Salman dumps David!

Incidentally, Salman is sold out on this director from the south. Adhiymaan, who directing him in a K C Bokadia, apparently took Salman's side and played fair when the film's other hero, Shah Rukh Khan, tried to get better footage and scenes. The cincher, though, was the director's decision to work only with Ash (I will even wait a year for her dates, he is said to have stated.).

Needless to say, neither he nor Salman had to wait that long. The film, which is on the former beauty queen's priority list, is already in the shooting stage.

Talking of Salman always Aishwarya Rai to mind. Particularly when it seems that things are no longer hunky-dory between her and her mother.

For one, the formerly omnipresent Mrs Vrinda Rai no longer seems to be on the scene at least as far as Ash's career is concerned. She no longer escorts Ash for her shootings, nor does Ash consult her mother over career matters.

In fact, if sources close to the Rai family are to be believed, then Ash will soon be moving into a new apartment. Of course, only Ash, Time and Salman's moods will tell if it ends up being their love nest!!

Incidentally, people close to Ash are also talking about how the girl is making all the wrong decisions. For starters, she is now asking Rs 2.5 crore, much to the dismay of film-makers, who are normally reluctant about paying their heroines.

Why is Sushmita Sen emerging as the item girl? Someone who is considered only for a song 'n' dance routine?

It's true that her Dilbar dilbar number in Sirf Tum was much appreciated. As was Shakla kala baby in the Manisha-starrer Mudhalvan, made by Shankar in Tamil. Khalid Mohammed believed only she could do justice to the sexy Mujhe mast mahaul mein jeene de in Fiza.

Even Anil Kapoor, who signed on for the Hindi remake of Mudhalvan, insisted the song be recreated exactly the way it was in the original. Of course, the producer had to pay an unheard of price to convince the Sen for a repeat performance, but it was a worthwhile investment. The distributors, we hear, are lapping up the film!

Blood is thicker than water. And nobody's proved it better than Boney Kapoor. Despite his fallout with younger brother Anil, and the fact that the latter has decided to form his own production company, it was Boney who fought his case -- filed against him by Mukesh Bhatt -- at the producer's council. He actually shouted everyone down and sorted out the case!

Namrata Shirodkar has definitely split with her steady boyfriend, Deepak Shetty. How do we know? Well, for one, Deepak was not present at sister Shilpa's wedding. Then, his ticket (he was to escort Namrata on her US tour) was cancelled at the last minute.

Deepak, apparently, is not taking too kindly to Namrata's growing friendship with director Mahesh Manjrekar. But Namrata, who is quite focused on her career, is none too keen to chuck up a friendship that is ensuring her good roles. And Deepak's suspicious nature only brought her closer to Mahesh. So if the latter does fly down to the US of A, it will not be for his best buddy Sanjubaba but to see how Namrata sets hearts aflutter across the seas.

Shaheed Bhagat Singh is rather popular these days. So much so that three film-makers -- Ramanand Sagar, Kuku Kohli and Rajkumar Santoshi -- are keen on making a film based on the legendary character. Not that Santoshi's presence has intimidated the other two -- Sagar can be convinced (Kohli knows how) to convert it into a serial. As for Santoshi, well, by the time he plans, executes, shoots and reshoots the film, the other two can easily complete a silver jubilee.

Incidentally, one of the reasons Santoshi has announced the film, say insiders, is because his plans of completing Lajja in one go has come to naught. He may have to reshoot bits of the film and the financiers and distributors have given him an ultimatum. Announcing the film is one way of appeasing them and impressing money bags Bharat Shah into loosening his rather tight purse strings.

Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya has set the Bachchan camp on a rethink trip. One of the decisions arrived at in a closed door meeting is that Abhishek should no longer work with debutant directors. After all, not everybody can be an Aditya Chopra or a Karan Johar.

In fact, now that ABCL is being revived (with all the crores that Papa made in Kaun Banega Crorepati), the entire focus will be on Baba Bachchan. There are four films being planned with Abhishek and all the top directors in town (including Abbas-Mustaan and David Dhawan) are being signed up. Maybe they should sign up Rakesh Roshan instead!