"I can't take prompting. First of all, I don't know the art of someone holding a placard and me reading it," Aishwarya, 36, said.

"I tried it once, but it was such a flop because I was in the water and they were holding the placard behind the camera and suddenly Vikram enters the frame and he started acting his bit. Then I had to bank on my memory because Vikram came in front, blocking the placard.

"I don't know how to go with these cheating tactics. So prompting doesn't work.

I tried, but it didn't work because of the waterfall. You can't hear a thing.

So I literally had to rely on memory," she said. Aishwarya plays the female protagonist in both versions of Mani Ratnam's much-awaited movie that is titled 'Raavan' in Hindi and 'Raavanan' in Tamil.

For the Hindi version, she has teamed up with southern star Vikram, who plays her husband, and her real life partner Abhishek, who is seen as her tormentor. Is your Tamil as good as Hindi? "No, no it was memorising and delivering.

But if you keep it in front of me, I would be able to pick it up and do it again," she said. The former beauty queen says though she and Abhishek don't take their personal relationship to the sets of a movie, their natural chemistry reflects on camera.

"We, of course, separate our personal life in front of the camera. But when Abhishek and me are framed together, you naturally see the connection.

Even if it was another Hindi actor, may be you would see a more natural connection than you would see between Vikram and me but that is not because of anything else but probably the familiarity of seeing people together." (less)

Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

?? Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad. Aping his mentor Vishal Bhardwaj in style and technique, he infuses color, essence and sound to every frame that he lights up with love.

His Gorakhpur might be a remote village heavily spruced with shanties, but his camera captures the small nooks, fields, hills and rusty roads with elegance.??The film is an actor's delight and Vidya, Arshad and Naseer seem to make the most of their characters.

Right from the opening frame, Chaubey sets the tone and mood of the film.??Be it the vulgar yet frothy camaraderie between Arshad and Naseer or Vidya's one-liners, each thing is in tandem with the other.

The songs neither digress from the story nor distract you. Instead, they take the story forward.

Among the performances, Vidya is outstanding. She tempts, taunts and teases her way into your heart as the sassy village belle.

She's not only natural but also graceful in the crudest of moments. Meanwhile, Arshad and Naseer seem to have fun, both sharing great chemistry throughout.

The dialogues are not just witty but also razor-sharp.?? The climax of the film is a huge bummer! As the story progresses and the characters start showing their asli rang, there seems to be an urgency to give the plot an end.

Vidya's change of heart and her actions before the mystery behind her husband's death is revealed, have been handled shoddily. The language is tough to grasp in the beginning but you soon get used to the words.

Also, there are a few abuses that might make you squirm.?? Ishqiya has a universal appeal.

Anyone who loves to hear stories and drown themselves in the sights and sounds of a place?? will be delighted. The performances will have you gasping for more.

A; Drama Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

Dir: Abhishek Chaubey What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi It's the time for triumphant threes. First it was the Idiots, now this trio Naseer, Arshad and Vidya enthralls with this tale of love, lust and betrayal.

Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

?? Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad. Aping his mentor Vishal Bhardwaj in style and technique, he infuses color, essence and sound to every frame that he lights up with love.

His Gorakhpur might be a remote village heavily spruced with shanties, but his camera captures the small nooks, fields, hills and rusty roads with elegance.??The film is an actor's delight and Vidya, Arshad and Naseer seem to make the most of their characters.

Right from the opening frame, Chaubey sets the tone and mood of the film.??Be it the vulgar yet frothy camaraderie between Arshad and Naseer or Vidya's one-liners, each thing is in tandem with the other.

The songs neither digress from the story nor distract you. Instead, they take the story forward.

Among the performances, Vidya is outstanding. She tempts, taunts and teases her way into your heart as the sassy village belle.

She's not only natural but also graceful in the crudest of moments. Meanwhile, Arshad and Naseer seem to have fun, both sharing great chemistry throughout.

The dialogues are not just witty but also razor-sharp.?? The climax of the film is a huge bummer! As the story progresses and the characters start showing their asli rang, there seems to be an urgency to give the plot an end.

Vidya's change of heart and her actions before the mystery behind her husband's death is revealed, have been handled shoddily. The language is tough to grasp in the beginning but you soon get used to the words.

Also, there are a few abuses that might make you squirm.?? Ishqiya has a universal appeal.

Anyone who loves to hear stories and drown themselves in the sights and sounds of a place?? will be delighted. The performances will have you gasping for more.

*** Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad (less)

After the male cast of All The Best played a 'ghostly' prank on Bipasha Basu during the film's shoot, the cast of Golmaal 3 decided to repeat the same scare on Kareena Kapoor while shooting at a hotel." Koi hai.

..

They planned the whole prank in advance. When Bebo was on the set one day, Ajay and Rohit casually began discussing how a woman was killed in the hotel.

They said how they'd read all about it on the net. They even told her that the lady's spirit roams around in a white saree late night and visits all the villas, suites and rooms at the hotel.

" To spook her further, they added that it is a very angry spirit that roamed the hotel and it even killed a guest staying at the hotel. The actress who is staying in a suite was naturally scared and kept shouting at them to stop discussing this ghastly details, but they mercilessly continued.

" As Kareena is the only girl on the set, she is often the target for such pranks. Won't cower Bebo laughs, "Ajay keeps trying to scare me with stories of a ghost in our hotel.

Of course I get scared with such horror stories and keep yelling at them to stop but they don't! This hotel is like a khandar with no other habitation outside it and hardly any guests and it gets a bit scary at times. But I refuse to cower in fright and give them the pleasure of pulling off their pranks!" My prank league Kareena has brought her "IPL team" (as she calls them) with her to Goa.

They include director Lovely Singh, her yoga trainer, stylist Radhika and her hair and make-up lady as well as her spot boy (less)

Poor me and Karan Johar have just two hours to shoot Lift Kara De episode before leaving for Delhi for Housefull.?? Thank God I slept early.

Am up, swimming 80 laps and preparing?? for the shoot. Poor me and Karan Johar have just two hours to shoot Lift Kara De episode before leaving for Delhi for Housefull.

?? Ready on the sets at Yash Raj Studios. Karan hasn't slept the night, I don't think he'll ever forgive me for making him shoot at the crack of dawn.

?? My staff are pleading with me to wrap quickly lest I miss my flight. It was a beautiful show.

It brought tears to practically everyone's eyes!!?? After all that rush, my plane was delayed for half an hour. I dashed home and had a sneaky romantic breakfast with my wife Tina, then rushed to the airport.

?? 'H' crew lands safely. Of course, the hyper Sajid Khan didn't let anyone get a wink of sleep.

?? Everyone's getting ready for the press meets. Only takes me four minutes, our ladies take an hour.

I'm taking a nap!!?? Sajid didn't let me nap, he takes only two minutes to get ready! Annoyed the hell out of our heroines.?? Getting tired now, but about to enter one-on-one interviews.

It's no joke promoting a movie.?? By the 10th interview you start hating your own movie.

?? Organised a big bus to take the actors around today so we could all be together. Headed to airport, we are singing songs like teenagers right now, while Sajid plays DJ, Lara's surprisingly good at karaoke.

On the flight back, what a wonderful day! Going to seriously miss my mates after the release this Friday.?? Good night.

Love + prayers, your devoted Akshay & Housefull motley crew..

. 6 am: Ready on the sets at Yash Raj Studios.

Karan hasn't slept the night, I don't think he'll ever forgive me for making him shoot at the crack of dawn.?? Thank God I slept early.

Am up, swimming 80 laps and preparing?? for the shoot. Poor me and Karan Johar have just two hours to shoot Lift Kara De episode before leaving for Delhi for Housefull.

?? Ready on the sets at Yash Raj Studios. Karan hasn't slept the night, I don't think he'll ever forgive me for making him shoot at the crack of dawn.

?? My staff are pleading with me to wrap quickly lest I miss my flight. It was a beautiful show.

It brought tears to practically everyone's eyes!!?? After all that rush, my plane was delayed for half an hour. I dashed home and had a sneaky romantic breakfast with my wife Tina, then rushed to the airport.

?? 'H' crew lands safely. Of course, the hyper Sajid Khan didn't let anyone get a wink of sleep.

?? Everyone's getting ready for the press meets. Only takes me four minutes, our ladies take an hour.

I'm taking a nap!!?? Sajid didn't let me nap, he takes only two minutes to get ready! Annoyed the hell out of our heroines.?? Getting tired now, but about to enter one-on-one interviews.

It's no joke promoting a movie.?? By the 10th interview you start hating your own movie.

?? Organised a big bus to take the actors around today so we could all be together. Headed to airport, we are singing songs like teenagers right now, while Sajid plays DJ, Lara's surprisingly good at karaoke.

On the flight back, what a wonderful day! Going to seriously miss my mates after the release this Friday.?? Good night.

Love + prayers, your devoted Akshay & Housefull motley crew..

. 8 am: My staff are pleading with me to wrap quickly lest I miss my flight.

It was a beautiful show. It brought tears to practically everyone's eyes!!?? (less)

The promotional videos or even the title song?the makers of LSD are making sure their going all out to do just what they planned ? shock, question and interest audiences the nation over? adds the analyst (less)

A; DRAMA So much that they can't catch a wink without getting spooked. Micah decides to find the cause of the paranormal activity by setting up a night vision camera in their bedroom which captures every small movement throughout the night.

Throw in?? an Ouija board and a psychic and we have the makings of a horror film.?? Director: Oren Peli ?? Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat?? The premise is ingenious.

A young couple trapped in a haunted house with nowhere to go. Watching two unknown faces play themselves in an eerie environment works on a subconscious level.

The dialogue is basic and the event unfolds at a natural pace. **1/2 There is no rush or hurry to build up the impending climax.

Oren Peli infuses life into his camera making into a character that participates in the proceeding rather than being a standby machine. Both Micah and Katie have a natural comfort with each other which makes the film more believable (less)

Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

?? Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad. Aping his mentor Vishal Bhardwaj in style and technique, he infuses color, essence and sound to every frame that he lights up with love.

His Gorakhpur might be a remote village heavily spruced with shanties, but his camera captures the small nooks, fields, hills and rusty roads with elegance.??The film is an actor's delight and Vidya, Arshad and Naseer seem to make the most of their characters.

Right from the opening frame, Chaubey sets the tone and mood of the film.??Be it the vulgar yet frothy camaraderie between Arshad and Naseer or Vidya's one-liners, each thing is in tandem with the other.

The songs neither digress from the story nor distract you. Instead, they take the story forward.

Among the performances, Vidya is outstanding. She tempts, taunts and teases her way into your heart as the sassy village belle.

She's not only natural but also graceful in the crudest of moments. Meanwhile, Arshad and Naseer seem to have fun, both sharing great chemistry throughout.

The dialogues are not just witty but also razor-sharp.?? The climax of the film is a huge bummer! As the story progresses and the characters start showing their asli rang, there seems to be an urgency to give the plot an end.

Vidya's change of heart and her actions before the mystery behind her husband's death is revealed, have been handled shoddily. The language is tough to grasp in the beginning but you soon get used to the words.

Also, there are a few abuses that might make you squirm.?? Ishqiya has a universal appeal.

Anyone who loves to hear stories and drown themselves in the sights and sounds of a place?? will be delighted. The performances will have you gasping for more.

A; Drama Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

Dir: Abhishek Chaubey What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi It's the time for triumphant threes. First it was the Idiots, now this trio Naseer, Arshad and Vidya enthralls with this tale of love, lust and betrayal.

Khalujaan (Naseer) and Babban (Arshad) are small- time crooks. Having narrowly escaped from the clutches of a terrifying goon of a boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid) they manage to find shelter in the house of a lonely widow, Krishna (Vidya).

What follows is unexpected. While the men have to pay off their loan to Mushtaq, they face several hurdles in the form of Krishna's irresistible charm and sex appeal.

Both Khalu and Babban fall in love with her, not knowing her past or her actual intentions. The second half springs up enough surprises to keep you entertained.

?? Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad. Aping his mentor Vishal Bhardwaj in style and technique, he infuses color, essence and sound to every frame that he lights up with love.

His Gorakhpur might be a remote village heavily spruced with shanties, but his camera captures the small nooks, fields, hills and rusty roads with elegance.??The film is an actor's delight and Vidya, Arshad and Naseer seem to make the most of their characters.

Right from the opening frame, Chaubey sets the tone and mood of the film.??Be it the vulgar yet frothy camaraderie between Arshad and Naseer or Vidya's one-liners, each thing is in tandem with the other.

The songs neither digress from the story nor distract you. Instead, they take the story forward.

Among the performances, Vidya is outstanding. She tempts, taunts and teases her way into your heart as the sassy village belle.

She's not only natural but also graceful in the crudest of moments. Meanwhile, Arshad and Naseer seem to have fun, both sharing great chemistry throughout.

The dialogues are not just witty but also razor-sharp.?? The climax of the film is a huge bummer! As the story progresses and the characters start showing their asli rang, there seems to be an urgency to give the plot an end.

Vidya's change of heart and her actions before the mystery behind her husband's death is revealed, have been handled shoddily. The language is tough to grasp in the beginning but you soon get used to the words.

Also, there are a few abuses that might make you squirm.?? Ishqiya has a universal appeal.

Anyone who loves to hear stories and drown themselves in the sights and sounds of a place?? will be delighted. The performances will have you gasping for more.

*** Chaubey makes an impressive debut with his take on the unpredictability of human emotions and the thin line between the good and the bad (less)

But the trial-and-error mantra also works well for me. On the move To Shraddha Kapoor, it doesn't matter how a photograph turns out and what people think of it, as long as she finds it appealing.

The actress who is still trying to master her SLR camera shares her love for photography with CS: ?? I have always loved capturing interesting moments and gave up on my sweet little digital camera when I got serious about my new passion. I bought myself a professional camera last September to take my hobby one step further.

I went through the manual and took the SLR camera with me on my last trip to Ladakh. Since I'm still struggling to figure out the camera, I keep asking my photographer friends for tips.

But the trial-and-error mantra also works well for me. I love shooting interesting moments.

I'm drawn to nature and always lug my camera with me on all my trips. My favourite picture so far has been one that I shot in Ladakh.

It shows the dual world that we live in. Untouched nature juxtaposed with urban charm is depicted through the cars in a seemingly peaceful and natural environment.

You are immediately transported to a wonderland. I'm so glad that I was able to capture the essence of Ladakh through my photographs.

I feel the strongest urge to capture photographs when I am doing something adventurous or having fun. I might not have learnt photography, but maybe someday I will take up a course in it.

I definitely want to be a professional photographer! I love shooting interesting moments. I'm drawn to nature and always lug my camera with me on all my trips.

My favourite picture so far has been one that I shot in Ladakh. It shows the dual world that we live in.

Untouched nature juxtaposed with urban charm is depicted through the cars in a seemingly peaceful and natural environment. You are immediately transported to a wonderland.

I'm so glad that I was able to capture the essence of Ladakh through my photographs (less)

And to prove it, the producer-director has also requested leading multiplexes to keep ambulances on standby. You know.

..

just in case. Monitored Vikram Bhatt claims his latest horror flick Shaapit is the scariest ever.

And to prove it, the producer-director has also requested leading multiplexes to keep ambulances on standby. You know.

..

just in case. Incidentally, Ramu is offering a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who claims he can watch the Phoonk sequel alone in an auditorium without getting scared.

The director will fit the solitary viewer with an ECG machine that will monitor the heartbeat and pulse rate. Ask him if this is a similar gimmick to promote his film and he says.

"I don't indulge in such tactics like Ram Gopal Varma does to market his horror flicks. I am appalled that he is again paying people to see Phoonk 2 alone! What is the point of having one people sit alone in an auditorium and see how scared he or she gets? Cinema going is a mass activity.

It is better to have 400 people view it and scare them together," he says.Adds Bhatt, "A horror film should simply scare and no such tactics are necessary.

I know that my earlier films like Raaz and 1920 did scare, I don't know if Ramu's films scared the audience with his tactics."Bhatt justifies the ambulances, adding, "I have pulled out all the stops in the plot to make things as frightening as possible.

The weak-hearted in the audience may need medical attention. I want multiplexes to take necessary precautions.

"Shaapit features newbies Aditya Narayan and Shweta Agarwal along with Rahul Dev. Vikram Bhatt claims his latest horror flick Shaapit is the scariest ever.

And to prove it, the producer-director has also requested leading multiplexes to keep ambulances on standby. You know.

..

just in case. Incidentally, Ramu is offering a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who claims he can watch the Phoonk sequel alone in an auditorium without getting scared.

The director will fit the solitary viewer with an ECG machine that will monitor the heartbeat and pulse rate. Ask him if this is a similar gimmick to promote his film and he says.

"I don't indulge in such tactics like Ram Gopal Varma does to market his horror flicks. I am appalled that he is again paying people to see Phoonk 2 alone! What is the point of having one people sit alone in an auditorium and see how scared he or she gets? Cinema going is a mass activity.

It is better to have 400 people view it and scare them together," he says.Adds Bhatt, "A horror film should simply scare and no such tactics are necessary.

I know that my earlier films like Raaz and 1920 did scare, I don't know if Ramu's films scared the audience with his tactics."Bhatt justifies the ambulances, adding, "I have pulled out all the stops in the plot to make things as frightening as possible.

The weak-hearted in the audience may need medical attention. I want multiplexes to take necessary precautions.

"Shaapit features newbies Aditya Narayan and Shweta Agarwal along with Rahul Dev. Ask him if this is a similar gimmick to promote his film and he says.

"I don't indulge in such tactics like Ram Gopal Varma does to market his horror flicks. I am appalled that he is again paying people to see Phoonk 2 alone! What is the point of having one people sit alone in an auditorium and see how scared he or she gets? Cinema going is a mass activity.

It is better to have 400 people view it and scare them together," he says. Adds Bhatt, "A horror film should simply scare and no such tactics are necessary.

I know that my earlier films like Raaz and 1920 did scare, I don't know if Ramu's films scared the audience with his tactics." (less)

Film is presented by Ikkon Films and is produced by Krishan Chaudhery, Sumeet Saigal and Vipin Jain. Rajesh Ranshinge directs the film; he has made thrillers for T.

V like, Sssh Koi Hai, Aahat and CID in the past. In this Film Udita and Tanushree are playing Sisters.

Tanushree says ?Every actor wishes to do different roles and show their potential in a vivid manner. Similarly, I was open to doing different roles and this fell into my lap.

I?ve always wanted to do a horror film, and I got this opportunity through this film. I am looking forward to this film and am quite positive about it.

? She further adds ?I love the genre and ?am highly fascinated by all the ghostly things.? Actor Turned?Producer Sumeet Saigal comments, ?It is a supernatural thriller, and is based on a real-life incident of someone who is no more.

Tanushree Dutta and Udita Goswami play the protagonists.? The film will be shot entirely on a set and not on real locations.

As per Mr. Krishan Chaudhery, the producer of the film, this film has all the horror elements that audiences would wish to watch in a film of horror genre.

We have both fabulous actress Tanushree Dutta and Udita Goswami working in the film. The director, Mr.

Rajesh Ranshinge is at his best, for making the audiences like this horror movie. Along with Tanu and Udita, other artists of the film are Shaad Randhava, Sachin Khedekar, Ashwini Kalasekar, Murli Sharma and Aarif Jakaria.

The producers confirm that the film is slated to go on the floors on the 12th of August this year (less)

One can credit the success of this genre majorly to the likes of Abbas Mustan and gang. The latest movie that's doing the rounds with its suspense element intact is the Akshay Kumar-Ayesha Takia starrer 8 X 10 Tasveer , that's being directed by the talented Nagesh Kukunoor.

Rumours have already started doing the rounds regarding the 'unveiling' (read 'spoiling') of the film's much-guarded suspense. Till, now, what has been known of the film is that Akshay Kumar, who plays the role of plays a Forest Ranger called Jai Puri, possesses supernatural powers.

And how a personal tragedy 'leads' him to use his unique supernatural power to unravel the mystery behind the murder. Rumours have it that the film has Akshay Kumar in a double role, of which one is a sincere Forest Officer, while the other is the villain.

Since both of them get separated at birth, this fact remains unknown to both of them. While their mother is played by Sharmila Tagore, their father is portrayed by the versatile Benjamin Gilani.

The actual story unfolds when Gilani dies and the subconscious of the 'hero' Akshay becomes restless, after seeing his father's photograph, that's of the size '8 X 10', thus forming the film's title 8 X 10 Tasveer . Since he is blessed with supernatural powers, he becomes dead sure that his father was murdered and that he just did not die a natural death.

Sharmila Tagore tries her level best to convince him that his father died a natural death since she was besides him when he died. But the subconscious in Akshay refuses to agree or believe a word of this.

After all the high voltage drama, comes the revelation (courtesy the 'good' Akshay) that his father was indeed murdered by the 'villain' Akshay. Now whether this is true or a rumour, only time will tell (less)

I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15. At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants.

Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it.

Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town. Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car.

" Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable. "All these things are a memory.

I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much. I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15.

At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants. Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience.

In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies. Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.

m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town.

Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car." Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable.

"All these things are a memory. I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much.

I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15. At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants.

Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it.

Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town. Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car.

" Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable. "All these things are a memory.

I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much. I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15.

At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants. Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience.

In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies. Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.

m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town.

Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car." (less)

According to sources,Miley is eying the starring role in a new film by the producers of Paranormal Activity called Wake! Based on a book of the same name, the thriller is about a 17-year-old girl who has the ability to become sucked into people's dreams. Miley Cyrus was spotted walking through LAX airport with boyfriend Liam Hemsworth sporting a new tattoo in Los Angeles.

The 17-year-old "Can't Be Tamed" singer's new tattoo is of the word "LOVE" on the inner part of her right ear. According to sources,Miley is eying the starring role in a new film by the producers of Paranormal Activity called Wake! Based on a book of the same name, the thriller is about a 17-year-old girl who has the ability to become sucked into people's dreams.

Miley Cyrus was spotted walking through LAX airport with boyfriend Liam Hemsworth sporting a new tattoo in Los Angeles. The 17-year-old "Can't Be Tamed" singer's new tattoo is of the word "LOVE" on the inner part of her right ear.

According to sources,Miley is eying the starring role in a new film by the producers of Paranormal Activity called Wake! Based on a book of the same name, the thriller is about a 17-year-old girl who has the ability to become sucked into people's dreams. Miley Cyrus was spotted walking through LAX airport with boyfriend Liam Hemsworth sporting a new tattoo in Los Angeles.

The 17-year-old "Can't Be Tamed" singer's new tattoo is of the word "LOVE" on the inner part of her right ear. According to sources,Miley is eying the starring role in a new film by the producers of Paranormal Activity called Wake! Based on a book of the same name, the thriller is about a 17-year-old girl who has the ability to become sucked into people's dreams.

Miley Cyrus was spotted walking through LAX airport with boyfriend Liam Hemsworth sporting a new tattoo in Los Angeles. The 17-year-old "Can't Be Tamed" singer's new tattoo is of the word "LOVE" on the inner part of her right ear.

According to sources,Miley is eying the starring role in a new film by the producers of Paranormal Activity called Wake! Based on a book of the same name, the thriller is about a 17-year-old girl who has the ability to become sucked into people's dreams (less)

We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it's being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie.

In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there's a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source.

The activity will continue till Thursday morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. It will be served at 6 a.

m. Produced by UTV, "Chance Pe Dance" is releasing Jan 15.

Out of all different movie promotion ideas, this one seems new. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza will be spending Wednesday night together in a car here to promote their forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance".

"Shahid and Genelia will be spending a full night in a small car at the Kamalistan Studios today. There will be vada pao (bun) vendors and khatiyas (string cot) nearby for the people.

We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it's being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie.

In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there's a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source.

The activity will continue till Thursday morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. It will be served at 6 a.

m. Produced by UTV, "Chance Pe Dance" is releasing Jan 15.

Out of all different movie promotion ideas, this one seems new. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza will be spending Wednesday night together in a car here to promote their forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance".

"Shahid and Genelia will be spending a full night in a small car at the Kamalistan Studios today. There will be vada pao (bun) vendors and khatiyas (string cot) nearby for the people.

We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it's being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie.

In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there's a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source.

The activity will continue till Thursday morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. It will be served at 6 a.

m. Produced by UTV, "Chance Pe Dance" is releasing Jan 15.

Out of all different movie promotion ideas, this one seems new. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza will be spending Wednesday night together in a car here to promote their forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance".

"Shahid and Genelia will be spending a full night in a small car at the Kamalistan Studios today. There will be vada pao (bun) vendors and khatiyas (string cot) nearby for the people.

We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it's being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie.

In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there's a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source.

The activity will continue till Thursday morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. It will be served at 6 a.

m. Produced by UTV, "Chance Pe Dance" is releasing Jan 15.

Out of all different movie promotion ideas, this one seems new. Bollywood actors Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza will be spending Wednesday night together in a car here to promote their forthcoming film "Chance Pe Dance".

"Shahid and Genelia will be spending a full night in a small car at the Kamalistan Studios today. There will be vada pao (bun) vendors and khatiyas (string cot) nearby for the people.

We want to make this the most talked about promotional activity in Bollywood and it's being done on a major scale," a source from the film unit said. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

According to the source, the activity was planned as it bears semblance with the lives of those who come here to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. "This activity has similarities with our movie.

In fact in his own days of struggle, Shahid used to sleep in a car many times. In the movie also, there's a scene where these strugglers have to spend nights altogether, because they have no place to stay," added the source.

The activity will continue till Thursday morning and those who will be present there will be able to share tea and bun maska (bun and butter) with the stars. It will be served at 6 a.

m. Produced by UTV, "Chance Pe Dance" is releasing Jan 15 (less)

“Just landing and driving from the airport to the hotel seems out of a film script when you see it for the first time, if you haven’t seen Srinagar this way earlier. The number of armed men on the roads, the number of checkpoints, vantage posts – the very atmosphere can be unnerving,” she recollects.

We heard a lot about her having a tough time, leaving the city midway through shooting. How much of that is true? “Oh, some days were tough, very scary, oppressively so.

I remember the first day vividly. We were to shoot in a CRPF camp, where families of the jawans and officers lived, so it was supposed to be a very secure place.

I put on my burqa, and covered my face with the veil, and was with 50 other girls similarly dressed. Just as we were about to start shooting, a man came and stood in front of the camera, and began to raise religious slogans.

We all just stood looking at him, not knowing what to do. We asked the CRPF men to ask him to move, and let the shooting commence, but they said, no, you ask him.

Within moments there were 50 or so men who’d gathered, and they began raising slogans. It was the name of God, a thought that should bring peace, but they went about saying it in such an aggressive, threatening manner.

..

it was scary! Then they asked, actors kaun hain, unko bulaao, director ko bulaao. Rahul and I were quietly whisked away, and of course, no shooting happened.

Similar episodes happened on other days.” ‘I thought I’d die’ Which was the worst? “In Anantnag, I remember that I was as worried about the jawans’ over-enthusiasm as I was about the crowd that was increasingly getting restless and hostile.

There was this narrow stretch and I remember thinking, God, I must be the only woman amidst a thousand or more men here, and I definitely don’t think we have enough security. The atmosphere was heating up, and then suddenly stones began flying.

I didn’t wait for anyone, I just RAN to the car with the spotboy and make-up artiste, and locked it from inside, and asked the driver to take us back to the hotel rightaway. But getting out was not easy – there were stones being hurled, people hurling themselves onto the car, jostling and pushing.

I honestly thought I’d die there itself, something would happen for sure. Thankfully, we got back in one piece.

” “It was after six such days of endless stress and no shooting that I decided enough was enough. I said, please see how we can get this going, get Sanju here, get the security in place, and then I’ll come.

When it was all in place, after the elections, I went back for shooting, and it was much more peaceful as compared to the first time round. Today, when I see what’s happening in Srinagar on TV, read about the clashes, the violence, the curfew, I also agree that this is not the time to have a movie premiere.

It is on the edge, we can’t expect normalcy for our activity.” ‘I’ve developed a crowd phobia’ Bipasha seems to have had more than her fair share of episodes of mobbing, even outside Kashmir.

True or false? “Oh, yes! I have developed a crowd phobia now. Something or the other seems to be happening.

Sometimes it gets scary, or difficult. It is different for the heroes; if people are falling all over John, that’s a different thing, but it’s not an enjoyable thing for me.

I have developed a plastic smile for these occasions, I think, since I’m petrified of the jostling but I can’t let it show on my face. I recall an event at Ansal Plaza in Delhi where I couldn’t think of a way out, and finally had to give a little speech and then walk with folded hands requesting people to make way for me to get through the crowd.

The people with me were laughing at me acquiring the mannerisms of a politician just to escape the maddening rush. But there was no choice!” Random question: In a chat with Mahesh Bhatt recently, he spoke about how there would be the movies that would be written about in the first paragraph of his obituary – Arth, Saaransh, etc – and how then it’d be said that he also made other movies, which earned him money.

Does Bipasha look at any specific roles that’d define her legacy, especially the intense, non-masala ones such as this one? She surprises with her disarmingly honest response. “I love Mahesh Bhatt, but you know, I couldn’t care what anyone thought about my legacy once I am through with the industry.

I work for today, I enjoy what I am doing, but I am so not concerned with things like what will be my place in the industry X years from now. When someone says you will be remembered as the sex symbol of the industry in this era, I shrug it off and move on.

Does it matter? It’s not as if I don’t care about what I am doing – but I will not think about it when I am not doing films. That’s just the way I am.

” ‘I hated modelling’ Is this detached mode a legacy of the modelling life – step off the ramp, forget the show? “No, I was hardly detached then – I hated modelling! I completely hated it. I got into it very early, so at 17 or so I enjoyed the visibility, the money, the travelling – the one redeeming feature - and I also got to meet some good people.

But by 19, I was like, God, what am I doing here? So I think I was lucky that I got the chance to enter movies at that time when I was offered Ajnabee, and within a year or so, I realized that here was a profession that I enjoyed, that I liked, and I would like to do more of this. And, well, I’ve been here since!” Katrina in a demure saree-clad avatar in Rajneeti; Sameera Reddy in a completely deglam role for Red Alert; Bipasha in an unfamiliar zero-glam role in Lamhaa (presented by GS Entertainment and PVR Pictures); so many actresses who would add the glamour to scripts now anchoring movies with political undertones, playing very unglamorous characters.

Good for countering the stereotyping counter? “It is true that this is bit of a coincidence – but when all of us began shooting for our respective movies, none would have thought they’d release in close proximity,” she explains. It’s not just political storylines, there is more cinema happening apart from the potboilers – so we have the options to do different things.

And of course one looks forward to the so-called de-glam roles, since once you have acquired a certain profile, or should I say specialization, you tend to be offered the same sort of roles.” ‘Films will be filmi’ The fifty costumes and six songs sort of roles? “You know, if you notice carefully, you’d realize that before No Entry, I did not take up any films which required me to dance.

I am not someone trained in the sort of dance that Bollywood requires, and I would always wonder what sort of people are expected to dance on the hills, on the roads, anywhere at the drop of a hat! But in movies, I sort of had to do it once I signed on, and then with it I shed all my inhibitions – and I also came to realize that you cannot be in films and turn your nose up at things and say they are too ‘filmi’. Of course they will be filmi, films are supposed to be filmi!” And that’s stock work, then? She disagrees.

“I have probably worked as hard – if not more – for the typical masala potboiler roles than I have for the more ‘realistic’ ones – for who can ‘naturally’ portray the characters of the potboilers? What is ‘natural’ in breaking into song and dance in the middle of a marketplace? We are very regular, normal people..

. To behave like that in front of the camera is anything but natural.

” Talking of glam vs de-glam roles, Rituparno Ghosh, believed to be making a film on Draupadi’s character, is often said to be ‘all set to cast Bipasha for the role’. To quote him: “I wanted my Draupadi to be dark and attractive.

Not a sex symbol, but she had to possess the oomph factor. I saw all these qualities in Bipasha.

” Her take? “Yes, he wants me to play Draupadi, and I also want to play Draupadi – but I don’t know when. He’s been casting me as Draupadi for about six years now! Actually, I was very impressed by Rupa Ganguly’s portrayal of Draupadi on television all those years back, and have always wanted to play her since.

Draupadi is woman with many layers – an engaging, fascinating character..

.” ‘Heroes don’t recommend me’ So she won’t push and jostle Rituparno to get the project off the ground? “No”, she affirms, “I never push anyone.

If it has to work out, it will.” And then adds, only half in jest, “Nobody else pushes me either, actually.

I wish some heroes recommend me for their movies – but none of them do! Perhaps it is because I don’t have too many friends, I don’t have lobbies, I am not part of any camp. Perhaps it is because I have had one boyfriend associated with me for a long time.

” Is that a conservative or a radical situation where B-town is concerned? We aren’t sure. “Talking of boyfriends, when I entered the industry I heard so many things about how you had to behave, what you had to wear, what you couldn’t do in public if you were a Hindi film heroine – and I recall thinking, yeh industry hai ya jail? But fortunately, I’ve not had to follow too many of those rules, I have mostly lived on my terms, and also there is a more open, accepting atmosphere as well.

” Track her recent endorsements and they have a very clear track to them – sportswear, fitness clothes, fitness DVD, sugar free juices, sugar substitutes, honey – is this a thought out positioning activity or a personal passion? “I won’t deny either, since it is both. I am very fitness conscious and I want to spread that through what I promote.

” Promote for money, right? “It is not just about money – I have turned down very, very lucrative deals to do surrogate promotion campaigns for liquor brands, so if I was just looking at the money I would have taken those on, too,” she counters. While the popular impression remains of top actresses being the party-all-night types, Bipasha, Shilpa, Kareena, Deepika all swear by yoga and are fitness freaks.

Coincidence or necessity? “We may not have the mystique of some of the older heroines – when the media was not so all-pervasive – but perhaps we are more disciplined, and of course the implications of us not being so are higher since there is so much more money riding on individual movies today. As professionals, we have to respect time, take care of our fitness, look at the sustainability of our careers.

I’ve been around, like nine years, and while I couldn’t care less about the hierarchy of competition, to be counted as among the top 4-5 for that long a period is a good feeling.” True.

Now, for the clichd question. Bips, hold on a moment, how can we wrap up without asking about.

..

Dhoni? ‘ Dhoni..

. no!’ “GOD, NO, I can’t answer any more questions about Dhoni and his wedding!” comes the exasperated plea.

“I’m going to hit him when I meet him next, for getting married, my phone hasn’t stopped ringing since then. No, I didn’t act as matchmaker, and no, I wasn’t hosting anything for them on the 7th.

I was just having a football party at my place on the 7th – though, in retrospect, I felt I shouldn’t have denied it. I would have had lines of OB vans outside my house to cover me watching the world cup on TV!” Score one for Bips here! Check out Bipasha Basu’s homepage (less)

I was completely fascinated by these stories and questions like what happens when we die, what happens to our soul when we cease existing in the physical form plagued me. Then when I went to medical college, I started reading a lot of books on the subject and started talking to patients.

I used to write down instances that people shared with me and would highlight passages in books that fascinated me. My friends and relatives laughed at me, but in a way, that egged me on.

I find it truly amazing how our soul and body work two people who are suffering from the same disease don't heal in the same way; good things happen to bad people and vice versa. When I was working in Nair hospital, I'd sit next to burn patients, women in labour rooms, accident victims and try to understand what they were feeling as they neared death.

I also spoke to people who'd had out-of-body experiences (OBE), visited 'haunted' places in Mumbai and went to dargahs in Ahmedabad which were visited by people possessed by spirits. Since I was interested in learning more, I would frequent Ouija board and planchette practitioners.

From first-hand experience, I can say that the coin does move by spiritual force. I also learnt auto writing, where you hold a pen to a paper and your hand moves through some mysterious force, the thoughts too are not yours.

The first time I did auto writing, it was really frightening. To be just sitting there holding a pen and witness your hand moving without any effort on your part, is freaky at a level.

And let me tell you that this experience has helped understand and solve a lot of physical and mental in my present life. Finding dope The mysterious might fascinate us, but for Dr Mehra Shrikhande, a Pune-based ophthalmic surgeon, delving into the unknown is much more than a fascination.

As her book Paranormal Experiences: Beyond the Realms of Reason hits stores in Mumbai, Dr Mehra shares her out-of-this-world experiences with CS: When I was very young, my friends and my relatives would often talk about their brush with the supernatural. I was completely fascinated by these stories and questions like what happens when we die, what happens to our soul when we cease existing in the physical form plagued me.

Then when I went to medical college, I started reading a lot of books on the subject and started talking to patients. I used to write down instances that people shared with me and would highlight passages in books that fascinated me.

My friends and relatives laughed at me, but in a way, that egged me on. I find it truly amazing how our soul and body work two people who are suffering from the same disease don't heal in the same way; good things happen to bad people and vice versa.

When I was working in Nair hospital, I'd sit next to burn patients, women in labour rooms, accident victims and try to understand what they were feeling as they neared death. I also spoke to people who'd had out-of-body experiences (OBE), visited 'haunted' places in Mumbai and went to dargahs in Ahmedabad which were visited by people possessed by spirits.

Since I was interested in learning more, I would frequent Ouija board and planchette practitioners. From first-hand experience, I can say that the coin does move by spiritual force.

I also learnt auto writing, where you hold a pen to a paper and your hand moves through some mysterious force, the thoughts too are not yours. The first time I did auto writing, it was really frightening.

To be just sitting there holding a pen and witness your hand moving without any effort on your part, is freaky at a level. And let me tell you that this experience has helped understand and solve a lot of physical and mental in my present life.

The mysterious might fascinate us, but for Dr Mehra Shrikhande, a Pune-based ophthalmic surgeon, delving into the unknown is much more than a fascination. As her book Paranormal Experiences: Beyond the Realms of Reason hits stores in Mumbai, Dr Mehra shares her out-of-this-world experiences with CS: When I was very young, my friends and my relatives would often talk about their brush with the supernatural.

I was completely fascinated by these stories and questions like what happens when we die, what happens to our soul when we cease existing in the physical form plagued me. Then when I went to medical college, I started reading a lot of books on the subject and started talking to patients.

I used to write down instances that people shared with me and would highlight passages in books that fascinated me. My friends and relatives laughed at me, but in a way, that egged me on.

I find it truly amazing how our soul and body work two people who are suffering from the same disease don't heal in the same way; good things happen to bad people and vice versa. When I was working in Nair hospital, I'd sit next to burn patients, women in labour rooms, accident victims and try to understand what they were feeling as they neared death.

I also spoke to people who'd had out-of-body experiences (OBE), visited 'haunted' places in Mumbai and went to dargahs in Ahmedabad which were visited by people possessed by spirits. Since I was interested in learning more, I would frequent Ouija board and planchette practitioners.

From first-hand experience, I can say that the coin does move by spiritual force. I also learnt auto writing, where you hold a pen to a paper and your hand moves through some mysterious force, the thoughts too are not yours.

The first time I did auto writing, it was really frightening. To be just sitting there holding a pen and witness your hand moving without any effort on your part, is freaky at a level.

And let me tell you that this experience has helped understand and solve a lot of physical and mental in my present life. Since I was interested in learning more, I would frequent Ouija board and planchette practitioners.

From first-hand experience, I can say that the coin does move by spiritual force. I also learnt auto writing, where you hold a pen to a paper and your hand moves through some mysterious force, the thoughts too are not yours.

The first time I did auto writing, it was really frightening. To be just sitting there holding a pen and witness your hand moving without any effort on your part, is freaky at a level.

And let me tell you that this experience has helped understand and solve a lot of physical and mental in my present life. The mysterious might fascinate us, but for Dr Mehra Shrikhande, a Pune-based ophthalmic surgeon, delving into the unknown is much more than a fascination.

As her book Paranormal Experiences: Beyond the Realms of Reason hits stores in Mumbai, Dr Mehra shares her out-of-this-world experiences with CS: When I was very young, my friends and my relatives would often talk about their brush with the supernatural. I was completely fascinated by these stories and questions like what happens when we die, what happens to our soul when we cease existing in the physical form plagued me.

Then when I went to medical college, I started reading a lot of books on the subject and started talking to patients. I used to write down instances that people shared with me and would highlight passages in books that fascinated me.

My friends and relatives laughed at me, but in a way, that egged me on. I find it truly amazing how our soul and body work two people who are suffering from the same disease don't heal in the same way; good things happen to bad people and vice versa.

When I was working in Nair hospital, I'd sit next to burn patients, women in labour rooms, accident victims and try to understand what they were feeling as they neared death. I also spoke to people who'd had out-of-body experiences (OBE), visited 'haunted' places in Mumbai and went to dargahs in Ahmedabad which were visited by people possessed by spirits.

Since I was interested in learning more, I would frequent Ouija board and planchette practitioners. From first-hand experience, I can say that the coin does move by spiritual force.

I also learnt auto writing, where you hold a pen to a paper and your hand moves through some mysterious force, the thoughts too are not yours. The first time I did auto writing, it was really frightening.

To be just sitting there holding a pen and witness your hand moving without any effort on your part, is freaky at a level. And let me tell you that this experience has helped understand and solve a lot of physical and mental in my present life (less)

Or try to. Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer ?? Oren Peli Horror, Mystery,Thriller Cast: ?? Oren Peli After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night.

Especially when they sleep. Or try to.

Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer ?? Oren Peli Horror, Mystery,Thriller Director: After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep.

Or try to. Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer ?? Oren Peli Horror, Mystery,Thriller Genre: After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night.

Especially when they sleep. Or try to.

Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong, Ashley Palmer ?? Oren Peli Horror, Mystery,Thriller (less)

And we can’t but draw some glaring comparisons between Sonam’s outfits and hers. Blair Wardorf’s look is like that of a 21st century Audrey Hepburn; sprightly, charismatic, yet trendy.

Sonam’s is similar in Aisha. Both Sonam and Blair love feminine, peppy outfits that are well-accessorised with purses, shades and headbands.

Lady Dior Cannage bag Now the outfits in these two may not exactly match but the Lady Dior Cannage bag that Sonam is flaunting in the picture is the exact same one Blair has in her hand. You can’t miss the stockings they have both worn, which bear a lot of resemblance.

Plus, (and pardon us for going a little out on a limb here) both Blair’s and Sonam’s outfits have only two colours: black and white. Christian Dior dress Sonam’s otherwise not-so-petite frame looks beautifully packaged in this Christian Dior dress, which incidentally happens to be the same one Blair sports in one of the episodes of Gossip Girl.

The heart-shaped shades are Sonam’s alone we agree, but Blair’s character is sure to sport similar ones in another episode. And while Sonam’s look seems a more piped up version of Blair’s, notice how their hairstyles match perfectly.

Check out Sonam Kapoor’s homepage (less)

I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15. At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants.

Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it.

Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town. Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car.

" Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable. "All these things are a memory.

I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much. I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15.

At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants. Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience.

In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies. Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.

m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town.

Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car." Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable.

"All these things are a memory. I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much.

I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15. At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants.

Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience. In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies.

Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it.

Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town. Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car.

" Shahid Kapoor feels his struggling days were difficult -- from renting a number of houses to spending a night in a second hand Maruti 800 to giving 100s of auditions and getting rejected -- yet memorable. "All these things are a memory.

I am very happy and proud of the fact that God has been so kind to me and given me so much. I am glad that I was able to get through all those difficulties in my life," said Shahid, who spent a whole night sitting on the roof and bonnet of a car along with his "Chance Pe Dance" co-star Genelia D'Souza at the Kamalistan Studios here, promoting their movie that releases Jan 15.

At around midnight Wednesday, the duo arrived near the car in T-shirts and track pants. Vada pao (bun) and tea vendors were present along with 'khatiyas' (string cot) nearby for the audience.

In the film, Shahid plays a struggler who comes to Mumbai to make it big in the movies. Sources said the activity, which continued till 7 a.

m Thursday, was planned as it resembles the lives of those who come to Mumbai to try their luck and also because a scene in the movie depicts it. Citing a real-life incident when he spent a night in a car during his struggling days, though he had his house and well-settled family in Mumbai, the actor said: "We always lived in a rented flat and we had to shift from one flat to the other and my family was not in town.

Due to some reason we had to leave the flat a day before and I had to spent the night in the car." (less)

Mugdha reveals that during her modelling days she had a scary experience - she heard a non-existent person talking on the mobile phone in her hotel room! "Once I actually experienced something very scary. I was modelling those days and I checked into a room with another girl in Frankfurt.

We were very tired so we switched off the lights and were in our beds by 10 p.m.

But till 2.30 at night I could hear the other girl talking on the phone.

"Finally I woke up and told her to stop talking because I couldn't sleep. But to my horror, she told me that she wanted to tell me the same thing and that her phone had been kept aside for charging," Mugdha told in an interview.

"We got really scared and tried to put on the lights but the lights were not coming on. Then we felt something eerie around.

We immediately called the hotel reception and asked for a room change. It's only when we reached the other room that we heaved a sigh of relief," she said.

But the 24-year-old is not one to get completely spooked. She still loves to watch horror films all alone.

"I like to psych myself out. Sometimes when I'm alone at home, I order horror film DVDS, put off the lights and then watch it.

I like doing that because it gives me a kick," the actress said. Mugdha, who has done films like "Fashion", "All The Best" and "Jail", is now all set to scare audiences in supernatural thriller "Help".

"It's a very interesting character. Also, I am a fan of horror films and I watch one horror film every week.

..

I have a big collection. So I thought if I am getting an opportunity to act in one, then why not?" "In the film, I play the wife of a filmmaker who makes horror movies.

One day they go to Mauritius and that's where unusual things start happening. The film is very international.

It will have audiences on the edge of their seat," she claimed. Directed by Rajeev Virani, "Help" also stars Bobby Deol.

After "Help", Mugdha will be seen in "Will You Marry Me?" that also features Rajeev Khandelwal, Shreyas Talpade, Celina Jaitley and Muzammil Ibrahim (less)

The floral heart beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonises perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by the Parisienne woman Kate Moss. In contrast, the peony gives a breath of Parisienne youth and a hint of morning freshness.

The base note brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.

And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this Parisienne knew a "night of love".' This fragrance flows in a precious flacon, intricately carved like the labyrinth of Parisian streetsand as couture as the YSL label on black leather.

A grand floral with a woody structure, luminous even in its mystery, YSL's Parisienne is the perfume of ultra femininity. The top note adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of bitter sharpness ' the evocation of a certain impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity blackberry, symbol of an epicurean Parisienne.

The floral heart beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonises perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by the Parisienne woman Kate Moss. In contrast, the peony gives a breath of Parisienne youth and a hint of morning freshness.

The base note brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.

And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this Parisienne knew a "night of love".'This fragrance flows in a precious flacon, intricately carved like the labyrinth of Parisian streetsand as couture as the YSL label on black leather.

A grand floral with a woody structure, luminous even in its mystery, YSL's Parisienne is the perfume of ultra femininity. The top note adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of bitter sharpness ' the evocation of a certain impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity blackberry, symbol of an epicurean Parisienne.

The floral heart beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonises perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by the Parisienne woman Kate Moss. In contrast, the peony gives a breath of Parisienne youth and a hint of morning freshness.

The base note brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.

And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this Parisienne knew a "night of love".'This fragrance flows in a precious flacon, intricately carved like the labyrinth of Parisian streetsand as couture as the YSL label on black leather.

A grand floral with a woody structure, luminous even in its mystery, YSL's Parisienne is the perfume of ultra femininity. The top note adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of bitter sharpness ' the evocation of a certain impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity blackberry, symbol of an epicurean Parisienne.

The floral heart beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonises perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by the Parisienne woman Kate Moss. In contrast, the peony gives a breath of Parisienne youth and a hint of morning freshness.

The base note brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.

And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this Parisienne knew a "night of love".'This fragrance flows in a precious flacon, intricately carved like the labyrinth of Parisian streetsand as couture as the YSL label on black leather.

A grand floral with a woody structure, luminous even in its mystery, YSL's Parisienne is the perfume of ultra femininity. The top note adds the shine of vinyl, an ultra modern wink to gloss, varnish or the metal of a spike heel, before the tartness of cranberry adds a point of bitter sharpness ' the evocation of a certain impertinence softened by sparkling, succulent, fruity blackberry, symbol of an epicurean Parisienne.

The floral heart beats wildly with the absolute femininity of the Damas rose, which harmonises perfectly with the powdery violet, sensual and carnal like leather worn by the Parisienne woman Kate Moss. In contrast, the peony gives a breath of Parisienne youth and a hint of morning freshness.

The base note brings tumult and intensity in its woody wake. First with patchouli, the ultimate in mystery.

And when the masculinity of vetiver flirts with the feminine eroticism of musk and sandalwood, one knows that this Parisienne knew a "night of love".'This fragrance flows in a precious flacon, intricately carved like the labyrinth of Parisian streetsand as couture as the YSL label on black leather (less)

Says Kunal, "It's something that just happened. I have a couple of friends who are really good at photography.

Talking to them got me interested as well. I started playing with my camera and really got interested.

I began with an SLR camera and then moved on to a more complex model." Did his Golmaal co-stars comment on his hobby? "My co-stars Arshad (Warsi) and Shreyas (Talpade) have their own cameras and would take pictures.

I still have a lot to learn in terms of using lenses and other stuff. At the moment, I like clicking everything.

After learning to use the camera, I also want to get acquainted with Photoshop and the use of different effects." However, the actor stresses that he doesn't plan to take up photography as a second profession.

"It's just a hobby and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want to take a professional approach to it.

" When asked if he's clicked his girlfriend Soha he adds, "Yes I have clicked some natural, candid pics of hers."?? Mera wala album: The shots snapped up by Kunal Khemu Did his Golmaal co-stars comment on his hobby? "My co-stars Arshad (Warsi) and Shreyas (Talpade) have their own cameras and would take pictures.

I still have a lot to learn in terms of using lenses and other stuff. At the moment, I like clicking everything.

After learning to use the camera, I also want to get acquainted with Photoshop and the use of different effects." Top 5 people I would like to click However, the actor stresses that he doesn't plan to take up photography as a second profession.

"It's just a hobby and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want to take a professional approach to it.

" Amitabh Bachchan Kunal Khemu worked on developing skills for a new hobby he picked up during his Goa schedule for Golmaal 3. The actor has taken to photography and has been busy clicking away.

Says Kunal, "It's something that just happened. I have a couple of friends who are really good at photography.

Talking to them got me interested as well. I started playing with my camera and really got interested.

I began with an SLR camera and then moved on to a more complex model." Did his Golmaal co-stars comment on his hobby? "My co-stars Arshad (Warsi) and Shreyas (Talpade) have their own cameras and would take pictures.

I still have a lot to learn in terms of using lenses and other stuff. At the moment, I like clicking everything.

After learning to use the camera, I also want to get acquainted with Photoshop and the use of different effects." However, the actor stresses that he doesn't plan to take up photography as a second profession.

"It's just a hobby and I plan to keep it that way. I don't want to take a professional approach to it.

" When asked if he's clicked his girlfriend Soha he adds, "Yes I have clicked some natural, candid pics of hers."?? Sachin Tendulkar Kunal Khemu worked on developing skills for a new hobby he picked up during his Goa schedule for Golmaal 3.

The actor has taken to photography and has been busy clicking away. Says Kunal, "It's something that just happened.

I have a couple of friends who are really good at photography. Talking to them got me interested as well.

I started playing with my camera and really got interested. I began with an SLR camera and then moved on to a more complex model.

" Did his Golmaal co-stars comment on his hobby? "My co-stars Arshad (Warsi) and Shreyas (Talpade) have their own cameras and would take pictures. I still have a lot to learn in terms of using lenses and other stuff.

At the moment, I like clicking everything. After learning to use the camera, I also want to get acquainted with Photoshop and the use of different effects.

" However, the actor stresses that he doesn't plan to take up photography as a second profession. "It's just a hobby and I plan to keep it that way.

I don't want to take a professional approach to it." When asked if he's clicked his girlfriend Soha he adds, "Yes I have clicked some natural, candid pics of hers.

"?? (less)

She is not a princess like in the fable. Jasmine is not some one who has a distinct personality.

Jasmine possesses the qualities of a princess in a fairy tale, though she is not a princess in Aladin. I did feel a little bit of pressure because people know who Jasmine is and I?d have to live up to the expectations.

Luckily I had no comparisons. I had to set a standard for Jasmine.

That way it was a challenge for me. Do you think it has been very easy for you to bag your break? To be honest, I have been extremely lucky.

I think I have my own genie who has granted me my wishes. There are many talented young girls who find it very difficult to get a break in Bollywood.

I am indeed because within just a month of my coming to Mumbai, I succeeded in getting my big break and now have my foot in the door. How did you bag Aladin? I did go for an audition for Aladin.

I should confess that it was my first and worst audition. In fact, I thought that it would be the last time that I had faced the camera.

I messed up my lines and giggled. The casting director asked me to talk about a happy and sad event in my life.

I guess I sounded true when I narrated my sad moment, because I tried to be true to the character. I was told that I was on board the film the same evening.

How did you prepare for your part? The brief that I got from director Sujoy Ghosh was that I should not try to get too much into my character but just be natural. I do not think I prepared for the role.

I prepared for the scenes, read the script many times day and night and did the rehearsals. Considering that you are a Sri Lankan national, how were you influenced by Bollywood? (less)

Apparently, Akki who flew in from Canada for a few days to promote a film, agreed to be the guest on a television show hosted by KJo. The only condition was that Karan would have to shoot at 6 am.

Since it was the grand finale, Karan agreed. And as a result he didn’t sleep a wink through the night.

In fact, at an unearthly hour like 5 am, Karan drove to the local studio, wore his make-up and waited for the Bollywood Khiladi who was punctual as always. Check out Akshay Kumar’s homepage (less)

"I know, but not done well in our cinema too often, I've always been fascinated by Hollywood's ' Aliens', 'Blair Witch Project ' formula where a group of people are trapped in a situation and besieged by an enemy that they cannot see. Someone is killing them one by one.

And they're trying to get away. I don't know what that genre is called.

But it's not a Friday the 13th where a psychopath is on the prowl. It's more like Blair Witch Project where the killer is not visible to the eye.

In The Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers , I remember one line. 'Why do we always expect alien creatures to invade a spaceship? Why can't it be a biological invasion?' I want to explore this terror of the unknown.

" Ramu is supremely kicked by his new project. "The challenging part in Agyaat is to create an evil force that's not visible, definable or even comprehensible.

There's some strange phenomenon in the jungle. I read an interview of Ridley Scott where talking about Aliens he said, 'There's no need to understand what's happening during a time of terror.

Because if you explain it you reduce the thrill of it.' Hence, Agyaat , the unknown.

" Agyaat will have some of the best special effects seen in Indian cinema. "It will be a projection of a destructive force from which the victims can't hide or run.

They simply succumb to it." Ramu is as excited as ever.

"I haven't done anything like Agyaat . I'm a great fan of this Hollywood genre.

And I can't wait. The moment I call my film Agyaat (The Unknown) I can go into a hundred different dimensions of the unknown.

" (less)

. a girl's bhoot in a well! ??Says a unit source, "We're shooting in Kapurthala near Jalandhar.

Late one night, Deepak told everyone about a haunted well, where you can see the face of a woman in the water. Deepak sounded so convincing that the unit decided to check with the villagers.

" ??Director Anand Rai says, "Deepak told us this whole story. The villagers also said its true, but none of us saw her face when we went to the well, except Deepak.

It was an enjoyable walk, though a bit spooky!" Deepak says, "I don't actually believe in ghosts but sometimes I do feel scared. However, he insists that he wasn't as scared as the rest.

"Everybody was more scared than I was. If they weren't, I would have been disappointed but everyone did get scared because the place was so eerie.

" Think bizarre and Deepak Dobriyal comes to mind. After getting our goat with his animal attachment, the quirky actor went ghost hunting while shooting for Anand Rai's Tanu Weds Manu, a few days ago.

'?Says a unit source, "We're shooting in Kapurthala near Jalandhar. Late one night, Deepak told everyone about a haunted well, where you can see the face of a woman in the water.

Deepak sounded so convincing that the unit decided to check with the villagers."The villagers told them that a young girl had jumped into the well and committed suicide because the local panchayat had not agreed to her getting married to a boy from the village.

They said that sometimes people could see her face in the water. That people often went to the well to ask for blessings from the spirit for getting luck in love.

So a group from the unit set off to see the well late that night.'?Director Anand Rai says, "Deepak told us this whole story.

The villagers also said its true, but none of us saw her face when we went to the well, except Deepak. It was an enjoyable walk, though a bit spooky!" Deepak says, "I don't actually believe in ghosts but sometimes I do feel scared.

However, he insists that he wasn't as scared as the rest. "Everybody was more scared than I was.

If they weren't, I would have been disappointed but everyone did get scared because the place was so eerie." In Tanu Weds Manu, Deepak plays a distant relative of Manu (Madhavan) and his family.

The film also stars Kangna Ranaut (Tanu) and Jimmy Sheirgill. Think bizarre and Deepak Dobriyal comes to mind.

After getting our goat with his animal attachment, the quirky actor went ghost hunting while shooting for Anand Rai's Tanu Weds Manu, a few days ago.'?Says a unit source, "We're shooting in Kapurthala near Jalandhar.

Late one night, Deepak told everyone about a haunted well, where you can see the face of a woman in the water. Deepak sounded so convincing that the unit decided to check with the villagers.

"The villagers told them that a young girl had jumped into the well and committed suicide because the local panchayat had not agreed to her getting married to a boy from the village. They said that sometimes people could see her face in the water.

That people often went to the well to ask for blessings from the spirit for getting luck in love. So a group from the unit set off to see the well late that night.

'?Director Anand Rai says, "Deepak told us this whole story. The villagers also said its true, but none of us saw her face when we went to the well, except Deepak.

It was an enjoyable walk, though a bit spooky!" Deepak says, "I don't actually believe in ghosts but sometimes I do feel scared. However, he insists that he wasn't as scared as the rest.

"Everybody was more scared than I was. If they weren't, I would have been disappointed but everyone did get scared because the place was so eerie.

" In Tanu Weds Manu, Deepak plays a distant relative of Manu (Madhavan) and his family. The film also stars Kangna Ranaut (Tanu) and Jimmy Sheirgill (less)

A; DRAMA So much that they can't catch a wink without getting spooked. Micah decides to find the cause of the paranormal activity by setting up a night vision camera in their bedroom which captures every small movement throughout the night.

Throw in?? an Ouija board and a psychic and we have the makings of a horror film.?? Director: Oren Peli ?? Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat?? The premise is ingenious.

A young couple trapped in a haunted house with nowhere to go. Watching two unknown faces play themselves in an eerie environment works on a subconscious level.

The dialogue is basic and the event unfolds at a natural pace. **1/2 There is no rush or hurry to build up the impending climax.

Oren Peli infuses life into his camera making into a character that participates in the proceeding rather than being a standby machine. Both Micah and Katie have a natural comfort with each other which makes the film more believable (less)

SHAAPIT also makes a startling promise in its adverts - 'Warning: Extremely frightening'. Now that's quite a tall claim, isn't it? Scary movies made in Bollywood, generally, have two stories rolled into one film: The past, when the wrong was committed and the present, when the past comes to haunt the young couple.

Coincidentally, both RAAZ and 1920 followed this concept and so does SHAAPIT. Only this time, the story dates back to 300 + years and then comes back to the present day.

The unspoken and unwritten rule for horror films is simple: They ought to scare you at the right places and also, the culmination ought to be the best part of the story. SHAAPIT succeeds in giving you those jhatkas at several points [there are some genuinely chilling scenes] and the culmination to the tale, although a bit lengthy, keeps you involved in the proceedings.

Final word? With SHAAPIT, Vikram Bhatt raises the bar for horror films made in India. Full marks to Bhatt for making that one kick-ass horror thriller, which easily ranks amongst the best in this genre in terms of plot, setting, technique and performances.

Go, get scared! When Aman [Aditya Narayan] proposes to Kaaya [Shweta Agrawal] and as soon as Kaaya wears the engagement ring and the couple drives off together, their car takes a spin and bounces off the road, almost killing both of them. When Kaaya's parents [Murli Sharma, Nishigandha Wad] hear about their daughter's accident, they rush to the hospital to find an engagement ring on their daughter's finger.

Distraught, the father explains to the young couple that three hundred years back, their family had incurred the curse of an angry Brahmin and that curse did not allow the daughters of their family to be married. Aman meets Pashupathi [Rahul Dev], the master of the ways of the spiritual world.

Pashupathi tells Aman that in some cultures, there was a belief that a generational curse worked much after even the person who had uttered the curse was dead because, it was believed, that an evil curse when uttered stuck to an evil spirit and the spirit then became the keeper of the curse and it was the duty of that evil spirit to make the curse come true generation after generation. Aman asks Pashupathi if there was a way to destroy the spirit and get rid of the curse.

Pashupathi tells him that there was a way, but it was filled with peril. If he sets about to hunt and destroy a spirit, then the spirit would also know that it was being hunted.

Aman tells Pashupathi that he would fight for his love..

. and so begins their journey.

Vikram Bhatt merges the past and present beautifully. The explanation offered at the very start - a spirit continues to safeguard the curse for centuries - is something that Indians, generally, would relate to.

A number of sequences bear the unmistakable stamp of this refined storyteller - Vikram Bhatt. Sample these.

..

* While returning from a late-night party, Shweta watches an old woman sleeping in the middle of the road; * Aditya's efforts to get a particular book from the library; * Aditya and Shweta's encounter in a dilapidated cinema hall; * Shweta waking up in the middle of the night and not finding Aditya, Rahul Dev and Shubh Joshi in their respective beds; * The interaction with the maharaja's soul; * Shubh Joshi going back in time; * The entire climax sequence. On the flip side, the portions depicting Shweta slipping into coma and her subsequent revival towards the end looks formulaic.

Ironically, Shweta continues to wear the engagement ring in a chain [in the neck], even while in coma, which would've made it easier for the spirit to eliminate her, but it doesn't. Also, Bhatt and the writers should've established in a sequence or two about the step-wife of the king vowing to take the angry Brahmin's curse forward, since both were different stories.

Yet, despite the minor hiccups, Bhatt keeps you hooked to the proceedings. Those looking for chills, well, SHAAPIT has it in plenty.

Also, his storytelling is super-stylish. Chirantan Bhatt's music is tuneful, although one misses the haunting tunes of RAAZ and 1920.

The background score [Raju Rao] heightens the impact of the chills. Pravin Bhatt's camerawork is eye-filling.

Dialogues [Girish Dhamija] are appropriate. The production design [Rajat Poddar] is excellent, especially the set of the palace.

Special effects are amongst the best we've seen in Hindi movies. Costumes [Rahil Raja] are in sync with the demand of the characters.

Aditya Narayan is a show-stopper. It's hard to believe that someone can be so natural in front of the camera in his very first outing.

Given the right roles, there's no stopping this bundle of talent. Shweta doesn't really get the scope.

Besides, she is sidelined in the second hour. Rahul Dev is wonderful, underplaying his part with restraint.

Newcomer Shubh Joshi oozes tremendous confidence. A fine actor! Murli Sharma and Nishigandha Wad are decent.

Natasha Sinha excels. On the whole, SHAAPIT is truly a scary movie, which comes across as a worthy follow up to RAAZ and 1920.

If you are a fan of ghost stories, SHAAPIT should be on your list of 'things to do and watch' this weekend. Go for it and be prepared to be spooked! (less)

Bollywood celebrities gather up for the premiere of the Hollywood flick, Paranormal Activity at Mumbai. Bollywood celebrities gather up for the premiere of the Hollywood flick, Paranormal Activity at Mumbai.

Bollywood celebrities gather up for the premiere of the Hollywood flick, Paranormal Activity at Mumbai (less)

"It wasn't exactly supernatural experience, but some people including the lead actors kept telling me about this feeling that there is someone in the jungle watching and following them," said Varma in a statement released on Friday (July 17). "Jungle" was shot in the Bandipur forest reserve in Karnataka.

While shooting the film, a few people in the unit had an eerie feeling of being watched by someone. "One of the girl members in the unit had lost her way for half a day and when she came back, she couldn't talk.

She refused to stay in the jungle after that. She came back to Mumbai that very day," said the director who has made quite a few such films like "Bhoot", "Darna Zaroori Hai" and "Phoonk".

"We couldn't exactly pin point what it was but a few people clearly felt it. They would get a feeling of being followed while they walked alone.

Some thought it was due to paranormal presence, while others said it could be a wild animal. And few even thought it was Veerappan's men keeping a watch on us," he added.

Starring Telugu star Nitin and Priyanka Kothari, "Agyaat" is releasing on August 7 . For daily celebrity news updates sign up for our newsletter Director Ram Gopal Varma says his forthcoming film "Agyaat" is based on real life eerie incidents that his unit members experienced while shooting his 2000 movie "Jungle".

"Agyaat", a spooky crime thriller about a film unit shooting in dense jungles, was conceived after certain unnatural things transpired on the sets of the Urmila Matondkar-Fardeen Khan starrer. "It wasn't exactly supernatural experience, but some people including the lead actors kept telling me about this feeling that there is someone in the jungle watching and following them," said Varma in a statement released on Friday (July 17).

"Jungle" was shot in the Bandipur forest reserve in Karnataka. While shooting the film, a few people in the unit had an eerie feeling of being watched by someone.

"One of the girl members in the unit had lost her way for half a day and when she came back, she couldn't talk. She refused to stay in the jungle after that.

She came back to Mumbai that very day," said the director who has made quite a few such films like "Bhoot", "Darna Zaroori Hai" and "Phoonk". "We couldn't exactly pin point what it was but a few people clearly felt it.

They would get a feeling of being followed while they walked alone. Some thought it was due to paranormal presence, while others said it could be a wild animal.

And few even thought it was Veerappan's men keeping a watch on us," he added. Starring Telugu star Nitin and Priyanka Kothari, "Agyaat" is releasing on August 7 .

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Both stars were staying in separate hotels. But Ranbir, who apparently has confessed to friends that he has not gotten over Deepika, is said to have gotten lonely.

And reportedly drove to the hotel where Deepika was staying. Sources say it was late at night and Deepika was probably fast asleep.

However, Ranbir began knocking on her door and asking to be let in for a night cap. The actress, naturally, is believed to have refused.

'Finally, a director friend of both the stars intervened and asked Ranbir to return to his hotel. And the Kapoor kid left after an hour or so of much persuasion,' said a source.

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. a girl's bhoot in a well! Think bizarre and Deepak Dobriyal comes to mind.

After getting our goat with his animal attachment, the quirky actor went ghost hunting while shooting for Anand Rai's Tanu Weds Manu, a few days ago. Says a unit source, "We're shooting in Kapurthala near Jalandhar.

Late one night, Deepak told everyone about a haunted well, where you can see the face of a woman in the water. Deepak sounded so convincing that the unit decided to check with the villagers.

" The villagers told them that a young girl had jumped into the well and committed suicide because the local panchayat had not agreed to her getting married to a boy from the village. They said that sometimes people could see her face in the water.

That people often went to the well to ask for blessings from the spirit for getting luck in love. So a group from the unit set off to see the well late that night.

Director Anand Rai says, "Deepak told us this whole story. The villagers also said its true, but none of us saw her face when we went to the well, except Deepak.

It was an enjoyable walk, though a bit spooky!" Deepak says, "I don't actually believe in ghosts but sometimes I do feel scared. However, he insists that he wasn't as scared as the rest.

"Everybody was more scared than I was. If they weren't, I would have been disappointed but everyone did get scared because the place was so eerie.

" In Tanu Weds Manu, Deepak plays a distant relative of Manu (Madhavan) and his family. The film also stars Kangna Ranaut (Tanu) and Jimmy Sheirgill.

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com (less)

Mugdha reveals that during her modelling days she had a scary experience - she heard a non-existent person talking on the mobile phone in her hotel room! "Once I actually experienced something very scary. I was modelling those days and I checked into a room with another girl in Frankfurt.

We were very tired so we switched off the lights and were in our beds by 10 p.m.

But till 2.30 at night I could hear the other girl talking on the phone.

"Finally I woke up and told her to stop talking because I couldn't sleep. But to my horror, she told me that she wanted to tell me the same thing and that her phone had been kept aside for charging," Mugdha said in an interview.

"We got really scared and tried to put on the lights but the lights were not coming on. Then we felt something eerie around.

We immediately called the hotel reception and asked for a room change. It's only when we reached the other room that we heaved a sigh of relief," she said.

But the 24-year-old is not one to get completely spooked. She still loves to watch horror films all alone.

"I like to psych myself out. Sometimes when I'm alone at home, I order horror film DVDS, put off the lights and then watch it.

I like doing that because it gives me a kick," the actress said. Mugdha, who has done films like Fashion , All The Best and Jail , is now all set to scare audiences in supernatural thriller Help .

"It's a very interesting character. Also, I am a fan of horror films and I watch one horror film every week.

..

I have a big collection. So I thought if I am getting an opportunity to act in one, then why not?" "In the film, I play the wife of a filmmaker who makes horror movies.

One day they go to Mauritius and that's where unusual things start happening. The film is very international.

It will have audiences on the edge of their seat," she claimed. Directed by Rajeev Virani, Help also stars Bobby Deol.

After Help , Mugdha will be seen in Will You Marry Me? that also features Rajeev Khandelwal, Shreyas Talpade, Celina Jaitley and Muzammil Ibrahim (less)

Mugdha reveals that during her modelling days she had a scary experience - she heard a non-existent person talking on the mobile phone in her hotel room! "Once I actually experienced something very scary. I was modelling those days and I checked into a room with another girl in Frankfurt.

We were very tired so we switched off the lights and were in our beds by 10 p.m.

But till 2.30 at night I could hear the other girl talking on the phone.

"Finally I woke up and told her to stop talking because I couldn't sleep. But to my horror, she told me that she wanted to tell me the same thing and that her phone had been kept aside for charging," Mugdha said in an interview.

"We got really scared and tried to put on the lights but the lights were not coming on. Then we felt something eerie around.

We immediately called the hotel reception and asked for a room change. It's only when we reached the other room that we heaved a sigh of relief," she said.

But the 24-year-old is not one to get completely spooked. She still loves to watch horror films all alone.

"I like to psych myself out. Sometimes when I'm alone at home, I order horror film DVDS, put off the lights and then watch it.

I like doing that because it gives me a kick," the actress said. Mugdha, who has done films like Fashion , All The Best and Jail , is now all set to scare audiences in supernatural thriller Help .

"It's a very interesting character. Also, I am a fan of horror films and I watch one horror film every week.

..

I have a big collection. So I thought if I am getting an opportunity to act in one, then why not?" "In the film, I play the wife of a filmmaker who makes horror movies.

One day they go to Mauritius and that's where unusual things start happening. The film is very international.

It will have audiences on the edge of their seat," she claimed. Directed by Rajeev Virani, Help also stars Bobby Deol.

After Help , Mugdha will be seen in Will You Marry Me? that also features Rajeev Khandelwal, Shreyas Talpade, Celina Jaitley and Muzammil Ibrahim (less)