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After conquering every peak possible in the Hindi charts, composer-cum-singer Himesh Reshammiya has now set his sight and sound southwards. He’s signed up his first Tamil-Telugu feature film, Dasavataram, featuring Kamal Haasan, who will play 10 different roles in it. “So, I guess I’ll have to work 10 times harder,” joked Reshammiya. “Kamalji is the only reason why I have chosen to go southwards at a time when I have so much on my plate in Bollywood,” Reshammiya told a website.

“And they are making the film on a lavish scale. I think I am the only Bollywood composer to be going South,” said Reshammiya, forgetting that Vishal Bharadwaj did a South Indian film called Dayaa at the peak of his career. Reshammiya will take the help of a translator to get the nuances of Tamil and Telugu right.

Meanwhile, he’s also excited about the success of his latest soundtrack Ahista Ahista. “Many years ago, Khayyam saab had done a beautiful score for the same producers entitled Ahista Ahista. I can’t match up to that. But I’ve done my own thing.”

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai:
Light-eyed and extremely good looking, it is a surprise that these two beautiful people were not paired together earlier. We, for one, can’t wait to watch them create magic in Sanjay Gadhvi’s ‘Dhoom 2′.
Chemistry: Yet to be seen.

Mallika Sherawat and Rahul Bose:
When hot bod Mallika paired up with the ‘arty’ Rahul Bose, many eyebrows were raised. But the makers of ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’ want to cash in on this shock factor, as the film talks about two totally different individuals coming together.
Chemistry: 6/10

Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor:
He is dark and brooding, while she is fair and effervescent. Only Vishal Bharadwaj could think of bringing these two powerhouses of talent together. And hey, they do look great together!
Chemistry: 8/10

Saif Ali Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma:
Suave Saif and earthy Konkona? Now that’s a really interesting pair. Even if there is no chemistry, it shouldn’t be difficult for these two talented actors to fake it onscreen.
Chemistry: Yet to be seen in ‘Omkara’.

Amitabh Bachchan and Jiah Khan:
He is 60 plus and she is 16 plus. This pairing might be the demand of the script, but it is still a huge surprise.
Chemistry: Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Nishabd’ will show us what they are all about.

Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra:
When the sexy SRK meets the sultry Priyanka, magic is bound to happen!
Chemistry: We are waiting for Farhaan Akhtar’s ‘Don’ with bated breath!.

If sources are to be believed, filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Yash Chopra have joined hands to ensure that the former’s ‘Guru’ emerges as a super hit. Ratnam’s last Hindi attempt ‘Yuva’, though technically superb, didn’t really work at the box office.

Yash Raj Films, the buzz goes, will distribute ‘Guru’ starring Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Mithun Chakraborthy. Director Shaad Ali, who assists Ratnam and who is also a confidante of the Yash Raj banner, apparently played a big hand in this mega merger.

Says a source, “The problem with Mani sir is that his last two Hindi projects – ‘Dil Se’ and ‘Yuva’, haven’t worked. Fortunately, distributors are still not wary of him and Aditya Chopra sees a lot of potential in ‘Guru’.”

Reportedly, ‘Guru’ is based on the late business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani, but there has been no official confirmation on this yet.

Ever heard of a robot playing the protagonist? Director Harry Baweja emphasises that his next film Love Story 2050 will be the first sci-fi film to be made in India with a robot as hero. “Not only will the film have SFX inputs from five international studios from all over the world, for the first time in an Indian film there will be a robot playing the lead alongside Harman and Priyanka Chopra,” he says.

There will also be a live, computerised toy accompanying Priyanka Chopra all through the film. “The robot and the computerised toy won’t be just props. They’re instrumental in the development of the story,” he says. Baweja will construct the entire city of Mumbai as it ought to look in 2050. “I’m planning it in meticulous detail. Our characters won’t just talk about the year 2050. They’ll live in the future, literally.”

The producer is labouring to make this futuristic film the best launch pad for son Harman. “Love Story 2050 has been designed as a product to launch my son. We’re sparing no pains to make Indian cinema’s first sci-fi film comparable with the best in the world. Our budget is about $10 million.” The success of Krrish has boosted Harman’s self-confidence. He says, “Our sci-fi flick will definitely benefit from it.”

You’ve heard of 3-D effects in cinema. Now, with the technology boom, India will see its first 4-D theatre – Orama 4-D, where, as owner Anckur Choksey puts it, the cinematic experience will be unusual. “Orama 4-D is the only theatre in India that is ably equipped for 3-D movies. You can smell the aroma of coffee; if there’s foam on screen, you feel foam all around you and you will even sense tickling effects with the six movement seats,” says Choksey.

The 70-plus seat theatre will exclusively screen short 3-D films like ‘The Magic Carpet’ and ‘Haunted House’, sourced largely from Europe. “The pricing is economical, ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 200 depending on the duration of the films.”

The idea first struck US-educated Choksey when he was in talks with the BMC for redeveloping the Byculla zoo. “I was really frustrated because of the delays. That’s when I thought of a 4-D theatre. It’s already a proven business model abroad – all we had to do was bring it down to India,” he says. And helping him in his endeavour are his sisters, Namrata Choksey and Janaki Parekh.

“Entertainment is a growing business and that’s why we are investing money in not only 4-D theatres but also in family entertainment centres. Such projects require investments between Rs6 to Rs12 crore, but we know that returns are assured,” says Janaki, who is a director with the company now. And it’s just the beginning – apart from one more such theatre in Mumbai, the Chokseys are also planning to open 4-D cinemas in Ahmedabad, Pune and Delhi.

It’s not ‘Munnabhai Meets Mahatma’, it’s not even ‘Munnabhai 2nd Innings’. It’s now official that the sequel to Rajkumar Hirani’s Munnabhai MBBS will be titled Lage Raho Munnabhai. Everybody’s favourite bhai and his sidekick Circuit return, with roles reprised by Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi and will hit screens on September 1. It seems the title for the next episode in their eventful lives was decided when producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra let the public get involved in the choice of title. Market research showed that an overwhelming 90 per cent of respondents apparently selected ‘Lage Raho…’ over ’2nd Innings’. The film also stars Jimmy Sheirgill, Boman Irani and Vidya Balan.

Ram Gopal Varma has done it again. Even as he puts finishing touches to his latest directorial adventure Shiva and plunges into the pre-production for his most ambitious film Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay, Ramu will take time out next month to make a film featuring Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu and Lara Dutta. “I’m going to call it Baby,” he chuckles. “Now don’t ask me who among the two ladies plays the title role, Bipasha or Lara. For all you know, it could be Fardeen.” The film rolls in July.

But why this sudden swerve into Baby when Ramu has his plate full? “Well Sholay starts late August. Everything except for some members of the cast are in place. So I had a clear chunk of time on my hand to make another film. I can’t sit at home or go on a holiday. That’s not my scene. And I’m too restless to just wait for my next. Baby just fell together,” he says. Ramu describes it as a musical thriller.

Of late the volume of Ramu’s output has gone up considerably. “My production house always made three or four films per year. But yes, I’m directing more of my films. I’ve just completed Shiva which releases in August. After Baby, I go straight into Sholay.” Interestingly, Lara and Bipasha will come together again after No Entry, though in a totally different avatar. After Fardeen’s disastrous debut in his father’s Prem Aggan he was re-launched by Ramu in Jungle.

Filmmaker JP Dutta is quite miffed with the assumption that his Umrao Jaan is a remake of Muzaffar Ali’s original film. But now he gives reasons. “Both the movies are based on Umrao Jaan Ada, the famous novel by Mirza Hadi Ruswa. And both of us have our own interpretation of the novel. I do not take it as a remake of Muzaffar Ali’s movie. This is my version of the novel and history and I have made certain changes as per my reading of the history,” says Dutta. “For example, during that period in history, Awadh was at the height of its glory and the city was not as dilapidated as was shown in the earlier version. There are many differences.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, he owns the biggest production house in India (ranking 27th in the world). But the man, whose name has been synonymous with ‘chiffon romances’ in India, remains humble. On Sunday, he was honoured with the title of ‘The Forbes Quintessential Man’ by the Rotary Club of Bombay. Says Chopra, “This award is special because it comes from outside the film industry. It recognises the contribution that I’ve made to Indian society through my films. I am really humbled. It’s been given to me for my behaviour and my efforts as a human being.”

Already feted with the Padmabhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema, does the man with an enviable success graph in Hindi cinema have milestones yet to be achieved. “With God’s blessings, there are many things I have got but yes, there are paths that I have still to cross. There were films I wanted to make, but could not earlier. I hope to make them now.”

After the box office winner ‘Veer Zara’ last year, there has been speculation that he will be directing Aamir Khan in his next production. Neither confirming nor denying the reports he says, “There is no truth to it. I have to still finalise the script and I will only know who all to cast by the end of the year. But I will definitely direct a film next year.” So, what does BR Chopra, Yash’s elder brother for whom he directed several films before he started his own production house, think of him? “He is obviously very proud and happy for me. Just as a father learns from a son, I have learnt a lot from him.”