Princess Katrina Kaif

After making biopics on Sardar Patel and Mangal Pandey, Ketan Mehta, the director of classics such as Mirch Masala and Maya Memsaab (whose last film Rang Rasiya, which depicts the life of the father of calendar-art, Ravi Raja Verma, has been stuck in the cans for nearly two years), has moved on to another biopic entitled Noor. It is the legendary story of Noor Inayat Khan and we have it from very reliable sources that Mehta has zeroed in on Katrina Kaif to play the enigmatic woman's part.

Paresh Rawal goes bald for Table No.21

Guaranteed to send chills down your spine, Paresh Rawal is set to shock audiences with his all-new look in the forthcoming thriller Table No.21 produced by NextGen Films and presented by Eros International.

After several look tests, the high-concept thriller, sees the powerhouse performer don an edgy look reminiscent of his villainous roles he's essayed in the past. And while details of his role in the film are tightly being kept under wraps, the makers confirm that it is indeed one of his career's finest.

If sources are to be believed, then the actor suggested the novel and edgy transformation for his character and even contributed with inputs on the styling. Confirms the film's producer Viki Rajani, "We wanted Pareshji to have a new avatar for Table No.21 and he was more than willing to experiment and go those two steps further. After several looks tests, we settled on this one and it worked splendidly in support of his character, taking it notches higher".

Presented by Eros International and produced by NextGen Films, Aditya Dutt's Table No.21 starring Rajeev Khandelwal, Tena Desae and Paresh Rawal, recently went on floors with the first schedule being shot at the picturesque Fiji Islands.

SRK takes Yash Raj to Ladakh

TOI told you in May that Yash Chopra was toying with the idea of revisiting one of his favourite destinations, the Kashmir valley, as a backdrop for his directorial next starring Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. 
The last time the snow-dusted valley featured in Chopra's films was in the 1976 blockbusterKabhie Kabhie, after which the filmmaker, known for his choice of the most beautiful locales, had shifted his attention to the Swiss Alps for the longest time. So much so, the production house even conducted a recce of Kashmir, raising anticipation levels there.
However, TOI now has it that the climax of Yash Chopra's yet-untitled film will be shot in Ladakh and not Kashmir, only because Shah Rukh suggested the venue.
A source close to the film had said, "Yashji loves the snow in Kashmir and has shot two of his most romantic films, Daag and Kabhi Kabhie, there. They need a snow-capped landscape for the climax. Hence, initially, he contemplated shooting in Kashmir."
However, Shah Rukh came up with the idea of Ladakh, where he had shot for Mani Rathnam'sDil Se, and still has fond memories of the place, the source revealed.
That's when and how the plan changed. So this winter, the film's unit will head for a ten-day climax shoot to Ladakh instead of Kashmir.
Yash Raj Films' official spokesperson confirmed the news saying, "The next schedule is in Ladakh."

Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha just hit it off

Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha are the new fresh pair of Bollywood who will be seen inMilan Luthria's next ' Once Upon a Time' sequel. The two have never worked together apart from a cover shoot for a magazine. By large it was the first time that they actually met properly and took everyone around by surprise.

It was the first meet between Imran and Sonakshi for the look test and discussion about preparation of the film. The two of them started chatting and did not just stop. It was then someone made them realize that they were sitting and chatting for over one hour.

A source close to the film says, "Imran was chatting away about his recent Europe trip with wife Avantika. Sonakshi was asking about all the places he visited and Imran was patiently describing about each place he went to. The two looked very enthusiastic about meeting and chatting with each other".

Most people have the impression of Imran as a reserved guy and so did Sonakshi. But that did not come across at all. "Apart from Imran's recent trip the duo was also seen talking about Sonakshi's two successful films Dabbang and Rowdy Rathore. In fact Imran also quiet loved Sonakshi's look in the item song of Akshay Kumar's 'Oh My God'", adds the source.

Someone literally had to barge in between their conversations and ask them to store some more conversations for future.

Sunny Leone in Shekhar Suman’s next?

The Adult film actress has been approached byShekhar Suman to be in his directorial debut. 

Actor, tv presenter Shekhar Suman is keen on casting adult film actress Sunny Leone in his directorial debut as the lead heroine. The film will mostly have Shekhar's son Adhyayan Suman playing the hero. That however depends on Adhyayan's dates and availability clarifies the proud dad as his son has four films in hand already.

Speaking of Sunny, Shekhar revealed, "I will be coming up with my own first film. I will be directing it later this year. It's my directorial debut. I am in talks with Sunny Leone. I am keen on casting her not just for the oomph factor. She has an extremely beautiful face and that attracted me."

Sunny has already stepped into Hindi films with Pooja Bhatt's Jism 2. 

2012: The year of violence

The unapologetic use of blood and gore seems to have become the mainstay of Bollywoodreleases this year
The year began with Agneepath's bloodbath. The brouhaha surrounding the excessive violence in the movie quickly died down in the wake of the movie's success at the box office. Six months into 2012, several Hindi films have repeated the act of violence successfully —Jannat 2, Rowdy Rathore, Ishaqzaade,Kahaani, Shanghai and Gangs Of Wasseypur.

Agneepath director Karan Malhotra feels that "illogical maar-dhaad is unacceptable. Family audiences now accept films with violence if presented as entertainment". While entertaining violence has been the mainstay of many movies this year, Ishaqzaade director Habib Faisal explains that violence is not always physical in its manifestation, "In Kahaani, the violence is more emotional. Sometimes filmmakers choose to glamourise violence and sometimes, heroism is also defined by violence. Like in my film, the heroism of the boy and the girl lies in the violent act of them taking their own lives." In effect, Faisal uses violence to give an anti-violent message.

This ballad of blood has been most pronounced in Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai and Anurag Kashyap's Gangs Of Wasseypur. When Dibakar claimed that Shanghai's "probably the most violent film" he's ever done, he wasn't being hyperbolic. At the time of the movie's release, he'd said, "By violent I do not mean people being killed or decomposed bodies. With violence, I mean emotional violence," reiterating the point about the many forms of violence. GoW, with its violent characters, managed to combine commercial success with gore and bloodshed.

Jannat 2 producer Mahesh Bhatt says violence works very well with single screens, "In the overseas market and in multiplexes, violence may not sell as well as it does with single screens. Movies which show violence work quite well with single screens and make a lot of money there. However, there is no getting away from the fact that the Indian audience is now willing to witness violence on screen, but with not so much blood, and filmmakers have realised that too."
Given the fact that violence-ridden films seem to be making more money at the box office this year than most other films, it certainly seems to be a good time to experiment with the genre. 

Bollywood's memorable monsoon moments

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1. Zoobie Doobie - 3 Idiots - This fun number from 3 Idiots became quite popular. Fun-filled lyrics, charming choreography and striking screen presence of Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor, who looked gorgeous in the orange saree, make this a memorable rain number.