23 days in forest for Vandhaan Vendraan crew

It might have been a long time since Kannan shot Vandhaan Vendraan in the forests in the Kerala-Karnataka border, but the director says it was an experience that none of his unit members will forget.

After all, the shooting was not only full of funny incidents, it also had some thrilling moments! Says Kannan, "We shot for 23 days in the forest, where a wood house was erected by our art director, Rembon. The speciality of the house was that it was built on a slippery, uneven rock, overlooking the Gandhipara waterfalls, without any support of a base. It's an extremely beautiful woodhouse, decorated with curtains and beads. We were told that we were the first ones to erect a set in the forest."

He goes on, "Rembon told us that as the house didn't have a basement, at any given point, only 10 of us could stay inside. But, I had to shoot a song and a couple of romantic scenes between Taapsee and Jiiva inside the house; that meant I needed my entire unit inside! At the end of the day, there were about 50 people inside the set, along with trolleys and heavy cameras. We used to move about like cats, without shaking things up."

It was not just the house that gave the team some excitement; there were poisonous scorpions that gave them sleepless nights!

"When we decided to shoot inside the forest, the officials warned us about leeches and karunthel (black scorpion) that infested the woods. This species of scorpion is extremely lethal. Its sting is poisonous and leads to instant death. So, we went inside the forest fully prepared. We even had a few doctors accompanying us," says Kannan.

But, he quickly adds that Jiiva turned the serious schedule into a funny one! "Jiiva is a prankster and he didn't let go of this opportunity to tease Taapsee. He would throw a stick on her and scare her, saying that a scorpion was near her! She would panic, but as soon as she would realise what Jiiva was up to, she would gear up to fight with him," he laughs.

Currently, Kannan is shooting the climax scenes in Mumbai. "We're canning important scenes between Jiiva and Nandha, who plays a pivotal role in the film. Taapsee will be joining us in a couple of days. With this, 90 per cent of the film is over. We will probably fly to Morocco by March to shoot a song," he informs.

SRK's fav actor on Zor Ka Jhatka

Not just a week since Zor Ka Jhatka has started and new participants have already started flowing inside the show. No, it's not time for wild card entry so soon. However Shah Rukh Khan has chosen his favourite TV actor to be a part of the show in the second week and compete with Gracious D'Costa.

The man in question is actor Prasad Barve who is presently seen in the show Pyaar Mein Twist on Star One. Expectedly Barve was happy not just to be selected for the show but also to feature on the favourite list of Shah Rukh Khan. Now that's a bigger compliment!

Interestingly if figures disclosed by the channel are to be believed, Zor Ka Jhatka opened with an average rating of 2.6 and saw Imagine TV's share in the 9 to 10 pm slot grow by 100% and see it move ahead of Colors, Sony and SAB. Additionally, in most markets in North India, ZKJ has taken Imagine to the No.2 position, with a blockbuster performance in Punjab, UP, Delhi Rajasthan and MP. It is also the No.1 rated show in Kolkata in its time band. Owing to Shah Rukh Khan's immense popularity amongst women and children, the show is a stand out hit in those TGs rating 3.5 TVR amongst 10-14 girls, 4.2 TVR amongst 10-14 boys and 3.7 TVR amongst F 15 to 24.

Julia Roberts is "Evil Queen"!

Julia Roberts has had a fairy tale career, playing the heroine and good girl, but now, she's set to turn that reputation on its head in perhaps the most famous fairy tale of all.

The Oscar winner and "Eat Pray Love" star has been officially cast as the Evil Queen in a new film adaptation of "Snow White," the film's producers, Relativity Media, confirmed on Tuesday.

The story won't be all mirror-mirror and frills and tiny dwarves, however. Relativity said that the movie "will eschew the traditional story in favor of a more modern tale full of comedy and adventure."

The casting has long been in the works, as it was reported in December that she was up for the role. Roberts won't be the only Evil Queen hitting theaters soon, either. Charlize Theron was recently cast in the same role in another adaptation, "Snow White And The Huntsmen," while Disney is planning their own adaptation.

Naseer is a lech in 'Dirty Picture'

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah is tired of playing a saint and is excited about his role of a lech in Milan Luthria's " Dirty Pictures".

"I'm sick of playing a saint. A do-gooder. And with Milan at the helm, I am sure he'll extract great work from me as an entertaining lech," said the 60-year-old in a statement.

"Dirty Picture" is inspired by the case of Southern actress Silk Smitha, who committed suicide. Vidya Balan is playing the female lead in the movie, which is being produced by Ekta Kapoor.

Luthria said when he approached Naseer for the film, he was taken aback at the actor's first question.

"Nasser asked me, 'Am I playing a saint or a lech?'. I told him that a lech is what your character is," said Luthria.

Farhan refuses to lend voice to Aamir

Eighty years ago, singer and actor KL Saigal vowed to sing only for himself and no one else. Farhan Akhtar, it seems, is determined to strike a similar chord.

Farhan's company Excel is producing Reema Kagti's thriller with Aamir Khan in the lead role.

Reema, who has been Farhan's protégée for five years, was very keen that Farhan lend his voice to at least one of the songs picturised on Aamir in the film. But Farhan refused.

Says a source, "Reema has a fabulous music sense. The songs in her directorial debut Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd were big chartbusters. She has big musical plans for the Aamir starrer. In fact, the film has a theme song just for Aamir's character."

Last year, Farhan turned down A R Rahman's offer to sing a song for Blue. Farhan also declined Rohan Sippy's offer to play the lead and sing his own songs in Sippy's Dum Maro Dum. And now, the singer-turned-actor has declined Reema's offer as well.

Farhan takes pride in singing only for himself and insists that there has to be an inherent connect between the character and his voice. "I enjoy singing," he says, "It is true, I haven't sung for anyone else on screen apart from myself. But it's not because I am possessive about my voice. I don't know if my voice will work on anyone else. My singing adds to my performances. I don't know if it would do the same for the other actors."

The actor-singer-filmmaker says he did not sing in Karthik Calling Karthik, because it would not have added to his character. "If I feel really kicked about singing for someone else, I will. Singing is not a profession for me. As of now I'll sing only for myself."

Agreed, Farhan is picky but he did agree to sing one song in his sister Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Defends Farhan, "All three of us, Hrithik, Abhay and I have sung for my sister's film. It's a party situation. It seemed interesting to lend our own voices to our characters. That's the only song I've sung in a movie this year. Otherwise I am constantly singing in real life."

Not to Aamir's tunes, we are sure of that!

Katrina Kaif turns sexy secretary for GQ

Mondays won’t be manic if offices had secretaries like this. Katrina Kaif turns into a sexy secretary for the February issue of GQ magazine.

The photoshoot has Katrina Kaif posing in an office: in front of a typewriter, checking out files in a chiffonier, or simply sitting atop her desk.

In the interview, Katrina talks about a lot of topics, from her marriage plans to feeling alienated in Mumbai. Talking about her wedding plans, she said: "Do I see myself married in two years? I don't really know. I think by the time I'm around 33, I should be having kids. But you can't plan it. I do want to get married, but do I want to have a child grow up without a father? No. I think you need more security."

Talking about exposing on camera, Katrina said: "I'm not comfortable beyond a certain line of sensuality. I think it can be offensive to certain sectors of your audience. It's important that it comes across as you."

Sanju's attention towards Kangna irks Mallika

Mallika Sherawat doesn't like it that Kangna is garnering more attention from Sanjay Dutt than she is...

Actress Mallika Sherawat is a grumpy lady these days. It's okay that she was ousted as judge from a reality dance show only to be replaced by Urmila Matondkar. Her stint in 'Dhamaal 2' hasn't left her a happy woman, either. Apparently, Mallika Sherawat and Sanjay Dutt share cold vibes on the sets of the movie, we are told. And to make matters worse, Sanjay, only recently declined to do a movie - re-make of the yesteryear hit 'Amrapali' in which his dad Sunil Dutt had acted - in which Mallika was playing the lead.

A unit member informs us, "Sanjay and Mallika don't have too many scenes together in Dhamaal 2. He has more scenes with Kangna Ranaut." Mallika, it is heard, doesn't like the way Sanju gives Kangna way too much attention, while he ignores her completely. This has resulted in Kangna and Mallika not being the best of friends, as well.

Looks like some 'dhamaal' has already begun.

'Rockstar' Ranbir's two ladies

Director Imtiaz Ali wanted to keep the presence of Ranbir Kapoor’s second heroine in Rockstar under wraps, but the cat is prematurely out of the bag.

We all know of the sexy Nargis Fakhri, an American model of half Pakistani origin, playing the leading lady to Ranbir in Ali’s next film. But what none could suspect was that the film has another heroine. And that’s turned out to be Aditi Rao Hydari, who is currently the talk of the town for her steamy 22 kisses with co-star Arunoday Singh in the last week’s release Yeh Saali Zindagi.

In Rockstar, Aditi plays a journalist who narrates the story of the protagonist played by Ranbir. Her character is pivotal to the plot.

Aditi says she had auditioned for the leading lady’s part in the film but that was bagged by Nargis. However, she did clinch the second female lead and says she is happy with her role.

In the film, Ranbir’s character is reportedly modelled on the late singer, poet Jim Morrison of ‘The Doors’ from the 1960s and early 70s. The film has primarily been shot in Delhi and will release later this year.

Nayantara taking up Fashion!

Tired of reading stories on Nayantara's marriage! Then, we bring you a hottest news on her professional front. The actress has been approached to act in the Tamil version of Bollywood movie Fashion.

The makers of the Fashion remake are keen to cast Nayantara in the lead role, which was played by Priyanka Chopra in the original. According to makers, the role is a tailor made for the actress and she can justify the role with ease. However, she is yet to give the green signal for the project.

It is a hard-hitting film on the fashion industry. The story revolves around the wild lifestyles, backstage dramas, wardrobe malfunction, casting couch of the glamour world. Madhur Bhandarkar has written the story and screenplay of the original version.

Trisha yet to find Mr Right!

If one were to go by media gossip, Trisha is one actress who has been married the most number of times! A few days ago, a Telugu publication reported about her plans to get married to a business tycoon.

Clearing the air, the actress tells TOI, "How many times can these guys get me married? I get very upset when people publish such inaccurate reports. If I'm getting married, I will announce it to the world as I have nothing to hide. As of today, I'm yet to find Mr Right."

Tell her about the grapevine being abuzz about her seeing a Hyderabad-based business tycoon and investment banker and the actress immediately pooh-poohs it. "It's an example of somebody's fertile imagination running riot," she says dismissively.

According to industry experts, Trisha is still the hottest heroine in Tamil and Telugu films. She is considered by many as the big-budget survivor who has matured over the years to become an actress of substance. In fact, her performance in the Kamal Haasan-Madhavan starrer Manmadhan Ambu received critical acclaim. The actress was also nominated for this year's Filmfare awards for the best debutante for her role in Khatta Meeta.

However, the pick of the roles are coming her way. For instance, Savithri, strongly rumoured to be the Telugu avatar of Rain Man, has her playing a meaty role.

The actress, who has just completed a schedule of her Teen Maar (Love Aaj Kal's Telugu remake) with Pawan Kalyan in Mysore, is now all set to shoot with thala Ajith in Mumbai for Venkat Prabhu's Mankatha. Says Trisha, "I had a blast shooting with Ajith, Venkat Prabhu and rest of the Mankatha team in the previous schedules. The film is going to be a rollicking entertainer. I will be joining the team in Mumbai for the last schedule from February 26." Offers from Kollywood keep coming her way. "Tamil cinema is always my first love and I'd never miss the opportunity if I'm given a good script by a good director. I'm enjoying my work and have no plans for marriage in the near future," she signs off.