Who says Rani & I've differences?

Putting aside all the pssst-pssst about Rani Mukherjee being ostracized from the Bachchan empire because of the supposed hostilities between Aishwarya and Rani, Abhishek in an exclusive tete-a-tete from Namibia where he's shooting for Goldie Behl's Drona, gives Rani a clean and amiable chit.

"Wo says Rani and I are at loggerheads? Such talk hasn't affected our friendship at all. Strangely we've played husband and wife in most of our films together including Hum Tum where I came in, got married to her and exeunted from the script.

Rani is a superb actor and we've done some truly challenging work together. You've too see her in Laga Chunri Mein Daag together.I hope to do many more films with her."

It's not just the pleasure of working with his favourite co-star—alright, second-favourite co-star after wife Aishwarya—that made the latest Abhishek-Rani film special.

"I got to work with mom (Jaya). I had done a cameo in a Bengali as her son. Mom and Pa are two different actors and humanbeings, They're both unique actors. It's a sheer pleasure to share screen space with mom. I hope to do as many films with her as I've done with Pa."

Ask him what's the main difference between working with his two parents, and Abhishek ponders, "In-between shots Pa and I chill out, have fun.

Ma is constantly mothering and fussing over me when the camera is switched off. Though I pretend not to like it I secretly love it."

There was big-time bonding on the sets with co-star Kunal Kapoor. "Kunal and I grew up together. He belongs to the same Juhu circle that I do. He's a terrific guy and an even better actor.

His performance in our new film will surprise a lot of people. I also admire Konkona and got to work with her for the first time.She's great fun."

As for director Pradeep Sarkar, "I did a number of ads with him before I finally got to be in a feature film with him. His zest for his work in unparalleled. I saw no difference in his enthusiasm level on sets of our feature film. I want to work with him again," Abhishek ends from Namibia.

Regretfully he couldn't be in Mumbai for his father's birthday on Thursday.

'Sex workers pose no threat'

Rani Mukherjee is the personification of a pint-sized powerhouse. From the time Rani Mukherjee naughtily nibbled on Aamir Khan’s ear in Ghulam and swept Shah Rukh Khan and the nation off their collective feet in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to her recent avatar as the scarlet woman in Karan Johar’s paean to adultery Kabhie Alvida na Kehna, she has been the cynosure of all eyes.

And now excitement has reached fever pitch with Pradeep Sarkar’s Laaga Chunari Mein Daag where she plays Natasha.

Sounding tired, recovering from being ill, Rani gamely says in her husky voice, “The film, as you know, is the journey of a woman from Benares to Mumbai. It is the story of a family and an incident, which causes my character to make certain choices.

The basic premise is the pressures a girl in India goes through if she is the first born. There is the constant angst to prove to herself, family and society that she can be the son.”

It is this angst that drives the character to take up the world’s oldest profession but Rani does not fear censure from the ever vigilant moral police. “I don’t think there would be any controversy.

The woman has been portrayed with love and affection. This is a free country and everyone should be respected for the job they do. It is not as if sex workers are killing or stealing. They are not a threat to national security!”

Rani, however, is categorical in her denouncement of human trafficking. “That is definitely wrong as women are exploited and forced into it.

This film is about a woman’s strength and the choices she makes. Sex workers are part of society; we cannot close our eyes to that. And finally, as an actor, I like to do different roles and this is one more.”

Rani, who will turn 30 in March, is quick to clarify that Laaga… is not another tale of a fallen woman. “That is one part of the film. At the core is the emotional bonding between sisters and familial relationships.”

Talking about bonding, ask Rani about the experience of working with Konkona Sen Sharma, who plays her sister in the film, and she laughs saying: “It was wonderful working with Konkona. You know we Bongs don’t really need a reason to bond.”

Open to Hollywood offers, Rani, who could not make it for Mira Nair’s The Namesake due to date problems, says: “As an actor I will do an exciting role in whichever country. But I will not work in a Hollywood production just for the sake of working in the West. The role has to interest me.”

Rituparna Sen Gupta is all set to portray the role of a victim of domestic violence in Karan Razdan’s next venture titled Mittal V/s Mittal. Rohit R

Rituparna Sen Gupta is all set to portray the role of a victim of domestic violence in Karan Razdan’s next venture titled Mittal V/s Mittal. Rohit Roy has been roped in for male lead who will play Ritu’s husband’s role.

Mittal V/s Mittal is a story of a woman whose life takes a 360 degree turn as soon as she gets married. Her desire of a perfect marriage despite marrying to her love interest shatters. Feeling proud to have got an opportunity to play such a sensitive character Rituparna says, “My character is of a simple woman who ends up getting married to a man who is both mentally and physically sick who sexually exploits her.” She also adds, “Her miserable life compels her to file a case against her in-laws and finally emerges as the winner.”

Suchitra Krishnamurthy will play Ritu’s lawyer’s role. The film also stars Gulshan Grover and Reema Raghav. Shamir Tandon has composed the music for the film.

Aishwarya-Jaya snubbed Rani

After the phenomenal success of Chak De India, Yashraj fans look forward to Laaga Chunari Mein Daag , slated for release on October 12, 2007. The promos have whetted the appetite, and they are hungry for more.

The story revolves around two sisters, played by Rani Mukherjee and Konkona Sen Sharma. They live with their parents, Anupam Kher and Jaya Bachchan, in Benares.

Circumstances and the search for a better standard of living lead Rani to Mumbai, where she falls in love with Abhishek Bachchan. Konkona finds love with Kunal Kapoor. However, there are some deep, dark secrets that may destroy their idyllic world.

If that does not sound intriguing enough, here are a few reasons you may want to watch the movie for:

This is the first time that the Bunty aur Babli pair has acted together since Abhishek's marriage to Aishwarya Rai. Abhishek and Rani have had such a strong on-screen chemistry, that many fans were expecting them to marry each other off-screen.

There are rumours that all is not well between Abhisek and Rani, and these were almost verified by Aishwarya Rai's frequent visits to the set, and snubbing Rani. In fact, Jaya Bachchan is supposed to have given Rani the cold shoulder, too.

Rani is playing a prostitute for the second time. She had earlier played a naachnewali in Mangal Pandey – The Rising. In this movie, her character comes from an impoverished family, and she gets into the profession to make ends meet.

Abhishek and Jaya will act together in a movie for the first time. Abhishek has done a few movies with his father, but none with his mother. Jaya returns to the big screen after a gap of two years. Her last movie was Kal Ho Na Ho.

Pradeep Sarkar, who shot to fame with Parineeta, does not repeat his lucky pair this time. He had apparently asked Vidya Balan for a role in this one, but she had date problems.

Rani has no man in her life now!!!

A report in a section of over-imaginative press suggests that Rani is quitting movies after Laga Chunri Mein Daag to get married.
Laughs a source very close to Rani, "The fact is, Rani has signed a new film and is already shooting for it. The film is Kunal Kohli's untitled venture which brings the Hum Tum pair Saif and Rani together again.
Rani has been shooting for the last two weeks and is totally immersed in the project. She has neither the time nor the inclination to get married or to issue periodical denials about the spurt of lies that keep appearing in the tabloids about her."
Continues the source, "The truth is, Rani is already shooting Kunal's film and is on the verge of signing a couple of more projects.
After Laga Chunri Mein Daag where she has one of the toughest author-backed roles of her career as a Brahmin girl who compromises with her morals to support her family, Rani plays an old-fashioned golden-hearted prostitute in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Sawariya."
According Sanjay Bhansali, Rani's turn as the golden-hearted tart is so ebullient and enchanting, Rani is likely to prove the scene-stealer of the show.
As for marriage, Rani has no man in her life right now.
"Rani is too much into her work to think about marriage. She's also getting her two new homes ready and will be moving in soon.
One of those places has wrongly been perceived as her love nest. It's strictly an office to meet producers, trade people and journalists. With her family home now filled with the pitter-patter of her niece's feet, Rani didn't want to bring her work into her home."
As for Kunal Kohli's film, Rani will be joined by her co-star soon.
Says Saif. "I'm currently shooting for Yashraj's Tashan. Rani has already started shooting for Kunal's film. I join them in Novemeber."
Rani quit? Not quite.

Rani to talk about her 'Engagement'

Apart from a scene or two in her films, Rani Mukherjee has never touched a cigarette in her life.

A story that Rani has been lately puffing on the cancer stick has her family and friends amused exasperated and bewildered.

A very close friend of Rani says, "Rani's mother has apparently been asking Rani to quit smoking. Rani's mom is having fits. She wants to know why she'd ask her daughter to quit smoking when the girl doesn't light up at all?

All her friends smoke and drink, and Rani is okay with that. But she won't touch either. We've never seen Rani smoke in our life. She has done a couple of scenes in Bicchoo and Bunty Aur Babli where she had to smoke. Beyond that she has never touched the damned thing. "

Says the friend, "First the false report on Rani's engagement with Aditya Chopra, now this report about she being a smoker…The day Rani was supposed to have been engaged she was shooting the entire day for Pradeep Sarkar's Laga Chunri Mein Daag and laughing her head off.

'Hey guys guess what? I got engaged and I don't know about it,' she called her friends and joked. But now Rani is really up to her neck. Her father cannot go on clarifying on her behalf.

Even on the engagement issue she felt it wasn't right to for her ailing dad to be harassed. 'Dad is already handling my work. How much more can he take?' Rani said to us friends.

Her silence is being misconstrued as acquiescence. Rani has been lying low because she feels the stories are much too baseless to be dignified with a clarification. But now she feels some people are taking advantage of her silence. "

The lady in question is all set to speak out against all the controversies.

Ironically, the story about her smoking comes at a time Rani is all set to do a campaign against smoking.

Says the friend, "Rani had decided to do an anti-smoking campaign on television even before this story came out. Now she's all the more determined to do the campaign, and not just that.

She'll soon be giving her version on the supposed engagement with Aditya Chopra because her family and close friends feel such talk and her silence are damaging her career. "

Rani Mukherjee is an occasional smoker!

Bollywood star Rani Mukherjee reportedly has a bad habit – a habit injurious to health. Reports are that Rani is an occasional smoker and can't seem to do without her morning cigarette, which apparently helps with her bowel movement.

But it seems Rani's mom is not too happy about it and has been nagging her girl to give up the bad habit. Rani has tried to give up smoking but ultimately she has always gone back to her habit as she develops various problems when she quits.

But now due to the constant confrontations with her mom, Rani has resorted to smoking in the loo and hiding her cigarettes when mommy dearest is around. Rani also regularly carries mint and deodorant around so that if her mom pops in she can always use it to lessen the smoke smell.

Well it comes as a huge surprise that Bollywood actresses seem to be puffing away too.

Rani to do an Anti-Smoking campaign

Apart from a scene or two in her films, Rani Mukherjee has never touched a cigarette in her life. A story that Rani has been lately puffing on the cancer stick has her family and friends amused exasperated and bewildered.A very close friend of Rani says, "Rani's mother has apparently been asking Rani to quit smoking. Rani's mom is having fits. She wants to know why she'd ask her daughter to quit smoking when the girl doesn't light up at all? All her friends smoke and drink, and Rani is okay with that. But she won't touch either. We’ve never seen Rani smoke in our life. She has done a couple of scenes in Bicchoo and Bunty Aur Babli where she had to smoke. Beyond that she has never touched the damned thing."

Says the friend, "First the false report on Rani's engagement with Aditya Chopra, now this report about she being a smoker…The day Rani was supposed to have been engaged she was shooting the entire day for Pradeep Sarkar's Laga Chunri Mein Daag and laughing her head off . 'Hey guys guess what? I got engaged and I don't know about it,' she called her friends and joked. But now Rani is really up to her neck. Her father cannot go on clarifying on her behalf. Even on the engagement issue she felt it wasn't right to for her ailing dad to be harassed. 'Dad is already handling my work. How much more can he take?' Rani said to us friends. Her silence is being misconstrued as acquiescence. Rani has been lying low because she feels the stories are much too baseless to be dignified with a clarification. But now she feels some people are taking advantage of her silence." The lady in question is all set to speak out against all the controversies.

Ironically, the story about her smoking comes at a time Rani is all set to do a campaign against smoking.

Says the friend, "Rani had decided to do an anti-smoking campaign on television even before this story came out. Now she's all the more determined to do the campaign, and not just that. She'll soon be giving her version on the supposed engagement with Aditya Chopra because her family and close friends feel such talk and her silence are damaging her career."