SALMAN KHAN SUCKER FOR SOCCER

Will lead Kolkata's top teams on to the field for a friendly match, as part of Wanted promotions.

Salman Khan will be in Kolkata for a friendly match to mingle with the top soccer teams of the city - East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.

It's part of the promotions of Salman-starrer Wanted, which released last week. Producer Boney Kapoor confirms, "Salman will be in Kolkata on September 26 for a friendly soccer match to be played between Kolkata's top teams. It will be called The Wanted Cup and Salman will lead the teams on to the field and will work out with them."

This is also the first time Khan will be in Kolkata during Durga Puja - which is a huge festival there. He is looking forward to the experience. Boney adds, "Salman has a huge fan following in West Bengal. Though he's been there for shootings, this is the first time that he's going to promote a film there. The whole team of Wanted, including Prabhudheva (the film's director) and the cast members, will also be there to cheer the teams."

The match will be held at one of Kolkata's biggest sports stadiums - the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.

Initially, the match was to be held in the Salt Lake Stadium but now it has been shifted to the RSS because of security reasons. Salman will be interacting with his fans and the media at the event. Khan had earlier been roped in as the brand ambassador of Indian football by the All India Football Federation to promote the game in the country.

SALMAN KHAN WANTED VICTORY PARTY, SHAH RUKH KHAN, BACHCHANS, NOT INVITED

Salman Khan, the macho man of bollywood who tasted success with his flick ‘Wanted’(wherein he plays a hit man opposite lovely Ayesha Takia) after a long time, has decided to celebrate the event by hosting a grand success party tomorrow at a Juhu’s hot night spot.

Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan’s sizzling hot girlfriend, has already extended her holiday for the big bash tomorrow and will be returning to shoot ‘Rajniti’ only after that. The buzz doing the rounds in the industry is that Salman Khan has spoken personally to chef and other people from the venue to make arrangements perfect. He wants the party to have everything from his favorite chicken tikka to vegetarian dishes for those who would not have non-veg items.

Though Salman Khan has plans to invite Karan Johar and Farah Khan (close Shah Rukh Khan loyalists) but excluded from the guest list the names of King Khan, Bachchans (Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai for obvious reasons) and Vivek Oberoi.

Insiders reveal that the entire bash for the success of ‘Wanted’ is being exactly supervised by Salman Khan himself. He has been taking care about every little detail and has even marked out that the DJ will be playing hit numbers from ‘Wanted’ and his other hit films on the occasion.

The buzz is that Salman Khan’s pleasure comes from the fact that ‘Wanted’ is likely to fetch around Rs 40 crores to distributors in India alone, and that too, after paying theatre rentals and other overhead expenses. In fact, sources close to Salman say that flick has already been declared as one of three biggest hits of the year.

Even in overseas territories, Salman’s latest flick has caught the imagination of the people. For instance, in Pakistan ‘Wanted’ has become the biggest bollywood flick to be released so far in such a limited period. Similar encouraging reports have also come in from other parts of the world.

The gossip has it that Salman Khan has dual purpose in hosting such a huge bash for the success of his film. Insiders reveal that the main purpose of Sallu bhai is to show his strength and influence in the industry to his rival Shah Rukh Khan camp, through this huge bash.

It may be recalled that Salman and Shah Rukh had a fight last year on the occasion of Katrina’s birthday bash and since then never miss a chance to pull each other legs or show their strength.

Salman has also not invited Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai for obvious reasons. Vivek Oberoi, who had apologized publicly, has still not managed to get Sallu bhai’s amnesty and so not invited to the party.

SALMAN STRIPS ON DEMAND

When was the last time you saw Salman Khan strip?

Not as in Wanted, his latest film that’s running to packed houses in seven out of ten Bollywood territories, where the macho star who plays a hit man displays his overwhelming eight-pack in the climax. But, say, on television... You haven’t in a while, right? Never mind, with Sallu, it’s sometimes difficult to keep his shirt on. And even if the star wants to, as he has been stressed to do so for recently, there are others with bad bents of mind who will not let him... Like Bollywood cronies Govinda, Riteish Deshmukh and David Dhawan, whose film Do Knot Disturb releases on October 2.

On television with Salman, with David giving the lead, the trio stripped Salman to the support of appreciation from an admiring audience. The shirtless wonder was ill at ease and quickly buttoned up, saying, “There should be a reason to remove my shirt.” The reason was quickly provided by the TV studio audience. They refused to let the Salman-Govinda-Ritiesh-David show proceed until Salman stripped off again. Bashfully, blushing and after some humming and hawing, Salman agreed. But then, he quickly got into the groove and, in his uber cool style, grooved to O O Jaane Jaana... while stripping off. But, no, it wasn’t a striptease.

SUPERSTAR SALMAN RETURNS

Salman Khan is back with his most anticipated flick of the year Wanted, which swears raw action, masala and incredible dance and goes on to give you more than you bargained for.

“Wanted provides the heaps with the hero they’ve been longing for,” said Salman. The film could possibly be a comeback for the actor who has suffered rather a few lows in the past year. Salman plays a disreputable hitman in the film and speaks of his character, “Like my dialogue in the film, Jab main koi commitment kar leta hoon toh phir main apni bhi nahi sunta, my character only listens to what his heart says, and he has no regret, and is as egotistical as a bull. He has a set of values which he won’t go against and will kill at the sight of money.”

Salman Khan has gone to the extremes for his film, right from bidding exit to a couple of his favourite vices to performing stunts and dancing like never before. “I have worked hard for the film, I did the stunts myself while cables were used only for a few. The dancing was the hardest part I think, Prabhu’s not called an elastic man for nothing. It would take me days to learn a step and I always felt I’d never get it right. The intensity that my character has during the fight sequences had to be doubled for the dance sequences, because whatever he does, he does straight from the heart.” He added.

But rather than Salman, its producer Boney who has his hopes pinned with the film, “Salman’s personality, attitude and style reflects in his character and no one could play the role better than him. He lights the screen with his dominating presence and will leave the audience in awe. I know for sure that the film will do wonders for the masses and will provide them with a film with all their favourite elements, action, romance and dance.” He says.

Salman is indeed the next most Wanted star in Bollywood!

A KATRINA KAIF KA DEEWANA KILLS HIMSELF

Unable to meet his favourite actress Katrina Kaif in Bhopal a 24-year old man allegedly committed suicide.

The man named Motilal was part of a large group that had gathered at the location of the shooting for Prakash Jha's Rajneeti on September 5. When he was denied permission to meet Katrina he jumped into a nearby lake and killed himself. No suicide note was found. But spectators heard him shout Katrina's name while taking the fatal push. When asked about the incident Katrina says, "I heard something like this happened. I am not sure of what it was. It's a police matter so I am not getting into it. I don't know why the man killed himself."

Adds Prakash Jha, "We did hear about this. We don't know what happened to the man. How can we be aware of what the onlookers are up to? "However Jha met the senior cops in Bhopal and the matter has been sorted out. However Katrina who seems to have without knowing annoyed this suicidal respect is none too pleased with fan zeal. "I love attention. But only within limits. Besotted male fans is another are scary beyond a point," shudders Katrina.

SALMAN KHAN WEIGHS HIS OPTIONS

Salman Khan was weighed against silver biscuits at the launch of a group of gold coins under the umbrella of his helpful organisation Being Human.

His brothers Arbaaz and Sohail and sisters Alvira and Arpita were present at the launch.