Kareena showers praises on Saif Ali Khan

Kareena Kapoor wants to work with Imtiaz Ali again. “I need my acting energies to be re-fuelled. I’d love to work with Imtiaz Ali again after Jab We Met. Right now, he’s soaked in Love Aaj Kal. And that’s just fine. That’s my film too.” Kareena has her fingers crossed about Love Aaj Kal. “I just want it to do well. I’m right there for it. I’m totally involved in it. Earlier I knew Saif as an actor. Now that he’s a producer I see a completely different Saif at home. He’s running around till 1 am. I’ve seen the film twice. Ain’t I lucky to see Imtiaz Ali’s new film twice over? Saifu is a killer in Love Aaj Kal. It’s his best performance after Omkara.When you see him as a Sardar, you’ll forget Saif Ali Khan is a Muslim. Everything from body language to beard, trousers and shirt is unbelievable.

Last week Kareena airdashed to Jaipur to join Saif ad Imtiaz for the promotion of Love Aaj Kal. “I need to be by his side now. Love Aaj Kal is equally important to both of us.” No regrets about Kambakkht Ishq? “Any actress would give her right arm to do such a glamorous glitzy role. And I got to work with Sylvester Stallone. I couldn’t believe when he said he knew my work. I remember Saif was shooting in San Francisco. He flew down to LA to see my shooting with Stallone. I remember Saif was introduced to Stallone as a member of a royal family and the son of a former Indian cricket team. I remember our lunches. We had Indian kebabs. Stallone loved it. I’ll never forget it. He had heard of my grandfather (Raj Kapoor). He wanted to see my movies. I gave him DVDs of Jab We Met and Omkara.

Like Saif? Let me tell you, he’s the most decent human being I’ve met in the industry. He takes everything and everyone on their face value. These past few weeks have been really tough on him. Promoting his film he had to keep talking about himself. We both hate discussing our lives specially our marriage plans. We’re constantly asked to fix a time frame….two years, three years. Frankly we don’t know. And does it matter? We are together, aren’t we? I know people had given our relationship six months at the most.”

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Emraan Hashmi alleges discrimination

Actor Emraan Hashmi claims he was denied a home because he’s a Muslim. The actor says he wanted to rent a home in a building in Mumbai’s posh Pali Hill. He says he had sought the building society’s permission, which he never got. They did not have to tell me that it was because I was a Muslim. I have faced such discrimination before,” said Emraan Hashmi, Actor. The society denies discrimination and says it has yet to process his request. In turn the society’s secretary accused Hashmi of unruly behaviour.

“We have nothing against Muslims. Mr Hashmi barged into our society meeting and demanded we approve his application immediately. We told him that this cannot be done and it will take time. We have not refused him,” said Joy Chetri, Secretary, Nibanna Housing Society.But it’s an allegation that shows five years on Mumbai continues to be divided on communal lines. A 2004 NDTV investigation showed how Muslims were denied homes in predominantly Hindu societies and Hindus in Muslim societies.

Later same was repeated in the case of TV actor Amir Ali who moved the Bombay High Court in 2007. Hashmi has registered a complaint with the State Minorities Commission, which is enquiring into the matter but the case once again brings to fore how Mumbai continues to be divided on communal lines.

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Aishwarya-Abhishek almost killed by elephant

We all know Bollywood’s most romantic couple Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan pine to spend quality time together. But the way they were stranded together on Wednesday in the jungles of Athirapilly in Kerala was anything but romantic.The day, according to the unit, started normally and ended being one of the most calamitous and nightmarish days of the couple’s life. Says a source, ”Abhi and Ash left with Mani Ratnam on Wednesday morning to check out an elephant which was supposed to participate in the shooting from next week.

Little did they know what was in store.The elephant went berserk killing the mahout and taking off on a stampede that had Abhishek, his wife and director hiding in the jungles until people who could control the elephant and rescue the couple reach. Says the source, ”For ten hours, Abhishek, Aishwarya and Mani went without food or water. They just hid themselves from the elephant’s rampaging wrath. Finally, they were rescued late at night. But until then there was no news of their safety and well-being. Abhishek and Aishwarya’s parents were delirious with worry.

Raavan seems to be the most troubled film that Mani Ratnam has shot. From the director’s health scare to a rampaging elephant to severe viral infections and malaria, the cast and crew has seen and experienced enough to make a fast-paced thriller on the making of Raavan.

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Sohail Khan follows big brother Salman’s footsteps

Salman Khan is extremely popular in Bollywood for his whole hearted generosity to even strangers who approach him for help. There have been plenty of instances when Salman has gone out of his way to do things for his industry friends and even his films’ unit members and staff just to bring a smile on their face. Now it seems his good habit has rubbed off on younger brother Sohail Khan as well. Reveals a source, Sohail is presently in a great mood since his Main Aur Mrs Khanna starring Salman and Kareena Kapoor, is finally ready for release.The promos of the film that have been long delayed will go on air soon.

But Sohail has his post-production team and editing staff to thank for it as they have finished the editing and other post production chores in double the time. And Sohail, who was mighty impressed, immediately ordered a set of hi-end Swiss watches from the manufacturer and asked them to be delivered pronto. Sohail also organised a private party for the team of technicians, who worked on the project and personally gave them the watches much to their surprise and excitement.”.

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New actors facing publicity problems

Communication skills are entirely lacking in the generation that has now come in. Publicists are employed tdo fix up appointments during the time of a film’s release. I don’t buy that. Why should we make ourselves available whenever a star needs or demands our presence? This may be suitable protocol for star-journalist relations in the West. It doesn’t work here. We Indians are too emotional to be professional about our entertainer. We love Jaya and Amitabh’s son and Kamal Haasan and Sarika’s daughter unconditionally.When Abhishek was to be launched I was part of the whole process. It wasn’t just the Bachchans. Even director JP Dutta was, and is, a close friend. The senior AB dialed my number and handed the phone to his son.I was the first to interview both Abhishek and Kareena.And they still remember it.

It doesn’t matter who first interviewed Ranbir, Imran or Sonam.They couldn’t care less. To them the media is a necessary evil, to be avoided as much as possible.To be borne otherwise. One of the star-kids actually tells you how to write your interview and to avoid using the interview in bits and pieces, please.I’d rather see it all together,” instructs the star-kid. Konkona Sen-Sharma whose temperamental mom is the most charming interviewee, gets edgy when you ask a personal question. “I don’t see the relevance of what you are asking,” she told me. Ouch. But I do see the relevance of your performances. Another star-kid sauntered on to the silver screen this week. I remember Shruti Haasan as a child, albeit a very grownup child, solemn and serious way beyond her years.

Once, her father Kamal Haasan and I were driving down to a premiere with Shruti and her dad asked which among the two of us she thought was older.Grow up, guys. That’s such a juvenile question,” Shruti was so grownup even then.And now to see her emerge from a pool in a bikini in her first film was quite embarrassing. And unnecessary. All those filmmakers who claim that bikinis are “what the script demands” should check out a pool closest to their ivory towers. And put their daughters into it.The two-piece is most unnecessary, and that too for a child-woman barely out of her teens. Ironically, most of these production houses that dig seeing bathing nymphs emerge from the waters don’t have women-folk from their own family working in the entertainment industry.I mean, have you heard of any girl from Yash Chopra’s clan being in the film business?

Isn’t it strange, male actors’ sons head for their father’s profession when they are barely into puberty, but who has heard of Sunil Dutt, Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra or Rajendra Kumar’s daughters choosing to become actors? Maybe these girls just didn’t want a film career. Or maybe their fathers had seen too many of their heroines emerge from the pool dripping for the salivating masses.

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Rakhi Sawant wants Shahrukh

While Rakhi Sawant’s ambitious guest list for her swayamvar includes Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, her mother Jaya and Rakhi Sawant brother Rakesh haven’t been invited to give their blessings to the classy bride-to-be. To add insult to injury, on the show, Rakhi has been ranting about the fact that her mother and brother never wanted her to get married. The duo is so furious with Rakhi that Rakesh even called his sister to fire her and said that she should stop spouting lies on a public platform. “Pehle se hi hamein itna badnaam karke rakha hai, ab aur badnami nahin chahiye,” Rakesh told Mumbai Mirror.Rakesh added, “Yes, she has not invited us. And let Rakhi marry anybody.

How will it affect my mother and me? My sister is talking nonsense when she claims that we don’t want her to get married. Where would Rakhi have been if my mother had not taken pains to bring her up? She has also been saying that she financed my films. I wonder what she is talking about. Aur bhai-behen ka rishta kuch raha hi nahin hai, sab business ho gaya hai.We then called Mrs Sawant,who she started crying. She would have dearly loved to be present at her daughter’s swayamvar.“Mujhe bulaya nahin to main kaise jaoon? I have developed a blockage in my heart. I am very unwell,” Mrs Sawant said. “How can she say that we didn’t want her to ever get married? I sent a message to Rakhi’s secretary that they should let me to appear on the show, so that I can clarify my stand.

But my request fell on deaf ears. My blessings are always with her, if and when she gets married. I had put her name in a marriage bureau for three years. But things didn’t work out. At times, the boy was good-looking but the kundli didn’t match and vice versa. Is that my fault? On Oct 23, 2007, Mumbai Mirror had reported that Rakhi had tied the knot. We wonder if Rakhi has divorced that man, or else this marriage would be null and void.However, Mrs Sawant claimed that her daughter was not married before. “She is 30 years old. She was born on 25.11.78. She always wanted to get married in her early days, but then she was a very ambitious girl. Woh bahut aage badna chahti thi. She always wanted a car and flat of her own. Ab sab kuch to nahin mil sakta na? Shaadi karke baith gayi to kaam nahin milega.”

At the time of going to press, our reliable source from the channel in question informed us that only TV faces like Gaurav Chopra, Gauri-Hiten Tejwani, Shweta Gulati, Karan Patel and Rakshanda Khan were confirmed guests at Rakhi’s swayamvar. We wonder if Rakhi’s desire to have Shah Rukh, Salman and Aishwarya will get fulfilled. Not that Mrs Sawant and Rakesh care, we are sure.

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I’m surrounded by gallant men: Deepika

Deepika Padukone has been on a dream ride and worked with some true gentlemen ever since she stepped into tinsel town. Her first co-star Shahrukh Khan is known for his impeccable manners. Ranbir Kapoor of course is the most important man in her life, perhaps after her champ dad. And Akshay Kumar has been very caring about her on the sets of House Full in London where Deepika is presently down with malaria. Deepika feels lucky to be surrounded by such gents.I’m lucky to be surrounded by gallant men.

Whether it’s my dad, Ranbir, Akshay, Shah Rukh Khan or any of my co-stars, I haven’t so far encountered any ill-behaved men,” Deepika is quoted as saying by IANS. Interestingly, Deepika omits the mention of Saif Ali Khan, her co-star in this Friday’s release Love Aaj Kal. It’s not that Saif isn’t gallant; just that he stayed mostly to himself on the sets of the film, giving her all the space she needed. The movie has Saif and Deepika playing a modern day couple in London and San Francisco. Her character is a die-hard romantic, but Saif plays a man who doesn’t realize what his heart wants.

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Ex-lovers Bipasha Basu, Dino live it up!

Former lovers Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea were seen living it up at a party held at a suburban nightclub last week.The two were together till the wee hours at the party, which was a going away party for a common friend who was leaving for the US for good. A source present at the party said, “Everybody was surprised to see Bipasha and Dino partying together last week. The two haven’t been seen much together after they called it quits and Bipasha started seeing John Abraham. Perhaps the two hanging out together had something to do with a certain Mr Abraham being away in London. As for the Bipasha-Dino equation, despite parting ways, the two have been good friends and no animosity was ever witnessed between them over the years. But seeing the two old lovers partying together did raise quite a few eyebrows.

Commenting on the party, the source added, “It was a farewell party organised by Bipasha and her friend Rocky S for one of their close friends. Unfortunately, John couldn’t be present at the party as he is busy shooting for Abbas Tyrewala’s film, 1-800-LOVE, in London. Dino was also invited to the party.Bipasha confirmed the news and said, “John’s best friend, Vicky, was leaving for America so decided to have a farewell party. All my friends, John’s friends and family got together. Unfortunately, John is in London and he missed all the fun that night.Rocky S, designer and a close friend of Bipasha, said, “Yes, Bipasha, Dino and a few of our friends did party together. We like to hang out together and also party once in a while.

Dino is a close friend of ours.Commenting on the party and also his relationship with Bipasha, Dino said, “John’s brother was there too. I completely respect the relationship John and Bipasha share. Trying to put two and two together doesn’t make sense in this case. They’re very happy together and that’s how things are. Bipasha is like family to me ever since we moved to Mumbai (years ago).”

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Police case against Shilpa Shetty

Shilpa Shetty has again hit the headlines for a wrong reason. FIR has been lodged against Shilpa and her crew members for shooting inside the premises of Sakhigopal temple in Puri. The executive officer of the Gopinath Deb temple filed case against them for shooting illegally for a television serial Mahayatra with all equipments and violating the norms.

According to the complaint, in spite of repeated objection by the temple authority Shilpa and her crew including her guards entered the temple premises with shoes and cameras. Their activity hurt the sentiments of the locals. While the police sources said that the crew seeks the permission of the temple authorities before shooting with their equipments.

The scene shows Shilpa walking up to the temple carrying a puja thali. The police added that the temple authorities were present there for the smooth running of the shooting from the afternoon.

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Rishi Kapoor scowls as Deepika watches!

It was an event of some interest when the cast of Saif’s first home production came down to Delhi. It wasn’t because of the others – it was because Rishi Kapoor and his son Ranbir’s girlfriend, Deepika, were there together, sharing the stage at the screening of the film. Rishi Kapoor didn’t seem to be in the best of humour, and the vibes between the two didn’t look particularly friendly (although they spoke briefly). Rishiji didn’t seem to be having a great day overall, in fact. Towards the end of the screening, when the film’s team was to assemble at the Leela Kempinski hotel, he was the first to get there.

After waiting for a while, he strode out of the hotel to its porch, with the production team in his wake, declaring, “I’ve waited for too long, I’m leaving!The production team pleaded with him at the porch to take a seat in the hotel’s restaurant, saying, ‘They’re in the other car, they’ll be here in just two minutes, Rishiji … ’ All the while, Rishi was hollering for his stuff to be put into his car.Eventually, they coaxed him back to the lobby, where he issued an ultimatum, “You said they’ll be here in two minutes, let’s wait for two minutes.” After a while, the team succeeded in taking him to the restaurant, where he waited for some more time.

Who he was waiting for, we don’t know, but when director Imtiaz Ali walked in much later with his wife, they went to greet Rishi. In addition, it turned out that Rishi’s beti Riddhima, who stays in Delhi with hubby Bharat Sahni, wasn’t too well, by her own admission. Bad Delhi day, Rishi?

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