IT’s pAYBAck TImE!

Actress Kajol, who with husband Ajay Devgn has been actively involved in social work, says getting associated with causes is part of social responsibility and it is their way of giving back to society.

The 38-year-old, along with her actor husband, is supporting Coca Cola-NDTV’s Support My School campaign and has donated Rs.10 lakh.

“I believe it is part of our social responsibility. Especially after having kids, Ajay and I feel the need to give back and in a different way, not in regular cinematic way,” Kajol says. “We feel passionate about causes like save the girl child, education and literacy. We believe, these are the things that will make a difference and make our country grow”.

An endeavour to get better facilities in schools in rural and semi-urban towns, the Support My School campaign has impacted as many as 100 schools by providing them with improved amenities like access to clean water, proper sanitation, and sports facilities among others.

Last seen in the 2010 film We Are Family, Kajol feels that celebs can make a huge difference to charitable causes.

“Their association brings more focus on the whole issue. It brings a different kind of publicity and also spreads awareness,” she said.

Currently busy with her home and children - daughter Nysa and son Yug - Kajol hopes to get back to work next year.

“I have come a long way from Taare Zameen Par and it was like a stepping stone in my life. I feel so lucky that finally there is some big movie that I have done,” said the 16-year-old at the premiere of Midnight’s Children. Darsheel admits he is still not very familiar with the film’s script, and that is why he was very “curious” to watch the movie. “Whatever she wanted, I used to help her and she also used to help me. Even in my studies she was very supportive. It was fun working with her and I am looking forward to working with her again,” he added.

Actress Shahana Goswami who plays Amina Sinai, mother to lead character Saleem Sinai, says the filmmaker is quite a taskmaster on the sets, but a great one to work with.

“Deepa is a task master but in the best possible way. I find her to be really good and hardworking with her actors and in every other aspect which she looks into before coming on the sets,” said Shahana. For the actress, it was a learning experience to work with Mehta. “I won’t say she is a taskmaster in making you cry or giving you a bad time. She is very involved in her actors. So for an actor, she is a brilliant director to have,” Shahana explained. “She really pushes you to bring out a deeper emotional connect with the character and that’s really a great thing for an actor’s growth”.

Midnight’s Children also features Rajat Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Ronit Roy, Satya Bhabha, Seema Biswas, Siddharth, Anita Majumdar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Soha Ali Khan and Shriya

Narmada for Nihalani

Film producer Pahlaj Nihalani plans to give actor Govinda’s daughter Narmada Ahuja a “perfect launch” in Bollywood.

“One thing is for sure... I am definitely going to launch Narmada. She is like family and I would like to give her a proper launch. I am scripting something special for her and I assure it will be the perfect launch for her,” Nihalani said recently.

Narmada has been waiting on the sidelines for the right break to make her darsheel safary Prateik BaBBar debut into filmdom, but the wait has been long. So fans of dad Govinda can hope to see shades of the actor in Narmada. A mildly scary thought!

Asked what the film will be about, Nihalani said, “It is too early to talk about it, (but) I shall disclose it soon.” But Nihalani has earlier produced films like Shola Aur Shabnam, Andaz and Aankhen, so Narmada shouldn’t be too worried.

In fact, Aankhen was one of Govinda’s biggest hits and after two decades. Nihalani will bring out a sequel to the super hit comedy. The buzz is that the actor may do a cameo in it. The producer is already working with Govinda in his next film Avatar, and the duo seem to work well together. Now Nihalani wants to cast some youngsters in the sequel of Aankhen which goes on the floors in August, so can we assume that Narmada stands a chance to kickstart her acting career? Dad in cameo and daughter in debut! An interesting thought!

Vivek’s two-in-one

Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story is going to be an interesting movie for actor Vivek Oberoi who says he got to relive two of his past characters - Chandu of Company and Aditya of Saathiya, in one single character.

“Filmmaker Kumar Tauraniji called me and said, ‘There is a perfect script for you’. Vinnil Markan narrated the story. What I liked the most in Jayantabhai Ki... was that there is a goon similar to Company and a loverboy similar to (the one I played in) Saathiya’,” the 36-year-old actor explained. “I found it very exciting that I will get to play both shades and (so) I said yes”.

Vivek also spotted one similarity between his real life and his character Jayantabhai. “I am a simple boy in real life. But one thing is similar between the character and me - when (my wife) Priyanka tells me to do something, I can never say no to her. She also knows that I will never say no to her. It is the same is in the film - when Simran asks for something, Jayanta cannot say no,” Vivek said. Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story also features Neha Sharma opposite Vivek. Good luck with the film, Vivek!

Warming to Vishwaroop

The controversy surrounding veteran actor Kamal Haasan’s film Vishwaroopam (Vishwaroop in Hindi), seems to be drawing to a less than dramatic end. The actor/director/producer has agreed to edit the movie and cut some scenes, following talks with Muslim groups recently.

“I’ve arrived at a consensus with my Muslim brothers. We’ve agreed to cut some scenes from the film which they found to be objectionable,” Kamal Haasan, who produced the film and acted in it, told reporters. The film, a Rs 95 crore espionage thriller, ran into hot water following protests from Muslim groups over certain scenes in the movie, which seem derogatory to their community.

The controversy reached the extent at which the actor warned that he would “seriously leave” India if similar protests again envelop his films. So fortunately for Indian cinema, Kamal Haasan will be around to entertain us some more – with or without controversy!

The decision, one hears, has been taken by the producers Viacom 18 who saw Isaaq and immediately decided to buy its worldwide distribution rights, apparently on condition that Prateik undertake an immediate crash course in career and image reinvention.

Another step in Prateik’s career recuperation is his voice. A Hindi voicecoach Sushil Bouthiyal with a solid background as a theatre artiste at the National School Of Drama has been employed to modulate his voice-quality.

On a more personal level, his overhyped relationship with his Ekk Deewana Tha co-star Amy Jackson has been thrown out of the window. Apparently, Prateik has been “strictly advised” to stay away from romantic involvements and focus on his career.

Commenting upon the developments, Isaaq director Manish Tiwary said, “I’d really not like to comment on whatever happened in Prateik’s life and career. It’s all in the past. And he is looking at a new career for himself. Hopefully, Isaaq will mark the rebirth of Prateik as an actor. He is working hard on himself, his voice, image, attitude - everything.”

Apparently Prakash Jha, in whose Aarakshan Prateik’s performance was patently panned, saw rushes of Isaaq and was jolted by the difference.

Tiwary, who made Dil Dosti Etc in 2007, said: “Maybe Prakashji wasn’t able to focus as much on Prateik’s performance as I have. Aarakshan had a huge cast. In my film, Prateik is the solo hero. I had to work on him from scratch.”

Set in the backdrop of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, Isaaq is an action drama. Let’s hope it helps revive Prateik and his flagging career!

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What’s the chitchat between Anushka sharma and Imran Khan here?

Imran: That kiss in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola was so awkward...

Anushka: Yaaa! Let’s make a deal to never kiss again?

Imran: You got it buddy!

Divya Jindal