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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Ayesha fumes over misbehaviour of Kingfisher Airlines staff

Actress Ayesha Takia has expressed her strong-worded displeasure over alleged misdemeanor on part of the ground staff of Kingfisher Airlines with her younger sister Natasha at Delhi airport this evening.

"The worst airline, Kingfisher!!!shockingly baddddddddddd airport staff behavior at Delhi airport with my sister. We are going to take serious action against this and go to court with it, let the law handle it, so that this does not happen to any girl again (sic)," the fuming actress tweeted.

"Is this how a girl alone at an airport gets treated by the staff of the airline she is flying. She is unwell and has a horrible backache, can't believe this happened to her right now. My heart is beating so fast with anger that a girl at an airport gets treated this way by airport staff! He is at the kingfisher counter (sic)," she said.

Throwing more light on the incident, Ayesha, who was paired opposite Salman Khan in Bollywood flick 'Wanted', said a staffer of the Kingfisher Airlines tore boarding pass of her younger sibling at the airport.

"Kingfisher staff Vinay Podwal just threatened and yelled at my sister saying he can throw anyone out and TORE her boarding pass! This disgustingly behaved Kingfisher staff called Vinay podwal just tore my sister's boarding pass and misbehaved with her. How can this happen? How dare this Vinay Podwal misbehave with a passenger and tear her boarding pass? It could be any one of u think about it (sic)," she said on the microblogging site.

Ayesha's tweet however is silent on the cause behind the incident. Responding to Ayesha's tweet, Sidhartha Mallya, son of Chairman of Kingfisher Airlines Vijay Mallya raised doubts over the actress' claim.

"Been getting tweets about Ayesha Takia & KFA. Not too sure who she is, an actor of some sorts?? But it seems something has upset her," Sidhartha Mallya tweeted.

"Don't know why Ayesha Takia is tweeting so much when she wasn't even present. There are always two sides to a story. Pipe down love," he said.

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Veena Malik says she will star in British film

Pakistani actress Veena Malik has revealed that she has been signed for a 'powerful' role in a British film.

"I am getting many offers from across the globe. Recently, a UK film team was in Dubai and I was shortlisting a few offers that would suit me. I have zeroed in on a few fashion projects and a film," the Mirror quoted her as telling a newspaper.

She added that she couldn't "reveal more at the moment".

The actress has always been at the centre of a controversy, with the latest being a co-actress accusing Malik of assaulting her in a fight scene for 'Mumbai 125 Kilometres'.

Malik faced an even bigger storm last year when ostensibly nude photos of her appeared on the cover of the Indian edition of FHM magazine. She also had the letters ISI stencilled on her arm, representing Pakistan's powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

The pictures caused a huge uproar in Malik's home country with her reportedly receiving death threats, and her father saying that he had disowned her.

Although the magazine claimed that the photos were genuine, the actress said that they had airbrushed off the thong she was wearing when the pictures were shot.

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Katrina getting too big for her boots?

She is being accused of laying down a lot of rules apparently irking some industry folk. The actress defends herself...

Buzz about some of our top stars getting a little too demanding doesn't always come as a surprise. However, a few otherwise amiable actors too are following in the footsteps of their seniors.

And it's Katrina Kaif's name that is currently doing the rounds. Apparently, Kat has rubbed not just one but three Bollywood folk the wrong way.

Ousting cinematographer Ravi K Chandran?
According to the industry grapevine, apparently Katrina recently got ace cinematographer Ravi K Chandran replaced in a commercial.

Chandran recently tweeted about his ousting by a certain actress from the industry, which was followed by sympathising tweets from his followers, including Sonam Kapoor.

Buzz is that Katrina insisted on having good friend Ayananka Bose shoot the ad. Apparently, the actress' reasoning was that Bose shot her best from all angles. However, the ace cinematographer chose to maintain a dignified silence when we contacted him.

He said, "Nothing like that happened. It's a wrong story." When probed about the messages on his Twitter page, Chandran didn't respond.

Miffing Karan Johar?
Buzz was that Karan Johar didn't take it lightly when Katrina kept director Ayaan Mukerji waiting before finally saying no to his production Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani opposite Ranbir Kapoor.

An industry source points out, "That's when Ayaan and Karan cast Deepika Padukone in the movie. Karan wasn't too pleased. So to appease him, she instantly agreed to do the Chikni Chameli item song in Agneepath."

Saying no to Prakash Jha
To further make things right with KJo, Kat rejected Prakash Jha's Chakravyuh in favour of Karan's Dostana 2. The actress apparently wanted to keep her onscreen pairing with Abhishek Bachchan exclusive.

Our source adds, "Also, she was upset with reports of Prakashji praising Deepika's dubbing for Aarakshan. That's what prompted stories about how she had also dubbed very well for Raajneeti, specially her long speeches, besides working hard to give her best performance for the political drama."

Katrina says...
Talking about her alleged refusal to do Jha's next, Katrina says, "I've not yet been offered the film. So the question of refusing it for any reason doesn't arise."

About ousting Chandran, the actress who is currently shooting in Cuba for Ek Tha Tiger clarifies, "Recently I shot another ad with Raviji. I've never interfered in the setting of a team and never will. As a professional, I go to the sets, shoot the commercials and leave after pack-up."

About rejecting Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and then doing her Chikni Chameli act to appease KJo, the actress says, "I don't know why it's being brought up again now. There are no problems between me and Ayaan or Karan."

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