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Sonam Kapoor all set to play Desi Emma

After having so many failures in film, it would be a shock to see Sonam Kapoor being offered a role in a new film. That's why she's diverted her focus from her career to concentrate on her dad Anil Kapoor's new production.

Desi Hits! told you that Anil Kapoor was creating a film based on his daughter's favorite novel "Emma" by Jane Austen.

Well the film has finally begun production. The Bollywood version is called 'Ayesha' and will be based on the classic period story. And it looks like Sonam Kapoor is taking this role very seriously! She seems to be completely taken in by her character and can't think beyond it. Sources tell us that Sonam Kapoor has been living her character wherever she is-home, partying with friends or socializing.

We wonder if this will be what the actress needs to turn her career around. Are our readers interested in seeing this new rendition of the Jane Austen classic? Let us know what you think about Sonam Kapoor's latest film.

riyanka and Ranbir Kapoor to Star in Romantic Comedy

Looks like Priyanka Chopra's recent hospital stay isn't slowing her down one bit as she's just signed on to her latest project opposite Ranbir Kapoor! The two will be seen in Siddharth Anand's next film that will be produced by Sajid Nadiadwala not Yash Raj Films as his last two films have been. It's also the first time Ranbir and Priyanka will be seen together on film, a reason that Siddharth and Sajid signed both actors as it's a fresh pairing.

Here's the real kicker though, apparently Priyanka had first refused the film when she was told she would have to gain weight for her role. The movie's story was about an overweight girl and good-looking young guy. However, Siddharth threw out that script and is now working on a new one for the actors, with the genre of the film remaining the same.

Now you might think, how shallow can Priyanka be? Well turns out she's not alone as many actresses were reportedly approached to do the role, but turned it down as no one wanted to gain weight for the role. It was even rumored that Katrina Kaif was going to do the role, but Siddharth says that was just a rumor. If you recall, Katrina worked with the director in 'Bachna Ae Haseeno,' her part was cut as the movie was getting to be too lengthy.

So looks like Bollywood actresses aren't happy about gaining weight for a role for whatever reason may be, whether it's for vanity reasons or for lack of the script. However, it can be said that many Hollywood counterparts have won Oscar gold for gaining weight for their roles, such as Charlize Theron in 'Monster.'
Whatever the reason may be, it looks like for now, Priyanka or any other Bollywood actress, won't be gaining weight for a role. Reportedly the film will be show in the US, however Siddharth isn't giving out any details other then that Priyanka and Ranbir have signed on and that the movie is a "romantic comedy with a twist."

So what do you guys think about Priyanka choosing not to gain weight for the film? And what do you think about the pairing of Ranbir and Priyanka? Drop us a comment with your thoughts!

A.R. Rahman Goes on World Tour

A.R. Rahman is easily one of the busiest people in Bollywood. In fact, he's probably already working hard on the next great Bollywood flick. That's why we wonder where he found the time to start a world tour!

It's been a long road for A.R. Rahman to get his career to where it is today. The composer and artist has won countless awards including the Golden Globe, Critic's Choice, Filmfare Award and of course the coveted Academy Award for Best Original Song and Best Original Music Score.

All of these accomplishments have won him some pretty devoted fans. That's why it's no surprise that his "Jai Ho" World Tour was kicked off with a bang. In a small town in Kerala, hundreds clamored to a stadium for one of the first performances of his music tour. This is the first of thirty-nine shows he'll be performing over the course of five years.

We can't help but wonder what's next for the rising star that is known in Bollywood for the countless movies he has worked on. Taking a look back, this list includes 'Lagaan', 'Ghajini', and of course 'Slumdog Millionaire'-for which he won the Oscar. His career spans much further back than that in Bollywood and his contributions in music and film are almost unmatched in their success.

Well we want to know what our readers think about A.R. Rahman going on tour for the next five years. Would you want to see him perform live in your town? Let us know what you think.

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai to Star in 'Guzaarish'

There's no denying Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have hot chemistry on screen and their pairing proves to bring big box office bucks. Anyone remember 'Dhoom 2' and 'Jodhaa Akbar'? Yeah, we thought so! Well after those two films the next director to snap up the two light-eyed actors is Sanjay Leela Bhansali who reportedly just finalized the title of the film, 'Guzaarish.'

The film is still in it's early stages and will begin filming next year. The film is said to be a remake of Hollywood film, 'The Prestige' which was released in 2006 and was directed by 'The Dark Knight' director Christopher Nolan. Rumor is Sanjay has adapted the script, which is about two rival magicians, to fit into an Indian context. Sanjay is also working with UTV Motion Pictures this time around, which also produced, 'Jodhaa Akbar.' But here's a juicy little tid bit. Rumor is Sanjay's beloved friend, Salman Khan is a bit p.o.ed at the director as it was

Salman who suggested the story idea to Sanjay and now he's making the film with Hrithik instead of Salman, who let's be honest, needs any type of career boost he can get! Then again if Sanjay cast Salman in the film obviously he wouldn't be able to have Aishwarya in the female lead.

While the film was supposed to begin filming this year, it has been delayed because of Hrithik Roshan's busy schedule with, 'Kites.' So what do you guys think about Sanjay choosing Hrithik and Aishwarya over Salman, when the film was reportedly Salman Khan's idea? Also what do you think about the Hrithik-Aishwarya pair? Are you excited to see the film? Drop us a comment with your thoughts!

Bappi Lahiri Wooing Janet Jackson for a Concert

It seems like Bappi Lahiri is going to be taking himself further west in hopes of putting together a show that could be an interesting one. The successful artist and director has in the past worked with artists like the Jackson Five and even created some international remixes. Well now it looks like he's once again teaming up with the Jacksons for another collaboration.

According to DNA India, he is rumored to have "lined up a series of international projects with the frontrunners of the US pop scene-The Jackson Five band, rapper Jadda and R&B singer M'ya". Will this be a concert tour that will span the world? Or will it just be a series of shows in select places? All that's supposedly certain is that Michael Jackson will not be joining his family for the tour.

Apparently the tour to India has already been planned. Currently Bappi Lahiri is busy trying to convince Janet Jackson to join into the festivities and is going as far as to fly to Los Angeles, California to get her involved with his new plan. If Bappi Lahiri is creating a tour featuring the Jackson Five, then he's got his work cut out for him trying to get the two most important Jacksons to join in.

What do our readers think about Bappi Lahiri trying to put together a concert with the Jackson Five, rapper Jadda, and M'ya? Do you think that this is a good collaboration and do you think that he will be successful? What do you think that Bappi Lahiri brings to the table as far as being successful in his venture? We want to hear our reader's thoughts on the possibility of Bappi Lahiri coming together with some Western artists to create a concert that appeals to the masses.

Indian Man Loves to Take a Bite out of Bricks!

By Alex Gonzalez

Marimaran is a 25 year-old man from Madras, India. When I say that one of his favorite things to eat is pebbles, I'm not exactly referring to the cereal. I'm really talking about pebbles, rocks, and even brick! The man loves him some sand and gravel! If this kind of stuff makes you queasy, I suggest you drop that burger and set aside that pizza for a second. Don't worry, it's not like Marimaran is going to steal your food. He'd probably rather eat your chimney instead. I think it's safe to say, kids, don't try this at home!

Mariamaran has been eating bricks since the age of five! Five! Bricks and rocks are his diet for crying out loud! His gastroenterologist J.S Rajkumar doesn't even seem to be concerned, saying it keeps his stomach full. He wants to get into the Guinness Book of World Records by doing this. What I want to know is, how is he not there already? Eghck!

Could you imagine Marimaran eating chunks of brick from the side of your house just so he can eat? Are food costs that high now that rocks and bricks are now the thing to eat? God forbid we ever go into a deli and we see a man like him saying "Yeah I'll have two bricks and some French fries, thank you." I'd punch this guy in this chest so he could snap out of it, but it would be like literally punching a brick wall now.

If you made it through this clip without puking or turning away, congratulations. Let us know what your reaction was after seeing this man eat bricks like a candy bar.

The Homeless in New Delhi Learn Different Languages

The homeless people in New Delhi are a little savvier than your average beggars on the street. They can't "afford" to lose any opportunities for making a little cash. If you are in the city for the Commonwealth Games, you may find a beggar asking you for change in your own language.

Sources say that possibly thousands of beggars in New Delhi are cashing in on the tourism of the city. English is a language that's common, but now these business smart beggars are learning Spanish and even French so they don't miss any chance for a little extra cash.

A street performer named Savitri said that "There will be thousands of foreign tourists when the games are going on. That is why some beggar families are teaching young child beggars to beg in foreign languages." These beggars aren't doing it alone, they're uniting so they can actually cover more ground and see more "profit".

Phrases like "I'm an orphan", "I haven't eaten for days", and "I'm ill and have no money for medicine, please help me in the name of God" are only just the beginning of what child beggars can say in different languages as well as their own. And they (along with their parents) know just where to station themselves to see the biggest results.

They learn these languages in classes they take at a night school. People that have never been to school before are attending night school courses where they are being taught to beg in different languages!

One tourist from Croatia said that they were "shocked when a man dressed in rags approached me and asked me in English if I was German or French, and started saying "please give me money" in various languages." Visitors shouldn't be that surprised, since the Commonwealth Games are approaching fast-October 3 and 14 of this year.

What do our readers think about these beggars who are learning phrases in different languages to get money? Do you think that they should spend that time trying to get out of their homeless situation? Or do you think that it's smart of them to use the means they can to get a little bit of change? Give us your thoughts on this unusual story!

Freida Pinto's Magazine Covers

With all that's going on in Freida Pinto's life, we haven't been able to keep up with how many magazines she's donned the covers of. So we came up with a pretty comprehensive list and holy cow it's a lot! Her magazine covers aren't just in India anymore-they span the world! We came up with about ten that she's been on recently. We have to wonder what's next...maybe Time Magazine or who knows, maybe even Playboy? We're sure Hef will be in touch with Freida Pinto before you know it! Check out the list below!

Everyone knows about the famous Vogue cover. It's one that people have seen a lot of.

She was on a couple of different versions of Cosmo-one for India and the other for Spain? We're sure she's been on more!

People featured Freida Pinto talking about 'her new life'.

On Complex she was looking sexy.

On Entertainment Weekly, she and beau Dev Patel were excited with Oscar fever.

On Maxim she was looking excruciatingly hot!

Audrey and Brit-Asian featured a naturally beautiful side of Freida Pinto.

And Anokhi named her 'the next icon'.

We want to know what our readers think about all of the magazine covers that Freida Pinto has been on! Which ones your favorite and what do you want to see her on the cover for next? Is there one that you would add to this list? Let us know your thoughts below.

Shahid Kapoor Wants To Grow Up

Apparently Shahid Kapoor wants to grow up, on screen at least. Kapoor has decided that he wants to stay away from his old roles, as the boy next door and focus more on a "manlier" role. He wants to change his image so badly that for his latest film, "Yahoo!" he was a bit of a drama queen.

"Yahoo,!" was directed by Ken Gosh who had to constantly deal with Kapoor's nagging. Shahid even had Ken Ghosh recast the role of his love interest. Sources say that Jiah Khan was originally cast for the part but Shahid Kapoor didn't like the way she complimented his role. Ghosh then had to find another girl for Shahid and chose Genelia D' Souza, feeling that she brought a more mature character to the film. The tricky thing was that Jiah had already shot a song for the film, her part ended up being edited out.

That isn't the only thing that changed. The original storyline had Shahid Kapoor as an nice up and coming singer with kids as his supporters, but once again, Shahid felt that it wouldn't work out. Now he is going to be a struggling dancer instead.
But we can feel for Shahid Kapoor, Bollywood is getting ever more competitive. He has to deal with Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, and Ranbir Kapoor among others for roles. We hope he's happy with his latest project in "Yahoo!" and look forward to seeing his new "grown-up" look. But let us know what you think about Shahid Kapoor. Would you rather, he stick with his boyish image as long as he can or go for a manlier role? Drop your comments below.