BOLLYWOOD BUZZ February 2006
Big B gives a big scare
The entire nation suffered a collective heart attack on November 28. Reason: Amitabh Bachchan had been admitted to the Escorts Centre in New Delhi after he complained of abdominal pain. When he was airdashed to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai the same night, the condition of his fans worsened. The nation breathed easy only on November 30 after it became known that the national icon was recovering after undergoing a three-hour surgery for perforation in the small intestine. That's the Big B Effect for you! The incident took one's mind back to 1982 when Bachchan had a near-fatal accident on the sets of Coolie. Then too the country had gone into panic and prayed fervently for the well-being of its much loved superstar. Bachchan has been advised rest and could be out of action for a month. Understandably so, for the 63-year-old actor has been working at a frenetic pace. There's only one thing that Big B's friends and colleagues would like to tell him: Take it easy, Sarkar!
Shah Rukh says: Happy New Year!
Shah Rukh Khan was presented with a unique gift by close friend Farah Khan on his 40th birthday in November last --- the script of her second film as director. Titled Happy New Year, it has Shah Rukh (who else!) in the lead role and of course, it goes without saying, SRK is the producer too. Farah's husband Shirish Kunder is writing the screenplay. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh has been busy shooting in New York for buddy Karan Johar's new film titled Kabhi Alvidaa Naa Kehna (Never Say Goodbye). Well, that's something his fans would want to convey to their idol all right! Other friends giving SRK company in this multi-starrer are Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee and Abhishek Bachchan. Now, you couldn't get more star-studded than that!
Incidentally, Shirish has managed to rope in Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Preity Zinta for his directorial debut titled Jaaneman.
Sushmita to sparkle in Nakshatra
Aishwarya Rai may have wowed Hollywood but for Los-Angeles-based Indian filmmaker Saajid Warrier there's no one quite like Sushmita Sen. So the director has approached Sush for a movie titled Nakshatra whose producer and scriptwriter ironically, is none other than Aishwarya's business manager Hari Singh! Though Sushmita has not given any commitment, Warrier is not giving up. The film is based on the life of a bar dancer. So how has Aishwarya reacted? "She's a thorough professional and is more like family to me. I have already narrated another subject to her," says Hari. So while Ash may have bedazzled her fans in the Nakshatra diamond commercial, Sush will probably sparkle in the movie Nakshatra.
While on Ash, there is a buzz that she is tipped to act in the new Asterix and Obelix film, Asterix and Obelix at the Olympic Games which has also in the cast martial arts star Jean Claude van Damme. The film's release is slated to coincide with the Beijing Olympics.
Salman's girl to romance Govinda
Now this is one film Katrina Kaif should have no problems in doing as she will have no dialogues to mouth. Salman's girl who has been at the receiving end of brickbats for her atrocious Hindi has been cast in the role immortalized by Jaya Bachchan in Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay. Meanwhile, director David Dhawan has reportedly signed on Katrina for his next film titled Partner (Salman's home production) but no, she hasn't been cast opposite Sallu. It's Govinda who gets to romance her on screen while Salman will have the former Miss Universe Lara Dutta as his love interest. What's more, it is Salman who is believed to have suggested to David that he attempt this interesting equation! Chi Chi on his part is looking forward to pairing up with Katrina. But it's all buddy-buddy here. "Salman's a very close friend," says he.
Incidentally, Ajay Devgan has replaced Saif Ali Khan as Veeru, the part played by Dharmendra, in RGV's remake of Sholay. The chote nawab apparently had date problems and Varma was more than happy to sign up his old favourite Ajay. Remember Company and Bhoot?
?. And news has just come in that Aamir Khan is set to ring in the New Year by marrying his girlfriend Kiran Rao on January 1 in Panchgani, a picturesque hill station near Mumbai.
Enjoyed reading Khabar magazine? Subscribe to Khabar and get a full digital copy of this Indian-American community magazine.
