It's not been an easy time for the We Are Family director Siddharth Malhotra. As though some of the reviews for his directorial debut were not cutting enough, Siddharth had to cope with the sudden illness of his mother. On Tuesday morning the lady was rushed to Lilavati hospital. Discernibly distressed Siddharth said, "My mom had been under some pain for a few days now. We suspected it to be a stone on the kidney. We had to take her to hospital. Here it was discovered that she was suffering from acute pneumonia." Siddharth's producer Karan Johar was one of the first well-wishers to arrive at the hospital. Gradually friends, relatives and well-wishers from the film industry began trickling in Lilavati. And it truly felt like family for the We Are Family director. The past week has been confusing for Siddharth. "I am told the young don't connect with family films. So should we all just make young romantic films?"

She took everyone by surprise by her stunning good looks and equally applaud-worthy acting skills when she made her debut with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. Post her marriage to Jyoti Randhawa, Chitrangda Singh disappeared for sometime but is back again and how. Not only does she have a fair share of work in films waiting for her but she is also all set to be a judge on a reality show on Imagine TV and will start shooting for the 13 episodes by the end of this month. While Chitrangda is all set to plunge into this one, she will soon start shooting for Desi Boyz with Akshay Kumar. She is also anxiously waiting to start work on Sudhir Mishra's Yeh Saali Zindagi in which she is playing a musician who uses a man in love with her, to get the one she actually fancies. Sounds interesting and with an actor like Chitrangda at the in lead, it would surely be a good watch.

After directing the Akshay Kumar- Kareena Kapoor starrer Kambakkht Ishq last year, Sabbir Khan is now ready to get rolling with his next project, once again for producer Sajid Nadiadwala. The film in question is a love story tentatively titled Heer And Ranjha and the buzz is that Shahid Kapoor has been signed to play the male lead. The hunt for the female lead is still on. The makers are still tight-lipped about the project as it's too early to talk about it but in all probability the film will go on floors sometime in Feb 2011. As for Shahid, this would be the project that he would be jumping onto after wrapping up dad Pankaj Kapur's Mausam. Incidentally, this is the first time that Shahid would be working with Sajid Nadiadwala who has worked with almost all the big names in the industry. Director Sabbir Khan too has been working extra hard on the script of this young love story. With the combo of Sajid, Shahid and Sabbir coming together, this one promises to be another fun-filled entertainer.

Though Dibakar Banerjee's next film is called Shanghai it won't be shot in China. And though this political thriller has a wonderful role for the female protagonist it won't star Katrina, as expected. But Banerjee is sold on his old favourite Abhay Deol. What's more, the uncompromising director has even modified the main character in the script of his next film Shanghai accordingly. Dibakar now hopes that Abhay's next two films, which are out-and-out commercial ventures, would work. "This would automatically help my project to acquire an enhanced commercial clout. Although let me add we're making it on a tight budget of Rs. 12 crores with no frills. Shanghai is not an extravaganza. And it certainly won't be shot in China!" The film will be produced by PVR. Thanks to the success of Prakash Jha's Raajneeti, gritty political thrillers seem to have a life beyond the film festivals. Laughs Dibakar, "I told my writer, thanks to the success of Raajneeti we now know there's a market for more than just teenybopper romances and farcical comedies. Shanghai, let me tell you, is not set in China. The title describes a mindset. Beyond that I wouldn't like to reveal the plot." This is the same project that Dibakar wanted to make with Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif. "But Imran said no to Shanghai," informed Dibakar. "That's when me and writer Urmi Juvekar decided to change the character. With Imran out the script suddenly, it became more gritty. The protagonist's character was naïve and innocent when Imran was to play him. Now he's not that innocent." Dibakar hopes that Shanghai would take Abhay's career to the next level of stardom. Says the director, "When an actor evolves the project too changes. When I did Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye with Abhay that was a different actor. Today after Dev D (for Abhay) and Love Sex Aur Dhokha (for Dibakar) we're both in a different zone creatively." Dibakar recently returned from the Munich Film Festival which concluded on July 4. His Love Sex Aur Dhokha had four screenings in Munich. Dibakar was overwhelmed by the response, "The Indian films in Munich were not your typical Bollywood films. Nor were they obscure offbeat kinds. They were successfully unconventional films like mine and Abhishek Choubey's Ishqiya. One of my screenings was held on the day Germany was playing for the World Cup against Argentina. And we were still full!" Dibakar feels the praise for LSD from abroad is a sign of the changing attitude of the West to our cinema. "What I liked was the fact that we were judged as world cinema, not 'Bollywood'. 70 percent of the audience at each screening was German. I feel Indian cinema will take a while to not be seen as anything more than a diversion by international audiences. But we're getting there." Back home, Dibakar continues to spend all his waking hours with his adopted daughter. Says the proud father. "Ira now has two front teeth. Watching her become an integral part of my wife's and my life is the greatest joy of I've experienced. I plan to return to direction next year."

The solidarity, unity and love within Salman Khan's family would put a Sooraj Barjatya film to shame. On Saturday evening, at a special screening of Vijay Anand's Teesri Manzil, Helen who played a pivotal part in the film couldn't make it because she was busy with a screening of Salman's Dabangg. Teesri Manzil's leading lady Asha Parekh who missed Helen at the screening says, "Why only Helen? Salim Khan saab too acted in Teesri Manzil! They both were expected for the screening. But couldn't come because of Salman's film. In fact, while I was watching Teesri Manzil, Helen called to invite me for a screening of Dabangg on Sunday." Talking about Helen, Asha Parekh states, "She looked so much lovelier and danced so much better than me in Teesri Manzil. She looks no more than 17-18 in the film. God bless her." The special screening of Vijay Anand's Teesri Manzil saw quite a turn-out of technicians and artistes association with this evergreen film. While the late Vijay Anand was represented by his son Siddharth, the film's producer, Nasir Hussain's son Mansoor Khan did not turn up for the show (Mansoor was in Ooty). Nasir saab was represented by his nephew Aamir Khan.

There was a guy who stayed alone in 'Patiala House', with his dog called 'Jumbo', since his 'Family' was staying abroad. He had taken a 'Saugandh' that he will either be a 'Sainik' or will join 'Police Force', because he always fancied the 'Khakee' uniform and the 'Barood'. That's why his childhood's favourite game was 'Tu Chor Main Sipahi'! He lived a very simple life and was ready to do any amount of 'Sangharsh' as he never believed in earning money through 'Hera Pheri', which made him everyone's 'Blue' eyed boy. He made 'Dosti' only with his work and never wasted his 'Waqt' with those who spent their time on 'Garam Masala' gossip! Whenever his 'Jaan-E-Mann' used to visit his house, he used to 'Welcome' her with open arms saying, 'Thank You' for coming. Since there was no 'Aitraaz' from his family, one fine day, he proposed to his girl by directly popping the question "Heyy Babyy… Mujhse Shaadi Karogi"??? Need we say more? Today is the birthday of the Superstar Akshay 'Khiladi' Kumar. In order to wish him, please post your wishes below:

Remember the Shiney Ahuja case that put the spotlight on the dark side of Bollywood? June last year, Shiney's maid lodged a Police complaint alleging that she was raped by the actor at his residence. Following the complaint, the actor was arrested on June 14 and was later released on bail. Taking a new twist now, the 20-year-old girl appeared before the court stating that she was never raped by Shiney and that she had filed the complaint against the actor at the behest of the woman who had secured her the job of a maid in Ahuja's residence. With this new development, the court declared her hostile and she may be punished by law for perjury. However a decision on the case hasn't yet been reached with the next hearing being scheduled on September 15.