Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and others in south movie

Chennai: The sources claim that the team of Podaa Podi is on way to fetch in the Hollywood biggies to play the guest appearances in the movie. Vignesh Sivan, the director of the movie, expresses that the prominent Hollywood personalities such as Angelina Jolie, Jennifer lopez, Brad Pitt, Shakira and Megan Fox will be making the cameos in the movie.

They all will emerge in the climax scene which will be shot in London where the international celebs are needed as the scene is of a dance reality show where these celebs will appear as the judges of the dancing fiesta. The director says that other than these international sensations, no other celebs fit to the roles.

The film stars the likes of Silambarasan, Varalaxmi, Ganesh, Sobhanan and Santhanam.

On the other hand, it was learnt that the ravishing sexy actress Padma Priya has returned to Tamil movies. Ram has taken this actress back on Tamil track. The film in which she is to do the main lead will be produced by Gautham Vasudev Menon. Currently she is busy with Malayalam films. She agreed only for playing the main lead and she was offered the same by the Tamil director. Ram will be playing the main lead in the movie.

The famous Tamil personality Mansoor Ali Khan has been nabbed by the cops with the charge of land grabbing. The Central Crime Branch of Chennai Police arrested Mansoor.  V. Duraivelu had filed the complaint mentioning that Mansoor Ali Khan built a building of 16 storeys on his land of 1247 sq ft in Arumbakkam.

He also mentioned in his complaint that the actor had issued him threats of dangerous consequences if he ever tried to reach to the police. The report says that V. Duraivelu had purchased the land for Rs 2.60 lacs way back in 1994 and now the worth of this land is Rs 1 crore.

Salman Khan and Shahrukh: 2 most Profitable stars of 2011

Mega stars Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan have been declared the two most profitable Bollywood actors of 2011. The ETC Bollywood Business Awards saw the two Khans being recognized as the big cash generating stars of the bygone year. Both SRK and Salman finished the year with 2 films each. While Salman flexed his muscles at the box office with ‘Ready’ and ‘Bodyguard’, Shahrukh grabbed all eyeballs towards the latter part of the year with his 2 much awaited flicks ‘Ra One’ and ‘Don 2’.

All 4 films made huge money at the box office reiterating the fact that when it comes to star power, there is no one bigger than them (except perhaps for Aamir whose upcoming ‘Talaash’ should do some brilliant business).

Salman’s ‘Bodyguard’ was the biggest Bollywood film of 2011 in terms of revenue despite being trashed by the critics. It made over Rs 100 crore and grabbed the ‘top grosser of the year’ trophy. Bodyguard’s director Siddique was recognized by ETC Bollywood Business Awards as the ‘most profitable director of 2011’.

Meanwhile, King Khan’s ‘Ra One’ too did a fantastic business packing in over Rs 100 crore (though it fell short of ‘Bodyguard’s total collection). However, Ra.One enjoyed a terrific opening and took home ETC’s trophy in the ‘highest single day collection’ category. Thanks to Shahrukh, Ra.One was also bestowed the title of the best marketed film of the year.

An elated Shahrukh stated, “Now I can safely say ‘har mulk ki public mujhe dhoondti hai’. Ra.One, Bollywood’s most expensive movie, was my dream project. It feels great that my long cherished dream has been applauded and acknowledged.”

Kareena Kapoor gets naughty: Pinches Imran Khan’s buttocks

With their film ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’ due for a Valentine release, actors Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor can be seen everywhere and anywhere right from the TV screen to the popular social websites to the eyeball-popping billboard hoardings outside your house.

Yes, the promotions are strongly going on with both stars doing their bit to grab more and more eyeballs. And in the latest poster released by the film’s producers, a seemingly naughty Kareena is seen pinching a taken-aback Imran’s bums. Does it sound eew? Well, not so much to Bebo who seems to be having a great time teasing Imran’s bottoms with her flirting fingers.

And if the crowd’s reaction is anything to go by, then the poster can be dubbed as a great success and a smart ploy for the film’s marketing campaign. Earlier, Imran had rated Kareena’s butts as 4 out of 10 while Bebo had given his bums a whopping 8 of 10. So, the bottom line is that the film makers are using Imran’s hapless bottom to cash in on the modern-youth frenzy who love quirky, naughty stuff.

Meanwhile, ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’ is slated for a 10^th February release on the week of Valentine’s Day (which falls on 14^th, as if you didn’t know). Being a mushy rom-com, the release date of the film is likely to do wonders to its box office fortunes since most of the young couples look for some soft romantic flick during this season.

Kareena and Imran also bring a much-needed freshness on the silver screen since they are working together for the first time. Besides, so far, the promos and stills of the film have generated mass interest with the youngsters giving their thumbs up to this bubblegum romantic pair. Looks like a hit is definitely on the cards!

Akshay Kumar:My future is in Milan Luthria's hands

New Delhi: Akshay Kumar, who has taken over 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai' from Emraan Hashmi and Ajay Devgn in the sequel, says he is completely relying on director Milan Luthria for the movie, which will see him in a role inspired by Dawood Ibrahim.

The actor is gearing up for another busy year this time with four releases - 'Housefull 2', 'Rowdy Rathore', 'Joker' and 'OUATIM 2'.

'Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai' was a hit thanks to the chemistry between Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi and Akshay hopes to replicate the film's box office performance in the sequel too.

"I have to live up to the hype, the brand name, the sequel and the fact that the story has to be even more interesting than the already brilliant story that has been told in 2010," Akshay told PTI.

"I am extremely excited about this film and I know for a fact that Milan Luthria will do a fantastic job. A great director that he is, what can I say but the fact that my future is in his hands now," the actor added.

The 44-year-old will be seen in action mode again with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's production 'Rowdy Rathore', which will see him wearing a moustache after a long time. The film is directed by choreographer-turned-filmmaker Prabhu Deva.

'Housefull 2' is the craziest of them all:john Abraham

New Delhi: Bollywood actor John Abraham has had a tryst with a number of comedies in his eight-year-long career but he says that his upcoming film 'Housefull 2' is the craziest of them all.

The 39-year-old model-turned-actor, who played a male stripper in his last comic venture 'Desi Boyz', says he is now happy to be part of this Sajid Khan directed comedy as it was a difference experience for him.

"Frankly, I have shocked myself by adapting to the world that Sajid Khan has created in 'Housefull 2'. It is one crazy film and nothing that I have been a part of ever before in the last decade gone by.

"Sajid's sense of storytelling is radically different. I consider myself fortunate to have been a part of both worlds in the span of one year," John, who started his career with 'Jism', told PTI.

In 'Housefull 2', John shares screen space with actors Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh as well as veterans Rishi Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty.

"What else would an actor want? It has been fun shooting for the film and though it is still around five months away, I know the kind of euphoria it is all set to create on its release. It is one masala entertainer with romance, drama, comedy and of course a lot of action," he said.

super star' tag: Emraan Hashmi

New Delhi: His performance opposite Vidya Balan in 'Dirty Picture' has made him another bankable star in Bollywood but actor Emraan Hashmi says the success of the film did not change him as a person.

"I am as grounded as I was five years back. Tags like stars and superstars aren't something that I take too close to my heart. I know that as much as people would love to give such tags to someone, they are easily taken away as well. I would rather stay away from such temptations," Emraan told PTI.

The 32-year-old actor, who started his career as an assistant director to uncles Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt and Vikram Bhatt, said he was intrigued by his role of an out of luck filmmaker and narrator in 'The Dirty Picture'.

"It was always about great scripts. From the very first day of 'Dirty Picture', I knew what was the size and duration of the role. Still, despite a relatively shorter role, I found the script quite intriguing.

"I guess sometimes what is seen less creates more impact and that was the case with 'The Dirty Picture' as well. Presence of Abraham (the character played by him) was always felt and moreover since I also did the voiceover for the film, there was a certain persona that was created. It was just spot on," he added.

Emraan will be seen in films like 'Jannat 2', 'Shanghai' and 'Raaz 3' this year.

New relationship has changed me : Payal Rohatgi

New Delhi: Controversial actress Payal Rohatgi, who is set to star with her boyfriend Sangram Singh in upcoming film 'Valentine's Night', says her new love interest has completely changed her as a person.

Payal, 39, who was in the news last year after she accused director Dibakar Banerjee of trying to take advantage of her, said she has learnt to live life in a positive way without caring much about the controversies.

"Sangram is the best thing happen to my life. I feel he understands me quite well. He has completely changed me as a person and if everything goes well we plan a better future together," Payal told PTI.

Their upcoming film is a thriller based on romances brewing on social networking sites.

"It's a romantic thriller based on romances which brew on social networking sites. Sangram and I play the lead pair in the film. He is good co-star too. We have shot the film in Delhi and Noida and it will hit theatres on February 14," she said.

Payal, who also made news on reality show 'Bigg Boss' due to her apparent intimacy with Rahul Mahajan, said that the media has unnecessary played up the issue.

"Media has always played up the issues about me thereby making it into a controversy. If I have been given a task at Bigg Boss house to enter into the swimming pool then I will definitely wear a swimming costume and perform the task with other contestants in my best possible way. But now these issues don't bother me," she said.

She will be seen after a hiatus of three years on the small screen with Star Plus' reality show 'Survivor India'.

"I give a lot of credit to reality shows for giving me an identity as an actor and so my audience will always see me in it. I took up this show because this is not like other shows because it has got nothing to do with public votes and wild card entries," she said.

On the show, Payal will be seen in a de-glamorised avatar and will be struggling to get basic amenities of life with other 21 contestants on an island.

"I have taken all those as challenges. The show has taken me completely to a different sphere of life where you struggle to survive in each moment," she added.

Bachchans to throw a lavish party for Oprah Winfrey

Mumbai: Oprah Winfrey is coming to India soon. Her itinerary has not been announced yet but she herself confirmed that she will be visiting India very soon probably by the end of this month. Well, a lot has been said in this regard and is being chewed up as well. She is the top notch personality of the US entertainment industry and is reportedly called the highest paid actress of American television.

She will hit the Indian terra firma for her new talk show ‘Next Chapter’ and for this, she will be talking to the Bollywood celebs (as per the reports). She has never been to India before and she is excited to visit the land.

We have learnt that Bachchans in particularAishwarya Rai and her hubby Abhishek Bachchan has decided to throw a lavish party to Oprah in Mumbai. It has been learnt from the sources that Oprah is to attend the Jaipur Literary Festival in between the dates of January 20^th to 24^th. And from Jaipur, she will visit Mumbai where Bachchans will give her a grand bash to welcome her lavishly.

Oprah too is much curious to bump into Aishwarya and Abhishek and wants to see their new born kid. The sources claim that the party will be super grand where who’s who of the industry and other walks of life will be there to meet and greet the Hollywood legend.

Aishwarya Rai shares a good rapport with Oprah Winfrey as she appeared on her talk show in April 2005 and then in September 2009 with her husband Abhishek Bachchan.

The spiritual guru Deepak Chopra will be accompanying Oprah in her tour to India. Oprah is much excited an d she would be meeting the biggies of Bollywood during her Mumbai trip. She is desperately looking forward to the trip.

Amit Chandrra buys KLPD pad for Vivek Oberoi in Delhi

We have often heard of actors taking chartered planes to reach their shooting locations on time, but Vivek Oberoi has come up with a rather innovative way to save time. Instead of flying to and fro, the actor has simply decided to shift his residence temporarily to Delhi. Vivek, who will soon start shooting for the Delhi schedule of Amit Chandrra's Kismat, Love, Paisa, Dilli (KLPD) , has acquired an apartment for himself in the capital.

source close to the film says, "Vivek wanted to spend time with his family since he has been shooting round the clock and so he decided to book a room on rent for his family as well during the Delhi schedule. When producer Amit Chandrra learnt about this, he decided to buy a plush property in the heart of the city for his lead actor and his family. It was also decided that the property would later be used in the film's promotional activities." 

he house in question is huge 5BHK apartment in DLF Gurgaon and has been named the KLPD pad at the suggestion of the entire team. Work on the place will be complete before the schedule starts after which Vivek's family will shift in it. Elaborating further, producer Amit Chandrra states, "Yes it is true that I'm buying a house in Delhi. It's a very viable option and it is not just for Vivek, anybody from the team can use it anytime they wish to."

Sonakshi requests producers of Lootera for Eid release

Sonakshi Sinha finds Eid very lucky for her, after all her debut film Dabangg released on Eid in 2010 and went on to become a blockbuster.

Hoping for an encore, Sonakshi wanted to have yet another Eid release this year and hence she requested the makers of her forthcoming film Lootera to come on Eid. However, the Eid date had already been taken by her Dabangg co-star Salman Khan for his film Ek Tha Tiger and Sonakshi felt it wasn't the right thing to do to clash with Sallu on the same day

So makers of Lootera (Balaji Films and Phantom) came up with a solution of releasing their film on Bakri Eid which falls on Oct 26 this year. This way Sonakshi can have her Eid release and at the same time avoid a clash with Salman Khan.

Lootera is a classic love story, set in the 1950s starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. The shooting of this film directed by Vikramaditya Motwane commenced last week in Dalhousie.

Neetu Singh Kapoor to endorse IndusInd Bank?

Neetu Singh Kapoor is one of the most beautiful actresses seen on the silver screen and though the lady took a break from movies for a couple of decades, she is slowly making a comeback. Neetu, who also happens to be the dutiful wife to Rishi Kapoor and a doting mother of today's superstar Ranbir Kapoor, made a comeback with a cameo in Love Aaj Kal and also played the lead role in Do Dooni Chaar.

And now, the news is that the lady is also signing up brand endorsement deals. According to Bollywood Hungama's reliable sources, Neetu Singh Kapoor is now all set to endorse IndusInd Bank. The source also added that a TVC for the same has been shot by director Imtiaz Ali.

The official announcement of the same is being awaited.

3 Idiots to Players: Omi 'Chatur' Vaidya turns 30

New Delhi: Probably Omi Vaidya is the only guy in this world whose claim to fame is 'Balatkar'. The actor who made you laugh out your lungs with his 'Balatkari' speech in 3 Idiots turns 30 on January 10.

Interestingly, Omi was vacationing in India when he auditioned for a role in '3 Idiots'. With stars like Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and R Madhavan playing the 3 Idiots, Omi aka Chatur Ramlingam wooed the audience with his charm. His comic timing and south Indian accent in the film are worth appreciating.

Director Rajkumar Hirani stopped Omi from giving any interviews before the release of '3 Idiots'. Omi was really disappointed when nobody recognized him at the premiere of the film. One should always believe in, let your work do the talking. The same happened with Omi who became a household name after the film's release.

3 Idiots wasn't Omi's first encounter with showbiz. Born in 1982, raised in Los Angeles, USA, Goa is Omi's native place. He used to visit India almost every year. At a very young age he started acting in English and Marathi plays in US. Soon he started taking acting very seriously and learnt the nitty-gritty of filmmaking, editing and acting at New York University.

Soon after college, Omi grabbed a few commercials and small roles in television shows too. In past, he has been a part of shows like Arrested Development, The Office, Bones, Life and many others. Apart from that, Omi has also directed two short films Out of Timeand The Desert Rose. He has also been associated with many projects as an editor.

Omi grabbed the 3 Idiots role with the help of film's screenwriter Abhijat Joshi, who is also based in US. Omi met him through a common friend. Omi was next seen in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji'. He won hearts again with his character 'Milind Kelkar' in the film.

Omi on a date with Deepika, yes Omi played Deepika Padukone's blind date in 'Desi Boyz'. Abbas-Mustan's 'Players' is Omi's latest film. Sharing screen space with stars like Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Sonam Kapoor is no child play.

Just a few films old in Bollywood, Omi has created a niche audience for himself. He is neither like a macho Bollywood hero nor just a comedian. In a short span of time Omi managed to grab many big budget films. The multi-talented actor can speak Marathi and English. Omi is convinced to make it big in Bollywood. That is why; he has now hired a Hindi tutor and learns Hindi everyday for three hours at least.

Omi is married to Minal Patel, who received a doctorate in public health last year. Both of them tied the knot in 2009 while Omi was still shooting for 3 Idiots.

Now, Omi Vaidya wants to turn Bollywood director and is writing a script for his film. He claims it will be in Hindi, but not a usual masala flick. Omi has been lucky in Bollywood so far, let's hope the best for his directorial debut as well.

We wish happy birthday to the very talented Omi Vaidya.

Watch the trailer of 'Joyful Noise'

New Delhi: 'Joyful Noise' stars Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Francis Jue and Jeremy Jordan. Written and directed by Todd Graff, it has gospel-infused music by Mervyn Warren. The movie is about two strong-minded women are forced to cooperate when budget cuts threaten to shut down a small-town choir.

Sonu sood With Salman Khan *rare PIC *

Audiences still love Shiney: 'Ghost' director

New Delhi: Actor Shiney Ahuja is making a comeback in Bollywood after almost three years with 'Ghost', written and directed by Puja Jatinder Bedi. Sayali Bhagat has been cast opposite Shiney in the film, which is being released on January 13, 2012.

The movie will finally see daylight after being embroiled in various controversies. Director Bedi talks to IBNLive about her film and her belief in Shiney's abilities as an actor.

Q: Tell us about your film 'Ghost'.

A:It is a horror thriller film with a mystery element. However, at heart it is a love story, an emotional journey of a couple. Computer graphics used in the film are one of its highlights. Technically, 'Ghost' is at par with Hollywood films. We used prosthetic makeup for the movie, which is still rare in Bollywood.

Q: Do you believe in ghosts?

A: I do believe in one supernatural power. At times you feel that there is a power trying to make its presence felt. All of us have across such incidents.

Q: Why did you choose Shiney Ahuja for the film? Do you think the film can benefit from the publicity from his legal battles?

A:Shiney Ahuja is an amazing actor. He was an apt choice for the part he plays in 'Ghost'. I wanted a good looking actor to play the detective in my film. When I was young, I used to work with my uncle in the film industry. He taught me one thing that in showbiz there is nothing called negative publicity. So, it depends on your perception that how you see a situation. And as far as Shiney's fan following is concerned, I must say audiences still love him.

I have traveled across the country with Shiney and people like him for his talent and acting finesse. People are looking forward to Shiney's comeback on silver screen.

Q: When did you sign Shiney Ahuja for 'Ghost'?

A: Shiney was out on bail when I spoke to his wife Anupam about the project. She called me to meet Shiney at their house in Delhi. He really liked the concept and accepted the offer. We started shooting for the film in 2010.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 10 rate Shiney as an actor?

A: Shiney is a phenomenal actor and I would give him nine out of ten.

Q: What are your expectations with the film?

A: I am an extremely positive person. I believe that whatever will be the outcome, it will be good for the film and for us. I have faith in my film and I know it will grab eyeballs. I don't think any Bollywood horror film can beat 'Ghost' in anyway.

Q: It is the era of 3D films. Why didn't you make 'Ghost' in 3D format?

A: 'Ghost' is an exceptionally scary film. People would have been scared to death if I would have made 'Ghost' in 3D. My team who was working on the final draft of the film had a tough time because of the horrific visuals.

Q: There were reports about you and Sayali Bhagat being uncomfortable shooting with Shiney. Was that true?

A: I don't know about Sayali, but me and Shiney had a few problems initially. We were working together on a project for the first time so some professional friction was obvious. Apart from that, Shiney has been a part of big budget films mainly, but I had limited resources for my film. Everything settled down soon and both of us bond really well now. We have been spending a lot of time together these days for the promotion of our film. Shiney is a very funny guy and fun to hang out with.

Q: Tell us more about Julia Bliss who plays an important role in the film.

A: I met Julia during the auditions. My gut feeling said that Julia was the right option for my film. She has done a commendable job. She had to be on the sets for long hours with the prosthetic makeup on. It is a tough task, as because of the makeup you can't eat anything and your skin doesn't breathe. However, Julia managed it well and I am happy with her performance.

Q: With some big budget films like 'Players', 'Agneepath' being released in January, do you think 'Ghost' stands a chance?

A: Frankly speaking, films are counted as big and small on the basis of their box office collection. It is the number game that matters today. 'Ghost' stands a good chance to impress viewers as the film has high production values. Intelligent story telling is another highlight of the film. I have adapted a few chapters from Bible for the film so it has something special for the Christian audiences. I can go on and on about the highlights of 'Ghost'. I just want to sum up by saying that Shiney's fans won't be disappointed with the film.