Esha Deol’s Punjabi punch knocked the living daylights out of a man who was trying to act fresh with her at the premiere of Dus. The man is supposed to have landed five-feet away after the dhamakedaar slap and was so stunned by the impact that he hardly moved for some time. Arrey yaar, Esha is not one of those chhuimui-si actresses who’d scream and shudder. She’s been into women’s football, and now gyms at Barbarian Power Gym. With Papa Dharam, Sunny and Bobby in the family, aur kya? Dhoom!

Preity Zinta

Preity’s ‘good’Ness factor

After a long wait finally Zizzling Zinta has surged back, making headlines for reason as varied as her talent and temperament. She’ll be back to say Salaam Namaste to her audience soon and will be seen with Saif today, in KBC with Amitabh Bachchan, replacing Abhishek and Shweta for the Rakshabandhan Special. Suddenly, Preity seems to have turned more restrained, forgiving and philanthropic. She didn’t flare up when her name figured in Salman Khan’s tape controversy unlike the previous ‘Shakti Sting’ incident. Not just that ? she’s even shooting with Salman for their next film together, Jan-e-man, and starts shooting from next month in New York. She’s been also quite forgiving towards the students who played nasty SMS pranks with her on her mobile phone. Last Monday (August 15), she was out on the roads of Mumbai to teach the residents of Bandra a thing or two about cleanliness in their own para, with a broom, 15 dustbins, Shah Rukh and BF Ness Wadia in tow (not necessarily in that order). This ‘good’Ness factor is really making a lot of difference, see?

Dia Mirza

Sallu pally with Dia again

Since Preity has cleared the air by declaring she’s ready to shoot with Salman for Jan-e-man and doesn’t believe that the taped voice was Salman’s anyway, Sallu is really feeling relieved. But the taped voice had uttered similar things about Dia Mirza as well. And Salman had been feeling really awkward facing Dia. But it was fashion designer Anna Singh, a common friend who helped Salman sort it out. She goaded Sallu to make a call to Dia and speak to her. Actually, Anna herself dialled Dia’s number and connected them. Soon, all the uneasiness disappeared and both laughed out the incident. Dia is again back to being Sallu’s pal. So, all the buri nazarwaalon, beware. Seems his jinxed period is really over. Or, knowing Sallu, is it?

Aishwarya Rai

Ash-Ash matter

Aishwarya simply can’t get over what happened with Rohan Sippy’s film, Bluff Master. Actually, she just can’t take it anymore. Starting right from Chalte Chalte, with Rani Mukherjee stepping into her shoes, almost every heroine in the industry seems to be keen on putting her stumpy foot into her dainty slippers. According to Ash, when she was doing Kuch Na Kaho with Rohan Sippy, opposite Abhishek, Rohan had asked her to do Bluff Master. Being a friend she thought that was enough and banked on the director’s word. But now that Pri Chops has been signed in, Ash is beginning to see the bluff from both ends. “Since I know him, I didn’t think it was necessary to enter into a formal agreement. I was therefore hurt...If I knew what Rohan had in mind, maybe I would have insisted on a formal contract,” she said. And about Pri Chops, she said, “She accepted knowing fully well that I was approached first.” Just like Rani, Priyanka too says she did not intend to snatch her role and has apologised. But Ash has neither forgiven Rani nor is she likely to forget Pri.

SPOTLIGHT

Madhavan

Only laugh riot, no communal riot

Salman Khan gave Madhavan a great opportunity to shine. Actually, the Salman-Shilpa starrer, Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar, got stuck due to Salman’s legal problems and his producer’s financial ones. So, director Adhiyaman, instead of saying, Film banake phas gaya yaar, quite confidently went Down South and made a quick remake of the film in Tamil called, Priyasakhi, and it paid off immediately. The film has become a raging hit and Madhavan is basking in its success ever since.

Madhavan says, “Hindi audiences don’t know what they are missing out on.” This film is all about taking a peak into the life of a married couple and Madhavan says he has drawn a lot from his own marriage in Priyasakhi ? “My wife Sarita and I have gone through a lot of the emotions that I portrayed with Sadaa in this film....”

But at least we are not going to miss Madhavan any more. Soon, he’ll be back in the Bollywood frame in and as Ramji Londonwale. Only ‘laugh-riot’, no ‘communal riot’ was his message this Independence Day and that he promises to convey through his film. This is also a remake of the superhit Southie film, Nala Damayanthi, and he plays a Bihari cook in London. Madhavan is also on to his first crossover film ? a Malayalam-English bilingual, Nothing But Life, to be directed by Rajeev Anchal. Looks like he’s really going places, this Ramji Londonwale.