Artist Agency (CAA) of Hollywood has signed her on as their first Bollywood client. Priyanka Chopra remained unavailable for comment.

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How could you be youth role model, daughter asks SRK

His fans look up to him as an idol, but superstar Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana believes her father isn't the perfect youth icon as he smokes a lot.

"Daughter just reprimanded me... how can u be the youth role model if you smoke. So to all the youths out there... please don't smoke!!" tweeted Shah Rukh.

"Big reprimand for smoking from my strict little atom bomb of a daughter!!!" he added.

The 46-year-old is said to be a chain-smoker but has admitted smoking is the "worst habit".

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Spice up V-Day with romantic Bollywood movies

Valentine's Day is here and many would swear there's nothing like grabbing a couch with your partner and watching one of your favourite romantic tales from Bollywood to celebrate the day.

For added pleasure, you could keep a bucket of popcorn handy! Here are films you could pick from to enjoy the special day Feb 14:

Jab We Met (2007): Full of life and zest, Jab We Met was a blissful tale. It tracks the entertaining journey of two complete strangers who fall in love. The on-screen chemistry of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur pepped-up the narrative and is billed as one of the best romantic comedies so far.

Cheeni Kum (2007): Absolutely unconventional in its theme, Cheeni Kum is a sweet romance that blooms between a 64-year-old chef and a 34-year-old woman. Despite a huge age gap, their attitudes meet and eventually they fall in love. The superb performances by Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu made the saga convincing and it can be watched any time.

Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008): A complete contrast to Cheeni Kum, the Imran Khan-Genelia D'Souza-starrer Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na is a puppy love story about confused youngsters who couldn't differentiate between love and friendship. Thanks to the fresh treatment and energetic performances, the film turned out to be a crowd puller. The youth-centric film's music was like a cherry on the cake.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008): Small town romance has its own distinct flavour and that is what Aditya Chopra tried to capture in the film through Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma. A middle-aged, mild-mannered guy is head over heels in love with his pretty wife, but she is in love with someone else. He decides to win her love by transforming into a loud and fun-loving young guy from a boring 'babu'. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi spreads a message that being ordinary makes no difference if the love is true. Music was the icing on the cake, especially tracks like "Tujh mein rab dikhta hai" and "Haule haule".


Love Aaj Kal (2009): A modern-day love tale, the film has two love stories from two different generations running side by side. It underlines that love has the same essence, irrespective of age and time. Thanks to the storyline, the youth connected with the movie, which had Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone as a warring couple. The soulful music and songs like Aaj din chadheya and "Yeh dooriyan" added flavour to the romance.

Dhobi Ghat (2010): More than a movie, it is seen as a fantastic work of art. Different from the regular romantic fare, the film brought a lot of diversity and innovative ideas into Indian cinema. Critics loved it, so did the audiences. Starring actors like Aamir Khan, Prateik Babbar, Monica Dogra and Kriti Malhotra, it is a mature and sensitive tale that appealed to a niche audience.

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010): Everything about the film was over the top and loud, with loads of colour. A career-oriented Delhi girl meets an unpolished guy. They first become business partners and then the inevitable happens - they fall in love. The fun-filled, natural performances of Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Singh complimented the movie described as a sensible new age romantic comedy.

Tanu Weds Manu (2011): Love at first sight is what happens in the film when R. Madhavan's character Manu, an NRI, meets Tanu, a loud and confused girl. After a lot of dillydallying, Tanu realises the true meaning of love and reciprocates. The intensity in Madhavan's acting and his suffering while seeing Tanu drift away from him tug at the heartstrings. It boasts of good music too, including some fast dance tracks.


Rockstar (2011): Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Rockstar is one of the best musical love stories in recent times to touch the hearts of movie fans in India and abroad. The storyline and acting enthralled the audiences. The film is about a jaat boy and his journey of becoming a rockstar. It's interesting to see how love played a major role in his success.

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Once Upon A Time in Mumbai 2 Shoot in Pakistan

Filmmakers Ekta Kapoor and Milan Luthria are contemplating shooting their sequel, based on the life of Dawood Ibrahim, in the neighbouring country

Kunal M Shah

Pakistan, the new Mumbai? Well, Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms and director Milan Luthria certainly see some resemblance as they are contemplating filming portions of the sequel of Once A Upon A Time In Mumbai, across the border.

Although the filmmakers are keen on the idea, they are sceptical to go ahead with the plan due to eminent concerns of safety and security of the cast in the film, which is based on the life of the don Dawood Ibrahim.

Our source told us, “The ideal location to shoot the film is in Pakistan and Ekta and Milan are surely thinking about it. However, the security is a major concern. It is no secret that Akshay Kumar is essaying the role of Dawood Ibrahim, who is allegedly living in Karachi.

The makers are still in the process of zeroing down on a hero, who will star opposite Akshay. However, one thing is for sure that he will be a young hero. Following the original film, which was shot in actual gangster areas in Mumbai, Ekta and Milan are now trying to find similar possible locations in Pakistan to shoot the sequel. However, they are yet to get the consent of the actors to shoot in the neighbouring country.”

The source added, “The idea to film there makes sense as the film deals with Dawood’s life and his rise in the underworld, after the death of various dons like Haji Mastan, Vardha Rajan and Karim Lala. Following the Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood supposedly fled to Pakistan and is reportedly staying in Karachi.

For even a portion of the sequel to be shot in Pakistan would be hugely controversial. Considering the content of the film, the support of the Pakistan government will be necessary, if the producers decide to shoot there, even just for two to three days.”

When contacted Tanuj Garg, CEO – Balaji Motion Pictures, said, “It’s too early to comment. We’re still working on the script.We will weigh all location options, once the script is ready.”

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Mallika Heats Up For WMB 3D Magazine

The Haryanvi babe is soaring temperatures in the second issue of WMB 3D: Worlds Most Beautiful 3D magazine. Check her out! 1. Hotness At Work ! In an unzipped worker's jumpsuit, mud on her skin and her lace lingerie peeping at us - Super sexy ! 2. Seduction Those seductive looks are cetianly inviting. People had probably written her off from their memory, but she's back and how! 3. Scorching In denim shorts, unbuttoned check shirt and a sexy midriff... Mallika holds a placard on roadside in scorching heat - we wonder if the heat is due to the sun or if Mallika is responsible. 4. KLPD The outspoken actor who failed to recreate her Murder success in Hisss will now be seen in Kismat Love Paisa Dilli opposite Vivek Oberoi. She's apparently playing a Haryanvi girl in the movie - back to your roots Mallika? Psssttt.. the hottie has refused to do any lip-locking in the movie. Looking at her kissing record in Khwahish and Murder we wonder why this sudden u-turn? Maybe it's time to showcase some acting skills for a change.

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Kareena's Mujra act from Agent Vinod

Watch Bebo in 'Dil Mera Muft Ka' song with heaps of oomph and a hint of skin

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Kareena hates action films

She prefers running around trees instead

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena’s next film is the much-talked about thriller ‘Agent Vinod’ with boyfriend Saif Ali Khan but the actress doesn’t think too highly of the genre. While most actresses her age claim to love stunts and the glitz associated with thrillers, Kareena says ‘Agent Vinod’ will be her last action film.

The 31-year-old says she didn't enjoy performing the stunts in the film and is petrified of gun shots and speed. "I am a very romantic person at heart, I am petrified of gun shots and speed. 'Agent Vinod' will be my last action film... I won't be working in them anymore. I didn't like the stunts at all. I like doing romantic films and enjoy the singing and dancing," Kareena said.

The actress, however, has denied reports she will tie the knot with Saif soon after Agent Vinod’s release on March 23. “There are no plans for marriage as of yet. We are just concentrating our career right now,” Kareena said.

Yeah we believe you Kareena!

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Poonam pokes fun at Karnataka porngate

Diva Poonam Pandey is having fun and cracking jokes about the two ministers who were caught watching porn in Karnataka assembly and have now resigned.

"2 ministers caught watching porn in assembly were confused souls. They heard 'Get ready for erections' instead of 'elections'. #HEHEHEH" Poonam joked on her twitter page.

"The Karnataka ministers at the assembly were actually celebrating the commencement of Valentine's Week #porngate #heheheheh," she added.

Poonam was not the only one to take a dig at the ministers. Ram Gopal Varma and Chetan Bhagat had their own take at the porngate.

Chetan Bhagat retweeted some of the interesting excuses the ministers could have offered in porngate.

"Let's give the poor ministers some #PorngateExcuses. Will RT the best. "I was just checking download speeds on the 3G network."," Bhagat tweeted.

"Its my son's phone. I am just checking out how naughty he has been these days. #PorngateExcuses," Bhagat retweeted another one.

Ram Gopal Varma too jumped in the fray: "Ministers watching porn in the assembly is a sure sign of an emerging and shining india..jai ho"

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Is Deepika playing a double game?

Ramesh Taurani and Deepika Padukone are at loggerheads over her dumping 'Race 2' in favour of Rajnikanth's next film. Buzz is that in order to sign a film opposite Rajnikanth (Kochadaiyaan directed by Rajni's daughter Soundarya), Deepika Padukone gave a royal snub to Abbas-Mustan's Race 2. Apparently the actress had allegedly misled the makers of the action thriller about the real reason for opting out. Ramesh Taurani the producer of the film is seething with anger at Dippy.

Date drama
It was also earlier reported that Dippy was walking out of Race 2 because she was not happy with the film's constant change of schedule. Our reliable source tells us that the reason Deepika had given for opting out -- that she was signing her first Hollywood film -- is not true.

The source reveals, "Deepika was already committed for Race 2 and had shot for it for a few days when she was offered a film opposite Rajnikanth. She was really keen to do the film but didn't have the dates for it. As a result, she decided to opt out of Race 2."

The source adds, "Instead of telling the truth, her manager told the Race 2 producer that Deepika had a Hollywood film offer that she couldn't let go of and the dates were clashing with this film. Though she was very apologetic about it, still it was very unprofessional of her to opt out of a film mid-way. Rameshji had let her go without creating any scene. It was later found that the actress opted out for the Rajnikanth film and not for any Hollywood film."

Inconvenience for others
The very livid Taurani lashes out, "Her manager Anirban said that she has bagged a big Hollywood film and it's a lifetime opportunity for her. So we had to let her go."

Apparently the southern actress' departure has caused a lot of mess for the makers.

Taurani adds, "We have to immediately look for her replacement and re-shoot her portions all over again. She has not only caused inconvenience to us but also to her co-stars (which includes Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt) who had allotted their dates for the shoot."

The producer adds that this has resulted in huge monetary losses for them as the building of sets for their next schedule is already underway and the crew and the location were already booked.

In Dippy's defence
A source close to Deepika however categorically denies that she opted out of Race 2 for Rajni's film.

The source points out, "The shooting was constantly getting pushed back. She shot for only two days for two hours each. They have wasted her dates for December and January. She hasn't left Race 2 because of Rajnikanth's film. The film was supposed to be completed before September 2011. We have documentary proof of that. Now there is a fresh requirement of dates as new actors like Sanjay Dutt have been roped in. She cannot give them blanket dates because of her prior commitments."

Not accepted
Taurani is definitely furious as he says, "It's a highly unprofessional behaviour. In my entire career of 28 films, I have never faced such a situation. It's not done!"

We hear that Taurani is lodging a complaint against Deepika with the Cine & TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA).


Other actors who went the Deepika way
Chitrangada left Krissh because of prior commitments to Sudhir Mishra's untitled next with Arjun Rampal and Mehrunissa.
Imran opted out of Punit Malhotra's next for Vishal Bhardwaj's Maatru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola
Vivek Oberoi left Shootout At Wadala for Bejoy Nambiar's David
Kangna left Deepa Mehta's Midnight's children for Double Dhamaal
Ajay Devgn left Maatru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola for Son Of Sardar

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Models Invading Bollywood

Models trying their luck on Big Screen is not a new phenomenon but the trend seems to be getting stronger in 2012.Lets have a look at a few ramp divas who are all set to make it big this year. 1. Amy Jackson After proving the mettle of her beauty in Miss Teen World, this British model turned actress is all set to make her presence felt in Bollywood. Amy's about to release flick Ek Deewana Tha is already hitting a lot of buzz these days. 2. Angela Jonsson Reportedly, this winner of Kingfisher Calender Hunt 2011 has the generous Khan of B-Town as her mentor. Angela has already secured a berth in Sohail's home production Sher Khanopposite Sallu Miya If rumors are to be believed then then post 'Sher Khan' she will be seen opposite Salman in 'Partner' sequel also. 3. Amrit Maghera After making it big in the ad world with brands like Maxima watches, Thums up and Lakme, this Indian model and dancer from United Kingdom will now be seen in a lead role in Saahil Prem's international dance movie Someday. 4. Esha Gupta This Miss India International title winner already has a number of feathers in her cap. Esha had already been on the Kingfisher Calender. And now, under the tutelage of Bhatts, the beauty is all set to rock the big screen with her appearance in Jannat 2 and Raaz 3. 5. Neha Hinge Next in the row is PFMI International 2010 winner Neha Hinge. Neha is speculated to be debuting with Joe Rajan's upcoming flick Love You Soniyo. The film also stars yesteryear diva Rati Agnihotrie's son Tanuj. 6. Diana Penty Diana has featured in Virgin Mobile commercial and on the cover of famous Reader's Digest (January 2011). She has got the tutelage of Chotte Nawab opposite whom she will be seen in cine flick Cocktail. The movie also features Deepika Padukone.

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Raveena`s best Valentine`s Day

Raveena Tandon says her best Valentine's Day was when her husband Anil Thadani presented her with a romantic evening.

"He had booked a poolside in a hotel that was very beautiful. The whole poolside was booked for us and there was not a single soul. There were red flowers everywhere, there was a band playing and it was just him and me sitting on a beach front. So, I think that was our best memory," said the 37-year-old at an event.

The National Award-winning actress tied the knot with Thadani, a film distributor, in 2004 and says now their kids join them every time they go out.

She is looking forward to this year's Valentine's Day too but says that now it's more of a family affair.

"Now we go for dinner and our kids are along with us. My daughter is busy drawing hearts for us. At every stage of your life, it's a different fun together," said Raveena who was last seen in "Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap." 

She will soon be seen in "Shovna Seven Nights" opposite Rohit Roy as well as "Gin Liya Aasman" and another untitled film that will go on floors in March.

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Badami makes Akshay sentimental

Akshay Kumar is shooting the climax of his forthcoming film "Rowdy Rathore" at Badami village and says he will miss the place once the shoot gets over.

"Who would have thought that I'd be sad to see the back of Badami Village near Hubli where 'Rowdy Rathore' action has taken place. After 30 days of raw hard work, I don't know what I'm gonna miss more, the caves or the friendly frogs I would wake up with every morning! Must say its been a schedule to remember," the 44-year-old posted on Twitter.

The last time a Hindi film was shot in Badami, in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, was Mani Ratnam's "Guru".

"Rowdy Rathore", directed by Prabhu Deva, has Sonakshi Sinha in the female lead.

Co-produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, UTV Motion Pictures and Hari Om Productions, the film is a remake of the superhit Telugu film "Vikramarkudu", which was also remade in Tamil as "Siruthai".

"We would play cricket each and every night without fail, from stunt men to assistant directors, wardrobe team, not to mention my producers and our infamously beloved bowler/dancer/director Prabhu Deva. Its been a legendary experience... all I can pray for is it becomes a legendary film and that my friends is all down to you now, I have given my best I hope you enjoy it," he added.

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Every wife is good with finances: Sanjay Dutt

Sanjay Dutt is mighty pleased with his latest film Agneepath crossing the Rs 100 crore mark at the box office. However, the modern day Kancha Cheena is in no hurry to sign up for another negative role so soon. Reason - he's still enjoying the feedback his menacing portrayal of the character is getting from the public.

Going bold with the bald
"Considering the reactions of the people after the first look of Agneepath was unveiled, I knew it would be big. But I didn't know it would be so huge," he says, adding that looking back, he's happy he agreed to act in the film after the first narration. And it was worth shaving his head for. "At first, we opted for prosthetics, but in the heat of Diu, it started melting. So I decided on it myself. And I must say, it gave me great comfort while acting because the prosthetics would get too irritating after a while," he smiles.

Probe him on his look being inspired by Marlon Brando's Col Kurtz in Apocalypse Now and Dutt reveals, "In fact there was a prologue about Kancha's childhood. His hair doesn't grow normally, so villagers tease him. Then he's sent away and he comes back like you see him in the film. But that was edited out due to length. Hope it's included in the DVD when it releases."

Flashback
The actor has fond memories of talking about the original Agneepath with the director, the late Mukul S Anand, while they worked on Khoon Ka Karz and Dus. "Mukul often spoke about how Agneepath was his favourite film. So it feels nice to see his name in the opening credits," says the actor.

Looking forward
The actor is also optimistic about his new productions Zilla Ghaziabad and Department undoing the damage of his maiden venture, Rascals. Remakes of the Telugu hits Dhee and Badri are in the planning stage. Casting aside our questions about him regretting Rascals, he maintains, "I'd rather look ahead positively."

Honey handles the money
Ask him about reports that his wife Maanayata is the deciding voice in Sanjay Dutt Productions and the actor asserts, "She looks after the economics while I look after the creative. Every wife is good with the finances, and I'm always going to be generous. So it's better she handles the monetary aspect."

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Jennifer Lopez to visit India in March

Guess which T’towner is bringing her down?

Jennifer Lopez

It looks like the stream of visitors from Hollywood to Bollywood will continue in 2012 too. After Akon, Pitbull, Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey, it’s the turn of the very hot Jennifer Lopez to say hello to Bollywood. The person responsible for getting her to India is none other than Shilpa Shetty’s husband, Mr Moneybags, Raj Kundra.

According to reports, Jennifer will perform at the opening ceremony of the sporting league owned by Raj Kundra and Sanjay Dutt. She is scheduled to perform in Mumbai on March 11 at the Andheri Sports Complex.

Apparently Raj, probably inspired by the glamour of Indian Premiere League (IPL) parties, wanted to have a grand opening ceremony for his venture too and came up with the idea of having a JLo performance. The management then got in touch with her team and finalised the details.

The Hollywood star is due to arrive on March 6 and have practise sessions at her suburban hotel where is being put up. She is slated to perform on some of her biggest hits including her latest album ‘Love’.

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Ayesha Takia to sue Kingfisher Airlines

A day after Ayesha Takia tweeted about her sister Natasha being allegedly mistreated by an airline’s personnel, the actress is still fuming and is determined to take legal action against the airline.

Making it worse was a taunting tweet by the airline owner’s son which implied he was unaware of who Ayesha Takia and what the hullaballoo she was creating was all about.

Laughing off the jibe Ayesha scoffs, “We’re getting our lawyers to send a letter to the airline to take action against their staff.The letter will reach the airline authorities shortly.I was tweeting about how the airline staff treated Natasha.I didn’t make any personal comments on anyone.So if someone has a personal grudge against me that’s his problem.”

Recounting the alleged horror that her sister went through Ayesha says, “A senior staff member of an airline at Delhi airport misbehaved with my sister. He sent her back and forth from counter to counter for four hours even when she said she was unwell. They threatened to throw her out of the airport if she kept questioning and pressurizing them for her ticket. Then they tore her boarding pass and told her to buy a new one if she wanted to fly back to Mumbai on their airline.”

Continuing with the tale of trauma Ayesha says, “Natasha had to buy a new ticket from Air India .Since she was traveling alone beyond a point, she didn’t want to deal with the rudeness of the allegedly misbehaved airline ground-staff.”

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No engagement plans: Kareena

Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Tuesday rubbished reports that she and her beau Saif Ali Khan are planning to get formally engaged on Feb 10.

Setting the record straight, the actress said: "It's completely false, there are no such plans."

The actress was in the capital to promote her forthcoming film "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu", which is releasing Friday, along with her co-star Imran Khan and director Shakun Batra.

Ever since Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza have tied the knot, Kareena has been stormed with questions about her marriage plans.

When asked, she Dodged the question saying, "There are no plans as of now. We are only looking forward to the release of 'Agent Vinod'. It will release in March."

But Imran, known for his witty replies, joked, "(Kareena and Saif will get married) one week after the release of 'Agent Vinod' and that's April 1st, the April Fool's Day."

He looked at Kareena and added: "You could have taken my answer, it would definitely have made headlines."

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Ayesha and Siddharth’s twitter war

The actress might sue Kingfisher Airlines after their staff allegedly harassed her sister

Ayesha Takia

B’wood has perhaps forgotten the slapgate episode between Sirish Kunder and SRK especially since there is another interesting feud brewing between an odd pair. Two days ago Ayesha Takia unleashed her temper following billionaire Siddharth Mallya’s nasty comments on Twitter.

The spat started when Ayesha tweeted about Kingfisher Airline’s harassment of her sister, Natasha. When KFA’s heir apparent got wind of the news he retorted with equal fury.
Ayesha’s tweet that led to Sid’s ire read-"The worst airline, kingfisher...This disgustingly behaved Kingfisher staff called Vinay Podwal just tore my sister's boarding pass n misbehaved with her."

Sidhartha replied with sarcasm-"Been getting retweets about Ayesha Takia and KFA. Not too sure who she is, an actor of some sorts?"

The next tweet from Ayesha confirmed she wasn’t a pacifist- "I will rant Sidharth Mallya, what will you do? This is your way of dealing with hospitality business? Wow! Learn manners and respect."

Sid Mallya who possibly got a lot of flak from the public for his unsavory remark decided then to keep his lips sealed. In fact, several bloggers and writers felt that Sid’s attitude was arrogant and certainly not custormer-friendly.

But his silence did nothing to assuage Ayesha; she spoke to a tabloid and revealed that she was definitely going to take Kingfisher Airlines to court for the harassment her sister faced.

Natasha, meanwhile, recounting the events said that when she missed a connecting flight to Mumbai from Delhi and tried to explain her case to KFA they ended up wasting three hours of her time by sending her from counter to counter. When she finally got another ticket and boarded the flight the boarding pass was torn by a staff named Vinay Podwal.

Wake up Sid! He might be hot and desirable but such an attitude is a definite no-no.

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Kareena to do intimate scenes for ‘Heroine’

Will boyfriend Saif object?

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor may have smooched and done some steamy scenes in her previous movies but after ‘Kurbaan’ the actress and her beau Saif Ali Khan had said they would refrain from such scenes on the big screen. So when Madhur Bhandarkar had asked her to perform some hot scenes in the much-awaited ‘Heroine’ with co-star Arjun Rampal she had put her foot down. But it seems finally Madhur has managed to have his way.

Insiders say that Kareena has agreed to get intimate with Arjun for a scene in the film where she first starts smoking and drinking and then ends up getting up, close and very personal with him. Apparently, the actress has discussed every detail of the scene with Bhandarkar and has been assured that it will be shot ‘aesthetically’ (but naturally!).

To ensure that things are smooth, Bhandarkar has reportedly even ensured that there would be very few people in the room and only a few assistants. Interestingly, news reports suggest that they have also been asked to sign a ‘confidentiality contract’.

Madhur himself preferred to remain tight-lipped about the entire issue and simply said that Kareena is a very professional actress. We guess that means she doesn’t say no to the director’s orders!

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A sequel to ‘Aashiqui’ planned

Mahesh Bhatt and Mohit Suri team up again to remake the musical

A still from 'Aashiqui'

Those who grew up in the 90s will remember ‘Aashiqui’ as one of the biggest hits of that era with fantastic music that is still popular. Twenty-one years later, the film that made stars out of Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal is back and is all set for a sequel.

Mahesh Bhatt, the director of the film, announced it saying, “21 years later, Bhushan Kumar and Mohit Suri have come together to dream the same dream that we did years ago. ‘Aashiqui 2’ will dare to rise up to the expectations ignited by this ageless musical and continue the legacy. It will be written by Shagufta Rafique and it is not a REMAKE!"

Mahesh added that ‘Aashiqui’ was a special movie for him since it was almost autobiographical and dealt with the story of his own first love. Apparently in 1991 Mahesh and Gulshan Kumar (the late T-series honcho and Bhushan Kumar’s father) had a pact wherein Gulshan asked the director to make a musical love story that will remain in the hears of every Indian for decades to come.

After 21 years, the magic of ‘Aashiqui’ is all set to win hearts all over again. Will this one be as big as the first one? Only time will tell!

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Is Vivek Oberoi`s career jinxed?

For the third time in the recent past, the actor has been unceremoniously ousted from a project.

Looks like Vivek Oberoi has lost yet another project. After losing out on Shiva's Bloody Paki, Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala, this time it is Bejoy Nambiar's second project David. Apparently the actor had problems with the role from the beginning.

The film is a three-story feature on three different characters all named David. Says our source, "Vivek had problems with his role from Day One. He kept wondering who were the actors playing the other roles. Then he even suggested that he play all three Davids. The suggestion was politely turned down by the director."

Finally, in a meeting held by the film's producers resulted in the decision to axe Vivek. Buzz is that efforts are on to replace Vivek with Neil Nitin Mukesh. While Vivek remained unavailable for comment, his business managers maintain he is still a part of the project.

Director Nambiar however said, "I can't say anything at the moment. My schedules for the film have gone for a toss. So I think there's some problem with Vivek's dates."

The others
The young debutant from Speedy Singh, Vinay Virmani, might be cast as one of the three Davids in the film.

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Bollywood's Flip-Flop Love Stories

 

Now that's what we call Pyaar ka Punchnama. The recent Deepika-Sidhartha-Sonam confusion has us wondering what's actually happening. So here are a few jumbles of this much talked-about love story of tinsel town. 2. Deepika - Ranbir Reunion Speculations. A few reports correlated the the split to the return of ex-beau Ranbir in Deepika's life. Even Ranbir's feet-touching gesture in an award ceremony fetched a lot of paparazzi attention and was interpreted as signal of reunion of the two. 3. Deepika - Nihar Patch Up While all this was still being figured out, rumour has it that Deepika has again found ex-beau Nihar Pandya's shoulder to cry on. Apparently, the model and struggling actor has also signed a movie movie inspired from his own split with Deepika. 4. Sidharth - Sonam Rumours Well if the latest rumors are to be believed, then the major cause behind Deepika-Mallya split is Mallya's evolving interest towards Sonam. Reports even suggest that Sid was often seen wooing Sonam with everything at his disposal. 5. Style Diva's Refusal Style diva Sonam's version of story says that this is one of the funniest things she has ever heard about herself. She is neither mad at (Punti Malhotra) nor dating anyone (Sidharth Mallya).

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No more action films, vows Kareena Kapoor

No more action-packed movies, says Kareena Kapoor, who has done daredevil stunts in the spy thriller "Agent Vinod", which is her boyfriend Saif Ali Khan's home production.

"I don't enjoy action films. I don't like action scenes and stunts. I like conversational and romantic films like 'Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu'. I am scared of action and gun shots. Saif used to get angry and say 'you can't do that'" said Kareena.

"No more action films for me, no more harness and no stunts at all! After 'Agent Vinod', I enjoy song and dance sequences much more," she added.

"Agent Vinod" is slated for a March 23 release.

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Bipasha`s Hollywood movie stalled

The actress' dream to go international comes crashing down as her film opposite Josh Hartnett is stalled for going over-budget.

It was the film she was banking on to launch her international career. But looks like Bipasha Basu's Hollywood dreams have hit a roadblock as her much talked about film Singularity is stalled indefinitely.

The film, which was elaborately shot in Rajasthan last year has apparently gone Rs 80 crore over-budget putting the producers in a fix.

Says a source, "There were financial issues in the film from the very beginning. Even when they were shooting in Australia there were money problems.

They finished the first two schedules of the film and then realised that a lot more money would be required to complete the rest of the shoot. Director Roland Joffe was hoping to resume shoot soon, but now it seems impossible."

The budget of the film at the moment is over R 150 crore, which is much higher than the estimated budget. Adds the source, "Singularity is a period drama and hence a very extravagant film.

To crunch the budget and hence cut down sequences would be out of question as it will not do justice to the script." Apart from Josh Hartnett and Neve Campbell, the rest of the cast includes Abhay Deol, Atul Kulkarni and Milind Gunaji.

And naturally they would all be looking forward to the film being finally made. The source adds, "At this point the producers are not just short of finance but are also under debt that cannot be repaid without the film being complete."

Buzz was that Bips had grand plans of bringing Josh Hartnett down to India for an extensive promotional campaign for the film. Also, Singularity was initially titled The Invaders and was supposed to star Aishwarya Rai and Vivek Oberoi.

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All fired up

Entrepreneur Atinirmal Pagarani on his foray into fashion from real estate

 

Atinirmal Pagarani is your typical man about town. He parties and socialises with the cream of Dubai with as much aplomb as he manages his multi-million dirham ventures in Dubai and beyond. The managing director of the Yogi Group might know all about the rather dry world of real estate and construction but that hasn’t stopped him from exploring his passions and venturing into new exciting though untested territories, like fashion and retailing! And the reason he is comfortable with both extremes is because of his willingness to push the envelope and become a student all over again before pursuing a new business.

Ati also has mastered the art of maintaining a delicate balance in life – at work and at home! As he believes, “It’s tough but what’s got to be done, has to be done!” The young entrepreneur shares his success formulas in a chat with Masala!

What were your childhood and formative years like?
My parents are originally from Mumbai but I was born and raised in Dubai. I completed my schooling from The Indian High School and lived for four years in the UK for my graduate and post-graduate studies. My childhood was like that of any other kid whose family had migrated from India. Dad came to this city almost five decades ago. He started his life as a janitor in Yamaha Motors but gradually he worked his way up and became very successful.

I was the youngest of five kids and very pampered! My parents believed in showing their love for me through food. The result was that at one point I weighed nearly 140 kgs! Even today, my friends and family members are curious to know how I lost all that weight (laughs)!

My formative years were a lot of fun – travelling all over the world, indulging in crazy adventures and killing myself in the gym to get into shape!

Can you tell us a little about your work?
Well, I am the MD of Yogi Group (dad being the Chairman and my elder brother, the Deputy Chairman). Our group basically does anything and everything to a property except perhaps demolish it (laughs)!

Jokes apart, we are involved in all aspects of real estate – from buying, selling or leasing properties and constructing and maintaining them to facilities management, buying and selling of building materials, interior works and more. The group has now branched into the fashion and food industry. My work is very diverse and also demands a lot of travelling as we are currently active in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Mumbai, Riyadh and Jubail.

Yogi Group has had a remarkable success story. How did it start and grow to such an extent?
The group was started by my dad, Ghanshyam J Pagarani almost five decades ago. Our first venture was real estate. Dad was a very social person and he had close ties with several local families in the city. These families would often seek his help in leasing properties to Indians who had migrated to Dubai. Initially, he did it to merely help his friends but later thought of turning it a business. He always believed it was better to be your own boss than work for someone else! Thus Yogi Real Estate and Hassan Abdulla Darwesh Real Estate came into being.

In a few years he decided to broaden his horizons and start constructing buildings instead of just leasing or selling existing ones. It was simply a case of backward integration and soon we branched into companies dealing with trading and construction of building materials, leasing of equipment and so on. That’s how the ball began to roll!

What challenges did you face when you were setting up all these companies?
Since each company dealt with different activities, it was quite challenging to strike a balance. But it was also interesting as each division of the Yogi Group demanded a different approach thereby making life fresh and adventurous. We Pagaranis don’t know what monotony and boredom with one style of work is (laughs)! It does get tricky at times but we need to maintain a balance. If we have been successful in doing so, it’s largely due to our very efficient staff.

You recently tied up with Anjalee & Arjun Kapoor. What is it like working in the fashion industry after making a mark in the real estate and construction sector?
Fashion has always interested me but more from a buyer or shopper’s point of view. Styling family and close friends came naturally. I guess I have an eye for good fashion! I think I was almost destined to get into this industry.

Anjalee & Arjun Kapoor have been good friends and they always wanted to have a presence in the Middle Eastern market. They kept visiting Dubai to check out potential retail spaces with me. Gradually we decided to get into this together. I had to train myself and learn a lot about the retail business for I didn’t want to promise and not deliver. So I worked really hard to pick up the nuances of the business and fortunately things fell into place. I would not call it a shift as everything is running smoothly. I would say it was simply meant to be.

Working in the fashion industry has been fun but it’s also challenging and extremely competitive. The figures are way different when you compare it to construction or real estate but then again fashion is a passion and you cannot think about figures and numbers all the time!

I found it easier to get into this sector as I am a social person and the industry suited me. Being out there, being available, observant, critical, selective and open to changes with time has made it more exciting to be in this field.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
I would just advise them to do lots and lots of homework before stepping into anything new. Blindly getting into any venture because everyone else is doing it, is simply not worth it.

Prayers and hard work equals success. Whenever you are starting something new, put in all that you have and some day it will show positive results. Another important quality is patience, especially while working in competitive markets like the Middle East.

I must re-emphasise the importance of having good staff. Be extremely selective about who you recruit, it makes all the difference between the success and failure of your venture. Finally, start a business because you want to, not because you have to.

How do you handle the stress that comes with a role at your level?
Stress is a part and parcel of life, whatever sector you are in. I try to deal with problems by maintaining a disciplined diet, getting regular exercises and ensuring I have a peaceful, drama-free personal life! I make sure to be there for my family whenever they need me. I also have a good social circle and believe in taking holidays from time to time!

I feel it’s very important to take care of your health if you want to be truly stress-free. Everything else follows if you are physically and mentally fit. What is the point of earning all that money if you end up using it on medicines or hospital bills?

Where do you see yourself five years from now?
God willing, I hope to see myself equally happy five years from now as I am today. The future is a mystery and I would rather wait for it than worry about it and ruin my present! I am quite spiritual and feel God has something in mind for me and it’s for the best. Whatever has to happen five years from now will be better or as good!

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Sexiness lies in confidence: Sameera Reddy

Sameera Reddy believes that sexiness lies in the confidence and the attitude of a person. The sassy actor has never shied away from the cameras, no matter what.

Proud of her nickname -- Sexy Sam -- she says, "I am muhfaat (out spoken). I say whatever I feel, bindaas.

Some people just don't seem to get this aspect of being sexy right. No matter how much you show off, if you don't know how to confidently converse with the people around you, then it's a complete disaster.

"She adds, "Many say I have a really husky and deep voice and that they find it very sexy." Well Sam, we like it too!

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Pinky Punjabi to sizzle India

Move over Sheila, Munni, and Jalebi Bai!! Move over Chikni Chameli!!!

Presenting Pinky Punjabi, the new IT girl in Bollywood!! She will soon grab the attention of the entire nation!

The very hot and sexy Mandy Takhar, who plays lead in the upcoming movie Bumboo, will play the part of Pinky Punjabi, the sizzling hot item girl in the movie, to turn the heat on!!

With extremely captivating music and lyrics, the makers are sure that Pinky Punjabi will soon become as big as Chikni Chameli and definitely overshadow the hit item songs of the past year.

Now with all the hype about Pinky, we are waiting with anticipation for the item song to be released. The makers of Bumboo have released the 1st poster of the movie on 21st January, 2012.

Bumboo is the remake of French cult comedy movie based on the original story “L'emmerdeur” by Francis Veber. The movie ‘Bumboo’ has been directed by Jagdish Rajpurohit and produced by RCL Motion Pictures.

Bumboo will be released in the summer of 2012.

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Aishwarya Rai attends Riteish-Genelia's wedding reception

	view RITEISH-GENELIA'S STAR-STUDDED WEDDING RECEPTION picture gallery

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan may have kept herself busy with all the motherly duties post her delivery and was missing from many big Bollywood events. But, the gorgeous actress attended Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia D'Souza's wedding reception held at Hotel Grand Hyatt.

The gorgeous actress wore a beautiful green-blue 'anarkali' dress, a Manish Malhotra creation. However what caught our attention was Aishwarya's chubbiness, which she obviously acquired due to her motherhood. Nevertheless, the lady still looked dazzling as ever.


She arrived at the venue with her paa-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and maa-in-lawJaya Bachchan. Hubby Abhishek Bachchan was missing from the event.

Hopefully the lady makes more public appearances for her fans!

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Veena Malik doesn`t represent entire Pakistan: Ali Zafar

Pakistani actress Veena Malik is controversy's favourite child but it would be unfair to judge the entire country on the basis of what she does in India, actor-singer Ali Zafar says.

"You have to understand that she's an individual and you can't judge the entire community on the basis of one person's behaviour. You shouldn't even judge Pakistan through me. The whole Pakistan is not like Ali Zafar or Veena Malik," Ali told IANS.

"And such individuals are there in very entertainment industry. In India also there are women who ride on controversies. It happens everywhere. It happens even in Hollywood," he added.

Veena came to limelight after her link up with tainted Pakistani bowler Mohammad Asif. She rose to fame in India after appearing in the fourth season of controversial reality show "Bigg Boss".

Ever since she has been making headlines for her alleged link up with her "Bigg Boss" inmate, actor Ashmit Patel, or her sudden disappearance while shooting for the Bollywood movie "Mumbai 125 kilometres".

Ali says he makes sure he doesn't do anything that gives a bad name to his country.

"I pay all my taxes. I make sure all paper work is in place and streamlined. I want to work in a manner so that I stay away from controversies," he said.

"Whatever films I do, I make sure that I don't do scenes or say dialogues or do stuff that could hurt people back home. In my capacity, I try and keep everyone happy but that's just me. Everybody has their own style of working," he added.

For Ali, being controversial is not the best method to boost one's career.

"It's unfortunate...I think one should avoid controversies as long as possible, they may help you in the short run, but I don't think those who are talented need controversies to boost their career," he said.

"It's always good to stay away so that you can work smoothly. You try to stay away from trouble for your own sake and for the sake of other people. I think anybody who comes from there (Pakistan) to here (India) should be cautious and conscious, otherwise it puts others into bad light," he added.


After making a name in his home country with his albums, Ali forayed into Bollywood with debutant director Abhishek Sharma's "Tere Bin Laden" (2010), which won him critical acclaim from all over.

He was later seen in Yash Raj's "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and right now he is looking forward to the release of his new Hindi film "London Paris New York", which hits the silver screen March 2.

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