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stoppress ASH NAMED THE MOST DESIRABLE WOMAN
All the action from BAFTAs
Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been named as the fourth most beautiful and desirable woman of 2013-14. In a survey conducted by Hollywood Buzz, Aishwarya came fourth, after international stars Monica Bellucci, Kate Upton and Angelina Jolie. Another Bollywood actor, Deepika Padukone, secured the ninth position.
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FARHAN AKHTAR TO HOST KBC SEASON 7?
Actor Farhan Akhtar (R) has been approached to host the quiz show, Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), of which actor Amitabh Bachchan has hosted the past six seasons. A source close to Farhan reveals, “He was contacted to host the show after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. They’re looking at a younger audience.” Farhan’s spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the development. SHALVI MANGAOKAR
NEW D E L H I , S AT U R DAY, FE B RUA RY 0 1, 2 0 14 , 1 8 PAG ES w w w. h i n d u s ta n t i m e s . c o m
INDIA’S RAZZIES
RIGGED?
PHOTO: PTI
PHOTO: PTI
STARRY DAY IN THE CITY D
Clockwise from top: Sonam Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Madhur Bhandarkar and John Abraham came visiting
elhi played host to many visitors from Bollywood on Thursday. Actors Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham and Sonam Kapoor, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and singer Sunidhi Chauhan were among those spotted around town at different events. While John, Bhandarkar and Sunidhi turned up to pay a Martyr’s Day tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at India Gate, Sonam and Hrithik wooed fans at a cellphone launch. Hrithik looked casually dapper in a coat teamed with a pair of jeans, and Sonam rocked the vintage look in an embroidered pink silk dress, retro side-swept hair and dark red lips. To make the most of her Delhi visit, she also visited the ongoing art fair in town. The fashion diva was spotted catching up with artist Sakti Burman and gallerist Sunaina Anand.
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PHOTO: RAAJESSH KASHYAP
PHOTO: WASEEM GASHROO
‘I’ve matured after leaving Kapil’s show’
A
ctor and comedian Sunil Grover says that the whole hype around his exit as Gutthi from Kapil Sharma’s comedy show has taught him a lot in life, and made him wiser. “I grew a lot and matured as a person after leaving Kapil’s show and all the speculations that followed. I understood how, what you say, can be interpreted to give a d ifferent meaning ... aur baat kahan se kahan pohouch sakti hai,” said the 36-year-old during his recent visit to HT City, which was peppered with oneliners that left us in splits. Grover, who has appeared in several Bollywood films apart from his stint as a standup comedian, became a household name with his character Gutthi in a comedy show, and later hit headlines when he quit the show in November last year. Asked if his upcoming show, Mad in India, was the reason of his exit, he said, “Not at all. I was sitting jobless at home for five months, and then this offer came. Ab kuch na kuch kaam toh karna hi tha ... so I accepted it.” Grover also rubished rumours of rivalry with Kapil being the reason of his exit, but agreed that money was one of the factors. “So, when it came to renewing the contract, I didn’t want to.” HTC
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HTC
Men get embarrassed when they find me in the men’s loo in all that girlie appearance and clothes —Sunil Grover,
TV comedian
Exclusion of obvious choices like Katrina and Ranbir raises questions over the credibility of the Kela Awards Chennai Express has many nominations Debasmita Ghosh n
debasmita.ghosh@hindustantimes.com
T
he nominations for the Golden Kela Awards this year have taken everyone by surprise. Reason — it’s the rare, critically acclaimed performances of the year, including Sonam Kapoor’s act in Raanjhnaa, that have beennominated in the ‘worst’ categories. Ditto for Deepika Padukone, who has won the best actor honour at various award functions but is in the running for worst actor. While it’s less surprising that the highest grossers of 2013 — Krrish 3, Aashiqui 2, Chennai Express, Ramleela and Dhoom 3 — feature on
the list of nominees in this desi version of Hollywood’s Razzies, it’s the exclusion of Katrina Kaif (for Dhoom 3) and Ranbir Kapoor (for Besharam) that has put a question mark to Kela’s credibility. “These awards are sponsored by Katrina Kaif !” wrote a user on entertainment portal Pinkvilla, while another user wrote, “Where is Ranbir for Besharam?” The organisers, Jatin Varma and Anant Singh, however, maintain that their choice is unbiased. “We had nominated Kangana Ranaut as worst actor in the same year she won the National Award (for Fashion). The jury of popular award shows are often close to the actors
so their opinion is biased, while we are not related to the industry. As for Katrina, we don’t even consider her an actor, and Besharam may have flopped but Ranbir did a good job,” says Anant. Meanwhile, those nominated aren’t complaining. “We’ll take it with a pinch of salt. In any case, who bothers about these awards!” says director Sudhir Mishra, nominated in the ‘Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke’ category for Inkaar. Director Anand L Rai of Raanjhnaa, who is in the worst directors list, says, “I’d have been worried if my film didn’t go down well with the audience and then I was nominated here, but now I have nothing to lose.”
Anand L Rai is in the running for Worst Director
Aashiqui 2 is also in many ‘worst’ lists
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