the Buzz

Rajesh Khanna recovering

Veteran actor Rajesh Khanna recently gave his fans a bit of a shock after landing in hospital in Mumbai for some tests, and staying there for a while. The actor, a mere shell of his flamboyant young self, has been battling health issues for some time now. His ex-wife Dimple Kapadia has been taking care of him. The 69-year-old was pleased to see worried fans lined up outside his house, waving to them and showing them the ‘V’ for victory sign.

Bollywoods celebs visiting Rajesh Khanna, aka Kaka, included actress Reena Roy, former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, his close friend Anita Advani and former girlfriend Anju Mahendru. Rajesh Khanna’s daughters Twinkle and Rinke, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar also came to see him in the hospital.

But it was thespian Anupam Kher, who worked with the actor in Vijay, who spoke for all of Kaka’s colleagues and fans when he said, “Rajesh Khannaji is a part of our youth and belongs to the era that taught us about romance. He also portrayed different aspects of acting. He is the first superstar and I pray to God that he has a long and healthy life.”

Incidentally, Salman Khan made a bid to see the ailing actor after visiting hours, and was politely but firmly turned away by the hospital, much to his surprise. For once the Sallu charm didn’t quite do the trick…

Here’s wishing Kaka a quick recovery back to health!

Rahman to rock London olympics

Grammy award winner AR Rahman will team up with Hollywood director Danny Boyle again, to compose a song for the London Olympics’ opening ceremony. The music maestro reveals it will be a Punjabi song celebrating

Malaika Arora Khan in Sydney

It was a much quieter trip to oz for Malaika Arora Khan this time round.

Last year she came down to Melbourne for the opening of Mind Blowing Films’ Indian Film Festival, but ended up dancing her way to the Guinness Book of Records. (She led a record number of dancers gyrating to that all-time hit Munni badnaam hui ). This year’s visit also saw her officiating at the opening of the Indian Film Festival, but in the Sydney rather than Melbourne chapter of the festival, and no, she did not bring along her dancing shoes. (or even her husband). Instead, she opted to be a culture-vulture, spending time at the Sydney opera House after her official duties were finished, and sampling some of the good food this city has to offer.

“Just want to chill,” she claimed, the chill in the air not bothering her at all she walked around in those sexy singlets and off-shoulder dresses…

GUeSS WHo

Indian influence in Britain. It’s another feather in the cap for this prolific, yet humble musician extraordinaire, who worked with Boyle in Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours “It’s a part of a medley in the Olympics opening ceremony, according to Danny Boyle’s creative wishes!” Rahman stated.

It has also been reported that music composer Ilayaraja’s composition Naanthaan ungappanda, from Kamal Hassan’s 1980 film Ram Lakshman will be a part of the opening ceremony too. Thank goodness Indians in england are now well beyond the curry and cricket combination!

esha-Bharat wedding makes Bollywood news

Actress Esha Deol married businessman Bharat Takhtani in a traditional south Indian ceremony at the IsKCOn temple in the Mumbai’s Juhu suburb, following a reception attended by the best of Bollywood. The whole family of dad Dharmendra, mum Hema Malini, sister Ahana were present to wish her well and partake of the ceremony. Esha is close to her cousin Abhay Deol, who took the part of her brother, as half-brothers Sunny and Bobby were conspicuous in their absence.

The bride looked happy and resplendent in a red lehenga made of three Kanjivaram saris and gold jewellery, while Bharat looked dapper in a white sherwani with zardozi work and a maroon pagdi. The wedding outfits were designed by Neeta Lulla.

The decor at the temple was simple, yet beautiful and heavily decorated with flowers.

Hema Malini claimed she was “very happy” for her daughter, and would miss her. “It was a normal South Indian wedding, with just slight changes. I am very happy for Esha, she has found the right person. We all are very happy. I will miss her but she is going to be in Mumbai, so I am happy about that,” said Hema, looking gorgeous and elegant in a orange-red hand-woven six yard sari, which she teamed up with a green blouse and kept her hair neatly tied at the back. Esha’s dad and yesteryear star Dharmendra kept it simple with black trousers, a white shirt and grey jacket.

Present at the ceremony were Bollywood’s biggies including Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, legendary actress Vyjayanthimala looking evergreen in a purple and orange traditional sari, Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam Sinha and her twin sons - Luv and Kush. Hema’s niece and actress Madhoo, as well as Vinod Khanna, Manoj Kumar, Anu Malik, Rani Mukherji, Fardeen Khan Ramesh Sippy, Sandip Soparrkar and wife Jesse Randhwa were also there to bless the couple.

Sahara’s chief Subroto Roy, industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s wife Neeta Ambani and Sunil Rane of Atharva Group of Institutes, who is a family friend, were among the other high profile guests.

Top notch Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders too attended the wedding, from Raj Purohit, Mumbai chief of BJP, to party president Nitin Gadkari to national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, all attended the event.

The reception saw even more of Bollywood and India’s elite attending, with an invitation sent out to Sonia Gandhi who couldn’t attend due to security reasons. She has however, invited the newly married duo to visit her at her residence.

Here’s wishing the happy couple all the very best.

Akshay as Krishna in Oh My God

Akshay Kumar is back with a vengeance, and this time it’s in a heavenly avatar. Debut posters of his latest film Oh My God the modern day Lord Krishna, show the star riding a motorcycle through the clouds with a bright colourful sky in the background. This time Akshay has teamed up with Paresh Rawal in his production venture, who appears in the second poster. It shows Paresh, who plays Kanahaiya, standing with a smile on his face and gods and goddesses surrounding him.

Based on Umesh Shukla’s Gujarati play Kanji Viruddh, the movie is about unconventional happenings in normal day to day lives, and is due for a lateSeptember release.

Now Akshay must be feeling his age as the actor’s former karate student Prateek Chakravorty has turned director with From Sydney With Love, and actually calls the star ‘uncle’!

“He calls me Akshay uncle. Backstage he asked me if he should call me Akshay uncle or not? I love what comes from the heart,” said the 44-year-old Akshay recently.

“Will you believe me if I say I used to teach him karate? He was a good student but then he stopped,” added the actor. “He always wanted to be a director and an actor, and I am proud that he has become an actor, he has directed his first film and he has taken forward his grandfather Pramod Films’ name ahead”.

From Sydney With Love stars Prateek himself along with Bidita Bag, Sharad Malhotra, Evelyn Sharma and Karan Sagoo, and will release in end-July.

Looks like exciting times ahead for Akshay fans, so watch this space.

Hrithik impresses Hollywood

Despite being a booming business, Bollywood’s actors have found it hard to find a firm foothold in big sister Hollywood’s hallowed halls. But now, apna Hrithik Roshan as found a fan in Scott Speer, director of Step Up Revolution, who is impressed with the Indian star’s acting and dancing.

“ yes, of course, anyone who is interested in dance and music will know about Indian movies. It has a lot of music and dance and colours in them,” Speer said recently. “I liked Hrithik Roshan as an actor and dancer in the Kites and have seen him Dhoom 2.” voice, actor Aamir Khan feels that the institution of marriage in India has changed manifold and urges parents to ensure that their children are wellequipped to take decisions about society and the concept of marriage marriage is now looked upon as

Step Up Revolution is the fourth instalment of dance movie Step Up, due to release in end July.

Speer is an American music video director and has done several music videos for Mexican singer Belinda.

Bollywood to make a hit in Hollywood?

“Although this concept is good, we should empower our kids with right tools to be able to make their own broader level. Marriage should not bring along fear with it. We should provide ample support to our kids and teach them to live happily,” he added. Aamir was chatting with listeners on a radio show, talking about his ground-breaking series Satyamev Jayate.

The 44-year-old, who made his television debut with Satyamev feels the show has brought him closer to the people of India, and says every citizen should work to make the country a better place

“The effect Satyamev Jayate has taken all over the country proves the fact that we are addressing genuine issues that are prevalent in India. I have, on a personal level, come closer through this initiative to our country,” he said. “For any country to be happy, we need to join hands to work towards the common goal... We should all work together for the betterment of the Aamir also talked about the response that his show has received till now and says a change has already been brought in society.

“We have crossed the halfway mark and have received positive response throughout the country. The healthcare episode has helped improve generic medicines, the health minister is also supporting us and so is the government,” he said. Sharing an incident about the bias against the girl child, Aamir recounted, “At a Delhi wedding, a family member said a guest blessed the bride that she will give birth to boys at which point the other members present stated that a girl child is equally

Rekha: If not together in Jalsa, now Jaya and I are together in the same House (Rajya Sabha)

Saba Nabi Wagga Wagga NSW

Saba wins music Cd of new Hindi film Bol Bachchan welcome and such gender bias should not exist. I was reading in the newspaper that the people are now going to the police, child helpline - so change is evident (against the bias) and I really believe in India and our people.”

The success of Satyamev Jayate has proved naysayers wrong. “People told me that a show on social issues would be a failure, but now people from (Jammu and) Kashmir to Kanyakumari are associated with the show and want to see change in our society. We should use this opportunity to plan and contribute the most. The required change should be brought about inside,” Aamir said.

Well, there’s no doubt that this is just the beginning of the great heights that the show is bound to reach, in bringing awareness of social issues to the forefront. Good luck to Aamir, the man with the Midas touch!