February 15
Loved-up newlywed Lara Dutta cheered on doubles-playing hubby Mahesh Bhupathi at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. “Hubby has the day off 2 spend with me! Beat the Djokovic bros yesterday. Planning 2 watch Saath Khoon Maaf! Then dinner with friends!” she tweeted.
February 9
In true Akshay Kumar style, the junket for Patiala House involved several events in one day. Kumar was joined by Rishi Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Hard Kaur for the film’s world premiere, fan meet at Lamcy Plaza and an after party at It’s Mirchi. Not surprisingly Kumar said: “I think I’m a workaholic. I absolutely love what I do and feel so blessed to be in the position whereby I have great work and projects coming my way … I’ll hang up my boots when audiences indicate to me that they’ve had enough of me.”
September 7
Madness ensued when Katrina Kaif, Imran Khan and Ali Zafar headed to Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi, to promote their film Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. The crowds went berserk and Khan had to speak up. “Someone is going to get hurt. We are here for all of you. Please do not hurt anyone.” Added Zafar over a loudspeaker, “Pushing each other is not the answer. Please maintain calm.”
September 3
Shahid Kapur, while promoting Mausam, took us to new heights with a top-of-the-world press conference at Burj Khalifa. “There is a certain beauty to watching the girl from a distance. That’s cute,” he told tabloid!.
March 29
Sonam Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol headed to Dubai to promote marriage rom-com Thank You with a desert safari, where they “solemnised” a marriage before heading to Oasis Mall and an after party at It’s Mirchi.
A relationship quiz we gave the cast revealed Kapoor has a nasty side, Deol had his share of heartbreak and Kumar is all about forgiveness.
Kapoor: “Nobody has ever cheated on me. Nobody has ever dared to … because they know I will chop their little, little things off.”
Deol: “Yes, I have been cheated upon and I have gone through many break-ups in my life. Being cheated upon is a part of growing up.”
Kumar: “To forgive someone is a divine thing.”
April 15
Preity Zinta, Zeenat Aman and Raveena Tandon celebrated girl power at the Gr8! Women Awards 2011 at Madinat Arena.
Zinta said it would be a different year for her. “There will be a new me for sure. You will see a lot of me in romantic comedies or full-on comedy, and maybe even a thriller. No heavy emotional dramas please.”
May 27
Mohanlal, Sunil Shetty, Bobby Deol, Mallika Sherawat, Neha Dhupia added colour to a celebrity cricket match at Ras Al Khaimah’s Iceland Water Park. “I was transported to my younger days when I played cricket with Priyan [director Priyadarshan],” said Mohanlal. “It was a new experience for me, I like the team spirit that this game brings.”
Sherawat: “Have you asked permission from your wives? … Thank you for watching me perform. It feels great to be invited … I love you all.”
June 1
Salman Khan was another star who chose Dubai for a world premiere, of his film Ready, but wasn’t sure about filming here again. “I don’t know whether we will shoot in Dubai for Dabangg 2 [some scenes in the original were shot in Dubai]. It depends on how the script develops. I have lots of friends here. It’s just a quick flight from India and I love all the shopping options.”
On a different note, Khan said: “Marriage is not in my hands or in your hands. It’s something that’s in nobody’s hands.”
When: July 23
Malaika Arora Khan, Amrita Arora and Arbaaz Khan attended a televised screening of the IIFA awards at the Ritz Carlton Dubai. “This is my third visit to Dubai in the last three months and I love this city,” said Arbaaz Khan. “When I backed Dabangg, I didn’t know it will become such a huge hit and I have only one person to thank who made it all happen, and that is Salman Khan.”
June 9
In one of the more random events of the year Mallika Sherawat joined Maradona at the Chemmanur International Jewellers store opening in Karama. “I love Dubai. Whenever I come to Dubai, I get such a warm reception and that makes me feel it’s all worth it. To know that they have waited for more than three hours in this heat — no one is more important to me than my fans,” said Sherawat.
June 24
tabloid! went go-karting with Imran Khan, Vir Das and Kunal Roy Kapoor at Dubai Autodrome as they promoted Delhi Belly.
“It was a lot of fun … And it was actually Vir’s first time go karting,” said Khan. “I’m pretty impressed with myself,” added Das.
September 4
Shahid Kapur joined Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Jacqueline Fernandez at Meydan for the Eid Shoppiesta.
“I have formulated a very special act just for Eid, for all the people in Dubai,” said Chopra. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Agneepath, my pop album or Don 2, but it’s going to be fun and different.”
Padukone: “I feed off the energy from my fans when performing live at such a show.”
