Heroes still make more money than Heroine - Kareena

The third session of the India Today Conclave 2012 saw Kareena Kapoor raising the glamour quotient a couple of notches higher. Dressed in a yellow sari with a pink border, Kareena spoke about how the Heroine becomes the hero.

Introducing Kareena and the topic of discussion, India Today Editor Kaveree Bamzai said, "Who better than Kareena to tell how a heroine becomes a hero."
Talking about the glamour that Kareena brought to the conclave, Kaveree said, "Kareena has the ability to get dressed-hair and make up -- in 20 minutes."

She also said, "Kareena does not want to discuss anything about the budget."

The glamorous speaker opened her session saying, "I'm not an expert of any kind but I'd like to say what I know is true."

Reading from her written speech, Kareena said, "How does a heroine become a hero? I hope we mean economically...Heroes still make more money than most of the heroines. But I think we are on the right path."

Talking about how heroines can turn into heroes, Kareena said, "Every woman in street has to be equal to men."

She said, "For me it's not about replacing men in films but about doing the best I can like Meryl Streep and Mother nature. I will say it's about what you are as a woman."

Equating cinema to art, she said, she said, "Art doesn't live in vacuum. The cinema that we make comes from our culture. I'm fortunate to have done a variety of films like Chameli, Omkara and 3 Idiots. However, I have a long way to go. When a film like The Dirty Picture generates such revenue, I feel elevated."

Talking about the ruling men of Bollywood, she said, "In Bollywood, its always about the Khans. And don't ask me what Salman is paid and what I am." Getting cheeky while referring to the Khans and the money that is paid to heroines in Bollywood, she said, "After the Khans take home their money, I am left with chammak challo."

But one day she said women will break even with men in Bollywood. "Acting is all I have known. It's a war out there and I wouldn't sell my soul but would sell my talent," she said, talking about what she would do to stand equal to Bollywood's heroes.

Talking about her acting career, she said, "I didn't go to college and I'm proud to say I don't know much more beyond acting. I'd like to act for a long time."

On marriage to long time beau Saif Ali Khan, she said, "Hopefully will become Begum Pataudi by the end of the year. There's no rush."

Answering a question about Aamir Khan and kissing him on screen, she said, "Aamir has kissed both sisters so he should be asked if it was awkward for him kissing me."

Talking about what Kareena thought about herself and exuding humility, she said, "I'm a little bit of the characters in Omkara and Jab We Met. I'm just a simple girl."

When asked about what she thought about item numbers, she said, "Item number is a derogatory term. Songs are the soul of hindi movies. Why can't it be termed a song?" She also said that she hadn't yet agreed to an item song for Dabangg.

When asked about the recent fight that Saif had got into at a popular eating joint in Mumbai, she said, "My fists didn't fly at Wasabi so I couldn't tell you about it! I wasn't the hero there!"

Source: India Today

Friends worried as Kareena Kapoor goes off radar

Actor Kareena Kapoor seems to have gone off radar these past few days. Not the Bollywood radar that is, but the actor had almost become inaccessible to most in these three weeks, including to her close friends and that apparently set off alarm bells as they could not get in touch with her for days at a stretch.

That’s not all, apparently the actor also made sure that no meetings or script-sessions were scheduled during the time. But according to sources, keeping her busy was her film Heroine and so involved was she in the Madhur Bhandarkar film that she’d apparently even kept her cell-phone completely switched off all through the film’s shoot.

Considering how addicted the star is to her phone, this came as quite a surprise to all close to her. “It’s impossible to see Bebo without her phone. In fact, even during the breaks in between shoots, it’s a given that she would be on her phone. She is addicted to BBMing and stays in constant touch with her friends. So it was shocking to know that she was not accessible on her cell either these past few days,” says a source.

Kareena’s extreme involvement in her film has apparently now also earned her the nickname ‘Aamir’ among friends, as they feel that she’s got as involved in her film as her Talaash co-star Aamir Khan usually does. “Not that she was any less professional before, but we think it’s the first time that she’s got so involved in a film that she’s called off all her meetings and has not even been able to catch up with her friends,” says the source.

However, an insider reveals that the actor has been busy shooting for some rather emotionally intense scenes for the film and she just didn’t want to be distracted by anything at all, including her cell-phone. “She even instructed her staff to not schedule any meetings in the time being. In fact, even the promotion rounds for Agent Vinod that releases next week will only start from today, though she did attend a conclave held in the Capital yesterday, ” adds the insider

Source: DNA India

No bikini for Kareena in Agent Vinod

Actor-producer Saif Ali Khan has admitted that his second home production, Agent Vinod, which opens on March 23, is along the lines of some of the biggest Hollywood franchises, namely the Bourne series, The Adventures Of Tintin and James Bond.

The film’s first promo had a flash of bikini beauties sparking off speculations that actor Kareena Kapoor, who cut down to a size zero to flaunt a swimsuit in her first film with Saif, Tashan (2008), would once again sport a two-piece in her beau’s home production. But Agent Vinod’s leading lady denies this, categorically.

“Every second girl today is wearing a bikini, so there is no need for my character Simran to wear one too,” says Kareena. “She is not your usual Bond girl. Sure, she’s glamorous, but she looks hot and mysterious even when fully clothed in a pair of jeans and a shirt or a full-length gown.”

The actor is encouraged by the reactions to the film’s promos, in particular her first ‘mujra’.

Prod her on the long wait, with release dates shifting from December to March, and Kareena argues that a big- budget action-packed adventure that has been shot in 12 countries, including Morocco and Latvia, with a perfectionist star-producer, takes time to wrap up.

“The delayed release works for us because we’ve had a breather since RA.One, Mission Impossible IV and Don 2 that released last year and the audience is now ready for the adrenaline rush of another thriller,” she reasons. “And I’m confident I’ll make the best pair with Saif this year.”

source : Hindustantimes

Kareena is spontaneous & Urmila is fabulous!

Though known mostly for his spine chilling thrillers with male centric themes, like JOHNNY GADDAR, EK HASINA THI, maverick director Sriram Raghavan has always given his lead actresses their due importance. Who can forget the award winning act by actress par excellence Urmila Matondkar in EK HASINA THI or Rimi Sen's short but highly effective role in JOHNNY GADDAR.

In order to know his views on his latest lead actress Kareena Kapoor and his experience of working with her in AGENT VINOD, we decided to ask the director who said, "Kareena was simply superb to work with. Yes, she is a spontaneous actor and has an instant connect with the viewer."

When we queried him about her role in the film, Sriram replied, "She has a complex role in the film, though I can't reveal that now. She can be glamorous and real at the same time."

We went a step further and asked him to compare Kareena with Urmila who we feel is just as spontaneous and natural like Kareena and he says, "Well, Urmila too is a fabulous actor. She is my first heroine and was superb in EK HASINA THI."

Certainly, no one else could have summed up the acting prowess of Kareena and Urmila better than Sriram Raghavan.

Source: Glamsham

Madhur celebrates holi with his Heroine, Kareena Kapoor

Well, B-town master helmer Madhur Bhandarkar doesn't miss any opportunity to capture moments whether its reel or real.

The award winning director who has a mastery in converting real life incident into reel took some time from his busy schedule of 'Heroine' starring the B-town power house Kareena Kapoor to celebrate Holi - the festival of colors.

The 'show' didn't stop here... Madhur and Kareena though covered with colours made sure that the work doesn't stop. The unit which was also caught by the Holi festival fever obeyed the orders of their director whenever he said "light, camera and action".

Madhur shares, "It is the festival for colours and we did add to that, but work comes first and I know my cast and crew believes in that."

source : Indiaglitz

Remixed tunes not good enough for Bebo, feels Salman

Actor Salman Khan is reportedly trying his level best to ensure that Dabangg 2's item number that will feature Kareena Kapoor, is nothing like her last item number. The actress' last item number Yeh Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana was for the film Don 2, opposite his rival Shah Rukh Khan.

According to a source Salman shot down the proposal of remixing an old cabaret hit like Yeh Mera Dil. "Salman personally sat for the 'music sitting' to conceptualise the item song. He's got music directors Sajid-Wajid to compose a track that will make Kareena dance like a dream."

Confirming the news, Wajid said, "There's no charm in redoing an old song. No one appreciates the composer or the singer in these remixes. We have decided to do a completely new song."

While there are not many details on how the song will be like, Wajid revealed that the song, like Munni Badnaam Hui, will have a rustic setting. However, this time, it won't be a bar full of louts.

According to a source, "She (Kapoor) will rehearse her steps with the choreographer - Farah Khan or Ganesh Acharya - for at least two weeks. The rhythms are rustic but unlike like Munni or Chikni." Salman is also slated to be part of the song.

source : Mid-day

Kareena is going to surprise everyone in Agent Vinod: Sriram

Sriram Raghavan, who is teaming up with Saif Ali Khan after Ek Haseena Thi, says their upcoming spy thriller Agent Vinod is more ambitious than his previous work and will see the actor in an entirely new avatar.

It was Raghavan who gave Saif his career's first negative role which not only earned rave reviews but also helped the actor bag two other important roles of his life - Being Cyrus and Omkara.

Raghavan spent two and half years making his latest thriller. The director feels the film is bigger and more ambitious than his previous outings.

"When a film of yours releases, you don't think that your next one would arrive after four years. On Agent Vinod I spent two and a half years. Having said that, I never felt that there was a lot of time going into it. On the contrary, I enjoyed the process," Raghavan said.

"Agent Vinod is an ambitious film. Ek Haseena Thi as well as Johnny Gaddaar were far more intimate films. This film was meant to be bigger and hence the sheer logistics and dynamics changed," he added.

If Raghavan is to be believed, his film will not feature Saif and Kareena Kapoor in a quintessential romantic role. A spy thriller that travels continents, the film also promises to present Kareena in a different light altogether.

"Since Saif and Kareena are a couple, it was pretty much weighing on our mind how should we present them on screen. There had to be a good enough role that justified her presence and along with my co-writer, I actually spent quite some time in cracking it before narrating the part to her," he said.

"Kareena is going to be a surprise in the film. The audience would forget that it is a real life pairing."

Acknowledged as someone who knows a thing or two about telling thrilling tales, the director is happy to narrate a new story with Agent Vinod while also deconstructing the Saif Ali Khan that is known to the audience.

"In Ek Haseena Thi, Saif was this charming and charismatic man though quite cunning and inherently negative. In Agent Vinod, he is not a bad guy though he has this suave charm and the brains that get him out of the trickiest of situations.

"Still, it is a new Saif for the audience. He is going to surprise again after Omkara and Being Cyrus. He is better than the best we have seen of him so far," said Raghavan. The film is slated to hit the screens on March 23.

source : NDTV

Kareena Kapoor's beauty trip to Bangkok

Kareena Kapoor, brand ambassador for Lakme Absolute, recently returned from a shoot in Bangkok for the brand's 16-hour high performance long-wear make up range.

The ad for the new campaign features all of Bebo's favourite products. Filmed at exotic locales in Bangkok, the ad was shot by the famous Japanese American photographer and film director, Karina Taira.

Cyril Lagel, the world renowned Parisian photographer, was also present at the shoot to capture Kareena in her Lakme Absolute looks. Our sources say Kareena is thrilled with how the shoot has turned out and is waiting with bated breath for the ad to go on air.

source : TOI

Can Vinod trust Iram?

Producers: Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan

Director and writer: Sriram Raghavan

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Gulshan Grover

Release date March 23

Agent Vinod

The film revolves around undercover agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan), who is on a mission to hack a conspiracy planned against India. While travelling to different parts of the world as part of his investigations, he meets Iram (Kareena Kapoor) who works for the bad guys. Vinod falls in love with her but is not sure whether he can trust her.

Agent Vinod has plenty of action sequences and Kareena has performed most of the action scenes herself and without a body double.

Source: Screen India