ANUSHKA IN THE MOOD…
… with Vodka!

Anushka Sharma had reason to be jittery for a particular scene in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola…

She was apparently worried about how she would pull off the act of a female tippler, since she has no idea how one behaves under the influence of alcohol! Plus, she had to shoot the scene with veteran actor Pankaj Kapur, which made her even more nervous. “Anushka was fretting since Pankaj is such a seasoned actor… So someone suggested she have a glass or two just to know what it felt like,” says a source. But apparently, while rehearsing, she ended up downing half a bottle of Vodka! “She got so high that she promptly went off to sleep! She woke up only the next day around late afternoon, just when the scene was scheduled to be shot. But since Anushka had a bad hangover, the shoot had to be postponed to the next afternoon,” adds the source.

The much embarrassed Anushka apologized profusely to director Vishal Bhardwaj for her boo boo! But he waived this aside sine he was so impressed by her dedication. Ironically, the next day the scene was shot in one take, with nobody getting drunk to get into character

AMEESHA – getting too big for her boots!! 

Ameesha may have not have been in the limelight for quite some time now. But the actress believes she would be a misfit to be categorized in the comeback-actress list! With Race 2 creating a buzz and being much talked about, Ameesha claims it is just another movie adding to her career list.

When the actress was asked how she feels about her comeback movie, she instantly refuted this with, “Who said I am aiming a comeback with this film? The term comeback only works for the likes of Madhuri Dixit or Sridevi. I am too young to be slotted in that bracket.” Err... we think it takes a lot of courage for somebody to pass such remarks on the ‘dhak-dhak’ girl or the ‘hawa-hawai’ queen!

Seems Ameesha has quite a role to play in her next. The actress claims that her character is as important as the main characters of the movie. “I have a pivotal role in Race 2. The quality of the role matters, not the length” says Ameesha.

Interestingly, she recently visited London and rumours were that the actress is apparently avoiding the promotions of Race 2 since she was given a side role. When asked, Ameesha laughs and rubbishes the rumours, “Well look, I just did a guest appearance in Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic and yet I was so well noticed.”

We can only await her screen presence in Race 2 to confirm or refute that claim!

SALMAN’S OFFENDED?

No bhai please!!

Shakespeare said ‘What’s in a name?’ and then signed his name below but it’s other way round for Salman Khan! The Dabangg actor is very proud of what his parents named him as, and apparently wants others to stick to it while addressing him.

Salman has apparently taken offence to everybody who calls him ‘bhai’. He believes it’s very fake and artificial when people call him that. He feels it doesn’t come from their hearts. “When people call me bhai out of love it shows. It’s the tone that matters, but most of them fake it. Only Arbaaz and Sohail should call me bhai, not everyone has the right to call me bhai,” says Salman.

And, before you think of addressing him as Sallu, think twice. He’s not too fond of this nickname either. He probably likes being called ‘Mr. Khan’... But isn’t that name more often used to address SRK?? Salman says, “All sorts of idiots call me that (Sallu). Even rank strangers. Kids call me, ‘aye Salman’ and ‘oye Salman’ and I love it!”

Originally, the nickname ‘Sallu’ was coined by Jackie Shroff and Salman today protests: “Even Jackie has changed it now and he calls me ‘Salley’!”

Kangana’s royal denial 

With the year 2012 just about to close, everyone is looking forward to a grand welcome of 2013. From hoteliers to big shot businessmen, everyone is ready to celebrate! This also means a lot of money for stars who will perform at different events. But someone in B-town believes in going against the herd...That’s Kangna Ranaut!

While we mentioned that newbie Parineeti Chopra is thinking of making good money by performing at New Year shows, Kangna has royally declined all offers that came to her from various five-star hotels and event companies. 

Apparently, she wants to go on a long overdue break. A source close to the actress says, “Kangna has been working hard for I Love NY, Shootout At Wadala, Krrish 3 and Rensil D’Silva’s next opposite to Emraan Hashmi. With back to back shooting schedules she is tired and overworked. So she turned down offers from three leading five-star hotels.” 

Interestingly, Kangna needs this vacation so desperately that she apparently refused a big chunk of money of INR1 to 1.5crore! The source further added, “The organisers wanted her to dance to songs like ‘Sadi Gali’ from Tanu Weds Manu and ‘Tum Jo Aaye’ from Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. But she wants to go abroad for a bit before starting on her next project, Revolver Rani.” So Kangs will sit back and watch others dance!

Priyanka's hopes high with Teri Meri Kahaani

Kunal Kohli’s Teri Meri Kahaani is about three love storiesspanning over three different eras. Kunal’s every love story has a differentaspect altogether and this time the three-in-one combo worked well. The movieis not based on incarnation neither one would feel it as a repetitive story.

The movie begins in a small village at the outskirts ofLahore and ends in England. In between it takes us on a tour to the heart ofBollywood, Mumbai.

The movie stars Shahid and Priyanka as ‘Aradhana – Javed’ in1910, ‘Ruksar – Govind’ in 1960 and ‘Radha – Krish’ in 2012. The actors areseen in totally different avatar.

First poses pre-independence period’s Sikh girl in love withPakistani lad, second goes around post-independence where a struggling musicdirector falls for a superstar actress of the Golden era and the third is muchrecent, 22^nd century’s Radha, a university girl in love with Krish.

While Priyanka’s Love Story 2050 did not succeed, this timeshe seems to be lucky. Is it because of his co-star Shahid or the strong‘not-based-on-reincarnation’ script?

My 4 fun reasons why Teri Meri Kahaani will not be a success

My four fun reasons why Teri Meri Kahaani will not be a success

1) While Karisma’s Dangerous Ishqqwas not quite successful on screen, we wonder if

Sasha and PC will make it a hit. DangerousIshqq included past life regression and doesn't Teri Meri Kahani deal with the same?

Normally we talk about ‘saat janmon ka pyaar’(love of seven lives/birth) but in case of Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Choprait’s a ‘teen janmon ka pyaar’ (love of three lives/birth) in Teri Meri Kahani. The story takes us through a journey of eternal love between a couplewho have vowed to love each other not only in thislife but in every life to follow. Isn’t the janmojanmo ka pyar script too cliché or too out-dated?Do we need to say anything more?

2) Priyanka Chopra was avoiding public appearances with Shahid aftertheir love story went for a toss. She consistently did movies with, Ranbir Kapoor, SRK and Hrithik Roshan. Will she be able to share the comfort zone onscreen space with ex-beau?

3) While people around the tinsel town were busy linking up Piggy Chops with Harman Baweja, Sasha, and then King Khan of Bollywood, PC thought ofplaying safe with some women-centric movies like Fashion and 7 Khoon Maaf. Afterthe two hit6 women centric movies we wonder if Priyanka will sail safe in thisromantic drama, Teri Meri Kahani withSasha.

4) While Ranbir and Shahid both havedeclined to work with Sonakshi Sinha stating that she is too old for them. WillPiggy Chops and chocolate boy Shahid make a good pair/good chemistry? They wereok in Kaminey, but again that wasn’tcompletely a love saga.

All we can say is ‘get a life people’. Someone please stopthis past life regression love story and get us something cool to watch.

Which Kapoor to sizzle on silver screen

While our chocolate boy Imran Khan and dashing Ranbir Kapoor have already made their way from newcomers to well-known stars, newbies like Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor are all set to muse the audience with their Romantic drama Ishaqzaade. The movie is already in limelight with Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor promoting it for their respective cousins.

Directed by Habib Faisal, "Ishaqzaade" narrates the tale of 22-year-old Parma (Arjun), an immature and short tempered bully, who falls in love with Zoya (Parineeti). Parineeti plays a young, energetic and rowdy girl with a political background, who dreams to be an MLA. Parma and Zoya are born to hate each other but destined to love.

On the other hand, Karisma Kapoor is all geared up for her comeback in Bollwyood with Dangerous Ishq. The movie claims to be India’s first stereoscopic 3D thriller. An enticing suspense thriller, Dangerous Ishhq is Sanjana's tryst with Destiny. In the movie, Lolo plays the character of ‘Sanjana’, who would unravel the past to save her future.

While Karisma Kapoor is confident about her comeback performance with Dangerous Ishq, the question is whether she’ll be able to bag another hit in her name? Will features like ‘3D thriller’ and ‘women centric’, be an added advantage to entertain our audience? At the same time, Arjun and Parineeti’s film Ishaqzaade looks promising but will they succeed in charming the audience?

All, we can say is good luck to Arjun’s debut and Karisma’s comeback.

The third Bride on Band Baajaa Bride, Season 2 - Write Up

This week on Band Baajaa Bride with Sabyasachi, meet Aditi Charkavarthy, a modern day Bengali with not an inkling of the Bengali way of weddings! She approaches the Band Baajaa Bride team with a unique request- her parents want her to look every bit the traditional Bengali bride!

Sabyasachi grabs the opportunity to return to his roots and to fashion Aditi at her bong best. However, there's more to the challenge. With just 20 days to her wedding, Aditi wants to straighten out her crooked teeth, add volume to her scanty short hair and treat her skin to be at her glowing best!

The team ropes in the experts and throws in a bonus; the lover of all things Bengali, and muse to Sabyasachi, actor Vidya Balan! While Vidya has some great advise for a star struck Aditi, will our bride make the most of it? Will she love her makeover? Will her parents appreciate her traditional avatar?

Get the whole story, on friday, the 24th of Feb at 9.30pm only on NDTV Goodtimes!

My Second Write Up for the shy bride, bride 2 on Band Baajaa Bride, season - 2

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and so Kratika Gupta our second bride wants to look the most beautiful she has ever looked till date for her man – Kapil Singh Chand.

Kratika, a software engineer by profession fell in love with the Punjabi mundaa. This wasn’t a love-at-first-sight though. This shy girl narrates her story written in her diary.

Kratika mentioned in her diary how she always looked upon at the models in glossy magazines, and wedding clothes in boutiques dreaming that maybe one day she will be lucky enough to own an exquisite designer lehenga and look like one of the models in the magazine.

Kratika, a girl who never went for a haircut in her life before, gets a marveling haircut by Aveen Contractor, which left her mom overwhelmed with happiness. Team Band Baajaa Bride with Sabhyasachi, gives kratika an all new stunning makeover with a perfect lehenga by the new age designer himself.

BBB transform this petite sweet simple and shy girl into a radiant, gorgeous, heart-throbbing bride by Dr Jamuna Pai, best known dermatologist in Bollywood Industry, coming in to rescue her from those unwanted facial hair and pigmentation she complained about.

Dreaming high about her D Day she applied in ‘BBB with Sabhyasachi’ and was amazed and thrilled when she was selected. What more added to her dreams-come-true was her favorite designer, Sabhyasachi designing her wedding lehenga.

A unique love story of a girl from Hyderabad and guy from Kashipur gets in a more romantic phase with ‘BBB with Sabhyasachi’.

The BBB team proved the best in transforming a girl next door to a princess of her man’s eyes when the groom first set his eyes on her after the journey of this make-over??

Did he find her as beautiful?? Watch this episode of Band Baajaa Bride with Sabyasachi, only on Ndtv GoodTimes.

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Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and Kratika Gupta the second bride on Band Baajaa Bride with Sabyasachi, wants Kapil Singh Chand, her fiance, to see her like he never has before! Facial hair, an untouched mane, neglected feet and no lehengha are the obstacles to achieving this dream.

Team Band Baajaa takes over, under the guidance of mentor Sabyasachi Mukherjee and anchors Bharat and Ambika! The team throws in a few bonuses like ace cosmetic surgeon Dr Jamuna Pai and hairstylist to the stars- Avan Contractor!

Will this be enough for Kratika to look like a dream bride?

Watch the unique love story of a girl from Hyderabad and a guy from Kashipur culminate into the most romantic wedding with a little help from ‘Band Baajaa Bride with Sabyasachi’ on 17th feb, Friday 9.30pm.