Something indeed seems to be cooking between Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan. Rumous ought to be treated as rumors. Abhishek Bachchan’s birthday party at his residence Jalsa has been a rollicking affair.  Aish was one of the first to arrive at the bash was and she was one of the last few to leave. As usual both parties are quiet and have not made any public comments.

Now that Rang De Basanti is running successfully all over, stories related to its making have slowly started coming out of closet. According to sources Hrithik Roshan was approached to act in Rakeysh Mehra’s film but he turn down the offer. Even Aamir Khan personally met Hrithik to persuade him for Rang De Basanti. But Hrithik being Hrithik stuck to his guns, and refused. Probably he refused because was not offered the lead role. Hrithik stopped accepting supporting roles after his brilliant performance in ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ went unnoticed.  Hrithik is gearing up for 2006 with Krrish, Dhoom 2 and Akbar Jodha ready for release.

It looks like Bollywood gossipers are not enough of marriage talk, even after seeing so many celebrity couples wedded in the past few months. Rumors are rife that Amisha Patel is planning to take her marriage vows - this March, and no points for guessing with whom. According to the gossips Amisha has caught up with a sudden desire to marry her long time lover Vikram Bhatt this year, March. To add fire to the notion, both are maintaining silence on the subject.   Vikram’s response to media is,  “I don’t know. At this point of time she is chasing her career and I am chasing her. I am ready whenever she is. This relationship is for keeps.”

One more marriage is on its way. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan told a magazine that he's thinking about marrying his Italian girlfriend, but has not yet started considering a date.  Saif separated last year from his wife, Amrita Singh, after 14-years of marriage, and has since started dating Rosa, an Italian woman.

Former 'good friends' and mentor-protégé Ram Gopal Varma and Urmila Matondkar are finally doing a film together again. Taufeeq, who is a Ramu camper, will direct it. Incidentally, Urmila spent her birthday some days back at the Bryan Adams concert in Mumbai.

Rituparno Ghosh is a busy man these days. For his much cherished English Project Draupadi Rituparno has finalised Bipasha Basu for the character of Draupadi. Says ecstatic Rituparno, "I wanted my Draupadi to be dark and attractive. Not a sex symbol, but she had to possess the oomph factor. I could see all these qualities in Bipasha. "My Draupadi will be more real and it will be my interpretation from a filmmaker's perspective. The story of Mahabharat is known to everyone, but I have a specific vision in my mind which I wanted to convey through my film.” Bipasha, however, refuses to give out any details about her upcoming project till the deal is officially signed.

Yesteryear actress Nadira died after prolonged illness at a city hospital on Thursday morning. She was 74. Nadira was admitted to hospital on December 31 after she suffered a paralytic stroke coupled with a heart attack. Doctors said she was also suffering from other complications and had been in coma. Born in Israel as Florence Ezekiel, Nadira, a spinster, had been staying all alone in a flat in South Mumbai for several years. Starting her career in 1952 with Aan, Nadira acted in several popular films, including Shree 420, Pakeezah and Julie, painting various shades of grey - be it a confident woman or a sensuous seductress.

|