CAST OF 'AGNEEPATH' REMAKE NOT YET FINALISED

Karan Johar clarifies status of project.

There have been speculations about who will play the male lead in the remake of the 1990 hit "Agneepath". While the names of Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan popped up, filmmaker Karan Johar clarifies that no one has been finalised to play the part Amitabh Bachchan immortalised in the original.

"I haven't made any statement whatsoever around the man who would eventually be playing the role of Vijay Dinanath Chauhan that was made iconic by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. All I have said is that, yes, we are going ahead with a remake of 'Agneepath' and that's about it," Johar told IANS.

Whether it is Hrithik, Abhishek or someone else, Johar must be having a wish list?

"Well, the wish list is to get the screenplay right. For the moment nothing else is more important than that," he said.

Even though the film is being produced under the banner of Dharma Productions, Johar won't be going behind the camera for the movie.

"True, I would be stepping aside and the film would be directed by Karan Malhotra, who has assisted me on 'My Name Is Khan'. That's the only thing which has been finalised... everything else you hear is mere speculation. We will finalise the cast once the script is locked. Currently, it is still in the process of being written," he added.

Malhotra is not really a novice when it comes to filmmaking. He has earlier worked as an assistant director with Ashutosh Gowariker on "Jodhaa Akbar", Farah Khan on "Main Hoon Na", Farhan Akhtar on "Lakshya" and Raj Kumar Santoshi "Lajja and Pukar" amongst others.

Since it is close to two decades since the release of "Agneepath", would the remake have a different milieu to it?

"Certainly! We are adapting the film from the original, but ours would be a New Age version that would fit in well with today's time. We really hope that we are able to do justice to the original and make the remake exciting for today's generation," Johar said.

Dharma Productions, meanwhile, has as many as seven films that are in different stages of production. These are "My Name Is Khan", "Wake Up Sid", "Kurbaan", "Koochie Koochie Hota Hai", remakes of Hollywood flick "Stepmom" and "Agneepath" and "I Hate Love Stories".

How is he managing it all?

"Believe me, it's not difficult at all. All you have to do is to follow a three-point mantra - delegation, outsourcing and trust. Along with that, if you have the right vision and infrastructure in place, which we do have in Dharma Productions, it isn't difficult to crack it all.

"That's the way you manage things and I have been fortunate enough to have a team with which it has become possible to helm a number of projects at the same time," said Johar.

Among the seven films, three are ready to hit the screens.

"'Wake Up Sid' is all set to arrive on Oct 2. 'Kurbaan' will come in late November. Other than that, we are looking at an early 2010 release for 'My Name Is Khan'. Yes, these have been busy and really exciting times," the filmmaker said.

HRITHIK TO PERFORM ON STAGE AFTER THREE YEARS

Hrithik Roshan is all set to perform on stage after three years. B-Town's best-known dancer gets cool for the Rajiv Gandhi Awards ceremony. His act titled Colours of India has the star do the Lezim dance of Maharashtra besides the Kathakali dance and the Kalaripayattu martial art form of Kerala as part of the show's finale. The medley of folk dances will also have the actor gyrate to his film Luck By Chance track.

The awards event, that honours people from different walks of life, is being held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Nariman Point, today.

Says Hrithik, "It will be great to perform live on stage after three long years. I have loved every moment of learning the various folk acts. When we present it on stage, I want and hope that the viewers will feel the enthusiasm and energy of this performance as well."

The actor adds, "Carving Dreams, the company that manages me, convinced me to return to the stage and be a part of the awards function." It is learnt that Roshan Jr has been rehearsing for his act for the past several days. Even though the mixing of his home production Kites is on besides a shoot schedule of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish (which ended on Saturday), he has been perfecting his steps for over five hours everyday.

Hrithik's acts have been conceptualised by Carving Dreams Live with Sanjay Shetty as choreographer and Anahita Shroff Adajania designing his costumes. He has been learning his steps from Rajit, one of Sanjay's dancers. There will also be 40 backdrop dancers for his performance.

The actor last performed live at an international awards event held in Dubai in 2006. After he was plagued by a knee injury for which he was operated, he kept himself away from live shows only shaking a leg for his films. He even had to delay the shoot of his item number Break Free for his father's production Krazzy 4 (2008) till just before the film's release due to the injury.

Other B-Town stars slated to perform at the Rajiv Gandhi awards include Priyanka Chopra and Esha Deol.

WHAT KANGNA DREADS THE MOST

Kangna Ranaut may be identified for her bindaas ways, both on screen as well as off screen.

And while nothing seems to take aback this feisty actress, what with Kangna having pulled off some of the most daring scenes on camera with much ease, there is one thing that gives her nightmares getting on stage.

Admitting to her stage fright, Kangna says that having to face the audience on stage is what she dreads the most. “Yes, nothing ever makes me worried except speaking on the stage. I still get jitters when I have to do that, even if it’s just to say a thank you,” confesses the actress.

KANGANA AND HRITHIK ON CHAT SHOW TOGETHER

Post-Adhyayan she’s altered for the better.

Opposing to the rumours that all is not well between Kangana and Hrithik Roshan, her co-star in Kites, the two will be shooting collectively for Farah Khan’s chat show, “Tere Mere Beech Mein”.

Kangana has now submissive with the fact that she is the second lead in the movie.

“Kites” is fundamentally a love story between Hrithik and Barbara and hence more publicity is being given to them. Kangana loves Hrithik as an actor and now she does not even have a problem with the senior Roshans.

Kangana has brought about a theatrical change in herself after her breakup with Adhyayan. She has devoted herself to Lord Krishna. She now has two sources of strength – her God and her family.

On the other hand, after leaving Kangana, Adhyayan has turned to another girl. She is not from the film industry but is Adhyayan’s childhood sweetheart. They are neighbours and the senior Sumans, who were against Kangana, are more than happy that Adhyayan and the girl have started seeing each other again.

HRITHIK'S SENSITIVE SIDE

Few people know that Hrithik Roshan is really soft hearted, sensitive and kind as a person.

The actor who has been sustaining several causes lately had a life-changing incident while preparing for his role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish.

Hrithik is playing a paraplegic in the film. “The susceptible person that he is, the demanding study and frequent connections with persons suffering from the disorder has moved Hrithik to a great extent. Pledging his harmony to the cause, Hrithik has decided to help the affected persons financially as well as through any other means possible,” says a source. Now here’s an actor who listens to his heart.

HRITHIK & I SHARE ENTHUSIASM: AISHWARYA

Big news is that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is making a third film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali called Guzaarish after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas, and it stars Hrithik Roshan.

The actress, intent in the dense forests of Kerala with husband Abhishek for Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, took a call and spoke to BT about it. “We’ve evolved mutually, grown as individuals and artistes, we’re similar totally driven and adoring, the passion is mutually addictive, we don’t meet for months, but every time we meet we pick up the threads naturally,” said Ash about her filmmaker friend.

But, Guzaarish is going to be different from their first two films. “This time we aren’t going into the glamour zone,” said Ash. “Sanjay was so energized when he found the right script for us to work together in. ‘This is it,’ he said. For the first time I didn’t even read the script before I said yes. It’s a very real, very strong drama. I respect filmmakers like Sanjay, Mani Ratnam and Shankar who make the films they do because they have to. The family that I’ve married into, this belief and faith in the work we do is principal. Ma or Pa only goes into projects with complete confidence. I follow that faith.”

She laughed when asked whether filmmakers who wanted Aishwarya Rai Bachchan would settle for no other actress, “I don’t know, but when I am not able to do a project they discuss the option with me. I treasure that relationship with my directors where they don’t see me as just their heroine but a colleague even if I’m unable to do their films.”

That apart, Ash is thrilled to be working with Hrithik again. They were offered Mission Kashmir soon after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, but she couldn’t meet the schedule, so her role was done by Preity Zinta.

Then they almost did Krissh, but that, too, didn’t materialise. Hrithik has admitted that the former Miss World is his favourite co-star.

“We did an ad-film together before working in Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa-Akbar. Hrithik, Sanjay and I are compatible people very focused and zealous about our work. The two films Hrithik and I did were poles apart and now Sanjay’s film takes us into a totally different subject. Like I said, there’s no glam zone in this one. I go completely by my confidence. I chose to do Dhoom 2 after ten years in the industry and not at the start of my career. I was just cracking a genre. And then I moved on. On the other hand, I was content being totally deglam in Guru. If I get loved by my audience for it, then nothing like it,” she said.

I WAS TIRED OF BEING UNHAPPY: KANGNA

Goodbye Adhyayan Suman, send-off severe, brooding roles... Kangna Ranaut is presenting herself in a new avatar to Bollywood that of the romantic comedienne.

She’s shooting her very first comedy No Problem with Akshaye Khanna and will take up another, Tannu Weds Mannu with R Madhavan, directly after that. This image change couldn’t have come at a better time.

Yes, I am seeing a lot of changes lately, more positive than negative luckily,” she said of her personal and professional life. Excited about doing comedy, Kangna said, “It’s taken so long for me to do what most straight actresses start out doing romance or romantic comedies. But better late than never. I was tired of being sad, now it’s time to have some fun,” she said.

Admitting she’s not too funny a person in real life, despite having a funny side, the sexy star said, “I am glad I did the intense kind of roles early on in my career. But now I am happy with the kind of films coming my way.” And that includes Once Upon A Time In Mumbai and the Hrithik Roshan-Barbara Mori-starrer Kites, amongst others. Does she feel left out 0 in view of the film is being promoted exclusively with these two stars? “I have done my job, the rest is the filmmakers’ call, they can market it in whatever way they want to,” she replied, adding, “At the end of the day, it’s only good performances that’ll stand out.”

Her break-up has not really left Kangna heart-broken and hurt, or the actress is not showing any signs of it. “It’ll take a lot more than these ups and downs in life to break me,” she said. “And it’s really not as if I am working to get over anything. Work’s keeping me busy for work’s sake, but yes, it’s keeping me unfocused from pondering too much about the past. I know that love hurts occasionally, but I can never stop being in love.”

NO KITES FLYING FOR ROSHANS THIS YEAR

The buzz is that Rakesh Roshan’s most determined and hottest film to date Kites with Hrithik Roshan and the Mexican livewire Barbara Mori in the lead will now release on January 15, 2010 as a replacement for of December 18, 2009.

A producer close to the Roshans says, “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, Hrithik’s debut vehicle, released on January 14, 2000. It is the film that catapulted him to superstardom. Now the Roshans are critically contemplating on releasing Kites Hrithik’s foray into the international market, exactly a decade after KNPH to celebrate the actor’s tenth year as a superstar.

At the moment in Bollywood, Hrithik is the only one with a double whammy to his name, with Dhoom 2 and Krishh occupying a place of pride in the Top 5 all time grossers. Rakesh Roshan told BT, “I will take a decision by September 10 on whether I’m coming in December this year or next January.”

KITES WILL FLY IN DECEMBER

Hrithik Roshan's much-awaited flick will release worldwide on December 18. After much hoopla and irresolution, it's finally official. Anurag Basu's Kites will release on December 18. And no, the film was not deferred due to editing issues.

Rather, it was waiting for international buyers. Says a source, "Now that there's a slump in the international market, Kites won't wait for international buyers any longer. The producers will give the film on a commission basis to international distributors."

The decision to release Kites on December 18 was taken after watching the film's final cut. Post-editing, the film is apparently an erotic feast. The love scenes between Hrithik and Mori are scorching and the producers have nothing to worry about.

Rakesh Roshan admits they're looking at December 18 as the worldwide release date for Kites. "But there are details that still need to be worked out and I'd rather not talk about it until everything is in place," he said. Adds Anurag, "Yes, we are looking at the date. I've left the final decision to Roshanji and Eros." Song Chopped.

Meanwhile, according to sources, Rakesh and Anurag had a dissimilarity of opinion over retaining a Barbara-Hrithik song. Rakesh, weaned on commercial cinema, notion it was an USP, while Anurag thought it vulnerable the film's flow. The song now goes off. However, Anurag insisted, "As for the songs, they all carry the story forward. If we remove one, I'll have to re-edit the film for continuity."

Hrithik Roshan's Frequent Hospital Visits

Hrithik Roshan has been frequently visiting hospitals. No, the actor isn't ill. It's part of his research for his role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish, where he plays a paraplegic. A source reveals that Hrithik makes his visit late nights, so he doesn't get noticed. It seems that, the suburban hospital that he's visiting has given him special access to a ward that has patients suffering from the same disease.

Hrithik obtains himself a Sussanne tattoo

Ever since reports concerning trouble in his wedding have surfaced, Hrithik Roshan has made the entire attempt to prove otherwise.

The most recent is with the intention of he’s got wife Sussanne’s name tattooed on his wrist.

As tattoos are big with Bollywood stars at the moment with celebrities inking their lover’s, children’s in addition to smooth parents’ name, Hrithik too resolute to wear his love for the world to see.

He got his tattoo complete from tattoo artist Sameer Patange, who had previous given tattoos of matching six-points stars to him and Sussanne.

As Sussanne is at present in London with sons Hrehaan as well as Hridaan, Hrithik, who is join them there, has planned the complete thing as a bolt from the blue for her and is said to be enormously thrilled as well as impatient to show the tattoo to his wife.

Hrithik in a wheelchair

In this, instantly away as he had a visually impaired Rani Mukherjee transport an exceptional performance opposing Amitabh Bachchan at his inspiring best in Black, Bhansali has Hrithik Roshan in concert a wheelchair bound paraplegic contradictory Aishwarya Bachchan.

Black was as a large amount a box office achievement as it was dangerously highly praised for the absolute boldness of its script as well as the distance downward of the connection between a blind Rani as well as an intoxicating Bachchan. Hrithik has played an emotionally challenged boy in papa Rakesh Roshan’s Koi Mil Gaya, but being in the flesh handicapped on screen, will be his foremost understanding. And, Ash and he make a hot connect anyway... remember Dhoom 2 as well as Jodhaa Akbar?

Hrithik praises Michael Jackson

Hrithik Roshan seems to be in a sombre mood of late. The actor was busy shooting for an ad in Singapore when his dancing inspiration Michael Jackson passed away. Of course, the actor grieved deeply. Hrithik highly thought of the King of Pop. And when we called him up, there was little he possibly will say. “It’s astonishing, it hasn’t yet sunk it!” he told us. “He was an encouragement to every entertainer. People required to be converted into dancers just by watching Michael Jackson him perform. ‘Thriller’ was my unconditional favorite, and still is... ”

Hrithik Roshan’s sister, Sunaina, shared with us, “Hrithik has been a die-hard fan of Michael Jackson since he was a child. Hrithik must be 8-9 years old when he used to reproduce Jackson’s moonwalk. I retain information the moment ‘Thriller’ used to play Hrithik used to be up responsibility a Michael Jackson. It was Michael Jackson’s music videos that introduced Hrithik to western dancing. Hrithik used to do a Michael Jackson whichever party he went to.”