BOLLYWOOD ZONE

He was written off after the debacle of "Chandni Chowk To China" and "8X10 Tasveer", but Akshay Kumar is back to entertain audiences with his full-on masala act in the action-thriller "Kambakkht Ishq" that experts hope will pull the industry out of the dumps."You would be foolish to write him off," said Anees Bazmee, who has delivered two superhits "Singh Is Kinng" and "Welcome" with Akshay. "Don't forget that he is the same man who has been the darling of the masses and given so many back-to-back money spinners. He cannot be penalised for one 'Chandni Chowk To China' throughout his life."After "Chandni Chowk...", Akshay suffered another setback in the form of Nagesh Kukunoor's "8X10 Tasveer"."'8X10 Tasveer' was never meant to be blockbuster material to begin with, even though critics insisted on calling it 'the Akshay Kumar' film. Also, a terrible climax was the major reason for the film to flop, not Akshay's acting. In fact, he was the lone saving grace of the film," said a trade analyst.In the much-awaited "Kambakkht Ishq", releasing on July 3, Akshay plays a Hollywood stuntman with an international set-up that boasts Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallon, Denise Richards and Brandon Routh."This is a film for the masses but with a rich international feel to it that would break the mass versus class barrier," said Sajid Nadiadwala, the man behind the multi-crore movie, "We have the best of both the worlds in the film with Kareena Kapoor playing a supermodel. The Akshay-Kareena combination is the one to watch out for.""Akshay is a superstar and he is here to stay. Let 'Kambakkht Ishq' release and we will see it for ourselves," said Sajid Khan who has roped him in for his second directorial venture "Houseful".However, the usual 'Akshay Kumar frenzy' is missing even though the film is less than a fortnight away from release."Let's not read too much into it. Akshay is too big a star to be worried about such minor things. And why are we forgetting that he is the same man who in the last three years has seen 21 films of his getting released out of which 17 have been hits."He is the most consistent actor, star and a lot more than that. Just because one film of his doesn't take a kickstart as expected, people out there have started making judgments," said Vipul Shah, who directed Akshay in the hit "Namastey London".As the countdown begins for "Kambakkht Ishq", Shah has the last word."I can recount 100 such cases when someone has been pulled down so badly. A few months back, it happened to Himesh Reshammiya for 'Karzzzz'. Earlier, after 'Saawariya', Sanjay Leela Bhansali was said to be finished."Hurman Baweja got to hear so much due to 'Love Story 2050' while after 'Drona', Abhishek was written off. This is sheer cynicism at play but mind you, one film cannot make or break anyone. With 'Kambakkht Ishq', the industry would get the much-needed respite."

Who says Katrina can’t speak proper Hindi? She’s been practising constantly with friends and in her dubbing, so much so that Katrina has almost lost her voice.The dubbing for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani has taken its toll on her throat. Raj Kumar Santoshi is always known to be very particular about his actors’ lamguage. For Ranbir in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani who has a lot of colloquial Hindi to speak, he has personally been supervising the dubbing.But Ranbir is a very skilled dialogue deliverer. And getting the rustic colloquialism right is a cakewalk for him For Katrina dubbing is the most difficult part of the acting process. After all she was initially dubbed by professional artistes. She finally won the right to speak on screen in her own voice in spite of a thick British accent.And now Katrina Kaif is going through the worst tribulation of her brief career.Dubbing for Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is the most challenging thing Katrina has ever done.“I don’t have any colloquial lines like Ranbir. I play this Catholic Bandra girl who’s very dramatic. She’s funny to others. But not to herself.So when I cry I have to cry real tears but make sure they come across as funny First of all the lines are not comic in the dubbing theatre. So I’ve to recreate the laughter on the sets in a studio without knowing if I am being funny enough.”For Katrina it’s excruciating. “I don’t know whether I’m getting it right or not. I’m doing the dubbing under supervision. But this is the most difficult film I’ve dubbed for.”Now that she’s almost finished dubbing she plans to go through the entire dubbing in Santoshi’s film and re-do the portions Santoshi isn’t satisfied with.A bigger challenge now awaits Katrina. In Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti she must recreate all the rhetorics that she mouthed on stage in front of thousands of spectators. as a female politician.“The speeches I made have been taped. Now I have to listen to them, get the accent tone and voice quality right and dub in a studio.”Easier done than said. .

In a relief of sorts for Bollywood actor Shiney Ahuja who is facing a rape charge, a Mumbai court Thursday did not extend his police custody and sent him to judicial custody till July 2.Shiney was arrested Sunday after his teenaged housemaid complained to police that he had raped her. His police custody ended Thursday. Making a plea for extending his police custody, the police lawyer said it was necessary to carry out further investigations and to prevent the accused from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses. However, Shiney's lawyer Shrikant Shivade argued that since the investigations were almost completed, there was no need for his further police custody. Accepting the defendant's contention, the magistrate of the Andheri court sent him to judicial custody. Shivade later told mediapersons that he would appeal against the court order and seek bail for the accused actor. The lawyer clarified that Shiney has not made any confession of rape as speculated in a section of the media. The actor's wife Anupam, who was present in the court, expressed her satisfaction with the court ruling and said: 'Shiney's one step closer home.' Anupam had put up a spirited defence of her husband Wednesday, telling the media that Shiney was being framed in the rape case as he is a celebrity and a soft target. She, however, declined to name who was behind the frame-up. Under judicial custody, the actor will be lodged in the high-security Arthur Road Jail in south Mumbai. The jail also houses Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab and the Special Court where the Mumbai terror attacks trial is being held by Special Judge M.L. Tahilyani. The Oshiwara police late Sunday picked up Shiney from his Versova home after his maid lodged the rape complaint. Later, the investigators searched Shiney's house and sent him and the victim for medical and DNA tests. The complainant-victim hails from Kokbaan village in the coastal Konkan region of western Maharashtra, and lived in Vasai suburb of neighbouring Thane district. She commuted daily by train from Vasai to Andheri to work at Shiney's residence for the past one year.

Neetu Chandra celebrates her birthday today. The Bihari Bombshell turns 25 today. Enjoy!