B-Town has gala time at Salman's birthday bash

Salman Khan's 46th birthday turned out to be memorable for most celebrity invitees like his "Dabangg" co-star Sonu Sood and anchor Mini Mathur.

Salman celebrated his birthday with family and friends in Mumbai Tuesday night. 

"Had a mad, crazy time at Tiger's birthday yesterday!!" tweeted Mini, while actor Nikhil Dwivedi posted: "Salman Khan's party was one of the warmest and coolest party that I've been to in a long time...and to see Govinda dance on the floor.. Magic!" 

Sonu, who played villain in Salman's blockbuster "Dabangg", especially came here for the party. 

"Came from Hyderabad to Mumbai for Salman bhai's birthday at 1 a.m. and now at 5 a.m. heading back to Hyderabad straight to the location for my shoot," he posted on his Twitter page.

The party was held at his farmhouse, Arpita Farms, named after Salman's sister. The actor has had a successful year with movies like "Ready" and "Bodyguard". 

His success streak is expected to continue with movies like "Dabangg 2" and "Ek Tha Tiger".

This Santa wears high heels and sorts out love discords

Had a fight with your girlfriend? Superstar Santa will save the day. UTV Stars' new holiday special lets you dial a celeb to help sort out discords with your lover or friend

All it takes is a camera crew, a do-gooder celebrity, some obsessive planning and a glitzy television set to get your long-lost buddy back in your life. Just ask Swarna Mudgal and Priyanka Bhatnagari, contestants on the first episode of Superstar Santa, UTV Stars' latest show, that takes off from Live My Life, where fans can live the life of their favourite filmstars for a day. 

Superstar Santa was conceptualised by Shifa Maitra, head of Programming, whose team is also behind the popular Emotional Atyachaar. The show seeks out sparring friends and family members and attempts to patch things up between them with help from celebrities. 

"We realised that for our target viewer who is aged between 18 and 24, relationships are a major concern. They aren't too hassled by materialistic things. We approached some filmstars and they were quite kicked about the idea, " says Maitra. 

The first episode, which was filmed earlier, will have I Hate Luv Storys actor Sonam Kapoor smoothen creases between two duelling roommates, Mudgal and Bhatnagari. In future shows, celebrities like Imran Khan and Chitrangda Singh will play agony aunts.

"We purposely chose young celebrities because they would be able to connect with the audience.We have a thorough screening process for contestants to make sure the cases are genuine and not just people who want to get on TV, " explains Maitra.

Celebrities then choose a case that they would be interested in solving and the channel arranges a face-to-face between the warring friends. 

Twenty one year-old Mudgal was told about the show by a former employer at a production house. An aspiring actor, she was required to fill a form and make a video explaining her tale before she was called for an interview by the channel. 

"They made a video about me and my story, they asked for photographs of my friends and then told me they would help. Many friends tried to patch us up but it didn't work, " narrates Mudgal.

Mudgal believes Kapoor was able to understand their plight because "she's a girl and she understood my problem".

Veena alleges unfair treatment over nude pictures

Veena Malik has said that she is being unfairly targeted over the controversial nude pictures of her that appeared on the cover of the Indian FHM magazine.

The Pakistani actress caused a storm in her home country when photos of her wearing nothing but an ISI tattoo on her arm appeared in the magazine.

However, Malik has been asserting all along that the pictures were morphed and that she has done no wrong. 

"At the end of the day, I have not killed anybody. How can you guys be so unfair with me?" Gulf News quoted her as telling tabloid!. 

"I have not harmed anybody. At least when you make packages in the media to hike up TRPs [TV ratings], have some sympathy for me. I am not a robot or a machine. I have a heart, " she said.

"Rather than accusing me of a seeking publicity, people should reconsider and ask themselves whether they are being fair with me, " she said.      

Hosanna among Top Music video Downloads

Hindi film Ekk Deewana Tha's latest track Hosanna' has made its way to Top Music Downloads on Nokia OVI. 

The track released on the Nokia OVI store has gone up the ranks and is currently at number 4 in the list. 

The Fox Star India film stars Prateik and Amy Jackson. 

"The fans have loved the music of Ekk Deewana Tha, composed by the Oscar winner musical genius A.R Rahman.

The music has done justice to the lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar," said an official spokesperson on Thursday. 

With lyrics “Dil Hote Jo, Mere Seene Me do, Doosra Dil 
Bhi Main Tumhein Deta Todne Ko”, the song has been 
widely accepted and loved by the fan

The Indianisation of Sunny Leone

Porn star Sunny Leone's website 'Indianised' after stint on Bigg Boss 

Currently lodged in Bigg Boss, international porn star Sunny Leone has a new trick up her sleeve for her official website. This week, the site saw a bit of a revamp and a ‘new look’ with a special banner having sentences added in Hindi on the home page. 

Obviously, the porn sensation, who plans to make a big splash in the Indian market, is aiming to spruce up her brand and image and make it slightly India-compatible, while retaining its core porn-USPs, before she makes her Bollywood debut after Bigg Boss. 

“Sunny Leone is in the business of

exposure and awareness. Entertainment and hype are her tools and ammunition,” remarks celebrity publicist Dale; a specialist with Bigg Boss, having handled the media for the maximum number of controversial celebrities on reality shows including Shilpa Shetty (during Big Brother), Rakhi Sawant, Kashmera Shah, Ashmit Patel, Sherlyn Chopra, Pooja Misrra and Amar Upadhyay (Bigg Boss). 

“Make no mistake! India is a huge and lucrative market for Brand Sunny Leone. Though Sunny is based out of Canada, we should not forget that she is born Karen Malhotra and has Indian origins. 

Poonam Pandey sizzles yet again in bikini

Very few can beat bomb shell diva Poonam Pandey, when it comes to taking the Twitter world by storm. 

After wishing her fans Christmas in typical Poonam Pandey style by posting a sizzling hot picture of hers on Twitter, she is not ready to sit down and relax. 

The model has goneone step ahead and posted a hot new picture of hers.

“The correct tempreature at home is maintained by warm hearts & cool heads.. Not by good ventilation, fans & aircoditioners.. & for u guyz my Pix r enough!!! :) (sic), ” wrote the model on the micro-blogging site Twitter. 

Clad in a yellow black bikini, Pandey has definitely raised the temperatures in the new pic.

Pandey is going all out to make her website a hit world wide, by posting either a video or a picture of hers every now and then. No wonder, Why she is the most downloaded model on the internet. 

Why is Katrina Chikni Chameli?

After Sheila, Munni, Shalu and Jalebi Bai, 'Chikni Chameli' is the latest item bomb in Bollywood. Katrina Kaif has outdone her 'Sheila ki jawani' act in the song, and "Agneepath" director Karan Malhotra believes she has done full justice to it. 

"I think the way the song was made, it was so wonderful, that only a topmost actress could have done justice to the song. And as far as Katrina is concerned, her USP is that she has never been seen in any film in that kind of zone that 'Chikni Chameli' is in. 

So which is why she also stands out in that atmosphere and that is why the song is catching a lot of eyeballs," the director said at the music premiere of "Agneepath" at a radio station here.

The men behind the song are composer-brothers Ajay-Atul, primarily known for their work in Marathi films and serials. "Chikni chameli" is a song inspired by their own Marathi song "Kombadi palali". 

No wonder Malhotra denies that the song draws inspiration from any other item number.

"No, no girl inspired us for 'Chikni chameli'," said Malhotra.

Meanwhile, Katrina's fast, rhythmic 'Chikni chameli' act has set many eyeballs popping. "Agneepath", a remake of the 1990 film of the same name, is set for release Jan 26 next year.

It stars Hrithik Roshan in the lead with Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra and Rishi Kapoor in key roles.

Salman: This one's for you ladies!

At Sohail's birthday bash, Genelia, Kangna and Shriya got lucky as Salman danced the night away with them 

Bhai ke liye kuch bhi karega is Salman's mantra.

Putting aside all recent rumours of a professional rift with Sohail (who had stopped looking after Salman's business interests), the star danced the night away at a surprise birthday bash he threw in Hyderabad during the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) after-party.

Director Mani Shankar who was with the star says, "Salman had planned the surprise for Sohail from Mumbai itself.

He had shared his plans with his buddy Sajid Nadiadwala who flew to Hyderabad with him pretending to have come to the city to be with the star for the CCL."

On Monday night, exactly at midnight, a gigantic chocolate cake was wheeled into the party venue at a luxury hotel in Hyderabad. 

Sallu had even brought along his own music system a clear giveaway that he intended to have his own after-party.                                                                                     

Mani who's planning to cast Salman in his next, says, "Salman danced to Shakira and Beyonce. The music was all American." 

He adds, "When Salman started swinging with the babes, crowds tried to bust in and security was constantly weeding out the gatecrashers."

In fact, Salman was in such great spirits that he even refused to steer clear of the cold weather during midnight as advised for his neurological condition.

In fact the director adds that the star spent time shaking hands and hugging guests all night. 

A guest who attended the bash says, "This was a new side to Salman. He was as excited as a schoolboy.

And when he saw Sohail's delight, he was grinning from ear to ear. Salman danced with Genelia, Kangna Ranaut and Shriya Saran." 

Bhajji to take up Wrestling!!!

What on earth is Harbhajan Singh doing in a new wrestling show on television???!!! Incredibly the news is that Bhajji would appear on Ring Ka King, a new wrestling championship show on Colors. 

At first one thought Bhajji had decided to take a break from cricket for, shall we say, a more aggressive sport? Or maybe the show brings professionals from other walks of life to wrestle? 

Like the dance contest where doctors, chefs and actors shake a leg?

But no. Bhajji we are told will appear on Ring Ka King as a “goodwill ambassador”. 

A spokesperson from the channel confirmes, “Yes, Bhajji is on our new wrestling show which starts early next year. On the show 30 international

level wrestlers will fight it out with desi pehelwans. 

It is basically ‘them’ versus ‘us’ in the wrestling ring with Bhajji providing the pep talk and a ringside view for the participants and the audience. ”

Every match will be shot in front of a live audience of 3, 000 people. 

And yes, Bhajji will also enter the wrestling ring for a bout with one of the international wrestlers. 

Now that’s a performance we’re ready to stay up late in the night to watch. 

When asked if Bhajji’s girlfriend Geeta Basra is expected to cheer Bhajji on in the ring our source laughed mysteriously, “You will be surprised at what Bhajji will bring to the ring. ”

Top heroes of Bollywood

Some actors have risen above the scripts to give sterling performances, irrespective of the film's box office fate. Janta votes for the best man

Often in this male dominated industry of Bollywood, box office success is spelt by the star power of the hero, rather than solely depending on his acting skills. However, this seems to be gradually changing. In a year that witnessed a mixed bag of performances, some actors have managed to stand out.

Ranbir Kapoor turned true torchbearer of the Kapoor khandaan with his performance in Rockstar. Though the film failed to impress many, the actor won hearts of the critics and the audience alike with his gutsy performance.

Ajay Devgn with his action-oriented Singham also managed to impress his fans. 

Salman Khan's fans turned out in full force to see him flexing his muscles in Bodyguard, making it the biggest hit of the year. Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol made the awesome threesome in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

The way Emran Hashmi held his own in the female-centric The Dirty Picture was quite a thing. Randeep Hooda earned rave reviews for his performance in Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster. SRK's much-hyped RA.One received lukewarm response and so did Shahid Kapoor's Mausam.      

Rajeev defends sex and extra-marital affairs question

Thespians are usually sceptical about working with fresh directors, but talented actor Rajeev Khandelwal has no such hang-ups. He feels he benefits from the debutants' passion for filmmaking.

For his own big screen debut, "Aamir", Rajeev worked under the direction of first timer Rajkumar Gupta. Even his second film "Shaitan" was directed by newcomer Bejoy Nambiar, while his last release "Soundtrack" was helmed by debutant Neerav Ghosh. 

"As far as newcomers are concerned, I invest in someone who has the knowledge of filmmaking, someone who has a great script and content to offer," Rajeev told. 

"I have worked with people who had been running around with their scripts for four to five years, wanting to make a film. I work with new directors because I know I will benefit from their passion. I am not vary or nervous about it at all," he added. 

Rajeev is a rare example of an actor who took a leap from the small screen to the big screen and tasted success. But he says his career path has always been unplanned. 

"I have never thought about what kind of an image I want to build. I really don't know what kind of films I would do in future; I don't know what I want to do on TV next. My choice of work is never a conscious decision," he said. 

The actor first rose to popularity with Ekta Kapoor's TV show "Kahin Toh Hoga" in 2003. At the peak of his popularity, he chose to quit the show and move ahead. It was a risk, but he emerged back with a bang as Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat in "Left Right Left".

Later, he moved away from TV and went on to try his luck on the 70 mm screen, and his transition proved quite fruitful. 

The 36-year-old now wants to do projects which have a human connect. 

"I want to do films with human connect, but not really issue-based films. I also wish to direct films which have human connect to it. I can't do projects where my role is not humane and I don't even enjoy watching such films," Rajeev said.                        

For now, Rajeev is busy connecting with common people as the host of the second season of controversial reality show "Sach Ka Saamna". Initially, the show was about people opening up their dark secrets on national television; for this season, the central theme has been changed to corruption. 

The first season of the show found itself embroiled in controversy as the content was deemed to be vulgar, indecent and against good taste thanks to questions on sex and extra-marital affairs. However, Rajeev is quick to defend it. 

"When we started the show, we had never thought that it would end up creating controversy. I knew this is a great show and would work well among the audience. I don't know why the controversy happened. 

"It's not that the show worked because of the controversies. It was quite popular even before that. I went into a lot of debates and realised that it was nothing but hypocrisy, and trying to shield their own insecurities," he said. 

As far as the ongoing season, launched on new channel Life OK, is concerned, the actor said: "The intention is not to create a revolution against corruption, or teach or preach. It's just an attempt to make you think about it, and we may start talking about it. After all, change happens when we start to talk about it."

Wrestler Sangram Singh in Veena Malik's reality show?

Veena Malik has yet another controversy up her sleeves.

A source reveals that the reality show she is part of has offered wrestler Sangram Singh a fat fee to appear on the show.

Apparently the starlet was keen to have him on the show but he refused outright. Smart guy he is!      

Shah Rukh skips Farah's house warming party

Farah Khan and Shirish Kunder held a housewarming bash on Tuesday night. 

The couple have shifted to a new place in Lokhandwala. Here's who was there...

While Sallu and Big B were present, Shah Rukh Khan was conspicious by his absence.

Hmmm... Blame it on his upcoming film's promotions?

Youthful songs, fresh compositions ruled the charts

No item numbers, but original peppy compositions - that was the hallmark of Bollywood music in 2011. The first big hit was "Darling", in the powerful resonating voice of Usha Uthup in "7 Khoon Maaf", while the loud and boisterous Bappi Lahiri composition "Oh la la" in "The Dirty Picture" gave partygoers something to gyrate on at New Year parties. 

Some of the chartbusters brought in a whiff of Spanish and Russian flavour to the music. 

Here is a list of 10 most happening songs of 2011:

1. "Darling": In the very beginning, Bollywood was introduced to this addictive number from "7 Khoon Maaf". The stretched usage of word "darling" in the powerful voice of Usha Uthup coupled with Rekha Bharadwaj's mischievous tone did the trick for the Vishal Bharadwaj composition. The Russian flavour infused in the song managed to captivate listeners.

2. "Sadi galli": Lehmber Hussainpuri's original composition was restricted only to the heartlands of Punjab till composer Krsna discovered it and decided to use the folk number in the film "Tanu Weds Manu". The already popular foot-tapping song caught the pulse of the listeners, thanks to its Punjabi lyrics and entertaining beats.

3. "Chaar baj gaye party abhi baaki hai": The movie "F.A.L.T.U" sank without a trace at the box-office, but the only saviour was the energetic party number "Char baj gaye" by singer Hard Kaur. A Sachin-Jigar composition became so popular that it became a must for discotheques and marriages.                                                                      

4. "Dhinka chika": It wasn't the signature dance step picturised on Salman Khan with his hands in his pockets that made the "Ready" song a rage. Full on energy, complimented by Mika Singh and Amrita Kak's voice, the infectious composition by guest composer Devi Shri Prasad, who includded sound of whistles and dhols, forced everyone to shake a leg.

5. "Bhaag dk bose": The double meaning song from "Delhi Belly" had become a national anthem of sorts. Composed and sung by Ram Sampath, the quirky, interesting and upbeat number became an instant hit with listeners. A brave move by the producers and smart execution by Sampath as the lyrics projected the lingo of today's youth.

6. "Sanorita": The idea of using voices of actors Abhay Deol, Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar in the fun-loving song from "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" worked in favour of the film. Composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the number with Spanish flavour brought in the element of happiness with its happy-go-lucky beats.

7. "Teri Meri": A poignant love song, it was definitely not Himesh Reshammiya's best composition, but the number stood out in the average music album of "Bodyguard". High on Sufi touch, backed by the soulful voices of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shreya Ghoshal, it was the only romantic number that made it to the top 10 charts this year.                         

8. "Chammak Challo": If the Shah Rukh Khan starrer mega-budget film "Ra.One" was the most awaited movie of the year, then the song too created a buzz much before its release.

The song, which marks Bollywoood's first musical collaboration with international singer Akon, had Hinglish lyrics and had a repeat value.

9. "Sadda Haq": Music maestro A.R. Rahman might be selective about choosing his projects, but whenever he does, one expects nothing less than a musical treat. 

For "Rockstar", the composer scored soulful numbers but this power-punched number, sung by Mohit Chauhan, was an instant success.

10. "Ooh la la": Sometimes good things are saved for the last. And it happened when the bling king Bappi Lahiri along with Shreya Ghosal went back into the 1970's era and replicated the magic of nonsensical lyrics, loud beats and peppy song. And it all came together with the song "Ooh la la".