“Where are these women who find me sexy?” asks newest hunk on the block, Kunal Kapoor. The Rang de Basanti actor and lead man of this week’s release Aaja Nachle (‘Come Let’s Dance’) is unfazed by his current sex appeal. “If women think I am sexy, I must be. But it is not like I wake up in the morning and say ‘Oh God you are so hot’.”

If Aaja Nachle works, Kapoor looks set to join the Bolly A list as the film is the comeback vehicle for the reigning diva of the 90s Madhuri Dixit and it is produced by Yash Raj Films, Bollywood’s biggest studio.

So what does he find attractive about a woman? “The money, a hot body, a beautiful face, lovely hair…” Kapoor laughs. Could he have been referring to his co-star Dixit by any chance?

Sunjay Dutt’s eternal appeal

Sunjay Dutt, Bollywood’s original bad boy, is now out on bail pending his appeal against a six-year jail sentence handed down in July for the illegal possession of guns linked to the 1993 Mumbai bombings which killed over 250 people. Fans of the Munnabhai actor are relieved but his sister Priya acknowledges that “the battle is not over yet”. This is because appeals in the Indian courts often drag on for years.

Racist rap

‘Bollywood actors racially abused in London’ was the headline in many UK newspapers earlier this week. The alleged incident took place when Arshad Warsi and Bipasha Basu were called unsavoury names whilst shooting for Goal in Southall, London. Since these alleged events took place months ago, why was it only now reported to the press? Could it be because the film was released last week?

Ken returns from Bollywood

London’s mayor Ken Livingstone is back from India which he visited last week to forge closer cultural and business ties between the emerging superpower and the former Mother Country. Livingstone not only met Amitabh Bachchan but he also visited the sets of a Bollywood film, Aladdin and the Mystery of the Lamp. Director Sujoy Ghosh was clearly impressed: “The mayor not only visited the set but also gave a clap for one of the shots!”

A very private family affair

Sony’s dismal Saawariya has deservedly sunk at the box-office but this did not prevent the Bachchans and the Rais from catching a private screening of the film last Saturday. Newly weds Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, Amitabh Bachchan and Ash’s parents viewed the film at Yash Raj studios in north Mumbai. Jaya Bachchan did not attend due to illness. Smart move Jayaji!

In Shilpa’s shadow

Whilst Shilpa Shetty has gained international fame, her younger sister Shamita’s Bollywood career has ground to a standstill. The Mohabbatein star has no key projects on hand and her last film Cash failed to register at the box-office. Does she ever feel jealous of her elder sibling’s success? “There is no question of any rivalry or any sort of insecurity. Comparisons should not be made. You cannot expect me to do what Shilpa does or for that matter, vice versa.” But this raises the question: what exactly does Shamita Shetty do?

Johnny on DVD

It did not get a UK release but Johnny Gaddar is now available on DVD. Widely praised as one of the best thriller’s of 2007, the film stars Neil Mukesh, son of the legendary playback singer Mukesh. Can he sing? “Of course I can sing; it’s in my blood after all.” But why is the actor called Neil? “Since my dad was a huge fan of Neil Armstrong, it was decided to name me Neil.”

Bollywood still on ice

If you missed last Friday’s Bollywood on Ice at London’s Somerset House, you have another chance to put on those dancing skates this Friday. The largely non-Indian crowd at last week’s event loved its “magical romantical feel”. Did they know much about Bollywood? “We know about Shilpa Shetty!” Adrian and Caroline, visiting from Wales, declared.

Source: TimesOnline

A day after banning the screening of Madhuri Dixit’s come back film Aaja Nachle, the Punjab Government today lifted the bar.

The Uttar Pradesh Government, yesterday, lifted the ban after an apology from film producer Yash Chopra and removing the offending lines from the title song, which certain section of Dalits felt was derogatory.

Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Sharmila Tagore also rendered an apology for giving a nod to the title track of the film with lines Mohale mein kaisi maara-mar hai, bole mochi bhi khud ko sunar hai that offended the Dalits.

The Haryana Government has also banned the screening of the film in the state.

On Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding that the film be banned all over the country.

Madhuri Dixit has been a Lata Mangeshkar fan for as long as she can remember. And when the latter sang for her in Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Ram Lakhan, the actress felt her career had come a full circle.

The two came together on one platform Saturday for the grand finale of STAR’s “Voice Of India” show in Mumbai, 24 November, 2007, where Madhuri danced and also handed over the trophy for the winner to Lataji.

Says a STAR source, “Lataji and Madhuri met after ages. The warm bonding between the two was something to be seen.”