Imran’s gorging on Delhi food

Jab Imran Khan takes a break from the shooting of Break Ke Baad in the city, he goes on a binging spree, and giving him company is his fiance, Avantika, who’s there with him for the duration of the shoot in Delhi.

Aur yeh hume pata chala, when he tweeted, “Mutton tikka roll from Khan Chacha’s, strawberry shortcake from Big Chill... I think I’m going to insist on shooting all my films in Delhi.” Aur itna hi nahin khaane se pehle, he conducted a small survey on the microblogging site to know which would be the best roll to try at Khan Chacha’s! He even tried mutton keema roll at Nizam’s and then HCF at Nirula’s. Now, that’s what we call ‘food’filling times!

Pratik craves for milkshakes

Pratik is on the road to recovery after his recent attack of chicken pox. And he wants that toned body back quick.

The young actor has taken up Kalaripayattu (traditional martial art of Kerala) along with yoga and dance on a regular basis. But of course he occasionally gives in to his food cravings — read milkshakes. Speaking about his fitness fundas, he says, “Eat healthy, exercise regularly and don’t forget to binge on your fave foods to keep the cravings satisfied too.”

I recommend marriage: Koel

She’ just had her “wow moment” with James Cameron and Barack Obama could well be next in line (that’s her dream list)!

But I’m still to get over James,” Koel coos, recounting her tryst with him during her chat show on telly, which she hadn’t anticipated would happen so quickly. “You’ll be shocked by this” she repeats ... James had been busy all day, but he squeezed in time for me and when he came, he was prepared ... he had googled information about me! That’s what makes him so formidable to interview. He knows what he’s up against!

She goes on, “James wanted to talk to me at a level that he knew I could get. The end result was a poignant two-sided conversation ... ” James this ... James that ... she reels off and we begin to wonder if this James’ hangover is an exception or is it the same with the many celebs she goes on air with? “I’ve had SRK like over three times ... and each time after the interview is over, I have had dreams about him for days together,” she laughs wickedly.

Weren’t those different days when she had time? Cut to the present, even during the quick tete-a-tete we have she tells us that she’s “needed”. She’s got into the media business full time, re-jigging an entertainment channel. Things would surely have come easy for media baron Arun Purie’s daughter. And she’s quick to fume, “What was easy? Am I the number one Bollywood star?” In a quick about-turn she says softly, “There was a time when I’d insist that I had made it all on my own, but I do owe my confidence and a good education to my parents. I am proud to be a powerful man’s daughter and I am sure he is proud to be Koel Purie’s father! But there are some things I lost out because of my surname, especially all those leading lady roles ... I’ve lost out on all those casting couch experiences ... they could have taken me places. Seriously, now I have no option but to invite them to my couch (for the TV show)!”

But Hindi films these days have evolved and many feel that this is the best time to be in the industry. “I rarely agree, but this is something I totally agree with. When I had started off there were these arthouse films or outright commercial films to choose from. Now filmmakers are becoming braver and films are getting more urban, bolder and better. I’d say, if you’ve got a story to tell, tell it the way you want to instead of introducing commercial elements to make it saleable. I’m glad that there no longer is a magic formula to decide a film’s fate. It is now anyone’s game,” she expounds”. In her brave new world Koel sees channels “rising above trivial TRP battles to offer meaningful and credible content to viewers”.

Now that she’s busy with her new tasks, will we see less of Koel on the silver screen? Seems like it when she says that her new film, The Great Indian Butterfly (was done “for a good friend”) has her as a woman who “makes no compromises and decides on go solo for her personal happiness”.

In real life though, Koel emphatically declares — “I recommend marriage!” What makes her say that? Even as we prompt her with words like stability, emotional health and the like, she brushes it off with a simple —“There’s this person you love and you make him/her your family.” If marriage is a family affair then do cultural differences pop up between her and Laurent Rinchet, who is French? “Half my friends are from different parts of the globe, so I’ve never felt it,” she says.

And has the spunky lady ever been to the city of Nawabs? You can hear the excitement in her voice as she says, “Oh yes! I’ve been there to interview Saina Nehwal for the couch. It was one of her first TV interviews —and look now she’s World No 5!”

Arshad’s good luck charm

Arshad Warsi had worked with Boman Irani in the Munnabhai series earlier. So, when he wrote the script of Indian Films’ Hum Tum Aur Ghost, he thought Boman would be perfect for the role of the ghost as only he has the ability to carry off this complicated role.

After all, he is not playing a typical scary ghost and he is not seemingly benevolent either. Arshad approached Boman knowing that he is a very busy actor, but he knew that his film couldn’t be made without his talent. Says Arshad, “Hum Tum Aur Ghost could have been made with with any actor in any role but without Boman, it would never have been made.” That Boman agreed in one go is what Arshad likes to call his ‘good luck’.

It’s Rani, not Vidya for Sabya

There’s been gossip about designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s directorial venture and who among his favourites will star in it — Rani Mukerji or Vidya Balan.

While both are Sabya’s close friends and favourite Bollywood clients, and despite rumours of Vidya being the ‘obvious’ choice, the designer recently said that, if he has to choose from among the two, it will have to be Rani. And why? Sabya says he’s a bit of a loyalist and his loyalties lie with Rani.

After all he started his career as a Bollywood designer with her in Black. Also, Sabya feels Rani will do more justice to the role he has in mind. Hmm. Maybe working with one of her favourite designers may bring the much-needed luck factor in Rani’s waning B-Town career. Let’s wait and watch.

Shruti’s trying her luck down South

So what if Shruti Haasan’s Bollywood debut wasn’t so impressive? The rocker chick knows that the South film industry, where her father Kamal Haasan is almost like a demi-god, will open its doors for her.

And open it did! Shruti has been signed by Ghajini director, AR Murugadoss. The man who remade his own south film in Hindi with Aamir Khan, has signed Kamal’s baby opposite the original Ghajini hero from South, Suriya. This film’s not the only one she’s working on. Shruti has a Telugu film too.

A source close to the actress says it’s wrong to give her father all the credit and it’s the music that she composed for Unnaipol Oruvan that got her all the recognition down South. Okay, so the girl’s working hard. Just a thought, Shruti — why not compose some music for Bollywood too, perhaps your ‘Luck’ might change again!

In Bollywood everybody is a 'commodity': Asin

" Commodities" is the word actress Asin Thottumkal used to describe the inhabitants of the world of showbiz, saying that it is compromise not creativity which is the name of the game in Bollywood.

The 24-year-old actress, who was speaking in the Youth Forum of the India Today Conclave 2010 here today on the topic 'Change: Idealism vs Reality' was at her candid best and said that values and integrity are compromised on a daily basis in the film industry.
"In Bollywood we all are commodities, who can be replaced by another at a moment's notice. And therefore there is the need for constant compromise. If a formula works it is flogged to death, let ideas be damned," said the actress.

Asin who was already a superstar in South Indian cinema when she debuted in Bollywood opposite superstar Aamir Khan in the 2008 blockbuster 'Ghajini' said that the only way to put the "soul" back into the industry was to stand up and say no to sub-standard products and practices.
"There can be many repercussions if you say no. As an actor it cam mean less endorsements, less visibility and less industry friends. But saying no to mediocre products is the only way to put the soul back into the industry," said Asin.

The actress who has not signed on any new projects after her second film 'London Dreams' starring Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan flopped at the box office said that she has always been choosy about her projects. "There is a lot of pressure on me to sign movies. But one should believe in what one wants to do and it works for me," said Asin who shared the dias with actor Ranbeer Kapoor at the event.