Dostana makes it to New York Fest

Even months after its release, Dharma Productions’ path-breaking commercial film, Dostana, directed by debutant Tarun Mansukhani continues to make news. It has been selected as the opening film for the iView Film Festival in New York.

 

Dostana will be screened at the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts on the 28th and 29th of this month. It is the first Hindi film to be screened at the iView Film Festival.

Director Tarun Mansukhani, who is currently scripting Dostana 2, is absolutely thrilled. On his Facebook and Twitter pages, he said, '(Tarun) is happy to say that DOSTANA is going to be screened at the Lincoln Center, New York as the opening film for the iView Film Festival on 28th & 29th August.'

When Tarun spoke to StarBoxOffice, he said, "The iView Film Festival is about human rights, relationship and oppression of any kind around the world. It is amazing that a film like Dostana has been chosen to be screened there because for the first time an Indian movie has been chosen to be screened at the fest and at the Lincoln Theatre which is a dream venue for any filmmaker."

"I got the call about the selection a week ago and we were working out the logistics and now everything has been confirmed. They saw the movie a few months ago and talks were going on. At that time, homosexual was illegal and a criminal offense in India. We are happy that a film like Dostana has been chosen because usually they play serious films and documentaries at the festival."

John, Boman and Kirron will attend the fest with Tarun. "We are going to be in New York from the 27th to the 30th. Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra are shooting so they will not be able to come."

Tarun has also asked all his friends and people who liked the movie in New York to join the Dostana cast and crew there.

Dostana has already won the Screen Award for Best Jodi for John and Abhishek, the IIFA award for best performance in a comic role for Abhishek Bachchan and the IIFA for best choreography for Desi Girl for Farah Khan.

New York - Movie Review

By Taran Adarsh Rating: **** Myth: New York is about 9/11. Fact: It's not. But it reflects the mood that's prevalent across the globe, post 9/11. The world is divided today. No two opinions on that! Myth: New York bears a striking similarity to KHUDA KAY LIYE. Fact: Nope. KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York may belong to the same family, of an innocent person being picked up for questioning after the WTC catastrophe, but the similarities end there. In fact, KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York are as diverse as chalk and cheese. New York, helmed by Kabir Khan, attempts to be as real as possible. A tale of friendship, with terrorism as the wallpaper, New York hits you like a ton of bricks at several points in the narrative. In fact, there was a possibility that New York may turn out to be a dry experience, a documentary perhaps, but the drama is so well structured and so gripping that you get sucked into the world of Sam, Omar and Maya from its inception. New York is a triumph for Kabir Khan, who deserves distinction marks for handling the subject with remarkable maturity. Also, this film should be a turning point for John, Katrina and Neil. More on that later... The verdict? New York is, without doubt, one of the finest films produced by this premier production house, Yash Raj. Grab a ticket today! Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) has gone abroad for the first time in his life and soon enough, he begins to see and love America through the eyes of his American friends, Sam (John Abraham) and Maya (Katrina Kaif). But an incident changes the world round them. At this point enters Agent Roshan (Irrfan), an FBI agent, who sets the ball rolling for a series of tumultuous events that turn the lives of these friends upside down. New York affects you like no other Hindi film has done so far (on 9/11). In fact, there are portions that give you goose bumps, especially towards the second half of the film, when John recounts his past. One of the reasons why New York works is because not once does Kabir Khan borrow from the past or tilt towards predictable stuff. You just can't guess what and where the story is headed and what the culmination would be. The director and his team of writers establish the plot and characters beautifully, but the real action is reserved for the second half. The nightmarish experience that John undergoes is disturbing, but lifts the film several notches up. But New York has its share of loose ends. The film dips in the second hour. It tends to gets lengthy before it reaches a powerful, brilliantly executed climax. Also, a few sequences only add to the length of the film, which could've been curtailed in the writing stage itself. Director Kabir Khan picks up a real incident -- innocent civilians being suspected as terrorists, soon after 9/11 -- and weaves a brilliant tale around it. The screenplay is its biggest star, without a doubt. Given the fact that New York isn't one of those routine masala fares, Kabir has injected songs only when required. Cinematography is striking. Now here's another surprise. John, Katrina and Neil, all actors, deliver their career-best performance. If the first half belongs to Neil, John takes over the second hour completely. John is superb when he recalls the past. You can feel his pain, that effective is his performance. Also, note his expressions towards the end. This is a different John, for sure. Just one word for his performance -- fabulous! Neil was remarkable in JOHNNY GADDAAR, but disappointed in AA DEKHEN ZARA. Fortunately, he's in top form this time around. Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time. Irrfan is, as always, first-rate. On the whole, New York is amongst the finest films produced by Yash Raj. At the box office, there's no stopping this one. Go for it now!

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Neil: Katrina, John and I are good friends

New York revolves around three friends living in New York whose lives change completely following 9/11. Neil Nitin Mukesh talks about his character in the film and working with John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Irrfan Khan and Kabir Khan.

On his character in New York
My character is extremely important. Omar is one of the protagonists. He hasn’t really witnessed life and he gets an opportunity to go and witness life. The transformation of a vulnerable boy to a man is shown in the film.

On his rapport with Katrina and John
We had a blast on the sets. We never realized we were making an intense film. We share strong on screen chemistry because off screen, the three of us are very good friends.

I think amongst the three of us, Katrina is the best dancer. She is versatile, flexible and fit.

On Kabir Khan
Kabir is a great director. He is a National award winning director. If it wasn’t for him, the film wouldn’t have been made. It is an intelligent film with strong characters, drama, life, mystery and thrill. New York will even surpass Kabul Express, which I think was brilliant. There is a message that Kabir has left at the end of the film. It will hit people when they see it. Any Indian would be proud watching this film.

On his career so far
I consider myself fortunate to have done such diverse films like Johnny Gaddaar, Aa Dekhen Zara and now New York so early on in my career. These films have given a certain edge to my character and I feel responsible to deliver as an actor. The script is the most important thing for any actor. Characters can only work if the film works on the basis of a strong script.

On working with Irrfan Khan
It was an honour being in the same frame as Mr. Irrfan Khan because he is a legendary actor. He has surpassed all boundaries and reached international fame today. Just watching him act teaches you so much. He is an institution of acting in himself.

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Kat shows John claws

We got to know that John Abraham and Katrina Kaif were involved in some tu-tu-main-main while shooting the climax of their forthcoming film.

A unit member said, “It was a very difficult scene to co-ordinate. What irritated Katrina further were John’s remarks on the set.

They got into a major argument. That put her off! Katrina just stormed off the set.” Thankfully, the shoot had to be called off that day.

Kabir Khan had to cancel the shoot because of bad weather, but that really helped,” said our source. Kat had cooled off the next day and the shoot resumed again.


Katrina’s boyfriend Salman Khan would be more than happy to hear this. Sometime back rumors were rife that Salman keeps a tab on Katrina’s life and phone bills. He was quite upset with the reports about Katrina bonding with her New York co-star John Abraham.

If rumors are to be believed, Salman actually threw Katrina’s stuff out of his home because he didn’t like the idea of Katrina being friendly with his foe, John.

Bipasha though was not surprised with the rumors and termed it as bizarre.

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John-Katrina's sizzling chemistry in New York

A music video shows intimate scenes between John Abraham and Katrina Kaif, who play a married couple in New York.

From the video, one can make out that John’s character Sameer is upset and sad. Katrina’s character Maya is his loving wife, who tries to ease his worries by making love to him.

The duo makes a couple with sizzling chemistry. They look much hotter than Salman and Katrina did in Yuvvraaj.

This is Katrina’s first kissing and intimate scene while John has done kissing and intimate scenes in films like Jism and Paap
These scenes only add fuel to the fire of the rumours surrounding an affair between John and Katrina

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In Pics: John, Katrina and Neil at New York media meet

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John studied The Quran very closely for New York

For Saif Ali Khan getting conversant with the holy Quran to play the jehadi in Rensil D’Silva’s Kurbaan was relatively easier. But John Abraham belonging to an entirely different religion and culture, learning the tenets of the Quran from the scratch to play the NRI Muslim in Kabir Khan’s New York. Not knowing a syllable of the Quran John had to study the holy book in translation. Says a close friend, “John researched rigorously on Islam and its various aspects. His character in New York is detained wrongly for terrorism. John based his character on three such real life Muslims taken into custody in the US for wrongs they hadn’t committed. John and his director Kabir Khan amalgamated the case of three such unfortunate people to create John’s character. He actually lived breathed slept and wept like someone who had been wrongly ostracized.” So traumatized was he by the experience that John went into a complete shell in Philadelphia where New York was shot. Says the friend, “He wouldn’t talk to people. He was completely in his own shell. It was life-changing experience. Today John knows what it feels to be a Muslim and a target of ceaseless suspicion and hostility in the US. He also empathizes closely with the issue of Indian students being racially abused in Australia after playing an Indian abused in New York. He understands the isolation of the minority. To a large extent as a Parsi John has been a part of a minority from his birth. ” John studied the Quran closely. Says John’s friend, “He went very deep in the film’s theme of Islamic isolation. His familiarity with Islamic terrorism started when he shot Kabul Express with Kabir Khan in Afganistan. John spoke to people in Taliban and began to understand the concept of jehad. He understood how dangerous it is to fight for a cause without knowing the history of that cause. He went on the net, found legitimate and proper translations of the Quran. He learnt the proper pronunciations of words in the Quran.” When asked about the process of acclimatizing himself with the Quran John says, “It’s part of my larger determination to prepare myself completely for a part. Whether it was New York or now Abbas Tyrewala’s film, I’m taking time off to prepare for the film and character. The audience today understands an honest film. That’s what I want to give. I only want to do roles that take me out of my comfort zone. Through my characters and performances I want to make people comfortable with what makes me uncomfortable as a human being and an Indian.”

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John finds it hard to play himself

Bollywood hunk John Abraham is playing himself in "Fillum City" and says it is tougher than doing other roles.

"I'm playing John Abraham. And believe you me, it's not easy. I keep looking for myself in the character and find there are so many things that I want to keep for myself. I'm trying to act and dress as I do in real life. It's tough because you're constantly trying to 'act' like yourself," John told IANS.

The film is being made by debutant director Deven Khote.

John is also not happy with reports about him signing an international project. He wishes people wouldn't put out misinformation about him.

"I believe websites have put out stories that I'm doing an international film called 'American Empire'. I haven't even read the script. So where's the question of my doing it? Doing international films isn't a burning ambition for me," he said.

Though an enthusiastic voter, John couldn't be part of Karan Johar's short-film featuring most of Bollywood's youth icons to promote voting awareness. But he is hoping to team up with the Karan and director Tarun Mansukhani in the second instalment of "Dostana".

"Would you believe I was part of that project from the start. I sat with the director Tarun Mansukhani and Karan and we discussed the idea. But on the day we were to shoot, I was down with a viral fever. I'd have loved to work with Tarun. He's a wonderful boy. Hopefully, we'll be doing the 'Dostana' sequel shortly," he said.

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John & Kat? Bizarre, says Bips

On rumour mills buzz with stories of Katrina - John link up

What is it about John Abraham that his co-stars find irresistible?

Is it charm, his deeper than the deep sea dimples, or his knight-in-shining-armour image? Whatever it is, it is proven that women (in most cases his co-stars) find John very attractive.

In the past rumours have linked him to Mallika Sherawat (when the two did a world tour), Lara Dutta (Elaan) and Vidya Balan (Salaam-e-Ishq); and now, according to media reports, John’s the object of affection of Salman Khan’s girlfriend Katrina Kaif — his co-star in New York.

While the rumour mills buzz with stories of Katrina and John being phone buddies, some also suggest that Salman actually threw Katrina’s stuff out of his home because he didn’t like the idea of his girl bonding with his foe, John.

Since these rumours come in the wake of the New York publicity campaign, both John and Katrina have got the benefit of the doubt from another section of the media, which believes that all this Kat-John bonding is nothing but a stroke of publicity genius.

John doesn’t wish to comment on the issue. But he did reveal that the text messages exchanged in New York were only work related. “I’m astounded that I’m being pulled into something so bizarre.” A source close to the actor says, “John is not amused by the rumour. He is in a steady relationship with Bipasha Basu. Obviously vested interests have started this campaign.’’ Apparently, the actor believes that since there is absolutely no truth to the whole issue, it will blow over.

Bipasha, the other aggrieved party (Salman being the first), has complete faith in her man and says, “John and I have gone through enough of such gossip. I don’t want to give any credibility to this by even commenting on it. It is malicious and absolutely the most bizarre story involving us. Just for the knowledge of people who actually love us together, we are very happy being with each other, and we’re responsible and protective about our relationship.’’

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John Abraham sends parents in his place to wish trainer

Bollywood was out in full force for the wedding of celebrity fitness trainer Ziauddin Khatib to Sabah on May 25 at the Bandra Reclamation, Mumbai, with Emraan Hashmi being one of the first guests to wish the newlyweds. However, good friend and client John Abraham couldn’t make it so he sent his parents in his place to extend his good wishes to the couple.

Though John is a huge Bollywood star, not many have seen his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Abraham walked in on time and stayed at the reception till the very end, enjoying themselves with the other guests.

Other famous faces at the reception were actor Bikram Saluja, who walked in with Khalid and Kulraj Randhawa, who was all praise for her kickboxing trainer. Ayesha Takia’s father Nish Takia also attended the ceremony. Muzamil Ibrahim and his brother Mudassir both walked in together, while Javed Ahmed was heard discussing fitness with a police officer present at the occasion. The wedding ceremony took place at the Spastic Society at Reclamation in Bandra.

Ziauddin Khatib has made India proud by winning the World Fastest Knockout three times - the quickest being in 29 seconds. He is also the President of the Indian Kickboxing Association. Ziauddin Khatib has trained Bollywood celebrities Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Jaya Prada, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Tabu, Harman S. Baweja, Emraan Hashmi and Kulraj Randhawa in kickboxing.

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'Let the John in you be your struggle’

There’s more to John Abraham’s body than big biceps, great abs and a sexy butt, I kid you not. You’re forgetting his heart.

The Bollywood hunk, who let it all show in Dostana, believes he is here for a purpose. And that purpose is to be a role model to people. “Look at it holistically, philosophically, realistically... John Abraham is known for fitness, for thinking right, for living a clean and disciplined life,” he told me earnestly.

When I go to the gym, middle-aged women come up and ask me, ‘I have a knee problem, it is okay if I run?’ I tell them, ‘Yes, but I’d prefer if you simply walked on the treadmill instead.

And they heave a sigh of relief. They feel if John Abraham can workout, so can we! It’s a big thing that they take my word like the Bible.

That, I believe, is the actor’s biggest connect with his audience. His simplicity — which shows up in his personality. It’s his strength. I caught him gymming in Mumbai last week having just completed two films — David Dhawan’s Hook Ya Crook and Deven Khote’s Phillum City — before getting into a month-long workshop in June to prepare for Abbas Tyrewala’s 1-800-Love, and, after that, taking off to London for two months’ work. Films are happening, and John is super-excited about his next, New York, in which he has a completely different look. “Post New York, people (including myself) will look at me in different light... Meaning? I didn’t quite realise what genuine hard work can do. Hunger, I’ve always had, but I didn’t know what effort I had put in until I saw the result.

Talking about effort, and result, brought us back to fitness... and working out. He is touched when his directors tell him, “Work your body the way you need to look in your character.” The beach body look he developed for Dostana is a good example of this. “But I’m over and done with that look,” John protested. And it is true, the actor has leaned out, he’s looking far less muscular now. “Which doesn’t mean I’m ever going to be unfit.

It’s just that I’m relaxed about the way I’m now looking. Every film is not about the body. You have to be honest to the job and true to the character. And honesty comes out in the way you perform your role rather than in how you concentrate on yourself.

But yes, he is convinced his body, his great sex appeal, is of no use if he cannot take time out to be a brand image for fitness. “If I can’t influence people, what’s the point,” he asked. Which is when one little old lady came up in the gym and shyly suggested, “Why don’t you take off your tee-shirt?” And John Abraham blushed.

John Says So...
Don’t do anything in excess. I’m not here to opinionate, but I’d be glad if you gave up smoking and drinking.

There’s no shortcut to fitness. If you go looking for magic mantras, you’ll be disappointed; you need to gym. A healthy diet helps, but you need to workout to tone up.

Think right. Keep your thoughts clean and clear. I’m scared of over-religious people. I believe the time spent praying should be used to do good deeds.
Keep smiling, it’s the best facial exercise. When you smile, you work your face and everybody else’s hearts.

Take a break from work, from your mundane lifestyle, take time out for yourself. Don’t get too caught up with work, ask for time, if you don’t ask — you don’t get.
Go out and help someone who needs a hand. Do this not as social work, but for yourself, the reward is beautiful.

If you aspire to be like me, let the John Abraham in you be the struggle to reach where you want to be, and let the rest of you — just be you.

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Akshay & John to play pole dancers

All you women out there get ready to start panting! Two of Bollywood’s hottest hunks, Akshay Kumar and John Abraham will play pole dancers in a strip club in David Dhawan’s son Rohit’s directorial debut.

The film is being produced by Hariom Productions, which is owned by Akshay Kumar. This isn’t the first time that Akshay and John will be seen together in a film. Earlier too the two hunks starred together in Priyadarshan’s 2005 film, Garam Masala. But things promise to get far hotter in the forthcoming film. A source said, “Earlier, Akshay was supposed to be part of Rohit’s film, Come On Pappu. However, the film did not work out. Meanwhile, there were talks of a romantic comedy, which Akshay had offered to star in as well as produce. Rohit’s untitled film is about Akshay and John, who lose their jobs because of the recession. As they are unable to find a decent job, they become pole dancers at the same strip club where they try to outdo each other. John and Akshay will undergo training for pole dancing in LA before the shoot begins. The film will be shot in some of the most exotic locales.”

It will certainly be a treat to watch two of the hottest actors wearing almost nothing but their gorgeous smiles.

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Bips, John live in

It’s not quite like the last Bollywood horror film 13-B, but yes, this tale does involve a house... and, trying to live in that house, is Bollywood hottie Bipasha Basu!

Bips, who has a penthouse in a Santacruz high-rise, was forced to move out when this place took a beating in the savage rains of 26/7 in 2005. “I had to get my home renovated after that horrible incident,’’ said the Bengali beauty, who moved into a rented apartment a few lanes away while the interior work began in her devastated penthouse. And here comes the twist in the tale.

“I started getting a lot of negative vibes,” admitted Bipasha, “I just didn’t feel good living there.” What’s worse — since it was a rented place, she had to send her pet dog Poshto, a Chihuahua the actress absolutely dotes on, to live with her parents at their suburban home.
But the bad vibes in rented apartment really took their toll on her in the last couple of months. And finally Bips locked up the place and began virtually living out of a suitcase. “I’m even endorsing a luggage brand only for this,’’ she joked.

She’s started looking forward to outdoor shoots now, the actress said, “because this way I don’t have to go around Mumbai looking for a roof over my head”.

Lest you get the idea that the Bengali bomshell is on the lookout for PG accommodation, chill... While her own apartment is still two months away from completion, and Bips is planning a puja and a “nice, big housewarming party there’’, she alternatively takes up residence with either her parents or beau John Abraham. He, too, has a penthouse at Land’s End in Bandra. And it’s big enough for two!

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What John, Celina, Shilpa have in common

John Abraham, Celina Jaitley, Shilpa Shetty and Malaika Arora Khan have something in common apart from their celebrity status. They have come forward to endorse a message for animal welfare in the country. Whether it is turning vegetarian, binding themselves in chains, getting inside cages or going out of their way to provide shelter to animals - the actors have done their bit to promote awareness about cruelty against animals. "When it comes to raising awareness for animals, the celebrities are available at a click for the cause. They do it for free and give us time from their tight schedule knowing what they are standing for, " Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary of PETA India, told over phone from Pune. Sawhney said PETA India did not, in fact, try to rope in celebrities just for the sake of it, but noted that when a known face says something to people, the impact is greater. Launched in 2000, PETA India is the Indian chapter of the US-based animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. The celebrity involvement in campaigns for animals started in 2001 when actresses Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit wrote letters to people in South Africa and Assam appealing for the endangered black rhino and elephants respectively. Since then, celebrities like Rahul Dev, Ameesha Patel, Eesha Koppikhar, Yana Gupta, Raveena Tandon, Gulshan Grover, Shamita Singha, Jiah Khan, Rahul Khanna and controversy queens Rakhi Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra have shed their inhibitions to wear outrageous outfits, sometimes, just leaves or red chillies to spread the message that animals must not be killed for commerce. Celina Jaitley, who appeared in a torn and tattered grey vest and was tied with chains for a PETA ad to save elephants from captivity, said: "I have been an animal lover all my life...they are the most loyal and unconditional givers of love...they complete us and bring joy to us with their crazy antics. But we humans don't understand their value and treat them with cruelty for our own purpose, which is wrong." Shilpa Shetty, who reflected her concern for the misery of circus animals through a print commercial, told via text from South Africa: "Just the thought of getting into the cage for the PETA ad made me so uncomfortable...just imagine what animals who spend their entire life in cages go through." Another actor who has worked relentlessly for the cause is John Abraham. He provided a helping hand in creating India's first elephant village in Maharashtra, for which he was even awarded an EcoWarrior award in 2008. "Real men are kind to animals. If we don't treat our animals and the habitat with kindness today, it'll be not long that we lose both, " John said. The celebrity involvement did not go in vain. "We had a tremendous response when John got into a cage to show the dilemma of caged birds. We even had a fabulous response for Shilpa and Rakhi's ads where they got themselves caged to show the plight of circus animals, " said Sawhney. "Children from schools wrote to us pledging not to visit any circuses that had any animals. The response has been fabulous and it increases each time a celebrity does a campaign. Even when the Big B was voted the hottest vegetarian three times in a row (2002-2004), the response was huge and his fans even asked us to help them turn veggies, " she added. While actors like Raveena Tandon and Lara Dutta are "very anti-fur and anti-leather", said Sawhney, other indirect efforts by celebrities to stop atrocities against animals have been by promoting vegetarianism. These efforts have involved Aditi Govitrikar, Mahima Choudhary, Rajniesh Duggall and Devang Patel among others. Actor R. Madhavan and Kareena Kapoor were also voted the "cutest vegetarians" of 2007 with Kareena even bagging the crown for 2008's "sexiest vegetarian".

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John to do love scenes with director's wife in 1-800-Love

After director Sam Mandes' spectacular spousal success directing his wife Kate Winslet in the richly resonant Revolutionary Road in '1-800-Love' John will be romancing his director Abbas Tyrewala's wife. And he is cool about it. "I know Abbas and Pakhi well. They make a beautiful couple. There's absolutely no awkwardness about doing a love story with the director's wife. Pakhi has co-written the script and knows her character and mine, in and out. She's an unknown face and extremely pretty. These are her biggest advantages. A beautiful woman whom the audience hasn't seen." John is dead serious about this project. "I'm going to sit on script readings with Abbas, do workshops and rehearsals with Pakhi, just like Abbas did with the cast in Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na. 'm hungry for acting challenges. But most of the time my physicality comes on much too strongly on screen. People haven't really seen the performances I'm really proud of, like No Smoking, Kabul Express, Zinda and Aashayein. My physicality always takes precedence. But you know what? I'll change that. I've been in this industry only five years. People have started looking differently at me after Dostana. The body was talked about. But when they praise my performance it really feels good." Where next? "Nagesh Kukunoor's Aashayein. I'm very proud of it.Yes, it has been delayed. There's a problem between Reliance and Percept that needs to be sorted. We're working on a solution. Aashayein is a beautiful film and we have to release it. Another film I'm really excited about is Kabir Khan's New York. I know I've got it right this time. Kabir says so. It's an awesome film. And I'm thankful to Aditya Chopra for showing faith in me at a time when I didn't have Dostana." John describes himself as an off-roader. "I travel my own road. Like I'm doing Abbas Tyrewala's 1:800 Love. When he offered me that film he was directing Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na. The film's producer Madhu Mantena had Ghajini in the making and I was doing Dostana. By God's grace we all have a success on hand. So we're a proud team and very comfortable with. It's my intense love story and it's such a wonderful space to be in. Before Dostana I was only doing films that kept me within my comfort zone. Now I'm going to test myself as an actor as much as possible." When questioned whether he would feel any awkwardness directing love scenes between his wife and John, Abbas Tyrewala said, "I hope not! If I can't remember they're acting then I lose the moral ground to ever a direct a girl in a love scene. Luckily I've never written explicit love scenes in my film. The only explicit love-making scene I've conceived was for Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool. That apart I like my writing to be benign. It doesn't matter whether my wife is acting or not. I can't forget my parents will be watching my film." Kiddie times again for Aamir

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Sonal and John together

She made her debut in Jannat, and now the pretty Sonal Chauhan is all set to star opposite heartthrob John Abraham in her next film.

The actress has signed up for a film to be directed by Tony D’souza, who is currently working on Blue. The actress turned down a number of films before accepting M F Husian’s son Owais Husain’s film. The actress reportedly suffered a burn on the sets.

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John and Priyanka give their voice for Alibaba

UTV’s 3D animation fantasy ‘Alibaba And The 41 Thieves’ can boast the voice cast of some of the big Bollywood stars with the likes of John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra, Ashutosh Rana, Atul Kulkarni, Saurabh Shukla and others. The film, which deals with the story of a boy who gets embroiled in the legendary Arabic tussle, is being produced at Chennai based Accel Animation Studios and has been written and directed by Soumitra Ranade of Jajantaram Mamantram fame.

The film has a modern twist to the legendary Arabian tale of ‘Alibaba And The 40 Thieves’ wherein a kid from Mumbai reaches the fantasy land. The film is about his interaction with Alibaba (John Abraham) and the villain Abu Hasan (Ashutosh Rana), the evil and brutal leader of the 40 thieves. Priyanka Chopra has given her voice to the character of Marjinah.

The director is all praises for its production house and says, “UTV is an amazing production house. Once they take on a project, they believe in it completely. In the last few years they are the ones who have given us Rang De Basanti, Jodhaa Akbar, Aamir, A Wednesday and Dev D besides so many other very interesting and commercially viable films. They give you adequate creative space. There is a certain civility with which they make their films. And believe me they will make a serious mark in animation too. Both Alibaba and Arjun are very high end films not just formally but more importantly content wise.”

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