Happy Birthday Bipasha Basu

Happy Birthday

Bipasha Basu

Bipasha Basu and Koena Mitra are turning a year older today on 7 Jan.

And they both have their own secret plans for the day. Bipasha brought in her birthday with beau John Abraham in Goa.

"I'll spend my day tanning on the sunny beach and trying to swim. I'll also be visiting the spa. And of course I'll be trying out the most delicious Goan food. The birthday is the high point of a divine holiday."

But Bipasha's celebrations don't end there. "We're coming back on the the 8th to celebrate the birthday again with my parents and close friends. Like she does on my birthday every year, Mom will cook all my favourite food that surely includes gajar ka halwa."

Koena Mitra is very much in Mumbai and looking forward to her friends making the day special for her. "I know Tanushree Dutta has planned something. But I don't know what it is," she giggles.

Tanushree seems enormously excited by Koena's birthday. "She's my best friend and naturally I've plans. Me and a few other friends will go to her house to bring in her birthday.

Then after our celebration we'll crash out at Koena's house. Then during the day we have little surprises planted for Koena all over the house."

Shilpa the world's sexiest Yogi

Shilpa Shetty, the actress who has always been termed 'the best bod in Bollywood', has now released a special edition of a DVD called 'Shilpa's Yoga' targeted at the European market. Here, she reveals her fitness secrets to create a lean and toned body while retaining all the feminine curves.

"Shilpa is the sexiest yogi the world has ever seen," quips her publicist Dale Bhagwagar. "In 'Shilpa's Yoga' she demonstrates simple techniques against the stunning coastal backdrop of Kerala.

She explains how to transform mind, body and soul, with unique ways to build stamina and get revitalised, while discovering inner peace," he adds.

With careful and precise instructions, the DVD demonstrates specific sequences that enhance concentration, agility and flexibility.

The workout aims not only to strengthen and tone, but also to heal. 'Shilpa's Yoga' is designed to help improve posture through a series of calming poses which focus on slow movement and breathing control.

It outlines various benefits of yoga, including stress and tension release, increased energy and vitality, weight loss, improved circulation and digestion, and comes with a free audio-CD of chill out ambient music to help unwind and relax after practicing the yoga techniques.

"Go for it. It might even improve your sex life," says Bhagwagar.

The DVD is released at an exciting time for Shilpa. Her perfume S2 continues to top the sales charts in Britain, while the tour of her musical 'Miss Bollywood' has met with stupendous success in 16 cities across Europe.

'Who's Kash to talk about me'

She no longer cries at the drop of a hat, like she used to on Bigg Boss.

"But you've to understand that I had never been away from home, always a papa's pet. Suddenly I was thrown among all these people like Kashmera and Rakhi who were far more in-charge, women of the world.

I had no choice but to deal with the situations in the best way possible. And if tears were the solution, so be it," explains Rupali.

Rupali, who recently started shooting her first new serial since Bigg Boss, is appalled by Kashmera's suggestion that she 'played' the crybaby on the reality show.

"Who is she to talk about what I was doing there? I can't talk for the others whom she has named in her interview.

But speaking for myself, every tear that I cried on Bigg Boss was genuine. I came out of the experience wounded and cringing. And if I hadn't been eliminated I'd have probably jumped the wall and fled."

To compound her woes, Rupali came out of Bigg Boss to find het father, the renowned director Anil Ganguly seriously ill.

"From then on it has been a whirlwind of hospitals, anxieties and prayers. Fortunately my father is out of danger. And I'm back to work. My father is not cut out to be a part of Bollywood's rat race, or to deal with the star system. He now helps me out with the ad agency that I own."

She started shooting for a new serial Ek Packet Ummeed this week.

"It's something new for me from the same people who produced my last serial Sarabhai Versus Sarabhai. Actually I lost a lot of time because I was waiting for another season of Sarabhai to start.

But I'm glad I'm doing Ek Packet Ummeed with such talented actors like Neena Kulkarni and Sulabha Deshpande. The whole idea of being an actor is to grow, and make my parents proud."

Rupaly's father was livid when she played the Bad Woman on the medical saga Sanjeevani.

"To him my role of the scheming Simran was an out-and-out vamp's role, a cross between what Binduji and Padma Khannaji used to do. It was only later when people told him they liked me in the serial that he forgave me."

But the sweet-natured Ganguly has realized she isn't cut out fir cattiness in soaps or on a reality show.

"In Ek Packet Ummeed I play a very positive character. It's about a family of strangers, people who stay together in a hostile city. The tagline Bin Rishton Ke Rishte says it all."

Tell her she's the small-screen's Shabana Azmi, and Rupali is delighted. "I've been told about the facial resemblance. I saw her at a play and she was smiling at me. I almost burst into tears. But I had the presence of mind to gather myself together and say hello to Shabana."

I don't want to waste Kangana

Anurag Basu whose achievements include defeating death (after a terminal illness) and making an absolutely original and exciting film like Gangster, is all set to direct a stark and real film called Suicide Bomber with his ex-mentor Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul in the lead.

Speaking about his painful parting with the Bhatts, Anurag says, "My equation with Mahesh Bhatt Saab isn't what he shares with others who work with him. I never assisted him and I'm not related to him.

Bhatt Saab had seen my work on television and he gave me a break to make Saaya. There was a producer dormant in me all the time. With Metro I was on-line producer and executive producer with UTV.

This wasn't possible with the Bhatts. I was only a director there. Maybe in a couple of years I'll turn a full-fledged producer….Even now I consult him regularly on the phone."

Now Anurag is all set to direct another film for the Bhatts. " Suicide Bomber is a film based on true happenings in London during the subway bombings."

Launching Mahesh Bhatt's son (Pooja Bhatt's broether), it would be Anurag's most realistic film to date with newspaper headlines screaming in the background. He feels Rahul Bhatt is perfect as the Suicide Bomber.

"Bhatt Saab didn't force me to cast Rahul. We had thought of casting him in Murder and Gangster. But he wasn't suitable for those films. I love working with new actors.

I love moulding them to my own vision. With established actors you've to first make them unlearn then make them learn. My discovery Kangana had a great actor within her. I just helped her to bring it into the surface."

Would Kangana star in Suicide Bomber? "It's a hero-oriented subject. I don't want to waste Kangana. When I started writing Suicide Bomber I thought I'd do it myself.

But I realized all my knowledge of the London bombings was based on internet knowledge. I thought Mahesh Bhatt Saab would be far better able to handle the subject. He's doing the writing."

Metro was Anurag's episodic homage to that feeling called love. "Making Gangster wasn't an easy experience.. With Gangster, God seems to be giving me the courage and inspiration to do work I believe in.

He's making up for the pain he gave me. There're some episodes in Metro taken from my own experiences. One of the stories is from a play I used to do in college."

Since almost the entire industry wants to work with him now,how important are stars to Basu? "When I write a script I want to film it immediately. But it's not possible for stars to give you dates immediately.

That's how Shiney Ahuja came into Gangster. I has planned to cast Sanjay Dutt who didn't have the immediate dates. With Metro, I was lucky. Everyone I approached said yes. Everyone was finalized within a month."

Anurag cast his Gangster pair Shiney and Kangana first. "The rest of the cast just followed, Konkona being the last of the cast. It's a little tough to direct so many different actors.

However shooting wasn't as difficult as co-ordinating dates. We had a ball once the dates were in place. Fortunately no one except one actor had aproblem with the dates.."

Anurag had a problem with Irrfan Khan's dates. "He had to shift locations for that Daniel Pearl film he's doing with Brad Pitt.."

Now that the whole industry wants to work with Anurag whom would he like to work with? "Govinda," comes the prominent reply. "I think he's hugely talented."

'No big star wants to play Gay'

Queer are the ways of showbiz. After getting the female leads Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranuat, in place Madhur Bhandarkar's casting for his peek at the beau-monde in Fashion has run into a major hurdle.

The major male lead, requiring a charismatic star to play a prominent costume designer, remains un-cast despite months of efforts.

Reason? No major star in Bollywood is willing to play gay, and never mind if it's only makebelieve.

The director has approached several marquee names, all of whom have recoiled in horror and laughed off Madhur's offer…. an instant-replay situation of what transpired with Rituparno Ghosh some years ago when he had approached Akshay Kumar with a gay man's character.

Now Ritu is stuck again. For a film that he wants to make on three fringe people, including a militant and homosexual, Ritu who has approached several actors, cannot get anyone to play the latter.

Madhur is at his wit's end, "This a strange situation. None of our actors wants to do a role that would be a challenge to any actor. I don't know what to do, probably settle for a new theatre actor."

Incidentally, a young actor named Jay Karla had played a gay character in Bhandarkar's Page 3. Not much has been heard of him since then.

And many years ago Kalpana Lajmi had offered Shah Rukh Khan the role of a eunuch in Darmiyaan. Arif Zakaria who took over the part, fast- faded from the scene.

Says Ritu, "They'll play serial killers and gangsters and all kinds of characters from the minority communities. But not gay. Isn't acting all about suspending your disbelief?

"Veer will show old Hindustani culture" - Anil Sharma

Bollywood actors are now getting into multi-tasking. Aamir got into direction with Taare Zameen Par. And now, Salman Khan dons the cap of a scriptwriter with the film, Veer.

“Veer is period film set in the 1800’s. It is not a historic film but the characters and the plot will talk of the olden Hindustani culture. Only Salman has been signed as the main lead for the film as of now, since the scripting is just over,” says the exhilarated director, Anil Sharma of Gadar fame. The film is set to go on floor within the next 2 - 3 months. However, the release dates are not finalized since it is a massive project. “The film is produced by Eros International and Vijay Jalani in partnership. The music and the locations for the film are still being discussed, we have short-listed some names and places, but it will take some time to reveal those,” adds Sharma.

With the script of film being written by Salman, there is a lot of excitement generated for this film. With Veer, we’ll know if Salman is also as good a scriptwriter as an actor.

Unmarried Girls Show Lust For Married Men

"Unmarried young girls show their lust for married men. Married men look hot for them. Hence they go close to married men very fast". Indeed, we are not saying this. This is the saying of Bollywood actress Amritha Rao who acted with Mahesh Babu in 'Athidhi'.

Actress Amritha Rao seems to be traditional in approach but 'hot and trendy' in outlook and observation. She confirms many things with lot of authenticity. She puts no filter and says her opinions by generalizing.

She also said, "Every girl wishes to end her dating episode with kiss. But men tend to go 'beyond' that. It depends on the girl and also the 'situation' to take decision. It is in fact difficult to end the dating episode with kiss many times".

Is that not a bold talk!!

And saying about herself she says, "If I get attracted to any married man I would certainly control my senses. Who knows? Any other girl may eye on my husband in future. I cannot just imagine that. And another thing to share-I don't know why I tend for old men!"

That's a new angle in Amritha.

Finally she says, "I don't have any boy friend till now. It's really surprising even for me why I didn't have any BF so far. Many girls are finding 'hot' boy friends when they enter 9 th and 10th standards. But I don't know why I don't have one".

Should we believe this? It's at your discretion.

Deepika cheers Yuvraj Down Under

It now seems that taking part in the shooting for Yash Raj Films is a mere excuse, and the real reason is that our ‘Om Shanti Om’ heroine Deepika Padukone is in Australia to cheer her beau Yuvraj Singh, who is struggling along with his team mates to battle the mighty Aussies led by Ricky Ponting.

If this sounds unbelievable, read this. Though the month-long shooting for the Yash Raj Flims’ new film commences on Australian soil on from January 7, the actress left the Indian shores – Mumbai – two days in advance just to have Yuvraj by her side while celebrating her 22nd birthday on January 5! And now speculations are there that the two are contemplating to tie the knot in another two years’ time.

While Deepika and Yuvraj have been linked up by the media on numerous occasions, the couple has always maintained that they are nothing more than just 'good friends.' Incidentally, before Yuvraj, the media had paired Deepika with the Indian cricket captain M S Dhoni.

And our lady had denied that relation too. Deepika and Yuvraj were, however, first seen together after the last Test match of the India-Pakistan series played in India last month and again at Yuvraj’s birthday party at Enigma, J W Marriott, on December 12.

This time, sources revealed that Deepika is in Australia much in advance of her shooting schedule to cheer her ‘good friend’ Yuvraj during the second Test being played at Sydney.

Considering Yuvraj’s dismal performance on the Australian soil this season, it seems that he would need all the cheers and comforts that Deepika can offer.

While a close associate of the Padukones insisted that Deepika is in Australia in her personal capacity and it is simply a coincidence that the India-Australia Test match is being played at the same time.

Nevertheless, sources in Bollywood confirm that the two are definitely dating each other.

And people close to both Deepika and Yuvraj revealed that the two are very close to each other and if things go well they might even tie the knot in another two years.

I hate being lonely at nights: Karan Johar

Karan Johar speaks about the eventful year that was.

Your year was filled with celeb interviews and shooting ads.
I'd agree with that. In 2007 I directed no films. But did many ads including the latest Alfred Dunhill.I'm the ambassador for their clothes lines. Then there was ICI paint where I shot with Kareena, and Brew the coffee which I've just tying up. And Timond watches.

Wow that's quite a lot of you being visible.
I am sure somewhere ads enhance your brand value. People look at you for things other than your core profession. You just have to balance it out and make sure you don't burn yourself out.

I'm cutting down on my chat-show activity in 2008. Though I'll continue to do live chat shows. I'm now the official interviewer for Dubai Lifestyle where I interviewed Maria Sharapova recently.

My journey from a director to a member of the media has been interesting. I like to be interviewed as much as I like to interview. Who knows,I could be the next newsreader?

You started the cult of celebrity directors in Bollywood.
I apologize for that. It started with me walking into people's homes with my chat show Koffee With Karan. Everything else was an offshoot of that. Now I've a parallel existence besides a filmmaker as a talk-show host. Everything else followed.

Has Koffee With Karan enhanced you as a filmmaker?
To even pretend that I've grown as a filmmaker because of Koffee With Karan would be stupid. I've always been a people's person.I love talking to people. And it's great fun when you're paid for your hobby.

And now you are an integral part of a new entertainment channel.
Yes, NDTV Imagine takes off in January 2008. I'll be physically part of just one show Say Shava Shava. Otherwise the creative head Samir Nair is a very capable man. I'll be there whenever he wants me to step in.

Does the channel get the stars through you?
Why just me? There're lots of credible people, Prannoy Roy and his team, Samir Nair and his team. And then there's me. We definitely make a multi-star cast. I think everyone associated with the channel has the clout to get the biggest names from showbiz.

Did you miss making a movie in 2007?
Of course! But I've been so much part of brain-storming, structuring and planning that I had no time to miss my true vocation. My Dharma Productions will go into action in 2008.

Tarun Mansukhani, our new blue-eyed boy at Dharma with a strong sense of loyalty, is directing our next production from March to be completed in July.He's a rock-solid support to our production house.

But my biggest support is my CEO who's also my best friend, Apoorva Mehta. He handles the entire financial structuring of my company. I wouldn't know what to do without him.

Please state more details about the Mansukhani film.
This film will star Abhishek, Priyanka Chopra and John Abraham. Bobby Deol has a very special role in the film. This will be our only release in 2008. During 2009-2011 we hope to release at least three films per year.

2009 will see the release of our first animation film Coochie Coochie Hota Hai and the film that I'll direct which starts at the end of 2008 but will also release in 2009.

2009 looks like a busy year for you.
Yes, because Siddharth Malhotra who worked with Sooraj Barjatya on Vivah and also assisted on my production Kal Ho Na Ho, and Renzel D'Silva who wrote Rang De Basanti will also direct films for us.

Your favourite films of 2007?
I was bowled over by Chak De India and Om Shanti Om. It has truly been the year of Shah Rukh Khan. I also liked Anurag Basu's Life In A Metro. And I loved Mira Nair's The Namesake. I felt a strong sense of catharsis watching it. I'll always be grateful to Mira Nair. I remember hugging her tight after seeing the film.

Do you think 2007 was a rewarding year for Bollywood?
I think 2006 was a watershed year. 2007 was a decent followup year. There're so many exciting things happening. New actors and filmmakers are born every week. I loved Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

When I saw then I couldn't believe it was their first film. They're masters of the craft already. I think in 2001 Hrithik Roshan raised the bar for newcomers.You just have to be brilliant in your first film. Daunting, but true.

Tell me about your next directorial venture?
I'll start around August 2008. It's a project that needs careful handling. There's a lot of conjecture….is it aboit 9/11 terrrorism?

But at heart Khan—that's what I want to call it—is a love story. For the first time I'm not writing my own film. Shibani Bhatija is. She co-wrote Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna with me. It's my story but her screenplay.

I'm enjoying the experience of watching the plot evolve from the outside. Every day we discuss the characters.

What about marriage for you?
Of course I hate walking into an empty bedroom at night. There're large lonely moments. Fortunately I've the best relationship possible with my mother. That makes up for ever relationship I don't have.

She's my best friend and a reason to look forward to the next day. Of course I'd love to be in a relationship. But it has to be the be one I completely believe in. I'm 35 and I'm not here for frivolous fun.

My mom doesn't badger me about a Bahu. I live so many lives as a filmmaker, I forget my own emptiness. Too busy creating so many lives on screen to create a relationship for myself.

The best thing and the worst that happened to you in 2007?
I've always said I wasn't a businessman at heart. In 2007 I realized I've to make Dharma productions a banner to contend with. 2007 was the year of personal ambitions for me. Worst thing? Nothing. Even my little skirmishes with Ram Gopal Varma and Anurag Kashyap made me happy.

What do you mean?
My life is my work. I'm happy when I've a problem with someone. It's a diversion.I'm so busy being affable, amiable accessible. Every year I like to have one person bad-mouthing me. It entertains me.

When I patched up with Anurag within seconds I was so disappointed. Can you please find someone to say mean evil and mean things to say about me in 2008?

"When Aamir asks… you don't question him" - Ram Madhavani

Ad filmmaker Ram Madhavani gladly shot the song ‘Bheja Kam’ in Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par. "Why did I agree to shoot just one song for Aamir? Because he asked me to! As simple as that. When an artiste of Aamir Khan's integrity asks you to do be part of something that's special to him, you don't question him. You just enjoy the process of being part of the creativity."

In the song Ram aspired to capture the chaos and confusion of the child's mind as he's jostled and pushed into a routine. "Aamir gave me full freedom to shoot how I wanted. There was no interference whatsoever. While Aamir shot the scenes with the kids in the school in Panchagani in one class room I shot my song in the adjacent classroom. I was stuck by his sincerity."

Going back to Panchagani to shoot the ‘Bheja Kam’ song was an exercise in nostalgia for Ram. "I went to boarding school in Panchgani. And that isn't my only connection to Taare Zameen Par. My name is Ram, that's Aamir's name in the film. And the boy's surname is Awasthi which was my wife's maiden name."

Working in Taare Zameen Par has been a life-changing experience for Ram. "When Aamir called me to see the rushes before shooting the song I didn't know what I was getting into. Taare has changed my attitude towards my own ten-year old son Siddhant. Now, I no longer pressurize him into performing or excelling."

Ram admits he never saw the ‘Bheja Kam’ song as a stepping -stone to other assignments from Aamir Khan. "For me it's enough that I was part of a film that really makes a difference to the quality of our lives."

It's been six years since Ram made his first and only feature film Let's Talk where Boman Irani made his startling debut. "I'm very proud of what Boman has done since then. Some of his work has been truly exemplary. As for me, yes it's been a while. I intend to do another feature film soon. I know many people think ads are a sell-out. But I firmly believe everything including the painting of the Sistine Chapel was commissioned," Ram says with his tongue firmly in cheek.

The Sexiest Singers

Sherlyn Chopra

Who she is: Also known as Mona Chopra and Maneka, Sherlyn made her entry into showbiz as an actress. But her films -- Time Pass, Red Swastik and Dosti -- did not do well.
So Sherlyn decided to launch her music album, and make her debut as a singer. Sherlyn has sung, composed and written the lyrics of her album, Outrageous. Adman Prahlad Kakkar has directed the music video.
Style file: This very bold and beautiful singer-actress may well become the next Mallika Sherawat.

Sunidhi Chauhan

Who she is: Sunidhi started singing at the age of five. The young singer has got scores of popular songs to her credit. Her most recent films have been Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Shootout At Lokhandwala, Aaja Nachle and Aap Kaa Surroor.
Style file: Sunidhi learnt quite early that looks were important in her singing career. She shed her extra kilos and was one of the first singers to star in a music video for a film. Ram Gopal Varma's Bhoot had only one song sung by her, and the music video was made to promote the film.
Sunidhi is one of the most stylish singers among the younger generation, and makes sure she looks good in all her stage shows and videos.

Shreya Ghosal

Who she is: Shreya first got noticed when she sang for Aishwarya Rai in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas. After that, there was no looking back.
Style file: Unlike Sunidhi, Shreya dresses up traditionally. But her salwaar kameezes are very stylish and modern.
Shreya hails from Kota in Rajasthan, and has evolved into a stylishly-dressed singer over the years.

Gayatri Iyer

Who she is: While doing her Masters in Business Administration, Gayatri felt that she preffered singing.
Having a filmi neighbourhood helped, and soon, she was introduced to director Pankaj Parashar and music composers Anand-Milind.
She sang for them, and also did some jingles for advertisements. Here is where she met her husband and singer Kunal Ganjawala.
Style file: Gayatri has been stylish ever since she entered the film industry. In fact, Gayatri is one of the most beautiful and intelligent singers of the younger generation.

Sanjeevani

Who she is: Sanjeevani was armed with a Master's degree in Commerce, a diploma in Mass Communication, and film production. But singing remained her passion.
She started singing at the age of 10. It was during the Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa show that director Vidhu Vinod Chopra noticed her and gave her a chance to sing in his film, Kareeb.
Style file: Sanjeevani makes it a point to wear Indian outfits whenever she performs out of the country, as she feels she represents Indian culture. In fact, she is the perfect bharatiya nari.

Richa Sharma

Who she is: Richa Sharma is the seventh and youngest child of a temple priest in Faridabad, Harayna, and started singing bhajans from the age of eight.
She came to Mumbai in 1994 and started recording religious albums to earn a living. Two years later, she got a break in Sawan Kumar's Salma Pe Dil Aa Gaya. Richa's most recent hit song was the thumri Daras bina nahin chain in Saawariya.
Style file: Looking at Richa, one would never realise that she hails from a small village. The attractive girl has become very trendy, and glamorous in Mumbai.

Madhushree

Who she is: Madhushree's real name is Sujata Bhattacharya. It was A R Rahman who asked her to change her name, as he felt Sujata was too common a name in the music world.
She has sung for various Hindi movies like Saathiya, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Swades, Rang De Basanti and Guru.
She has sung in Tamil and Telugu films as well.
Style file: Madhushree is not overtly stylish, and usually wears saris at her stage shows. But her smile makes her look stunning.

Shweta Pandit

Who she is: At the age of five, Shweta sang for legendary music director Ilayaraja in the film, Anjali. Since then, she has sung many hits.
Style file: Shweta faced the camera for the first time at 16. And that was when she learned to be stylish. So why is she on our list? Check out her glam look in the telly show, Mission Ustad.

Nihira Joshi

Who she is: Nihira was among the top five contestants in Zee Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in 2005. After that, she learnt classical music from Kalyanji, of Kalyanji-Anandji.
Her most recent hit was Dhadak dhadak from Bunty and Babli.
Style file: The 20-year-old is very attractive, but not one of the most fashionable singers. The one thing that Nihira always takes care about is her hair; she makes sure her hairstyle remains set and unruffled.

Shibani Kashyap

Who she is: Shibani shot to fame in 2003 after featuring, composing and singing the song, Sajna from the film, Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part II..
She started composing jingles since she was in school, and has launched two albums: Nagmagee and Nazakat.
Style file: Shibani is very stylish and very modern. As most of the time she gives live performances and is on tour in India and abroad she needs to look glamorous and she is. She does everything to make herself look different smart and beautiful.

Chavi Mittal

Who she is: Originally from Delhi, Chavi started giving stage performances from the age of seven. She started singing on Doordarshan Network when a producer told her that she had a photogenic face.
Chavi went on to star in television shows like Bollywood Aur Kya and Tumhari Disha.
Chavi is currently a hot favourite in Jhoom India.
Style file: Chavi is considered one of the most charming and prettiest face on Zee. Chavi has beautiful smile. The best thing about her is her simplicity and her innocent looks.

Bipasha, Koena turn a year older today

Bipasha Basu and Koena Mitra are turning a year older today on 7 Jan. And they both have their own secret plans for the day. Bipasha brought in her birthday with beau John Abraham in Goa. "I'll spend my day tanning on the sunny beach and trying to swim. I'll also be visiting the spa. And of course I'll be trying out the most delicious Goan food. The birthday is the high point of a divine holiday."

But Bipasha's celebrations don't end there. "We're coming back on the 8th to celebrate the birthday again with my parents and close friends. Like she does on my birthday every year, Mom will cook all my favourite food that surely includes gajar ka halwa."

Koena Mitra is very much in Mumbai and looking forward to her friends making the day special for her. "I know Tanushree Dutta has planned something. But I don't know what it is," she giggles.

Tanushree seems enormously excited by Koena's birthday. "She's my best friend and naturally I've plans. Me and a few other friends will go to her house to bring in her birthday. Then after our celebrations we'll crash out at Koena's house. Then during the day we have little surprises planted for Koena all over the house."

Marwari party for Dilli 6 Unit, Abhishek, Divya missing

Rakeysh Mehra had arranged a very special party for the unit of Dilli 6 on New Years Eve. It was an all-Rajasthani New Year's party where the dress code was Marwari and so was the food.

"Rakeysh had booked an entire place and got it done up. We had ourselves a sinfully good time. We all had to wear turbans and we ate ourselves silly," says the film's leading lady Sonam Kapoor.

Abhishek Bachchan who’s away on a holiday with wife Aishwarya and Divya Dutta who also plays a pivotal part, missed the party. Divya preferred to return to Mumbai for New Year’s to be with her ailing mother. "She's much better now, and much better work is happening. Yes, there was a bit of setback when my intended marriage didn't work out. But I believe everything happens for the best. I know 2008 will be a fulfilling year for me," says Divya who's got films with Yashraj Films and Subhash Ghai, besides Mehra.