Wake Up Sid actor and B'wood's next big Kapoor in an interview to People magazine revealed all about his own 'wake up' moment in life. Here's what he had to say...

Ranbir Kapoor revealed that his big wake-up moment occurred when he was watching his grandfather's mega-hit movie Shree 420.

"It was during my first year in college [HR College, Mumbai] when I first watched the movie and it did something to me. It inspired me to wake up in life, realise what my priorities are and what to do in life. I also for the first time understood the legacy and my family's contribution to Indian cinema."

Ranbir, who shares his first name with his grandfather, the legendary Raj Kapoor [Ranbir was his first name, but RK never used it], said that he hopes by sharing the name "some of his greatness, talent, passion and love for cinema translates on to me".

According to Ranbir, while his idol is his grandfather, his favourite actor continues to be his dad Rishi Kapoor. Proud as he is of his parents' achievement, he does not turn to them for tips, preferring to make his own journey instead.

"My parents would rather that I learn from my own mistakes than theirs," he says candidly. What he has undoubtedly picked from them however is the grace with which to cope with failure. Says he, "You know how much of a man a man is when he goes through failure and how he comes out of it."

While the young actor is prepared for the demands of success, he also makes time for his loved ones, especially for girlfriend Deepika Padukone. "It is hard [making time]," he says, "but every relationship is hard. You have to work at it."

"The greed to become the biggest actor and the biggest filmmaker in the world keeps me going. Hopefully in the next two years I can make the transition to becoming a director and still be a successful actor," confesses Ranbir.

The edition also talks about the lessons of success and stardom that Ranbir has learnt from his illustrious family. It also has exclusive pictures from the Kapoor family album including never-seen-before childhood photos with his star cousins Karisma and Kareena.

Let the talks of battle of supremacy at the box office be on hold for the time being at least. Even as the large segment of media has gone ahead and filled in pages around Shah Rukh Khan v/s Akshay Kumar, the latter has no qualms in admitting that he found 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' to be an excellent film. He made this statement in the context of family films coming from Bollywood continuing to find an audience globally.

"Such stories will always run. It's like old wine and all that you have to do is get a new bottle to package it all well. Our sentiments will never go away and this is the reason why when I saw 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi', I really loved it", says Akshay Kumar in an honest tone.

"Hamaare hindustan mein bhaichaara kabhi kahin nahi jaane waala (In India, the feeling of brotherhood and togetherness will never go away), whether in real life or reel life. This could be about relationship between two friends or the one between a husband and wife, we will always find audiences giving it a green flag if the story is told interestingly", declares Akshay.

He goes on to add, "Dosti-yaari, mian-biwi, bachche, janam-janam ka saath, yeh sab aise rishtein hai jo hamesha zinda rahenge (these are the kind of relationships that will always be alive). Look at all the TV serials, for e.g. 'Balika Vadhu'. It is obvious that people are interested in such stuff."

In that case, doesn't he too strive to do something like that for the big screen. Why is he seen in comedies in dozens? After all he has seen huge success in his last few family outings like 'Waqt- Race Against Time' or 'Ek Rishta- The Bond of Love'?

Akshay describes, "I started off as an action hero and then moved on to do family films as well as comedies. Then when some felt that I was doing too many comedies, I just did a 'Blue'. Now I have comedies like 'De Dana Dan' and 'Housefull' coming up. Between these two films, I would also have an 'Action Replay' which is a complete family film that you are talking about. It's a very emotional film. I keep exploring different genres at different points in time."

 A dash of sex and violence is a sure shot formula for filmmakers to bring in audiences, says censor board chief Sharmila Tagore, who insists she doesn’t run the scissors if the scenes gel well with the script.

“Sex and violence sells. Everybody is not Shakespeare, everybody is not a great director or an Imtiaz Ali whose ‘Jab We Met’ was a clean film and yet worked at the box office,” Sharmila Tagore told IANS in an exclusive interview.

“Some people make a clean film and then put one item song because they feel that will bring in the audiences and it does turn out to be true. They do it for the sake of money. You can’t blame them as filmmaking is ultimately a moneymaking proposition,” she added.

Sharmila, 62, who was also on the jury of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival recently, says it’s high time the audiences and those who believe in moral policing stopped pretending about the existence of an underbelly in Indian society.

“In every city and village, there is an underbelly and there is a clientele that does go for drinks, gambling and dancing with women in red light areas. So by hiding all that, we cannot pretend it’s not happening. If it is happening, it will be shown in movies.

“We can’t look away from reality. We don’t want to be a state or country of pretenders or hypocrites. But, yes, we have to keep a balance in what is shown; so we censor accordingly,” she said.

A few months ago, gay activist Sridhar Rangayan, who has made movies like “Pink Mirror” on issues confronting the community, had said that the censor board needs to update its rule book and rid itself of “antiquated rules”. But Sharmila differs.

“I don’t agree with that statement. We do have a set of rules, but it is interpreted by everyone differently. One rule says, ‘Don’t glorify violence’. Now every individual will be comfortable with a different degree of violence in a film – it’s subjective.

“All of us at the censor board know India and Indian sensibilities. I have been involved with media for the last 50 years, my regional officers are sensitised and trained and the panel is good. We know our country and know how regional sensibilities differ – so we censor when it is required,” she said.

Sharmila added that she doesn’t necessarily cut a scene if it goes well with the script.

“We don’t necessarily cut, but we certify. India is free for all and all sorts of material comes in. Some kind of censorship is absolutely essential. But what we believe is that it must be flexible, has to be aware of the times, have a hand on the pulse of the nation and should be forward-looking. But we won’t agree that we are regressive,” she clarified.

In fact, she suggests that filmmakers exhibit the certification of the film prominently on posters and advertisements so that the audience can use their discretion on whether or not to watch the film.

“In our country people take children without bothering to see the certification. A lot of times the posters and the ads of movies in papers don’t have a certification – so people aren’t advised properly – that’s not our problem,” she rued.

“The audience needs to be advised that a film contains explicit language and sexual scenes and so they should not take their kids along. Personally, I let tolerable adult content pass through with an A-certification. We can’t completely protect the audience and just show them fairy tales,” Sharmila said.

Another pertinent point that she keeps in mind while running her censor scissors is the fact that the Indian film industry is competing with the global market in terms of content and quality.

“We are competing with the world market; so we need to come up with competitive films. Then only our industry will grow…We have to make today’s films. We have to keep in step with what’s happening in the world,” she said.

 His "Love Aaj Kal" has completed 50 days at the box office and has earned more than Rs.65 crores (Rs.650 million) just within India. Now actor-producer Saif Ali Khan is looking forward to "Kurbaan" - a film he admits he is proud of having acted in being a Muslim.

"As a Muslim I feel proud of the fact that I have done this film. This is one of the most socially relevant films today. It is good that it is coming at just the time when our country needs cinema like this," Saif told IANS in an interview.

Set in the US, "Kurbaan" is a romantic thriller with terrorism as its backdrop. A Karan Johar production directed by debutant Rensil D'Silva, "Kurbaan" also stars Kareena Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Kirron Kher and Om Puri. It is slated to release Nov 27.

Saif reveals that he now has a new career plan in place. "I would now be working on two-three films a year and make sure that I cover a wide spectrum. While a couple of them would be big, nice commercial films, another would be a relatively smaller film that can be completed in 30 days flat."

After "Love Aaj Kal", his next production venture is "Agent Vinod". But shooting for the film is still a little distance away.

"Final touches on the script are being given and we have been looking at getting the best technicians on board. I guess by the end of this year, we should begin shooting.

"In any case I am in no tearing hurry to ready my next film. One should space things out, invest good time to publicise things and get the right preparation in place for the making of the film," said Saif.

He is also careful that his personal life, especially his health, doesn't suffer due to his professional commitments.

"It is of paramount importance that one looks after the body as well as brain. I go to the gym regularly as well as spend some good time with family. As far as work is concerned, I have certainly become even more serious about production after 'Love Aaj Kal'.

"We have learnt quite some lessons after the release of our first film and the idea is to leverage from some mistakes that we may have made. My investment as a producer is bound to increase from here on."

Meanwhile, the success of "Love Aaj Kal" and "Race" (2008) have made it closer for him to the top-five league. While Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan are firmly placed in the top league, Saif too is not that far away.

"I don't know much about that. All such number placements are for other people to state, study and analyse. As for me, I know today that I'm in a position to make the film that I want to make. I am also confident that the film I would make will carry some meaning to people. My project should now carry certain amount of weight and direction and for that one has to be a bankable star."

He continues to shrug away the entire numbers game.

"This number business is quite fluctuating actually; so one should not be worried about it. What you should worry about more is that now since people have higher expectations from you, you should deliver even better in your next assignments," Saif said.

It wasn’t tough for Riteish Deshmukh to play a shy lad in Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Aladin’ as he says he was very much like his onscreen character during his own school days.

Aladin, produced by Eros International and Sujoy Ghosh, is a contemporary look at the classic fairy tale, where Riteish plays the title character.

“When Sujoy told me that I play a young, introverted boy in Aladin, I could perfectly relate to it as I was myself a very quiet boy during my school days. I didn’t have many friends and would mostly keep to myself. ” Riteish confesses.

In this contemporary version of the classic tale, Riteish will be seen playing a reclusive high school boy who carries an old, tattered leather bag with him all the time.

Speaking more about his character, Riteish said, “Aladin is so dumb and lost that when Genie asks him for his 3 wishes, he doesn’t even know what to ask for. He’s a complete loser!”

However, playing Aladin was like a dream come true for Riteish who was always fascinated by the famous fable. Besides, he also got a chance to fulfill his desire of working with Big B!

Munnabhai's girl Vidya Balan has just inked a brand endorsement deal with Godrej Sara Lee's GoodKnight Naturals', a moisturizing mosquito repellent cream.

Vidya Balan, the new face for GoodKnight Naturals, says, "When it comes to applying products on my skin, I am very cautious. Goodknight Naturals mosquito repellent cream has unbelievable properties which make my skin feel safe whilst protecting me from mosquitoes during outdoor shoots, and the best part is that it is non-sticky. I was very excited when Godrej, an age old name and a trusted brand approached me to be a part of this campaign in which this revolutionary product will help fight the mosquito menace."

The new campaign focuses on communicating the effectiveness of a moisturizer based mosquito repellent cream with the goodness of natural herbs like tulsi and lavender that help fight mosquitoes naturally while keeping the skin nourished and protected with milk. The ad campaign and concept developed by JWT, communicates the powerful combination of safety from mosquitoes and protection of the skin as never before, while highlighting the product offering through their catchy line... 'Machharon ki haar, skin se pyaar!'

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Tarun Arora, VP Sales & Marketing, Godrej Sara Lee said, "GoodKnight has always offered products which are based on strong consumer insights. The biggest challenge was to overcome the existing mental barriers of people being precarious about using mosquito repellent creams as they are associated with being sticky and harsh on the skin. The new ad positions the product in a way that cues in safety and credibility in a reassuring manner".

With such a power packed campaign and star power of Vidya Balan, GoodKnight brand will surely strengthen its supremacy in the market.

During the premiere of American mini series IFC's Bollywood Hero, guess who was seated next to Neha Dhupia. None other than superstar Ed Norton. A source close to Neha said, "Neha did not know who was seated next to her during the screening of Bollywood Hero. She did not recognize him initially."

When Neha looked closely she couldn't believe her eyes. She kept pinching herself to make sure that it actually Ed besides her. "Ed's presence took her by surprise. He had actually squeezed out time and attended Bollywood Hero's premiere," said our source.

The source added, "Ed complimented Neha on her performance in the series. Neha is still drooling over the praise. She hasn't got over it as yet."

The very talented Divya Dutta has always been a homely person. But now she has something more exciting back home that she keeps running straight home to, after pack up!

The lady, who’s celebrating her birthday on 25th September, has a special friend added to her party list! Now, now, before all the naughty minds start running the extra mile let us assures you, the special friend is a 40-day-old puppy!

Divya, who’s always been a dog lover, has finally gifted herself a pup she can call her own! Very significantly too, she’s named the little lahsa– apso, ‘Sakhi’. Those who’ve seen the chottu pup, can’t stop gushing about it!

They can’t help but claim that’s she’s just like our very own Divya– a complete brat! The chotta bundle of joy is so tiny but she always keeps running around and is full of energy! The two– Divya and Sakhi already can’t stay without each other and are like a house on fire!

Well… well, the lady sure couldn’t have asked for a better Birthday gift right, Divya?

A Sushmita Sen impersonator on the social networking site Facebook has started asking for money in her name for charity. After being inundated by anxious queries from friends, the Bollywood actress has clarified that she is not the one asking for money.

“It’s not a game. For this gentleman or lady, whoever he or she might be, charity obviously begins and ends at home. My impersonator has even opened an account www.sushmita-sen.com where charitable Facebook participants can donate money,” Sushmita told IANS.

The actress, who says she is not net-savvy, is appalled by the development.

“I’ve been smiling a little indulgently at all these fake Sushmita Sens on Facebook and Twitter. I thought as long as they were not harming me, let them have fun. But now when someone decides to open a charitable account on my behalf, it’s time to seriously get up and do something to stop such people,” she said.

Sushmita got to know of the impostor’s monetary manoeuvres only when friends called to ask how many zeroes they should put on their cheques.

“I was zapped! I was like huh! I do love giving to charitable causes. But not in this tacky way. Whoever has the nerve to ask for money and open a website for the purpose trusted in my charitable instincts a bit too much,” she said.

Cyber crimes like impersonation and abuse must be stopped, said Sushmita.

“If you have a name that people can use then these things are bound to happen. So far I didn’t mind my name being used by others. But now let me make it very clear I am not on Facebook, Twitter or anything. And I’m certainly not into asking for money for charity on the Internet. Hey guys,that’s not me!”

Would you say that you are staging your come back as an actor with Dil Bole Hadippa?

My last film was Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic directed by Kunal Kohli for Yashraj Films in which Saif Ali Khan was my leading man. I do not think that nine months is a long period to come back in films. I did not take up any offer because they were not substantial enough for me.

How did you prepare to get in to the skin of the character of Veer in Dil Bole Hadippa?

Though I used to be stiff after wearing my beard for the role of Veer, I picked up my brother Raja’s style of dancing in both the songs which required Veer to dance. I had to compete with all the boy dancers at the back who danced with a lot of vibrant energy. It was very difficult to match their style of dancing especially since I am a petite girl.

Did you make it a point to learn cricket and be well conversant with the game?

Yes. It took me almost six months to learn the game of cricket. To get into the skin of my character in Dil Bole Hadippa, I had to learn the rules of the game and put my heart and soul into the game when I played it. In fact, I was injured in a lot of places all over my body. I cannot even mention the parts of my anatomy where I was injured because it will sound vulgar. I shed a lot of my weight to get into the mode of an athlete too. I enjoyed working in the film because it is happy and vibrant film.

In what way has your knowledge of cricket improved after working in Dil Bole Hadippa?

After working in a film like Dil Bole Hadippa, now I can say that I can enjoy watching even England play with Australia. Earlier I used to enjoy watching cricket only when India played with West Indies or Pakistan

How did you work on the looks for both your characters in Dil Bole Hadippa?

My part as Veer required me to look like a real batsman.The fact that I had slimmed down for the film helped Manish style Veera in Dil Bole Hadippa. The production team sent the picture of Harbhajan Singh to my stylist to style me as Veer looking at his picture. Harbhajan told me that he was thrilled to know that he inspired my look.

How would you describe Anurag Singh who has directed the film Dil Bole Hadippa?

Anurag did not look like he was directing a film for the first time. He would never say no to one more take if Shahid or I asked for it. You can be a very closed as a newcomer director but he was not though it was his first film. The best thing about Anurag is that he is an easy going and patient director. Anurag used to pray for us at every religious place that he went to while the shooting was on.

What is wrong with doing crying roles since you have always walked away with accolades for such roles?

The problem that I have always faced as an actress doing intense and serious roles is that people always used to come to me with similar roles almost to the point of slotting me with a set image. The kind of roles that I was being offered were not the ones which would have added to me as an actress but to the producers who were offering me such roles and hence steadfastly said no to all the offers and stuck just to one film- Dil Bole Hadippa.

How practical are you when it comes to success and failure?

I am quite pragmatic, when I have to take success as well as failure. Look here. Success and failure is not in my hands. A film failing does not mean that I am a failure as an actor. On the contrary, if a film of mine fails, it automatically makes me even stronger and stretches me beyond a point. Failure is also important for an actor because only if you are crushed will you be able to come up.

How would you evaluate your growth as far as your career is concerned from the time that you had made your debut as an actress with Raja Ki Ayegi Baraat till Dil Bole Hadippa?

I confess that over the years I have really grown richer as an actress right from the time I had made my debut with Raja Ki Ayegi Baraat.

Can you elucidate?

Fortunately for me, I have grown because I got an opportunity to work with not only great actors but also great directors. In any case, experience can get you only richer. Whether it was Kamal Haasan in Hey Raam or Amitabh Bachchan in Black or for that matter Shah Rukh Khan in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Chalte Chalte, I was always amazed to look at the wide range of their enormous talent and made it a point to learn from them. I should say that it has been an incredibly rich career. Undoubtedly I have become a better actress after working with them than what I was when I had started out.”

How do you react to the media linking you with Aditya Chopra?

I am very upset with the media for spreading rumors about my marriage. Every time a film of mine is about to be released, I am married off by the media. Thanks to my great family, which is my great support system, I am able to tackle such rumors, which is not easy otherwise.

How important is marriage to you?

I concede that marriage is very important in every girl’s life, including that of mine, but the rumors make me look like a retarded girl and set out to test my intelligence. I am a very levelheaded girl. I respect my privacy and would not like the media to push me to the point of testing me to that extent by keeping on running me down. I am not in a tearing hurry to get married.

New Delhi, John Abraham’s love for bikes is well-known but his lady love, actress Bipasha Basu, doesn’t like riding pillion with him for that very reason.

“Bipasha doesn’t like sitting on my bike because I am very passionate and possessive about my bike. When she sits, I keep saying ‘I hope you don’t leave a scratch on the bike and all that’, so that’s why she prefers a car to sitting behind me in a bike,” John told reporters here during an event.

John will be next seen in “Hook Ya Crook” and “1-1800 Love”.