Katrina is in a dilemma

Contrary to reports of Anushka Sharma starring opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Ayan Mukerji's film, a few recent developments have led the Wake Up Sid director once again to original choice Katrina Kaif's door. But Kat it seems, is still to welcome him in wholeheartedly.

The actress perhaps a bit unsure about working with ex Ranbir so soon, is still to sign the dotted lines.

Katrina is obviously in two minds regarding the film. "Kat is in a dilemma. She is a very capable actress and can easily pull it off. But the thing is, she has to have the go ahead from her heart. She needs to be comfortable working with Ranbir.

They parted ways a little more than three months back. It's still too fresh," said a source.

Reportedly, Katrina and Ranbir had even been frequenting Ayan's residence in Santacruz before they fell apart.
The director obviously had no idea then what lay in store months ahead. In fact, Ayaan who is still good friends with Kat is waiting for the actress to decide on his film.

"Yup. He is also very close to Katrina. Ranbir, Katrina and Ayaan used to often hang out together until Katrina and Ranbir called off their relationship," added the source confirming the same.

Now, while the ball still waits in Katrina's court, we wonder what will happen to the film Magadheera where Katrina has been asked to star opposite Ranbir yet again!

Meanwhile...
Aamir Khan had approached Katrina to do a Sheila for his home production Delhi Belly. The actress was asked to do a sizzling item number in the forthcoming Imran Khan starrer. A source revealed, "The choice had boiled down to three women Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone and Malaika Arora.

Deepika is ruled out as she is in London for two months shooting for Homi Adajania's next. Aamir and his bhanja Imran, both, are keen on Katrina doing this fast number."

However, the actress may not gyrate for Aamir after all. "Her forthcoming film with Imran, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is their first film together. It's a romantic musical. So it involves a lot of dancing. Doing an item number in his film will kill the novelty," said a source.

Nothing really bothers me: Riya Sen

Frankspeak is her forté. TOI gets Riya Sen to confess on sibling rivalry, sibling revelry and her much-talked about singleton status

This is your first film with sister Raima. Who will you give the credit for bringing the two of you together, the director, your mother or simply the wishes of the two sisters to be paired together?
The credit goes to everyone who has been a part of the making. My producer, for agreeing to make this
project possible, my parents for planting the seed of thought that it's inevitable that Raima and I should come together. We're just a year apart and belong to the same industry at the same time. And, of course, the director, who author-backed us.

The two of you have no scene together. But once back home, were there any sisterly squabbles over the day's shoot?
Rightly so, we don't share screen space together. We have never even shot on the same days. And when we met, we never really discussed our scenes. We talked about, just maybe our work experiences and what a great time we had being part of the unit.

Since this is your first with Rituparno and Raima can be said to be a veteran in this department, did she try to take an upperhand when it came to giving tips on the way to conduct oneself with the director?
Yes, she is a veteran. She called up the crew on the first day of my shoot and would ensure that I'm taken care of, in terms of my make-up, hair, clothes and food. I was simply pampered throughout — being Suchitra Sen's granddaughter, Moon Moon Sen's daughter and, of course, Raima's younger sister.

Pampering apart, who got scolded more by the director and who managed to get away?
We were both equally scolded and loved by him. I love him as a person. He has a fantastic sense of humour. I can spend hours chatting with him.

Rituparno has said that you are capable of doing things with such a straight face that people won't even know it's you. Any particular prank that you managed to get away with?
My pranks were never-ending. I was never stopped by the unit and, so, carried on. Actually, I do have a knack of pulling things off with a straight face, guess it runs in my family.

Did you go through the Tagore novella after you were roped in for the part?
Yes, I read it after I got the script. It's quite different from the film. My character, Kamala, is supposed to be quite a looker, whereas, in the film, I'm not portrayed so.

There are two women who come into Jisshu's life. In reality, have there been occasions when Raima and you have fallen for the same guy? Or a case where the same guy has shown interest in the both of you?
Well, we have very different tastes and my principles wouldn't allow me to like the same man as her. It would be terrible to have compromised in liking someone who has liked her too. And there's plenty of fish in the sea. Why target one? (Laughs). I get enough attention. I can't believe you popped this question at me.

Will it bother you if one sister gets more accolades than the other post-release?
Nothing really bothers me. I'm too engrossed in my own world to care less. Raima and I are sisters! Come on. Obviously we will always want the best for one another. We've grown up together.

Fair enough. Filmwise, why don't we get to see you in more Bengali films? Do you think directors here have a set image in their mind about you? Or would you blame it on yourself?
I have been offered several Bengali films. Due to destiny and good luck, "Noukadubi" will be my first. About impressions, I don't know and don't care. This is definitely setting all records straight as my director willed it to be.

Your Hindi projects...
My next release is " Tere Mere Phere", opposite Vinay Pathak and directed by Deepa Sahi. It's a romantic comedy that has me playing a very different role than my earlier ventures.

Films apart, you are the brand ambassador of Team Kochi. But had you been present at the match between Team Pune and Team Kolkata, who would your loyalty be with considering how Sourav is playing with the former?
I have been for many matches for Team Kochi, Pune and the Royals. I go at my convenience and depending on my work schedule. I love the game.

Rubbishing rumours of you dating Sreesanth, what would it take to woo Riya Sen?
Yes, I am single. Why is it that in every interview I'm asked this question? Does it matter?

Robert Pattinson Jumps into New Film Cosmopolis (photos!)

“Twilight’s” Robert Pattinson isn’t getting much rest. He’s already jumped into shooting his new film “Cosmopolis” with an all-star cast that inculudes Paul Giamatti, Juliette Binoche and Samantha Morton. Rob also is featured in 18 new photo

Pattinson has been working almost non-stop promoting “Water for Elephants,” a Depression era film about a circus, starring Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz.
Almost simultaneously, he was wrapping up filming on “Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Part 2″ with girlfriend Kristen Stewart and castmates Taylor Lautner and Ashley Greene.

Check out Rob’s photos; click to enlarge.

Photos: RobertPattinsonLife

The David Cronenberg-directed “Cosmopolis” once again puts Rob in the company of A-list actors, who should help him grow in his craft.

Rob has performed in an eclectic series of movies since he shot to fame in the original “Twilight” movie in 2008.

They include indie films like “Little Ashes,” “Bel Ami,” and “Remember Me,” to the bigger budget “Water for Elephants.”

Cronenberg has helmed such top films as “Crash” and “A History of Violence.” He’s joined by composer Howard Shore and cinematographer Peter Suschitzky.

The “Cosmopolis” Web site carried the announcement that “principal photography” would start today, May 23rd, in Toronto.

The picture is about banker Eric Packer (Pattinson) who starts out his day in his stretch limo in New York City, on his way simply to get a haircut.

But he’s confronted with a series of crises that cost him millions of dollars from a risky currency investment involving his cleints’ money. He must cope as his world unravels.

Filming in Toronto ends on the 21st July.

Check out Rob’s latest photos, outtakes from his 2009 Vanity Fair shoot.

Kristen Stewart Has Arrived In London!

Twilight Saga actress Kristen Stewart has arrived in London on the day that her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson begins filming his new movie in Toronto, Canada.

The On The Road actress looked casual in a navy hoody, black jeans,vintage RayBan sunglasses and wore her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.
We're not quite sure why KStew's flown to London without her beau and it's got us thinking about what she's got planned whilst she's here...

1. Is she here visiting Rob's family? With Rob away filming is KStew putting in some time with his folks, catching them up on all their news?

2. Could Kristen be house hunting? The pair have been rumoured to be moving in together for a while now, renting a house whilst filming for the Twilight Saga last summer. Are they looking to set up house in the UK?
3. Could she be in the city for work meetings? She's been confirmed as Snow White in Snow White and the Huntsman and is also working on K-11 which is being co-directed by her mother.

4. She's picking up some of Rob's clothes/possessions, ready to take back to Toronto for the summer? Surely he could afford to have them couriered though...

We'd like to think that Kristen is going to be spending some quality time with Rob's family, in which case, does that mean a ring is going to get put on it soon?! SQUEAL!

Sushmita Sen's ex, Randeep to marry Neetu?

Sushmita Sen's ex boyfriend Randeep Hooda had been getting close to Garam Masala girl Neetu Chandra since late last year.

They have so far managed to keep their relationship under wraps. However, with recent developments, keeping it away from the public eye, it seems, will no more be possible. Turns out that they have decided to take the relationship to Stage 2: Meeting the parents.

The young couple was spotted at a suburban nightspot with Randeep's mother, who frequents the same gym as Neetu. And that's not all.

On Sunday night, Neetu walked in to watch Randeep's new play Arms And The Man at a Juhu theatre with the actor's parents in tow. Making a picture perfect saas-bahu, they walked in to support Randeep acting in the Naseeruddin Shah directed play.

Our source informed, "Randeep is on a new career high. After his success with Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai and other films lined up for release, the actor is now focussing on his personal life as well. His relationship with Sushmita Sen is now a thing of the past.

Neetu met Randeep on the sets of yet unreleased film Kusar Prasad Ka Bhoot. They got close and have been dating ever since."

However, with both Randeep and Neetu being extremely secretive about their personal lives, neither has ever spoken to the media about their relationship.

Now, it seems they are ready to take things a bit further. "The fact that Randeep introduced Neetu to his parents and she was with them proves that things are now pretty serious," added our source.

When contacted, "No comments," said Neetu. However, Randeep replied, "Many of my friends and family were there. My father was seeing me on stage after many years. And yes, Neetu was also there."

Why date married men: Raima Sen

To get work in Mumbai, one can't go out of circulation, owns up Raima Sen.

With sister Riya becoming the face of Team Kochi, aren't you having loyalty issues?
There's no such issue. I'm only supporting Team Kolkata. When I was recently at the Eden Gardens, the producer of my Malayalam film called up to ask whether I would be cheering for Team Kochi. But I have a clear stand: I'm all for the Knights.

Didn't sister Riya insist on you supporting her team?
That Riya is the face of Team Kochi is her professional commitment. I think she's supporting Team Kolkata from her soul.

Are you open to being the face of any other team?
If it's a team other than the home franchise, it would again be a professional commitment.

Sometime back you made it to Goa on Mamata Banerjee's invite to be part of the then ongoing IFFI. Now that she is the CM of the State, any expectations from the new government?
Mamata Banerjee is known to put her words into action. She had expressed the desire to make a film city like the one in Hyderabad. I've not spoken to her after her win, but I think such a project will happen for real. I'm hopeful of a greener Kolkata.

Greener Kolkata? Literally or figuratively?
Literally (laughs).

How was it seeing Riya play a non-glam role in " Noukadubi"?
I think, my sister has done a brilliant job. And, it's not a difficult thing when you are working with a director like Rituparno Ghosh. The best part is that Riya looks so believable as Kamala. For me, it was like working in the same environment as that of " Chokher Bali", but Riya's case is different. It might have come as a surprise for those who haven't seen Riya from close quarters, but to me, it didn't come as a
surprise at all.

As someone, who is senior to Riya in both age and experience, were you benevolent in giving away acting tips?
Riya went by her instinct. I didn't have to give her any suggestion. But yes, I'm like Rituparno's daughter, who shares a good camaraderie with his unit. Riya, that way, is not familiar with the Tollywood set-up. When on the sets, I would ask Riya if she needed anything and at times, helped her break the ice with unit members.

With the two of you together, it must have been a mad house on the sets...
Riya and I don't share screen space in the film and even our shooting dates were different. So, that way, we were never together on the sets. Rituparno and Riya are friends and I'm sure they must have had a lot of fun shooting. Sadly, I missed out on all of it.

These days, you spend more time in Kolkata, while Riya is away in Mumbai. Are the two of you perfectly clued into each other's lives?
Of course. We have the same set of friends and we are always on the phone. Whenever Riya is in town, she drops in and we catch up during weekends.

You've suddenly been flooded with meaty Tollywood offers...
Yes, suddenly there are a lot of offers. Apart from "Abashesey" and "Baishe Srabon", "Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish", "Hason Raja", there are two more good offers. Actually, there are a lot of offers that way, but I'm keen on these two. But so much of work is scary. Thanks to all these commitments, I had to spend a major part of last year in Kolkata. I've just completed shooting for Tanuja Chandra's "Raakh"
opposite Rajeev Khandelwal. But you need to be in Mumbai to get enough work there. My
manager there had called up to say how there were a lot of enquiries last year as against 2011. 'Do we take a package deal of 10 shows and five appearances?' I was asked. So, you basically need to be there to make your presence felt. You can't go out of circulation. Because, in my case, a lot of people have started wondering if I've shifted base to Kolkata.

So, there's a dilemma?
My parents think I should stay back...

And make it to the top slot...
That's there. But they also genuinely want me to be with them. I would say, it's both. See, my
parents are here, my grandmother is here, so there are reasons why I should stay back. But I can't help miss the fast-paced life in Mumbai. In Kolkata, things move at a snail's pace. Also, I'm thoroughly missing my puppies and my pad there.

Who's taking care of the puppies?
There are a lot of good people in Mumbai. Also, Riya's there.

So, you mean you are here but still not going to be part of the rat race?
I don't want to do all kinds of films. There has to be exclusivity in my work. If I have five offers, I might take up two. But those two will have to bring me creative satisfaction.

Not eyeing the top slot then?
Umm... I want to come down and do good work. I want people to come up to me and say, 'I loved you in the film'. At the same time, I want to make the most of the little work that I get in Mumbai.

Coming to your latest film, how was it getting under the skin of Hemnalini?
Unlike my character in "Chokher Bali", I had to work on the body language here. I kept thinking for two days about the role. I didn't know how to pull it off. Hemnalini is a dignified lady, and I had to walk the part, talk the part. Though I haven't seen the Hindi version of the film, I think, it should have the same impact.

Hemnalini loves Ramesh, waits for him, without knowing he has got married. Do you think love transcends social boundaries?
Love transcends every boundary.

Does that mean you have no qualms about dating a married man?
Why would anybody date a married man? There's no point in doing that. One needs to think about one's own future. Relationship with a married man is not going to lead you anywhere.

Mallika beats Britney, Lindsay!

If there's any shortcut to fame in Hollywood then it's by becoming the paparazzi's darling. And Mallika Sherawat knows that.

The actress' 'close friend' Sheeraz Hasan, is the owner of the largest paparazzi site (Hollywood.TV) in the West. Mallika is heavily promoted in the video section on this site. There are 20 videos of the actress, everything from walking around the street and chatting with the video guy to exchanging messages with Barack Obama at a press event.

A source close to her reveals that she's getting so much coverage due to her proximity with Sheeraz. In fact the website's YouTube channel promotes Mallika above the likes of Britney and Lindsay Lohan. Recently during her Cannes visit, the site featured random videos of the actress deciding what to wear for the red carpet and interacting with foreign filmmakers at dinner parties.

Spilling details about how they met, the source says, "Mallika and Sheeraz hit it off when she moved to LA. He helped her get featured in the local media and also got her tickets to major premiers and media events. Ever since then, they have kept in touch." Mallika doesn't need to hire any professional paparazzi to help her be visible in Hollywood as with Sheeraz's website backing her, she gets ample coverage in the West."
And there will be more Mallika videos coming up in the next few weeks with Hasan instructing his team to feature her more than any other celebs on the site, adds the source.

Martin Freeman bags a BAFTA

Martin Freeman has bagged the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA for playing the role of Dr Watson in the TV series "Sherlock".

The three-part BBC series was also voted as the Best Drama Series in the most coveted award for television industry, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

"I know it's very fashionable to say you don't care about this stuff but I'm very chuffed," ContactMusic quoted the 39-year-old as saying.

The other winners at the award ceremony were actor Steve Coogan who accepted the Best Male Comic Performance for "The Trip", while comedienne Jo Brand won the female equivalent for hospital sitcom "Getting On". The Best Actor award was given away to Daniel Rigby, for playing the lead in "Eric and Ernie".

The prestigious ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House in London Sunday, was hosted by Graham Norton.