Now here is some news that will just make your day… the lovable and everyone’s favourite tubby Uday Chopra is set to direct… and he not going to direct any other film but the biggest of them all… action sequel Dhoom 3!

Uday hasn’t had the best of acting careers, with only the Dhoom series to his credit, but that hasn’t put him of from Bollywood. .. In fact quite the opposite. Uday has been pressuring his older brother Aditya, who has finally given in and told him that he has his permission to go and try his hand at Dhoom 3.

Original director of the first two films, Sanjay Gadhvi made it clear a long time ago that he would not work on the third. Many other directors were considered, with Aditya himself pondering to take the helms. Aditya even offered the direction seat to Shah Rukh Khan, but he politely refused. Then came along Uday Chopra, who was all up for it… and in the end he was given the go ahead.

Says a source, “Despite their best efforts, Yash Chopra and Aditya couldn’t make a star of Uday. They gave him tailor-made author-backed roles in Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai and Neal N Nikki. They bombed. And while his tapori act in Dhoom and Dhoom 2 was a hit, Uday unfortunately was not offered roles outside Yash Raj except for an occasional supari which no one wanted to chew. For the past year he has completely withdrawn from the public eye, planning his life ahead. Directing a film seemed the most logical thing to do.”

Dhoom 3 is expected to begin production late this year, but one thing is now assured, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan will not be part of it. There is no way the two stalwarts would let a young untried director loose on themselves… Hrithik Roshan is also tied up with other commitments. So that means its back to Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra… can you wait for it?

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS… WILL THIS FINALLY PUT THE NAIL IN YASH RAJ FILMS IMPENDING COFFIN… OR IS UDAY JUST THE BOY TO BRING THE CHOPRAS OUT OF THE BOX OFFICE DOLDRUMS?

Cracks in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s relationship have come to surface, as many predicted they would.

The two actors are having problems and friends are worried. “Two volatile souls like Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor can never last together,” a close friend of Kareena reveals.

Says a source, “Saif is constantly crowding her for attention. Nowadays, if you see him on his cell-phone, which is most of the time, he’s only talking to Kareena. Saif has stopped communicating almost completely with all his family and friends. He never was someone not to call up his parents. Now even his mother doesn’t hear from him for weeks. Soha, of course, never heard from him anyway. So that’s no different. In fact, when Soha heard that her brother was at the premiere of Saawariya (with Kareena, of course) she said, “I wish I knew, I could’ve met him.”

With Saif spending all his time with (and on) Kareena, Bebo has begun feeling the heat. Says the source, “Kareena likes her space. She’s very giving in love, but doesn’t want her man to constantly question her. That’s what Saif is doing. She gets what-are-you-doing where-are-you calls from Saif throughout the day. Initially she enjoyed all the attention. Who wouldn’t? But now it’s began to take its toll on her nerves. More than Kareena, it’s her mother Babita who’s worried and angry that Saif’s ceaseless trailing may affect her career.”

Kareena has felt the strain so much that she has told Saif to ‘back-off’. “But Saif is Saif. When he’s in love he’s nothing else. Ironically, he used to complain about Rozza’s constant attention. Today he’s behaving exactly the way that put him off her for good. Hounding Kareena with his attention. She can’t help remember Shahid’s laidback easy-does-it gentle attention,” says the source.

When a friend was asked about the current state of the Bebo-Saifu relationships, she responds, “Well… it’s a little shaky. But nothing alarming yet. All Saif needs to do is give Bebo the space to find her pace. Otherwise he’d have to get another girlfriend with a name similar to Kareena so he can get the tattoo re-done without too much pain.”

Your thoughts on this story… is the Bebo-Saifu love affair destined to be doomed… or will they work things out and stay together for years to come? Please use the comments section below for your feedback.

Aamir Khan’s much acclaimed Taare Zameen Par has not been nominated in any category for the International Indian Film Academy awards.

A new regulation came into affect for this year’s nominations, which put the emphasis on the producers of the films themselves to put forward their products. As Aamir Khan, the producer and director of Taare Zameen Par, is not a fan of award shows, it comes as no surprise that this Darsheel Safary was not amongst 2007’s elite.

The IIFA has come to be recognised as the Bollywood equivalent of the Oscars and for one of the most appealing movies not be in the list is a disgrace to the industry itself.

We would like your views on the method of selection of nominees and your thoughts if this is the correct way of holding an awards show. Please use the comments section bellow for your feedback.

According to our source at Yash Raj Films, King Khan’s fascination with all things Big B is to take him into Lolita territory of incest and forbidden love. For Aditya Chopra’s much anticipated 2008 release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Shah Rukh will portray a 40 year-old British Indian recluse who finds love in the company of a 16 year-old vibrant and bubbly Punjabi village belle.

The story goes like this… An Indian man, whose youthful years are residing, returns to India from England to find solace and peace after a personal tragedy. During his short tenure in a small Punjab village, he befriends and falls in love with a girl 24 years younger than him. Conflicts arise and tempers flare when he decides to ask for her hand in marriage. How the NRI struggles to change the hearts and minds of the village folk, and ultimately prove that true love is from God, for which age has no bearing, is the story of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi… God Has Brought Us Together.

For the role of the 16 year-old, Aditya Chopra is rumoured to have signed up relative newcomer Sonam Kapoor. The girl who made her debut in last year’s flop Saawariya was chosen after an extensive search by Yash Raj Films; a search which included various talent hunts staged in Punjab. However, the studio was not able to pick the right actress and, as time was running out and they wanted to begin shooting as soon as possible, Sonam was chosen.

A source told Indian daily Mumbai Mirror, “Aditya Chopra was very keen to have a tall, fair Punjabi girl for the role opposite Shah Rukh Khan. He has himself written the script and knows exactly what he wants in his heroine. The film deals with the love story of a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. Adi was also very finicky about signing the right girl because he was making his comeback to direction after a gap of eight years and wanted to get everything just so.”

Amitabh Bachchan played a senior citizen who fell in love with his teenage daughter’s best friend in last year’s flick Nishabd. Prior to that Shah Rukh has re-done Amitabh’s famous roles of Vijay and Don for the Don remake and replaced him as anchor of television game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. This would be the fourth time that Shah Rukh is to do something that Amitabh has done.

What are your thoughts on this story and the fact that Shah Rukh is to romance a 16 year-old girl? Will this be another Nishabd or will it be done better? Is Shah Rukh playing with fire taking on this role and could it backfire on him? Please use the comments section below for you feedback.

We all are well aware of Shah Rukh’s down to earth attitude towards all, be it friends or foes, and Aamir Khan is no exception. When a member of the present media asked SRK for a response on the Aamir statement, Shah Rukh joked, “My wife has warned me. If I say anything about Aamir, she’ll beat me up. She is an Aamir Khan fan.” He further joked, “Aamir is a dear friend and if he says that I’m second to him then it’s a great compliment to him. Oops! That was a genuine slip of the tongue. I mean it’s a great compliment to me.” Talking about differences between the two, Shah Rukh explained, “We are complete opposites. He is an intelligent, intellectual person. I’m more physical. I do things, he thinks them out. I know his jokes, he knows mine. He is 100% No. 1.”

The media hype surrounding this issue didn’t rest, a few minutes later another journalist raised the issue. He asked Shah Rukh if Aamir was upset at him because of a statement that Shah Rukh made before the release of Don… “There’s Chengez Khan and then there’s Shah Rukh Khan.” To this, King Khan said, “There’s Aamir, then there’s me and then there’s Chengez Khan… I guess. That keeps changing. I’m proud of having learnt a lot from Aamir. One of my biggest desires in life is to do a film with Aamir. We should not belittle the importance of Aamir Khan by comparing him with someone like me. He is a standalone, one of the nicest gentlemen and actors in the country.”

Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri was also present at this Mumbai press conference along with his leading lady Juhi Chawla. Captain of his Riders, Saurav Ganguly posed for the cameras with fellow team-mates Ishant Sharma, Akash Chopra and Murali Karthik .

What are your thoughts on Shah Rukh’s light hearted response to Aamir’s hard hitting statement… do you think he put on a good face and joked but inside, he is hurting… or do you believe that King Khan has no issues with no one and is in a league of his own? If you were to decide between Aamir and Shah Rukh as to which was the better actor, which one would you pick and why? Please use the comments section below for your feedback.

Where: Mahalaxmi Race Course

When: March 9th 2007

Click on the following pictures for full sized views that you can download.

For more pictures from this event, click here.

Taare Zameen Par beat of Chak De! India, Guru, Jab We Met and Om Shanti Om for the Best Film award. That was after Aamir Khan was announced as Best Director for the same film, coming ahead of veteran craftsman Mani Ratnam. Anurag Basu, Farah Khan, Imtiaz Ali and Shimit Amin were all disappointed. Prasoon Joshi won Best Lyrics for Maa, Amol Gupte for Best Story and Darsheel Safary was honored with the Critics award for Best Actor. That gave December 2007 release Taare Zameen Par a total of 5 Filmfare awards.

However, Darsheel Safary and Aamir Khan lost out to Shah Rukh Khan and Irrfan Khan for Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male) and Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Male) respectively. Shah Rukh bagged the coveted accolade for his superb performance in the sports flick Chak De! India and Irrfan for his magnanimous acting in Life In A… Metro.

As expected, Kareena Kapoor was given Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female) for her comedic scenes in Jab We Met. Konkona Sen Sharma, who was nominated twice in the Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Female) category, for Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Life In A… Metro, winning it for the latter.

The big music award went to A R Rahman; his composition for Mani Ratnam’s Guru was Best Music. Hip and hop singer Shaan once again showed his prowess when it comes to playback singing, winning yet another Best Playback Singer (Male) for Jab Se Tere Naina from Saawariya. In the Best Playback Singer (Female) category, the competition was close, but in the end it was Shreya Ghosal… once again… for Barso Re from Guru.

The feel good factor awards had no surprises as Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone bagged Best Debut for Male and Female respectively. Deepika rubbed salt in fellow debutante Sonam Kapoor’s wounds a second time, when she also bagged Sony Head N Shoulders Fresh Face Of The Year Award. Sonam and her father had decided not to attend the event as they expected Deepika to get these awards.

Rishi Kapoor was given the Lifetime Achievement Award, Monty Sharma the R D Burman Award for his songs in Saawariya, and father-son Yash and Aditya Chopra got Power Awards. Tabu was named Critics’ Best Actress and Chak De! India Critics’ Best Film.

For a full list of the awards given, please scroll down to the end of the article.

The awards ceremony was held under tight security at Yashraj Studios but some of Bollywood’s big names failed to attend. Missing were the Bachchans, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapur. Hrithik Roshan, Govinda and Rani Mukherjee. But many of whom mattered were there… Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Bipasha Basu, John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar.

The show was co-anchored by Vidya Balan, Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. The latter two managed to create raves with their double act and had the audience in laughs galore. Himesh Reshammiya may have failed to win any award but he did belt out a few of his most noted tunes, while ever-reliable Akshay Kumar danced enigmatically. New kids on the block Neil Nitin Mukesh and Deepika Padukone also performed, so did Kareena Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi.

Awards were given out by Neil Nitin Mukesh, Twinkle Khanna, Priyanka Chopra, Dimple Kapadia, Nirupama Rao, Shaimak Davar, Bipasha Basu, John Abraham and Kunal Kapoor. Saif Ali Khan came on stage to give out the award to his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor while Preity Zinta awarded Aamir Khan, his being accepted by Prasoon Joshi. Rekha gave out the big award of the day, to Shah Rukh Khan for Chak De! India.

Saif Ali Khan ad Shah Rukh Khan awarded their own ‘Na-Real’ awards, recipient of one was Vidya Balan, for her look in Heyy Baby – The Na-Real Award For Wardrobe Malfunction.

The highlight of the evening had to be Rishi Kapoor being bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement award, an hour after his son got the Best Debutante Award. “Twenty percent of my reason for being an actor was that I could win a Filmfare. I am overwhelmed,” said a jubilant Ranbir. Addressing his mother Neetu Singh, Ranbir joked, “Mamma, I am bringing home a girl tonight.” There were rumors running around that a film, starring both Rishi and Ranbir, could be announced… but this wasn’t to be.

The awards will be shown on TV on March 2nd on Sony.

Winners of 53rd Fair One Filmfare Awards

MAIN AWARDS WINNERS:

BEST FILM
Chak De! India
Guru
Jab We Met
Om Shanti Om
Winner: Taare Zameen Par

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Aamir Khan (Taare Zameen Par)
Anurag Basu (Life… In A Metro)
Farah Khan (Om Shanti Om)
Imtiaz Ali (Jab We Met)
Mani Ratnam (Guru)
Shimit Amin (Chak De! India)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (MALE)
Abhishek Bachchan (Guru)
Akshay Kumar (Namastey London)
Darsheel Safary (Taare Zameen Par)
Winner: Shahrukh Khan (Chak De! India)
Shahrukh Khan (Om Shanti Om)
Shahid Kapoor (Jab We Met)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE (FEMALE)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Guru)
Deepika Padukone (Om Shanti Om)
Winner: Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met)
Madhuri Dixit (Aaja Nachle)
Rani Mukerji (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag)
Vidya Balan (Bhool Bhulaiyaa)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MALE)
Aamir Khan (Taare Zameen Par)
Anil Kapoor (Welcome)
Winner: Irrfan Khan (Life in a… Metro)
Mithun Chakraborty (Guru)
Shreyas Talpade (Om Shanti Om)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (FEMALE)
Winner: Konkona Sen Sharma (Life in a… Metro)
Konkona Sen Sharma (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag)
Rani Mukerji (Saawariya)
Shilpa Shukla (Chak De! India)
Tisca Chopra (Taare Zameen Par)

BEST MUSIC
Winner: A R Rahman (Guru)
Monty Sharma (Saawariya)
Pritam (Jab We Met)
Pritam (Life in a… Metro)
Vishal-Shekhar (Om Shanti Om)

BEST LYRICS
Gulzar…Tere Nina (Guru)
Javed Akhtar…Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om)
Winner: Prasoon Joshi…Maa (Taare Zameen Par)
Sameer…Jab Se Tere Naina (Saawariya)
Vishal Dadlani…Aankhon Mein Teri (Om Shanti Om)

BEST PLAYBACK SINGER (MALE)
A R Rahman …Tere Bina (Guru)
K K…Aankhon Mein Teri (Om Shanti Om)
Winner: Shaan…Jab Se Tere Naina (Saawariya)
Sonu Nigam…Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om)
Sukhawinder Singh…Chak De (Chak De! India)

BEST PLAYBACK SINGER (FEMALE)
Alisha Chinai…It’s Rocking (Kay Love Story Hai)
Winner: Shreya Ghosal …Barso Re (Guru)
Shreya Ghosal …Yeh Ishq Hai (Jab We Met)
Sunidhi Chauhan …Sajanaji Vari Vari (Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.)
Sunidhi Chauhan …Aaja Nachle (Aaja Nachle)

OTHER AWARDS WINNERS:

Best Debut (Male): Ranbir Kapoor – Saawariya
Best Debut (Female): Deepika Padukone – Om Shanti Om

Sony Head N Shoulders Fresh Face of the Year Award: Deepika Padukone

Lifetime Achievement Award: Rishi Kapoor
Power Awards: Yash Chopra & Aditya Chopra
R. D. Burman Award: Monty Sharma (Saawariya)

Best Story: Amol Gupte – Taare Zameen Par
Best Screenplay: Anurag Basu – Life in a… Metro
Best Editing: Amitabh Shukla – Chak De India
Best Dialogue: Imtiaz Ali – Jab We Met
Best Special Effects: Red Chillies Entertainment – Om Shanti Om
Best Choreography: Saroj Khan (Barso Re Megha Re – Guru)
Best Background Score: A. R. Rahman – Guru
Best Action: Rob Miller – Chak De India
Best Art Direction: Samir Chanda – Guru
Best Sound: Leslie Fernandes – Johnny Gaddaar
Best Cinematography: Sudhip Chatterjee

CRITICS’ AWARDS WINNERS:

Best Actor: Darsheel Safary – Taare Zameen Par
Best Actress: Tabu – Cheeni Kum
Best Film: Shimit Amin – Chak De India

What to do you make of these awards… were the right people given the right awards… did Om Shanti Om deserve to win a major award… should awards be given to Aamir Khan if he doesn’t attend the ceremonies… have award shows now lost their edge… whatever you think, we would love to hear from you. Please use the comments section below for your feedback.

It has been reported in the Indian press that Shah Rukh is building himself a bungalow in New Delhi, near the posh Jor Bagh area, fuelling rumors that he could well be thinking of retiring from movies and settling to a quite life – back in his hometown.

The house is being built exactly opposite from where his late mother used to run a restaurant during his school days. Many top names currently reside in this area, including Mahindras, Mittals, and Nandas.

If this is true… then this would be Shah Rukh Khan’s third ‘Mannat’, as he has one in Mumbai and another in Dubai.

What if the rumors do intend to be true… would you be able to live without a regular dose of King Khan films? Should Shah Rukh Khan retire from making movies while he is at the top… or does he have a few years to go…? Please use the comments sections below for your feedback.

Faisal has been in the news much, because of his so-called deranged mental status. However, a court issued a verdict saying that his mental state was fine and that he does not require to be institutionalized or under anyone’s care.

“I was never ill. What has been said so far was speculative and spread by my elder brother Aamir Khan. I was kidnapped and under arrest with unwanted drugs given to me,” revealed Faisal to an Indian daily.

Since December 15th, Faisal has been living alone – evidence to which he provided to the courts and hence the judgment. He states that he is still fighting against his ‘big star’ brother, and has filed a case against him in regards to come property in UP. He has said that he will go to any lengths to get his share of the Khan property back from his brother.

Talking about Aamir’s vindictiveness towards him, Faisal says, “I don’t know why he always tried to push me down. Why did he do so much atyachar and zulm on me? I’ve never did anything wrong to him. I’m his brother and a well-wisher. Perhaps my family members including my sister and her husband would poison Aamir’s mind. Even my own mother is against me.”

Faisal revealed that Aamir and 25 of his bodyguards came to his house in 2005. They dragged him and took him to a mental institute, where he was given the wrong medicine. Aamir made Faisal stay at this place for 19 days after which he took him home, and kept him there under guard.

Wrapping of the interview, Faisal said he prays to God for patience and that he wishes his brother would become a better human being, if not the best. He is currently talking with many Bollywood bigwigs for starring roles in movies. Faisal appeared alongside his brother in the flop flick Mela.

What are your thoughts on this whole Aamir-Faisal issue? Who do you think is in the right… do you think Faisal is telling the truth and that Aamir is a control freak that has gone to great lengths to mentally unstable his brother… or do you think that Faisal is indeed not of right mind? Please use the comments section below for your thoughts.

Click on the pictures for larger views.

Click here for more pictures from this event.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has decided to copy Aamir Khan and produce a film about children.

After Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, a lot of film-makers have decided to work with children because of the viable market, and Shah Rukh Khan is no exception. King Khan will make a state-of-the-art film with special effects and a budget of $25 (Rs 98 crore).

Noted Hollywood technician are being hired to work on this flick which will revolve around a bunch of kids on an adventurous day out where they travel to hidden worlds and meet evil spirits. Cash director Anubhav Sinha has been signed on to direct, while Charles Darby will do the effects.

Just like Aamir made a guest appearance in Taare Zameen Par, Shah Rukh will do the same here… he is expected to play the role of a half-human half-dragon character.

As soon as the story broke, of the two tying the knot, Saif Ali Khan went on record and denied it. And a few hours later, Kareena Kapoor has done the same.

Kareena has said that she is exasperated with the constant speculations being made about her love life. Through a friend, she stated, “I have always been open about my life. If there was something to announce I would be the first one to do so. This is utter rubbish and I have reached my limit. I am just 27 years old and time and again, I have said, that I will not get married at least for next five years. On this particular day, Saif was in Alibaug and I was shooting in Film City. How could we get married?”

Kareena hooked up with Saif after a long standing relationship with a much younger actor, Shahid Kapur.

While the actor is in the UK, we here at RS will get him to answer your questions… questions that we want you to send us via SMS. Once you send us your question/s, we will then put these to Shah Rukh Khan on 17th February, and he will personally respond (to the same number from which you SMS from) on that day (17th February).

Not only that… but 5 lucky question askers will get the chance to chat (via SMS) with Shah Rukh Khan for a period of 15 minutes maximum on 17th February. This is a not to be missed chance.

Details on how to do this are as follows:

Users should send SONG (plus your question to Shah Rukh after a space) to 63333.

Example:

SONG SHAH RUKH WHEN WILL YOU STAR WITH HRITHIK AGAIN?

Text this to number 63333

We will then be reply to your message, confirming the details of your question/s.

You will personally get a text (SMS) message from Shah Rukh Khan on 17th February 2008, with the answer to your question/s. This same answer will be posted on the RS website on that day too.

Messages cost 50p + standard network rate. 16+ bill payers only. Provider: A2B. Entries only from UK mobile phone users.

It had long been rumoured that Aditya Chopra was to go behind the camera, something that he hasn’t done since Mohabbatein – eight year back. The new film will be a romance, on the lines of his first Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge and will feature Shah Rukh Khan opposite a debutante heroine. The actress will be picked through a talent-hunt contest, for which details will be revealed shortly.

Aditya has already scripted the movie, which will be produced by his father Yash chopra, and shooting could commence as early as May this year. The film has been titled Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

If you are interested in taking part in the talent-hunt contest for the leading lady opposite Shah rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi… then text (sms) us here at RS… and we will forward your details on…

How to send in your entry to the Talent-Hunt contest…

Simply send SONG followed by your name and address details (including date of birth) to 63333 from your UK registered mobile phone.

Example: SONG AYESHA MATHUR 24 MEADOW VIEW LONDON SW1 3AJ AGE 18
Text this to (on) number 63333

Currently, we are only accepting entries from UK mobile phone holders. You can only text (sms) from a UK registered phone. If you want to take part in the contest, and you are not from the UK, then please ask or use a UK registered phone.

Messages cost 50p + standard network rate. 16+ bill payers only. Provider: A2B.

The Max Stardust Awards stands out in the clutter of countless film awards as it showcases and recognises the relatively fresh talent with the promise to emerge as the superstars of tomorrow. The awards ceremony, this year, transformed the banal terra firma of the Bandra Kurla Complex into a spectacle of glitz and razzmatazz. Talented film director Kunal Kohli and the gorgeous diva Neha Dhupia were the perfect hosts for this special evening and kept the audience glued to their seats.

The glorious award ceremony, witnessed dazzling Lara Dutta perform on chartbusters such as ‘Move your body’ from Johnny Gaddar, ‘Deewangi’ from OSO among others while beautiful Kareena Kapoor enthralled the audience with ‘Nagada’ and ‘Its rocking’ form Jab we met and Kya Love Story Hai. The rockstar Saif Ali Khan performed on medley of hits from OSO, Salaam-e-Ishq, Hey Baby and Race – his upcoming movie. Govinda entertained the audience with his numbers from the movie Partner and Bhagam Bhaag. Neha Dhupia apart from her co-hosting the award ceremony moved danced on popular songs like ‘Namak Ishq Ka’, ‘Saiya re’, ‘Mayya Mayya’, ‘Kiya Kiya’ and ‘Naughty Naughty’.

Among the people who attended the event were the whose who of the tinsel town. Aadesh Shrivastav, Bappi Lahri, Alka Yagnik, Shreya Saran, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Bipasha Basu, Dharmendra, Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Suresh Oberoi, Irfan Khan, Gul Panag, Celina Jaitley, Dino Moreo, Madhur Bhandarkar, Raveena Tandon, and a host of others. The event had extravagant sets coupled with lasers, special effects, lighting and acoustics to create a magnificent audio and visual impact.

The MAX Stardust Awards are a salute to the young and dynamic Gen Next oozing with creative energy and passion in equal measure. MAX will telecast the MAX Stardust Awards on 16 February, 2008 at 8.00 pm.

THE WINNERS OF MAX STARDUST AWARDS

SUPERSTAR OF TOMMOROW —MALE
Ranbir Kapoor (Saawariya)

SUPERSTAR OF TOMMOROW— FEMALE
Sonam Kapoor (Saawariya)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE – MALE
Shreyas Talpade (Om Shanti Om)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE – FEMALE
Kangana Ranaut (Life… In a Metro)

THE NEW MENACE
Shilpa Shukla (Chak De India)

HOTTEST FILM — PRODUCERS
Gandhi My Father (Anil Kapoor)

HOTTEST YOUNG FILM MAKER
Shimit Amin (Chak De India)

STANDOUT PERFORMANCE BY LYRICIST
Sandeep Nath – Saawariya (’Yoon Shabnami Pehle Nahi Thi Chandni’)

NEW MUSICAL SENSATION – FEMALE
Anoushka Manchanda – Cash (Aye Chori)

NEW MUSICAL SENSATION – MALE
Krishna & Salim Merchant – Chak De India (Maula Mere)

STANDOUT PERFORMANCE BY A MUSIC DIRECTOR
Monty Sharma (Saawariya)

READER’S CHOICE AWARDS

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Tisca Chopra (’Taare Zameen Par’)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Irrfaan Khan (’Life… In A Metro’ / The Namesake)

BEST ACTOR IN A NEGATIVE ROLE
Arjun Rampal (’Om Shanti Om’)

STAR OF THE YEAR – MALE
Akshay Kumar (’Namastey London’ / ‘Heyy Babyy’)

ACTOR PAR EXCELLANCE
Viveik Oberoi (Shootout at Lokhandwala)

BEST ACTOR – MALE
Shahid Kapoor- Jab We Met

BEST ACTOR – FEMALE
Kareena Kapoor – Jab We Met

THE DREAM DIRECTOR AWARD
Farah Khan (’Om Shanti Om’)

BEST FILM AWARD
‘Jab We Met’

LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Dharmendra

Cast : Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor & Sameera Reddy
Director: Abbas-Mustan
Producer: Kumar S Taurani, Ramesh S Taurani
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty

TRACK LISTING:

01. (00:04:49) Sunidhi & Neeraj – Race Saanson Ki
Click here to listen to the song.

02. (00:05:13) Atif Aslam – Pehli Nazar Mein
Click here to listen to the song.

03. (00:04:11) Shaan, Sunidhi & K K – Dekho Nashe Mein (Latin Fiesta Mix)
Click here to listen to the song.

04. (00:04:41) Taz, Apache Indian, Sunidhi – Mujh Pe To Jadoo
Click here to listen to the song.

05. (00:04:32) Monali – Zara Zara Touch Me (Asian RnB Mix)
Click here to listen to the song.

06. (00:05:00) Sunidhi & Neeraj – Race Is On My Mind
Click here to listen to the song.

07. (00:04:22) Shaan, Sunidhi & K K – Dekho Nashe Mein
Click here to listen to the song.

08. (00:04:46) Monali – Zara Zara Touch Me
Click here to listen to the song.

09. (00:04:27) Atif Aslam – Pehli Nazar Mein (Lounge Mix)
Click here to listen to the song.

10. (00:04:31) Sunidhi & Neeraj – Race Saanson Ki
Click here to listen to the song.

11. (00:04:25) Taz, Apache Indian & Sunidhi – Mujh Pe To Jadoo
Click here to listen to the song.

12. (00:04:02) Monali – Zara Zara Touch Me
Click here to listen to the song.

13. (00:04:23) Shaan, Sunidhi & K K – Dekho Nashe Mein
Click here to listen to the song.

14. (00:04:13) Atif Aslam – Pehli Nazar Mein (Club Mix)
Click here to listen to the song.

15. (00:04:29) Sunidhi & Neeraj – Race Is On My Mind
Click here to listen to the song.

16. (00:02:12) Instrumental - Race Theme
Click here to listen to the song.

Banner : Ashutosh Gowariker Productions
Presenter : UTV Motion Pictures
Producer : Ashutosh Gowariker, Ronnie Screwvala
Executive Producer : Sunita A. Gowariker
Director : Ashutosh Gowariker
Cast : Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai
Music Director : A. R. Rahman
Lyricist : Javed Akhtar
Story Writer : Ashutosh Gowariker
Dialogue Writer : K. P. Saxena
Screenplay Writer : Ashutosh Gowariker
Art Director : Nitin Desai
Costume Designer : Neeta Lulla
Background Sound : A. R. Rahman
Choreographer : Saroj Khan, Raju Khan, Vaibhavi Merchant
Publicity Designer : Epigram

Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal Emperor, Akbar and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.

Politically, success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar, After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godhavari River.

Through a shrewed blend of tolerence, generosity and force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs, the most belligerent Hindus. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa, a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodhaa – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice.

Jodhaa Akbar is their untold love story.

TRACK LISTING:

1.Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah
By Mohd. Aslam, Bonny Chakravarti
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 5:54

2. In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein
By Sonu Nigam, Madhushree
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 6:37

Jashn-E-Bahaara
3. By Javed Ali
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 5:15

Jashn-e-Baharaa
4. (Instrumental)
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 5:15

5. Khwaja Mere Khawaja
(Instrumental)
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 2:53

6. Khwaja Mere Khawaja
By A.R.Rahman
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 6:56

7. Mann Mohana
By Bela Shende
Click here to listen to the song. Time: 6:50

Aamir Khan had to share the best director award with Shimit Amin as Taare Zameen Par and Chak De India both won major gongs at the 14th Star Screen Awards.

Staged on a Thursday evening, which is becoming a norm for major events in India, the event once again proved that good quality films do indeed win awards. Chak De India got the major awards of Best Film and Best Actor while Best Director had to be shared between Shimit Amin (Chak De India) and Aamir Khan (Taare Zameen Par).

Best Supporting Actor went to Aamir Khan for his role as the art teacher in Taare Zameen Par, while the Hockey playing girls in Chak De India were collectively given the Best Supporting Actress award. There was hardly any competition in the Best Actress category with Kareena Kapoor bagging it for Jab We Met,

Best Story (Amol Gupte), Best Child Actor (Darsheel), Best Lyricist (Prasoon Joshi), and Best Dialogue awards went to Taare Zameen Par, a total of 6 gongs.

Mani Ratnam’s Guru got A R Rahman the Best Music Director award. Soham won the Award for the Best Playback Singer (Male) for his soong in Life… In a Metro and Priya Ghosal was Best Playback Singer (Female) for Guru.

In other categories, Deepika Padukone one two, one for Best Newcomer (Female) and second jointly with Shah Rukh Khan for Best Pair (Om Shanti Om). As expected, Ranbir Kapoor was judged Best Newcomer (Male). Irfan Khan was a surpirse Best Comedian for Life… In A Metro, while Anurag Basu won Best Screenplay Award for the same film. Lifetime Achievement Award went to Manoj Kumar and Pankaj Kapoor was awarded fir Best Negative Role.

Performances by Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid Kapur, Katrina Kaif, Urmila Matondkar, Riteish Deshmukh and Dia Mirza helped to enlighten the event further.

You can check out all the hot photos from this event by clicking here.

The Complete List:

Best Film: Chak De India

Best Director: Shimit Amin for Chak de India and Aamir Khan for Taare Zameen Par.

Best Actor: Shah Rukh Khan, Chak De India

Best Actress: Kareena Kapoor, Jab We Met

Best Music: AR Rahman for Guru

Best Story and Screenplay: Amole Gupte for Taare Zameen Par

Best Supporting Actor: Aamir Khan for Taare Zameen Par.

Best Supporting Actress: Chak de India girls

Best Child Actor: Darsheel, Taare Zameen Par

Best Pair of the Year: Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone

Lifetime Achievement Award: Manoj Kumar

Best Choreographer: Farah Khan for Om Shanti Om

Best Lyricist: Prasoon Joshi, Taare Zameen Par

Critics Award for Best Actress: Tabu for Cheeni Kum.

Best Newcomer Male: Ranbir Kapoor

Best Dialogue: Taare Zameen Par

Best Newcomer Female: Deepika Padukone

Best Negative Actor: Pankaj Kapoor

Best Female Singer: Shreya Ghosal

Best Screenplay: Anurag Basu for Metro.

Best Comedian: Irfaan Khan for Metro.

Follow the links below for more pictures.

Where: Grand Hyatt

When: Jan 9th 2007

Attending the event were Sonu Nigam, Javed Akhtar, Akbar Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Zayed Khan, Hrithik’s wife Suzanne Khan, Shatrughan Sinha, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Raza Murad, A R Rahman, Ashutosh Gowarikar, and of course the stars of the film Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai.

Click on the pictures for full larger views.

Follow the links below, for more pictures from this event.

Aamir is well known to have reservations about these award shows and has never been seen at one. His reason… simple… he doesn’t believe in such honours and the way they are conducted. When Aamir bagged the National Award for Lagaan, his father Tahir Hussain went to accept it.

Talking to Mid-Day about the 17 nominations for Taare Zameen Par, he says, “My stance remains unchanged on the awards.”

The Screen awards will be held on January 10th and Taare Zameen Par is expected to win many awards. The following are the nominations for it:

Aamir Khan for Best Film
Aamir Khan for Best Director
Aamir Khan for Most Promising Debut Director
Aamir Khan for Best Supporting Actor role
Best Child Actor , Best Supporting Female Actor, Best Music, Best Background Score, Best Playback Singer, Best Story, Best Screenplay, Best Special Effects.

What are your thoughts on this stance from Aamir? Do you think that with so many nominations for Taare Zameen Par, that he should attend the event. If not for his principles, then for his fans? Or do you agree with Aamir’s thinking that all award shows are not properly conducted. Whatever your views, we would love to hear them. Please use the comments section at the bottom of this page to send us yor feedback.

The box office collections soar high for some of the biggest openers ever in the form of Om Shanti Om, Chak De! India, Partner, Heyy Babyy, Guru, Bhool Bhulaiya etc. Then there were low budget films that did beyond the expected business this year. And then there were films which were overly hyped and proved to be box office debacles like Salaam-e-Ishq, Eklavya, Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag, Saawariya etc.

The year was a mixed bag of hits and misses piling up each month with some films hitting the marquee and some losing the limelight without trace. Here, we look back at 2007’s domestic box office story, its highs and lows and its biggest openers and biggest losers.

Follow the links below to begin reading Tanu’s BOX OFFICE review of 2007.

Click on the pictures for larger views.

Follow the links below for more pictures in this special.

2007 belonged to Pritam, who had a handful of super-hit soundtracks. For 2008, the maestro has even more planned. Race, Kidnap, Kutty Chetan, Jannat, and Fauj Mein Mauj. Not forgetting the already released, and receiving rave reviews, My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves.

Aap Ka Surroor was regarded as a sensational album, and now eager ears are looking forward with delight to Karzzz. Not sure if Himesh will be able to create the same hoo-ha as the music of the original did, but one thing is for sure, Reshammiya will sure set-fire again. The musician-turned-actor also has Mr. Fraud in the pipeline.

For many a year Anu Malik was regarded as the most reliable composer in the industry, however his recent lack of hit scores have tarnished that tag. 2008 he is back with a bang, with multiple projects planned. Victory, Tere Sang, Kambakht Ishq, Love Story 2050, Mission Istanbul, Woodstock Villa, Ugly Aur Pagli, and Maan Gaye Mughal0e-Azam, to name a few. Not only that, but Anu Malik’s off-spring Anmol Anu Malik will be singing six songs for Tere Sang.

Om Shanti Om duo Vishal and Shekhar, Taare Zameen Par’s Shankar Ehsaan Loy, veteran pop-ster Bappi Lahiri, going solo Lalit Pandit (of Jatin-Lalit fame), and ever-reliable Rajesh Roshan, will all be around in 2008.

Singing-wise we will be hearing more of those Pakistani voices, M Ali and Kami of Suroor band are two. Zubeen Garg and KK are to be featured on many soundtracks, and of course the fantastic four, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, and Alka Yagnik.

That’s 2008 for you, playback music wise… what are your thoughts on this coming year and the music it will bring. Do you believe we will get to hear even better tunes than what we heard in 2008, or does the list above look a little bleak for you? Leave your views and thoughts and in the comments section below.

RS Top 40 Songs Chart

Follow the links below to begin watching the RS Top 40 Songs Chart of 2007.

Other than these success stories, there were actors who were equally popular, less successful but worth a mention, namely, Amitabh Bachchan for Eklavya and Cheeni Kum; Shahid Kapoor for Jab We Met and Fool ‘n’ Final; and Saif Ali Khan for Ta Ra Rum Pum and Eklavya.

The top 5 Bollywood actors for 2007 are:

Follow the links below to beging reading Tanushree’s countdown of the Top 5 actors of 2007.

The film overcome stiff opposition from another Shah Rukh Khan starrer, the sports flick Chak De India, to become Best Film. It’s director Farah Khan got the Best Director award, again after another close fight with Shimit Amin and Chak De India, while Arjun Rampal and Deepika Padukone were crowned Best Actor/Actress in A Villainous Role and Best Debut Actress respectively. And to top it all of, the soundtrack of Om Shanti Om, composed by duo Vishal-Shekar was Best Music of 2007, and Ajab Si was Best Song.

Shah Rukh Khan would have won Best Actor for his double role in Om Shanti Om, had it not have been for… wait for it… Shah Rukh Khan. The Best Actor category competition was only between his role in Om Shanti Om and Chak De India. The portrayal of the shamed but in the end hero Kabir Khan won him that gong. The award for Best Story was also given to Chak De India.

Rejuvenated actress Kareena Kapoor’s charecterisation of the happy-go-lucky lass Geet in Jab We Met got her the Best Actress title. Irrfan Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma won Best Actor and Best Actress in Supporting Roles for the same movie, Life In A Metro. Born again actor Govinda returned with a bang and got a much deserved award for Best Actor/Actress in A Comical Role for Partner.

What was unexpected, was the award for Best Debut Actor, going to grand-son of singer Mukesh, Neil Mukesh. The actor’s first role in a Bollywood flick in Johnny Gaddar was appreciated more than Ranbir Kapoor’s Saawariya.

The Mani Ratnam directed Guru got two music awards, Best Lyrics (Gulzar – Tere Bina) and Best Playback Singer Female (Shreya Ghoshal – Barso Re). Popular fan favourite Himesh Reshammiya bagged the Best Playback Singer Male award for his rendition of Assalmu in Aap Ka Suroor.

MAIN AWARDS:

Best Film
Om Shanti Om – WINNER
Chak De India
Guru
Apne
Namastey London

Best Director
Shimit Amin (Chak De India)
Farah Khan (Om Shanti Om) – WINNER
Mani Ratnam (Guru)
Anurag Kashyap (Black Friday)
Anil Sharma (Apne)

Best Actor
Shah Rukh Khan (Chak De India) – WINNER
Shah Rukh Khan (Om Shanti Om)
Akshaye Khanna (Gandhi My Father)
Abhishek Bachchan (Guru)
Akshay Kumar (Namastey London)

Best Actress
Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met) – WINNER
Tabu (Cheeni Kum)
Katrina Kaif (Namastey London)
Aishwarya Rai (Guru)
Shilpa Shetty (Life In A Metro)

Best Actor in A Supporting Role
Ritesh Deshmukh (Heyy Babyy)
Mithun Chakraborty (Guru)
Irrfan Khan (Life in a Metro) – WINNER
Sunny Deol (Apne)
Shreyas Talpade (Om Shanti Om)

Best Actress in A Supporting Role
Konkana Sen Sharma (Life in a Metro) – WINNER
Shilpa Shukla (Chak De India)
Vidya Balan (Salaam-e-Ishq)
Esha Deol (Cash)
Kirron Kher (Om Shanti Om)

Best Actor in A Comic Role
Govinda (Partner) – WINNER
Akshay Kumar (Heyy Babyy)
Govinda (Salaam-e-Ishq)
Ranvir Shorrey (Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.)
Salman Khan (Partner)

Best Actor/Actress in A Villainous Role
Arjun Rampal (Om Shanti Om) – WINNER
Suniel Shetty (Cash)
Vivek Oberoi (Shootout At Lokhandwala)
Esha Deol (Darling)
Amitabh Bachchan (Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag)

Best Music
Vishal-Shekhar (Om Shanti Om) – WINNER
Himesh Reshammiya (Aap Ka Suroor)
Pritam (Jab We Met)
Sajid Wajid (Partner)
AR Rahman (Guru)

Rest Of The Awards:

Best Lyrics: Gulzar (Tere Bina – Guru)
Best Playback Singer (Male): Himesh (Assalamu – Aap Ki Suroor)
Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Ghoshal (Barso Re – Guru)
Best Song: Ajab Si Ajab Si (Om Shanti Om)
Best Story: Chak De India
Best Debut Actor: Neil Mukesh (Johnny Gaddar)
Best Debut Actress: Deepika Padukone (Om Shanti Om)

What are your thoughts on these awards… do you believe these are justified… or are they totally wrong. Should Akshay Kumar have had atleast one award for something… does Shah Rukh Khan deserve it for Chak De India… is it correct for Kareena Kapoor to have won the Best Actress award… leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

How can you have missed the versatile Hare Raam Hare Raam from Bhool Bhulaiya or the unique Dard-E-Disco from Om Shanti Om. Even comedy songs from Partner proved to be a good listen.

Now, as we compile our end of the year Top 40 chart, we ask you to nominate your favourite songs of the year. You can nominate one song, two songs, three songs, in fact as many as you want to. The nominations are open till the 28th of December, when we will collate all them all, and compile our RS Top 40 of 2007.

You can nominate by entering in your favourite song names in the comments section below.

According to some Internet reports, Shah Rukh was shooting for a commercial on Set No. 2 at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai’s Bandra area, when he suddenly left the set and went over to to Set No. 3. According to a source, King Khan had noticed that Big B was shooting for Sujoy Ghosh’s Alladin and wanted to talk to him about a recent media hyped issue concerning the two. Says our source, “When Shah Rukh learnt that Amitji was shooting next door, he walked up to him and both embraced each other. It was surprising and the shoot came to a standstill for almost five minutes.”

The reason behind this olive branch offering from Shah Rukh was the Amitabh Bachchan no-show at last week’s Smita Thackeray AIDS event. Bachchan refused to attend the event after hearing that Shah Rukh was already present at the venue.

What are your thoughts on this… is the cold war over… was there a cold war between the two in the first place… will the two work together again in a big banner flick… is this good for Bollywood or would it have been more interesting if the ‘war continued… should Shah Rukh have done this and offered the hand of peace… leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Munnabhai director Raju Hirani is still adamant on doing his much talked about prokect Five Point Something, and he is now lining up Aamir Khan for the main lead in the film. The same lead role that Shah Rukh Khan turned down a few weeks ago. It seems that Aamir himself has expressed an interest in working in this. Aamir has previously accepted roles for which Shah Rukh Khan was approached initially. Most of these ‘leftovers’ have become massive hits.

Hirani is also considering John Abraham and Saif Ali Khan for the other roles. Five Point Someone is a satirical look on the Indian education system, and is loosely based on a Chetan Bhagat novel.

Hirani hopes to begin work on Five Point Something as soon as an actor is confirmed, but is also planning to work with Sanjay Dutt on the next Munnabhai flick.

Now the second role… Robot…

South director Shankar has met Aamir Khan and sources state that Aamir is interested to play a scientist in his sci-fi thriller Robot, a role that Shah Rukh Khan had turned down because of creative differences. Aamir Khan is also interested in producing this film, just like Shah Rukh Khan was.

As reported by this writer exclusively a few months ago, Aamir will play a scientist who creates a robot to play with his physically challenged child, but things go bad when the robot starts to kill people and Aamir has to terminate this invention. When Shah Rukh Khan was expected to produce the film, Hrithik Roshan was touted for the role of the robot, but now indications are that either Aamir Khan wants to essay a double role and will play the robot too.

We would like your comments on this story. Who would you like to see in these movies… Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan? Which one of the two do you think will make the movies a bigger hit? Or would you prefer totally different actors? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.