I have no interest in politics: Saif

He may be helming a political character in Prakash Jha’s next but Saif Ali Khan claims that he is not the least bit interested in politics in real life. The film in question is Arakshan and it will mark Saif’s entry into the genre of political thrillers. “I have dabbled in romance, drama and even action. But this will be the first time I’ll venture into a political film,” said the chhote nawab.

The film that deals with the issue of reservation quota in the Indian academic system, will see Saif essaying the role of a student with a middle class family background. The story delves into the serious issues of caste-based reservation in government jobs as well as educational institutions. Speaking of his character, Saif said, “I love the character and the story is highly dramatic and emotional. It’s a very vital issue in our country.”

Another reason that adds on to Saif’s excitement is the chance to be working with Amitabh Bachchan after a very long time. The actor last shared screen space with the legend in his debut venture Parampara. “It’s been a very long time indeed and I’m eagerly looking forward to working with him again,” said the actor.

Other actors on board are Deepika Padukone and Prateik Babbar. “After Love Aaj Kal I’m keen to working with Deepika again. And this will be my first time with Prateik, who I’ve met a couple of times at the gym,” he said. It was rumoured earlier that Prakash Jha wanted Ajay Devgn for the lead, but Saif denies knowledge of any such trivia. “I don’t know about it and that doesn’t even play in my mind, since I choose my roles instinctively,” said the actor, who will be sporting a trimmed Zappa moustache, without a goatee, in the film.

What will happen if stars and the stalwart of stalwarts come face to face? Well, the resultant will be MAX! We are indeed talking about the one and only Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who alongwith practically the whole of Bollywood was present at the MAX Stardust Awards 2009 earlier this month.

Needless to say that, it saw the coming together of over a zillion stars who bind Bollywood. And these star- names included the likes of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan with Amar Singh, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, Rekha, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, Ashutosh and Sunita Gowariker, Farhan Akhtar, Boney and Sridevi Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman, Amrita Rao, Asin, Neha Dhupia, Koena Mitra, Abbas-Mustan, Anu Malik, Genelia D’Souza…to name a few…Phew!

While the event was hosted by none other than the host with the most Minissha Lamba and the humorous Tusshar Kapoor, the showstopper was none other than Anil Kapoor, who performed on stage for the first time in seven full years! No…the story doesn’t end there as the ‘Jhakaas’ man danced to the tracks of some of his most popular numbers from Woh Saat Din, Ram Lakhan etc…

Shahrukh hosted last year’s Filmfare Awards too along with Saif Ali Khan. The Bollywood Baadshah went through shoulder surgery on February 16 at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, and doctors have advised him to abstain from working for atleast six weeks but he is not listening. He is going to host the 54th Idea Filmfare Awards on March 7.

Yes, King Khan is getting back to work barely 20 days after the surgery. Interestingly, the awards function was scheduled for February 28 but the organisers postponed it to March 7 just for Shahrukh. He underwent an arthroscopic surgery for a nagging pain in his left shoulder by a team of doctors led by Sanjay Desai, orthopaedic surgeon.

Priyanka Chopra, who is playing as many as 12 different characters in Ashutosh Gowariker’s What’s Your Raashee?, stunned everybody on the sets by dancing non-stop for 22 hours for a special song in the film.
Under the choreographic supervision of Raju Khan (Saroj Khan’s son), Priyanka performed to a song that required her to bring all the 12 characters together in all their varying moods and personalities.
“Priyanka shot with Raju for 22 hours at a stretch. As with most shoots, she couldn’t relax for hours at a stretch. It was very important to get the continuity right. Otherwise the characters’ graph would’ve become lopsided. To dance and emote to a song in 12 different looks and that too at a stretch is not an easy thing,” said a source close to the film.
Though Priyanka isn’t allowed to speak about the shoot, it was a challenge that required her to swing from one role to another at the drop of a beat.
Raju didn’t want to break the rhythm of the 12 characters as captured in one line of vision. Each of the characters represents a different star sign of the Zodiac.
The film also stars Priyanka’s ex-beau Hurman S. Baweja. Although Priyanka and Hurman broke up after the disastrous Love Story 2050, onlookers say the two are so compatible on and off screen that it’s impossible to tell the status of their personal relationship.
“They’re laughing and joking on the sets even when they aren’t facing the camera. In fact, Hurman was there to support her when she did the tough 12-avatar dance act,” a source said.
Priyanka’s unique role, which can only be compared to Sanjeev Kumar’s nine avatars in Naya Din Nayi Raat, could’ve been Kareena Kapoor’s, if she hadn’t turned it down.

Yes, it was offered to me and Shahid Kapur. I’d have loved to do another film with Shahid (Kapur). But the dates were clashing with Karan’s (Johar) film that Rensil d’Silva is directing with me and Saif (Ali Khan),” Kareena said.

The actress, who broke up with Shahid while shooting for Jab We Met, is currently dating Saif.

“We’re professionals, all of us. Even if I’m working in a film with Saif in place of a film with Shahid, we’re thorough professionals. There’s no time to party or go out or do any of the fun things. We shot in a tube station in Philadelphia at below-freezing temperatures and we needed to cover as much work as possible in limited time,” Kareena said.