Priyanka Chopra’s Brave Red Hair Look

When my stylist for the film, Mickey Contractor, told me that I would be sporting red hair in the film, I thought he had lost it. I couldn’t imagine walking up to my dad and telling him that I had to dye my hair red. But when my dad saw me with the new hairdo, he just freaked out. He didn’t speak to me for three days! I love my dark long hair but later I took it as an exciting challenge. I thought this can be a different experience as no other actress has done it before. So I coloured my hair twice in 45 days! I never used to go out and whenever I did, I used to wear a bandana.

Priyanka’s New Look:

I’ve only danced in bathroom till date

It was his first live performance and choreographer Shiamak Davar who’s IIFA’s resident dance aficionado didn’t matters make matters easy for Harman Baweja.

According to a source practicing his steps with Shiamak has been a lesson in “unlearning the learned”, as someone close to the actor put it.

Elaborating on the nimble-footed Baweja’s traumatic experience the source says, “Harman and Shiamak chose the slow and rhythmic Milo na milo for IIFA.

Harman of course had mastered Remo’s original steps and he suggested to Shiamik that they retain the original steps since audiences hadn’t seen much of Harman’s dancing skills anyway.

To Harman’s surprise delight and relief Shiamak agreed to retain Remo’s rhythms. The young actor couldn’t have hoped for better.”

For almost two weeks Harman practiced the original steps in front of Shiamak. Then the super-choreographer had a change of ‘mime’.

Shiamik decided that the number must be done entirely his way.

Says the source, “Suddenly Harman was told that the steps were being changed. After practicing for weeks, he was thrown completely off-course. Harman had no choice but to comply.

But it was quite a harrowing experience to first do the original steps from the film for stage under Shiamak’s guidance and then at the eleventh hour have them changed completely.”

Harman laughed off the ordeal nervously on the eve of his departure for Bangkok. “All this is part and parcel of showbiz. I’ve to get used to slogging and I’m not scared of hard work. I’m very very nervous.

So far the only live audience I’ve danced for me is me. I’ve danced only in front of the mirror in the bathroom. I’ve been dubbing all day and rehearsing all night.

And now I can only pray that my first stage performance goes well”

Interestingly Priyanka joined Harman at the end of his act. “But that’s only for a bit. I am solo most of the way, ‘ Harman asserts.

Shahid and Priyanka’s first movie together: KAMINE

Well the title for Shahid’s upcoming flick is really strange. As reported earlier Vishal Bhardwaj has signed Shahid Kapoor for his next movie and Shahid will have double role in Kamine.

A source said, “Shahid will have two interesting roles in the film. It is also believed that Priyanka Chopra has been signed as the leading leady for this film”. This is for the first time that Shahid and Priyanka Chopra will be paired opposite each other.”

Vishal Bharadwaj had earlier worker with Shahid Kapoor’s father Pankaj Kapoor in Maqbool and Blue Umbrella. Vishal is hoping that Shahid Kapoor matches the success of his father in Kamine.

I wonder why the film is called Kamine, it would have been better to call it Kutte Kamine since there is a double role in the movie.

We are not cats & rats. We’re girls!!!

Whoever thought of pitching former beauty queen and now actress Niharika Singh who’s doing two major films with Himesh Reshammiya, against Jennifer Kotwal who’s done some Kannada films, against one another at the mahurat of Mudh-Mudh Ke Na Dekh Mudh-Mudh Ke last week, gets the prize for the most fertile publicity machinery on this side of the Bhatts.

Angry and amused Niharika says she barely knows her female co-star.

“In fact after reading about our so-called catfight at the mahurat Jennifer sms-ed me to say the article was such nonsense. I’m speechless.In fact it’s too outrageous to even react to.”

It has been a tradition to pitch actresses against one another. From Sharmila-Raakhee during the making of Daag to Kareena-Priyanka Chopra in Aitraaz.

But Niharika refuses to be sucked into a sham rivalry.

“I’ve met Jennifer.We’ve even shot stills for the film that we’re doing together.I can’t say we’re buddies. We haven’t spoken that much. But we’ve exchanged pleasantries. And we’re certainly not fighting.

After reading the totally fabricated article on Monday morning she messaged me and we had a good laugh about it.”

Nowadays generating interest in a film could assume any proportion, from killing off the hero in a manufactured accident to generating a fake rivalry between two leading ladies.

“Cat fights in a rat race? We aren’t cats and rats. We’re girls,” quips Niharika.

Goodbye Kareena, Enter Priyanka!!!

Shelving plans of making a bio-pic on the life of the Bollywood stunt queen Fearless Nadia, Vishal Bhardwaj has now embarked on another more contemporary cinematic journey.

After making a pain-lashed Shakespearean love story with Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor, he has now moved on to Kareena’s ex-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor and her arch -rival Priyanka Chopra for a full-on feel-good love story.

However contrary to reports Vishal’s film is NOT a new version of Romeo & Juliet.

“People would love to see me complete my Shakespearean trilogy after Macbeth (Maqbool) and Hamlet (Omkara). But I’m not doing Romeo & Juliet,” says Vishal.

While Shahid is confirmed, Priyanka currently shooting in Miami for Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana is still in talks. She is expected to give her nod when she returns to Mumbai in May.

For the boyish Shahid the shortage of leading ladies after Kareena’s departure acquires an interesting twist with co-stars as varied as Vidya Balan, Jiah Khan and now Priyanka Chopra coming up besides him in the

I don’t know why Bebo insulted me

Priyanka Chopra is in seventh heaven. She has just started work on her new glamorous film Fashion. And her new home is almost ready.

“And all the credit must go to my stylist, my dress designer and my interior designer Suzanne Roshan who’s done up my house. Rita Dhody and Narendra Kumar are styling my look in Fashion.

Rita is my stylist and Narendra is my dress designer. They make an extremely talented team. It’s very important to get the right look for every character.

The mantra for 2008 is STYLE. And I plan to experiment lavishly with my look.”

Fashion is going to give Priyanka a startling look. “I start as a plain small-towner and then go ultra-chic as a model.”

Suzanne Roshan who has also done Rani Mukherjee’s new place (along with another star-wife Twinkle Khanna) and Priyanka go back a long way. “We bonded beautifully when Duggu and I shot Krissh. Both of them are my close and dependable friends.”

Priyanka moves into her new house in February or March 2008. “Suzanne is just putting some finishing touches to them. And we’re really looking forward to moving into it. It’s looking fantastic.

I’m very excited. I do own a place in Mumbai. But it’s functional. I never had a chance to make it a home.

My new place has been done brick by brick by me and Suzanne. It’s a sweet modest little place. But hey, it’s mera ghar!”

She cuts down reports of close astrological consultation for her new house. “Not that I don’t believe in astrology. But the only thing we’ll probably consult a pundit about is when to move in. Besides that all the reports of havens and pujas false.”

2007 was a year of tremendous turmoil for Priyanka. There were legal and police hassles regarding financial endeavours. At home her dad struggled with a serious illness.

Sighs Priyanka, “In 2007 I’ve just been busy doing commercials. And then there were other problems created by various people.

I’ve accepted those as an enevitable part of each year. The more popular you get the more the number of people who want target you. That’s fine.

It’s a professional hazard. You’ve got to take it in your stride. I’m glad I’ve my family to stand by me. They’re my strength and my weakness.”

Sighs the discreet diva, “The end of 2007 seems to be the beginning of the year for me because I started Fashion.I’ll soon be starting Karan Johar production with Abhishek and John. Both the films will be over by July. So the first-half of 2008 is packed.”

She’s looking forward to working with Abhishek and John again.

“Abhishek and I had some fun times during Bluff Master and with John I did one of my toughest roles in Karam.

I enjoyed that though it didn’t work at the b.o. But then a film doing well or not is in nobody’s hands,” says the actor who in five years has given the maximum number of hits and has earned the tag of the new-millennium Hema Malini.

She hopes to fashion a new success in Fashion. “It’s actually becoming a much bigger film than what it was meant to be. Let’s face it, success is important. And to me the boxoffice is very important.”

Fashion is a special challenge. “The character requires a lot of hard work. The graph is so steep. Madhur Bhandarkar is keeping me on my toes constantly.

Yes, I admit Krissh and Don didn’t have as much space for me as Fashion. But one does all kinds of movies. I enjoy the experience of trying something new each time.

In Fashion I’m far more at the forefront than Krissh or Don. But the challenge is the same.”

2007 had its share of agony and ecstacy for Priyanka.

“But the best happening of the year was Dad coming home from hospital hopefully whole and healed. On the professional front I had Salaam-e-Ishq at the beginning of the year and Big Brother later, both boxoffice disappointments.

But I’m going to make up in 2008 with 4-5 releases beginning with the comedy God Tussi Great Ho with Salman.”

Salman and Priyanka seem to have made up. “When were we ever at loggerheads?” she blinks diplomatically.

“In 2007 I completed two mega-marathons Drona and Love Story 2050. These two films took up a lot of time. The shooting for these films took extra time because of the special effects. I also got hurt.”

Speaking of hurt Kareena Kapoor lately made a hurtful statement about Priyanka not being worthy of being called an actress.

Priyanka takes a deep breath. “Kareena is a more senior and hopefully more mature actress than me. I guess she’s qualified to comment on my caliber

. When I reach her level of experience maybe I too can comment on the caliber of my contemporaries and junior. I’d just like to let my work speak for me. And that includes Aitraaz where Kareena was also a part.”

What’s the problem between Priyanka and Kareena anyway? “I don’t know. From my end there’s none.

I recently met her at a Diwali cards- party. And she was fine with me. Only she can answer why she thinks so poorly of me. As far as I’m concerned I think she was splendid In Jab We Met.

I like to give credit where it’s due. And you know what? On some level it’s flattering when colleagues give you importance.”

Priyanka gets introspective. ” I love my work. And I love my friends who are loyal to me. Nothing and no one else matters. I’ve already had enough to stress at home with my father’s illness. I’d like only positive energy to be spread through my work.”

Priyanka is happy though not satisfied with her progress. “If I become satisfied I’ll have to stop working.”

One unfulfilled wish? “I’ve never done a costume drama, though I’ve come close to doing one several times. Hopefully in 2009.”

I was never meant to get pregnant

Priyanka Chopra has been shooting nights for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion. And no, it isn’t because they needed to rework the script.

“I don’t know where these stories come from. Apparently I asked Madhur to change the climax of the plot so that my character doesn’t get pregnant.

Now where did that come from?Madhur is a very competent director. Do you think he’d allow any actor to tamper with the script? Yes, the two of us sat down on the script and threshed it out over 6-7 months.

Once that was done, we went by the script completely. I’d be the last person to ask for changes once I begin shooting. “

As for her character getting pregnant Priyanka laughs, “That was never in the script. The ending was decided at the scripting stage. The girl was never meant to get pregnant.

Why would I shy away from doing something unconventional? I started with Aitraaz which was as unconventional as they come. I’m so amused by all the speculation about Fashion.

Just shows how much interest the film is generating. In spite of the constant attention we’ve shot a majority of the film. We’re all working really hard on it. “

As for the film being inspired by the lives of real- life ramp -walkers Priyanka clears the air. ” Fashion is a work of fiction.

It’s not meant to be a khulasa (frankspeak) on the modeling world. Basically it’s the story of this one girl’s biographical journey, just like Tabu in Madhur’s Chandni Bar or Bipasha in Corporate.

The fashion world is my character’s backdrop. My character could very well have been a part of the any other profession. “

Priyanka admits she has never been more nervous about any of her films. “It’s a very nerve-wracking character and I hope I’m able to live up to people’s expectations. “

Priyanka has to cram in as much of the shooting as possible for Fashion before she rushes off in March to Miami for Karan Johar’s Dostana directed by Tarun Mansukhani.

“That would be a welcome sunny seaside change after shooting the intense scenes indoors on a set for Fashion. It’s a young peppy frothy film. Totally different from Fashion. “

Priyanka to do Veer?

Looks like Priyanka Chopra is going out of her way to make sure now that she is on Salman Khan’s good side, that’s where she stays. If the buzz in Bollywood is to be believed Priyanka might bag the role opposite Khan in his film Veer.

“It has taken a lot of effort from Priyanka to sort things out with Salman. He can be quite bad when you rub him the wrong way too many times. After a lot of tears and explaining she has managed to get on Salman’s good side. So when she heard that the hunt was on for an actress to play the lead opposite him she made sure that his people knew that her diary was wide open,” says an industry insider, “This was her way of just reiterating the fact that when she had turned down Mr. & Mrs. Khanna earlier it was genuinely because of dates and nothing else!”

He adds that Priyanka did speak to Salman after the two patched up. “When she agreed to do a cameo in Mr. & Mrs. Khanna (the film she previously turned down) she managed to get back into Salman’s good books. And soon thereafter news of Veer going on the floors soon also was out and Priyanka made sure that she let Sallu know that she would be more than happy to work with him.”

When Salman and Priyanka had a falling out, the actor refused to acknowledge or speak to her. Things got so bad that the two had a showdown on the sets of God Tussi Great Ho when Priyanka was believed to have kept Sallu waiting. In fact many set insiders have confirmed that Salman made it clear that he wasn’t interested in speaking to her and rarely interacted with her.

While Priyanka is filming in Miami, her business manager says it’s too early to speculate. “I can talk about those things that have been confirmed. But iske baarein mein abhi kuch bol nahee sakte,” he said.

After Priyanka finishes with Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana, the actress doesn’t have any other movie ready and lined up.

“She has been filming non stop. First it was Love Story 2050 and Drona, then she went on Madhur’s Fashion. Now she is in Miami filming for Dostana. So while 2008 will see plenty of her releases she is yet to take on any new film… And that’s largely because she wants to do Veer,” concludes the source.