CHINES GO BONKERS OVER AISHWARYA'S BEAUTY

Aishwarya Rai is among the few crop of current Indian actors to have a considerable following among the young Chinese in the sub-provincial district Shenzhen.

Just opposite to the majestic hotel Pavilion on the Huaqiang Road is a huge L'Oreal hoarding featuring Rai.

"She's beautiful. I pass through this road every day and never fail to have a look at the hoarding," says Zu Shan, who works as a marketing executive of an advertising company.

Aishwarya is the brand ambassador of L'Oreal's cosmetic products. "Aishwarya is a good actress. I have seen most of her movies," he says.

Zu's favourite male star is Abhishek Bachchan. "The two make a great couple," he says.

Zeng Fangjun also adores Aishwarya's beauty as well as her acting talents. "She is quite talented. I got to watch some of her movies on the local cable network," says the communications manager of an IT firm.

Local channels like CCTV feature Indian movies with Chinese subtitles. Zeng said she watched Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Aur Pyar Ho Gaya among others on cable TV.

Zeng's Indian friends also provide her with their stock of Aishwarya films.

DID YOU KNOW? ABHISHEK HAD 15 FLOPS BEFORE HE FINALLY GOT A HIT

AND THE ACTOR WAS SO DISGUSTED BY HIS DISCOURAGING CAREER THAT HE WANTED TO BID GOOD-BYE TO FILMS, UNTIL...

After a string of flop movies early in his career, actor Abhishek Bachchan thought he had joined the wrong profession. But, a dressing down from his father Amitabh made him decide to stick it out in Bollywood.

"Yes, I went to my dad and told him I think I made a mistake," he said. "He fired me. He said I didn't bring you up to quit. I have faith in you. He said just go back and keep working," Abhishek told NDTV.

"Dad asked me to spend time in front of the camera and learn to improve as long as I get an opportunity," said Abhishek, who was once considered a pale shadow of his father.

Asked what crossed his mind after his 15th flop, Abhishek said, "It becomes a habit. It's very weird."

Queried whether it is difficult to handle failure now that he had had quite a few hits, he said it is comparatively easier to handle failure in the early days of one's career.

"Initially when you start you still live in hope. You know your first film does not do well, it hurts -- second, third...it hurts but still you believe in yourself," he said.

The actor said he was enjoying his married life with Aishwarya Rai. "The best part is that you get to live with your best friend. Somebody you enjoy spending time with, which I think is the reasonable criteria to get married. It's wonderful. I am enjoying myself," he said.

When asked whether the film industry's most eligible bachelor is now its most besotted husband, Abhishek said every husband should be besotted. "I do not know if it is correct to call me the most eligible bachelor. I never believed that. I know many people were considered far more eligible then me. As far as besotted is concerned, every husband should be besotted," he said.

"I think it is important for every husband to care for his wife and family and they should not marry if they do not. You should get married if you are prepared to live with somebody for life," he said matter-of-factly.

Asked whether the Bachchan family discusses films at the dining table, Abhishek said talk about movies was totally banned at the table. "Ma does not allow film talk at the table. After my sister got married, there were only three of us, and I was just starting my career and then a little bit of that would slip in," he said.

"You just get a typical glare that a mother gives a child when you do something wrong," he explained.

ABHISHEK SAYS ASH TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER EVERYTHING IN HIS LIFE

Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, newly married to co-star and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, is so much in love that he says when it comes to sharing things his wife takes precedence over all.

"You always give things first to the wife, and then you have," the actor said, adding that this was how marriages worked among Indians.

Though he may not admit it, Bachchan struck gold at the box office with several hit films around the time he began dating Rai. Now, all he will say is that his time has come.

The two tied the knot in April and industry analysts say their marriage created Bollywood's ultimate power couple.

The wedding celebrations sent India's celebrity-obsessed media into frenzy, and even months later, public interest in the couple -- likened to Hollywood duo Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie -- remains as strong with talk that Rai could be pregnant.

But Bachchan scotched the speculation. "That's incorrect ... there's no such good news. When there is, I will tell you," he said, on the sidelines of an endorsement event late on Thursday.

Rai, 33, and Bachchan, 31, have worked together in at least five films. Rai was crowned Miss World in 1994.

ABHISHEK, AISHWARYA TO KICK OFF 'THE UNFORGETTABLE' BOLLYWOOD TOUR OF THE WORLD

The upcoming Unforgettable Tour, which celebrates the world of Bollywood, will kick off with a performance here by Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan in the summer of 2008.

The actors, dubbed the "Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt of Bollywood" by the media in Toronto, were greeted by a mob of fans when they made the announcement about the tour on Saturday.

The Unforgettable Tour is an 18-country series of stage shows by Bollywood's hottest stars. "If all goes well, and god willing, we will premiere The Unforgettable Tour in the city of Toronto because we feel that it is the best city to premiere the tour in," Abhishek said during a press conference that also included Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, a Canadian website reported.

The Bachchans said The Unforgettable Tour also aims to raise awareness about global warming. "Terrible, terrible things are happening to this earth of ours and we want to use this platform to try to acquaint people about what it's about and what they can do," said Abhishek. "We're using this opportunity to spread the word."

Abhishek, the son of Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan, said Toronto was home to a large number of fans of Indian cinema. It was also where the Abhishek and Aishwarya, who were married in April, premiered their film Guru in January.

The globe-trotting tour will feature concerts showcasing the lavish song-and-dance numbers from popular Bollywood films. The three Bachchans and other South Asian film stars are set to take the stage during the shows.

Lara Dutta, Bipasha Basu and Ritesh Deshmukh were among those on the line-up when the musical extravaganza was first announced in June during festivities around the International Indian Film Academy Awards at Sheffield in Britain.

Set to begin next summer, The Unforgettable Tour is scheduled to stop in Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, London, Cairo, Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The organisers also plan to make a TV special revealing life behind the scenes on the road with the performers as they proceed with the tour.

BOLLYWOOD TO RECREATE ITS MAGIC AT INDIA INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS AT LOS ANGELES

A star-studded six-day celebration of India's Independence Day in Los Angeles is expected to witness participation of Bollywood's leading stars like Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan as well as spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Christened 'India Splendor,' the event planned by MGLOBAL Trust will also feature a fashion show, exhibition of several Bollywood movies and an art workshop. It will culminate in a gala evening on August 15.

The event is being organised in association with UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, International Creative Management and ArtWallah, a non-profit body promoting art.

Organisers say they expect Rishi Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu from Bollywood to participate, besides Aishwarya and Abhishek. Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also expected to give a discourse.

Former tennis star and film producer Ashok Amritraj is the goodwill ambassador for the event.

MCorp Global Chairman of Indian conglomerate Bhupendra Kumar Modi announced that his company has donated $1 million to the ArtWallah, which will be earmarked for art education at Los Angeles public schools. "Our vision has been to bring all the facets of Indian culture, including our booming film industry, to the US in jointly celebrating this momentous mark in history."

The event will also feature film makers like Mani Ratnam and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. There will be a special tribute to Indian film legend Raj Kapoor.

It is also expected to attract Hollywood community, including industry professionals, studio executives and talent agency heads. The opening night will feature screening of Shah Rukh Khan's film Chak De India. Other movies to be screened include Guru, Eklavya and Gandhi.

RANI MUKHERJI FORGIVES ABHISHEK FOR NOT CALLING HER FOR THE MARRIAGE, GRINS AND BEARS IT!!

For those spoilsports who were waiting to see deathly tension erupt on the sets of Pradeep Sarkar's Laga Chunri Mein Daag between Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukherji0after what's widely been labelled the wedding snub, there was disappointing news. For, although Rani Mukherji expressed her displeasure in no uncertain terms for not being called for the marriage, she soon caved in after meeting Abhishek, and the twosome were hobnobbing with each other in no time.

READ ON

RAMGOPAL VARMA GETS READY TO COMMENCE SHOOTING OF SARKAR RAJ IN HYDERABAD, BUSY WITH FINALISING THE DATES AND LOCATIONS

All eyes are on Sarkar Raj, the sequel to Sarkar, which is getting ready to go on the floors. Ramgopal Varma is already in Hyderabad scouting for the right locations. And, we hear, that he has zeroed in on Ramoji Film City to shoot some of the crucial scenes in the film. There is a lot of curiosity about the film as the Bachchan family -- Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya (Rai) -- will be acting together for the first time after Aishwarya became the family bahu. Also, the fact that Aishwarya will not be acting as Abhishek's wife, but as another character in the film is another interesting thing about the film.

The film will commence soon in Hyderabad, as Varma wants to finish the film and release it by the year end.

SIDDHARTH IS LUCKY TO GET A FILM IN BOLLYWOOD, AND HE SHOULD THANK ABHISHEK AND HRITHIK FOR IT

Siddharth, who does only one, or at the most two films, at a time, has pinned all his hopes on Aata in Telugu. Despite the super success of Rang De Basanti, for which he received critical acclaim, he didn't sign any films in Bollywood. But with Aata turning turtle at the box-office, he has his hopes too coming crashing.

Fortunately, for him, inspite of closing all the doors for Bollywood filmmakers, he still has someone knocking at his doors at the right time. And that is director Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, the director of RDB. This time, Mehra has named his film as Dilli 6. Of course, Siddharth was not his first choice. He zeroed in on Siddharth as Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik and Ranbir Kapoor, his first choices, either did not have the dates or were not interested in the film.

But, for Siddharth, it is a Hobson's choice. Or to put it plainly no choice. He can't but keep raving and ranting about his new Bollywood dreams. What say Siddharth?

AMITABH BACHCHAN FINDS HIS SON'S HINDI ACCENT FUNNY

# "It is true that this generation has trouble with speaking Hindi -- even my son Abhishek finds it difficult, and that's why I ask him to try and talk to me in Hindi to improve his pronunciations and vocabulary -– but he doesn't listen to me."

-- Amitabh Bachchan

ALL OF US WERE WONDERING WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AND IT FINALLY HAPPENED: ABHISHEK REFUSES TO WORK WITH HIS WIFE'S EX-BOYFRIEND VIVEK OBEROI

Apoorva Lakhia 's attempts to sign up Abhishek Bachchan and Vivek Oberoi for his next film titled Mission To Istanbul have come a cropper. That is because of the junior Bachchan's refusal to do the film.

READ ON

AISHWARYA BACHCHAN PLOUGHS A LONELY FURROW IN BOLLWOOD: ALL THE TOP ACTORS REFUSE TO WORK WITH HER

It may sound ridiculous. But it is true. No one is willing to be teamed with the reigning queen of Bollywood. Aishwarya Rai, has more enemies than friends in the industry. Some of her own making and some because of her marriage to Aishwarya Bachchan. The truth is, today, none of the superstars of Bollywood are willing to work with her. Let me repeat, none. You know why Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi can never be paired with her. Shah Rukh Khan has a running feud with the Bachchan family ever since he replaced the Big B in the Kaun Banega Crorepati programme, and swears he would have nothing to do with the Bachchan family, and this includes Aishwarya Rai. Similarly, Aamir Khan is pissed off with her for turning down his request to act with him in Mangal Pandey -- The Rising. Saif Ali Kahan has pulled out Karan Johar venture, where he was supposed to act with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, as he thinks that the duo would steal the thunder from under his feet. And we hear that he is telling Bollywood filmmakers that he doesn't want to act with Aishwarya Rai anymore. Must have been the Khan effect. And this leaves us with Hrithik Roshan. It seems he was perturbed with all the hulla-bulla the Bachchan family made over the kissing scene in Dhoom 2. Poor Aishwarya Rai, marriage seems to have done more bad than good to her. Do we hear Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji and Priyanka Chopra rolling on the ground with laughter?

Amitabh'f family to dance away to global glory!

In an attempt to bring the magic of Bollywood to audiences across the world, some of India's biggest stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya will embark on a year long global tour, during which they will perform some of their best known numbers.

"We aim to make this a global media event where some of India's best stars will perform and thousands of expatriates will get to see them in action. The tour, which is called the Unforgettable Tour, will kick off in April next year and travel to all parts of the world including Africa, the Middle East, US, Canada and Europe," Viraf Sarkari, Director of Wizcraft, which is organising the tour, told reporters in Yorkshire.

Reminiscing about his very first tour abroad, Amitabh Bachchan said he had accompanied Lata Mangeshkar to her tour of the US and later with Kalyanji Anandji in 1983. "It was then I realised that the expatriate population really wants to see us and that we should do more tours. I am very glad that I will be part of this group of youngsters," Bachchan said.

Other stars who are going on the tour include Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, and Riteish Deshmukh.

Aishwarya Rai also expressed her happiness that this would be the first time that she would be touring with her father-in-law and her new husband, saying "I think this will be a very good tour for me both personally and professionally. I am hoping to entertain audiences all around the world."

"We are also spreading the message of global warming through this tour and that I think is a very crucial message. We will appeal to people to consider that there are certain things that we have to do for the environment," Abhishek said.