'Billo Barber' pushed back to February 2009

Shah Rukh Khan’s home production Billo Barber, which was locked in for a Diwali release, this year, has now been pushed back to February 2009.

It is believed that Shah Rukh has delayed his film to give breathing space to his two friends Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. While Karan’s Dostana stars Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham, Aditya’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi has SRK himself in the lead.

Since he already has a big release this year-end, it made sense not to compete against his own film. King Khan didn’t want two big releases back to back in a span of two months. Says an insider, “Shah Rukh wants to spread his releases out. Since a lot of films are being pushed forward and backward around Diwali time, he decided not to have Billo Barber clashing with any biggies.” Irrfan Khan plays the protagonist in SRK’s home production, while Khan is playing himself.

It is believed that there are also other reasons for delaying the film. Kuselan (the Tamil version of Billo Barber, satrring Rajikanth) hasn’t done as well at the box office, as expected. A source reveals, “Priyadarshan has watched the audience reaction to Kuselan and has decided to make a few changes. The climax of both the films is the same. Also Kuselan was criticised for being too long, so he’s now fine-tuning the film.”

It is learnt that Subhash Ghai didnt want an SRK-Salman clash at the box-office. Sources reveal the director personally called up Shah Rukh to check when Billo Barber is releasing. Ghai’s Yuvvraj starring Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif releases November 21. However, Ghai was relieved when he found out that Billo Barber has been pushed back to Feb 2009.

SRK to lose his six pack abs

With his six-pack abs and raunchy masculine sex appeal, Shah Rukh Khan gave the actors half his age a run for their money. But now the King Khan has decided to bid adieu to his much raved about abs and just entertain us all with his raw sex appeal as he goes back to basics sporting that guy next look with his lean body frame.

Yes, the actor who once donned a pumped up look and a sweaty appeal for getting that Greek God like build is now just avoiding the gym in his attempt to loose that macho look.

Care to guess what’s making King Khan gym aversive?

Well, the actor is following strict instructions given by good friend and directors Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Shah Rukh who is all set to play a leading role in Aditya’s ‘Rab Ne Bana De Jodi’ and Karan’s ‘My Name Is Khan’ has been asked to do away with his sexy looks as both the flicks require him to look lean.

Sticking onto the directions, the actor is now chilling out and working on to put on some flab.

Sadly for the ladies who just could not get enough of King Khan’s alluring abs for now they will have to be content with his lean mean look.

Priyanka teams up with Shah Rukh for item song

After Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra has been chosen as the third heroine to make a special appearance in Priyadarshan's Billoo Barber and shake a leg with Shah Rukh Khan.

And Priyadarshan says it was a cakewalk for the superstar to get the leading ladies to do a cameo in his comedy.

"Since Shah Rukh plays a filmstar in the movie, I needed him to do some big glamorous song and dance numbers with some top heroines. I left the choice to Shah Rukh. I knew all he had to do was to pick up the phone and ask any of his leading ladies," Priyadarshan revealed.

According to sources, it was a tie between Rani Mukerji and Priyanka for the third item song with Shah Rukh Khan in Billoo Barber.

"But after Rani appeared on Salman Khan's game show Dus Ka Dum and knowing there's no love lost between Salman and Priyanka, the scales tilted automatically towards Priyanka," an industry source said.

Though King Khan has done item numbers earlier in Shakti, Kaal and Krazzy 4, this would be Priyanka's first item number.

The song with Kareena was shot at the very start of the shooting.

"At this very moment, I'm shooting a second item song with Deepika and Shah Rukh. That's again a very catchy number and Shah Rukh is having a ball shooting with Deepika," Priyadarshan said.

Interestingly, the director was supposed to launch Deepika two years ago in a film called Pirate.

"But that didn't work out. She made her debut with Shah Rukh (in Om Shanti Om). Now she's working with him again. And I also got a chance to work with her. Don't ask who's the lucky one," he quipped.

Inspired by the story of Lord Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama, a poor Brahmin, Billoo Barber tells the tale of a superstar and his pal Billoo (Irrfan Khan), who is a barber by profession.

SRK the Best Actor Again!

Shah Rukh was adjudged the best actor for his performance in Chak De! India. The best actress award went to Kareena Kapoor for her performance in Jab We Met at a function organsied in Mumbai last night.

Shahrukh and Deepika Padukone were named as the Best Pair onscreen in Om Shanti Om.

Deepika was also adjudged the Best Newcomer (Female), while Ranbir Kapoor was adjudged the Best Newcomer (Male).

AR Rahman’s musical score for Guru earned him the award for the Best Music Director.

Aamir shared the best director award for the film with Shimit Amin for Chak De! India starring Shahrukh Khan. He additionally won awards as Best Supporting Actor and for Best Dialogues.

Lifetime Achievement Award went to Manoj Kumar. Chak De! girls shared the honour for Best Supporting Role (female).

Irfan Khan bagged the Best Comedian Award for Life…In a Metro while Anurag Basu won the Best Screenplay Award for the same film.

Lifetime Achievement Award went to Manoj Kumar. Chak De! girls shared the honour for Best Supporting Role (female).

Singer Soham won the Award for the Best Playback Singer (Male) for the film Life…In a Metro while Priya Ghosal was adjudged Best Playback Singer (female) for Mani Ratnam’s Guru.

Shah Rukh performed the Dard-e-Disco number from Om Shanti Om at the award function. Others who performed at the event included Shahid Kapur, Katrina Kaif, Urmila Matondkar, Riteish Deshmukh and Dia Mirza.

"Most boring, normal guys are best lovers"

The most boring, normal guys are the best lovers! This surprising statement comes from none other than one of the greatest on screen lovers of all time, Shah Rukh Khan, who has successfully romanticized numerous young heroines and gave love a whole new meaning with the blockbuster, DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAAYENGE (still running in its record 675th week).

While talking about his role and character in Aditya Chopra's much anticipated, RAB NE BANA DI JODI, Shah Rukh Khan explained that he plays this normal, regular guy. It�s the sort of character that people meet in everyday life; there is nothing fancy, attractive or interesting about them. His role therefore requires him to keep things simple, his look, make up and his demeanour.

Once again Bollywood's global superstar has an interesting logic behind the character that he essays in RNBDJ. Shah Rukh says that the most boring, uninteresting, regular kinds of guys are the greatest lovers in the world. So, this means that SRK is once again going to immortalize love by playing this normal guy and he would definitely turn out to be the greatest lover in the world (on screen we mean!) for the umpteenth time.

Well, his fans can rest assured that even without those amazing six packs, Shah Rukh is going to sweep his billions of female fans (and make a million more!) off their feet with his romantic portrayal of a loveable guy next door, when RAB NE BANA DI JODI hits the screens globally, on December 12.

Salman's family bonds with Shahrukh's gang

Anu and Sunny Dewan held a party on Tuesday night, after their HDIL Couture launch at the Fashion Week. While everyone knows that the couple is close to both Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan, Wednesday's party served as an eye-opener. Salman's family was seen openly bonding with Shahrukh and gang. Reveals a source, "Earlier, before the fight took place, Malaika (Arora-Khan), Seema (Khan), Gauri (Khan), Bhavna (Chunky Pandey's wife) and Maheep (Sanjay Kapoor's wife) would be seen partying together. All that stopped since the Salman-SRK fight.

Apparently, Salman had told his family to stop socialising with SRK and gang. He had told them it was his way or the highway! That's why at Saif's birthday party while Shahrukh, Gauri Khan, Karan Johar, Sussanne Roshan, and Kaajal Anand partied with Arbaaz Khan; Amrita Arora, Atul and Alvira Agnihotri stuck to their group."

Says a source present at the party, "Malaika, Sohail, his wife Seema and sister Arpita, came together and stood near the bar chatting. SRK was given private cubicles; one for Gauri and him and another for his security guards. Initially, the two groups kept apart but Malaika soon broke the ice by striking up a conversation with Shahrukh's best buddy Farah Khan who had come with husband Shirish Kunder. It was a long conversation with Anil Kapoor (a Salman campwala) joining them."

This time the groups couldn't stay away from each other. The source says, "Salman left to shoot for Vipul Shah's London Dreams in Paris on Tuesday. This came as a chance for old friends to catch up. Though Salman's family was at Sunny's party for only 45 minutes, Malaika, Seema, Gauri and Arpita were seen merrily chatting away in SRK's cubicle and outside.

Sohail remained aloof though. After greeting SRK and his friends, he kept his distance and bonded with Abhishek 'Gattu' Kapoor (the director of Rock On!!). SRK's friends Karan Johar and Riteish Deshmukh were also in the cubicle but left early."

Shah Rukh turns property developer in UAE

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is now trying a new role as a property developer, conceptualising a series of buildings in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an entertainment website reported here.

Khan's first project is called Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard and is located on the island of Al Dana in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE-based website reported.

Covering an area of 1,700 sq km, Ras Al Khaimah is among the five emirates that form the northern emirates of the UAE and lies along the border of Oman.

"Our inquiries have revealed that the superstar, who has been lying low since that July 17 tiff with Salman Khan, will be in Dubai to announce the project at the real estate expo City Scape (in Dubai), to be held from Oct 6 to 9," the report said.

The cluster of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments are being designed by well-known architect Toni Ashai and Shah Rukh has associated himself with the project through TSA International Investments, a leading real estate financial consultancy in the UAE.

According to the report, buyers have been invited to offer refundable 'expression of interest' cheques for the apartments, but sales will begin only after the official launch by the King Khan Oct 20, before his 'Temptation Reloaded' show in Dubai.

Khan already is associated with the UAE'e leading real estate developer Nakheel and owns a house on the posh Palm Jumeirah manmade island off the coast of the Dubai.

Though Bollywood actors have earlier endorsed real estate projects in the UAE, this is the first time that a celebrity would actually be developing a property himself.

Tempatations Reloaded - Dubai chapter, Venue and Ticket prices announced

Come October 24, and the wait will be over for all the Bollywood enthusiasts in Dubai. After the curtain raiser in Rotterdam in June, Shah Rukh Khan’s much publicised live concert tour, Temptation Reloaded, will be held at the Dubai Festival City arena.

Besides Shah Rukh, the show will feature Katrina Kaif, Rani Mukerji, Arjun Rampal, Anushka Dandekar, Ganesh Hegde and Hard Kaur.

According to the show organisers Hanover Advertising and Orbit Events, an audience of 25,000 is expected at the extravaganza.

The Country Club Hotel, which is a part of The Country Club Group, is the main sponsor of Temptation Reloaded 2008 – Dubai. The event and is supported by Star Events and promoted by Oasis Promotions.

The event is produced by Red Chilies International and scripted and directed by Moranis and Soormas.

Tickets are priced at Dh100, Dh 250, Dh500 and Dh1000.

Billoo Barber postponed to next year

Rattled by the bombing of Rajnikant starrer Kuselan, which has the same storyline, Shah Rukh has decided to tweak his film to ensure its success.

Both Billoo Barber and Kuselan are remakes of Malayalam superhit Katha Parayumbol.

Though a date had not been officially announced, Priyadarshan directed Billoo Barber was widely believed to be slotted for a Diwali week release; October 24 or 29.

Sources close to the project tell Sawf News that the film will now release either during the republic day weekend in January or in mid-February 2008.

An official from Red Chillies Entertainment, Shah Rukh’s production company that is producing Billoo Barber, told us, “The film is not complete yet, there are two more songs remaining to be canned and a big marketing drive is being planned. With all this remaining how can the film release in just over a month’s time from now? We are looking forward to early 2009 release.”

While the official denied Kuselan’s bombing had anything to do with the postponement, our sources tell us both Shah Rukh and Priyadarshan mutually decided to re-shoot certain portions of their film after watching reactions to Kuselan.

“Even the running time of the film would be kept in check, not going over 150 minutes. Kuselan and Katha Paraayumbol both had running times close to three hours and dragged at places. SRK and Priyadarshan want to leave no stone unturned in making the film compact and effective in carry across its emotions. One of the two songs that are remaining to be shot will be shot in a very huge scale with costs running into crores.” the source added.

A different source told us, “Following Kuselan’s bombing, a Diwali release for Billoo Barber was immediately ruled out. Shah Rukh then looked at a mid-November release but that would have pitted his film against good friend Karan Johar’s Dostana.

“His Yash Raj film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, directed by another good friend, Aditya Chopra, was slated for a December 12 release. Shah Rukh Khan is wary of releasing two of his most ambitious projects in close succession. Besides, he always goes into over drive when marketing his films; with two films he would have risked over exposure.”

Billoo Barber headlines Shah Rukh Khan, Irfan Khan and Lara Dutta. Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukonemake cameo appearances.

No six-packs in RAB NE BANA DI JODI!

All those who were waiting to have another glimpse of King Khan's envious six-packs, are in for a disappointment of sorts! Well, not exactly once we hear out what SRK has to say about his upcoming RAB NE BANA DI JODI.

Speaking about his role and get up in the Aditya Chopra directed venture, RAB NE BANA DI JODI, opposite debutante Anushka Sharma, SRK reveals that he has not worked out for four months. And this was intentional as he did not want to show off his muscles, rather those famous six-pack 'Dard-E-Disco' abs of OM SHANTI OM. The actor discloses the reason behind the same and it is a very logical and an interesting one.

He explains that the muscles were coming in the way of the character that he is playing in RAB NE BANA DI JODI. He essays the role of a very normal, regular person, quite unlike the flamboyant Om from his blockbuster hit of last year, the 87 crore OM SHANTI OM.

As of today, the next offering from the DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE and MOHABBATEIN team, RAB NE BANA DI JODI, is all set to release globally on December 12.