Bollywood- The Latest headlines from the fantasy land of Bollywood

Prominent public figure, author and actor Suhel Seth has accused filmmakers Subhash Ghai and Mahesh Bhatt of practicing the casting couch.

In a two minute thirteen seconds video clip titled 'From Kahaani To Casting Couch' uploaded by Suhel's YouTube channel 'Getting Real with Suhel Seth', he speaks about Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani and the need for good scriptwriters in the Hindi cinema.

In context to Bhatt and Ghai, he says, "My appeal to all the Mahesh Bhatts and Subhash Ghais and all the titans would be to get off your casting couch - you've been there, done her. And start investing in people who can write good scripts."

Both Bhatt and Ghai feel that everyone in our country has the right to say whatever they want to and they don't need to defend themselves to anyone.

The clip, produced by Alternation has surely stirred up some controversy.

Shah Rukh Khan seems to be in the eye of the storm right now with his recent fracas at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai post the IPL match between the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders. Now we hear that the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) which had stated that they would take a decision to penalize the actor has reached a verdict.

In fact the MCA which had lodged a police complaint against Khan on Thursday, have since decided to ban the actor from the stadium. In a unanimous decision reached by the MCA, the Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner, Shah Rukh Khan has been banned for a period of five years from entering the Wankhede Stadium. However, this is a cut down from the earlier proposal of a life-time ban.

Watch the video: SRK Briefs Media About Wankhede Spat

After signing films like Zilla Ghaziabad with Sanjay Dutt, Mohalla Assi with Sunny Deol and Issaq with Prateik, Ravi Kissen has signed yet another prestigious project produced under Y films of Yash Raj banner.

The film which is titled Mere Dad Ki Maruti, will be directed by debutant director Ashima Chibber who has been an associate director with the directors like Anurag Basu, Imtiaz Ali and Shimit Amin.

Says a source close to the industry, "After working with some big directors like, Shyam Benegal and Mani Ratnam signing Yash Raj is a big step in his career. He has always done films with big star cast but signing this prestigious banner really takes him one step ahead. All his forthcoming films, be it with Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol or Prateik, have him in very prominent characters. All these films will make people sit and take notice of him for sure."

Apart from Ravi, the film features Saqib Saleem earlier seen in Y Films Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge. The story is an outrageous comedy set against the backdrop of a loud Punjabi wedding in Chandigarh about a boy who sneaks his dad's fancy new car out to impress the college hottie and how all hell breaks loose when he loses it.

It seems as though after shifting focus completely from Bhojpuri films to Hindi films, Ravi surely has his hands full in Bollywood.

John Madden's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which was shot in Jaipur last year and which features a large number of Indian actors opened this week in Britain and the rest Europe to heartening reviews.

However the size of the parts played by the Indian actors including Slumdog Millionaire's hero Dev Patel, is borderline negligible. Lilette Dubey who plays a feisty character doesn't even get a mention in the opening credit titles.

Yet another instance of Asian actors getting a raw deal out West?

Lilette Dubey tries to stoutly defend her abbreviated part. "it's not like a Hindi film where one is promised the sun and moon with the stars, and then one ends up with two minutes on screen. All of us Indian actors and that included many players from my plays like Neena Kulkarni and Rajendra Gupta, were told exactly what we had to do. The film is about the British characters. It features stalwarts like Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson. It would be slightly unrealistic to expect me and the other Indian actors to have pivotal roles."

At the same time Lilette admits she should have insisted on being billed in the opening credits. "But it's not their fault. I should've put it into my contract. I've to admit it's a bit of a shock to see my name missing in the opening credits when even Tina Desai is mentioned."

Not wanting to sound petulant, Lilette quickly adds, "I did it for the pleasure of being directed by John Madden and for working with Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. They made it memorable. I remember for one scene where Maggie was supposed to give me an off camera cue she sat on her wheelchair in the burning sun of Jaipur for 4 ½ hours. I finally couldn't take it any longer. I went up to her and told her there was no need for her to be there. She turned around and said it was her job. Just watching an actress like Maggie Smith is so enriching. I don't regret doing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at all. My role may be minuscule. But I derived tremendous pleasure in being a part of the cast."

The film is expected to open later this month in India. Lilette is hoping that Indian audience won't be disappointed.

"It's not like Slumdog Millionaire which showed our country in a brutal light. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel takes a very gentle look at our country. Indian audiences may feel we've been short-changed. But the Indian actors in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel are playing exactly what they were promised. No more no less."

Model, VJ turned actor Gauhar Khan shot to fame with her role in the 2009 YRF film starring Ranbir Kapoor Rocket Singh: Sales Man of The Year. Later in 2010, she joined the cast of the first-ever Bollywood musical, Zangoora: The Gypsy Prince at Kingdom of Dreams, where she played the female lead.

Recently though the actress was seen in the Arjun Kapoor - Parineeti Chopra film Ishaqzaade essaying the role of Chand Baby. Well Bollywood Hungama gives it surfers a chance to get chatty with Gauhar on Celebrity Video Chat on Friday, May 18, at 1300 hrs IST.

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