Singh is Kinng team goes to Egypt

Vipul Shah's Akshay - Katrina starrer Singh Is Kinng, directed by Anees Bazmee, is truly going places. After nearly completing the major shoot in Australia, Mumbai and Punjab, the cast and crew will be heading to Egypt next month.

Egypt, a land of personified beauty and serenity, is where Bazmee would shoot the romantic song picturizing Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. Vipul Shah and Anees Bazmee want the romantic song to be shot in places that the audience probably hasn't seen on celluloid before. The production team is already in Egypt looking for beautiful unexplored locales.

The kind of efforts that are being put in Singh Is Kinng is raising its expectometer and it's surely worth the wait.

Who'll direct 'Krrish 2'?

So what's the truth on KRRISH 2? Is Rakesh Roshan directing the sequel to the blockbuster hit or has Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra been entrusted the directorial reins of the film? Everyone's busy speculating since neither Roshan Sr. nor Mehra have issued an official statement so far. KRRISH being a Filmkraft [Roshan's banner] property/brand, a clarification from Roshan Sr. would be utmost important at this juncture.

"Let me clarify that both Mehra and I are working on our respective scripts. He [Mehra] had expressed eagerness to direct the film and we had mutually decided that whoever comes up with a better script would direct KRRISH 2. So, let's see," Roshan Sr. tells me.

Meanwhile, Hrithik is all set to begin filming KITES [produced by Roshans and directed by Anurag Basu]. Not much is known about the film. "It's a love story. The girl is Spanish, the boy is Indian and neither can understand the other's language," he reveals the gist. Ask him if Hrithik is concentrating on home productions currently, the proud father shoots back, "He has always believed in working in one film at a time. Post KITES, if there's an offer that excites him, I am sure he won't refuse it."

Roshans get a legal notice for the music Krazzy 4

These days in Bollywood, it has become a trend of sorts of 'suing' of the filmmakers just before the movie releases. This time, it's the Roshans who are literally 'facing the music'. The reason being, Ram Sampath, a 32 year old music composer, has dragged director Rakesh Roshan, his musician brother Rajesh Roshan, their film company Filmkraft Productions Pvt Ltd, Super Cassettes Industries, Sony Ericsson and the ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi to the court, alleging that they have directly lifted 'his' music for their album Krazzy 4.

Ram, who has composed music for over 3200 commercials, the music soundtracks of films like Khakee and Let's Talk, a remix for pop singer Justin Timberlake, had just received the prestigious advertising award 'Abby'. He claims that the four tracks (the title track, 'Break Free', and their remix versions) have been lifted directly from his 'The Thump Is Here' jingle that he had created for Sony Ericsson mobile in 2007.

Ram has now sent a legal notice to the Roshans stating that there were no credits given to him for the music, and that its Rajesh Roshan's name that figures in the credits list. While he has now sought a damage of Rs. 2 crores from the Roshans, the judge said that he will hear both the music (the Sony Mobile commercial and Krazzzy 4) before taking up the hearing again on Wednesday.

Sherlyn Chopra to star in a Yash Raj film

Singer cum actress Sherlyn Chopra who has earlier been seen in small time flicks like Raqeeb, Naughty Boy and Red Swastik has taken the big leap. The ‘Outrageous’ babe has been signed for a prominent role by hold your breath Yash Raj Films for their forthcoming project starring Shahid Kapur and Rani Mukherjee. Incidentally this is the same film which also marks item queen Rakhi Sawant’s entry into the Yash Raj camp.

The film would be directed by debutant director Anurag Singh. Apparently Yash Chopra has been impressed with Sherlyn’s abilities ever since he saw her film Red Swastik. In fact the veteran filmmaker even launched her recent album Outrageous.

Sherlyn is naturally excited about making it to the big league but isn’t really in a mood to disclose much about her role in the film. Knowing Yash Raj Films’ penchant for secrecy when it comes to their films we aren’t blaming the poor girl either. All we can say is Way to go babe!!!

Hrithik Roshan not be waxed yet at Madame Tussuads

Rumor has a hundred tongues, a hundred mouths and a voice of iron...and when it gets started, it's almost impossible to stop it. So, when we spoke to the PR of Madame Tussauds, he was in for a surprise.

Since this morning, rumors are spreading thick and fast on the website from India that Hrithik is going to Roshan Bollywood's name at Madame Tussaud's in 2009 by getting immortalized in wax. To add further, the website also quoted that Hrithik won the poll by beating the legendary Dilip Kumar who was also nominated to be waxed. As per our talks with Ben Lovett from Madame Tussaud's this morning, he claimed, "I don't know where these stories are coming from. We have not even sat together to discuss the 2009 wax figures. We've had no meetings, no discussions, and no plans what-so-ever on what famous personalities we are looking to wax from Hollywood, Sports, Pop Singers, Bollywood and Politics. Come summer, we will be having a tentative idea but still no concrete decision on which Bollywood star will be waxed."

Well, one thing is clear - love them, hate them, wax them...but you can't ignore them.

Sarkar Raj' at IIFA?

It's a tradition to premiere a new film at the coveted IIFA Awards. This year, as we all know by now, the IIFA event is scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand in the first week of June. Reportedly, Ramgopal Varma's new film SARKAR RAJ, which brings Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan together, might be the chosen one this year.

According to sources, the IIFA team is in talks with the makers to premiere the film in Bangkok. Watch this space for further developments!

Akshay insecure? What a joke!

The number game does matter and those who feel it doesn’t, are either living on another planet or it’s a case of sour grapes. Every Friday, the ratings change and so do the equations. Take Akshay Kumar, for instance. Not too long ago, he was in the B-list, with film-makers offering him done-to-death roles, which stifle the growth of any actor. But Akshay smelt coffee and decided to experiment.

The journey from being an ‘action hero’ to a ‘complete actor’ has taken time, with the actor working doubly hard and burning the night candles to attain the super-successful results. As things stand today, Akshay occupies the prime place in the Premium List and his companions are SRK, Aamir, Salman, Hrithik and now, Saif.

Of late, there’ve been news-reports that suggest that Akshay has grown insecure of Saif’s increasing popularity, post RACE. On a personal level, I feel there’s not an iota of truth in this spiteful write-up, for Akshay’s movies enjoy tremendous pull at multiplexes/single screens or metros/mini-metros/towns. If we get real and talk of facts-n-figures, the volume of business of Akshay’s films has put him on the pedestal, right next to SRK.

In Overseas, the biggest territory today, Akshay has attained a strong foothold. In U.K., SRK occupies the top position, with Akshay being the No. 2 star there, if the business of NAMASTEY LONDON, HEYY BABYY, BHOOL BHULAIYAA and WELCOME is an indicator.

Let’s talks facts! Four years ago, in 2004, the Akshay starrer AAN fetched a miserable £ 19,460 in its opening weekend in U.K. The same producer’s WELCOME [2007], also starring Akshay in the lead, fetched £ 369,321 in its opening weekend, which, to enlighten the gullible souls, is the second biggest opener of 2007, after OM SHANTI OM.

In the U.S., Akshay is next to SRK and Hrithik [both DHOOM 2 and JODHAA AKBAR were massive hits] and if Akshay starts featuring in romantic movies, the business should reach the same figure for sure. Hence, all insinuations of Akshay being insecure could be the handiwork of an over-enthu mind who has zilch knowledge of movie business.

The popularity of any actor is gauged by the price his films fetch and a solo Akshay starrer, SINGH IS KINNG, has fetched Rs. 71.4 crores, which clearly puts him right next to SRK and Aamir.

Also – this is very important – had Akshay been insecure, he wouldn’t have told Vipul Shah to plan a project with Saif and him [Akshay] together. “Yes, he told me he enjoyed working with Saif in TASHAN and would love to work with him again. ‘Why don’t you plan a project that teams us together?’ Akshay told me,” Vipul Shah enlightens me. If Akshay was indeed feeling the heat, he wouldn’t have uttered these words, right?

Am sure, Akshay must be laughing at the ignorance of some wannabe journos!