Sameera Reddy is a lassi fan

There is a lot that you can do when in Jaipur, and some of the most important things you can't miss out on include digging into the finger-licking fare on offer, dropping in at palatial monuments and heritage structures, splurging on stuff you'd treasure all your life, etc.

We spoke to a few celebrities and asked them what tops their to-do list when they visit the city. As expected, their list was interesting and validated their fascination with Jaipur. Read on to know what they love to do when in Jaipur..

Subhash Kapoor, Director
The "Phas Gaye Re Obama" director loves the traditional culture of the city and the simplicity of its folklore. Even if it's work, the director makes sure he visits Chokhi Dhani and eats the scrumptious Dal Baati Churma. "Though the food is oily, it's difficult to resist. The ambience is amazing and the way the food is served is quite unique," says Subhash Kapoor. "Also, whenever I come to Jaipur, I make sure I buy jootis and pick up Jaipuri razaai", he adds.

Arya Banerjee, Actor
Diamonds are a woman's best friend and for actor Arya Banerjee, whenever she comes to Jaipur, she just can't get enough of the jewellery at Amrapali. "I love its jewellery. They are gorgeous," she says, adding, "Also, I have never been to the Jaipur Literature Festival. But now i've decided that no matter what happens, I'll attend it the next time."

Sameera Reddy, Actor
She comes to Jaipur often as she has a lot of friends in the city. "Rajasthan is one of the most beautiful states in India and the people here are very hospitable," says the dusky actor. Yes, even she has her favourite place to visit when in Jaipur. I am a diehard lassi fan so I visit the famous Lassiwallah on MI Road."

Jackky Bhagnani, Actor
A UP person at heart, he feels that jo maza local shops ya market mein hai woh five-star hotels mein nahi hain. "I love the raj- kachori in Jaipur and whenever I'm here, I eat the Rajasthani thaali," he shares. "I make sure I lay my hands on the authentic mojari that is found in the city's markets like Bapu bazaar. when I come here to watch a match, I do all the fun things the city is famous for," he adds.

Shobhaa De, Author
For her, Jaipur is a treasure-house as she invariably has a long list when she visits the city. Be it Rashid home-studio for block-printed shirts, Ratan Textile for hand-stitched mulmul shirts or jadau jewellery found all over the city, she loves them all. Also, the Anokhi Café is front-of-mind for Mrs De, as she just has to have the Thai salad from there.

Manav Gohil, TV actor
"I love the Rajasthani Lal Maans and whenever I come to Jaipur, I gorge on it," says TV actor Manav Gohil. Plus, the jootis from the local bazaar of Jaipur are something to die for and he makes sure he has them. "The jootis are amazing and whenever I come to the city, I get loads of them." However, one thing he hasn't done is captured Jaipur and since he is fond of photography, Manav says, "I am looking forward to capturing Jaipur and its scenic beauty." Plus, Rohit Kamra is a great friend and I always buy breeches, Jodhpuri jackets, etc from him," he adds.

Asin-Zarine can't stand each other

Buzz is that Salman Khan's ladies, Asin Thottumkal and Zarine Khan, cannot stand each other.

The two, who are also part of the same project as Sallu (Ready) are smartly concealing their feelings because they don't want to offend Sallu. We hear that Asin and Zarine are very cordial to each other every time they meet and even hold hands to show how much they bond. But the twist comes when people are not noticing them. Both, it seems, have been saying how the other is not comfortable with each others presence. While Zarine feels Asin's behaviour towards her changes from being discourteous to even rude, Asin says she has to put up with Zarine - the newbie - as the latter is Salman's doe-eyed girl. Quite a catfight this one can emerge to be. We certainly want nothing short of a pow wow!

Mom's is prettier than me: Sonakshi

It's Mother's Day, a special day... and who better than the beautiful Sonakshi Sinha to talk about her mom, the elegant Poonam Sinha, who's she says is the "epitome of courage, strength and perseverance." Excerpts...

What does Mother's Day mean to you?
It's nice to have a day dedicated to mothers. But personally, I would celebrate with my mom any time by taking her out on a vacation or doing something together. She likes this day, so I'm happy celebrating it. It's beautiful.

Is there something special you have planned for her?
I'm going to be at home as I'm not shooting today. I plan to give my mom five saris, all designed by me. After 20 years of wearing salwars, she now loves wearing saris, and she looks beautiful in them.

You got her to switch to saris?
She started wearing more saris recently when she was campaigning for dad (Shatrughan Sinha).

How did you feel when she returned to acting after 25 years with Jodhaa Akbar?
I was very happy for her. It was a different feeling to see her going to shoot. I went to the sets too.

You'd like to act with her in a movie?
Of course! But I know that she is 70 times prettier than me!

How was she when you were younger... quite strict? Did you have a deadline to reach home?
I still have deadlines! But mom and I are very close. She is my friend, philosopher and guide. She played a very important role in keeping us grounded. We were never allowed to use dad's name to get our way. When dad was a minister, we had security. But mom ensured that we didn't feel uncomfortable while going to school. She made sure that we led a very normal life.

So, she's had a major influence on you?
Yes. My mother gave up her career to look after her family and it needs guts to make a sacrifice like that.

No takers for Mallika's Obama film

Despite Mallika Sherawat's personal meeting with Barack Obama, her film based on the US President finds no takers.

It seems Mallika's high hopes to gain publicity for her film 'Politics of Love, Barack' has gone waste. The actress might have invited President Obama for the premiere of her forthcoming film but seems unsure about its release.

Yes that's true. It is believed that the film directed by William Dear is stuck in cans for lack of buyers. Though the film is complete, its makers aren't successful to fetch the buyers yet.

Starring Loretta Devine, Brian J. White and Mallika Sherawat, 'Politics of Love, Barack' is a romantic comedy. It is inspired by the slew of publicly documented election love stories that sprung up during Obama's Presidential push.

SRK's kids prefer Hrithik as superhero

The actor reveals that his kids choose Hrithik Roshan over him when it comes to playing a superhero.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his most ambitious project of his career Ra.One. It is a huge budget film in which Shah Rukh will be seen as a superhero for the first time. The actor is excited and nervous too. Reason? The actor is scared whether his kids will love him as superhero or not.

SRK reveals that his kids are already a big fan of Krissh and think of Hrithik Roshan as ideal superhero. Both the kids love and admire Hrithik more than their father. Now when Shah Rukh is coming up with a superhero flick of his own, his main aim is to impress his kids along with his fans.

Shah Rukh knows that his competition is with Hrithik and doesn't want to take any chance. Though he can't be as good looking superhero as Hrthik is, he will certainly try to make his stunts bigger than Hrithik's to impress his kids.

It can be recalled that SRK showed the first look of his film to his kids first. We hope SRK manages to impress them.

Soha set for Harvard

Soha Ali Khan is on cloud nine. The actress has been specially invited by the acclaimed Harvard University to deliver a lecture on Hindi cinema in an interactive session titled Cinema – Then and Now.

What's making the Oxford grad's visit to Harvard even more special is the fact that her mother, Sharmila Tagore, would be joining her during the session. The event will also screen Soha's works like Khoya Khoya Chand, Rang De Basanti and Antarmahal.

She will pay tribute to icons of Hindi cinema like Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman and her mother Sharmila Tagore in her lecture. "I'm quite excited and tense about my Harvard visit," says an excited Soha. "I have never really delivered a lecture on cinema before and I will be in front of the most academic followers of Indian films there. It's a really humbling experience that I have been chosen by them to speak about Indian cinema and that my films are also being screened."

About her lecture, Soha discloses, "I have done a thorough research of the cinema we have created over the ages. I have a pretty huge period to cover in my lecture, but I will touch upon landmark films, directors and actors who have made huge contributions in shaping up cinema as it is today. I will specially talk about how Meena Kumari, Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman and also my mom helped Indian cinema to shape up as it stands today."

She adds, "I will also talk about the actors and the directors (both commercial and art-house genre). Though commercial films might be called brainless films, they are films that the masses like and thus cannot be ignored at all. "

Dada's my favourite: Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan has been zipping in and out of the city and practically jet setting across the country due to his IPL and Bollywood commitments, but whenever the actor comes to his "mother town", he goes on a "childhood" reminiscing mode.

But then, there were other things we just had to ask him and that is how he got talking about these things...


On Sourav Ganguly going to Pune Warriors
I would've loved Dada to play for us, but in the scheme of things that we wanted... I'd like to say something my father used to tell me – 'Sometimes, failure is just an opportunity to begin all over again with more hardness and more intelligence' - and we didn't have just one reason for failing in the last three years, we had lots of them. And what we decided was to start with a clean slate, give the reins of everything to the coaching side, to the team that's going to handle things. I am a sportsman by nature and very sporty about things. I think the choices that were made were wonderful and the team is playing well. As far as Dada is concerned, he's my favourite player, I wish him all the best wherever he goes. One keeps asking about just a player, when I wonder sometimes that Rahul is playing for Rajasthan, Laxman is playing for Kochi, Dhoni is playing for Chennai and players do get sorted. As a matter of fact, players we left have come back to haunt us, like Chris Gayle ... but it's sports and we just need to move forward. Personally, I'd just wish Dada all the best and hope he really, really does very well with whichever team he plays. Hopefully he doesn't play against us and we'll try and make sure that he doesn't score too many runs against us. But if he does, we'll only be too happy. I was the first one to call Ishant and wish him when he got those five wickets. We have a lot of warmth and share everything together... I think as things stand now, we should move on as KKR has moved on, as Dada has moved on...

On Shane Warne's retirement
I have known him for years –before he even started playing for the IPL. He was very friendly with a friend of mine, so we'd met couple of times and sat down together... he has wonderful energy and I wish him all the best. Sourav Ganguly, Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar – these are all greats of sports and you miss them when they stop playing. He plays hard handed poker, I've heard. So, I wish him all the best at poker and I look forward to spending some time with him – hopefully when we all get together at the closing ceremony of the series.

About looking at the option of a new coach
I don't want to sound rude or strange or be misconstrued for what I am saying, but actually, I don't even think about other players and other teams. At this point of time, it's very important for me to concentrate on the team that we have set up together. So, I really don't think about which player, what player, good player, bad player.... At this point, I don't think we need a new coach. Our coach is doing a brilliant job... really working hard with the kids. The start has been fantastic... so, I really don't think about anyone else... fortunately, we have a very young side and that's important because this is not for the next one year, but for the next 4-5 years. I don't really think we need anyone at this time.

On his closeness to Karim Morani, one of the 2G accused
Karim is a very good friend and it's unfortunate... I hope it pans out well for him. As far as friendship is concerned, we only wish him the best and hope things fall into place for him. And it's not embarrassing to talk about your friends.

On the number of watches he has
I have a special cupboard for watches. I always feel... when I was growing older, my dad had this old watch, which I still have and fathers in our times were someone who gave you intelligence, warmth, goodness and their watch. I feel very proud that I have lots of watches to give to my son and my daughter... If I dressed up in watches, I wouldn't need any clothes to cover me!

On Delhi and the sports he played
Main Dilli ki galiyon ka hoon toh mujhe kanche khelne aate hain, mujhe gulli danda khelna aata hai, toote bat ke saath cricket khelna aata hai, football aur hockey khel leta hoon, polo...

Minimal make-up for Sonakshi

Standing tall at five feet eight inches, young actress Sonakshi Sinha is a girl with a keen fashion sense.

In fact, not many people know that she's studied fashion designing in college; worked as a fashion assistant at the Mumbai Fashion Week; helped backstage with models during ramp shows and is now a designer in the making.

"Films and fashion are two extremely demanding professions. So, as of now, my priority is to make a mark in Bollywood. Fashion is on my mind but only with time, it will take wings,"confesses Sonakshi, as she casually sketches a girl in a flowy toga dress. The actress is also gifting five sarees, designed by herself to her mom today.

Au Indian
This Dabangg girl has won admiration for her Indian looks and features. And incidentally, her mother Punam Sinha was also an Indianwear model before she took up acting. Having walked the ramp in Mumbai with the likes of Mohini Mahajan, Purnima Dasgupta, Meher Castellino and the late Persis Khambatta, Punam says that she thoroughly enjoyed her modelling days. She says, "My ramp days were lovely and we made good friends too. Today, when I see Sonakshi take to the ramp, I relive my days through her eyes. It feels great to see her sport casual, western and Indian ensembles with such grace."

Style Mantra
Sonakshi likes to keep things simple and casual. "I don't like to dress up too much. Neither do I like to put on much make-up. If I could have it my way, I would attend even red carpet events in a pair of jeans. But then, you know, it's not considered the done thing," she rued. "I like to keep my make-up minimal and never go to sleep without removing every hint of it. My fave colour is orange. I love to play with colours and use fluorescence too, in a mix and match way with my jeans and tees."

Brand Connect
As a brand ambassador of Provogue, Sonakshi says it's a fine way to be visible in the public eye. "After Dabangg, my next release is by the year-end. So I decided on remaining connected with fans via brands. I choose them with discretion as my sensibility needs to match with them. Of course, the brand also does its bit of research and only then approaches an actor," she cues.

Fave Stuff
Accessories can make a fashion statement and I like to don a few, too. I really dig my dull gold dragonfly pendant, aviator sunglasses, multi-colour belt and watches.

Malaika's become pricey!

It looks like Malaika Arora Khan's price has skyrocketed. It is being speculated that the item bomb has upped her show charges fee by at least 25 per cent.

Apparently, she has been refusing quite a few shows lately citing date issues. What has got tongues wagging is that Malla was spotted attending parties or just simply chilling on days she let some of those plum offers go by. People in the industry tell us that since Malaika has been working very closely with her set of people for years now, she does not just want to announce that she would perform at a higher fee. She is selectively telling the right people so that the word filters out to the rest. Well Malla, you have all the right for a hike! Munni Badnaam was definitely the best thing to happen to you and the industry last year!

Salman's jungle film in 3D!

Imagine Salman Khan's too-hot-to-handle abs. And now imagine it in 3D. Beating the other Khans, Salman has now decided to go three dimensional in his next film Sher Khan.

"First of all I am not playing Tarzan in the film and it has got nothing to do with the character at all. It is an adventure film based in a jungle," clarified Salman Khan about his next endeavour with his brother Sohail.

While he dismisses any link to the famous man of the jungle in Sher Khan, the brothers are reportedly toying with the idea of making the film in 3D.

Our source told us, "It is Sohail's idea to make it in 3D. However, Salman bhai is still in two minds about this. Shooting in 3D is very difficult and going by the standards of special effects expected these days, the Khan brothers want everything to be sorted before they take the final call.

However, Sohail is quite confident given his technical finesse. He is known to be very hands-on, as far as his films are concerned. Plus the film is a jungle adventure and so it will be fun watching the film, if it is in 3D."

When asked about his scepticism to make the film in 3D, Salman explained, "As far as 3D goes, I am not sure. We are definitely thinking about it. However, 3D films have not worked in India and I am not too sure about its market."

When contacted, Sohail said, "I am still working on the script and only after the script develops, we will decide if it has 3D scope or not."

The historical fascination with 3D in India dates back to the release of James Cameron's action- adventure sci-fi, Avatar, in 2009. The stereoscopic film was a breakthrough in cinematic technique and so ever since then, Bollywood filmmakers have been eager to follow suit.

While most of the 3D projects have fallen through, two have managed to go as planned. Vikram Bhatt's Haunted, which released on April 15, is India's first next generation stereoscopic 3D film. And Shirish Kunder's Joker is the next 3D film to be released. 

Considering the professional roll that Sallu has been on, we wonder if Sohail will let his brother take the final call.

I have done no film in India: Freida Pinto

Despite doing interesting films, Freida Pinto and Rushita Singh have still not had their big Bollywood break. Why does Bollywood ignore Indian exports to Hollywood?

International directors have come to India and worked with Indian artistes in their critically acclaimed projects. Some of these actors have even gone on to do quite a few big Hollywood and European movies later on. But why is it that barring a few, Bollywood has largely ignored these actors while casting them in Hindi movies?

Irrfan, of course, remains an exception who has been welcomed with open arms in Bollywood even while his international career is going great guns. But look at Freida Pinto's Bollywood career. The actor has returned to India again after "Slumdog Millionaire" catapulted her to fame in the West. This time around, she has been shooting for Michael Winterbottom's "Trishna" in India. But, Freida, who has already worked with the likes of Woody Allen in "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger" and Julian Schnabel in "Miral", is yet to sign on an Indian movie. In fact, in an interview in The New York Times, Freida has said, "I have done no film in India, so it's very hard for people to accept me as an actor there. They don't really know who I am or they probably don't take me that seriously".

Rushita Singh, who played Tulsi alongside Julia Roberts in " Eat Pray Love" is yet to sign on any new Bollywood film. She says, "Be it for an ad, a film or a stage performance, actors give their best shot. Also Freida and my international debuts were offered to us because we best suited the roles. Similarly, when there will be something that suits us best here, we will surely be seen in a Bollywood movie. Sometimes, dates don't work out. There are a lot of things responsible for doing or not doing a movie." So, does a Hollywood debut still force an actor to start from scratch while Bollywood is concerned? "There are people who get the best start possible. Their debut films are blockbuster hits. But, that's about it all. It's not about Hollywood or Bollywood," Rushita adds.

Priyanka Bose, who acted in Italo Spinelli's "Gangor" and even walked the red carpet at the Rome International Film Festival, did a cameo in "Guzaarish". But the big Bollywood break has still not come her way. "Perhaps, offers haven't come my way since I am supposedly not conventionally pretty for film-makers. I know the audience is also ready to experience actors who don't cater to a certain stereotype. Perhaps, independent film-makers in India will be more keen on casting actors who have made international debuts than hardcore Bollywood directors," she says.

Anand Tiwari, who had Naomi Watts as his co-star in Doug Liman's "Fair Game", says, "Casting for films for Hollywood and Bollywood happens differently. Casting directors in Hollywood have a big role to play in getting particular actors for parts in films. In India, in most cases, the director and producer approach you personally. So, in the end, getting cast in Hollywood or Bollywood is about who you know or what work of yours has been seen by whom." Ask him if his role in "FG" has made any difference to anyone in Bollywood and he says, "It has made no difference to me as an actor to get work in Bollywood. "Udaan" and "Aisha" have generated more work."

Perhaps, Bollywood is a lot more insular a space. Whether an Indian actor courts Ang Lee or Michael Winterbottom, seems like Bollywood will only abide by rules set by itself and for itself.

Amitabh wants Harley Davidson!

After riding what he calls the "beast bike" for "Bbuddah - Hoga Tera Baap", megastar Amitabh Bachchan is eager to buy his own Harley Davidson.

"What is it with men and the sound of a mean machine. The roar of a speed car, the rush of air and sound in a double exhaust bike, that kick of acceleration as you push the pedal flat, that jerk of change on the Concord, when it was functional, as it went from normal to Mach 3 at 55,000 feet in the air! Is it the same with the ladies too?" Amitabh wrote on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

"Soon after it was the adrenalin pumping beast bike, the Harley 'twixt my legs. And what a monster it is. I have to say though that having done it, and for the first time, it is an experience that now coerces me to have one of my own. OOOOO! Baby!! It is another world as you stride all the leather and studs and white metal that surrounds you. Quite something!" he further wrote.

Meanwhile, age seems to be taking its toll on the 68-year-old.

"Running at 70 is a bit of a bother! You feel you can move with some fluidity, but no! The legs do not respond to what the mind is telling it to do and you suddenly realize that the weight of your body is not that lithe anymore," he wrote.

"So as I sit down on my 'blogespherechair' to fill in my adventures, I am cushioned with hot water bags and electronic heating devices to ease out the numerous folds of muscles, that had remained dormant and in retirement for a very long time," he added.

Love to be Rajasthan's brand ambassador: Anjana Sukhani

Says Bollywood actor Anjana Sukhani and shares some of the most memorable experiences of her life, spent in jaipur. Here's a quick lowdown...

The moment I enter Jaipur, memories flood my mind – those of my school and college life, and good old days spent with family," says Jaipurite Anjana Sukhani, who stays in Mumbai these days.

Anjana, who spent her childhood in Adarsh Nagar, misses the city's tranquil environment which is too difficult to find in the fast-paced life people live in Mumbai. Even though she is not very familiar with the Marwari language, she tells us it's the lip-smacking marwari fare, which includes dal-baati, gatte ki sabzi, lahsun ki chutney, etc, she misses. "I remember I had a marwari boy in my class. We were so fond of his food, that the moment he'd enter the class, we'd snatch his lunch-box and finish it even before the first period would get over," she quips.

ask her if Rajasthan is the quintessential India and she says, "I don't think so. India is an amalgamation of varied cultures and Rajasthan puts forth an important aspect of our nation, courtesy its historical significance and rich ethnicity." Is there anything about the city that upsets her? "I feel the city's tourism and mode of transportation should be improved. Like Mr Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Gujarat to promote its tourism, Jaipur too should have its brand ambassador," reasons Anjana.

Any names? "Why should I suggest somebody else's name, I'd love to be Rajasthan's brand ambassador." She attributes her success to her home-town Jaipur. Anjana shares, "Jaipur laid the foundation of my life and it is here that I realised my ambition. I found the best of friends in Jaipur."

With Jaipur becoming popular with filmmakers, Anjana is waiting for the day when she'll get to shoot here. "I'll be proud to shoot here. It feels great when people refer to me as 'This girl is from Jaipur. The city's rustic and royal look allures the world," she says.

Breaking News: My life is like Obama's: Mallika

Mallika Sherawat is back in India from the US. Yesterday she was shooting a dance number for her forthcoming film Double Dhamaal at Mehboob studios, Bandra.

She was at her chatty and catty best. This is the Mallika we know and love. Uninhibited and caustic. Excerpts from the interview...

You r-e-a-l-l-y met US President Barack Obama?
Yes. He is a thorough gentleman — simple and intelligent. I even invited him for the premiere of my film Love, Barack which he gracefully accepted. In fact, I feel that my life is the same as Obama's. I do not come from a filmi family, nor do I have a Godfather. I'm from Haryana, but I changed the rules of the industry with my work and so has Obama. I entered an industry dominated by ones who use their surname as a passport, yet I managed to make a name for myself. I think we both are changing the rules of the game in our own way.

You constantly draw criticism for your acting and your dressing. Comment.
This is what I also want to know. I am the only Indian actor to have met the President of the United States, the most powerful man on earth. That is something special, right? And still people try to pull me down instead of celebrating the fact that an Indian has made it big. My obituaries have been written a number of times, but somehow I manage to resurrect myself. God has been kind. Society celebs and the so-called blue bloods of Bollywood are the only ones who have a problem with me. I think they can't stand the fact that I have made it without making any compromises.

There is something that must be working for you. It can't be just good luck and God's kindness...?
I'm high on life and my passion is acting. I'm doing just that. The response I get from girls in small towns saying how much they adore me, keeps me going. I hope I'm inspiring girls like me from small towns to dream big. People from smaller places don't really get opportunities you know.

Who are these people supposedly targeting you?
Let's not get there. But who hasn't tried to put me down every single time? Of course, they haven't been successful in doing so. They might want to do something else now! (laughs) The attitude here is bad. Somehow people don't like people who come from humble backgrounds to soar high. I'm the face of India in Hollywood like it or not.

Is there a boyfriend tucked away in LA?
No. That's not true but I do have many Oscar winners asking me out and I also have proof! (laughs)

Is it true that you prefer older men?
My personal life is really pathetic and boring. I sleep by 10. I'm into yoga and am a vegan. Where do I find a man who doesn't smoke, drink and eat non-vegetarian food?

Have you been approached to write your autobiography. Ahem, for 20 crores?
I have been approached and I'm contemplating writing it. But I won't do a tell-all right now. There is a lot that I want to do. Some point in my life I would definitely write an autobiography. A girl coming from Haryana, a state with a high female foeticide record, making it big and meeting the President of United States is worth a story, no?

It is alleged that you are very difficult to work with.
Our industry tries to bully actresses. I don't know why the other girls don't talk about it but filmmakers want us to work for free, they don't want to pay our staff and all that. I have put my foot down and I have become the bad one, who is difficult to work with.

You have lost oodles of weight. Trying to be size zero?
Trust me it's there in all the right places. I'm on a fruit diet. I eat almonds, nuts and as I said
I'm a vegan now and loving being fit.

Aishwarya joins Abhishek in Russia

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is packing her bags to join hubby AB in Russia, where he is shooting for Players.

"She is first going to St Petersberg and from there will join AB Jr. Abhi-Ash will spend a couple of days together.

Abhi is making a list of things to do there, once wifey arrives. He doesn't want her to get bored, and plans to make time to discover the sights and sounds with Ash. He is thrilled that she is joining him, because it wasn't planned." Ash will join AB after her Cannes trip where she is walking the red carpet on the opening day of the film festival.

Anushka to flaunt a bikini!

Say goodbye to the sweet girl-next-door and get ready for a scorching seductress, as Anushka Sharma is gearing up to set the screens ablaze in her next film with Ranveer Singh.

Out of her Punjabi patialas, she's jumping right into a sexy lil bikini! The last time we saw her in an almost two piece in Badmaash Company, but we heard this time around she wants to go ultra glam (if not size zero), and the gal is toning up to flaunt the perfect bikini bod.

Well, we're okay with that Anushka, and we love the patialas to bikini makeover, as long as you strut the right stuff. The real talent, we mean. Uh-huh...and what were you thinking, lovelies?

Lara's not wife material!

Well, don't blame us for creating trouble in this paradise; the lady herself admits that she's not wife material.

Yeah, she confessed this exclusively to zoOm, and surprisingly hubby, Mahesh wasn't broken-hearted about his lovely wife's comment. That's what we call a true sport, eh? Now, jokes apart, here is Lara's real confession. During an interview Lara was quizzed about her maiden venture, not her shaadi dearies, we're talking about her newly launched production house.

She admitted, "I don't want to play SRK's wife or Akshay's girlfriend anymore." On the same breath she said, "It's just that in our business, there's a serious dearth of roles for women. And invariably, a heroine is clad in fancy costumes, great make-up and hair extensions and is reduced to dancing in a film where the song becomes a big hit. I have done umpteen number of those myself. And the heroines are either being subjected to being hero's wife or girlfriend." Hmnnn...we're sure the other beauties have heard that. Now we're waiting for their take...

Bipasha in action mode

Bipasha Basu is doing some serious muscle flexing action stunts in the freezing cold of Russia. The Bong beauty is doing heavy-duty action scenes for the first time.

"It's freezing cold and we didn't really get to train ourselves in such extreme condition before coming here. So, we are giving our 100 percent. The safety precautions are in place and it's great to do action in such challenging conditions. The thrill is just double," says Bips.

I'm in an exciting phase: Arjun Rampal

He's had his share of ups and downs, but now national award winning actor Arjun Rampal has found a firm foothold in Bollywood.

His aim is to be a contributor by bringing good cinema to viewers and says he doesn't want to be a liability.

"I hope I have grown as an actor. I am more comfortable in what I do. I think I understand it better now. I have had opportunities, I had been blessed with opportunities to work with the best in the business and I have learnt a lot from them. I feel there is a nice future and with the experience, I can hope I make good cinema," Arjun told IANS in an interview.

He was here at the Kingdom of Dreams to be a part of a charity fundraiser for quake ravaged Japan.

Arjun's cinematic journey is not unusual. Like other models, after scorching the ramp, he too decided to dazzle on the big screen. But when he debuted in 2001 with " Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat", he had to face disappointment. At that time, no one knew that in future he would deliver such dazzling performances that he would be conferred a national award.

After failures like "Moksha", "Aankhen", "Ek Ajnabee", he got his share of accolades when Farah Khan presented him as a villain opposite Shah Rukh Khan in " Om Shanti Om". The film was a super-hit and so was Arjun's performance as a cold-blooded producer and a mean lover.

Arjun's success mantra was not to give up.

"You should never give up and you should never say no. I think these are negative things. What I know is that I can act, I enjoy, I can contribute and entertain people and that's the belief that keeps me with who I am," said the 38-year-old.

"The day I get bored of what I do and the kind of work that I do, I would not do it. Right now, I am in an exciting phase. The phase that was not going right for me, I was in a phase of discovery, trying to find what is it that I really wanted to do, so again it became exciting on that level," he added.

"People will speculate to whatever levels they have to, but I don't live for those people. I live for my audiences, for bringing good cinema to my audience and being a contributor rather than a liability."

Arjun proved his mettle as an actor with hits like "Don: The Chase Begins", "Rock On" - for which he won a national award for the best supporting role - and "Raajneeti".

Has the people's perspective changed after he won the national award?

"I don't know. I have had a slow start, but I think people who have really believed in me, got really proud especially my family, my friends, who have stood by me. A lot of professional people who I have worked with always said it will happen and when they saw it (happen), that was the highest point in my career and in my life," said Arjun.

His negative portrayal in "Om Shanti Om" and "Raajneeti" won appreciation not only from the critics but also from the audiences.

"I think people like my characters. There is no colour to any character, they are not grey, they are layered, and to find characters that are written like that I think is wonderful. I enjoy playing characters which are more dimensional and more layered rather than being one-dimensional," said Arjun, who has a quite an interesting bouquet of films coming soon.

He has finished shooting for "Rascals" and Shah Rukh Khan's highly anticipated sci-fi thriller "Ra.One".

He has also been roped in for Tigmanshu Dhulia's "Jai Ramji ki", Sudhir Mishra's next venture, a war movie and one more, which he refused to talk about.

Ranbir’s item no. tribute to father Rishi

The actor reprises the look of Rishi Kapoor's legendary character Akbar from the superhit film 'Amar Akbar Anthony', in an item song.

Ranbir Kapoor is the latest item boy in town. The actor recently shot for an item song with a gang of kids for the film ' Chiller Party ' produced by UTV Spot Boy. However, what's interesting is the fact that the song is actually Ranbir's tribute to his father, Rishi Kapoor.

Apparently, Ranbir Kapoor has been in love with his father's film Amar Akbar Anthony since he was a kid himself. The film showcased Rishi Kapoor in the character of Akbar that featured him in a very different look. This tapori look had created an impression in Ranbir's mind when he was growing up.

"When Ranbir was approached with the idea of an item song with kids in a similar fashion, donning the same look as his father, he immediately agreed and decided to give a tribute to his father", says a source associated with the film. "Like Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir dons the look of a tapoori , with evident kajal in his eyes, a cupped tirchi topi on his head, a thin moustache and a real pan in his mouth making his lips go deep red".

" Chillar Party is a kid's film that Ranbir had fallen in love with, the moment he saw it", adds the source. "Junior Kapoor felt that the kids would love this look on him and it eventually did work. The kids were amazed to see him in that attire. They all ran towards him and gave him a big bear hug".

The co-directors of the film Vikas Bahl and Nitesh Tiwari were extremely happy to have Ranbir do this interesting item song with the kid gang of Chillar Party . They expressed, "As an actor, Ranbir keeps improvising. And when it came to the 'inspired' look in the song, he was prompt to come up with the idea to have a similar kind of head-gear, moustache and pan chewing look as his father in Amar Akbar Anthony ."