Way word

Emraan Hashmi has his way. His role will be as long as Ajay Devgan’s in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. So will his share of publicity footage

Emraan Hashmi is flying high and how. The success of solo-hero starrers, Jannat (2008) and Raaz - The Mystery Continues (2009), has ensured Emraan such a standing in the film industry that his demands are met, despite the presence of an established star. For Ekta Kapoor’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, where he plays the role of the young don Dawood Ibrahim, he has laid down a condition in his contract, that he should be given as lengthy a role and equal publicity as his co-star Ajay Devgan, who plays Haji Mastan in the film.A source close to the production house said, “Emraan’s uncles, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, were not in favour of him doing Ekta’s film as they feared that he might end up playing second fiddle to an established actor like Ajay Devgan. However, Emraan loved the script and was very confident about his role. The film’s story revolves around how Haji Mastan passes the mantle to a young and emerging don Dawood. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that everything that was promised to him will be delivered, he laid down a condition in the contract saying that he should be given equal prominence as Ajay Devgan in terms of footage and publicity.”
Ajay DevganConfirming the news about the contract, Emraan Hashmi says, “Well, it’s true. The film is based on the shift of power from Ajay Devgan to me. Obviously, I don’t do films for the love of anyone or to be just another name in the credits. It is the central character besides Ajay’s character in the film.”

Fahid’s feech therapy

Shahid Kapur whose character in Kaminey uses ‘f’ for ‘s’ took lessons on how to lisp and stammer convincingly

Vishal Bharadwaj is a meticulous filmmaker. Leaving nothing to chance, Vishal took Shahid Kapur, lead actor of his forthcoming film Kaminey, to an ENT Surgeon Dr Prabodh Karnik so that Shahid could convincingly play his role in the film. Since Shahid plays a double role, Charlie who lisps and Guddu who stammers, in Kaminey, Vishal wanted him to understand the two speech defects very well before he faced the camera.A few days before the film went on the floors, the meeting was arranged in Dr Karnik's clinic at Dadar where Vishal and Shahid had long, detailed sittings with the doctor. Vishal and Shahid wanted to understand all about the two speech defects so that the actor could get under the skin of both the characters.Confirming the story, Dr Karnik told Mumbai Mirror, "I know Vishal Bharadwaj. He wanted to know why people stammer and how we evaluate and treat them. We gave them all the information that they were looking for."Shahid confirmed this and said, "Yes, I met Dr Karnik. Vishal is a filmmaker who likes to stick as close as possible to reality. Meeting Dr Karnik helped us a lot. It was a good learning experience. My object was just to make it as believable as possible."After two one-hour-long sittings with Dr Karnik over two days, Vishal and Shahid also went across to the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped and the Speech Disabled where Shahid personally interacted with patients who stammer or lisp. "Those sessions were run by an audiologist and speech therapist Dr Sadhana Relekar," said Dr Karnik.Dr Karnik added, "Stammering and stuttering is more prevalent in men. Most kids have a problem in speaking fluently especially in the initial stages of their life, but this problem is further aggravated when parents force their child to speak fluently without stuttering. Such children are susceptible to laryngeal tension, which causes the problem. As for those who lisp, it results due to poor co-ordination between pharynx, mouth and lips."Has Dr Karnik seen the rushes of Kaminey to see the fruits of his teachings? "No. That's not under my purview," said Dr Karnik.When asked to comment on his roles in the film, Shahid said, "Kaminey has been a very challenging experience. I wouldn't say I have a better understanding of speech impaired people that would take some time I think."

Ash-Akshay in 'Benjamin Butler' Replay

The actor will go through a reverse ageing process in his next flick.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button which sank without a trace, but you can expect the romantic Akshay-Ash starrer Action Replay to be a hit at the box office. To start with, the film is one of Bollywood’s best kept secrets this year, especially because it brings Akki and Ash together again after their sensational pairing in Khakhi. Then, just as Brad Pitt does in Benjamin Button, Akshay goes through a reverse ageing process in Action Replay. The films starts with him at the age of 62 and goes on to show him becoming 26. From being a father, Akshay grows to be a fashionable young dude of the swinging 70s with bell bottoms and wide belts. The script of Action Replay was ready before Brad Pitt’s film released. The cinema world’s best make-up specialists, led by Paul Pattison (Braveheart and Mission Impossible 2), are being used to give shape to this ambitious film. Film-maker Vipul Shah begins shooting this month and is expected to release Action Replay around November or December when Shah Rukh Khan’s My Name is Khan and Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots are slated to hit the screens. “What we are attempting is very ambitious and it hasn’t happened in Indian cinema before,” Vipul told BT. “The film is an out-and-out romantic comedy but reversing time is the challenging element. We’re putting in a lot of effort to pull off this one. We have to keep improvising on our content and technical abilities all the time.”

Tug-of-war

On the insistence of well-wishers, Sanjay Dutt will host a bash for Kylie Minogue

The ongoing animosity between Sanjay Dutt-Akshay Kumar has further intensified because of pop sensation Kylie Minogue. Kylie is in India to shoot her portions in the Akshay-Sanjay starrer, Blue. The acrimony between the two actors has magnified and it’s because Akshay’s playing the gracious (and self-appointed?) host to Kylie.Sanjay’s family and friends argue that along with Akshay, Sanju too is one of the leading men of Blue. A source close to Sanjay puts it succinctly, “Why is Akshay acting as Kylie’s lone host?” While Sanjay shrugs and laughs off the attention showered on the pretty Australian guest by her ‘unofficial host’, people close to Sanju are far from amused by Akshay’s attempt at self-promotion.In fact, the resentment in the Sanjay camp to Akshay’s monopoly act is so high that well-wishers have now persuaded Sanju to host a grand bash for Kylie.Confirming these developments, Dharam Oberoi, CEO Sanjay Dutt Films, says, “Yes, Sanjay is planning to throw a bash for Kylie. He has been busy due to his politics-related activities. We’ve persuaded him to play host to Kylie Minogue. The problem with Sanjay is he’s too laidback about competition. He doesn’t think being competitive is going to get him anywhere as he believes that what’s to come will come his way. Things don’t work that way in today’s world. Those who care for him have to constantly push him to make himself heard. But, he doesn’t listen to us.”
Sanjay DuttWhat apparently made Sanjay sit up this time was the fact that his role in Blue is being undermined in everybody’s mind because of the constant projection that the film primarily focuses on Akshay.“As far as we’re concerned, Sanjay is as much the film’s leading man as Akshay Kumar. Sanjay will start shooting with Kylie soon,” says Oberoi.Stories of a tug-of-war between Sanjay and Akshay during the shooting of Blue acquire a new hue when director Anthony D’Souza, better known as Tony in the ad world, admits that it’s Sanjay who has more footage in the film.“Everyone has a definite part in Blue.We didn’t just sign on a bunch of stars and then allot them roles. But, if you measure the length of the roles, then Sanjay has more footage than Akshay in Blue,” says D’Souza.Need we say more?

The Gown Take-over

The sari is nearly extinct. The women of tinseltown, the Filmfare Awards prove, have taken to the gown, while the men are still in suits

Asin is dressed like she knew she was going to win an award and wanted to make her look a lasting memory. The deep violet is an unexpected colour and the centre seam gives way to a beautiful, flowing panel. She keeps the face and make-up simple and wins all awards in the ensemble section.

Kahani mein twist

Ranbir Kapoor refused to star in Kunal Kohli’s next since he wanted some major changes in the script, which he thought was too hackneyed

While most know that Ranbir Kapoor turned down the offer to star in Kunal Kohli’s next romantic comedy, not many know the reason for Ranbir’s refusal. Kunal had approached Ranbir to play the lead in his next film, which is being produced by Reliance’s Big Entertainment with whom Kunal has signed a three-film deal.According to a reliable source, the real reason why Ranbir refused Kunal’s film was because the young actor wanted some major changes in the script.A source close to the actor said, “Ranbir was not too excited about the subject of Kunal’s romantic comedy. Ranbir felt that the audience’s taste had changed and they didn’t want to see the cliched stuff over and over again. That’s when Ranbir told Kunal to make some changes in the script to which Kunal agreed albeit reluctantly.”Ranbir and Kunal had another meeting after the required changes were made in the script. “To Kunal’s dismay, Ranbir was still not happy with the script. Kunal attempted to make Ranbir see things from his perspective but Ranbir refused to relent. Kunal even tried to reason with Ranbir by citing several examples of how Yash Raj Films have had similar themes told in different ways. Ranbir continued to be unconvinced as he firmly believes that hackneyed story lines do not work with the new generation. Ranbir told Kunal that only a fresh story line would work,” added our source.This time, Kunal refused to buy Ranbir’s argument. “Kunal’s opinion was that the taste of the Indian viewers will never change and that hackneyed plots still went down well with the masses. Unfortunately, the lengthy discussion was a futile attempt by Kunal. A trifle irritated Kunal compared Ranbir to his father Rishi Kapoor. The director told Ranbir that though his father had been a superstar, Ranbir still had a long way to go as an actor.
Ranbir KapoorThis did not go down well with Ranbir who has always maintained that he wants to star in films that were different from the ones that his father had done over the years,” said our source.“Now, Kunal Kohli is currently considering either Imran Khan or Shahid Kapur to play the lead actor in his forthcoming film. But he has not approached them as yet,” said the source. When contacted, Kunal said, “I haven’t completed the script so approaching Ranbir or anybody else is out of question.”

Freida Pinto finds a mentor in Scarlett Johansson

London: Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto has found a new mentor in Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson, her co-star in Woody Allen's next film.

Johansson, star of Lost In Translation, has reportedly taken the 24-year-old actress from Mumbai under her wing.
Johansson, who has worked with Allen three times in her career, most recently in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which won the Best Actress Oscar for Penelope Cruz, besides Scoop and Match Point, teamed up with Pinto at the Milan Fashion Week, the Daily Mail reported.
Pinto, who shot to international fame with her brief role as Latika in the multiple Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, posed for photographers in a glamorous cream dress at the show.
The actress and Johansson co-star in Allen's as-yet untitled project along with Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, and Anthony Hopkins.
Pinto, who has appeared on the cover of the Indian editions of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Maxim, is being hailed as the next big thing by international fashion magazines.