2010 The year of Salman Khan

As Salman Khan brings in his 45th birthday today, he has enough reason to yell from the rooftop of Galaxy Apartments. The year clearly belongs to him.

His detractors may argue that he doesn't have Aamir Khan's acting skills or Shah Rukh Khan's charisma. However, 

the youngest of the Khan-triumvirate has proved that he has superstar power in abundance.

Not only did he hit a purple patch with Dabangg, the highest grosser of 2010, he also won hearts with his role as the anchor of Big Boss Season 4. His Being Human work also won him more brownie points than all of Bollywood's muscle men combined.

Trade consultant Amod Mehra says, "This year will see a total of 237 Hindi movies (including dubbed ones) release till December 31. And, the only two genuine super hits are Dabangg and Golmaal 3. TMK is just four days old, so I'm not even including its figures in this analysis. But, honestly, this year if you ask me Khaano mein Khan kaun hai, I would reply Salman Khan. He did have a flop in Veer but he made up lost ground with Dabangg in a major way. He has left his contemporaries gasping for breath because right now he has a superb lead.''

Analysing the year so far, trade sources say that besides the fact that Salman and Ajay Devgn (Golmaal-3, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai) had golden runs at the box office respectively, 2010 also saw youngsters Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan hit the bullseye with Raajneeti and I Hate Luv Storys respectively.

In fact, both these young actors got plain lucky in that they had two genuine hits to their credit because later in the year both delivered turkeys in Anjaana Anjaani and Break Ke Baad.

The other young actor, Shahid Kapoor, managed an average Badmaash Company but delivered two duds in Chance Pe Dance and Milenge Milenge. So actually 2010 did nothing to enhance his BO status.
Akshay Kumar got saved because TMK has taken a good initial and Housefull managed to make some money. His Action Replayy and Khatta Meetha though came up croppers at the ticket windows. Aamir Khan's home production Peepli Live made money for its makers; and Shah Rukh Khan's My Name is Khan is the biggest hit overseas.

"Of course, there are films like Atithee Tum Kab Jaoge, Badmaash Company, Ishqiya, Khichdi — The Movie, Love Sex & Dhoka and Tere Bin Laden that got critical acclaim and managed decent numbers too,'' says Amod. Distributor N R Pachisia says, "Robot and Rajnikant weaved their magic, too. Though the film was dubbed in Hindi, it managed to create a furore here. The original version in Tamil created new records. But, of course, we are concerned with only the numbers in Hindi.''

Interesting films like Phas Gaye Re Obama, Do Dooni Char, Udaan and Well Done Abba got more than their share of praise from the critics. But 2010 was a disastrous year for star sons Hrithik Roshan (Kites, Guzaarish) and Abhishek Bachchan (Raavan, Khelenge Hum Jee Jaan Sey), for sexy man John Abraham (Aashayein, Jhootha Hi Sahi), 50-plus men Anil Kapoor (No Problem), Sanjay Dutt (Knock Out, No Problem) and Amitabh Bachchan (Teen Patti).

Some of the above mentioned movies lost most of their heavy duty investment.

Anees Bazmee feeling guilty

After causing a loss of several crores, Anees Bazmee has suddenly developed a conscience.

The film-maker whose No Problem is one of the biggest flops of 2010 says he takes the blame for making this trash. Aness also promises that he will now be more careful with what he is writing and directing. Of course the giddy limit is that on the sets of his film Ready with Salman Khan, none of the unit members are reportedly allowed to utter the words 'no problem'.

It is said that Anees has developed such an aversion for these two words that he has a diktat saying that no one should use the term no problem. Honestly, wish Anees had a conscience call when he was making this no brainer. At least he would have saved Anil Kapoor some embarrassment and some crores.

Deepika Mallya off to London

Deepika Padukone and her alleged boyfriend, Sidhartha Mallya, packed their bags for a romantic gateaway to London to bring in the New Year.

We hear that Dips and Sidhartha have chalked out a full-fledged plan on what all they want to do this vacation. Right from shopping to partying to bonding with friends in London, Sidhartha and the sexy heroine have their hands full. We also hear that they have plans to tour the countryside.

Looks like the two have a reason to celebrate. For Deepika, with two back to back box office upsets, she would need time to rejuvinate and start the year afresh given the industry has put so much hope on her as the next big thing in Bollywood.

Aamir SRK Sallu keep controversies alive

Things may have been dull at the box office with big budget films like Kites, Raavan and Guzaarish falling flat one after the other but Bollywood stars and their 'politically incorrect' ways more than made up for the lack of spice onscreen in 2010.

The major film controversies revolved around the three Khans —Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman— and their releases.

Aamir's Rancho act in Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots brought audience affection but the film's box office triumph saw the producers and writer Chetan Bhagat fighting over credits. Chetan was upset that his name was given in the last credits while Hirani said the film was partially inspired from the book and the writer had approved everything.

Aamir jumped in the ring by calling Bhagat a liar while producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra locked horns with media telling the journalists to 'shut up' when questioned on the controversy only to apologise later. As if 3 Idiots was not enough, Aamir's production Peepli Live was also embroiled in a similar row.

Director Anusha Rizvi and her husband separated themselves from the project over differences with Aamir on credit and promotions. Aamir, who has a reputation of being too interfering as a producer, had also famously fallen out with Amol Gupte during the making of Taare Zameen Par.After his airport detention incident in the US, Shah Rukh continued to dominate headlines.

He earned the ire of the Shiv Sena, which threatened to stall the release of the movie after the actor refused to apologise for his comments supporting the inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL.

The issue had the whole industry divided. Many stars including SRK's arch rival Salman came out in the actor's support and commended him for not bowing down to the illogical political pressure but Amitabh Bachchan drew a flak for keeping mum.

Salman was another star who was caught with the 'foot- in-the-mouth syndrome' during the release of Dabangg by saying that Pakistan should not be blamed for 26/11 attacks. Salman reportedly told a Pakistani news channel the attacks were a security failure and Pakistan should not be blamed for it but after political parties raised a storm, he apologised.

Little Fockers tops North American box office

LOS ANGELES: "Little Fockers," the third in a series of Ben Stiller comedies playing on the nightmare in-laws theme, topped the Christmas weekend box office in North America, preliminary data showed Sunday.

Despite a lukewarm response from critics, the flick grossed 34 million dollars over the three-day weekend, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Oscar-winning brothers Joel and Ethan Coen came in second with their remake of the John Wayne western "True Grit."

Jeff Bridges plays drunken, hard-nosed US Marshal "Rooster" Cogburn in the new version of the 1969 classic, which took in 25.6 million dollars, giving the Coen brothers their best ever opening.

Bridges also stars in last weekend's top film -- "TRON: Legacy" -- which captured 20.1 million dollars in ticket sales in its second weekend, slipping down to third in the rankings.

The sequel to the 1982 sci-fi cult hit stars 61-year-old Oscar-winner Bridges appearing opposite a computer-generated version of his younger self from the original movie.

The original "TRON" -- about a hacker transported into a computer game world -- was one of the first-ever computer animated films. It did well at the box office and became a cult for a generation of budding sci-fi fans.

In fourth spot was "Voyage of the Dawn Treader," the third installment in the "The Chronicles of Narnia" series based on the classic C.S. Lewis children's books. It earned 10.8 million dollars.

"Yogi Bear," a blend of 3D and live-action fun, notched up 8.8 million dollars in earnings ahead of Mark Wahlberg's boxing drama "The Fighter," in sixth place with 8.5 million.

Jack Black 3D comedy "Gulliver's Travels," based on Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel about a voyage to the Lilliput kingdom of tiny people, opened in a disappointing seventh place, with 7.2 million in ticket sales.

Ballet thriller "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman as a dancer in a New York company exploring the dark sides of the industry and her own sensuality, dropped down a notch to eighth. It made 8.38 million dollars.

In ninth place, the animated Disney fable "Tangled" about long-haired Princess Rapunzel netted 6.5 million dollars, notching up a total of 143.8 million over its five weeks in theaters.

Rounding out the top 10 was romantic thriller "The Tourist," starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. It earned 5.7 million.

British historical drama "The King's Speech," featuring Colin Firth as a stuttering King George VI who is helped to overcome his impediment with the help of an eccentric speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush, earned 4.6 million in a limited showing in 700 theaters.

Adnan Sami's properties in India seized

MUMBAI: India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has confiscated eight properties and five parking spaces acquired by singer Adnan Sami under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. This means that the same have become government properties.

The ED has also imposed a fine of Indian Rs 2 million on the singer as being a Pakistan national; he was not allowed to acquire properties in India.

Officials said that in 2003, the actor had acquired eight immovable properties along with five parking spaces in Oberoi Sky Garden housing society in Lokhandwala, Andheri for a total consideration of Rs 25.3 million.

Sheila Munni might face court ire

ALLAHABAD: Indian Cinematography Act of 1952 may soon come on the way of smooth journey of ‘Munni Badnam Hui’ and ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’, which have been craze throughout the country. However, ‘Munni’ and ‘Sheila’ have now reached court premises. Thanks to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Nutan Thakur, who is an IPS officer’s wife.

She has filed the PIL on Thursday at Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench. In this PIL, Mrs. Thakur alleged that Dabangg and Tees Maar Khan have shown obscenity through these two item numbers. Hence she has asked for deleting these two popular songs from the movies.

The PIL has sought action against Dabangg director, producer and co-producers. The petitioner has mentioned that they have violated some provisions of ‘Indian Cinematography Act of 1952’.

According to the petition, Dabangg and Tees Maar Khan have many immoral, indecent and vulgar songs, visual representations and dialogues. The petitioner has requested the court to direct the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and censor board to ask TV channels, cassette companies and filmmakers not to air the songs of these films.

The matter will heard in the court on January 3.

In the meantime, Tees Maar Khan is releasing across the country to make ‘Shiela Ki Jawani’ more popular.

Bollywood's Top 10 songs of 2010

The year 2010 offered a wide range of Bollywood songs. While raunchy numbers like " Munni badnaam hui" kept the adrenaline pumping, soft and romantic numbers such as " Dil toh bachcha hai jee" and "Pee loon" caressed listeners' hearts and the Sufi number "Sajda" spelt bliss for music lovers.

The year cannot be dedicated to any one musician - from Pritam Chakraborty to Vishal-Shekhar; all enjoyed a fair share of the spotlight. But amid singers it was Rahat Fateh Ali Khan who made it big with a couple of hits.

We lists the most popular songs of 2010:

"Dil toh bachcha hai jee": It was a melodious beginning to the year with the romantic number from "Ishqiya". Vishal Bharadwaj directed the music and roped in Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to sing the song that instantly struck a chord with listeners. The sound of the accordion was prominent in the composition and was reminiscent of Raj Kapoor songs.

"Sajda": Composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy mesmerised listeners with this song from the film "My Name Is Khan". Once again sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan along with Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma, the Sufi number tugged at one's heartstrings. The sounds of tablas and dholaks were moulded together so beautifully that it helped the song become a chartbuster and stay on top for a long time.

"Aap ka kya hoga (Dhanno)": An interesting remix was packed into the "Housefull" album by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy in the guise of "Aapka kya hoga (Dhanno)". Sung by Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sajid Khan, it revisited Amitabh Bachchan's popular song "Apni to jaise taise" from the 1981 superhit "Lawaaris". The hit number appealed even after a makeover because the composers retained a few original lyrics. It was a winner all the way and made everyone dance to its tunes.

" Bin tere": The song from "I Hate Luv Storys" managed to bring out the hidden romantic side in all of us. Composed by director duo Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravijiani, it surely is a soulful and melodious number. The simple lyrics were beautifully rendered by Shafqat Amanat Ali with ample support from Sunidhi.

"Pee loon": The soft love ballad from the crime thriller "Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai" still occupies air time on most of the radio channels. Pritam Chakroborty's composition and Mohit Chauhan's voice have spelt magic for the song. It also contains traces of Sufi elements that add edge to the song.

"Gal mithi mithi": This track is an amazing folk outing by Tochi Raina and is not like any run-of-the-mill Punjabi number. Composed by Amit Trivedi of "Dev D" fame for "Aisha", the fast number instantly made its mark because of the unpredictable orchestration and the fun element woven together intelligently.

"Munni badnaam hui": One of the most popular item numbers of the year, the fast-paced, catchy song with a rustic flavour created a nationwide sensation. Composed by Lalit Pandit and sung by Mamta Sharma and Aishwarya, "Munni..." from the superhit film "Dabangg" is still ruling the roost.

" Tere mast mast do nain": "Dabangg" gave another hit in "Tere mast...", but this time the composers were brothers Sajid-Wajid. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan crooned the moderately paced romantic track with such expertise that it made people sit up and take notice.

" Zor ka jhatka": Even though the film failed to take off at the box office, this song from "Action Replayy" flew higher and higher on popularity charts. Sung by Daler Mehndi, Richa Sharma and Master Salim, Pritam's composition was appreciated for its quirky lyrics and unusual orchestration.

" Sheila Ki jawaani": As they say the best is always reserved for the last, this song appeared almost at the end of the year and was an instant hit thanks to its urban appeal and a raunchy feel. It's giving competition to "Munni badnaam hui" for the best item number crown.

Brilliantly sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and composed by Vishal-Shekhar, the "Tees Maar Khan" number has foot tapping beats and an impressive composition has made it a favourite among people of all ages. With an urban appeal and a raunchy feel, the song is currently ruling every music chart.

Salman didn’t make me cry Kat

In town recently to declare the 56th Idea Filmfare awards open, Katrina spoke candidly about her many engagements, movies she enjoyed watching this year and the infamous Bigg Boss episode, where Salman took a jibe at her.

Speculating on the reason she was chosen to announce the awards, the actress took a dig at herself saying, "Maybe when they were looking over the list of actors, they thought, 'Let's invite Katrina, she's never bagged the Filmfare award'."

On being asked asked how Indian cinema has evolved, the 26-year-old actress spoke about the upcoming Rani-Vidya starrer No One Killed Jessica, commenting, "Perhaps making such an offbeat movie would not have even been considered five years ago."

Quizzed about roles she'd like to take on in the future, Katrina revealed that she'd love to be part of a romantic tragedy a la Devdas. Pressed about which actor she'd like to paired opposite in such a movie, the Sheila ki Jawani siren responded, "It'd have to be Aamir Khan."

The questions were only to get more inquisitive, the inevitable one revolving around her recent appearance on the Salman Khan hosted show Bigg Boss. Without batting an eyelid, the actress responded, "Oh, I didn't feel awkward at all. As for the rumours that I cried after Salman 'insulted' me on his show, I can tell you that the last time I cried on any set was during the shooting of Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. We had shot for 22 hours straight and I was stretched beyond my breaking point."

Asked which numbers she'd like people to dance to this new year given a choice of Malaika Arora Khan's peppy Munni badnaam hui and her own feisty Sheila Ki Jawaani, the actress handled the ultimate googly skillfully saying, "Why not both? They both are great numbers.

Veena Malik is cheap Meera

The Pakistani actress is bewildered by the way Veena is conducting herself on 'Bigg Boss'.

" Veena Malik is a cheap girl," lashed out Meera when quizzed about the 'Bigg Boss 4' contestant. The Pakistani actress, who is in India shooting for her Hindi film 'Om Allah' in Mathura, said that she is appalled by Veena's conduct on the show.

"Veena is representing Pakistan on the show in a very bad light. She is a very low class actress in Pakistan. She has no respect back home. Veena is a stupid woman, who doesn't know how to dress. All she knows is to create drama," said Meera. 

The actress, who has worked in around 150 Pakistani films in a career spanning 14 years, also cleared the air about Veena and cricketer Mohammad Asif's scandal. "I know Asif very well and he is a very good guy. Veena just used, rather misused his name," she revealed.

Meera also disclosed that she has always been approached to be a part of 'Bigg Boss'. However, while she had trouble adjusting her dates during the previous seasons, this time it was purely due to Veena that she declined the show. "I was offered 'Bigg Boss 4' but as soon as I learnt about her being on the show, I rejected the offer. Veena is just a nautanki and knows best how to use people for her personal gains," said Meera.

The actress has been following the reality show on and off and says her heart goes out for Ashmit Patel. Meera has worked with Ashmit in a film 'Nazar' and both have shared a great rapport ever since. Voicing her take on Ashmit's ever increasing closeness with Veena on the show, Meera says, "Ashmit is a very nice person. I have known him for years now. He is very innocent and does not understand Veena's game plan. She is just using him. All I want to tell him is to be careful of Veena. She is a backstabber."

While Meera couldn't make it into 'Bigg Boss' house this season, she is positive about being a part of season 5 and already has her agenda clear in mind. "I will be part of 'Bigg Boss 5' Inshaallah. I will expose Veena's real self on the show," she assures.

Since Veena's still on the show without any connect with outside world, we couldn't get her side of the story. But we can already see a very interesting cat fight building up.

We want Sara, Ali relationship to end Saras mom

The much-hyped marriage of television actress Sara Khan and Ali Merchant is over and the former's mother says that they were never in favour of the relationship.

"We never liked Ali and we were opposing their marriage. But today the time has changed. Parents have to follow children, the children don't follow them," Sara's mother Seema Khan told IANS. "We want this relationship to get over," she added.

Both Sara and Ali are from Bhopal and they moved to Mumabi to pursue their acting career. Sara got fame with her role in Star Plus's "Sapna Babul Ka - Bidaai", while Ali came to the limelight with Imagine's "Do Hanson Ka Joda".

Both Sara and Ali tied the knot Nov 10 in "Bigg Boss" house, but within 43 days the reports came that the two are living separately in Mumbai. The reason for the rift is said to be Ali misusing the money Sara earned by participating in "Bigg Boss 4".

After staying in "Bigg Boss" house for weeks, Sara was evicted early this month. Sara's phone was found switched off when attempts were made to contact her. 

Farah offers Tees Maar Khan sequel to Akshay

NEW DELHI: It seems like this conman is already on a trail as director Farah Khan is planning a sequel to Akshay Kumar-starrer “Tees Maar Khan”, which hits the screens Friday.”

When Farah and Katrina went to shoot the grand finale of STAR Plus’ cookery game show ‘Master Chef India’, she was so impressed with Akshay’s hospitality that she ended up offering ‘Tees Maar Khan 2′ to the actor,” said a source.

Akshay, of course, jumped at the offer!

Vishal & Shekhar's Live Performance at Growel Idol at Kandivli’s Growel 101 Mall (113490)

Kareena Kapoor The Asian Woman

BollyCurry brings to you the new December cover of Asian Woman's 45th Issue which features the...

BollyCurry brings to you the new December cover of Asian Woman's 45th Issue which features the beautiful lass Kareena Kapoor AKA Bebo!

In this issue, you will get the chance to read about Kareena and the Kapoor Legacy and many other woman-orientated topics including some quick beauty tips!

Ladies, this is one issue you don't want to miss! Go grab your copy now!

Posted by:	Harjot D.
Copyright	BollyCurry
Date	12/21/2010 11:07:31 PM

Noor Jahan being remembered today

LAHORE: Noor Jahan, who the world termed as Queen of Melody (Malika Tarannum), is being remembered today on her tenth anniversary, Geo News reported Thursday.

Her career spanned seven decades. She was renowned as one of the greatest and most influential singers of her time in South Asia and was given the honorific title of Malika-e-Tarannum.

Allah Wasai who later got fame as Noor Jahan, was born on September 12, 1926 in Qasoor. She started her career with background support music and soon her voice and style of singing was liked and appreciated.

Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan led her in music world. She also participated in several films before the partition of Sub-Continent. Her one of the best films is Jugnu with Dileep Kumar.

She also worked as a film director. Chann Way, Dupata, Pattey Khan, Anarkali, Intizar and Koil are her famous movies.

Born in a Punjabi family of musicians, Wasai was pushed by her parents to follow in their musical footsteps and become a singer but she was more interested in acting in films and graced the earliest Pakistani films with her performances. She holds a remarkable record of 10,000 songs to her singing credits in various languages of India and Pakistan including Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi languages, Along with Ahmed Rushdi, she holds the highest record of film songs in the history of Pakistani cinema. She is also considered to be the first female Pakistani film director.

In 1957, Jahan was awarded the President's Award for her acting and singing capabilities.

Born in Kasur, Punjab, British India and was one of the eleven children of professional musicians Madad Ali and Fateh Bibi.

The family would often perform in the alley where the drug sales took place , although only Wasai's eldest sisters would go on to pursue their passions in acting. Two of her sisters, Eidan Bai and Haider Bandi, were successful actors at the rural Taka Theatre in Lahore.

In 1986, on a tour of North America, Jahan suffered from chest pains and was diagnosed with angina pectoris after which she underwent a surgery to install a pacemaker. In 2000, Jahan was hospitalised in Karachi and suffered a heart attack. On Saturday afternoon, December 23, 2000, Noor Jahan died from heart failure. Her funeral took place at Jamia Masjid Sultan, Karachi and she was buried at the Gizri Graveyard near the Saudi Consulate in Karachi.

Salman Khan loss is Aamir Khan gain

MUMBAI: The tinsel town is buzzing with the news that Aamir Khan’s next is a thriller to be directed by Reema Kagti and will be produced by Farhan Akhtar. But it was Salman Khan whom the director approached first. 

As a tabloid reports, it was Salman who was in the mind of Reema Kagti for her paranormal thriller on the lines of films like Bhoot. 


Sources reveal that Salman wasn’t keen about doing the film because it had ‘too many tracks’ and rather more complex. So, he said no to the film and Reema then went up to Aamir. 


The actor who is game for challenging roles accepted the untitled film. 
The movie also features two actresses in the main lead along with Aamir, and one actress is Kareena Kapoor.

Bigg Boss cant change my image Seema

Seema Parihar, who was evicted from 'Bigg Boss' says that the show can't change her image of a dacoit

I Did Very Well 
I think I did very well inside the house and behaved very well with everybody. And now that I'm out, I'll get to know what the audience thought of me. Everyone has a different way of thinking and has different reasons for doing what they do. To stay with 14 people, all from different places and different backgrounds, wasn't difficult for me. I have spent more than three years in jail, jab main jail mein nahi oobi toh " Bigg Boss" house mein kaise oob jati? If you ask me, I'm not feeling bad about being evicted. This show can't change my image as a dacoit. Once a dacoit, always a dacoit. Yeh kalank toh mere saath hi jayega aur koi bhi show ise mita nahi sakta. Right now, I'm happy that I'll be able to go back to Auraiya and stay with my 11-year-old son, my younger brother, his wife and their son.

No Kitchen Politics 
Show pe jane se pehle toh main politics mein thi, aur ab bahar aake bhi politics main hoon, par ghar ke andar ke politics alag hai. Jabse main apraadh ki duniya se bahar aayi hoon, I pray to God everyday that no one should point out that I've lived in a forest and was a criminal, just because of my behaviour. I also make sure that I don't use foul language. I had never thought that I will be able to stay with strangers for 11 months. Ek-do hafte ke baad sabka sachcha chehra saamne aata hai. The initial two weeks in the "Bigg Boss" household seemed too long and later, when I got used to staying in the house, time just flew by.

Friends And Foes 
I was more comfortable being around Shweta Tiwari, Sameer Soni and Manoj Tiwari. But now I hear that Manoj says that he was hurt when I nominated him. He should understand ki yeh ek khel hai. Had I been in that house with my real siblings, tab bhi toh humko apne sagge bhai ko nominate karna padta naa? I nominated him to be evicted from the house, but I haven't evicted him from my heart. I'll call him and talk to him now. I plan to be in touch with all of them. Khali and Veena were two inmates that I was a little uncomfortable with. Khali bhai ko apna kaam toh bahut lagta hai, par baki sabka kaam kuch nahi lagta. That is unfair. Veenaji ka toh puchhiye hi nahi. She used to be happy with Hrishant earlier and now she is happy whenever she is with Ashmit. Hrishant ke liye bahut jaal bichhaye gaye par woh phasa nahi. Veena ki kya sachchai hai aur kya dikhawa, samajh hi nahi aata. Pata nahi voh apne aap ko kya samajhti hain. Unko lagta hai ki channel pe sara namak mirch aur tadka wohi laga rahi hain.

Reel To Real 
I was actively involved with Samajwadi Party before I went inside the house. Now, I plan to juggle my careers in the TV industry and politics. The film "Wounded" truly depicts every part of my life. No part of the film is an exaggeration. Another director had approached me to make a film on my life. But then I went inside the house. Now that I am out, I'll renew the talks for the film. This one may have songs as the earlier one didn't have any. Also, before being a part of this show, I wasn't a big fan of television, but now I will follow TV more closely and if given a chance I would love to be part of more telly shows.

SRK steals Farahs thunder

MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan was going to apologise to Farah Khan for souring their relationship, the actor has gone ahead and stolen his ex-best friend's thunder. 

While other stars like Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor seemed to have buried the hatchet at the Mumbai Police Mela, SRK still seems bent on stealing Farah's thunder.

The actor apparently decided to make his grand entry to the show just as the promotion for Tees Maar Khan (TMK) was going on and as a result crowd's attention was diverted from Farah's film.

An eyewitness said that SRK suddenly walked into the audience while Farah, Akshay and Katrina were performing, following which the audience only glanced at the TMK crew.

"Surely, SRK knew what he was doing. If a person of his stature walks into the audience, whose head wouldn't turn?" the eyewitness added.

The spat, which began after Farah Khan did not cast SRK in her film Tees Maar Khan, has now escalated into a big bitter war between the two.

Shah Rukh has had fallouts and patch ups with many celebrities including Aamir Khan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and even Aishwarya Rai.

Coens' 'True Grit' a screwball Western

LOS ANGELES: "True Grit" is one of the most mainstream, crowd-pleasing films Joel and Ethan Coen have ever made.

It's sort of a screwball Western, if you will, with vivid performances and strikingly vast, picturesque vistas, the always gorgeous work of the always great Roger Deakins, the Coens' frequent cinematographer.

But it's a minor entry from the writing-directing brothers, especially when you consider the inventiveness and strength of their canon and the close aesthetic resemblance to "No Country for Old Men," their masterpiece. While "True Grit" is entertaining, it's also surprisingly lacking in emotional resonance, as well as the intriguing sense of ambiguity that so often permeates Coen pictures. Only toward the end does it feel like anything is at stake, but at least it's enjoyable while you're waiting.

Based on the title, this would seem like a remake of the 1969 Western that earned John Wayne his only Academy Award, for best actor. But the Coens were actually more interested in creating a truer version of the original source material, Charles Portis' novel of the same name.

The absurd humor that is one of the Coens' trademarks exists here alongside the kinds of quick bursts of violence that often erupt in their films. And the dialogue is so Coens-y: the specificity of the word choices; the cadence of the exchanges; the repetition of certain phrases.

And while Jeff Bridges is stepping into a role so closely associated with The Duke, he infuses it with unmistakable shadings of The Dude. By now we're probably all looking for traces of Bridges' character from "The Big Lebowski," the last film he made with the Coens, in everything he does. It's become such an indelible part of his persona. But The Dude is really here this time. Bridges plays U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn as a guy who is gruff and grizzled, lived a long and well-lubricated life, but who has also attained a certain Zen-like self-possession about it. There's a pleasingly shambling way about him, an easygoing ramble to his storytelling. He even says the word "abide" at one point. If you're a fan - or even an "achiever" - it will make you smile.

That's just part of what makes this version of "True Grit" so amusing, though. There's also Bridges' competitive interplay with Matt Damon, a bit of a buffoon as a preening Texas Ranger, which Damon plays with some of the same goofy humor he showed last year in "The Informant!" It's yet another reminder that he can do anything.

But the real revelation is Hailee Steinfeld, making her astonishingly self-assured film debut as Mattie Ross, the 19th-century pioneer girl who sets the story's action in motion. She was only 13 when she shot the movie, and to say she holds her own with Bridges, Damon, Josh Brolin and the rest of the cast would be an understatement. She dominates "True Grit" - carries the film, practically - handling the difficult language as well as the physical challenges with equal aplomb.

The determined, puritanical Mattie intends to find her father's killer, a wanderer named Tom Chaney (Brolin, the "No Country" star who doesn't appear here nearly enough). She uses her formidable wit and unshakable sense of right and wrong to persuade pretty much whomever she wants to do whatever she wants, as evidenced by an early scene in which she goes toe-to-toe with a veteran horse trader (Dakin Matthews, who's perfect in just a couple of scenes).

Mattie enlists the help of Cogburn, the reluctant, one-eyed marshal, through the sheer force of her will; once she learns of his reputation and tracks him down, she meets him for the first time in an outhouse, stripping him of all his mystique. Also along for the ride is Damon as the ranger LaBoeuf - pronounced le-BEEF - who's been tasked with finding Chaney himself and bringing him back to Texas for crimes he committed there. Eventually, the three forge an uneasy alliance and hit the trail in search of revenge.

Although Cogburn is supposedly the individual among the trio who possesses the titular grit, it's actually Mattie - and the young actress playing her - who are the real ones who have it. It's an exciting discovery to make.

Oscar contenders jockey for position

LOS ANGELES: And they're off. And it's The King's Speech in the lead. No, wait, it's The Social Network by a nose. Hold on, The Fighter is coming up fast on the inside track.

As the 2010 awards race turns into the backstretch -- the fall film festivals have come and gone, Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and SAG nominations have been unveiled, critics groups have begun to weigh in -- none of the contenders has broken from the pack. At the moment, there's some genuine suspense.

That could change by mid-January, with the Critics' Choice awards slotted for January 14 and the Globes two days later. Oscar nominations will be unveiled on January 25, and the winners announced February 27.

"You could make the case right now that there is a split developing between King's Speech and Social Network," awards consultant Tony Angelotti says. "King's Speech is more the actors' piece, while Social Network has been sold on the basis of its writer, Aaron Sorkin, and director, David Fincher."

From the moment the very British "Speech" debuted at the Telluride (Colo.) Film Festival to a standing ovation in early September, the drama has been a crowd-pleaser. The Weinstein Co. took it a few days later to the Toronto International Film Festival, where the reaction was equally rapturous -- the premiere audience even sang "Happy Birthday" to 50-year-old star Colin Firth. The film ended up with the festival's People's Choice Award.

At the same time, Sony -- with a series of strategic screenings designed to excite awards bloggers -- was readying "Social Network," which made its own auspicious debut as the tony opening-night film at the New York Film Festival. Even before the curtain went up, Film Comment critic Scott Foundas, a member of the festival's selection committee, proclaimed the movie "a splendid entertainment from a master storyteller."

Ever since, most critics have been falling all over themselves to find the right superlatives to praise the movie. While "Speech" eked out one more Globe nomination than did Fincher's movie, critics groups from New York to Los Angeles rushed to endorse "Social Network" as best picture.

Meanwhile, David O. Russell's "The Fighter" was marking time. Paramount did not enter it into the fall festival sweepstakes while awaiting a December launch. But even though the movie was one of the last contestants to enter the ring, it scored six Globe noms, tying "Social Network," and then built momentum when it tied "King's Speech" for SAG Award noms -- both pictures got four.

But though the trio of movies now appear bunched tightly near the top of the leader board, there's plenty of other action this awards season.

Natalie Portman has proved another critical darling for her turn -- on pointe, no less -- as a neurotic ballerina in Fox Searchlight's "Black Swan," which is thrillingly baroque. The film leads the Critics' Choice pack with 12 nominations, one ahead of "The King's Speech" and "True Grit."

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the backwoods drama "Winter's Bone," which first made an appearance at the Sundance Film Festival in January, is bracingly austere, and its lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, also has been showered with praise. With seven nominations, "Bone" will be the film to beat at Film Independent's Spirit Awards on Oscar eve.

There also are the wild cards: "Toy Story 3" and the thriller "Inception" not only won over critics but dominated the summer box office. "Blue Valentine" got Globes love but no SAG attention. "True Grit," ignored by the Globes, rallied back with the help of the SAG voters.

Teen star Steinfeld shows new Grit in debut role

LOS ANGELES: John Wayne's original "True Grit" was a vehicle for a worldly wise actor in his 60s in another gruff Old West role he long since had perfected.

The new take on "True Grit" is a star-making showcase for Hailee Steinfeld in her screen debut as Mattie Ross, the 14-year-old who sets the violent story of retribution in motion.

Wayne's main trail buddy was Kim Darby, who was in her early 20s when she played Mattie in 1969's "True Grit," based on Charles Portis' novel. Joel and Ethan Coen's version, opening Wednesday, more faithfully adapts Portis' story, with Steinfeld's Mattie pulling a team of veteran actors in her wake, including Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper.

Steinfeld, who just turned 14, earned a supporting-actress nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Awards for "True Grit," and she has buzz for the same honor at the Academy Awards.

Is she practicing her Oscar speech?

"No-o-o-o, not yet. I mean, honestly, just to be a part of it, that's the biggest award I could get right now," she said in an interview.

"It is so surreal. Recently, when I saw the film for the first time, just as the credits started rolling, I thought back immediately to the day I was sitting on the floor in my bedroom just waiting for the phone to ring, thinking to myself ... whoever gets this job, it's like winning the lottery. And now I see this film put together, and it's just so incredible. I'm so proud of it."

Her character is a force of nature, a 19th-century pioneer teen with a fierce puritanical streak who hires ornery lawman Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to hunt down her father's murderer (Brolin), with Damon a preening Texas Ranger joining the search.

The flowery rhythms of Portis' dialogue, delivered with almost Shakespearean flourish, were tough enough for the seasoned actors, let alone a newcomer who had acted only in student films, commercials and a couple of small TV roles.

Casting directors traveled the country for months, looking at thousands of girls, and the Coens met with a handful of the best.

"They're all 14-year-old girls, and predictably, they're all terrible. Not all, but 99-point-whatever percent," Ethan Coen said.

Mattie was an especially hard role, requiring an inexperienced actress to convey her "very adult, very self-possessed, very stiff-necked Protestant sensibility," Ethan Coen said. "You think, boy, that whole adult self-possession and the acting chops, maybe that doesn't exist in a real 14-year-old girl."

A few weeks before shooting started, they found Steinfeld, who lived in Los Angeles. The Coens auditioned her opposite Bridges and Pepper, who plays another outlaw Mattie encounters.

Just as Mattie was fully formed at 14, they found Steinfeld had maturity and instincts beyond her years.

"She's totally unintimidated coming into this room with Jeff Bridges and Barry Pepper and doing these scenes," Joel Coen said. "It's not a question of experience or training or any of the rest of it. Either you've got it or you don't, sort of genetically, naturally, whatever it happens to be."

Bridges spends almost the entire movie in Steinfeld's company, but any worries he had about his young co-star quickly vanished.

"I was concerned right up to the first day we shot a big dialogue scene, and then I saw how invested she was in the character, how much talent and skill she had as an actress," Bridges said. "I was so thrilled and relieved."

Brolin, whose breakout role came in the Coens' "No Country for Old Men," said his own daughter auditioned to play Mattie. But there were no hard feelings when she got a look at who had won the role. 

"I remember when my daughter came on the set and met Hailee, and she goes, `Oh my God! She's perfect!'" Brolin said. 

Steinfeld decided at age 8 she wanted to try acting, inspired by a cousin who was doing commercials and a friend who was in a stage play. She raised the idea with her father, a personal fitness trainer, and mother, an interior designer. Her parents insisted that she study acting for a full year to make sure she was serious. 

Then she got an agent and started trying out for roles. Like many actors, child or adult, she spent years auditioning with little to show for it. 

"The most frustrating part was, I would get very close to booking things, and the biggest thing that was held against me was I was always too green," Steinfeld said. "I would be up against girls who had been acting since they could speak. 

"That was frustrating, because I was thinking to myself, 'I must not be that bad if I'm getting that close, but I'm not getting it.' So I hit that point where I definitely became a little bit more serious about it. ... And then, after that, things started to change." 

Once Steinfeld landed the "True Grit" role, the Coens treated her the same way they did the rest of the cast, making no note of her precocious talent, Damon said. 

"It was almost like, don't talk about the fact that this person next to you is levitating. Don't make a big deal out of it. We're not even going to acknowledge that it's happening. Then at the end, you go ..., `That girl was flying!'" Damon said. 

Pepper marveled at Steinfeld's stamina as they shot in the cold mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., "and she's being dragged through rivers, and she's got my cold leather boot on her neck, and she's getting tossed around and shot at. I just thought, 'This is remarkable, the poise and the professionalism of this young woman.' She's just off to the races. She showed true grit in a lot of different ways, because she took everything the brothers threw at her," Pepper said. 

Steinfeld is looking for her next film role. The acclaim she's earning for "True Grit" should help, but she's not fretting too much about where her career is headed. 

"Don't get me wrong. I don't take this too seriously. I have fun with it," Steinfeld said. "My parents always tell me, 'If you're not having fun, you're not in the right place.' And there's not a moment in this, in everything, that I'm not having fun.