Simple stories, told in the simplest manner, have been the hallmark of all Aziz Mirza films, right from Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman to Chalte Chalte. Kismat Konnection, the veteran’s new outing, is no exception.

The characters we watch on screen are relatable, their problems are the type that we’ve either heard of or experienced ourselves, the love story and the conflict in the tale also comes across so real. Like Mirza’s previous films, Kismat Konnection is also not heavy on your senses. It’s a simple, feel-good fare that charms its way into your heart.

Since Mirza has only worked with the Numero Uno star, SRK, in the past, the first question that crosses your mind is, does he get it right with Shahid? And the second question is, is the chemistry between the lead pair interesting? Thankfully, the answers to both the questions are in the affirmative.

But there’s just one hitch. Kismat Konnection takes its own sweet time to reach the finale [yes, it's lengthy in the second hour]. Besides, it gets slow-paced as well. Yet, all said and done, Kismat Konnection is a film that makes you smile and that is its biggest triumph.

The last word. Kismat Konnection is a pleasant experience, sunshine cinema that lingers in your memory even after the show has concluded.

Raj [Shahid Kapoor] was numero uno. In academics, sports, dramatics. But four years after winning the best-student-of-the-year trophy from his architectural college, he’s wondering why a brilliant architect like him, with designs to set the Canadian landscape on fire, is still struggling to find that one big chance to showcase his mettle.

It’s almost as though some negative kismat is following him around because whenever something good is about to happen, it seems doomed to fail.

Desperate to get rid of the bad phase in his life, Raj meets a quirky oracle, Hasina Bano Jaan [Juhi Chawla]. She tells him that soon his stars will change and make everything work in his favour; but for all this to happen, Raj has first to find his lucky charm and never let go of it. But she tells him no more, leaving Raj mystified, trying to figure out what this charm could be.

Suddenly, his life seems to be on the right track. He’s managed to impress top builder Sanjeev Gill [Om Puri] into giving him a prestigious project.

Priya [Vidya Balan] is a tough-talking, tough-decision taking girl with a heart of gold. She is an idealist who is intent on making the world a better, more humane place and is quite willing to fight a lone battle for it.

Raj succeeds in persuading Priya that he’s the Messiah who can save her beloved Community Centre from destruction. And also opens her eyes to her philandering fiance [Amit Verma]. Raj even manages to thwart the evil designs of old-college-foe-turned-deadly-professional-enemy Dave [Manoj Bohra]. Does this mean that Raj has unwittingly discovered his lucky charm?

Recall Aziz Mirza’s movies. In practically all his films, the protagonist is aspiring to make it big in life. There’s a constant struggle on both levels, personal and professional. Kismat Konnection is no different. Sure, Kismat Konnection isn’t entirely original. It bears an uncanny resemblance to Just My Luck [2006; Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine], but it has been adapted quite well in the Indian milieu. What also sets apart is that Mirza’s films have a subtle message and Kismat Konnection is no exception.

Kismat Konnection is primarily a love story that viewers may have visited several times in the past, but let’s not forget, romance can never ever go out of fashion. Mirza and co-director Haroun Mirza succeed in presenting the highs and lows in a relationship with maturity. The situations are simple, there’s no place for melodrama here. But Mirza should’ve taken care in maintaining its pace and length in the second hour. The film could’ve easily done away with a number of scenes.

Pritam’s music is ear-pleasing. ‘Aai Paapi’ and ‘Bakhuda Tumhi Ho’ are haunting compositions, while Ahmed Khan’s choreography in the former takes your breath away. Binod Pradhan’s cinematography is top notch and the icing on the cake is the breath-taking locales of Canada.

Shahid is a complete natural, very likable, very believable. Post Jab We Met, the actor has attained that rare confidence which shows in his performances. Watch him get the emotional moments right and you know that the actor has only matured with time. You may have pre-conceived notions vis-À-vis his pairing with Vidya, but let’s tell you that they look perfect. The trimmed hair and minimal makeup make Vidya look pretty. Acting-wise too, she pitches in a fine performance.

Juhi tends to go over the top, but that’s the demand of the role. Om Puri is first-rate. Himani Shivpuri is fantastic and her Punjabi accent will bring the house down. Vishal Malhotra is efficient. Manoj Bohra acts very well.

On the whole, Kismat Konnection is a simple film that has its own charm. It’s no path-breaking cinema, but it works. At the box-office, its kismet should be strong at multiplexes and the wide release, coupled with no opposition, will help its distributors reap a benefit. Business in Overseas, where it has been given an extensive release, should also be good.

Kolkata, (IANS) How many of us know that Lata Mangeshkar’s real name was Hema? A new book on her is not only a compendium of all her songs but also chronicles some unknown facts about the singing legend.

Snehasis Chatterjee, a musicologist and a big fan of Lata, has released a book on the Indian ‘nightingale’ titled “Lata Geetikosh”. He claims that his book provides authentic information about her life and career.

For instance, when she was born her parents, Dinanath and Shevanti Mangeshkar, named her Hema and she lent her voice for the first time for a Marathi movie “Kiti Hasaal” in 1942, but the song was not released. It was her song “Nathli chaitrachi navlai” in Marathi film “Pahili Mangalagaur” (1942) that was the first to see the light of day.

She even acted in 10 films, including “Pahili Mangalagaur”, “Badi Maa” (1945), “Jeevan Yatra” (1946), “Mandir” (1948), along with cameos in “Chhatrapati Shivaji” and “Pukar” (2000).

That’s not all. The book also reveals that Lata used to compose songs under the pen name of Anandaghan. She also composed the music for two Bengali songs – “Tare ami chokhe dekhini” and “Ami nei”, which were sung by the versatile Kishore Kumar.

She also composed tracks for five Marathi movies including “Ramram Pahune”.

There is more information in the book – Lata also produced the Marathi movie “Vadaal” (1953) and Hindi films “Jhaanjhar” (1953), “Kanchan” (1955) and “Lekin” (1990).

She was also the producer of the Hindi TV serial “Kuchh Paya Kuchh Khoya” (1989).

Asked what had prompted to write the book, Chatterjee told IANS: “It is very disappointing that till date there are no authentic compilations of Lataji’s songs.

“The paperbacks available at roadside bookstalls are all full of errors. Even the media feeds the public wrong information about the total number of songs she has sung so far,” he added.

“I have always been a diehard Lata fan. But I hit upon the idea of bringing out an authentic compendium of her songs back in 1990 when I started collecting recordings of her songs,” Chatterjee said.

In 2001, Chatterjee even figured in the Limca Book of Records for this effort.

“Lataji has so far rendered 7,000 songs in various languages, including both film and non-film songs. I have all her songs in the form of gramophone records, cassettes, audio and video CDs.

“No one can challenge me with a song that is not included in my collection. Even Lataji has acknowledged my work and sent me her best wishes,” Chatterjee maintained.

Courtesy : www.bollywoodworld.com

When it comes to rules, Priyanka Chopra makes no exceptions, even if it is boyfriend Harman Baweja. The actress refused to kiss the newcomer in Love Story 2050 though a kiss was part of the original script.

“It doesn’t matter who the co-star. I won’t do certain things on screen,” Priyanka told IANS.

When asked about the kiss, Harman said, “It’s true. Both dad and I felt a kiss would have been most appropriate midway through the narration when the first Priyanka character dies in my arms. Dad had written a kiss into the story here. I was supposed to kiss her as she dies in my arms. But Priyanka chose not to shoot the kiss. We respected her decision and let it be.”

But why is Priyanka reluctant to express love in a natural way with a kiss, especially when the co-star is Harman?

“That’s exactly why she didn’t do the kiss. She couldn’t make a concession with me because then other filmmakers would’ve accused her of preferential treatment. So we simply scrapped the smooch.”

Priyanka, incidentally, had done a kiss in her first film Andaaz.

“But that’s when she was new and had no choice. Now on principle she won’t kiss on screen. I respected her decision,” Harman said.

It may be for the first time that Katrina must have celebrated her birthday in such a grand manner complete with big media coverage and attended by some of the most high profile names of the Tinsel Town.

Its quite natural for the magnitude of the celebrations to increase when compared to the past as now she is not the same girl who came to Bollywood a couple of years back.

The titles that have been bestowed upon her in such a short time can make any other leading lady a little bit jealous.

What more should she ask for when she is the sexiest woman in the whole planet, the sultry beauty who graced the cover of the most expensive magazine of the world, the heroine with four back to back hits in 2007 and a block buster in 2008 and is the sweet lady love of none other than Salman Khan.

Other than Salman Khan, his father Salim Khan, mother Helen, and other family members, the big party was attended by Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Govinda, Ranbir Kappor, Deepika Padukone, Dino Morea, Rishi Kapoor, directors David Dhawan, Aneez Bazmee, Karan Johar and Kunal Kohli, yesteryear heroine Karishma Kapoor, Choreographer Shiamak Davar, Rajpal Yadav, etc..

It was not long ago that Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif was called the ‘sexiest lady in the world’ by a leading magazine. If that wasn’t all, the stunner has added another feather to her cap- featuring on the cover page of world’s costliest lifestyle magazine, ‘Kohl’.

Katrina Kaif has featured on the cover of Damas-designed ‘Kohl’, which is covered with 91 grams of gold and encrusted with 622 diamonds. This special edition front cover is reportedly valued at more than USD 10,000 and will be auctioned for charity. The specially commissioned Kohl cover will be displayed at various Damas stores throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council until October 2008, when it will be auctioned at a gala charity event.

The magazine stills, that have been shot by famous celebrity photographer Avinash Gowariker, will see Katrina dressed in a sleek black sleeveless dress.

With her latest achievement, the stunning beauty has overtaken all the other heroines and can be content with the fact that now she is indeed the most recognized and preferred face among the leading ladies to add glamour and style when it comes to products and publications.

Preity Zinta will be conferred with the Smita Patil Memorial Award 2008 for her ‘outstanding’ contribution to the Hindi film industry.

‘Priety’s name has been announced for the award,’ sources close to the actor told IANS here Tuesday.

‘The award will be presented sometime in September,’ the sources added.

The biennial award is given by an NGO Priyadarshini Academy engaged in socio-cultural and educational activities.

Priyadarshini Academy has been holding the biennial award function since its inception in 1984.

In the past, distinguished celebrities like Yash chopra, Karishma Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit have been bestowed with this ward. Kareena Kapoor was the recipient of the award in 2006.