INDIAN FILM UPDATE

Dilly Dallying daddy's film? Shahid Kapur leaves his father's film mid-way, again, and begins work on Shirish Kunder's next? It isn't new for beta Shahid Kapur to leave aside father Pankaj Kapur's project and get into another.

A few days ago it was reported that Shahid would complete his projects on hand and then give his heart and soul to his dad, Pankaj Kapur's film.

But Shahid is not doing any thing like that.

After completing his pending films, he has begun work on a new project, leaving Pankaj in a lurch.

The new film that Shahid has signed will be directed by Shirish Kunder.

Is putting aside, dad's project also a part of being picky about the film makers he wants to work with? A crore rupee song! The makers of Raaz - The mystery continues have bought the music rights of El Camino from international pop group, Gypsy Kings.

In bollywood, where music directors are known to lift tunes, music director, Raju Singh and Mohit Suri director of Raaz persuaded producer, Mukesh Bhatt to buy the rights of international pop musicians, Gypsy King's popular song El Camino.

In the film, the tune of 'O Jaana' has been remade from El Camino for which the producer has paid a whopping amount of Rs.

John's film too arty, so it has no takers! Who says that the corporate culture has gone bust? It still rules.

Reliance's Big Pictures has taken the makers of Nagesh Kukunoor's Aashayein to court, claiming that they will not release it because it is not commercial enough.

B-Town's poster boy John Abraham, obviously does not sell unless he bares his butt.

The case has been filed in the Delhi High Court and Percept Picture company and T-series are now in a fix, because they can't release the film until the legal tangle is resolved.

Where does all this leave film makers like Nagesh Kukunoor, who do not follow the beaten track? Or does Reliance's objection to Aashayein stem from the fact that Nagesh's last film Bombay to Bangkok tanked at the box office? Big B and the terrorist Ajmal Kasab Will the 'super duper hero, as Aamir Khan engagingly described him, agree to meet Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani terrorist arrested and in custody for the recent terror attacks on the city? This question was posed by a lawyer to superstar Amitabh Bachchan during the book launch of Osian's Bachchanalia on Saturday.

Aamir had released the book and Big B was in conversation with Osian's Neville Tuli before a full house at Tata Theatre when Tuli spotted tax law expert Nishith Desai and called on him to ask a question.

According to media reports, Big B was asked "Kasab is fan of yours and has expressed a wish to see you in person.

If he is sentenced to death and this is his last wish, will you go?" asked the advocate.

"I suggest you don't answer that!" smiled Tuli to Bachchan.

There was silence in the house.

Then in the deep baritone that still sets hearts aflutter, Bachchan spoke "I write a blog every day and I too posed this question on it", he said.

Fifty per cent o the replies said 'Go meet him' and fifty per cent said 'don't you dare!" Now even Tuli couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked Big B "So are you sitting on the fence or are you moving either way?".

Pat came the reply, "No more discussion on the topic".

Everyone laughed, but minutes later while answering an unrelated question, the actor did go back briefly to Desai's query and said somberly "In normal circumstances I would have gone (to visit a fan) but seeing the great carnage and the loss of lives, there is a great sense of repulsion." When Aamir made Amitabh Wait There was a time when someone like Aamir Khan was always extremely punctual.

He would give interview timings for journalists at 2.42 pm, 6.23 pm etc.

Another man, who was always punctual till ABCL made him "Amitabh Bachchan Comes Late" was Big B Himself.

But then, Big B reached on time for the launch of the book 'Bachchanalia' just recently and was waiting for the opening where Aamir Khan was also supposed to be present.

Bachchan reached there and started chit chatting for a good 15 minutes before Aamir reached.

Aamir surely has to learn a few things from the good of Bachchan.

Or is it that the stupendous success of his just released Ghajini makes Aamir feel that he is the cat's whiskers in town and that he has left the Badshah, the Shah-in-Shahsen and the kings way behind squabbling for the No.

Is Jackie Chan threatened by Akshay Kumar? Okay, we thought Akki's only shaking up the kings of bollywood.

his star power ranges from China to Hollywood.

After charming the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Akshay Kumar is gonna shock Jackie Chan with his stunts, somersaults et al.

Yeah, apparently our favourite Jackie bhai from China has expressed a desire to watch Chandni Chowk to China.

Jackie is supposedly close to Gordon Liu-shaolin stuntmaster, who plays the villain in the movie, and he's keen to watch his buddy's first stint with bollywood.

While Gordon fans in China lovingly call him "Master killer" Akki boy insists on referring to him as the Gordon Liu.

-(Maharaja Features)