KAREENA KAPOOR

Kareena Kapoor says there is nothing “vulgar” about her backless shot being used for the publicity posters of forthcoming release Kurbaan, an intense thriller about terrorism. In fact, she says, it subtly reveals a lot about the story.

“This shot of me in a backless posture and Saif with a wound on his chest speaks so much about the film’s theme,” Kareena said recently. “There is love, passion and violence all combined in here and what better way than to show it through a single still?”

Kareena also said that after Geet in Met, her character of Avantika in will make people sit up and take notice. Kareena plays an academic who gets married to her colleague, played by Saif Ali Khan. They move to New York after marriage, but as a series of events unfolds she finds herself drawn into a vortex of danger and intrigue.

“Kurbaan has a deep-rooted love story to it, but it is not a frothy romantic film that we are time and again exposed to. The love story is much deeper here. There is a definite meaning, purpose and reason to it. Also, the film is quite powerful in its own way since it’s the voice of moderate Islam,” she said.

The film, which also stars Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Dia Mirza, releases on Nov 20.

Amitabh-Abhishek role reversal main motive behind Paa: Balki

The idea to cast Amitabh Bachchan as Abhishek’s son in the upcoming Paa struck filmmaker R. Balakrishnan when he watched the father-son duo together and observed a high level of maturity in the latter’s behaviour.

“My main aim was not to make a film on progeria. My main motive behind making ‘Paa’ was to reverse the roles of Amitabh and Abhishek,” Balakrishnan, who is known as Balki, said.

The director revealed that he got to know about progeria, the premature ageing disease, much later and used it to make his film look real instead of a fantasy fare.

Paa, an emotional story of a fatherson relationship, will see Amitabh playing Abhishek’s 13-year-old son Auro who is suffering from progeria.

The much-awaited film is slated to release Dec 4 and has been made under Amitabh’s banner AB Corps Ltd.

Balki, who had cast Amitabh in his directorial debut Cheeni Kum, says he was convinced that Amitabh was right for the role in Paa right from the inception of the idea.

For the special look of Amitabh’s

Amitabh In Paa

international make-up artist Stephan Dupuis and the arduous make-up procedure used to take more than four hours.

Simple Kapadia is no more Former Bollywood actress and designer Simple Kapadia died in Mumbai on her 51st birthday after battling cancer for three

Kumar, other friends like Sunny Deol, Sajid Khan, Honey Irani, Vipul Shah and Rahul Dholakia were also present at the funeral,” said a source close to the family.

Simple, who debuted opposite then superstar and brother-in-law Rajesh Khanna in Anurodh, worked in about 20 films. She will be remembered for her sensual dance number in Lootmaar and as a vamp in Pyar Ke Do Pal

The actress, who stayed single, bid adieu to movies in 1986 after Pyar Ke Do Pal but returned as a costume designer. She mainly designed for her sister and bagged the National Award for best costume design for the film Rudaali in which Dimple played the lead.

What’s with Bollywood actresses marrying married

men?

When Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty walks down the aisle to marry Londonbased businessman Raj Kundra this month, she will be following in the footsteps of Hema Malini, Sridevi and Raveena Tandon - actresses who famously entered into

Guess Who Guess Who

wedlock with men who had been married

Shilpa met millionaire Kundra, 34, shortly after she found fame in Britain by winning the international reality series

Celebrity Big Brother two years ago. Now she is marrying him Nov 22 at a private ceremony to be attended by close friends and family.

Kundra was already separated when he met Shilpa, but his estranged wife Kavita publicly blamed the actress for the breakup of the marriage. However, Shilpa was adamant she would date him only after he was officially separated.

“To be honest, I think I was in love with Raj from day one but I was in denial. I made it clear to him that our relationship could go no further than friendship until he actually had his divorce,” the Daily Mail

Akhtar, who was married to scriptwriter Honey Irani. Shabana and Akhtar entered into wedlock in 1984. Akhtar had two kids - Farhan and Zoya - from his previous marriage.

Raveena Tandon also decided to wed film distributor Anil Thadani, who was married to Natasha Sippy. Popular actress Karisma Kapoor also entered into matrimony with a divorcee - Delhi-based businessman Sanjay Kapur. Mahima Chaudhary also wed architect Bobby Mukherjee, who was earlier married with two kids.

These days, a prominent actress dating a divorcee is Kareena Kapoor. With Saif Ali Khan, she makes for one of Bollywood’s most talked about couples. The actor had once been married to actress Amrita Singh. Tabu is also reportedly dating southern star Nagarjuna, who is married to former actress Amala.

Of course Ranbir and I are competitors: Neil Nitin Mukesh

Their grandfathers were best friends, and their fathers enjoy great camaraderie. Neil Nitin Mukesh says he and Ranbir Kapoor are pals too. But he also admits that there is healthy rivalry between them.

“Ranbir and I are of course competitors. But there’s no negative rivalry between us. Our respective fathers (Nitin Mukesh and Rishi Kapoor) would kill us if we behaved like two brats fighting for the same roles,” Neil said online had once quoted her as saying.

“It actually made me feel physically ill. To be called a marriage-breaker was the worst thing possible. It brought such shame on to my parents, and I felt so bad for their sake,” she added.

In the past, many actresses have found love in successful married men - who may or may not have been separated from their first wives.

Even though yesteryear star Dharmendra was married to Prakash Kaur and had four children with her - two daughters and sons Sunny and Bobby Deol - Bollywood ‘dreamgirl’ Hema Malini got romantically involved with him. Dharmendra converted to Islam to wed the actress in 1980. They have two daughters - Esha and Ahana.

Bollywood’s former cabaret queen

Helen also fell for screenwriter Salim Khan, who was already married to Salma Khan (whose original name was Sushila Charak). Though he had four children with Salma - Salman, Sohail, Arbaaz and Alvira - he married Helen in 1980 and adopted a daughter named Arpita.

Even Sridevi tied the knot with film producer Boney Kapoor, the elder brother of Anil Kapoor, with whom she did films like Lamhe and Mr. India. Boney was married with two kids before he married Sridevi in 1996.

Critically acclaimed actress Shabana Azmi fell in love with prolific writer Javed

“I’m proud that our grandfathers (Raj Kapoor and Mukesh) were very close friends. My father and Ranbir’s father adore each other. Ranbir is like my younger brother,” he added Neil’s Jail and Ranbir’s Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani released on the same day this month.

“I’d want Ranbir’s film to do as well as mine,” Neil says. “Fortunately, though our films look like north and south poles.”

Vidya Balan’s burden

Who says acting is easy? Not when you have to carry a boy weighing 45 kg on your shoulders. Just ask actress Vidya Balan, who had to go through the exercise for her film Paa -- and ended up suffering a fall.

“Vidya was shooting with a child who plays the younger version of Amitabh Bachchan. The scene required Vidya to carry him on her shoulders,” said a source. “Vidya weighs 45 kgs and so does the boy. Vidya carried him on her shoulders nevertheless. But she lost balance as she walked and the mishap occurred”.

Vidya completed the shot nonetheless.

Name changes work for Eesha!

Eesha Koppikhar is rushing through her work commitments this month. You see, she is all set to walk down the aisle with Timmy Narang on Nov 27.

Looks like all those numerological changes in the spelling of her name paid song number” for Subhash Ghai. Two of Ghai’s upcoming films Right Ya Wrong? and Hello Darling, both starring Eesha, are nearing completion. Right Ya Wrong, a crime thriller featuring Sunny Deol, IrrfanKhan and Konkona Sen besides Eesha, is set to release on 15 Jan 2010.

What is Hrithik Roshan telling wifey Suzanne here?

Send in your responses to info@indianlink.com.au and win a surprise prize

Last issue Caption Contest winning entry

What message is Jayaprada sending out as she walks the ramp at the Wills India Fashion Week?

If Sridevi can do it, I can do it too... and so much better!

Ranjan Guhathakurtha, Christchurch, NZ.

Ranjan wins a free one-year subscription to Indian Link newspaper

Some other good ones

You can walk at the ramp even at my age. Just stay clear of the two-piece swimsuit, though.

I wish someone would tell my party leader Amar Singh, who is always busy with Amitabh Bachchan, that this party candidate is equally glamorous - I am a star too, you know! Jaspreet

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