Work is Worship

In fact,Kiran had planned a special holiday to France for the anniversary and New Year but Aamir cancelled the plan because he wants to focus on the promotions of Dhobi Ghat that releases in January.

Romancing the Style
Deepika Padukone has an interesting take on the slew of bubblegum romance movies that released in the past year.

As performers,I think our acting styles are now similar. But thats because of the kind of movies were doing. Whether it is Wake Up Sid,I Hate Luv Storys or Break Ke Baad,the stories are real and the performances too have to be very real. We are adapting our style based on the kind of films people are making today, she reasons.

All for a new drape
When asked why she chose to wear a saree to interact with participants on the reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa,Vidya Balan,who was looking gorgeous in designer Sabyasachi Mukherjis green saree grinned mysteriously.

You want to know why? Well,Madhuri Dixit,had seen Ishqiya,and had mentioned in an interview that amongst the Indian actresses I look best in a saree! I was really flattered and felt on top of the world. So when I was invited to come on the show with Rani Mukerji,I got Saby to design this saree for me! said a delighted Vidya.

Being Selective
Gul Panag stands out among the regular Bollywood divas with her short hair,make-up free look and her choice of roles that are closer to reality and life. Gul,who will next be seen in Prakash Jha Productions Turning 30,feels fortunate to get roles that are not regular love stories.

I dont want to look like an assembly-line production. The same glossy long hair and saree makes all actresses look similar. I want to stand out. It is easy to blend than to stand out, said the actress adding,Similarly,being a niche actor,I am fortunate to get a film like Turning 30. Why dont we make such movies? There is more to life than love stories.

Gul,who has been a part of critically- acclaimed movies like Dor,Dhoop and Manorama Six Feet Under,considers her character in Turning 30 a difficult one yet she did not think that there was a risk in playing a woman in her 30s. I think things are changing in Bollywood. People are more accepting. I dont want to be 24. It is an age of cluelessness. You dont know what you want from life. But being 30,I am forthright. I know my mind and know what I want from life. Why should I be hesitant about it? she said.

For the new year,the actress has things planned out. I am planning to turn producer but it is still in the initial stages so I wont talk about it. I am also planning to take up an interesting international project in 2012. I am working with Ram Gopal Varma again and I also have a film with Pritish Nandy,she said.

Getting Spiritual
Spiritualism is important as it helps create balance in life,feels veteran actor Annu Kapoor. I practice yoga and meditation and propagate that everybody should follow a spiritual programme, said Kapoor. The 54-year-old actor-host was in Chandigarh to present a programme and promote an international magazine,along with New York-based spiritual healer Chamunda Swami and legendary bhajan singer Anup Jalota.

Kapoor,who is best remembered for hosting the musical reality show Antakshari,said that he is juggling a lot of work from anchoring shows to acting and donning the producers hat. He also said that he will announce his feature film next year,the script for which is ready.

No Problem at all
Now that his multi-starrer No Problem is out of his way,Anil Kapoor plans to concentrate more on acting assignments in the new year,including his villainous outing in Tom Cruises Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol. No Problem was Anils second production this year after Aisha,which starred his daughter Sonam Kapoor in the lead.

In 2011,the actor will be occupied with multiple acting assignments,so production is set to take a back-seat. I had planned the release of No Problem and Aisha in 2010 and wanted to focus on these two productions. Now that both films have released,its time to accept one or two new films as an actor as well, said Anil,who is also currently busy with the shooting of Priyadarshans Tezz. He will also begin shooting for Race 2.

Another major reason behind my absence from Hindi films is my commitments in the West. I had to be there for all the events related to Slumdog Millionaire. Then I had another priority in the form of my TV show 24,for which I had to be stationed in Los Angeles for as long as six months.

The actor said that he does not set a limit on his filming assignments and a lot depends on the kind of scripts offered to him. There are quite a few romantic scripts that have been offered to me. Now that No Problem has released,I can go through the narrations, said Anil.

Changing Tracks
Playing Mirza Ghalib on stage is a natural progression for Tom Alter,and the veteran actor said he would love to do a film with Gulzar on the legendary Urdu poet,whose 214th birth anniversary fell on December 27.

Alter enjoys playing Ghalib and an impeccable command over Urdu and acting skills make him the perfect choice for any director for the role. To be Ghalib was but a natural progression,a delightful challenge which director of Pierrots Troupe M Sayeed Alam gave me,and I love it, said the 60-year-old actor. But he finds it almost impossible to rate himself while playing Ghalib.

I have seen Naseer Naseeruddin Shah as Ghalib,and he was amazing. So I never compare myself to anyone. I know that if I enjoy the role,the audience will like my performance, he said. Alter,who has played the role of the poet in two of Pierrots Troupe productions,Ghalib and Ghalib In New Delhi innumerable times,said that he would love to play Ghalib on-screen with Gulzar or Vishal Bhardwaj with music by Vishal.

With Geety Sahgal,Priyanko Sarkar