Shah Rukh gets no for an answer!

If one hardly sees Arvind Swamy on the silver screen these days, it is not due to any dearth of offers.

In fact, filmmakers still queue up outside Arvind Swamy's door. Only the actor is not interested.

One of the plum roles that Arvind Swamy refused recently was offered by ace cameraman turned director Santosh Sivan.

Santosh asked him to play a slightly negative character in his film, Ashoka. But the actor refused it.

Not because he did not like the role, but because he could not accommodate the film in his busy schedule.

The busy schedule being due to his flourishing business.

And Arvind Swamy knows which side his bread and butter lies, for surely he is not going to neglect his business for roles in films.

And believe it or not, even Shah Rukh Khan, the producer of the film couldn't get Arvind Swamy to change his mind.

Priyanka's dilemma

It is only after they participate in the International Pageant that the Miss Indias' take a decision regarding a career in films.

If they win, they go to make the most of their international fame, and once they return after handing over the crown, producers and filmmakers queue outside their doorstep.

That puts Miss India Priyanka Chopra, the current Miss World, in a dilemma.

She made the mistake of shooting for a film before she entered the Miss India contest. And then shooting for a few more days before going for the Miss World Pageant. Which means that she has starred in a film, directed by Atlee Brar, opposite newcomers and Rahul Dev.

Now she is trying all means to scuttle the film. Will she succeed?

Urmila changes her tune

Either it is the non-success of her films (Kunwara, Deewane, Jungle) all in a row, or else Urmila Matondkar is getting really adventurous.

She's not only playing a negative role in Ramgopal Varma's new film Pyar Tune Kya Kiya, but now she has signed up to play a character with negative shades in Anupam Kher's directorial debut venture too.

In fact, in the latter she is playing sister to three heroes, Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan and Fardeen Khan.

"Playing sister does not bother me. What excites me is the grey shades that the role has, it is one of the best written roles of recent times," gushes the sprightly actress.

But Varma is taking the credit for the roles that are coming her way.

When last heard, he was telling friends that it is only after he signed Urmila for a negative role that these kind of characters are coming her way.

Which means after Rangeela, Varma should be given credit once more for the fresh lease of second (or is it third??) life that Urmila's career is getting.

Manjrekar puts an end to speculation

While the world was debating whether or not Mahesh Manjrekar has had a tiff with his Vaastav hero Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh did the best possible thing he could.

Instead of denying and refuting the rumours and adding more fuel to the fire he went ahead and started a film starring none other than his Sanjubaba.

"That is the best possible way to keep everyone's mouth shut," says a hassled Manjrekar, "and silence any further controversies."

In keeping with the audiences' expectations from the combo, this one titled Pitah is a hard hitting film and stark. For the heroine it is Nandita Das, who is said to have bagged a dynamic role.

Incidentally, Sanjay Dutt is said to have recommended her name for the role, because he had virtually fallen in love with this dusky girl. Oh no! Are we going to be subjected to another round of rumours and rejoinders.

Sunil Dutt: the agony uncle!

By now everyone knows that the Sanjay Dutt-Rhea Pillai marriage is not on the rocks. The dark clouds that were casting a spell on the marital bliss have been blown away. That Sanjay Dutt and Rhea are together and make appearances too.

But not many know that Sunil Dutt was behind the patch-up.

A close member of the Dutt family admitted that Sunil Dutt, greatly disturbed by Sanjay's philandering ways, gave his son a good dressing down, something which he had not done before. Then he called Rhea over, who had shifted out of the house, and personally asked for pardon on behalf of his son.

So now truce has been called and Dutt Sr is said to be keeping a strict eye on his son.