Manoj Kumar to be honoured on Kishore Kumar`s birth anniversary

Yesteryear Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar will be bestowed with Madhya Pradesh government`s prestigious Kishore Kumar award here on August 4 -- the birth anniversary of the versatile playback singer.

The award instituted by the state government`s cultural department carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh and a citation.

A memorial of the legendary singer will be unveiled on the occasion, Khandwa Collector S B Singh told reporters here today.

Later in the evening, Kishore Kumar`s sons Amit and Sumit will relive their father`s magic by presenting his songs.

On August 3, a group called "K for Kishore" will present a light music programme in memory of the singer, he said.

Kishore Kumar`s wife Leena Chandavarkar is likely to be present on the occasion.

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Mughda Godse not ready to go for a topless role

Mumbai, July 29: While the models seem to be handling the wardrobe malfunctions just fine, it appears that it will take much more than just meaty roles for them to give their nod to bold topless scenes as model turned actress Mughda Godse turned down a film role that required her to give some topless shots.

According to reports, the sizzling model refused a leading role with a top French production house in the film ‘Raas Leela’ to be directed by Sharat Chandra. And sources tell us that though Mughda had been keen on doing the role initially, she backed out when the bold scene was narrated to her.

For now, the sultry model is content with her role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s forthcoming film ‘Fashion’ that will see her in the role of a model.

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Spoof on Ekta in `Money Hai...' upsets Tusshar Kapoor

Mumbai, July 29: Actress Rakhi Vijayan, who played the air-headed Sweety in Ekta Kapoor`s long-running sitcom "Hum Paanch", had a bitter parting with Balaji Telefilms and it shows up in a spoof on the TV tycoon in the latest comedy "Money Hai To Honey Hai".

When Ekta heard about the spoof, she asked Rakhi about it. When the actress admitted she was indeed playing a character like Ekta, she apparently slammed the phone down on Rakhi.

"What can I say?" laughed Ekta. "I`m flattered to have moved from being a human being to mythology. When we heard about this my brother was more upset than I was," Ekta told IANS.

Ekta`s protective brother Tusshar was taken aback to see the spoof surface on the big screen.

"When I first heard about my sister being satirized in "Money Hai To Honey Hai", I asked the producers how they`d feel if we did something similar to one of them in of our films. They assured us they`d remove the scenes featuring the spoof on my sister," said Tusshar.

"Now I`m told those scenes are still there. The film is going to come and go without creating any impact. Why give it any importance? People love to pull you down when you`re an icon, like Ekta. What they`ve done is not right. But then this industry has all kinds of people.

"I don`t want to degrade my sister by over-reacting to this. But I wonder if this film`s director would dare do this with a Shah Rukh, Aamir Khan or Akshay Kumar? Obviously not because as a director he wants to work with the big star, not antagonise them," he added.

This isn`t the first time that Ekta is being put on screen. In a recent film, Gulshan Grover had played a superstitious, arrogant, imperious, TV tycoon inspired by Ekta.

"Is that how I`m being perceived by these people?" asked Ekta. "Well, let me tell these filmmakers I`ve already spoken to my lawyers. Let them put me on screen in a positive way I don`t mind. But if I`m attacked for my religious beliefs or my work ethics, I`ll sue the hell out of these clever filmmakers."

Tusshar says there`s a difference between flattery and a spoof.

"In our production `C Kompany`, I`m named Akshay Kumar. I`m an ordinary Mumbai middleclass guy who is a crime reporter and acquires a macho heroic image through his name. My name is so much in contrast to my character. We`re actually paying a homage to Akshay."

Producer Kumar Mangat, however, completely brushes aside the resemblance to Ekta in his film.

"We didn`t even have Ekta in mind when we did the character. No, Tusshar didn`t speak to me directly, but he did send me a message through someone. I told him to see the film and decide. I don`t think the character is offensive."

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Voice of India winner Ishmeet Singh dead

New Delhi, July 29: Voice of India winner Ishmit Singh has died in Maldives of drowning on Tuesday morning.

Hailing from Ludhiana, Ishmit had won the Star TV show in 2007.

He had gone to Maldives this morning. He reportedly died of drowning in a swimming pool. Details are awaited.

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After Priyanka, cricket is Harman Baweja`s new love!

Mumbai, July 29: Making a movie on cricket isn`t easy - as Harman Baweja has discovered. The budding actor shared the pitch not only with Rajasthan`s seasoned Ranji Trophy players, but also Australian players like Brett Lee and Stuart Clark for "Victory".

In debutant director Ajit Pal`s film, Harman plays a professional cricketer and was pitched against real-life sports heroes.

Suffering from serious sunstroke, Harman told reporters: "Earlier in Australia, I played with Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mike Hussey. I`d like to think I looked authentic enough playing with them.

He`s currently shooting with Ranji Trophy players like Mohammed Ahmed and Abhijeet Sharma.

"Now I`m playing with Rajasthan`s Ranji players. And I`m having a ball because although I`m playing a cricketer I`m playing for real. Man, you can`t fake it with these guys. And considering Rajasthan has just won the IPL (Indian Premier League), you can imagine how good these guys are at the game."

To ensure complete authenticity in the cricket scenes, former player Praveen Amre was deployed all through the shooting.

"Praveen Amre was part of the Indian team in the mid-1990s. We didn`t want to falter for even a bat of an eyelid, pun intended. Hence the expert advice," said Harman, who debuted with the futuristic "Love Story 2050".

The cricket scenes being shot in Jodhpur show how Harman`s character evolves to become a star-cricketer.

"It`s the story of a cricketer Vijay Shekhawat`s rise from a small town player to a national level cricketer. My big moment came when these Ranji players said I played well. They told me there`s a lot more to cricket than just the shot.

"They said I looked convincing in the way I wore my helmet, gloves, stood my ground, ran and connected with the field. I worked on all of that.

"As far as playing the game goes, I was a cricket player from school and college. So I only needed to brush up the game. It was getting the other details about a cricketer`s personality right that was tough."

Last Thursday, Harman played cricket for 12 hours on the trot.

"By the end of it, I was ready to collapse. Everyone else in the crew had breaks. They ran under trees, checked the monitor in the shade while I had to stand in the burning sun and play non-stop for 12 hours, rehearsing and doing final takes. I`m so exhausted by the heat I can collapse right now," said Harman.

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Rajkumar Santoshi shocked by threat calls

By Subhash K Jha, Mumbai, July 28 : Well-known Bollywood director Rajkumar Santoshi, who has allegedly received calls from gangster Ejaz Lakdawala threatening him and demanding to be paid Rs.50 million, is baffled by the renewed extortion attempts.

"I really don't know anything about who would want to harm me. I've personally not received or attended to any calls. But my office has been getting such calls. Like all of us in this industry, I just do my work. I'm a total workaholic, not bothered with any kind of politics. Why would anyone want to harm me?" he asked.

"I got to know about the seriousness of the fresh threats only when the Joint Commissioner Rakesh Maria spoke about it in the paper this morning. He's a very capable cop. And if he says it's serious, it must be," Santoshi told IANS.

This isn't the first time Santoshi, who made hard hitting films like "Ghayal" and "Damini", has been threatened. In July 2007, the Lucknow police had arrested Lakdawala's gang members who said they were on a mission to kill Santoshi and singer Himesh Reshammiya.

"A year back, I was getting similar threats. Aaj Tak had flashed it then. It's flashing it now. I thought the threats had vanished."

What truly shocks Santoshi is the report that a section of Bollywood is behind the threats.

"I've heard that people in the industry get their colleagues threatened. But I had personally never believed nor experienced it. Like I said, why would anyone want to harm me? I'm a very apolitical person. I don't go to parties. I don't socialise. I don't get into any fights with anyone. My life begins with my work and ends with my family."

Tell him it could be producers or actors whom he refused to work with, and he replies: "I don't know, yaar. Do you think anyone can stoop so low? Though I must admit this isn't the first time that such a thing has happened. People from the industry have got colleagues threatened. But I'm new to this."

"It's a very dangerous game. If the person who's behind this is exposed, he'll be in deep trouble. And he should be exposed. How can we co-exist in the entertainment industry if we start wishing ill for each other?"

Santoshi has filed a police complaint after which he has been provided additional security. The director says he is more worried about his family.

"To be very honest I'm worried more about my family than myself. I've a wife and a child. And their safety is my main concern. Otherwise I'll continue to work normally, finish my Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif film 'Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani' and go into my Sanjay Dutt project in January."

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I'm turning green shooting for 'Toonpur ka Superhero': Ajay Devgan

New Delhi, July 28 : Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan, who is busy shooting for his animated venture 'Toonpur Ka Superhero', says his complexion might metamorphose into green because he is constantly shooting against a green backdrop.

"It looks like I am going to turn green without the presence of chlorophyll in me, reason being, I am shooting only against green background for this film," Ajay wrote on his blog www.ajaydevgan.net.

Ajay described his long engagement with the project and added: "This will be the second schedule, which will last till the first week of September."

The actor says he is enjoying the experience.

"It is so much fun when I watch myself on an off line monitor and realise the way I am going to look as I perform along with the animated characters in their toon world."

He also mentioned that there are more than 200 people behind the scenes, working round the clock creating, developing and synchronising the characters.

"Kudos to the entire team of 'Toonpur Ka Superhero'," he concluded.

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Katrina upset with Salman, plans to go her separate way

Mumbai, July 28 : Rumours are rife that one of the hottest couples in Bollywood, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, is heading for splitsville. The final blow to their relationship came in the form of the spat between Salman and Shah Rukh Khan on Katrina's birthday.

After splitting from his former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai, Salman had finally cashed in all his emotions on Katrina, but he seems to have lost her too as she is quite upset with him. Industry sources said Katrina is no mood to forgive him for his behaviour with Shah Rukh on her birthday which attracted much media attention.

The sources said that after the incident Salman and Katrina are not on talking terms.

"Katrina is blaming Salman for the entire episode," said a common friend.

Katrina opined that Salman should have restrained himself as he was playing the host. "But certain things are not in anyone's control and it is destined to happen," Katrina told a leading TV channel in an interview.

A close friend of Salman said: "He is good at heart. He took initiative for the party to please Katrina. But everything went wrong."

Salman and Katrina's relationship was already going through a rough patch. Katrina's ambition is the reason for Salman's anguish. The British-born actress has long stopped taking his advice regarding her professional life, which irked the actor.

Salman, who is known for his hot temper, had objections to Katrina's choice of films, her co stars and even the outfits she wore for some films.

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Deepshikha wants to break-free!!

Deepshikha Nagpal aka Maya Mehta of Dahej on 9x is raring to go and wants to try her hand at something different and new! After doing infinite daily soaps, the actress is ready for a role reversal!

It's very natural to become jaded by repeatedly doing same thing and nowadays with so many reality shows consuming the air time, telly actors do have a choice to experiment and play themselves.

The pretty actress shares," I like my profession a lot and till date I have tried to play so many characters in both films and serials. These days' reality shows are coming up in a big way, and the best part is that it gives you a chance to be yourself. So, you aren't merely playing a character written for you, but yourself -whether good or bad."

Now, that is some food for thought!!!

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Harman Baweja facing date clash blues again!

Harman Baweja's debut film Love Story 2050 released on the same date (4th July) as Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na did and the result is out there for everyone to see. Love Story 2050 was a complete washout whereas Jaane Tu is still breaking records.

Harman's filmmaker dad, Harry Baweja had requested Aamir Khan to postpone the release of his produced film so that Harman gets a clean release but Aamir did not agree his request. But it seems the clash blues are back to haunt him again!

Now Harman's second release, Victory, a sports based film, with Harman playing the character of an Indian cricket team player is all set to come on November 14th. Its release date was announced around 2 months back now. But unfortunately for the talented newcomer, there are not one but two mighty oppositions coming together for a mega clash with his Victory. Karan Johar has announced 14th November as the release date for his produced Dostana, directed by his assistant Tarun Mansukhani, starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Bobby Deol and Priyanka Chopra. UTV too has announced the release of their Fashion directed by Madhur Bhandarkar starring Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut and Arbaaz Khan as 14th November.

Industry sources revealed to us, "Harman is extremely nervous presently and has requested the makers of Victory to postpone its release further by one week to 21st November. He definately wouldn't want to sabotage his own career by releasing his second film along with two biggies. Much has been written about Harman being one of the most promising newcomers and big filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Anees Bazmee and Ashutosh Gowariker showing faith in him and signed him for their future projects. One more flop and Harman will no longer the blue eyed boy of the industry."

Ironically, both Fashion and Dostana star Harman's "good friend" Priyanka Chopra in the lead. One wonders what she is thinking about two of her most ambitious projects clashing on the same date!

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