The veteran Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan reportedly went on a near-starvation diet for his forthcoming role as an anti-corruption crusader on an indefinite hunger strike. In a form of method acting, where the 70-year-old actor became so weak that he could only communicate what was necessary, Bachchan went to his absolute limit to play the lead role in the political saga Satyagraha. The director Prakash Jha said there was "one very crucial moment of Satyagraha where Amitabh Bachchan takes this tough stand against corruption and decides to fast unto death in his fight against corruption". However, on Jha's 61st birthday, which fell during the filming of a public rally scene, the cast are reported to have thrown him a surprise party where suddenly all work stopped and the cast, including Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee and Arjun Rampal, burst into a live rendering of "Happy Birthday, with a live band. - IANS
Sofia Hayat de-glams for her new role
In a bid to stay away from being typecast, Asian-British actress Sofia Hayat opted for the role of the less-glamorous sister in her forthcoming film Naachle London. Known for her appearances in a bikini, Hayat says that although Indian actresses, like any other, rely on sex appeal, she was looking for something with "a bit more personality". The 28-year-old, who plays a divorced mother of two in the film, which will be released in India on Friday, said the film was different to what her fans expect. Filmed in London and about Indians living there, Hayat turned down the lead role and opted for the one with more character. "Glamorous roles are very easy. I got many glamorous roles and I turned down many because I don't want to be typecast. After this film, you will say she is not Sofia. She is a very simple and desi girl." - IANS
Karthi to double up on filming schedule
Karthi Sivakumar, who starred in three successful films in 2010 that cemented his place in the Tamil film industry, shows no signs of slowing down despite recently becoming a first-time father. Sivakumar, who is usually referred to just by his first name, stopped shooting for the forthcoming romantic-comedy Biriyani, but has now decided to continue filming it, along with working on the comedy All in All Azhagu Raja. Filming for the first movie, directed by Venkat Prabhu, began in November and is now more than half-way through. Filming for the latter, helmed by M Rajesh, began on Friday. In All in All Azhagu Raja, also a romantic-comedy, Sivakumar stars opposite Kajal Aggarwal. - IANS
Kapoor relights the rhythm
Rishi Kapoor, who has been in the industry for more than three decades and made a name with high-octane dance routines in his 1970s-era films, will make a dance comeback in his latest role. Sporting a hippie-look in Chashme Baddoor, Kapoor will tap dance with the actor Ali Zafar. It has been 36 years since he last danced in any film, but the director David Dhawan said his steps were "mind-blowing" and that he dances with "full zest". The film is a remake of the 1981 romantic-comedy and is scheduled to be released on April 5. - IANS
A 10-in-1 film to celebrate 100 years
To mark the centenary of Indian cinema, Muse Movies will make a feature-length film encompassing 10 of the best films from the past century. 100 Years of Indian Cinema Muse will compile archive and contemporary pictures and include a commentary on the future of Indian cinema, says the director Manoj Maurya."Today, all forms of art are evolving beyond their domains and experimenting with each other. Cinema, too, should go beyond the multiplexes and become a subject of research, school curriculum, humanities and several more areas. 100 Years of Indian Cinema Muse is a cultural and psychosocial renaissance of Indian cinema." There are no details yet on which films will be combined. - IANS
