K Jo’s funny treatment of homosexuality was quite appreciated with ‘Dostana’. In spite of a few minor objections here and there

It was fun to watch out the antics of two straight men pretending to be gays and now the fun will continue in the sequel to the last year’s comic hit.

Well, nobody thought about a sequel to the film, while making ‘Dostana ’, but producer Karan Johar and director Tarun Mansukhani are currently looking forward to making another version of the gay comedy considering the response to the movie.

Director Tarun Mansukhani is still working on the plot as he wants to make a sequel just for the sake of it. He wants a gripping story to support him.

Abhishek and John Abraham, the hit ‘couple’ will be there. Abhishek thinks ‘Dostana’ is like a brand and one needs to make a sequel to the film.

However, the story of Priyanka Chopra and Bobby Deol who united towards the film’s end finishes and a fresh new female face is most likely to be a part of the story. The styling of the film is likely to be good much like most K Jo films.

The story of ‘Dostana 2’ will take the two friends from Miami to Punjab and they clarify to everyone that they aren’t gays, but much like ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ (but of course in a bigger way) they are unintentionally caught in such situations and no one believes them.

Now this sounds exciting.K Jo would sure have enough ideas to share with his director.

Technorati Tags: Dostana Miami

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Dostana Miami

Bollywood Actress

Aishwarya Rai and hubby Abhishek Bachchan are busy these days with the shoot of Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’ and ‘Ashokavanam’ in Tamil which is taking place on the banks of Hoogly. Abhishek is playing the central character in Mani Ratnam’s movie Raavan, a modern adaptation of the epic Ramayana. Aishwarya Rai plays a contemporary Sita, appearing as an accomplished Carnatic Musician in the movie. While Abhishek stars in the Hindi version, southern star Prithviraj Sukumar plays the lead role in the Tamil version.

Besides Abhishek and Aishwarya, the film also stars Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Manisha Koirala , Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Tejaswini Kolhapure, and Ajay Gehi.The actress has been shooting for this movie here since February 17 while her husband Abhishek Bachchan too has joined the sets recently. The shooting is expected to continue till mid-March. Ratnam has chosen Saheb Kothi, an old Zamindar Bari (mansion of landed gentry of yore) on the banks of River Hooghly at Agarpara, in North 24-Parganas District. He has kept the unit and the locale strictly out of media glare.

Technorati Tags: Aishwarya busy

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Aishwarya busy

Aishwarya Rai, who is currently shooting for director Mani Ratnam’s film "Ravana" here, said her character is not called Sita in the film that also stars her husband Abhishek Bachchan."The name of my character is not ’Sita’. I am playing a woman who has similarities with the Sita of ’Ramayana’, " the actress told reporters at the press conference of her new Hollywood flick ’Pink Panther 2’ here.

Aishwarya, however, refused to give further details about "Ravana"."I can’t give any details about ’ Ravana’ at the moment. You will have to wait and watch. All I can say that it is an intense film set in today’s time and Mani has given a totally new perspective to the art of storytelling, " she said.

Asked if she is paired opposite Abhishek, Aishwarya said they never played a conventional couple on-screen.

"We have never been paired opposite each other in the conventional way, apart from the film ’Kuchh Naa Kaho’. Be it ’Dhoom 2’ or ’Sarkar Raj’, it’s not the conventional man-wife pairing. Even in ’Guru’, the film revolves around Abhishek. So, by the time ’Ravana’ happened, we have become used to this, " she said.

"But, director Abhinay Deol has decided to cast us in his new film. Hopefully, the audience will see us romancing on screen there, " she added.

Aishwarya said it is always a pleasure to act with Abhishek.

"It’s always a pleasant experience working with actors like Abhishek. I am not saying it just because I am his wife, but the fact remains that he is one of the nicest co-actors I have seen so far, " she said.

Talking about "Pink Panther 2", which has released in India Friday, Aishwarya said the film is a "joyride".

"Anyone who is familiar with English films and ’Pink Panther’ will know what I mean when I say the film is a joy ride. Although I have a small role in the film, I said ’yes’ only because I wanted to work with institutions like Steve Martin.

"Besides, I have highest regard for comedy because it is the most difficult emotion to portray on screen. ’ Pink Panther 2 ’ is an easy comedy and every one can watch it with family, " she said.

The actress has been shooting for "Ravana" here since Feb 17. Abhishek is expected to join her soon. The shooting will continue till mid-March.

Technorati Tags: Aishwarya Sita

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Aishwarya Sita

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is set to play the renowned tiger hunter and conservationist in a Priyadarshan film.Departing from his usual genre, comedy, Priyan is set to make the first thriller of his career. Titled ‘Grrr’, the film will be about the man-eating tigers of Sunderbans with Amitabh Bachchan playing the role of Jim Corbett. Corbett, who was a colonel in British Indian Army, is renowned for having killed many man-eating tigers in the jungles of Kumaon in North India under the Raj.

He was also a conservationist who stressed the need to save forests and wild life. Priyadarshan so far directed Amitabh in advertisements, but ‘Grrr’ would be his first film with the superstar. The director says he could envisage none other than Big B in the role of the fearless Jim Corbett .The film won’t be shot with real tigers. Rather Priyan will use animatronics (robotic tigers) for the film.

Technorati Tags: Amitabh hunter

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Amitabh hunter

Last week BT broke the story of Feroze Nadiadwala’s 300-crore film Jewel of India for which he had signed on Hollywood producer-director Rob Cohen and which was likely to star Amitabh Bachchan opposite either Al Pacino or Robert de Niro. Well, Cohen is in Mumbai, and on Sunday he went for a half-hour meeting with the Big B. Only it lasted over two hours. And Abhishek Bachchan was present, too.

The Hollywood filmmaker told BT in delight, “Bachchan is talent who I have loved from afar. We exchanged stuff about Indian culture, history, literature, and, of course – cinema. It’s amazing that he took so much interest. It says a lot. A disinterested party sends out a certain signal, but Bachchan was very inspired by our story of the Kohinoor diamond.” The meeting took place at the Bachchan bungalow in Juhu where the Big B, proving that he is indeed a fountainhead of information, suggested that Cohen and Nadiadwala do research in Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi and Jaipur which were in focus when the Kohinoor scandal broke out.

But, the million dollar question remains: do they have Bachchan in Jewel of India? “On principle we now have Abhishek on this project,” said Cohen. Would he make the film keeping the Oscars in mind seeing how Bollywood, after Slumdog Millionaire, is the new toast of the world? “I don’t care about the Oscars,” said the man who made films like the xXx, Mummy and The Fast and the Furious. “Barring the likes of Slumdog and a few others, Oscar films are least connected with the audience. They are made for the critics. I make films for the public.” Bollywood, he believes, is an untapped market. “It’s rich in talent and stories and also has the capacity to flourish as a business,” said Cohen, adding, “When Feroze and I discussed the project, I brought up issues like the budget of the film, star fees, especially actors like Pacino and de Niro, and Feroze just shook my hand and we got started.”

Technorati Tags: Amitabh Hollywood

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Amitabh Hollywood

Ash got special treatment while shooting for ’Endhiran ’ with Rajinikant.

It’s not just the big bucks that she’s earning from the film.

The film also called ’Enthiran’ or ’The Robot’ has been shot in undisclosed areas in and around Chennai. They also shot in Vellore or Ennore amidst tight security.

Now whenever the Southern superstar is shooting in Chennai, he gets to eat homemade food prepared by his wife Latha and this piping hot and tasty food is delivered by his aide at the shooting.

And benevolent Rajini shared his lunch with Aishwarya Rai, Shankar, and some other unit members.

Ash is a fan of South Indian food and has been asking Rajni’s aide as to how each dish is prepared and the right way to pronounce its name!

Rajini also shared books on philosophy with Aishwarya and Shankar!

Well, so apart from the big bucks Ash also got lots of knowledge about philosophy, theology and South Indian food thanks to Rajini!

Technorati Tags: Aishwarya treatment

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Aishwarya treatment

Padma Shri Aishwarya Rai Bachchan seems to be on cloud nine these days for obvious reasons. As we all know, she lately added a Padma Shri award to her achievements. Apparently, the blue-eyed lady was seen at an inauguration function for a hospital with father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan.

When asked, the actress seemed overjoyed with the achievement and expressed her gratitude towards the same. The sasur- bahu jodi was mobbed by the crowd and finally, they had to get locked in a dingy room for protection.Apart from all of this, the actress spoke to media candidly of how badly she was missing her darling hubby- Abhishek. Cute, isn’t it!

Technorati Tags: Aishwarya darling

Del.Icio.Us Tags: Aishwarya darling

Abhishek’s lost so much weight for Ravana that he’s looking younger than his wife!

Bachchan Jr who is currently shooting with his wife Ash for Mani Ratnam’s Ravana in Ooty has lost more than 10 kilos and perhaps as many as 15, amazing for someone who wasn’t that big to start off with. And now, he’s looking what he is: younger than his wife.

Abhishek is 32 (February 5, 1976), while Ash is 35 (November 1, 1973). And now we’ve learnt that Abhi will shave his head for Ravana, making him look even younger! “Abhi has being told by Mani Sir to lose weight as the character he is planning has to have a lean warrior’s look and even his hairstyle has being changed," a source on the sets said, "he has trimmed his hair short and has lost almost 15 kgs."

Asked how he had managed to lose so much weight, the source said: "By spending most of his free time in the gym. In Ooty, when he is not on the sets, he is working out." He put in a few hours at the gym and also did yoga, he said.

So was he also eating less? "He is not starving but just eating oil-free food and lots of fruits and vegetables at every interval.” Wife Ash is actually helping him lose weight. "She’s taking care of the diet," the source said.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan revealing a secret? For those who have known Aishwarya and have followed her career and (ahem) life, it comes as a surprise when one reads a secret coming out of her mouth. The actress concealed the fact that she was dating Abhishek Bachchan for months before their ’sudden’ engagement in January 2007. A secret revealed by herself is such a rarity that one has to take a deep breathe to realise what was just said.

All my chitter-chatter aside, it was recently revealed that former Miss World and International superstar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan chose to do the Hollywood film, Pink Panther 2, because of her admiration for Peter Sellers, the British comedian who played Inspector Clouseau in four Pink Panther movies. Aishwarya says “I loved Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series when I was a kid and watched these films. It was hilarious, a laugh riot and a thorough family entertainer. People across different age groups love The Pink Panther because the films always bring a smile to one’s face.”

She added she said yes because she thought it would be a fun film to work on, “When I was offered this film, I was really excited as for me I was doing something which I have loves seeing as a child. It was a fun film which I would enjoy working in. The film did not require me to do intense acting and I did not have to look forward to scoring points as it had an ensemble cast of terrifically talented actors. I wanted to have a good time with all of them and I said a yes to the project. I’m not expecting critical acclaim or something from this film since the film is not about me, it’s about Steve Martin and The Pink Panther.” The film opens on February 6th.

It wasn’t much dirty but hey, a secret is a secret after all, right? Let’s hope she’s just as open to other questions like: How did she prepare for her World Peace speech at the Miss World pageant?