Will Katrina Kaif marry Ranbir Kapoor next year?

The couple is reportedly set to get married in 2015.

The question we should now be asking of Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor's relationship status is no longer "are they or aren't they" but "will they or won't they," if gossip is to be believed. The actors, long suspected of being a couple, are now rumoured to be considering writing a new chapter to their Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, with a wedding coming up next year. 

There has been, of course, no word on this from Katrina and Ranbir themselves - just like they have resolutely refused to admit to a relationship despite being photographed on holiday together in Spain last year. The would-be-groom's mother, actress Neetu Singh, is said to be thrilled and has reportedly already started shopping for the big day. 

In the last few months, the rumoured couple have navigated rocky waters in their reported romance. They were said to have broken up after having fought while holidaying in New York over the New Year. Later, they were spotted arriving (separately) for a party at actor Aamir Khan's home, prompting speculation that they could be back together. They spent Valentine's Day apart but then Katrina flew to Sri Lanka where Ranbir was shooting Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet. 

A source was later quoted by Mid-day.com saying, "They did not break up in the first place. It was a minor tiff and every other couple goes through this. They have been together for the past four years and they won't break up because of a small argument."

Deepika and Katrina have no time for history

Both have turned down Ashutosh Gowariker’s period film Mohenjo-daro.

Actress Deepika Padukone has apparently said no to director Ashutosh Gowarikar's upcoming film. Says a source, "Deepika is busy shooting for films she has already signed, including Happy New Year, Shuddhi, and Window Seat.

She doesn't have any dates for the next two years and thus had to turn down a role in Ashutosh Gowarikar's film, Mohenjo-daro.

The source adds that the director was keen on signing Deepika for this film. "Deepika is a popular choice among filmmakers now. But the actress has no dates and will be busy shooting for the entire year," says the source. 

Rumour also has it that Ashutosh Gowarikar had approached actress Katrina Kaif for the same role. "But she too said no to him on account of a packed schedule," says the source. 

On the other hand, Hrithik has given a green signal to the filmmaker; they had last worked together on the period film, Jodha Akbar. It may be pointed out here that Deepika has earlier worked with Ashutosh Gowarikar on the film, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. However, the film didn't create any waves at the box office. 

Ashutosh Gowarikar was not available for comment while Katrina's manager confirmed that she has no dates to spare for the upcoming film.

Katrina to team up again with Shah Rukh Khan?

Katrina and SRK featured together in Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Katrina Kaif has reportedly bagged the lead role in Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan. The film was recently in the news when Nawazuddin Siddiqui replaced Farhan Akhtar in the film. Now it has emerged that Katrina has apparently been offered the film.

A source says, "Katrina is in talks to play the lead role. They have been discussing it for a while now, but latest developments suggest that she has given them a go-ahead. This will be her second film with Shah Rukh Khan after Jab Tak Hai Jaan."

Another industry source adds, "Post Bang Bang, Katrina will be working on Jagga Jasoos opposite Ranbir Kapoor, but it looks like this film will be pushed ahead. Besides these two films, she doesn't have too much on her plate as of now, so a lead role in Raees is just right for her."

When contacted, Katrina denied being offered the film. On the other hand, Rahul Dholakia, the film's director, remained unavailable for comment.

Queen

Rating : 8/10
Release Date : 7th March, 2014 
Time : 146 minutes
Director & Writer : Vikas Bahl; Music : Amit Trivedi
Starring : Kangana Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao, Yogendra Tiku, Chinmaya Agarawal, Tripta Lakhanpal, Lisa Haydon, Mish Boyko, Jeffrey Ho, Joesph Guitobh, Canade Lopez, Nayani Dixit, Sabeeka Imam



A very famous director once told me that one of the best ways to evaluate films is to look for moments in the movie…moments which touch you, you can relate to, which you remember long after the last reel has come to a halt. By that logic, I’m happy to announce that Queen is replete with such endearing moments and if you haven’t seen it in the cinema hall, would recommend you do so immediately.

Kangana, a denizen of Rajouri Garden, Delhi, is relentlessly wooed before being unceremoniously dumped by her fiancée, Rajkumar Rao, just a day before their wedding. Being brought up as typically daughters are in that locality, over-protected, always chaperoned, not really worldy-wise, always letting the men decide for them, she decides she wants to travel on her honeymoon, by herself. And so we get a very innocent, sweet, naïve, not very fluent in English, girl from Rajouri travel to Paris and Amsterdam and discover her true self in the process. 

She encounters an eclectic mix of characters on this journey…Lisa Haydon, a half-Indian, gorgeous creature who lives, loves and laughs. Mish Boyko, an artist who paints to get rid of his frustration, Jeffrey Ho, a fun loving Japanese, away from home to escape from sad memories, Joseph Guitobh, who makes beautiful music and of course, Canadea Lopez, who insists Italian food must be eaten as it is, without being Indian-ized. 

Memorable moments include Kangana going through a mental check list while getting her mehndi done, Rajkumar’s classic MCP behavior when it comes to her dress, desire to work, drink alcohol etc including his special brahmastara “Mummyji ko pata chal gaya to ?”, the father and son fascination with Lisa and her voluptuous twin assets, the grandmother’s sage advice regarding heartbreak, Kangana’s call to a fictitious boyfriend to try and ‘protect’ herself, her non-stop chatter (in Hindi) regardless of who is around her and overall, watching her gain confidence, without losing her own identity in the process.

After a long while, saw a Hindi film which got the nuances right. It is a over-simplified fable kind of story, but with its heart firmly in the right place. Accompanied by great music, excellent and (for a change) pithy dialogue and superb performances (new found respect for Kangana, who infuses life into this simple girl from Rajouri), this film really made you smile, several times, as the queen waltzes in our hearts

Bewakoofiyaan

Rating : 5/10
Release Date : 14th March, 2014 
Time : 119 minutes
Director : Nupur Asthana; Writer : Habib Faisal; Music : Raghu Dixit
Starring : Ayushman Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor



A quite harmless film with no layers, depth or subtler shades to the characters, its predictable, and apart from Sonam’s horror show (she gets her expressions wrong half the time) is a decent film, good, clean, has some fun moments but is just too stretched time wise. 

Ayushman loves Sonam, who has a terror, Rishi Kapoor, for a father. Retired from govt service, connected to the Home Secretary, an old-school bureaucrat, wears safari suits on formal occasions etc. And he is determined to thoroughly vet Ayushman before giving him permission to marry his precious daughter, who is doing well career wise (earning more than her boyfriend). When, a little later, Ayushman loses his job, things begin to get a little awkward.

The best moments of the film are those not involving Sonam ie between Ayushman and Rishi – especially in the second half as the relationship between them reaches a different footing. Both do justice to their roles. Sonam tries to garner attention by wearing a bikini but even that doesn’t work. The songs aren’t bad. Also, there is no vulgarity, crassness - its all innocuous, inoffensive, nothing to stay with you later, a few smiles here and there...nothing more, nothing less

There are often films which have nothing new to offer in their entire length versus what is shown in the trailer…this almost falls in that category.

Noah

Rating : 5/10
Release Date : 28th March, 2014 
Time : 138 minutes
Director & Writer : Darren Aronofsky; Co-Writer : Ari Handel; Music : Clint Mansell
Starring : Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth



This is a very grim telling of the biblical epic, more preoccupied with the question of whether the human race should’ve been saved / propagated further in the post ark era, than with other aspects I would’ve found more interesting like the building of the ark, the selection of the species, the logistical challenges, the beauty of the animals of that era etc 

There are two kinds of people on Earth, the descendants of Cain, who are greedy, hungry, don’t believe in worshipping their Creator and willing to lay waste to the planet…and the descendants of Seth…who are completely the opposite. Noah (Russell Crowe) is born to the latter, watches his father die at a young age at the hands of the opposing camp (led by Ray Winstone)…grows up foraging, providing for his wife, Jennifer, and three kids, leading a very ordinary life…until he begins to have visions…which lead him to his task… 

I found the special effects quite ordinary, the story slightly complicated (especially the concept of the Watchers), the two opposing camps too black and white and overall the film was, well, just grim…full of darkness, dim light with no one epitomizing this more than the scowling Russell Crowe who barely smiles in the film

It’s a valid, fascinating question to ask, of course, about whether the human race deserved to survive the deluge, especially at this juncture, when we’re pretty close to destroying the planet but just that it doesn’t make for a very entertaining film as the lead actors grimace and scowl through the movie...