Leap of Faith

Rumours suggest she is good at playing cell phone games. But it seems that besides double dialling, Priyanka Chopra can pull off other stunts as well. Like taking up a daring 30-ft jump for her forthcoming film Krrish with Hrithik Roshan. "This was my first time," she says of the feat. Roshan, who trained with a martial arts action director in Hong Kong and Shanghai for the role, took the plunge before Chopra. "It was scary at first but Hrithik gave me confidence. As he went ahead of me I got the boost to do the same," says Chopra, who plays a schoolgirl in the film. If only it were as easy to jump over embarrassing love-life revelations.

The Winning Note

It is not only India that sings his paeans. After being awarded the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan, M. Balamurli Krishna has now been chosen for the Chevalier award by France. The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters is a distinction offered for outstanding achievement in the arts and Krishna will be the first musician from south India to receive it. "It is a rare honour for the entire Carnatic music world," says the man who toured the European country last year. Obviously, the French liked what they heard.

Politically Incorrect

She may be Union minister Renuka Chowdhury's daughter, but Poojita, 27, doesn't have politics on her mind yet. She is in Mumbai working on a documentary by Vinta Nanda, with whom she also worked as an assistant director in White Noise. After her documentary, Sand In My Nostril, on female foeticide last year, "I'm working on a more positive documentary," says the woman who has a degree in political science. "But my interest in politics is purely academic right now," she adds. Spoken like a true member of the Congress Bachcha Party.

Case Study

It is easier these days for actors to explain away months of idleness. Simple: you were not twiddling your thumbs, but taking time to get under the skin of your next character. Urmila Matondkar, seen in Ek Hasina Thi early last year, was doing just that for her portrayal of Naina, a blind girl who regains sight after 20 years, in Ram Gopal Varma's eponymously named film. Matondkar says she has been meeting eye surgeons and cornea transplant patients to "understand" the role. "The first thing I do in the movie is look at myself in the mirror," says the actor. Now, if only Naina does for Matondkar what Black did for Rani Mukherjee.

-Compiled by Kanika Gahlaut

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