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Santai : 19 April 2007        
         
DENGAR-DENGAR

SETELAH DUA PUTERI, AWIE DAPAT PUTERA

SETELAH memperolehi dua puteri, pada 5 April lalu, penyanyi dan pelakon popular, Awie, akhirnya menyambut kelahiran seorang hero dalam rumah tangganya.

Isteri barunya, Rozana Misbun, 27 tahun, selamat melahirkan anak sulung mereka di Hospital Pakar Ampang Puteri, pada tarikh tersebut.

Dengan kelahiran bayi yang diberi nama Putera Ahmad Merrah itu, Awie bukan setakat menjadi ayah tiga anak malah turut menyaksikan perhubungan keluarga yang kembali bersinar.

Khabarnya, kakak Rozana, pelakon popular, Haliza Misbun, yang sebelum ini dikatakan kurang memberi restu menyusuli pernikahan Rozana dengan Awie, turut menjenguk adik dan anak saudaranya itu.

Jadi siapa kata mereka bergaduh dan tidak bertegur sapa?

Melihatkan wajah hero Awie yang comel itu, pasti membuat hati sejuk kembali. Lihatlah bentuk mukanya yang dirakamkan dua hari selepas dilahirkan ini.

Gambar diberikan oleh seorang kenalan wartawan Pancaindera, akhbar Mingguan Malaysia, kepadanya. Comel 'kan?

Browneyes

mana gambar dia?

The Big Fat Ash-Abhishek wedding

With Abhi-Ash's not-so-ordinary wedding just around the corner, the buzz outside Prateeksha, the famous Bachchan residence, has reached a fever pitch. From excited fans to the media, everybody is snooping outside the main gate to get a glimpse of what's happening inside. Abhishek Bachchan, the scion of Bollywood's first family, and Aishwarya Rai, one of the most beautiful women in the world, who got engaged in January following the premiere of their film "Guru", are set to tie the knot in the presence of close family members and friends at the Bachchan bungalow in the posh locality of Juhu, Mumbai. No stone is being left unturned by the Bachchans for the upcoming nuptials. From the 16-page gold-embossed wedding card to the Z-grade security ring with 300 guards and rumoured swipe cards for entry, the minutiae of the celebrity event have plunged all into a tizzy. Though the April 20 wedding date has neither been confirmed nor denied by the two families concerned, ongoing hectic preparations are proof that the mega wedding is going to take place as scheduled. The two Bachchan bungalows - Prateeksha and Jalsa - now resemble well-guarded fortresses and workers can be seen constructing the mandap (dais) within the bungalow premises. The ceremonies are set to start from April 18 with mehndi (henna), followed by sangeet (music) the next day. According to reliable sources, a special kind of mehndi has been ordered for the ceremony, like the one brought by Liz Hurley for her marriage with Arun Nayar last month. Aishwarya will wear a traditional hand-embroidered sari with intricate gold work on her wedding day, said the actor's favorite designer in an interview published on Tuesday. Neeta Lulla said, she designed the sari and a red and gold embroidered flowing skirt and cropped blouse for the actor to wear at a "mehendi'' ceremony on Wednesday. In Indian weddings, mehendi, or henna, is applied in elaborate tattoos on the bride's hands and legs. Lulla told Mumbai-based newspaper that while she had designed some of Rai's outfits, the actor would also wear a sari created by famous Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. A red and blue air-conditioned tent with huge mirrors is being readied in a garden adjoining the Bachchan's suburban family home for what is billed as India's "wedding of the year.'' The sangeet preparations are apparently entrusted to Abhishek's sister Shweta Nanda. Shweta's friends are queuing up to her, as they want to perform to the song "Kajra-re" from "Bunty Aur Babli" for the ceremony.. Ace choreographer Sandeep Soparker has been roped in to teach dance steps to Abhishek's friends for the occasion Both Rai and Bachchan have been practicing a dance routine they plan to perform before a selected group of relatives and friends during a musical ceremony on Thursday, the daily said. Security has been beefed up to 'Z' grade and over 300 guards are deployed to tackle any eventuality, like gatecrashers or crazy fans breaking in. Rumour has it that the guests will have to use swipe cards for entry. Some last-minute invitees are being included in the guest list, this time from the bride's side. The wedding card along with boxes of cookies-chocolates is now being dashed off to the bride's filmmaker-friends along with a personal request from the bride to be, her mother or her secretary. The wedding is going to be a close-knit affair as Amitabh's mother Teji Bachchan is ailing. Invitees have been sworn to secrecy about the wedding details and also about the contents and look of the wedding card, the dress code etc. "The fact is every guest is under an unwritten oath of secrecy. We aren't even allowed to talk about the wedding among ourselves. I'm not even discussing it with my wife. We're being offered money by sections of the media to divulge details. One newspaper, which wanted to be shown the wedding card, even offered me the equivalent of what I make for five days of shooting. I naturally refused," said an invitee. Among those invited are director Yash Chopra, filmmaker Karan Johar, industrialist Anil Ambani and influential politician friends of the Bachchan family. "I have not been invited to the wedding. Regardless, I wish the couple best," Shah Rukh Khan told Mumbai tabloid . "The Bachchans have asked us to keep this wedding a private issue and therefore we are maintaining silence," said actor Suniel Shetty, who has been invited to the exclusive function. Media reports said that jewellery for the Ash had been specially brought from eastern Kolkata city, while henna used to decorate the bride's hands came from Rajasthan state. The bride will also receive famed silk saris from the city of Varanasi, in northern Uttar Pradesh state. The wedding card is embossed in gold and personally signed by the groom's father Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya's parents. Gregarious pals of the Bachchans, like Karan Johar, have retreated into a shell, pretending to be immersed in work or shooting to avoid talking about the wedding.

Aishwarya Rai

Abhishek Bachchan

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Hrithik not dancing at sangeet[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Shiamak Davar, Karan Johar choreographers for Abhi-Ash wedding The much-awaited wedding ceremony of Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan gets underway today with a traditional "sangeet" duel choreographed by Shiamak Davar and Karan Johar.

But the most ridiculous story about Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai抯 nuptials appears to be that of Hrithik Roshan dancing at the sangeet (slated for today).

Papa Roshan denies this thus, 揑t抯 not true. Hrithik is not performing at the sangeet. He is shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker抯 Akbar Jodha in Karjat.

Priyanka Chopra's rise & rise!

Priyanka Chopra, Miss World 2000, who jointly debuted with Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000, opposite Akshay Kumar in Suneel Darshan's Andaz, has steadily left Lara behind and is continuing to grow to a higher status. Just the other day, she even replaced India's high-profile Miss Universe 1994, Sushmita Sen, as the brand ambassador of a high-end watch brand. And now, Priyanka has managed to slip into the role of the lather-and-rinse girl for a popular soap brand. This soap brand has become a status symbol because it only takes in superstars and has become a kind of "knighting" commercial and advertisment of Bollywood stars. With this soap endorsement, Priyanka seems to have become a bonafide member of Bollywood's recent A-listers, joining the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai (MIss World 1994 too), Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi, who have "cleansed" their act before her in recent years. Although the matter is being kept top secret, the toiletry brand name is also planning to launch Priyanka Chopra as its new brand ambassador in a big way. It is understooed that the new diva of Bollywood will demand and get "a staggering price" for her new deal, according to someone in the know. The commercials will be shot by well-known names in the ad-film world.

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Hamari Bahu Aishwarya Rai...[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]The Abhi-Ash wedding lore is reaching its crescendo with just three more days left for the eagerly awaited event! Jaya Bachchan, trashing all rumors of a stand off between her and Ash, has given a special interview to Karan Johar on in which she says, "I have always loved her."

"She is like our daughter Shweta coming home for Amitji and when she comes home, he lights up. She fills the vacuum that Shweta left behind. 匰he has fitted in so well in the family卻he knows who are our good friends and is doing well."

Jaya is also recreating her own wedding in the Bengali style for her son! Jaya's mother Indira Bhaduri is in Kolkata, busy shopping for the bridal items needed for such a shaadi.

According to reports in the TOI, she has bought the special Topor

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]KBC Queen Priyanka Chopra?[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]90 percent of the men who sit on the hot seat opposite Shah Rukh Khan in KBC share a fantasy. They want to take Priyanka Chopra on a holiday.

The cynosure of all sighs giggles at the observation. "I'm aware of this. It's very very sweet. In fact when I shot for KBC this was mentioned to me. I'm told men on KBC want to take me anywhere from a restaurant to the moon."

During Mr Bachchan's tenure on KBC it was Aishwarya Rai who seemed to occupy the maximum male attention.

Priyanka ponders that one. "Oh, really? I hope I don't get married next year." She laughs. "But seriously, I like being popular.That's what we work towards. I've been here for 3-4 years.

I've a long way to go. Considering I don't have a godfather in the industry, and I'm just a girl from Bihar in Bollywood, I feel doubly gratified when people appreciate me."

Priyanka just finished judging the Femina India Miss India contest. "It made me so nostalgic. It was a very emotional moment for me. I remembered my own walk on the ramp.

I knew exactly what the girls were going through. It was tough. I kept telling the other judges to get it right, because it could make or break lives

Exclusive: Ash-Abhi Sangeet

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan geared up for a three-day wedding party Wednesday amid tight security to ward off over-zealous fans. The festivities startinged with an evening of elaborately choreographed song-and-dance routines in Mumbai where two seaside residences in the upscale northern suburbs have been turned into virtual fortresses. Only 100 guests have been invited to the wedding, and more than 500 police are expected to be on hand to keep out gatecrashers. A legion of private security guards are manning the gates of the two homes, with entry only for workers and personnel with bar-coded passes and must make their way in through metal detectors. Rai, 33, is a former Miss World. Bachchan is the 32-year-old son of screen legend Amitabh Bachchan. The nephew of late Pakistan musical king Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was to sing at the "sangeet,". Rai was pictured practicing a dance number earlier this week, according to media reports, for a performance expected to be worthy of a Bolllywood film. Huge efforts had been made to shut out the media. The Bachchans had asked the owners of neighbouring buildings not to allow photographers and television crews to shoot from roofs and balconies, reports said. The main gates of Bachchan's residence were completely mirrored so fans trying to peer inside would see only their refection. The sangeet ceremony that kick-started revelries for the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai wedding saw starry guests like Ajay Devgan and Preity Zinta, and a colour theme of purple and blue at the Bachchan residence Prateeksha in Juhu here. The ceremony between 9.00 and 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday saw close friends of the Bachchan family being escorted in by security personnel. The A-list of guests who attended the ceremony include Anil Ambani, Subroto Roy, Amar Singh, Krishna Raj Kapoor and Ajitabh Bachchan. According to sources, the rituals were performed at Prateeksha itself as the Bachchans want it to be a small affair since Teji Bachchan, Amitabh's mother, has been ailing for the past 10 months. Impatient fans outside Prateeksha were on the verge of hysteria. Megha Joshi, a fan who has come all the way from South Africa for the wedding, said: "I am hoping to see them just once." The 19-year-old, who met the stars in South Africa at the shooting for "Dhoom 2", said: "We could not speak to them or get an autograph as the security was tight, but we shook hands." "I have got a card and a gift for them that I hope to give them after the hustle and bustle of the marriage is over," added Megha, who has been waiting outside Prateeksha for hours to get a glimpse of Abhi and Ash. On the second day of celebrations Thursday a henna ceremony will be held at Rai's house. The wedding ends Friday with a traditional parting of the bride from her parents in a palanquin. The guest list includes major Bollywood players such director Yash Chopra and filmmaker Karan Johar, as well as industrialist Anil Ambani, whose father built the country's biggest listed firm, Reliance Industries. Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan -- seen as a younger rival to the elder Bachchan in the popularity stakes -- and Rai's ex-boyfriend, the actor Salman Khan, have not been invited. Speculation is also rife that Abhishek's childhood friend and co-star Hrithik Roshan is not invited for the wedding of the year. The reason reportedly being that Junior B was completely overshadowed by Hrithik's Greek god looks and acting prowess in the recent hit "Dhoom 2". India's powerful Gandhi family, led by ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, had been invited but is unlikely to attend, having reportedly fallen out with the Bachchans over politics, reports said.

Aishwarya Rai

Abhishek Bachchan

SRK in tears on last KBC show

After enthralling viewers with 52 entertaining episodes with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the host, "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC), one of the most popular game show on small screen, is coming to end April 19. But not just like that! The badshah of Bollywood in his trademark style entertained viewers with an exciting fun-filled episode and even bursts in tears on KBC's last show. The grand finale will see two leading ladies of the silver screen - Kareena Kapoor with Priyanka Chopra - and the hottest pair of tinsel town, Salman Khan with Katrina Kaif come together on television for the first time on a game show. "KBC was a fantastic experience and I enjoyed myself to the hilt. Sitting across Shah Rukh can be quite nerve wrecking, but he completely put me at ease. In fact, he was completely driven up the wall because Kareena and myself would keep debating which answer to opt for and always came up with different options. "The fun was complete with Salman and Katrina on the show, where all of us did the last segment together," said Priyanka on her experience on the game show. Salman, who generally stays away from the media, leaves the audience in splits with his wit and wacky humour. The episode also has Priyanka exercising her vocal chords. All these celebrities will donate their prize money to different organisations. The ravishing Kareena will give it to St. Anthony's Old Age Home and Mount Mary's Bandra while Priyanka will contribute her prize money to Nari and the Utkal Bipanaa Sahayata Samiti. While Katrina will donate her prize money to the Kovalam Charitable trust, Salman will give the winning amount to his soon-to-be-opened Salman Khan Foundation (SKF). Amid all the glimmer and action-packed drama, Shah Rukh will freeze some of KBC's assorted magical moments. In his endeavour to make it a night to remember, he will also distribute Khamakhan Awards, which is divided into various categories. They are: Khan Ki Khoj (some inventions on the show like topi, gale milna etc), Krazy Kiya Re (some unforgettable moments with some unforgettable contestants), Kyunki Hum Sab Kalakaar Hai (some entertaining performances on KBC), Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge (Some romantic moments between SRK and female contestants). The celebrity guests will announce the nominees and the winners of these 'Khamakhan Awards'. Though the show is ending on a positive note with viewers wanting more of Shah Rukh, the third edition of KBC was under a scanner as the superstar was constantly compared with Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, the original host and reports of low TRPs (television rating points) kept making headlines. But audiences from all age groups across the country have enjoyed the show immensely because the actor brought wit and informality to the show. "He has turned the show so live and youthful. Watching the show with Shah Rukh was more fun. His facial expressions and gestures keep you hooked to the show. There is no denying that he is a successful host," said Anusuya Ambadan, a student from Kerala. "I think he is stupendously hilarious. He cuts across all generations," said Savi Narula, a Delhi-based housewife. "Sometimes my son, who is passionate about football, would sacrifice a football match on television to watch KBC along with us, mainly because of Shah Rukh," she added. In fact, many felt that it was unfair to compare Shah Rukh and Amitabh. "Shah Rukh is good in his own way. He is friendly type and it would be nice to have him host again. I won't like to compare Shah Rukh with Amitabh. And he wouldn't have looked good if he had imitated Amitabh. "I don't think the audience would have accepted him doing what Amitabh used to do because Shah Rukh belongs to this generation," said Ranjini, a Delhi-based teacher. However, for those who are disappointed over the end of the third edition of the game show, there is no need to feel disheartened as the show is coming back again, said Harsh Rohatgi, General Manager Marketing and Content, STAR India. "It will be back somewhere in January next year and Shah Rukh Khan will continue to host it," Rohatgi told.

My Mommy is very angry: Esha Deol

Esha Deol says her mother, Hema Malini, is sometimes more like a sister who asks for fashion tips. Deol, in turn, asks her famous actress mother for career advice. "Mom switches between being a mom, a sister and a friend, from time to time,'' Deol said in an interview published in a leading film magazine. "There are times when she asks me what is the 'in' thing and stuff, though it's mostly me running to her for advice." But Esha does not blindly follow her mother's words of wisdom, though some of her independent decisions have backfired, she said. "There have been times when I have gone ahead and done my own thing,'' she told the magazine. "Sometimes I fell flat on my face. But even when I fell, she tells me why I failed and it ends with that." But now a report published in a leading tabloid has angred her mommy very much. The article states that Hema has designed all the saris which her daughter has worn in Meghna Gulzar's film, Just Married. Not only that but she had also insisted on her unused saris being used for Esha in the film. "That's utter rubbish. I don't know who is spreading this rumour," says an agitated Hema, "I've been busy with my dance and political assignments and barely has any time to design costumes for her daughter." What also bothers Hema is comparisons that people draw between her and Esha. "Right from the beginning, people have compared Esha with me. This is just not done. One needs to understand that she is my daughter. There ought to be differences in terms of looks and personality. I think people should learn to accept her as an individual," she fumes.

Heartbreak again for Sushmita Sen!

According to sources Sushmita Sen's relationship with Manav Menon has hit a dead end. The things are reportedly so bad that the duo have not seen each other in almost last three months. In fact the last time the two of them were publicly seen together was at Karachi where Sush had gone for a charity show to raise funds for Imran Khan抯 cancer hospital and from there the two had travelled directly to Kolkata for the launch of Sush抯 night-club. But it was never an easy alliance anyways, claims a common friend. 揗anav may be separated but he is still married to his wife who left him to go back to her parents in Pondicherry once the news of her affair with Sush became public," he adds. In addition both have hectic work schedules and with Renee growing up Sushmita is very clear that her daughter must approve of her choice of men. Renee on the other hand is still very fond of ex- boyfriend Randeep Hooda and this too is often the bone of contention in Manav and Sush抯 relationship as Hooda still is constantly around Sushmita and her daughter. In fact Manav was not even present at the get together for Sush抯 birthday while Randeep and other friends were celebrating with Sushmita. He is also extremely media shy and does not like any media or public attention; moreover he is under a lot of pressure from his family regarding his separation from his wife and his new found relationship with Sen. Sushmita was not available for comment on the entire story.

Hrithik's apology to his Wife

Thanks to Ashutosh Gowariker Hrithik has just had an unexpectedly long holiday. Says Hrithik, "I was let off for a couple of days during the release of Dhoom 2. But then I had another 5-day gap later in the shooting schedule. Ashutosh suggested I take those five days off now, so I could spend a longish period in Mumbai with my family. Hrithik returned to Rajasthan on Monday (18 December). But there's bad news. "For the first time I won't be here in Mumbai with my wife for our anniversary on the 20th December. I'm going to be in Rajasthan for Jodha-Akbar. And considering there's no access to a mobile network, no means of communication where I'll be shooting on location, I won't even be able to speak to her. This is the first time that such a thing will happen since we got married." But there's heartening new for Susanne and Hrehaan. "I'm expected to be back on 29 December to spend time with my friends and family and bring in the new year.. It will be my son Hrehaan's first new year and therefore special. I think that will somewhat compensate for my absence on the 20th. I hope Susanne will agree."

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Rani is Maha Rani of tantrums too?[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Rani Mukherjee remains uncharacteristically aloof in Varanasi. That's the buzz from the Holy city where she has been shooting for Pradeep Sarkar's film for the last month.

"Rani has her entire family of mother, father, brother and bhabhi with her in Varanasi. All the time off camera is spent with them. In the evening when she packs up she prefers to be with her family rather than the unit members.

After all the rumours and speculation, not to mention the recent run-in with the local press in Varanasi, Rani has become wary of outside company. She's becoming increasingly family-oriented," says a source from location.

Is Pradeep Sarkar's much-discussed Jaya-Rani-Konkona-Abhishek-Kunal Kapoor starrer actually called Choodiyan?

"No!" protests Rani Mukherjee from the city of protests Varanasi. "I don't know where that started from. Earlier some Hindi newspapers mentioned it was anaam, meaning untitled. The newspapers started calling it Anaam.

Now they've very helpfully named our film Choodiyan. That probably started when some people saw Konkona and me dancing to a song wearing lots of bangles. "

As of now the film has no title. What it does have is a unit working on tenterhooks in Varanasi. Almost everyone has a stomach infection, and it has nothing to do with the unit's food or the water. Even those who are eating from their own dabba and drinking mineral water are suffering from a tummy bug!

Luckily for them the month-long Varanasi stint is about to end. The unit returns to Mumbai where Abhishek Bachchan will now make himself a part of the plot.

Though it's largely believed that Abhishek has a supporting role in this ladies picture, the truth is to the contrary.

"Abhishek has a full-length role opposite Rani. He plays a leading catalyst. His role is of a very noble and heroic character, even more so than the one he played in KANK," says a source.

But at the sets of her 'untitiled film' there is whole new story cooking up as well. According to sources in the unit, the actress has been acting very high and mighty. From ill-treating the hired help to making sarcastic remarks, Rani has taken to her Queenbee image a bit too seriously.

To make matters worse, Rani even refused to mingle with her co-stars. A crewmember reveals, 揜ani got her entire family here, including her infant niece. After wrapping up shooting for the day, she would immediately rush to the hotel to be with her family.

Everyone on the sets is shocked to see this kind of behaviour from Rani. An otherwise jolly girl, she is making life difficult by yelling at people and throwing temper tantrums. She抯 been acting like a real maharani!

Vidya Balan is caught in MMS row

After the smashing success of Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Vidya Balan has been caught in an ugly row. According to the recent buzz, a one-minute hot video clip of a woman, bearing close resemblance Vidya Balan, is doing the rounds on the Internet and on MMS-enabled mobile phones. However, sources close to the heroine of 'Parineetha' fame have been quick to debunk the video as morphed or fake. 憫I received the clip through a website link. The female in the clip appears to be Vidya Balan with little signs of morphing. However, with technology developing fast you can never jump to conclusions,拻 said Rajesh, a software professional in Chennai. According to him many of his friends have also received the same clip through cell phone MMS. 憫The moment I got it I forwarded it to my friends via e-mail. This is the first time I am seeing something that bears close resemblance to a film star,拻 said his friend Rakesh. Whether morphed or look alike, the MMS clip is doing rounds among the youngsters in the city. According to youngsters who regularly received such clips, they prefer MMS clips of actors and famous models. 憫The more famous the person shown in the clip, the more is the popularity for the clip. Many porn websites have sex videos and nude images of famous actors but a majority of is morphed. With camera phones becoming popular, we get to see many hidden camera clips of famous personalities and there is a big gang of youngsters who do this on a regular basis. Many time such clips are taken by boyfriends of the girls involved and circulated through Internet and cell phones,拻 Ramkumar, another computer professional said. When contacted, Sanjay, secretary to Vidya Balan, told this website抯 newspaper over phone from Mumbai, 憫She is busy shooting here and does not want to react to this. The issue is totally irrelevant to her and we do not want to encourage any discussion on the topic.拻

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Shahid's mother hates Kareena?[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Kareena Kapoor is using her time off between movies to take up yoga, hit the gym and lose some weight, a newspaper reported.

Considered one of the most promising of a crop of young Bollywood actresses, Kareena has never been known for being overweight.

But the Mumbai Mirror on Wednesday quoted her as saying, 揑 want to look super sexy

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]I feel I'm already married to Amisha[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Vikram Bhatt's acutely autobiographical film Ankahee didn't get the response he hoped for. But he's determined to do the cinema he believes in.

"No more dishonest films for me. In my ready-for-release Red I've done a thriller in authentic shades. And now I've just started a film Life Main Kabhi Kabhi with a very interesting ensemble cast where the question of happiness is discussed."

The story of five friends played by Dino Morea, Sammir Dattani, Aftab Shivdasani, Nauheed Cyrusi, and Anjori Alagh, is Vikram's first episodic film.

"I know episodic films are in vogue after Crash. And we've some really interesting episodic films in Hindi like Naseer's Yun Hota To Kya Hota and Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq.

But I chose to use that format for the first time in Life Main Kabhi Kabhie because I believe a question like the nature of happiness needs a telescopic view. You can't talk about a theme as huge as happiness in an intimate linear style."

Vikram is really nervous about the new format. "I've done innumerable films. But in this case I'm shooting five different lives on different nights and days. It's disorienting and confusing. Luckily for me I've a terrific ensemble cast.

Dino Morea with whom I did his first film Raaz is back with me. Aftab Shivdasani with whom I've done more films than V Shantaram did with Sandhya, is back. Nauheed Cyrusi ,I've worked with earlier, and she's good. Anjori Alag (Maya Alagh's daughter) is a new discovery.

She came to me through a friend of mine. She has done a lot of theatre in the US. But the real discovery of this film is Sammir Dattani. I'm completely surprised by his screen presence.

Sammir is going to take the audience by surprise. He's very very talented. I hope the film works for both of us. It tells us happiness doesn't come from material things but from people who love you. It does contain my values, but not any part of my life."

Interestingly other directors like Sanjay Gupta are making introspective films. Explains Vikram, "All of us who've gone through a gamut of techno-wizardry have discovered the value of an honest story. In Life Mein Kabhi Kabhi there will be a lot of silences."

Regrets about Ankahee? "I needed to get my own story out of my system. And I did. I wish it worked better. I can't say autobiographical films don't work. Mahesh Bhatt's Arth did. I won't hesitate in putting another chunk of my life on screen, provided it's unique to the audience and not just me.

I learnt something great out of Ankahee

Please don't scare me: Amrita Arora

Amrita Arora who was a resident of Andheri had now moved to Bandra. "It's a dream house. And my parents have shifted with me. Everyone dreams of owning a house that would be just perfect. I've reached that dream, I guess." With the shift of residence she's now a stone's away from her sister Malaika. "So we are all at a shouting distance from one another," Amrita shouts from Prague. She's extremely excited about having signed on a remake of the 1973 hit Victoria 203 where she gets to play Saira Banu's role. "I'm very excited because a lot of people feel I resemble Saira Banuji. In half the film I get to masquerade as a man. And yes I'll be doing Sairaji's sizzling towel dance in Victoria 203," laughs Amrita. In the original Saira Banu had brought the house down doing the sensuous dance number Thodasa thehro. It remains to be seen whether the re-makers producer Kamal Sadanah and director Ananth Mahadevan retain the original Lata Mangeshkar track. After Priyanka Chopra in Don and Aishwarya Rai in Umrao Jaan who have been given the thankless task of re-doing roles immortalized by Zeenat Aman and Rekha, respectively, it's petite Amrita's turn to do a Saira Banu. "Please don't scare me. Comparisons are so paralyzing."

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Meet tough chick Priyanka Chopra![/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Priyanka seems to share a strange affinity with F-X films in Bollywood. First Krissh which introduced whole new spectrum of special effects in Hindi films. Now she has Don up for release where the F-X according to her are, "top of the line"

Then comes Love Story 2050 where a reported 60 crore rupees are being lavished on getting the spectacle in place.

And now Priyanka has signed one more film which is expected to have the best special effects available from the world.

Says the busy actress, "I got lots of offers. But I haven't signed anything except Goldie Behl's Drona with Abhishek Bachchan. Like Krissh, Don and Love Story 2050, this one too will have loads of special effects.

I'm very excited about it. It's going to be like a comic book on screen. And after Bluff Master I get to work with Abhishek Bachchan again. He's quite mad."

On Sunday Priyanka was traveling between Delhi and Jaipur by the 'Blue Billion' Express with Shah Rukh for the England-India match. "We're going to flag off our team and hope they win. I'll do my best to serve as a distraction for the English team."

Priyanka is jet-lagged. She's tired but as spirited as ever. She has just returned from Adelaide (Australia) after shooting for Harry Baweja's Love Story 2050. "The Premiere of Australia and his wife had come to wish us luck and they both made an appearance in the film

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]I don't think I can match Preity Zinta[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]They say she has become difficult. What they mean is, she's turning down assignments for which other actresses would give their left arm and right profile.

"But I really don't see my career in that way," says the softspoken constantly apologetic and yet unshakeable Parineeta girl.

"I can't rush into projects and then find the time to do them. I've to be completely convinced about every detail about my character and my willingness and ability to portray it, before saying yes."

And she's willing to be dubbed difficult for her professionalism. Recently when she opted out of an avant-garde director turned producer's period film the man went around town calling her unprofessional.

"But I never say yes and only to have second thoughts."

It appears as though Vidya is a victim of the Saif Syndrome. Filmmakers approach Vidya with roles that she's not convinced about, tell her to think over it, and then turn nasty when she says a final no.

"I can't take on work that I cannot do. Yes, I've had certain reservations about some aspects of a couple of scripts that I was offered recently. Frankly they're roles to kill for. But I cannot bring myself to play characters I don't identify with. Maybe I'm too new or too scared. But I'd rather go cautiously than plunge impulsively into a film and then regret it later."

Also, at the moment Vidya is slightly more inclined to play contemporary roles. After Parineeta the risk of being branded an old-world actress is imminent. In her second film Lage Raho Munnabhai Vidya Balan played a radio jockey.

"Not like what Preity Zinta played in Salaam Namaste. I don't think I could've carried off that look," Vidya laughs. "The girl was modern. She dressed trendily, but in the way I was comfortable and fashionable."

Now there's Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq where she's paired with John Abraham. "Again a very contemporary character. John and I are are so different in personality and yet so compatible together."

Another contemporary role is the one Vidya plays in Sajid Khan's Hey Baby. "I'm really looking forward to that. You know Sajid and I've known each other for years. He has a terrific sense of humour. I keep asking him why I haven't become as tall as Mr Amitabh Bachchan after the way he keeps pulling my leg."

So is it goodbye to period films after Parineeta? "No such rules. I'm truly flattered if filmmakers come to me with films that search out a past. At the moment I'm looking at my present."

She's also looking forward to working with Rituparno Ghosh. "He's a director who's bound to bring out the best in me

miezarra_27

Korang pi tengok kat bod Gossip pasal syed azmeer---- si budak ANU tu..
(artis baru bertatu)...

BIKIN MALU AJER!!! ....:@