Looking for immaculate perfection, Prakash Jha took charge of Amitabh Bachchan's wardrobe in "Satyagraha" and purchased all the clothes worn by him in the film.

"It is true that I purchased the clothes that Mr. Bachchan has worn in the film. I was very particular about his look and needed the right texture and fabric. I went with my team to buy all the clothes," said Jha.

If reports are to be believed, Big B has been roped in to play an activist in ready to release "Satyagraha" and his character wears khadi clothes. The film reflects the sentiment of the youth who stand up against corruption and injustice and lead to make a difference.

"Satyagraha" also features Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal among others. It is slated for a Aug 23 release.

Veteran director P. Chandrasekhar Reddy, whose upcoming Telugu politic-drama "Jagannayakudu" is based on the life of late politician Y. Rajasekhar Reddy (YSR) and his family, says finding actors to play real life characters is a daunting task.

"Not many would be interested to reprise the role of a real-life personality for several reasons. To find actors who could do justice to such characters is most challenging for any director because wrong casting will not just affect the film, but the well-wishers of the person on whom the film is based on," Reddy told IANS.

"My film narrates the journey of late YSR since his days in a village to one of the popular politicians of the country. I'm in talks with many actors but haven't zeroed in on anyone in particular. The process is very tedious because there are so many factors to keep in mind," he said.

He wants someone with whom audiences can easily connect with.

"Neither can I cast a new face to play a popular public figure nor can I approach a superstar to essay these roles. It's important to cast someone audiences are familiar with and accept in the role. This is why casting for real-life stories takes a lot of time," rued Reddy.

The director clarifies that the film will not only be about YSR's political regime.

"The story will take us through the making of a leader. How YSR started his career by indulging in lot of medical service before joining politics. We will also focus on the rise of YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy and his daughter Sharmila," he said.

Reddy, known for classics "Badipanthulu" and "Paadipantalu", points out another problem in casting.

"Since the story is about YSR and his family, I need to be extra careful in choosing actor who could do justice to all the characters in the film. The story will feature all the key members of YSR family, including his son, wife and daughter," he said.

"You might get one actor who could play the role of YSR to perfection, but other characters are equally important. You can't compromise on other characters because the story is not just about YSR," he said.

However, Reddy hopes to finish casting soon and start shooting.

Anantha Padmanbha Reddy will produce “Jagannayakudu”.

Debutant director Milind Rau is confident that his upcoming Tamil film "Kadhal 2 Kalyanam" (K2K) will break all the cliches related to love stories.

"I personally haven't seen a story in this genre that talks about the journey from falling in love to getting married (deciding to get married, sorting it out with each others' families, etc.) We've seen cliched stories about people falling in love or what happens after marriage, but not the story that happens in K2K," Milind told IANS.

"There is no particular antagonist who is trying to stop them from getting married. All the problems arise from the interactions that the lead characters have with people around them. So that's also different," he said, describing his film as "feel-good, breezy romantic-comedy".

The film's shooting started over three years ago and Milind says the delay has been because of "some issues on the production front".

Has delay affected the film?

"Looking at the way the new theatrical trailer has gone viral, I feel there is still curiosity around our film. We plan to have an innovative social media campaign to regenerate the buzz," he said.

Starring Sathya and Divya Spandana in the lead roles, K2K also features a host of other actors such as Nagendra Prasad, Kasthuri, Anuja Iyer, John Vijay, Mouli, Devadarshini and S.N. Lakshmi.

Milind says first-time directors should know his target audience.

"I think it's important as a debutant to be very clear about segment you're catering to. Something totally experimental can be made at a modest budget and still work; or something that pushes the envelope within the commercial boundaries can be made with a star on a lavish budget and still back its cost of production," he said.

Shot in and around Chennai, K2K is likely to hit the screens in September. It is produced by Mirchi Movies and East Coast Entertainment.

He feels it's important to remember that cinema is also a profit making business.

"End of the day, it's a business and all businesses have to be profitable. A director should keep that in mind, instead of being experimental for the sake of being new-age," said Milind.

So far, Sonam Kapoor has never given vent to the comic aspect of her personality. When, for the first time, she attempted comedy in Nupur Asthana's rom-com, yesteryears star Rishi Kapoor helped her get her timing right.

"Rishi uncle is such a fine actor. It's incredible to work with him. I've learnt so much from. My comic timing in the film was taught to me by Rishi Kapoor," said Sonam about her work in the film being produced by Yash Raj Films.

"I am not allowed to say much about the film. But Nupur Asthana is one of the nicest people I've worked with. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Aanand L. Rai and now Nupur are the directors who have really given me a lot of confidence as an actor. Being a female director Nupur makes me feel very beautiful," added the actress who recently gave hit movie "Raanjhanaa".

Meanwhile Sonam, who often hogs the limelight for her style statements, admits she loves the image of the fashionista.

"I love dressing up. I like to put on beautiful clothes. For me, it is important to look my best. It's part of the way I am. But it's also an image, and an image that I hold precious to my heart. I don't make an effort to be considered fashionable. I think a partiality towards tasteful dressing comes naturally to me," said the 28-year-old.

Sonam Kapoor, currently basking in the fabulous reviews and box office success of "Raanjhanaa", is immensely pleased with the outcome of Anand L. Rai's directorial venture that also starred southern star Dhanush.

"The thing is, I never got to do a role and film like 'Raanjhanaa'. This is the first role since Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 'Delhi 6' where I got a chance to create a character from the working-class," said Sonam.

"Not that I don't love every character I play. I've come away from every film with something. But I can only be as good as the material offered and my co-stars. My director and co-star in 'Raanjhanaa' are brilliant," added the actress.

She may not have entered Bollywood with a bang as her debut film "Saawariya" bombed at the box office, but critics appreciated her work in the film and later they lauded her for her performance in "Delhi 6".

In six years, Sonam has been part of about a dozen films and admits she has been learning acting on the job.

"I am not a trained actor. I learned the basics of acting while doing 'Saawariya' with Sanjay Bhansali. So, he was my acting guru," she said.

"I don't follow any technique. I just flow with my character. That's what I did in 'Raanjhanaa'. I surrendered to my director. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. Because I really didn't know where I was heading," she said.

Her next release will be "Bhag Milkha Bhag", a biopic on legendary athlete Milkha Singh.

Aditya Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab's 20-day ordeal of watching their only son Sooraj, an aspiring actor, imprisoned for allegedly abetting actress Jiah Khan's death, has ended. The parents thank the judiciary and the god.

Sooraj, who was arrested June 10, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court Monday. He has been ordered to pay a surety of Rs.50,000, surrender his passport and report to police whenever required for investigations.

Aditya said: "It's finally happened. My boy is coming out. I am just so grateful to the honourable judge for being fair to us. We had begun to lose hope."

This is all he could say.

Zarina, who has been going through an agonising wait for her son's return, said: "We knew Sooraj would be out because he has done no wrong. We just didn't know why it was taking so long. My son has gone through so much. We've suffered outside. But we can't begin to imagine what he must have gone through."

"The honourable judge has been so fair, so just in her pronouncements. Aditya and I had begun to despair. We have finally found our hope and faith again. Right now we're only waiting for him to come home, eat 'ghar ka khana' and sleep in his own bed. Nothing else matters," she added.

Zarina has nothing but kind words for Jiah Khan, who committed suicide June 3.

"Her soul must have finally rested in peace. Jiah loved my son. She couldn't have been happy with what was happening to Sooraj. It is ironical that Jiah's mother says she wanted Sooraj in jail because of Jiah when the last thing Jiah would have ever wanted was to see my son in distress," said Zarina.

"I have been connecting with Jiah in my prayers. We love that girl. She deserved a far more pleasant send-off than this ugly vendetta spree," she added.

Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, whose last film "Udaan" won accolades at many film festivals, has impressed the film fraternity once again with "Lootera", which was screened for a select few.

A period romance, "Lootera" features Ranveer Singh with Sonakshi Sinha. Co-produced by Phantom Films and Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures, the film is set to releases Friday.

B-town took to Twitter to share views on the film:

Karan Johar: Saw the superbly crafted and performed 'Lootera'... Sonakshi Sinha is a revelation! All accolades for Vikram...team Phantom and team Balaji!(sic).

Anurag Kashyap: Such incredible response for 'Lootera'. A filmmaker amongst us directors Vikramaditya Motwane.

Konkona Sen Sharma: 'Udaan' director Vikramaditya comes back with a glorious second film 'Lootera'. Can`t wait to see what he will make next. Ranveer exceptional.

Aditi Rao Hydari: Lootera'...swooning. Ranveer, Sonakshi, Vikramaditya is epic! And so is the Dop (Director of Photography).

Shruti Seth: Just watched 'Lootera'. Such a poignant story of love and longing. Superlative jobs by everyone, but the director deserves the loudest applause. (sic)"

Milap Zaveri: 'Lootera` is an epic masterpiece. Bautiful! Ranveer and Sonakshi give the greatest performances of 2013! Vikramaditya and Ekta take a bow!

Ranveer Singh, on the other hand is on cloud nine with all the compliments that are pouring in.

"Happy with the initial reactions to 'Lootera'. Anxious for the release! Only three days to go," he tweeted.

Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren and Manish Dayal have been cast in “The Hundred-Foot Journey”, which revolves around an Indian family that opens an Indian restaurant in southern France.

Based on the bestselling book by Richard Morais, the DreamWorks Studios' drama is penned by Steve Knight. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, it will be produced by Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake.

The movie surrounds the story of an Indian family, which moves to southern France and opens an Indian restaurant a hundred feet across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant and a culinary battle ensues between the two that ultimately tests the power of family, loyalty and love.

Production will begin on the film in September in France and India and will be released in US theatres Aug 8, 2014.

In India, the film will be distributed by DreamWorks' partner Reliance Entertainment.

It will be distributed by the Walt Disney Company in the US and in select international territories, while Mister Smith Entertainment is handling distribution in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Ranveer Singh reveals his look in "Lootera" has been inspired by late Hollywood actor James Dean and Bollywood legend Dev Anand.

"Vikram (director Vikramaditya Motwane) was very clear it had to be an amalgamation of James Dean and Dev Anand. So those were the references that he used to send me," the 28-year-old said here Monday at a Cafe Coffee Day outlet while promoting "Lootera".

"I did not do anything, he (the director) knew the kind of look he wanted, the kind of hair he wanted. Every detail he looked into, so I really didn't give any input this time, it was all Vikram's," he said.

Ranveer is happy with the appreciation his clean look is garnering, especially from his female fans.

"I am very happy everybody likes that clean cut look. I've got a lot of messages that are very appreciative of that look, especially from the ladies, which is nice," he said.

"Lootera" stars Sonakshi Sinha as Ranveer's love interest and hits theatres July 5.

After six back-to-back flops, Telugu actor Ravi Teja can finally breathe a sigh of relief as his latest film "Balupu" has struck gold at the box-office by earning Rs.8.03 crore in the opening weekend in Andhra Pradesh.

The film released June 28 and despite mixed reviews from the critics, it kept the cash registers ringing. It was reportedly made on a budget of Rs.40 crore.

"It ('Balupu') registered the best ever opening for a Ravi Teja film, raking in Rs.8.03 crore in three days," trade analyst Trinath told IANS.

"Audiences loved Ravi Teja in his comeback mass avatar. I think the director-hero combination worked really well for the second time in a row," he added.

Ravi Teja and director Gopichand Malineni had previously worked in "Don Seenu", which was a blockbuster.

Also starring Shruti Haasan, Anjali, Brahmanadam, Ali, Ashutosh Rana, Ajay, Prakash Raj, Jayaprakash Reddy and Lakshmi Rai, "Balupu" was produced by PVP Cinema.

As part of a special act and tribute to women, Union Minister Kapil Sibal's poem "Aankh khuli aazad thi main" was recited at the Star Parivaar Awards.

The Star Parivaar Awards, which took place June 15, will be aired on the channel July 13 and the winner's name will be revealed there.

Actresses Disha Parmar, seen as Pankhuri in "Pyaar Ka Dard Hai", and Sneha Wagh, who plays Ratan in "Veera", will be seen performing in an act aligned with the poem.

The act portrays atrocities against women in the society and their fears and insecurities.

Referring to the Nirbhaya case in the capital, Disha said: "What happened in Delhi is something that has made a huge impact on the society we live in. I feel that as an aware citizen, we all should take a step to improve the situation."

"The act at the Star Parivaar Awards is something I chose to be part of. I am happy that I have started contributing from this huge platform of Star Parivaar and will continue to take it forward," she added.

Actress Daisy Irani, last seen in Bela Sehgal's "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi", will make a guest appearance in TV show "Jeannie Aur Juju".

The actress will essay the role of Vella's (Harsh Khurana) grandmother and will be called Velli daadi, who comes to Mumbai to check on her grandson.

"I had a really great time shooting with the entire cast of 'Jeannie Aur Juju'. Ali Asgar, Gia Manek, Neha Mehta and Harsh Khurana have brilliant comic timing. It was a wonderful experience working with the cast and crew of 'Jeannie Aur Juju'," the actress said in a statement.

The SAB TV show airs Monday to Friday.

Actors Ayaz Ahmed and Nikita Sharma will be seen getting cosy in a rain sequence on the show "Do Dil Ek Jaan".

In the rain sequence, Antara, essayed by Nikita, is attacked by goons and she gets emotional when Raghu, played by Ayaz, saves her. She also hugs him.

Both the actors were very conscious and uncomfortable since they had never performed a romantic scene ever. After a lot of briefing and encouragement from the crew and the director, the rain sequence was shot.

The scene will go on air July 3 on Life OK.

The 14th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards has added women empowerment as a cause that it will pursue under the programme 'Power of 49'.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that IIFA from this year onwards has taken upon itself, in addition to climate change, as a cause it wishes to pursue - the 'Power of 49'," veteran actress Shabana Azmi announced Monday at an IIFA weekend press meet.

"Fortynine percent is the figure of the women we have in our country today and as a nation we can call ourselves civilized if this 49 percent gets empowered," Shabana added.

Filmmaker R. Balki believes films can promote the cause in a lot of ways - for instance superstar Shah Rukh Khan's initiative to name Deepika Padukone first in the credit roll of their upcoming film "Chennai Express".

"It's always 'starring somebody' and then the heroine. I think Shah Rukh was good enough to be the first person to say I'll do it differently and 'Chennai Express' will be the first film where Deepika's name will come first and then Shah Rukh's. So it's a signal and not an end by itself, that focus on the 49 percent," Balki said.

"So films can do it in a lot of ways and the same thing will happen at IIFA. IIFA plans to surprise you at the show. There will be a change which will signal something extremely significant as far as this cause goes," he added.

IIFA kick starts Thursday in Macau. The weekend is organised by Wizcraft International Entertainment.

RJ-actor Mantra says Mukti Mohan is too good a dancer to be on dance reality show "Jhalak Dikhha Jaa".

"Mukti is a part of the wild card entries, she should not even be there. I have seen her dance and I know what a brilliant dancer she is. She being in the competition is unfair as she is a brilliant dancer," Mantra told IANS.

Rohit Roy, Sana Sayed, Vatsal Seth, Karan Patel and Rochelle Maria are also part of wild card entries and will have to dance their way into the show next week.

Mantra said dancing doesn't come naturally to him and reality TV dance style is different from what he does.

"The kind of dance I have been seeing in reality TV is more of acrobatics and dance. I have been doing the kind of dance where you just let yourself go, and there is no coordination or anything. So this is a good change for me," he said.

The show is being judged by filmmaker Karan Johar, actress Madhuri Dixit and chreographer-director Remo D'Souza and out of three Mantra is scared of Karan the most.

"I know Remo is a choreographer and a dance teacher, but he would know that I am not someone who has dancing knowledge. It is Karan Johar who looks through you when you are on the stage as if he is trying to read your thoughts," he said.

After working as a radio jockey, Mantra worked in television comedy show and also did films like "Tum Mile" and "London, Paris, New York" among others.

"I don't differentiate between different forms of art. I have been on radio, TV, and films. I have done everything possible under the sun, which a performer needs to do," he said.

Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez took inspiration from Aishwarya Rai's work in "Kajra re" song for her item number "Jadu ki jhappi" in "Ramaiya Vastavaiya".

Jacqueline dons desi avatar for the song choreographed by Prabhudheva, who is also the director of the movie.

Talking about "Kajra re", she said: "I think it was choreographed beautifully, Aishwarya was looking stunning...I love that song and I remember hearing it when I came to India, so it kind of remained and I think it was amazing. It is my favourite," said the actress here at the unveiling of the item number Monday.

Jacqueline's first item song "Dhanno" in "Housefull" was received well.

Releasing July 19, "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" stars Girish Taurani and Shruti Haasan in the lead roles.

Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week (AVIBFW) in its 4th edition will feature the gorgeous and stylish Jacqueline Fernandez as the Brand Ambassador showcasing the luxury and couture collections of India’s top designers. Jacqueline features in an extensive print and digital campaign that has been shot at Aamby Valley to portray an uberstylish bride. Jacqueline will also been seen on the runway in Delhi and Mumbai during the current edition.

On the association of India Bridal Fashion Week with Jacqueline Fernandez, Vijay Singh, Chairman Fashion One International says, “Jacqueline represents the modern bride who is fashion forward yet demure and traditional and the perfect brand ambassador for AVIBFW, India’s most opulent and trend-setting fashion week.”

Jacqueline Fernandez, Actress and Brand Ambassador of Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week said, “It is an honor to represent the India Bridal Fashion Week, which is not just a platform to showcase bridal fashion but an event that helps consumers gain access to the best designs that the Indian fashion industry has to offer”.

TV actor Adhvik Mahanjan, who plays Soham in "Bani - Ishq Da Kalma", says the show attempts to creates awareness among the people who press on NRI grooms for their daughters.

The Colors' show, set in Punjab, revolves around parents who try their best to seek NRI grooms for their girls. The show went on air in March.

"Genuinely with our storyline, we are making an honest attempt to make people aware about this problem," the actor said on the sets of the show Monday.

Meanwhile, Adhvik wants many people to watch his show because TRPs (television rating points) are vital to sustain the competition in TV.

"TRPs are very important for a show because no show continues unless there are good TRPs. So, I would like to request my audience to watch the show," he said.

Telugu actors Ram Charan Teja, son of actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, and his cousin Allu Arjun chipped in Rs.10 lakh each towards the Uttarakhand disaster relief fund.

Earlier, actor Pawan Kalyan, younger brother of Chiranjeevi, donated Rs. 24 Lakh for the same cause.

Confirming the news, Allu Sirish, younger brother of Arjun posted on his Twitter page: "Charan and Bunny (Arjun) gave Rs.10 lakh each, (while) Kalyan garu gave Rs 24 lakh".

Members from Chiranjeevi's fan club have tuned in up to Rs.25 lakh for the victims.

"I'm very proud that our mega fans (megastar Chiranjeevi's fans') community came forward and pooled in Rs.25 lakh towards Uttarakhand relief fund," Sirish posted further.

Members from Chiranjeevi's family were among the first in Telugu industry to donate for the noble cause.

Designer duo Shantanu Mehra and Nikhil Mehra, who will pay tribute to 100 years of Indian Cinema at Grey Goose IIFA Rocks! this year, promise something different by focusing on style statements made by negative characters in movies.

IIFA Rocks!, a fashion event that takes place every year as part of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards, celebrates the association of fashion and films.

"The collection will take you on a journey back in time with all the classic villains and vamps walking the ramp to celebrate 100 years of cinema. Like the icons of the 1970's era like Pran, Ajit, and Prem Chopra, the villain is back today in his most modern avatar," Shantanu told IANS.

"It is going to be a nostalgic journey on the ramp," he added.

The collection will have their signature style that has made Bollywood divas look stylish, chic and beautiful and will speak of a lot of drama.

"The collection will be classic, yet edgy, with sharp tailored silhouettes paired with soft flowing drapes to create drama. There would be sequences of retro inspired dresses, red carpet gowns and some contemporary Indian wear," he said.

Further explaining the theme he said: "From the incredibly noir world of the villains - glamour and the underworld deeply intertwined, we've tried to bring alive the 1970's era in today's modern day setting. It is the stark contrast of the good and the bad, the shadows and highlights of the underworld, that we have interpreted with the use of textures, fabrics and colours in this collection."

Bollywood and fashion have walked hand in hand from time immemorial and Shantanu believes that the association plays an important role in keeping the masses up to date with new trends.

"Cinema has changed quite drastically in the last six years or so, there is enough for both - the masses and the classes. This way Bollywood and fashion will always be hands in glove, but there will always be a little bit more for the masses because of Bollywood's universal appeal.

"Red carpet dressing by celebrities, on the other hand, would inspire a lot of youngsters to look at fashion more seriously," he said.

Grey Goose IIFA Rocks! will be part of Videocon D2H IIFA weekend, which will kick start July 4.