Fresh from her win at the Filmfare Awards on Saturday for the action thriller Gabbar Singh, Shruti Haasan will be starring in a forthcoming romantic drama to be directed by Prabhu Deva, starring opposite the newcomer Girish Taurani. Deva said: "We were thinking of casting a new girl. But Shruti seems a better option. She has everything it takes." The actor and choreographer directed last month's hit Rowdy Rathore. "It will be as good as Rowdy," he promised. A former child actor and singer, Haasan made a comeback in the industry via the 2009 action drama Luck, then went on to win critical acclaim for her performances in the films Anaganaga O Dheerudu, Oh My Friend and 7aam Arivu.
Rohit Shetty open to Bol Bachchan sequel
The filmmaker Rohit Shetty says he's so overwhelmed with the response to his comic caper Bol Bachchan, which opened in the UAE last week, that he would be open to directing a sequel. "You want me to make a sequel? We're thinking about it," Rohit told the audience of a Mumbai theatre where he and the film's lead actor Abhishek Bachchan made a surprise visit on Sunday, to gauge viewer reaction. The two sat at the back of the packed theatre throughout the screening, then presented themselves to the delighted audience for a Q&A and autograph session. Bachchan said: "Rohit is the sequel king. I have worked with him in three to four sequels. So, like what he says, we're both ready to do this and we now just have to persuade Ajayji [co-star Ajay Devgn]." Bol Bachchan, a remake of the 1979 comedy Golmaal, also stars Prachi Desai and Asin Thottumkal. * IANS
Amrit Sagar returns with romcom
A seven-day marriage celebration with twists and turns is the premise of the director Amrit Sagar's next film Rabba Main Kya Karoon. After entertaining audiences with the 2007 National Award-winning war film 1971, Sagar returns to the big screen with the romantic comedy. "It's about two childhood sweethearts who get married, but somehow the seven-day celebration puts them on the verge of a break-up. How they handle situations is what the film is all about," said Sagar, who added the movie was shot entirely in Delhi. "Delhi is the heartland of India and boasts a modern culture with an old-school feel, and this really fascinates me. The grandeur of Punjabi weddings that take place in Delhi is even more fascinating. I have tried to capture that." The film, scheduled to premiere in India in September, stars Sagar's younger brother Aakash, Tahira Kochhar and Raj Babbar. "I would say I got lucky to have been able to cast veterans like Raj. I went and narrated the film and he immediately agreed to be a part of it." * IANS
Shirish Kunder on new Khan film
The director and editor Shirish Kunder has announced plans to begin filming his forthcoming action thriller Kick, starring the actor Salman Khan. "My film will go on the floors from November. We have not decided the exact dates yet. It also depends on Salman's availability," he said. As for the film's leading actress, Kunder said: "It's not yet finalised. We're taking our time." Kunder is currently editing his latest film, the sci-fi adventure Joker, headlined by Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, which sees the two actors paired once more on the big screen after their recent film Rowdy Rathore. Joker is scheduled to open in India on August 31. * IANS
