I'm competent to judge dance show now: Ronit Roy

Popular TV actor Ronit Roy participated in dance show 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa' last year and has since then mastered the art. So much so that he is now judging a reality show, 'Aajaa Mahi Vay'.

'Over the past five years, I have been offered huge amounts of money to judge some reality show or the other. I strongly believe that one should not judge anybody until you yourself are a master. And when I was being offered those shows, I was not competent enough,' Ronit told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

He went on to explain that after his stint in 'Jhalak...', where he was voted out quite early, he continued to take dance lessons that have helped him in understanding the nuances of the art.

'The world of dance is too big. I haven't learnt it all but I feel now that I'm very much capable of judging fresh people. Besides, the show that I'm going to judge is 70 percent about dance and 30 percent other things,' the actor explained.

Star Plus' 'Aajaa Mahi Vay', starting Aug 1, is a show where 11 real life couples with a penchant for dance battle it out through witty answers to make their dream wedding come true.

Ronit will be co-judging the programme with colleagues Apara Mehta, who played his mother in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thhi' and Shweta Tiwari, who played his wife in 'Kasauti Zindagi Kay'.

He said he was happy with his new role as judge.

'It is exciting to be on the other side of the line. Being a judge is a more relaxed job than being a contestant but it needs sharpness of the mind so that we are able to pinpoint what exactly is wrong,' he said.

However, Ronit doesn't intend to be a strict critic on the show.

'My role as a judge will have a bit of an elder brother, a father and a friend's role. I will show strictness where and when it is necessary. I will check on the technicalities of their performance but I'm not very sure of how I will judge their emotions,' he said.

Considering that the actor's kitty is full with primetime shows including 'Kyunki...', 'Kahaani Hamaray Mahabharat Ki' and now 'Aaja Mahi Vay', he says he has to literally steal time out to be with his family.

'I have been doing three to four shows simultaneously for the past five-six years now. I do get busy. But I take out time by waking up early in the morning and spend time with family and settle some business matters. And whenever I can, I take a two-three day break, switch off my phone and relax.'

Male actors sweat it out for Ekta's 'Mahabharat'

The actors in Ekta Kapoor's epic soap 'Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki' say they had to hit the gym regularly and work out hard to suit their macho roles in the period drama.

Actor Ronit Roy, who plays Bhishma Pitamah in the new, technologically enhanced version of Hindu epic 'Mahabharat' claims no actor has been working harder than him to get into shape.

'I started with training for three hours a day and now I work out for about two hours every day,' Ronit told IANS over phone from Mumbai. 'I have worked extremely hard on my physique, in fact no body has worked harder than me.'

Chetan Hansraj, known for his well-toned, tall and broad body frame, plays the role of Bheem, considered the most powerful of the Pandavas. Even he vouches that Ronit worked really hard on his body.

Chetan also followed a strict training and diet regime.

'It took me almost four months of training and nutritional control to get into shape for the role.

'I have also been on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. I had to stop my intake of cheese and rice and my diet mainly constituted of chicken with other supplements.'

Although he isn't much of a workout person, Chetan, who played the negative role of Sasha in 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki', had to drag himself to the gym.

'It has been very difficult for me because basically I'm a very lazy person,' he confessed.

Compared to other members of the team, model-turned-actor Aryan Vaid, who essays the role of Duryodhan, says he didn't have to work too hard.

'I haven't put in any special efforts in terms of physique, neither did I change my diet. I think I was already in good shape and I guess that's the reason why the producers cast me,' he said.

Aryan stressed that working out has become a daily habit for him now.

'I generally work out for one-and-a-half hours a day and I have been working out for the past 16 years. I really haven't done anything for 'Mahabharat',' he said.

Actor Harshad Chopra, who is also a fitness freak like Aryan, plays Arjun in the mega serial.

'I have always been a fitness freak. I work out regularly so my workouts have been more or less the same,' he maintained. Harshad said bagging the role of Arjun just motivated him to continue his workouts.

'This is like a new motivation for me to keep fit. I knew that I would have to appear semi-nude on screen for the role so I had to look good,' he said.

'Kahaani Hamaare Mahaabhaarat Ki' is one of Ekta's most expensive and lavishly produced shows on television with spectacular sets and designer costumes. It has an array of popular TV stars including actresses Sakshi Tanwar and Anita Hanssanandani.

'Voice of India' Ishmeet Singh drowns

Indian celebrity singer Ishmeet Singh drowned in a Maldivian resort on Tuesday. Singh, 20, had been frolicking in a shallow pool meant for children. Later he jumped into the deep-end of the main swimming pool and had immediately run into difficulty, an official of the Dhonveli resort said.

"We understand that he did not know how to swim and had been advised by his friends not to get to the deep end," a hotel official said.

He arrived in the Indian Ocean atoll nation early on Tuesday to sing at a musical concert on Friday. He had won the "Voice of India" singing competition organised by the Star Television Network and shot to stardom in November last.

Ashita Dhawan impresses one and all..

Ashita Dhawan of Bidaai fame who recently replaced Maaninee De in Star One’s Zara Nachke Dikha impressed one and all with her very first performance. “I did a peppy Punjabi act on the number Say Na from Bluff master. The theme was Bhangra and I loved doing it”, says Ashita.

A very keen and quick learner, Ashita wants to explore all forms of dance in this opportunity that she has got. Speaking about her other performances of the week the actress quips, “We are working hard on hard-core western dance too where we will perform on ‘Paisa Paisa’ from the movie Apna Sapna Money Money.

Also, according to our source, the girls won this week by a good margin, before which the boys had managed to out beat the girls last week!! So with this, it is all even again in the big clash between the boys and girls…

Catch the episodes on Zara Nachke Dikha every Monday-Tuesday @ 9:30 pm only on Star One

Ronit, Shweta and Apara to adjudicate Dance for your dream wedding

Rahul Vaidya who is currently seen on Star Plus’ Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar will soon be hosting Contiloe’s dance based reality show Dance for your dream wedding. The judges on the show will be Ronit Roy, Apara Mehta and Shweta Tiwari. According to our sources Balaji actress Mouni Roy who essays the role of Krishna Tulsi will participate in the show.

When contacted, Rahul Vaidya confirms the news and says, “Yes, I am hosting the show. The shooting will go on air from 20 July.”

A source from the production house says, “The judges on the show will be Apara Mehta, Ronit Roy and Shweta Tiwari.”

Another source from the production house informs, “There will be more than two hosts on the show and the production house is keeping it very much under wraps. There will be 11 non- celebrity couples and they will battle for their dream wedding. It is a very different concept and is more like a soap. The participants on the show who face several issues in their marriage like society pressures because they belong to different religion or the boy hails from a poor family and the girl is from a rich family. The show will probably fill in for SRK’s Paanchvi Pass.”

“The winners will be awarded with a grand dream wedding sponsored by the channel and the production house,” adds another source

Aajaa Mahi Vay - STAR Plus reality show on couples

Aajaa Mahi Vay

General entertainment channel STAR Plus will air from August 1 a reality show on couples 'Aajaa Mahi Vay' where 11 real life unmarried couples will battle it out week-on-week in pursuit of their dream wedding as a grand prize.

Commenting on the launch of the show, senior creative director of the channel Anupama Mandloi said: ''Aajaa Mahi Vay' is a dance show with a difference, in which couples from diverse backgrounds will compete to win the wedding of their dreams.'

Judging the participants on their dancing capabilities and harmonies are television actors Ronit Roy, Shweta Tiwari and Apara Mehta while 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar' winner Rahul Vaidya and finalist Vineet Singh share the stage once again as anchors of the show. According to CEO Contiloe Entertainment Pvt Ltd Abhimanyu Singh, who is producing the show, ''Aajaa Mahi Vay' showcases 11 unique love stories. Lot of hard work went into finding these 11 couples, who are all great dancers and more importantly each couple has an interesting story to tell.'

Judges: Ronit Roy, Shweta Tiwari & Apara Mehta
Anchors: Vineet Singh & Rahul Vaidya

Watch "Aajaa Mahi Vay" every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m only on STAR PLUS.

Salman meets his lookalike on 10 Ka Dum

Salman Khan on 10 Ka Dum

A mirror is an object of desire to many (read 'all'). But, if one were to think of the same on a philosophical level, then, it gets revealed that it's not the mirror, but, it's the mirror image that one is in love with! And can you imagine what will be your plight when you see your mirror image standing in front of you? Well, we are only asking you to imagine. But Bollywood's darling Salman Khan actually lived the experience of seeing his mirror image - live in flesh! This happened on the sets of TV's most popular game show these days - 10 Ka Dum. Salman Khan met up with his look-alike on the show, who, in real life, happens to be a dancer. While dancing in the show, the look-alike was really surprised and shocked (to say the least) to see Salman sneak up from behind him and strike a similar pose! What happened after that was out of anybody's imagination.

Shahrukh takes his next stride in Television

Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan has decided that its time he takes his next stride in the small screen and not just anchor shows. King Khan will soon turn a producer for the entertainment channel E24. The channel is run by Anuradha Prasad of the B.A.G Films & Media Limited. SRK's better half Gauri Khan will be hosting a chat show on the channel

Shahrukh incidentally started his carrer in the small screen with the serials like Dil Dariya, Fauji and Circus. Shahrukh had also hosted the third season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. However his last show Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hai failed to impress the audience and the channel had shorten the number of episodes in the show.

Sukhwinder makes Mandira dance in Jo Jeeta

Bollywood singer, Sukhwinder Singh, sets the stage of Clinic All Clear Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar on fire, on the eve of the grade finale, and makes a special appearance on the show as the guest of the evening. Giving their last performance before the finale, Abhijeet Sawant, Rahul Vaidya and Harshit Saxena mesmerise everyone with their singing on Friday, July 11, 2008, 10 pm only on Star Plus. With only a day left before one of them wins the title of Superstar, the judges mentor the contestants on how they can improve their performances for the grand finale while Sukhwinder Singh cheers them with his encouraging comments. Unable to hold themselves back, host, Mandira Bedi and judges, Farah Khan, Vishal and Shekhar find themselves pulled onto the stage the minute Sukhwinder starts singing his chartbuster, 'Beedi Jalyle' only to be joined by the three finalists in no time!

Leaving no stone unturned in displaying their singing talent amidst the celebrations, Rahul Vaidya gives a superstar performance on 'Prem Jaal' and even manages to gather brownie points from Farah Khan on his dancing skills. Harshit Saxena, on the other hand, steals the show with Sukhwinder's hit song 'Kisna' and takes home all the praises while Abhijeet Sawant entertains everyone with the song 'Layi Vi Na Gayi'.

To watch Mandira Bedi, Farah Khan, Vishal & Shekhar shake a leg with Sukhwinder tune in to the Clinic All Clear Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar, Friday, July 11, 2008 at 10 pm only on Star Plus and to watch the star studded finale with Bollywood hotties, Bipasha Basu, Vidya Balan and Shahid Kapoor, don't forget to tune in on Saturday, July 12, 2008, 8 pm only on Star Plus!

Akki and Sanju cheat death while shooting

Akshay Kumar seems to be the perfect choice by Colors for hosting their upcoming reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi. This dare devil, who's known for performing dangerous stunts in his films, had a close encounter with an accident which would have proved fatal. Another actor who was accompanying Akshay in this dangerous stunt was our very own Sanjay Dutt.
The two Bolly-stars accompanied by their photographer Peter Zuccarini were filming an underwater scene in Bahamas while a ship blasted to create special effects for their upcoming film Blue, produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision and directed by Anthony D'Souza. Even though Akki, Sanju and the photographer were fifty feet under the sea, they felt the burning sensation and had to quit shooting and come out of the water

Sameera in Ekta Kapoor's reality show

Sameera Reddy in Kabhi Kabhi Pyar Kabhi Kabhi Yaar

Television has become the safest ground for flop actresses who haven't got any mentionable films in their hands. The not-so-happening actresses like Urmila Matondkar and Isha Koppikar have already appeared on television judging reality shows. Even when Shilpa Shetty's career was going downhill she, too, took on the role of judging one of the seasons of Sony's reality show Jhalak Dikhla Ja.
Now joining this league of such actresses is non-other-than bombshell Sameera Reddy. This gorgeous babe would now be seen judging Ekta Kapoor's upcoming reality show Kabhi Kabhi Pyar Kabhi Kabhi Yaar.

The other judges accompanying Sameera Reddy will be Mahesh Bhatt and choreographer Ganesh Acharya. With no work in one's hand undoubtedly these reality shows provide these divas not only with money but also with an opportunity to kill their idle time. Adding to it, these gorgeous babes also get the much needed free publicity to boost their declining filmy career, well, if possible.

Percentages sky rocket as Salman meets Aamir.

When Amar & Prem got together in Andaz Apna Apna… they created a laughter riot! Well, history repeated itself on Indian television when the duo just got together to play the %age game -10 Ka Dum! Salman as the perfect host had the thinking actor Aamir Khan with nephew Imran for the celebrity episode on July 4… and the duo recreated magic on the show once more after a decade.

10 Ka Dum was indeed the most watched reality show this week, clocking a TVR of 3.4 and an 11.8 % Reach. The rating was as high as 6.9 in key markets such as Mumbai. The show was the highest rated reality show for the week, beating all the other reality shows such as Ek Se Badhkar Ek, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Jo Jeeta Wahi Superstar and Paanchvi Paas. The show was viewed by 10.4 million viewers in the Hindi speaking markets. Since the launch of 10 Ka Dum, the show has been receiving positive reviews from fans and viewers across the country. This celebrity episode was one of the most talked about and a classic case of appointment viewing, making it a 100 % success for the channel.

In these times of clichéd and run of the mill reality shows, 10 Ka Dum comes in as a breath of fresh air. Also Salman's natural exuberance with the contestants and great sense of humour has clicked with audiences across all age groups.

In the coming weeks there's more for the audiences to look out for! Stay tuned to 10 Ka Dum every Friday & Saturday at 9.00 pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.

Praachi Thakker in Jai Maa Vaishno Devi…

Praachi Thakker, wife of popular actor Pankit Thakker is back to television after a hiatus with a cameo in 9X's Jai Maa Vaishno Devi…

Praachi who had essayed the role of Rakhi, Anurag Basu's sister in Kasautii Zindagi Ki had taken a break from television after her child's birth. She was also seen in Sahara One's Kaagaz Ki Kashti and Tamanna on Doordarshan.

The actress will now be seen in the socio-mythological show on 9X. According to our source, “The story will be focusing on the two bahus of a family wherein the devrani's role will be played by Praachi. The story will have a reincarnation track wherein the elder bahu’s kid after death is born again in the same family to the devrani (younger bahu played by Praachi). This particular story will be for 4 episodes”.

We immediately buzzed Praachi to know more on her role. "Yes I have been approached for the role, but cannot divulge details as of now", quips the actress. When asked whether she is back to take up major roles, she says, “Yes, I will surely consider if I get something good”.

Shilpa Shinde cast opposite Iqbal Khan in Waaris

As Smriti Irani’s Ugraya Productions gears up for the launch of their big project on Zee, ‘Waaris’, we would like to remind our readers that it was Telly Buzz who came up with the news that Iqbal Khan, Yuvraj Malhotra, Ashish Vidyarthi, Rucha Gujrathi, Bhawna Roy and Khushboo Purohit (9X’s Yeh Hai Jalwa fame) will be part of the star cast.

It was earlier reported that Iqbal Khan will be paired with Aashka Goradia while Yuvraj Malhotra will be cast opposite Rucha Gujrathi. Here is Telly Buzz coming up with some latest updates on the cast.

Instead of Aashka, it will be Shilpa Shinde of ‘Maayka’ fame who will be paired opposite the very popular Iqbal Khan in Waaris. When we called Shilpa for a confirmation, the actress readily quoted, “Yes, I am very much thrilled to be part of Waaris”. Talking about her character, the actress quips, “I play Gayathri who is shown to be the wife of Shankar played by Iqbal Khan. One can actually say that our roles are almost similar to the roles played by Rani Mukherjee and Abhishek Bachchan in Yuva”. She further adds, “It’s very challenging to play a don’s wife. I am aware of all his wrong doings and try my best to drag him out of the mess”.

The story is basically of a Don played by Ashish Vidyarthi who has two sons and a daughter. The role of the Don’s wife is played by the beautiful Indira Krishnan who played mother to Kanchi Kaul in Ek Ladki Anjaani Si. The elder son Dharma, played by Iqbal Khan is his father’s right hand while the younger son, played by Yuvraj Malhotra is kept unaware of their dealings. The Don has a sister whose role will probably be played by Ragini Shah, seen in Sahara One’s Mera Sasural. The new girls to television, Bhawna Roy will play the role of the sister’s daughter while Khushboo Purohit plays the Don’s daughter.

On the start date, our well-placed source says, “The show was to be launched on 14th July, but guess the date has been postponed now. But the time slot has been fixed for 11 PM”.
Well, the wait just can’t get longer now, what say folks??

Reporter and Author: Binita Ramchandani

Rahul Vaidya crowned as the first singing Superstar

Will Champions retain their title or will the challengers win over the champions? Who will become the first superstar of the nation? These were the question in the minds of all the viewers of Star Plus' Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar. Though 18 contestants participated in the contest along with two other wild card entrants, Abhijeet Sawant, Harshit Saxena and Rahul Vaidya made it to the finals of this musical reality show. And after that breathe taking moment, finally Rahul Vaidya walked away with the title of the Superstar. The audience chose Abhijeet Sawant to be the first runner up, while Harshit Saxena became the second runner up.

The finale was a grand affair with many stars gracing the occasion. From Sonu Nigam, Bipasha Basu to Shahid Kapoor and Vidya Balan all of them were present to encourage the finalists. If bollywood made their efforts, the tellywood actors were not far behind. The team of Baa Bahoo Baby, Bidaai and Kumkum was present on sets to support their own favorites and even the finalists made sure not to disappoint any of the celebrities as they gave one after another flawless performances. Along with the finalists, even the already eliminated contestants rocked the stage with their performances. Sonu Nigam and the finalists of Star voice of India, Chhote Ustaad gave their own share of entertainment on the final episode leaving the audience to glue to their TV sets.

Rahul Vaidya, the winner bagged 2, 16,693 votes, Abhijeet Sawant, already a champion and winner of Indian Idol, fell a little short of votes and got 2,02,321 votes, while Harshit Saxena, the second runners up managed to collect 1,56,291 votes.

The proud winner was presented with a rockstar jacket and a check for fifty lakh rupees. Shahid, Vidya and the judges of this show, Farah Khan, Vishal and Shekhar presented Rahul with the winner’s trophy while Abhijeet and Harshit received their runners up trophy. The Tellybuzz team congratulates the winner and the whole team of Jo Jeeta wohi superstar for putting up such a great show enjoyable by all the viewers.

Hiten Tejwani clears the air

The very popular Hiten Tejwani and Gauri Pradhan along with their partner Nandini Singh got ousted from Sony’s Kabhi Kabhii Pyaar Kabhi Kabhii Yaar last week. Recent reports suggested that Gauri made a hue and cry when she got to know that they were in the bottom two. It was also reported that Gauri refused to participate in the show as she did not agree with the format. All efforts of Mahesh Bhatt to explain the format to her was in vain as Hiten ended up dancing with his yaar Nandini Singh for the final time, which was followed by their elimination.

However, Hiten Tejwani claims that Gauri’s words were blown out of proportion. “First of all, the format of the show was not made clear to the contestants earlier. We were all taken aback when we got to know that the jodis who were in bottom two had to perform again on the same number they had performed before. And this is exactly what Gauri pointed at!! When we were asked to perform again with the other lowest rated jodi(Vishal Singh-Dimple-Proneeta), Gauri requested the judges to eliminate a jodi based on the previous performance. She voiced that there is no room for a big improvement as the jodis will be performing on the same number and that too, without more practice”.

Hiten says that the viewers will get the right picture when they see the particular episode on TV. “The report about Mahesh Bhatt overhearing Gauri is totally wrong. When Gauri refused to perform again, he said that this was the format specified and we had to abide to it. After this, Gauri took a call and said she would not perform again. So I performed with Nandini after which the elimination happened as we got the lowest markings. But again, the question of Gauri backing out does not arise here, as according to the format the two lowest rated jodis had to perform either with the yaar or pyaar”.

When asked whether they were unhappy about the elimination, Hiten quips, “Not at all! We enjoyed a lot and above all, this is a competition where anything can happen. This is not the end of the world, so we will move on!!”.

Lastly, when asked whether there will be a wild card, Hiten quips, “I have no idea at all. You need to ask the creative here”.

It's the Ultimate Clash of Saas-Bahu on Sahara One

Saas-Bahus are known for their ‘Tu Tu Main Main’, but Sahara One’s Saas V/s Bahu produced by Swastik Productions will see them burning the dance floor for the very first time!! The show will be the first-ever reality show to be aired from Monday to Friday, and will see 15 Saas-Bahu Jodis getting together. The show is slated to go on air from the end of this month in a prime time slot.

Here is Telly Buzz giving you a list of the finalized Jodis…

Shoma Anand was reported to be paired with Shilpa Shinde, but she will now be seen with her Bahu from ‘Bhabhi’, Rucha Gujrathi (who was to be seen with Neelu Kohli earlier). Jayati Bhatia who was earlier to be paired with Simone Singh will now be seen with Chavi Mithal, while Krutika Desai who was paired with Chavi will now dance with Shoumya Tandon. Apart from these, the two new couples added to the list recently are Vaishnavi-Jasveer Kaur and Kitu Gidwani-Daljeet Kaur.

The other participants in the show include Neelam Mehra-Reena Kapoor, Kamalika Guha-Shilpa Saklani, Pratichi Mishra-Aanchal Dwivedi, Jaya Bhattacharya-Ritu Choudhury, Himani Shivpuri-Lataa Saberwal, Ketaki Dave-Tuhinaa Vohra, Kishori Shahane-Kirti Kelkar, Seema Kapoor-Preethi Puri.

Ashita Dhawan who was to dance with Vibha Chibber has now opted out of this show as she is part of Star One’s Zara Nach Ke Dikha.

According to our well-placed source, “The production house is looking for an anchor who is known as a good ‘Beta’ to his on screen mother and a good ‘Pati’ to his wife. The idea is to get an anchor who will balance it out well between the Saas and the Bahu”. Adding on, our source informs us, “Rajesh Kumar of Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai fame and Shaleen Bhanot have been approached for the anchor’s spot. But nothing has been finalized yet. Also, the judges on the show will most probably be well-known faces from Bollywood”.

Last but not the least, our source tell us that, “Longi, the very popular choreographer of Shweta Salve in the first season and Sonali Kulkarni in the second season of Sony’s Jhalak Dikhla Jaa will be the choreo here who will make the saas and the bahus to dance to his tune!!”If Sources are to be believed then Solah Singgar might be replaced by Saas Vs Bahu!

So here’s wishing all the Saas and Bahus a very happy time here!!

Raajkumar Aaryyan to go off air

Annirudh Dave's dream NDTV Imagine show, Raajkumar Aaryyan has turned into a nightmare as the fantasy tale is being wrapped up within the next few episodes. When we spoke to this 21 year old lead from Rajasthan, he confirmed the news saying “What has to happen will happen!! All I want to say is that I had a great time playing this valiant prince”.

The show which was supposed to be initially penciled for 52 episodes is being ended quickly for lack of TRPs. Readers must have noticed the sudden change in story pace from the time first mani was found. The remaining 6 mani's are being found in single episodes. This was done, for the creative's had taken a call to end the show by then.

According to our khabru, channel honchos feel that fantasy genre is limited to children. Plus the show being a weekly gets very difficult for the audiences to come back.

However it seems that Annirudh does not buy this argument for he is reported to be very unhappy with the way the show was publicized. Our source over heard him saying that even Doordarshan shows get better publicity. He supposedly feels that, had Aaryyan got good publicity like in the initial period, it would have rocked. The source added that nobody knows of the amount of hard work we have put in, like the use of the latest camera technology etc.

The channel kabru rejected the above argument by saying they work on strategy where shows are given publicity according to their worth. Raajkumar Aaryyan has not been able to replicate the success of say a Radha ki Betiyaan, the person from the channel remarked.

The channel is working out on some alternate programming for the Wednesday evening slot. But in the mean time, Raajkumar may be replaced by either a repeat or the dailies may be extended to an hour.

So what's next for Annirudh? “The moment I get free from this Sphere Origin contract, I will look at other options”, says he. Did the lack of TRP affect your popularity? “No I did get a lot of fame up north”, he ended.

Snehal Sahay to quit Woh Rehne Wali

One of the long running shows of Sahara One Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki will be taking a time leap wherein Rani, the adopted daughter of Pari aka Reena Kapoor will play the main protagonist.

Following the foot steps of Reena Kapoor who has decided to opt out of the show is Snehal Sahay, who plays the character of Dolly. “It is true that I am leaving the show. It has been a wonderful experience being part of this show. I must say that I have played various shades; when I started, my character was comic, later it got negative and then turned a positive shade and now I am playing a business tycoon”, says Snehal.

When asked the reason to quit a popular show as this, the actress quips, “I am just over 22 years and I am too young to play a forty year old”.

Talking about her new projects, Snehal says, “I have been approached by BAG for a weekly show. Let’s see what happens!!”

The new face to television, Neha Janpandit will be playing the role of Rani post leap and if the buzz is to be believed, there will be a parallel lead named Shikha who will be Rani’s first cousin. The leap is to take place in the next 10 days, informs our source.

'Maa tujhe Salaam' - Only on Gini & Jony Chak De Bachche

Her power and charisma is unmatched by any other force on Earth. Her greatness and sense of self sacrifice have inspired many over the years to express their feelings and emotions, in various ways. The timeless theme for this week’s GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche of course revolves around beloved Mothers, being a ‘Mother’s Special’ episode.

This weekend, the kids will dedicate performances to their mothers in sync with the five elements of the nature that are water, air, earth, sky and fire!!!! It doesn’t end here; In this episode India will witness the TOP 3 Jodis, and the only mantra which has helped them move ahead towards their goal is hard work, perseverance and dedication.

To add color to the lives of innocent kids from the NGO Smile, a place which puts smiles on the faces of all needy kids, 9X will be inviting them onto the sets of GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche. The SMILE kids from the NGO will be seen having a gala time cheering, dancing and singing along with Metro-Rockers and Desi-Dhurandhar!!! See for yourself how these little ones create a hullabaloo on the sets!! Also hear judges Raveena Tandon, Salim-Sulieman share their naughty childhood experience with the audience, bringing a smile to everyone’s faces!

The kids perform on songs like Dil Se Re, Mere Des Ki Dharti, San Sanana and Bheegi Bheegi. Also see the little brats getting lovey-dovey with the theme for Saturday being romantic number! Relax yourself as these last few dhamakedaar jodis take you to the world of love romance and fancy!!!

With the competition getting fiercer and stronger with just four jodis left in the show, one of these jodis will be seen bidding adieu this time! Which jodi is it going to be this time???!

Also watch out for another surprise where Moms and their kids from the Smile NGO family give a special performance exclusively to cheer up the participants. Tune in to GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche to see striking performances by the Mothers and the naughty NGO Kid participants!

So join the team of GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche this weekend and be a part of this journey of Music, Masti and Magic this Friday & Saturday, at 9.00 pm only on 9X.

Daler Mehndi sets the stage on fire in Junoon

The excitement never ends on Lux Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka! Audiences are in for a surprise as a very special guest makes his presence felt on the show with his unmatched voice and songs. This week Daler Mehndi entertains the mentors, participants and audience alike with an electrifying performance across on all 3 gengres. Tune in to a tadakedar episode this Saturday from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm only on NDTV Imagine!
The King of Bolo Tara Ra … Daler stimulates the contestant and together they set the stage ablaze with some power packed performances, back to back. With all the action taking place on stage, Daler persuades mentors Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ila Arun and Anand Raj Anand to join in this celebration of music.

In a moment that captures the respect that the seasoned musicians have for each other, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan requests Daler to sing his favourite ‘Bolo Tara Ra’ while Daler also makes a request – for Ustad Rahat to sing ‘Mann ki lagan’. Both performances are a treat to watch.

The highlight of the show is when Maati Ke Lal contestant, Malini Awasthi and Daler, who have been coincidently trained under the same Guru - Rahat Ali sing a bandish together, which they have learnt from him.

Nevertheless, all this fun will end with an elimination. On Junoon, the elimination is completely based on the performances. With the voting lines opening this weekend, viewers can vote for their favorite performer. Once the votes are tallied over week, the weakest genre will be identified. The mentor from that particular genre then has to make the difficult decision to eliminate one of the contestants from his/her team.

Don’t miss this dhamaal episode with guest Daler Mehndi only on ‘Lux Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka’ this Saturday, July12th at 8.30 pm only on NDTV Imagine!

Hunt for Voice of India -2 begins on July 18th

With the clutter of music reality talent hunt shows on television, it becomes difficult to differentiate one from another. TALENT is the key which set AMUL STAR VOICE OF INDIA apart from the rest in its first season and brought singing talents like Ishmit Singh Sodhi, Harshit Saxena, Abhaas Joshi, Irfan Khan, Toshi to the forefront. In keeping with its philosophy of offering engaging and distinct content, Star Plus now announces the launch of the second series –AMUL STAR VOICE OF INDIA-2 with an even bigger bang!

Amul Star Voice of India -2 attempts to strengthen the association with the viewers by aiming to present the best singing talent from across India. To make this possible, Star Plus has handpicked 24 refreshing voices from 24 states across the nation who will enthrall you with their mellifluous voices and vie for the coveted title AMUL STAR VOICE OF INDIA-2.

The nation will witness the struggle and transformation of 24 talented singers on their journey to the ultimate destination-AMUL STAR VOICE OF INDIA -2 title. This journey will be closely monitored by our talented and charismatic set of judges-Ace singer Sukhwinder Singh, Music Director Monty Sharma and music composer Ismail Darbar and hosted by none other than the super-talent, multi-faceted singer-Shaan. The show will launch on July 18, Fri and Sat at 10 pm on Star Plus.

According to Anupama Mandloi, Senior Creative Director Star Plus, “Amul Star Voice of India-2 aims to showcase the biggest singing talent from India. After the unparalleled success of the first season; we promise to offer a combination of great singing talent and entertainment to our viewers with the second season of Amul Star Voice of India,”

This year too, Amul Voice of India-2 will give the people of this nation the opportunity to chase their dreams and the power to cast their vote to make one talented aspirant ‘AMUL STAR VOICE OF INDIA-2’.The results will be based 50% on the judges marking and 50% on Public voting. The finals will be based on voting will be 100% public.

Join us in our journey in search of the ‘one voice-the VOICE OF INDIA’

Bappa Lahiri's title track for Zara Nachke Dikha

Bappi Lahiri the undisputed “Disco King” of the 80’s made the the nation sway to his disco beats. Now it’s the turn of his talented son Bappa Lahiri to walk in his dad’s footsteps & take the legacy ahead! After composing music for films, he has now made his television debut as a composer and singer by composing & lending his voice for the title track of Star One’s new reality dance show “Zara Nachke Dikha”.

The title track of the ‘battle of the sexes’ is a fusion of hip hop and bhangra and is also sung by Bappi Lahiri’s protégé Mauli Dave. Bappa has been assisting his father for some time now turned independent music director last year with Sanjay Gupta’s multi-starrer ‘Dus Kahaniyan’.

An elated Bappa said, “ZND’s title track is a foot tapping number and I am really excited and eagerly waiting for audience’s response. My focus has always been on composing, but I do have some great singing offers and if I find it exciting I will surely go for singing as well”

There can only be one Bindass CHAMP!

Now experience the adventure, the thrill, the passion of Bike racing interwoven with the emotion of a contemporary tale of great friendship, love and betrayal as Bindass, the youth entertainment channel from UTV group, brings forth yet another gripping story called Bindass Champ starting from June 27, 2008 every Friday and Saturday at 9 30 p.m. It's a story of three people with different objectives in life, two great friends and their love for a girl.

According to Ashok Cherian- VP – Marketing Bindass, "Young India wants to win at all costs and Champ is a reflection of the chances and choices in the lives of today's Bindass youth. Just like Bindass, Champ is totally fearless and fun and yet truly Indian at heart. And just as there can only be one Champ in a biking grand prix, similarly there can only be only one Champ among this group of friends".

Produced by Siddhartha Basu' Synergy Adlabs, BINDASS CHAMP revolves around childhood friends from Chandigarh, who take pride in being rebels. Raj is a flamboyant spoilt brat and a rich man's son, while his best friend, the reticent Dhruv, is a go-getter, but from a humble background. Despite the difference in their personalities, background and perspective they share common memories of childhood and a common passion ---- Bikes! Therefore their bond seems unbreakable.

Amit Nandi, GM (Marketing), Bajaj Auto Ltd. says, " Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i is one of the most aspired brands by Indian Youth. Bindass is a youth brand and Bindass Champ revolves around biking. Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i is glad to be associated with it."

Bindass Champ will be supported by a 360 degree marketing campaign – with thrusts across outdoor, on-ground, online, radio, TV and mobile. The 15 city campaign will have both above the line and below the line marketing aimed at youth catchment areas. The web avatar of Champ will be a complete biking based microsite http://champ.bindass.com and will be packed with everything you wanted to know about biking – from modifying your bike to the latest international 2 wheeled speed monster.

So in order to get entertained and join the wild ride with Raj, Dhruv and Sameera tune in to Bindass Champ!

Gini & Jony Chake De Bachche gets its top 5

After a fun filled episode with Jaggu Dada last weekend, the viewers of 9X show GINY & JONY Chak De Bachche will witness the re-entry of their favorite jodi on the show this Friday! Also, watch out for a new twist in the show where the judges would play the role of hosts…what would Roshni and MT do then? Is there going to be a role reversal?

Amidst the usual dhamaal, the saga in search of a complete performer jodi continues! In the last week's Happy Card round, we saw seven Jodis fighting to get their way back to the contest. But the ultimate decision is in the hands of the public. Till now, according to the judges the janta has been unfair to the participants…right decision at this stage is very crucial…how would it be this time???Will the janta pick up the deserved one?

The kids give astounding performances one after the other on Friday, however this time the judges strictly evaluated their performances. The songs on which the kids perform are as follows: Khwab Dekhe, Rookhi Sookhi Roti, Dil Laga, Kuchi Kuchi Rakma.

This Saturday, for the first time in GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche, the rankings of all the jodis would be declared. Who is on the top? Desi-Dhurandhars or the Metro-Rockers??? Who gets the maximum points?? Apart from this, the theme for this episode is "Rain". The kids will perform on some of the all - time popular rain songs including "Ghumad", "On the Roof in the rain", "Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Main" and will create the monsoon magic!

Also don't forget to watch the kids imitate the judges. See how brilliantly they mimic Ganesh Acharya!!! To watch this and more get glued to GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche this weekend!!!

Watch GINI & JONY Chak De Bachche this weekend Friday & Saturday, at 9.00 pm only on 9X to catch all the fun, masti, & masala. Don't forget to vote for your favourite jodi…

Akshay Kumar gets a 'Rugged and Suave' Look

Akshay’s new look for the upcoming COLORS reality show Fear Factor- IDEA Khatron Ke Khiladi, is making heads turn! Always unconventional and defiant, Akki’s new look complements his striking action hero personality!

Styled by a London based designer, the fashion forward line includes unusual hooded jackets, contemporary scarves and trendy ankle length boots. Not to forget his wicked and rugged personal style with his military crew cut, salt-pepper stubble and of course designer aviator glasses that perfectly complements the look. Tall, athletic and extremely handsome Akshay will also sport a leaner and meaner body, courtesy Khatron Ke Khiladi’s wild stunts!

Forget the red carpet tuxedo and bow tie, Akshay’s winning look is all about living life by your own rules! The look is a perfect synergy of his bold personality and his role as anchor of the new reality show with death-defying stunts.

Commenting on his new avatar, Akshay Kumar said– “I wanted to show all my COLORS through my new style, Akshay’s personal style… I don’t want to look like someone else to be cool; What you see is what I am; from laughs to tears, to dangerous stuff, ladies and cheetah…It’s just me, myself and all my scarves”

Fear Factor – IDEA Khatron Ke Khiladi’ takes the game to the highest level of physical and mental challenge, making it more gritty and edgy than ever before. Another attraction of ‘FEAR FACTOR – Idea Khatron ke Khiladi’ is going to be the 13 Bollywood beauties that it will be bringing together, who’ll compete with each other, to be the last-one-standing. Yaana Gupta, Aditi Govtrikar, Pooja Bedi, Sonali Kulkarni, Anita Hasnandani, Meghna Naidu, Tapur Chatterjee, Tupur Chatterjee, Nethra Raghuraman, Anjana Sukhani, Dipannita Sharma, Vidya Malvade and Urvashi Sharma. The show will be shot entirely in South Africa, over a period of one month and is being produced by Endemol India, one of the finest production houses in India.

Catch Akshay Kumar In Fear Factor -‘IDEA Khatron Ke Khiladi’ – Jo Darr Gaya Woh Ghar Gaya Coming Soon only on COLORS

The Battle of Musical Genres Gets Tougher in Junoon

This week on NDTV Imagine, experience some excitement and nail biting moments as the battle only gets tougher on Lux Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka! With six talented participants eliminated, watch the remaining twelve fight it out in this exciting war of music! Which genre is the audience's favorite this week? Which genre of music will witness an elimination? To find out, tune in this Friday and Saturday from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm only on NDTV Imagine!

Watch the eleven contestants, mentored by Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan; Ila Arun and Anand Raj Anand deliver some splendid performances, winning the hearts of music lovers across the country. As Mohammad Vakil from Jaipur is unable to perform in this week's episode because of a medical problem, his mentor Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan fills in for him by coming down to the battle field! The girls Malini, Kalpana, Antara and Harshdeep set the stage abaze with scintillating performances and prove that they are the stars of the show by garnering the maximum applause and the highest number of votes!

The elimination process of Junoon is purely based on the participants' performances. Each week, viewers vote for their favorite performer. Once the votes are tallied ever week, the weakest genre is identified. The mentor from that particular genre then has to make the difficult decision to eliminate one of the contestants from his/her team.

Catch the musical entertainer, 'Lux Junoon Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka' this Friday and Saturday at 8.30 pm, only on NDTV Imagine!

Kaun Jeetega Bollywood Ka Ticket

Kaun Jeetega Bollywood Ka Ticket- A glamorous world, an extravagant life, a celebrated name – this is what this new reality show on 9X is all about. Produced by Balaji Telefilms Kaun Jeetega Bollywood Ka Ticket is a mega talent hunt across the country where the winning pair will get the golden opportunity to act in a multi-starrer Bollywood blockbuster, jointly produced by Balaji Telefilms Ltd and Popcorn Entertainment.

This unique reality series will bring to the viewers the biggest celebrities and the best of talent from across the country. Auditions across 4 zones are completed for the hunt of 12 couples. Of the 24 participants 12 will be popular celebrities of the small screen, remaining will be people from different walks of life. They will be judged on their acting skills and dance skills. The 4 zones will be pitted against each other in this quest to find the next big 'lead pair'.

Each couple will be given a character each and a story to act out together and each Zone has a seasoned Bollywood actor as a Mentor who will personally guide and train their teams for the arduous and exciting journey to Bollywood. These mentors shortlisted are Shabana Azmi for the East Zone, Amrita Singh for the North Zone, Mahesh Manjrekar for the West zone and Zeenat Aman for the Central zone. These mentors will judge the performances of the participants and will be key in playing up their teams' strengths and taking complete ownership of their zones

The celebrities shortlisted for the show are North Zone-Vikas Manecktala, Mihika Verma, Raj Singh Arora Central Zone- Chetan Hansraj, Krutika Sehgal, Twinkle Bajpai
East Zone- Reshmi Gosh, Naman Shaw, Panchi Bora West Zone- Jai Bhanushali, Abigal, Karan Patel

Star One’s new reality show, ZARA NACHKE DIKHA

A face-off between the boys and the girls on the dance floor is in the offering thro’ Star One’s new reality show, ZARA NACHKE DIKHA…As 8 beautiful kudis gear up to fight a battle with their dancing shoes on, there will be 8 handsome mundas to prove their dancing mettle!!

The mundas to participate in this unique dance show are the very versatile Ali Asgar, the great dancer Bhaktiyaar Irani, the dashing Gaurav Chopra, the awesome Manish Goel, Chaitanya Choudhury, Amit Tandon, Vikas Sethi and the little talent Amey Pandya…

The girls to sizzle on the dance floor are Delnaaz Paul, Karishma Tanna, Maninee De, Narayani Shastri, Mouni Roy, Rupali Ganguly, Jennifer Winget and the child sensation Swini Khare..

Zara Nachke Dikha will be a bi-weekly show wherein the 1st day will be the Performance episode and the 2nd day, the Challenger episode. There will be seven different performances across both teams.
• One member from each team separately.
• One member from each team together.
• Two members from each team together.
• All members from both teams.

Each week will have a Theme Round too given by the jury and the most innovative act will give the team and edge over the other. ONLY the jury will decide the winning team based on the week’s performance. The losing team of the week will get another chance to make up and give a better performance in the Challenger Round. The team member who loses this particular round goes to the Penalty Bench and the Benched member cannot perform till the next week, until the team can win him/her back in the next Challenger episode…

With no eliminations and no public voting, the show will be based on the jury’s final verdict. The show will not only present viewers with some stimulating dance moves but also showcase the best of the strategies in order to score over the opposite team. From understanding the next move to playing mind games to being extremely manipulative, the show will have the mundas scheme against the kudis & vice- versa in the strategy room.

From teasing, mocking, being sarcastic, disdainful and passing on sneering comments, the kudis v/s the mundas team will miss no opportunity to take a dig at each other.

Well, here is a perfect opportunity for both teams to put on their dancing shoes, to give in their best shot, to prove whether it will be the GORGEOUS GIRLS or BRAWNY BOYS who will sweep the jury and the viewers off their feet!

Watch Zara Nachke Dikha, as the curtains reveal the beginning of the battle from July exclusively on Star One!