Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Soha Ali Khan: Dil Maange More was a terrible choice

February 26, 2014 18:03 IST
Soha Ali Khan

Get your lowdown on what's going on in the world of Bollywood, right here!

This year marks a decade since Soha Ali Khan made her acting debut.

But the actress is yet to figure out why she opted to make her debut with 2004 film Dil Maange More, which had three heroines in the lead.

The 35-year-old actress, who was new to Bollywood at that time, said it was a terrible decision.

"I don't know why I chose to make my debut with Dil Maange More. The film had three leading ladies -- Tulip Joshi, Ayesha Takia and me -- opposite Shahid Kapoor. I was fresh to Bollywood at that time because I had just come back from England and had no clue about hero-heroine dynamics in India," Soha said here while discussing the portrayal of women in cinema and TV at an event.

Soha said she took the film because she found her character progressive because she dumps her boyfriend over her career.

"When I was asked a character out of three, I chose Neha because she is ambitious. At an young age of 21, she chooses her career over boyfriend. It was again a wrong decision taken by me because in Hindi films, actresses keep their partner over any other thing," she said.

But the War Chod Na Yaar actress is happy that cinema has changed over the years and she gets to play strong characters.

Please click NEXT for more.

Moon Moon Sen, Riya Sen play mother-daughter roles on screen

February 26, 2014 18:03 IST
Moonmoon Sen with daughters Raima and Riya Sen

Moon Moon Sen and Riya Sen are playing out their mother-daughter relationship on screen for the first time.

Both are excited to see how the idea shapes up in the film Kolkata Calling, which is a collage of three stories set in the 1970s and 1980s, directed by Mainak Bhowmik.

Moon Moon said that Mainak was persistent that they did the scenes together.

"We two feature in one of the three stories and Raima appears in another story. So you might dub it as a film where all three of us are part of it. She said that she had earlier done ad shoots with Riya and a telefilm with Raima.

"However, this is the first time we have fully fleshed out characters. Maybe I am not exactly happy with my role, but the youth will identify with the subject," Moonmoon said.

She said she would like to do new challenging roles, provided the young group of directors want her.

Riya, who had earned critical acclaim for her role in Rituparno Ghosh's Noukadubi, said, "Maa has three scenes in the film and they are intense ones. Scene-wise the figure may be small but each frame is detailed and embedded with the story."

Riya said the Sen women didn't think about doing a film together, but since it is Mainak's story, they agreed because he treated women's issues and relationships very well.

"As we understand each other, Maa wishes to be around whenever I shoot for a film," she said.
 
Riya's role in the latest film of Srijit Mukherjee Jaatiswar also won praise from critics.

"I enjoy the new innings in Bengali films. Happy to see how different subjects and portrayals of characters are being appreciated and I hope we will also be applauded as mother-daughter."

Riya said that Kolkata Calling was not entirely a retro film. "It is a mixture where there are contemporary references and I play a 22-year old."

Amitabh Bachchan: Ranbir is more popular than me

February 26, 2014 18:03 IST
Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan said Ranbir Kapoor is more popular than him and wishes to work with the actor, even if it is for a brief role.

Ranbir will be seen making a special appearance in Bachchan-starrer Bhootnath Returns.

Ranbir has already shot for his cameo in the supernatural-comedy film. He will be seen playing himself.

"I don't have a scene or a shot with him. I hope we can work together some day in a film. I would be okay doing even a small role in his film. He is very popular ...than me," Bachchan told reporters.

"It is always great to work with younger actors...one learns a lot from them," he said.

Apparently, Ranbir makes his entry at an important point and his character is somewhat crucial to the flow of the film.

Shah Rukh Khan, who played the role of Banku's father in Bhootnath, will be seen reprising his role in the sequel. He too has a cameo in the film and his character will be a continuation to the one that he played in Bhootnath (2008).

Bachchan plays the role of a friendly ghost in the movie.

Bhootnath Returns is being directed by Nitesh Tiwari. It is scheduled to release on April 11 and stars Bachchan, Boman Irani and Marathi actress Usha Jadhav in lead roles.