Emraan headed to Hollywood

Emraan Hashmi has certainly come a long way. From a time when the tag of 'serial kisser' refused to leave him and his name was associated solely with a certain kind of cinema, the actor is now counted among the film industry's A-listers. If rumours are to be believed, he has been approached for a significant role in an upcoming Hollywood film by Academy Award winning director Danis Tanovic. The Bosnian-Belgain film director and screen-writer is best known for his 2001 film No Man's Land. His most recent films include the 2009 Triage starring Colin Farrell, Paz Vega and Christopher Lee and the 2010 Cirkus Columbia starring Miki Manojlovi and Mira Furlan.
     A source told Mirror, "Emraan was just wrapping up a schedule of his upcoming film when his team got a call from the production house. After a formal call from the production house. After a formal discussion over the phone, Tanovic is believed to have taken the first flight to India to discuss the project with the actor."
    Emraan has had a fabulous run in recent times, what with hits like Jannat 2 and Shanghai in his kitty. If he lands this film, it would be the biggest project in his career so far. Just recently, we had also reported the actor plans to start his own production house.

     According to the source, Tanovic and Emraan met on the 23rd of this month. After a rather long discussion, they both had a smile on their faces. Apparently, Emraan is also planning to treat Danis to some delectable Indian food before he leaves the country. Emraan remained unavailable for comment.

Sanju's political break

He's had a brief stint before; first as a candidate and later as general secretary of the Samajwadi Party. And while Sanjay Dutt would have us believe that entering politics was a mistake, the actor is back in action in the political arena. So much so, he took a short break in between shooting for the Hindi remake of the Tamil hit Saamy and promoting his eagerly awaited next Son of Sardar only so that he could campaign for the Congress in Himachal Pradesh.

     A source told Mirror, "Sanjay reached Himachal on October 26 to campaign for the Congress. As Sunil Dutt was a very senior and admired politician of the party and his son Sanjay is very popular, his presence made a lot of difference."
     Political obligations fulfilled, the actor is back in the city as of yesterday to further his professional interests.

Now a film on Hindu ganglands

Forbidden themes seem to be her forte. And so, taking her bold filmmaking a step further, Ekta Kapoor will team up with Sanjay Gupta to make another crime thriller; this time round based on Hindu gangs and gang wars in Maharashtra. Not only is this a never-before-tackled gangland subject, S Hussain Zaidi, on whose book Dongri to Dubai, Shoot At Wadala is based, will be writing the novel while Gupta will be writing the film's script.

     Gupta confirmed the news and said, "The film on Hindu gangs in Maharashtra is entirely Ekta's brainchild. She commissioned Hussain Zaidi to write the book on the subject and commissioned me to write the script based on the novel and to direct it." Gupta is currently in consultation with his legal team to ensure the film doesn't land Ekta and him in trouble. And, we hear John Abraham will be playing Sachin Aahir in it.

Barrymore to launch her own makeup line

Drew Barrymore is reportedly set to launch her own makeup line.
    The Charlie's Angels star, who has been the face of the American cosmetics brand Cover Girl since 2007, is teaming up with Italian firm Intercos to create her own beauty collection for a U.S. retailer.

    According to a leading journal, Barrymore will not announce news of the partnership until January (13), when her spokesperson contract expires with CoverGirl's parent company Procter and Gamble.
    The actress, who gave birth to her first child Olive last month (Sep12), will not be the first celebrity to venture into the makeup world-Mexican beauty Salma Hayek and reality TV star lauren Conrad each have their own ranges.

MJ's estate sued for $24 million

Michael Jackson's estate is being sued for $24 million. A music producer claims that his amount is due to his involvement in the late singer's posthumously released track This is It, and is suing both Jackson's estate and the track's co-writer Paul Anka.

     Michael Jonzun has filed the lawsuit in the US, claiming he helped turn Paul and Michael's 1983 song I Never Heard into the track This is It. He says he owns a third of This is It, but has never been paid for his efforts.
     Singer and songwriter Paul was dismissive of the claims, telling a leading website, he'd never even heard of Jonzun and his claims are "B.S."
     Paul has said the track was originally recorded in 1983 and intended to be a duet between him and Jackson on his Walk a Fine Line album as I Never Heard, but the project fell through.
    

KJo to complete what his father had started

The filmmaker's next, a period romance was actually Yash Johar's idea, for which he visited Lahore

Student of the Year was a risky proposition for Karan Johar, by his own admission. But the game has paid off, what with the film doing well at the box office. But rather than rest on his laurels, Kjo has laready moved on to his next.

    It is a project that is very close to his heart; says the filmmaker, a love story his father, the late Yash Johar, had envisaged and researched on. Says KJo, "It's period love story and it's script I have had for the past eight years. In fact, my father had researched the film. He had gone to Lahore for three months before he passed away. After his demise, I had such an emotional attachment with the script that I couldn't bring myself to work on it."
    Instead of working on his father's unfinished project, he got busy making Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and the script remained untouched. However, the story and the idea refused to let go of him. "The story kept coming back to me. It's an epic romance and my friends who've heard it kept telling me to make a film based on it. So after SOTY released, I decided I had to make this film."
     Karan plans to fly out by end November just to write the script and will start shooting the film by November next year. In the last eight years or so, this is perhaps his quickest return to his original role of director.
     "My father would have been baffled with everything I have achieved in the last eight years," says the prolific director-producer."I am proud to say I have launched 10 filmmakers with a success ratio of 80 percent. My father always wanted the company to grow bigger and make Dharma Productions a brand to reckon with. I guess I did a lot of it very fast, and he would have been very proud had he been alive,"says Karan.
    Apart from this labour of love, there's a lot else happening in Karan's life. The filmmaker's new house is ready and Ritesh Deshmukh, who has done up the interiors, is busy lending finishing touches.
    Asked if he is the proud owner of an entire building, he quips, "Itna lucky nahi hoon main. I have bought the top two floors of the building which is at Carter Road.My pad  has a view of the sea and mom always wanted that!" The actor plans to move in along with his mother within the next three months.

Ajay nursing old wounds?

There has been considerable speculation over whether Ajay Devgn and his producers Eros have been asked to push the release of Son of Sardar to avoid clashing with Jab Tak Hai Jaan. The clash is inevitable, though the BO verdict could swing eitherway. But what has sent tongues wagging is Ajay's absence from Yash Chopra's funeral and prayer meets.And while his PR managers insist, it was because he has been busy with his film's post production and travelling a fair bit, fact remains, he was pretty much in town when almost all of the industry and every able bodied member of the fraternity made it a point to be there for Yash Chopra's last rites. Even an ailing Shashi Kapoor in his wheel chair made it to the solemn occasion. And while Devgn's team insist he was ably represented by Kajol and the rest of the family members, the dissident voices seem to get louder.

    Incidentally Devgn's clash with YRF goes back to his debut film Phool Aur Kaante which hit the theatres the same day as Lamhe.Both were 1991 Diwali releases. And Ajay never worked with Yash Chopra or the banner he founded and nurtured. Neither was the actor seen at any event hosted by the Chopras.
    While it didn't matter all this while, the coincidences are too much to ignore.

    An insider spoke up in Ajay's defence: "He has never been close to the Chopras but he never let that affect his wife Kajol's equation with them. When Yash-ji's last prayer meet was being held in Mumbai, Ajay was busy with the post-production of Son of Sardar at Film City as there is hardly any time left for the film's release. Hence, he couldn't make it to the prayer meet. The film is ready and the promotions have already been planned so it would be very wrong to postpone it at the nth hour."

TV still eludes Deo's film

It's been a year since the film got stuck at the Censor Board. So what's going wrong.

    Mirror broke the news of how Delhi Belly, which hit theatres on July 1, 2011, had reportedly been denied a U/A certification by the censor board for its TV premiere. Despite director Abhinay Deo's attempts to re-edit and re-dub the content of the film to suit the guidelines of TV censorship, the board has been adamant about their decision to stall the satellite release. A year down the line, the films is still waiting for its small screen debut.
    Mirror has learnt that Aamir's office approached the Revising Committee to clear the Hindi version about two weeks ago. According to sources, Aamir even re-dubbed several portions of the film to make it fit for universal viewing on national television. But to no avail.

    Though the Revising Committee greenlighted the English version after significant chop and change, the Hindi version is still considered too bold for Indian TV, say sources. However, there are no takers for the English version and Aamir has reportedly shown keen interest in towing the Revising Committee's line in order to take his film to the audience.
    Aamir Khan and UTV Motion Pictures (the co-producers of Delhi Belly) remained unavailable for comment.

Sallu to keep his hands off Bebo

Dabangg 2's item song will see no physical intimacy between them

Come November 5, and Kareena Kapoor will start shooting her item song for Dabangg 2 along with Salman Khan. Although the number is titled Fevicol, it will have none of the anticipated physical proximity between the two stars.

    On the contrary, choreographer Farah Khan has been categorically asked to keep Kareena and Salman completely apart in the song. And before jumping to any conclusions about who might have thrown in such a no-intimacy clause (could it be the newly-wed Kareena's inlaws?), it may come as a surprise to know that Salman's is the face behind Farah's brief.
    We've learnt the actor demanded that the raunchiness in the item number be toned down because he has always seen Kareena as Kasrisma Kapoor's younger sister. Post her marriage to Saif Ali Khan, he has become even more protective toward his co-star's kid sister.
    A source close to Salman told Mirror, "There are absolutely no post-martial do's and dont's for Kareena. She is free to do what she likes. There are no restrictions on her. The women in the Pataudi family whether it is Sharmila or Soha, are free to do what they think is right and Kareena is no exception. The decision to keep the item song at a fun-but-decorous level comes from Salman himself."
    Apparantely, Salman wanted the item song with Kareena to be done discreetly right from the beginning. "And after the wedding, he is even more conscious of his co-star Lolo's baby sister Bebo being Mrs Kapoor Khan," the source said. Salman was faced with a similar situation earlier in Dabangg, when he had to shoot the Munni Badnaam number with his sister-in-law Malaika Arora Khan.
    Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that both the projects Kareena has signed after marriage - the item song in Dabangg 2 and the female lead in Prakash Jha's Satsang - are essentially 'stand-alone' roles. In Dabangg 2, she will perform the item number in Salma's company without the two of them getting too close for comfort. Whereas in Satsang, she is paired with Ajay Devgan but they share no intimate moments.
    On the subject of the item song in Dabangg 2, Arbaaz Khan refused to comment on the way it will be shot. Farah Khan remained unavailable for comment.

Shahid teases Ileana, calls her Ranbir's gal

She made her Hindi film debut alongside Ranbir Kapoor in Anurag Basu's Barfi! And now Ileana D'cruz is all set to start shooting for Raj Kumar Santoshi's Phata Poster Nikla Hero where she is paired with Shahid Kapoor.
   Apparently, Ileana and Shahid got along like a house on fire during the film's rehearsals. Which is probably why Shahid has been addressing Ileana as 'Ranbir's girl'....

    A source from the sets told Mirror, "Ileana had a great time working with Ranbir on Barfi! Shes shared some of those experiences with Shahid, who has now started teasing her as 'Ranbir's girl'. Shahid is being plain mischievous. Besides, Ileana knows only two actors so well; one being Ranbir and the other Shahid."

'Fiction is the only reality'

Oscar-winning director Ang Lee talks to Kunal Pradhan about his films, his inspirations, and his philosophy

Life, death. Water, sky. Man, tiger. Strength, fear. Body, soul. Reality, abstract. Under the tarp, over the tarp. For 10 years, ever since he first read Yann Martel's Life of Pi, these conflicting ideas kept haunting Ang Lee.
   Elements from the book would come to him in flashes, enticing hime to convert it into films. But he felt daunted. He thought the story of man and beast drifting on the Pacific was too profound, too spiritual. He thought the visuals he would have to create would be too expensive, too impractical.
   Then, after being wooed by the studio for months, Lee finally said yes. But what he knew about cinema was not going to be enough to tell this story. "It wasn't something that could be captured in 2D. It needed a third dimension," he tells Mumbai Mirror.

   Lee, 58, hair more salt than peper, is sitting in a five-star banquet hall that's been converted into a makeshift interview room. His eyes are gentle and inviting. His voice drops so low every few seconds that you have to strain to hear. He keeps moving his hands to communicate visually.
   "I understood that the 3D needed to be treated as a new medium that could capture more than what I'd been able to do so far using traditional cameras. Not just the images on the screen, it needed to enhance the emotion."
    What Lee is saying is a far cry from how he first fell in love with cinema, as an 18-year-old Art School student in Taiwan, watching the minimalistic masters of early Arthouse. The film that changed his life was Ingmar Bergman's Virgin Spring.
    "It's was so quiet, so serene, so beautiful, and yet so violent. I remember watching the film once, and then sitting down to see it again. Ingmar Bergman took my virginity. He robbed me of my innocence."
    Thirty-five years later, Lee would meet Bergman for the first time. "It was a pristine setting. Bergman got up to hug me. he was frail, in his late 80s. His hug was soft and feminine. I felt I was hugging the woman who had stolen my youth."
    Lee says that all the decisions he's made along his long and diverse journey - starting with his Chinese trilogy of Pushing Hands, Wedding Banquet and Eat Drink Man Woman to Sense and Sensibility, to The Ice Storm, to his Oscar winners Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain, to Lust, Caution and even the oddball in his filmography, Hulk - have been based on whether they would help him better understand human behaviour.
    When he won the best-director Oscar in 2006, Lee thanked the two imaginary Wyoming cowboys, Jack and Ennis, for teaching him about life. They were characters his own screenwriters had brought to life but, to Lee, they meant more than anything tangible. "The only reality is fiction," he says. "People come and go but stories stay behind. They tell us about life because, in them, there is no pretense. Human beings try to hide things about themselves but fiction lays everything bare."
    The important thing for a director to know, Lee says, is that he's not creating cinema. he's initiating it. "There is an idea, then a group of people come together, and something is born. As the man in charge, I have to pretend to know what I'm doing.But in reality, I wake up every morning and pray to the Movie God, who tells me where the film wants to go. My job is to help it along that path.
'A director knows that he doesn't create cinema, he initiates it
    "Filmmakers are like racehorses. The gate open, and we bolt. It's the producers and the film studios that rein us in, and try to keep us on the track. Otherwise we'd run amuck."
    Irrfan Khan who is the older Pi in Life of Pi, says an Ang Lee film set is tranquil, almost meditative. His cinematographer from Brokeback Mountain and Lust, Caution, Rodrigo Prieto, describes it as an excavation site in which they're always digging deeper.
   During the filming of Lust, Caution, the 2007 espionage thriller set in Shanghai, the brutal sexual encounters between Mr Yee(played by Tony Leung) and his mistress Chia Chi (played by Wei Tang) got so intense that Prieto would start weeping on set, and Lee would cry back at the hotel.
   "It was a strange movie for me because I'm normally a shy person,"Lee says. "But I made it because I wanted to discover the essence of life. I wanted to discover the essence of life. I wanted to known that if sex, which is such a basic act, is all about performance, what is real?"
    In the scenes, one character was being humiliated sexually, and another character was pushing her to lower levels of debasement. "I would cry because, as the director, I was both the characters. Both the actors in the scene were me. I had no option but to break down."
    It's this link between actor and director that perhaps gives Lee his greatest strength. "The more I direct, the more I talk to actors, I tell them it's not about their performance. They're revealing something. They have to think of the scene as a revelation rather than just saying their lines or doing something."
    When Irrfan first met Lee at his office, for example, he cribbed about his role in the HBO series In Treatment, where he played a depressed psychiatric patient. Irrfan told Lee that he was disturbed by the part, and that he just wanted the filming to end. "But you're an actor," Lee shot back, "this is what you do."
    Sixteen years before that, Lee had made his breakthrough film, the Jane Austen drama Sense and Sensibility, using that same philosophy. "I only spoke broken English so I would concentrate on making things look pretty. Slowly it started becoming my film. When it got nominated for seven Oscars, I thought, if I can pull this off, I can do anything."
     Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, in contrast, was born out of material Lee was perfectly familiar with. He sometimes calls it his childhood fantasy, and sometimes his feedback to grown up watching, and on the Taiwanese Opera films of the '80s. People who have a background in both genres don't alays like it because it breaks a lot of rules. But to an international audience that doesn't have the same reference point, it works."
'I can't make a movie that's a comedy or a thriller but reveals nothing else. perhaps that is the difference between a good storyteller and a quality filmmaker
    Lee says his only intention when he's making a film is to leave his audience with a taste. Something they cannot explain that starts to manifest itself as the movie is evolving, and then, towards the end, gently appears on their palate. "I want them to remember that taste even after they've forgotten everything else about the film."
    Having traversed the mountains of Wyoming with gay cowboys, the forests of the Qing dynasty with Zen masters, the mansions of 18th century England with ladies in costume, and the streets of war-torn Shanghai in vintage sedans, the only kind of film that scares him is one that has no meaning. "I can't make a movie that's a comedy or a thriller but reveals nothing else,"he says. "Perhaps that is the difference between a good storyteller and a quality filmmaker. Not just laugh and cry, I want to make my audience think and feel.
     "Every film is a question. You're making it because you want to find the answer. But there are no answers to be found. The day we can answer all of life's questions, there will be no more cinema." 

Who's scared of Sallu bhai?

Certainly not Sapna Bhavnani, the hairstylist whose cuss words aimed at the star sent the reality show's producers scurrying for cover

Morning shows the day.And in the house of Bigg Boss, the opening night pretty much sets the tone of the rest of the reality show. Celebrity hairstylist, the much-tattooed and much-outspoken Sapna Bhavnani, had made it clear that unlike most of the inmates, she was not a Salman- baiter, but positioned herself firmly on the other side of the fence.

    In her introductory episode she rattled off the names of her clients, and teased Salman whether he knew Katrina. But what was perhaps contained by decorum was a torrent over the weekend when the platinum blonde vented her feelings about the show's ridiculously popular host. And none of it was flattering, to say the least. Sapna's strongly worded comments, which could have earned the show a healthy TRP, rattled the producers Endemol so much that they decided to play it safe. Sources confirmed the scathing attack on Sallu has been chopped off and the audience will not get a taste of Sapna's fury.
    Sapna's outburst, it seems was brought about by Salman countering her claims that she was not on the show for the prize money. In an earlier episode the star took pot shots at her saying, "If you are not here to play the game, are you on a picnic at a resort?" Sallu's gentle and not-so-gentle rebukes and his say in the matters of the house has become an intrinsic party of the show.And the star evidently enjoys his role playing-switching between big brother, mentor, patriarch, conscience keeper, moral police and entertainer.

    But obviously Sapna is not amused. "Koi haq nahi banta har hafte sabki bezzati kartye rahe har Friday. Kyunki aap mujhe paisa dete ho mai aapki bullshit sunti rahoongi har Friday?" she reportedly thundered in full view of the all-seeing cameras.
    Sapna dared Salman to kick her out of the show, saying she was not someone the star could bully into submission. And to drive home her point, she called him a 'serial woman-beater' before letting off a volley of cuss words. And if that was enough, she let the world know what exactly she thought of his paint brush skills: "If I win the show, I shall buy his painting and gift it to him."
     Sources from the show confirmed that this was probably the first time in the six seasons of Bigg Boss that a contestant has locked horns with the host. Well, considering Salman's history with those who dared to needle him, as long as Sapna does not call a press conference or take a dig at his failed romance in any restobar, she is safe.

SAPNA'S SHOCKERS(Deleted from October 28 EPISODE)
>Koi haque nahi banta har hafte sabki bezzati karte rahe..har Friday.Kyunki aap mujhe paisa dete ho, mai aapki bullsh**sunti rahoongi har Friday? Nahi, main yeh nahi karoongi.
>Nikal doh mujhe. Main yahan pachchas lakh ke liye nahin aayi hoon. Mujhe darr nahi lagta hai ki aap mujhe darra sakte ho aisa baat karke. If he says things, so can I.
>Main usko boloon ki maine kitni baar sunna hai ki usne aurat par haath uthaya hai? (At this point, she lets out a volley of cusswords)
>If I win the show, I shall buy painting and gift it to him.

Ladies special for Yash-ji

The grand premiere of Jab Tak Hai Jaan on November 12 will see all the heroines who ever worked with the late filmmaker gather on one platform

While the film industry is yet to come to grips with Yash Chopra's demise, his bereaved a 'grand' premiere for the veteran filmmaker's last offering Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

    Scheduled for November 12, the event will see the who's who of the industry and more importantly,all heroines who have ever worked with the late director through his carrer.
    Incidentally, the reaction to this big announcement is one of aurprise considering a majority of the leading film families had decided not to celebrate Diwali as a mark of respect to the man who defined romance in mainstream Hindi cinema.
    A leading producer- distributor known to host lavish Diwali parties said, "We had decided to call off our Diwali celebrations. But then we heard Yashji's family is planning a lavish premiere for Jab Tak Hai Jaan. If the family is not averse to a celebration (for whatever reason), then we see no logic in cancelling our annual Diwali rituals."
     Said Rakesh Roshan,"We'll do the pooja at home and meet our relatives and friends. That's it." Most people including the Bachchans, Shabana and Javed, and the Kapoor Khandaan (Randhir, Rishi and family) are now planning on a subdued celebration. A member of the Kapoor family said,"Not because with him gone,we genuinely don't feel like going wild over this Diwali."
     Then again, everyone associated with YRF is gearing up for the Jab Tak Hai Jaan premiere. Actors and filmmakers who are excepted to be out of the country will now resume their presence at the do.
     A friend of the Chopras said, "All the heroines who ever worked with Yashji, from Mala Sinha and Sadhana, to Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee to Madhuri Dixit and Anushka Sharma, will be there at the premiere. I think they are planning a special tribute to the heroines of Yash Chopra."

'We had 12 sarees for Switzerland'
At an event held at Yash Raj Studios on Monday, SRK along with his leading ladies Katrina and Anushka shared some interesting anecdotes about the film.
Said Anushka, who made her debut with the banner, "My father doesn't watch too many films. One day, I spotted him watching TV and crying. I didn't speak to him that time but afterward, he told me he was watching Veer Zara."
Katrina recalled the Swiss schedule saying Manish Malhotra had made 12 sarees and Yash Chopra had already planned a water sequence with her and Shah Rukh. "We were joking about the lakes being cold," the actress said. The highpoint of the do was the food served to the media. The spread comprised chicken tikka, chicken reshmi, paratha, chole, jalebi and rabdi-all of which were the late director's favourites.

Parvarrish -Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi

In today's day and age, one of the key challenges that our society faces is 'Parenting'. With modernisation and the influence of western culture, parents have to adapt and adhere to certain ways of upbringing, safeguarding their children's best interests. Keeping this in mind, Sony Entertainment Television through its show Parvarrish - Luck Khatti Kuchh Meethi has placed its finger on the pulse of its viewers to explore the various facets of parenting styles adapted by parents.

     In the show so far, the viewers have seen two distinct styles of parenting. Sweety palyed by Shweta Tiwari, is a domineering mother who is a control freak by nature, while pinky played by Rupali Ganguly is an endearing and affectionate mother. In the coming days, viewers will witness yet another unique style of modern day parenting through the character of Mandira played by none other than Kamya Punjabi. Mandira is a confident and doting mother. She is a complete woman of substance who has a very liberal thought process and believes in the American school of parenting.
     She is a go-getter by nature with an extremely positive attitude. As a mother, she believes in attributing tremendous faith and giving her child his space. She believes in befriending her child rather than reprimanding and making him feel low in self-esteem. As an individual, she believes it is always good to live and let live and has a very carefree but encouraging attitude in life. She is one who believes in her child and is of the opinion that is you are capable and confident of doing something, then nothing can stop you from achieving it. She doesn't believe in reminiscing in the past, for life is too short and one should enjoy it to the max.
      She indoctrinates the quality of believing and having faith in oneself to achieve one's goal.
      A delighted Kamya said "Parvarrish is a show where I am sure every parent would connect to the characters. I too was before joining it! I am enjoying myself as I am working with the rest of the cast. They all are superb. It's like having another family."
      So which style of parenting is best suited for children in today's generation? Does being a tyrant or being lenient to children work? Or does using the carrot and the stick policy balance out the situation? Without taking sides, Parvarrish-Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi presents different points of view on various parenting methods to its viewers. Watch this show every Monday to Thursday at 9:30 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.

Vidya's Caribbean Cruise

The actress, who's had a fabulous run in recent times, what with hits like The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, is now planning a long, leisurely holiday in the Caribbean.

     We hear Vidya Balan has booked a Carribbean Cruise in December that will stretch for nearly 15 to 18 days. Joining her on this voyage will be her parents, her sister Priya, brother-in-law Kedar and their twins Ira and Ruhaan. For some reason though, Vidya's long-standing boyfriend Siddharth Roy Kapur is not expected to be part of the group.
     A friend of Vidya told Mirror, "She would have completed Rajkumar Gupta's Ghanchakkar co-starring Emraan Hashmi by then."
     Apparently, Vidya had been planning a family vacation ever since her sister Priya delievered on August 15 last year."The idea going on a cruise was Vidya's brainchild. She quite loves the sea," said her friend.
     Meanwhile, if the grapevine is to be believed, Vidya will tie the knot with Siddharth in December this year. The actress has been in a steady relationship with the UTV CEO for a while now... So where do Vidya's travel plans leave the shaadi?

Jiah dating Pancholi's son

Jiah Khan of Noshabd fame is reportedly dating Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab's son, Suraj. The couple has been together for a month and a half and according to sources are very serious about each other.
     A common friend of Jiah and Suraj told Mirror, "They are totally smitten by each other."

     Recently, Jiah and Suraj were seen together at Liv, a nightclub at Kala Ghoda. "They looked very comfortable with each other. Their body language said it all," said an eyewitness.
     When contacted, Suraj told Mirror, "Yes, Jiah and I were at Liv last week. But I happened to meet her there. We didn't go there together."
     When asked about his relationship with Jiah, Suraj said, "Our parents know each other. And we are just good friends."
     Jiah remained unavailable for comment. Earlier Jiah was dating Bunty Walia's younger brother Jaspreet. A while ago, it was reported that she was in a relationship with a certain Italian gent. 

Fardeen says wife, twins unsafe in city

The Surge in malaria and dengue cases has prompted the actor to keep Natasha and his babies safe in London

Seven years after they got hitched, Fardeen Khan and Natasha are expecting twins anytime in April. However, with Natasha alreday in London and more importantly, the wave of dengue, malaria and typhoid riding Mumbai, the proud papa-to-be is in no hurry to return to maximunm city. He'd rather have his babies born in London.

     Talking to Mirror from London, Fardeen said,"We've waited very long for this. Both of us are naturally very excited. Parenthood is a natural progression in a couple's married life. It feels like a dream. However, Natasha can't travel in her condition. So it's wise to let her stay in London. Secondly, I don't want her or the twins in Mumbai at the moment, what with dengue, malaria and typhoid going around. I feel they're better off here. My wife and the twins will travel back only when the twins are strong enough to make that journey."
     Natasha has been in London with her mom, actress Mumtaz, since November last year. Fardeen, who has been travelling back and forth between Mumbai and London will be back in India at the end of November. With his wife feeling safe and secure with her mom, Fardeen doesn't have to worry about her while he is in Mumbai.
     Said the actor, "It's been a very hectic time. Natsasha has just undergone the three month scan and since the doctors said all was fine, I tweeted about the twins. Ever since my tweet, we've been flooded with congratulatory calls. It feels great. We both prayed very hard for this. Now that it's finally coming true, please pray for everything to go well."
      While Fardeen's current focus is solely Natasha and the twins, the actor also plans to restart his father's banner FK International. "There are three projects on the anvil. I realise it's about time I resumed my father's banner. But as of now, even when I am back in India, I am mentally still in London. Until the babies arrive, I can't think of anything else,"he said. 

PeeCee's return gift to producer

Generosity isn't one of the traits you'd normally associate with a majority of stars.Hence it came as a pleasant surprise to know that Priyanka Chopra not only desisted from asking a cash-strapped producer to accept the money when it was paid to her.

    Mirror has learnt that KC Bokadia, who has been struggling with the release of his long-delayed film Deewana Main Deewana starring Priyanka and Govinda, managed to send his leading lady a cheque for Rs 18 lakh that he owed her. However, the actress graciously returned the cheque to him.
    Lavishing praise on Priyanka, Bokadia said, "I couldn't believe my eyes when the cheque was returned to me. I had sent Priyanka a cheque for Rs 18 lakh which I owed her. She refused to take it saying, 'Bokadia Saab, I can't take money from you'. I am over-whelmed by her generosity. Times have changed. Emotions have no place in filmmaking today. And yet, Priyanka, in spite of being one of the busiest stars today, has gone out of her way to complete my film."
     Apparantely, that's not all. Priyanka gave the producer-director extra dates for him to re-shoot the film. "In spite of being so busy, Priyanka gave me seven days of her time to re-shoot. Without her co-operation, I wouldn't have been able to complete the film. She is my only USP. I am now ready to release my film on November 23," he said.
     This isn't the first time Bokadia has been at the receiving end of star generosity. Earlier, it was Shah Rukh Khan who went out of his way to accomodate Bokadia. Recalled the producer, "During the making of Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Shah Rukh let go of Rs 95 lakh of his payment because of my financial condition. When I insisted he take the money, he argued, 'Arrey Bokadia Saab, I can make that kind of money in one evening by dancing at a function."
     "Right now you need the money to complete your film'. After Shah Rukh, I've seen the same kind of generosity in Priyanka."

Burglary scare at Tom Cruise's home

Police were called to Tom Cruise's Beverly Hills home on Sunday night after reports of a possible burglary or break-in, reported a leading website.
     The Beverly Hills authorities were reportedly notified sometime after 8p.m. that a possible burglar was on the property. Police said that an individual had been "detained" for trespassing.

     Authorities have not yet confirmed that the house was broken into or if Cruise was home at the time.
     Cruise and then-wife Katie Holmes reportedly bought the property for $30.5 million in 2007, just six months after they were married.
     The 10,000-square-foot house, built in 1937, boasts seven bedroom and nine baths. It includes a tennis court and swimming pool.
     Cruise and Holmes' divorce was finalized in August, less than two months after she filed divorce papers.

Justin-Jessica get clicked

The newly married couple sold the pictures of their special day to a magazine for $300,000 and here's one of them.
    We'd already seen Jessica's pink bridal gown but we can't get enough of nosing at other people's photos - especially ones from weddings.
     The Timberlakes decided they would sell the pictures to a leading magazine for $300,000, which would have gone a little way to helping out with the estimated $6.5million their Italian nuptials cost them.

     The couple's friends and family joined them at the Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia where Justin serenaded Jessica as she walked down the aisle with a ballad he'd written especially for her.
    "I figured if there was something I was going to be able to offer, it would be to sing her down the aisle," he said.
    "Grown men were weeping. Hopefully it's because I didn't sound bad."
     He also said his wife's Giambattista Valli dress was "the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Bond's windfall

Easily dominating the foreign box office, James Bond film Skyfall opened to a staggering $77.7 million from 25 markets, paving the way for the 23rd installment in the multi-billion franchise to become the best of the series.
    The third Bond outing starring Daniel Craig as 007 opened a full two weeks before its Nov. 9 domestis debut and placed No.1 everywhere. The Sony and MGM film commanded $32.4 million in the U.K., shattering several records. "This picture has such an incredible DNA and to be so loved by critics and audiences alike will push it be one of the biggest, if not biggest, Bond pics," Sony worldwide president of distribution Rory Bruer said.

    Casino Royale, also starring Craig, is the top-grossing Bond film to date, earning $599 million worldwide, including $432million internationally.
    Sony said Skyfall smashed the all-time Saturday attendance record in the U.K., as well as posting the No.2 opening weekend in history, behind just the 3D Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2.
     In France, Skyfall drew $9.1 million from some 700 situations. Russia opened to $8.6million. The South Korea bow scooped up 49% of the market with $$6.1 million. Skyfall set an opening record for a Bond title in Brazil ($3.2 million) and drew $1.4 million in Belgium.
     The 22 previous Bond titles dating from the first, 1962's Dr.No (which generated $43.4million overseas) to 2008's Quantum of Solace ($407.7 million), have tallied total foreign revenues of $3.277 billion.
     Biggest Bond not starring the British actor was No.20, 2002's Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnan as 007, which drew $271.1million.

' I didn't know Anjali was so depressed'

Producer-director Sunil Agnihotri is in state of shock since his 42-year-old wife Anjali committed suicide at her Khar residence on October 26. Mirror spoke to him

How is the family coping with this terrible tragedy?
We're in a state of shock. Nobody who knew my wife Anju believes she's gone. More than me, my children are numbed by shock. I didn't know she was feeling so lonely. I was busy with scripting at my farm in Panvel.

Was there no one else at home when it happened?
There were carpenters working in the house. My mother is 80 and has recently undergone a heart surgery. She sits quietly in her room. No one ever imagined what my wife had in mind.

Didn't you call and check on her?
I always did. But for three days, I was busy penning the script along with my writers at my farm. I didn't call her for one whole day.

That's hardly reason to take one's life!
When my younger son came home from the gym and saw his mother in the state, he immediately called me. Before he went to the gym, she had been so normal. She gave no hint of what she was going to do. In fact, we were all planning a month-long holiday to the US from December 22.

So why did your wife break the rhythm of life so abruptly?
I don't know why she did this. She should've been happy that all her children are settled in life. At 22, my older son is a pilot. At 20, my younger son is assisting me. And our daughter has just started working in a TV channel. Perhaps we miscalculated the extent of her attachment to the family. She must have thought that her family has moved on.

Apparantly your wife left a note saying she loved you, her children and her mother-in-law. What made her take such a drastic decision then?
I'll spend the rest of my life trying to find out the answer to that question.Anju was the best wife and mother in the world. Such a livewire; if you see her videos, she would dance to music and cook in the kitchen.

But all of us have to deal with our children growing up and moving on!
The problem was, Anju was more a friend and less a mother to her children. She used to play games with them till late night. All the time, there was laughter and happiness in the house. When all the children started working, she must have felt alone.

Why didn't she tell you she felt lonely?
I don't know. Maybe she didn't want to burden me. She never gave me an inkling of her depression. Only now I got to know that she had told a friend, "My entire family is busy with their own lives. Then what is the purpose of my life?" Why didn't she tell me she felt this way? If I had the slightest hint of what was bothering her, I would have done something about it. 

Karan clears the road for Ekta

Ayan Mukerji-directed Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone was originally slated for release on March 29.However, producers Dharma Productions have now decided to postpone the date to May 31 because Karan Johar was keen on averting a clash with good friend Ekta Kapoor, whose Lootera hits theatres on the same day.

      A source told Mirror, “It is never a good idea to release big films on the same day. It just eats into each other’s business and the audience gets divided.

     The shooting of Lootera is almost complete and Ekta Kapoor was contemplating attaching the promo of Lootera with KJo’s Student of the Year. However that didn’t happen. The entire shoot of Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani will be completed by November except for one song that will be shot in Jaunary.” Lootera, co- produced by Balaji Telefilms and Phantom Productions, was earlier supposed to release in February but because of Ranveer Singh’s unavailability for promotions, with dates having already been allotted to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela, the film got pushed to March 29.

     A source told Mirror, "Ekta was the first to announce her release date. Karan was touched on hearing Ekta was willing to push her release date for him. So before that, Karan decided to shift his. He shares a great rapport with Ajay too and didn't want to complicate the situation." Even now, Karan having postponed Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani to May 31 still doesn't clear the road for Lootera completely, with Ajay Devgn starrer Himmatwala already slotted for release that day.

    Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor remained unavailable for comment.

I would like to fulfill my dad's dream

Manjari Makijani (25), daughter of (late) Mac Mohan (Sambha from Sholay) and cousin of Raveena Tandon, has worked as an Assistant Director on a pose of projects including Wake Up Sid, 7 Khoon Maaf, Hexe Lilli: Die Reise nach Mandolan, MI4: Ghost Protocol and Batman: The Dark Knight Rises to name some. What's more, her first independent directorial titled The Last Marble about nine-year-old street kid who makes things from metal crap and junk, has been showcased in 15 film festivals, the latest being the Seven Islands International Film Festival (SIIFF) with the theme of empowering strong, resilient and inspirational women. Makijani in conversation with Mirror....

Did you start making films to support your family?
No. The Last Marble happened simply because I wanted to take break from being as Assistant Director. I had an opinion on every film I saw. That's when I realised I should be a part of the entertainment business. I was very active in drama in school and college.

Isn't it true your dad set up a production house?
I operate under the name of the same production house- MAC Productions. My father had a dream when he set it up. He could not fulfill his plans as his health was falling. I would like to fulfill his dream.

Which of his films is your favourite?
I rate Kaala Patthar as my dad's best. I don't know why but his character always makes me cry whenever I see it.

Have you shown The Last Marble to Vishal Bhardwaj and Karan Johar?
Not yet, though I did go to meet Vishal Sir on the sets. he is very happy for me, he told his son he too should send his short films to festivals. His son has made a lovely short film with Kalki Koechlin.

How is the road ahead for new-comers?
Today, many big filmmakers encourage good cinema from the younger crop. In fact, Dharma Productions has given my friend Sonam Nair her first break. Another friend of mine Karan Butani has a film under his belt which is going to be produced by Tigmanshu Dhulia.

Is a feature film in the offing?
Yes. I am planning to make a romantic comedy. Lekin uske pehle I might still make a short film or two.

Security lapse on Dabangg 2 set

On Thursday evening, six men suddenly appeared on the sets of Dabangg 2 in Mehboob Studio (Bandra) and even shook hands with Salman Khan, who initially thought they were members of the crew. It took the actor a while to realise something was amiss..

    Immediately, his personal bodyguards swung into action and threw the intruders out not only from the sets but also from the studios. But not before the actor's team had given an earful to the Mehboob Studios' officials, for the security lapse.
    In fact, the security has been beefed up from Friday to avoid such incidents in the future.
    Explaining what exactly transpired, an eyewitness told this newspaper, "Six men suddenly came on the set as Salaman was gearing up for a scene. They moved around Salman for a while. A few of them then went up to him and stretched out their hands for a handshake. Salman calmly shook hands thinking they were from the crew. Suddenly, his sixth sense told him something was fishy. He had this uncanny feeling that they were neither crewmembers nor invited guests."
    So what were Salman's 12 security guards doing when all of this happened? Wasn't it part of their duty to avert such an incident? Said the witness, "Those twelve guards are Salman's personal guards. They don't stand like chowkidars at the door of his every set. They are mostly either around him or parked vehicle.Mehboob Studio's security that was patrolling the set is to be blamed."

    A source from the Dabangg 2 set confirmed remedial measures have now been taken post the Thursday incident. "Earlier, we had eight men managing the Dabangg 2 set, now we have sixteen," the source said. 
'Salman's team gave an earful to the Mehboob Studio's officials
    There has always been top security on the Dabangg 2 sets. In a first for the industry and Kamalistan Studio, the entire studio (Jogeshwari), comprising 12 units, had been exclusively booked for the opening schedule of the film, which kicked off in March this year. Looks like not booking the entire Mehboob Studios was a mistake.

'This is regression'

That's how a majority of filmmakers feel about the recent decision of broadcasters to not purchase 'A' Certified films even if they are modified
 On October 27, this newspaper reported that four major broadcasters have decided not to buy the satellite rights of 'A' films as they are forced to air them post 11pm, owing to a drop in ad revenues. The satellite channels have decided not to by these films even if producers in question or the censors clip the objectionable portions and hand them a modified version to be broadcast.

    Needles to say, the decision hasn't gone down well with majority of filmmakers who have swung into damage control mode. Mirror has learnt they are busy having closed-door meetings with their creatives on how to manoeuvre their way forward in such a scenario.
    A source told Mirror, "Producers are at their wits' end. Several scripts have been approved by them which have adult themes and are bound to get an 'A' certificate from the Censor Board. They have even paid token amounts to script writers and roped in directors to for these films.
'Any serious thought cannot be explored on celluloid now
    Said Mahesh Bhatt,"The film industry has frozen. I wonder what will the likes of Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bhardwaj and Madhur Bhandarkar do now? These guys make films only of a particular intensity"
    Reema Kagti isn't amused. The Talaash director said she strongly feels her right to freedom of expression has been violated.
    Said Madhur Bhandarkar, "I have made my career on hard-hitting cinema, right from Chandni Bar to Heroine. Every script in our business will now have to be diluted keeping the U' certificate in mind.On one hand, you say cinema is not changing. And just when we've brought in change....
    Leading distributor Anil Thadani opined, "The smaller films will have to crunch their budgets even further," he added.

    By contrast, Sanjay Gupta, who is known for the controversial content in his films shrugged it off saying, "I shall continue to make films which are close to my heart. Rules keep coming and going."
    Bhatt, who is concerned he may have to make changes in his upcoming film Murder 3, said, "I cannot even think of making a Zakhm or Tamanna now.The writing is on the wall: Any serious thought cannot be explored on celluloid now. India is now going to see only fairy tales of the 19th century." Bhandarkar seconded Bhatt terming it as regression. A source close to Sachin Yardi, who made the bold adult humour Kya Super Kool Hain Hum for Ekta Kapoor, said,"It's time to go back to the days of holding hands and dancing around trees."
     Kagti proposed,"The need of the hour is to open a dialogue between the Censor Board, channels and filmmakers."

Dutt and Oberoi cross swords again

Raj Sippy's 1977 thriller Inkaar, best remembered for the lavni number Mungda is now a disputed property.
    Both Dharam Oberoi and Sanjay Dutt, who are now on talking terms again (Mumbai Mirror, October 24, 2012), are keen on remaking the film. While Oberoi claims to have the remake rights of Inkaar, Sanjay Dutt who has been on the look-out for a good dcript to carry forward Sanjat Dutt Productions after Rascals, has reportedly approached Raj Sippy for the remake rights of the film.
    When contacted, Raj Sippy said,"I cannot deny that Sanjay Dutt is interested in remaking Inkaar. However it is Dharam Oberoi who has bought the rights of the film."

     Said a source, "Dharam paid an initial amount of Rs 7-8 lakh to Raj Sippy. This was during the time when he was Sanjay Dutt's feels the remake rights of Inkaar were sold to him. However all the papers pertaining to the rights are with Dharam and he is adamant on starting his production house with Inkaar. but Raj Sippy has only house with Inkaar. But Raj Sippy has only got the initial amount from Dharam. The total amount agreed for the remake rights is Rs 75 lakhs."
    Added the source, "Dutt and Dadu (Raj Sippy) go back a long way. They've worked together in many films in the past, like Thanedaar and Shiva. Dutt has offered to pay Raj the entire amount of Rs 75 lakhs for the remake rights."
    Interestingly, Dharam Oberoi haas approached Anurag Basu direct the Inkaar remake. The producer also wants the Mungda song to be re-molled. Mirror has learnt that the producer is planning to get Sunny Leone to perform the number.

Aashiqui 2 gets postponed again

While the Bhatt camp is excited about the sequel to their 1990 romantic hit Aashiqui starring Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal, we've learnt Aashiqui 2 has failed to keep its date with Valentine's Day.

    The sequel that went on floors this month will not release on February 14 as originally slated because Vishesh Films' Murder 3 will now hit theaters a day after i.e. February 15. Aashiqui 2 will open to audiences sometime in April next year. Reportedly, Murder 3 too was earlier scheduled to release by end of this year but got postponed.
     A source told Mirror, "Aashiqui 2 was delayed as casting of the leading lady took some time. Thought it was announced the makers are planning to release the film on Feb 14, it doesn't seem that way. After shooting, they will also need some time for promotions. "Aashiqui 2 is being directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Vishesh films and T-Series, while Murder 3 is Vishesh Bhatt's directorial debut. The date of release hasn't been decided yet however Bhushan Kumar and Mahesh Bhatt are excepted to take a call soon

Zac auctions his time for charity

Zac Efron is attempting to pull in a fortune for charity by aucyioning off an hour of his time.
    The actor has agreed to sit down for 60 minutes with one lucky fan to raise money for Communties In Schools, a non-profit educational organisation which encourages children to stay in school.The one-on-one meeting with Efron, which is being auctioned on a leading website, is excepted to pull in as much as $5,000. The auction, which ends on 31 October(12), states, "Polite manners and respext for the generous donor and adherence to any rules or parameters are a must".

No Need to Rush

Late director Shamin Desai’s four-year-old ready and waiting Rush finally hits screens this weekend. The director never quite got to see his finished product and I am not sure how he, the talented creative head and founder of channel [V] in its original avatar, would’ve reacted to this compromised result.

   Rush, the story of an ambitious news reporter Samar Grover (Emraan Hashmi) caught up in a web of deceit of crime and politics ens up a targeted man. His rocky relationsip with his artist girlfriend (Sagarika Ghatge) often comes in th way of his aspirations.

     The screenplay is compelling on paper but by first cut, the drama fizzles out and the film is all over the place. What should’ve been a tight noir, with fluid introspective images and minimal dialogue turns up missing  certain darkness, a glossy nearly typical Emraan Hashmi film without the sex, and unnecessary dialogue that floods the space.

     Even though it starts with promise- as  Samar gets a chance to interview an assassin whose roster includes high-profile targets, the idea descends into familiar themes. If you’ve seen The World is Not Enough, you’ve seen Rush. Thea ddition of songs – an obvious afterthought given the continuity of Hashmi’s beard and Ghatge’s weight – is redundant and a major drawback. Just when you’re getting into the thick of the action (helped with some wellchosen background music), cutting to the lip-sync nonsense resets everything.

     Neha Dhupia looks like a million bucks in her short, neat hair and stylish clothes, never starying from her well-defined femme fatale zone. Emraan Hashmi looks the part of a reporter with bad luck and brings honesty to his character. A cameo by Alekh Sangal, whose character  catalyzezs events in the movie, is notable. Gary Shaw, DoP of the marvelous and moody Moon, has shot Rush. You may want to see the effect Bollywood can have on the uber- talented. In the end, the movie is too neat, lacks punch, and has too many explanations. Maybe it’d have worked four years ago but even the big resolution is old hat. Unless you’re a die-hard Hashmi fan (how many millions again?), there’s no rush to see this.