Tarla Dalal with the Fame Gurukul contestants: Food fundaSameera Reddy in No Entry: Miss HotSoumili with Masudur: Turn the tide

n She is no longer just another Ram Gopal Varma find. After her scorching item number in Darna Mana Hai, Sameera Reddy has moved on in her film career bagging big projects including Buddhadeb Dasgupta?s Kaalpurush. But if her five-second appearance at the end of No Entry was anything to go by, Sameera is certainly better off in sexy nothings rather than those middle-class cotton saris.

Industry insiders reveal that Sameera did the showstopper act in Anees Bazmee?s crazy comedy just as a goodwill gesture to producer Boney Kapoor who was originally supposed to launch her in filmdom. Coming out of the waters very much like a Bo Derek or an Ursula Andress, Sameera not only made the heads of the movie?s men ? Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan and Fardeen Khan ? turn on screen but she also made many sit up at the theatres.

When No Entry released, Sameera was away shooting in Manali and her mobile couldn?t stop beeping, thanks to the hordes of congratulatory messages, complimenting her stunning looks in the cameo.

n They may be good singers but their kitchen capers are nothing to write home about. But at Fame Gurukul, you are slated to be trained in every aspect of basic lifestyle and donning the chef?s hat is definitely an in-thing these days, what with Saif greeting Salaam Namaste all the time.

So in walked cook extraordinaire Tarla Dalal to give the Gurukul contestants a crash course on how to prepare a musical meal. The tip or two to cook fast and healthy food would sure come in handy for the two singers who would go on to become the Fame Jodi.

So, under the supervision of Tarla, the Gurukul students made sweet corn soup and macaroni with cheese. And Tarla herself made rabri for all of them. What?s more, the lady designated special gastronomic names for all the contestants ? Ruprekha as rosogolla, Qazi as khewa, Arpita as kachori, Rex as biryani and Sandeep as jalebi. It was sure one grand spread.

n She may be scared of the deep waters but when there?s a swimmer as co-star, that?s hardly a worry. Before the camera rolled for Asha, directed by Khokan Chakraborty, Soumili Biswas took a dip in the Hooghly under the watchful eyes of English Channel conqueror Masudur Rahman Baidya.

The film features her as a rich college-goer who falls in love with poor boy Tota Roy Chowdhury but ends up marrying an NRI. But life takes a nasty turn and the girl has to fend for her challenged baby boy. Frustrated, she tries to jump to death in the Hooghly but is saved by Rahman, an orthopaedically challenged swimmer, who inspires her to fight for herself and her child.

?My character is challenging as it is a lot about the mother?s struggle to survive with her child,? says the former anchor of popular TV show Syllabusey Nei, who is trying to balance her television career with the big screen. Soumili forayed into films with Tarun Majumdar?s Aalo and followed it up with Haranath Chakraborty?s Gyanrakol, Sangram and Agnishapath. Apart from Asha, Soumili is also shooting for Smriti Shudhu Bedona. Abishwasi, where she stars alongside Rupa Ganguly and Ranjit Mullick, releases on October 7.