Real Bollywood News

Pregnant Shilpa Shetty follows Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s foot steps. She like Ash conceals her baby bump when she arrived at an event at Shanmukhananda Hall, Matunga.
Shilpa was spotted wearing a cream color loose fitting Salwar Kameez. She stressed her dupatta down covering her belly everytime. Onlookers could mark that Shilpa is not ready to flaunt her baby bump.
"The way she kept on tugging the dupatta throughout the event made it clear that she wanted to conceal her tiny bump," said an onlooker. Shilpa wed businessman Raj Kundra in November 2009.
Shilpa Shetty declared on twitter that she is expecting her first child from Raj Kundra

The script of the sequel to his 2008 film “Dostana” is locked and the movie is ready to go on the floors in 2012, with Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham back in the frame, informs filmmaker Karan Johar.
“DOSTANA 2 is definitely starting next year….Script is locked…Abhishek and John are ready!!! The boys are back!! Tarun (director Tarun Mansukhani) is all set….,” Johar posted on his Twitter page.
The original, youthful romantic comedy, about three friends, featuring Priyanka Chopra in the female lead, was a blockbuster.
The boys are the same for the sequel, but for Katrina Kaif has replaced Priyanka as the female lead.

Indian Brazilian model Nathalia Pinheiro, who has won the Kingfisher Calendar Girl 2012 title, is eyeing Bollywood and wants to a carve a niche for herself in the Hindi film industry. She also hopes to work with her favourite actor, Shah Rukh Khan.
“I am a big fan of Bollywood movies and I want to see myself becoming one of the known names, but before that I want to polish my acting, dancing and diction skills because these three things are very essential to establish a foothold in the industry,” Nathalia told IANS soon after winning the title Wednesday.
The contest was aired on NDTV Good Times.
She has already signed a southern movie and is in talks to become a poster girl for one of the most elite international brands.
“Yes, I did sign a southern film, but I don’t want to discuss about that as currently I want to enjoy the moment. I can see myself flying with such a big achievement,” she said.
Nathalia’s had an Indian grandfather and a Portuguese grandmother. Her mother is Portuguese and her father is half Punjabi and half Portuguese. Born in Rio De Jinero, she has been in India for the past eight months.
She has a huge crush on Shah Rukh and wants share screen space with the Bollywood superstar.
“I really aspire to work with Shah Rukh Khan one day. He is the man to die for. He is one person who can enact every role so effortlessly, so yes, sharing screen space with him will be a true pleasure for me. Among actresses, I find Kareena Kapoor superb, she has amazing face and great personality.”
Item numbers are also on her wishlist, but her way of performing the song will be different from other actresses.
“Dancing is an essential requirement for any Bollywood movie. One should know at least the basic steps. I don’t mind doing Bollywood item numbers, but yes I want to do it in a nice manner with a touch of sophistication. I don’t want to sign any item number for the sake of money,” said the 21-year-old.
Nathalia, fondly called Nathy, started modelling at the age of 14, feels that the Kingfisher talent hunt helped her in getting recognition.
“I started modelling at the age of 14 with commercial and print ads, but I was not known to the world. I believe that until and unless you don’t get a better platform, nobody will recognise you and Hunt for the Kingfisher Calendar 2012 did the same thing for me. I got the best platform and right people who taught me how to achieve my dream,” she said.

Bollywood megastar and UNICEF goodwill ambassador Amitabh Bachchan is happy with the drop in numbers of polio-affected children in India and hopes that the country will get totally free from the disease.
“For one whole year for the first time since I took over the brand Ambassador of Polio UNICEF campaign, we have zero cases in India. Feel proud and delighted that finally our efforts have been successful. Started in 2002, with over 1000 cases and today just one in West Bengal,” Amitabh posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
“This year’s Polio Campaign… no case reported from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which are most vulnerable states. Only one case in West Bengal!” he added.
The actor attended an event in Mumbai Thursday where he launched a new UNICEF campaign for polio, and was feted by the government and UN officials for his work towards polio eradication.
“And UN officials tell me that hopefully by early next year we shall be able to announce that India is finally free of polio… I am so delighted that the polio eradication campaign and my incessant plea of ‘do boond zindagi ke’, has proved so successful!!
“But let’s not sit back, let’s keep at it to completely free our country of this dreaded disease… each Indian owes this to the nation,” added the 69-year-old, who recently welcomed a grandchild, a baby girl — the first to be born to his son, Abhishek, and daughter-in-law, Aishwarya.
The veteran star also thanked other celebrities who were involved in the campaign, and gave a word of advice to all parents.
“May I also add here that polio is incurable, but it can be prevented provided the vaccine is taken in time… And yes, on some of the campaign videos I did invite Sachin (Tendulkar), Aishwarya, SRK (Shah Rukh Khan), and Jaya (Bachchan) to promote the cause… so thank you to all!!” he wrote.

Akshay Kumar dislikes being typecast as an ‘action’ or a ‘comedy’ hero and says he is not in the race for the top spot.
“We are not fighting for any title. We are not race horses that you bet on them. We all actors are in one fraternity and we do films so that our industry progresses and not because we want to fight with each other for a title,” the 44-year-old actor said here while being presented as the brand ambassador of Viacom18′s youth channel SONIC.
He has performed his own stunts ever since his debut in Bollywood in 1991 with “Saugandh”, but confesses that he gets jittery while doing some risky scenes.
“I have done a lot of action in which I get really scared. But it’s more of a good fear that I feel. Like a human body, which has good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, similarly we have good fear and bad fear,” said Akshay who was last seen in “Desi Boyz”.
Akshay was crowned the “original khiladi” of Bollywood after he did a series of films like “Khiladi”, “Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi”, and “Main Khiladi Tu Anari”, among others.
Once again he is working on a ‘khiladi’ film titled “Khiladi 786″, which is being co-produced by him and Himesh Reshammiya. His other future projects include “Housefull 2″, “Joker”, “Rowdy Rathore” and “Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai 2″.

A move by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan to get a clean chit from the Sikh clergy after his name was dragged into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots is facing opposition from sections of the community.
Bachchan’s plea to the Jathedar (head) of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikh religion, Gurbachan Singh, through a letter dated Nov 28, in which he pleaded his innocence in the anti-Sikh riots, is likely to be considered for discussion by the five Sikh high priests at a meeting here Dec 22.
The letter was delivered to the Akal Takht head by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member from Mumbai, Gurinder Singh Bawa. The letter from the actor came after he was invited by the Punjab government for the inauguration of the Khalsa Heritage Complex’s ‘Virasat-e-Khalsa’ monument at Anandpur Sahib last month but he did not come after sections of the Sikh community objected.
In his letter, Bachchan wrote: “I am addressing this letter to you with a most pained heart. Wild, irresponsible and most unfounded allegations, by certain sections of the Sikh community, about my involvement in the inciting of violence against them during the most unfortunate Sikh riots of 1984, soon after the death of Shrimati Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister of India, has caused me acute agony.
“These vicious allegations have caused me deep hurt, particularly when they were levelled at a time when I had accepted the invitation from the Punjab government to attend the inaugural ceremony of the historical Khalsa Heritage Complex at Sri Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa Panth. I was indeed looking forward to attending this sacred ceremony and sharing the immense pleasure and divine bliss with the Sikh Sangat, but declined because I did not want to be the cause for any embarrassment at this historical function.
“Now that the ceremony is over, I wish to take this opportunity to vehemently and categorically deny these allegations against me which are completely baseless, false and untrue. The Nehru-Gandhi family and our family have old ties from our city of origin, Allahabad. We have been together in each other’s hour of grief and joy, but to allege that I was a part of the crowd that incited them to raise anti-Sikh slogans is a preposterous and blatant lie. Quite contrarily, I have always propagated the soothing of injured feelings and the maintenance of serenity. The unfortunate incidents of the riots of 1984 against the Sikhs shall always remain a blot and a dark phase in the history of our country, a country that prides itself in its secular credentials.”
Bachchan even attached a copy of a photograph of his maternal grandparents, who were from a Sikh family. He pointed out that his maternal grandfather, Khazan Singh Suri, was a bar-at-law from England and that his mother, Teji Bachchan, came from a Sikh family.
Akal Takht head Gurbachan Singh, while acknowledging that he had got the letter, said: “The matter is linked to Sikh sentiments. The five Singh Sahibaan (Sikh high priests) will consider his letter and discuss the matter at their meeting. Whatever they decide, the next action will be taken accordingly.”
Bachchan pointed out that he had come to the holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib (popularly known as the Golden Temple), here in December 2007 for prayers after the passing away of his mother.
However, Sikh organisations and independent witnesses have now come forward claiming that Bachchan, then close to the Gandhi family, had come out of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi Oct 31, 1984, and instigated crowds. A California-based Sikh, Manjit Singh, who lived in the Kalu Sarai area of Delhi then, said in an affidavit to Akal Takht that he himself saw Bachchan instigating people. Bachchan later became an MP for three years representing the Congress party.
The All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), in a statement, alleged that Bachchan’s slogans were broadcast in 1984 by the state-owned Doordarshan TV and All India Radio (AIR). The AISSF said independent witnesses like Jagdish Kaur, Babu Singh Dukhiya and others who watched the relay on Doordarshan and saw Bachchan inciting violence are ready to testify in this matter before the Akal Takht.
AISSF said the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, which controlled the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), was trying to give a clean chit to Bachchan.
Nearly 7,000 Sikhs were killed in the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots in various parts of the country following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards in New Delhi Oct 31, 1984. Over 3,000 were killed in Delhi alone.

From real life sagas to sci-fi and experimental to sentimental dramas – Bollywood’s potpourri of hits offered a wide range of themes. Films like “No One Killed Jessica”, “Ra.One” and “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” not only satiated the moviegoer’s appetite but also yielded profits for the Hindi film industry.
Here are the Top 10 movies of the year:
1. “Bodyguard“: Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s “Bodyguard” broke the opening day records by earning Rs.22 crore on the first day. Although the story of the film, directed by Atul Agnihotri, didn’t have much to say, the music as well as the action sequences worked in its favour.
Salman’s signature dialogue – “Mujh par ek ehsaan karna ki mujh par koi ehsaan na karna” – once again struck a chord with fans.
2. “Ra.One“: World class VFX, amazing graphics, innovative marketing, tie-ups with multiple brands and Shah Rukh Khan as the superhero made sci-fi thriller “Ra.One” a profitable venture. Another highlight of the film was its music, especially the song “Chamak challo” sung by international rapper Akon. And the marathon promotion by the superstar helped bring people to the theatres.
3. “The Dirty Picture“: Her sensuous look shocked, her itsy-bitsy clothes astonished and her double meaning dialogues left audiences gasping for breath, but all this nothwithstanding, Vidya Balan swept both the classes and the masses off their feet with her bold avatar in Ekta Kapoor’s “The Dirty Picture”. An unofficial biopic of southern sex symbol Silk Smitha, the film broke the myth that only movies with “Khans” work at the box office.
4. “Ready”: Romantic comedies have been a staple of Hindi films and this year Salman Khan’s “Ready” used the recipe to earn profits. Shot in exotic locales of Thailand, director Anees Bazmee’s drama about mistaken identity saw Salman romancing Asin Thottumkal amid all the hotch-potch in their lives, thanks to their onscreen relatives.
5. “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”: Focussing on three bachelors dealing with their friendship and romance, the well-scripted film, with a resemblance to real life episodes, was supported by beautiful performances by the talented cast – Hrtihik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, with Kalki Koechlin and Katrina Kaif as their love interests.
Kudos to director Zoya Akhtar for bringing liveliness, happiness and joyfulness with such deftness on screen through an adventurous road film mostly based in Spain.
6. “Singham”: An out-and-out action film, the success of “Singham” proves that there are takers for such films. Based on the “good wins over evil” theme, the actioner takes a dig at the corruption within the police department through two main characters – honest cop Ajay Devgn and Prakash Raj as a corrupt politician. Director Rohit Shetty’s film also marked southern actress Kajal Aggarwal’s debut in Bollywood.
7. “Rockstar”: Give him a good role and he can sink his teeth into it. Ranbir Kapoor proved that again by stepping into the shoes of a musician. From a cute and simple college boy to a crazy lover to a successful but cynical singer, the young actor proved his mettle in every frame. The film appealed despite a faulty script, which had too many loose ends. In short, it was Ranbir’s film, which launched American Pakistani model in the Bollywood business. Other high points of the movie were A.R. Rahman’s music and Mohit Chauhan’s singing.
8. “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan”: Not good, not bad – that is how Yash Raj Films’ “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan” could be described. Thanks to Imran Khan, Katrina Kaif and Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zaffar’s tangled love story woven against the backdrop a wedding, the romantic comedy managed to pull the crowds. The film got mixed reviews, but managed to enter the top grosser list of the year.
9. “Delhi Belly”: Replete with cuss words, weird situations, witty dialogues, the experimental movie in the English language targeted the urban audiences, who hailed this free will adult comedy as they identified with the characters of Imran Khan, Kunal Roy Kapoor and Vir Das in the movie. If director Abhinay Deo faced failure with “Game”, this film pulled him out of darkness and Aamir Khan once again proved that he has a knack for choosing the best scripts as a producer.
10. “Yamla Pagla Deewana”: After the 2007 release “Apne”, the Deol trio – Sunny, Bobby and Dharmendra – returned to the big screen with the comic caper “Yamla Pagla Deewana” by director Sameer Karnik. Though a small budget film, it received an overwhelming response. The impeccable comic timing between the father and sons struck a chord with the audiences.

Controversial Pakistani actress and model Veena Malik has gone missing in Mumbai since Friday morning, her manager said here Saturday.
Shooting for a Bollywood flick, “Mumbai 125 kilometres”, at Film City in Goregaon of northwest Mumbai, Malik left in a car after pack-up Friday morning and was not reachable since.
“Veena left after the pack-up yesterday (Friday) morning. In the afternoon, I received an SMS from her where she apologised for not being able to concentrate on the shooting, stating that she was disturbed,” the film’s director Hemant Madhukar said.
“I called her immediately, but her number was not reachable. I have not been able to get in touch with her since,” he added.
Malik’s manager Pratik Mehta also confirmed the development. “I have been trying to reach her since yesterday, but have failed. I have approached the officials at Bandra police station and have sought help in finding the whereabouts of Veena.”
However, the Bandra police denied they have registered a missing person’s complaint for Veena Malik.
Malik came into limelight in 2010 after she testified against her boyfriend, Pakistani fast bowler Mohammed Asif alleging that he was involved in match fixing.
She then garnered more attention after she participated in the fourth season of reality show “Bigg Boss”.
She has also been condemned by Islamic clerics for her nude photos in an Indian magazine.
The actress is set to have her ‘swayamvar’ on India’s national television, through Imagine TV, which has earlier hosted swayamvars of Rakhi Sawant, Rahul Mahajan and Ratan Rajput.

Women-centric themes added power to the Bollywood platter this year and the leading ladies impressed with their boldness and intense acting. Actresses like Vidya Balan, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif gave the industry’s menfolk a run for their money.
The list of Top 10 actresses who swept the audience away in 2011:
1. Vidya Balan:
She started the year with a stellar performance as a deglamorised, strong-willed simpleton in the real-life inspired “No One Killed Jessica”, and featured in cameos in “Thank You”, “Dum Maaro Dum” and Malayalam film “Urumi”.
But for the 33-year-old ‘bombaat’ actress, 2011 ended with a bang with her sizzling portrayal of a dancing star, Silk, in “The Dirty Picture”. Vidya explored new realms to her acting potential, and emerged as a winner, overshadowing other commercially hit Bollywood divas.






2. Kareena Kapoor:
Two films and both hits! Even after over a decade, Kareena stood out among her contemporaries with the record-breaker “Bodyguard” opposite Salman Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan’s mega-production “RA.One”. She also proved her dancing mettle once again with “Chammak challo”, which went on to be a huge chartbuster.
3. Priyanka Chopra:

After an average 2010, Priyanka Chopra sprang back into action by carrying out seven different looks in Vishal Bharadwaj’s critically-acclaimed “7 Khoon Maaf”. In the character of a serial spouse-killer, Sussanna, the actress has displayed why she is a National Award winner at such a young age. She will round up the year as Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘junglee billi’ in the much-awaited “Don 2: The King Is Back”.



4. Katrina Kaif:

As a free-spirited, independent girl in the multi-starrer “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, as a sexy item girl in “Bodyguard” or as the effervescent Dimple Dixit in “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan”, this Britain-born girl has been proving her range with every passing year.
5. Kalki Koechlin: With four diverse films — “Shaitan”, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, “That Girl in Yellow Boots” and “My Friend Pinto” – Kalki has been on a roll this year! Her easy and fluid portrayal of a mentally disturbed girl, a nagging girlfriend, a girl in search of her father, and a lost girl abandoned by her boyfriend, have reassured cine-buffs of her capacity as a new age, commercially-viable actress, who dares to choose different roles.
6. Kangana Ranaut: Year 2011 saw Kangana in a new avatar. As a bindaas Kanpur girl in “Tanu Weds Manu”, she gave her most desi performance ever. She followed it up with the role of a cop in “Game”, a supporting act in comedy films “Double Dhamaal” and “Rascals”, and featured in “Miley Naa Miley Hum”, which went unnoticed. However, Kangana’s standing in the industry remains quite unaffected.
7. Rani Mukerji: Her fans got a treat after two years when Rani returned to the big screen in “No One Killed Jessica”. As a bold journalist, who gets the public together to demand justice for a cause, Rani delivered an image-breaking performance when she mouthed expletives and smoked a cigarette for the role.
8. Anushka Sharma: There’s something that clicks about this Yash Raj Films find, despite average earners like “Patiala House” and “Ladies VS Ricky Bahl” in 2011. Anushka’s vivaciousness, million-dollar smile and perfect dancing skills have catapulted her into the league of promising leading ladies of tinsel town today.
9. Deepika Padukone: At 25, Deepika has established herself as one of the more popular female stars of Hindi cinema. This year she strengthened her stance, not so much with her performances, but because of the elan with which she carried out the sultry song “Mit jaaye gum”; as the small town but confident girl in “Aarakshan”; and as the love interest of John Abraham in “Desi Boyz “.
10. Mahie Gill: Her films, “Utt Patang”, “Not A Love Story” and “Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster” this year didn’t mint enough money at the box office, but her performance, like always, was well noticed. The critically acclaimed actress continues to choose films away from tried-and-tested formulas, and garners appreciation galore.

From He-Man to funny man, from flamboyant to sombre – Bollywood’s top notch actors have shone on the silver screen in various avatars and also kept the cash registers ringing.
Top 10 actors of the year 2011:
1) Salman Khan – He should be titled hit khan. If Bollywood’s knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with “Bodyguard” and “Ready”. In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.
2) Aamir Khan: What one missed in Salman Khan’s films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer “Dhobi Ghat”. Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai. The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, “Wow! What a performance! What an actor!”
If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy “Delhi Belly” and the film’s success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood.
3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan. The youngster excelled in his only release “Rockstar”, which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.
4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in “RA.One” to woo his fans. Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.
5). Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B. Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films “Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap” and “Aarakshan” – as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students. In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.
6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan. The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right.
7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality. If “Kites” didn’t allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” helped him unleash his potential as an actor.
8) R. Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him. But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.
9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in “Dev D” or a smart thief in “Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye”, he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past. He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”.
10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in “Omkara” and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility. This year he had just one release in “Aarakshan”, which was not a super hit, but the film’s box office performance didn’t overshadow Saif’s work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.

Rakhi Sawant, perhaps true item-girl in Bollywood today, alleges that actress Katrina Kaif has copied her antics in her “Chikni Chameli” act in “Agneepath” remake.
“I think ‘Chikni Chameli’ is a good song. Katrina has danced very well but it’s not something new. I have already done all this before. You can watch all my songs, I have already done that,” the 33-year-old controversy queen said here at the Big Stars Entertainment Awards.
“I have done this in ‘Dekhta hai tu kya’ and she did this in ‘Shiela ki jawaani’. In ‘Chikni Chameli’, she is again following me. It seems Katrina really likes me…It’s alright if someone wants to follow me and dance,” added Rakhi, who did a cameo in a few films before featuring in a full-fledged item number “Chura liyaa hai tumne” in 2003.
Rakhi hasn’t got any awards so far. When asked about it, she compared herself with Aamir Khan, though in a light-hearted manner, and said: “Aamir and I are similar. Neither he gets awards, nor do I. But we have won the heart of India and we do not need an award.”
The loud-mouth actress, who has dabbled both in television and films, was last seen on the big screen in an item song in “Loot”. On small screen, she hosted the reality talk-show “Ajab Desh Ki Ghazab Kahaaniyan”.

Shahrukh Khan, who played anti-hero in the beginning of his career, returns in a negative role in his forthcoming movie “Don 2: The King is Back”. The superstar says that portraying villanious characters gives a different high to an actor.
“I really enjoyed it. I will be really honest and I am not glorifying badness in real life and these are just films and stories, but as an actor it is one of the greatest highs to play a villain’s role,” said Shah Rukh at the launch of the video game based on “Don 2″, which is releasing Friday.
Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film also stars Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, Om Puri and Kunal Kapoor.
“Farhan Akhtar as a director-actor and Priyanka as an actor would agree that it’s a different kind of a high for an actor to play a villains role,” said SRK.
The 46-year-old, who rose to fame by playing negative roles in super hit films “Baazigar” and “Darr”, believes in the existence of one central character, who can be either good or bad.
“I started with theatre and there was nothing like a hero for me. There was a protagonist, a central character. I have been a bad guy on stage, I have been a good guy on stage…,” said SRK.
“I was thrilled that I got this opportunity and I did not think of the hero type roles. Now that I am getting a chance to play a negative role in ‘Don’ after so many years, there is no justification to it and being bad is also important to take the world forward,” he added.
This year Shah Rukh’s mega-budget sci-fi film “Ra. One” released and he also made cameo appearances in “Always Kabhi Kabhi” and “Love Breakups Zindagi”.

There was a Bollywood touch to Goa’s celebration of its 50th anniversary of liberation from 450 years of Portuguese rule Monday with a vision document suggesting construction of hi-tech studios to feed the Mumbai-based film industry.
Vision document ‘Goa 2035′, which the Goa government commissioned to chart out a roadmap for the years ahead, envisioned that the state be developed as a hi-tech satellite feeding Bollywood’s creative economy.
The document, drafted by a committee headed by former Council for Scientific and Industrial Research chief Raghunath Mashelkar, advocated that Goa should take advantage of the creative economy which has been spawned by Bollywood, operating out of Mumbai, about 600 km from here. Goa already is the permanent host of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
“This would mean promising stakeholders of Bollywood industry, which includes producers, and technicians who have stakes in information and technology, should be invited to Goa to build hi-tech studios,” Mashelkar said, adding that creative economy would not spell a heavy ecological cost, like the mining or tourism industries in Goa.
“All these industries will build and enhance the clean environment, hence making Goa an ever nicer place to live in,” Mashelkar said.
Ashank Desai, a computer engineer and the promoter of the firm Mastek, said the entire vision document would be released in January and only a skeletal report has been released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Goa Liberation Day.
Desai said that ‘Goa 2035′ had also recommended that mining in the state be regulated, adding that miners should adhere to global environment standards.
“The mining industry should be incentivised to set examples of environmental sustainability,” the report said.

BollywoodWorld.com, Priyanka Chopra admits Madhur Bhandarkar offered his most ambitious project “Heroine” to her, but she couldn’t accept it due to its streak of similarity with “Fashion”. However, she is sure Kareena Kapoor will do full justice to the role.
“Madhur and I did talk about ‘Heroine’. For me, however, it would have been like a Bollywood version of ‘Fashion’. Kareena is the perfect choice. She’s such a brilliant actor,” Priyanka told ETC’s “Bollywood Business” host and trade analyst Komal Nahta on his show.
“As a filmmaker, Madhur brings out the best in any actor, and Kareena’s such a superior one,” she added on the episode to be aired Wednesday.
Both the actresses shared the screen in hit movie “Aitraaz”.
Aishwarya Rai was the original choice for “Heroine”, which narrates the journey of a once successful film actress whose career is on the decline.
Bhandarkar had begun shooting with Ash, but the project was put on hold when the actress’ pregnancy was announced. Later, several rumours about the replacement made their way. However, Kareena was zeroed in on as the final choice.
The “Heroine” team is already shooting.
As for Priyanka, she is busy promoting her upcoming film “Don 2: The King Is Back”, in which she plays Roma or ‘Jungle billi’. The film releases Friday.

After enthralling the audience with his daredevilry superhero acts in “RA.One”, superstar Shahrukh Khan returns to the villainous streak with Farhan Akhtar’s new film “Don 2- The King Is Back”, a sequel to 2006 film “Don”, which was a remake of Amitabh Bachchan starrer of the same name.
“Don 2″ will be released with 3,000 movie prints in the domestic market and it will also have 3D release in another 550 screens.
Written and directed by Farhan, the film is co-produced by Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment and Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment. While Shah Rukh, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani and Om Puri reprise their roles as Don, Roma, Vardhan and Malik respectively, the sequel has some new additions like Kunal Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Aly Khan, Nawaab Shah and Sahil Shroff.
After conquering the Asian underworld, Don has set his sights on taking over the European underworld. However, bosses of European underworld and all the law enforcement agencies are acting as a roadblock is his quest to be the leader. In the mega budget film, the action shifts from Kaula Lumpur in Malaysia to Berlin in Germany as Don must avoid assassinations and arrests in order to succeed.
Farhan roped in international stunt director Wolfgang Stegemann, who has worked on Hollywood films “Inglourious Basterds” and “Valkyrie”, for the stunts. He trained Shah Rukh for daring fight sequences and also created a special fight style for him in “Don 2″.
It is a negative role for Bollywood Badshah, but he says, “I am not glorifying badness in real life and these are just films and stories, but as an actor it is one of the greatest highs to play a villain’s role.”
For his character, SRK has experimented with a variety of looks, including long unkempt hair and a stubble and he also performed most of the stunts himself. Not only htat, he also took a 300-feet plunge for a scene while shooting in Berlin.
The film will be released in both 2D and 3D versions. Farhan has not only written and directed it, he has also written the dialogues of the film.
Made at a budget of over Rs.75 crore approximately, “Don 2: The King is Back”, has been primarily shot in Berlin and Malaysia. In Berlin, it was shot at locations like Brandenburg Gate, the Olympia Stadium, The Gandarmen Market and the East Side Gallery.
The film found itself in midst of controversies for copyright infringement from the original makers. According to reports, Nariman Films, producer of the 1978 Amitabh starrer “Don”, has sent a legal notice to Excel Entertainment for copyright infringement saying they had only given the right to remake the movie and no rights to make a sequel. But it was reportedly sorted out.
The film is the last big release of the year and its satellite right has reportedly been sold for Rs.37 crore to Zee TV.
Trade pundits are keeping their fingers crossed for the film to hit the bull’s eye at the box office and allow the filmdom to enter the new year riding on the profits of the film.

Composer-singer-actor Himesh Reshammiya credits actor Salman Khan, a godfather to many newcomers, for his success in the Hindi film industry.
“For me it’s always been god, dad and Salman Khan. He (Salman) has been a driving force for me. I just want to thank him for his support. Thank you Salman bhai,” said 38-year-old Himesh, whose music in the actor’s “Bodyguard” was well-received by the audiences.
Himesh, who reportedly had a spat with Salman sometime back, minced no words while thanking the actor and his family for helping him at every stage of his decade-long career either a music director, singer or even as an actor.
“After this break of one-and-a-half years and with love and good wishes of Salman bhai, my first film “Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya” was possible because of the Khan family and now my 101st film “Bodyguard” also is getting me awards. It’s all because of their love. In some way or the other Salman bhai has been the reason for my success,” said Himesh.
After his success as a composer-singer, Himesh took up acting in films like “Aap Ka Suroor”, “Karzzzz”, “Kajraare” and “Damadamm”. He is looking forward to more acting and music assignments.
“Now after this break I am all set to give music, and I will give music for a lot of films. I will produce quite a few films too and will also start with my acting spree. I have four films in hand.
“I’m creatively reloaded. I’m ready with eight to nine scripts, which I have compiled for production houses. As far as the music front is concerned, when I had come here at the age of 16, I came with 300 songs and today I am ready with 500 songs and have signed 250 artists for”it,” he added.
Himesh is also set for some international projects, both, as a composer and as an actor.
“An international album in collaboration with Lil Wayne and Edward Maya is also ready. I have formulated 15 songs for it and the album is called ‘The Edge’. DJ Edward Maya is doing my song and Roman White, who directs Justin Bieber’s videos is directing our album too. I am also doing an international film ‘A * Is Killed’,” said Himesh.
For 2012, his hands are full with films like “Namastey London 2″, “Dangerous Ishq”, “Khiladi 786″, “Shortcut Romeo” and “A New Love Ishtory”.

Abhishek Bachchan, on a promotional tour for his upcoming film “Players”, took time off to visit the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer after a gap of seven years.
“Had the morning off so drove down to Ajmer Sharif. Went back there after almost seven years. It’s always wonderful to go there and seek blessings,” Abhishek wrote on Twitter.
The actor is currently in Jaipur for the film promotion.
Directed by Abbas-Mustan, “Players” has an ensemble cast featuring Bobby Deol, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sikander Kher, Bipasha Basu, Sonam Kapoor and Omi Vaidya, apart from Abhishek.
“Driving back to Jaipur after visiting Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Off to the airport and Jaipur. Promotional tours are tougher than making the film!!!!” he futher posted.
The film is set to hit the screens Jan 6, 2012.

What better than the symbol of love, the Taj Mahal, as the backdrop to the launch of a romantic music album for the film “Ek Deewana Tha”, says Oscar-winning music composer A.R. Rahman.
“The movie has so many romantic songs, so what can be the perfect way to project my songs with Taj as a backdrop. I always want people to recognise my music and this is what I am trying to do (through this album),” Rahman told reporters here on the sidelines of the music launch.
“The film is the perfect expression of love and that’s what the songs speak,” he added. Rahman was accompanied by the film’s cast, Prateik and Amy Jackson.
Even Prateik is excited to have got a chance to work with The Mozart of Madras.
“I love Taj, especially because it is a symbol of love. Also, working with Rahman was such a delight,” said Prateik.
The album has an interesting mix of romantic and emotional numbers. While two of them are fresh Hindi songs, the remaining five are Hindi versions of original songs sung in Tamil and Telugu. The lyrics are penned by Javed Akhtar.
Directed by Gautham Menon, the film revolves around an aspiring filmmaker from Mumbai, who falls in love with a woman from a strict orthodox Christian family. It is the remake of Tamil film “Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa”, which was also directed by Menon.

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, who is set to launch a Legends Walk in Mumbai, a Desi version of the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, says he has already got the handprints of as many as 25 legendary actors of tne Hindi film industry.
“Legends Walk will be a waterfront promenade which will have the hand impressions of the legends from our film industry. Trying to integrate technology for a better and wholesome experience at the LegendsWalk. We already have more than 25 legends, who have given their hand impressions,” Riteish wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Riteish, son of Vilasrao Deshmukh, the union minister of science and technology and a former Maharashtra chief minister, has been able to get the hand impressions of the likes of Shashi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar, Sadhana and megastar Amitabh Bachchan.
“Thank you all for being a part of #LegendsWalk- @srbachchan sir, Jaya aunty (bachchah), Rajesh Khannaji, Dharamji, WaheedaJi, Sadhanaji, Manoj Kumarji, Vinod Khannaji, Salim (khan) uncle, Mithun Da, Shashi Kapoor saab, Rishi Kapoor sir, @iamsrk @akshaykumar @beingSalmankhan, Jeetuji (Jeetendra), Asha Bhosaleji, Asha Parekhji. #LegendsWalk thank you guys.”
“The Walk has just begun – a long distance to cover. #LegendsWalk,” Riteish further posted.
Even UTV Stars has planned a similar project, named Bollywood Walk of Fame at Bandra Bandstand.

Imran Khan has already admitted Kareena Kapoor is his favourite actress. Working with her in romantic comedy “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu” has only strengthened his belief.
“She is like a light bulb. The second the director says ‘action’, this light comes up and you can’t take your eyes off her. She is magic,” Imran said on the sidelines of an event here.
Imran’s crackling chemistry with Kareena in the promos of “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu” is there for all to see. In fact, he was so much in awe of the 31-year-old stunner that he ended up taking almost 100 pictures of Kareena during the film shoot. Producer Karan Johar has suggested he exhibit the pictures soon.
Even when Imran was asked to choose the most stylish actress of B-Town, he was quick to respond, and said: “I think my vote goes to Kareena.”
Produced by Karan Johar, “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu” is directed by Shakun Batra and will release around Valentine’s Day next year.

Actress Sonam Kapoor, who plays an ultra-modern computer nerd in her upcoming film “Players”, is upset with the censor board’s objection over her middle-finger act, clearly visible in the promos of the film.
She feels the censors need to broaden their minds, considering the exposure that the youth has these days.
“Yes, we showed the middle finger but the censors are not okay with it. They don’t care what is happening on the internet. My teenage cousins are seeing things, worse things than what is happening in the cinema. Just one finger is not going to change anything,” the 26-year-old actress said while promoting “Players” at a radio station here.
Earlier, Ranbir Kapoor was seen raising his middle finger in “Rockstar”, but the censors didn’t object to this.
Sonam, daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, defended her act, terming it a part-and-parcel of the lives of today’s youth.
“It’s the normal language that we use in our day-to-day life, especially us young people. I am not saying that it is a good thing to do, but it’s very today. If I am playing a girl of today, and I speak this way and I am not going to say the ‘F’ word, it will look very unreal,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sonam is happily lapping up all the praise coming her way for her uber-cool and hot look in “Players”. Co-starring Abhishek Bachchan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Bobby Deol and Bipasha Basu, the film will release Jan 6, 2012.
Sonam is also looking forward to working on Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, opposite Farhan Akhtar.

Shahrukh Khan’s “Don 2 – The King is Back” has earned Rs.15.3 crore on the opening day, which is the highest first day collection on a non-holiday Friday.
The film is a sequel to Farhan Akhtar’s 2006 “Don”, which was a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer of the same name.
In overseas markets, “Don-2..” broke the record for the highest single day gross for a Hindi film in Australia with estimated earnings of US$82,000 Friday. The earlier record was Reliance Entertainment’s “Bodyguard” at US$74,000.
“Don 2″, also starring Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Kunal Kapoor and Lara Dutta earned $550,000 in North America, beating “My Name is Khan” opening day gross of $445,000
“Don 2″ released with 3,000 movie prints in the domestic market and a 3D release on another 550 screens.

Bollywood celebrities extended their best wishes on Christmas Sunday. Some even shared their plans for the day on Twitter – some would celebrate with friends and family while others have jetted off for vacations.
Madhuri Dixit is off to the Maldives with husband Shriram Nene and children Arin and Rayaan.
“Excited! Off to the Maldives for some rest and relaxation…Hope everyone is having a good holiday season,” the 44-year-old posted on Twitter.
Ajay Devgan, who is married to Kajol, is also on vacation although he did not reveal the location.
“Enjoying the Christmas air! Gonna sign off for the holidays an see u guys back in the new year! Ciao,” Devgn posted.
Riteish Deshmukh joined good friend Arshad Warsi and his wife Maria Goretti for a Christmas brunch.
“Off to Maria Goretti and Arshad Warsi’s house for Xmas brunch-She is the worlds best Bawarchi-No wonder Arshad is known as the heavy weight actor,” Deshmukh, 33, posted.
Celina Jaitly is enjoying the festive mood in Dubai.
“Attended a beautiful Xmas mass at the Dubai church .. Was emotionally very moved. Was wonderful to see people from so many countries come together,” the 30-year-old wrote.
“I Hate Luv Storys” director Punit Malhotra stayed at home on the occasion.
“Merry Christmas people. May the festival shower u with all the happiness and prosperity in the world. Happy holidays! Full on celebrations at home. Moms v excited, brought home a baby tree with some wonderful goodies,” he posted.
Abhishek Bachchan, who was recently blessed with a baby girl with wife Aishwarya, offered good wishes to fans.
“Wish all of you a very merry Christmas. Spread the love, joy and happiness. God bless,” he wrote.
Anupam Kher posted: “Happiness is the cheapest thing in the world when we buy it for someone else. Merry Christmas.”
Priyanka Chopra tweeted: “Merry Xmas guys…may we all be blessed with peace and contentment..and the happiness to live and love..and be loved..Thank u all for loving me.”
Karan Johar posted: “Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of you!!! Its the season to forgive…to forget…to skip regret…to live and let….”
Music composer Vishal Dadlani posted: “Merry Christmas you all Jesus changed the world with love and compassion for all. Try it, it might still work.”
Arjun Rampal wrote: “Merry Xmas, be free, be alive, be in love, be yourself, because everyone is beautiful. Love u all.”
Bipasha Basu posted: “Merry Xmas all!Peace to the world!”
Akshay Kumar wrote: “Merry Christmas to all of you! May you be with the people you love and who love you. I am so grateful for everything! Good health, a roof over my head, great friends, people who love me, but most importantly an amazing family!”

The first look of Bipasha Basu and R. Madhavan starrer comedy “Jodi Breakers” is out.
While Bipasha looks chic and stylish in a red gown, Madhavan looks urban and sophisticated in an all-black outfit, coupled with spectacles.
“Jodi Breakers” is an up-beat, modern-age, urban humour film, that revolves around dysfunctional relationships, which eventually lead to break ups. The film is slated to release in February, 2012.
Directed by Ashwini Chaudhary, the film also stars Omi Vaidya, Milind Soman, Dipannita Sharma, Mrinalini Sharma and Helen.

Model-turned-actress Bipasha Basu feels her co-stars Bobby Deol and Akshay Kumar’s support during her initial years helped her to become a full time actor.
“Both Bobby and Akshay are going to be my favourites because I didn’t know what I was doing in ‘Ajnabee’ and the kind of support they gave me, including the directors, that I decided to be an actor,” said the 32-year-old here Monday.
Abbas-Mustan directed hit thriller “Ajnabee” (2001), starring Bobby and Akshay.
“I called Bobby – Bobby Doll for a long time and he calls me Bipshaw. When such terms are exchanged between co-stars, then you know that there is genuine affection,” said Bipasha.
She was asked how she felt working with Bobby again after a gap of 10 years in “Players”.
Usually actresses don’t get along but Bipasha says that she had a good time with Sonam Kapoor who also features in the Abbas-Mustan directed action thriller set for Jan 6 release.
“Sonam is a wonderful girl. I am talkative and she is equally talkative, may be a bit more. We had a wonderful time as every single member of the cast was very comfortable and confident in their space. We used to hang out together. We liked working together and you can see the chemistry on screen,” she said.
Bipasha also recalled her long association with Abhishek Bachchan.
“I think we did a screen test together for ‘Akhri Mughal’. The movie was never made. Now we have grown as individuals, actors, and friends. We had a blast together,” she said.

A chock-a-block shooting schedule, hectic itinerary and non-stop promotional events — all this lead to a lot of stress for movie stars, including Priyanka Chopra. She says her stress buster is “sitting with parents and putting my head in my mom’s lap”.
“When I get really stressed out, I go and sit with my parents and I put my head in my mom’s lap and everything feels okay and nothing really matters. So for me, that’s my biggest stress buster,” the 29-year-old said at an event.
At the same time, she believes that everyone has their own way to deal with stress.
“It’s really strange that when it comes to stress, all of us deal with it in our different ways. We might have different amounts of it, but eventually the person who is going through stress feels it the most,” said the national award winning actress whose latest “Don 2 – The King Is Back” is doing good business at the box office.
Besides “Don 2″, this year Priyanka was seen in Vishal Bhardwaj’s “7 Khoon Maaf”. For next year, her diary is full with Karan Johar’s “Agneepath”, Anurag Basu’s “Barfee”, Kunal Kohli’s “Teri Meri Kahaani” and Rakesh Roshan’s “Krrish 2″.

Sanjay Dutt, who had planned to spend New Year’s eve with his family, has decided to cut short his holiday in Bali to accommodate a shoot for Colors’ reality show “Bigg Boss 5″, which he hosts along with Salman Khan.
Sanjay’s trip began Saturday, and he had planned to return home some time next year. But the makers of “Bigg Boss” planned a special episode for Dec 31, and the channel authorities requested him to be present for the same.
The professional that he is, Sanjay cut short his trip and is now returning to Mumbai Friday. He will go to Karjat Dec 31 morning via a chopper and will shoot for the special episode, said a source close to the 52-year-old.
In the meantime, the second theatrical trailer of Sanjay’s forthcoming release “Agneepath” released with “Don 2: The King Is Back”. In the film, a remake of the 1990 film of the same name, Sanjay plays the villain Kancha Cheena.
His fearsome look and sly smile in the promos has been the talk of the town ever since the film’s first look was unveiled. “Agneepath”, produced by Karan Johar and directed by debutant Karan Malhotra, features Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra in key roles.
In the new year, Sanjay will be on a roll.
He will play characters inspired by real life police officers in “Zila Ghaziabad” and Ram Gopal Varma’s “Department”. He will also be seen in another movie, tentatively titled “Thanedaar Returns”, produced by Dharam Oberoi and TP Aggarwal.
Sanjay will also return as Munna in the third instalment of “Munnabhai”, and he will also team up again with good friend Ajay Devgn in “Son Of Sardar”.

Salman Khan’s 46th birthday turned out to be memorable for most celebrity invitees like his “Dabangg” co-star Sonu Sood and anchor Mini Mathur.
Salman celebrated his birthday with family and friends in Mumbai Tuesday night.
“Had a mad, crazy time at Tiger’s birthday yesterday!!” tweeted Mini, while actor Nikhil Dwivedi posted: “Salman Khan’s party was one of the warmest and coolest party that I’ve been to in a long time…and to see Govinda dance on the floor.. Magic!”
Sonu, who played villain in Salman’s blockbuster “Dabangg”, especially came here for the party.
“Came from Hyderabad to Mumbai for Salman bhai’s birthday at 1 a.m. and now at 5 a.m. heading back to Hyderabad straight to the location for my shoot,” he posted on his Twitter page.
The party was held at his farmhouse, Arpita Farms, named after Salman’s sister. The actor has had a successful year with movies like “Ready” and “Bodyguard”.
His success streak is expected to continue with movies like “Dabangg 2″ and “Ek Tha Tiger”.

He is known for his candyfloss movies and designer dramas, and she excels at making experimental and real life-inspired stories. Together, Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar, once rumoured to be a couple, are now ready to co-produce a movie.
“Ekta and I are super excited about the script we are producing together… will announce details as we cast the film and title it!!!” Johar posted on his Twitter page Wednesday.
According to reports, the film will be a “love story with a twist”, and it will be directed by Akshay Roy.
It will be interesting to see what Johar’s Dharma Productions and Ekta’s Balaji Motion Pictures will have to offer considering their different styles of filmmaking.
The rumour about Johar and Ekta’s romance had reached its peak when news of their wedding started doing the rounds three years ago.
But they have been good friends since childhood, and have been looking forward to working together for a long time.

It is said that catfights are inevitable when two actresses work together in a film, but Bipasha Basu and Sonam Kapoor proved it wrong by bonding well on the sets of their forthcoming action thriller “Players”. Both shared a “talkative” equation while shooting.
“Something very similar between us is that we can’t keep our mouths shut. We just talk about ourselves. We are one of those girls who just want to talk about ourselves,” Sonam told reporters here Thursday.
Came Bipasha’s quick admission. “Abhishek (Bachchan) gets tired because we talk to each other and keep talking about ourselves.”
The actresses denied any catfights. “As you see we are not having any catfights, Abhishek told us we are not making enough news because we are not fighting!” said Bipasha.
Often referred to as “talkathon” by her friends, Bipasha is quick to admit Sonam takes the cake when it comes to yapping.
“I really like to listen what Sonam talks about, so I sometimes keep quiet. I used to think I am very talkative, my friends even given me a name ‘talkathon’. But when I met Sonam, I realised there is someone who talks more than me,” she said.

Abhishek Bachchan is gearing up for the release of his new film “Players”, an official remake of Hollywood film “Italian Job”, and the actor feels that remakes are more of a creative choice than just a trend.
“‘Players’ is the official remake of ‘Italian Job’. The story of players is the same, but the screenplay is completely different because you have to make it for the Indian audience,” Abhishek said.
“I don’t think there is any trend. We make a thousand films a year and, out of this, may be four or five are remakes. I think it is more of a creative choice than following a trend. When Abbas-Mustan saw ‘Italian job’, they felt they want to make this for the Indian audience,” he added.
Nowadays, social networking sites are becoming a prominent platform for actors and filmmakers for promoting their films, but Abhishek doesn’t seem to be in favour of it.
“Social networking isn’t just for promotions. It is a platform to exchange ideas and interact with our fans… A little bit of promotion is fine but I don’t think promoting the whole film is advisable,” said the actor.

Bollywood friends-turned-foes, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan are in the race to for the best male actor trophy at the Zee Cine Awards to be held in Macau next month.
Salman has been nominated for his performance in blockbuster “Bodyguard”, while Shah Rukh has got two nominations in the same category, thanks to “RA.One” and “Don 2: The King Is Back”. Other actors vying for the title include Hrithik Roshan for “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”, Ajay Devgn for “Singham” and Ranbir Kapoor for “Rockstar”.
Amongst the leading ladies, the battle for the best actor award is on between Vidya Balan (“The Dirty Picture”), Priyanka Chopra (“7 Khoon Maaf”), Kareena Kapoor (“Bodyguard”), Kangna Ranaut (“Tanu Weds Manu”) and Katrina Kaif (“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”).
The contenders in the best film category are “Don 2″, “Bodyguard”, “Rockstar”, “Singham”, “The Dirty Picture” and “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”.
The trophy for the best director of 2011 will be chosen from among Farhan Akhtar (“Don 2″), Imtiaz Ali (“Rockstar”), Milan Luthria (“The Dirty Picture”), Rohit Shetty (“Singham”), Siddique (“Bodyguard”) and Zoya Akhtar (“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”).
The awards will be chosen by film enthusiasts from across the globe. The viewers can send in their votes for their favourite nominees, and 12 lucky winners chosen from amongst those who send in their votes will also be flown in to Macau to witness the live ceremony, Jan 21 next year.
The star-studded extravaganza, to be hosted by Shah Rukh and Priyanka, will be telecast on TV Feb 5, 2012.

Ekta Kapoor’s “The Dirty Picture” has been named best picture, while Vidya Balan has been adjudged best actress for the same film at The Eighteenth National Media Network Film and TV awards.
The awards, instituted by National Media Network and Akhil Bharatiya Swatantra Patrakar Avom Lekhak Sangh, an association of freelance journalists and writers, will be given Jan 21 here where TV czarina Ekta will also be honoured for being a successful film and TV producer in Indian film and TV industry.
On the other hand, Ajay Devgn has been named the best actor for Rohit Shetty’s “Singham”, while Farhan Akhtar will be conferred with best director award for “Don 2 – The King Is Back”.
Filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, veteran lyricist Gulzar and T.P. Aggarwal, chairman, Film Federation of India will be given lifetime achievement awards, according to Daya Nand Vats, general secretary of the Sangh.
The hero of all-time hit award goes to actor Anil Kapoor. NDTV has been named the best Hindi news channel, while Asian Academy of Film and TV has been named the best institute for film and TV.

Bollywood actor and producer Sohail Khan is upbeat about the second season of Celebrity Cricket League and says it is a platform which helps reunite the entire Indian film industry.
“It’s all about sharing the space together. As we said, there is no barrier and all film industries can be a part of this competitive sport. It is great to see them unite and play cricket in a sporting spirit,” said Sohail, who owns Bollywood team Mumbai Heroes.
The 20-20 cricket tournament has teams not only from Hindi cinema, but also Telugu, Kannada and Tamil cinema.
While actor Vishnu Manchu owns Telugu Warriors, L. Ganga Prasad of GVR Infra Projects is the owner of Chennai Rhinos, and Ashok Kheny of AKK Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. has Karnataka Bulldozers.
“It is great fun and we have a good laugh in the after parties regarding the experiences of the game. We are not cricketers. We are just actors training to play good cricket. Getting everyone together is good fun,” he added.
Sohail’s team boasts of actors and filmmakers like Suniel Shetty, Riteish Deshmukh, Aftab Shivdasani, Sohail himself, Sonu Sood, Apoorv Lakhia, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Sunny Singh, Varun Badola, Kabir Sadanand, Raja Bherwani, Angad Bedi, Tushaar Jalota, Sharad Kelkar, Varun Rao, Sachin Joshi, Ashish Chaudhary and Vatsal Seth.
However, Salman Khan would not be able to play.
“Unfortunately not. His filming schedule and surgery last year have restricted him from playing but he may play in the next season of CCL. He is the icon player and ambassador of our team,” said Sohail.
After an exciting first season, the second season brings in two new teams Bengal Tigers, owned by filmmaker Boney Kapoor and his actress wife Sridevi, and Kerala Strikers of the Malayalam film industry owned by National Award winning actor Mohanlal. And Sohail says that more teams are likely to join in.
“The league is also growing in size. Last year we had four teams, this year we’ve got six teams and next year we are going to have eight teams and then we are going to end with ten teams. We are going to introduce the Marathi and Punjabi team next year,” said Sohail.
“Then there will be a Bhojpuri and a Gujarati team. We plan to cover all the film industries of India and it is a great platform for bringing together directors and producers,” he added.
The Celebrity Cricket League matches will begin Jan 13 in Sharjah.

Actress Priyanka Chopra says she has learnt a big lesson in the year 2011 – “waqt se pehle aur kismat se zyaada kuch nahi milta”
“Big lesson learnt last year!all we can do is give it the best we have,and enjoy the ride..waqt se pehle Aur kismat se zyaada kuch nahi milta,” Priyanka wrote on microblogging site Twitter.
The actress is looking forward to “Agneepath”, releasing Jan 26, it is her first big release in 2012.

A host of Bollywood celebrities like Karan Johar, Madhuri Dixit and Lara Dutta have sent out good wishes to friends, family and fans for a joyful and loving 2012.
Actors and filmmakers took to micro-blogging site Twitter to send out New Year wishes.
Here’s what they had to say:
Karan Johar: 2012 is definitely a year of hope and discovery… its definitely not the end of the world… its the beginning of a whole new world… To all of you in the twitterverse… the intense lovers… the lonely haters… the critical gang and the praise pack!!! A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Lara Dutta: Last day of the year. Time for reflection, gratitude and optimism! Have a super, bumper 2012 everyone!! Lots of love!
Neil Nitin Mukesh: Neither can you hug yourself… nor can you cry on your own shoulder… MUTUAL CARE is necessary for happy life. Wishing you a loving year ahead. Wish you all a very happy new year friends. May 2012 be a wonderful start to a lot of happiness to everyone!
Priyanka Chopra: Finally the time of the year for changes… off for my secret getaway for a day… into my world of dreams… have a super new year’s and be safe!!
Madhuri Dixit: Back in Mumbai to see in the new year! Had a great time in the Maldives. Always good to be home. Have a safe, a prosperous New Year in advance.
Emraan Hashmi: Before it goes mental later, let me wish each and everyone of you a very happy 2012. God bless.
Shruti Haasan: Hey tweeple! Hope you have a happy safe delightful new years eve!!! Happy 2012!
Shekhar Ravijani: Let’s all make a resolution together. Let’s educate children who can’t afford education. They are the future. We need to do whatever we can. Just want to wish all you people a very happy new year and thank you lots for your love and support. My wishes to your families as well. Love.
Pooja Bedi: Hope that the last day of 2011 is filled with magical moments, unbounded happiness, the company of loved ones & festivities!!! Love to all.

Filmmakers Abbas-Mustan, known for making fast-paced action thrillers, are set to entertain their fans with another lean and mean heist flick, “Players”, that releases Friday.
Co-produced by Viacom 18 and Abbas-Mustan, the film is the official remake of Hollywood movie “Italian Job” and stars Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Bobby Deol, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sikander Kher and Omi Vaidya in prominent roles.
Abhishek plays Charlie Mascarenhas, a chartered accounted by day and a master thief in the night. He’s got razor sharp intelligence, is an expert in conning people and loves to call himself an artist.
Naina (Sonam) is an expert in ethical hacking. A beautiful girl who did everything right in her academic life but for personal reasons decides to be a part of the heist.
Riya (Bipasha) is known to charm her way into the hearts of rich and famous men and later into their safety vaults. She has been Charlie’s longstanding partner-in-crime and is also an automobile expert.
Ronnie (Bobby) has no experience in the game of conning people, but is a master of illusions. He was one of the most popular illutionists in the country, but abruptly switched tracks at the peak of his career.
Bilal (Sikander), having worked in the secret services, has strong contacts all over the world and is fluent in several languages. He also has had a thing for home-made bombs.
Spider (Neil), a quintessential computer geek and a master hacker, has robbed millions from banks all over the world. Sunny Mehra (Omi) is an aspiring Bollywood star, but when rejected by all the producers, he goes on to become a face-changing expert — a prosthetics expert.
All of them come together and plan to pull off the heist of their lives by creating the largest traffic jam ever.
“People love the commotion in such films. The way actors escape through tunnels and drainage pipes makes the film interesting. The double crossing, scheming and plotting are something that keeps people glued to the screens,” said Abbas-Mustan.
The makers started shooting in Goa and then embarked on a journey to places like Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand, Siberia and St Petersburg in Russia, as well as the North Pole to make the backdrop as thrilling as possible.
“Shooting in foreign locations isn’t new, but we chose locations that are different from the rest. We even shot a part of the film at the North Pole. It has been the best experience for us. We knew we couldn’t go in the winter as it is dark all day,” said Abbas-Mustan.
Neil was left battered and bruised while doing stunts in the film. Sonam is getting rave reviews for her cool and glamorous look in the film. “Players” found itself in trouble after the censor board raised objections over her middle finger act in the film.
“Players” is the first big release of 2012 and many hope it will ring in profits in the new year.

Midnight soccer with daughter Suhana proved to be a painful game for superstar Shahrukh Khan as he hurt his ribs while playing.
“Have hurt ribs. Holiday soccer career nipped in the bud…bah!! Now to indulge in reading & videogames. Hurts only when I laugh or breathe,” Shah Rukh wrote on social networking site Facebook.
The actor is holidaying in Dubai with wife Gauri and children Suhana and Aryan, and is enjoying the “luxury of nothingness”.
“My lil girl team riding ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) & shrieking like only girls can, breaking the still of the nite. Nothing happening except just lounging and repairing laptop…the luxury of nothingness,” he further posted.

Actress Pooja Bedi says she has been asked to refrain from attending the grand finale of Colors’ reality show “Bigg Boss 5″, in which she was a participant.
“Have been informed by channel that I’m not to attend finale, despite it being mandatory in my contract! Wonder why! Any guesses?” Pooja posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
“Have asked channel to state reason I cannot be there at finale to cheer my friends on! Also, till yesterday I was to do a medley! What changed?” she added.
The actress, daughter of veteran actor Kabir Bedi and Odissi exponent Protima Gauri Bedi, caught limelight for endorsing Kama Sutra in the 1990s, and she went on to be popular for her Marilyn Monroe skirt act in “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander”.
Pooja entered the “Bigg Boss 5″ house Oct 2, 2011, and she was evicted towards the end of November.
Recently, the 41-year-old was in spotlight for her comments against “Bigg Boss 5″ host Salman Khan, as she felt he hurt her fellow inmate and friend, Akashdeep Saigal aka Sky.
It is believed that perhaps her comments didn’t go down too well with Salman.
However, in a host of replies to tweets from her fans, Pooja posted: “Never said anything derogatory about channel or production house! And its my perogative to react to contestants or host of my show. If anchors can be unfair or awful to contestants, contestants have a right to speak up in their or their friends defence!”
“I have requested an official explanation from channel, but they haven’t given me one yet! Let them decide how to say it. Channel and production never had issues with any of statements I’ve made! If they had, they’d have intimated me immediately.”
According to a tabloid, even Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan’s plans of promoting Karan Johar’s forthcoming film “Agneepath”, on the show have been scrapped.
It is believed Hrithik and Salman share a cold war ever since the former reacted to Salman’s comments against “Guzaarish” director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. So now, Imran Khan will perhaps attend the finale to promote “Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu”, also produced by Johar.
Post the news, Pooja wrote: “Mumbai Mirror article today! Hrithik not allowed in #BB5 finale! Guess I’m not the only victim! Wow!”
The finale of the reality show is to be held Saturday. Among the final contestants are Juhi Parmar, Amar Upadhyay, Mahek Chahal, Siddharth Bharadwaj and Sky.

Bollywood’s item girl Rakhi Sawant, known for making headlines with bold statements, seems to have taken a fancy for politicians. After confessing she has a soft corner for Rahul Gandhi, she is now praising Raj Thackeray.
“I respect Raj-ji a lot. He is a very good man and his team is equally good. He is doing a great job… He is helping the poor. I always say that Raj-ji is like a brother to me,” the 33-year-old controversy queen said while attending a screening of “Don 2″ along with cancer patients.
“Kehte hain na ki jab seedhi ungli se ghee nahin nikalta hai, toh ungli tedhi karni padti hai, aur koun nahin hai…And I don’t find anything wrong in his conduct,” she added of Maharashtra Navnirman Samiti leader.
Asked if she will tie a rakhi to Raj, she replied: “If bhai (Raj) asks me to come, I will surely go. What is wrong in that? I always send him a rakhi.”
But the actress has no plans to join politics.
“Not at all, I don’t understand politics. I am an artist, a normal artist, a normal human being and I don’t know anything about politics. I don’t think I should ever join that profession. We are artists and our work is to make people laugh. I have to do a lot of work,” said Rakhi, who had a dull 2011 except for TV show “Ghazab Desh Ki Ajab Kahaaniyan”.
Rakhi was last seen in item numbers in films “Rakhtbeej” and “Loot”.

Just what happens to creativity when it comes to titles? From ongoing TV soaps like “Kuch Toh Log Kahenge” and “Bade Acche Lagte Hain” to the forthcoming “Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuuch Kaha” and “Kya Hua Tera Vaada”, it appears that authors expend all their energy in writing scripts and fall back on well-loved film songs for titles.
Clearly, Hindi movie songs down the ages are the easy inspiration for a host of television serials with the makers also hoping for instant connect.
“Kuch Toh Log Kahenge”, a hit song picturised on Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna in “Amar Prem”, is now the the title of Indian adaptation of the popular Pakistani serial “Dhoop Kinare”. Mohnish Behl and Kritika Kamra are the protagonists in the love story of a 40-plus guy and a 20-something girl.
The title of Ekta Kapoor’s “Bade Acche Lagte Hain” is picked up from the song in the 1976 movie “Balika Badhu”, about the arranged marriage of two teenagers, played by Sachin Pilgaonker and Rajni Sharma. The TV show revolves around a business tycoon in his early 40s and a working woman in her late 30s who are brought together by an arranged marriage.
There are many other instances.
“Dekha Ek Khwaab”, has been taken from the evergreen song “Dekha ek khwaab toh yeh silsilay hue” picturised on Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha in the 1981 film “Silsila”. The show is a fairytale story of a young girl who lives in a chawl but is actually a princess.
The title of Star Plus’ new show “Ruk Jana Nahi” is a lift from “Ruk jana nahi tu kahin haar ke” from the 1974 film “Imtihaan” starring Vinod Khanna, while “Diya Aur Bati” is based on the song from Anil Kapoor-Tabu starrer “Viraasat”.
“Sapno Se Bhare Naina” is from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s composition “Sapnon se bhare naina, na neend hai na chaina” from the soundtrack of “Luck By Chance”.
“Iss Pyaar ko Main Kya Naam Doon” is another show that takes its title from a song from Tusshar Kapoor-Kareena Kapoor-starrer “Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai”.
Remember the popular song “Phoolon ka taaron ka sabka kehna hai, ek hazaaron mein meri behna hai” sung by Dev Anand for his screen sister Zeenat Aman in the film “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”? The heart-warming song has made it to the title of the TV show “Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai”, which is a tale of two sisters and the strong bond they share.
SAB TV’s comedy show “Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo” has been taken from the song “Sajan re jhoot mat bolo, khuda ke pass jana hai” picturised on legendary actor Raj Kapoor in the film “Teesri Kasam”.
Two of the popular Star Plus shows “Sasural Genda phool” and “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai” are also inspired by the songs from Abhishek Bachchan’s “Delhi-6″ and Tabu-starrer “Meenaxi” respectively.
The list doesn’t end here! Two upcoming shows titles – “Kya Hua Tera Vaada” and “Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuuch Kaha” – are also inspired by songs. The shows will be aired on Sony and Colors respectively.
“Kya Hua Tera Vaada” marks the comeback of actress Mona Singh in a daily soap after “Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi”. While “Kya hua tera…” is a song from 1977 film “Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin”, “Na bole tum..” is a track from 1979 film “Baaton Baaton Mein”.

Yesteryears Bollywood actor Prem Chopra and some others have been booked for defrauding a man in Rajasthan capital Jaipur on the pretext of giving him a role in a film and offering a partnership in a dance and acting school, police said Wednesday.
According to police, the first information report (FIR) was registered at Subash Chowk police station here Tuesday against Prem Chopra and other on a complaint by Waseem Khan, a resident of Ramgarh Road.
Others named in the FIR are Saleem from Saleem Productions, his wife Radha Keshwani, choreographer Sujata Bakshi and Rakesh Pandey.
“Waseem Khan had approached the court of additional chief judicial magistrate and filed a complaint against the accused,” a police officer told IANS.
Waseem alleged that Saleem took money from him saying that he would produce a movie in which he would be given a role, he said.
The police officer said that the complainant alleged that he was also promised that a dance and acting school will be started using his money.
“Waseem alleges that Saleem took him to Mumbai and made him meet Prem Chopra there. Waseen claims to have given a total of Rs.350,000 to the accused,” said the officer.
The complainant alleged that despite the fact that he contacted them several times to start production of the movie and start the dance and acting school, nothing has been done.
The court Tuesday directed the police to lodge an FIR and make an officer not below an assistant commissioner of police the investigating officer in the case.