Sand band

Sanjay Leela Bhansali doesn't believe in doing things in half measure. The director of such hits as Bajirao Mastani, Devdas and Black is now in search of the right kind of music for his new film Padmavati. So he is touring Rajasthan, listening to music in Mewar and elsewhere, for the period drama that will go on the floors very soon. Padmavati, the 13th century queen, is a theme quite close to Bhansali's heart. In 2008, he had directed an opera called Padmavati. And now, with the right desert strains, he is ready to shoot a film for all senses.

Bro grows

He's 20, a good dancer and Shahid Kapoor's half brother. And now we hear that Ishaan Khattar is going to feature in Karan Johar's sequel to his 2012 film Student of the Year. Big bro Shahid is proud of him. He says that Ishaan, younger to him by 14 years, even worked on the sets of Udta Punjab to know more about filmmaking. And, he adds, the boy is a great dancer. Go on, Ishaan - Big brother is watching over you.

Sound of music

Percussionist Tanmoy Bose loves to play different roles. He has now donned the hat of a mentor. Through his Kal Ke Kalakar initiative, he seeks to provide a platform for talented young singers. "Classical singers under the age of 15 can be a part of this initiative. Our basic motive is to encourage budding talent," Bose says. And while the youngsters clear their throats, the tabla maestro is getting ready for a Europe tour in October in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Called the Sounds of the Soil, the show will have Bose performing on musical instruments made of clay and wood. That's the rhythm of life.

Mamma Mia

It may take two to tango, but sometimes three can match their steps, too. That's what Pamela Chopra, the feisty wife of the late director Yash Chopra, has been doing. In a recent interview to a private breast cancer magazine, Chopra, a cancer survivor, reveals that her son's ex-wife, Payal, nursed her through the bad times when she was battling the Big C. But while it is known that Pamela is very close to Payal, we hear that she is also building up a bond with son Aditya's second wife, Rani Mukerji (in pic). Rani calls her when her baby daughter Adira wakes up, and the doting grandma hotfoots it to her son's house. Aditya and Rani have also introduced Pamela to an Austrian naturopath. Nothing - as Yash Chopra's films underlined - like a family bonding.

Video vault

The controversy over Udta Punjab has had one positive outcome - a social news reporter has gone and visited Anurag Kashyap's house. It all started with a tweet that followed the news that the film had been leaked on the Net and was being viewed illegally. Producer Kashyap urged people not to see it, adding that he himself had never downloaded any film illegally. Never, asked a sceptical tweet. Kashyap replied that he had the largest personal film library in the country. That's when reporter Andre Borges stepped in. He wanted to see if the library was indeed massive. Kashyap asked him to look it up, which Borges happily did. It's huge, he concluded. It doesn't explain if he did or didn't download films, but "...it does prove he's a baller who's spent a lot of money on movies." Seeing, as they say, is believing.