Item Talk

After a brief appearance in the Lut gaye item number in Mumbai Matinee, Anusha Dandekar has graduated to her first "speaking role" in the coming Viruddh. Director Mahesh Manjrekar is all praise for her: "I wanted a fresh face, someone who can't speak Hindi very well but can understand the language. She is a natural actor." Audiences can expect to hit film theatres in July. Spot Dandekar by her veejay accent.

PICTURE SPEAK

Siren Sisters

Here's an offer on the "six-pack sisters". Pay to watch Shilpa Shetty (left) in Fareb, and you get twice the oomph and cleavage with Shamita Shetty thrown in as a bonus. In the Deepak Tijori-directed film, the sisters play rival sirens fighting over the same man. While the girls enjoyed having each other on the sets, Tijori says, "I think it's the first time in decades that siblings are not playing sisters in a film." Now if only it would make history at the box office.

Balle Balle, Boy

The boy from Birmingham is giving bhangra a brand new beat. With pop acts like Britney Spears and Nelly Furtado jumping on to the bhangra remix bandwagon, Mehsopuria is all set to give hip-hop Black-Eyed Peas' latest single a Punjabi spin. "The band had heard my previous album and liked the beats. We got in touch and one thing led to another," says Mehsopuria. Though the track is in its initial stages, the young man is understandably excited. Catch Mehsopuria sharing credit with Peas on the countdown charts soon.

Giant Stride

Dalip Singh may not be a Hollywood star, but he is still a giant there. The 7-ft-2-inch WWE wrestler has his name up in the credits. Once a labourer in Shimla, he makes his Hollywood debut in The Longest Yard, which boasts of big names like Burt Reynolds. A year ago Singh had said he wanted to do something "more meaningful" than films. Tinseltown has won him over since and Singh has reason to thump his 65-inch chest.

-Compiled by Kanika Gahlaut

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