Katrina Kaif getting married to Salman Khan is the most recent rumor that has hit the two. But Kat vehemently denied the rumor of her marrying Salman and said that the news was totally baseless and devoid of any truth.

She said that the 365 days of year 2008 are booked and she is doing lots of films and there is no marriage on cards. She even declared her marriage rumors as totally baseless and just a false news spread by the gossipmongers to keep the gossip mills churning. According to the gossipmongers, Sallu and Kat are totally indulged in marriage discussions and they had decided to keep their marriage low profile to be solemnized in the presence of close friends and relatives.

She said that the 365 days of year 2008 are booked and she is doing lots of films and there is no marriage on cards. She even declared her marriage rumors as totally baseless and just a false news spread by the gossipmongers to keep the gossip mills churning. According to the gossipmongers, Sallu and Kat are totally indulged in marriage discussions and they had decided to keep their marriage low profile to be solemnized in the presence of close friends and relatives.

After Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia and India’s first woman IPS Kiran Bedi, Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan has opted out of the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi on Thursday.

Soha Ali Khan announced her decision here on Tuesday saying she was pulling out of the event citing “very strong personal reasons.”

Significantly, Soha’s decision came on a day when the new Sports Minister M S Gill said he was not in favor of stars or politicians to be associated with the relay on Thursday and those only real athletes should carry the torch.

“I fully support the Olympic relay and am saddened at the disruptions in its path in various parts of the world as well as the violence in Tibet. But I can’t run due to very strong personal reasons,” Soha told reporters.

On suggestions from Sports fraternity that only sportspersons should run the Olympic torch relay, Soha said representatives from various fields belonging to the country through which torch relay passes, should be welcomed to run.

When asked about her forthcoming films, Soha said she was excited about Nishikant Kamat’s Mumbai Meri Jaan based on the July 2006 train blasts in Mumbai.

“I play a television journalist and the film takes a hard-hitting look at the media It is a very intense film,” she said. Kamat’s earlier Marathi movie Dombivili Fast was critically acclaimed and is being remade in many languages.

Soha said at present she was shooting for Dhoondte Reh Jaoge in which she plays a wannabe actress. She said she is also working in UTV’s untitled film.

When asked about brother Saif’s career and relationship with Kareena Kapoor, Soha said, “If my brother wants to marry her, I am all for it.”

On the couple’s forthcoming film Tashan, Soha said she liked the promos of the film and was looking forward to see it.

To a question on the ‘Kareena’ tattoo on her brother’s hand, Soha said, “it was a wonderful sign of love and commitment on his behalf.”

Actor Saif Ali Khan has reportedly refused a lucrative Rs 30 crore deal offered to him by a leading corporate house.

Saif, who is presently riding high with the success of Race, feels that it’s important to focus on quality projects rather than sign deals where these is no bound script.

Sources said that Saif is presently focusing on good projects. And he knows that big offers will keep pouring in, but he should concentrate on good quality work.

India’s postal department is showing its softer and romantic side this week, by releasing a postal stamp for the most beautiful face that ever adorned Bollywood’s silver screens. Madhubala, mere mention of whose name can make one skip a few heartbeats, can now be owned by everyone, thanks to a commemorative tribute that was long overdue.

The tribute comes as part of an event organized by the India Post, a philatelic exhibiton cum tribute to the Indian cinema in general. Madhubala, aka Mumtaz Begum Jahan Dehlavi, is the second Bollywood actress to be honored this way, the first being Nargis Dutt. Among some of the other movie celebrities who have had this honor bestowed, are, Satyajit Ray, Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Dutt, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and Madhubala’s husband - singer Kishore Kumar.

Priyadarshan’s forthcoming film ‘Billo Barber’ has been in the news ever since it was announced, as this is the first time that the talented director is working with the ‘Baadshah of Bollywood’, Shah Rukh Khan. The film which stars Irrfan Khan in the lead role is a story of friendship between a poor villager and a big star and is completely different from Priyan’s usual comic fares.

The latest buzz doing the rounds is that the film will have an item number featuring none other than the gorgeous Kareena Kapoor and the super-hot Deepika Padukone along with King Khan. While Kareena has already shot for the number, it is believed that Deepika would be shooting her part later this month.

When Kareena last grooved with Shah Rukh in ‘Don’, the song went on to become a chartbuster. As for Deepika, her pairing with SRK in ‘Om Shanti Om’ also re-wrote the box-office history. So will the same magic be created this time round too? Well….our guess is as good as yours.

Bollywood glamour queen Aishwarya Rai -

celebrating her first wedding anniversary with hubby Abhishek

Bachchan in Miami Sunday - describes her marriage as a “unique and

beautiful experience”.

“When I went back on the sets after marriage, there was no change at

all. There has been a normal flow before and after marriage. Everyone

wants to know how marriage has changed my life. Nothing has

changed at all. Life has been one smooth flow,” Aishwarya told IANS

in a telephone interview from Miami.

“And though I didn’t plan such a marriage, I wouldn’t want it any other

way. It has been wonderful on both the personal and professional

fronts,” she added.

The actress, who starred in epic romance “Jodhaa Akbar” and

completed Hollywood film “Pink Panther” in the past year, says she

did not become choosy after marriage.

“I’ve been working selectively since ‘Devdas’. I’m glad I’ve been

choosing discreetly according to how much time I’ve on hand. That

doesn’t change now.

“I’ve committed myself to a couple of films now. I really don’t know

if I’m going to get more selective, because I never do more than three

films a year. Let’s see

A: (Laughs) Now that you remind me of it, of course. And if you add

“Guru” to it, Abhishek and I came together through these.

Q: Where do you go now? Will you be working selectively?

A: When have I not been working selectively? I’ve been working

selectively since “Devdas”. I’m glad I’ve been choosing discreetly

according to how much time I’ve on hand. That doesn’t change now.

I’ve committed myself to a couple of films now. I really don’t know if

I’m going to get more selective, because I never do more than three

films a year. Let’s see what the future holds. So many films I’ve let go

because of the time factor.

Q: Abhishek told me you were willing to let go of “Pink Panther”

because his grandmother (Teji Bachchan who died in December 2007)

was critically ill.

A: (Falls silent) Firstly, she was not just his grandmother, but mine

too. So I wanted to spend as much time with her as he did. Of course,

actors are greedy people. They like to do all sorts of roles that come

their way. However, I’ve never been one to detach myself from reality.

I’d not want my family life to take a backseat to my work. I genuinely

love my husband, his parents who are now my parents, and my own

parents. I want to be with my new family, get to know them better

because I got to know them so late in life.

However, I also know my professional responsibilities. When I came

from my honeymoon, I went straight to the location for “Jodhaa

Akbar”. I’m lucky to be married into a family, which is the epitome of

professionalism. Of course, we want to spend time together, but we

can’t let work suffer. When “Pink Panther” was offered, grandma

became really unwell. During “Jodhaa Akbar” I’d rush back to hospital

as frequently as I could. I was reluctant. More so because this was an

international project.

Q: What do you mean?

A: Well, in India the entertainment industry doesn’t only go by the

commerce. We do operate from the heart. There’s room for domestic

crisis in our film industry. Overseas, one is under serious contracts.

Even though Abhishek encouraged me to take up “Pink Panther”, I

made sure I left room in my contract for visits back home because I did

want to experience Karwa Chauth and Diwali. Then I checked with my

international manager to make sure that I could come back if, god

forbid, grandma was in an emergency.

Actress Katrina Kaif, who features in the

promotional video of Vijay Mallya’s Indian Premier League (IPL) team

‘Royal Challengers’, surprised everyone when she played a prank while

shooting the song.

She took the mike, changed her voice and announced that Katrina had

fainted due to the non-stop shooting in the sweltering heat.

The shoot had started at 7 a.m. at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai

owned by the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

The whole unit panicked and frantically started searching for her but

couldn’t find her for nearly half an hour. Director Sanjay Gupta and

choreographer Bosco were tense since they had to finish the shoot in

the limited time allotted by the authorities.

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief when they saw Katrina emerge, having

a good laugh.

When contacted, Gupta laughed and said: “Hey who told you that?

Katrina was lovely to work with.”

Last year Katrina gave hits like “Namastey London”, “Apne”,

“Welcome” and “Partner”, and this year her film “Race” has done well

at the box office.

Studies are the first priority for 11-year-old

Darsheel Safary, who endeared himself to audiences in “Taare Zameen

Par”. Having fun is second on the list and movies, surprisingly, come

last.

“My studies are the most important thing for me. I can’t think of

anything which is more important than these,” Darsheel told IANS

here.

His priorities are quite clear.

“For me, studies come first, then I want to do ‘masti’ (have fun) like my

friends and doing movies come last,” quipped the child actor.

Darsheel, a Class 6 student, was in the capital to promote health drink

Horlicks, of which he’s just become the brand ambassador.

His mother Sheetal Safary is also very particular about his studies.

“Darsheel has a weekly test every Thursday in school. We try our best

to make him concentrate on his studies at least on Wednesday.

Otherwise, he mostly works on weekends,” she said.

With his recent tie-up with Horlicks, he has entered the world of

advertising through a TV commercial and is really happy about it.

“This is my first ad and I had a lot of fun shooting it,” he said.

Although Darsheel is a popular face in the media, he doesn’t quite

enjoy all the attention he receives. “The media is after me ever since I

have done ‘Taare Zameen Par’. I don’t like it,” he said.

The little bundle of talent is the youngest person to win and get

nominated at the Filmfare Award ceremony, earning a Critics Award

for best performance. He is also the first child actor to receive a Best

Leading Actor nomination at the prestigious awards.

Though Darsheel kept repeating his advertisement’s tagline - “Drink

Horlicks and be cool”, he said his “idea of being cool is all about

having spiky hair and dance”.

Darsheel is a product of ace choreographer Shiamak Davar’s dance

academy and it was Shiamak who recommended him to Aamir Khan,

who debuted as director with “Taare Zameen Par”.
Mohali (Punjab), (IANS)

Preity Zinta, Bollywood star and now one of the four co-owners of the Mohali team of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was a lonely host at her squad’s first tie Saturday evening with the stadium here virtually without any stars or many spectators.

The over-35,000-capacity Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium had some stands virtually empty, particularly those with expensive tickets.

The pavilion terrace block, which is overcrowded during any international match, was almost empty. Only a few people sat in the Rs.3,000 per ticket block.

Out of the few thousand spectators, most were in the students’ block, where each ticket cost Rs.50, the general block (Rs.250) and another block with tickets costing Rs.750.

“The empty stands have more to do with the free pass culture in Chandigarh and Punjab, particularly among VIPs and their families. With not many free passes being given by the IPL, people did not turn up,” a member of the PCA organising committee told IANS.

Zinta herself could be seen cheering her Mohali team led by Yuvraj Singh as they took on the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings.

She did not have any stars to back her - unlike Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who had lined up several friends from filmdom at Bangalore to support his Kolkata team that trounced the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the tournament opener Friday.

PCA sources said Zinta had sent invites to several co-stars and VIPs but not many turned up.

Kareena to work with Aamir in Idiots, confirmed,The two will be seen sharing on-screen chemistry for Raj Kumar Hirani’s Idiots. When asked about this hot news, Bebo said, “It’s a dream, we recently came close to working on two films together, Vishal Bhardwaj’s Mr Mehta And Mrs Singh and Mani Ratnam’s Lajjo, but it’s finally happening now.”

Apart from this film, Kareena will be starring with real-life lover Saif Ali Khan. “Renzil’s film has a stunning script. And I’m doing something in it I’ve never done before,” she said, declining to say anything more. But she added, “It’s important to keep our personal and professional lives apart. Saif and I need to concentrate on our individual careers. There’s no marriage for me for the next five years.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Vadra cheered for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders that took on Deccan Chargers in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Eden Gardens here Sunday evening.

After defeating Bangalore Royal Challengers, this was the Knight Riders’ first tie at home. And Shah Rukh had a galaxy of film stars and celebrities on hand to cheer for his team.

Also present at the stadium were team co-owner Juhi Chawla, buddy and film director Karan Johar, actors Rani Mukerji, Viveik Oberoi, Mallaika Arora Khan, Arjun Rampal and music composers Bappi Lahiri and Vishal-Shekhar.

Shah Rukh also had a full entertainment package for the spectators.

It was a euphoric atmosphere at the sell-out Eden Gardens, which also looked like a fortress as some 10,000 policemen were deployed to provide security to the stadium.

The evening started with a laser show and Cyrus Broacha jazzing up the atmosphere with his humour with Knight Riders’ mascot Hoog Lee.

A 200 square feet stage was put up at the high end of “J” block in the gallery against a backdrop of a huge LED screen. Three thousand-watt multi-beam lasers and 16 moving heads (wash and spot lights) were bought from the world’s largest laser light manufacturers Clay-Packy for the show, Mohammad Morani, event manager with Shah Rukh’s firm Red Chillies, told IANS.

SRK is also planning to gift Knight helmets and jerseys randomly to audiences during the seven matches here.

After a fairy tale wedding and a busy and eventful year, Bollywood’s most talked about couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai took a break to celebrate their first wedding anniversary Sunday - away from the prying eyes of the media - in Miami.

“Not that they planned so. It just happened,” said Amitabh Bachchan of the location.

“Abhishek is shooting in Miami for ‘Dostana’. And Aishwarya is with him on their marriage anniversary,” he added.

While the two are enjoying their anniversary in Miami, Amitabh has chosen the day to unveil the first look of “Sarkar Raj”, which stars three Bachchans - Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya.

Ram Gopal Varma’s long-awaited “Sarkar Raj” will be released June 6.

A few days before its commercial release, the film, which is a sequel to Varma’s “Sarkar”, will be premiered at International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) to be held in Bangkok.

The couple was seen in Mani Ratnam’s “Guru” just before their wedding. “Sarkar Raj” is the first film where they will share the screen for the first time after tying the knot.

However, director Ram Gopal Varma says that audiences should not expect Abhishek-Aishwarya to play their real-life roles in “Sarkar Raj”. For most of the film, the couple plays adversaries and opponents in business and morality rather than partners.

Post-marriage, Aishwarya’s career has reached dizzying heights.

First, she got an opportunity to play the leading lady in Hollywood flick “Pink Panther”. Then, her “Jodhaa Akbar”, which got one of the biggest worldwide releases, grossed around Rs.750 million globally in 10 days.

She recently said “yes” to Ranjinkanth starrer “Robot” and reportedly will get Rs.40 million for the movie, making her the highest-paid actress in Indian cinema.

When asked why she accepted “Robot”, Aishwarya said: “I want to work with Rajni sir, yaar. He is phenomenal. Everyone speaks of this experience. I’ll actually go through the experience. It’s very important for me to come away with something from my films since I give so much.”

However, Abhishek hasn’t been so lucky post-marriage, though he has had four releases.

In “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom” and “Laaga Chunari Mein Daag”, he played the lead roles and made special appearances in “Shootout at Lokhandwala” and “Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag”.

Except for “Shootout at Lokhandwala”, the other three fell flat at the box office.

Belying the notion that married actresses are not welcomed in Bollywood, Aishwarya received quite a few offers including Karan Johar’s “Dostana”, in which she was to be cast with her real life partner. But she turned it down.

“I opted out of ‘Dostana’ because the inter-personal relationships among the three of us made me uncomfortable. Now that Abhishek and I are married, the kind of quirky situations shown in ‘Dostana’, albeit in a comic vein, wouldn’t have worked,” said Aishwarya.

After “Sarkar Raj”, the three Bachchans will team for The ‘Unforgettable’ concerts in July that will see them perform live across Europe and the US.

Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit (Nene) will join the trio at different venues across Europe and the US, a source close to the family said.

Riteish Deshmukh, Bipasha Basu and Akshay Kumar are also part of the entourage.

Newcomer Sikander Kher’s introductory scene in his debut film “Woodstock Villa” reportedly cost a whopping Rs.15 million to shoot.

Director Hansal Mehta confirmed that the producer spent quite extravagantly for the introductory scene, which is expected to be similar to Tom Cruise’ entry in the 1990 classic film “Days of Thunder”.

In the scene, Sikandar is seen riding an imported Yamaha MT 01 bike with smoke in the background. The scene required three days of shooting.

Mehta feels that Sikandar, son of actors Anupam and Kirron Kher, is a powerhouse of talent and a natural born star. He is however not surprised by Sikandar’s capabilities, as he believes that the actor has a certain pedigree, given the work of his parents.

7.Marriage a unique and beautiful experience: Aishwarya
Apr 21, 2008

Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood glamour queen Aishwarya Rai - celebrating her first wedding anniversary with hubby Abhishek Bachchan in Miami Sunday - describes her marriage as a “unique and beautiful experience”.

“When I went back on the sets after marriage, there was no change at all. There has been a normal flow before and after marriage. Everyone wants to know how marriage has changed my life. Nothing has changed at all. Life has been one smooth flow,” Aishwarya told IANS in a telephone interview from Miami.

“And though I didn’t plan such a marriage, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It has been wonderful on both the personal and professional fronts,” she added.

The actress, who starred in epic romance “Jodhaa Akbar” and completed Hollywood film “Pink Panther” in the past year, says she did not become choosy after marriage.

“I’ve been working selectively since ‘Devdas’. I’m glad I’ve been choosing discreetly according to how much time I’ve on hand. That doesn’t change now.

“I’ve committed myself to a couple of films now. I really don’t know if I’m going to get more selective, because I never do more than three films a year. Let’s see what the future holds. So many films I’ve let go because of the time factor,” she said.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: Tell me, how has marriage changed you?

A: Marriage is such a unique and beautiful experience in my life. I’ve found a wonderful new family. My maiden family and this family together provide me with more than enough happiness and security. What more could I ask for?

When I went back on the sets after marriage, there was no change at all. There has been a normal flow before and after marriage. Everyone wants to know how marriage has changed my life. Nothing has changed at all. Life has been one smooth flow. And though I didn’t plan such a marriage, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It has been wonderful on both the personal and professional front.

I remember when I got engaged and went back on the sets of “Jodhaa Akbar” in Karjat nobody paid any attention. They thought it was just another rumour. When I look back on the hours put in for “Jodhaa Akbar”, I feel it was all worth it.

Q: Your other costume drama “Umrao Jaan” was where love happened between you and Abhishek.

A: (Laughs) Now that you remind me of it, of course. And if you add “Guru” to it, Abhishek and I came together through these.

Q: Where do you go now? Will you be working selectively?

A: When have I not been working selectively? I’ve been working selectively since “Devdas”. I’m glad I’ve been choosing discreetly according to how much time I’ve on hand. That doesn’t change now. I’ve committed myself to a couple of films now. I really don’t know if I’m going to get more selective, because I never do more than three films a year. Let’s see what the future holds. So many films I’ve let go because of the time factor.

Q: Abhishek told me you were willing to let go of “Pink Panther” because his grandmother (Teji Bachchan who died in December 2007) was critically ill.

A: (Falls silent) Firstly, she was not just his grandmother, but mine too. So I wanted to spend as much time with her as he did. Of course, actors are greedy people. They like to do all sorts of roles that come their way. However, I’ve never been one to detach myself from reality. I’d not want my family life to take a backseat to my work. I genuinely love my husband, his parents who are now my parents, and my own parents. I want to be with my new family, get to know them better because I got to know them so late in life.

However, I also know my professional responsibilities. When I came from my honeymoon, I went straight to the location for “Jodhaa Akbar”. I’m lucky to be married into a family, which is the epitome of professionalism. Of course, we want to spend time together, but we can’t let work suffer. When “Pink Panther” was offered, grandma became really unwell. During “Jodhaa Akbar” I’d rush back to hospital as frequently as I could. I was reluctant. More so because this was an international project.

Q: What do you mean?

A: Well, in India the entertainment industry doesn’t only go by the commerce. We do operate from the heart. There’s room for domestic crisis in our film industry. Overseas, one is under serious contracts. Even though Abhishek encouraged me to take up “Pink Panther”, I made sure I left room in my contract for visits back home because I did want to experience Karwa Chauth and Diwali. Then I checked with my international manager to make sure that I could come back if, god forbid, grandma was in an emergency.

India is like a “second home”, say members of the

popular Pakistani rock band Jal who have produced chartbusters like

“Woh Lamhey” and “Aadat”.

“Though we get the same kind of respect wherever we go, there is

something special about being in India,” Goher Mumtaz, rhythm

guitarist, composer, lyricist and the founder of the band, told IANS.

The band members - Farhan Saeed, Shazi and Goher - were in the

capital to promote their new album “Boondh”, which has 12 songs.

“The album includes two unplugged versions of our songs ‘Sajni’ and

‘Humein Itna Pyaar’,” said Goher.

According to him, India offers a major platform for new talent in

Bollywood.

“Bollywood is a good and healthy platform which makes India an

attractive place to exhibit our talent. And our work is so well

appreciated here,” the musician said.

Goher feels that Indians welcome talent from all corners of the world

with open arms and give them immense love.

“I have observed that a lot of Bollywood producers and directors are

appreciating and accepting music generated by indigenous bands, and

so far the concept has been a hit,” he said.

The rocker believes that the Indian music industry has undergone a

welcome change. He said that Pakistani bands were now well received

in the country and, with good publicity, they could do really well for

themselves.

The group has several awards in their kitty, including the Favourite

Artist of India at the MTV Asia Award, which they won in Bangkok in

2006. Goher credits the band’s success entirely to their popularity in

India.

“We had won against Asha Bhonsle, Sonu Nigam and Abhijeet Sawant.

And there were a lot of Indian audiences who voted for us and I give

them 100 percent credit for making us win,” he said.

In their new album “Boondh”, they have experimented by producing a

Sufi number “Main Mast Hoon”. And Goher says that it “is already a

chartbuster in Pakistan”.

He revealed that Bollywood actress Amrita Rao would star in the

music video of their song titled “Chalte Chalte”.

Asked how different the new album was from their first one, Goher

said: “We are competing with our own previous album. We have

matured over time and an improved chemistry between the three of us

can be seen in ‘Boondh’.”

Their last album “Aadat” was released in 2004.

The band is currently involved with composing as well as rendering

vocals for a few Hindi movies.

“The songs can be heard in June or July,” he said, adding that he

couldn’t divulge any details about these projects.

Critically acclaimed actress Nandita Das has just

completed shooting her first directorial venture, “Firaaq… In Such

Times”, about how violence affects people’s lives. The filmmaking

process consumed her so much that she has no plans to direct another

film soon.

“During the shooting I said never again. Now I’m not too sure, ha, ha.

Though no direction again immediately,” Nandita told IANS.

“For the past year I’ve been completely consumed by my film. It’s

become my ‘Arjun ki aankh’. I can’t focus on anything else. I’m

enjoying the whole process of creating a film. We’ve named it ‘Firaaq…

In Such Times’ for now and a hunt is on now for a Hindi title.”

The film is in conversational language.

“Some English, Hindi, Urdu. It features an ensemble cast in five

different stories. I’ve taken some terrific theatre actors like Shahana

Goswami. I’ve also taken seasoned actors like Naseeruddin Shah,

Raghuvir Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval and Tisca Arora. The

cast was so varied and exciting I thoroughly enjoyed directing them.”

Known for her powerful performances in “Fire”, “Bawander”, “1947

Earth” and “Maati Maay”, Nandita desisted from casting herself in her

first directorial venture, which is being produced by Percept Pictures.

“The producers and all my friends suggested I should. Initially, I did

consider casting myself, but I didn’t want to be distracted. To be able to

tell my own stories in my own way, the thrill is unparalleled.”

Ravi Chandran did the cinematography.

“Like a lot of people, who feature in my film, Ravi is an old friend. He

has shot several of the films I’ve starred in and also the short film that I

had directed. At the same time, ‘In Such Times’ has also given me a

chance to work with new talents like my editor Shekhar Prasad and my

music composer Rajat Dholakia.”

Nandita wraps up the editing and background music by the end of

April.

“Being a small non-formula film I want to send it to festivals. It’s the

safest route for a film like mine. The cinematic world is getting

smaller. And my film is about how violence affects our lives, just like

‘No Country For Old Men’ and ‘There Will Be Blood’.”

Nandita wrote her first film in collaboration with Suchi Kothari.

“She lives in Auckland in New Zealand. That made my life a little

harder. I had to go over twice. We tried every means of communication

and finally came up with a script that we both liked.”

She feels the effort has been worth it.

“I didn’t push my other work under the carpet. My work for human

rights continued while the script evolved. In fact, ‘In Such Times’

wouldn’t have been the film it is if it wasn’t for the influences that I’ve

accumulated as an actor and social animal. It took us a month and a

half and it was done.”

Nandita is also writing a book on her experience as a director.

“It was such an enriching experience. This is a project so close to my

heart. The journey was so important.”