The release of John Abraham-starrer "Madras Cafe" Friday here appears unlikely as major multiplexes are yet to open bookings, citing the constant protest against the film for allegedly portraying LTTE cadre as terrorists as one of the reasons.

The film, directed by Shoojit Sircar, is slated to release nationwide Friday.

None of the major multiplexes here have opened reservations for "Madras Cafe", which is set to release in Tamil as well along with its Hindi version.

"The decision to screen the film lies with each theatre. We haven't come to a consensus on the release of the film. We fear the ongoing protest might aggravate if we screen the film tomorrow (Friday)," a representative of a multiplex told IANS.

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court Wednesday refused to stay the release of the film in the state.

It had observed that the Tamil version should not be released without an appropriate certificate after petitioner B. Stalin, an advocate, had filed a PIL seeking a ban on the film, alleging that it contained "objectionable content" and might lead to law and problems if released.

The case was posted on further hearing Sep 3.

On Thursday, The Tamil version of "Madras Cafe" was granted a U/A certificate with no cuts for release in Tamil Nadu by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Confirming the same, a representative of the movie`s co-producers Viacom18 Motion Pictures, said: "The Tamil version of `Madras Cafe` has been passed with U/A certificate with no cuts. We have also sought police protection to ensure a smooth release of the film."

The film, co-produced by John, who is also playing the lead in it, came under the scanner after Tamil activists alleged that it portrays the LTTE cadres as terrorists.

After attending a special preview of the film Sunday, the objection against the film by the groups grew stronger.

Tamil filmmaker Seeman, head of Naam Tamizhar (We Tamils) group, said the film was "nauseatingly anti-Tamil".

In a related development, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu unit chief Pon Radhakrishnan said the movie should not be released in any part of the country.

Also featuring Nargis Fakhri, Rashi Khanna, Ajay Rathnam and Leena Maria Paul, "Madras Cafe" is a fictional story inspired by true events.

It is set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war and also depicts the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Designer Manish Malhotra showcased his ethnic Indian collections at the curtain-raiser for the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013.

He showcased the traditional Indian outfits that include saris, ghaghra cholis, skirts among others. The designer had used lots of pastel greens, pink, and cream along with mirror works.

The substitute for ghaghra with sahara pants and fitted tops was elegant and neat. The ghaghra pants and skirts had detailed embroidery work towards the hemline. The saris and ghaghra cholis had a lot of embellishment and blings that added grace and style to the attire.

With a blend of silk, nets and georgettes, Malhotra played with different collars and cuts that gave the clothes an interesting look. Unlike other shows, this time two models were simultaneously walking in a ramp with similar colour schemes.

Malhotra also showcased men's wear that includes smart pants, kurtas, dhotis among others.

From the film fraternity Karan Johar, Lara Dutta, and Jacqueline Fernandes among others made their presence at the show.

The fashion week will be on Aug 23-27 at the Grand Hyatt here.

Film actress and Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan, along with actress Madhuri Dixit, will be getting the prestigious Lacchu Maharaj award this year. An announcement to this effect was made by the organisers, Shakuntala Neeruj Sansthan.

Director of the institute, Kumkum Adarsh, told IANS that while Jaya Bachchan would be awarded for 2012, Dixit will be given the honour for 2013.

The award was constituted in memory of Kathak exponent Lacchu Maharaj, who died in 1978. In the past, Asha Parekh, Kumkum, Sri Devi, Jaya Prada and Rekha have won it.

Birju Maharaj, who represents the Lucknow gharana of Kathak dance, and is also the nephew of Lacchu Maharaj, has also previously won the award.

Sitara Devi, an exponent of classical Kathak whom Rabindranath Tagore named Nritya Samragini -- empress of dance -- has also received the award in recognition of her contribution to dance.

Lacchu Maharaj had choreographed Jaya Bachchan in the film "Ek Nazar" (1972).

In the past, the awards were given away Sep 1, to coincide with the birth anniversary of the late dance exponent. This year, however, officials said the availability of the actresses was being ascertained to finalise the award distribution programme.

If laughter is the best medicine, Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) are using it to the hilt to woo audiences. They are serving comedies in new formats, using fresh storytelling techniques, funnier gags and laughing all the way to the bank with soaring TRPs.

The demand for light-hearted shows can be estimated from the fact that "Comedy Circus" is in its 16th season and has also entered the Limca Book of Records for being the longest running reality comedy series.

If that is not enough, stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma's show has caught the fancy of non-traditional GEC-viewers and it has been extended owing to its popularity, while SAB TV has dedicated itself to just comedy shows.

"The audience wants to laugh and this is why the trend of comedy shows is on a high on TV," said Kapil, host and producer of Colors'"Comedy Nights With Kapil".

"I'm the same Kapil who is doing comedy on Indian TV since many years. But the only difference is that I'm selling comedy in a new way and this is what people are enjoying. My comedy is not, my packaging is new," Sharma told IANS.

His show boasts of top Bollywood celebrities and an audience full of youths as he focusses on issues which affect the common man.

It's true that Shekhar Suman's once cult show "Movers & Shakers" had an almost similar vein - he too picked up issues concerning the common man, but there's something definitely new about "Comedy Nights With Kapil".

TV also offers a platform in a big way to stand-up comedians - Raju Srivastava, Bharti Singh, Sudesh Lahiri, Krushna Abhishek and Sunil Pal, to name just a few.

As far as heartwarming dramedies are concerned, the 1980s and 1990s saw many - "Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi", "Dekh Bhai Dekh", "Hum Paanch", "Flop Show", "Shrimaan Shrimati", "Zabaan Sambhalke", "Office Office", "Tu Tu Main Main", "Yes Boss" and "Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai".

Cut to the 2000s. Shows like "Khichdi", "F.I.R.", "Malini Iyer", "Kareena Kareena", "Comedy Circus", "The Great Indian Comedy Show", "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge", "Lapataganj" and "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah" cut through the clutter of saas-bahu melodrama to give TV viewers bouts of laughter.

With loads of fun and clean content, the comedy makes for a viable family-viewing experience.

Actor-producer J.D. Majethia of "Khichdi" fame believes the space for comedy shows has grown manifold over the years and it is pleasant to witness the boom in the number and kind of sitcoms and how they have entered the weekend programming.

The direction in which comedy is heading on the small screen is "perfect", says producer Asit Modi, known for the much-loved "Taarak Mehta...". However, it is a difficult genre, and sustaining its charm requires special skills.

"We need actors and writers with special skills for comedy. Everyone can't make people laugh. India lacks adequate creative talent for comedy. There's scarcity, and so the scope of the genre is limited. Moreover, to do clean comedy for TV is even tougher," Modi told IANS.

His "Taarak Mehta..." has been running successfully for over five years, and it has crossed the 1,200-episode mark.

"New ideas from new people always help. As long as you give freshness and variety, things will work," explained Modi, who also added that the basic ingredients of a good show are "a good story" and "a promise to entertain the audience".

Majethia too is all for keeping up with times.

He said: "When we don't wear the clothes that we used to wear years ago, or even live the life we used to back then, why must we be served the same content on TV? New times demand new things."

Perhaps, that's what he is targeting through his new show, reportedly titled "Bh Se Bhade", featuring ace comedian Deven Bhojani.

Shefali Shah, who chooses her films carefully because as an actress she wants to take up projects that give her creative satisfaction, says she would like to direct a film in future.

"I did two films this year. They will release by next year. I want to be part of films that give me creative satisfaction, so it's a choice made by me," Shefali seen in films like "Monsoon Wedding" and "The Last Lear", told IANS. She was last seen in "Kucch Luv Jaisaa", which released in 2011.

Apart from films, she is also active in theatre, but the actress said: "I was not doing any play. I am happy spending time with my children. Rather than doing a film that doesn't give me creative satisfaction, I would prefer to sit at home."

Ond day she would like to go behind the camera to direct a film.

"I would love to direct a film but it's a very difficult job. I have to make up my mind before going ahead. I will direct films in future, but nothing right now," said the 39-year-old who is married to filmmaker Vipul Amrutlal Shah.

She makes a comeback to Telugu cinema with romantic-drama "Anthaku Mundhu Aa Tharavatha" after a decade, but southern actress Madhoo doesn't want to restrict herself to positive roles and would like to get under the skin of a "jealous wife" or "an ambitious woman".

Her last Telugu film was 1998 action-drama "Ganesh". Before that she also did films such as "Roja", "Gentleman" and "Mr. Romeo".

"I love to portray several emotions of human beings. As a woman, I need not always portray a single emotion in my performance. I would love to play a character with negative shades if given an opportunity," Madhoo told IANS.

She added: "I would love to play a jealous wife ready to kill her husband or an ambitious career-oriented woman. I feel there is nothing wrong in playing these roles because all of us have good and bad emotions in us. What's wrong in portraying these vivid emotions in a role?"

In "Anthaku Mundhu Aa Tharavatha", directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti, Madhoo is seen as the heroine's mother.

"Even though I play a mother, Mohan gave me a very strong character. It's not just about the mother-daughter relationship, but the story explores the depth of my relationship with my husband in the film. I loved the fact Mohan made the film with a modern and progressive outlook," she said.

Released Friday, the film also features Sumanth Ashwin, Esha, Ravi Babu and Rao Ramesh in important roles.

Baroda girl Shrenu Parikh, who bagged a lead role in "Havan" right after her first show "Gulaal", says she may be lucky to get good roles but things were not so hunky-dory when she came here to find her share of fame.

"I had my own share of troubles. I used to travel in trains without ticket, struggled without a house in Mumbai. I was new here, I belonged to Baroda... Many people come to Mumbai and struggle, but I have been blessed with good producers," she told IANS.

She comes from a very conservative family, but despite that she nurtured the dream of wearing grease paint and facing the camera.

"I belong to a conservative Gujarati family. Acting was no where in the scene. But I used to dream about it. I was six when Aishwarya Rai won Miss World... But then things just happened and I started opening up and telling my mom about my inclination towards acting," she said.

However, her parents had different dreams for her.

"My mom wanted me to become a singer and my dad wanted to see me as a doctor. I have done pharmacy, so I have fulfilled my dad's dream and I sing in shows for my mom," she said.

The actress, who played the lead role in "Byaah Hamari Bahoo Ka", is right now busy with "Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon...Ek Baar Phir" with Avinash Sachdev.

The family supports her career as an actress now, she said.

"I was very scared about how they will react. Now my whole family, which is huge, is so proud of me. They are more excited than me. They are supportive," she said.

From being overshadowed to pushed back, small-budget Telugu films are fighting all odds to reach theatres. Not ready to take the bullying anymore, now the makers of such movies are opting for online release to find viewers.

"It's becoming extremely challenging for new filmmakers and low-budget films to get a decent theatrical release. Most filmmakers are looking for other options of taking their film to the audience. One such medium is online screening," said director Ramaraju, who couldn't even find a handful of theatres to release his "Mallela Theeram Lo Sirimalle Puvvu".

Veteran Telugu filmmaker Dasari Narayana Rao is saddened by the state of low-budget Telugu films, which are struggling to release amidst the constant shuffling of release dates of several big-budget star-studded films.

"It's a sad state to see several small films struggling to get even a decent number of theatres for release. I never imagined I would see such a situation in the industry, which promises a place for everybody. I hope we pass through this phase as quickly as possible," Dasari told IANS.

As many as half a dozen low-budget Telugu films had to stall their release when the release of big-budget films "Yevadu" and "Attarintiki Daaredhi" was delayed due to the political climate in Andhra Pradesh.

Ram Charan-starrer "Yevadu", which was earlier scheduled to release July 31, was later pushed to Aug 31. Now, the film will come out Oct 10.

Likewise, Pawan Kalyan-starrer "Attarintiki Daaredhi" was originally scheduled to release Aug 9, but it has now been pushed to a further unknown date.

"There were as many as 10 low-budget Telugu films scheduled to release in August, but only two or three managed to find screens due to the change in the release of big films, which get an undisrupted run of at least two weeks in cinemas. And usually during this period, no small films are entertained," a leading producer told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"Even if a small film manages to release with biggies, it most likely goes unnoticed. However, if the low-budget flick is exceptionally good, like recently released 'Prema Katha Chitram', then it might draw some eyeballs," he added.

Meanwhile, in September too, three big-budget Telugu films - Nagarjuna's "Bhai", Ram-Charan's "Thoofan" and Junior NTR's "Ramayya Vasthavayya", are lined up, posing a threat to several small fries.

But the filmmakers are not sitting and twiddling their thumbs while waiting for release option. They are using the sites like Zingreel and Yupp TV to showcase their movies.

"In the last one month, five to six Telugu films have registered for online screening on sites such as Zingreel and Yupp TV. How else can we take our films to the audience because we seldom get screens for our films," said Ramaraju.

Filmdom is "ashamed" and "devastated" after the gangrape of a young woman in the city, which was once considered one of the safest place for women.

Four people have been detained for the alleged gangrape in an abandoned mill compound late Thursday. The 22-year-old woman, who suffered grievous internal injuries, has been admitted to the Jaslok Hospital along with her colleague who was brutally thrashed. Both are in a state of shock.

The incident came barely five days after an American woman was attacked and robbed in a suburban local train, raising questions over the safety and security of women in the city.

Some of the popular names of B-town took to micro-blogging site Twitter to show their concern and express grief. Here is what they tweeted.

Karan Johar: Helpless to say the least ... words like "devastated" ... "disgusted" mean nothing at a time like this! Gangrape in my city, I feel ashamed.

Pooja Bhatt: Mortified to hear about the gangrape in Mumbai which occurred in broad daylight. This is not the city I grew up in. Ashamed!

Anupam Kher: There is no fear of law. Rape cases go on for years. Nobody is hanged for Rape. Politicians are interested in power not welfare of people.

Shobhaa De: Yeh mera India. Yeh meri Mumbai. (This is my India and this is my Mumbai). Another gang rape. One more victim. Just another day in our great nation.

Manoj Bajpayee: Mumbai is shamed by the incident of gangrape last night. We all hang our head in shame that we can not give a safe world to women.

Onir: Sad to see how the city one loves and has given so much to so many is becoming a place of nightmare for women.

Gul Panag: Sad validation of the fact that no city in India is safe for women. It is after all the same prevention, enforcement mechanism in use all over.

Shreya Ghoshal: Disgusted disgusted disgusted. A gangrape in daylight in our so called 'safe’ city Mumbai.

Celina Jaitly: Devastated to hear of gangrape of our dear journalist in Mumbai, severe action has to be taken to make rape punishment extreme to instil fear.

Ehsaan Noorani: Appalled at the news of the gang rape. What is with this country

Tisca Chopra: Can't be happening in Mumbai... a city full of working women... working all hours of the day and night....

Pooja Bedi: Absolutely shocked by news of the Mumbai gang rape. Get the scum off our streets! Swift sentencing, severe punishments are need of the hour!

Varun Dhawan: Just heard the news about a gangrape in Mumbai. Disgusted! Please publicly hang these people. Sickened with these repeated acts by cowards

Sophie Choudry: A young photographer gangraped, her colleague thrashed at 5p.m. in Mahalaxmi area Mumbai. Still no fear. Rapists feel they can get away! What the fuck.

Shekhar Ravjiani: My heart goes out to the victim and I hope and pray that God gives her the strength to make it through this ordeal. It isn't about Mumbai or Delhi. It's about India. And her daughters. We need to find a way to protect them.

The Hindi and Tamil versions of John Abraham-starrer "Madras Cafe" were granted a U/A certificate for release, but the political thriller didn't hit the screens here Friday as theatre owners refused to screen the film following protests by Tamil activists.

The movie had received a green signal by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). But while bookings opened for all other Friday releases in multiplexes, "Madras Cafe" was not included.

The decision to screen or not rests in the hands of individual theatres and multiplexes.

A senior member of The Theatre Owners' Association, told IANS: "The decision to release the film has been given to individual theatres. Since the government has not banned the film, the theatres are free to screen. But if they feel they might face the wrath of protestors, then we can't do anything."

"Madras Cafe" is set against the Sri Lankan civil war and also depicts the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. It came under the scanner after Tamil activists alleged that it portrays the LTTE cadres as terrorists.

Multiplexes fear that releasing the film could make matters worse.

"We fear releasing the film might aggravate the ongoing protests. We don't want to risk it and, moreover, the decision to screen the film lies with each theatre," a multiplex representative, on condition of anonymity, told IANS.

Also featuring Nargis Fakhri, Rashi Khanna, Ajay Rathnam and Leena Maria Paul, "Madras Cafe" is a fictional story inspired by true events.

On Thursday, the Tamil version of "Madras Cafe" was granted a U/A certificate with no cuts for release in Tamil Nadu.

A representative of the movie's co-producers Viacom18 Motion Pictures said they had also sought police protection to ensure a smooth release of the film.

Co-produced by John Abraham, who is also playing the lead in it, the film was shown here as part of a special preview Aug 18. The objection against the film by protestors grew stronger thereafter.

Tamil filmmaker Seeman, head of Naam Tamizhar (We Tamils) group, said the film was "nauseatingly anti-Tamil".

In a related development, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Tamil Nadu unit chief Pon Radhakrishnan had said the movie should not be released in any part of the country.

In his 30-year-long career Anil Kapoor has done a variety of roles and tasted success. Now he is set to make his debut on TV as actor and producer with the fiction show "24" and says he is not nervous as different things have always worked for him.

"We all are hopeful, fingers crossed and the audience should decide once it comes on TV. If you think I am nervous, then no, I am not nervous at all. In my career, whenever I have done something out-of-the-box, I have never been nervous," the 56-year-old said here Thursday at the promo launch of the show.

However, he revealed that it is the regular stuff that makes him nervous.

"But whenever I have done something very regular and mainstream, I got nervous because I feel that something will go wrong there. So that's the way I have been," he said.

The show is being directed by Abhinay Deo and goes on air on Colors TV in October. The first season will have 24 episodes.

Mandira Bedi and Tisca Chopra will join Anil in the cast, while Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor and Boman Irani will make cameo appearances.

Shah Rukh Khan and Anubhav Sinha teamed up for "Ra.One", but it somehow didn't appeal to the audience. Now the director has come up with “Warning” and the superstar wished him luck for his new venture.

The underwater 3D thriller's trailer caught SRK's attention and he took to Twitter to wish him luck.

“Masha Allah everyone seems to be liking the 'Warning' first look. Love to you and luck,” he posted.

The film, which stars Santosh Barmola, Suzana Rodrigues and Manjari Phadnis, is set to release Sep 27.

Actor Randeep Hooda, who has a passion for horses, got naughty while promoting his upcoming film “John Day”, which is coming out Sep 13.

Randeep has dated actresses like Sushmita Sen and Neetu Chandra. When asked about his personal life, he gave a naughty and humorous reply.

“Muze ghodo se jyada ghodiyan pasand hai (I like mares more than horses),” Randeep said in a statement.

In director Ashishor Solomon's “John Day”, Randeep has teamed up with his mentor Naseeruddin Shah.

Actor Ajay Devgn feels that the retro look in "Himmatwala" led to its box office failure.

Sajid Khan had directed the film and Ajay said they had inkling something was not right in the film.

"Actually, we knew it earlier itself. We thought something was going wrong and I would say, (it was because) the 1980s were shown and shot like the 1980s," Ajay said here.

"In 'Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara!' 1970s and 1980s were shown, but in a contemporary way. I think that (lack of contemporary feel in 'Himmatwala') didn't go well,” he added.

However, when asked about backing out from the project, he said: "You can't back out because it's a commitment."

Putting the failure behind him, Ajay will now be seen in an intense role in Prakash Jha's “Satyagraha”.

Anil Kapoor is confident that the audiences will relate to his character in his debut TV production "24" and it will cement his place in the hearts of viewers because of its realism.

Anil plays Jai Singh Rathod, the chief of anti-terrorist Unit of India, in "24".

"My character is such that people will identify with it. He is a common man, he is a hero but a flawed hero. He is like any other man. Every man today is trying to balance between his family and his professional commitments. He wants to keep both parties happy and that is tough," the 56-year-old said here Thursday at the launch of the show.

"My character loves his country, He is very patriotic and trying to save the future prime minister of the country, while on the other hand his family is also falling apart. So, I feel people will see my character as real and it will cement it's place in their hearts and the show also," added the actor known of hit movies "Mr. India", "Virasat".

Anil, who started his stint in the international cinema with "Slumdog Millionaire", also featured in the eighth season of the American version of "24".

He said that the Indian adaptation of the superhit American TV series by the same name has been adapted according to Indian sensibilities.

"The story has been successful all over the world and we have adapted it in such a manner that it could hit the sensibilities of the Indian audiences, so they like it," said the actor.

Being directed by Abhinay Deo, the show will go on air in October on Colors TV and the first season will have 24 episodes.

It also stars Mandira Bedi and Tisca Chopra, while Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor and Boman Irani will make cameo appearances.

Marathi actress Sonalee Kulkarni, who has been paired with Riteish Deshmukh in adult comedy "Grand Masti", marvels at her co-actor's sense of humour and says it was not easy for her to match his comic timing.

In "Grand Masti", a sequel to 2004 film "Masti", Sonalee will be seen as Riteish's wife. The fun film marks Sonalee's Bollywood debut.

"Riteish is one of the finest actors in Bollywood. He has got an amazing sense of humour and amazing comic timing. I enjoyed a lot working with him. He brings about humour in everything that he says," Sonalee said here Thursday in an interview.

"Comedy is all about timing, so to match the comic timing with him was a great challenge to me," she added.

Sonalee also got a lot guidance from Riteish.

"He gave me a lot of tips. He had seen my work in Marathi films and appreciated my work. So on that Marathi connect he used to guide me a lot ... from my looks to my scenes. He is very supporting," said Sonali.

Riteish ventured into the Marathi film industry with his debut production venture "Balak Palak".

Directed by Indra Kumar, "Grand Masti" also features Vivek Oberoi, Kainaat Arora, Aftab Shivdasani, Swedish-Iranian actor Maryam Zakaria, Manjari Phadnis, Karishma Tanna and Bruna Abdullah. It will hit the screens Sep 23.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while doing "Grand Masti"?

"Since we are 2013 wives (in the film), so we can't be wearing saris, choties (braids) and all. Even typical housewive characters are very rare in our society today... So we were like how wives and girlfriends will look different. We had to look less hot and this was a challenge," Sonalee said.

Tisca Chopra reveals that Anil Kapoor pushed her to lose weight for his debut TV production "24" as he believed that good looks complement good work.

"He has always encouraged me. He came and saw me in a play and said, 'you do good work and keep doing it.' Then when I got signed for the show, he told me, 'you will do a great work if you lose weight. Work hard, good looking, good acting, that is the mantra'," the 39-year-old said here Thursday at the promo launch of the show.

"Sharp at 8 a.m. I would get an sms, 'how is the diet going?' and I would stop eating the whole day," she said.

Anil plays the lead Jai Singh Rathod, the chief of anti-terrorist unit of India in "24", while Tisca plays his wife.

"What was challenging for me was to bring the quality of cinema into the hours of television, to not let go of a single moment of authenticity of that feeling, intensity and to continue it in the structure of television, the hours and all that," she said.

Tisca had been part of TV soaps "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki".

The serial "24" is an adaptation of the hit US TV series by the same name and Anil was part of the eighth season of the show. The Indian adaptation is being directed by Abhinay Deo. It will go on air in October on Colors TV.

Initially, it will have 24 episodes.

Shooting for action-comedy "Boss" was almost like going down memory lane for Bollywood's 'khiladi' Akshay Kumar as he shot a major part of the movie in Bangkok and Delhi - two important cities in his life's journey.

Akshay grew up in Delhi's Chandni Chowk area, and it was in Bangkok that he worked as a chef and learnt martial arts. The actor had even once become emotional while shooting for the movie, said a source close to the project's unit.

"We were shooting for a scene in Chandni Chowk and it was hardly some 200 metres away from Akshay’s old house. That was the place where he grew up... Akshay wanted a glimpse of his old house as he hadn’t visited the place for a few years now.

"But it was impossible for him to reach his old house in Chandni Chowk in the day as he would get mobbed by the crowd. So one early morning, at 4 a.m., Akshay drove the car himself and went outside his house, stood there for 30 minutes and relived the old happy days,” said the source.

While the experience left Akshay all emotional, he has made sure "Boss" tickles the funny bone of the audiences.

Directed by Anthony D’Souza, the film also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Shiv Pandit, Aditi Rao Hydari, Danny Denzongpa, Ronit Roy and Johnny Lever.

Co-produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Cape Of Good Films and Ashwin Varde Productions, "Boss" will release in October.

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Chennai Express” continues to raise the bar. After grossing over Rs.150 crore in its opening week, the Rohit Shetty-directed film has now crossed the Rs.200-crore-mark in the second week and is still going strong.

The action comedy, produced by UTV Motion Pictures along with Shah Rukh's Red Chillies Entertainment, was made at a budget of about Rs.75 crore.

The domestic box office collection of Rs.200.56 crore is besides collections at centres abroad where the film has been exhibited.

“This also shows the potential of Indian theatrical market - with right film, marketing and distribution there is no limit,” Gaurav Verma, Director - India Theatrical Distribution, Studios, Disney UTV, said in a statement.

Thai stunt master Kecha Khamphakdee, who had previously worked in films such as "Iddarammayilatho" and "Billa 2", has been roped in to choreograph the climax sequence of upcoming Telugu action-comedy "Doosukeltha".

"Kecha was the obvious choice for the director. The climax scene will look very real with Vishnu Manchu (hero) and 30 men pitting against each other. The climax action sequence will be one of the highlights of the film," said a statement.

"A big set has been created in Hyderabad to can the action sequence for the film, which is in the last lap of the shoot."

Directed by Veeru Potla, "Doosukeltha" also features Lavanya Tripathi, Brahmanadam, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and Vennela Kishore.

Produced by M. Mohan Babu under 24 Frames Factory, Vishnu's daughters Arianna and Viviana will be presenting "Doosukeltha".