Getting Real

Rani plays a fearless crime reporter in the movie. She remarked that it’s easy to play a Bollywood scribe but quite tough to portray a crime reporter. She said she was comfortable using expletives on screen because her character is feisty. The actress stated that she would be happy even if censors give an ‘A’ certificate to the film,which is slated to release on January 7.

Dedication towards work

Anil Kapoor,fresh from filming Mission Impossible 4 with Tom Cruise,marvels at the Hollywood superstar. Kapoor,who plays an Indian in the action film,praised his famous co-star,saying,“Tom Cruise is very dedicated and hardworking. On some days he slept for just three hours. That is the kind of drive and dedication that makes you so successful. It (Hollywood) is like a Premier League,” he said,adding that “Working at the international arena is altogether a different experience.” Talking about his journey as an actor so far,Kapoor said,“I had the opportunity of working with British filmmaker Danny Boyle. I learnt a lot from him. They have a different work culture. In addition,I also had the opportunity of working with some of the great Indian directors and co-stars,” he said. “You should be like a blotting paper and absorb whatever is good. It has been a wonderful journey and God has been kind to me,” he added.

Change of Image

She is the best at whatever she does. She was at the peak of her career when she gave up everything to get married and manage home and hearth in Denver. Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit is presently back in Mumbai,her hometown. She couldn’t bring her two sons along as they have their schools. But they will join her soon.

Madhuri,who ruled the roost in Bollywood,says that her daily routine in Denver is just like any other mother. She wakes up in the morning,gets her kids dressed for school,makes breakfast,takes them to school,picks them up and does everything else in between like cooking and cleaning.

Though Madhuri is in India for three months to judge Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa,the actress says that she cannot stay long enough to work in a film as she has a life back in the US that she thoroughly enjoys. Madhuri’s sons Arin (seven) and Ryan (five) are now waking up to the fact that their mother is famous. Says Madhuri,“They understand a bit now that their mother is a known person when other people recognise me on the road. When I was coming for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa,they were very excited and asked,‘Are we going to watch you on TV?’.

Modesty Counts

After a long time,Amisha Patel signed up a film — Rajdhani Express — that marks the debut of tennis pro Leander Paes. But the actress,who was slated to play the lead opposite the sports star,has now opted out of the film. Her role demanded her to play a flirtatious woman who would go to any length for money. Add to this the fact that there were a few steamy scenes where she had to show a lot of skin. Amisha obviously found the role to be crass. She was not comfortable about it and decided not to do the film. That’s modesty,for her!

Brand Ambassador

Following the footsteps of several Bollywood actors,Preity Zinta is now promoting tourism too. Since she was born in Himachal Pradesh,the dimpled actress was the apt choice for becoming the state’s brand ambassador for tourism and environment. The state ministers were of the opinion that her involvement will provide a great boost to the tourism industry in the state.

Pleasing Ganpati

Many filmmakers become superstitious when their films are close to release and Farah Khan is no exception. During the music launch of Tees Maar Khan,we noticed that she was wearing very pretty earrings. On examining them closer we noticed that a quaint Ganpati figure was part of the dangling earpieces. “ Yes,now that the film is about to release I am trying to please the Gods! Next it could be Ganpati endorsed on my kurta,dupatta,everything!” laughed the director.

If these are the whims of a director who has had two hits,what will be the state of others?

Director’s Cut

EVEN as the country admires Anurag Kashyap as one of the best new-age filmmakers,there are a few directors who see him even as a good actor. After a special appearance in friend Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance and a prominent character in one of the four short films in Onir’s I AM,the director will be seen playing a gangster and Soha Ali Khan’s guardian angel in Sudhir Mishra’s Tera Kya Hoga Johnny. Sudhir asserts that the role is going to make Anurag the toast of the town. As if we already didn’t know that,given the filmmaker’s new slim and fit avatar.