Katrina Kaif: Meaty roles for this damse

How far have you achieved as an actress in Welcome?
Films like Welcome and Partner are targeted at the audience. They’re important to me in terms of commercial viability. But if you ask me how far I’ve come as an actress, then films like Namaste London are more viable options as they give me larger scope to perform.

What have been the highlights of the year 2007 for you?
I had Namaste London, Apne, Partner, and Welcome… all these meant a lot to me.

And what were your personal achievements?
I was able to move ahead with certain things in my family – in terms of achieving a sense of security. Acquiring my house was also something that made me happy.

Do you have any particular ambition for the New Year?
Yes, I hope someone will offer me a role with a very strong character like the one I had in Namaste London! Hopefully 2008 will be an even more exciting year. I am looking forward to work with different film-makers and do projects that might give me the scope to perform. I have already signed some films for the next year, which look promising.

How come you agreed to do the Yash Raj multi-starer along with Ranbir, Bipasha, Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba?
I can’t say much about it right now, since YashRaj has not yet done any news publicity. When people see the film, they’ll understand why I chose to do this role.

How is Subhash Ghai’s Main Yuvraj shaping up?
It’s shaping up extremely well. This is one film where my role is very important. I’m really happy because this film gives me scope to act.

Source: http://www.xpress4me.com/

Deepika out of Roshan's film

Rakesh Roshan has turned down OSO girl Deepika Padukone. The film, starring Hrithik Roshan could have been Deepika's ticket to the A-list in Bollywood.

Our sources, however, say that Deepika was not suitable for the role so she was shown the door. When contacted Rakesh Roshan confirms that they are not going ahead with Deepika.

He says, "I am in the process of working on a film which will be directed by Anurag Basu. We may work with Deepika for some other film. "Anurag Basu, who is directing the film endorses, "We are yet scouting for the female lead."

As for Deepika, he says, "Deepika didn't fit the role. We'll definitely work with her in future for some other project. It's quite a complex character and we are looking out for a female lead."

After they dumped Deepika, Roshans are now looking at casting a non-Indian for the role. Says a source, "Roshan's production house and Anurag have been auditioning girls. The female lead needs to be a salsa dancer."

The film is a romantic-action-thriller which will be shot abroad. It is scheduled to go on the floors by March 2008. Apparently, the film is based on Latin dance forms and Hrithik will be seen performing a lot of salsa.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Salman gets waxed fully clothed at Madame Tussauds

Bollywood celebrities have been permanent visitors of London's Madame Tussauds – Amitabh Bachchan was the first in 2000, the Bachchan bahu Aishwarya Rai joined him four years later and last year, it was Shah Rukh Khan who had his wax work installed there. And next in line is actor Salman Khan who is all set to join this stellar company.

With Bollywood’s latest entry at the wax museum one wonders whether there might soon be a Bollywood corner or even a whole floor for stars from the Hindi film industry at Madame Tussauds. And going by the crowds that Bollywood stars draw, this might be sooner than later.

“Bollywood stars are very popular. We will certainly keep our eye on that and will have whoever our visitors vote for,” Global External Relations of Madame Tussauds, Nicky Hobbs said.

Salman was selected after a Bollywood poll in August this year and the actor seems quite excited at the thought of being immortalised in wax.

About 150 kgs of wax and four months of work is believed to have gone into creating the wax Salman. The actor has even personally given a copy of a bracelet his father had given him to decorate the wax model.

And before you wonder, yes, he will be fully attired in signature jeans and a T-shirt. “We are grateful to Harley Davidson for providing the clothes, especially the boots,” Hobbs said.

So come January 15 and you know where Bollywood fans are headed in the UK.

Source : www.ibnlive.com

Mallika Sherawat to play prostitute-turned-politician

Things are finally happening for the Sherawat girl. After receiving applauds for her performance in the hit ‘Welcome’, the jat girl is being considered for a leading role in director Kundan Shah’s political satire that he has been working on for many years

The film will be a satirical humour dealing with the story of a prostitute who is on the run. She goes through many testing circumstances and eventually becomes the chief minister of a state.

However, Mallika has not yet signed the dotted line. Even, Shah hasn’t yet confirmed Mallika’s presence in the film. All he says is that the cast is being finalized.

Source: www.bollywood-stars.net

SRK explains 5 stages of an actor for new faces

Shah Rukh Khan explains the 5 stages of an actor. The year 2007 saw many new faces making their big debuts on the silver screen. The most celebrated ones, undoubtedly, were Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor who were endorsed through every possible medium through their celebrity parents. Deepika Padukone had the goodwill of Shah Rukh Khan to promote her as the next big thing, despite having no film family background to back her.

Then came the least known amongst them all who apart from not having any godfather in the industry also didn’t have the chocolate boy looks that Bollywood heroes are made off. His name was Nikhil Dwivedi. And though he too was linked with Shah Rukh as being his close associate, a tag for which any newcomer would die for, Nikhil always modestly and politely declined to be the next star launch from King Khan. Perhaps he was waiting for SRK to make that statement himself. And the king just did that.

Source : www.bollywoodpremiere.com

Shilpa game for another reality show

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has revealed that she would love to be a part of BBC’s reality show Strictly Come Dancing.

The 32-year-old actress said that she was part of the Indian version of the British dancing show, so if an offer comes from the BBC’s reality show she would definitely like to consider it.

“I was a judge on Strictly Come Dancing in India, so that’s something I would consider,” the Daily Express quoted her, as saying.

The actress was earlier a part of the reality show Celebrity Big Brother in which she was caught in an international racism controversy, which involved her and fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd.

However, Shilpa was crowned the winner of the British show on 28 January 2007 with 63 percent of the final vote.

But now, she is adamant, that she would never do a Big Brother-type project again.
“I couldn’t do with having cameras on me all the time again,” she said.

Since Big Brother the Indian beauty has launched her own perfume and landed the leading role in the musical Miss Bollywood , which closed in London on Thursday.

Source : www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com