Noida, July 13 (IANS) For Bollywood’s original ‘dreamgirl’ Hema Malini, beauty queen-turned-actress Aishwarya Rai is the only one who deserves the ‘dreamgirl’ tag among all the new age actresses.
“Whoever is on top is the dreamgirl. I feel it is Aishwarya Rai,” Hema told reporters on being asked who, according to her, deserves to be called the ‘dreamgirl’ nowadays.

Taking about the hardships an actress has to face, she said: “An actress’ life is the same – nothing has changed. It is what it was even 20 years back. They have to work very hard, make themselves look beautiful and need a lot of dedication to remain at the top,” said Hema, who was in this suburb of the national capital Monday to felicitate winners of supermarket Big Bazaar’s ‘Meet The Dreamgirl’ contest.

Snubbing the whole idea of having a size zero figure, Hema said: “There’s no need (for a size zero figure). I was not a size zero. You must have a flat stomach – not a pot belly – and a nice and beautiful face – at least a tolerable face – and you can be an actress.”

Dressed in a pale yellow, elegant sari, the 60-year-old actress was at her forthright best when asked about her future projects.

“I’ve signed one or two (films) which are held up because of the financial problems in the whole world. Otherwise I would have finished those two and they would have released by now.”

“One is with Nana Patekar which Deepa Sahi is directing, and the other is with another producer. It is not right to expose everything about a film,” she said.

Another film that Hema is working on is “Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi” – in which she will play a role based on the life of prominent political figure Vijayaraje Scindia.

Hema, who has delivered hits like “Seeta Aur Geeta”, “Satte Pe Satta”, and “Sholay” in the past, is also toying with the idea of getting into production and returning to direction after almost 17 years.

“I’m planning to start production. I don’t want to say much about it because every time I talk about these things, they never happen. It’s my desire to make lovely films because I am an artist and a very creative person,” she said.

“But filmmaking is not a joke…so many things are involved,” she added.

The actress, who had her first stint with direction in 1992 with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Dil Aashna Hai”, says she would want to be a liberal producer and not want to impose her ideas on the youth.

Mumbai, July 12 (ANI): Having already given many hit movies, Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif is ecstatic over the success of her latest movie ‘New York’.

The film is based on the 9/11 Twin Towers attacks and it stars well-known actors like John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, and Irrfan Khan in the lead.
“New York was really one of the most special films for me. It is an amazing story and for me it was such a connected film. I really wanted to do the film to do well. I am so happy that it did. Also for director Mr. Kabir Khan; he is really one of the nicest people I know and I really wanted to work for him and I think we all are really happy that it worked….,” said Kaif on the occasion of launch of a jewellery range on Saturday.

Directed by Kabir Khan, ‘New York’ is made on a budget 4.6 million dollars and it revolves round the saga of three friends who live in the city before, during and after the 9/11 attacks.

“New York” puts the spotlight on that aspect of prejudice through the story of Samir (one of the three friends), an American of Indian origin who turns to terrorism after he is picked up by the FBI and brutally tortured for months only because he took some photographs of the twin towers for a school project.

Khan said that while researching for the film he discovered ‘a huge volume of prejudice’ and how at least 1,200 people of different nationalities were detained on the ‘basis of suspicion alone’ after the attack. (ANI)

London, July 10 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan Friday became Dr. Shah Rukh Khan. He was presented an honorary doctorate in arts and culture by Bedfordshire University at a ceremony here for his contribution to culture.
Les Ebdon, vice chancellor of the university, presented the honorary doctorate to Shah Rukh.

Dressed in the traditional scholar’s robe, the Indian superstar looked slightly bemused as he walked into the hall in a procession of scholars led by Ebdon.

Shah Rukh was nominated by Routes to Roots, an NGO that works across the SAARC region to bring South Asian people together, for the doctorate “in recognition of his exceptional achievement as a film actor and producer”.

Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Mukherjee and Rakesh Gupta of Routes 2 Roots were also present.

Bedfordshire University, whose 29,000 students include 1,300 from India, was ranked second in Britain for dance, sixth for journalism and 11th for marketing accounts in a 2008 national survey.

Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Bollywood’s popular couple – Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai – has been approached by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to create awareness about the plight of lovebirds through a special photo shoot.
“As India’s most famous ‘lovebirds’, we believe that you are uniquely suited to help bring attention to the plight of these smart and sensitive birds. We would like to arrange a photo shoot with you for a ‘Love Birds in Cages’ ad to raise awareness about the issue,” Anuradha Sawhney, PETA India chief functionary, wrote in a letter to Abhishek and Aishwarya .

Lovebirds are small members of the parrot family and the most commonly sold birds for domestic as well as display caging, which is a punishable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species restricts trading in foreign birds.

However, a black market involving 300 of the India’s estimated 1,200 species of birds thrives openly in many places.