US site calls Mallika 'Monroe of Bollywood'

Mallika Sherawat has been named by the website www.askmen.com as one of the most desirable women on the planet. The website, which is owned by News Corp (the same company that owns Star Box Office), is one of the most popular sites for men in America.The askmen.com editors compared Mallika to Halle Berry on their oomphmeter and caller her the 'Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood'! Hmmm, we wonder what Katrina and Kareena have to say about that.

Dia dismisses having differences with Sanjay Gupta

After having done bit roles in not-so-successful films like "Cash" and "Krazzy 4", actress Dia Mirza now pins her hopes on forthcoming multi-starrer "Acid Factory" in which she has performed several stunts on her own."'Acid Factory' is one of my biggest films. I really worked hard for the film and can't wait to see the promos on air," Dia, who made her Bollywood debut in 2001 with "Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein", said in a press statement.In the film, Dia is the only female character and has performed several stunts on her own alongside actors Fardeen Khan, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Dino Morea and Aftab Shivdasani.Directed by Suparn Varma, the film is produced by Sanjay Gupta. There were reports that Dia had developed differences with the makers of "Acid Factory" due to the delay in releasing the film, but the beauty queen-turned-actress denies it.She said: "The film is releasing as scheduled - winter 2009. It's a big release and they (the filmmakers) have a grand plan for the marketing of the film. The shooting of the film is complete and it is in the post production stage now."

When Lara came late and left early

Arrey Lara, yeh theek nahi. Now, now, we are not complaining or anything, just making a point.

For the uninitiated, here’s what happened. Hua yeh ki, Lara Dutta was the guest of honour at a recent do in the city and the actress walked in – fashionably late (during the last sequence of a three-sequence ramp show)

Post-show, she was invited on to the stage and the shutterbugs went clickety-click. ‘Lara left dekhna, Lara right dekhna, Lara camera mein dekho, Lara chin up!’ Lara did it all, she even did a little jig for a photo-op. Next, the floor was open for a Q&A session, but the lady simply thanked all and left.

Arey, yeh kya hua? Zip-zap she went backstage and zoom she was driven out of the hotel. Some said, she was in a bad mood, must have fought with Dino, some called it starry tantrums... Later, a little birdie told us that some byte-seekers had barged into her room (the hotel staff had apparently given away her room number) and that upset her. Oh, ho! But aise mood nahi kharab karte, Lara! Cheer up, lady!

Priyanka, Gerard bond in Jaipur!

Hollywood actor Gerard Butler is hot property – he’s been linked to not just Jennifer Aniston, but also Priyanka Chopra. But Piggy Chops has always maintained that they’re “just friends”.

They’re such good friends, apparently, that Butler is in India, not just to ‘discover the country’, but also to catch up with Priyanka. Gerard came to India on Tuesday morning and immediately left for Jaipur, where Priyanka is shooting for Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s Your Rashee?. He went to the sets of the film in hotel Shiv Vilas in the afternoon. Priyanka introduced him to the cast and crew. He had a long chat with Gowarikar about Indian movies and his projects in Hollywood. He also spoke to Hurman Baweja, and they both hit it off well.

“He’s a very down-to-earth person and curious about India,” says a source from the unit of the film. The actor, who’s booked in his own name, tried tying a safa, intrigued by the colourful dupattas that were being used in the shoot. “After Priyanka finished work, Gerard, she and some members of the unit set off for a sight-seeing session around the city in a bus,” says a source.

Gerard, who will stay in India for a few days, will go to Udaipur and spend a day in Jodhpur as well, after staying in Jaipur for two days. He will then go to Agra to see the Taj, after which he’ll proceed to Goa and a couple of places down south, if time permits.

Hollywood milkshake named after Mallika Sherawat

Mallika Sherawat became the first Bollywood star to be honoured with her own milkshake at Hollywood hotspot Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood on Saturday, April 18, 2009.

With this she joined the likes of Hollywood celebs Miley Cyrus, Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Sandler, Kim Kardashian, Heidi and Spencer, Perez Hilton and Tim Allen.

The Mallika Shake comes with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Mallika arrived at Millions of Milkshakes after a special event for her new film "Hisss" (co-starring Slumdog Millionaire's Irrfan Khan) at the Fangoria Convention Center in downtown LA, where she was showing exclusive clips of "Hisss" which just started post-production in Los Angeles after a 6-month shoot in India.

Currently in Los Angeles, Mallika was invited to Millions of Milkshakes in West Hollywood and to her surprise she was welcomed by dozens of photographers.

“Bollywood is piping hot after Slumdog’s success, so it’s no wonder that Hollywood went crazy for her. Mallika is a stunning actress and I can say that she has proudly replaced Aishwarya here in Hollywood," said Sheeraz Hasan, founder of Holywood.tv.

Deepika Padukone wakes up as early as 6 am everyday.

No, she doesn’t go jogging to beau Ranbir Kapoor’s bungalow which is next door. Instead she heads for the garden in her building and begins her fitness routine that includes yoga, free-hand exercises, et al. Her neighbours initially were curious about her everyday routine. But hardly anyone partook in this exercise regime in the garden.

However, after seeing how diligent the gorgeous actress is about her fitness routine many of the neighbours have now started joining her. Deepika, who loves the outdoors and is a keen sports enthusiast thanks to badminton champ and dad Prakash Padukone, is now the envy and the pride of the Pali Hill neighbourhood because of her hour-glass figure. Way to go girl.

In Bollywood, the younger the better

The writing is on the wall; the shelf life of the Bollywood heroine just got shorter. After a 15-year-stint at the box office, Manisha Koirala/Tabu/Kajol keep waiting for that one meaningful role to don pancake.

And, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sushmita Sen who made their debuts in the 90s are also fast being relegated to the background. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt says, “Even in Hollywood a Julia Roberts is feeling the tremors of the end. Whether you’re a street walker, an actor or in any other glamorous profession, there is a premium on youth. One can’t flinch away from the fact that an actor has a limited shelf life; and in this consumerist age where society is youth-obsessed, there is no place for people beyond a particular age. Even a child in an average school wants his mother to look like the young, television mother in a soap opera or a television commercial. Age controls the days and the nights of the entertainment world.’’

Facts that corroborate the theory that in showbiz, the younger the better, come from recent study that show that Aishwarya lost three endorsements — for a jewellery line, a soap and a doll to Katrina Kaif; Kareena is the reigning Bollywood queen; Priyanka is the preferred actress when the role needs “histrionics’’; Deepika looks good with Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. Akshay Kumar wants to team up with Jiah Khan; Shahid Kapoor wishes to serenade Genelia D’Souza; Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan prefer Asin over Amisha Patel; and, Abhishek Bachchan wants to share screen space with Sonam.

So in this fast changing scenario, where do the 90s’ beauties like Rani/Preity/Shilpa Shetty/Amisha fit in?
Trade writer Vinod Mirani says, “They’re considered for the occasional meaty role, but with the production numbers having gone down, the roles have dried up for the older lot. The heroes well into their 40s invariably ask their producers to get them younger heroines.’’ A filmmaker adds, “In Bollywood, the heroines are absolutely inter-changeable; switching Deepika with Katrina makes no difference to a project.’’So 43-year-old Salman will team up with 20-something Sonakshi Sinha (daughter of Shatrughan Sinha); Akshay Kumar (41) wants Jiah (21) in his film Housefull; and Aamir Khan (44) is definitely gung-ho about romancing Asin (25). Even Shah Rukh (43) made the perfect pair with Anushka (22). Of course, in the next round, the bar will be pushed down further, and the reigning Bollywood stars will definitely make a play for the new teenager on the block. When Amitabh Bachchan romanced Shilpa Shetty in Lal Badshah, one of his older leading ladies had joked, “Amitji is learning to change nappies; next he will be romancing Baby Guddu on screen.’’

"I wear a lot of seductive clothes" - Dia Mirza

What did you feel when you first stepped into the seductive red gown you wear in Acid Factory?
I was super excited by designers Shantanu and Nikhil's creation. And when I looked at myself in the mirror I said 'Wow'!

Would you wear something like that in real life?
Of course! In fact I wear a lot of seductive clothes and then all my friends exclaim 'Oh, you are looking hot!' It is only that the characters I have portrayed on screen were sweet and innocent, so filmmakers and people cannot imagine me as hot or sexy.

Would you like to do more films presenting you as hot and sexy?
I would like to be presented in many different ways!

How did you feel being the only girl in an all-male film?
I enjoyed all the attention my six co-stars, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea, Danny Denzongpa, Fardeen Khan, Irrfan Khan and Manoj Bajpai showered on me during that 45-day schedule in Hyderabad. However, later I became one of them and then it was on a man-to-man level.

What if six men were to woo you in real life?
It's really never happened, but it would be fun. Like any woman I would bask in all the attention.

Are you likely to woo a man?
Hmmm, I think once in a way it's fun for a woman to chase a man. I would enjoy wooing a man, who is not paying me too much attention, because I would love to know the reason. He'll definitely keep me on my toes.

So what traits in a man would attract you?
At first instant it would be the way he carries himself. That would be in the way he greets me, my family and in the way he treats the help in the house. But of course with time, it has to be about how bright he is, how good a conversationalist, how emotionally intelligent etcetera. The list is long indeed!

Have you met anyone like that?
I have met a lot of interesting men. But no one has managed to have an effect on me in that way for a while.

There were rumours about you being close to Sanjay Gupta and Arshad Warsi!
As long as the people concerned and my family know what the truth is, I don't think I have to clarify rumours.

What made you take up the role of a nerd with negative shades in Jai Veeru?
Okay, so the film and I are not getting rave reviews but I don't regret doing it. I signed it four years back during my lean phase. Things have taken off since, but it does not take away the fact that I was signed when I was fed up of people telling me that I was talented and beautiful but not offering me work.

Otherwise what attracts you to a film?
I leave it to my gut feel! My biggest high is when a filmmaker tells me that no one but I can do the film. Shoojit Sircar's Johnny Mastana (earlier Shoebite) is special because the director told me that.

In Johnny Mastana, you are married to a UK-based businessman and in Kissan you are married to a son of the soil. In real life, would the professions matter to you?
For marriage, lot more things come into play, other than a person's profession. Like how grounded he is, how he gets along with his and my family, how independent he is and his values .

What does marriage mean to you?
It's a life-long journey between two individuals.

Are you a romantic person?
Yes, very. I'm very romantic for my family and all my close friends as well. I love pampering my close ones with gifts and surprises.

Is a candle-lit dinner the ultimate in romance for you?
No. The most romantic gesture I have seen is when a man notices his partner is uncomfortable in a crowded room and without uttering a word he goes across and puts his arm around her. Not a single word spoken, but everything said by that gesture.

Want to LOOK like Shilpa Shetty

After investing in the IPL, Shilpa Shetty’s next business venture is the Iosis Medispa for which she has collaborated with Kiran Bawa. The actress with the best body in Bollywood tells us why she wanted to start a chain of spas, how she unwinds and what makes her spa different from the rest.Why did you start a chain of spas?Spa stands for ‘Salva Pour Aqua’ which means healing through aqua. The reason we wanted to start a medispa because our aim is Wellness India. Today, we lead such stressed, fast-paced lives that we have no time for ourselves. There is nothing to be apologetic about if you want to feel and look beautiful - it is your right. You need the right advice. There are so many girls out there who need help. They need the right approach to cure their ailments from within. They need to focus on health and fitness. Beyond the business aspect, I really think it is important to take care of yourself and unwind no matter who you are and what you do. This is one opportunity I have opened for people as this is the way I unwind after a long day’s shoot. Iosis is my catharsis.Why did you decide to partner with Kiran Bawa and Iosis?I couldn’t have asked for a better person to partner with. Kiran and I have known each other for 17 years as we are family friends. She comes from a hospitality background and is trained abroad. I just went to a Chembur salon for a beautician course. We share the same passions. We come from a sound financial background. We are not doing this for money, even though today success is measured by the money you make. I need someone to look into nitty-gritties and she is the perfect person to do that. We both are 50 percent partners in the venture.What makes your spa different from the other spas?What makes our spa different from the other spas is that it is a medispa. It is not just about slimming and getting a facial. If you have a problem, like a shoulder ache, we will give you a massage and some therapy to go with it to solve your ailment. It is a long term process. We have trained doctors, cosmetologists, dieticians, nutritionists, dermatologists, Reiki specialists and other rejuvenation therapists to guide you to wellbeing. There are acne, laser and pigmentation treatments. There is Yoga and Power Pilates and a hydro-therapy room, all under one roof. That is the way I have wanted it as a customer, because I don’t want to run around. We have done extensive R&D to make our spa different. I can’t talk enough; you need to see it for yourself. Also, our spa is aimed at the younger generation because they are impatient and want to see results fast. Even the older generation is more than welcome to experience our services.Do you have any membership packages?Here people can enroll for a yearly membership program. Most spas or salons don’t have such packages. And our spa is not only for the uber-rich class. The middle-class feels spa is a luxury indulgence. We want to break that misconception. A basic clean-up facial starts at Rs.300 while a gold-caviar facial costs Rs.3000. So there is quite a range to cater to the taste of our clientele.Do you have a special Shilpa Shetty package?We do. Kiran tells me she got a lot of people who said they wanted to look like me and wanted a hair blow-dry like mine. So my favourite caviar facial and body massage and all my tips have been combined in a package called Shilpa Shetty’s Signature Treatment. One thing is there, you won’t walk out looking like me but they can surely get a blow dry like mine. On a lucky day, you might see me there.

Katrina and Kareena did not see eye to eye

At one time Katrina and Kareena did not see eye to eye, but at Amrita Arora’s wedding they looked like they were new BFFs (best friends forever).

Katrina admitted that Kareena had helped her get healthier and fitter after she fell ill on the sets of her film De Dhan Dhana Dhan: "I was weak after taking all those antibiotics.

So I immediately appointed a trainer for myself and asked Kareena for tips on how to increase my energy levels. She was very sweet and gave me the best possible tips. Now I work-out for an hour everyday, have given up chicken and only have food sent by microbiologist Sonali Sabharwal.

Kareena has inspired me to keep a proper regime.” Cute! But how long will this friendship last before the Kat's claws come out again?

'I don't consider anyone my competition'

Former Miss India Neha Dhupia, who has as many as five films lined up this year, says that winning a beauty pageant is no guarantee for striking gold in Bollywood and that it's only hard work that finally counts.

"It's not easy to create a place for yourself in Bollywood even if you have a pageant behind you.

No one in the industry was laying out special carpets for me because I had won the Miss India contest.

You have to work hard if you want to prove something. It's taken me a long time to carve a niche for myself, but I'm glad that finally I have done it," Neha said on phone from Goa.

Neha’s releases for 2009 include Paying Guest with Mukta Arts, Pappu Can't Dance Saala and Raat Gayi Baat Gayi by actor-director Saurabh Shukla, Raftaar co-starring Emraan Hashmi and Priyadarshan's De Dhana Dan.

In Pappu Can't Dance Saala, her first release this year, Neha is acting along with funny man Vinay Pathak.

"In this comedy I'm doing with Vinay Pathak, I play the role of a Maharashtrian back-up dancer.

It was something very different for me because I'm not a Maharashtrian.

I had to learn the mannerisms of the character, who is a complete brat and a bully, but Saurabh (Shukla) helped me a lot," she explained.

Neha maintains that she has become more careful while choosing projects as she doesn't want to get typecast in a certain role.

"I'm holding myself back now and doing only interesting projects."

After winning the Miss India crown in 2002, Neha stepped into Bollywood in 2003 with Qayamat: City Under Threat, which starred Ajay Devgan.

She got noticed when she acted in Julie in 2004.

She went on to do films like Kyaa Kool Hai Hum and Shootout At Lokhandwala and tried to break her glam image with Chup Chup Ke, Mithya, Maharathi and Dasvidaniya.

"I feel in our industry you get typecast instantly.

When I started off I was offered other roles as well, but I chose the ones I did and got stuck with one image, which was hard to break.

That was a mistake and I've learnt from that. There was no guiding force for me when I entered Bollywood," Neha said.

Like many others in Bollywood, Neha too admits she would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan and Mani Ratnam, but adds that she doesn't consider anyone her competition in the industry.

"I don't consider anyone my competition.

Everyone is great and so talented. Why compete? I would rather be a collective part of the industry," the actress said

DDLJ crosses the 700-week mark, creates new record

Fourteen years after it was first released "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge" continued its successful run at the box office crossing the 700-week mark. The Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer, which had previously broken the record of "Sholay", to become the longest running film in 2007, has been playing continuously for 700 weeks at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir theatre, creating a record of its own.

The film, directed by Aditya Chopra, starred Shah Rukh and Kajol in a story that featured Indians living outside the country for the first time in a mainstream Bollywood film.

The film a romantic drama, included typical Bollywood elements, but owed its stupendous success to the fresh twist it brought to the boy-meets-girl story. Filmed in London and Punjab, the film is considered one of the best romantic films of Bollywood.

The music of the film composed by Jatin Lalit topped every charts and the movie won 10 Filmfare awards, including best actor and best actress for Shah Rukh and Kajol.