CELEBS FACTORY

You can’t think of Ishqiya (2010), the movie written and produced by Vishal Bhardwaj, without thinking of its central character – Krishna.

In what was one her most powerful roles, Vidya Balan played the sultry, sharp-tongued character in printed saris and long tresses. Playing a dominatrix of sorts, Vidya's kiss and intimate scenes with Arshad Warsi became one of the talking points of the movie.

So now, as Madhuri Dixit-Nene prepares to start shooting for the sequel (Dedh Ishqiya) in September, everyone wants to know what her character along with Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin Shah is going to be like.

Madhuri says, “I know there were talks about me being associated with the project even before I gave my nod. But at that time, I was taking things slowly to settle down and help my kids adjust with the new environment.”

“I’m really excited about both my co-stars. They were brilliant in Ishqiya. I loved that film also because of its director Abhishek, who didn’t make it seem like his debut film. And I don’t have enough words to praise Vidya Balan for her awesome performance that took the film to another level,” added Madhuri, who is all praises for Ishqiya’s actors and director Abhishek Chaubey.

If her character is going to be anything like Vidya’s, the question arises whether the 45-year-old mother of two will be comfortable with intimate scenes.

“If I’m convinced that the intimate scenes are essential to the script and I know it will be shot aesthetically, I won’t say no to intimate scenes. Vidya’s scenes were shot so beautifully in Ishqiya. If Dedh Ishqiya absolutely needs something of that sort, I’m game.

I don’t think marriage or motherhood has anything to do with an actor’s work. My kids (Arin and Rayan) and husband (Dr Sriram Nene) know that I’m an artiste. I can’t shy away from anything that a script demands, even if it’s physical intimacy,” reasoned the actor.

Of course, the veteran actor won’t be in unfamiliar territory, having shot for intimate kissing and lovemaking scenes with Vinod Khanna, Sanjay Dutt and Aamir Khan back then. Let all us Madhuri fans go back in time for them steamy scenes later and look at the beautiful Madhuri gyrating for one of the hit songs of the millennium.

Katrina Kaif features in an item number as Chikni Chameli in Karan Johar's new-age Agneepath. But her item number in the film moves away from the hip-swaying Sheila, as Katrina will be dancing the Lavani, Maharashtra's groovy folk dance. She has to match steps with dancing divas Helen (Mungda mungda main gur ki dali) and Madhuri Dixit (Humko aaj kal in Sailaab) both of whom gave a sexy makeover to the Lavani.

‘Chikni Chameli’ is her first official item number in ‘Agneepath’ and the above seen first look image has gone viral on the net with her fans going frantic in the lines of Dhanush's Tanglish song ‘Why this Kolaveri Di?’

Katrina Kaif’s sultry sexy avatar has given her fans all the more reasons to admire her versatile image. However the same can’t be said about her contemporaries and rival actresses as this gives them another feature to envy Katrina.

However Katrina like other stars too has learnt the style to be diplomatic with each of her statement and carefully forms one when it comes to controversies. The actress was recently quizzed over her item number in the film starring Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra in lead. It was rumored that Priyanka unlike others was not too happy with Katrina’s special item number that was injected in her film at the last minute.

When Katrina was asked to put some light over this, the actress was quick to confirm that her item number would not affect Priyanka’s star value or her screen presence in the film.

Madhuri Dixit is back in Mumbai and will hopefully be in Bollywood too

As three-year-olds, my friends and I spent numerous evenings dancing, especially to Madhuri Dixit's songs. Some of us wanted to grow up to be an actress just like her. But truth to be told, it's hard to follow her footsteps. Even at 44, the dancing diva of the silver screen creates magic with her moves and dazzling smile.

Madhuri is now the brand ambassador for Olay Regenerist which has just been introduced in India. “It's a line of anti-ageing creams and comprises serums, night and day creams that contain amino peptide complex and I have been using it,” says Madhuri adding that her skincare regime includes a balanced diet and exercise along with Olay Regenerist. “I am glad this product is available here now so I won't have to ask my friends and families to get it for me from abroad,” says the actor who has moved back to Mumbai with her family for good. “We are settling in. It's great to be back but I was never really gone. I kept travelling back and forth.”

This also means fans of Madhuri don't have to depend solely on her Twitter updates to know what she is up to. Which is probably why, she feels she was more independent in Denver where she could just drive to anyplace and do anything. “The last time I was here for ‘Jhalak Dikh La Jaa' my kids asked me why are they calling you Madhuri Dixit? Aren't you Madhuri Nene? I guess now they will get to know that their mom is a celebrity,” laughs the mother of two.

As for reports of her being the lead actor in Madhur Bhandarkar's sequel to “Fashion” and Vishal Bharadwaj and Abhishek Chaubey's “Dedh Ishqiya,” a sequel to “Ishqiya”, Madhuri says there is a lot of speculation going on but she hasn't signed anything yet. She says there are a lot of directors she wants to work with including Vishal Bharadwaj, Raju Hirani and Imtiaz Ali.

Having been in the industry for more than two decades what changes does she see now? “It's become much more organised and disciplined. Everything is well-planned. A lot of subjects that were not handled earlier are being taken up too. That's good. In fact the last movie I watched was ‘Singham' and I really enjoyed it.”

With that the five-minute phone interview ends and now that she is here to stay, hopefully we will get to see more of her on screen starting with the Olay Regenerist commercial where she is said to look as usual — stunning.

Uff teri ada! What a perfect occasion to say good bye to her traditional get-up. This was the moment we were waiting for! We were left transfixed by the ravishing Madhuri Dixit posing in style at Vogue Beauty Awards 2011. Madhuri went for a deep-neck black backless gown for the event.

After finishing her show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa early this year, Madhuri Dixit bid adieu to India and was back with her kids and hubby in the USA. But soon she was back. First she made a stunning appearance on the Day 1 of the Synergy1 Delhi Couture Week 2011, and then she graced the coverpage of Vogue for the August issue. And now, she goes backless, sporting a contemporary outfit and flashing that million dollar smile, working her charm on us.

Are we dazed by her dazzling beauty at this age? Or, may be, we are simply jealous, as the Indian cinema’s dhak-dhak girl still remains the Queen of Hearts.

Check her out..!!

Renowned Indian painter Maqbool Fida Hussain, who lived the last five years of his life in exile, died of heart attack in London on Thursday morning. He was 95.

According to agency reports, Hussain died at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital at 2.30 am.

In his long and illustrious career as a painter, M F Hussain brought global recognition to Indian art. He was even described by Forbes magazine as the “Picasso of India”. He was doubtlessly the highest earning painter of India, with one painting of his even fetching $2 million at a Christie’s auction.

However, in the mid 1990s Hussain angered a section of Hindu community by painting the nude images of Hindu goddesses.

Beleaguered with legal cases and even death threats, Maqbool Fida Hussain went into a self imposed exile in 2006 and never returned to India again. In January 2010, he even accepted the citizenship of Qatar.

But in one of his last interviews, Hussain said that his heart would always remain in India.

M F Hussain also directed a few Hindi films -- Gajagamini and Meenaxi - A Tale of Three Cities with actresses Madhuri Dixit and Tabu respectively. His cinematic style was often criticized as too poetically theatrical. Hussain also painted the canvases of Madhuri Dixit -- his muse for a long time -- and Tabu and Amrita Rao.

Rest In Peace, Maqbool Fida Hussain.

Asin will look, talk, and dance like Madhuri Dixit of Hum Aapke Hain Kaun in her upcoming film Ready, and it was Salman Khan who wanted her to do a Madhuri in the film.

Salman seems to be a big fan of his Hum Aapke Hain Kaun co-star Madhuri Dixit. It’s learnt that Salman feels that the Mads of HAHK is the ideal woman, the kind he’d like to take home to his mother. Take notice girls!

So it was Salman’s idea to incorporate Madhuri’s adayein in Asin’s character for Ready.

Director Anees Bazmee also didn’t deny the fact that Asin’s character in Ready has a resemblance to Madhuri Dixit of Hum Aapke Hai Kaun. Asin’s character, costumes, and even the choreography are inspired from Madhuri in HAHK, reveals the director.

Confirming the news, Asin is quoted as saying, “If I’ve managed to capture even a fraction of Madhuri’s effervescence, I’ll be happy.” In fact, the movie also has a wedding sequence which will remind the audience of Didi Tera Devar Diwana song from HAHK.

All are Madhuri-struck, but we can’t imagine Asin emulating Madhuri. What do you say?

Asin is all set to to play a character that is inspired by Madhuri Dixit's in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, in the upcoming movie Ready co-starring Salman Khan.

The tribute of sorts was Asin's co-star Salman Khan's idea. Salman Khan feels that Nisha of HAHK is the ideal woman, the kind he'd like to take home to his mother.

Salman apparently persuaded his director and Anees Bazmee was only too happy to oblige.

The director said, "There is a lot of Madhuri in Asin's character and presentation. We don't have item songs in Ready but conversational songs woven into the narrative."

Asin doesn't deny the likeness of her character to Madhuri. "The resemblance to Madhuri did not escape me. In fact, my first duet with Salman was very much like Hum Aapke Hain Kaun," Asin said. The wedding song in the climax is designed to echo the HAHK hit Didi Tera Devar Deewana.

Asin added, "That's true. The entire family joins in the celebration, while Salman and I get married. If I've managed to capture even a fraction of Madhuri's effervescence, I'll be happy."

Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit turned down a film opposite Tamil superstar Rajnikanth because she didn't want to play his sister.

"Would have loved to do a film with Rajnikanth, but the role was that of his sister... need to wait for the right role," Madhuri wrote on microblogging site Twitter.

Madhuri has previously worked with the 61-year-old star in "Uttar Dakshin" in 1987.