Andhranews

When it comes to experimentation and versatility, actor Sanjay Suri is an ace. After winning laurels for his performance as a gay swimming champion who gets AIDS in My Brother Nikhil, Suri is all set to make a mark once again in Onir’s Bas Ek Pal. Talking about the film, Sanjay said, “Bas Ek Pal focuses on how equations change between people as time flies by. Onir shows how one incident changes the lives of all four people involved in it.”

Talking about his look in the film, Sanjay says that he has always been open to experimenting as an actor. “I had cropped my hair absolutely short in My Brother Nikhil so as to show that here was a guy who was tested HIV positive. In Bas... my character is different, and I have changed my looks and haircut accordingly,” he says.

Sanjay adds, “As the film moves ahead you discover different layers to my personality which the person who is close to me is surprised to uncover. It is this that makes the character interesting.” Suri describes Onir as a sensitive filmmaker. “Onir has proved his credentials as a director with My Brother Nikhil. Bas... is another film that shows his sensitivity as a director. I have always enjoyed working with him. Bas Ek Pal is a film I am proud of,” he says.

This is Sanjay Suri’s third film with Juhi Chawla, Sujoy Ghosh’s Jhankaar Beats and Onir’s My Brother Nikhil being the other two. Incidentally, Jhankaar Beats had Sanjay as Juhi’s husband while in My Brother Nikhil, he was her brother. What equation do they share in Bas Ek Pal? “Juhi plays the role of a friend,” says Sanjay.

“I remember while shooting for the film, Onir had to tell us to act as if we didn’t know each other at all. Juhi and I have become pretty friendly after two films. So it was difficult to pretend that we did not know each other. Just before canning the shot Onir would say, ‘Remember that you are meeting each other for the first time. So get your face expressions accordingly’,” he says.

Why haven’t you been making films for a long time?
I was suffering from back problems. It has been my handicap and that is why I slowed down at work. I didn’t want to aggravate it. I don’t want to lead a life lying on the bed. I will see to it that I have releases every three months. It’s going to be work and just work for me.

What about Naqsha appealed to you — the script or the idea?
The script and the idea both appealed to me. I am fond of working with people who are honest and dedicated and I found this in both Sachin and Akshay Bajaj. I wish the shooting could continue for a long time. We have shot the film in wonderful locations like Rohtang Pass, Manali, New Zealand and Bangkok. I love adventures and travel a lot. It was like a holiday for me.

How was it performing the song Jat Yamla, which your father has already performed?
It is one of my favourite songs. He was great in that song. I enjoy the rhythm of Jat Yamla. I am not a dancer and I don’t try to hide the fact, but I tried to do my best.

How was the chemistry between you and your co-actors?
The chemistry was interesting. It has been great fun. I play a forest officer and Viviek is my step-brother. Sameera was very bold while performing the stunt scenes.

How was the experience working with new and younger directors?
I love working with new directors. I had clashes with Rahul Rawail and Raj Kumar Santoshi, but not here. Sachin has been a fantastic director. He used to listen to us and take our suggestions. I have always been pushy. In reality, I’ve acted in a lot of films and have seen that with established directors you somehow feel the ideas are the same, only the situations are different. They work with calculations and want to work with stars who are saleable.

Tell us about your next project Apne.
The film is very close to my heart since we would all be working together for the first time — dad, Bobby and me. It is a very emotional film which has strong joint family bonds. It deals with the joys and trauma that a joint family undergoes. This is not the first time I have worked with dad. I’ve made many films like Savere waali Gaadi, Sunny, Sultanat, Kshatriya with him.

What about production, why has it taken a backseat now?
I am a dreamer and to me cinema is not real. I would love to make films which will make me and the audience happy. I am working on a script and by the end of next year I will launch it. I want to complete all the films that I have signed now. I will be co-producing films henceforth. I cannot deal with the financial part single handedly. I will be working on the creative side. So, I have already tied up with K. Sera Sera.

Tell us about your forthcoming film Deodhar Gandhi? Does it relate to Gandhiji at all?
No, it has nothing to do with Gandhiji. It’s just the name of a person. It’s a solid name. The film has been delayed, but we will be completing it soon.

After her neck injury on the sets of Zindaggi Rocks, Sushmita was bedridden for three weeks. For an energetic person like her this was worse then the pain itself. It delayed her dubbing for the movie, which became a cause of worry for her and the director Tanuja Chandra.

But the first day she was allowed out of the house by the physiotherapist, she headed straight for the music launch of the film and gave a superb performance. Right after that she went to Vaishnodevi and came back totally rejuvenated. So much so, that the next day, she went to the dubbing studio and worked with astonishing focus and energy. She finished the entire dubbing for the film by working three nights in a row, shocking everyone. “Sush is a real trooper,” says an impressed Tanuja Chandra, “When there is something she needs to do, she won’t let anything come in the way.” Due to the actress’s superlative effort the film, produced by Anuradha Prasad’s BAG films, is rocking again.

Beyoncé Knowles wants to have children. The Crazy In Love singer, who is rumoured to be marrying boyfriend Jay-Z in November, says starting a family is a priority for her. She told US chat show host Elle Degeneres, “One day I hope to be married with children.” If the former Destiny’s Child star, who turns 25 this week, does have a baby she says she intends to keep working.

She explained, “I don’t want to retire at 30, I want to relax. I still want to make albums and movies, but at a slower pace.” Meanwhile, Beyoncé has warned fans not to try her extreme diet. The singer had to drop two dress sizes for her role in the new film Dreamgirls and survived on a diet of just maple syrup, lemon juice and water for weeks to shift the weight.

She said, “It was necessary to lose weight really fast because we shot my character Deena at 16 and at 36, two weeks apart. But it’s not for everyone.” Beyoncé recently admitted the best thing about the diet was coming off it and getting her curves back.

Kate Moss will definitely marry Pete Doherty. The supermodel, who has been dating the troubled rocker on and off since January last year, has reportedly admitted to friends she has found the love of her life and is desperate to tie the knot. She was quoted by Britain’s News of the World newspaper as having said, “I love him so much. I want to be with him. It’s just a case of when. There are certain circumstances we have to get over and then we’ll be together.”

The couple’s relationship broke down earlier this year because of Pete’s addictions to heroin. However, after his latest stint in rehab, the Babyshambles frontman announced that he would wed the catwalk beauty as soon as he was “clean”. The pair seems to be enjoying their pre-marital bliss as they openly smooched at the plush Boogaloo bar in London’s Highgate. A source said, “She was very open about Pete. But she’s obviously in love and doesn’t care who knows.”

Tom Cruise has apologised to Brooke Shields for criticising her use of anti-depressants, the actress has revealed. Shields lifted the lid on the actor’s apologetic actions during an interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno recently. She told Leno that the Top Gun star had visited her the day before to say sorry for his hurtful comments. Shields, 41, said, “Tom came over to my house and he gave me a heartfelt apology. He apologised for bringing me into the whole thing and for everything that happened.”

She added, “I was so impressed with how heartfelt it was. And I didn’t feel at any time that I had to defend myself, nor did I feel that he was trying to convince me of anything other than the fact that he was deeply sorry. And I accepted it.” Last summer, Cruise told Matt Lauer on The Today Show that he did not think Shields should have used anti-depressants to treat her post-natal depression after the birth of her first child.

In accordance with his scientology beliefs, Cruise, whose fiancée Katie Holmes gave birth to the couple’s first child, daughter Suri, this year, insisted that depression could be treated with vitamins and exercise. Cruise’s representative, Arnold Robinson, confirmed that he and Shields had sorted out their differences. Robinson said, “It is true that his friendship with Shields has been mended. He has not changed his position about anti-depressants, which, as evidenced by the black label warnings issued by the FDA on these types of drugs, are unhealthy.”

Jennifer Aniston has settled a lawsuit over her topless pictures. The former Friends star, who launched her legal fight in December 2005, tried to sue Peter Brandt claiming he invaded her privacy by using a telephoto lens (a long lens) to take pictures from a distance to photograph her inside her home when she was “topless or partly dressed”.

However, the snapper said he took the pictures while standing on a public street about 300 yards away from Jennifer’s home. The actress’ lawyer, Jay Lavely, refused to comment on the outcome of the case, only saying, “It’s a confidential settlement. The matter was amicably resolved.” Meanwhile, Jennifer, who is dating her The Break-Up co-star Vince Vaughn, is reportedly on the verge of signing an advertising deal with Nike.

The amount of money being offered to the former Friends star by the sportswear giant is rumoured to be the most the company has ever paid for a celebrity endorsement. Jennifer is apparently keen to make sure the campaign “brings focus to cancer research” with donations given to her favourite cancer charities.