One skill I Learnt while Acting

Bipasha Basu:"For Dhoom 2 I finally learnt to swim. Earlier I couldn't even get into the water. Swimming was required for a surfing shot. Finally though I didn't have to apply my new skill because the sea was too rough. But at least I learnt how to swim."

Amitabh Bachchan: "For the first time in my career I had to learn a skill for Sanjay Bhansali's Black. I learnt the sign language. I think this silent but utterly eloquent way of communicating helped me become a better humanbeing and actor."

Victor Banerjee: "The one skill that I had the hardest time learning for a role, was a bit of a joke. You see, I had to learn to speak Urdu for my first film ever in Hindi Shatranj Ke Khiladi, and that too for the mighty Satyajit Ray.

I had three Urdu teachers Shama Zaidi, Javed Siddiqui and Saeed Jaffrey, all spewing venom and tearing me apart because Urdu with a Bengali accent is certainly peculiar.

And another unique skill was for a Bengali film Pratidaan where I had to learn wild the lathi to play the baddie while Naseer and Sharmila played the romantic lead.

Urmila Matondkar: "For Naina I had to learn and understand the complete body language of the blind. I also got to understand the psychological changes and physical disturbances in a person after she gains her vision. It was then that I realized how much we take our senses for granted."

Bollywood turns to online promotions

Teasers and trailers on television have become passé. Now movies are being promoted on the internet on social networking sites like Facebook, Orkut and My Space.

First one
Subhash Ghai first kicked off the trend with promos of Black and White first appearing online. Now Yash Raj Films is promoting Tashan intensively through Orkut and Facebook.

On Facebook, the Tashan community has over 200 members. Eight teasers from the movie are available here, and the wall is full of posts from members discussing the movie.

The community on Orkut has more interactive features, such as forums and polling booths, and has more than 1000 members. Channels like MTV, Disney and Sony Entertainment Television are also active on Facebook. MTV has plans to bring Roadies to Orkut.

Rakhi's item is simply the best: Dia Mirza

Dia Mirza has been a lost and found case, as she gets back to tinsel town after a hiatus. As the ravishing Dia gets ready for some comic action with 'Krazzy 4', where she plays Arshad Warsi's beau, we get to talk to the lady on her role in the film..

Q.: You are appearing in "Krazzy 4" as a big surprise package. What would you like to say about that?
A.: (Smiling) Yeah, you are absolutely right. Actually, it was Jaydeep's idea to introduce me as the trump card at the end of the film. Previously, I have done few comedies, but working in "Krazzy 4" was something different.

It's much better than the so- called slapstick and sensitive comedies. You can call it social comedy. Hats off to Jaydeep's effort in depicting a good story with a cool comic touch!

Q.: There are three item numbers in the film. Don't you bite nails for missing any one of them?
A.: Not at all. I think, the director would have asked me to do so if there was any requirement. He didn't feel any such thing and I think it's perfect for the project.

Director's decision is always honorable in any film and it's my pleasure to respect Jaydeep's decision regarding "Krazzy 4".

Q.: Who, between Shahrukh and Hrithik, did you like most doing the item number?
A.: (Smiling) Rakhi Sawant's item number was the best amongst them. Truly speaking, I liked both Shahrukh and Hrithik's item numbers. And believe me, it's not my diplomatic response.

Bipashah Basu's Favourite Singer Is Pakistani Singer Atif Aslam

Actress Bipasha Basu is a fan of Pakistani singer Atif Aslam and she wants him to do the playback for her movie "Race". Just back from Kolkata after shooting for her first Bengali film, "Sab Charitra Kalpunik" (All Characters Imaginary)" by Rituparno Ghosh, Bipasha almost swoons at the mention of her favourite singer. "I am a diehard fan of Atif from the time he sang 'Tere Bin' and 'Doori'. I wish he would sing for me some day. I listen to his albums in my car all the time and so when I heard about the track 'Jaan-e-Jana' in 'Race', I knew only Atif could do it," she said. Bipasha not only recommended Atif for the song but also urged the film's producers to sign up her favourite singer. "And why not? Atif has a deal with Tips, which is producing 'Race'. So this was my golden opportunity to get Atif into one of my films. And now 'Jaan-e-Jana' is my favourite song in 'Race'." Talk about the crackling chemistry the actress shares with Saif Ali Khan in "Race", Bipasha lights up. "It's a slick sensuous thriller and I share good chemistry not only with Saif but also with Akshaye Khanna. I was working with both Saif and Akshaye for the first time. They're good actors." "It's been really hectic for me. We worked on Ritu's film on a very tight schedule. I loved my role and the chance to speak in my mother tongue for the first time. I also shot in Santiniketan. It was something I really looked forward to. Unfortunately, I was there for just two days and it was raining all the time. I reached late in the night, shot the whole day and returned to Kolkata." Bipasha has a lot to look forward to in 2008. "Besides Ritu's film, which gives me a completely new image, I have one more Bengali movie, Shudipto Chattopadhyay's 'Pankh', lined up. It's a very disturbing film about a child actor, who grows up thinking he's a girl. I play his muse. I play myself. It's a very different film. Then of course, there's 'Race' with Abbas-Mustan." Bipasha started her career with Abbas-Mustan and hopes to work more with the duo. "In fact, I've an incomplete film 'Mr Fraud' with them. It is a full-on comedy with Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Anuuj Sawhney. I'm ready to give dates whenever Sanju and Ajay find time. But they're so busy, and so am I," the actress said.

Mr Charming of Bollywood

Saif Ali Khan may be the new Prince of Bollywood but the title of Mr Charming of Bollywood goes to none other than Shahid Kapoor. Apparently, the cute actor has suddenly turned hot property and actresses are checking their date dairies so that they can work with him.

Call this an after Jab We Met effect or his single status after he broke off with his longtime girlfriend Kareena Kapoor, but Shahid is now on a roll. One actress who is extremely fond of him is Jiah Khan. The two were cast opposite each other in Star, but apparently since Jiah is also doing Aamir Khan’s Ghajini, she couldn’t chalk out her dates to give her fave actor.

Then there were rumours of Katrina Kaif being roped in for Star, and there were also talks of how Salman Khan was dead against his girlfriend acting with Shahid. Now we hear that Jiah has somehow convinced the Ghajini filmmakers and got herself back in Star.

Katrina was also very keen to work with Shahid. She genuinely made attempts to re-schedule her dates so that she could work with Shahid, who she is very fond of,” says a friend of Kats. Well, we have these two actresses who are extremely fond of him but who is he fond of? Did we hear the name of Sania Mirza?!

Bollywood's summer blockbusters!

Akshay, Saif and Kareena go blonde.
Big B comes back from the dead. Later, he plays God-God.
Abhishek and Aishwarya breathe down each other's neck.
And Rani Mukerji develops Peter Pan's flying skills.
All this and more, this summer in Bollywood
Read on.
Tashan
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.
Director: Vijay Kumar Acharya

Plot: A desi cowboy (Akshay Kumar). A smooth call-centre employee (Saif Ali Khan). A sly femme fatale (Kareena Kapoor). A kooky gangster (Anil Kapoor). The crazy foursome get together under larger-than-life circumstances with the intention to thrill and kill.

Pros: The cast, definitely. Besides starring Akshay Kumar -- the hottest superstar of the season and Anil Kapoor, on a roll post-Welcome and Race, there's the much-hyped real-time jodi of Saif-Kareena all set to sizzle on screen.

Cons: Not everyone's idea of style or substance is Bebo's zero-size figure or Welcome Kapoor's broken English.

I had to pay Ram Rs 2 crores

"We took a NOC from Sony-Erricson and on 13 December 2008 they gave me a letter of consent. I went about this the right way. My conscience is clear.

Towards the end of March I was told the tune belongs to Ram Sampath and not Sony-Erricson. Not in my wildest dreams could I doubt the company's intentions. I was misinformed. I was in a crisis situation and had no choice but to pay up the Rs 2 crores that was asked of me.

I'd like to ask Ram Sampat one thing. If his tune was the same as the one in Krazzy 4 wouldn't it have been an equally big hit when it was played as part of the cellphone ad campaign? That too had Hrithik dancing in it…

Yes the main hookline is the same. And if Ram Sampat sensed an irregularity why did he wait until my film's release was around the corner?