Film: "R... Rajkumar"; Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood; Directed by Prabhudheva; Rating: ***

Silent hoja, nahin toh main violent ho jaaonga.... says our rowdy-side Romeo hero. This clangorous film's besotted hero Romeo Rajkumar is fond of blurting out the silent-violent catch-line at the most inopportune moments... maybe he likes the sound of the words and doesn't care to hold up its relevance in his deeds.

His demand for silence in a film that revels in raucousness is as irrational and morally untenable as seeking salvation in Asaram's ashram.

"R ... Rajkumar" is a very noisy film. Empty aerated bottles fly across the colourful kitschy frames hitting hard surfaces, mainly skulls and shattering every shred of the equilibrium that might have existed if Prabhudheva's kingdom of anarchy before heroes and villains with knives(never guns in this film) decided to get so mad, they had to get even against all odds.

Welcome to the world of wacky wickedness where Shahid Kapoor lords with ludicrous loudness over characters who don't know where to stop. And Prabhudheva's direction follows suit. The plot is wafer-thin, certainly slimmer than the film's large-built leading lady.

There is an immensely endearing moment between Sonakshi Sinha and Shahid Kapoor where she makes fun of his height. He retaliates by taking a dig at her weight. It's a decisive moment in the storytelling where the parameters of impunity are well set for the couple as well as for the script's dynamics regarding the love relationship between the two.

These two love birds will go to any lengths to be one-up on their adversaries. Sonu Sood plays the arch-villain as a delicious mix of the mean and the mirthful. This guy deals in danger and yet somehow he doesn't mean to be so mean.

If you know what I mean.

The violent love story streaks across a horizon of hectic action sequences topped by a monstrously over-the-top climax where Shahid and Sonu beat each other to a pulp. This 20-minute climax (and still counting) could have been cut by half, as too the songs which though interestingly filmed (Prabhudheva after all) add only splashes of flamboyant colour on an already over-cluttured canvas.

Prabhudheva's comicbook energy is back in action in this fast furious and funny cocktail of mirth and mayhem. A heady unsteady mix of humour and rowdyism that only Prabhudheva can pull off. Yeah, we've seen it all in "Wanted" and "Rowdy Rathod". But there is something sexily bullish about Prabhudheva's cinema.

Yes, the mystery of the asterisks in the title is slyly revealed. Romeo and not Rambo is the flavour of the season. We saw a very violent Romeo in "...Ram Leela" recently. Now we see a very love-struck Rambo in "R... Rajkumar".

To their credit, director Prabhudheva and Shahid Kapoor have a lot of fun with the feisty hyper-ventilating material which is often short of breath, but proudly so. Neither silent nor offensively violent "R... Rajkumar" is a fun take on the hero and the tyrant.

Divya Khosla Kumar, who is currently busy promoting her directorial debut "Yaariyaan", says her husband Bhushan Kumar is a very smart and a strict film producer.

"Bhushan is a smart producer. Just because I am his wife, he will not let me make a film. I made 'Yaariyaan' eight-and-a-half years of our marriage. If things were easy, I could have made it in the second or third year itself," Divya told IANS.

"He got confidence in me only after I directed few music videos, then he had confidence in my vision. I have shot the film in a modest budget," she added.

Divya says he is also "very strict"

"Had he not been strict, things could go out of hand. Even I was very strict with my team. If this film is made in correct budget, then after the numbers come the profitability will also be high," she said.

Divya started her career in Bollywood as an actor in 2004 film "Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo" in (2004). Acting is not presently on her mind.

"I have moved on from acting. If at all I feel like acting, I will do something in my own film...as a cameo or something. I was very creative since childhood.

"I am creatively satisfied with 'Yaariyaan'. I feel proud that I came from Delhi to Mumbai and today I am proud of myself that I have achieved everything keeping my dignity intact," she said.

"Yaariyaan", slated to release Jan 10, 2014, features newcomers.

At 4l, actor-producer Uday Chopra does not feel any pressure to get married, and he is busy working on establishing Yash Raj Films (YRF) Entertainment abroad. He says getting married is "not the only option" people have today.

Uday, who now lives in Los Angeles to manage his home banner's Hollywood wing, is currently in Mumbai to promote his forthcoming acting project "Dhoom:3".

He believes in marriage as an institution but says "it depends on what works".

"If you find a girl who doesn't want to get married, then you don't get married. Its very individualistic thinking. I don't believe that marriage as a institution is dead, but I also don't think that that's the only option you have today," he said.

Son of late filmmaker Yash Chopra and his wife Pamela, Uday says his "mother is fine and okay" with his decision of not marrying as yet.

"She feels I will do it whenever I feel like. Now that I have started out this production work (YRF Entertainment), I want to see it being productive. I want to see going forward. Once that happens, I will settle down," he said.

A lot has been said of his relationship with actress Nargis Fakhri.

When asked about it, he said: "I don't want to answer it. I don't like to talk about my personal life. We are friends...I will put it that way."

From evergreen Dev Anand to superstar Rajesh Khanna, Asha Parekh has worked with most leading stars of Indian cinema except Dilip Kumar and the 71-year-old veteran actress confesses that she is still waiting to work with the thespian.

She got great opportunities to work with Shammi Kapoor in hits "Dil Deke Dekho" and "Teesri Manzil", Dev Anand in "Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai" and Rajesh Khanna in "Aan Milo Sajna" and "Kati Patang", but never got a chance to share the screen with Dilip Kumar.

Sharing her experience, the star of the 1960s and 1970s told IANS in an interview: "I really want to work with Yusuf saab (Dilip Kumar). It's still a wish and I am still waiting to work with him."

Although Dilip Kumar, 90, took retirement from acting after "Qila" in 1998, Asha is still hopeful.

"If I get an opportunity, I would just run and do that project. This is one thing I am looking forward to," said the Padma Shri winner.

There were reports that Dilip Kumar and Asha never came together on the screen because of the animosity between them, but the actress rubbishes it as a figment of a journalist's imagination.

She said: "There was no animosity. It was a mistake by the journalist who just cooked up the story. I was very angry with him for cooking up stories and spoiling our relationship. I have a very, very good relationship with Yusuf saab and (his wife) Saira Banu. I was terribly hurt by that report."

One of the best dancers of her era, Asha is happy with the changes in Bollywood, but can't appreciate the growing trend of item numbers.

"I don't like item numbers, but people like it and so I can't say anything. I would hope the folk dances comes back in our films," she said.

She agrees that one thing that hasn't changed is the disparity between the remuneration of a lead actor and actress.

"It is very sad, but it was the same during our time also," she said.

What also disappoints her is that actresses don't have enough options in terms of acting as compared to male actors.

She said: "That's a very sorry state of a film. You can't do anything about it".

Enjoying her retirement, Asha has no plans to make a comeback.

"No plans at all for a comeback. I have worked a lot, I have done stage, films, and serials - everything. I don't have anything else to do," said Asha whose last film was "Muthi Bhar Zameen".

Television doesn't attract the actress either. She had produced successful show "Kora Kagaz" for the small screen, but said: "These days there is no creativity. These days serials have become very regressive. It is very sad."

When asked what keeps her still so attractive, she said: "Happiness and peace."

Revealing her daily routine, she said: "I get up early in the morning, I do my pooja. I go for a hospital round. At times we - Waheeda Rehman, Sadhna, and Shammiji - go for lunch or dinner. So these things keep me busy."

Contented with her journey, she said: "I will feel really good if you ask me what you want to be in your next birth, I would only say I want to be Asha Parekh again."

Actor Aditya Roy Kapur, who is working under filmmaker Habib Faisal's direction in "Daawat-e-Ishq", says he is one of the finest in the industry. He also has praises for his co-star Parineeti Chopra.

Faisal's earlier works include "Do Dooni Chaar" and "Ishaqzaade".

"It's a pleasure to work with Habib. He is one of the finest filmmakers in the industry. It makes a big difference to work with such a filmmaker," said Aditya.

"His vision and the way he shoots his films is different. We have finished shooting for our film in Lucknow and Hyderabad and the rest of it will be shot in Mumbai," he added.

Praising Parineeti, he said: "She is full of fun and she is very spontaneous. We are having a good time shooting for the film. The film is a light-hearted love story."

Parineeti has earlier worked with Faisal in "Ishaqzaade", but it's a first-time experience for Aditya.

Fashion designer Priyadarshini Rao, who has been in the industry for 17 years, has launched her first ever flagship store here.

Located in Khar, it houses the latest collections from Rao in women's wear, along with a section dedicated to menswear and a capsule kidswear line, said a statement.

She is also retailing a line of jewellery and leather handbags for the first time through her store.

“The label Priyadarshini Rao has been around for over 17 years and in this time I have believed in a steady growth. I am not one to advocate a store for every designer who is a couple years old in this industry," said Rao.

Describing her work, she said it has "always been about a certain approach that fuses contemporary silhouettes with a certain Indianness that has an intellectual undertone.”

“I believe my customer is ready to spend on my garment that places style over fashion and will last her many seasons. The cost of setting up a store and the responsibility to make the right sales is a viable option today and this was not the case a few years ago,” she added.

The women’s wear that will be retailed in the store follows the theme of the Caravan Serai, and will have an amalgamation of textiles, colours and silhouettes.

The menswear collection comprises soft linen shirts with minute detailing. Printed cotton muls and washed silks are cut into shirts and contemporary tunics that can work on any special occasion.

The kidswear category comprises of Bohemian dresses for girls aged between 5 to 12 years.

Actress Soha Ali Khan, who is in the midst of shooting and promoting her new film "Mr. Joe B Carvalho", will fly down to Delhi to be with her mother Sharmila Tagore as she turns 69 Sunday.

Apart from shooting a song in the beautiful locales of Coorg for the film, Soha is also going all out for the promotions of the film. Amidst all this, she requested the makers of the film to give her a day off to ring in her mother’s birthday in Delhi.

Confirming this, she said in a statement: "I will be in Delhi with my mother to ring in her birthday. It's a family affair"

A source close to the film's production team said that Soha will fly back the next day to complete the shoot.

Produced by Bhola Ram Malviya and Shital Malviya and directed by Samir Tiwari, "Mr. Joe B Carvalho", which also stars Arshad Warsi and Javed Jaffrey, will release Jan 3, 2014.

Post the release of his latest film "R...Rajkumar", actor Sonu Sood has gone to visit the Saibaba Temple in Shirdi, Maharashtra.

"Good morning! Heading to Shirdi for Sai darshan. Have a blessed day! Om Sai Ram," Sonu posted on his Twitter page Saturday.

The actor, earlier seen in films like "Aashiq Banaya Aapne", "Jodhaa Akbar" and "Shootout at Wadala", has performed action scenes in "R...Rajkumar", which released Friday.

Shreya Ghoshal has earned a lot of fame with her singing talent but there are still a lot of things on her wishlist and she can't wait to fulfill them.

"So my bucket list of places to see n things to do is overflowing. Horrible this is. I can't wait no more," tweeted Shreya, who has songs like “Jaadu hai nasha hai”, “Tere mast mast do nain”, “Radha” and “Saans mein teri”.

Actress Sonakshi Sinha has thanked the audience for appreciating her latest release "R...Rajkumar", and says she is dancing with joy.

"Your appreciation and pyaar have us dancing with joy. Thank YOU guys for all the love," tweeted the actress, who features with Shahid Kapoor in the Prabhudheva directorial.

The high on action movie released Friday.

On Friday, Sonakshi watched the first half of the movie at Chandan Cinema in Mumbai.

"Just watched first half of 'R...Rajkumar' in Chandan ka stall. The claps, the hoots, the whistles...this is what we live for! Yeh hota hai AUDIENCE ka review bossss," she posted.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor says his cousin Kareena Kapoor "hates all" her colleagues and the actress agrees and says she's not in the Hindi film industry to make friends.

Kareena and Ranbir made a joint appearance on Karan Johar's celebrity talk show "Koffee With Karan", where they got talking about the former's relationship with her female colleagues.

Kareena shared that she once visited her husband actor Saif Ali Khan while he was shooting with Katrina Kaif in Beirut. One evening Saif went to sleep as he wasn't keeping well, so she and Katrina went out for coffee and even spent two to three hours together.

Ranbir, who is reportedly dating Katrina, cut Kareena's talk short, and said: "Also you have not been friendly with any colleagues of yours?...she hates all of them."

Adding to that, Karan said: "Anyone who is a contemporary actress, Kareena can't be a friend with."

Ranbir commented: "You (Kareena) always liked somebody who is 10 years your senior or somebody who is just born"

Kareena then reacted and clarified: "A.I am not here to make friends and B.I am here to work. C. I have too many friends already so why I would I want to make friends."

The duo will feature on the second episode of the fourth season of “Koffee With Karan”. It will air Sunday 9 p.m. on Star World.

Uncertainty looms over the fresh parole granted to imprisoned Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt as the state government Saturday sought a report on the issue, officials said here.

The parole for Dutt, apparently approved by the Pune divisional commissioner, has evoked strong reactions from various quarters.

State Home Minister R.R. Patil has sought a report from the concerned departments to ascertain whether Dutt was eligible for a month's parole on grounds that his wife Maanyata was ill.

An official said police may also try to verify the nature of Maanyata's illness before a final decision on the parole is taken.

Political sources said the government was being extra careful in view of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature starting here Monday where the issue could be raised by the Opposition.

A group of Republican Party of India (RPI) activists Saturday demonstrated outside the Yerawada Central Jail, protesting the likely release of the actor on parole.

Waving black flags and banners, RPI activists led by district chief Sandeep Sasane shouted slogans demanding that Dutt should not be granted parole and treated at par with other prisoners.

Dutt, 54, had recently applied for a month's parole saying he wanted to take care of his sick wife.

However, Maanyata reportedly attended a film premiere Thursday night and her pictures were splashed in various online media. She was seen sporting jeans and T-shirt.

This would be the third time Dutt will be granted parole in the past three months.

Dutt was granted the first parole for a fortnight due to medical reasons Oct 1, which was extended by another 15 days and he returned to the jail Oct 30.

The actor is presently serving the remaining 42 months of his five-year sentence for his involvement in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

Having served 18 months in jail as an undertrial, Dutt started his stint in the jail May 16. In prison, he has been assigned the task of making paper bags which are sold outside through some NGOs.

Though Dutt spent Diwali in jail along with other inmates, he is likely to enjoy Christmas and New Year with his family.

Dutt has acted in movies like "Munnabhai M.B.B.S", "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" and "Agneepath" in the past few years.

Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and film critic Anupama Chopra have come on board as co-judges of a contest where budding filmmakers will show their creativity in recreating Hollywood classics in 60 seconds.

Done In 60 Seconds, the initiative by creative crowdsourcing company Talenthouse India in association with popular brand Jameson, aims to challenge budding filmmakers to pay homage to their favourite Hollywood classics by recreating the movie in 60 seconds, said a statement.

This could be through animation, claymation, or live motion.

The shortlisted entries will be judged by Motwane and Chopra, who are excited to look at the creative interpretations.

“I'm always excited to see what young and emerging filmmakers are up to and I think Jameson's 'Done in 60 seconds' is a fantastic challenge for them to show off their talent and their love for the movies,” said Motwane, who has helmed Bollywood film "Udaan".

Chopra, who has been in the industry for over two decades, said: “The initiative is a super way to discover new talent. It's also great fun for both the filmmaker and us judges. I can't wait to see what all we accomplish in 60 seconds.”

This short film competition sees aspiring filmmakers from India pitting their entries against contestants from 19 other countries worldwide.

The Grand prize winner will travel to Britain to attend the Jameson Empire Awards in January 2014 where their winning entry will be featured as part of the Done in 60 Seconds category.

Saif Ali Khan gave away the title "Yaariyan" to producer Bhushan Kumar for his wife Divya Khosla Kumar's directorial debut for free. She says it was "generous" of the actor-filmmaker.

"When Bhushan heard the script, he thought 'Yaariyan' would be the apt title for the film but when we checked the title was registered with Saif Ali Khan's company. Bhushan spoke to him and without charging anything, he gave us the title free of cost. That's really generous of him," Divya told IANS.

Starring newcomers, "Yaariyan" is releasing Jan 10 next year.

Meanwhile, he first time director is excited about promoting the project on TV reality show "Bigg Boss Saath-7", hosted by Salman Khan.

"I know Salman and he is close to Bhushan. I am happy we are going to 'Bigg Boss' to promote the film," she said.

Divya says her directorial debut would not have been possible without her husband Bhushan, the head honcho of production banner T-Series.

"Without him, it was not possible. His support was incredible and the title was also suggested by him," she said.

Uncertainty loomed over the fresh parole granted to imprisoned Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt as the Maharashtra government Saturday sought a report on the issue while his wife Maanyata's doctor said she was suffering from heart and liver ailments.

The month's parole for Dutt on grounds that his wife was ill, apparently approved by the Pune divisional commissioner, has evoked strong reactions from various quarters.

A group of Republican Party of India (RPI) activists Saturday demonstrated outside the Yerawada Central Jail, protesting the actor's likely release.

Waving black flags and banners, RPI activists led by district chief Sandeep Sasane shouted slogans demanding that Dutt should not be granted parole and treated at par with other prisoners.

State Home Minister R.R. Patil has sought a report from the concerned departments to ascertain whether Dutt was eligible for a month's parole.

An official in Nagpur said police may also try to verify the nature of Maanyata's illness before a final decision on the parole is taken.

Political sources said the government was being extra careful in view of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature starting in Nagpur Monday where the issue could be raised by the opposition.

In Mumbai, Maanyata's doctor said a tumourous growth in her body was "causing concern".

"She has complained of chest pain and sudden weight loss. During tests we detected a large tumour growth on her liver," her cardiologist Ajay Chaughule told IANS.

"Maanyata is also suffering from irregular heart beats and the tumourous growth is also causing concern," said Chaughule who is attached with Global Hospital, Mumbai, and specialises in heart and liver problems.

Asked whether the condition was serious, he declined to comment, but expressed hope that she would recover.

Though she had been advised to consider an angiography, Manyata opted for a second opinion with Chaughule.

Dutt, 54, had recently applied for a month's parole saying he wanted to take care of his sick wife.

However, Maanyata reportedly attended a film premiere Thursday night and her pictures were splashed in various online media. She was seen sporting jeans and T-shirt.

This would be the third time Dutt will be granted parole in the past three months.

Dutt was granted the first parole for a fortnight due to medical reasons Oct 1, which was extended by another 15 days and he returned to the jail Oct 30.

The actor is presently serving the remaining 42 months of his five-year sentence for his involvement in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

Having served 18 months in jail before his trial began, Dutt started his stint in the jail May 16. In prison, he has been assigned the task of making paper bags which are sold outside through some NGOs.

Though Dutt spent Diwali in jail along with other inmates, he is likely to enjoy Christmas and New Year with his family if he gets parole now.

Veteran film star Shabana Azmi said Saturday her family and the way she was brought up influenced her selection of movies across all genres.

The five-time National Award winner was in the Kerala capital as the chief guest for the 18th International Film Festival of Kerala that got underway Friday night.

Addressing reporters here Saturday, Azmi expressed happiness over the role of the film festival in bringing together great pieces of art from all over the world.

She said she was happy over the huge participation of the audience.

On a question about social responsibility of films, Azmi said she believed it depended mainly on the choice of the director.

"My family and the way in which I was bought up influenced my selection of movies across all genres," Azmi said.

Making a comparison of directors, Azmi said she has trust and faith on the upcoming directors as they were reflecting reality based on what they have seen and experienced in life in cities.

Masters like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen portrayed rural life, as it was the reality they had seen in their life time, she said.

Asked if she is interested in acting in Malayalam films, Azmi said: "While acting, it is important for me to understand the meaning of the language."

She also said she wanted the government to play a bigger role in the making and distribution of good films.

While expressing happiness that many women were now part of film making, Azmi reserved her views on celebration of women's sexuality in movies.

"At present, film cameras are being used as an instrument of making women an object of sexuality," she said.

Asked if she was interested in turning director, the actress said it requires a significant amount of hard work.

Veteran actress Sarika is excited about her younger daughter Akshara Haasan's acting debut. But the star mom doesn't want to share any tips with her as she believes the latter should find her own way.

"Every generation has its own working style. We can share with them what we like about cinema because I don't know anything else. I only know cinema, so I can share that. But I must let my daughter find her own way because it will be different," Sarika told IANS.

"I am not nervous. I am very excited. I am very glad and thankful and it's a good time. Both my girls are okay and somewhere I feel like now things are fine. They will have their own share of success and failure, but that doesn't matter," she added.

Akshara will be launched by director R. Balakrishnan, popularly called R. Balki. The movie will also feature Dhanush.

Sarika says she and her children discuss everything about each other's projects.

"We discuss everything about each other's career. It's very exciting for us to do that," said Sarika, whose elder daughter Shruti Haasan is appreciated for her acting and singing skills in the film industry.

The former wife of veteran actor Kamal Haasan believes men have more options in the film industry. She says women are mostly offered "relationship roles".

"We would like to believe that we are ready for change in roles offered to women, but we are not. Whenever filmmakers come to us they give relationship roles and if the film needs a twist, they introduce a sister or an item girl," said Sarika.

"We are not treated as individuals as much as we should be. Not that it doesn't happen, but it's very less compared to what male actors get. I feel male actors are so lucky," she added.

Playback singer Rekha Bhardwaj, who went behind the mike for Madhuri Dixit's special song "Ghaghra" in "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani", has sung two others for her in "Dedh Ishqiya" as her voice is apt for the "Ek do teen" star.

"People like our combination. I think my voice suits her. My voice goes well with her dance and expression," Rekha told IANS.

The two songs by Rekha - "Hamari atariya pe", penned by Gulzar, and "Jagave" are picturized on Madhuri and many feel that the former number recreates the diva's 1990s magic.

Many feel Rekha is choosy with her songs, but she says decision depends on music directors.

She said: "Singers doesn't choose the songs it all depends on the music directors. It is the music director who chooses their singers."

Director Abhishek Chaubey presents Madhuri as a very strong woman in "Dedh Ishqiya" and she even has some intimate scenes with co-star Naseeruddin Shah, who had also featured in the original that saw Vidya Balan playing a very strong character in an unconventional yet entertaining story.

The sequel too offers a lot of interesting twists and turns with Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi in the cast.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan got nostalgic when he returned to late filmmaker V. Shantaram's Rajkamal Studios, where he had shot many important sequences for his blockbuster movie "Deewaar", for an advertisement shoot.

“At work. At the iconic Rajkamal Studios after ages. The great V. Shantaram still lives among this creation of his,” Amitabh tweeted early Sunday morning.

The 71-year-old, who shot an advertisement for a real estate company, went down memory lane and cherished filming in the studio years back.

“At Rajkamal Studios, iconic, strange nostalgia - Shooting on the same floor of 'Deewar' fight, temple 'khush toh..' and death scene. Just outside the main gate of the floor. The 'mere paas ma hai' sequence, now filled out with high rise,” he tweeted about the 1975 hit film.

Well-known Marathi actor Vinay Apte has died after suffering from breathing problem, said a source from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here. He was 62.

"Apte was suffering from breathing problem and he passed away yesterday (Saturday) evening," said the source.

A well-known name in Marathi movies, theatre and the television world, Apte started his acting career in 1974 with Marathi theatre and later graduated to direction. "Mitrachi Goshta", written by well-known Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar, was the first play directed by him.

He also featured in Marathi moives such as "Mohaan Aawatey", "Aai Shappath" and "Jogwa".

In Bollywood, Apte is known for his roles in Madhur Bhandarkar's "Chandni Bar" and "Raajneeti", among others.

Mourning his death, Bhandarkar tweeted that he was "shocked and shattered" after the untimely demise of Vinay Apte.

"Vinay had worked with me in 'Chandni Bar', 'Corporate' and 'Traffic Signal," wrote the filmmaker.

Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee described Apte's death as a massive loss.

He too took to Twitter to express grief and wrote: "Oh god! Just heard that famous theatre and film actor Vinay Apteji is no more. May his family get all the strength to bear this massive loss!"

Apte is survived by his wife and son.