Cricket Is Set To Bring Together Bollywood

Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), an initiative combining the two most popular forms of entertainment - cinema and cricket - is set to bring together Bollywood and the southern film industry to play a game of cricket in January.

"This is the first year. We are just bringing it together. Once it takes off and this model works, we’ll make it more structured.

Once we get the support, we’ll make it a bigger model. We’ll do proper practice and we are taking this very seriously," Bollywood star Sohail Khan told reporters here.

The match, which will take place in the last week of January, 2011, will have many known names from the southern film industry. Sohail Khan, who has named the team Mumbai Heroes, is its owner.

Suniel Shetty is the captain of the team and Salman Khan, the icon player.

The team includes Riteish Deshmukh, Aftab Shivdasani, Kunal Khemu, Ashish Choudhary, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Makrand Deshpande, Kabir Sadanand, Apoorva Lakhia, Sonu Sood, Harman Baweja, Angad Bedi, Irrfan Khan, and Zayed Khan.

Bollywood's Hollywood Connection

Year 2010-11 marks the arrival of Bollywood in Beverly Hills -from Shah Rukh Khan to Preity Zinta, anyone who’s anyone in tinsel town, has a Hollywood connection to brag about.

Actor Preity Zinta recently made headlines when she announced that she would be working with international heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio. They two are getting together for a good cause.

Last week, Preity was invited along with Leo and supermodel Naomi Campbell at the Global Tigers Initiative organised by the International Tiger Conservation Forum in St Petersburg, Russia. The actors will reportedly come together to support the cause of tigers, both in India and around the world.

Buzz is also doing the rounds that Shah Rukh Khan will be working with Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle early next year. Following in SRK’s footsteps Aamir Khan has reportedly signed a project with director Paul Schrader.

Actor Bipasha Basu is currently filming a Hollywood film called Singularity, co-starring Peral Harbour star Josh Hartnett. Talking about her role, she said, "I play Taluja, a Maratha warrior with whom James Steward (Hartnett) falls in love.

I’m excited to work with a great director such as Roland Joffe and the experience of working with actors like Josh and Olga is great too," she added.

Not just the actors, even Indian singers are going international. Recently, Sunidhi Chauhan collaborated with Latino singer Enrique Iglesias for a romantic ballad. However, Sunidhi was tight-lipped about the project.

"This is not the right time to talk about it. I will tell all when things get materialised," says Sunidhi. Also, Sreeram Chandra of Indian Idol fame will be singing for the fim The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Aishwarya Rai Will Avoid Most Public Appearances

Aishwarya Rai swears off work for two months to help her bro’s wife with the newborn. Practicing already? Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has decided to stay at home for two months and help her bhabhi (brother Aditya’s wife) Srima with her baby boy, who was born on November 26. She will avoid most public appearances in the next couple of months, as she wants to spend as much time as possible at home. She will only attend those she had previously committed to.

Early warning

Says a source, "Post-Guzaarish, she missed the promotions so she could be with her sister-in-law. Everyone is very excited about the baby, Ash more so. She had warned all her producers, organisers and media manager about the situation. " She will play the doting bua to the hilt in real life now.

After a while

Says a source close to Rai-Bachchan, "She deliberately finished all her film assignments by October. And she has not signed any film after Guzaarish. She will finalise her next batch of films with Vishal Bhardwaj, Shyam Benegal and Madhur Bhandarkar after two months. " Confirms Aishwarya, "I’ve just been travelling and shooting, of late. Now I’m taking time off to be with my sister-in-law and her baby. "

About her plans for 2011, she adds, "I don’t think too far ahead. Every time I plan, I end up not implementing it. When I did Devdas in 2002, I had promised myself I’d work in a more phased manner. I am yet to live up to that promise. If you remember, I married in the middle of my career. After that I took time off for my family. I had technically kept three months off. It turned out to be six months of no movies. "

Preity Zinta Would Be Himachal Pradesh`s Brand Ambassador

Film actress Preity Zinta would be Himachal Pradesh`s brand ambassador for promoting tourism, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal announced here Tuesday.

`Preity Zinta would motivate world-renowned personalities and entrepreneurs to visit and invest in high-end tourism the state.

She has agreed in principle to act as a brand ambassador for tourism,` Dhumal told reporters.

Preity has even agreed to work for environment awareness in the state, he said.

A team of government officials, comprising tourism director Arun Sharma, met Preity in Mumbai to get her consent in this regard.

Preity, who belonged to the hill state, did her graduation from Shimla`s St. Bede`s, India`s oldest all-women college.

Katrina Kaif Will Face Some Competition From Loveena

We are told Katrina (Sheila) Kaif will face some stiff competition from another hottie this Christmas eve -- Loveena -- a toon character from Toonpur Ka Super Hero!

Loveena is this hot and sexy chica who flirts with leading man, Ajay Devgn. Co-producer Krishika Lulla says, "Loveena, the most beautiful girl of Toonpur, falls for Ajay, who plays a superstar in the movie.

Her chic look and naughty adaas can make anyone fall for her. She’s a diehard romantic living her dreams to the fullest. " Yeah, we are sure Kat is feeling threatened.

Abhijeet Sawant Making News For The Wrong Reasons

Wannabe singing sensations Prajakta Shukre and Abhijeet Sawant, their biggest claim to fame was as participants of ‘Indian Idol’ Season I, with the latter winning the crown, are now making news for all the wrong reasons.

In what seems like a case of a night out with friends going horribly wrong, Shukre and Abhijeet along with other friends were said to be returning together – in different vehicles – after partying at a Juhu restaurant on Tuesday night.

As per reports, on seeing an empty road in Daulat Nagar area of Sanatcruz, a western suburb of Mumbai, they decided to race their cars. Shukre, driving a Honda City, smashed into two teenagers on a motorcycle, grievously injuring them.

The report further says that Abhijeet, who was driving an Audi, got down from his car and defending his friend got into a tiff with the crowd, following which the crowd gave Abhijeet and his other friends a sound thrashing.

Prajakta on the other hand was arrested on charges of rash and negligent driving. As of now Prajakta has been granted bail and released on a bond of Rs 3000.

The police is said to be investigating whether they group comprising Prajakta and Abhijeet was in an inebriated condition.

Salman Khan Asked Rs 50 Lakh To Appear Koffee With Karan

Rumour has it that the actor asked for Rs 50 lakh to appear on Karan Johar’s Koffee With KaranIf all goes well, Salman Khan will be seen on Koffee With Karan. Those who believe this is absurd and impossible, given the director’s closeness to Sallu’s arch enemy Shah Rukh Khan, should know that on Saturday night, KJo and SK were together at Salman’s apartment and the partying continued wee hours of Sunday morning.

For this season, the KWK host has been wooing star guests who have never been on his show before. Aamir Khan and Kiran have confirmed their presence on the show to promote her directorial debut Dhobi Ghaat.

Akshay Kumar whose Tees Maar Khan releases on December 25, has also received feelers to grace the show with his wife Twinkle Khanna, and has been told he can use it to promote his film.

Last year, the Dabangg actor was interviewed by Karan Johar for his other TV show Lift Kara De but the actor has never been on KWK, and the host is keen that he join the elusive guest list this year.

Says an industry source, "Sometime back, Karan had asked Bhai (Salman) to come on the show. And Bhai told him that he was willing to come on the show if he was paid. Karan pointed out that none of the celebrities were paid to be on the show.

To which Salman said that even he didn’t want the money (R 50 lakh) for himself, but for his charity Being Human.

KJo said that it was not a norm to pay actors to be on the show and the channel would not shell out big bucks for it, but he would give a personal cheque to the actor, because he was keen to have him on the show.

Knowing Bhai’s sense of humour, one can’t be sure if he was serious or joking about wanting the money. "

On Saturday night, Salman and Karan bonded. Hrishant Goswami was also present. The model impressed Khan with his attitude in the Bigg Boss house, was evicted on Friday night, and was also present at the bash.

Hrishant is a family friend of the Johars, which explains why the trio were together.