gossip artis HOLLYWOOD~BOLLYWOOD~MALAYWOOD

Preity ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai

By Subhash K Jha Preity is flummoxed and amused by the fresh round of rumours about her split with long-term beau Ness Wadia. The latest rumour doing the rounds in tinsel town is that the couple had a massive showdown in Kuala Lampur during the Zee awards, all because of Mr Wadia's mom, the stunning Maureen Wadia. Preity is in splits about the split-rumours. "Who is spreading these stories? Because the fact is, Ness wasn't even there with me at the Zee awards. My cousin and business manager Inder had accompanied me. If he looked like Ness to the people in Kuala Lampur then they need to drink less, or maybe more power to their contact lenses. You can confirm with the organizers that Ness was nowhere on the scene." Beyond this, Preity refuses to comment on the matter. But according to a very close friend of the couple there's absolutely no problem between Preity and Maureen Wadia. "They get along famously. It may sound exciting to have two glamorous women fighting over a man. But the fact is, there's absolutely no tension between Preity and Ness' mom. Preity is very fond of her boyfriend's mother. Touchwood, her relationship with Ness is proceeding on course. The reason why she doesn't speak about Ness and his family is because they're no part of the entertainment business. They guard their privacy fiercely. Preity respects their space, and is happy to be part of it without trying to disrupt the status quo in any way."

Is Mahima Chaudhary pregnant?

A visibly embarrassed Mahima Chaudhary, who was in the capital Wednesday to inaugurate a jewellery exhibition, neither refuted nor confirmed rumours of her secret marriage and pregnancy. Asked whether there was any truth in these reports, she said: "I do not read magazines neither do I lend my ears to rumours." The actress was clad in a brown and beige salwar-kurta and an extensively spread dupatta. Mahima, who inaugurated MMTC's Festival of Gold, admitted that the presence of Bollywood celebrities at exhibitions proved to be a hit formula in attracting crowds. "India is a celebrity driven country and the presence of Bollywood stars in exhibitions proves a success in drawing more and quick attraction of people," Mahima told reporters here. The former girlfriend of tennis player Leander Paes confessed that her heart melts for gold. "I like platinum but I love gold, especially yellow gold. When it comes to jewellery I love Indian ethnic designs. I am very fond of rings, bangles and earrings but I do not like chunky neckpieces hanging around my neck." The actress, who gained immense popularity with her debut film "Pardes", is still waiting to prove her acting prowess. Talking about her upcoming projects, Mahima said, "I have done 'Hope and a Little Sugar' with director Tanuja Chandra, which is slated for worldwide release around September." "The film is based on the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US which led to a lot of racism towards Asians living there. Travelling abroad during that period was so difficult. Anybody wearing a turban or having a beard was treated badly," the actress said. In the film, Mahima plays a Sikh girl Saloni who marries a Muslim boy, played by Vikram Chatwal. "Anupam Kher plays the role of my father-in-law. The film is about the love story of Saloni, who loses her husband in this unfortunate incident," she added.

[ Last edited by  Gadis_Venus at 17-4-2007 02:08 PM ]

The Big B Shoots For An Ad With Raj Kumar Kumar Hirani

As usual he's here there everywhere. Barely has he touched base after shooting for Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear in Mussouri when the Big B started shooting for an ad. "It's with Raj Kumari Hirani and it's for Emami," AB says about his first tryst with the Munnabhai director. The Big B had loved Lage Raho匨unnabhai enough for a repeat viewing in his busy schedule. And although this is only an ad, the Big B seems happy enough jamming with the Munnabhai director. Endorsements continue to occupy a sizeable space in his annual schedule. "Although the playing time for an ad is just a few minutes it has to tell as much of a story as full-length feature film. I love the challenge of telling a story within that limited space. We've some really talented directors doing ads these days." Interestingly the Big B did ads with Rakeysh Mehra and Balakrishnan before doing feature films (Aks and Cheeni Kam) with them. So is a film with Hirani on the anvil?

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]When Saif shocked the audience! [/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]At the recently concluded awards function in Malaysia, compere Saif Ali Khan shocked and embarrassed the audience by cheekily proclaiming, 揥hat抯 Rishi Kapoor thinking? Maybe

A new controversy on Kareena Kapoor`s song!

Kareena Kapoor's hit track, "It's Rocking Yaara Kabhi Ishq To Karo", from the forthcoming "Kya Love Story Hai" (out on April 20), is making news for all the right and wrong reasons. Right because it is already No.1 on the world charts and is among the most requested songs on radio these days, wrong because Ayesha Takia was rumouredly upset about the introduction of the track and the attention going to Kareena! Now another controversy on this song has come to the foreground. Before choreographer Bosco was roped in for "It's Rocking Yaara Kabhi Ishq To Karo", it seems director Lovely Singh had approached Ganesh Hegde (who choreographed "Main Hoon Don" last year). According to Singh, the latter had to be replaced because he gave him a lot of starry airs. Remarks Lovely, "He wanted to change the whole song and that's not even a choreographer's job! I'm happy with my decision to replace him because the final output by the new choreographer is making waves and has been very well received!" Hegde, on his part, said, "When I first heard the song I couldn't visualise anything spectacular so I asked Lovely to make some changes to the song. Kareena is a dear friend so I wanted to give her the best. Anyway, it's really not my loss. I do select work in a year and prefer maintaining that."

Arshad Warsi upset in London

"They're not letting me play, yaar!" Arshad complains mock-bitterly. He's currently in London playing a football player in Vivek Agnihotri's Goal. "But I'm hardly getting to play! John Abraham and all the rest are having the time of their life. While I'm just sitting around twiddling my thumbs." Reason? "I play an injured soccer player for most of the film. So I get to be on the filed at the beginning. But that's it. After that I'm out. It's very very frustrating specially since I know I'm a better player than most of my colleagues on the team. In fact our football choreographer saw me play,and wondered why I wasn't doing more of it. I guess the script demands that John's character be made heroic while I sulk around. So be it." The one person who cheers Arshad up is his co-star in Goal. "She's a Briton-based Australian actress named Zara James Naqvi and she's amazing. I've never had a better co-star. She's done seven years of theatre in England, and boy does she give me tit for at on screen." All those long hours when Arshad has to go through the agony of watching his colleagues whoop it up on the filed, he has Zara for company.

[ Last edited by  Gadis_Venus at 17-4-2007 02:20 PM ]

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Katrina mocks wedding news![/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Katrina Kaif has termed rumors that she plans to wed Salman Khan on 18 April 2007, two days before the Abhishek

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]SRK's girl says no to Salman[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone, has politely declined playing Salman Khan抯 love interest in Boney Kapoor抯 next film (a remake of the Telegu hit Pokhiri).

She presently plays the female lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om, Apparently Deepika backed out at the eleventh hour in a very unprofessional manner.

Sources report Boney kept waiting for her at a suburban preview theatre for the screening of the original film, so that she could get a feel of her role. But then, her business manager called him 15 minutes before the show and said she was not interested in doing the film.

揂 screening was supposed to happen but it didn抰, as Deepika informed me in advance that she couldn抰 do it. I wanted this film to be her next after Om Shanti Om and I had categorically told her that. But she told me it won抰 be possible as she was committed to other projects,

Abhishek,Indian Harry Potter?

After four years of slothful silence, Goldie Behl returns to direction with a film again stars his buddy Abhishek Bachchan. The project mysteriously called Drona is being kept under wraps. (Following the Yashraj pattern every filmmaker wants to be secretive now). But it's reliably known that Drona willl be Bollywood's answer to Harry Potter. With special effects and gadgetry galore, it will have the kind of budget technique and spectacle that would carry forward the legacy of optical opulence created by Krissh and hopefully Dhoom 2. According to a source, " Drona will be set in California. Abhishek plays a timid mousy bespectacled nerd who goes through a series of supernatural experiences. Priyanka Chopra has been approached to play the neighbourhood tomboy who's Abhishek's unofficial bodyguard. " Priyanka took a series of rigorous martial arts classes before she was ready for the athletic part. Says Abhishek, "This film will be closer to what the director thinks and feels than his first film Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai."

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]I wanted the best for Kareena[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Choreographer-turned-singer Ganesh Hegde was last year replaced by Bosco-Caesar for Rockstar tour, on Salman Khan抯 recommendation. This year it is director Lovely Singh who showed him the door most recently.

Hegde was supposed to choreograph Kareena Kapoor抯 item song in Kya Love Story Hai, called It抯 Rocking, but was later replaced Cos he 慻ave me a lot of starry airs. He is a choreographer, but he wanted to change the whole thing.

I don抰 know whether he is into song composition or not, but he wanted to make it a whole new song!He said he wanted to record the song his way, even though Pritam had already recorded it. When he made so many demands, I decided to replace him with Bosco-Caesar.攕ays Singh.

Hegde says, 揚eople who want Ganesh Hegde, must want Ganesh Hegde. I don抰 have a replacement in the industry. I do only three songs a year and one of them (Main hoon Don) gets selected at all the award functions.

I refuse 40 songs a year because I like to do quality work. When someone asks me to choreograph a song, it has to appeal to me.

An exquisite red sari - for Aishwarya, with love

While Aishwarya Rai may be getting ready to don glitzy designer wear at her wedding, a young girl in Bihar is toiling away at an exquisitely embroidered red sari for the actress to wear on that special day. Joyti Kumari, a 17-year-old college girl from Sipaya Tola in Gopalganj district, about 250 km from here, is a diehard fan of Aishwarya. And she is very busy these days. For, the actress is getting married to actor Abhishek Bachchan in Mumbai on April 20, and Joyti hopes she will finish the sari in time to present it as a gift. "She has been working day and night for nearly a month to create the finest embroidered sari for Aishwarya to wear on her wedding day," a close relative of hers said. The relative said that Joyti selected a bright red sari keeping in view the beauty and fair complexion of Aishwarya. The sari, it is estimated, would easily sell for around Rs.7,500 if sold in the market. Designer Neeta Lulla is reportedly designing embroidered saris for Aishwariya. But Joyti has her fingers crossed. "I plan to visit Mumbai next week to personally hand over my gift to Aishwarya," Joyti said. But she was not sure whether Aishwarya would meet her. "I will try my best," she said. She was in Class 10 when Aishwarya was crowned Miss World in 1994. "Since then, I have been a diehard fan of her and want to share my joy with her," she said. A BA first year student in Mahendra Das College, Joyti is quite well known locally for designing women's clothes, particularly embroidered saris and salwar-kameezes. She trained in embroidery and stitching at an institute here a few years ago. In her free time, Joyti helps girls from poor families by teaching them how to stitch and embroider. "It is my dream to help others," she said. Right now, though, she is dreaming of a very special gift for a very special person!

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Bebo at work and kicking butt![/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]In an interview with a leading newspaper, Kareena Kapoor shredded to pieces recent press reports that she is out of work because of an attitude.

She has a busy schedule right to the end of the year, she says. Currently she is in Punjab shooting for a film by Imtiaz Ali in which she is paired opposite beau Shahid Kapoor.

Shooting for the film is expected to end on May 30 immediately after which, she starts work on Tashan, a film directed by Vijay Acharya, starring Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, that is being produced under the Yash Raj banner. From November 1 she gets busy on Mani Ratnam's Lajjo...

Well, she doesn't seem to be out of work. What about the gossip that says she has been dropped from Kismet Talkies because Hrithik Roshan declined to work with her? Kareena demolishes it by clarifying that the film is merely delayed because director Zoya Akhtar is changing the script.

揟he film will happen next year,

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Priyanka's 'debut film' up for release[/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Priyanka抯 first film, Guddu Dhanoa抯 Big Brother, will finally be released.

Interestingly, this is the first film that Priyanka signed and shot for after becoming an actress.

Talking about it, she says, 揑 gave my first ever shot for this film. It抯 definitely very close to my heart. I am happy that it抯 finally releasing this week.

Dino Morea wants to do action film

After 'Tom Dick and Harry', Dino will be seen in Vikram Bhatt's latest film 'Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee'. Here he plays a college graduate who gets involved in a bet along with four of his friends to prove to be the happiest after five years. Success is synonymous to happiness for the character and he wants to become a businessman. In a recent interview, Dino says the film 'is about five friends who after their graduation look for only one goal and that is happiness.' However, the meaning of happiness is different for each one of them. They aim to achieve this within five years and at the end of five years one of them would decide who is the happiest among them all. So the struggles that they go through within the five years and the ultimate result is what the story revolves around. Playing the character of Rajeev Arora in the film, Dino says 'his funda for happiness is to be successful in life.' The character is extremely ambitious and wants to become the most successful businessman and entrepreneur. Life is always happening for Dino and he takes them on as part of life. The actor has enjoyed working with his co-stars Nauhid and Anjori as they are professionals and work very hard. Dino, who loves to treat people, admits that he had taken out his co-stars to his restaurant in Bandra while shooting there. The actor is satisfied with the songs though they might not be too upbeat, but they are melodious. After working with Vikram Bhatt in 'Raaz', Dino has teamed up with him after five years. He feels that both Vikram Bhatt and he have matured over the years. The actor has no qualms about doing different roles. In fact he is dying to do an action film. He informs that he has 'Bhram' and 'Anamika', both romantic films lined after 'Life Mein Kabhie Kabhiee.' When asked if he relates to the role, Dino candidly confesses that he is ambitious. However, he adds for him happiness is equally important. According to the actor he had signed the film because he wanted to work with Vikram Bhatt and the story was good. He says some of the scenes were challenging as they had a lot of emotions. Dino believes that the youth would relate to the movie as it is a slice of life. On his being in a multi-starrer yet again, the actor says everyone has been equal footage in the movie. All the characters are different therefore they do not mingle. The actor is busy with three projects. This year his production house will go ahead with only one project. It is an action film and the castings are on. He also has plans to open branches of his restaurant at Malad and Powaj.

Priyanka is new bathing beauty

From Leela Chirnis who did the first ad to Kareena who did the latest it is often believed that a heroine in Hindi cinema only 'arrives' after she does a Lux ad. By that reckoning Priyanka Chopra sure is here to stay now. After Kareena Kapoor Priyanka has been chosen to be the new Lux lady. Though the matter is being kept under wraps and the cosmetic company is planning a lavish launch the new soap queen has apparently been paid a staggering amount of money to be the new face of the prestigious beauty soap. Says a source close to the contract, "They've planned a series of ads on television and in print for Priyanka, shot by the top-of-the-line names in the business. The last campaign with Kareena and Shah Rukh Khan before that are going to be the reference points for Priyanka's ads." Without commenting on her new Lux campaign Priyanka says she's very careful about her endorsement. "For me it doesn't matter whether it's a film or an ad, both have to be steps forward in my career."

Emraan is welcome kiss to me

The Serial Kisser, Emraan Hashmi, at one time famous for being Mahesh and Vikram Bhatt's nephew and therefore getting to be a hero, soon went on to Murder that myth with hotbod Mallika Sherawat, and became a miniature hero no. 1. All his films followed with a kiss or two thrown in and a hit song or two, too. Then came news of his getting married, and he was off kissing on screen, and in one film, even made a bit of a joke at the end of the film about not kissing his heroine! But how long can a serial kisser be off a liplock? Esapecially with Bollywood now full of starlets and bimbos who don't mind sticking their tongue into Emraan's mouth if it can give them a hit and a place in the sun. And Sayali Bhagat is not just a bimbo trying to make it in Bollywood. The former Miss India World (2004) is doing what most beauty queens do, of course -- meaning, knocking on the gates of tinsel town. And Sayali found Emraan waiting to give her a welcome whopper, that too with full on the mouth! If you want to know more, Sayali's making her debut in a romantic thriller, The Train, with Emraan, and we are not surprised that the film boasts of a much-publicised liplock too. Talking of her debut kiss onscreen, Sayali gushes, "I was very nervous during the first kissing scene, but the director made it look so easy that it didn't take much effort." Or is she trying to tell Emraan something? Say thanks, girl, he is waitring to hear it, with puckered lips.

Ash-Abhishek wedding details

As Mumbai gears up for the wedding on April 14, some more invitees are being included in the guests' list, this time from the bride's side. The 16-page wedding card issued along with a box of cookies/chocolates,is now being sent off to the bride's filmmaker-friends along with a personal request from the bride-to-be, her mother, or her secretary. The marriage is still expected to be a very private affair. Those who have been invited have been sworn to secrecy about the details regarding the wedding schedule and also about the contents and look of the wedding card, the dress code, etc. Habitually gregarious friends of the Bachchans such as Karan Johar and Apoorva Lakhia have gone into a shell, pretending to be immersed in their shootings to avoid talking about the wedding. Says an invitee, "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 print the wedding card even offered me the equivalent of what I make for five days of shooting. I naturally refused." In the absence of any information from the Bachchans' residence the media is being fed with utterly false tidbits about the actual events to take place during the wedding. Says one of the invitees, " The guest list keeps getting bigger every day in the papers. Many of the names are planted by those who aren't invited."

Aishwarya Rai & Abhishek Bachchan

[table=98%][tr][td=2,1]Preity has never felt happier![/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1]Preity has never felt happier. "I've just spent the most divine four days shooting with Mr Bachchan in Mussourie. The last time I was in Mussourie it was for another shoot. And guess what? It was again with Mr Bachchan for Armaan. Believe me, if I ever direct a film I'll cast him only."

Breathless with excitement she flew back to Mumbai on Saturday in a private plane. "Mr Bachchan was kind enough to give me a ride back. He has been the most wonderful co-star I've ever worked with. And his command over the craft厀ow!"

While the Big B plays a veteran Shakespearean actor, Preity plays a bad actor in The Last Lear. "Playing a bad actor against Mr Bachchan was a pleasure specially when I had a director like Rituparno Ghosh to guide me to be bad on camera, ha ha. Ritu is a magician, and so calm. He kept trying these various wigs on his shaved head and we had a ball just watching Ritu experiment with his looks. As for my looks you've to see what Ritu has done with me. I've never looked like this before. It was all so much fun, and didn't seem like we were making a very serious film."

Coming back to her favourite subject Preity says, "I though I spoke good English

It was just a kiss on my cheek: Shilpa Shetty

Though taken aback by Richard Gere's public display of affection at the AIDS event, Shilpa stoutly defends her mehmaan from Hollywood. "I wish the electronic media wouldn't play the clip over and over again. It's annoying and serves no purpose. There're so many larger issues. In fact we were there to spread AIDS awareness among truckers. Richard has been doing this unconditionally. What does he have to gain from this? He keeps coming back to our country." Shilpa explains what happened. "Earlier during the day during lunch we were teasing him about a dance step in Shall We Dance? When he suddenly bent me down on stage he was doing that whole step from Shall We Dance? I was as taken aback as the people who saw it. It was nothing but a joke and not pre-planned at all." As for the moralists accusing her of unbecoming conduct Shilpa rises to her own defence. "It was just a kiss on my cheek! What's the big hue and cry about ?" There was a hue and cry when many years ago Padmini Kolhapure had kissed Prince Charles. "That was on the lips. This was on the cheek, for crying out loud! No one can question me about my values. I agree a posture like that in public is against our culture. But doesn't our culture say that a guest is like God? Was I supposed to snub Richard in a public place when what he was doing was just in fun. No! I think he's here for a great cause. I want to know what people who're burning Richard's effigy have done for our country. These kinds of controversies unnecessarily take away from the main issue. I can't believe this!" Shilpa explains, "By unnecessarily highlighting it people are putting me off. Frankly I'm fed up of these controversies. Nothing shocks me any more. Honestly I didn't know what was happening. What happened with Richard wasn't my fault. It was just meant to be fun. I don't think Richard intended to hurt anyone's sentiments. Richard is a Buddhist. He believes the Dalai Lama. He wears a tulsi mala. Why would he do anything to hurt our sentiments? Richard's intentions were not dubious. People are burying effigies of Richard. Poor guy! For such a trivial issue. How will it look in the international press? For nine years he has been toiling for the cause of AIDS. Do we know how much money he has been raising for the cause? It's sad people are being instigated against him. Look, if he kissed me on my lips I'd be offended. But he belongs to another cultural zone. Richard meant no harm. I'm no prude. We were in the midst of 3,000 truckers somewhere outside Delhi who didn't understand English. Richard was just trying to entertain an unresponsive audience. " Shilpa says she has formed a bond with her. "He wants me to be part of his AIDS foundation. He 's such a gentleman. He's incapable of indecent behaviour.I know indecent behaviour when I see it."

fatz

Santai : 19 April 2007        

DENGAR-DENGAR

NING HADAPI MASALAH SUARA

BUAT golongan penyanyi, suara ibarat nyawa.

Oleh itu, tidak hairanlah jika masalah kehilangan suara umpama satu mimpi ngeri yang tidak mahu dilalui golongan penyanyi apatah lagi tatkala rezeki masih datang mencurah.

Penyanyi bersuara lantang, Ning Baizura, telah diarahkan berehat sepanjang dua minggu apabila doktor pakar telinga, hidung dan tekak mendapati suara penyanyi itu menghadapi masalah.

Jika arahan tidak dipedulikan, kemungkinan besar Ning akan kehilangan suaranya selama enam bulan atau selama-lamanya, lapor akhbar Harian Metro.

Menurut pengurus Ning, Vernon Kedit, masalah mula dikesan apabila suara penyanyi itu berubah sewaktu menjayakan persembahan sempena Minggu Setiausaha di Hotel Shangri-La baru-baru ini.

Doktor berkata masalah berlaku kerana Ning tidak mempunyai masa rehat dan bekerja terlalu kuat.

Vernon mengakuinya kerana sejak tiga minggu lalu, terlalu banyak persembahan dijayakannya.

Kadangkala sampai dua persembahan sehari.

Masalahnya kini, walaupun ditunjukkan bukti surat yang diberikan oleh doktor, penganjur persembahan masih terus merayu Ning agar terus menyanyi kerana persetujuan awal telah dibuat.