Katrina on Manoj's wishlist

By Hindustan Times

New Delhi, July 5 -- Katrina Kaif might be away in Spain, bonding with Hrithik Roshan during the shoot of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara..., but Manoj Bajpai continues to be all praise for her after their Raajneeti experience.

Now, Bajpai is hoping that Prakash Jha casts Katrina in his next film, Aarakshan too, says Rajni.

So far, Bajpai has been finalised for the movie on reservation, along with Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.

Read more »

Vidya Balan: Husain's latest pick

By Hindustan Times

New Delhi, July 5 -- After Madhuri Dixit, Tabu and Amrita Rao, painter MF Husain has found a new muse. The 94-year-old has reportedly watched the film Ishqiya 12 times already and is "fida" over Vidya Balan, the film's leading actress. Husain, also a filmmaker, now wants to paint her and also wants her to act in his next directorial venture.

"A painting by Husain saab would immortalise me, though I don't know how to react to him calling me 'gorgeous'," Balan laughs.

She admits that though she has seen his art, she hasn't watched his films - Gaja Gamini and Meenaxi - A Tale of Three Cities. "I will definitely watch both the films before we meet," she says. "I'd love to work with him and I'm hoping we can get started on the movie by next year."

Meanwhile, Balan has almost wrapped up No One Killed Jessica in which she is playing a character reportedly inspired by the late model Jessica Lall's sister Sabrina, who, for 11 years, crusaded for justice for her sister's murder.

Balan says she hasn't met Sabrina yet. "She's never visited the sets, I'd have known if she had, but she's definitely the face of the Jessica Lall case," Balan says. "Her fight has proved that you have to be the change you want to see in the world." Balan points out that she, too, has fought to live and work on her own terms. It wasn't easy to choose non-conventional films such as Paa and Ishqiya

Read more »

Inspired, Sonam

By Hindustan Times

Mumbai, July 6 -- She has been hailed as the most fashionable celebrity in Bollywood by glossies and designers alike. But actress Sonam Kapoor's style sense may be no more than a mere inspiration.

On more occasions than one, the actress has been spotted sporting the exact same look as Hollywood stylistas such as Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker and the Olsen twins. Last month, Kapoor attended a promotional event for I Hate Luv Storys in Dubai, where she wore a black Chloe dress. Her dress, as well as the hairdo, were exactly the same as Diaz's at a dinner in Paris two weeks prior.

Earlier, in March, she repeated Parker's look. While the Sex And The City star wore a Stella McCartney lace dress, teamed with a jacket and necklaces for a red carpet event, Kapoor wore a strikingly similar design by Ayesha Depala and teamed it with necklaces and a Helmut Lang jacket (with sleeves rolled up exactly like Parker's). On another occasion, Kapoor's look, right from the red rimmed shades to the printed stole, was an exact replica of what Mary Kate Olsen wore at an event a few months before.

With these pictures having found their way to fashion blogs, users are pretty amused. "She copies Hollywood celebs' look without putting her own twist to it," says a user on celeb blog Pinkvilla.com. "So much for being a fashionista," wrote Fm, while Fashup said, "She's not as original as she'd like us to believe." However, blogger Prem Rogue says, "Yeah that's some pretty direct inspiration! But, she carries it off splendidly."

"Hollywood is considered ultimate in style, but some actresses ape them blindly," says designer Anjalee Kapoor.

While Sonam refused to comment on the matter, her spokesperson said the actress does not have a stylist and decides her own look.

Read more »