War is the biggest export of the US, followed by films, according to Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon.

The actor in Susan took a backseat and the activist sprung forth at a press conference held on the sidelines of the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here Thursday.

The Academy award-winning actress launched into a spirited conversation about her activism in the US, which she criticised for promoting war.

"For the US, war is the biggest export ... second maybe movies," she said.

War, she said, was a phenomenon "built into the US economy".

Sarandon, who has donned the hat of a United Nations Goodwill ambassador, said both Democrats and the Republicans in the US were responsible for the country's war fetish. But the military forays in the Middle East, which had taken a heavy toll on the superpower's economy, had now made people wiser, she added.

This learning, she said, had resulted in resistance within the country against the government, which was toying with a military strike on Syria.

She further said that her stand against issues like America-going-to-war had often attracted a lot of ire.

"A lot of stories were written against my children, which were not true. There are also a lot of hate jokes in the US," she said.

Film censorship is necessary because most of us are not adult enough, Czech film director Jiri Menzel said Thursday.

Menzel was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 44th International Film Festival of India in Panaji, a day after he was conferred a lifetime achievement award during the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday.

"Censoring of films is necessary because most of us are not adult enough," he said.

Menzel, whose comedy film "Don Juans" was the inaugural film of the festival, also said that he had been in the film industry right from the days of silent cinema, but added that he was comfortable with the changing modes of technology.

"When I started off movies were silent and you had to use a crank to start a camera. I am happy in my life that I could follow all developments in the film industry," Menzel said.

Actress Deepika Padukone, daughter of former India badminton great Prakash Padukone, says all her co-stars - be it Shah Rukh Khan or Ranbir Kapoor - have challenged her to a game, and lost!

While shooting an episode of UTV Stars'"Breakfast to Dinner", Deepika shared how she has won challenges thrown to her by her fellow actors, said a statement.

"All my co-stars challenge me, whether it's Shah Rukh or Ranbir. They all challenge me, and of course they all lose," she said.

The tall and successful actress, who is riding high on the success of her film "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela" these days, also shared a secret about Aamir Khan.

"A couple of years ago, Aamir, my dad and I played a game of badminton because Aamir loves playing badminton. He's very, very good at it," Deepika said.

Even though she didn't take her love for the sport forward professionally, she has a word of advice for young aspirants.

"More than anything, it's about enjoying the sport. Always wear comfortable clothes."

Director Rahul Rawail of "Love Story" fame is said to be working on a new romantic saga, and he is on the lookout for new talent for it.

"While the lead pairs will consist of fresh young talent, the supporting cast will feature stellar actors. The script, a romantic saga, has contemporary approach. The film will be shot in exotic locations," Rawail said in a statement.

His past directorials also include films like "Betaab", "Anjaam", "...Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya" and "Jo Bole So Nihaal".

Actor Kartik Aaryan (earlier known as Kartik Tiwari), turned 25 Friday, and he is in Goa to celebrate his special day with his friends.

Kartik, who has earlier starred in "Pyaar Ka Punchnama" and "Akaash Vani", will now be seen in Subhash Ghai's "Kaanchi".

Since he has been busy shooting for the film, his birthday seemed to be a great time for him to take a break from work.

In "Kaanchi", which is likely to release in 2014, Kartik will share screen space with debutant Mishti.

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan has joined forces with online shopping portal Myntra.com to exclusively launch and manufacture his active lifestyle apparel and casual wear brand HRX.

The HRX collection is a combination of style and substance with inspiration drawn from the "Krrish" star. The brand is a mix of his supreme style and passion, and will be sold only on Myntra.com starting Saturday, said a statement.

The range includes extreme casuals and easy actives in apparel along with sports footwear for men. These products are lightweight and made of premium fabrics crafted with a contemporary slim fit. The line is dominated by vibrant colours.

"I always envisioned HRX to be a platform that could inspire people to bring out their best and to never give up. My team, Afsar Zaidi from Exceed and Sid Shah from The Wild East Group have taken my philosophy and turned it into a brand," Hrithik said of the brand in a statement.

"Partnering with Myntra.com to launch HRX was the opportune decision as they are in-sync with our philosophy and effortlessly helped in creating the brand, just as I visualized," he added.

The 39-year-old star's massive fan base will be a major advantage for the brand, believes Mukesh Bansal, CEO and co-founder, Myntra.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to build original indigenous brands in India. Hrithik has massive fan base and is widely respected for his passion for fitness.

"We felt that we can create a very unique and lasting brand by taking inspiration from Hrithik's work ethic, his incredible story of overcoming various setbacks and of course, his (identity) as one of the most stylish actors in Bollywood," Bansal said.

The range starts from Rs.499 for basic t-shirts and goes up to Rs.2,499 for jeans and trousers.

Actress Lara Dutta unveiled her second sari collection Friday in association with Chhabra 555 and says the new range is much more "traditional" compared to her inaugural line.

"I launched my first collection last year, but the unique thing about this range is that it is bit more traditional than the initial one. My whole idea was how different can a sari get in the modern way and this is what I have tried to do," Lara, known for her roles in "No Entry" and "Chalo Dilli", told IANS.

"The designs are not something that we choose to wear once in a blue moon, but it is something that we want to bring out every time when there is something special," added the actress, who wears many hats. Apart from acting and designing, she is also into film production.

The collection was launched under the label "Lara Dutta - Chhabra 555" and includes outfits ranging from traditional Benarasi silks to contemporary net saris.

The colour palette varies from coral, red to midnight blue, and Lara feels that Delhi's divas can do wonders to her collection with their style sense.

"I’ve always associated Delhi with style and I know women in Delhi are very good at putting together a look, especially with Indian wear. I am excited to see the response to the new, festive collection and look forward to interact with our customer base there,” said Lara.

The price of the collection ranges between Rs.10,000 and Rs.35,000.

Chhabra 555, one of the known brands in the country, offers a stunning range of saris, salawar-kurta, lehengas and bridal collections through its network of 60 stores spread across the nation.

Imran Khan is known for not only his good looks but also his kind heart. And it's this that led him to receive an award from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. According to news reports, Imran was shooting his upcoming film, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, when he saw the dog trainer smack a dog. He immediately walked up to the trainer and pushed him in order to stop the abuse. Imran will receive a Hero to Animals Award and a basket full of dog-shaped vegan gourmet chocolates prepared by Pune's Ambrosial Chockies.

"This dog would have been terrified and endured more abuse were it not for Imran's compassionate and quick action", says PETA India Manager of Media and Celebrity Projects Sachin Bangera. "We encourage everyone to stop and speak up for animals who are subjected to pain or suffering, because if you don't, maybe no one else will."

Imran – who was last seen in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara! – will be soon seen in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein opposite Kareena Kapoor. Imran has also appeared in a PETA ad urging people to adopt homeless animals.

Three fashion and style divas are working round the clock to give Bandra its first luxury retail boutique called Bandra 190. Founder members Suzanne Roshan, Seema Khan and Maheep Kapoor have put together their artistic minds to create a plush shopping experience for the new-age buyer. Bandra 190, located at the tony Turner Road, is a conceptual retail store that will stand apart from the rest by virtue of its eclectic and edgy experience.

Styled to feel like New York City’s SoHo district, famous for its trendy boutiques and art galleries, Bandra 190 too will have its very own distinct character that will leave a mark in the minds and hearts of all who visit. Scheduled to launch in the first week of December, with interiors designed by Suzanne Roshan, the six-storey luxury boutique will house some of the biggest brands in the Indian and international fashion and design industry.

In Suzanne Roshan’s words, “Bandra 190 is a one-stop shop where a great variety will be found and one will experience a certain novelty that one sees in new-age buying. It’s reflective of the new shabby chic that one sees in today’s lifestyles. The experience will be one of a jewel box, which you will enter, and then decide where you want to go.”

Hrithik Roshan, who is currently in a good space post the tremendous response to his superhero flick Krrish 3, has decided to take some time off before he ventures into the studios again.

Putting speculation about his health issues and other matters to rest, Hrithik says, “I am extremely overwhelmed by the tremendous support and love extended by everyone to Krrish 3. It’s been a great journey. Before I get ready to resume the shooting of my next, Bang Bang, in early January 2014 and later Shuddhi, I will be taking some time off to recover completely from the recurring headaches that have resurfaced in the last couple of weeks. I am confident that your love and prayers will heal me completely. I wish everyone a great end to 2013 and a fabulous start to 2014!”

Esha Gupta, who has done an item song "Dhat tere ki" in the forthcoming film "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein", is happy that she did the song.

"'Dhat Tere Ki' has got a good response. And thank god 'dhat tere ki' happened to me because it is doing really well," the 27-year-old said here Thursday at a special screening of the film.

However, Esha is not ready to do more item songs in the near future.

"Nothing right now. I am just finishing 'Humshakals'. We will start our second schedule. After that in June, I start my next. So no item numbers for now," said Esha, who made her Bollywood debut with "Jannat 2" last year.

A multi-starrer, "Humshakals" is being made by Sajid Khan and it also stars Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Bipasha Basu, Sonal Chauhan, Tamannaah Bhatia and Ram Kapoor.

It is slated for a June 20 release next year.

Sanajy Leela Bhansali is feeling liberated ever since his "Ram-leela" hit the screens and wowed the critics and audiences alike. And why not, this success has come to him after six years and two duds - "Saawariya" and "Guzaarish".

Bhansali is in a celebratory mood and shares his excitement in a tête-à-tête:

Q: "Ram-leela" opened to stupendous reviews and roaring audiences. How are you feeling?

A: It feels...liberating! I've finally slept peacefully the whole night. The last few weeks have been traumatic. The protests left me shaken and drained. But now that the film is being so appreciated, I've blocked out all the troubles. When your work is being seen and appreciated, you feel all the effort has been worth it. I am happy to see the audience is getting the nuances in the narration. The passion of the entire vast and crew has paid off.

Q: "Ram-leela" comes after the failure of two of your films...

A: Yes, we had worked with equal passion on "Saawariya" and "Guzaarish". Both the films are as precious to me as "Ram-leela". But somehow our efforts did not connect with the audience in my last two films. That broke my heart. I got back to direction determined to get back my audience. I needed "Ram-leela" to reach out to the the widest possible audience. Not that I made "Ram-leela" to prove anything. I made the film I enjoyed making and I hoped audiences would share my pleasure.

Q: This time your work has been appreciated by critics across the board?

A: I'd be lying if I said critical appreciation is not important. Interpretation and de-construction are important to any work of art. If there are is an art behind making a film, viewing films is also an art.

Q: Somewhere this film seems close to the environment you grew up in?

A: The Bhansali clan is extremely robust, frank and colourful in their language. I grew up hearing my aunts say the most outrageously uninhibited things as though they were the most natural thing in the world. I realised the language I heard in my childhood is the spoken idiom of today's youngsters... There is just that sense of candour and directness in the way the youngsters talk. And audiences have warmed up the celebration of physicality in the love relationship. As a filmmaker it's very liberating to explore the union of body and mind in a love-relationship. It's no longer enough to show a boy and a girl looking at one another when they fall in love.

Q: And yet your lovers Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh don't really sleep together in the film?

A: That's the irony, which took me away from the original Shakespearean play. For me, it was important to show that the lovers could only be united completely in death. I wanted to hold back the consummation of their love.

Q: How hard was it for you to make Ranveer and Deepika convey the sexual tension?

A: I just had to explain to them what I wanted. They had never played such unabashed characters. Once in a while Deepika would get taken aback by her character's uninhibited behaviour. But she would convey exactly what I wanted. Both of them are marvelous actors. They made the expression of love so effortless and magical. They have conveyed the purest form of love.

Q: For the first time you shot a film almost entirely on location?

A: Going out and shooting was a big challenge. It was also so interesting to shoot so many different kinds of architecture. Putting my lovers in a real space was very liberating. I was reacting to spaces very differently this time. But even parts of "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Guzaarish" were shot on actual locations.

Q: What about the guns and violence?

A: I loved it. It's very important for a filmmaker to get out of his comfort zone. Violence is such an integral part of "Romeo And Juliet". My action director Sham Kaushal always wondered why I asked him to be part of my films. The most violent thing that has happened in my cinema so far was a slap. This time Shyam has justified his pay cheque.

Q: Final thoughts?

A: Relief, joy, great satisfaction. "Ram-leela" has been an exhausting liberating experience. I am so much consumed by the film. I am so happy by the way people have reacted. Everyone from Karan Johar and Rishi Kapoor to Asha Parekhji and Javed Akhtar saab loved it. I am not even thinking of what film I will do next. Right now I am happily jobless.

The first poster of "Gulaab Gang" came out Friday with Madhuri Dixit seen in the 'Kaali' avatar of goddess Durga. The fiery combination of red and yellow colours in the background adds to the curiosity about her role in the film.

In the movie, helmed by Soumik Sen, Madhuri, who has often played a demure girl-next-door in Bollywood films, takes on the role of a woman who leads a group of women vigilantes to fight against injustice in the Bundelkhand region.

"It's a very powerful character," the dancing diva had earlier said of her role, which also required her to shoot some daredevil action scenes.

The film's first look seems to justify it.

Sen took to Twitter to get a feedback on the poster, and wrote: "'Gulaab Gang'. The first poster. Hope you like it."

The movie, produced by Anubhav Sinha and presented by Sahara Movie Studios, releases globally March 7, 2014.

It also features Juhi Chawla, Mahie Gill and Tannishtha Chatterjee in key roles.

Following a break after "Break Ke Baad", actors Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone will be seen together on the screen again, but this time for an advertisement.

"The duo will be seen together for the first time on the small screen in a sexy new LUX commercial," said a statement.

The ad is likely to be released Dec 1, said a source.

Meanwhile, Deepika is basking in the success of her latest release "Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela" and Imran is eliciting a positive response to "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein", which released Friday.

If you feel the spark in your relationship is missing, and there's no excitement left between you and your partner, here are some tips from actors Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone who played on screen lovers in the 2010 movie "Break Ke Baad".

The stars will be seen together once again, but in an advertisement for iconic beauty brand Lux. The advertisement, likely to be high on romance, will go on air Dec 1.

Here is what the two have to share:

Deepika, who had a roaring relationship with actor Ranbir Kapoor in the past, said: "I think igniting the spark means keeping the romance alive in your relationship by doing the unexpected. Surprise your partner in pleasant ways, something that he or she wouldn't anticipate.

"Nowadays, couples tend to take each other for granted because they feel they know each other inside out which results in loss of spark and enthusiasm in the relation. The second most important thing is to not lose yourself. Take care of yourself, your space and only then will you be able to take care of your relationship."

Imran, who married Avantika Malik after dating her for almost a decade, said: "I think the first step to igniting the spark in your relationship is to spend sufficient amount of time with each other. Igniting the spark differs from relation to relation.

"Spending quality time with each other will help you nurture the relationship well and putting in that extra effort to make yourself and your partner look good keeps the thrill alive. Feeling your best and being happy with yourself is key."

Film: "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein"; Cast: Kareena Kapoor,Shradha Kapoor, Imran Khan; Directed by Puneet Malhotra; Rating: **1/2 (2 and a half stars)

"You remind me of Shabana Azmi," guffaws our don't-give-a-damn hero to the social activist heroine.

In the first-half they clash over idlis, ideologies and idle chatter. Mismatched as they are, and we are reminded twice that she is older, Kareena Kapoor-Khan and Imran Khan trudge along cutely till mid-point after which the narrative shuffles noisily into a village in Gujarat where it all falls apart.

You know a film is going wrong when the lead pair just don't seem made for each other, not because that's the way their role are written, but because the actors playing the characters seem to belong to two different planets.

Someday producer Karan Johar can tell us why he decided to cast the incandescent Kareena Kapoor with Imran Khan. Not just in one but two of his productions within one year, both about a a chirpy gregarious chick and a moneyed inhibited guy.

While researchers and theorists await results on what this Khan and Kapoor (actually she's half a Khan too, so going by his half-hearted presence they should have formed one complete Khan club, but alas they don't) are doing together there is this film going by the archaic and utterly uninspiring title of "Gori Tere Pyaar Mein".

He is commit-phobic (like she was in "Jab We Met"). She is a social activist. Rather, a loud caricature of a social activist. What Shabana Azmi would have been if her speeches were written by Karan Johar.

Kareena is dressed for the part and seems to make all the right moves(and I am not talk about the moves in those awfully infra-dig songs about the 'tooh', chewingum chaba ke, I kid you not). But why do we get the feeling she cares as much for the upkeep of the village and its gobar population as she did for the political degeneration of apna bharat mahaan in "Satyagraha"?

Kareena carries the face of woman who would rather be anywhere than where this vapid script puts her. A pity, since her eyes and beauty can launch a thousand ships. In this film they can't even launch a leaky paper boat.

This is the film where everything in sight sinks. The viewer's heart, to begin with.

What strikes you repeatedly is the sheer nullity of the story.She loves to be passionate about everything to do with the downtrodden. He couldn't care less about female foeticide, child molestation, elevator rape, or whatever her next anti-exploitation jehad may be.

Come to think of it, Kareena's missionary zeal could have been the stuff ribtickling satires are made of.

Tragically director Punit Malhotra seems dead serious about his heroine's activism. Rather than becoming the bemused bystander alongside the hero(who looks like the goofy Sunil Dutt in "Khandaan" and "Padosan"), the script elects to go with the heroine's solemn self-righteousness. So we are supposed to watch Kareena's righteous indignation with a straight face.

We end up laughing at all the wrong cues.The timing goes horribly awry as the film progresses. The sanctimonious heroine's attempts to be funny and committed at the same time reminds you of a restaurant that serves kebabs and pastas at the cost of one meal.

This is a film that had the potential for being genuinely funny and warm. It also has the very lovely Shradha Kapoor trying hard to keep her inherent grace intact in a script that manoeuvres through a string of antics based on cultural and economic disparity. It squanders the satirical potential in trying to be cleverer than the audience.

There is a prominently pickled pre-interval moment where Imran Khan's under-committed character is mock-urged by his kith and kin to run away from his marriage mandap.

It's a Tamilian marriage ritual, you see. Giggle.

Our hero Sree Ram (a.k.a Sridevi, for some secretly funny reason) takes the mock-ritual seriously and flees out of the marriage.That, you see the problem. That moment becomes symptomatic of all the wrong turns that the script takes in trying to be funny, savvy, sassy and smart. Moments that are meant to be bitingly urbane and tongue-in-cheek end up being as flat as pancakes cooked for breakfast served in the evening. A bridge built in an impoverished village meant to be symbolic of the lead pair's differing priorities,becomes a feeble attempt at profundity in a film that cannot avoid shallowness.

But all is well at the end. The film's love-birds live happily ever after.

Wish the same were true of the fate of rom-com in Bollywood.

After spending a decade in front of the camera, Lara Dutta has taken a break from acting and is putting her designing skills to test by launching her sari collections.

The former Miss Universe, seen in hits like "No Entry" and "Partner", is a mother of about two-year-old Saira, but says designing is her "new baby".

"I have done films for 10 years. This (designing) is something new that I have forayed into; so it's my new baby. I am excited about the response from the customers," Lara told IANS. She was in the captial to launch her second sari range in association with Chhabra 555.

The 35-year-old started designing last year when she created a whole line of saris for women who are keen to strike the right balance between traditionalism and modernity.

"The second collection is far more traditional. Personally I am a big fan of Benarasi saris and many other old-age fabrics; so I wanted to make those weaves younger and contemporary. Normally, we associate Benarasi saris with our aunts and our mothers, but I wanted to give it a younger and trendy feel," she said.

The model-turned-actress, who won the Miss Universe title in 2000, made her Bollywood debut in 2003 with "Andaaz" and went on to do films like "Masti", "Housefull" and "Don 2".

In 2011, she married tennis champion Mahesh Bhupathi and the duo started their production house Bheegi Basanti Productions. "Chalo Dilli", their maiden venture, won critical acclaim.

Post-motherhood, Lara's silver screen appearances have not been frequent, but she has no regrets.

"I think each thing has its own space in life. I enjoyed being busy. My priority (now) is my daughter. That will always be my number one priority. Now she is getting older, so I am getting more time to celebrate and concentrate on my own work; so here I am promoting the brand as much as possible," she said.

What about movies?

"Motherhood is the reason why I am seen very less on the big screen. But I feel that the film has to be really good for me to leave Saira at home and get back on the film set. I would rather spend that time and energy on doing something that will benefit me in the long run," said the actress, who looked stunning in an elegant sari.

Lara is currently working on a few scripts, of which one will be made under her banner.

"At this point of time, I am looking at a few projects - one with my production house and one outside of it. So I am going back to the work. I am doing pre-production for the 'Chalo Dilli' sequel and that's happening again with Vinay Pathak and me. That will go on floors in March next year."

How does it feel to be called a fit mom in the industry?

"I think today every mom - whether it is Karisma (Kapoor), Shilpa (Shetty) or anyone - wouldn't want to look fat after giving birth to a baby. They are all fit; so I have done nothing great.

"Every woman has become a multi-tasker and that keeps all of us fit. I think it's a normal transition. You put on weight and then you lose it," she said.

Actress Kalki Koechlin says for the past few months, she has been busy shooting for three films in four countries.

"I have been shooting three films this year. I have been in four countries over the past eight months. I have been really working hard. I have been in Sweden, New York, Detroit, Los Angeles and Delhi shooting these three films," the 29-year-old said here Friday at an event, Shaping Future, for underprivileged kids.

"Now I am back and I am performing my play in December, you will see lots of me," she added.

Kalki has three films in hand - "Margarita with a Straw", "Happy Ending" and "Jiah Aur Jiah."

Kalki was last in the news for issuing a joint statement with her husband Anurag Kashyap a few weeks back stating that the two have taken time off each other.

Asked about that, Kalki refused to comment.

"I am sorry, I am not going to talk about me personal life," Kalki said.

Movie: "Irandam Ulagam"; Cast: Arya and Anushka Shetty; Director: Selvaraghavan; Rating: **

Selvaraghavan's fascination for romance has been evident since his maiden film and he has always approached it in his own style, contrary to how love stories have been captured on celluloid over the years.

All his love stories so far have been received well by audiences and have been lauded for maintaining realism in their portrayal. However, In "Irandam Ulagam", Selva complicates a simple love story in his attempt to merge romance and fantasy genres, only to give the audience an unbearable experience.

The film's tagline - 'how far will you travel for love', makes the audience believe that love can transcend time and space. That's an exciting premise for a love story, isn't it? "Irandam Ulagam" is indeed about a love story that traverses between two parallel worlds, simultaneously focusing on two couples, played by Arya and Anushka.

Selva is a genius and you can only acknowledge it when you keenly observe the reason behind his lead characters. In "Irandam Ulagam", he creates two extremely opposite characters played by Arya and Anushka. While Anushka is a simple girl with middle class aspirations in the real world, she plays an independent warrior in the alternate fantasy world with extreme hatred towards marriage.

The contradiction in the characters only points out that women are most independent when they are single and marriage weakens them.

Selva preaches love and he makes us realize that it comes with pain and separation even in an imaginary world. He reiterates that love remains pure even in a fantasy world, but human race is not and never will be.

"Irandam Ulagam" caters to a different set of the audience but not for the masses. It takes a viewer with higher intelligence to decipher what the story is all about and that's precisely why the film didn't receive the reception it had anticipated. I'm sure audiences like to be inspired but they definitely hate it when they're forced to understand why a film is the way it is.

The film, which is mostly filled with the presence of Arya and Anushka, is further ruined by an abstract and complicated screenplay. "Irandam Ulagam" was promoted as a visual splendour but it's not even close to being majestic.

There's a lot of difference between being colourful and painting colour in all the wrong places. "Irandam Ulagam" belongs to the second category and it mostly uses the same colour tones, found in every other scene. The visual experience definitely lacked the creative touch it deserved to have in the first place.

Here's another Tamil film that suffers due to a slow narrative that's neither arresting nor entertaining. Although Arya and Anushka put on a great show in roles far opposite to each other, they couldn't hold the film together.

It's understandable that since it's a Tamil film most of the characters including foreigners speak Tamil. But that doesn't hide the fact that the accent of the characters is horrible in the fantasy world vis-a-vis the real world.

We can't use budget as an excuse for bad visual effects. If budget is a constraint, it's best not to even try doing a shoddy job. Even "Eega", made on a smaller budget, produced better visual effects than what you see in "Irandam Ulagam".

Irrespective of its box office prospects, "Irandam Ulagam" will make Selva happy because it was his ambitious project. But the audience won't be spared as they will only get lost in translation trying to understand or even appreciate this film.

Actor Sunny Deol, who is back in action with "Singh Saab The Great", believes there's no point in remaking any of his father Dharmendra's films as they are "iconic".

When IANS asked Sunny if he'd like to join the remake brigade and bring back any of his father's films to the big screen, he said: "I wouldn't do it for any other reason because dad's films have been such iconic films."

Veteran star Dharmendra, 77, is known for movies like "Phool Aur Paththar", "Sholay", "Seeta Aur Geeta" and "Chupke Chupke".

Sunny said: "There is magic in them. The way the directors directed them, it's wonderful! We don't have directors who can understand the detailing of those films. I feel we should just see them and appreciate them.

"You can pick up an idea from them, but can't remake. I can't remake his films as they are iconic."

"Singh Saab The Great", directed by Anil Sharma, released Friday.