Madhuri wants to invite the three Khans to dinner

New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit has revealed that she would like to invite all the three Khans - Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman - to dinner at her home someday.

'I would love to invite Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman to come and have food over at my place. I know Shah Rukh would always praise my cooking, Aamir would give me advice on how the food could be a little better which would help me improve, and Salman would just say 'where's the food, give it to me quickly',' a jovial Madhuri told reporters here Monday evening. The actress was here to launch celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor's new 24-hour food channel 'Food Food'.

While it is often said that women are better cooks than men, Madhuri has no qualms in admitting that it is her husband Sreeram Nene who takes the cake when it comes to cooking at home.

'He (Sreeram Nene) loves to cook. It's a natural art. Like I have the affinity for dance, he has natural affinity for cooking. He is also a fast learner. He's the one who aroused my interest in cooking and thanks to him I have become a good cook,' she added.

IPL Showtime!

By Hindustan Times

New Delhi, April 16 -- AR Rahman, Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Bipasha Basu, Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif - the who's who of Bollywood are getting ready to shake a leg for the Indian Premier League.

While Hrithik and Bipasha will perform at the IPL Grand Finale on April 25, a bevy of stars will add glamour to the first ever IPL Awards Night, to be held on April 23, in Mumbai. While the organisers tried to keep the line-up a closely guarded secret, HT City learnt that Hrithik will be dancing to songs from his upcoming film Kites, and will also do a choreographed number with Bipasha Basu. "Hrithik's performance will be really special and will include some of his past hits," says a source from Cineyug, one of the event management companies organising the event. Rahman, apart from performing the Oscar-winning hit Jai Ho, will also be seen performing with British pop group Sugababes.

Talking about the international stars, besides Sugababes, that are expected at the Grand Finale, an organiser revealed, "Our first choice was the American rapper PitBull, but he refused. The next choice was Black Eyed Peas, who also said no. We also approached Usher, but he asked for too much money."

The IPL Awards Night will be hosted by SRK and Johar, while Shilpa Shetty, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra will perform. "The IPL Awards is the crowning jewel to recognise the best of this season," said IPL chairman Lalit Modi.

Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol ring NASDAQ opening bell

New York, Feb 2 (IANS) Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have become the first Indian actors to ring the opening bell of the world's biggest stock exchange, NASDAQ, an honour usually reserved for CEOs of major corporations.

The actors who are in the US to promote their upcoming film, "My Name Is Khan" releasing Feb 12, came to NASDAQ and rang in the first trading day of February at 9.30 a.m. Monday at a ceremony broadcast live on many television networks across the globe.

With over 3,700 companies listed, the NASDAQ has more trading volume than any other stock market in the world.

As the star pair made their way to the NASDAQ building in Times square, Shah Rukh said on his twitter account: "Nasdaq will be fun. Have to make sure I reach on time, otherwise will end up being blamed for economic upheaval across the world too... ha ha."

In the film, Khan plays a Muslim Indian with Asperger syndrome (a form of autism) who lives in the US and marries a Hindu single mother, played by Kajol, but their marriage crumbles post-9/11 and he sets out to meet the US president for help in getting her back.

The highly awaited picture reunites Khan and Kajol, who haven't appeared in a film together since "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" in 2001. The film was shot in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Mumbai. Directed by filmmaker Karan Johar, it's produced by his company, Dharma Productions.

"My Name Is Khan" was reportedly sold to Fox Star Studios last July for a record $21 million, the highest price ever paid by a distributor for a Bollywood film.

Under the deal, Fox Star Studios, a joint venture between American film studio 20th Century Fox and India's Star Group, acquired the worldwide marketing and distribution rights to the film. It will be released in North America by Fox Searchlight Pictures, a division of 20th Century Fox.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh told The Wall Street Journal Monday: "I'm hopeful to make one Hindi film that's seen by the whole world."

"Like, 'Life is Beautiful'," he explained. "It was an Italian film but everyone saw it and loved it."

A year after "Slumdog Millionaire" raked in eight Oscars, Shah Rukh admitted he'd love to top its success. "Nobody knows where a film is going to go when you finish it," he was quoted as saying by the Journal.

"I think this will... touch a lot more people in the Eastern and Western world than any film has done before. I would love it to be a bigger hit than 'Slumdog'."

Asked about plans to cross into Hollywood, Shah Rukh Khan said: "I've never been asked."

He jokingly speculated that it was, perhaps, because he doesn't have Brad Pitt's body and doesn't know kung fu.

"I like that I'm the king of Bollywood though," he told the Journal.

No heavy-duty work for King Khan for a few months

Mumbai, Feb 17 (IANS) No heavy-duty action scenes for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for the next six months, say doctors who successfully operated upon him for a nagging pain in the left shoulder.

"Shah Rukh's surgery went off fine and he should be back home in two days. However, he will require some good rest for a long period and he has been advised not to do any strenuous work," said Sanjay Desai, orthopaedic surgeon at Breach Candy Hospital here.

So, in effect Shah Rukh will be on a forced break for six weeks to fully recuperate. However, he will host the Filmfare awards on March 7, which were scheduled for Feb 28 earlier. The organisers postponed the date for Shah Rukh's sake.

He can take up heavy-duty action scenes only after six months.

"It's a normal precaution that one has to take. The surgery was long pending and it is good that he finally took out time for it. Keeping in mind that he would only become busier in months to come, it made sense that he got himself operated before it was too late," Desai said.

King Khan underwent an arthroscopic surgery for a nagging pain in his left shoulder Monday. His family, friends and fans heaved a sigh of relief when it was announced that the surgery, which lasted 45 minutes, had been successful. A team of three doctors performed the surgery.

The last few months have been especially tiring for Shah Rukh as he was working non-stop on the promotion of "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi", shooting for "My Name Is Khan" and then promoting "Billu". In fact, he went on an overdrive for the promotion of "Billu" and was attending as many as eight events a day. He had injured his shoulder a long time ago, but the pain aggravated in December last year.

Farah Khan, who was by his side in the hospital till late Monday evening, told IANS: "He went to sleep after the surgery. He was in too much of pain."

Mushtaq Sheikh, Shah Rukh's close friend and also the writer of just released "Billu", is also relieved.

"The surgery was successful. Allah has been kind. We are now waiting for his complete recovery," he said.

Being the professional that he is, Shah Rukh made sure his producers would not suffer because of his surgery and forced break.

Currently, Shah Rukh has only two films on the floors - Karan Johar's "My Name Is Khan" and Viveck Vaswani's "Dulha Mil Gaya".

While he has already finished shooting for an extensive part of "My Name Is Khan", in "Dulha Mil Gaya" he has an extended guest appearance for which only a qawwali featuring him with Sushmita Sen remains to be shot.

"He will be back in a big way, just wait and watch," said Vishal Dadlani (of Vishal-Shekhar duo). "He has earned the goodwill of people, and one thing which is real in this world is that if people wish you well, you will get up sooner than you could ever imagine."

"Anyone who has ever worked with Shah Rukh will vouch for the fact that he is incomparable," Vishal said in an emotional tone. "He gives every individual respect and a lot of space as well. He is a phenomenal producer and a much-loved star of billions of people across the globe. He has everyone's good wishes." Soruce: http://bollywood.com

Big B felicitated at FICCI-IIFA awards ceremony

Mumbai, Feb 19 (PTI) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was among the top ten bollywood personalities to be felicitated with the first FICCI-IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards for the 'Most Powerful Entertainers of the decade'.

The awards function which was held here last night to commemorate the 10th anniversary of FICCI-FRAMES and IIFA saw Bachchan and actresses - Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty - collecting their trophies while the other winners - Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan - did not make it.

The evening also witnessed the presentation of the FICCI-USIBC (US-India Business Council) Award to hollywood actor and leading social activist Danny Glover and to Congressman John Lewis.

Speaking on the occasion, Bachchan recalled that he had completed 40 years in the showbiz on February 5.

"I am happy at being a part of the film industry which is a symbol of national integration," he said.

When Danny referred to Bachchan as the greatest actor in the world, an apparently embarrassed Big B thanked him for the compliment.

Later in his blog, Bachchan wrote if there was space beneath his chair, he would have disappeared in there. PTI

Shah Rukh Khan recuperating at Breach Candy

Mumbai, Feb 17 (PTI) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who underwent a surgery to repair the tear in the main muscle of his left shoulder, is recovering well, doctors attending on him here said today.
Shoulder specialist Dr Sanjay Desai, who led the team of doctors to operate on the 43-year-old actor-producer, said Khan is recovering well and had a normal diet.

"I will be visiting him later in the day," Dr Desai said, adding that he is discussing with the actor's family whether to discharge him today or tomorrow.

Khan was operated yesterday at south Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital.

"The arthroscopic method of surgery, which was performed on the star does not require opening of the entire joint. The surgery ensures less pain and minimal scar," the doctor said.

Under arthroscopic surgical technique, a tube-like instrument is inserted into a joint to inspect, diagnose and repair tissues.

The actor had injured his shoulder on the sets of 'Dulha Mil Gaya' in November last year.

Shah Rukh was in London to promote his latest film 'Billu' during the weekend and returned to Mumbai yesterday after which he was admitted to the hospital in the afternoon.

His wife Gauri is with him in the hospital. This is the actor's second surgery. He had undergone a surgery in London in 2003 for a back problem. PTI