Actor Sanjay Mishra, known for his comic roles in movies, says he'd be "okay" doing a sex comedy -- but there's a catch!

"I don't know whether people want to cast me for sex comedy, but if it's a good script I am okay with it. But it's just that my kids should be able to watch it without any hesitation," Mishra told IANS.

Seen in films like "Satya", "Bunty Aur Babli", "Golmaal" and "Jolly LLB", Mishra feels that over the years the genre of comedy has witnessed a change.

"There was a phase where people felt comedy is the success formula for all films and so they made all kinds of comedies. In between, there was a sad phase (for the genre).

"As an actor, it does disturb you...but at the end of the day, we have to work. We can't say, 'I will not work'. Then how will we survive in a city like Mumbai if we don't work," he questioned.

Sanjay says there's a mix of filmmakers in the industry -- catering to all kinds of talent and audiences.

"There are filmmakers who makes clean and entertaining comedies, but there are also filmmakers who makes sex and dark comedies...(After all) every time I can't do 'Ankhon Dekhi' as audience will also get bored," he added.

Meanwhile, the actor is gearing up to shoot for his next film "Gun Pe Done". He says it's not a typical family drama.

"We have not started the shooting yet. It's an interesting subject. The film will go on the floors from November end and will be shot in Mumbai. It's a different comedy not a typical family drama. It will be an entertaining film," he said.

Directed by Abhik Bhanu, "Gun Pe Done" will also feature Jimmy Sheirgill and Vijay Raaz. It is jointly produced by Asif Kazi and Manoj Menon under the banner of Pioneer Films and Entertainment.

Film maker Jayakrishnan Subramanian, who is being applauded by the audience at the 16th MAMI film festival for his film "Amma & Appa", says he is happy making films as long as he is able to survive with it and getting a festival release or commercial release is not his concern.

"I enjoy the process of film-making. I like to do films which we like to do and like to make a living out of it so be it commercial or festival films, that's not my concern. As long as audience are enjoying the film I think that's a huge victory," Subramanian told IANS.

Directed by Franziska Schonenberger and Jayakrishnan Subramanian, "Amma & Appa" is a story about two cultures who collide through the marriage of a European woman and an Indian young man. The film travels through the encounters between the diverse members of the two families from which they discover the others' traditions and learn how to decode behaviour and emotion.

While "Amma & Appa" was shot in 2011, Schonenberger and Subramanian tied the knot in February this year.

"We started shooting in 2011 October and now it's been four years and now we are married. We got married in February 2014. My parents wanted us to get married but we were busy with the films and editing and later we decided to hold our wedding in February."

"The film got a release in Germany in 40 theatres. Since we are not living in Mumbai it's quite difficult to release it here. I really want to show the film to India because they could relate to it. In Germany also people loved the film then we wanted to see the reaction of Indian audience. If audience is laughing and enoying, then it's a great feeling," he said.

Film-maker-producer Onir, who is known for his critically acclaimed films including "My Brother Nikhil", "I AM" among others, feels creativity gets hampered if economics becomes the driving force of a film.

"I think it's important to know when economics becomes the driving force of a film then it hampers the creativity of the film. It should not become the driving force... the aspect of film making should be creativity but not the money making business," Onir told IANS at the 16th MAMI film festival.

He also feels that the festival films have started getting the recognition which is a great change.

"'Lunch Box' is a huge example.. it's been a huge grosser worldwide. I think the film made with love will find an audience. Its not necessary it crosses Rs.100 crore (in box office collections)."

Meanwhile, Onir is busy directing his next film. "I am shooting a film in Delhi. Its called 'Shab'. It's about people and fashion industry, multiple relations, an intense love story. I am introducing a new actor in this film and I feel new actors should get a chance."

Shab features Raveena Tandon and Ashish Bisht among others.

Film-maker Anurag Kashyap Saturday said he is happy that the festival films are doing well commercially as well.

"I think the myth that the festival films don't work commercially has changed. This myth is thing of the past now its good the audience has changed and the credit goes to the audience," Kashyap told IANS at the 16th MAMI film festival where he presented his critically acclaimed film "Black Friday".

Directed by Kashyap, "Black Friday" featured Kay Kay Menon, Nawazuddin Siddiqui among others.

The proud film-maker says it feels great that this film is being screened after 10 years.

"It has been 10 years I have made this film... it feels great as a film-maker. I fought for four years with the court for this film and that was very challenging."

Fashion designer Rahul Mishra, who won the International Woolmark Prize (IWP) in Milan earlier this year, has launched his award winning collection in Sydney.

Inspired by the works of a graphic artist Maurits Cornelis Escher, the six-piece collection was launched Tuesday, and it will be sold through David Jones store in Sydney.

Mishra is thrilled.

"It is going to be really great for our brand on the commercial front, getting into these stores is a dream for any designer. The international exposure since winning the award has been immense and has provided us global coverage like never before," Mishra said in a statement.

His range, made of lightweight Merino wool, features progressive hand embroidery and its designs reflect the lifecycle of wool -- the journey it takes from it's natural state to the concrete cities where it's redesigned and reinvented.

The collection will be stocked in Australia by David Jones, and will retail internationally in Harvey Nichols in London, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, 10 Corso Como in Milan, Colette in Paris, Joyce in Hong Kong, Isetan Mitsukoshi in Japan and online at mytheresa.com.

From superstar Aamir Khan to young actors like Sushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra, several Bollywood stars came together for a concert here to raise funds for the flood victims of Kashmir, Assam and Visakhapatnam.

The concert titled "HUM HAINÂ… Umeed-e-Kashmir" was held here Saturday and the stars appealed to masses to donate to rebuild the flood-hit regions of the country.

The initiative was led by the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), the Film and Television Producers Guild and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE).

Hosted by actors Ravi Dubey and Samir Kochhar, the evening saw performances by actors like Aditi Rao Hydari, Parineeti, Sushant and Neha Dhupia.

The event was turned magical by the musical notes of Shaan, Daler Mehndi, Aditi Singh Sharma and Harshdeep Kaur. Actor-singer-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar also crooned songs from his movie "Rock On!!".

Also present were Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Vivek Oberoi, Shantanu Moitra, Anupam Kher and Mohit Chauhan.

The concert will be aired on 35 Zee channels Oct 26. Zee Marathi, Zee Kannada and Zee Telugu will beam the event Nov 2.

Be it inflation or the risk of consuming pesticide-laden vegetables, urbanites are majorly taking to farming in their apartments and the kitchen gardens are sprouting not only peace of mind but also e-businesses.

The phenomenon reminds one of the bygone era of a spice garden in the backyard of a bungalow or grandmother's vegetable farming hobby. Today, it is conducted in the balconies, verandas and terraces of apartments.

"The kitchen garden concept is fast catching up today, more so for want of more organic grown vegetables in our own pots and pans. More and more groups are forming on Facebook and keeping the members motivated," Pragnya A. Nair, proprietor of niche website Plantex.in, told IANS.

"Most of the government nurseries are gearing up for the requirements of seedlings and plants for kitchen gardens," Nair told IANS.

So popular has the concept become that even e-retailing giant Amazon has jumped into the fray while a dozen other niche online retailers have come up to cater to the needs of this segment.

"Not just Amazon, many portals have started selling seeds and plants and it is expected to increase. Trees of all kinds are sold online. Sizes range from small pots containing a tree sapling to even seven-to-eight footers," Nair added.

He said that even equipment like trowels, secateurs, fork hoes, khurpas, flat weeders, grass trimmers, lawn mowers, hand rakes, brush cutters and chain saws, as well as pots, containers and planters are sold online.

Not to be left behind, even micro-irrigation equipment is made available through many websites.

There is a wide range of seeds, from vegetables to rare African orchids starting from Rs.50 and going up to Rs.1,500 per pack depending upon herbal, natural or hybrid varieties (excluding delivery charges).

Samir Kumar, director of category management at Amazon India, said that the e-retail giant's lawn and garden category which was launched in March 2014 has seen a month-on-month increase in sales of about 25 percent.

"Live plants are one of our fastest moving product categories. There is an increasing trend of customers maintaining a small balcony garden and use the kitchen balcony as a home herb and vegetable garden," Samir Kumar told IANS.

No matter how much the euphoria around the freedom of growing one's own vegetables or herbs increase, is this sustainable in the long-term to tackle issues like food security?

"There are articles which suggest that up until the 1940s a significant amount of food was grown in cities. Urban spaces, despite the limited space availability if captured and used to grow food - particularly fruits and vegetables - can undoubtedly impact both food and nutritional security in a positive manner," said Greenpeace India campaigner Shivani Shah.

Well-known Bengali actress Churni Ganguly's first directorial venture "Nirbashito" will have its world premiere Monday at the ongoing Mumbai Film Festival (MFF).

Inspired by exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin and her cat, the film seeks to convey the message of tolerance.

Churni, who also plays the author in the film, shot it in Kolkata and in Sweden. She says she had showed the script to Taslima who had given her approval.

"I have also shown the film to her and she said I did justice to it. I am happy to be chosen by MFF to bring my film here. This will be the first public screening of the film," Churni told IANS.

She says people may see it as a controversial topic, but the film is more about tolerance.

"I want viewers to generate opinion about my film. They can express their views on Twitter or the film's Facebook page," Churni said.

Emotions are the same everywhere and Canadian director Philippe Falardeau’s "The Good Lie" (‘Fandango’) is the story about how people from two continents, with different cultural, social and economic backgrounds connect on an emotional level.

Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon may be the current red carpet style queen, but she has shed her glamorous avatar for her role in the film. And the actress, often remembered as a fashion savvy upper class girl with a brain in "Legally Blonde" or a chic designer in "Sweet Home Alabama", wows with her so-natural performance in this tale of survival that covers two continents.

Oscar-nominated Falardeau’s story of "lost boys" from Sudan and their survival was screened in the World Cinema section, which presented 40 films from various parts of the world, at the ongoing Mumbai Film Festival (MFF).

The director of movies like "The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge" and award-winning "Monsieur Lazhar", Falardeau reportedly found an instant connect with writer Margaret Nagle’s script about the survivors of the Sudanese civil war.

It wasn’t difficult for Falardeau, whose connection with Sudan goes a long way, to relate to the story for many reasons. First, in 1994 he visited the country as a cameraman while working on the documentary "Waiting", and later he worked on the similar theme in his film "Monsieur Lazhar", which was Canada’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the 84th Oscars.

Falardeau’s story begins in Sudan during the time when civil war broke out in the country. It revolves around a bunch of young survivors, who walk miles and miles while coping with hunger, pain and loss of their loved ones, to reach a safer shelter. They find refuge in a camp and wait for years to be rescued and finally four of them are brought to the US as part of an outreach program.

Of them, three ‘lost boys’ - essayed by Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany and Emmanuel Jal - are sent to Kansas City, while the fourth one, played by Kouth Wiel, is separated from them at the airport as she is sent to another city.

How the three immigrants try to adjust in the new environ while dealing with pain and loss and how they gradually find an emotional connect with Carrie (Witherspoon), who spares no effort to reunite them with their sister, is the high point of the story.

Witherspoon is bang on as a no-nonsense, American woman, who agrees to help the refugees in settling down and finding a living after they win a lottery for relocation to the US.

After wowing the audience at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, "The Good Lie" opened to a rousing review in the US early this month.

Despite a tinge of Hollywood flavour, the touching tale of the lost boys strikes a chord with the audience.

Filmmaker Partho Sen-Gupta's Marathi film "Arunoday", which was recently screened at the ongoing 16th edition of Mumbai Film Festival (MFF), has received a positive response from the audience and the director says he is happy making small films as they give him a lot of control.

"I strongly believe we are making some great regional films. I am a Bengali, but I am from Mumbai and I am more close to the Marathi culture, so we decided to make the film in Marathi," Sen-Gupta told IANS.

"As far as commercial films are concerned, I don't have that kind of talent to make that kind of cinema. I am more associated with social problems. I am happy making small films which give me freedom and control over my work.

"But having said that, I have been offered one big budget film, which is an international one, so as a director I will try everything," he added.

"Arunodhay" revolves around Inspector Joshi, a grieving father searching for his daughter Aruna, who was kidnapped years ago when she was six. In his despair, life converges with a recurring dream in which Joshi pursues a shadowy figure who leads him to Paradise, a night club where teenage girls dance before a leering crowd. He is convinced he will find Aruna there and vows to bring her back to his wife.

Talking about the festival, he said: "Most of the people come here and say they want to watch foreign films, but I am extremely happy that people are liking my film. I was not expecting much crowd, but I was surprised to see the occupancy".

However, the filmmaker also feels creativity of a director gets hampered if one thinks about the money-making aspect.

"Of course, it gets hampered but as every filmmaker I want my film to be seen by maximum number of people," he added.

The film features Adil Hussain and Tannishtha Chatterjee in lead roles.

A bouquet of 20 short films made by a bunch of young filmmakers focusing on various aspects of the city was screened here as part of the ongoing Mumbai Film Festival’s Dimensions Mumbai section. The members of jury say they are looking for originality, emotional connectivity and creativity in the stories while judging them.

The youngsters embarked on the journey with their cell phones or some ordinary cameras and had five minutes to narrate their interpretation of the city.

Director Gauri Shinde says that five minutes are enough to present an idea.

“According to me, being an ad filmmaker, five minutes is really long. In fact, you have to wonder how to fill those five minutes...time is enough, it is not a constraint…,” Gauri told IANS.

From bringing the story of a shop located in one of the most chaotic parts of the city selling memorabilia tracing history of Indian cinema to a boy’s determination to pursue cricket despite all odds to a simple girl’s dream of seeing the city, the filmmakers interpreted Mumbai in their own way.

Gauri said that some were good with the idea, but not so much with the execution, and some were good with the execution, “so it’s a mix of everything”.

She and other jury members - Satish Kaushik, Huma Qureshi, Homi Adajania and Rajeev Masand - watched “Short Film”, “Zor Lagake Haisha”, “Selfie”, “Crowman”, “Bombay 70”, “Marine Drive”, “Interval”, “Sawari”, “Jeevachi Mumbai - ‘City of Life’”, “Gilbert”, “Bumbhaiyya”, “Majha Honeymoon”, “Bollywood Bazaar”, “Mahanagari”, “Time's Equation”, “Rumana Manzil”, “Boundary”, “Dariyo”, “Unfit” and “Chataiwala”.

“It is interesting to know what young people are doing and without any real access to film equipment. They shot on various formats like cell phones, and it’s interesting to know the enthusiasm among the youngsters to do that, but I would like to see more work coming out from the city for sure,” she said.

The director, who had struck the right chord with movie buffs with her debut film “English Vinglish”, added that she primarily watches any visual medium as an audience “because that’s the only way you can react”.

What are your criteria of judging a film?

“It’s the story...if the story really drives itself home, connects and brings a good response...that’s how I would rate. And apart from that, how original is the idea, how well it has been executed... like is it too preachy and if there is a maturity,” said Gauri.

Adajania, known for wielding the megaphone for films like “Being Cyrus”, “Cocktail” and “Finding Fanny”, says as a judge the focus was certainly not on the technical aspect of filmmaking.

“How we all decided to judge was not based on how technically superior they were because we know they are debutant filmmakers who obviously do not have access to a lot of the things like funds etc.,” the filmmaker told IANS.

Dimensions Mumbai’s theme is Mumbai, which reportedly ranks sixth on the list of the world's most populous cities in 2014 and is described as a melting pot that gives shelter to about 21 million people from various cultures and religions.

Thriving with cultural diversity, the city can provide interesting food for thought for filmmakers as there are enough stories floating around and one just needs to identify the right one that connects well with the viewers.

Adajania feels that a film that finds the right connects with the audience works.

“The idea is to look at the purity, and the interpretation they have done of Mumbai. The interpretation could be just one dimensional, or it could be extremely interesting or very unique,” Adajania said.

“Our idea was: emotionally or creatively it strikes a chord or not? It should connect with the audience."

“Are you emotionally investing in those five minutes? Is it creating some kind of impact - if it is doing all that, then it works,” he added.

Praising the fest for creating a platform like Dimensions Mumbai for young filmmakers to show their creativity, Kaushik said that they are lucky to have it.

“Otherwise it’s difficult to get a platform to show your skills,” he said and added that he was “pleased” to see the films of different genres.

“Some were funny, some were quirky and some were very humane...it was a nice experience to watch them... I’m happy to see the collection,” said the filmmaker and actor.

While rating the films, his focus would be “what different perspective of Mumbai is shown and how well it is shown... We aren’t focusing on technical aspect. We are judging the film on the basis of effective narrative, originality of the concept and how they have perceived Mumbai.."

Lucky Ali, whose simple ballad-style singing and melodious voice are a huge draw for music aficionados -- a proof of which was his latest performance here, says music festivals across the country give an impetus to local talent.

The singer-composer performed here at the 10th edition of Kingfisher Premium - The Great Indian Octoberfest (TGIOF) here Sunday, leaving the crowd asking for more.

"What I am seeing at music festivals is that they are encouraging local talent and art. For instance, Rajasthani folk music is a part of The Great Indian Octoberfest. There is a lot of interest from other countries also, and they are seen sharing the stage with local talents and (they seem to be) enjoying that part," the 56-year-old told IANS.

He says this "big exchange of culture in India" is good.

Best known for his chartbusters "O sanam", "Anjaani raahon mein" and "Na tum jaano na hum", the musician made Bangalore's crowd sway to the soulful energy of his music when he performed live for his fans at E-Zone club here.

With songs like "Tera ye aashiyana", "Dekha hai aise bhi", "Jaane kya dhoondta hai yeh mera dil", "Mohabbat ki kasam" and "Aa bhi jaa", he struck the right chord with the audience.

Talking about performing in the city, he said: "Bangalore is like my home and I always receive such a warm and thunderous appreciation from all of them."

"It feels great," said Lucky, who launched his first album "Sunoh" in 1996, and has worked as a playback singer in films and sung songs like "Kyun chalti hai pawan", "Ahista ahista", "Bekarar" and "Hairat hai".

He has also been credited for albums like "Sifar", "Aks", "Kabhi Aisa Lagta Hai" and "Xsuie".

From music festivals, Bollywood tracks to albums -- there is so much that he has done and wants to do. But he has set his priorities right.

"I always space out my work. I write music at home. I like to spend my time like that more now. And now that my children are expressing themselves, so I more concerned about what they are doing. I want to see how responsible they become as human beings," said Lucky, who has married thrice and has children with all his partners.

TGIOF, a three-day event which concluded here Sunday, witnessed some of the world's most celebrated music artists across diverse genres, including Bollywood sensation Benny Dayal and awe-inspiring The Manganiyar Seduction performing live in front of music lovers.

Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cleanliness campaign and appealed to all to lend support to the "swachchta mission."

She was speaking to reporters after formally opening a jeweller's shop here Sunday evening.

The actress said she loved coming to Sri Krishna's "nagri" so revered and loved by all.

She also asked all to contribute generously to relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Cinematographer Manush Nandan, who has worked with Shah Rukh Khan in Farah Khan-directed "Happy New Year", says the Bollywood 'Badshah' trusts his technicians to the core, and without any interference.

"Shah Rukh is the most comfortable actor I've worked with. He never asks you to portray him in a certain way because he's a 'star'. He has immense trust in his technicians and lets them do their job because he feels they'll give their best," Nandan, who had earlier worked as an assistant cameraman on SRK-starrers such as "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" and "My Name is Khan", told IANS.

"I was never pushed to do anything and it was my final call when it came to the cinematography department," Nandan said, and added that "there's one department in which Shah Rukh would involve himself actively".

"He takes special interest in the action sequences as he has a bigger vision for it. When it comes to action, he's involved seriously from the initial stages to the final shoot."

Nandan, who had previously canned the shots for films such as Kamal Haasan's "Manmadhan Ambu", "Ishkq in Paris" and "Jo Hum Chahein", landed an opportunity to work in "Happy New Year" after he was "referred to Farah by an assistant director".

"Farah was looking for a DOP (director of photography), someone relatively new and willing to go the extra mile. I met her, but the final push came when she came to know I was cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran's assistant. Ravi vouched for me and informed her that he's hiring me for his directorial debut ('Yaan'), and that she can trust me with her film," he said.

Nandan's visually impressive cinematography in recently released Tamil thriller "Yaan" has caught a lot of attention.

Can we expect even better visuals in "Happy New Year", which stars Shah Rukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood, Vivaan Shah and Jackie Shroff?

"If you've watched Farah's films, you'll realise that you can't categorise them in a particular genre. That's a challenge for any technician. The canvas of 'Happy New Year' is so big - there's fight and dance, and all that put together, makes it a packaged entertainer," he said.

"From the promos and trailer, it may look like a fun film, but there's a lot of drama in it. Farah thinks drama is her forte. She exactly knows what she wants and since she's well-versed with technology, she also knows what she wants in each frame. So working with her was easy as well as tough," he added.

Since Farah has been around for a long time and is considered one of the best choreographers, Nandan feels that it automatically makes her a "demanding director".

The biggest challenge for Nandan was to accommodate all the lead actors in a single frame in almost every scene.

"You have three stars such as SRK, Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, with popular character actors as well. They all have to look good on screen. When they're standing together, you can't just make the first two actors look good and leave the rest," he said.

"All of them have to look good and they should fit into the mood of the scene. Shooting a candlelight dinner with two people is any day easier than shooting a similar kind of situation with six people," he added.

King Khan said earlier that he has a lot of respect for technicians from southern India, and that "benefited" Nandan.

"That credit goes to all my south Indian senior cinematographers such as Santosh Sivan, Ravi K. Chandran and Manikandan, who've created the path. I think it's because of the work of my seniors; it has become easier for young technicians like me to work even though we haven't really achieved much yet," he added.

Asked about his biggest take-away from the project, he said, "What could be more rewarding than being part of the biggest film of the year?"

A line-up of 30 films has been scheduled for the five-day Free Spirit Film Festival, to be held on the outskirts of this Himachal Pradesh hill station from Oct 25, an organiser said Monday.

The festival will begin with the India premiere of "Plundering Tibet", a personal take on mining in Tibet, directed by Michael Buckley from Canada, organiser Lobsang Wangyal told IANS.

The documentary shows the dire consequences of China's ruthless mining in Tibet, he said.

The festival, 10th in series, will also showcase "Umformung", directed by Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar from Kolkata on the last day.

The film is a story of intense dimensions with two parallel stories: one, that of a Buddhist monk in a search for his inner truths, and the other is that of a female city builder whose belief in life is all about power, greed and manipulation.

There will be 13 film awards chosen by a jury and an audience award decided by the film-goers, Wangyal said.

The festival will be held at the Tibetan Day School in McLeodganj.

Started in 2004, the fest aims to show a wide variety of film genres, encapsulating the free spirit nature of the festival.

Wangyal is the producer and director of the popular Tibetan Music Awards and Miss Tibet pageant. He believes such events help the exiled community to draw the attention of the world to the cause of Tibet.

McLeodganj, the quaint uphill town also the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, has already gained prominence for attracting a steady stream of Tibet enthusiasts, Buddhist scholars, back packers and even Hollywood stars like Richard Gere.

Amitabh Bachchan has seen highs and lows in his over 40-year-old career and the megastar, who enjoys a strong fan base all over the globe, says insecurity from the masses is greatest challenge for celebrities.

The 72-year-old eagerly waits to see his fans gather in front of his house here every Sunday - and the crowds have only grown over the years.

Big B took to his blog srbachchan.tumblr.com Monday to share the systematic routine that he follows each Sunday morning, and how he experiences an adrenaline rush with the "roar of the anticipated crowd".

But when he returns back, he ponders if "this would be the last visit from them...would they still be interested enough to come the next Sunday or not...and on."

"Insecurity from the masses is the greatest challenge one has to face ... those that can, and many do, are blessed...I am not...for me the call from the audience is the moment of reckoning...

"They can deflate you and pick one up, they can elevate you to unknown heights and bring you down with a thump...I have seen it all...the elevation and the deflation... the plateau effect and the effect of stagnation... of the smile among audiences, of de recognition, of shame and victory from it, and the triumph of those that decided to make what you become," he added.

He says "it is a stage that often invites the lessening of the interest...a cause that shall happen to us all in the business".

"Those that can bear it and live with it in peace and understanding are my heroes," added the megastar.

It seems like veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who once went bald for Deepa Mehta's "Water", is toying with the idea of cutting her hair short again. And she's turned to her Twitter fans for suggestions!

"Should I cut my hair short again," the 64-year-old tweeted Monday.

The acclaimed actress and social activist also posted a photograph of herself sporting short locks, to help her fans decide which style suits her best. Will she cut her hair again?

Saif Ali Khan's performance in "Happy Ending" will be something to watch out for - if his co-actor Govinda's word is anything to go by.

"I just recently saw the film 'Happy Ending', and Saif is too good. I feel that after 'Hum Tum', Saif phir se chha jaayega (Saif will shine on again)," Govinda said here.

The movie also stars Ileana D'Cruz, Ranvir Shorey and Kalki Koechlin in pivotal roles.

Meanwhile, Govinda will be seen in a villain's role in "Kill Dil".

Veteran actress Rekha, who has kept her distance from the small screen, has duly followed the current tradition of appearing on popular TV reality shows to promote her forthcoming release "Super Nani". Director Indra Kumar can't thank her enough.

Kumar, whose films range from the emotional "Beta" to the raunchy "Grand Masti", feels deeply emotional towards Rekha.

"What she has done for our film, she has never done before in her career. She went on reality shows like 'Comedy Nights With Kapil' and 'Bigg Boss' for our film. The impact has been tremendous. Suddenly, new generations have woken up to the phenomenon called Rekha," he said.

Rekha's last television appearance is said to have been on "Rendezvous With Simi Garewal" -- after which she had pledged not to be seen on television unless she did her own show.

"And what a grand welcome she has got on television," said Kumar.

The director, who has worked with Rekha for the first time, says "Super Nani" is a tremendous challenge for her.

"This is a film adaptation of the legendary Gujarati play 'Baa Mari Boundary'. The legendary Padma Rani played the lead in the play. That's a tough act to follow. Only an actress of Rekha's calibre could have pulled it off," he said, and added that all audience members will identify with her character and story.

Curiously, the director comes to this wholesome family saga after the sex comedy "Grand Masti".

"That was another world, another tale, another Friday. We were very clear about making a sex comedy, so clear that we stepped forward to ask for an 'Adults' certificate from the censor board. They were aghast because no producer had ever voluntarily asked for an 'A'."

Now Kumar says he isn't looking at directing another sex comedy for a long time.

"There was a gap of nine years between 'Masti' and 'Grand Masti'. We need a decent enough gap between 'Grand Masti' and the next film in the series," he added.

Acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan will preside over the Narrative Feature Competition Jury at the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF).

The actor, known for his performance in movies like "The Namesake", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Life Of Pi", will lead a jury comprising Algerian novelist and academic Waciny Laredj, English writer-director Steven Shainberg, Australian film director Cate Shortland and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman, it was announced on ADFF's official website Monday.

This year, the ADFF will be held Oct 23 to Nov 1.

This won't be Irrfan's first visit to the gala. Last year, his performance in Anup Singh's Punjabi film "Qissa" was highly appreciated. His "Paan Singh Tomar" was also screened at the fest in 2010.

An alumnus of the National School of Drama, Irrfan prefers to work in cinema that challenges audiences -- a case in point is "The Lunchbox", which garnered global attention for a narrative and treatment far distinct from regular Bollywood potboilers.

Apart from Irrfan, his "Qissa" director Anup Singh, a Geneva-based Indian filmmaker, will also be a juror at ADFF this year. He will be judging projects in the New Horizons category along with Paris-based film producer Catherine Dussart, Syrian actor Bassel Al Khayat, Moroccan filmmaker Leila Kilani and film critic Charles Tesson, the artistic director of Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival.

As many as 197 films from 61 countries will be screened at ADFF this year.