COME-BACK QUEENS

If Hindi cinema is littered with wanna -be starl ets that you cannot keep track of, there's also a growing number of wanna-come-back stars all of a sudden, probably followi ng Sridevi 's lead

Heading this list is none other than Rekha. Our pie of her above, i s not from one of her 1980s hits, but from her soon-to-be-released film Super Nani Bollywood's evergreen beauty is dressed here a la Madhubala's character from Mughal- e-Azam. She reprises the magic of ageless Bollywood tracks in the film, including, among others, Waheeda Rehman's Pyaar kiya toh darna kya

Reports are that Rekha was initially hesitant to do the reprisa l s, but was convinced they would be seen as an homage to her illustrious seniors

The diva is all set for another project t itled Fitoor, to go on the floors this month To be directed by Abhishek Kapoor, it also stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif.

Meanwhile Hema Malini will also grace the silver screen shortly, having started work on Ramesh Sippy's light-hearted comedy Shim/a Mirchi

The duo have worked together previously, most famously on Andaz, Seeta AurGeeta and Sholay.

If reports are to be believed, the story is about how a single mother (Hema Malini) and her daughter (Rakul Preet Singh) fall in love with the same man, played by Rajkummar Rao

Ramesh Sippy himself will be seen in a cameo in the film

Not to be outdone, Manisha Koirala, who has successfully battled cancer, is also on the prowl for a comeback. If all goes well, she may be seen in Rajkumar Santoshi 's next project, starring Pankaj Kapur to start in early 2015.

Haider best film of my career: Shahid Kapoor Vishal Bhardwaj's Kamineywas one of Shahid Kapoor's biggest hits. Now the duo has teamed up again for Haider, which the actor says is the best film of his caree r so far.

" This film has everyth ing that I haven't done before. I have pinned my hopes on th i s film;' Shahid clai med proudly.

No pressure or anything.

Released in 2009, Kaminey starred Shahid in a double role and he won accolades for his performance from all quarters

Haider is set against the unrest in the Kashmir Valley and revolves around lead character Haider who wants to avenge his father's death. It is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's p lay Hamlet and also stars Shraddha Kapoor.

"Some people like violence, some l ike romance but I know people will connect emotionally with Haider," said the 33- year- old star.

Shahid says he believes in doing good work without caring much about box office collection or any award

"Everyone tells me that Haider will win the National Award but I am not thinking about it. Earlier, I would think about boxoffice collections but now I enjoy my work. If we win a Nati onal Award, it will be good for us. But ifwe don't, I wi ll sti l l be happy that I d i d this film;'he stated

Sure, we believe you, Shahid

The actor also has good words to share about Bhardwaj

"Vishal Bhardwaj is a real superstar. He presents each fi lm differently. For instance Maqbool, Kaminey or 7 Khoon Maaf. He also makes strong womencentric movies. Vishal and I share a bonding,"said Shahid

Astrophysicist, doctor, cab driver, whatever

If you've enjoyed watching Kuna I Nayyar on The Big Bang Theory, you'll love his Bollywood debut DrCabbie.

The hit US TV show, which has 20 million viewers, has Kunal playing the nerdy, socially inept astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali. In Dr Cabbie, he continues to play the immigrant The film is a soc ial comedy which deals with the probl ems faced by immigrants. It is a story about how an Indian doctor, whose medica l degree is not recognised in Canada, turns into a taxi d river and opens a cl i nic in the back of the cab

Toronto-based actorVi nay Virmani, who shares screen space with Kuna! Nayyar in the film, te l ls us of the many funny moments during the making of the film

One such apparently, was when people on the streets mistook them for actual cab drivers. Okay

The film has already released in Canada and garnered a positive response. A date is yet to be locked in for the movie's release in India, but the film's cast is likely to be in India next month for promotions.

Dr. Cabbie is co-produced by Salman Khan and Ajay Virmani.

SHAHID \(APOOR

Happy with Bang Bang: Hrithik

So is Bang Bang a hit or not? Whi l e criti cs have universally panned the Hrithik Roshan - starrer, cla i ms are that it has crossed the Rs 200 crore mark in box office earnings

Hmm, sounds a bit suss

But the 40-year-old star doesn't seem to think so

According to h i m, most recent Hi nd i films that crossed the Rs 100 crore mar k, started off with what he calls " mixed reviews '; just like his own latest film.

So he says he is "happy and contented " with Bang Bang.

Although the box office was not too crowded when the fi l m came out, it had to share space with Shahid Kapoor-starrer Haider, unanimously well-received The gri m and gritty tale was in tota l contrast to Hrithi k's typical pot- boi ler laden with flying bullets, racing cars, etc.

Sidharth Anand's directorial venture, Bang Bang was produced by Fox Star Studios at a budget of Rs 140 crores

Well, at least Hrithik's satisfied but we bet even he secret l y thinks it's a pretty terrible name for a movie.

Pallavi Sharda: Besharam yet again probably Melbourne g irl Pallavi Sharda, who made her Bollywood debut with Bes ha ram, has revealed she will be work i ng on an Australian film now that she has finished her Hindi fi lm Hawaaizaada in which she stars opposite Ayushmann Khurrana.

" The film is about a r eal life case. It's a crimina l story based on a novel wr itten by Helen Garner;• Pallavi sa i d. "I wi ll begin the workshops for this film from D iwali. I'm not allowed to r eveal much about it''.

Now if we can put two and two together, is this new fi l m based on Garner's 2004 bookJoeCinque's Consolation, in wh i ch Canberra law student of Indian origin Anu Singh murdered her boyfriend?

Does Pallavi play Anu Si ngh? Onl y time will te ll.

The Canbe rra barrister who defended Singh in what became one of Canberra's most infamous trials, had said way back

HRITHII< ROSHAN

when the fil m was announced, that he would like Johnny Depp to play hi m

Anu Singh killed Joe Cinque on 26 October 1997 after drugging h im with heroin and Rohypnol. She was found guilty of his manslaughter and sentenced to ten years jail but was released on parole after four years

Big B plans birthday surprise

For his upcoming 72nd birthday on 11 Oct, Amitabh Bachchan is set to serve up a surprise to his fans An active user of social networking media, he will send a personal video message and digitally signed posters to a few lucky ones This is his way of "reciprocating the love" of his audience

Big B, in association with microblogging platform Twitter and celebrity digital media network Fluence, will respond to all his fans that follow him on Twitter handle @SrBachchan, and tweet and send him birthday wishes with the hashtag #AB72Wishes.

"Every year on my birthday, I am overwhelmed by l ove and affection that I receive from my fans from across the world. This year, I have found this unique way to reciprocate the love, even though the message is communicated through a digital med ium for me it is as personal as wishing each individual myself;' Big B said in a statement.

The actor, who has a fan following ranging from the age groups of 8 to 80 years, has over 10 million 'followers' on Twitter and 16,000,000'likes' on his Facebook page. In fact, he is t h e most followed person on Twitter in Indi a

WJ-10 WORE IT BETTER?

An lndo- Pak project for Fawad Khan

Pakistani actor from recent film Khubsooratis Bollywood's l atest heartthrob -import

"I am quite surprised by my popularity here," the good-looking actor revea l s. " It 's because of my Pakistani serials Zindagi Guizar Hai an d Humsafar. I was very surprised b y the two serials' popularity They made me a househol d name not just at home but worldwide People loved me''.

How humble of you, heartthrob Fawad is cu rrently on the look-out for an lnd o-Pak story.

"When peop le i n Indi a tell me they fee l an emotional connectivity with their ancestry in Lahore and Karachi when they see me on the screen, I feel so honou red;'Fawad reveals "I am a very peace-loving guy. If I ca n promote peace on any level between the two countries, it'd be my g r eatest achi evement. To be seen that way would be the biggest reward and honour for me''.

But right at the very moment though, Fawad wants to cash in on t h e success of Khubsoorat.

" I need to return home to Pakistan to arrange some screenings of Khubsoorat," he says

Rubbi n g his hands in anticipation, no doubt.

Actresses Ii ne up for Half Girlfriend

Ever since writer Ch etan Bhagat started penning his next novel Half Girlfriend, which will be made i nto a film, a string of names has cropped up for the female l ead in its big screen adaptation

Ekta Kapoor will produce the fi l m, while Mo hit Suri w i ll direct it

Alia Bhatt tops the list, but it has been revealed that Kriti Sanon too is being conside red fo r the role

Jennifer Lopez or Chitrangda Singh in Ferragamo?

Share your views with us on our Facebook page II ndianlinkAustralia

" Ever since Heropanti was released, Kriti has been flooded with offers Kriti is strongly being considered for the lead role in Half Girlfriend;' a source stated Bhagat's latest novel was launched on 1 Oct IANS

Dea r Auntyji

I am a 45 -year -old sing l e lady and have the most gorgeous n ieces who are 16 and 17. They have l ived In England all their l ives and I have mostly seen t h em when I have b een o n holiday s in the UK They are com ing t o stay with me for six months and I am very excite d But, Auntyji, I am a l ittle concerned about what advice I need to give them, seeing that they are at a critica l phase i n their lives. And seei ng that I am thei r aunt, I don't want to let them down, as I am sure they look up t o me. Can you p l ease give me some ad v ice, some sage cou nsel, t h at I ca n offer to my nieces?

Aun tyji says

Oh, how wonderfu l to have nieces who are English roses possibly ofthe dusky variety, but roses nonetheless. Well, my dear, I have sage advice for you that you are going to love. Let's start with you being relaxed and not worrying about the advice you need to give your nieces These are millennial kids, who have grown up with social media and the internet, and in an era of selfies and trolls and the look-atme-look-at -me lifestyle. This is the generation that thinks that every single thought they have is worthy of publication, every mouh they make deserves multiple endorsements of validation on Facebook, and everything that they do/say/think/ want/hear/eat/drink should be public information. So, what advice to give to these young ones? Absolutely nothing When was the last time someone gave you advice and you listened to it? How many times did your parents tell you to get married and have children and find a man and don't work so hard and eat right and don't smoke and give to charity and be nice to Aunty Pushpa? And how many times did you knowingly, willingly, happily ignore every single nugget of counsel that came your way? Seeing that you are still single at 45, I'd say you ignored pretty much everything that well-meaning, misguided friends and relatives told you So why would you offer advice to your English gulaboes? I suggest that all you do is sit with them and let them be whoever they want to be, and just listen to themlisten with 100 per cent of your attention and ask them questions and feed them And then prepare to be amazed and delighted and humbled by thei r wisdom and intelligence and generosity of spirit. The millennials are particularly interesting as a species, and if you happen to have access to study them in their habitat, then you are particularly lucky indeed Good luck, have fun, and do put away those questionable pastimes of yours You know what I'm talking about No point corrupting their beautiful minds more than they already are.

Do you have a question for Auntyji?

Email info@indianlink.com.au

IDear Auntyji

I have a particu lar conundrum and I do w i sh to hear what you have to say ab o ut this I am most perp lexed and wish that this problem wou l d j ust go away So, h ere is w hat h appened I w o rk with an amazing team of peop le and we all get along rea ll y well. There are five women and fo u r men in the team, and our boss, who is very i ntelligent and hardworki ng is a man He and I have gotten al ong very we ll for the past five years He is married and so am I. Oh, and d i d I tell yo u t hat he is al so very at t ractive, with a ready wit, easy smi le and, Auntyj i, he i s b l onde wit h very sh ort hair, but on the top of h is head is a sma ll ish roundis h spot of hair which is even more blonde, k ind of like l ndlra Gandhi's sil ver stripes b ut round Sometimes I look at this spot and wish I cou l d t ouch it. Not in a weird way, but l ike, sometimes yo u see a sma l l baby with fat legs and yo u just want to touch the legs? Well, that 's h ow I feel ab out Steve's blonde head l ight In any case, last week, we all went to a pub to celebrate the launch of a major project and we had the best time ever On t h e n ight o f the ce l ebration, we ha d a great t i me, then we walkecl out of the pub laughing hysterica ll y and talking with great animation. Steve ca l led a taxi and th e lau ghing, tipsy g i r ls t u mbled in, after they al l gave Steve a goo d bye k i ss and told him he was a great boss. I was the last gir l and Simone pu l led me in t o the cab just as i was abo ut to give St eve a polite, co u rteous good bye kiss and I was t h anking him for paying for dinner an d drinks. Anyway, the movement of Simone laughing and pulling me Into the cab, me waving and ta l king whi l e reaching forward to kiss Steve's cheek , anq the starr y moo n lit night, all con spireq to have me kis s Steve no t on the cheek, b ut closer to his honth ! At that moment, everythi ng stood sti ll for me as I rea l ised what was happen ing, but in a heartbeat, I was in the cab think i ng, what just happened? The next day, Steve an d everyone was b ack t o thei r usual profession al self an d I was left to pon d er w h at rea ll y happen ed I have not stopped t h inking abo ut it but Steve is sti l l as professi on al as ever I w o nde r if there is anythi ng between u s Auntyji, can you please guide me? Please te ll me what to make of this?

0tt {otlC~ OV\. trtlC~~

Auntyji sa y s

Oh, you shameless girl. You paapin! Listen t o you gushi n g and carrying on, as t hough you are a Mills and Boon heroi ne, g iddy w ith romance because your nadaan hero kissed you in the moonli ght List en u p, you besharam aurat, you behaya. There is nothing going on here, an d everything i s i n your head. That l one isolated event, which was the result of your h igh heel s an d t i psiness causing you to stumble and land your sinfu l hothon ke do phool kale kale next to your boss's anmo/ lips, was nothing more t han just that. Everyone has forgotten about the incident except you You are making a mahabharat out of this, and no good will come of it. Stop th i nki ng about this even t and go back to bei n g you r professional self - unless you want a sexual harassment warrant ou t i n your name. Paapin, surely your projects keep you so b usy that you don't have t ime t o think such gandi baatein about your manager?

And as for Steve's blonde patch, you need to find some patch on your husb and t o obsess over. That 's your terri t ory. Steve is someone else's and you r eyeing him with interest w i ll only create distur bance in your world. No good w i ll come from this.