Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone in Priyadarshans next

The super-prolific Priyadarshan who has directed 83 films in his 30-year career has just had a year, the first in his career, without releases. In 2011 Priyan had no releases. But he’s ready to make up for the lost year with as many as 4 films in 2012.

Of these, the ‘family comedy’(as he dubs it) which he will direct in July for producers Asthavinayak has him specially kicked. Not only is he working with Abhishek Bachchan for the first time, he has also reached out to Deepika Padukone for the female lead opposite Abhishek.

Deepika and Priyadarshan had a noisy fall-out five years ago when she opted out of Priyadarshan’s project Pirates about music piracy. Priyan was keen to launch her. The film was supposed to feature Deepika with four other newcomers playing part of a music band.

Instead Deepika chose to make her debut with Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om.

Incensed and betrayed, Priyadarshan stayed away from all things Padukone did until 2008 when Shah Rukh Khan used his clout to persuade Deepika to perform an item song in Priyadarshan’s Billu which Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies production house produced.

The thawing of the ice began then. Now it’s time for the director and actress to finally work together.

Says Priyan happily, “We broke the ice during the song in Billu. Now I’ve a role just right for her.”

It’s a double delight for Priyadarshan since he has never worked with Deepika or Abhishek

Says Priyan, “Abhishek and I have been planning projects together for the longest time. We were supposed to do a bio-pic on Chandrashekhar Azad. But who watches historicals any more? I’ve finally zeroed in on the perfect project for Abhishek. We start shooting in July.”

‘Bol’ actress Humaima Malick is looking at Bollywood

She impressed everyone with a superlative performance in BOL. Now Pakistani model turned actress Humaima Malick is ready to explore newer horizons. She has arrived in India with the intention of acting in Bollywood films. “Let’s face it. Bollywood is making loads of interesting films and who wouldn’t like to be a part of it?” she asks. But we don’t make many films like BOL, which have the lead actress enacting the pivotal part. Bollywood survives on masala films, it’s a male-dominated industry. “Agree! But I would like to work in masala films. I am well aware that Bollywood films are packed with song and dance, loads of humor and action, but that’s what everyone enjoys, including me. Of course, I wouldn’t like to do item songs at this juncture of my career, but I’d love to act in Bollywood,” Humaima states.

Humaima, the brand ambassador of Lux and Sunsilk in Pakistan, aspires to work with Amitabh Bachchan in a film like BLACK. “Also, it’s a desire to work with someone like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who presents his heroines so well,” she says, adding in the same breath, “I have been meeting lots of people in Mumbai and believe me, the response is most favorable.”

Abhishek Bachchan hurt on sets of Bol Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan had a fall while shooting a stunt sequence for Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan in Jaipur. The actor slipped and suffered a cut on his forehead.

AB Jr. required a few stitches and returned to Mumbai for treatment. However thankfully, it’s not a major injury and the actor is all set to join the unit of Bol Bachchan in Jaipur tomorrow.

We wish the actor a speedy recovery.

Katrina to do item number in Agneepath

Katrina Kaif has bagged another item number and this time it is in Hrithik Roshan starrer Agneepath. After making the nation go

crazy with ‘Sheila Ki Jawaani’ and recently grooving to the title track Bodyguard, news is that she will be seen doing an item number yet

again; this time with Sanjay Dutt, who plays the bad man Kancha Cheena in Agneepath.

This will be the first time Katrina and Sanjay will be sharing screen space. Katrina is a fantastic dancer and Dutt being a non-dancer has decided to take

two weeks off to rehearse his steps. He will also shave his head off for the third time for Agneepath.

The song is composed by National Award winning music directors Ajay and Atul Gogavale, who had composed the music of Singham.

The item number is going to be really sizzling. Reportedly, it is going to be on the lines of another Amitabh Bachchan chartbuster ‘Jhuma Chooma De

Dein’ from Mukul Anand’s Hum.

Now this is one song we are eagerly awaiting for.

Sajid Nadiadwala and Sajid Khan differ on item song for Housefull 2

There is a sizzling debate brewing between producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan over a pending item song in Housefull 2.

We’ve been hearing of an item song in the big-budget under-production film that according to the grapevine is to be performed by some A-lister.

Not so fast! Before the item girl has a blast on screen, she would have to go through close scrutiny by the film’s producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan.

While Khan favours the tried-and-tested formula of getting an A-lister actress on board, Nadiadwala feels the item song by a hot-and-happening actress has truly been done to death and to keep audiences’ interests alive in the cult of the item song, the phenomenon of the surprise dance must really and radically be re-invented.

“Really, after Munni and Sheila and all the others there’s not much that can be done with an item song with just a big-name actress dancing to it,” Nadiadwala argues and favours a new stunner to perform the item song in Housefull 2. Or else, the enterprising producer wants 2 A-listers for the item song.

However, Khan apparently feels that Jacqueline Fernandez who was a virtual unknown when she performed the item song to the remixed version of the Bachchan chartbuster ‘Apni To Jaise Taise’ in Housefull proves that an item song by a solo performer is very much a commercially viable proposition. The number was to be originally performed by Sushmita Sen.

And that brings us to the other bone of contention between the two Sajids. After the copyright-related harassment that Nadiadwala faced on using the old hit ‘Apni To Jaise Taise’ in Housefull, he wants to record a completely new item song for Housefull 2.

Says Nadiadwala, “Creating a new excitement in the item song has become very difficult. All the top actresses have been seen in item songs. What do we do?”

Khan was more guarded in his response, “It’s early to say anything about it. We’re shooting it after three months.”

Bollywood blog addict Bachchan celebrates landmark

BOLLYWOOD: Lots of celebrities write blogs, but no one blogs quite like Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan who this week marked three years of writing in which he has often produced 1,000 words a day.

Bachchan celebrated the anniversary of his Internet outpourings with a characteristic array of long postings covering family news, spiritual thoughts and updates on his health, travel plans and sleep patterns.

Each Bachchan message attracts a huge readership and hundreds of comments contributed by adoring Indians who view him as a national father figure as well as an ageing screen star.

“Thank you for your presence and for your gratitude,” Bachchan wrote to followers who congratulated him on his blog landmark.

“You have stood by me in rough weather and fair,” he continued in inimitable style. “You have commented and encouraged, analysed and assessed, laughed and cried.”

“This is indeed a superior class of people and I am proud to have been an initiator for all.”

Bachchan, who is universally known as “the Big B”, blogs about 5,000 words most weeks — a rate that would give him a total output of about 780,000 words since his first posting on April 18, 2008.

Almost every day, and often in the middle of the night, Bachchan — who admits to being an insomniac — writes in detail about his children, his dog “Shanouk”, politics, philosophy and memories of his movie career.

As the patriarch of Bollywood’s leading family, Bachchan’s news is followed avidly, especially concerning his son Abhishek, a successful actor who is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

As well as his “EF” (extended family), Bachchan’s other favourite topics include cricket, his life on film shoots around the world, and current affairs ranging from Indian government issues to unrest in the Arab world.

Blogs often end with him saying his eyes are about to close with exhaustion.

“I know it’s late — very late! But no matter what time it is I get disturbed and anxious until I put down my post for the day,” he wrote in a piece uploaded at 3:30 am on Wednesday.

After 600 words in which he wondered whether he could post blogs while in his sleep, he complained of “black squares” in front of his eyes and signed off with: “Goodnight my dearest loves.”

The physical exertion on Bachchan, 68, should not be underestimated.

He types all the words himself before posting them on the Internet, though secretaries are thought to help edit and spell-check the reams of often verbose copy.

Any mention in the blog of health problems or family disputes is immediately picked up by readers and soon reaches the national press and TV channels.

Last year fans were aghast when Bachchan blogged that he was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and needed regular medical care.

He tried to reassure followers that he was not at death’s door, explaining that the disease was linked to a serious accident in which he ruptured his spleen on the set of the 1982 film “Coolie”.

Bachchan, who is treated like royalty in movie-mad India, made his name in the 1970s as a handsome young man playing lead roles in Hindi blockbusters such as “Sholay” and “Deewaar”.

His career later took a dive, but hosting the Indian version of TV game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? put him back in the spotlight and his blog has become a key part of his image as Bollywood’s elder statesman.

“Thanks for writing on the net each single day without fail for three years… feel connected with you… it’s a great feeling,” wrote blog follower Madhu Jain this week.

And for those who still can’t get enough of Bachchan, he has also developed into a keen Twitter fan, filing updates several times a day.

Bachchan blogs at http://bigb.bigadda.com and tweets as SrBachchan.

Abhi-Ash to star together in Rajkumar Santoshi’s rom-com Ladies & Gentleman

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be playing the steady woman in ‘Casanova’ Abhishek’s life for Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Ladies & Gentleman. After having done everything from a family drama (Dhai Akshar Prem Ke) to a bio-pic (Guru) to a modern-day drama (Raavan) together, this is Aishwarya’s opportunity to have fun with Abhishek his expense.

In Santoshi’s film which he starts shooting in July, Abhishek plays a guy with an insatiable roving eye. Aishwarya has sportingly agreed to let her husband play the field on screen. 3 years ago, she refused Dostana with Abhishek because her character was shown walking away with another man. “I don’t think that would go down well with our fans,” she had argued.

“That’s Ash for you… beautiful and dutiful to the core. She won’t do any role that compromises her personal dignity or image as the Bachchan bahu. But if Abhishek is playing a devious unfaithful character she doesn’t mind bending the gender rules,” says a close friend of the couple.

This would be their first rom-com together.

For the first time in his career, Abhishek plays a full-blown womanizer in Ladies & Gentleman. And Aishwarya has no objections to him romancing several girls in her presence, albeit on screen.

Laughs Santoshi, “I had actually offered this film to Aishwarya five years ago. And look at destiny. It’s come back to her. Every role is earmarked for a particular actor. I feel Aishwarya is perfect for this film. Though Aishwarya has done comedy before, this is a new genre for Abhishek and for them as a pair.”

Santoshi starts a new banner, named after his mother, with Ladies & Gentleman.

Says the director, “This comedy takes me into the same genre as Andaz Apna Apna and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. But the humour here is not slapstick.”

With Ladies & Gentleman, Santoshi is starting a new banner named after his mother. Says Santoshi, “I’m starting my new production house named after my mother Rajam Santoshi. She passed away last year. I learnt the art of narration from her. If people say I am a good narrator it’s because of my mother and father (filmmaker) P L Santoshi.”

Aishwarya Rai still endorses L’Oreal

Officials of cosmetic firm L’Oreal Paris have denied reports that Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai has been replaced by Frieda Pinto as the new brand ambassador.

Reports of Frieda replacing Aishwarya came up after the “Slumdog Millionaire” star featured in L’Oreal’s ‘Happy New Year’ television commercial.

“We are shocked and surprised to read in some sections of the media/press about Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being replaced as the face of L’Oreal Paris,” said an official statement from the firm.

“L’Oreal Paris strongly reiterates that this is absolutely untrue and that Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan continues to be our valued spokesperson, as she has since 2000. While she remains an integral part of the L’Oreal Paris world wide Dream Team, she was unfortunately unavailable for our New Year commercial shoot due to prior commitments.

“She is one of the most iconic women of our times and is certainly the face of L’Oreal Paris internationally and in India for a range of products which include campaigns for Total Repair 5, Excellence Crème, Color Riche, Hydrafresh,” the statement added.

Big B lends voice to Aamir Khan Productions’ Delhi Belly

Not too long ago, the media was rife with tussle between the ‘perfectionist’ Aamir Khan and the stalwart of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan, over the latter’s film Black. When everything seemed lost, there was an olive branch extended and Bachchan and Aamir once again became close friends. Now Bachchan Sr. will be lending his voice to Aamir Khan Productions’ forthcoming film Delhi Belly.

One may recall, Amitabh Bachchan, had lent the voice earlier too for Aamir Khan’s first home production Lagaan.

Couple of days ago, Aamir and Kiran were seen visiting Amitabh Bachchan on sets of a film where he was shooting. After a long closed door meeting and catching up, they left almost after two hours. And yesterday morning Amitabh Bachchan dubbed in a suburban studio for Delhi Belly.

Bachchan’s voice-over will also be heard in the first trailer of Delhi Belly that will be attached with Dhobi Ghat on Jan 21. The said piece will be an introductory piece and what’s interesting is that Aamir has written the piece.

Aamir has been concentrating and working diligently with Abhinav Deo the director on the final edit of Delhi Belly.

Delhi Belly stars Imran Khan, Kunal Roy Kapur and Vir Das in lead roles.

Abhishek Bachchan to star in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next

While on one hand Sanjay Leela Bhansali is still coming to terms with the debacle of Guzaarish, on the other he is already planning his next project.

For his next venture, Sanjay is planning to cast none other than Abhishek Bachchan. The film is an intense human drama about contemporary situations. It talks about the dilemma that a young individual faces in trying to jump across the hurdles that are placed in his life by the wheels of the government.

Bhansali explains that his reason for choosing Abhishek for the pivotal role is because the director feels that AB Jr. has immense untapped potential.

While Bhansali has earlier worked with Bachchan Sr (Black) and even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Guzaarish), it would be interesting to see him working for the first time with Junior Bachchan.

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