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“I have an interesting plot in mind,” ace film-maker Shyam Benegal nods. Would one of his future projects be Chamki Chameli, his ambitious remake of the French opera Carmen? Benegal says that his dream project is in trouble even though it’s a tried and tested subject and is one opera that plays every day somewhere in the world.
Generation after generation has responded to the magic and madness of the hedonistic gypsy.
“It’s like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it can’t fall,” he asserts and adds, “but I’m not getting the kind of money a canvas like this needs. Also, some of the stars I was hoping would say ‘yes’, said ‘no’. But I have not given up hope.”
Some of the actresses considered for the lead were
Urmila Matondkar, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor. Benegal insists that he would still like to make Chamki Chameli with Kareena.
     He is all praises for her. “She is a beautiful woman, a terrific dancer and a proven actress. She would make a great Chameli,” says Shyam. Well Bebo, are you game for another Chameli?

Still going strong
If anyone thought Lisa Ray’s illness would keep her down for even a short while, here is
some news. Lisa is all set to do a Hindi film, and that too with Sanjay Dutt in the lead.
The film has been in the pipeline for long. It is a biopic on Charles Sobhraj which is being revived after Percept Pictures announced their own film based on the criminal’s life with Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead. 

King of dance
His movements have electrified some of the hottest songs of the last decade. And in many ways, Prabhu Deva, along with Rahman and Mani Ratnam bridged the Mumbai- Chennai divide, that always existed in the film world. Does he agree? The soft spoken actor-turned-film-maker looks surprised and answers, “Is it? What can I say? It’s too embarrassing for me to answer.”
Prabhu Deva’s Michael Jackson-inspired unique dancing style became a rage in a short span but he can’t pin point any particular reason for it. Dance, according to him, happens best when one enjoys it. The only cue to becoming a great dancer is by enjoying the process. “You must have the interest and passion. It doesn’t matter whether you create your own style or emulate someone. If you want to copy someone’s movements, so be it. But whatever you do, do it from within,” is Prabhu Deva’s tip. 

Damsel in distress
An upset Aishwarya Rai Bachchan can’t fathom why former lovers Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi are digging up the past by talking about her disrespectfully. Never mind, the passionate affairs she had had with the two earlier. She might have had a torrid affair with Salman, but the happily
married Ash is now upset that skeletons from her past keep resurfacing every few weeks, thank to her ex-flames.
Recently, Vivek said on a talk show that he held the infamous press conference against Salman to please Ash, when Vivek and Ash were dating each other. It’s not the first time that her ex-flame has spoken about her openly. Same is the case with her former lover Salman, who has spoken about her in not-so-complimentary tones in recent press and television interviews.


Underwater thriller Blue has many firsts to it.
Akshay Kumar has done 120 films but it is the first time that Academy Award winner A R Rahman has composed music for a film of his. It is Anthony D’Souza’s debut vehicle and he gets to start with the music supremo.
It is also Rahman’s first album after his two Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire.
      And it is the first time that Bollywood music is being launched on pen drives and memory chips.
Rahman, who hasn’t interacted closely with Akshay, smiles and says, “My first memory of Akshay is him grooving to Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast with Raveena Tandon in Mohra.
 The year was 1994 and I had just completed the music of Rangeela.” 
Akshay adds, “My all-time favourite Rahman album is Roja. I listened to it
continuously for two months when I was shooting for a film in Shimla.”
   Incidentally, Blue may be one of the last films Rahman does this season because of his international commitments. 

Arousing curiosity
Ever since Vishal Bharadwaj’s Ishqiya promos have hit the air, Arshad Warsi has been showered with praises. “Bollywood folks have personally called Arshad and praised his looks and performance in the film. They also said that the promo looks interesting and that Ishqiya was one film they are looking forward to,” says a source.
Arshad’s new look is a surprise for his fans. His stunning performance seen in the promos has bowled them over. The website promo has already sparked off curiosity and interest and is the most frequently clicked and watched. The comments that the surfers have made have been very encouraging and good. Sources say that Arshad’s fan following will increase ten-fold after this film.