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Just one hit to her credit and Deepika Padukone is already creating waves in the film circuit. Be it with Ranbir Kapoor or without him, the actress has already become the cynosure of all eyes.
Deepika Padukone unveiled the first look of her forthoming venture Chandni Chowk To China at a suburban multiplex. The film seems promising and will feature Deepika in different avtaars all through the film.
Not only fans thronged to just have a look at the actress but also there was pandemonium when the photographers went to click pictures of her. Security guards behaved very unruly and created ruckus.
A frightened Deepika took shelter in the theatre halls and refused to come out after watching all these. The makers had to finally cajole the actress and bring her to face the shutterbugs once again.
Chandni Chowk to China is a R S Entertainment and Warner Bros film. It is being produced by Rohan Sippy and directed by Nikhil Advani.
The film stars Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Mithun Chakraborty, Ranvir Shorey and Masumeh Makhija. But looking at the Deepika craze among the audience, the makers must have been thinking about depending on Deepika only for striking the hit string.
Irony can go no further.
While producers in India dub Koena Mitra's voice, for her international project Karna she's been asked to cultivate a British accent to speak in her own voice.
For Karna Koena is also cultivating a fat-free athletic physique, the kind she says is not fashionable in Bollywood.
"With the help of my trainer Channel Pereira I've lost lost so much weight. I'm down to 15 percent body fat. The rest is all muscles. This is all for my kick-ass boy-bashing role in Karna. Unfortunately Bollywood goes ga-ga over thin not fit bodies."
She has to train specially hard since she will be the only woman in this all-male actioner. "In Bollywood they think if a leading lady can do one free-falling kick she's achieved the unthinkable. In Karna I've to do the kind of action only male actors have been seen doing in the movies."
Not only that, Koena has to acquire another skill for Karna. "I've to get a British accent, and fast. Yes they've asked me to speak in my own voice and in British accent because the movie will be in sync sound. I've to learn four different types of British dialects."
The film will be shot in six countries. But mainly in Hong Kong and China.
Koena thinks Bollywood isn't ready for boy-bashing chick flicks.
"I recently shot three promos for the film. When I saw myself fighting aliens I got really excited. Our country isn't ready for a real chick flick like Charlie's Angels and Lara Croft
. I think I'll be the first Indian actress to go out there and kick ass. And I don't have to become a Size 0 to look sexy, " she chuckles. I don't have to be Size 0 to look sexy.
Tamil actress Asin will play the female lead opposite Bollywood icon Salman Khan in 'London Dreams', publicists said here Friday.
The venture will be directed by Vipul Shah, publicists added.
Asin has acted as the female lead opposite Aamir Khan in 'Ghajini', the remake of a Tamil film of the same name.
The actress is also tipped to play a major role in a Hollywood film, sources close to the actress added.
Three Bollywood stars, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, feature in Forbes magazine's list of 10 celebrities who are brand ambassadors for different mobile phone companies.
The three Indian actors are joined by football star David Beckham and tennis champion Maria Sharapova on the list released by the US magazine, otherwise known for its billionaire rankings. Sharapova endorses Sony Ericsson phones and Beckham lends his name to the Motorola RAZR2 phone.
While Shah Rukh lends star power to mobile phones made by Nokia, Abhishek and Aamir endorse Motorola and Samsung phones respectively.
The Forbes report said that Nokia, the world's largest phone manufacturer, 'doesn't work with many celebrities but makes an exception for Shah Rukh, who says he has used Nokia phones for more than a decade.'
It added that after a popular commercial last December, the company sponsored Shah Rukh's Indian Premier League cricket team earlier this year.
The magazine said Abhishek, a former LG Electronics' brand ambassador, now represents Motorola phones in India, and that he is 'Bollywood royalty, thanks to his famous actor father, Amitabh Bachchan, and glamorous actress wife Aishwarya Rai'.
About Aamir, the report said: 'After appearing in his first movie at eight, Bollywood star Aamir now produces and directs films, as well as acts. Samsung has said it is counting on his popularity to help it double its market share in India this year.'
Samsung also claimed that Aamir's work mirrors their brand's 'qualities of innovation, change, discovery, self-expression and excellence in performance'.
Explaining how mobile phone companies are now emulating perfume and designer jean makers in hiring celebrities, Forbes said: 'As nearly everyone on the planet seems to have a cellphone, device makers must work harder to win new customers.
Cool designs and low prices help, of course. But so do celebrities. That's led phone makers to recruit some A-listers from Usher (a singer) to David Beckham to lend an ear and a smile to selling cellphones.'
Others in the magazine's 'Ten Celebs and Their Cells' list are singers Fergie, Rain (also known as Jung Ji Hoon), Andy Lau and race car driver Danica Patrick.
When Snoop dog decided to do a rap-romp with Akshay Kumar he didn't know what he was getting into.
And though it was contractually decided that Snoop Dog would be using his own crew and clothes for the shooting, within no time at all Akshay had the rapper eating Indian food and wearing desi clothes.
Laughs producer Vipul Shah, "We finally shot the song in Chicago. It's true the contract said everything in the shoot including the clothes were to be done by Snoop Dog's crew.
But Akshay decided to shop for his own clothes. And he persuaded Snoop Dog to accompany him. They bought themselves a sherwani and a pugdi each. Plus a whole lot of accessories that you'll see them sporting in the song.
Akshay persuaded Snoop to dress up like a Sardarji for the song. The rapper sportingly agreed although he's known to never go beyond his contract."
Apparently Akshay and Snoop's shopping spree cost Vipul a bomb. "Well, it's not easy to shop for sherwanis and pugdis in Chicago. They ran up a bill of 10, 000 US dollars.
To his credit, Akshay paid his own share and told me he'd use all the stuff he had bought beyond my film. In fact Akshay bought a golden jacket that you'll see in all the hoardings at his own cost.
But yes, I did have to foot Snoop Dog's shopping bill of approximately 5, 000 dollars. But I didn't mind the cost. Because Akshay managed to do the impossible.
He got an international artiste seriously interested in Bollywood and the Indian entertainment industry. Now Snoop Dog will be visiting India for further collaborations." The whole music video cost Vipul Rs 2 crores.
Snoop Dog with whom Akshay Kumar sang and danced for a music video on July 7 and 8 will be coming to India very shortly, on Akshay's invitation.
The two hit it off instantaneously and have forged bond that goes beyond the requirements of the music video.
Informs Vipul, "It was truly heartwarming to see the camaraderie between them. They not only danced together but also sang together. I'd say this Snoop Dog-Akshay number is truly international in quality.
Snoop is from LA, RDB who mixed the song are from London and Pritam Chakbraborty who did the music score of Singh Is Kinng fine-tuned the track in Mumbai. In fact I'm truly grateful to Pritam.
Although I broke my contract with him by bringing another composer into the soundtrack, Pritam sportingly suggested changes which I've incorporated into the Snoop Dog track."
"I'm Amitji's biggest fan. And that's why these comparisons are becoming a bit too much for me to digest, " says Govinda.
The final straw on the camel's back was a reality show aired on Sunday night where choreographer Saroj Khan praised Govinda to the skies…but relatively speaking.
Sighs Govinda, "I'm very grateful to Saroj-ji for all the wonderful things she has said about me. I respect her a lot.
My daughter Narmada has been training in dance with Saroj-ji. In fact she'll be directing a film for me soon. I know she meant well. But why am I being constantly compared with Amitji. Main to naukar hoon.
He's the true king of the entertainment industry. I played the naam ka Raja Babu. He's the true Raja Babu."
Though he's not willing to talk about it openly Govinda is also not amused by the constant reference to him in the context of the 'Govinda Govinda' chant in Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar and Sarkar Raj.
At a recent awards function Govinda's picture was flashed on stage while the Sarkar Raj theme raged on.
"I won't say anything more, " says Govinda diplomatically. "But I'll say this. God bless all those who are using my name for their own reasons. I'll also say this.
Don't try the patience of a patient man. My willpower is about to give way. Now I've reached a stage where I'll react even if one hair on my head is tampered with."
Bollywood's national award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says "Fashion" depicting the dark and positive side of fashion industry was his most expensive film till date.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday to unveil the first look of the film, Madhur said the budget of "Fashion" combines the expenditure incurred for his films from "Chandni Bar" to "Traffic Signal".
"Fashion" starring Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut and debutants former Miss India Mughda Godse and model Arjan Bajwa releases in November this year.
All the lead cast play models in the film. Priyanka said "Fashion" was offered to her when she was not keen to sign whatever role comes her way.
"But the moment I heard the script, I decided that I had to be part of this film. I play a girl from Chandigarh who shifts to Mumbai to become a supermodel. Madhur is straight forward and a focussed director, " the former Miss World said.
Kangana said working with Madhur was a like a dream come true for her.
"I became good friend of Priyanka because I find her very warm and a down to earth person, " she added.
UTV CEO Ronnie Screwvala, co-producer of the film, expressed confidence that "Fashion" will fetch Madhur his fourth national award.
Just one hit to her credit and Deepika Padukone is already creating waves in the film circuit. Be it with Ranbir Kapoor or without him, the actress has already become the cynosure of all eyes.
