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Vidya denies rift with Aishwarya
By Subhash K. Jha,

Mumbai, Feb 1 Talented actress Vidya Balan has completely dismissed rumours of a rift with Aishwarya Rai during the making of Mani Ratnam's "Guru".

"By now I'm used to all kinds of rumours. But this one truly takes the cake. I can't say we got along like a house on fire simply because we didn't have that many scenes together. But whenever we worked together, Aishwarya was a dream co-star ... an absolute delight and someone I look up to."

She is quick to laugh off reports that Aishwarya was responsible for her rather short role in the film.

"To even suggest that she had my role cut is so ridiculous. I was aware of the extent of my role from the start. I did 'Guru' for the pleasure of working with Mani. There're moments in the film where Aishwarya needed to reach out to me emotionally. She did it so naturally and spontaneously that she won me over."

What about stories that Vidya didn't attend the premiere of "Guru" in Canada because of Aishwarya?

   

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"This is too much," giggles Vidya. "I wonder who's spreading such nonsense and for what purpose! I was in Australia shooting for Sajid Khan's 'Hey Baby' on Jan 10. The premiere of 'Guru' in Canada was on 12th. There was no way I could reach there and get back to my shooting without disrupting Sajid's schedule. I wouldn't do this to anyone, least of all Sajid Khan who's a first-time director and a dear friend."

She takes a deep breath and adds: "I hope this puts to rest all these silly speculations about Aishwarya's role in my life. She's way above all this petty politics. Her dignity in the face of adversity is exemplary. If I can possess even a fraction of her poise I'd consider myself lucky."

Vidya, who turned a year older Jan 1, says she is quite happy with the year gone by.

"After 'Parineeta' I needed to consolidate my position. 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' did that for me. 2007 will also hopefully start on an auspicious note with 'Salaam-e-Ishq' and Eklavya."

John Abraham works hard on his Hindi
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Feb 1   Actor John Abraham was earlier looked at skeptically for his feeble command over Hindi and many of his earlier films were dubbed by professional artists. But all that has changed now with the Bollywood heartthrob working hard to get rid of his so-called anglicised accent.

Said John: "I admit it was one of the areas that I needed to work doubly hard on. I've been consistently working on it. But 'Baabul' truly made me confident of the way I speak my dialogues. First of all, the words were all in pure Hindi. Achala Nagar's dialogues were a bit complex for all of us, except of course Mr. Bachchan.

"I had two options open in front of me. Either I asked the words to be simplified. Or I worked on the language. I opted for the latter. And believe me, if the impact of a role can be gauged by the spoken word, then 'Baabul' is the most influential film of my life. It has changed my thought process. Now I'm actually able to think in Hindi."

Nagar, who has written other socially relevant films like Raj Kapoor's "Prem Rog" and B.R. Chopra's "Nikaah", was physically present on the sets of "Baabul" to make sure the words were correctly spoken.

"The way she narrated the script was in itself a work of beauty and a joy forever. I fell for the words hook line and sinker. I wanted to absorb her words and use them as though they were mine," John remarked.

Post "Baabul", producers are actually eager to let John speak in his own voice on screen.

Some actors who had their voices dubbed initially:

Amisha Patel ("Kaho Na... Pyar Hai")

Rani Mukherjee ("Ghulam")

Sridevi (had her voice dubbed in her first dozen films)

Dino Morea ("Raaz", "Gunah")

Bipasha Basu ("Ajnabee", "Jism", "Gunah", "Phir Hera Pheri")

Kunal Kapoor ("Meenaxi")

Katrina Kaif ("Sarkar", "Humko Deewana Kar Gaye")

John Abraham ("Jism", "Aetbaar", "Paap")
 

Nepal cinema now breathes free of censors
By Sudeshna Sarkar, 

Kathmandu, Feb 1   The coming of peace after a decade of communist insurgency and the formation of a multi-party government has helped Nepal shoot down the bans imposed by censors.

Nepali film director Narayan Puri, who was the first in Nepal's film industry to dare make a film on the Maoist movement when the guerrillas were banned as terrorists and paid for the defiance by having censors hack his film ruthlessly, has been revived by the winds of change blowing in since then.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, whose name is being suggested for the Nobel peace prize for signing a peace accord with the Maoists and ending 10 years' of bloodshed, was also at the helm of the country in 2002 when Puri made his controversial film, "Aago" (Fire).

However, things were vastly different then. The Maoists, who returned to parliament this year and are poised to join Koirala's government, were banned as a terrorist organisation in 2002 with an international alert for the capture of their top leaders.

Though "Aago" did not refer to the Maoists by their name, it was seen as glorifying the guerrillas.

The censor board first ordered Puri to cut out nine scenes and then, sat on the negatives for 11 months, preventing its release.

In 2005, when the Koirala government had given way to King Gyanendra's regime, formed through a bloodless coup, "Aago" continued to suffer at censors' hands.

Along with nearly six other films, it was tacitly banned from Nepal's theatres.

However, after the fall of King Gyanendra's government in April, the resilient Puri shot back with a new film on the Maoists, "Alpo-Biram" (Short truce).

It conveys the message that the Maoists, who have called ceasefires thrice earlier, should now pledge themselves to lasting peace and end the armed insurrection.

After the completion of "Alpo-Biram" last year, Puri is now re-making "Aago", restoring the scenes deleted by the censors.

"Aago" looks at the reasons that forced humble people, who had no political aspirations, to take up arms and oppose the system," Puri says.

"It looks at the widespread exploitation, poverty and oppression in Nepal that stoked the Maoist movement."

"Aago" refers to the kamaiya system - the old tradition of bonded labour in Nepal that despite being abolished by the government on paper flourishes in the homes of ministers and civil servants.

"In winter, when Nepal celebrates the Maghe Samkranti festival, it is also the time for rich people to buy slaves from markets, just like they buy cows and goats. Such sales can be seen all over midwestern Nepal."

One of the deleted scenes in "Aago" shows revolutionaries going to the villages and trying to motivate people to oppose such customs. Another shows a teacher educating villagers so that they can understand how they are exploited and what their rights are.

"The censor board never returned the deleted scenes to me," says Puri. "When I asked to have them back, I was told they were lost. If the negatives had been intact, I could have simply added them to the film. But now, I have to shoot them again."

Besides the lost scenes, Puri has also added two "revolutionary" songs that also had to be dropped due to the censors.

The shooting is nearly complete and the new "Aago" will be screened this month.

After that, Puri, maker of 21 feature films, plans a sequel to "Aago". "Aago II" will look at the Maoist movement from the perspective of peace.

"The Maoists taught people to take up arms for their rights," he says. "Now they have to teach that rights come with responsibilities.

"The insurgency killed over 13,000 people and destroyed property worth millions. Some of the destruction was unnecessary and cruel.

"Now that they are going to be in the ruling coalition, Maoists have to go through self-criticism, learn to repent violence."
 

Himachal tribals angry with Madhur Bhandarkar
 
Shimla, Feb 1   Tribals in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district are annoyed with Bollywood filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for referring to eunuchs as 'kinners' in his forthcoming film "Traffic Signal".

The tribals claim that only they - and not eunuchs - can be referred to as 'kinners' as they belong to the mountainous tribal district of Kinnaur.

The controversy erupted after Bhandarkar allegedly spoke to a TV channel about his film, in which eunuchs are called kinners.

"The reference to eunuchs as kinners is an insult to the people of Kinnaur. We will protest against this and will not allow the film to be released," Tashi Cherring, a local writer based in Kinnaur, said Thursday.

"The people of Kinnaur were given the status of Scheduled Caste under the Indian constitution in 1956. So referring to eunuchs as kinners is an insult to the tribal folk of Kinnaur and will not be tolerated," Rajeshwar Singh Negi, another local resident, told IANS.

"The Kinnaur tribe is a proud and progressive one with a long recorded history. Bhandarkar has been reckless and should have been more careful with his research," he added.

The tribals of Kinnaur include some of the richest farmers in Himachal Pradesh.
 

Now Ricky Martin to visit Jaipur
 
Jaipur, Feb 1   After Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Mick Jagger, it is the turn of Latino pop sensation Ricky Martin to visit Jaipur to attend a wedding Friday.

Ricky is invited to attend the wedding function of the son of Mumbai-based industrialist Neeraj Raja Kocchar and he might perform at the party, a source close to the industrialists' family told IANS here Thursday.

The industrialist, who is in the international metal business, has booked two suites for Martin - one in the Rajputana Palace Hotel and the other in Le Meridien near Amber Fort.

The pop star is expected to arrive here by a chartered flight and drive straight to one of the hotels Friday afternoon.

Martin will also perform at the wedding party to be held at the historic Jaigarh Fort.

Moreover, Indian pop singer Sukhbir and Bollywood choreographer-director Farah Khan are also slated to be part of the three-day lavish wedding function that began Thursday.

Extravagant Jaipur weddings, held at heritage resorts, have become a lifestyle statement for the rich and famous and have been featured in international magazines and television channels.
 

'Jodha-Akbar' to release on Oct 12
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Jan 31   Shooting for Ashutosh Gowarikar's "Jodha-Akbar" is expected to be over next month and the long awaited film, that the director insists is not a "remix version" of "Mughal-e-Azam", will be released Oct 12.

"That's the Eid week. We're looking at a cross-culture of audiences to come for the film," says the "Lagaan" and "Swades" director.

"Swades" wasn't a huge success. "But ultimately it reached out to the right people... You know, we're going through a 're-mix phase' in music and cinema. We need to get over that. It will soon go away and a new order will emerge. Let me reiterate, 'Jodha-Akbar' isn't a 'remix version' of 'Mughal-e-Azam'."

"Jodha-Akbar", starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, is Ashutosh's most expensive film. "Our budget is Rs.37 crores. But my co-producer Ronnie Screwvala and I aren't looking at the budget as a responsibility. Between us we've worked out the financial details, including what is required in production and marketing."

Aishwarya and Hrithik have undergone the most gruelling and rugged outdoor experience of their lives. But the horse riding and sword fencing were not entirely a shock.

"We had several sessions in Mumbai... lots of riding and sword-fighting lessons just so that they'd be attuned to their Mughal characters and know the right way of riding a horse or holding a sword. You know sword fencing is a very western concept, whereas the way the talwaar was used in the Mughal times was very different.

"I had got Hrithik and Ash accustomed to the body language and attitude of those times from beforehand. Now all they're doing is executing a vision they're already aware of," says Ashutosh from his location in Rajasthan.

Is he worried by the utterly contemporary image of his lead pair in "Dhoom 2"? "Not at all! In 'Dhoom 2', they are Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. In my film they are Akbar and Jodha. Their personas in 'Dhoom 2' are closer to what they really are. Not that I've changed their physicality. But audiences will see only the characters."

Ashutosh thinks Ash and Hrithik aren't only immensely good looking but also hugely talented.

"I've seen every single film of theirs from 'Kaho... Na Pyar Hai' and K'yun....Ho Gaya Na' to 'Dhoom 2'. They always show an easy adaptability to the requirements of every director. Be it 'Chokher Bali' or 'Raincoat' for Aishwarya or 'Mission Kashmir' and 'Fiza' for Hrithik, they've transformed in front of the camera. They're both intensely dedicated."

The diligent filmmaker is all praise for the pairing. "Hrithik and Ash look really good together in my film. But the full impact will be discernable only when the film releases. The give-and-take between the two as they get into character is amazing."

The film also stars Sonu Sood, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Suhasini Mulay and Raza Murad.

The director is confident the audience will see exactly the vision in his mind. "I'm working towards it. So far so good. You know, Akbar once decided to not hunt a cheetah because he fell in love with it. Instead he got it to be trained and put next to him in the Diwan-e-Khas. But because of the animal-rights rule I can't have this shown on screen.

"That's the kind of bearable compromise I'll have to make. But I'm sticking to the authentic vision as much as possible. But I want the Golden Period of the Mughal Empire to look as glamorous as possible."
 

Kareena hitting a career high: Shahid
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Jan 31   Shahid Kapoor, who is yet to find the right project after "Vivah", says girlfriend Kareena Kapoor is hitting the best time of her career now and from this year on both will focus only on quality films.

Asked about his wish list for himself and Kareena in 2007, he told IANS: "I'd like to do good work and balance out my personal life with my work. Kareena is hitting the best time of her career now.

"I think quality has become far more important today than it was earlier because one successful film, no matter how small, is in the eye of the audience. Neither Kareena nor I can get away with doing bad work."

Shahid is still searching for a good project to take up after "Vivah".

"I'd be happy picking any script that has mass appeal. No point in giving a good performance in a film that nobody watches. Luckily, films like 'Rang De Basanti' or even 'Vivah' have broken the mould.

"In fact, both Kareena and I have taken a deliberate decision to cut loose completely and start with a clean slate. Today she's doing a Mani Ratnam film. Every actor in the industry wants to work with Mani sir. She has been very patient, hasn't worked for eight to nine months. That's tougher on a leading lady than a hero. I'm so happy that her decision to be patient has paid off. I hope it pays off for me."

Will Shahid be in Sooraj Barjatya's next film? "I've my finger crossed. I'd do anything to work with him again. I was lucky 'Vivah' did well. It gave me the confidence to hold out. 'Vivah' has put me in a position to be patient. It was time for me to move to another level.

"I've been patient. I did get scared when I got up workless. But now I'm comfortable connecting with myself, listening to scripts and watching as many films as possible."

He also has happy memories of meeting singer Nelly Furtado backstage before a show Dec 31.

"I was aware that Nelly and I wouldn't be able to do an act together. We were all so stressed-out about our acts. Nelly had her own act ready from beforehand.

"I told her how much I loved her 'Powerless' track. She surprised me by telling me she remembered meeting me and Kareena on a flight sometime back. I was quite touched and taken aback that she actually remembered that. I'd have liked to dance with Nelly. But she had barely landed barely 24 hours earlier."

Kareena wasn't there to cheer Shahid at the event. "She watched me on television from home. I preferred her to be with her family. It wasn't such a big event that I'd want her to be there for me."

But it was Shahid's first live performance in Mumbai. "Since I'm not doing any movies right now I had the time to rehearse. In any case I don't like going on stage until I'm fully prepared. The best part of the evening was the interaction with the live audience.

"Earlier this year I had gone on my first world tour. That's when I realised how heady the whole experience of a live performance can be. This was like 20 minutes away from my home. So it felt like 'apne ghar ki baat'. The turnout was damn good...9,000 people. The standing cheering crowd was very MTV-style.

"That's only possible for an event like New Year's Eve. To add to my excitement, this was my first performance in India and that too before a live crowd. Of course, I've performed at awards functions. But never outside."

Shahid had a good time. "Bringing in 2007 while I was at work was a good thing. I haven't been working for two months. It felt good to be working again."
 

Kareena works with Karan Johar again
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Jan 31   "I've a weakness for Karan Johar," confesses Kareena Kapoor as she gets ready to face the camera under the superstar-director's stewardship after "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham".

This time, however, it's only for an ad for a popular brand of paint.

"But how does it matter if it's three hours or three minutes? I'm as excited about this ad as I was when I did 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' with Karan years ago."

A maelstrom of memories flood Kareena. "I was treated like a princess on the sets of K3G," she says.

Speaking about boyfriend Shahid Kapoor, she says: "Things couldn't get better for both of us. Shahid had 'Vivah' in 2006. 2007 starts for me with one of my favourite directors Karan and ends with another favourite, Mani Ratnam."

Why the paint ad?

"Because I like colours. I associate colours with youth and I feel I connect best with young audiences. Karan will be able to bring out the most vibrant side to my personality in that one short film. I'm as excited about it as I'd be about any feature film. I've realised Karan and I are inseparable."

A feature film next with Karan? "A-ha, wait and watch. There're plenty of surprises from me in 2007," Kareena signs off.
 

Mick Jagger wants to buy land in Udaipur
By Anil Sharma,  

Udaipur, Jan 31   Music legend Mick Jagger, who made a quiet visit to Udaipur last week with his daughter, was so impressed by the scenic beauty of the city that he has expressed interest in buying a piece of land here.

Jagger, 64, and best known as the lead singer of Rolling Stones, had come to this lake city along with daughter Jade to attend the wedding of his close friend and former cricketer Dilip Doshi's son on Jan 21.

"Mick Jagger and Jade had come here on Jan 21 and they stayed in the Hotel Lake Palace here till Jan 26," a source at the Taj goup's Hotel Lake Palace told IANS here.

He said that Jagger evinced interest in the city, mentioning he would like to buy a piece of land in Udaipur as he really "liked the peace and scenic beauty of Udaipur".

He was very keen to know about the place's past and was awestruck by the authenticity and history of the Lake Palace.

The Taj Lake Palace, located in the middle of Lake Pichola, is a white marble dream. The palace was built in 1746 by Maharana Jagat Singh II, 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar, believed to be descendants of the Sun God.

After the grand ceremonial welcome along with a rose-petal shower and a round of Moet Chandon champagne, the guests were escorted to the ultra-luxurious Sajjan Niwas suite and were briefed about the history of the palace and the suite.

During the stay, they enjoyed the wedding functions and ceremonies in the hotel. They were also impressed by the beauty of the hotel. Jagger visited the City Palace and also went for a sightseeing tour of the city.

While attending one of the traditional functions - the mehendi (henna) ceremony at the Mewar Terrace, an exclusive and unique area of the palace - the guests really enjoyed the Hindu-style traditions and were an active participant in the entire function, the source added.

The Sajjan Niwas suite, which retains an old world charm with its lamps, portraits, glass mosaic inlay, traditional cloth fans and doors embellished with mirrors and furniture, particularly charmed Jagger.

The suite's bedroom, decorated with frescoes depicting Hindu god Krishna, is suffused with romance. The Sajjan Niwas suite opens onto the Sajjan Terrace, which overlooks the lake with spectacular views of the Jagmandir island and the Aravallis.

"I am enjoying the stay so much that I don't want to leave," Jagger wrote in the visitor's book.

Jagger and Jae were extremely health conscious and exercised on a regular basis while sticking to fresh juices, fruits, cereals and salads.
 

Delhi dances to 'little champ' Diwakar's tunes
 
New Delhi, Jan 31   TV show "Sa Re Ga Ma" Little Champion Diwakar, who is blind from birth, came, sang and conquered hearts here with a medley of new and old Hindi melodies.

The 3,000-plus audience at the Siri Fort auditorium broke into applause as the 13-year-old sang the popular Hindi number "Tum jo mil gaye ho to yeh lagta hai..." at the 'Diwakar Nite' show Tuesday.

As the second prize winner of last year's 'Little Championship' competition - run by "Sa Re Ga Ma" - hummed "Dil de diya hai jan tumhe denge", Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was seen clapping along.

"The crowd was great. I have never seen such an encouraging crowd earlier," said Diwakar, a Class VI student of the DPS School at R.K. Puram here who gave his first public performance at the age of five.

"Come on friends. Sing with me...!" he continued as hundreds of schoolchildren joined him from the gallery of the auditorium's main foyer.

"I still remember my first competition. I got a Casio as prize and played with it for many years," he said.

Diwakar, who wants to be a playback singer, said he was confident of bagging a top prize in the "Sa Re Ga Ma" competition.

"My performance was good and I was feeling confident," he said, adding that his interaction with veteran singer Lata Mangeskar has been the high point of his career.

"I have heard her songs but to interact with her was amazing. She called me and kissed me on my left cheek," the budding singer said.

Asked about his most interesting interaction with his fans, he said: "A young girl ditched her partner to dance with me during a performance in Hyderabad. She hugged me."

The Steel Authority of India Ltd and Ozone group supported the show organised by Tamana - a New Delhi-based NGO for the physically challenged.

Shyama Chona, the head of Tamana, said: "The evening is dedicated to all such hidden talents across the country. Although they are physically challenged, they are no less talented and Diwakar is one such example."
 

Kangana threatened, vows to fight till the end
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Jan 31   Kangana Ranaut is determined to fight threats from the man from Himachal Pradesh who allegedly threw acid on her sister last year and is now out on bail. "I'm a fearless person," says the "Gangster" actress.

Sounding agitated but restrained, Kangana told IANS: "The calls started a while back. He calls up and says, 'let me marry your sister because no one else will marry her now'. He promises to keep her happy. And when I refuse his generous offer, he says he'll do the same thing to me that he did to my sister."

Kangana seems outwardly unperturbed.

"I'm shooting for a promotional music video of Suneel Darshan's 'Shaka Laka Boom Boom'. I can't allow this man to disrupt my sister or my life. My sister Rangoli isn't allowed to take any calls. I can handle this man. But the best part is, calls have started coming on my cook's cell number! How does this man have my numbers? Who gave them to him?"

Even more baffling is how the electronic medium got wind of Kangana's scary predicament.

"I lodged a complaint with my local (Versova) police station. And they offered to provide security. I was also asked to tape the man's conversation, which I duly did and handed over to the authorities. The next thing I know the news that my sister and I are being threatened is all over the TV channels!"

Kangana is hounded by the electronic medium.

"But I'm not speaking to anyone. I just want it to be known through this interview that I'm going to fight this man who's creating havoc in our lives to the end this time."
 

Brown-Bachchan meeting leaves Bollywood smiling
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Dec 31   The not-too-brief meeting between Britain's future prime minister Gordon Brown and Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan has resulted in big plans for Bollywood.

Bachchan told IANS: "Yes, we did meet at Yashraj Studios, though this isn't the first time that Chancellor Brown and I have met. He has on other occasions asked me to be part of charitable and social global endeavours, and I've gladly done whatever I could."

But now Bollywood seems to be the focus of Brown's attentions. Apparently the British chancellor of the exchequer was so taken up with the Big B that he insisted on watching footage of the mega actor.

"I don't know about that. But yes he did watch 'Kajra re'. After that we had a fairly detailed discussion. Chancellor Brown wants to extend the parameters of our collaboration with Great Britain. He wants to provide further incentives and facilities to our film industry for shooting in England."

What the Big B desists from stating is that Brown zeroed in on the actor as Bollywood's primary ambassador to Britain, and is in the process of formulating ambitious plans to further Indian cinema's reach in Britain.

"Yes, there was a closed-door meeting after the screening of 'Kajra re'. I am certainly willing to represent our industry in every way that I can," said Bachchan.

While some said he had a big glow on his face at the meeting with Brown, Bachchan said: "The glow, as you call it, comes from the fact that my son has made such an impact in 'Guru' and that he's getting married."

His son Abhishek is engaged to actress Aishwarya Rai.
 

Shilpa Shhetty unlikely to join BJP
 
New Delhi, Jan 31   Film actor Shilpa Shetty, who made headlines after winning the British TV reality show "Celebrity Big Brother" this week, is unlikely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On Tuesday, BJP MP from Gurdaspur, film actor Vinod Khanna had announced in Chandigarh ``in all seriousness'' that Shilpa Shetty, after her highly acclaimed `Big Brother' win, was going to join the BJP.

But on Wednesday, when BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad was asked, he feigned total ignorance about it.

Insiders said Shilpa Shetty had turned down the proposal made in all earnestness by Vinod Khanna. But Prasad had nothing to say when asked whether Vinod Khanna had consulted Shilpa and the BJP before making the announcement.

 
IANS