She took this job very seriously because she did not want to let her parents down. She also took it up because she wanted to pull her family out of one of the rockiest patches - financially and emotionally - ever.

Fifteen years hence and innumerable awards and accolades later, her life looks like a fairy tale or a Bollywood script that could not have been written any better. In an industry where the shelf life of an actress is getting shorter by the month - even as actors rule the roost for two decades or more - Rani has seen her fair share of ups and downs that have taught her valuable lessons.

In the last few years, she has faltered in terms of choice of films. But one thing that she hasn't forgotten is to do her job well, i.

e. to act.

She takes it up as seriously as she did during the mahurat shot of "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat" as a 16-year-old. But today, there's more passion than ever, and a mastery of her craft that compels you to appreciate her skills as an actress, even if you aren't her die-hard fan.

After the success of "No One Killed Jessica" early last year, she is awaiting her next two releases this year - the Reema Kagti-directed thriller "Talaash", with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap's quirky comedy "Aiyya" directed by National Award winning director Sachin Kundalkar. We ask the 'Queen of Bollywood' about the journey during which her job turned into her passion, the girl Rani morphed into the woman who rules hearts and, of course, a certain someone she "is dating".

What are you doing these days? I've just returned from Lonavala where I was shooting for "Aiyya". A few songs are left.

Has the industry changed since you joined films? Immensely. Today, the first look of the film is almost as important as the film itself.

I'm eagerly waiting for the promos of "Talaash", which are to hit the screens soon. It's going to be released in June.

The fact that I'm doing two films that are as different as they can be, in the same year, speaks volumes about how times have changed. It's a far bigger, more diverse than ever industry that's gone global in terms of its scope in every possible way.

Did you always want to become an actress? Arre, my joining films is a poori filmi kahaani. Though I technically come from a film family, my father had stopped making films even before my brother and I were born.

So I did not really grow up in a filmi environment. And when I was growing up, becoming an actress was still quite a taboo.

And you may not believe this but even my father did not want me to join films. Salim (Akhtar) uncle, who was very close to my family, came with the offer of "Aa Gale Lag Jaa" in 1994, but my father was aghast and turned it down.

In the meantime, I joined college (SNDT, Juhu) pursuing Home Science. Those days, the 'in thing' that most girls were going after as a career choice was jewelery and interior designing.

I did not have the money to pursue a `3 lakh course to make a career. And then Salim uncle came back again.

I think he must have been pretty desperate to launch a new actress. This time, he managed to convince my parents.

How did he manage that? (Laughs) When Salim uncle came to me and said he wanted me to act in his film, I started crying. I thought he was making a pass at me.

..

Why on earth..

.? Because I was daft.

And the fact that in those days, acting was still considered a taboo for the girls in my family. My mom's side was okay with it, as my aunt (Bengali actress Debashree Roy) is an actress.

In fact, she had kept it from me till then, but she was seriously harboring dreams of me becoming an actress. My father was still adamant about me not joining films.

But by that time my second cousins, Kajol and Sharbani, had entered films. And that sort of paved the way for me.

My mother and father still fought over it for quite a few days before he finally agreed to give me at least one shot at it - of course, with the strict clause that my mom will accompany me everywhere. And you? Did you know anything about acting by then? I wish I could show you the recording of my first screen test.

You will literally sprint away from the room thinking 'who is this horrible actress?' What was so bad? Those days, I used to be quite chubby. And Salim uncle, who had done "Baazi" with Mamta Kulkarni a few years ago, fished those shorter-than-short and tighter-than-tight clothes that looked completely hideous on me.

And to top that, I had to act! I was a shy kid with inhibitions galore. It was some courtroom scene and when someone gave me the sheet with dialogues, I was dumbfounded.

I saw all these famous dialogues from famous films which I had to say in front of the camera. My understanding of films was just as much as any young girl who watches Bollywood films.

I had no idea about the whole process of filmmaking, about dialogue writing, scripts, screenplay etc. I had probably gone to two or three film shoots in my childhood.

And even when on a shoot as a young girl, I would find actors just giving their shots and sitting in their vans getting bored in-between shots. So when the whole picture opened up in front of me about the reality of becoming an actress, I was petrified.

And my screen test was a disaster. I came back crying and said 'I would not be able to do this - anything but acting! Then? But Salim uncle came back and said I had a photogenic face and the camera captured me quite well, which is very important for any actor.

That was one glimmer of hope in my otherwise nightmarish experience. My mother sat me down that night and told me, 'Opportunity knocks at your door just once, take it up.

What's the worst that could happen? You'll fail at your effort? We are there after that. But at least you'd know you have tried, and won't regret leaving this golden opportunity'.

And though it was never told to me, but I knew my family was going through a financial crisis. And there was also tension in the family because of a lot of bickering between my father and his brothers.

I decided that I would work very hard (there was a month left for the shoot of "Raja Ki..

.") and give myself one good shot, even if it did not work out in the end.

I took it up as a job that just had to be done. What happened in that one month for you to give that spirited performance? My father took me to join Roshan Taneja's acting classes.

Mr Taneja had two courses, one was a year-long one and the other a three-month one. I had to learn all the acting I could in one month.

I told Mr Taneja I would come in the morning and evening for a month and be a dedicated student. On the very first day, my dad said to him, 'Please teach my daughter how to act'.

Mr Taneja said, 'Acting isn't a tablet. You can't pop it and become an actress.

It has to come from within you. It's either deep within you or it's not there'.

His statement stayed with me for a long time. It was my first lesson.

But in the classes, I did not know where to start. Thankfully, one good thing was the improvisation classes - where we all had to face the camera and say whatever came to our mind and enact a scene.

It sort of broke through my shy exterior. In any acting class, there are always a lot of faces looking at you from all corners and that's done on purpose so that the person drops all his/her inhibitions.

On the day of the mahurat, when I was called to give my first shot, I thought, 'yaar, I can't let my parents down. I just have to give it my best'.

And then, when I walked into the shot, I was this confident, fiery ball of energy, spouting dialogues like I had never imagined I would. I haven't looked back since that day.

And how did this job eventually become your passion? That happened later when I started getting fan mails. I was doing a lot of films.

But my fans kept on writing that they were not happy with me. So I wondered 'Arre, I am working 72 hours at a stretch, not eating right, not getting enough sleep, giving my best to each shot, so what was going wrong?' Then I realized that after "Ghulam" and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hain", my fans' expectations of me were higher than my own.

That's when I learnt my second lesson - that it's not just performing, I also had to know good scripts from the not-so-good ones. I started getting more involved in the whole process; understanding films beyond just acting.

During this whole process, acting became my passion. Coming back to the present, what went wrong in the last couple of years before "No One Killed Jessica" last year? You had some consecutive flops after a spate of hits, and suddenly you just vanished.

..

(Snaps her fingers and says with a smile) Don't worry, from this year, you'll see me in two films every year at least. Coming back to your question, I had seen failures before but when those three films ("Laaga Chunri Mein Daag", "Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic" and "Dil Bole Hadippa") failed in quick succession, it affected me in a way no flop had before.

My confidence was completely shattered. All my movies failed to make a mark with audiences and critics alike.

Maybe the critics thought 'we've praised her enough, now it's time for her to fall a bit hard, so she steps her game up' (smiles). I also think I was plain unlucky.

The audience has little memory of what you have done before or are capable of doing. What matters is today.

So three flops probably told them 'Rani has worked so well in the last few years, maybe it's time she took a back seat and settled down'. And are you settling down? (Smile that says read-my-expression-if-you-can) When I plan to settle down, I will announce it to the world.

Marriage is an occasion to celebrate. I'll celebrate it when it happens, letting everyone know about it.

What about the rumors of your relationship with Aditya Chopra? I have been linked with so many of my co-stars and this Aditya rumor has stayed with me for the longest time. This time, I'm going to give you the cliched answer no journalist wants to hear, 'No comments'.

Are you dating someone? Yes, I am dating, but that's as far as I'm willing to talk about my personal life. Your fans want to know about your personal life? They want to know if marriage is on the cards.

They will know when the time comes. Right now, I have two movies coming out and that's what I'm going to talk about.

Are you saying nothing is serious as far as your dating goes? In a relationship, there are two people involved. Since I'm a public figure, if I start answering questions, it'll open doors for more questions, speculations, gossips, and then it comes to a point where every day someone has something to say about your personal life.

It's unfair to the other person. I do not mind a bitchy comment about the way I dress or my films, but a comment on my private space isn't welcome.

Are you a romantic? I'm a born romantic. I romanticize everything in life.

My personal life is full of love and romance. God's given us one life.

You should romance it. It's not always nice and cool to be practical and logical.

What have your relationships/ heartbreaks taught you? I haven't been in a lot of relationships. Heartbreak definitely teaches you to be a better actor.

Don't they say, an artiste always performs better when he or she has experienced heartbreak? (Laughs) That was a joke. I don't give that much importance to men.

All my heartbreaks have been because of close friends, and not men. Seriously? (On a serious note) Heartbreak, anger, frustration - if you can overcome these emotions, you become a better person.

If you're a person of substance, you'll overcome your bad times. Who wants to be a loser? Will you marry an actor? No, two megalomaniacs can't exist in the same house.

We'll end up killing each other. What's the best thing about being in a relationship? (Enigmatic smile) That you can hide it.

And the best part of getting married is that you can announce it to the world. What about the fact that today the shelf life of actresses is low? Would you ever decide to do an item number or attend red carpet events as visibility is important these days? No.

Because for me, it's important to cement an impression of my work. Acting is what I do best.

It's not difficult to be in the public eye. Go anywhere and you'll find the media.

I am not trying to sound high and mighty here. If I was being launched today, I would do exactly what newcomers do these days.

But after 15 years in the course of which I have firmly established my credentials as an actress, I plan to only focus on acting. But if friends call me, I'll be there.

Like I went to Farah's (Khan) house-warming party recently. Aamir (Khan) and Kiran (Rao) had a son and going there was important for me because he is someone who is very dear to me.

As are Shah Rukh Khan and Karan (Johar). Have you spoken to Abhishek after he became a father? We aren't in touch on the phone, but whenever I come across him, I will definitely congratulate him.

It's great news. What did that low phase in your life teach you? When I was joining films, my dad had told me, 'Don't ever be disheartened with failure and don't be over-excited with success'.

This is an important lesson in any actor's life. But can you really separate your emotions as professional and personal in your mind? Hurt is hurt, disappointment is disappointment.

..

That's where your family and your strength as an individual come in. I am very close to my family.

And I have other interests, like baking. I started baking in one of my very low phases in life.

I find it therapeutic. So, would we see a Rani Mukerji patisserie soon? You could.

I'm serious about going to Paris or Chicago for a fulltime patisserie course. Any other venture in mind? A lot of actresses are starting their own fashion lines.

Or maybe even film production..

. No.

The only thing I will be producing next is babies. No other production happening with me.

Is there a lot of bitching/backbiting in the industry? There is, but that's true of any industry where over-competitive minds are always at work. But it is blown out of proportion in ours because it's the glamor industry.

Have you been at the receiving end of bitching? People say bitchy things about other people to feel good about themselves. Whatever I have got in life has been a huge blessing.

I've never gone after something that's not mine. Today, I am sitting at my office in Juhu, overlooking the sea.

I used to live in a shack before. I used to travel in rickshaws.

Today, I have a Mercedes. But if I start thinking, 'I have a bungalow, why not a building in Bandra tomorrow? Or now, I have a car, why not a yacht next?' my life will be difficult.

My mind doesn't work that way. The only ambition I have is to pick up interesting scripts and give a stellar performance that'll be etched in the audiences' and my fans' minds (less)

Hits like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron , Mandi, Maqbool and Halla Bol followed. Then there's his brilliant comic turn for TV in Office Office .

Kapur firmly believes Mausam was specifically conceived for son, actor Shahid Kapoor. Pankaj has been working on scripts for a very long time and finally chose Mausam to be his directorial debut.

Pankaj knows the music of the film is breaking the chartbusters and is excited and anticipating the film's release. Eros International and Vistaar Religare Film Fund present Mausam produced by Sunil Lulla and Sheetal Vinod Talwar.

The film releases on September 23 (less)

They spent about 30 minutes inside the temple, the sources said. Family sources said the 61-year-old actor undertook the visit to pay his thanks to the Lord for his speedy recovery from the ailments he suffered in May.

Rajinikanth had last visited the shrine after the wedding of his daughter Soundarya with Ashwin on September 9 last year. The actor, who took ill during the shoot of the film Rana in April, underwent treatment at a hospital in Singapore for reported kidney problem.

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The board is referring to a sequence in the film, where the actor is shown speeding with his automobile at railway crossing to avoid a speeding train. They have now demanded a disclaimer be put at the beginning of the film, as well as a ticker condemning the unlawful act while the scene is on.

All this just days before its release! A letter signed by, Executive Director, Information & Publicity, Railway Board Chandralekha Mukherjee says, ” The act of not stopping before an unmanned level crossing gate when the train is in sight is clearly a punishable offence under section 161 of the Indian Railways Act. The legal provisions notwithstanding, it is a matter of concern that such an act undertaken by Shahid Kapoor, a youth icon, may have tremendous potential of being imitated by impressionable youngsters, thus endangering their lives.

” Mukherjee continues, “The Railways would like to register its protest in the matter and ask that a disclaimer be put in the feature film appropriately saying that the makers do not endorse anybody crossing unmanned level crossings with such carelessness and that such an act should not be attempted/imitated. A word of caution or a scroll during the scene could also be added.

The matter could also be highlighted at press briefings expressing the concern of the Railways and yourself in the matter.” Producer Sheetal Talwar, already under pressure to release the film this weekend, is obviously upset.

He says, “How can we put a disclaimer at this late stage when the prints have already gone? And what about Ra.One, where Shah Rukh Khan is seen doing all those stunts in a train? Or Bodyguard where Salman is on top of a speeding train? Or much earlier, Aamir Khan’s stunt with the speeding train in Ghulam? Were those not dangerous? As far as speeding a car across a railway crossing goes, it’s the character in the film and not Shahid Kapoor breaking the law.

Why blame Shahid?” However, Talwar is willing to put out a press release stating that scene at the railway crossing could be dangerous. It remains to be seen if the Railway Board would be satisfied with his response.

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According to senior officials in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, President Pratibha Patil would hand over the awards in a star studded ceremony in the Vigyan Bhawan. Director Salim Ahmed and his co-producer Ashraf Bedi would get the coveted 'Swarna Kamal'and a cash prize of Rs 2.

5 lakh each for their acclaimed Malayalam movie Adaminte Makan Abu . Winner of the best Feature Film and the Best Actor, the movie traces the desire of a man and his wife to go to Hajj in Mecca.

Bollywood celebrity producers Arbaaz Khan his wife Malaika and Director Abhinav Singh Kashyap would be awarded the 'Swarna Kamal'and cash award of Rs 2 lakh for Dabangg , winner for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment. Vishal Bharadwaj would also get a 'Rajat Kamal' for his music direction for the songs in the movie, Ishqiya while his wife Rekha Bhardwaj, who is also performing at the ceremony, will receive the award for the best female playback singer.

The Nargis Dutt award for best feature film would be awarded by the President to Moner Manush , a Bengali film directed by Gautam Ghose. The film is based on the life and philosophy of sufi mystic Lalan Faqir in Bengal.

The awards for Best Actor would go to K Dhanush for the Tamil movie Aadukalam and Salim Kumar for his role in Malayalam movie Adaminte Makan Abu . The Best Actress award would be given to Mitalee Varadkar for her role in Marathi movie Baboo Band Baaja and Saranya Panvannan for the Tamil movie Thanmerkku Paruvakkatru .

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The cinematography and the treatment of the subject was also appreciated. Made with a budget of Rs 10 crore it did recover its money.

Parvin Dabas: Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bande Produced and directed by actor and photographer Pravin Dabas. But the movie failed to create a buzz.

A flop. Satyajit Bhatkal: Zokkomon An advocate by profession, he started his brush with the entertainment world by documenting the making of Lagaan , a book.

Zokkomon, his directorial debut failed to make any mark. Abhinay Deo: Game, Delhi Belly An advertising professional, Deo had two films in his kitty in 2011.

And he directed films titled Game for Farhan Akhtar's production house and Delhi Belly for Aamir Khan's productions. Game failed miserably but Delhi Belly was a hit and hugged limelight for different reasons including the cuss words used in the film.

Deepa Sahi : Tere Mere Phere Actress Deepa Sahi turned director with this one. And the film turned out to be a disaster.

Luv Ranjan: Pyaar Ka Punchnama The movie did strike a chord with young filmgoers. The performances of actors were also well-appreciated.

A small budget film turned out to be a hit. Remo D'souza: F.

A.L.

T.U This choreographer turned director's film did not have much to offer.

But the movie was marketed well. And the song 'Char baj gaye' became a popular one.

A surprise hit, as they say. Pankaj Kapur: Mausam Pankaj Kapur is considered as one of the finest actors so expectations were riding high on this film.

The film which starred his son Shahid Kapur and actor Sonam Kapoor was a big disappointment. Barnali Ray Shukla: Kucch Luv Jaisaa Indulgent husband Vipul Shah produced the film in which his talented wife Shefali Shah played the lead.

But the movie ended up as a box office dud. Amol Gupte: Stanley Ka Dabba His foray into direction was a painful one after actor-producer and good friend Aamir Khan took over the reins of Taare Zameen Par.

But Amol Gupte did show his magic with his debut directorial venture Stanley Ka Dabba. His own son Partho's acting earned much appreciation.

A moderate hit, it received good reviews. Raghav Dhar: My Friend Pinto Sanjay Leela Bhansali produced this one but the film which had Prateik Babar and Kalki Koechlin failed miserably.

Rohit Dhawan : Desi Boyz His father David Dhawan is considered as a 'hit' magician. Following his father's footsteps, Rohit directed this comedy starring Akshay Kumar and John Abraham .

Another movie centred on bromance, this one failed to rake in the moolah. Nila Madhab Panda: I Am Kalam I Am Kalam , a children's film, earned international acclaim even before its release in India.

The child star of the film, Harsh Mayyar, won a National Award for the film. The movie received critical appreciation.

Ali Abbas Zafar: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan Yash Raj Films gave a dream platform for Ali Abbas Zafar, with stars like Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif as the lead. Katrina Kaif again showed her mettle as a leading star.

A feel good movie, it was a hit. Mrigdeep Singh Lamba: Teen Thay Bhai When Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra of Rang De Basanti produces a film, the expectations are quite high.

But this film proved to be a dud (even though talented actor Sheryas Talpade was part of the cast). Swapna Waghmare Joshi: Damadamm Swapna was a familiar face in the world of television.

Damadamm was her first directorial debut in which Himesh Reshmmiya was the lead. The release of the film coincided with the release of Ra.

One and it was a flop. Roshan Abbas: Always Kabhi Kabhi His directorial debut film Always Kabhi Kabhi which he shot in his alma mater The La Martiniere Boys' College in Lucknow.

But the film just failed to click. Bijoy Nambiar: Shaitan He broke new grounds in film making by directing a crisp, stylish film.

His effort to think out of the box was much-appreciated even though the film didn't particularly break box office records. Vikas Bahl and Nitesh Tiwari: Chillar Party It's not easy to make a film with children as the main focus.

But Chillar Party is a heart-warming story. Yes, the film also had Ranbir Kapoor doing an item number.

Though it was not a hit, it got noticed for its quality (less)

And this is no good news for the young filmmaker either. After his debut directorial I Hate Luv Storys, Punit has wanted Imran Khan for his next.

Imran, busy with Vishal Bhardwaj next film Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola was unable to allot dates to Punit. That’s when Shahid had stepped in.

However, now, even Shahid’s inclusion in the project isn’t possible. According to a source, “Shahid, Punit and Kjo have had multiple meetings.

This was going to be Shahid’s first film with Dharma. Everything was going great until Maneesh Sharma had a slip disc.

” Sharma?s next film with Shahid yet untitled has been pushed to July-August because of his illness.That’s the time when Punit’s film goes on floors too.

Shahid, who had already committed to Maneesh’s project, thus had to opt out of the Dharma venture. “Shahid spoke to Karan about it.

It was a mutual decision. They have decided to do another film together.

Karan is looking for a suitable replacement for Shahid,” said the source. Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

A source informed, "Anees has filed a case against T Series. They were supposed to pay him Rs 9 crore and 11 lakh plus 30 percent of profits.

It has been four months since the film released and Anees is still to get his balance payment. He had to go to court.

The case will now come for hearing on Monday." Although Anees Bazmee remained unavailable for comments, Bhushan Kumar confirmed the news and said, "Anees has indeed filed a case against us.

We are yet to get the entire amount of money from the distributors. We explained that to Aneesbhai.

" "We are ready to present our side of the story in court. The film has earned Rs 120 crore.

The deal was that we would pay him 30 percent of the profits after we recover all our money. We had to reshoot two songs, which cost as an extra Rs 2 crore.

Added to that, we spent Rs 20 crore in publicity," added Bhushan. Bhushan also stated that he had paid Anees a signing amount of Rs 5 core four years back.

"He never returned that amount. And then we made this film.

Anees had not paid BJN group Rs 5 crore earlier and Rs 50 lakh to Percept. Both had taken leagal action against him," the producer added.

On the other hand, Mayur Barot, a close friend and associate of Anees Bazmee said, "Aneesbhai has been in the industry for 35 years and never faced such a situation. As far as the other producers are concerned, Anees has already paid a major chunk back to BJN though it has got nothing to do with this case.

Anees has gone to court and has faith in the judicial system of our country." (less)

"We ran into a delay getting approvals from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Board of Film Certification in India," producer Sheetal Talwar said. Today, Shahid Kapoor is in Delhi to show preview the film before officers and heads of the Indian Air Force, hoping to get their approval for an action sequence the IAF had objected to, earlier.

"Going to IAF tomorrow in Delhi to show them Mausam ..

. Fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

.," the actor tweeted last night.

Certification from the Censor Board was received yesterday as Shahid Kapoor tweeted: "MAUSAM finally got its censor certificate last night ..

..

..

. Watching it now with family in a bit.

" Three screenings today, tomorrow and Friday in Toronto as well as a press conference with world media were cancelled at the last minute yesterday, September 13. In the film, Kapoor's son Shahid plays an Indian Air Force pilot from Punjab whose love for a woman from Kashmir (Sonam Kapoor) is thwarted by their differences - he is Hindu, she is Muslim.

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"It draws inspiration from the strugglers in the 1980s whose indomitable spirit made them emerge triumphant and create a unique space for themselves in a male-dominated film industry. The film is not a formal biopic or biography, as is being speculated.

It is a work of fiction, and any character's resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental," it added. The clarification was issued after a media report that claimed that southern sex icon Silk Smitha's brother, V.

Naga Vara Prasad, who lives in a village in Andhra Pradesh, sent a legal notice to the film's producer Ekta Kapoor and director Milan Luthria for not taking permission from the late actress' family before making the movie. Prasad claims that he learned about the film through television.

Silk Smitha committed suicide in 1996. " The Dirty Picture , a spectacular musical entertainer, is in essence, a love story, and a celebration of the never-say-die spirit of every industry newcomer," said the statement.

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Calling his ex-flames Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra but leaving Kareena Kapoor , the one woman with whom he had the longest relationship. A source said, "Shahid and Pankaj decided the guestlist.

They personally called or texted everyone from the industry. But maybe, Shahid didn't want Kareena.

" This comes as a surprise because Shahid and Kareena have maintained that that they are cordial to each other and would love to work together again after Jab We Met . Shahid and Kareena had also been very warm towards each other during the Filmfare awards earlier this year.

Saif was also present with Kareena. The three of them had exchanged pleasantries and spent time together.

The reason for their break-up still remains a mystery since both of them have remained tight-lipped about it and moved on. Kareena began dating Saif Ali Khan immediately while shooting for Tashan.

Shahid found love in Vidya Balan while shooting for Aziz Mirza's Kismet Konnection. However, once the film released, Shahid decided to move on.

Soon, they stopped talking to each other. According to sources, they drifted apart because Shahid was attracted to tennis star Sania Mirza.

Though, Kareena has been going strong with the Chhote Nawab, it is not the same for Shahid. The actor was seen hanging out with Priyanka Chopra soon after Vidya.

Shahid and Priyanka had an on-off relationship interspersed with a lot of fights. However, they have not let their personal differences disrupt their professional lives.

Shahid and Priyanka will be seen together in Kunal Kohli's next untitled film. The three girls in question were unavailable for comment (less)

..

from his hit film Dilwale Dulahnia Le Jaiyange as thousands of fans gathered at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium cheered. Addressing his fans, Khan said he would like to spend more time in "God's Own country" during festival time and also expressed regret for not being able to speak in the local language Malayalam.

The actor was in the city to inaugurate the Emmanuval Silks five lakh square feet of built up area showroom. Khan also spent some time at the showroom, claimed to be the biggest in the world, and following requests from his fans delivered a dialogue from Don .

Aiming a turnover of Rs 300 crore, the showroom, set up with a total investment of Rs 250 crore, has stocks worth Rs 150 crore, T O Baiju and T O Raju, directors of Emmanuval Silks said. Tweet (less)

Nawab Shah,who was much appreciated in the Shah Rukh Khan starrerr,will be seen as Farhan Akhtar's coach in Rakeyssh Omprakash Mehra's forthcoming biopic. And it was Farhan himself who wanted Nawab to play the role,revealed the actor.

"Yes I have signed the film. I am happy to work with Farhan once again," agreed the actor, adding, ""It will be challenging tp play his coach and I am looking forward to the shoot.

I had to live up to the expectations of Farhan Akhtar, who cast me in this important role in "Don 2" without any auditions because he believed in my abilities post ""Lakshya"". The action team from Berlin was doubly impressed with my delivery" said Nawab (less)

The Railway Board has now sent a strongly worded letter to its lead star Shahid Kapoor, condemning him for setting a wrong example to his fans in the movie. The board is referring to a sequence in the film, where the actor is shown speeding with his automobile at railway crossing to avoid a speeding train.

They have now demanded a disclaimer be put at the beginning of the film, as well as a ticker condemning the unlawful act while the scene is on. All this just days before its release! A letter (copy of which is in the possession of the writer) signed by, Executive Director, Information & Publicity, Railway Board Chandralekha Mukherjee says, "The act of not stopping before an unmanned level crossing gate when the train is in sight is clearly a punishable offence under section 161 of the Indian Railways Act.

The legal provisions notwithstanding, it is a matter of concern that such an act undertaken by Shahid Kapoor, a youth icon, may have tremendous potential of being imitated by impressionable youngsters, thus endangering their lives." Mukherjee continues, "The Railways would like to register its protest in the matter and ask that a disclaimer be put in the feature film appropriately saying that the makers do not endorse anybody crossing unmanned level crossings with such carelessness and that such an act should not be attempted/imitated.

A word of caution or a scroll during the scene could also be added. The matter could also be highlighted at press briefings expressing the concern of the Railways and yourself in the matter.

" Producer Sheetal Talwar, already under pressure to release the film this weekend, is obviously upset. He says, "How can we put a disclaimer at this late stage when the prints have already gone? "And what about Ra.

One , where Shah Rukh Khan is seen doing all those stunts in a train? Or Bodyguard where Salman is on top of a speeding train? "Or much earlier, Aamir Khan's stunt with the speeding train in Ghulam ? Were those not dangerous? As far as speeding a car across a railway crossing goes, it's the character in the film and not Shahid Kapoor breaking the law. Why blame Shahid?" However, Talwar is willing to put out a press release stating that scene at the railway crossing could be dangerous.

It remains to be seen if the Railway Board would be satisfied with his response. Tweet (less)

The groom's tweet was preceded by one from actor Shahid Kapoor, announcing the wedding of his Chance Pe Dance co- star. " And G is married !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unbeleivable .

:)," he posted. The wedding, held in traditional Marathi style, was attended by bigwigs from the film and political world - among them Sharad Pawar, Prithviraj Chavan, Praful Patel, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Kajol.

Riteish, wearing a white sherwani and red feta (turban), entered the Grand Hyatt on a ghodi. The baaraat started from the grounds near Grand Hyatt and reached the hotel.

The actor's politician father, Vilasrao Deshmukh, was dressed in a brown sherwani. Click here to see the pics Earlier, Riteish set the mood for the wedding with this tweet a few hours ago: "Saw the Last sunset as a Bachelor.

" Riteish and Genelia's wedding today is expected to draw bigwigs from the film industry and politics. Father of the groom, Vilasrao Deshmukh, is the former chief minister of Maharashtra and is the Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.

Riteish, Genelia's grand sangeet Both Riteish and his bride-to-be Genelia are on Twitter, this morning. Both sent tweets to Mona Kapoor, entrepreneur and first wife of producer Boney Kapoor, wishing her on her birthday.

Earlier, they posted tweets to actor Priyanka Chopra who missed their sangeet due to filming. Dressed in their best, stars at sangeet Yesterday Riteish and Genelia wrapped up chores (their last as singles).

We spotted them first at Linking Road in Bandra and later, Genelia prayed at her church. Known to be religious, Genelia wore her pre-bridal glow, which added sheen to her otherwise casual jeans and blazer look.

A party, a grand sangeet on Tuesday and rituals have preceded the wedding. While Riteish and Genelia's colleagues stepped out in their best traditional outfits and spent happy hours at the sangeet, Genelia was seen dancing her heart out at a ritual yesterday.

Moving away from tradition for a bit, a party was hosted for them by producer Sajid Nadiadwala and actor Fardeen Khan on January 24. Riteish and Genelia first met while shooting their debut film Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003.

Despite leading public lives, their eight-year courtship has been largely private. Post marriage, the two will be seen together in a love story on screen - Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya - a Hindi film scheduled to release at the end of this month.

(With PTI Inputs) Tweet (less)

They spent about 30 minutes inside the temple, the sources said. Family sources said the 61-year-old actor undertook the visit to pay his thanks to the Lord for his speedy recovery from the ailments he suffered in May.

Rajinikanth had last visited the shrine after the wedding of his daughter Soundarya with Ashwin on September 9 last year. The actor, who took ill during the shoot of the film Rana in April, underwent treatment at a hospital in Singapore for reported kidney problem.

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However, Sonam took to Twitter to shoot down the reports and wrote: "I'm hearing the funniest rumours about myself! In Thailand , and all I can say is I'm on the floor laughing." "Okay morning guys I'm not mad at Shahid Kapoor or Punit Malhotra and I'm not dating anyone! I'm minding my own business and working," she further tweeted (less)

They spent about 30 minutes inside the temple, the sources said. Family sources said the 61-year-old actor undertook the visit to pay his thanks to the Lord for his speedy recovery from the ailments he suffered in May.

Rajinikanth had last visited the shrine after the wedding of his daughter Soundarya with Ashwin on September 9 last year. The actor, who took ill during the shoot of the film Rana in April, underwent treatment at a hospital in Singapore for reported kidney problem.

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"It draws inspiration from the strugglers in the 1980s whose indomitable spirit made them emerge triumphant and create a unique space for themselves in a male-dominated film industry. The film is not a formal biopic or biography, as is being speculated.

It is a work of fiction, and any character's resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental," it added. The clarification was issued after a media report that claimed that southern sex icon Silk Smitha's brother, V.

Naga Vara Prasad, who lives in a village in Andhra Pradesh, sent a legal notice to the film's producer Ekta Kapoor and director Milan Luthria for not taking permission from the late actress' family before making the movie. Prasad claims that he learned about the film through television.

Silk Smitha committed suicide in 1996. " The Dirty Picture , a spectacular musical entertainer, is in essence, a love story, and a celebration of the never-say-die spirit of every industry newcomer," said the statement.

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Joshi and Pawar were found with cash of Rs one lakh each in their possession, the official told PTI. The official said as per Customs rules, Indian passengers can carry Indian currency only up to Rs 7,500, while returning from abroad.

The three are being questioned and are likely to be booked for violation of Customs Act, the official added. Earlier this year, actors Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu and producer Ekta Kapoor had been detained by the Customs for not declaring goods.

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In the corresponding period last year, the actor had paid only Rs 2 crore in advance tax. The 45-year-old star has been delivering blockbusters by strategically coinciding their release with Eid for the past two years.

Salman's arch rival Shah Rukh Khan, who has not had any big releases in the recent past, saw his tax outgo remain flat at Rs 5 crore, the sources added. Akshay Kumar, another big name in Bollywood, is also estimated to have paid Rs 5 crore in advance tax payments, up from Rs 4 crore, they said.

Actor-producer Aamir Khan, whose small-budgeted edgy movie released this quarter and was received well, saw a Rs 50 lakh rise in advance tax outgo at Rs 4.5 crore, they said.

New kid on the block Ranbir Kapoor's advance tax outgo stood at a flat Rs 2.5 crore, the sources said.

Advance tax payment is a system of staggered payment of income taxes so that high tax-paying individuals or firms do not pile up tax liabilities towards the end of the year. The payment for September quarter accounts for 30 per cent of the total collection payout for an individual or company.

In the first quarter it is 15 per cent, followed by 30 per cent each in the next two and 25 per cent in the fourth quarter. Tweet (less)

To make his character in "Qasam Se Qasam Se" appear realistic, Azim frequented call centre offices to absorb the finer nuances of the people working there. "It was quite a relevation for me as an actor.

I witnessed not only people's mannerisms but also the activities they indulge in during the break hour. Looking into the mirror, some guys would be busy ruffling their hair and taking care of their looks, while some would busy binging.

And there would others catching up with family and friends over their cell phones. This has helped shaped my character in the film.

" Azim feels that all our veteran actors were keen observers and would translate that on screen. "Whether it were the legendary actors like Dilip Kumar or the late Raj Kapoor or Dev Anand , they were schools in themselves.

I am a great fan of Salman Khan , Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan and look at them as a student who looks upon his guru. I am mastering the art of acting watching their films," he smiles (less)

However, ask Shahid Kapoor if he is a part of the sequel of 'Kaminey', and he is quick to reply, "Yes, I'd love to be a part of the movie. It's always fun to work with Vishal Bhardwaj, and though we have mentioned the sequel of Kaminey in passing nothing concrete is on paper yet.

So let the script come to me first, and then we all can get excited about it," he said. Shahid's 'Heer Ranjha' is also on the back burner, and not much is being said about it.

Getting a clarification from the actor, we learn that the movie is being kept aside for now, and it may be worked upon on a later day. However, these hiccups won't drown Shahid's spirits that are soaring high with 'Mausam' being on the brink of release.

He still gets those butterflies in the stomach, and is hoping that all goes well for him this 'season' (less)

His body kept in a casket, decked with flowers, was taken to the crematorium in a motorcade as his admirers paid him rich tributes. His wife Kalpana Kartik could not attend as she had high blood pressure and remained behind in the Washington Mayfair hotel where the actor breathed his last.

Besides his son Suneil and daughter Devina, his sister Sheila Kapoor, the mother of filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, were also present. So were the acting High Commissioner of India Rakesh Prasad, his close friend Kartar Lalvani, Lord Karan Billimoria, and Baroness Shreela Flather.

Dev Anand died here on December 3 at the age of 88 with his son by his side. While fans in India could not have a last glimpse of the star, his ashes will be flown back to Mumbai, the city associated for over 60 years with the thespian's incomparable body of work.

A memorial service will be held at the Mehboob studio in Mumbai on December 15. True to his full-of-life image, his final journey saw some of his remarkable songs being sung as a tribute.

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The actor, who was unceremoniously sacked following the announcement of her pregnancy, has sent a letter through her lawyers that she will seek damages if the pictures that she has shot for the film earlier, gets leaked out. ?Aishwarya is wary about the extensive photo-shoot that she has done for the film.

She was shot in numerous costumes. There were also a few shots that were canned as a test run.

She is wary that those scenes might be leaked out as a promotion for the film,? says source. The letter that was sent through her lawyers, specifically addressed to Madhur, mentions that the actress will claim damages if any of those pictures or shots come out in the media.

?Ash has already returned her acting fees, so there?s nothing that makes her liable to her director or producer. She is still upset with the way Madhur wrote a huge blog against her which basically called her a liar.

She always wanted to come back and complete the movie, but the way things turned out, has left a bad taste in her mouth,? the source adds. Though UTV and Madhur didn?t comment on the legal notice sent to them, sources in the production house confirm that such a notice has arrived.

?Madhur was not planning to use those stills, but we guess Ash didn?t trust us. The photo-shoots that we have done with her for the promotions are really great pictures.

We are sorry that these pictures won?t be revealed ever to the world. Aishwarya is looking just awesome in the pictures.

We are putting it in our safety vaults where it won?t come out ever,? says a source from the production house. Sphere: Related Content Posted in (less)

All the issues have been settled," Mohanlal's business partner Alex K.Babu told IANS.

The mutual settlement has come after Azhikode was detected with cancer of the spinal cord and is currently admitted to a private hospital here. The war of words between the duo broke out last year when Azhikode came out in support of thespian actor Thilakan who was served a showcause notice by AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) and subsequently booted out of the film actor's body on grounds of indiscipline.

The first salvo was fired by Azhikode against Mohanlal when he said that the actor has become old and should limit himself to roles matching his age and figure. The superstar was called a mentally deranged person by Azhikode.

He also added that Mohanlal should stop making money through endorsements of jewellery brands. Mohanlal had hit back saying that Azhikode must be having some 'hallucination', and he considered Azhikode's statements as some 'aged uncle's joke', and that whether he should stop acting was not a matter for Azhikode to decide.

Azhikode had filed a defamation case against the actor while a legal notice was served on Mohanlal asking him to either apologise or face legal action. Azhikode in 1986 retired as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Calicut University, his oratorical skills are unmatched and have been a crowd puller.

A bachelor, Azhikode has won twelve awards including the Indian Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahithya Academy Award, Vayalar Award and the Rajaji Award. In January 2007 he refused to accept the Padma Shri conferred on him stating that such honours are against the Constitution.

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Vajir Singh, editor Box Office India remarked, "This has been a very positive year for Bollywood, with numerous directors making their debut into the industry. While Kiran Rao, Luv Ranjan, Amol Gupte, Bijoy Nambiar, Ali Abbas Zafar and Rohit Dhawan impressed us with their maiden ventures, we was very disappointed with Roshan Abbas and Deepa Sahi.

There were surprise hits in Pyaar Ka Panchnama and Faltu, while there were many disappointments as well. I would not like to sum it up as a mixed year as there were more positives than negatives and a couple of more directors to make their debut this year.

" With more than 70 new directors releasing their projects this year, Mumbai Mirror zeroed down on the ones that were most touted - for reasons that were good, bad or ugly and how they ended up being received. ? Sizzlers Kiran rao's (Dhobi Ghat) It was Aamir Khan's wife Kiran Rao's maiden venture.

Possibly, for that singular reason the film garnered a lot of attention from fans and film critics alike. Though the eyeballs did not really translate into a big box office figure, the film remained a talking point for a better part of the year.

Remo D'Souza's (F.A.

L.T.

U) Another choreographer trying his hands in direction. No A-list stars.

A bunch of young actors put together in a film with a storyline that seemed old. Surprise.

Surprise! Remo managed to convert all of this into a hit. With some really good direction, good choreography, music and fresh ideas.

Abhinay Deo's (Game & Delhi Belly) First time director. Two different films.

While Game failed to please, Delhi Belly created what is being described as 'history'. Amol Gupte 's ( Stanley Ka Dabba ) His first attempt at making a child a hero was successful.

But that ended in a controversy. So, he returned with Stanley.

..

and made his own son Partho the hero. A sweet film that won many awards in India and abroad, reminded 2011 Bollywood that children's films can make big bucks as well.

Siddiqui Lal's (Bodyguard) Siddiqui had Salman Khan as the male lead in his debut film. Need we say more? ? Average Pavan Kriplani's (Ragini MMS) With a scandalus MMS as the subject and Ekta Kapoor marketing the product, Pavan Kriplani couldn't have gone wrong with his debut.

Luv Ranjan's (Pyaar Ka Punchnama) He may not be a girl's best friend any longer, but his film did make him quite a hit with the all males aged 18-30 this year. Vikas Bahl & Nitesh Tiwari's ( Chillar Party ) Another children's film.

The USP - Salman Khan . Of course, it did well.

Rohit Dhawan's (Desi Boyz) It was David Dhawan's son making his directorial debut. Panned by critics, it did do average business even though Rohit was expected to do better.

Bijoy Nambiar's (Shaitaan) A new concept. Fresh actors.

Good music. And brillaint cinematography.

Though not made for the masses, the film did not fail to please the multiplex audience. ? Disappointing Roshan Abbas's (Always Kabhi Kabhi) Shah Rukh Khan backed Roshan Abbas's maiden venture.

And even made promos for it. but the film just went to prove that at times, even stars might fail to shine.

Parvin Dabas' (Sahi Dhandhe..

.) 'It is made with a lot of heart' said Parvin's wife Preeti Jhangiani.

However, Sahi dhandhe Galat Bande just failed to touch the audience's hearts. Raghav Dhar's (My Friend Pinto) The village idiot goes to the city in search of his friend.

Dar had got his storyline in place. And also some great performers.

However, the masses couldn't find a reason to watch the film. Puri Jaggannath's (Bbudhah Hoga.

..

) Amitabh Bachchan people love. But Amitabh Bachchan trying too hard to be funky? And that was perhaps what went wrong with Jagannath's debut venture.

Pankaj Kapur's (Mausam) Father directing son in his debut venture. Everybody waited to see it.

And then they couldn't wait for it get over. Even lead actor Shahid took a break after this one (less)

Joshi and Pawar were found with cash of Rs one lakh each in their possession, the official told PTI. The official said as per Customs rules, Indian passengers can carry Indian currency only up to Rs 7,500, while returning from abroad.

The three are being questioned and are likely to be booked for violation of Customs Act, the official added. Earlier this year, actors Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu and producer Ekta Kapoor had been detained by the Customs for not declaring goods.

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Talking about her look, Sanjay says, "We were looking for a fresh face and Giselle seemed to be the best choice. She is very confident and it was very comfortable working with her.

Iss movie ke liye aisa koi chahiye tha jo beti aur mashooka, dono ke role ko justify kare. Giselli is that girl.

Usko dekh ke log kahenge, baap re baap, kabhi aisa nahi dekha." The movie will also have a nautanki dance performance by Giselli, though her look is more classical than sensual.

"In a span of 2-3 months Giselle was all trained and set to do Bollywood style latka jhatkas. You will see Giselli as never before in this film," says Mishra, whose movie is based on communal harmony (less)

"It draws inspiration from the strugglers in the 1980s whose indomitable spirit made them emerge triumphant and create a unique space for themselves in a male-dominated film industry. The film is not a formal biopic or biography, as is being speculated.

It is a work of fiction, and any character's resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental," it added. The clarification was issued after a media report that claimed that southern sex icon Silk Smitha's brother, V.

Naga Vara Prasad, who lives in a village in Andhra Pradesh, sent a legal notice to the film's producer Ekta Kapoor and director Milan Luthria for not taking permission from the late actress' family before making the movie. Prasad claims that he learned about the film through television.

Silk Smitha committed suicide in 1996. " The Dirty Picture , a spectacular musical entertainer, is in essence, a love story, and a celebration of the never-say-die spirit of every industry newcomer," said the statement.

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Maneesh got a slipped disc and now the film has been pushed to April. These dates were clashing with Puneet's film which couldn't be shifted.

Shahid had no option but to opt out of it. Since the film's producer Karan Johar and Shahid are keen to work with each other they decided to work on another film soon instead.

" Incidentally Sonam Kapoor also had opted out of the film last month citing date problems (less)

SRK’s huge popularity has brought Gauri in the spotlight too and has got her a huge fan base. If Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest brand names, how can the brand value of his stylish wife be anything less? Gauri has turned producer for most of SRK’s films.

Moreover, her unique sense of style has made her quite famous among young women. Gauri Khan and Sussanne Roshan are the only two non-actress wives who have a strong demand in the appearance space.

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Confirming these developments, Ranbir's father Rishi Kapoor, who would also be the tour's producer, said: "Shahid and my son have become good friends. He is likely to join us.

The rest of the details are still being finalized." Shahid earlier had to opt out after his next film directed by Maneesh Sharma got delayed because of the director's back problem.

But then, something unforeseen happened and Ranbir's bonding with Shahid got stronger in Macau during their performance at the Awards. Regarding his own performance on stage with his son, Rishi said: "There's a demand for it.

But whether my injured knees allow me the pleasure of dancing with my son, remains to be seen." Besides Ranbir, Shahid and Katrina Kaif, the world tour would also feature Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma.

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Anupama realised her account was empty when a cheque that she had issued bounced. According to the police, the two culprits identified as Rakesh Vishwakarma and Nitin Sharma were working for ICICI Bank's Nariman Point branch in 2010 when Verma had opened the account and deposited the money.

In June last year, the actress had gone abroad and so had not been able to check her account for many months, which was observed by the two accused. Police officers investigating the case said the duo was also aware of the fact that Verma had received a debit card but hadn't activated it.

Cops added that the crooks then applied for a debit card in Verma's name, claiming the previous one had gone missing. After they had quit their jobs they accessed various ATMs in Borivali more than 170 times during which they withdrew Rs 17.

3 lakh. (Rs 13.

3 lakh from her savings account and Rs 4 lakh from a fixed deposit). After the withdrawal, the two started working for other banks.

"When I gave a cheque of Rs 7,500 to someone and it bounced, I was shocked. However, I approached the bank and lodged a complaint.

When I contacted the relationship manager I was told that the next cheque would not bounce. However, the cheque bounced twice more before being passed in July, when some interest from my FD had been transferred to the savings account.

It was only in December last year when I realised that my account was completely empty," said Verma. "I had also issued a cheque of Rs 700 for another transaction.

When that cheque bounced, that's when I learnt about the theft," added Verma who later approached the bank's head office, after which the institution paid her the full amount and reported the matter to the police. However, the actress says she is not done.

"I will also file a case against the bank. It was due to their negligence that I had to face so many problems and harassment.

If my money isn't safe in a bank, then where else do I go? How can two bank employees create a debit card in my name with false documents and then use it to withdraw such a large sum and the bank doesn't realise something is amiss," she said. Police officers investigating the case said that they had traced the ATM centre from where the withdrawals had been made.

CCTV recordings revealed the two culprits making cash withdrawals. "We then tracked down the duo and arrested them on Wednesday for forgery and theft.

We are also trying to find out if any other present or former bank officials are involved in the matter," said an officer from the Borivli police station. The two will be presented in court on Friday.

"First her money goes missing. Then the bank puts the blame on her and makes her wait four months to recover her own money.

This is totally preposterous. We'll be sending a legal notice to the bank on Thursday," said advocate Hitesh Jain, who is advising Anupama Verma.

"A fraud was detected in the account of a customer. ICICI Bank filed a police complaint based on which the main accused and his accomplice have been arrested.

Bank has taken all steps to ensure customers financial interest is safeguarded," said an ICICI Bank spokesperson in response to a detailed email from MiD DAY. Tweet (less)

And since the producers of the remake weren't given the rights to make a sequel, Nariman Films has sent them a legal notice and is suing them for copyright infringement. The producers at Nariman Films say, "We have raised our objection through our advocates Digvijay Chopra and Iva Bansal.

" Confirming that a legal notice has been sent to Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Shah Rukh Khan and Baba Arts, Digvijay Chopra states: "The remake rights were given only for the film Don: The Chase Begins Again , starring Shah Rukh Khan, by an agreement, which expired in 2009. Thereafter, they never renewed it or even take any prospective rights from Nariman films.

" While Baba Arts was not involved in the production, the advocates point out they had originally acquired the rights, which were then sold to Excel Entertainment for Rs 1.25 crore in 2005, with the knowledge of Nariman Films.

Further Iva Bansal explains that without any renewal of the remake rights, Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment have gone ahead and made Don 2 . "Not only have they infringed upon the title registered by Nariman Films, i.

e. Don and Don 2: Return Of The King , which in this matter, is a second infringement.

The first infringement is Don 2 , made without taking the necessary rights as per the law," she states. Bansal also explains that the title Don 2 has been copyrighted in the name of Nariman Films in January 2005.

"Reliance Entertainment has taken the distribution rights without any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Nariman Films who hold the negatives of the original film Don . We shall also legally proceed with Paramount Films as we are informed that they are the overseas distributors," she maintained.

When asked why Nariman Films didn't initiate any action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues , before or during filming, the advocates elaborated: "The reason is because all the production houses and senior and influential members of the film industry made the partners of Nariman films believe by way of undue influence and fraud that they (Nariman Films) have sold all their rights for their original film Don and are in no position to proceed legally to vindicate their right for the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, and even sent a legal notice to Nariman Films to confirm the same." However, Nariman Films has now come to know from various sources that the advocates they first consulted are on the legal panel of the opposite party.

Now the original producers have approached another law firm and have learnt that the case of infringement, undue influence and fraud, is clearly evident in this case. "And after learning the same they have taken legal action," summed up the advocates for Nariman Films.

Chopra and Bansal reiterated that they will be taking legal action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues at the High Court as well as criminal courts for necessary relief. "We will be approaching the courts for stay on the release and promotions as well as confiscating all the Infringed Copies under the Copyright Act," said Chopra and Bansal.

Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment maintains, "Whatever we are doing is legal and their charges are false." Tweet (less)

And since the producers of the remake weren't given the rights to make a sequel, Nariman Films has sent them a legal notice and is suing them for copyright infringement. The producers at Nariman Films say, "We have raised our objection through our advocates Digvijay Chopra and Iva Bansal.

" Confirming that a legal notice has been sent to Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Shah Rukh Khan and Baba Arts, Digvijay Chopra states: "The remake rights were given only for the film Don: The Chase Begins Again , starring Shah Rukh Khan, by an agreement, which expired in 2009. Thereafter, they never renewed it or even take any prospective rights from Nariman films.

" While Baba Arts was not involved in the production, the advocates point out they had originally acquired the rights, which were then sold to Excel Entertainment for Rs 1.25 crore in 2005, with the knowledge of Nariman Films.

Further Iva Bansal explains that without any renewal of the remake rights, Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment have gone ahead and made Don 2 . "Not only have they infringed upon the title registered by Nariman Films, i.

e. Don and Don 2: Return Of The King , which in this matter, is a second infringement.

The first infringement is Don 2 , made without taking the necessary rights as per the law," she states. Bansal also explains that the title Don 2 has been copyrighted in the name of Nariman Films in January 2005.

"Reliance Entertainment has taken the distribution rights without any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Nariman Films who hold the negatives of the original film Don . We shall also legally proceed with Paramount Films as we are informed that they are the overseas distributors," she maintained.

When asked why Nariman Films didn't initiate any action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues , before or during filming, the advocates elaborated: "The reason is because all the production houses and senior and influential members of the film industry made the partners of Nariman films believe by way of undue influence and fraud that they (Nariman Films) have sold all their rights for their original film Don and are in no position to proceed legally to vindicate their right for the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, and even sent a legal notice to Nariman Films to confirm the same." However, Nariman Films has now come to know from various sources that the advocates they first consulted are on the legal panel of the opposite party.

Now the original producers have approached another law firm and have learnt that the case of infringement, undue influence and fraud, is clearly evident in this case. "And after learning the same they have taken legal action," summed up the advocates for Nariman Films.

Chopra and Bansal reiterated that they will be taking legal action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues at the High Court as well as criminal courts for necessary relief. "We will be approaching the courts for stay on the release and promotions as well as confiscating all the Infringed Copies under the Copyright Act," said Chopra and Bansal.

Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment maintains, "Whatever we are doing is legal and their charges are false." Tweet (less)

All the issues have been settled," Mohanlal's business partner Alex K.Babu told IANS.

The mutual settlement has come after Azhikode was detected with cancer of the spinal cord and is currently admitted to a private hospital here. The war of words between the duo broke out last year when Azhikode came out in support of thespian actor Thilakan who was served a showcause notice by AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) and subsequently booted out of the film actor's body on grounds of indiscipline.

The first salvo was fired by Azhikode against Mohanlal when he said that the actor has become old and should limit himself to roles matching his age and figure. The superstar was called a mentally deranged person by Azhikode.

He also added that Mohanlal should stop making money through endorsements of jewellery brands. Mohanlal had hit back saying that Azhikode must be having some 'hallucination', and he considered Azhikode's statements as some 'aged uncle's joke', and that whether he should stop acting was not a matter for Azhikode to decide.

Azhikode had filed a defamation case against the actor while a legal notice was served on Mohanlal asking him to either apologise or face legal action. Azhikode in 1986 retired as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Calicut University, his oratorical skills are unmatched and have been a crowd puller.

A bachelor, Azhikode has won twelve awards including the Indian Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahithya Academy Award, Vayalar Award and the Rajaji Award. In January 2007 he refused to accept the Padma Shri conferred on him stating that such honours are against the Constitution.

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I remember one thing he said when he was four. He was holding my finger while walking, and said, "Baba, main aapse utna pyaar karta hoon jitna khuda apne bandon se karta hai.

" It spoke volumes about how he felt. Yes, there were years when we saw less of each other, but the bond was never weak, and it became stronger in the last few years.

We spent two years while making " Mausam " and our relationship has matured. I discovered a friend in him.

Shahid shares all his problems with me, not just concerning his girlfriends, which, I agree, are the biggest! But it wasn't easy for me to explain the romantic scenes to him. I'm not a strict father as believed, but I'm a strict director.

But here I had an actor who said, 'I'm at your disposal.' It was wonderful to hear that.

Shahid has been so much more, which is difficult to explain. It's difficult for a father and son to get into the professional space: Shahid Kapoor In the 80s and 90s, we didn't have so many low-cost airlines, and for dad to fly down from Delhi was a big thing, as we belonged to a middle-class family.

But dad and my relationship has grown with each year. There were times when I missed him and I guess god's helping me make up for all that now.

It's surprising that even though we didn't stay together for the first few years of my life, I've discovered that I'm a lot like him. It makes me very happy, though it gets him worried! Dad is my closest friend today.

Whenever there's a problem, he's one of the first people I call up. Since we can talk as equals and share a great equation, we were able to do this film together.

Otherwise, it can be very difficult for father and son to get into the professional space. He allows me to say what I feel.

And that gave us "Mausam". (Directed by Pankaj Kapur, presented by Eros International and Vistaar Religare Film Fund, and produced by Sunil Lulla and Sheetal Vinod Talwar, "Mausam" releases on September 23.

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Anupama realised her account was empty when a cheque that she had issued bounced. According to the police, the two culprits identified as Rakesh Vishwakarma and Nitin Sharma were working for ICICI Bank's Nariman Point branch in 2010 when Verma had opened the account and deposited the money.

In June last year, the actress had gone abroad and so had not been able to check her account for many months, which was observed by the two accused. Police officers investigating the case said the duo was also aware of the fact that Verma had received a debit card but hadn't activated it.

Cops added that the crooks then applied for a debit card in Verma's name, claiming the previous one had gone missing. After they had quit their jobs they accessed various ATMs in Borivali more than 170 times during which they withdrew Rs 17.

3 lakh. (Rs 13.

3 lakh from her savings account and Rs 4 lakh from a fixed deposit). After the withdrawal, the two started working for other banks.

"When I gave a cheque of Rs 7,500 to someone and it bounced, I was shocked. However, I approached the bank and lodged a complaint.

When I contacted the relationship manager I was told that the next cheque would not bounce. However, the cheque bounced twice more before being passed in July, when some interest from my FD had been transferred to the savings account.

It was only in December last year when I realised that my account was completely empty," said Verma. "I had also issued a cheque of Rs 700 for another transaction.

When that cheque bounced, that's when I learnt about the theft," added Verma who later approached the bank's head office, after which the institution paid her the full amount and reported the matter to the police. However, the actress says she is not done.

"I will also file a case against the bank. It was due to their negligence that I had to face so many problems and harassment.

If my money isn't safe in a bank, then where else do I go? How can two bank employees create a debit card in my name with false documents and then use it to withdraw such a large sum and the bank doesn't realise something is amiss," she said. Police officers investigating the case said that they had traced the ATM centre from where the withdrawals had been made.

CCTV recordings revealed the two culprits making cash withdrawals. "We then tracked down the duo and arrested them on Wednesday for forgery and theft.

We are also trying to find out if any other present or former bank officials are involved in the matter," said an officer from the Borivli police station. The two will be presented in court on Friday.

"First her money goes missing. Then the bank puts the blame on her and makes her wait four months to recover her own money.

This is totally preposterous. We'll be sending a legal notice to the bank on Thursday," said advocate Hitesh Jain, who is advising Anupama Verma.

"A fraud was detected in the account of a customer. ICICI Bank filed a police complaint based on which the main accused and his accomplice have been arrested.

Bank has taken all steps to ensure customers financial interest is safeguarded," said an ICICI Bank spokesperson in response to a detailed email from MiD DAY. Tweet (less)

She took this job very seriously because she did not want to let her parents down. She also took it up because she wanted to pull her family out of one of the rockiest patches - financially and emotionally - ever.

Fifteen years hence and innumerable awards and accolades later, her life looks like a fairy tale or a Bollywood script that could not have been written any better. In an industry where the shelf life of an actress is getting shorter by the month - even as actors rule the roost for two decades or more - Rani has seen her fair share of ups and downs that have taught her valuable lessons.

In the last few years, she has faltered in terms of choice of films. But one thing that she hasn't forgotten is to do her job well, i.

e. to act.

She takes it up as seriously as she did during the mahurat shot of "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat" as a 16-year-old. But today, there's more passion than ever, and a mastery of her craft that compels you to appreciate her skills as an actress, even if you aren't her die-hard fan.

After the success of "No One Killed Jessica" early last year, she is awaiting her next two releases this year - the Reema Kagti-directed thriller "Talaash", with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap's quirky comedy "Aiyya" directed by National Award winning director Sachin Kundalkar. We ask the 'Queen of Bollywood' about the journey during which her job turned into her passion, the girl Rani morphed into the woman who rules hearts and, of course, a certain someone she "is dating".

What are you doing these days? I've just returned from Lonavala where I was shooting for "Aiyya". A few songs are left.

Has the industry changed since you joined films? Immensely. Today, the first look of the film is almost as important as the film itself.

I'm eagerly waiting for the promos of "Talaash", which are to hit the screens soon. It's going to be released in June.

The fact that I'm doing two films that are as different as they can be, in the same year, speaks volumes about how times have changed. It's a far bigger, more diverse than ever industry that's gone global in terms of its scope in every possible way.

Did you always want to become an actress? Arre, my joining films is a poori filmi kahaani. Though I technically come from a film family, my father had stopped making films even before my brother and I were born.

So I did not really grow up in a filmi environment. And when I was growing up, becoming an actress was still quite a taboo.

And you may not believe this but even my father did not want me to join films. Salim (Akhtar) uncle, who was very close to my family, came with the offer of "Aa Gale Lag Jaa" in 1994, but my father was aghast and turned it down.

In the meantime, I joined college (SNDT, Juhu) pursuing Home Science. Those days, the 'in thing' that most girls were going after as a career choice was jewelery and interior designing.

I did not have the money to pursue a `3 lakh course to make a career. And then Salim uncle came back again.

I think he must have been pretty desperate to launch a new actress. This time, he managed to convince my parents.

How did he manage that? (Laughs) When Salim uncle came to me and said he wanted me to act in his film, I started crying. I thought he was making a pass at me.

..

Why on earth..

.? Because I was daft.

And the fact that in those days, acting was still considered a taboo for the girls in my family. My mom's side was okay with it, as my aunt (Bengali actress Debashree Roy) is an actress.

In fact, she had kept it from me till then, but she was seriously harboring dreams of me becoming an actress. My father was still adamant about me not joining films.

But by that time my second cousins, Kajol and Sharbani, had entered films. And that sort of paved the way for me.

My mother and father still fought over it for quite a few days before he finally agreed to give me at least one shot at it - of course, with the strict clause that my mom will accompany me everywhere. And you? Did you know anything about acting by then? I wish I could show you the recording of my first screen test.

You will literally sprint away from the room thinking 'who is this horrible actress?' What was so bad? Those days, I used to be quite chubby. And Salim uncle, who had done "Baazi" with Mamta Kulkarni a few years ago, fished those shorter-than-short and tighter-than-tight clothes that looked completely hideous on me.

And to top that, I had to act! I was a shy kid with inhibitions galore. It was some courtroom scene and when someone gave me the sheet with dialogues, I was dumbfounded.

I saw all these famous dialogues from famous films which I had to say in front of the camera. My understanding of films was just as much as any young girl who watches Bollywood films.

I had no idea about the whole process of filmmaking, about dialogue writing, scripts, screenplay etc. I had probably gone to two or three film shoots in my childhood.

And even when on a shoot as a young girl, I would find actors just giving their shots and sitting in their vans getting bored in-between shots. So when the whole picture opened up in front of me about the reality of becoming an actress, I was petrified.

And my screen test was a disaster. I came back crying and said 'I would not be able to do this - anything but acting! Then? But Salim uncle came back and said I had a photogenic face and the camera captured me quite well, which is very important for any actor.

That was one glimmer of hope in my otherwise nightmarish experience. My mother sat me down that night and told me, 'Opportunity knocks at your door just once, take it up.

What's the worst that could happen? You'll fail at your effort? We are there after that. But at least you'd know you have tried, and won't regret leaving this golden opportunity'.

And though it was never told to me, but I knew my family was going through a financial crisis. And there was also tension in the family because of a lot of bickering between my father and his brothers.

I decided that I would work very hard (there was a month left for the shoot of "Raja Ki..

.") and give myself one good shot, even if it did not work out in the end.

I took it up as a job that just had to be done. What happened in that one month for you to give that spirited performance? My father took me to join Roshan Taneja's acting classes.

Mr Taneja had two courses, one was a year-long one and the other a three-month one. I had to learn all the acting I could in one month.

I told Mr Taneja I would come in the morning and evening for a month and be a dedicated student. On the very first day, my dad said to him, 'Please teach my daughter how to act'.

Mr Taneja said, 'Acting isn't a tablet. You can't pop it and become an actress.

It has to come from within you. It's either deep within you or it's not there'.

His statement stayed with me for a long time. It was my first lesson.

But in the classes, I did not know where to start. Thankfully, one good thing was the improvisation classes - where we all had to face the camera and say whatever came to our mind and enact a scene.

It sort of broke through my shy exterior. In any acting class, there are always a lot of faces looking at you from all corners and that's done on purpose so that the person drops all his/her inhibitions.

On the day of the mahurat, when I was called to give my first shot, I thought, 'yaar, I can't let my parents down. I just have to give it my best'.

And then, when I walked into the shot, I was this confident, fiery ball of energy, spouting dialogues like I had never imagined I would. I haven't looked back since that day.

And how did this job eventually become your passion? That happened later when I started getting fan mails. I was doing a lot of films.

But my fans kept on writing that they were not happy with me. So I wondered 'Arre, I am working 72 hours at a stretch, not eating right, not getting enough sleep, giving my best to each shot, so what was going wrong?' Then I realized that after "Ghulam" and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hain", my fans' expectations of me were higher than my own.

That's when I learnt my second lesson - that it's not just performing, I also had to know good scripts from the not-so-good ones. I started getting more involved in the whole process; understanding films beyond just acting.

During this whole process, acting became my passion. Coming back to the present, what went wrong in the last couple of years before "No One Killed Jessica" last year? You had some consecutive flops after a spate of hits, and suddenly you just vanished.

..

(Snaps her fingers and says with a smile) Don't worry, from this year, you'll see me in two films every year at least. Coming back to your question, I had seen failures before but when those three films ("Laaga Chunri Mein Daag", "Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic" and "Dil Bole Hadippa") failed in quick succession, it affected me in a way no flop had before.

My confidence was completely shattered. All my movies failed to make a mark with audiences and critics alike.

Maybe the critics thought 'we've praised her enough, now it's time for her to fall a bit hard, so she steps her game up' (smiles). I also think I was plain unlucky.

The audience has little memory of what you have done before or are capable of doing. What matters is today.

So three flops probably told them 'Rani has worked so well in the last few years, maybe it's time she took a back seat and settled down'. And are you settling down? (Smile that says read-my-expression-if-you-can) When I plan to settle down, I will announce it to the world.

Marriage is an occasion to celebrate. I'll celebrate it when it happens, letting everyone know about it.

What about the rumors of your relationship with Aditya Chopra? I have been linked with so many of my co-stars and this Aditya rumor has stayed with me for the longest time. This time, I'm going to give you the cliched answer no journalist wants to hear, 'No comments'.

Are you dating someone? Yes, I am dating, but that's as far as I'm willing to talk about my personal life. Your fans want to know about your personal life? They want to know if marriage is on the cards.

They will know when the time comes. Right now, I have two movies coming out and that's what I'm going to talk about.

Are you saying nothing is serious as far as your dating goes? In a relationship, there are two people involved. Since I'm a public figure, if I start answering questions, it'll open doors for more questions, speculations, gossips, and then it comes to a point where every day someone has something to say about your personal life.

It's unfair to the other person. I do not mind a bitchy comment about the way I dress or my films, but a comment on my private space isn't welcome.

Are you a romantic? I'm a born romantic. I romanticize everything in life.

My personal life is full of love and romance. God's given us one life.

You should romance it. It's not always nice and cool to be practical and logical.

What have your relationships/ heartbreaks taught you? I haven't been in a lot of relationships. Heartbreak definitely teaches you to be a better actor.

Don't they say, an artiste always performs better when he or she has experienced heartbreak? (Laughs) That was a joke. I don't give that much importance to men.

All my heartbreaks have been because of close friends, and not men. Seriously? (On a serious note) Heartbreak, anger, frustration - if you can overcome these emotions, you become a better person.

If you're a person of substance, you'll overcome your bad times. Who wants to be a loser? Will you marry an actor? No, two megalomaniacs can't exist in the same house.

We'll end up killing each other. What's the best thing about being in a relationship? (Enigmatic smile) That you can hide it.

And the best part of getting married is that you can announce it to the world. What about the fact that today the shelf life of actresses is low? Would you ever decide to do an item number or attend red carpet events as visibility is important these days? No.

Because for me, it's important to cement an impression of my work. Acting is what I do best.

It's not difficult to be in the public eye. Go anywhere and you'll find the media.

I am not trying to sound high and mighty here. If I was being launched today, I would do exactly what newcomers do these days.

But after 15 years in the course of which I have firmly established my credentials as an actress, I plan to only focus on acting. But if friends call me, I'll be there.

Like I went to Farah's (Khan) house-warming party recently. Aamir (Khan) and Kiran (Rao) had a son and going there was important for me because he is someone who is very dear to me.

As are Shah Rukh Khan and Karan (Johar). Have you spoken to Abhishek after he became a father? We aren't in touch on the phone, but whenever I come across him, I will definitely congratulate him.

It's great news. What did that low phase in your life teach you? When I was joining films, my dad had told me, 'Don't ever be disheartened with failure and don't be over-excited with success'.

This is an important lesson in any actor's life. But can you really separate your emotions as professional and personal in your mind? Hurt is hurt, disappointment is disappointment.

..

That's where your family and your strength as an individual come in. I am very close to my family.

And I have other interests, like baking. I started baking in one of my very low phases in life.

I find it therapeutic. So, would we see a Rani Mukerji patisserie soon? You could.

I'm serious about going to Paris or Chicago for a fulltime patisserie course. Any other venture in mind? A lot of actresses are starting their own fashion lines.

Or maybe even film production..

. No.

The only thing I will be producing next is babies. No other production happening with me.

Is there a lot of bitching/backbiting in the industry? There is, but that's true of any industry where over-competitive minds are always at work. But it is blown out of proportion in ours because it's the glamor industry.

Have you been at the receiving end of bitching? People say bitchy things about other people to feel good about themselves. Whatever I have got in life has been a huge blessing.

I've never gone after something that's not mine. Today, I am sitting at my office in Juhu, overlooking the sea.

I used to live in a shack before. I used to travel in rickshaws.

Today, I have a Mercedes. But if I start thinking, 'I have a bungalow, why not a building in Bandra tomorrow? Or now, I have a car, why not a yacht next?' my life will be difficult.

My mind doesn't work that way. The only ambition I have is to pick up interesting scripts and give a stellar performance that'll be etched in the audiences' and my fans' minds (less)

"But they're also producers of their films, like Aamir for Talaash , SRK for Don 2 , Salman for Bodyguard , Dabangg 2 . So a major portion of their remuneration comes from the revenue the movie earns," says a trade veteran.

Actresses : Reports may insinuate that Katrina Kaif was offered Rs 20 crore by Vashu Bhagnani to star in his next film but sources maintain that Kareena Kapoor is the highest paid of the lot. After being paid over Rs 3.

5 crore for Golmaal 3 , the Heroine is being paid Rs 5 crore plus a share in the profits for Heroine. But this is most likely to be a one-off instance, given the circumstances.

Directors : Rajkumar Hirani is known for a bigger hit every time, starting with Munnabhai MBBS till the mammoth 3 Idiots . Trade experts peg Hirani's fees at Rs 15 crore plus at least 25 percent of the revenue the film earns.

Writers : Abhijat Joshi, with help from Rajkumar Hirani, salvaged the position of good writers. He's the highest paid writer on the block with his paycheck bulked up to Rs 3 crore after 3 Idiots .

Production designers : This pack is clearly led by Nitin Chandrakant Desai. His fee alone is at least a crore; in addition he recommends his own ND studio, the rent of which of course, is earned separately.

Close behind is Sabu Cyril, whose take home too is over Rs 75 lakh. Cinematographers : Ravi K Chandran earned over Rs 1 crore for SRK's RA.

One . This fee may be justified by the fact that the movie cost about Rs 150 crore to make.

In the same league is Binod Pradhan, who shot films like Devdas, Rang De Basanti , but was paid a fee of Rs 1.5 crore for South star Pavan Kalyan's Puli .

"What is amazing that Binod had signed the package deal of Rs 4 crore for cinematography, including fees of his assistants," reveals a source. It is learnt that Pradhan has acquired a high-end camera and henceforth will shoot only on it.

"So now he will also charge the rent for the equipment," pointed out our source. Music composers : Without doubt, A R Rahman features on top.

The Oscar winner earns Rs 5-8 crore per film, which also include his fees for creating the background score. Pritam comes second, with about Rs 3 crore per film.

"And that works out at Rs 25 lakh per song, including fees for the singers, studio rentals etc," says our source. Sound designers : Thanks to the Oscar award, Resul Pokuttu beats everyone else in this department.

He is said to charge Rs 50 lakh per film. He also earns through rent of his studio, as he doesn't like working in any other studio.

Action directors : Though a considerable amount of the budget is set aside for an action film, the men who call the shots are paid comparatively lesser. However, they make up for it in the daily expenses, reveal our sources.

South based Peter Hein and Allan Amin, who directed the thrills for the Dhoom series, are the most expensive in their domain. They charge Rs 30 lakh per film, but to shoot with them costs an additional Rs 2.

5 lakh upwards per day for the harnesses, cables and other equipment. Choreographers : Farah Khan and Remo D'Souza, are among the highest paid choreographers along with Ganesh Hegde and Vaibhavi Merchant.

Sources peg their fees (per song) at a minimum of Rs 25 lakh, going up to Rs 50 lakh. Editors : Production sources swear by Shreekar Prasad, who edited films like Raavan , National Award winning Tamil film Kutty Shrank, Kaminey , etc.

He's believed to charge Rs 25 lakh per film, plus another R 8 lakh to cut the promos. Lyricists : Javed Akhtar takes the credit as he's said to charge Rs 10 lakh per song.

Not far behind is Prasoon Joshi, who's believed to demand Rs 8 lakh per number. Playback singers : Sonu Niigam makes the most among the male playback singers, earning a cool Rs 10 lakhs per song.

Among the females, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal rule the roost, making Rs 2.5 lakh per song.

"And of course, the singers make extra moolah by singing those songs in shows." Tweet (less)

"But they're also producers of their films, like Aamir for Talaash , SRK for Don 2 , Salman for Bodyguard , Dabangg 2 . So a major portion of their remuneration comes from the revenue the movie earns," says a trade veteran.

Actresses : Reports may insinuate that Katrina Kaif was offered Rs 20 crore by Vashu Bhagnani to star in his next film but sources maintain that Kareena Kapoor is the highest paid of the lot. After being paid over Rs 3.

5 crore for Golmaal 3 , the Heroine is being paid Rs 5 crore plus a share in the profits for Heroine. But this is most likely to be a one-off instance, given the circumstances.

Directors : Rajkumar Hirani is known for a bigger hit every time, starting with Munnabhai MBBS till the mammoth 3 Idiots . Trade experts peg Hirani's fees at Rs 15 crore plus at least 25 percent of the revenue the film earns.

Writers : Abhijat Joshi, with help from Rajkumar Hirani, salvaged the position of good writers. He's the highest paid writer on the block with his paycheck bulked up to Rs 3 crore after 3 Idiots .

Production designers : This pack is clearly led by Nitin Chandrakant Desai. His fee alone is at least a crore; in addition he recommends his own ND studio, the rent of which of course, is earned separately.

Close behind is Sabu Cyril, whose take home too is over Rs 75 lakh. Cinematographers : Ravi K Chandran earned over Rs 1 crore for SRK's RA.

One . This fee may be justified by the fact that the movie cost about Rs 150 crore to make.

In the same league is Binod Pradhan, who shot films like Devdas, Rang De Basanti , but was paid a fee of Rs 1.5 crore for South star Pavan Kalyan's Puli .

"What is amazing that Binod had signed the package deal of Rs 4 crore for cinematography, including fees of his assistants," reveals a source. It is learnt that Pradhan has acquired a high-end camera and henceforth will shoot only on it.

"So now he will also charge the rent for the equipment," pointed out our source. Music composers : Without doubt, A R Rahman features on top.

The Oscar winner earns Rs 5-8 crore per film, which also include his fees for creating the background score. Pritam comes second, with about Rs 3 crore per film.

"And that works out at Rs 25 lakh per song, including fees for the singers, studio rentals etc," says our source. Sound designers : Thanks to the Oscar award, Resul Pokuttu beats everyone else in this department.

He is said to charge Rs 50 lakh per film. He also earns through rent of his studio, as he doesn't like working in any other studio.

Action directors : Though a considerable amount of the budget is set aside for an action film, the men who call the shots are paid comparatively lesser. However, they make up for it in the daily expenses, reveal our sources.

South based Peter Hein and Allan Amin, who directed the thrills for the Dhoom series, are the most expensive in their domain. They charge Rs 30 lakh per film, but to shoot with them costs an additional Rs 2.

5 lakh upwards per day for the harnesses, cables and other equipment. Choreographers : Farah Khan and Remo D'Souza, are among the highest paid choreographers along with Ganesh Hegde and Vaibhavi Merchant.

Sources peg their fees (per song) at a minimum of Rs 25 lakh, going up to Rs 50 lakh. Editors : Production sources swear by Shreekar Prasad, who edited films like Raavan , National Award winning Tamil film Kutty Shrank, Kaminey , etc.

He's believed to charge Rs 25 lakh per film, plus another R 8 lakh to cut the promos. Lyricists : Javed Akhtar takes the credit as he's said to charge Rs 10 lakh per song.

Not far behind is Prasoon Joshi, who's believed to demand Rs 8 lakh per number. Playback singers : Sonu Niigam makes the most among the male playback singers, earning a cool Rs 10 lakhs per song.

Among the females, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal rule the roost, making Rs 2.5 lakh per song.

"And of course, the singers make extra moolah by singing those songs in shows." Tweet (less)

His body kept in a casket, decked with flowers, was taken to the crematorium in a motorcade as his admirers paid him rich tributes. His wife Kalpana Kartik could not attend as she had high blood pressure and remained behind in the Washington Mayfair hotel where the actor breathed his last.

Besides his son Suneil and daughter Devina, his sister Sheila Kapoor, the mother of filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, were also present. So were the acting High Commissioner of India Rakesh Prasad, his close friend Kartar Lalvani, Lord Karan Billimoria, and Baroness Shreela Flather.

Dev Anand died here on December 3 at the age of 88 with his son by his side. While fans in India could not have a last glimpse of the star, his ashes will be flown back to Mumbai, the city associated for over 60 years with the thespian's incomparable body of work.

A memorial service will be held at the Mehboob studio in Mumbai on December 15. True to his full-of-life image, his final journey saw some of his remarkable songs being sung as a tribute.

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They both live around the same place in Bandra. Also, Dutt has seen Ranbir grow up.

They work out together at the same gym in Dutt’s building Imperial Heights. Though Ranbir has his own trainer, he had always looked up to Sanju.

When it came to buying a gift for Ranbir, Dutt immediately thought of a bike. Sanju knows how much Ranbir loves bikes,” added the source.

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2 crore of the film's budget to costumes. A source revealed to Mumbai Mirror that the film's leading lady, Kareena Kapoor , will have 130 costumes designed especially for her by ace designer Manish Malhotra.

The source explained, "Kareena plays a diva at the prime of her career. Each scene will have at least four costume changes.

Heroine is an extravagant project and they are leaving no stone unturned to make it look as glamorous as possible." Reportedly, Kareena is expected to meet with Malhotra next weekend for dress fittings.

And apparently, National Award winning director Madhur Bhandarkar will also be present to oversee the costume trials. The source also informed us that Rs 5 lakh of the film's budget was previously spent on costumes that the former leading lady, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, wore, during the nine days that she shot for Heroine.

However, all those costumes were of no use, as Kareena is a different size. When contacted, Manish Malhotra told Mumbai Mirror, "I have never made so many costumes for one actress in my entire career, till date.

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Joshi and Pawar were found with cash of Rs one lakh each in their possession, the official told PTI. The official said as per Customs rules, Indian passengers can carry Indian currency only up to Rs 7,500, while returning from abroad.

The three are being questioned and are likely to be booked for violation of Customs Act, the official added. Earlier this year, actors Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu and producer Ekta Kapoor had been detained by the Customs for not declaring goods.

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Confirming these developments, Ranbir's father Rishi Kapoor, who would also be the tour's producer, said: "Shahid and my son have become good friends. He is likely to join us.

The rest of the details are still being finalized." Shahid earlier had to opt out after his next film directed by Maneesh Sharma got delayed because of the director's back problem.

But then, something unforeseen happened and Ranbir's bonding with Shahid got stronger in Macau during their performance at the Awards. Regarding his own performance on stage with his son, Rishi said: "There's a demand for it.

But whether my injured knees allow me the pleasure of dancing with my son, remains to be seen." Besides Ranbir, Shahid and Katrina Kaif, the world tour would also feature Priyanka Chopra and Anushka Sharma.

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Recently, Kareena reached an understanding with the producers of Heroine to reduce her signing amount and in exchange share the film's profits. Shahid too has decided to follow suit.

The actor has returned his signing amount of Rs 7 crore to producer Sheetal Talwar in exchange for a share in the profits of director Pankaj Kapoor's film Mausam. A source informed Mumbai Mirror that Sheetal was initially taken aback when Shahid returned the cheque and asked to be a shareholder instead.

"But then she readily agreed to Shahid's terms. Also, considering Mausam is Shahid's father Pankaj Kapoor's debut film as a director, Shahid didn't feel like charging for the film," explained the source.

While Kareena is the first actress in Bollywood to share profits of a film, Shahid will be the latest to be added to a list that has names like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan (less)

The groom's tweet was preceded by one from actor Shahid Kapoor, announcing the wedding of his Chance Pe Dance co- star. " And G is married !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unbeleivable .

:)," he posted. The wedding, held in traditional Marathi style, was attended by bigwigs from the film and political world - among them Sharad Pawar, Prithviraj Chavan, Praful Patel, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Kajol.

Riteish, wearing a white sherwani and red feta (turban), entered the Grand Hyatt on a ghodi. The baaraat started from the grounds near Grand Hyatt and reached the hotel.

The actor's politician father, Vilasrao Deshmukh, was dressed in a brown sherwani. Click here to see the pics Earlier, Riteish set the mood for the wedding with this tweet a few hours ago: "Saw the Last sunset as a Bachelor.

" Riteish and Genelia's wedding today is expected to draw bigwigs from the film industry and politics. Father of the groom, Vilasrao Deshmukh, is the former chief minister of Maharashtra and is the Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.

Riteish, Genelia's grand sangeet Both Riteish and his bride-to-be Genelia are on Twitter, this morning. Both sent tweets to Mona Kapoor, entrepreneur and first wife of producer Boney Kapoor, wishing her on her birthday.

Earlier, they posted tweets to actor Priyanka Chopra who missed their sangeet due to filming. Dressed in their best, stars at sangeet Yesterday Riteish and Genelia wrapped up chores (their last as singles).

We spotted them first at Linking Road in Bandra and later, Genelia prayed at her church. Known to be religious, Genelia wore her pre-bridal glow, which added sheen to her otherwise casual jeans and blazer look.

A party, a grand sangeet on Tuesday and rituals have preceded the wedding. While Riteish and Genelia's colleagues stepped out in their best traditional outfits and spent happy hours at the sangeet, Genelia was seen dancing her heart out at a ritual yesterday.

Moving away from tradition for a bit, a party was hosted for them by producer Sajid Nadiadwala and actor Fardeen Khan on January 24. Riteish and Genelia first met while shooting their debut film Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003.

Despite leading public lives, their eight-year courtship has been largely private. Post marriage, the two will be seen together in a love story on screen - Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya - a Hindi film scheduled to release at the end of this month.

(With PTI Inputs) Tweet (less)

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