On the Item Wagon

WHERE item songs are concerned, it is learnt that none other than Karisma Kapoor is going to do one of those sensational song numbers in Ram...

WHERE item songs are concerned, it is learnt that none other than Karisma Kapoor is going to do one of those sensational song numbers in Ramoji Rao8217;s forthcoming production Tumko Meri Kasam, which will mark the debut of Ritesh Deshmukh, better known as the son of Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh. The film is expected to release in coming months, and it is rumoured that glam girl Karisma charged a whopping fee for the job.

Khushi Twosome

MORE gossip comes in the form of a link-up between Fardeen Khan and Kareena Kapoor. Bollywoodwalas are whispering that the two young actors who will soon be seen together in Boney Kapoor8217;s Khushi have been spending a lot of time in each other8217;s company. Last heard, they were spotted boogeying away together at Enigma, the fancy discotheque at the J W Marriott Hotel in Juhu, which happens to be Fardeen8217;s favourite hotspot. Where that leaves Ruheen Jaiswal, Fardeen8217;s official girlfriend, is anybody8217;s guess.

Music to the Ears?

AS if Shekhar Suman8217;s loud jokes and fake laughter on Movers 038; Shakers were not enough, he now wants to cut an album. Another celeb who8217;s hoping to strike a note is Yukta Mookhey. Since Bollywood doesn8217;t really seem to be her calling, Mookhey8217;s also taken to making music. Let8217;s just hope that after these maiden ventures, there will be no more musical forays by celebs who are better seen than heard.

Kaante Under the Skin

If the grapevine8217;s to be believed, sultry siren Malaika Arora is a little miffed at the makers of Kaante. The MTV veejay agreed to do a small role in the film last year although she was approached for it at the eleventh hour, when original choice Lisa Ray dropped out. Malaika flew to LA and shot for a song and claims she also filmed a few scenes with the six actors. She was meant to perform another song some months later, which she says was never filmed although she had allotted dates for it. Now that she is pregnant, she obviously can8217;t do a razzmatazz dance number. But instead of waiting for her to get back in shape and shooting the promised song with her, the makers have just chopped the song out of the script.

And we also hear Malaika is a little peeved that the filmmaker roped in Isha Koppikar to perform another sensational song number Ishq Samundar for the film. Originally, Tabu was meant to play Koppikar8217;s role, and Malaika didn8217;t feel Tabu could upstage her in the dancing department. But now that Koppikar8217;s song is a rage, and the makers aren8217;t even publicising her song in the film, Malaika feels more than a little shortchanged.

Nagging Doubt

Between Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai, who performed better in Devdas?

Chunky Pandey: A dance competition with Madhuri Dixit is like a fight against Mike Tyson. But after watching Devdas, for the first time I felt that someone was actually better than Madhuri. It was Aishwarya Rai who took the cake in Devdas. And she was fabulous even in the Dola re song.

M F Hussain: Madhuri Dixit cannot be compared to anyone when it comes to acting. It8217;s like comparing the sun to someone. Madhuri was excellent in Devdas. She has delivered a performance which will be remembered forever.

Vikaas Kalantri: Aishwarya Rai was better than Madhuri Dixit in Devdas. Even in the song Dola re, she just overshadows Madhuri.

Story continues below this ad

Mahesh Bhatt: Madhuri Dixit was excellent in the film. It8217;s the character of Chandramukhi that leaves a lasting impact on our minds. But we cannot dismiss Aishwarya8217;s performance because the story is about two women and Devdas.