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A southern love story

After winning accolades for his performances in Taal and Biwi No 1, Anil Kapoor is now wooing more film-makers. And, this time, he is focusing on the film-makers from the south.

Taking credit for sort of discovering Priyadarsan (true, it was Anil Kapoor, one must admit, who insisted that he, and not Mahesh Bhatt, direct Virasat), Anil feels talent is abundant in south. And would like to give them a chance to make a mark in Bollywood.

Anil is said to be so impressed by Shankar -- whose Kamal Haasan starrer Hindustani was widely appreciated and whose latest film, Mudalvan is a big hit -- that he has offered the director continuous dates at a stretch.

And that is not all... Another director from south, Vasant, is also being wooed by Anil.

But what Anil does not realise is that the Bombay directors are not taking too kindly to the all the praise he has been lavishing on their southern brethren!

Kareena has Dreamz Unlimited

Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani did not get him the laurels he craved for and that, probably, that is what is motivating Shah Rukh Khan into producing a film that might get him international acclaim. His next home production is Ashoka The Great.

A close pal of Shah Rukh's has revealed that the film is in its planning stages and will be directed by ace cinematographer and award winning director Santosh Sivan. And, to give it that commercial touch, Kareena Kapoor has been included as the leading lady.

But Ash's dreams shatter...

Kareena signing up Shah Rukh's home production, Ashoka The Great, would most certainly have irritated none other than Aishwarya Rai. Sources close to director Santosh Sivan insist that Ash was on the top his list of leading ladies for the role. He had apparently even spoken to her about the project.

Though Ash is not moaning at the loss, the Kapoor sisters are causing her sleepless nights. What with the advent of Kareena on the glamour front and Karisma poised to prove her mettle as an actress by wooing the art circle, Ash is beginning to feel a little worried.

Kareena's strange antics

Kareena has chosen to drop out of some of her films for the strangest of reasons. For example, she preferred not to work with costume designer Neeta Lulla in one and she wanted choreographer Farah Khan dropped out of the other. But it must have hurt the upcoming actress' ego to know that the film-makers preferred to stick to their commitments to their technicians -- the costume designer and the choreographer in the cases mentioned -- than please their heroine.

Wonder what will happens when she begins shooting for Karan Johar's film Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and Subhash Ghai's Yaadein? For Karan will not consider shooting with anybody except Farah and Ghai works only with Neeta Lulla.

Aamir's singlemindedness

Aamir Khan is slogging hard at Bhuj, where he is shooting for his home production, Lagaan, and nothing but nothing distracts him. Wife Reena is lending him much needed support as an efficient secretary and production person. Also, she makes sure he does not feel homesick! And when two of his unit members fell in love and decided to get married, Aamir was the one who volunteered to do the kanyadaan and also host a small party for the unit members!

Dream Girl still sought after

Believe it or not, Hema Malini continues to be the one of the most sought after heroines for mother roles. It is another matter that she refuses most of them because she feels the offers are really not worth wasting time over.

But now that better and better roles are coming her way, the Dream Girl is finding herself in a bit of a quandary. All because of her new avatar as the mother of the upcoming and sought after star, Esha Deol. But Hema has her priorities chalked out and it's daughter Esha who's No 1 on her list.

It was this barrier that director Suneel Darshan could not cross when he offered her a super role opposite Amitabh Bachchan. Though she was excited about the role, the talks did not go beyond the negotiation stage because Hema frankly admitted she would rather concentrate on her daughter, whom she would be accompanying on all her shoots.

Whither Meenakshi?

Scandals and scoops are still following actress Meenakshi Seshadri all the way to Dallas, where she is playing the dual roles of a dutiful housewife and mother to a two-year-old daughter and a dancer par excellence who gives recitals to an appreciative audience consisting of Indians and Americans. But stories circulating in the industry insist that Meenakshi has decided to end a bad marriage and return to Bollywood.

Of course, Meenakshi does not feel the need to clarify the rumours, which could have begun because she came down to India for a three month long vacation, to visit her parents and fulfill dance recital commitments at prestigious akademies. "Even during my tenure as an actress, I never stooped to refuting rumours," says the dignified actress. "Why should I do
so now?"

-- The Insider