Kaput Kapur

Just where is that chocolate box hero Shahid Kapur? After the hit Vivaah, Shahid hasn’t been seen much, except in that box office dud Fool N Final. But there’s hope for Shahid’s fans — led by a certain lady called Kareena Kapoor. Aziz Mirza has approached him for his next venture, and Shahid is ecstatic. “If you remember, it was Mirza who launched Shah Rukh Khan. Much of the credit for his success goes to Mirza. Maybe he can turn around my career too,” Shahid gushes. Shahid has an explanation for his vanishing act, too. “I had decided that I wouldn’t sign any film till I got a good script and director. When Aziz Mirza narrated the script of his new film to me, I immediately agreed,” he says. The upcoming film is a romantic comedy. And while that may be Shahid’s metier, girlfriend Kareena’s fingers must be firmly crossed.

Singer stinger

If you have not heard of Shriram, you are soon going to do so. The Indian engineer from New Zealand is all set to make his mark with his debut music album — Is Dhundh Mein. He was discovered by singer and music director Shankar Mahadevan, who heard him perform during one of his shows abroad. Shriram was persuaded to cut a disc — and he now hopes that the just released music video, shot in New Zealand, will help him get a foothold in the Indian music market. “What sets my album apart is the fact that listeners can easily identify themselves with the songs,” he says. That’s a beginning. Now all that he has to do is get a profile, so that audiences can identify with his face as well.

Mom mania

Madhuri Dixit is not what she used to be. The reason, she holds, is motherhood. Children do that to you, says the actress who now lives in the United States with her husband Sriram Nene and her two sons. “My sons have made me a fun person,” stresses Madhuri, who has just completed shooting for her comeback film Aaja Nachle. She adds that her sons, who accompanied her to India for the shoot, keep her on her toes. Ah — that would explain the hour-glass figure.

Life, penned

Ashatai is busy these days. Not just with notes — which continue to be her muse — but with the written word. Bollywood’s very versatile and colourful singer Asha Bhosle is almost ready with her autobiography which she has penned in three languages — Hindi, Marathi and English. The legendary singer has been working on the autobiography for over two years now, though she has not zeroed in on a publisher yet. “The book will present her entire life — professional as well as personal,” says her son, Anand Bhosle. It is expected to contain rich details about the legendary Mangeshkar family of singers. Will it have anything on the so-called rivalry between the two nightingales — Asha and Lata? We have to wait and watch.

Face to face

Guess who’s coming to India? Diane Sawyer, that’s who. One of the most formidable television journalists of the United States, Sawyer has interviewed a host of world leaders — including Saddam Hussain, Fidel Castro and George W. Bush. Known for her steam-roller tactics, the ABC co-host of Good Morning America plans to visit India to interview Congress president Sonia Gandhi. So far, 10 Janpath has not said yes. But Sawyer is not the kind to give up easily either. So watch out for the mother of all battles.