And when Himesh came, he went around the venue for a dekko before addressing the media. When he did speak to the media, he said, “I apologise for being late. I actually took five hours to reach Delhi from Mumbai.” Sochenge tumhe maaf karen ki nahi...

Well, Harman has taken the safe route by neither confirming nor denying affair with Priyanka. May be he sees his future with her!

DIA MIRZA tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’ did not do well because Vashu Bhagnani did not promote it properly.

How excited are you as an actor about Acid Factory?

I should say that though I am quite excited about the fact that Acid Factory will take me to the next level as an actor. I am not nervous at all. I remember when I heard the script of ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ when Rajkumar Hirani narrated it to me; I told him I could not wait till I saw the complete film. This time also when Suparn narrated the subject to me, I told him that it was a brilliant plot and hence I could not wait to see the film. You see you can visualize a film when you hear the narration for the first time. I call it magic.

What is your role in Acid Factory?

I play a girl called Max in Acid Factory. My role is not one of those parts which expect the actor to give an outstanding performance, because you have to look the part in the plot driven film. I had to work hard on my physical appearance. The toughest aspect of my role in Acid Factory was that I had to look like I can easily take on the boys every day when I stood alongside them on location.

Can you explain?

To work as an actor is an integral part of our craft. Besides doing extra physical training program with Rakesh Udayar, believe it or not, I had to actually spend three hours every day in the morning from 5 am to 8 am at Tinnu Verma’s farm and then hit the gym for about two hours, head back home for rest and then again hit the gym in the evening once again for yet another two hours.

Is it true that you were not the first choice for the role of Max?

Yes. I was actually not Sanjay Gupta’s first choice because the film industry has this tendency to type-cast actresses in different slots. There are some actresses who only like to play themselves, whereas there are some like me who want to re-invent themselves by pushing the envelope and in the process their own set limits.

Is it true that you had even agreed to do a screen test to get the role?

Yes. When Suparn told me that he was toying with the idea of casting me in his film, I told him that I was even ready to do the screen test. I think destiny was on my side. I even did a photo shoot before I got the role. I liked the role because it challenged me. Also it was wonderful to be the centre of attraction, since I am like a man in the film, though all the boys treated me like a girl and were possessive about me.

How did you prepare for the part?

I made it a point to watch a lot of action films of 70’s, 80’s to get the feel of my role as Max in Acid Factory. The femme fatale in all those films was really feminine, yet strong. I wanted to play a similar type of role in Acid Factory. I did not watch any Angelina Jolie film as part of my exercise, because that was the brief which Suparn gave me.

Are you happy with the way your career has shaped till date?

I am extremely satisfied with the way my career has shaped up over the years. At a stage three years ago, I would have said that I was not happy when I analyze about my growth in the industry. I came into the industry nine years ago with nothing but the title Miss Asia Pacific. I am today respected in all those circles which I respect and I am in a position where I can help people. If it is only your talent that guarantees you super stardom and success, then Irrfan Khan who has been teamed opposite me in Acid Factory would have been a super star by now in the industry, by virtue of his talent. If you have the requisite talent, it will however certainly help you go the distance.

Which are the films you have up your sleeves now?

I am having a couple of films like Sanjay Gupta’s Alibag, Arshad Warsi’s maiden production venture Kaun Bola and Johny Mastana.

What has your experience of nine years in this industry taught you?

I have learnt a lot in life by falling down. When you have absolutely no guidance whatsoever in life, you will learn a lot. I recently read a book that stated that experience is what you get when you do not get what you want and it is something better than what you wanted in the first place. Though it did not do well because Vashu Bhagnani did not give enough time for its promotion at the time of its release, my first film ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’ is my most memorable film till date. If it had been a super hit, my entire career would have charted an entirely different course by now, but then on the flip side, I feel that when the tide is high, it also crashes down equally fast.

Aishwarya Rai has refuted rumours that she was to play the female lead opposite her husband Abhishek Bachchan in Ashutosh Gowariker's next "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se". The actress says that the director knew about her packed schedule and the discussion never took place.

Recent media reports suggested that Aishwarya was to play the lead role before Asin was finalised for the film opposite actor Abhishek. But both - the actress and filmmaker - deny it.

"I don't have the dates right now as my schedule diary is super packed. This film ('Khelein Hum...') starts next month. So there never was that possibility," Aishwarya, who played Rajput princess Jodhabai in Gowariker's historical epic "Jodhaa Akbar", told IANS.

"And since Ashu (Ashutosh Gowariker) is a close friend and his main lead is my husband, they obviously knew it. So the discussion didn't even arise," she added.

Gowariker confirmed it saying: "I had not approached her (Aishwarya) for 'Khelein Hum...'. Aishwarya, for me, belongs to a fairytale. She is a quintessential princess and by far one of the finest actresses we have.

"But we need to plan things in advance. She is extremely professional and hence I would never like to upset her schedules in any way. I'm very happy with the coming together of Abhishek and Asin."

"Khelein Hum..." will feature Abhishek as freedom fighter Surya Sen, who was the chief architect of anti-British freedom movement in Chittagong, now in Bangladesh.

This will be Gowariker's second period film after "Lagaan".

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta will lead a peace march to MNS leader Raj Thackeray’s home to protest against the attack on Karan Johar’s Wake Up Sid

You are taking a protest march to MNS president Raj Thackeray's Dadar home. Tell us more about it.
I am not a politician or activist to organise such a march. I wrote a blog on the issue (of Raj Thackeray demanding Wake Up Sid producer Karan Johar’s apology as the movie referred to Mumbai as Bombay) because I couldn’t sleep after the incident. I got a call saying a march was being organised and asking me to lead it. I really don’t know how many people will join with me in this march, I only know that I am a filmmaker and it’s my fundamental right to express myself. I feel compelled to do something when I see a fellow filmmaker facing what I underwent nine years ago.

Is this your answer to what he did to you during “Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar” controversy?
The wounds will never heal but that was the past. I felt impotent as I was too scared to express myself then. This is not the answer to what was done to me but this is the voice of all the helpless people in the country who don’t know what to do.

Do you think Karan Johar did the right thing by apologising to Raj Thackeray for using the word ‘Bombay’ in his film? Was the apology a publicity stunt?
Do you really think people like Karan Johar or UTV need such cheap publicity stunts to promote their movies? Karan did the right thing and what everyone else in a similar situation did. He had no choice, a lot of money was at stake and he was scared like I had been. I am really annoyed with the producers’ association ... where are they? Where they have disappeared to? This is the time we need them most.

Who else is supporting you from Bollywood?
I haven’t got any calls from anyone so far and I really don’t care. I am raising my voice for everyone’s fundamental right. I really don’t want to make a big issue out of it. If they are not scared, they can join me and we can all take this thing forward. Otherwise, I will always raise my voice for anything unethical.

Wake Up Sid has hit the jackpot and now it's a matter of seeing the kind of distance it would eventually cover. As someone who has entrusted the responsibility of directing a film to first timers like Nikhil Advani (Kal Ho Na Ho), Soham Shah (Kaal) and Tarun Mansukhani (Dostana) earlier, he is ecstatic that his newest protégé Ayan Mukerji has made an all around terrific impression amongst audiences as well as critics alike.

"Ayan has earned it all. Really, no one other than Ayan could have made this film. His story made me realize that we all have been Sids at some point in our younger days. We all have gone through that phase. We have thought like that. Pick up any family and you would find a Sid. It is this identifiable factor that had made Wake Up Sid click with audiences in a big way", says Karan who has been inundated with congratulatory calls ever since the film hit the screens and took an all around excellent opening.

Were there any special instructions from him to Ayan before the youngster started calling the shots? "These decisions are taken before you rope in someone to direct a film. Once you have entrusted the responsibilities, you should just leave an individual alone. He has worked with me for a good period of time and there are some things that do rub off on an individual. Hopefully some good things have rubbed on him as well", he continues.

In that case, he seems to have mentored the bunch of newcomer directors quite well. While Ayan Mukerji has just seen the release of Wake Up Sid, another debutant Rensil D'Souza is getting ready to unleash his Kurbaan this November. Tarun Mansukhani is getting animation flick Koochie Koochie Hota Hai in place while also working on Dostana 2. First timer Siddharth Malhotra has already finished ground work on Stepmom remake while debutant director Punit Malhotra's I Hate Love Stories is also in news. Karan Johar's own My Name Is Khan would be releasing in early 2010 whereas newcomer Karan Malhotra has been entrusted with the responsibility of directing Agneepath remake.

"More than being a mentor, I guess they look up to me as someone older who is almost like a parent", Karan philosophizes, "The difference in their age and mine won't be more than a decade but I guess I am much older in my mind state. Also, I have always shared my way of working which is that one should always have an off screen relationship with the actors other than just on screen creativity".

Extending on his thought process, Karan adds, "See, 80% part of a filmmaker's job is to handle people and their emotions. Once you are able to do that as a director, creativity automatically steps in. If you can deal well with your cast and crew, your movie will by itself turn out to be something special. One should always possess people management skills; that makes the entire filmmaking process quite efficient."

He sounds like a Management Guru when he says that.

Laughs Karan, "Once you are on sets, you have so many energies to encounter. There are so many people around and you have to help them and waive off some turbulence that they maybe having around them. You have to get different people on the same page and ensure that creative parameters are met. Just because you are a filmmaker, you can't let go of managerial skills. Who said that one has to be just talented and creative to make a good film?"

After ‘Ab Ke Baras’ fell flat at the box-office, Arya Babbar was lost to the doom. In 2007 he made a considerable come back with the film Guru but now in 2009 with Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Jail’ he is certain to re-position himself in the industry. He gets candid in an interview and shares his experience of working with Madhur Bhandarkar.

Tell us about you character in the film Jail.

My character’s name is Kabir Malik. He is an underworld convict. From inside the jail how he operates the underworld is what my part is all about. He is a sly guy who is more like a chameleon. He looks something, says something, behaves and thinks something else. You cannot define him that whether he is very emotional, innocent or a cunning creature. There are many streaks to this character.

So are you the main villain in the film?

I can’t give out anything like that.

How long have you been shooting with the unit?

It is made in 40 days and I have been shooting for the all the 40 days. It was not a great feeling to be in jail such a long time. It was burning hot in Karjat where we were shooting for the film. We were shooting with 250 to 300 men in the jail, look left or right only men were around. Experience though was a fantastic one, as Madhur is very entertaining person. The co-actors also made the job easy.

Any unusual experience of doing the film that you can share with us?

Most of us did not use umbrellas to guard against the sun. As in the film I and Manoj have been in the jail for quiet a long time we had to show that we use to the heat and the strokes in jail. We were not even suppose to frown, in fact we were to get the tan of prolong exposure to the sun so we avoided umbrellas on sets. Neil could have got away with it as he is the new entrant in the jail.

How was it working with the star director Madhur Bhandarkar?

He is one of the best directors I have known. Given an opportunity he can make the best films for west or international cinema and make India proud. He has the ability to make art cinema look commercial and run at the box office.

What did you carry home after doing the film?

I pity the living condition in jail. Being a part of such an intense film directed by Bhandarkar give me a content feeling. I always wished to work somebody of his caliber.

So do you consider ‘Jail’ as highpoint in your career?

Forget high point, this is the only point in my career.

What kinds of films would you like to do hence?

I want to do good cinema. Suddenly the industry has woken up to me. I am being offered a lot of good films. But I have to be cautious enough to choose the right script after this big break.

 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.

 Rishi Kapoor can't stop smiling. His son Ranbir's "Wake Up Sid" has got an overwhelming response from audiences and critics alike, but Kapoor senior is cautious and says his son will have to continuously prove himself as it is not the surname but one's performance that ultimately counts in the film world.

"Just being a Kapoor was never going to be enough. Ranbir had to show his worth as an actor. I also had Raj Kapoor as father, but it has never been easy for me even till date. For the last 40-odd years, I have been proving myself. The same would always hold good for Ranbir. It's a never-ending journey," Rishi, who belongs to the third generation of the Kapoor family, told IANS.

At the same time, he is unable to conceal his excitement with the positive reviews and appreciation coming his son's way.

"Ever since Thursday evening, once the preview shows and other private screenings were held, I have been inundated with congratulatory calls. I was humbled and was waiting for audience reactions once the film opened to public viewing on Friday," Rishi said.

He reveals that he was in constant discussions with wife Neetu Singh, who on her part was sure that the film would strike a chord amongst youth.

"She assured me that the current generation would truly identify with what the film is all about. We both had seen the film and Neetu was quite confident about the setting and milieu of the film. She asked me not to worry at all. She was right," Rishi said.

Produced by Karan Johar and directed by newcomer Ayan Mukerji, "Wake Up Sid" also stars Konkana Sen Sharma.

The actor says he is proud of the way Ranbir's career has progressed during the last couple of years with first "Saawariya", where he received critical acclaim, then "Bachna Ae Haseeno", which did well at the box office, and now "Wake Up Sid".

"My chest is swollen with pride. As a father, I am so excited that my son has been doing so well in his career. This hasn't been an overnight job by him though. He has worked hard to earn it.

"Star son or no star son, everything just vanishes when the film comes on screen. It's your performance that ultimately speaks," Rishi said.

It’s already two Khans down for me. I’d love to act with all the Khans and every hero in Bollywood!

 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.