Does the name Randeep Hooda sound familiar? That?s right, the one whose claim to fame was as Sush?s boyfriend. True, he is doing an RGV film called D, but does that make him Aamir Khan? He is reported to have refused to attend a film function and has been mouthing things like, ?I?ll go there next year when I?m a big star.? He?s also been acting pricey, or so we hear, and had quoted an awesome amount of money to a producer who?d approached him for his next venture. Guy, save all that attitude for later. You are not even near it, yet.

Rukhsar and I...okay, okay, I?m blushing ? Ramu

No muse is good muse? Not with Ram Gopal Varma. The reluctant starmaker, whose earlier inspirations include the fabulous Urmila Matondkar, not to mention other female head-turners Antara Mali, Isha Koppikar and Sameera Reddy (all groomed to glamorous glory in Ramu?s Factory) has found a new inspiration. She?s Rukhsar. Tall, fair and striking in her demeanour she was first seen in Deepak Anand?s Yaad Rakhegi Duniya, 13 years ago with Aditya Pancholi as her costar. A poor remake of Mani Ratnam?s first Telugu film, Geethanjali (it was later dubbed into Tamil as well) where she played a vivacious girl dying of a mysterious heart ailment, Yaad Rakhegi Duniya flopped and finished off Rukhsar?s career?until 2005 when she walked into Varma?s office and was immediately signed for two prestigious films.

Rukhsar

?Yes,? admits Bollywood?s biggest starmaker. ?Rukhsar is doing two films, D and Sarkar, for me. When she came to meet me I wasn?t aware of her past. I?ve cast her in Sarkar opposite K.K. Menon. Vishram Sawant, my director for D, came to my sets and cast her in that film, too. I knew nothing about her. I hadn?t seen her?ever. So I really didn?t know her history. I haven?t seen Yaad Rakhegi Duniya. Now anyone who sees portions of Sarkar or D seems to know her from the past.?

The song, Dokha, for D filmed on Rajpal Yadav and Rukhsar has made Ramu?s new discovery a much talked-about entity. ?She has a very strong screen presence. Generally very beautiful women don?t come across well on screen. Rukhsar is an exception. She was perfect for the part of KK?s wife and Mr Bachchan?s bahu. She?ll make audiences sit up and notice.? Ramu seems to be remarkably kicked about Rukhsar. ?I hardly see any competition for her. She?s in a unique age bracket (25-30). She?ll be able to carry off a slightly more mature part than the teenybopper roles.?

The film industry is already speaking of Ramu and Rukhsar as a pair. Ramu actually does a good imitation of a blush. ?How do I react to that? We?re just good friends?I just love that reply. Seriously, how does one answer something like this?? I remind him about all the actresses he has reinvented for his cinema. ?I?ve got my own harem, man. Thanks! I repeat, Rukshar and I are just good friends?okay, okay, I?m blushing?I?m so busy with my work. I don?t do anything but make films. I never ever go by the market. I sign on gut feeling. If I see someone is good in a role I?d sign her regardless of what the industry or the media feel about her viability. I don?t go by those yardsticks. For me it doesn?t matter whether Rukhsar is in the news or not. If I feel she looks good and acts well, she?s on. A lot of people believe I can pick up anyone and turn her or him into a star. That?s untrue. I genuinely have to believe in a newcomer and then try to cast her in the right part.?And what happened to Ayesha Takia who?s out of ?The Factory?? Ramu explains. ?The film Loot which starred Ayesha has been postponed. Nothing else. For the time being I?ve dropped the project.? And will Rukhsar play the title role in Chudail? ?No way! Chudail is just a title I liked and registered. We?ll make that when the script is ready.? ? Lata Sinha

Ayesha Takia

Takia talk

Ayesha Takia is on her way. Truly hot property. She has top stars like Salman Khan, Sunjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Akshay Kumar now putting in a word for her to the producers. The filmmakers have shifted focus from Mallika?s bod to Ayesha?s midriff. And she is being touted as the next best thing to happen to big screen. This Complan girl years ago has really grown up fast and pretty and has taken the industry by storm. But it seems too much of anything too quickly has its drawbacks as well. The attention has, of course, begun to go to her pretty head and she?s throwing attitude promptly. Of course, the bitch brigade is out there condemning her every move. She hardly speaks to her costars, she backbites, are some allegations. She?s even been undiplomatic to say her chemistry with Abhay Deol didn?t happen, but fortunately for her, the film did.