What a blast

This one’s come bang on time. Naseeruddin Shah’s Shoot On Sight — directed by Jag Mundhra — is about to be released. Producer Arun Govil has agreed to some cuts, and the film, about a Muslim cop in Scotland Yard, will now hit the theatres on Friday. The censor board had asked that some scenes of sex and religious speeches be deleted — and producer Arun Govil agreed. “But I am extremely surprised by the decision (of the board). There is nothing controversial about Shoot On Sight. It is a balanced film,” says Govil. Audiences will know — soon, in a theatre near them.

Singh sings

He is a man of many passions. Singer, composer, film theorist, lyricist, editor and a lecturer, Madan Gopal Singh donned the Sufi cap once again when he performed in the capital last week to mark the International Day against Violence. The Delhibased singer was among seven performers who lent their voices to nonviolence on M.K. Gandhi’s birth anniversary. Singh presented a poem by the 17th century Sufi poet Sultan Bahu. The 10minute presentation won him accolades from a gathering that included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Singh, who teaches English literature at Delhi University, admits he is not a musician by training. But that has never come in the way. When he sings, the Sufi bhakt bares his soul.

Brush with mum

She didn’t quite sit for her mother, but she can always stand by her. So Krishna Mitra’s exhibition of paintings in Calcutta had a guest who had to be there — her daughter, actor Koyena. Koyena is clearly ecstatic about her mother’s exhibition, called ‘Desire’. “I am so proud of her. We had been pushing her to bring her talent out of the closet. Nothing beats the happiness of inaugurating her exhibition,” says the Khullam khulla girl. “Her paintings indicate a streak of feminism,” says the daughter. And she would know.

Venom wipe

Mallika Sherawat doesn’t just kiss and make up — sometimes she hisses and makes up. Sherawat and film-maker Ram Gopal Varma have decided to patch up after publicly warring for a while. So, at Sherawat’s invitation, Ramu dropped in at the sets of her film Hisss, where she plays a snake woman. Ramu was apparently so impressed with what he saw that he went on to praise the film, the actress and the lord. But then, he liked his Sholay remake too, didn’t he?

Loan moan

Poor Urmila Matondkar. The sizzler — well, prefix that with former — is going through some Diwali jitters. And the reason is simple —she is about to be swamped by karz, or loans. But, of course, this is all on celluloid. Ramu Varma’s exmuse has two upcoming films that deal with karz. One is Bhushan Kumar’s film — called Karzzzz — with Himesh Reshammiya, and the other is EMI. But the similarities, we are told, end there. One is a remake of a classic love story and the other is a lighthearted modern day satire. Urmila, who has been missing from the scene for a while, is keeping her fingers crossed. Karzzzz should not turn into a zzzz…