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‘Shahid should toss a coin to choose between Vidya & Sania’

Gone is that sweet simple look, replete with a coy smile that wowed the movie buffs in films like Ishq Vishk or that seedhasaadha look that she sported in Vivah. The cute girl has metamorphosed into a hot babe, who's making men like MF Husain go bonkers over her all over again. After all, the legendary artiste did go on record to say recently that he would love to take her to France and paint her near river Siene. That's Amrita Rao for you, the gal who's riding a wave of success these days. In a bindaas chat with NT, Amrita lets her hair down. ON PREENING AROUND: "Husain saab gave me a wonderful compliment, and these days I am certainly feeling very feminine and beautiful within. But, I am definitely not preening around or looking at the mirror every few minutes." GOING GLOBAL: "I was really amazed when some natives of Peru surrounded me during a shoot there recently and showed me the recordings of Vivah. When they asked me for an autograph, I felt so proud that Bollywood has finally arrived globally in the true sense of the word." ITEM NUMBERS ARE OK: "I am ready to do an item number if the packaging is right. I have no qualms doing an aesthetically shot item number for the right kind of director." CHEMISTRY WITH CO-STARS: "I am working with so many wonderful men including Harman Baweja, Ranbir Kapoor and Shreyas Talpade. Let the audience decide with whom I look the best on screen." LOVE & PUBLICITY RUMOURS:"Till date I haven't been able to fathom as to how the rumours of my linkup with Goher (of Jal band fame) started. Neither I, nor Goher need to resort to a publicity stunt to promote ourselves because both of us are doing quite well in our chosen fields. In the face of such baseless stories, I maintained my dignity and chose not to react." ON PRUDERY: "I am not a prude, believe me! I don't talk about my love affairs because there's nothing to talk about at the moment. If there was, it would be very difficult to hide it." ADVICE TO SHAHID: "Shahid Kapur is the co-star with whom I have given my biggest hits and I share a comfortable, friendly relationship with him. If I was in his place, it would be really difficult for me to choose between two gorgeous women like Sania Mirza and Vidya Balan. Shahid should toss a coin to decide between Vidya and Sania. That's a smart way to get out of this dilemma." A TIP FOR VIDYA: "I think Vidya Balan must be facing harrowing times after being tagged the worst dressed actress in the industry. I really feel bad for her. All of us make mistakes and go through these ‘bad dress’ days. But, I would really like to tell her not to let these things bog her down because nobody is born with complete knowledge of dressing, fashion or any other thing." ON DREAM GUY: "He maybe on the horizon, but alas, the horizon itself is very hazy. Let's hope that soon the clouds will clear, and my dream guy will emerge from that haze and enliven my life some more."

Designs on Amrita Rao

We recently caught actress Amrita Rao in a stunning floor length emerald green gown. This was at designer Babita Malkani’s studio in Juhu. Designer Babita is designing Amrita’s wardrobe for her upcoming visit to Pakistan, where she will be making an appearance at a concert by the popular band Jal and interacting with audiences. The gown was one of the outfits from this selection, and Amrita also tried on several outfits from Babita’s new collection titled ‘Metallurgy’. Says Amrita, “I’ve known Babita for 5 years now and always turn to her for style advice, as well as for my clothes for special engagements. I think her new collection is simply gorgeous, the prints are very eye catching and the colours really make a statement. And the use of metal adds vibrancy to the entire look.” When asked about her own style statement the petite actress says, “I think style is about combining what makes you feel confident and at the same time comfortable. What suits one person may not suit another, what looks great on a mannequin may not suit someone when worn.” “I love the flowy cuts of the dresses she has designed for me, and am able to carry these off very well. I also appreciate her take on what accessories work with an outfit and love shopping for these at her store.” she adds. Amrita will be sporting Babita’s designs at her own film Victory’s premiere as well. Telling us about her latest collection, Babita confesses that ‘Metallurgy’ features striking digital prints in vivid colours, with every piece embellished with metal. Fabrics that flow in a rhythm and unconventional tunics, take feminine dressing to a new level and the sheer poetry of each creation reflects the intuitive and unique expression of Babita’s style that makes her the designer of choice for the who’s who in Bollywood. Long gowns that emphasise the length and accentuate the linear feminine form to trendy kaftans for a more casual look, Babita's new collection ‘Metallurgy’ seems to have it all.

Amrita Rao: Peru’s pari

Receiving three paintings dedicated to herself by the great artist MF Hussain himself as a birthday gift has not only upped her asset portfolio but also ‘humbled her’. However, there are other things that make the girl happy, too. Apparently, when she was shooting in Peru, South America, recently, she was taken aback when a group of locals rushed to her for an autograph, and their mobiles went click, click, click. That’s not all. They insisted that she see the photos that they had of her on their mobiles. “Some even had her picture as their screensaver,” we are told. Now how on earth did this Amrita craze hit Peru? It was her film Vivaah that did the trick. They loved the movie, and what they loved even more was their Poonam (played by Amu) in it. Wonder if Vivaah co-star Shahid will draw as much fan-following as Peru’s Bollywood pari? Test ho jaye , Shahid?

MF’s gift for Amrita Rao

The young actress, who celebrated her birthday last week, received a surprise gift from her biggest fan of all – MF Husain. The celebrated painter gifted Amrita three of his paintings. Each of these, art impresarios say, would be valued at Rs 1 crore each at least. Amrita said, “It’s a great honour to be immortalised by Husain’s legendary colours and strokes.” Husain confirmed the news. “ Woh toh khud hi khuda ki banayi hu i perfect painting hain. Her body language is so beautiful that it can only be captured on canvas,” he said. One of the paintings, Husain added, had been inspired by Amrita’s performance as Anarkali at the Filmfare Awards function. “In the other two, I’ve tried to capture her essence of the small town girl from Vivaah.” Having captured Amrita on canvas several times already, Husain’s ultimate dream is “to take her to Paris and paint her on the river Seine”. He now has plans of making a light-hearted film with Amrita. “With this, I will complete my trilogy after Gajaghamini and Meenaxi .”

Amrita Rao: Unplugged

We were in Versova...and what was actor Amrita Rao, a resident of Versova doing? Absolutely nothing! So we decided to drop into her humble abode. Furnished with a pleasant pink, the home could belong to none other than the lovely two girls – Amrita and her twin sis Preeti! "I like being at home when I'm not shooting. It's fun! And relaxing," she tells us. "And the mobile is constantly flashing. There are incessant calls and messages that you actually respond to, when you're not doing much." In spite of 'not doing much', the girl has as many as three films slated for a 2008 release. "There's Victory, Shortcut and Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur ," says Amrita. "They all are sweet movies, with USPs of their own..." And what does Rao have in store for 2009? "As of now, nothing!" she informs, matter-of-factly. "And I am ok about that. I am taking my time, I'm in no hurry, I'm listening to scripts, and there's going to be enough publicity in the coming months, so that'll see me through for quite some time." Nothing seems to have changed Amrita. She's the same simple girl we met on the sets of her debut film, Main Hoon Na . Success hasn't gone to her head... except Amrita isn't mommy's girl anymore. Mama doesn't accompany the actress to the sets these days? "That's right. But then what does mom do there, except sit in the van! It's not fair to her. So, she comes on the first few days of shoot...and then it's me on my own!"

It’s Shortkut for now

Anil Kapoor believes in playing everything by the book on paper. So imagine his shock when a producer raised objections to his next production Shortcut starring Akshaye Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao and directed by Anees Bazmee. Pehle main Says a source in the film industry, “Two years ago, Anil had registered the title Shortcut with the IMPPA but last week ago he got a shock when he found producer Bikramjeet Singh Bhullar had raised an objection with IMPPA saying he had registered the same title before Kapoor. Anil asked director Rajat Rawail, who sort it out the title tussle but they had to finally withdraw and change their title to Shortkut — The Con Is On.” The last schedule of Shortcut is currently on. Depends on luck While Anil prefers not to comment on the title registration, but Rajat Rawail says, “We heard about the issue from Bhullar. The director of Shortcut Mr Ranjit Kapoor has neither met nor approached us directly. I was informed through the trade buzz. We had registered the title of Shortcut two years ago and again went to re-register it last week when we heard that someone had objected. Our film as of now is called Shortcut The Con Is On. We haven’t decided whether to use a K in Shortcut or not. It depends on the luck factor. Now we have documentary proof that the title Shortcut belongs to us.” It’s sorted Rawail didn’t have to cough up any money nor did Bhullar ask for it. “These things are sorted out internally. Initially we thought Anil Sharma had the title and when we went to him he said ‘title rakhlo.’ Then we discovered even he didn’t have the title. Rakesh Roshan has given away a title of his to some other producer recently. It is up to us producers to help each other out. Sometime they don’t have a film on floor and nothing’s happening while a film is already under production. In such cases, producers help each other out and give away the title,” concludes the director.

Her lost cause

H mmph.. now Mottu is saying that Amrita Rao is regretting the day she let go off Freeze, toplining Neil Nitin Mukesh. No, she doesn't have the hots for him, but the role offered to her had some scope for action.. something the petite gal is itching to do and shrug off the girl-next-door image, once and for all. Apni Amri had no choice but to let the movie pass since she had committed her dates to Short Cut, featuring Akshaye Khanna and Arshad Warsi. But unfortunately for her, the schedule of this film in Bangkok was postponed twice.. so she lost Freeze and her precious dates too. In the interim, the nirmata and nirdeshak signed Bipasha Basu instead. Oi oi.. I still can't believe it.. Bipsy in Amri's shoes? Oops, I mean role. But then, such is life dearies.

Amrita: Getting wet & loving it!

Amrita Rao recently got together with her friends and had a fun time in the Mumbai rains. However, the idea was not to get wet in the rain but it was to catch up with friends and watch a movie. Amrita says, “I had planned to watch a movie with my friends. We zeroed down on Al Pacino’s Frankie and Johnny on home theatre. And before we all could indulge ourselves, it started to rain. All of us couldn’t resist the idea of getting wet in the rain, so we chucked the movie plan and drove to my favourite bandstand (in Mumbai). Since it was late, there weren’t many people around. And then it was time to feast on ice creams, this was a really cool way to celebrate the rains!”

The romantic rains

Amrita Rao has to agree that monsoon is the most romantic season. “Everything around you looks dreamy. The freshly-washed earth and the glistening green leaves make you want to breeze through life. There’s something about the monsoons that makes you want to break the routine monotony and pull back, spend time with loved ones. Enjoy simple pleasures of life such as watch a movie at home, go out for a drive; or even plain sit on your window sipping tea, having a chat and enjoy the pitter-patter!” In fact, rains are not only the harbringers of romance, but also romanticism, making it the core essence of the drizzling season.

Amrita Rao in princess mode

The prettiest girl-next-door face in Bollywood, Amrita Rao has come a long way from her Ishq Vishq days and is all set to step into the shoes of a princess. Currently shooting for Shortcut with Akshaye Khanna that sees her in a modern-day glam avatar, Amrita will soon wow her fans with a princess-like appearance. The actress has agreed to pose for the cover of Verve and will be seen donning a Victorian gown for the same. And while Amu will be seen posing in five-different get-ups as part of the shoot, it is the promise of a matte-gold gown that has caught Amrita’s fancy. A copper sheen, cinched waist and lots of layers are all set to transform the petite actress into a royal enchantress. Chatting about it, an excited Amrita told Indiatimes Movies, “The best perk that comes with being an actress is the costume drama. I really love it. I have often played roles, say that of a lawyer or an air hostess that has allowed me to don the get-ups of professionals without even having to learn the nitty-gritty of their occupation. ” Steering the conversation towards her impending photo shoot with Verve , Amrita revealed, “In fact when it comes to photo shoots, there are even lesser restrictions. And now finally, after indulging in all sorts of moods, including seductive ones, I will be posing as a princess for the first time in my career. It’s a real big high and I am all set to have a blast.”

Happy b'day Amrita!

Her petite frame and demure Indian looks send quite a few male hearts a-flutter... But, there’s more to the Vivaha girl Amrita Rao – she is a trained classical singer and says that in her taxing profession, it’s music that keeps the ball rolling for her. As she celebrates her birthday today, the actress who’s been shooting in Jaipur for her film Victory, opens up to JT about things close to her heart. “I’ve learnt classical music for two years. In fact, I feel incomplete without singing, specially old Hindi songs of Lataji and Rafisaab. I love music, it is a part of my soul,” says Amrita. “At one point of time I wanted to participate in a reality talent hunt show and thought that I’d never be able to do so. But, by God’s grace today, I visit their sets as a guest judge,” she adds. And now, with the biggest names in Bollywood opting for television to host game shows, etc, how long will it be before Amrita too plans to do so? “Television has almost become unavoidable for us. We need to mark our presence on reality talent hunt shows to promote our films. But, I am not yet ready to be a regular face on TV,” she smiles. And when the pretty maiden is not shooting for films or reality shows, she is digging heavily into books. “I have taken to reading quite a bit lately. Earlier I wasn’t an avid reader, but now, I simply love it. Currently, I am reading a Sidney Sheldon and will then move onto Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, which was gifted to me by a friend,” she shares. And it’s this reading that helps her study the characters in the books/stories carefully. “I have found that apart from being a source of knowledge, books give an insight into various characters. An actor needs to observe people to roll out natural performances. Since books possess vivid description of characters, they help us largely in understanding and playing different roles with ease,” says Amrita. Cut back to the subject of Rajasthan, and Amrita says she’s completely taken in by the beautiful locales of the state. “For many, the desert symbolises pessimism, but for me, it’s so artistic. I am so fascinated by the shadows of camels and the bright coloured attires that local people sport,” she says. The state remains special to her also because her first film Ab Ke Baras was shot here. “I especially love the Pink City. I wish I could meet Gayatri Devi and visit her palace. I have read her book and I am so mesmerised by her lifestyle and the way she carries herself.” Amrita also has a few films in the pipeline that include Shyam Benegal’s Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur and Neeraj Vora’s Shortcut. Talking about her forthcoming films, she says, “I have always played the role of a city girl in most of my films but in Mahadev... I play a rustic and that’s what makes this role interesting for me.” Reluctant to divulge details about Shortcut, she says, “It is a costume drama and I play a glamourous role in the movie.”

I AM: Amrita Rao

I don’t get the time to perform rituals regularly, but i completely believe in the presence of God. I fast once a month in the name of Goddess Durga. It is my way of thanking God for all the wonderful things He has given me. At some point of time all of us feel the presence of Almighty. Still, we keep questioning His existence. Whenever things go bad, we come to a conclusion that there is no God. Troubles are His way of testing our belief. Just because things don’t work the way we want them to, we cannot put the blame on God. It is very important for each one of us to acknowledge the Divine Power in every good or bad situation. I am constantly reminded of His presence. I can recollect one incident when i felt it the most. Some years ago, i was taking a flight to Mumbai from Delhi, but at the last moment all the flights got cancelled because of the floods in Mumbai. I decided to visit Agra and Vrindavan instead. That trip was my first ever darshan of Lord Krishna. And when i came back to Mumbai, i got an offer to work in Vivah. Coincidentally, the movie was shot in Vrindavan and i played a Krishna bhakt in it. It was totally uncanny and i realised that was God’s way of telling me that He is there for me. Some people pray only when they see a temple or only on Tuesdays. I believe in having a constant relationship with God. I strike a conversation with Him every now and then. He gives me the strength to move ahead and face challenges. We are so engrossed in our own lives that we forget that whatever is happening is because of some supernatural power. If you acknowledge that power, you will get the solution to all your problems. I know that the world is very competitive. But i don’t believe in achieving something at the cost of letting someone down. Also, i have never compromised on my values and self-respect . I have been lucky to get offers without making too much effort, but even otherwise i would have never done anything that goes against my conscience.

Amrita Rao is popular in Peru!

Friends holidaying in the South American country of Peru were bewildered when they were asked about Bollywood actress Poonam. Apparently Poonam is one of the hot favourites in the capital city and her films are keenly awaited. On further query, they realised that Poonam is none other Sooraj Barjatiya's Poonam in Vivaah and the actress in question is our very own girl next door turned bombshell Amrita Rao. The South Americans follow hindi films and its Vivaal that is a hot selling film. From splashing her posters to having her pictures on their mobile phones, Amrita is reigning supreme in a land where bold and dusky is the order of the day.

Amrita takes a different way to fitness

While most Bollywood actresses have hit the gym in an attempt to stay fit and arrive at size zero, Amrita Rao is going about it in a different way. She has hired dance instructor Brian Fernandes and is dancing her way to fitness. When contacted, Amrita said, “I visited Brian’s dance academy when I was in Bangkok. Now that he is in Mumbai, I thought I simply must learn dance from him. We have started with basic steps. My body is not fit to be stressed at a gym, so I am finding dance to be a great alternative to build up my stamina.” Talking about what she has learnt till date, Amrita says, “Currently, Brian has brushed my skills in ballroom dancing and fox trot. Next in line will be salsa, and later, various dance forms like jazz and hip hop. My training right now will increase the flexibility of my leg movements. My trials with gym have led me to realise that I have a toned body already, so I needn’t workout rigorously to be in shape. That’s how I thought of dancing. Besides, dance is also a part of my profession!” Is she trying to achieve size zero? “I think everybody has their own ambitions and being in the film industry, I know that we need to have a desirable and a perfect body. Though I would say that I don’t need to be a size zero,” she quips.

Amrita Rao’s secret fetish revealed

Amrita Rao’s been shooting round the clock these days. So, one would expect the pretty actress to simply chill when not facing the arc-lights. However, the sexy gal’s idea of chilling is not exactly what one would expect. A self-confessed cleanliness-freak, Amrita admits to cleaning up her room and cupboards and arranging her wardrobe in neat piles to keep her busy during her breaks from the hectic shoot schedules. Says Amrita, “Yes, it’s true. I am quite a cleanliness freak. In fact, you’d never see me sitting idle at home. I’d always be arranging my room. I like everything to be neat and tidy. I can spend hours and hours cleaning up the mess. And although I do have people doing it for me all the time, I prefer to do up my room all by myself.” Amrita — who’s new hot-and-sexy look in Anil Kapoor’s Shortkut is earning her compliments by the dozens — also reveals that she doesn’t find the cleaning bit tiring at all. “On the contrary, I think it’s a great way to relax. There’s always so much to do. And it’s not only my room, but the entire house that comes under my scanner, when I’m home,” she adds. Well, wonder if the ‘squeaky-clean image’ that the actress’s maintained in this glitzbiz comes from this fetish.

Taking the ‘dark’ road

After delivering yet another hit with his tried and tested formula, filmmaker David Dhawan is now ready with a film with which he enters into an uncharted territory. Post Partner, David will be looking at moving from humour to dark humour with Hook Ya Crook which will have John Abraham playing the lead. The film will have another male star to star alongside John, but his name is yet to be finalised. What’s more? David Dhawan has roped the best scriptwriters in the industry to pen the story of the film. The script of the Hook Ya Crook has been written by Rang De Basanti scriptwriter Rensil Charles. According to sources, the film will have “shades of violence” something unheard of in a typical David Dhawan movie. Sources also say that David dabbled with the names of many other heroes before he zeroed in on John, who incidentally has never made a mark for himself in the comedy genre. For the other male lead, David is said to be considering his old favourite Govinda. The film which will be released next year, is likely to go on the floors sometime in October, after John finishes shooting for Dostana which is a Karan Johar production and is being shot at Miami right now. The film is directed by Tarun Mansukhani. John, who will play the role of a prisoner in a high security jail is too keen to make a mark in the comedy genre after his last comedy film Garam Masala didn’t do as expected at the box office. Hook Ya Crook will be shot in Mumbai as well as in Hyderabad, sources added. The film is being produced by UTV Motion Pictures, which has also produced Rang De Basanti and Jodhaa Akbar.

Amrita's Fitness Tips

My Workout Regimen Over the years I have discovered that I have a fantastic metabollic rate. I also don’t have a tendency to put on weight so I don’t think twice about what I eat. My body is not meant for the gym as it looks toned alI the time. I can go on for weeks without exercising. But I do believe that some kind of exercise is very important in our lives. So I prefer dancing rather than doing any other workout as it builds my stamina and gives flexibility to my body. I also do yoga as the deep breathing exercises are very helpful in our stressful lives. On account of pollution we don’t deep-breathe any more. So these exercises are very good for our breathing system. It helps to fill our lungs with oxygen which is beneficial for the brain and skin. My Daily Diet When I wake up I drink a bottle of water — one litre of water in a minute. The oxygen in water is good for the skin and helps to clear the system. This was prescribed to me by a neurotherapist Reza Bohrani who had told me about the benefits of water therapy. This method is difficult to follow initially for a couple of days. But after some time the body gets used to it. If I follow this regime everyday the water content of my body is satisfied even if I manage to drink even one litre water during the rest of the day. As far as food is concerned, I don’t follow a particular diet. I just eat the regular meals. I don’t like to eat any fried stuff in the morning. So I normally gorge on a bowl of mixed vegetable juice and a bowl of soya for my breakfast. I am a strict vegetarian and love veggies like broccoli, sprouts, etc. I avoid food from outside. Even for my shoots I carry home food. A healthy lifestyle and smart snacking is very important. In the evening I munch an energy bar or a bowl of cut fruits. During my shoots I sip on a glass of chilled lime juice. In an hour I drink 2-3 glasses of this juice. I also have a proper dinner too and I feel that one must eat according to one’s body type. I feel sorry when young girls starve and sip only liquids to become thin. They should realise that it’s not healthy for their body later on. One must eat healthy and build a good stamina for your age and not worry about the size as it all depends upon the bone structure of your body. We shouldn’t feel conscious about how much we eat even when we are eating out with friends. My Happiness Quotient If I’m feeling a little low then I’ll call up my close friends and probably just chat up with them. I feel that one must have somebody to talk to and if you have friends with a positive attitude around you then it is very good because they keep you motivated all the time. People with negative thoughts sow seeds of insecurity in you which definitely affects the mental being and actions of a person. So it’s the company that you keep that matters a lot in your life. My idea of relaxation I would probably go for a good massage or read a good book or even just watch a good movie. Even going on a long drive relaxes me.

UTV Movies to present world TV premiere “My name is Anthony Gonsalves`

UTV Movies, the Hindi movie channel from the UTV Network, is presenting the world premiere of “My Name is Anthony Gonsalves” starring Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty and introducing Nikhil Dwivedi on 6th June '08 at 8:30 p.m. As a prelude to the premiere, UTV Movies will telecast a special feature on the making of the movie. “My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves” is the story of an ordinary guy, Anthony [Nikhil Dwivedi], who has extraordinary dreams. His dream is to become an actor. Sikandar [Pawan Malhotra] is Anthony’s benevolent benefactor and protector. Anthony becomes a witness to a crime committed by Sikandar’s gang. Anthony lands up in a situation wherein he has to choose between his benefactor on one hand and his dream to become an actor on the other. The film was released in theatres on 11th January 2008. Says Dilshad Master, COO UTV Movies: “We are the fastest to bring the latest movies to the small screen and My Name is Anthony Gonsalves is just one example of our offering.” 'My Name is Anthony Gonsalves', released in theatres in the month of January and is being aired on television in the month of June. Launched on February 24th, UTV Movies has premiered blockbuster movies on television like Aap Kaa Surroor, Life in a… Metro and Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal and boasts of an enviable line-up which includes contemporary hit movies like Jodhaa Akbar, Halla Bol and Race.

Nikhil, Amrita & Harman, what’s cooking

Nikhil Dwivedi who had been maintaining a low profile after the release of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves was spotted with Harman Baweja and Amrita Rao at a suburban swanky Chinese restaurant. The threesomes were spotted together having a ball of a time at the Chinese restaurant! One wondered what they were upto? Only if we could go close and overhear them it would have made a chatpata copy for sure a la a spicy Chinese dish! But a friend who was present there spills the beans and reveals that they were busy discussing the promos of Love Story 2050 that marks Harman's debut. The source also revealed that Amrita was heard raving about Nikhil and said that she considers Nikhil to be one of the most talented newcomers she has worked with so far.

JUGAAD producer Sanddeep Kapur starts his next

Producer Sanddeep Kapur, in association with Anuj Sharma, has started 18 day shoot schedule for his next untitled film at various locations in London. Produced under the banner of Promodome and Sishty Creations, this film is directed by Jagmohan Mundra, it has music by Monty Sharma and the choreographer is Pony Verma. The film features Govinda, Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher, Shakti Kapoor and a French artiste. Comic caper revolves around the life of a 40 years old bachelor, who finds himself infatuated with a very young girl. Sanddeep Kapur's first film JUGAAD is based on his own personal experience during and after the MCD ceiling in Delhi. Shot at various locations in Delhi and Gurgaon, it stars Manoj Bajpai, Hrishita Bhatt, Vijay Raz, Sanjay Mishra and Akshat Kumar. It's directed by Anand Kumar and has currently moved into post production.

'VIVAH' PAIR IN SOORAJ'S 'HAHK' SEQUEL

Today's popular Bollywood couple -Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao - that hit their 'Vivah' at the box office will soon be seen together in Sooraj Barjatya's next movie, it is learnt . Sooraj Barjatya , the producer of tinsel town's evergreen flick 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun ('HAHK')' that broke and set new records at the box office has made up his mind to follow in the footsteps of his other colleagues by making a sequel of his biggest hit. Significantly, Sooraj is very keen on signing on the young 'Vivah' pair of Shahid and Amrita Rao to fill the place of Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in the lead roles of his forthcoming movie. In spite of the presence of the 'Vivah' hit pair in lead roles, the producer wishes to bring back his 'HAHK' pair of Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in his sequel. While Salman is most likely like to oblige Rajshri Productions that debuted his first Bollywood movie - 'Maine Pyaar Kiya', Madhuri Dixit who is most of the time in the US with her young family, is yet to give her consent to Sooraj's proposal. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Govinda plays a virgin in Jagmohan Mundhra's next

Govinda is all geared up to play a 40 year old virgin in an untitled venture directed by Jagmohan Mundhra. The film will be co-produced by Sanddeep Kapur and Anuj Sharma under Promodome and Sishty Creations. Putting an end to the rumour about the film being made in English language, one of the producers Sanddeep Kapur informs, "The film loosely inspired by Hollywood comedy The 40 Year Old Virgin is a comic caper which will be made in Hindi." He goes on to add, "We will have Amrita Rao playing the hot chick of UK based Govinda who plays a 40 year old virgin." Apart from Govinda and Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher and Shakti Kapoor will also star in the film. In fact, the cast and crew have already moved to London to shoot the first schedule. To which Sanddeep says, "We have zeroed in on London where 60% of the film will be shot and rest 40% will be in India." Monty Sharma will be doing the music for the film and Pony Verma is the choreographer. The film is expected to release this year.

She’s the sexy girl next door

Amrita Rao, who started her Bollywood career as the girl-next-door, is creating a lot of flutter around with her all new provocative glam look. The actress justifies that she is not trying to break the image that she has created in the industry by saying that ‘a girl next door can also be hot and sexy’. “I’m not trying to desperately do something different that would make me change the image that I have built. I’m very happy if people in the industry find me a sweet girl-next-door,” she says. She finds nothing wrong when the same girl-next-door goes through a glam makeover and starts flirting with guys in a pub. Suddenly, the girl-next-door which is the uber chic version of the Bharatiya Nari has gone through a sea change in definition. “But you have to understand that this girl is not predictable. She can be hot and sexy too, she can be the life of a party and can also flirt with boys,” Amrita says. And what does Amrita have to say about her new look in the forthcoming film Shortkut in which she is provocatively soaking the sun on a sandy beach? “See, I have worn sexy clothes before too in films like Ab Ke Baras, Ishq Vishk, Main Hoon Na. The new thing that I have done is the way I have been acting like in My Name is Anthony Gonsalves in which I could subtly be seductive through my eyes and expressions. In Shortkut too, I have a role that demands me to be glamourous and attractive,” Amrita explains. Now an established actress, Amrita started her career as a model and featured in several commercials. Having no well wishers in Bollywood, Amrita says she has been lucky to have got big movie offers. “It’s difficult to establish yourself in our industry if you do not know someone. Only a few from the outside can barge into the industry. I think I have been very lucky,” she says. She admits that there are very few platforms that enable an actor to get noticed. “The problem is that the platforms from where you can get spotted by someone from our film fraternity are few. Either you have to be a model doing ads or you have to win a beauty pageant and none of these are a cakewalk,” she said. This svelte actress currently has three films in her kitty — the Shyam Benegal directed Mahadev Ka Sajjanpur, Harman Baweja starrer Victory and Anil Kapoor’s Shortkut and says she has no complaints about how the industry has treated her so far. “I don’t have any complaints because I think I have got some really nice opportunities and people have been very nice with me,” she says, adding, “Acting was something I always secretly desired to do and I’m living my dream.” Amrita, who has acted in several romantic films, says she is a very big romantic at heart and adds that it was her role in Ishq Vishq that is most closer to the real person that she is. “I’m a very sacrificing, emotional person. Playing the role of Payal in the film was like playing me in front of the screen,” she says. Amrita says that she believes in the classic, your-love-is-destined-for-you phrase. “I’m a very romantic person but I believe that if someone is destined to be with me, nothing can take the person away,” she adds.

Amrita’s phoney business

This one is for the Mumbai roads. The other day Amrita Rao was shooting on the roads of Mumbai for one of her forthcoming films when misfortune struck. She lost her mobile, some smart alecs stole it. “I’m not worried about my phone. All my contact numbers are gone and I had to struggle for days to recover all my numbers. When friends call , I don’t recognise their numbers,” she says. Hopefully, she should have regained her connections by now!

Amrita: When will Hollywood call?

After Aishwarya, many in apna Bollywood have been nurturing dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Recently, when we asked the pretty actress Amrita Rao if LA featured anywhere on her career map and she was quick to say, “Yes, definitely. Aishwarya has set a trend and many Indian actresses want to head that way. The day isn’t far when many of us will make it big there.” But, what about her? “Hollywood certainly features in my scheme of things. I’d love to do a good film there,” says Amrita. “The only difficult part is that we still need to be discovered,” she added. But, with Hollywood evincing interest in all things Indian, that day shouldn’t be too far, eh, Amrita?

Amrita Rao likes to surprise

Amrita Rao recently visited Delhi to meet her designer friend Renu Tandon. The ladies caught up with each other at a Delhi do, and while they did that, we spoke to the two of them. The result? A conversation full of fashion and Bollywood! While Amrita kept saying how she loved her look in her film Vivah, Renu insisted that Amrita could carry off any look beautifully. She said, “Amrita looks lovely in long dresses. Not really long, but somewhere below the knee. I loved the vibrant oranges and reds she wore in Vivah. I’d like to make a pretty balloon dress for her, complete with a crinkle look. I think she will be able to carry that look well too.” And Amrita was more than happy to be listening. “Yes, even I think I can carry off various looks. And more recently, I have gone glam in all my movies because I think an actress should keep surprising her audience. I should be seen in different avatars and that is why I’m open to experimenting all the while,” she said. Renu added, “Since Amrita is so youthful, whatever she wears becomes a fashion statement for others of her generation.” And Amrita couldn’t agree more, “That’s true and I hope I can influence girls my age in the right manner. It is a responsibility to be a young ambassador from Bollywood.” And what is Amrita’s style statement? “My style statement is to be comfortable, and to wear something that makes me feel confident. Footwear, accessories are all a part of my look and I take time to coordinate my look,” she said.

Nights in White Satin

Designer Renu Tandon’s store Mynah was launched at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket and has to its credit (or discredit), a series of firsts. The chief guest mentioned in the invite was the obscure Nikhil Dwivedi (Bollywood star, we were told), who couldn’t make it, only to be replaced by the relatively better-known Amrita Rao, who did a Bono on us and wore her shades in the shade. Models Krishna Somani and Amanpreet Wahi stepped out in embellished, white, balloony and pleated short summer dresses respectively. To make the most of the lack of a ramp, the duo performed a Robotic Walk from one part of the store to where the mannequins were placed. The novel idea didn’t seem to work for the plebian crowd who grinned as Wahi robotically tried to fix her coloured lenses. Apart from these minor glitches, on display was Tandon’s new summer collection, replete with flowy chiffons, glitzy tops and sparkling, white embroidered dresses.

Hum Aapke Hai Koun sequel to be made?

The sequel bug seems to have bitten Sooraj Barjatya. According to sources, the filmmaker may make a sequel to his huge blockbuster, Hum Aapke Hai Koun...? HAHK, starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, had made history when it ran for more than five years in theatres, and is one of the biggest hits Hindi cinema has ever produced. Barjatya seems to have roped in Salman for the sequel already, and the actor is quite pleased to star in it. After all, Salman has always said that he could never say no to a Rajshri production because the Barjatyas were the first to give him a break as a hero in Maine Pyaar Kiya. The film went on to become one of Salman's big hits, and made him a star overnight. The HAHK sequel will also star the Vivah couple, Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao. Madhuri has been offered a role in the film too but it is unclear whether the actress will take it up.

Amrita in MF Hussain's Next?

M F Husain is livid with the filmmaker for the debacle of Madhuri Dixit’s comeback vehicle, Aaja Nachle, reports Shilpa Jamkhandikar MF Husain is an angry (old) man. He is making no attempt to hide his ire against none other than Yash Chopra—one of Bollywood’s biggest film-makers. The reason, of course, is very close to the artist’s heart— his muse, Madhuri Dixit and her comeback vehicle Aaja Nachle. “The way the entire film was handled was appalling. I was in Dubai when it got released. I even booked an entire theatre there so that we could all watch it. But I couldn’t believe the way it turned out,” Husain, who was in London as a part of the jury for the Zee Cine Awards said. “I loved her (Madhuri) in the film, but the production values of the film, the script and the way it was handled were very shoddy. I blame only Yash Chopra for this debacle. A star like Madhuri didn’t deserve to make a comeback in a film like that,” he fumed. So does he want to make up for that by making another film with his muse? “No, I have already made a film with her (Gajagamini). I have decided that I want to make only three films in my life, out of which I have already made two. The next film I have in mind is a comedy.” Does he have anyone in mind for the main role? “I am still in the middle of scripting it, but perhaps Amrita (Rao) will be a part of it.” Not surprising, since Husain has made no attempt to hide his admiration for the Vivaah girl. However, ask him about his ‘exile’ from India, and he gets cagey. “I am not hurt by anyone’s comments or actions. It’s a free country and everyone is free to make their opinions public.” Doesn’t he miss India then? “Actually, I don’t. Simply because, you cannot miss something that is always in your heart—India is always in my thoughts, in my heart and in my art. So where is the question of missing it?”

I've never had a boyfriend: Amrita

Despite all the link-up rumours, Amrita Rao is insistent – she has never had a boyfriend. Not now, not before, not ever! “I don’t want a relationship just for the heck of it. I’m the kind of girl who would get married to her first boyfriend. I believe that is the luckiest,” she says. What she can’t fathom is why people find it so hard to believe. “I have friends, some of them are even living abroad, who are attractive little things but haven’t been in a relationship ever. They are my age and don’t have boyfriends. We’re young, attractive and don’t have boyfriends and it is okay!” she says. Are her Bollywood innings also the result of such a thought out approach? “My journey in Bollywood has been an easy ride and I’ve been picked up for the best roles of my career miraculously. For Vivah, Sooraj Barjatya chose me based on my short performance in The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Farah Khan took me in Main Hoon Na in a tearing hurry. I was the last girl she auditioned, and she was running out of time and asked me to join the team. Ishq Vishq was because of a commercial and all this good work led to only better work!” says Amrita, adding, “I’m appearing in Shortcut with Akshaye Khanna and Arshad Warsi, in which I’m glamming it up, Victory – a cricket-based film with Harman Baweja and Shyam Benegal’s Mahadev Ka Sujanpur this year. And bagging the Benegal film has added to my CV as an actor. Just working with him makes me feel a part of the group that comprised Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Rekha.” And just what was it that made her journey a smooth ride? “That I have no godfathers and superstar boyfriends! I’ll do it alone. Slowly and steadily, I’ll make my way to being the number one heroine,” she answers.