Bollywood Buzz - November 9, 2006

Don dents Shah Rukh's image
It seems Shah Rukh Khan's irresistible charm and incredible slickness and style used by Farhan Akhtar in Don have not prevented the film from biting the dust. Just like Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, this action film too, has been given the thumbs down by many movie buffs, going by the upsetting drop in box office collections since its release a day before Diwali in India. In the first few days, Don garnered good profits, mainly due to its pre-release publicity and slick TV promos. But critics have since put it down as a very weak film. It seems that Khan has finally hit a rough patch in his career.

Sushmita walks out of dance scene
Starlet Sherlyn Chopra is replacing Sushmita Sen in the dance number Lut Le Gaya in Raj Kanwar's film Raqeeb - Rivals in Love as Sen had date problems. According to sources, has done a spectacular job in this foot-tapping number. Singing sensation Alisha Chinai sang the song and Pritam Chakraborty scored the music. With not much to boast about, let's see whether the song manages to catapult Chopra to new heights.

Sholay should be seen, not made
"There is nothing wrong in remaking old movies, but classics such as Mughal-E-Azam and Sholay shouldn't be touched," says Hema Malini. "Remakes will not bring back the era in which they were originally made. They should be seen again and again and not made again," she says. Asked if she would like her daughter Esha to play Basanti in Ram Gopal Varma's remake of Sholay, she says, "There has been no such proposal so far. In case an offer comes, I will go through the script."

Aishwarya to announce engagement
She rules the hearts of millions and is touted as one of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace Indian cinema. Aishwarya Rai, who turned 33 on November 1, and said to be dating Abhishek Bachchan, will reportedly announce her engagement soon. According to insiders, Abhishek's ailing grandmother Teji Bachchan is eager to see him married. The couple are planning to tie the knot early next year. But Aishwarya is tight-lipped about this.

Rakhi Sawant is a Lalu fan
Item girl Rakhi Sawant is a diehard fan of Indian Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and says she loves his lifestyle, rustic Hindi and body language. "Lalu is my favourite leader. I just love him. He is the best leader I know." "I know Bihar as Lalu Bihar, for me Bihar means Laluji," says Sawant.Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's supporters will be hugely disappointed with the statement: "I know little about Nitish Kumar."

Hrithik cracks huge deal
The Indian film industry is staggered by the weight of Hrithik Roshan's multi-million three-film deal with Adlabs films, but there is more to boggle Bollywood's collective mind. According to a highly placed source, Hrithik has been given carte blanche by Adlabs. "Not only has Hrithik been signed for a record amount by Adlabs, he also has the freedom to pick and choose the nature and genre of the projects," the source says. Hrithik has signed a whopping Rs350 million deal with Adlabs, making him the highest-paid star in Bollywood.

Ash-Abhishek link is not a publicity stunt
News reports in India about Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's marriage have now made way for further speculation about the link-up. Were the reports planted in the press as a publicity stunt for Umrao Jaan? If so, by whom? Director J.P. Dutta (above) is more amused than incensed by the suggestion that his production house has floated these reports. "What will I be held responsible for next? The Kargil war, just because I made a film about it? Such allegations don't hurt me. I've seen enough attacks in the industry to be affected by such talk," he says.

Metro captures big city stress
Director Anurag Basu, whose new film Metro zooms in on stress and peer pressure, says the film shows how big-city life affects people and relationships. With Shilpa Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Kangana Ranaut, Konkona Sen Sharma, Irfan Khan and Sharman Joshi in the cast, the film is slated to release in January 2007, reports Bollywood Trade. "The film is about how today's life affects people . We all work at breakneck speed. The stress, long working hours and peer pressure take a toll on our personal lives. This film depicts how we get caught in this circle," says Basu.