Saif Ali Khan replaces Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi was Kunal Kohli's first choice for his next venture with Yash Raj Films after 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge' (Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee). But after a while, seeing the negative publicity that Vivek got after the Salman Khan incident, Yash Raj Films began to have second thoughts. Of late, sources reveal that the production house is annoyed with his attitude problems and high fee. Saif Ali Khan has stepped into Vivek's shoes.

Vivek shifted to Mumbai hospitali
Mumbai, July 17 : Actor Vivek Oberoi who met with an accident while shooting in Kolkata yesterday has been shifted to Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai. Vivek was shooting for a Mani Ratnam film in Kolkata.
Vivek had broken his leg and had been admitted to the Calcutta Medical College. On the other hand, Vivek's director, Mani Ratnam also complained of chest pains and he too has been hospitalised.

SALMAN V/S. AISHWARYA
The war between lost love Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai is common news. Now, it is learnt that they are going to clash with each other on the professional front too. Apparently, Salman Khan's TERE NAAM and Aishwarya Rai starrer KUCH NA KAHO is scheduled to release on the same date i.e. August 15. Audiences are going to watch Salman on the screen after a long time and the film is also projected as his true life story, although the film is a remake of South super hit film SETHU. On the other hand, KUCH NA KAHO mark the debut of Rohan Sippy (son of Ramesh Sippy) as a director and the songs have already become a rage among the youngsters. Let's see, whose film will prove to be successful on the box-office.

Juhi Chawla blessed with a son
Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla has delivered a baby boy at a hospital in London, UK. The baby was born on Monday, July 21. Both the mother and the baby are doing fine. This is Juhi and industrialist husband Jay Mehta's second child after their daughter, Jhaanvi, born in February 2001.

Interview Bhi Mana Hai!
Never in a film's case a producer would ever dare not to grab any media coverage that is possible prior to his film's release. But Ram Gopal Varma is the man who dares to break the rules, time and again. And in the case of his latest film Darna Mana Hai, he has another sort of record by not arranging interviews of the cast and the crew.

Some who know the business must be wondering why Prawaal Raman is not introduced in glossy film magazines or in dailies, why Fardeen or Sameera or Nana or Saif have said a word about this debutante director's film of Varma stable. "The fact is," says an insider, "we decided not to arrange any interviews of the film's cast and crew as a strategy. It is a common practice that whenever a movie is on the verge of release, the people behind its creation start cornering every available space in the media to generate curiosity among viewers. But the idea of breaking this rule was cited once and Varma approved it instantly."

Interestingly, if any journalist tries to get in touch with anyone 'interviewable' of Darna Mana Hai team, he or she is simply diverted to the official media manager of the Varma Corporation. He, in turn, informs the caller, though sometime with difficulty, that it is a part of strategy worked out for this film not to get any interviews published before the film is released.

Darna Mana Hai has almost one and a half dozen stars but none of them have given interviews in the film's context. The film is slated for release on 25 July. Interestingly, Pune's new multiplex will be thrown open for the common man with the grand premiere of the film. Nitin Manmohan who regularly produces Varma films owns the multiplex.

Only Hrithik lead in Koi Mil Gaya
From "Khudgarz" in 1987 to "Kaho... Na Pyar Hai" in 2000, Rakesh Roshan has established a rate of directorial successes that's hard to beat. And now he's ready to release his most ambitious film.

Says the filmmaker as he readies for the "Koi Mil Gaya" release on August 8, "I've always tried to make different films. This time it was tougher, but I managed. Not a single scene in 'Koi Mil Gaya' resembles anything in my films or anyone else's."

The producer-director told IANS in an interview: "After 'Kaho Na... Pyar Hai' there was a big question mark in front of me about what to make next. One thing I was sure of: I definitely wanted to make a film with children. I wanted to repay our debts to Hrithik's younger fans who have stood by him.

"One night the idea for 'Koi Mil Gaya' came to me and I rang up Hrithik who was shooting for 'Yaadein'. He immediately warmed to the idea. It was important for me to have him on board for this unusual project.

"I know my son's calibre. I knew only he could do it."

Everyone who has seen Hrithik in "Koi Mil Gaya" says his performance is extraordinary. Rakesh Roshan stresses the point that he didn't sign the wonderfully camera-friendly actor because he's his son.

"Hrithik knew his character from start because he was part of the scriptwriting process. His character walks on the razor's edge. He could have easily gone overboard. He plays a man with a child's mind. But a very clever boy.

"You could say he's the uncorrupted, like Raj Kapoor in 'Shri 420'. Hrithik's character has never been seen before in our films. He's one of the children, and yet not one of them. In 'Forrest Gump', Tom Hanks had to do his mentally challenged part in isolation. Hrithik did it with six children in tow.

"The entire body language, clothes and speech were Hrithik's invention. He used to check into a hotel for two-three days before every schedule to prepare for his character. Thereafter he remained in character for the entire schedule stretching into 20-30 days even when we weren't shooting. He remained in character even in the house. Without Hrithik I wouldn't have made this film.

"We in our times were very casual actors. I see a rare dedication in Hrithik. And Preity is no less dedicated. I wanted a leading lady who was confident, a woman of the world. Preity's looks like a self-made woman and yet she could be like a child with Hrithik and his friends. Preity's role is also very tough. She has given much more to her character than I had expected."

"Koi Mil Gaya" has expensive special effects by technicians brought to India from Los Angeles and a computerised alien designed by a couple in Australia.

Rakesh Roshan said: "I think the most amazing part of my film is the robot. It cost me as much as two other top heroes would have. But it's worth it. He'll have the audiences weeping. Then I went to Los Angeles for the special effects.

"The people who did 'Independence Day' have done about 20-25 minutes of special effects in 'Koi Mil Gaya'. The success of 'Kaho Na... Pyar Hai' gave me the strength to do something I believed in."

Contrary to rumours, the director says there's hardly any similarity between "Koi Mil Gaya" and Steven Spielberg's "ET". "Except that an alien lands on earth in both films there isn't a single shot in 'Koi Mil Gaya' from 'ET' or any other film.

"Today it's more risky to play a safe film than an unsafe one. Audiences are more likely to reject a conventional film. They're bored of it.

"A new subject will encourage audiences to come to the theatres. I made a 'safe' film 'Kishen Kanhaiya' many years. Even then I was more nervous about it than I was about an 'unsafe' film 'Khoon Bhari Maang'."

This time the filmmaker has worked with a fresh team. "Whatever the vision in my mind has been translated to screen, thanks to my wonderful special effects team, and Hrithik.

"I've spent around Rs.350 million. Which is reasonable considering what's gone into the film. I had planned my schedules meticulously. Not even an hour was wasted on the sets. The foreign technicians had to be paid on a daily basis so I couldn't afford to lose time.

"Even my Indian crew was new. I hired youngsters because I wasn't computer -friendly. Every film I've made is special. But 'Koi Mil Gaya' is special because of the special effects. It proved time consuming. Fortunately audiences are coming back to theatres because they like the promos."

"Koi Mil Gaya" comes at a time when Hrithik's career is under a cloud. Will he and his father recreate the hysteria of "Kaho Na... Pyar Hai"?

KAREENA KAPOOR MOST WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
According to reports from Kolkatta, five children have fainted after seeing Kareena Kapoor. Seeing this Kareena has fled the scene. The Police is looking for her with bulldogs. Though it seems bulldogs have refused to search for her beacuse of family ties!
Description:
Education : None
Looks: A flower pot like face with uncanny resemblance to GODZILLA.
Height: 4'11
Hair Colour : Mousy Brown
Skin Colour: Dirty off-white
Figure: Masculine
Finders will suitably rewarded with 5 rupees .