Desi Boyz 2: The 'Escorts' to move to Mumbai now?

By Subhash K Jha If the talk doing the rounds of the film industry is to be believed then rookie director Rohit Dhawan is all set to make his second film with his brother Varun and Akshay Kumar in the lead. In fact Varun's debut in Karan Johar's Student Of The Year is all that separates Rohit from his desire to direct his brother.  Says Rohit, "It's my dream to direct my brother Varun. We grew up constantly talking about how one day he'd act and I'd direct.  So yes, directing Varun is a part of my plan. As for Akshay he's every debutant director's dream actor. Akshay is so supportive and so all-there. Not for a minute during Desi Boyz did he allow me to feel I was a new director. However at the moment I've no concrete plans for my next film. " Rohit Dhawan is apparently planning to now relocate his two gigolo-heroes to India for a sequel. Towards the end of the film Sanjay Dutt who plays the owner of the escorts agency in London triumphantly asserts that he has finally acquired a licence to start business in Mumbai.  This is the cue for the sequel. But here comes the spanner in the works. Apparently Rohit has not been able to crack the plot for the desi boyz on desi soil for the simple reason that prostitution is no laughing matter in India.  Says Rohit, "We did make a reference in the film to the Desi Boyz franchise moving to Mumbai. Let's see…I don't know how a film about guys in the escorts business can be located in India. Here sex-related vocations are taken very seriously. I was very sure I had to locate my sex comedy outside India. " Rohit was also very sure about not imitating his legendary father David Dhawan's style of filmmaking..  Chuckles the young director, "God knows, there're enough clones of my Dad's style of filmmaking around. I had to find my own voice. And I think in Desi Boyz I've created a film that's far removed from my Dad's style. "  The father David is bursting with pride with his son's individual style. But Rohit is at the moment a little tentative about his future.  Says the young filmmaker, "The film opened very well in the single-theatres, thanks to Akshay's connectivity with the masses. Surprisingly the mutiplex audiences have been relatively less receptive. That may be because they expected this to be another Garam Masala, the 2005 film featuring Akshay and John directed by Priyadarshan. "  Rohit and brother Varun went to the Gaiety-Galaxy single-theatres to check out the audiences' response.  "And we were very happy with what we saw. I wanted to make a fun film in Desi Boyz. I think I did that. "

Are our stars obsessed with tweeting?

Thanks to microblogging sites, we know every movement that a star makes. But at times, they carry it so far that it is almost awkward. Here's reinterpreting some of the most quirky Tweets that our celebrities have come up with...  They could be promoting their movies, their causes or their pals. Or desiring a blueberry cheesecake or wondering why they are awake till morning on their micro-blogging sites.  Twitter updates of Bollywood stars can be both entertaining and irreverent. It also just so happens that in 140 characters they have to tell it all. Here's a look at what some of the B-Town folks say and our take on what they actually mean... Sonam Kapoor I'm so excited! My friends are coming over for dinner... Obviously it won't be enemies coming over to break bread together I got a throat infection and had to cancel my holiday coz I had to finish dubbing! Feel bad for me please! Feeling bad she can't flaunt her latest holiday wear It's yoga with the heat on! Just say hot yoga! Ram Gopal Varma The best birthday msg I ever received was... "Mujhe bahut khush hai ki tere zindagi ka ek aur saal khatam ho gaya.... marte raho!" No happy birthday to me! I am confused about whether I like koloveri song becos I like it or becos everybody else likes it I don't like Kolaveri. Just hope that she has more Aishwarya than Abhishek If it was a boy it would have been okay. As a child I used 2 steal money frm fathers pocket nd I wntd to kil my teacher fr gvng hmewrk. What I detest most in this world are children nd this day I am forcefully reminded of them.. I wish everyone an unhappy childrens day I don't believe in doing kidstuff. I wonder which Gods heaven is the biggest? I am an atheist. (to Amitabh Bachchan) If u can please tweet ur feet I want to touch them in front of all the twitters So that I can match your feat! Shah Rukh Khan At the Goa film festival...wearing a suit in goa...kinda takes away the spirit of the place...feel like a sore thumb... All for the Bermuda shorts you claimed to be wearing inside! Its quite amazing the extent of opinions i read about public figures. at times it Can only be best described as artificial hallucinations. Abhishek Bachchan Looking like ONE EYES JACK I have an injury near the eye. The next time you have to reach south Mumbai for a morning meeting, LEAVE THE NIGHT BEFORE! I need to leave an hour earlier to keep my appointment. Shirish Kunder A rolling stone gathers kate moss. They are linked and I am smart. Tihar is Harvinder Singh's Walmart. He will go in a slapfest spree ODI started. FDI forgotten Cricket is the religion of the masses. One of the issues of having a sea-facing house is you always have your ass facing the rest of the city. I live in a highrise Is Pitbull related to Redbull? I want to start a fight. I'm disguised as myself. Halloween was last month Thanks Sharad Pawar, you made my day. I didn't know you had so much talent in you to take out so many jokes from me. Mr Pawar... Did you just tattoo the Congress logo on your cheek? Ohhh sorry, that's Harvinder Singh's handprint. Hand it over to me for my wit Salman Khan Kal rath ko badaam khaya na aur subah ko bhi That's how you put the damm in badaam! Oye teri ! Pass word yaad aah gaya. I am back to tweeting. Boman Irani This twitter is quite amazing. No matter the time, someone, somewhere on this planet is always awake!! You are never alone! Insomnia rules Its strange! When my favorite song plays on the radio I get excited, even though it is just a button away on my iPod! Nostalgia works in mysterious ways. Yup. A woman on a bike was such a liberating sight. Unfortunately with the pollution they are now compelled to head-dress like ninja turtles! Something is better than nothing. Mahesh Bhatt Porn stars are looked as objects not as humans with spirit. The media glamorizes these porn stars to sell their own wares. I hope Sunny Leone reads this once she gets out. People who hate you are just the confused admirers.. And Bollywood is no exception... Flower does not preach. Only I do. Bipasha Basu My secret is tht I ACTUALLY EAT N WORK OUT!N most importantly, I am a HAPPY GIRL who loves to live:) Actually, I work out a LOT. Anyways sending love to all! Thank you! Posting a tweet is way easier. Sonakshi Sinha Too cold. And too early. Do I have to come on time? The calm before the storm. Or is it the other way around? Can you brush up on the proverbs? Mickey Mouse's birthday today! Wishing him, Mini style ;) Looney toons. Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

First Look: Veena Malik in Swayamvar 4

Imagine TV has announced Swayamvar Season 4 and this time it is none other than Pakistani actor Veena Malik who is all set to find the love of her life in India.  With Swayamvar Season 4, Veena is geared up to embark upon the journey into the next important phase of her life.  Commenting on the search for her Prince Charming, Veena Malik said, "I am extremely excited about Swayamvar and I believe that this is the best platform for me to find my life partner.  India ne mujhe bahut pyar aur shauharat de di and mujhe yakin hai ki meri iss talash mein India mera saath dega."  The search for Veena's Mr. Right kicks off with a worldwide call for entries.  The next step will consist of bringing prospective grooms together under one roof, where they will undergo a series of tasks to test their compatibility with Veena and prove their love for her.  In the show Veena's friends and family will help and support her in arriving at the most important decision of her life.  Vivek Bahl, Chief Content Officer, Turner General Entertainment Networks India Pvt. Ltd said, "We are delighted to bring its fourth season with the dynamic Veena Malik.  We at Imagine shall leave no stone unturned to make it a grand affair for her as she makes the decision of her lifetime."

Bollywood Hotties-turned flop producers

Ambitious actresses in a bid to compete with their male counterparts produced their own films, but each of them failed miserably There's something about turning producer for an actress. That desire to be in the league of her male counterparts, the need to call the shots and to be in the know of the entire filmmaking process. A good camouflage instead of stating about her short shelf life, the refusal to play character roles or the total lack of offers coming her way. Lacklustre Whatever their reasons of making the big switch, success largely eludes an actress-turned-producer. Though it is not exactly a new phenomenon for a female star to don the producer's hat, nowadays more and more actresses are taking the plunge only to get a cold response at the box office. Recently even starlets like Hrishitaa Bhatt (who produced Shakal Pe Mat Jaa) and Neetu Chandra (who produced the Bhojpuri film Deswa) have met the same fate. Neetu Chandra Earlier in the year, Lara Dutta offered Chalo Dilli that did not exactly take her anywhere while Dia Mirza had her share of Love Break Ups Zindagi at the box office. Meanwhile Ameesha Patel and Preity Zinta have already announced their projects. So has Eesha Khoppikar with a sequel to her film Shabri. While Shilpa Shetty and Sushmita Sen have been planning for a while now. Me, the star Explains trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "Most actresses have a tendency to cast themselves in their projects as well. But what is of greater importance is the concept and the script." Adds Adarsh, "It is a natural corollary for an actress nowadays to be involved in all aspects of the filmmaking process. That's the reason a lot of actresses are turning producers nowadays. But they have to give a lot more to what the film will be about and its appeal to the audience." The reasons For Shilpa, production means getting independence to make the kind of film she wants to make. Neetu roped in her brother Nitin to direct her project and also did an item number in it. Hrishitaa Bhatt She felt the need to make a film based on Indian traditions rather than copy ideas from Western flicks. Hrishita considers production as a gradual change as most actors at some point of time intend to get either into direction or production.  Dia had a story idea and along with beau Sahil Sangha and buddy Zayed Khan decided to make the film herself with her in the cast. Ameesha has launched her production house along with her business partner Kuunal Goomer and on Dassera day, even opened an office. She has already roped in David Dhawan and Priyardarshan to direct films for her banner. Ameesha will also act in them!  A while back, even Katrina Kaif was so overwhelmed after watching a French film that she proclaimed she wanted to secure its rights and produce it herself! Mindset change Says a Bollywood insider, "What goes mainly against for the actress-turned-producer is when she casts herself in the movie. The audience already has a mindset about her and even when she turns producer it remains. Dia Mirza And even when they don't cast themselves, they have to take into consideration the audience's pulse. Moreover they often have family members or boyfriends helping them and then things do tend to go awry." No push for Sush Over four years ago, Sushmita Sen announced that she wanted to turn producer with a biopic on Rani Laxmibai. Later she decided to direct it as well. After conducting some extensive research with even the storyboard ready, the project was kept indefinitely on hold due to the logistics of making such a costume epic. In the past Raveena Tandon produced two films Pehchaan (2005) and Stumped (2003) - both proved to be duds at the box-office. Manisha Koirala tried her hand at production with Paisa Vasool (2004), which too was a dud. The exception Pooja Bhatt in her earlier films like Tamanna (1997), Dushman (1998) and Zakhm (1998) faced some success.  Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

Sunny Leone won't go nude: Mahesh Bhatt

Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt, who entered the Bigg Boss house on Thursday to offer Sunny Leone a lead role in Jism 2, seems to be completely smitten by the porn star.  The filmmaker says that the role is very complex and demands a lot of understanding and emotional depth and keeping in mind that Sunny has gone through a lot of struggle in her real life as well, she is the prefect choice to enact the character.  The film which is a sequel to John-Bipasha starrer Jism, will be made under his daughter Pooja Bhatt's banner, Fish Eye Network.  Earlier, there were rumours doing the rounds that Jism 2 will be made on Sunny's life but the 61-year old director rubbished all of them and claimed that the story of the film will be completely fictional.  Reportedly, Mallika Sherawat and Bipasha Basu were earlier considered for the role but the requirements of these established actresses were too much and it was decided to rope in the Indo-Canadian star.  Speaking to a daily about the nudity in the film, Bhatt said that Indian society doesn't have the guts to accept porn. Sunny is working in his film but she will be within the 'lakshman rekha' of the Indian culture.  He also added that in India, nudity is not allowed and people are completely against it, so they will not get into that part. She will have to deliver on their terms and conditions and fortunately she is willing to do that. There is also a buzz that the movie might see director's nephew Emraan Hashmi opposite Sunny but the director didn't confirm it and said that it will be decided once she is out of the house.  The episode aired on television saw Sunny talking to Bhatt in a very comfortable manner with the filmmaker occasionally holding her hand to make her at ease. She spoke to him about her life and said that whatever she is today, she has no qualms about it and that she is indeed happy in whatever she chose in life. At the end of a conversation she even exclaimed that 'for ten minutes, she could be herself'.  With Bigg Boss house being a household name now, seems that the promotion of the film has begun well in advance, even before the movie is made.  Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

Believe it or not: 'MF Husain' tries to impress Anushka

In a bid to impress Anushka Sharma, a fan dressed up as the late MF Husain tried to meet her on the sets of 'Ladies vs Ricky Bahl' It often is the case that during outdoor shoots for films, the public gathers around to have a dekko at their favourite stars.  But to Anushka Sharma's shock and surprise, an admirer turned up at the shoot of Ladies vs Ricky Bahl in the guise of the late legendary artiste, MF Husain.  A source associated with the unit tells us that the incident took place in Lucknow, some months after the maverick artiste revealed how impressed he was with Anushka after her second movie.  "Anushka was okay in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, but in Band Baaja Baaraat she has proved what an intelligent actor she is. She knows what subtle acting is all about, " stated the legendary artiste in HitList, January 2, 2011.  Husain, who had seen Hum Aapke Hain Kaun! 72 times for Madhuri Dixit and Vivah some 20 times for Amrita Rao, was reportedly keen to see Band Baaja Baaraat several times as long as it ran in the theatres in Dubai.  Our source recalls, "There was considerable buzz before the artiste's death on June 9, about him painting the actress when she went to Dubai. So in keeping with the celebrated artiste's fascination with the model-turned-actress, this fan came to the shoot in Lucknow, around June 17, in the guise of Husainsaab." The admirer on the film's sets Unfortunately for him, his favourite heroine wasn't shooting that day, and instead, the hero Ranveer was filming with co-star Aditi Sharma. "However, he generated a lot of curiosity by showing up with the white hair and the beard like Husainsaab, and got noticed by the team too, " reveals our informer, adding that neither Ranveer nor Aditi met him.  "He hung around the location, with a red rose to present to Anushka. After pack-up was announced, he did look a bit dejected that he couldn't meet his favourite heroine."  Needless to say, Anushka did learn about the incident. "She was surprised that a fan could think of doing such a thing.  She was rather amused by the incident, " says our source, adding, "Anushka was very pleased when Husainsaab praised her performance in Band Baaja Baaraat. On hearing about this incident, she wished she had met the celebrated artiste before his demise."  Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

The Dirty Picture

By: He Who Must Not Be Named Cast: Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajesh sharma Producer: Ekta Kapoor Director: Milan Luthria Rating ***1/2 First: a disclaimer. If cheesy one-liners, ample cleavage displays and orgasms - fake or otherwise - make you uncomfortable then stay away from this film.  'The Dirty Picture' not only thrives on these traits but literally celebrates them like never before in its 144 minutes of unabashed, in-your-face entertainment, entertainment and entertainment. Undoubtedly, it is Vidya's one of the finest outings in which she portrays the role of a troubled item queen Silk, 'inspired' from the real-life story of Silk Smitha.  Here's a sneek peak into her tragic tale: Reshma (Vidya) is a non-conformist who leaves her home to become a star in the big bad world of Tollywood. She has no qualms about her sexuality. She is brazen enought to put her neighbours to sleep with her fake moans. She is well aware that everything comes at a price, especially the much-vaunted fame.  After a series of rejections at the hands of casting directors, she finally lands up a solo-dance number but the 'artistic' director of the film Abraham (Emraan Hashmi) robs her off that big-ticket to silver screen. Heartbroken, she is ready to go back to her sleepy village, when the producer (Rajesh Sharma) restores her risqué jig in the film to pep up the tepid collections and sets box-office on fire.  The world wakes up to Silk and now no film is complete without her 'dirty' antics. Be it Suryakant (Naseeruddin Shah) her childhood crush and now aging superstar or millions of wolf-whistling frontbenchers, no one seems to keep their eyes, minds or hands off Silk.  She relishes in every bit of attention coming her way and treats every strand of criticism with utter disdain. Magazines and gossipmongers damn her as the scum of this planet but Silk won't budge. She belittles them on their own turf with her raw charm.  But as they say, success without honour is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good. And Silk learns this bitter truth the hard way. Though people lap up her every act yet she remains their dirty secret only, stashed somewhere in their closets, baths or dark bedrooms not deemed worthy of their company. She chooses not to pay attention but reality comes to bite her at last when her own mother spurns her and slams the door on her face. And so does rest of the world, one day. Series of failed love/lust affairs with Surya and his younger brother Ramakant (Tusshar) leave her bitter and Silk smashes all the remaining pretence of decency and decorum in public as well. In her last ditch effort to salvage her pride Silk takes on her nemesis, Abraham, in a triple-role extravaganza but eventhat turns out to be a flameout and she sinks further into the abyss of depression. The two hardest things to handle in life are failure and success and Silk stands miserable and exposed on both counts. Ironically, Abraham - the man who hated her the most, is now the only solace in her troubled life. But even his affection is too little too late to resuscitate her decrepit soul... With 'The Dirty Picture' director, Milan Luthria tries to explore the dirty underbelly of the Indian cinema and excavates a gem in the form of Vidya Balan. You can't help but appreciate the effort she puts in to make her Silk look authentic.  In the age where majority of leading ladies won't dare to look ugly or overweight, Vidya carries her ample love-handles and haggard looks with aplomb. It's the role which is bound to earn her some of the most prestigious awads in town Here are a few things you'll like about the film, apart from Vidya: A taut first-half replete with Rajat Arora's witty and at-time borderline one-liners. Naseer Saab's slithery lothario Surya and Emran Hashmi's understated yet powerful Abraham. What you may not like is the dragging second-half where the films seems to run out of steam. Unlike the situational 'Ooh La La', both the songs in the second half seem forced. Silk's fall from the grace looks a bit too simplistic as well, though Milan does redeem himself in the climax as she meets her tragic end. All in all, 'The Dirty Picture' may not be your perfect family outing but it sure is the 'Silk' route you must take this weekend.