A very funny Saif Ali Khan, who was in a very playful mood in London, talks about his latest home production and his roles in Go Goa Gone, Bullett Raja, Hamshakals et al to journalist Ashanti Omkar

This time it’s our most exciting interview since it’s for a zombie film – Go Goa Gone – a genre untouched thus far in Bollywood…

(Laughs) It’s nice to have something not just new to talk about, but because life is short and it’s important to spend your day aptly or interestingly occupied. Some of the films that one does are absorbing as an actor, but others are more satisfying in a way because they’re more fun really. Some films carry responsibility. I’m not saying that they’re crap (laughs), I’m just saying that this was a lot of fun to do.

You’re also co-producer of this film (Illuminati Films) and this is perhaps a rather dangerous topic to take up from a money standpoint…

Well, yes and no – if you get it right, it could be very lucrative and generally a good idea, and if you don’t then you know nobody will listen to you ever again and that’s how it goes (laughs).

Do you like zombie films? What made you pick this?

I don’t like zombie films, actually. I have no idea why I picked this (laughs). But seriously, it’s really funny. It is not necessary to like zombie movies to enjoy this film. It’s the adventures of these two guys played by Vir Das and Kunal Khemu. Vir plays a guy called Luv who is really nice; he lives with Khemu’s character Hardik, who plays a dopehead who doesn’t work hard at all. Luv tries to clean up his life because he wants to propose to his girlfriend, who turns out to be quite unfaithful – sometimes that’s how it is, when you meet these lovely boys. So the girl is the naughty one here. And Hardik, whose name resonates differently internationally (laughs), plays this Casanova type dude. And together their energy is quite phenomenal, when they end up going to a rave party in Goa. When things go horribly wrong and everyone there becomes a zombie, their only hope of escape is Boris, played by me.

So, Boris – you – what’s he all about?

He’s a wannabe Indo-Russian mafia guy, played by me…

And you like killing dead people?

Evidently it is a pastiche or take off on the Manoj Night Shyamalan line from The Sixth Sense: “I see dead people”. I hadn’t actually realised the genius of that till today and it’s quite a brilliant caption. ‘I kill dead people’, not ‘I see dead people’ (he says it in his Russian accent from the film).

And the accent – did you have to work on that?

Yes, a little bit, but I’m quite familiar with the Russian accent, don’t ask me why. Maybe because we filmed Agent Vinod in Russia and we had an amazing experience in Saint Petersburg and they’re really nice people – they really are! They’re amazing.

Did you watch any zombie films in preparation for this?

I’d seen little bits, but traditionally, they’ve been really B-grade and I’ve not seen Sean of the Dead or Warm Bodies or anything. I used to see vampire movies, like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, made by Francis Ford Coppola, which was great. Evil Dead was another; it’s not really about zombies, but rotting flesh, which was really disturbing. My cousin was watching it on VHS when we were kids and she said that I shouldn’t see it as it would give me nightmares and, of course, I insisted on watching it and it did mess me up even further. Then the sequel was really funny though; it was only the first one that was frightening.

And Go Goa Gone, of course, is a comedy…

Yes, it’s a comedy, which kind of saves it a lot. I don’t think a full-on zombie horror movie would work. I think that people in India like a little humour in things. Suddenly if you say I’m making this zombie movie with a lot of humour, people would like that; but if you just make a horror movie or just make a spy thriller or something just concentrated on that genre, I don’t know if it will have takers. And if you make a spy film with comedy, it will work.

The rave party where it all goes down and Boris saves the day is the premise of this film – is there a message?

I think that considering we’re doing so many negative things – like drug abuse and the whole party that Boris organises to get people to take this designer drug – that’s supposed to be really happening. But the fact is that it’s that drug which turns everyone into zombies. So I suppose the message is that drugs make you into a zombie, into something that’s walking dead. There is a point in the film where they decide to kind of give up drugs, while Boris has a solution of them taking more drugs because they seem really depressed, so he says you’ll feel good, they say they want to deal with this on their own. We have put in the ‘smoking is bad for your health’ disclaimers throughout the film, but only for cigarettes, not drugs, ironically.

What’s next for Illuminati Films?

We’re going to work with the same directors, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK (known as Raj and DK). This time it’s a romantic comedy about a writer who hasn’t written a book in a long time, and he gets roped into writing quite a cheesy Bollywood movie with a really filmi hero who has all these security guards. I’m playing the writer, of course, (laughs). We’re trying to cast the role of the Bollywood star – he doesn’t have too long a role, but keeps using expressions like: “Let’s kick ass, yaar!”.

You have Bullett Raja and Hamshakals also…

Oh yes, Hamshakals is a comedy by Sajid Khan, which we’re going to shoot here in London in September. That should be nice. And then there’s Sajid Nadiadwala, the producer, with director Kabir Khan, and I’ll be working with them later on in a different genre. Lots of work to do. Bullett Raja I think is a really cool movie that Tigmanshu’s (Dhulia) made, and I enjoyed acting in it a lot. It was a complete kind of performance in terms of clothes, the accent of the character and the body language – it was all new for me, so really exciting. I look forward to that.

By Ashanti Omkar

Happily married to Saif Ali Khan, the Bollywood diva says that just like any other regular couple they try to enjoy the small pleasures of life by doing things together

“Saif and I are just a regular couple and it’s nice to be able to enjoy dinner at our favourite restaurant without light bulbs flashing in our faces constantly,” said Kareena Kapoor.

She is appreciative of media for giving them their privacy. “As a celebrity, being under constant media glare is a job hazard. But I truly appreciate the privacy the media has given me when it comes to my personal life,” she adds.

Known for her great fashion and style sense, the actor seeks approval from her husband on what looks good on her. “I seek approval from my man on how I look , what I should wear and Saif with his great taste gives some fabulous inputs,” said the Bebo, who married Saif in October last year after dating him for five years.

Being at the top of her career, Kareena, who gave hits like Jab We Met and Golmaal 3 is busy with endorsements, films and other events. But she makes sure to take out time for Saif, with whom she featured in big screen ventures like Tashan, Kurbaan and Agent Vinod. “Being from the same industry, Saif completely understands the pressure that comes with being an actor. While we never sideline our work, we ensure that we sneak in some ‘us time’ in the midst of our hectic schedules – be it catching up a movie together, a quiet dinner or an impromptu vacation,” she said.

Bebo further added, “Saif has always been extremely supportive and encouraging and I’m really grateful to him for the same.” From doing typical potboilers like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 3 Idiots and Bodyguard to offbeat films like Chameli, Dev and Omkara, she has proved her mettle in the last 13 years.

After a long journey in showbiz, the actor, who will turn 33 in September this year, feels success is not far behind if you are committed to your job. “When you enjoy what you do and when you give it all you’ve got, success will never be far behind. Always trust your instincts and have faith in your capabilities!,” said Kareena who will next be seen in Satyagraha.

With Priyanka Chopra all set to give Amitabh Bachchan a run for his money by redoing the superstar’s popular number Saara zamana in her own Babli badmaash style, we take a look at A-list celebs who shook their starry booties in an item song to best effect. You tell us who got the whistles and who simply…err….fizzled in their solo naach-gaana moments?

Gone are the days when item numbers were strictly for those not-so-fortunate few who failed to break into the coveted A-list of B-town.

So you had the ‘Rakhi Sawant‘ club, where naughty girls were promptly employed to shake their booties and heave their bosoms vigorously to get that much needed ‘tadka’ in movies and associated entertainment. As A-list heroes and heroines were busy indulging in ‘clean’ romance, running around a tree or two and chastely singing and dancing with the hero, the item girls had all the time in the world to display their raunchy side in a song or two in movies. But now the game has changed. Today, even passionately venerated stars – from Aamir Khan to Hrithik Roshan and from Priyanka Chopra to Kareena Kapoor – don’t mind doing that one raunchy dance number in a film that does not star them, that could catapult them instantly into the chartbuster list and, most importantly, into the audiences’ ever-shrinking attention span. Let’s take a look at those top-notch Bollywood celebs who did the once-odd now-mod job to best effect.

Cineswami tells us more about the maverick filmmaker’s new project, a Partition saga

The once revered Mani Ratnam, formerly considered the Guru of all Indian filmmakers has now fallen on bad times with the diminishing quality of his films leading to them being box office debacles. His coastal tale Kadal, or Ka-dull, was mauled by critics (except some known sycophants) and shunned by audiences who preferred to ride the Vishwaroopam wave instead. To add injury to insult, a few miscreants claiming to be loss-making distributors of Kadal barged into Ratnam’s plush office and threatened his staff with grievous bodily harm. This led Ratnam to appeal for police protection and the Madras High Court duly complied. The director now has cops posted at his office and his residence. The Court’s caveat was that Ratnam would have to pay for the protection from his own pocket and the filmmaker had no choice but to comply.

Meanwhile, the fallen Nayakan, just like how after the poor reception accorded to Raavan/Raavanan picked up the pieces and went on to make Kadal, is apparently following the same process now. This time, rather than looking at something new, he is dusting off an old script. Lajjo, a period piece set during the Partition, was announced a few years ago. It was due to star Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor with music by AR Rahman and lyrics by Gulzar. The project was shelved because the budget went skyrocketing. Now, Ratnam is looking at reviving the project and getting Rang De Basanti writer Rensil D’Silva to take a fresh look at the script.

Interestingly, when Kareena was still on board Lajjo, she had this to say at the time: “I will be too happy. Giggly, girlie, Barbie doll roles don’t bring out the actor in me. I want to be challenged. I can’t play the singing, dancing mannequin any more. I’ve realised that as an actor, playing varied roles is what I enjoy the most. I’m starving for good roles. My characters in RA.One and Saif Ali Khan’s home production Agent Vinod are powerful roles.” Well, we all now know how those films turned out….

Ultimately, only Mani Ratnam knows what the next Mani Ratnam film will be. He is highly secretive about his projects. Some recent reports have also suggested that is making an urban drama with newcomers and others have conjectured a revival of his dream project, an ambitious film adaptation of Kalki’s epic multi-part historical novel Ponniyin Selvan. Whatever he decides, surely the man who gave us Mouna Raagam, Nayakan, Thalapathy and Iruvar deserves another chance.

Just like Sachin Tendulkar soldiers on looking for that last century before he calls time on a glittering career, Ratnam too is due another hurrah. Sadly, we live in a world of instant consumption and criticism fuelled by social media where opinions are self-important. That is why there have been many calls by people wet behind the ears who are not competent enough to shine Mani’s shoes, asking him to quit. One particularly nasty comment even compared Ratnam’s decline to that of Subhash Ghai’s. Stuff and nonsense – the Midas of Madras will come roaring back. Watch this space.

If you walked out of the theatre not knowing what to make of this movie, here’s dope…

A certain Viren Swami has tried to explain the REAL idea behind Race 2 through this solemn (we’re kidding!) video. So, in here lies the key to all those mindless glass-breaking sessions, the answer to what made Race 2 such a dud…oops…different movie and why the actors – Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Ameesha Patel and Jaqueline Fernandez – found their way into this script that contained precious little, other than the item songs.

But enough said, folks! This video threw some desperately desired light on the ‘whys’ surrounding this Abbas-Mustan flick. And the introduction of the actors – Anil Kapoor: Tom Cruise’s best friend, Ameesha Patel: Gadar girl, Jaqueline Fernandez: poor man’s Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone: party girl, John Abraham: bag of steroids, Saif Ali Khan: Travel Agent Vinod – was cherry on top.

Wonder how the makers and actors of the sequel will react to this one? But don’t wait for that, peeps, send in your reactions to this spoof on Race 2, quick!

Video by: Viren Swami

After tying the knot amidst much fanfare, the newly-wed couple is not keen to work with each other anymore

Whenever Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor have come together on the big screen, they have delivered duds like Tashan, Kurbaan and Agent Vinod. The star couple has been in the news more for their off-screen romance rather than their not-so-explosive onscreen chemistry. Perhaps that’s why the two have decided to stay away from each other’s films. “I don’t need to work with Kareena in order to feel fulfilled. I feel it burdens the script when you put the two of us together. The fun of the scene becomes dull and that’s a danger,” said Saifu in a recent television interview.

There were rumours that Kareena Kapoor had requested to be on board for Race 2, but hubby Saifu refuted these baseless chitchat. “I don’t think she was offered Race 2 and if she was, we both probably would have said no,” he clarified.

Now this comment has really saddened us, for we would have liked Saifu and Kareena in more films together. And who knows, after their marriage, the two might have seen the much needed lady luck smiling upon them and made their jodi hit even on the silver screen. Tell us BollywoodLife fans, what do you think? Should Saifu and Kareena take more chances?

Telly actors taking a sabbatical from the small screen and trying to find a foothold in B-town is common nowadays. But is there any Shahrukh Khan in the making?

Yes, Bollywood does have its lures. And that’s precisely why small screen actors begin to look longingly at the bada parda. Why, some have even found a perfect way to balance their television and movie careers flawlessly. But in the mega-shift, where every other character which has entertained us on the idiot box pops up on the big screen every now and then, we wonder if hidden amongst these is the next big superstar of Bollywood.

After all, who doesn’t know the story of Shahrukh Khan’s humble beginnings with television shows like Fauji and Circus?

So take a peek at this gallery that includes Sushant Singh Rajput, Ram Kapoor, Rajeev Kahndelwal, Manish Paul, Prachi Desai, Rohit Khurrana and Amit Sadh, and tell us, readers: Who amongst these could be the next superstar of Bollywood?

Cineswami takes a look at the Indian commercial as well as indie films of 2012 that did well abroad

As 2012 draws to a close, it is inevitable that top 10 lists will abound and Cineswami is no exception to list-mania. However, rather than the usual top 10 Bollywood films, here’s a list of movies that made a mark amongst discerning audiences across the globe.

10. Aaranya Kaandam

Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s stunning Tamil noir Aaranya Kaandam wowed London audiences and showed them that India has her own answer to Quentin Tarantino. The dense, layered gangster epic featured Jackie Shroff in his first ever Tamil film role as a mafia don with a failing libido. Even the organisers of the London Indian Film Festival were surprised when the movie scooped the audience award, beating Gangs of Wasseypur.

9. Dekh Indian Circus

Mangesh Hadawale’s delightful little film about the travails of an indigent family wanting to visit the circus is also a parable for larger socio-economic events in India. It features a winning performance from the immensely talented Tannishtha Chatterjee and the now ubiquitous Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the breakthrough arthouse performer who also featured in Talaash in a pivotal role alongside Aamir Khan. It won the audience award at Pusan and the Golden Reel at Tiburon.

8. Ek Tha Tiger

Kabir Khan’s answer to romancing RAW and ISI agents effortlessly thumbed its nose at the dud Agent Vinod. Of course, it had the benefit of Salman Khan starring. It made headlines in Europe as being the first major Bollywood film to shoot in Ireland.

7. Ship Of Theseus

Anand Gandhi’s philosophical treatise on the very nature of life may be heavy going at times for the lay Bollywoodlife reader corn-fed on a diet of Dabanng 2, but the film is definitely rewarding. Clearly audiences abroad thought so and it won a special mention at the London Film Festival and awards at the Tokyo and Dubai fests besides screening at Toronto and being chosen for next year’s Rotterdam fest.

6. Shahid

Hansal Mehta’s comeback film is a masterly testament on human rights and features a standout performance from Rajkumar Yadav who played Aamir Khan’s sidekick in Talaash and will be seen soon in Kai Po Che. Festival play includes Dubai and Toronto and hopes are high for an India release.

5. Peddlers

Anurag Kashyap’s former assistant Vasan Bala’s debut is a look at a Mumbai that couldn’t be more different from the clichéd imagination of Bollywood. Instead of a teeming metropolis, he captures a city of spaces and distances, both emotional and physical. Played and wowed Cannes, London and Toronto.

4. Thuppakki

AR Murugadoss’ welcome return to form after the disappointing 7 Aum Arivu proved a lion at the overseas box office, especially in the UK where it cracked the top ten in its week of release. Aided by Santosh Sivan’s ace lensing, Vijay proved that he is indeed the Ilaya Thalapathi as the only films that have done better than his in the territory feature a certain Rajinikanth.

3. Gattu

Rajan Khosa’s sophomore feature Gattu has a winning performance by Mohammed Samad as a pint-sized kite flier at its core. Though its India performance could have been better, audiences overseas lapped up the simple and well-told tale. Festivals included London, Berlin, Edinburgh, Zurich and Dubai.

2 and 1. Tie between Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Gangs of Wasseypur

This is a most unusual tie between films that couldn’t be more different from one another. Anurag Kashyap’s sprawling and violent gangland tale Gangs of Wasseypur not only won international plaudits and distribution and considerable festival play, but also a place on the jury of the Sundance Film Festival. The film is tied with Yash Chopra’s swansong Jab Tak Hai Jaan. While Wasseypur has the overseas acclaim, the Shahrukh Khan starrer proves that he is a huge revenue earner abroad, earning millions of dollars across the world in addition to remaining a huge draw in India. Iconoclastic choices? Sure. But that’s Cineswami for you, just to keep you wrong-footed.

Happy New Year.

The Bollywood films that majorly let us down in 2012 gave the term ‘flop film’ a whole new meaning…

While 2012 was a year for fresh talent with some really wacky and out of the world stories hitting the big screen, there were more than a few that let our hopes down so badly that we can only shudder when we think of them!

Case in point: Shahid Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra’s Teri Meri Kahaani, Akshay Kumar’s Joker, Saif Ali Khan’s ambitious spy thriller Agent Vinod, the multi-starrer Players, Madhur Bhandarkar’s Kareena Kapoor starrer Heroine, Rani Mukerji‘s Aiyyaa and Karisma Kapoor‘s comeback vehicle Dangerous Ishhq. These were big films with superstars in the lead and experienced directors with great track records heading the projects. And when they turned out to be humongous duds, we couldn’t help but be baffled and wonder, ‘What were they thinking!’ And so with a heavy heart we look back at the many hours we wasted, ticket money we poured down the drain and the mental torture we endured only to live through some of the biggest disappointments of 2012!

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The Pakistani censor board has asked theatres to remove posters and not air promos of Khiladi Kumar’s soon to release movie

Akshay Kumar’s fans in Pakistan would be disappointed as the action star’s latest flick Khiladi 786 has been denied permission to air its promos and trailers on television. The Pak censor board ordered all the theatres in the country not to air the promos as the film might offend the Muslim community. The censors announced that although they have banned the trailers, they might allow the film to be released after they remove the number 786 from the title, which is a holy number, and auspicious to Muslims.

Earlier too, Pakistan had banned Bollywood films that showed the country in poor light. Salman Khan’s spy flick Ek Tha Tiger and Saif Ali Khan’s Agent Vinod were barred in the country as they featured rogue Pakistani agents.

Well, too bad for Akki’s fans since the Khiladi is no rogue agent in the film. He is in fact, a bumbling, angry cop called Bahattar Singh who is about to wed a local goon’s sister. Anyway, we hope the movie soon finds a release in the country that shares the same passion as India, despite all the tensions between the two.

Though 2012 has been a good year for Hindi cinema, there have been some colossal disasters that embarrassed the makers and the actors involved

There is a lot of money riding on Bollywood films, and many households dependent on box office collections. Making a film is one of the biggest gambles ever, and crores of rupees and humongous egos are at stake. The year is yet to end, but there have already been more films than we can count that were rejected outright by audiences. Here are some such projects that were damp squibs….

ALSO READ:

Unlike some recent movies that were banned, King Khan’s latest romantic film will be screened in the neighbouring country

Many Bollywood movies end up not being shown in Pakistan due to the sensitive subjects they deal with. Recently, Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger and Saif Ali Khan’s Agent Vinod were barred from screening, as they portrayed Indian intelligence agencies taking on Pakistani spies. So when the theatrical trailer of Shahrukh Khan-Anushka Sharma-Katrina Kaif starrer Jab Tak Hai Jaan (JTHJ) was out, speculations were rife that this film too would not see the light of the day there.

What fueled these talks was that in late Yash Chopra’s last directorial venture, Shahrukh is seen playing an Indian soldier briefly posted in Kashmir. But thankfully, JTHJ seems to be taking a different course. Confirming its release, Amjad Rasheed, Chairman of IMGC Global Entertainment, the local distributor, said, “There were fears that the movie might again portray Pakistan in a negative manner like in Agent Vinod and Ek Tha Tiger but things are looking bright now regarding the release of JTHJ.”

We are glad this film will be watched by SRK fans all over the world, and will spread the message of eternal love; one that Yashji propagated through his work.

ALSO READ: Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif & Anushka Sharma promote Jab Tak Hai Jaan in Jalandhar

Inspired by films like Ra.One, Shanghai and Agent Vinod, Ghanchakkar director Rajkumar Gupta intends to turn his film into a book

Rajkumar Gupta, who has co-written the screenplay of his latest film feels that his comic thriller starring Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmi has a lot of fun elements that would make for a fun read. So he and his producers UTV Motion Pictures decided to start work on making the movie into a novel.

Our buddy the birdie, who was flying around the filmmaker recently says, “Gupta has already planned a few things he wants to incorporate in the book. He now plans to modify the screenplay of the film to make it into a novel by adding more fun elements to it.” And our loyal friend revealed some good news about Vidya Balan’s association with the novel. “The makers are contemplating arranging a special cover shoot with Vidya and Emraan for the book.”

If you consider the fact that The Dirty Picture actor plays a sexy Punjabi housewife in the film, you should be wondering how revealing the cover could be. What a novel idea, we must say!

The Nawab is back, and in what style! But wait, we’ve seen Saifu in this avatar before – in Agent Vinod. Is anything different here? BollywoodLife takes a closer look…

It’s Saif Ali Khan who digitally fades in first on the poster that’s set in some Arabic town. That pose, that suit and that look…awesome, we say. And we instantly realise that we’ve seen Saif look almost the same fairly recently – in Agent Vinod, no? But that’s expected, right? ‘Coz his character in Race 2 is also secret agent-ish, just like it was in his movie with now-biwi Kareena Kapoor.

So we stared on, only to see the message ‘BETRAYAL IS SURVIVAL’ fade in next. Oooh! Now what does that tell us? Simply that our silver screens will witness another revenge-saga soon. Okay, cool. But what’s new?

Yet, we kept staring, and that’s when we spotted that gold cornered black trunk that Saif was carrying. Ah! What’s that? Is that the luggage around which this movie will revolve? If yes, what does it contain? Gold? Naah, that’s clichéd. A deadly weapon, perhaps? Some confidential papers? Or is does it simply hold the clothes Saif wore in AV (wink, wink!), ‘coz they would fit perfectly in here too, right? Well, we honestly have no clue what’s in there.

And guess we’ll have to wait for the first trailer – one that releases in six days – to reveal the secret behind that stylish black trunk. Till then, we wonder if the other male leads – Anil Kapoor and John Abraham – will also carry their own luggage in the posters that might follow. And what about the female leads – Jacqueline Fernandez, Ameesha Patel, Bipasha Basu and Chitrangda Singh? Will they be seen carrying chic tote bags? Or does Saifu’s trunk hold all the lipstick, hair-stuff and lacy nothings that the ladies could need?

Stay clued in to find out what this Abbas-Mustan movie has in store!

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Nawab of Pataudi Saif Ali Khan, who tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Kareena Kapoor yesterday, is all set to impress his new bride by showcasing his ‘riding’ skills

Brand new bridegroom Saif Ali Khan seems to be in the mood to zip around in the bylanes of Bandra with his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan. The newly married couple grabbed headlines for their much-talked about, much-awaited wedding. But our buddy the little birdie who was keeping a close watch on the proceedings of Saifu’s wedding laid his eyes on something more…err…obvious than the oh-so-carefully hidden shaadi – a brand new sports bike that the Nawab bought just before his nuptials.

The Agent Vinod actor’s spanking new two-wheeler was spotted at the Andheri RTO office for its registration formalities. The number plate read MH-02 CX 1970. Interestingly, Saif wanted the number plate of his swanky machine to read 1970, the same year in which the debonair star was born.

We know that Saif is a superb bike rider. We have seen him zooming around on his bike with Kareena as a pillion rider in Agent Vinod, apart from elsewhere off-screen (no, we will not tell you ALL our secrets!). Will the the just-married couple repeat the daredevil stunt in real life too?We don’t quite think so!

Which female actor will walk away with all the accolades and the moolah this year? Vote and tell us…

While everyone’s been focusing on the Khans and their big box office battle, there’s some super tough competition brewing amidst our heroines this year. 2012 has been a significant year for women in Bollywood, and many films led by the fairer sex are attracting audiences.

While Priyanka has a Rs 100 crore film or two to her name, Kareena has not had a great year so far. Her films Agent Vinod and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu received a lukewarm response from critics and the audience alike. So Kareena has a lot to prove with her forthcoming Madhur Bhandarkar flick.

Just a few weeks after Heroine,  Sachin Kundalkar’s Aiyyaa starring Rani Mukerji’s will hit the big screen. So this year the fight is not limited to the current crop of young leading ladies. Two experienced actors who almost lost their place in the industry are trying to make a comeback in movies that focus on them. Yes, we are talking about Rani Mukerji – who will play the Marathi mulgi in the quirky comedy flick – and Priety Zinta in her home production Ishkq In Paris – a romantic flick. The two films are generating some positive buzz. Aiyyaa will release on October 12 and Ishkq in Paris on November 2.

But all these girls also have big competiton in the form of an star actor who is coming back to films after 20 years – Sridevi, whose English Vinglish revolves around her. This one looks really promising.

Let’s not forget that it all began with this year’s first release – Vidya Balan’s Kahaani. This thriller set this year up as one of the most exciting ever for the mainstream Bollywood “actress”, and we cannot forget the contribution made by a lady who was referred to as the ‘female Khan’ after the stupendous success of The Dirty Picture. Kahaani was followed by a strong performance by the one-film-old Parineeti Chopra, who played the part of fiery small town girl with tons of conviction. She is too new to be put in the same bracket as the real stars, but you cannot forget that she walked away with all the accolades for Ishaqzaade.

Katrina Kaif hasn’t really been in the game this year. But she has a big release opposite Shahrukh Khan in the form of Yash Chopra’s Jab Tak Hain Jaan. It remains to be seen whether she will manage to make a mark in this out-and-out SRK film. Must say that awards show organisers are going to have a tough time giving out the Best Actress Award this year! Whom will they please? And we won’t be surprised if a few actors have to share that trophy!

Vote and tell who you right now is the biggest heroine of Bollywood.

Yes, this time we have the right information on the big fat filmi wedding from highly trusted sources

First, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor were to get hitched in October 2012, then it became December, and then some family folk leaked out that the Agent Vinod couple will marry in 2013. So honestly we had lost all interest in when and how the good-looking couple would culminate their beautiful relationship. But this time we haven’t given into the shenanigans of the infamous wolf which is renowned for giving false alarms. We have confirmed news from our khufiya khabri who is friends with friends of Bollywood’s ‘IT’ couple.

KK says, “Begum of Mansoor Ali Khan of Pataudi aka Sharmila Tagore aka Rinku (her pet name) has sent out invites of her son’s wedding to family and friends and the preps are going on full wing in the Pataudi household.” And like Saif’s mom had kept harping in the past, the new Nawab and his to-be Begum Bebo will say ‘Kabool’ or ‘I do’ or sign the marriage register on October 17!

Yes, that is the final date ‘coz our khabri managed to get a glimpse of Saif-Kareena’s reception invite slated for October 18 at the magnificent Pataudi Palace. So clearly it means the Agent Vinod couple’s reluctance to give the date was a ploy to confuse the media and fans! We don’t like that one bit!

Anyway, we are glad that finally we can put a full stop to this unending mystery surrounding Saif Ali Khan and his real life Heroine’s wedding!

Cineswami wonders why the length of some Bollywood films matters more than the content

As Joker opens across the world amidst reports that Akshay Kumar is unhappy with Shirish Kunder (Mrs Farah Khan) not converting the film to 3D and not listening to his edit suggestions and thereby staying away from the film’s promotions, one fact is emerging. No matter what the film’s merits or demerits, people seem to be happy with the fact that Joker is just under two hours in length. There is also much excited speculation about the length of Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year with the director saying: “This is going to be the shortest film of my career. Though I am yet to arrive at the final cut, it should be around 135-140 minutes at maximum.” This, coming from a person whose earlier films clocked in around the three-hour mark, is quite a revelation.

The real question here is why is a film’s duration being discussed rather than content? Time was when films would routinely have epic running times like Sholay or Mughal-E-Azam but the audience focus was on the enthralling content rather than how long the movies were. Even Aamir Khan got away with a nearly four-hour running time with Lagaan. The film’s storyline and pacing was so exhilarating that nobody complained about the length. Audiences also sat through nearly six hours of back-to-back screenings of Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur parts 1 and 2.

There was a brief period when films began getting shorter that some old-timers complained about them not being long enough, and they not getting their paisa vasool. And therein lies the rub. India today has an overwhelmingly young audience with increasingly short attention spans. Even when inside a cinema that they have paid good money to get into, the punters are easily distracted by that bane to film – mobile phones. People constantly answer calls, text, surf, etc, rather than being consumed by the story unfolding on screen. Perhaps the rapid decline in the quality of mainstream films is the answer to this distraction. There is a modern anthropologist’s cinema wet dream thesis in there somewhere.

Returning to Joker, the big news is that it is releasing in India and Pakistan simultaneously. “We are really happy that Joker is releasing in India and Pakistan simultaneously. Joker is a universal film that we feel will be enjoyed by the entire family. It’s a clean wholesome entertainer that has got U certificates in both countries. We are really excited,” said producer Farah Khan. No reason for Farah’s excitement really because Indian films routinely release simultaneously in Pakistan unless they feature ISI agents like Agent Vinod or Ek Tha Tiger. More newsworthy is that Punjabi film Ajj De Ranjhe is getting a simultaneous release in both countries next week. Apparently it is the first Punjabi film to be accorded this rare honour. But why? Pakistan is just another territory for Indian films to release. Do people wet themselves when films release simultaneously in India and say, Papua New Guinea?

Returning again to Joker, as Akshay Kumar can never be Shahrukh Khan or Aamir Khan, he is paraded in Aamir’s costume from Lagaan and the story is basically a retread of Swades, except with aliens. Somewhere, Ashutosh Gowariker, tongue still smarting after licking his What’s Your Rashee? and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey wounds, must be smiling.

Filmmaker-actor Sohail Khan is happy at the stupendous opening of Ek Tha Tiger and says it’s the best Eidi Salman Khan’s fans could give him

“It’s the happiest feeling anyone can have. I have seen the film, it’s superb. I think it’s the best Eidi that Salman bhai’s fans could give him,” Sohail said during a special screening of the movie.“The film caters to all generations – youngest to the oldest. This is one film the whole family can go and watch together,” he added. According to reports, Ek Tha Tiger did a whopping business of Rs 32.95 crore in India alone on the opening day, breaking the record set by Agneepath that collected Rs 25 crore on the first day.

Sohail said the film’s success is a proof that Salman is a true tiger. “Yes, he has got the heart of a tiger. If you see, he has been working for the past 22 years. Salman bhai has taken his time and the foundation is much stronger today. He is not like the paper tiger actors, who feel if they come in front of media and create some kind of attention, they can achieve stardom. It is the love of the fans you have to gather for years to come to the position that Salman has come to,” Sohail said.

“But you know, he is what his fans have made him. Really happy that he has got such loyal fan following,” Sohail added.

No, we don’t mean size wise, God forbid! The Bade Achhe Lagte Hain actor has signed on to do an international film

As the loving, rotund husband in the popular TV soap Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, Ram Kapoor has touched unprecedented heights in his career. He has not only become one of the most popular small screen celebrities to rule the idiot box, but has managed to make fat heroes a new fad in the entertainment industry. With a little help from a certain Ms Vidya Balan, perhaps?

After the leading TV show, Ram’s career in films too improved to a great degree. Recently he was seen in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu and Agent Vinod. While he had teeny-weeny roles in both films, the small screen star actor managed to make his presence felt in the star-studded projects. Of course, in Udaan, he shone. And seriously, this had nothing to with his more than merely-rounded appearance. And he will be seen in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year.

Now the Bade Achhe Lagte Hain actor is all set to unleash his magic internationally. He did a role in Monsoon Wedding, but was more or less lost among the other performers. Our friendly spy told us that Ram has signed on to do Mira Nair’s next film. The actor confirmed the buzz and added: “I have been a huge admirer of Mira Nair’s work for as long as I can remember, and it truly is a dream come true to be working with her again after Monsoon Wedding.”

So now Ram has to successfully juggle timings between shooting for his daily soap opera and Mira Nair’s film – or will he choose the bada parda over the little one?

From Main Khiladi Tu Anari  to Omkara, it has been an educational ride through the crowded bylanes of Bollywood for the Nawab of Pataudi. And as the Cocktail star celebrates his 42nd birthday we look at defining roles of the versatile actor’s 20-year-long career in Bollywood

The first memories of Saif Ali Khan – born in Bhopal and brought up in the UK – as an actor was that of a long-haired, cherubic-looking, male version of Sharmila Tagore with a goofy smile, a silly sense of humour and an uber cool fashion sense. Remember films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Yeh Dillagi, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Hum Saath Saath Hain, et al?

And the UK-returned son of the 60s A-list leading lady bumbled around in the initial years of his filmi career – his first film was Parampara – doing humdrum stories packed with melodramatic characters. While the disconcerting disconnect between the real Nawab and his reel roles was apparent, Saif always had a project on hand to keep him busy and the home fires burning.

So neither his fans nor the critics expected anything meaty (read: powerful roles) of the dapper dude called Saif. But came the new millennium, and he shocked, stunned and surprised everyone with his striking performance in the cult-film Dil Chahta Hai.

While Farhan Akhtar’s creation called Sameer (name of Saif’s character in DCH) was still as silly and playful as the star’s earlier roles, the part seemed extremely close to the UK-returned actor’s real life persona. The upper middle-class mindset, the wicked sense of humour and the light-hearted attitude of Sameer worked wonders for Saif’s career as an actor.

Slowly everyone’s perception of and expectations from Sharmila Tagore’s son started altering. Fortunately, he followed it up with Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani’s Kal Ho Naa Ho, again a role with foreign roots, close to the real Saif, adding a new feather to his fancy hat. We don’t know if it was the appreciation for the decent performances that awakened Saif’s acting bug, or the scripts targeting the NRI market that finally connected the actor to his audience. Whatever it may have been, it was starting to work imn his favour.

The big real turning point in Saif’s career came with dark unconventional roles in Sriram Raghavan’s Ek Hasina Thi, Homi Adajania’s Being Cyrus and Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara. The killer hidden behind the façade of a suave lover, an eccentric Parsi artist and a treacherous Langda Tyagi proved that the Nawab of Pataudi had the acting chops to match steps with contemporaries like Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, etc.

But just when we had started enjoying watch the real Saif make magic with his zany sense of humour and out-of-the-box approach, the star actor seems to have gone back to doing far-fetched roles (the ludicrous spy in Agent Vinod and a romantic lover in films like Love Aaj Kal and Cocktail) and giving us nightmares very like those he induced in his earlier days in B-town. Turkeys like Tashan and Kurbaan – though his role in that one was dark and committed – have not helped redeem his reputation.

On this birthday (August 16) we’d like to remind the Khan superstar that it’s time to throw caution to the wind and thrust the envelope out of the window. And get back to some real acting!

Click to send to your wishes to Saif Ali Khan

Who knew that one day there would be a Salman Khan film in which he takes his shirt off for a valid reason? Director Kabir Khan makes it happen in his entertaining spy thriller. And we approved! Read Bollywoodlife review

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif’s Ek Tha Tiger has been one of the most awaited films of the year, and we must tell you first off that it was well worth the months that we twiddled our cinematic thumbs for it to reach the theatres. Director Kabir Khan has made a desi spy thriller that lives up to all the expectations that the makers have built up over the last year or so. Reviewing a film like Ek Tha Tiger without giving away too much is a challenge. But right up front you have to know: Sallu’s latest with Katrina is a treat to watch.

The story of ETT is credited to Aditya Chopra; kudos to him for coming up with Bollywood’s answer to James Bond. What Saif Ali Khan failed to pull off as Agent Vinod, Agent Tiger does…and how! We all know that ETT is about a RAW agent on a secret mission to save his country. We also know that he makes the mistake of falling in love while on the mission. All this comes through in the trailer, the promos and whatever we have been telling you on BollywoodLife. What we didn’t know before we watched the film was what his mission was all about and how he pulls it off. You need to go see the film and find out for yourself…no, we will not tell you more! Except that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Ek Tha Tiger is India’s best action flick so far.

The highlight of Ek Tha Tiger – other than Salman, Katrina (as Zoya) and their sizzling chemistry – is the death defying action. The leading pair goes all out, no-holds-barred. They skid cars, jump off buildings, chase and beat up baddies and run through narrow streets like there is no tomorrow. But perhaps the main reason why we liked this Eid release is that it also shows off the human side of the spy business. In one scene Tiger tells his fellow agent Gopi (Ranvir Shorey), “Yaar, Tiger to kutton ka naam hota hai!” (Dogs are usually named Tiger).

Kabir Khan manages to blend the painstakingly researched style of his documentary films with the elements of commercial masala fare and that is perhaps his biggest achievement in Ek Tha Tiger. The song and dance doesn’t look forced and the dialogue written by Neelesh Mishra is witty. One of the initial conversations between Tiger and Zoya in which she tells him that he is old enough to be married, brought the house down. There are many such situations sprinkled through the film.

To those who feel that Ek Tha Tiger could show Pakistan in a bad light, we must tell you that it is a balanced take. The film talks about peace, love and friendship, all without being preachy or sanctimonious. This spy thriller is a treat to watch also because of the cinematography by Aseem Mishra, showing off exotic locales like Istanbul, Dublin and Havana. Editor Rameshwar Bhagat has kept the film as crisp as a thriller should ideally be. A special mention must be made of the foot tapping music by Sohail Sen and Sajid-Wajid.

After Tere Naam, this is probably the closest Salman has got to a ‘realistic’ film. He makes even the most impossible stunts look natural. Wethinks Katrina must have used a body double for many of the stunts, but when we watch her jumping off the roof and leaning out of cars, it made us clap, whistle and cheer with the back-benchers. It was good to see that Kat wasn’t reduced to mere eye candy – kudos to Kabir Khan for that. Ranvir doesn’t have much to do, but being the accomplished actor that he is, he does a lot in those limited scenes.

Watch this film for the mind-blowing action and the sizzling chemistry between the leading pair. They look perfect together and that itself is a big reason to buy a ticket. Who says spies can’t sing and dance without looking silly!

Rating: 4/5

* Poor – Avoid!

** Average – Give it a shot if you are desperate!

*** Good – One time watch!

**** Very good – Must watch!

***** Excellent – Don’t miss!

ALSO READ: Ek Tha Tiger’s four new promos: Salman Khan is thoroughly entertaining!

We mean that Ms Hawa Hawaii’s comeback vehicle titled English Vinglish has been selected for screening at the Toronto International Film Festival

In September 2011, a day before the Mausam premiere, director Pankaj Kapur and his producers cancelled the love saga’s screening for Canadians fans at Toronto International Film Festival. The incident irked officials at the 36-year-old fest, and so they swore not to screen any more Bollywood movies.

But R Balki’s wife, Gauri Shinde’s first feature film English Vinglish starring Sridevi made the TIFF authorities change their collective mind. A section of people at the famous fest saw bits and parts of the film and were pretty pleased with it. Or maybe the change of stance came ‘coz the TIFF guys know mainstream Bollywood flicks are the best bait to attract the Indian-Canadians?

Anyway, EV brings back ’80s reigning queen to the silver screen and will be premiered on September 14 at the fest held in the Canadian capital. Star actor Sridevi, Agent Vinod actor Adil Hussain, French actor Mehdi Nebbou, who plays a pivotal role in the film, and director sahiba Gauri will attend the big event.

We think Sri’s comeback vehicle is already getting a different welcome from her archenemy Madhuri Dixit-Nene’s mundane Aaja Nachle. Does that mean the Hawa hawaii babe has a better chance at getting back to movies than her arch rival? We’ll have to wait to find out!

We say this ‘coz we are tired of watching Bollywood’s 40-plus superstars chase pretty young things in miniskirts, sing ludicrous love songs and sock goofy goons in their faces. When are they gonna stop behaving like callow boys and become grown up men?

We wonder if Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and even perfectionist Aamir Khan are stuck in a time warp. If you look at the superstars’ recent movies, they are still playing roles that are close to the ones they did when they started out 20-something years ago! And it makes us wanna scream out loud: Why can’t Bollywood superstars strike a balancing act between playing 20-year-old loverboy and 40-year-old gentleman, just like George Clooney and Brad Pitt have done? While Hollywood hotties proudly show-off their age lines and graying hair, Bollywood’s biggest names hide time – or try to – by using the wonders of cosmetology and Photoshop!

In an interview to Bollywood Life during the promotions of Agent Vinod, we had a glimmer of hope when Saif Ali Khan said: “I can’t play a regular loverboy at 40. I want to play slightly older, mature characters now. Loverboys are for the younger lot to play. If I try to play a 20-year-old, I will look old. I want to look younger playing the right age.”

Ironically after making such a tall claim, we discovered that the Nawabi actor’s next film happens to be Cocktail - a love square involving two girls (Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty) and two guys (Saif and Randeep Hooda). Since he’s a father of two in real life, shouldn’t Saif be playing a father, or a character closer to that age group, and not a loverboy-playboy type these days?

Various other stars are guilty of such ridiculous acts. After two big disasters – RA.One and Don 2 – SRK has gone back to the genre that made him the superstar he is today. The King of romance’s forthcoming films, Yash Chopra’s untitled film opposite Katrina Kaif and Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express, are full of the emotion called love.

Never mind that Rowdy Rathore set the cash registers ringing at the box office, but it was quite odd to watch the 40-plus, soon-to-be daddy for the second time Akshay Kumar act cheesy, goofy and run after a girl half his age (Sonakshi Sinha). Don’t you think so too?

As for Salman Khan, we thought finally he’d changed his heart and would do some hardcore action in Kabir Khan’s action thriller Ek Tha Tiger. After watching the film’s theatrical we realised the Brat Khan isn’t yet ready to give up those funny gags or perky punch lines or even wooing a beautiful woman onscreen with a little song and dance.

Ajay Devgn and Aamir Khan are less guilty of getting stuck in the rut, but if you think of Singham’s repetitive stunts and Rancho’s act in 3 Idiots, you can’t help but tell all these fast-ageing superstars that it’s time to wake up before the coffee gets overdone and bitter! And let the real 20-plus newbie actors play 20-year-olds onscreen.

The Heroine actor is confident about her relationship with beau Saif Ali Khan

Kareena Kapoor is probably going through the best phase of her life, professionally as well as personally. Most of her recent films – but for Agent Vinod – have been huge blockbusters. Despite the occasional rumours we hear about Kareena breaking up with Saif Ali Khan, it seems there is no trouble in their paradise. We weren’t really surprised when we recently heard about their marriage plans later this year.

In a recent interview Bebo was asked if she felt insecure about her Nawab working with other girls. She said, “Insecurity is an emotion that has no place in my life. I encourage Saif to please work with everybody. He is free to work with whoever he wants to; it is not my concern. Even I am free to work with whoever I want, Saif never interferes.” Wethinks the couple has reached the stage in the relationship where rumours do not bother them at all. And we can’t wait to see what happens next!

ALSO READ: Will Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Halkat jawaani’ steal Chammak challo’s thunder?

Watch Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty getting high in Homi Adajania’s next film

The second song of Saif Ali Khan’s home production Cocktail is released and we must say that it is a very catchy number. Penned by Irshad Kamil, Daaru desi has been composed by Pritam and the duo has impressed us this time. The song talks about being high on friendship, as if the characters are under the influence of country liquor. The highlight of the video is the chemistry between Saif, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty.

It seems they had a blast while making this film and it is visible in the trailer and the songs that we have seen so far. We are a little confused about who the Nawab’s love interest in Cocktail is. He seems to be getting equally close to both Dippy and Diana. Wethinks the makers have been successfull in creating the right buzz around their film and there is a possibility that Cocktail might do better than their previous outing, Agent Vinod at the BO. Do let us know if the Daaru desi song made you smile.

[jwplayer mediaid="110492"]

ALSO READ: What are Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty doing in Homi Adajania’s ‘Cocktail’?

The Rowdy Rathore actor feels the public and critics were harsh on the stars’ recent action films

In an interview, Akshay Kumar said that his heart bleeds when films, where actors have physically toiled very hard, fail at the box office. The Rowdy Rathore action hero was inferring to his latest buddy, Shahrukh Khan (the two superstars shared great camaraderie at a recent Indian Premiere League match in Pune) and co-star of his films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Saif Ali Khan. The Khan actors’ respective action movies – RA.One and Don 2 and Agent Vinod, didn’t bring in the cash returns they had expected.

“I have nothing but great respect for actors like Saif and Shahrukh. Their action scenes (in their movies) have been more than supreme,” said Khiladi Kumar and later added, “I just wish people understood what they would have gone through to make these films, maybe then they would be kind.”

But that wasn’t all, Akshay continued, “I salute every single character in Rowdy Rathore. Right from the action stunts to the songs, none of it has been an easy ride for us. We have had some rough situations, but every drop of sweat has been worth it, and now we just pray it gets the appreciation it deserves.”

We hope so too. But we feel Akshay’s sudden plea to the media and public to be kind to actors and their movies comes from the nervousness he has for his own action film, Rowdy Rathore, that has so far generated mixed reviews. Don’t you agree?

Saif Ali Khan has the edge over Emraan Hashmi, but after the stupendous success of The Dirty Picture and Jannat 2, Emraan may walk away with the meaty role

Kumar Mangat, producer of unusual films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Bittoo Boss is gearing up for his next venture based on alleged serial killer Charles Sobhraj’s life. The film, which will be a mega-budget adventure thriller, has been costed at around Rs 40 crore. This is the same flick that Prawaal Raman was to direct with Sanjay Dutt in the lead a few years back. The project was shelved for some undisclosed reason.

And now Mangat’s son Abhishek Pathak is all set to develop the project his father once planned with Dutt. We hear that Abhishek is trying to rope in Emraan Hashmi or Saif Ali Khan for the lead role. The makers have also found a way out of the legal tangle of making a film on the controversial individual. The makers will not officially declare it to be a Charles Sobhraj biopic, but a film inspired by certain incidents in the criminal’s life. Tentatively titled Jailbreak, the central idea of the film will mainly revolve around how Charles Shobhraj managed to escape from Tihar Jail in 1986.

With films like Ek Haseena Thi, Race and Agent Vinod, Saif has proved time and again that he can portray a dark and adventure-freaky character convincingly. Similarly, Emraan has proved his acting skills with Once Upon a Time In Mumbaai, Murder 2, The Dirty Picture and Jannat 2. Though Saif is senior to Emraan and can do justice to the role loosely based on Sobhraj’s life, it is Emraan who is ruling the roost at the moment. Emraan’s fan base is growing with every passing day and his unconventional looks have helped him bag good roles.

Will the Murder actor give the Agent Vinod star a run for his money? Who do you think could play Charles Sobhraj better? We want to know!

After the debacle of his ambitious project Agent Vinod, the Nawab of Pataudi is gearing up for his next film Race 2. Saif is also spending quality time with his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor in Istanbul

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor‘s off-screen chemistry is well known. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about their on-screen romance. Remember what a fiasco the couple’s 2008 film Tashan was? Kurbaan crashed, while the couple’s unusual pairing in Agent Vinod was not accepted by the audience either. After facing brickbats for his spy thriller, Saif chose to run away from the media glare and focus on his next film, Race 2.

A little birdie who is keeping a close watch on Saifeena’s regular romantic escapades, tells us that Saif is away in Istanbul, Turkey, shooting for Race 2 for the next 45 days. The Nawab of Pataudi has planned to squeeze time out of his choc-a-bloc calendar to meet Kareena. Bebo has decided to fly to the distant land to be with her beau Saifu every fortnight. Apparently, the starry couple wants to spend quality time together before they tie the knot. Now we can’t wait to see Saifeena taking their relationship to a new level and making it all legal soon.

Read more on Saif and Kareena:

When will Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor get married?

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan take a break!

The glam couple of B-town takes time off from its hectic schedules to get away from the heat of aamchi Mumbai

The two actors have been working round the clock for the past few months. But come summer, the actors have decided that they deserve a vacation! After being busy with the filming and promotions of Agent Vinod, Kareena got busy shooting for Aamir Khan’s Talaash and Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine while Saif was found working hard on his home production, Cocktail. But now the couple has taken time off from their commitments for a five-day vacation. And isn’t that simply great!

But guess there’s more to this trip. The sparkling air of B-town has been ripe with the jodi’s marriage for a while now. And that’s why, wethinks, it’s a perfect time to spend some exclusive moments together. Right? But all this talk might make you wonder – where are the lovebirds off to? It’s the couple’s favourite destination – Gstaad in Switzerland!

What’s more, birdies who’ve nudged the couple about their to-dos during this holiday reveal that Saif intends to spend some time reading books and deavouring good food and movies. Bebo, on the other hand, has been more secretive about her plans. But we’re sure spending quality time with each other is what will rule this holiday. Right?

And while you do that, we promise to miss you, dear Saifeena. And hope that you come back refreshed to delight us with your upcoming movies!

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