Actress Chitrangada Singh will walk as a showstopper for brand Meeravali by Moni Agarwal on the first day of the forthcoming edition of India International Jewellery Week (IIJW), starting Monday.

Agarwal says her new collection is going to celebrate women and their dreams, and that Chitrangada is an apt choice for her show.

"'Meeravali by Moni' is a bridal collection for today's young bride who wants to look mesmerising and ethereal on her D-day," the designer said in a statement.

Meeravali is derived from the traditional element of the Rajasthan roots, folklore and its magnificence and the collection will be crafted with the best quality of polkis and Columbian emeralds.

IIJW, a three-day event, will take place at Grand Hyatt here.

Kangana Ranaut will walk the ramp for veteran designer Anju Modi at the forthcoming edition of Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week 2014. The Bollywood actress and fashion icon has been chosen for her old world charm.

The six-day event, starting July 15, will be held at the Taj Palace Hotel here and Modi is going to showcase on day two.

“Kangana Ranaut is a fashion icon, who has transformed herself with every character she plays on screen, and every look she dresses in off screen. She is one of the few actors who carries herself effortlessly and with utmost grace,” the designer told IANS.

Modi is going to showcase a collection titled Manikarnika, depicting a woman of the past, reborn in the present. The designer believes Kangana is befitting as the showstopper for her line's theme.

“The underlying sense of old world charm that engulfs Kangana made her the perfect choice for me, especially with the theme of my collection Manikarnika, being about reincarnation and a revisitation of our cultural and design heritage.

“She personifies the woman of today, which is a central thought that translates through our efforts to contemporise ancient techniques. I'm most excited to see her close my show this year at the India Couture Week,” said Modi.

Ajay Devgn, whose new film "Singham Returns" is releasing Independence Day Aug 15, says the action entertainer is dedicated to the nation.

Directed by Rohit Shetty, the film is the sequel to the 2011 release "Singham". Ajay reprises his role of Bajirao Singham.

"Every year we celebrate Independence Day for the nation and 'Singham Returns' is our tribute to the country," said the actor at the film's trailer launch here Friday.

"If both common man and men in uniform would be like Singham, then the Independence Day celebrations will become more meaningful," he added.

The action drama also stars Kareena Kapoor and Amole Gupte.

Anurag Basu, whose last film, the highly acclaimed and successful "Barfi!" came two years ago, won't have any release this year. His "Jagga Jasoos" is being shot at a slackened pace, while his other projects are on hold till this one project finishes.

Said Basu: "'Jagga Jasoos' was planned as a quickie. But Ranbir Kapoor (who is the film's co-producer) has been shooting simultaneously for Anurag Kashyap's 'Bombay Velvet'.

"We've to shoot 'Jagga Jasoos' during the gaps in the shooting of 'Bombay Velvet'. We completed one schedule. Now we'll go into a lengthy schedule from August. By the end of the year the shooting would be complete."

It's interesting that Basu admits to shooting "Jagga Jasoos" in-between the schedules for "Bombay Velvet". "Barfi!" had been delayed because it was shot in the spaces provided during the shooting of Imtiaz Ali's "Rockstar".

Defending the delays, he said: "Whether it's Imtiaz during Barfi or Anurag Kashyap during Jagga Jasoos, they are both friends. And besides it's all Ranbir's projects, so there is no question of prioritizing wrongly."

Next, Anurag Basu goes into his Kishore Kumar bio-pic.

Basu says he is definitely committed to making that film.

"Ranbir and I are certainly doing it. We'd have gone into it right after Barfi. But then Ranbir got committed to 'Bombay Velvet'. So I decided to make 'Jagga Jasoos' first. 'Kishore' can't be made in breaks and spurts. It has to be done in one long stretch."

As for the biopic on mathematician Anand Kumar, Kashyap throws the ball in Kumar's court.

"He is keen, so am I. Anand is in touch with my wife. But where are the papers? He hasn't signed any contract or legal papers. Unless he gives us official and legal consent to make a film on his life, we aren't going ahead with it. Making biopics in India without all the necessary papers is very risky," he added.

Actor Ajay Devgn has blamed "baseless" media coverage on "problems" between him and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, whom he has thanked for wishing him good luck for his forthcoming film "Singham Returns".

Recently, SRK took to Twitter and wished director Rohit Shetty and Ajay luck for the film, which also stars Kareena Kapoor.

Ajay acknowledged King Khan's wishes at the film's trailer launch here Friday, saying: "I am very thankful to him for that."

"I think all the problems that are published and shown in media are baseless. There has never been a problem. We all wish others 'all the best'. We work as one unit," he added.

There were reports that the actors shared a sour relationship when Shah Rukh's "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" and Ajay's "Son of Sardaar" had released on the same day on Diwali in 2012.

"Singham Returns" is the sequel to the hit film "Singham", which too starred Ajay.

This time, viewers are being promised a more power-packed performance from the cast.

It's an English language "offbeat" entertainer; made by an Indian director with three veteran and two young stars of Bollywood, and topped with one promotional Hindi song - that's Homi Adajania's "Finding Fanny". Arjun Kapoor, who plays one of the five "oddballs" in the movie, believes Indian audiences are ready for such content.

"I was scared and apprehensive to begin with, but as the journey went on, I was more and more happy that I made the brave choice of doing an English film, which is offbeat," Arjun told IANS during a tete-a-tete here.

Well, Arjun "never saw it as an offbeat film"!

"For me, it's a film which the country is ready to watch, and the fact that the trailer has received an overwhelming response is an example that people are willing to watch such content," he said of the over two million views that the "Finding Fanny" trailer garnered within two days of hitting online videosharing platform YouTube.

Arjun is a happy and content young man.

At 29, the son of veteran film producer Boney Kapoor has four distinct movies behind him. Starting with the 2012 movie "Ishaqzaade", in which he sported a rough and rebellious look as Parma, he pulled off a double role in "Aurangzeb", essayed the hot-headed Bala in "Gunday", and the nerdy yet affable boy-in-love Krish in "2 States".

Arjun says he was surprised when Adajania, the man behind English language film "Being Cyrus" and the Bollywood saga "Cocktail", considered him for the role of Savio D'Gama in "Finding Fanny", especially after watching the actor's work in "Ishaqzaade".

The fact that the forthcoming movie has a stellar cast comprising actors as senior and prolific as Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia as well as a glamorous star as Deepika Padukone in a de-glam avatar made the "Finding Fanny" journey all the more inviting for Arjun.

"It was almost like going to an acting class...having such fantastic actors around. The idea is to do something different, keeping in mind that you can get eyeballs with these actors who are a known commodity for Indian audience.

"Had Homi taken five unknown actors, it would have been a very niche film. But he has taken five known actors and set out to do something different. I think it's an intelligent choice on their part to mix known commodities with an unknown world," said the tall and handsome actor.

Of course, Arjun stepped into the film clearly knowing that away from the commercial Bollywood potboilers that he's been part of so far, this one's going to have a limited audience given the fact that it's in English and sans any of Hindi cinema's song and dance routines.

"That's the amazing part about making cinema! People can have an opinion about it. I'd rather be part of a film about which people have an opinion than be in a project people don't notice.

"'Finding Fanny' is definitely relevant in terms of getting people to talk about it. If it does well, people will talk about encouraging young talent to make films like this. If it doesn't, then they will think how well did it do or didn't do.

"I think it is a talking point kind of film. It won't just come and go, which is what I like - it's got people talking already. And you can't always expect people to love everything you do...if they notice, for better or for worse, it's a good thing," said the actor.

Presented by Fox Star Studios, "Finding Fanny" is produced by Maddock Films. The film, a quirky satirical comedy, releases Sep 12.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared as national heritage the ancestral home in Peshawar of Hindi moviedom's thespian actor Dilip Kumar. He has directed the ministry of information, broadcasting and national heritage to acquire the house.

The prime minister's approval was sent to the information ministry, which has forwarded it to director general, Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) for implementation of the orders, reported Pakistani daily The Nation.

Well-placed sources at the PM House informed that chief secretary, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa forwarded a summary to the federal government, requesting that it should take steps for acquiring Dilip Kumar's home and to declare it as national heritage. They said the project would play an important role in bringing the people of Pakistan and India closer.

The prime minister approved the summary and sent it to information ministry on Thursday and ministry marked it to DG PNCA on Friday and instructed him to start work on it.

Sources said Nawaz Sharif was eager to promote the cultural relations between India and Pakistan and also met representatives of Indian film industry during his last visit to India.

After acquiring Dilip Kumar's home, the government is planning to convert it into a museum. The sources said that the PM had ordered the authorities concerned to complete the task as soon as possible.

The government is planning to invite Dilip Kumar and other members of his family after converting the house into a museum.

The Nation cited PNCA's acting director general Mashood Mirza as confirming that the council has received the summary from the ministry with the instruction to implement it as soon as possible.

According to the orders, the PNCA would take the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on board to acquire the ancestral home of the great actor situated in Peshawar.

Mirza said that a special meeting would be held on Monday to review all aspects to develop the great actor's five-storied house, located in Pesawar's famous area Qisa Khawani Bazaar. Presently in a shabby condition, it is being illegally occupied by someone, who claims to be a relative of Dilip Kumar, but is actually not.

Mashood said that as per the directions of the PM, the PNCA would reconstruct the house keeping in view the stature of Dilip Kumar, who has fans all over the world.

Dilip Kumar was born Yusuf Khan. His father Lala Ghulam Sarwar had shifted to Mumbai from Peshawar in the 1930s.

One of the best performers on the silver screen, Dilip Kumar, 91, was active in front of the camera for six decades and worked in much appreciated films like "Jwar Bhata""Mela", "Naya Daur", "Tarana", "Devdas", "Ganga Jamuna", "Leader", "Mughal-E-Azam", "Shakti", "Karma" and "Saudagar".

His last film was the 1998 release "Qila".

Bollywood actress Adah Sharma, who recently forayed into southern industry with Telugu film "Heart Attack", is likely to make her Kannada debut with superstar Puneeth Rajkumar in "Ranavikrama".

Directed by Pawan Wadeyar, the film's shooting is currently on in Bellary. It also features Girish Karnad and Charan Raj in important roles.

"Adah has said yes in principle, but is yet to physically sign the project. She's busy shooting for a Hindi film and a big endorsement with a popular actor. She is expected to start shooting from Wednesday (July 16) after she signs the project," a source close to the actor told IANS.

The actress, seen in Hindi movies like "1920" and "Hasee Toh Phasee", will essay a college student in the movie.

"The makers cast her because they really liked her work in 'Heart Attack'. Since that role was very well-received by the youth, they were convinced that she will appeal to Kannada audiences with her character in 'Ranavikrama'," the source added.

"She's expected only for a week in July, and then she will join the team at the end of August. Adah is very happy with the role and she feels that the film will establish her career in Kannada as 'Heart Attack' did in Telugu," said the source.

Small screen's bad boy Vatsal Seth got injured while shooting for “Ek Hasina Thi” much to the shock of the actor and the crew members. But he resumed shooting after a short break.

According to sources, Vatsal had to shoot a glass bottle with a handgun. The scene was narrated to everyone on the set, and everyone was ready. As soon as the director yelled action, the actor aimed at the bottle and shot at it. Unexpectedly, the glass flew and struck the actor near his ear, narrowly missing his left eye.

The actor, who plays a negative character in the show, was taken aback as were the crew members as they didn't expect such a thing to happen.

After a few anxious minutes in his van, the actor came out and said that such things keep on happening and one shouldn't be deterred by it.

The crew was already discussing the possibility of the sequence in the episode, but Vatsal silenced them all by declaring that he would go through with it.

The incident motivated him to proceed and complete the shoot. So, after cleaning the wound, Vatsal was back. This time he was more careful and perfected the shot in that take itself. He didn't panic.

The Star Plus show also stars Sanjeeda Sheikh, Simone Singh and Ayub Khan, among others.

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez, who is gearing up to promote her first solo big project "Kick", says she had to gain weight to look convincing in her role.

The 28-year-old Sri Lankan beauty has to look like a college girl in the film and she said: "During 'Race 2', I had to lean down completely because there was a lot of action scenes in it. For this film, I was asked to gain weight as I am playing a college girl."

"I could not afford to have the perfect zero size body. I was 51 and now I am 56 for 'Kick' and I am very happy with my body," she added.

Post medium budget psychological thriller "Murder 2", this is Jacqueline's first big film in terms of budget and cast. She is paired with none other than Salman Khan in the movie coming out July 25.

Her last releases "Race 2" and "Housefull 2" were multi-starrers.

When asked if this brings any pressure on her, she said: "There was a lot of pressure, but my main concern was not to disappoint Sajid Nadiadwala. He must have seen something in me that he offered me the film. When he showed confidence in me, I didn't want to disappoint him."

"Kick" is important for producer Nadiadwala too as he embarks on a new journey with the action drama - it marks his debut as a director.

Jacqueline praises Salman's "helping nature".

"He is not the kind of a person who will leave you mid way. It's a pleasure to work with him," she added.

She had her share of drama and problems in the last season of reality show "Bigg Boss", but looking back at her experience makes Pratyusha Banerjee realise that it wasn't that bad. Given an opportunity, she wouldn't mind revisiting the house for the new season.

"I don't mind going back to the 'Bigg Boss' house now because now I realize that it was not that bad," Pratyusha of "Balika Vadhu" fame TV series told IANS.

"Yes, if given an opportunity I will go back. When I came back from 'Bigg Boss 7' house, it was difficult for me. But now when I recall the three months that I spent there, I feel that it's not that bad. It's better than the outside world," added the 22-year-old.

Recently, Pratyusha has featured in the new series "Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya", which she says has been a satisfying experience for her.

"I had a great time shooting for the series. It's been shot very nicely. As an actress it's very satisfying to be part of such TV series," she said.

A bouquet of 13 episodes, "Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya" depicts real, young, burning love with raw emotion.

Bollywood newcomer Varun Dhawan seems to have rocked the global market with his latest release “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania”. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says the romance saga will be his highest grosser at foreign box office.

Adarsh tweeted about the film's performance at the international box office, saying that it has witnessed ample growth in key markets such as the US, Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

He added that the business on Saturday was better than Friday.

“#HumptySharmaKiDulhania is also ahead of #SOTY (Student Of The Year) Fri + Sat biz by almost $50,000 in USA-Canada. SUPERB!,” he tweeted.

“#HumptySharmaKiDulhania all set to emerge Varun Dhawan's HIGHEST grosser in USA-Canada. Crosses *lifetime biz* of #MainTeraHero in 2 days.”

“Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania”, which sees Varun with Alia Bhatt, is way ahead of “Main Tera Hero” in the UAE too.

"Ek Villain" success soared up and crossed Rs.100 crore mark at the box office and brought a sigh of relief to the film's leading lady Shraddha Kapoor.

Released June 27, "EK Villain", which came out of producer Ekta Kapoor's stable, crossed Rs.100 crore mark at the box office. If people liked Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha as the lead pair, they equally appreciated Riteish Deshmukh in his villainous avatar.

"As an actress, it's extremely relieving to receive positive response from the audience," Shraddha, whose last film "Aashiqui 2" was a blockbuster too, told IANS.

"The film has done really well at the box office, which gives you a lot of confidence to do more films. I have been celebrating the success of the film from day one when it opened well at the box office. I am feeling extremely relieved," she added.

Interestingly, director Mohit Suri helmed both “EK Villain” and “Aashiqui 2”.

"I am fortunate enough to have got an opportunity to work with Mohit. Mohit is a dear friend and he is a gem of a person. It's always a pleasure to work with him because he has a clarity on whatever he is doing," said the actress.

It's well-known that Rajkummar Rao is a superb actor, but that he is a good dancer too seems to be a revelation for actor-filmmaker Arbaaz Khan, who is working with him in his home production “Dolly Ki Doli”.

“Rajkummar Rao can dance sala!! just finished a song sequence with Malaika and Raj.. Both were awesome. Raj matched Malaika step for step,” tweeted Arbaaz.

He didn't' disclose in which song Rajkummar shook a leg with Malaika, who is doing item number “Pop Ragini” for the movie.

Directed by Abhishek Dogra, the film stars Sonam Kapoor in the title role and for the first time Rajkummar's funny side will be up in the movie. They are joined by Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma in the cast.

Viewers would get to see Rajkummar's comedy and dance when “Dolly Ki Doli" hits theatres Feb 6 next year.

Designer Manish Malhotra says Freddy Daruwala is his favourite and that he will team up with the model-turned actor for the Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week, starting July 15 in the capital.

“My most favourite model @FreddyDaruwala now a good actor too will walk for my show @TheFDCI#ICW2014,” tweeted Malhotra.

Freddy made his Bollywood debut with “Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty” in the role of a terrorist's and won appreciation.

Mobile phones may have become an integral part of people's life, but the facility comes with hazards, says actor Rohit Roy. He requests parents to keep children away from the device and use it with caution.

The actor, known for his TV shows like “Swabhimaan” and movie stint in “Shootout At Lokhandwala”, took to Twitter to talk about the cons of mobile phones.

He also wrote that his posts shouldn't be interpreted as “preaching” rather they should be treated as "information".

“Cell phones are dangerous in a way that u don't realise… It's a debilitating device which will affect ur skin n nervous system if used excessively or incorrectly. Keep it away from u while sleeping,” wrote the actor who himself is a parent.

“Hold it far from ur ear while talking… At least half an inch. Better still use a headset, not bluetooth but corded one…

“And definitely don't give ur kids the phone… Not even to play… They are most susceptible to radio waves as their skins are thinner,” he said in his posts.

The actor, who directed a film called "Rice Plate", feels that speaking on mobiles has become such a habit that landlines are “almost extinct in homes”.

“Please, please take a few simple precautions as it'll help u stay away from the ill effects... We are all dependent so let's be responsible,” urges the actor.

Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh, who is playing antagonist in upcoming Tamil actioner "Kaththi", says he's gone back to the days of "Johnny Gaddar" for the look of his role in the new film. He says audiences will get to see a "leaner and sharper" Neil in the film.

"I'm shooting for two films simultaneously - 'Kaththi' and the Salman Khan-starrer with Sooraj Barjatya. I've designed my looks in such a way that I could easily blend into both the characters. For 'Kaththi', I've gone back to the days of 'Johnny Gaddar', which is an inspiration for my look in the film," Neil told IANS.

"I shed about 10 and a half kg for 'Kaththi' and reduced about four and half inches on the waist. I wanted the puffiness of the face to go down, so that I could look leaner and sharper," he added.

In the film, which is being directed by A.R. Murugadoss, Neil assures he doesn't play an "typical villain".

"It's not a typical villain role you see in the south (southern film industry). I play an extremely polished character, a north Indian who speaks Tamil, well read and foreign-returned. As a villain, I don't fight the hero with physical power, but with intelligence," he said.

"I think these qualities make my role scarier because it's not easy to tackle someone who is villainous and intelligent at the same time. These layers of shades attracted me to the role," he added.

He says he also took efforts to learn Tamil, which is alien to him.

"This is a very challenging role and I wanted to push myself to the edge for it. To try and speak the language, learn the expressions and understand what I was saying, I had to learn Tamil. In a way, it was interesting because it felt like going back to school to unlearn and relearn," said Neil, who calls Murugadoss "a fine technician".

"I was impressed with him because he approached me after doing his homework. He's watched several of my films and liked my work particularly in 'Johnny Gaddar', and designed my character keeping in mind the roles I've done so far. He's a fabulous director and you'll always find him relaxed on the sets," he said.

Neil admits that Murugadoss's success as a filmmaker mattered to him and lured him to sign the project.

"Every actor wishes to be handled by a good director. Tamil being a new industry and language for me, I wanted to work with the finest in the business and Murugadoss happens to be that. I knew that he would handle me very well and therefore I didn't have to think twice before signing," he added.

"Kaththi" also features superstar Vijay and Neil feels, "he's one of the finest people in the industry".

"I still can't believe he's a superstar because he never behaves like one. He is always humble and very friendly. He's supportive and very encouraging. I feel really lucky to have Vijay and Murugadoss as a team to work with in my Tamil debut," he said.

"Kaththi", which is slated for Diwali release, also features Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Tota Roy Chaudhary in important roles.

He's young, comes from a strong film family and is looking forward to make them all proud. Armaan Jain, whose debut movie "Lekar Hum Deewana Dil" opened to mixed reviews, says he's geared for the road ahead in tinsel town.

"My film 'Lekar Hum Deewana Dil' is out. For a whole year my co-star Deeksha and my director Arif Ali sir have been living breathing and sleeping with the film. After the film, there was all the excitement of the release. And now, there is that feeling of emptiness which I can't describe," said the 23-year-old, who's raring to go.

Looking back at the experience of shooting his maiden film, Armaan said: "'Lekar Hum Deewana Dil' would always be very special for me. I learnt so much while shooting for it. I evolved not just as an actor but also as a human being."

He even said working on the film broadened his mind.

"Like Imtiaz sir (director Arif Ali's brother), Arif sir loves the Indian heartland. I went to places where the locals had never stepped out of their native home, never even travelled in a train. The film exposed me to an entirely new area of existence, and a different way of living," he said.

Armaan realises being the scion of the Kapoor family is both a blessing and a burden.

"But I am prepared for the long struggle ahead," said the sorted young actor, who is Reema Jain's son.

The second film is always more crucial than the first. Armaan is looking at his post-debut prospects very carefully. He has a vast network of advisers in the distinguished Kapoor family.

And lest we forget, Armaan is also related to the Bachchans. Abhishek Bachchan's sister Shweta is married to Armaan's mother's sister's son.

"Yes, I am blessed with a family that knows show business in an out. I have my uncles and cousins for advice and of course Saif (Saif Ali Khan) sir, who is part of the family. I also have Abhishek bhaiyya, who is always there to guide me, and Shah Rukh (Khan) sir who is a close family friend. How much more support can I get?"

He is geared up for the struggle ahead.

"Everyone who cares for me says the second film is crucial. Mom and Dad tell me the same thing. I am fully charged up and looking forward to my next project," he added.

The 7th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), to be held here July 18-22, will see 97 films in the competition section.

These films have been selected from over 600 entries, said the secretary of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the organisers for the event, in a release issued here Monday.

The IDSFFK competition is restricted to films produced in India. It has six sections with attractive cash prizes.

Hong Hyosook from Korea, who heads the Busan Documentary Fund along with Susie Tharu and Harsh Mander, will be the jury for the festival.

Filmmakers from all over the country will be attending the event to showcase their work and vie for top honours.

Canada-born Indian actress Lisa Ray will Monday night add sparkle to the fashion ramp at the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) as the showstopper for Farah Khan Ali's show.

“Honoured to have you as my Show Stopper darling @Lisaraniray. Loooooooooooooooooove you (sic),” the designer tweeted Monday morning.

In reply to her tweet, Lisa posted: “Honoured to be doing the showstopper #FarahKhanFineJewellery at #IIJW tonight. Stunning designs, wonderful designer.”

The actress, who was appreciated for her work in the 2001 released film "Kasoor", was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow in June 2009. Later in 2010, she opted for a stem cell transplant and announced that her treatment was successful.

The Farah Khan Fine Jewellery is one of the high-end fine jewellery brands in the Indian and International market scenario and is recognised for its quality and craftsmanship.

IIJW, a three-day event, is taking place at Grand Hyatt here.