Actress Sridevi planning for a come back to Bollywood

Sridevi Kapoor, 44, the South Indian actress who was popular in both Tamil and Hindi films, will be making her Bollywood comeback, reported TheTimes of India.

The actress, a mother of two, was last seen in in the 2005 movie Meri Biwi Ka Jawab Nahin (My Wife Will Not Answer), as well as some TV work.


Fellow veteran Madhuri Dixit had made her return to the big screen earlier this year.

To mark her return, Sridevi recorded a dance segment for the 52nd Filmfare Awards recently.

She told The Times: 'I love the variety of films that are being made these days and there are so many new directors I'd like to workwith.'

Two big Bollywood production companies are reportedly planning projects to exploit her star power.

She said: 'It's true there have been offers. In fact, they never stopped.

'But I've been working so long, it has to be something that really excites me (and) coaxes me out of home.

'So far, I've just been happy looking after my husband and twodaughters.'

Sridevi's producer husband, Boney Kapoor, is also planning a project for her, which he described as a sort of a 'Taj Mahal for his Mumtaz'.

Boney was referring to the famous monument of love in Agra, built by the 15th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Said Boney: 'Yes, I am certainly planning something with Sridevi.

'But her comeback requires a lot of care. At this stage, she can't do a film just for the heck of it.'

Lawrence gets busier with new releases

This is going to be the most happening of times for Lawrence Raghavendra. His Tamil movie Muni, which is also being dubbed in Telugu by Manyam Ramesh, is getting released this week.

Muni stars Larence while he has also directed it. So this a double test for him.And then his all-out directorial venture with Nagarjuna, Don, will formally start rolling from Thursday.

Don stars Mamta Mohandass as the heroine. This commercial entertainer will be wound up in quick time.

Don will again showcase Nags-Lawrence’s understanding.

The duo had movies like Mass to show for their rapport and good vibes.

Remake time in Tamil Films

K. Balachander's `Naan Avanillai' is a classic with Gemini Ganesh playing a Casanova who leads women to the altar without qualms. The veteran had done a splendid job in it. Doing the role in its present day version willbe Jeevan, the villain of `Kaakha Kaakha' and hero of `Thiruttu Payalae.' Selva is the director. It's three decades since KB's `Naan --' came out, but its theme would suit any era. With this step, Tamil film industry revives the practice of re-making old films, like in Hindi. It's nothing new. Earlier too films have been re-made in the same language.

Why care for Oscars? asks Mani Ratnam

Acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam doesn't care much about winning an Oscar as recognition of the Indian film industry.

"Why should we care about the Oscars, when they don't care about us? We have our own film culture, which is very rich," Ratnam told on a visit to kolkata.

Ratnam was visiting Cinema Paradiso, the city's happening video library that boasts of a huge collection of world classics as well as contemporary films.

This was his first visit to Kolkata after the release of "Guru". And he got a rapturous welcome from the city where his film "Yuva" was based.

Talking about "Guru", he said, "Rumours are flying thick that the film is based on the life of an eminent Indian businessman. It's all useless talk. 'Guru' can be anyone's story."

"Guru" tells the story of an ambitious young villager (Abhishek Bachchan) who moves to Turkey and then to Mumbai to become one of the richest businessmen in the country, making many compromises on his way to success.

On his next venture, the Tamil filmmaker said: "I am working on the script of a film titled "Lajo". Kareena Kapoor will be playing the lead role in the film."

Referring to the changing scenario of Indian cinema, Ratnam noted: "The earlier difference between art films and commercial cinema has almost vanished. Now it's a mix of both."

While agreeing that a filmmaker has a social role to play, he added with great candour that a filmmaker was not a preacher. "Indian filmmakers can move from entertainment to more socially relevant issues only after the economic condition of the masses improves. Only then will they be in a mood to see socially relevant cinema."

Mid-life crisis? No Says Amitabh Bachchan

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan insists that his roles in two new films in which he falls in love with women significantly younger than himself are not indications of a mid-life crisis.

The gray-haired star, 64, has taken on a number of Casanova-type roles to keep his acting fresh and get away from being typecast as a father figure, Bachchan said in an interview published on Friday.

``Well, variety is the spice of life. I was getting a little tired of playing the patriarch in all my films,'' he told.``I realized that if I continue to do it then it would be the end of me as an actor.''

In his latest movie ``Nishabd,'' Bachchan plays an aging romantic attracted to his teenage daughter's friend. In ``Cheeni Kum,'' to be released later this year, he plays a chef who falls in love with a woman whose father is younger than himself.

Bachchan - who, in real life, is happily married to actress-turned politician Jaya Bachchan - has played the role of the father figure in many of his recent movies.

He says both upcoming movies deal with genuine emotion and he hoped that his fans will understand that.

``I'm sure once they see the film, the audience will understand the honest and genuine feelings of my character in the films rather than focus on just sex and sexuality.''