Three Much

How do you beat the competition when every film has an item number? Make it deadly double, er, terrific triple. Suparn Verma has roped in three bombshells, Rakhi Sawant (centre) and sisters Zabyn and Mumait Khan, for item number Akhiyan na maar in his film Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena. With three hot bods vying in front of the camera, did sparks fly? "All three are so sure of their sensuality that there was no competing," says Verma. But Sawant says she had to wear the bitsiest costume to save the video. Apparently, the other girls weren't hot enough. Ouch.

Dream Merchant

She has got the country's top actors dancing to her tunes. Now choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant is all set to give Australians a taste of Bollywood with the musical The Merchants of Bollywood. Directed by Toby Gough, it is inspired by her relationship with her grandfather Hiralal, a choreographer himself. "But it has been fictionalised," says National Award-winner Merchant. Other Merchants in the project are music directors Salim and Sulaiman Merchant (who are not related to her). That explains the title.

Dark Horse

Like politics, business makes strange bedfellows. Else, why would the suave Saregama head honcho Sanjiv Goenka (left) be seen with flamboyant filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh? The two, it transpires, have joined hands to make a Hindi film, Draupadi. Ghosh says the film, to be shot in Kolkata, is his interpretation of the Mahabharat's first lady. The cast has not been finalised but the director reveals mysteriously, "It will feature a dark-complexioned heroine." Bipasha Basu, perhaps?

Simply Yours

Her dream was to debut in a Rajshri production. Though that didn't happen, six films later, Amrita Rao is all set to play the lead in Sooraj Barjatya's next film opposite Shahid Kapur, where she gets to play the "traditional yet strong" heroine and speak "perfect Hindi". While her tattered T-shirts in Main Hoon Na became a rage, it remains to be seen if her simple look will work with audiences. Then it can be Ishq Vishq all over again.

-Compiled by Kimi Dangor

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