Bollywood gets an art attack

Some of our actors are not just artistes but artists too. We look at some Bollywood stars who secretly nurse a passion for painting. Sridevi is making a comeback in Hindi films with Gauri Shinde’s directorial debut, English Vinglish. Between shots, the actor would often be spotted with crayons, sketch pens and paper. “Sridevi loves to draw and paint. I’ve seen some really huge paintings made by her lining the walls of her home. They’re really good, but that’s not surprising because Sridevi is a perfectionist who excels in everything she takes up,” says Gauri. “The artworks range from abstracts to portraits. There’s a really huge one of Michael Jackson, who’s her idol since she’s a dancer too.”Salman Khan Salman inherited his artistic abilities from his mother Salma and paints abstracts, religious imagery, couples and his dogs. In 2008, he gifted Ranbir Kapoor a painting of his grandfather Raj Kapoor on his game show, Dus Ka Dum, and presented Aamir one of him in his Ghajini (2008) avatar. He got an approving nod from the late MF Husain, also inspired Dabangg (2010) co-star Sonakshi Sinha to move beyond sketches and paint a woman.
Bhagyashree

For Salman’s Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) co-star, painting was a fun pastime that let her imagination take flight. She says, “I began when I was 13, with sketches of my favourite stars, Amitabh Bachchan, Marilyn Monroe, Bridget Bardot and Michael Jackson.”
Ali Zafar

The actor-singer has been painting since he was a child and has a degree in fine arts. At 18, he sold 20-minute charcoal portraits in a hotel lobby for R500 each to fund his music albums.“Some women wanted a painting like the one Leonardo DiCaprio makes for Kate Winslet in Titanic, including my wife, whom I later painted,” he says. “Once I got busy with music, I stopped painting. I picked up the brush after seven years in 2010 when my father asked me to be a part of a national exhibition in Lahore,” says Zafar. The exhibition featuring over 100 Pakistani artistes was hosted by the alumni association of the College of Art and Design for the rehabilitation of craftsmen affected by the devastating floods. More recently, Zafar painted London, Paris, New York (2012) co-star Aditi Rao Hydari during the film’s promotions.
Aamir Khan

Perfectionist Aamir took art lessons before playing Arun, the painter, in wife Kiran Rao’s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat (2010). Salman was his inspiration“Salman’s a fantastic painter and has presented me with four beautiful paintings that are up on our walls. I tried to copy one of them.. a face… and realised I’d a really bad artist but a good imitator,” he laughs. “I gifted the canvas to Salman and it has pride of place in his living room. I guess, he didn’t want to break my heart.” Interestingly, Salman’s paintings lined the walls of Prateik’s shack in the film.
Ashok Kumar

He was a prolific painter who dabbled in charcoal, water-colour and oil. “I like to paint nudes, in the nude, in the privacy of my bathroom,” the veteran actor once admitted. He’s made 300-odd paintings, many of which he gifted away but on his birth centenary last year the Ashok Kumar Foundation organised an exhibition of his art that had a self-potrait of him playing the violin.
Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone always got an
A grade in art when in school.
And during Love Aaj Kal (2009), in which she played a fresco
restoration artist, when she suddenly spotted canvasses and paint on the set, she made a couple of paintings. Source:http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk

WikiLeaks takes on Bollywood

New Delhi: As Julian Assange's WikiLeaks continues to cause embarrassment to governments across the globe, its latest target is the world's largest maker of movies Bollywood, the reference of which appears in several of the leaked embassy cables made public by the whistleblowing website.

Many of the cables are surprisingly succinct and contain detailed analysis of the Indian film industry that churns out almost 1000 films a year and generates billions of rupees in revenue.

The documents look at different aspects of Bollywood, including its profitability, connections to organized crime, growth opportunities, and the Bollywood-Hollywood partnerships. India's movie industry generated an estimated Rs 10,700 crore in revenue in 2008, and that is expected to increase by an average of 11.5 per cent a year to 2013, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a study.

Hollywood-Bollywood partnerships
Two documents that analysed the Hollywood-Bollywood partnership are critical of the Hindi film industry and the scope of US film studios in the second fastest growing economy.
"Hollywood film studios, amongst the world's highest revenue earners, are increasingly beginning to stake their claim in Bollywood," a document said. "Though not without challenges, major US studios have started to try to capture a piece of this potentially lucrative market. US studios ranging from Sony, Disney, and Warner Brothers have co-produced Hindi movies attracted by the growth potential and opportunities in Indian cinema," it said.

The embassy cable said while big budget Hollywood action films - dubbed in vernacular languages - have done relatively well in India, success has eluded Hollywood-Bollywood co-production partnerships so far.

Black money
A leaked diplomatic cable also said that Bollywood welcomed funding from gangsters and politicians, known in India as "black money."

While there is no direct reference of Dawood Ibrahim which allegedly financed a number of movies, the cable said that in recent decades, Bollywood has been associated with the notorious Mumbai underworld, at the nexus of gangsters, money, and politics.

According to Jehil Thakkar, Head of Media and Entertainment for (KPMG), this association stemmed from the financing needs of the industry; until 2000, by government fiat, the film industry was ineligible for bank credit, private equity, and other means of legitimate commercial financing.

Bollywood and US visa
Following intensive investigation which also included a visit to the shooting site of 'My Name is Khan' the US Consulate in Mumbai in 2009 concluded that Bollywood generally does not misuse the US visas issued to its crew. Home to one of the largest entertainment industries in the world, Mumbai sends many stars and production crews to the US on O1 and O2 visas, it said, adding that the investigation was based on reports of fraud in other categories of visas.

"The study found that O2 travelers have a low overstay rate of 1.6 per cent. Site visits to major Indian production houses and no evidence of fraud for O2 applicants further suggests that most entertainment companies in Mumbai do not intend to misuse their US visas," said the US Consulate in Mumbai its cable dated December 14, 2009, which was released by WikiLeaks on August 30.

Chiranjeevi's political foray
A fan who committed suicide citing actor Chiranjeevi's indecision about entering politics, may have helped the "distraught" Telugu film star make up his mind, according to a leaked embassy cable made public by WikiLeaks.

The March 5, 2008 cable that was published August 8, 2011 said Chiranjeevi was toying with the idea of floating his own political party at that time. According to the cable, the actor appeared distraught and explained that one of his fans had committed suicide. The fan left a note saying he killed himself because he could no longer stand waiting for his hero to decide whether to enter politics. Source

Bollywood bodyguards reveal life beside the stars

They are an essential part of any Bollywood star's entourage, silently shadowing their every move and keeping over-eager fans and a celebrity-obsessed media at a muscular arm's length.

Now several of the increasing number of bodyguards working for A-list Hindi-language film stars have stepped into the limelight to speak about their duties, as a new movie on the subject is released.

The focus of attention has been a well-built Sikh nicknamed Shera (Tiger), who has been at action hero Salman Khan's side for the last 15 years and is accompanying him on promotional tours for Khan's new movie "Bodyguard".

"If anyone fires a bullet at him, I will stand in front of it and sacrifice my life for him. I love him to that extent," broad-shouldered Shera, who is in his early 40s, told reporters this week.
"In the last 15 years, Salman-bhai has done so much for me," he added. "Bhai" is Hindi for "brother" and is often used between close friends.

The feeling is reciprocated by Khan, who plays a bodyguard for Kareena Kapoor in the movie, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam-language film of the same name.

Shera -- real name Gurmeet Singh Jolly -- has been with Khan through the best of times and the worst of times, including a drink-driving case in 2002 and when Khan was jailed for a week in 2006 for killing endangered animals.

In a sign of his loyalty, Khan opted to use the badge and uniform of Shera's own firm, Tiger Security, in the film despite lucrative offers from a number of leading private security companies.

"I trust Shera completely with everything in my life, be it my money or even my women," joked the 45-year-old actor recently.

"If he ever decides to write a biography on me, I'm finished. He is the man whom I fear the most because he knows everything about me."

Bollywood stars inspire a fanatical following in India, making security staff as much of a requirement as an agent or a personal stylist.

While most fans are well-behaved, Kashinath Karmatkar, who works for megastar Amitabh Bachchan, said some can overstep the mark.

"Many times fans go crazy when they see stars face-to-face and they try to approach them closely," he said at a publicity event for "Bodyguard".

"It's at that time we have to be very careful to prevent them from coming close to the actor and at the same time see that the fans don't get hurt by our behaviour."

Hearthrob actor John Abraham has said he is rarely mobbed in Mumbai and is left to get on with his daily routine. But it is a different story elsewhere in India.

"I once walked into a Jaipur ATM and couldn't come out," he wrote on his web site last year. "By the time I had finished, there was a very committed Rajput ATM guard, who was trying to protect me from a very noisy mob of followers."

Female fans have pinched and even scratched him on other occasions, he has said.
Bachchan, star of some of the biggest hits of the 1970s, has long used bodyguards, who work so closely with actors that they often feel part of the family.

"The Big B" still has a huge following, with hordes of fans regularly camping outside his north Mumbai home just to catch a glimpse of him.

But the trend only really took off in the 1990s, when underworld figures tried to establish a stranglehold on the industry, and actors, producers and directors frequently received threats.

Bollywood's unarmed bodyguards now largely work at crowd control, with the bonus of accompanying stars at home and abroad.

For men like Yuvraj Ghorpade, who left school with few qualifications at age 16, the job has provided him with undreamed-of opportunities.

"The future was dark for me as I was doing odd jobs for survival until I decided to join Ace Security nine years ago," said Ghorpade, who has been a keen bodybuilder since his teens and is now in his 30s.

"Today, I am the bodyguard for (the actor-producer-director) Aamir Khan and many of my friends are envious of the fact that I roam with such a big celebrity all the time." (AFP)

South Indian films 'outperforming Bollywood'

South Indian cinema is reported to be performing better internationally than Bollywood.

According to Daily News and Analysis, south Indian releases are increasingly watched by non-resident Indians.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh commented: "Distributors are slowly becoming confident enough to release their films abroad."

He attributed the popularity of Rajinikanth's most recent release as a turning point in the south Indian film industry.

"The success of films like Endhiran last year has been a great factor that has brought in this change," said the TV presenter.

He also cited the large population of overseas resident south Indians as a contributing factor in the commercial reception of these projects.

"South Indian films are doing exceptionally well this year. Take the case of Telugu releases like Mr Perfect, Theenmaar and 100% Love or Tamil ones like Ko, Vaanam or Engeyum Kadhal, each has had bigger openings compared to Hindi films that released alongside them," he said.

Cannes festival to celebrate Bollywood

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival will celebrate the success and wonder of Bollywood in its 64th edition beginning next month.

'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', a feature film produced by Shekhar Kapoor and UTV Motion Pictures exclusively for the Festival de Cannes, will be screened during the festival that runs from May 11 to May 22. The film will be shown out of competition.

The film is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and American documentary filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist. Mehra had written and directed the 2006 Bollywood blockbuster 'Rang de Basanti'.

According to Cannes festival authorities, the origin of 'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', could be traced back to a conversation with Shekhar Kapoor, a member of the Cannes jury in 2010.

The question then was: Why not make a film that brings together the most beautiful moments in the history of Indian musical films, with all their moving pageantry and dance? "A few months later, there was 'Bollywood, The greatest love story ever told', a Cannes festival release said today while announcing the selection of the film.

The 81-minute film is said to be a swirling and poignant montage in which Shekhar Kapoor, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Jeff Zimbalist pay tribute to this cinema genre that has contributed to establishing India's identity in the eyes of the world and to making Mumbai one of the world capitals of film history.

Cricket causes $11.1mln loss to Bollywood

MUMBAI: A packed cricket schedule that peaked with an Indian win in the World Cup final has hit the country's other grand passion -- film -- emptying cinemas and forcing studios to postpone big movie releases.

Analysts said business at multiplex cinemas had been weak so far in 2011, with the six-week World Cup that finished earlier this month keeping people glued to their television screens in the evenings.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, which began immediately afterwards is also expected to keep many cinema-goers away until the end of May.

The short-format Twenty20 competition has all the glitz of Bollywood, with many film stars owning team franchises and big name players from around the world, cheered on by a bevy of scantily clad dancing girls.

The financial newspaper Mint said during the week that multiplex chains may have lost up to 500 million rupees ($11.1 million) in the three months to the end of March. Earnings data is expected in coming weeks.

"It was a weak quarter, with average occupancy rates at theatres declining to between 10 to 12 percent," said Chitrangda Kapur, media analyst with Mumbai-based Angel Broking.

"Due to the World Cup and IPL, fewer films were released from February up to May" said Rajesh Jain, head of media and entertainment at global consultants KPMG.

In the absence of the usual number of weekend movie releases, some multiplex chains even resorted to screening cricket matches to attract audiences.

Alok Tandon, chief executive of Inox Leisure Ltd, said they had no option.

"As we know, February-March is traditionally a period when kids are busy with their exams and families prefer not to go out to watch movies," he said.

"Apart from the movies, cricket is the other religion of our country and hence during this period, very few big banner movies were released.... We screened the semi-final and final, which ran to nearly house-full shows."

The back-to-back cricket tournaments could not have come at a worse time, with the Indian film industry struggling to recover from a prolonged slump.

Overall revenues have fallen 20 percent in the past three years from $2.3 billion in 2008 to $1.85 billion in 2010, according to KPMG research.

Domestic box office revenues still contribute 75 percent of an Indian film's earnings.

Poor quality content, rising overheads, the global economic crisis and an increase in other ways for people to spend their spare time have also been blamed for the downturn.

"The industry just needs one strong story to change the trend," said Devang Sampat, chief India strategist with Cinepolis, the world's fourth-largest multiplex operator globally.

Sampat cited the example of Aamir Khan's "3 Idiots" which broke box office records in 2009, but few releases in 2011 have enjoyed even a fraction of that success.

Hopes are again being pinned on Khan, and his ageing superstar namesakes Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, to boost box-office sales.

Salman's comedy "Ready" hits theatres in June, while Shah Rukh Khan stars in a sci-fi superhero movie "Ra.One" (Random Access - Version 1.0) and Aamir in "Delhi Belly" later this year.

KPMG's Jain predicted a better second half of the year for the industry.

"We have a good line-up of releases in the forthcoming quarters, including a good list of 3D and regional movies," said Inox's Tandon. "We are quite positive that these movies will do well."

Bollywood celebs pray for disaster-hit Japan

A host of Bollywood personalities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shekhar Kapur and Madhuri Dixit have expressed grief at the devastation in Japan, which was hit Friday by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami.

The celebrities are shocked at the images of the country after the disaster and, in postings on their blogs and social networking site Twitter, they hope that the pain and suffering will subside soon.

Here's what they had to say:
Amitabh Bachchan: The horrible visuals of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan are just unbearable to watch! The fury of the devastation and the helplessness of those that suffer is petrifying. In this hour of grief our heads bow down in prayer and hope, for those that face this trauma and wish that we can through our thoughts give them solace and comfort.

Shekhar Kapur: Watching videos from Japan was like watching an apocalypse. Heart and prayers go out to people of Japan.

Madhuri Dixit: Can you believe another quake and tsunami? My heart goes out to them.

Gul Panag: My heart goes out to all those affected by nature's fury in Japan. Gut-wrenching images on TV.

Vivek Oberoi: Just got back and saw the heartbreaking images of the tragedy in Japan... brings back memories of the destruction and devastation I saw during the tsunami in India. The images we see on television are nothing compared to the real pain and anguish of the people going through it... my thoughts and prayers are with them.

Shahana Goswami: Feel really helpless and upset with the tsunami and what its done to Japan. All the support and love to the survivors.

Aftab Shivdasani: Shocking visuals of the earthquake in Japan... Dreading the loss of life there. It's nature's way of saying do not spoil the planet... Must respect nature before it gets too late. My condolences and deep compassion to all those who lost their loved ones in this unforeseen fury of nature. May the divine bless the souls.

Arshad Warsi: God be with the ppl of Japan...

Siddharth: The visuals of yesterday (Friday) still haven't sunk in. It's all so very tragic. 2012 does seem like just another doomsday prophecy anymore!

Shahid Kapoor: Spread the love people... Life is just too short... Japan could have been us... Live with no regrets... May god bless us all!

R. Madhavan: My heart goes out to Japan. Having lived through one in Chennai I can't even imagine how this must be.

Lisa Ray: Deeply saddened by news of natural disaster in Japan.

Sanjay Suri: Heart and prayers for all suffering in Japan. Life is so very fragile.

Divya Dutta: EverythIng that we run around for is so frivolous in front of nature's fury. Let's make every day magical as if there's no tomorrow... prayers for Japan.

Sophie Choudry: As I lay me down to sleep, can't help but think of today's (Friday's) tragedy. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all the people of Japan. Lord have mercy.

Shreya Ghosal: The Japan Earthquake, Tsunami is MASSIVE!! I am just praying... Dear God, have mercy..

Chinese film industry races close to Bollywood

BEIJING: Box office earnings of the Chinese film industry have jumped a massive 64% in 2010, which is being regarded as a bad year for Bollywood. In fact, China's media regulators have predicted the local industry, regarded as a backward territory until recently, will surpass India and Japan by 2015.

The year 2010 saw a massive growth in the film industry with China 's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television reporting that a total of 500 films were made during the period. China ranked third behind Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of annual film output. It put the box office earnings of the local movie industry at $1.5 billion.

The Indian media has quoted film industry sources to say that the earnings in 2010 will be around Rs 10,000 crores ($2.2 billion) after rising 10-12 per cent over the 2009 revenue. The Indian industry has been caught in the 10-12% growth trend since 2008.
At present, the United States is ahead of all other markets as it notched box office revenue of $11 billion in 2010. Japan came second with $2.5 billion in earnings followed by India. China's media regulators expect China to overtake Japan by 2015.

The highest grosser in the Chinese market was a Hollywood film, Avatar, which earned $200 million accounting for over 13% of total sales. Next came a Chinese film, "Aftershock", that earned $100 million by telling the story of a earthquake. Another Chinese movie, "Let bullets fly" has made $75 million since its release in mid-December and its producers believe the total earnings will be much higher.

China's Film Bureau said in a statement that the country added 313 movie theatres. A total of 1,533 new screens were added resulting in a 25% growth in the country, which now has 6,200 screens.

Read more: Chinese film industry races close to Bollywood - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Chinese-film-industry-races-close-to-Bollywood/articleshow/7254578.cms#ixzz1AfYSC7Vl

Bollywood "Most popular songs of 2010"

The year 2010 offered a wide range of Bollywood songs. While raunchy numbers like 'Munni badnaam hui' kept the adrenaline pumping, soft and romantic numbers such as 'Dil toh bachcha hai jee' and 'Pee loon' caressed listeners' hearts and the Sufi number 'Sajda' spelt bliss for music lovers.

The year cannot be dedicated to any one musician - from Pritam Chakraborty to Vishal-Shekhar; all enjoyed a fair share of the spotlight. But amid singers it was Rahat Fateh Ali Khan who made it big with a couple of hits.

 The most popular songs of 2010

"Dil toh bachcha hai jee": It was a melodious beginning to the year with the romantic number from "Ishqiya". Vishal Bharadwaj directed the music and roped in Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to sing the song that instantly struck a chord with listeners. The sound of the accordion was prominent in the composition and was reminiscent of Raj Kapoor songs.

"Sajda": Composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy mesmerised listeners with this song from the film "My Name Is Khan". Once again sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan along with Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma, the Sufi number tugged at one's heartstrings. The sounds of tablas and dholaks were moulded together so beautifully that it helped the song become a chartbuster and stay on top for a long time.

"Aap ka kya hoga (Dhanno)": An interesting remix was packed into the "Housefull" album by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy in the guise of "Aapka kya hoga (Dhanno)". Sung by Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sajid Khan, it revisited Amitabh Bachchan's popular song "Apni to jaise taise" from the 1981 superhit "Lawaaris". The hit number appealed even after a makeover because the composers retained a few original lyrics. It was a winner all the way and made everyone dance to its tunes.

"Bin tere": The song from "I Hate Luv Storys" managed to bring out the hidden romantic side in all of us. Composed by director duo Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravijiani, it surely is a soulful and melodious number. The simple lyrics were beautifully rendered by Shafqat Amanat Ali with ample support from Sunidhi.

"Pee loon": The soft love ballad from the crime thriller "Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai" still occupies air time on most of the radio channels. Pritam Chakroborty's composition and Mohit Chauhan's voice have spelt magic for the song. It also contains traces of Sufi elements that add edge to the song.

"Gal mithi mithi": This track is an amazing folk outing by Tochi Raina and is not like any run-of-the-mill Punjabi number. Composed by Amit Trivedi of "Dev D" fame for "Aisha", the fast number instantly made its mark because of the unpredictable orchestration and the fun element woven together intelligently.

"Munni badnaam hui": One of the most popular item numbers of the year, the fast-paced, catchy song with a rustic flavour created a nationwide sensation. Composed by Lalit Pandit and sung by Mamta Sharma and Aishwarya, "Munni..." from the superhit film "Dabangg" is still ruling the roost.

"Tere mast mast do nain": "Dabangg" gave another hit in "Tere mast...", but this time the composers were brothers Sajid-Wajid. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan crooned the moderately paced romantic track with such expertise that it made people sit up and take notice.

"Zor ka jhatka": Even though the film failed to take off at the box office, this song from "Action Replayy" flew higher and higher on popularity charts. Sung by Daler Mehndi, Richa Sharma and Master Salim, Pritam's composition was appreciated for its quirky lyrics and unusual orchestration.

"Sheila Ki jawaani": As they say the best is always reserved for the last, this song appeared almost at the end of the year and was an instant hit thanks to its urban appeal and a raunchy feel. It's giving competition to "Munni badnaam hui" for the best item number crown.

Brilliantly sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and composed by Vishal-Shekhar, the "Tees Maar Khan" number has foot tapping beats and an impressive composition has made it a favourite among people of all ages. With an urban appeal and a raunchy feel, the song is currently ruling every music chart.

Bollywood's Obsession With Retro Beats In 2010

Retro beats have certainly had a great comeback this year with many big banner movies having at least one popular track from the retro years albeit with contemporary touch ups to woo the current generation.

So the question is has Bollywood been obsessed with the retro beats in 2010? Well the fact is that many films released during the year have the most popular retro numbers which indeed have added to their popularity quotient amongst the audiences.

Movies like Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, with the Parda number which had a mix of music composer R.D Burman's two of the greatest hits Duniya Mein and Monika sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Rana Mazumder,then the flick Houseful, which had the popular retro number Apni toh jaise taise from the 1981 flick Laawaris,or movie Golmaal 3 which had the Disco Dancer and Yaad Aa Raha Hai numbers from the movie Disco Dancer were all amongst the hit numbers of this year that had the younger generation humming to these retro numbers with equal enthusiasm as the older generation.

Now why is it that film makers are getting attracted to these retro numbers that have already seen an immense popularity during the retro years? Some reports suggests that it is due to the fact that since these numbers are already hits and are already registered in the memories of the people it becomes easier to make the audiences identify with these songs.

Others feel that since music composers are quite burdened with a lot of work there is hardly any time to invent new snazzy tunes everyday so going retro is a fast and easy way out to churn out popular numbers which has the potential of attracting audiences by the dozen.

However reports are that no matter how popular these retro numbers might be, but for commercial value as in terms of ring tones and down loads it is the original new numbers that are audience's picks!

The Most Downloaded Bollywood Celebrities

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif may have parted ways after being together for six years but their fans don't seem to get tired of them.

According to reports in the media, Sallu and Kat have won the top spot in the list of the most downloaded celebrities for the year 2010. This means that the Indians love downloading pictures of Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan on their mobile phones and through internet services.

The survey was conducted in the recent past taking into consideration 25 million wallpapers and images of various Bollywood celebrities that were downloaded throughout the running year. And it was Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif pictures that formed the maximum part of the 25 million downloaded images.

The strange thing is that Salman Khan has surpassed even Shah Rukh Khan in the most downloaded celebrity list. Following Salman Khan and SRK are younger actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Shahid Kapoor. On the other hand, Katrina Kaif's pretty face was preferred to other Bollywood actresses like Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The list makes clear the fact that it is not only their box office ratings that affect the people's choice when it comes to downloading their favorite celebrity's pictures.

Candice Boucher plays a sand artist in upcoming spy flick

Candice Boucher, a South African Playboy hottie who features in Percept's untitled next, essays the role of a sand artist in the espionage drama.

Directed by Prashant Chaddha (Aap Ka Surror), the film stars Sachin Joshi (the Managing Director of an energy drink endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan) and Arya Babbar.

The beauty had to train from a professional artiste for the role. She says, "Learning from a sand artiste from Belarus was an amazing experience.

It's an intricate art more difficult than oils and watercolours on canvas as sand keeps shifting all the time. One's concentration has to be sharper and more focussed."

As reported 'Playmate on board' (Hitlist, June 11), Candice was the nude centrespread attraction of Playboy magazine for April 2010 and is also the brand ambassador for an international jeans brand.

She was signed for the film during the FIFA World Cup in June (it was held in her home country) to up the project's glam quotient.

The movie is about an informant who has to go undercover to save his brother and the nation from the effects of a biological war.

German mag ' the face of global Bollywood'

A German-language magazine has been described as 'the face of global Bollywood'.

Ishq magazine, which is published in Berlin, is said to have a circulation of over 30,000, reports the Economic Times.

Chief Editor Julia Wessel commented: "No doubt Bollywood is a niche market in Germany but it has a loyal fanbase. And interestingly it is not just the non-resident Indians who read it."

Wessel said that Shah Rukh Khan, who has held premieres of some of his most recent releases in Berlin, is the country's most popular Hindi cinema star.

London correspondent Sunny Malik told "I think German fans have been very loyal to Bollywood. The Om Shanti Om premiere tickets in Berlin sold out within the first minute. Some were sold illegally for up to 600 Euros."

Shah Rukh Khan is currently filming Don 2 in the German capital.

Use protection, celebs advise on World AIDS Day

Use protection and spread awareness, suggested a few Bollywood celebrities on World AIDS Day Wednesday.

"On World Aids Day I want to appeal to you all today not to fear HIV. Just be safe, use protection and do not stigmatise people living with HIV," actress Preity Zinta posted on her Twitter page.

"Mother-to-child transmission of HIV really upsets me. We should be able to protect every child frm HIV! Less ignorance and more awareness is needed."

Preity feels people suffering from HIV should be handled with care.

"Amazed how judgemental and insensitive we have become. A little love and compassion is all they need. A friend living with HIV is still a friend! One lady living with HIV told me she was sick so she went to the doc (doctor). On meeting her, he said, 'Why do you wanna life? Don't waste my time!' "

"Don't want 2 depress you guys, but would like 2 urge all of you to be less ignorant and more human. Let people living with HIV live with RESPECT! Nothing else matters except the language of LOVE! Everything else is superficial. This is what seperates Man from Beast! Sad V have 4gotten it," says Preity.

Bollywood has done its bit to create awareness about the disease through films like "Phir Milenge" and "My Brother Nikhil".

Jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali wrote: "It's WORLD HIV Day today. Let's not differentiate between the afflicted and non-afflicted and be kind to the ones who need us. Adopt one HIV-AIDS person's medical needs and make a difference if you can."

Diya Mirza: "It's the day to pledge that those living with HIV are never ostracised again. The stigma kills more than even the disease does."

Actor Sikander Kher, who will be seen in Ashuotosh Gowariker's "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey", wrote: "Keep it covered boys! Happy December 1st!"

Recollecting her days as a veejay, actress Sophie Chaudhary wrote: "World Aids Day today! Reminds me of the awesome MTV Aids summit we used 2 do! Be safe, spread awareness and don't stigmatise those living with HIV!"