Rishi told IANS: "I am very proud that my son is trying to keep the flag of the Kapoor's flying. I always encourage him and want him to do better work."

Rishi wants Ranbir to be successful while being level headed.

"I want his head on his shoulders. I want him to be very realistic about the fact. Films is not just a joke, it's our family business and I am happy that he is serious about his career and his work," said Rishi.

Although Ranbir, 30, had a dull start with "Saawariya", but thanks to his choice of roles in "Wake Up Sid", "Raajneeti", "Rockstar" and "Barfi", the youngster has a carved a niche for himself in just six years.

"He is an actor who has taken a less travelled route. He is choosing different films and doing films that are not the staple diet of film heroes. For that I give him credit. The choice of his films are totally his, all creative decisions are his, I have no contribution to that at all. People feel I chose his films, but it's not so. I am just his father, not his manager," said Rishi.

Was Ranbir sure shot about becoming an actor?

"He knew his family business is such, so you are inclined to get into it, which is very natural. That must have influenced him. He wanted to go to a film school, so he went there and got trained as an actor. And god has been kind, he has given him some kind of strength to maintain his name," said Rishi, whose family has been a part of Indian filmdom for the past 85 years.

Ranbir, the great grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor, represents the fourth generation of the Kapoors with cousins Karisma and Kareena.

Although his son was experimenting a lot in the beginning, but in his heydays, Rishi was stuck to romantic roles in "Bobby", "Khel Khel Mien" and "Karz".

He didn't get to experiment much during that time, but recently films like "Do Dooni Chaar" and "Agneepath" have given him a chance to make up for the lost opportunities.

"I have never got to play these kind of roles when I was younger. When you are young, you want to do romantic roles. Now I am playing all kinds of roles, which are very prominent to the subject and I am happy that they came my way. I love to experiment with different roles," said the 60-year-old who was tagged "cholcolate hero" and "lover boy" in his prime in the 1980s.

Although his father Raj Kapoor was an actor and director par excellence and established R.K. Films, but Rishi -- who burnt his fingers by going behind the camera for Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai starrer "Aa Ab Laut Chalen" in 1999 -- has no plans to wear the director's hat.

"I am not planning to direct any film. I have so much work. God has been kind and I am happy with the work I am doing right now. I want to be focused," said the actor busy with "D-Day", and two more films to be directed under Yash Raj Films banner, "Kaanchi" and "Besharam".

In an interview, Rishi had said that when his first film "Bobby" came, his actor uncle Shashi Kapoor had arranged for a grand welcome for him at an airport. But the new trend of promotional activities are different and stressful, he says.

"Promotions these days are very stressful. I see my son doing it more than me. He is right now promoting his 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' and I see him running around here and there - sometimes in London, sometimes in Dubai. It is very stressful," he said.

"I never thought of being a part of the small screen. If anything they said was for TV, I would say no without even thinking about it," Abhay, who will be hosting Zee TV's new show "Connected Hum Tum", said.

When the project came his way, he said, his manager "was like just consider it, at least take a look at it".

"Then I took a look at it and I got interested," he said.

The show also made him question his close-mindedness about TV.

"I asked myself 'What is it about TV that you are closed to?' The interest generated through the show made me question my close-mindedness towards TV."

"Connected Hum Tum" is about six women, who will capture every moment of their lives through cameras. Abhay will try to link their stories together.

Abhay, 37, was launched by his uncle Dharmendra in his home production "Socha Na Tha" opposite Ayesha Takia.

Asked how it feels to be born in a star family, the actor said: "One gets bored as there is nothing black and white in life."

"At some places it's an advantage and at some it's a disadvantage. It depends on person to person, situation to situation and project to project."

After "Socha Na Tha" in 2005, he found his own space by doing films like "Oye Lucky!Lucky Oye!, "Dev D", "Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd." and "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". His "Manorama Six Feet Under" won the best film award at the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival.

Abhay started living on his own when he was 18 after graduating from Otis Parson's School of Fine Arts and Design, California. Though his parents were apprehensive about his decision to begin with, they later accepted it.

"They were just concerned: was I comfortable and safe? As soon as they knew that I was not being stupid and I was not going to do anything stupid, they were fine with it, and accepted for what I am. I have a great family that way."

The "Dev D" star also opened up about his relationship with actress-super model Preeti Desai.

"We have a regular relationship like any two people in love, with its ups and downs, with good and bad."

Asked about how his family responded to his live-in relationship, he said: "My family is very traditional and they are more conservative. But I was born in a city that accepted all kinds of people; so if I am to look at myself as someone from an urban centre, I am quite normal by being non-traditional."

He added: "I don't judge my family for what they are and they don't judge them for who I am. It took some time, but they are comfortable with it now."

The actor has just finished the shoot for his film "One By Two" in which he stars with Preeti, who was earlier seen in "Shor In The City". The film is also his debut as a producer.

He will also be seen in a special appearance in the Sonam Kapoor-Dhanush starrer "Raanjhnaa" releasing June 21.

"I like everything about stardom. I don't mind being in the public eye. If anyone tells you that they want to be a film actor but they don't want to be a star, that means they are lying. I love acting and love the fact the people like both my work and me. I am not pretentious enough to say that I cannot stand the attention," Sonam said in an interview.

The 27-year-old, who was seen in "Aisha" and "I hate Luv Stories", will be next seen in Aanand L. Rai's "Raanjhanaa" as well as "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" and YRF's untitled film. Sonam will also be seen in the remake of 1980 film "Khubsoorat" that was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and starred Rekha and Rakesh Roshan in the lead roles.

The fact that she gets to don so many different characters is something which attracted her to the industry.

"I love being in front of the camera and I love creating new things. Can you imagine a girl from Juhu playing a girl from Chandni Chowk or a girl from Banaras or a girl from Defence Colony. It is amazing to be able to play different people," said Sonam, who has also been the part of films like "Delhi-6" and "Players".

Having said that, she does believe her job to be a challenging one.

"People are not as bad as people think they are in the industry. We work very hard with odd hours. It is not only emotional, but has physical and mental work as well," she said.

She is inspired by veterans like Rekha, Nutan and Waheeda Rehman.

"I did meet Rekha and she was like 'it is amazing that you are doing the remake'. There are three or four heroines who I am obsessed with. They are Waheeda Rehman, Nutan, Rekha, Jaya Bachchan and Sridevi. I copy them all the time," she said.

The actress said she would love to be a part of "Guide", "Saraswatichandra" and "Umrao Jaan".

"I would love to remake 'Guide' of Waheeda Ji, 'Saraswatichandra' of Nutan, I am the part of 'Khubsoorat' and I would love to do 'Umrao Jaan'...the make up and thumris were just amazing. I have completely copied Waheeda Ji's performance in 'Guide' in my film 'Raanjhanaa'."

In Sonam's view, the trend of remakes is good.

"I think every generation re-looks at a story. I don't think there is anything wrong with remakes," she said.

There's a thin line between "naughty" and "sleazy", he believes.

Why is comedy all about sleaze nowadays?

"Everything should have a representative, I guess! So, also have a branch of comedy, which is sleazy, but I suppose there is an audience for that as well. There are different kinds of people in our country, and you've got to cater to all."

"But I don't think I want to make a sleazy film. I'd rather make a naughty one," the 42-year-old said over phone from Mumbai.

"Go Goa Gone", his production and acting venture, releases May 10. Starring Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das and Anand Tiwari in key roles, the movie, as Saif believes, is a "naughty" kind!

Narrating a scene from the movie, he said: "There's a scene in which Kunal's character goes and buys condoms. The shopkeeper asks him, 'So what kind of condoms do you want?' and then Kunal's character says, 'Well, the ones for having sex!'

"So this, I think is naughty and funny, but not sleazy."

While the movie has been heavily promoted as a 'zombie' film, Saif says it's not all that "zombie".

"It's a very urban movie, it's a funny one and not aimed at buying anyone into the theory of the zombie. It is essentially a story of these three boys and their ridiculous adventures. So, I think it's nice if we can just laugh a little bit without thinking what's a zombie and all of that," he said.

The idea behind "Go Goa Gone" was also to cater to the audience which wants "new and exciting" genres and storylines.

"The audience is ready and maturing. So it is up to us now to give them the content. I remember Kunal (Kemmu) came up to me with this script, and said this is a comedy about zombies. At first I was apprehensive to try something new, to produce something new, but then when I read the script, I laughed out loud quite a number of times."

"I believe the audience will laugh too," Saif said.

The budget for the film, he said, was "not very much". But he promises they haven't "cheated" the audience.

He said the crew shot a lot on beaches and in jungles of Mauritius, besides getting Hollywood experts to work on the zombies' make-up. Saif's own look is different in the film - he sports blonde locks.

"I liked the idea," he said.

The 27-year-old, who has played feminine roles in films like "Aisha" and "I hate Luv Stories", enjoys the company of women.

"I love girls, I surround myself with only women. I think men bring negativity into your life sometimes. Only women work with me," Sonam said in an interview.

She may not have been wise in choosing her roles, but the actress has proved that she never goes wrong in making style statements. She admits it's a challenge to innovate winning looks every time she steps out.

"It is a challenge and that is why you have great products to help you and I have great people to help me look good. When you see me normally, I don't look so good," she said.

Terming herself a bit "self-obsessed", Sonam admitted that it is her sister, Rhea Kapoor, who gives styling tips to her dad, actor Anil Kapoor.

"My sister is really good at that. I am really self-obsessed; so I only concentrate on myself," the 27-year-old confessed.

While tackling a tough work schedule, Sonam stays fit by following a strict food regime.

"I eat right, I have a nutritionist who takes care of me. I have people who are constantly firing me to drink enough water. It's about eating right, drinking enough water and being happy in general...surrounding yourself with positive, happy people," she said.

As far as acting is concerned, she will next be seen in "Raanjhanaa", "Bhaag Mikha Bhaag", the "Khoobsurat" remake and YRF's untitled film and says her endeavour is to be different on the screen.

"Raanjhanaa is a very real character. She is a serious person. I don't think one character has also been similar to my last character. The characters that I have in 'Raanjhanaa', 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', 'Khoobsurat' and YRF's untitiled film, all are very different. They are about girls with incredibly different characters and journeys," said Sonam.

"Raanjhanaa" will see her teaming up with southern star Dhanush and she said: "I love Aishwarya and Dhanush. They are the most amazing couple. I can call Dhanush a really good friend now. He is so respectful and modest and an incredible actor."

Is Sonam ready to step into the southern film industry?

"I would love to do a southern film. I saw how tough it was for Dhanush, so I am scared about it," she said.

]]> http://hindi.way2movies.com/interviewssingle_hindi/Anil-Kapoor-About-Shootout-At-Wadala-15386-235856.html&feed=rss 0 http://hindi.way2movies.com/interviewssingle_hindi/Im-returning-to-fiction-after-nine-years:-Mandira-Bedi--15386-233038.html http://hindi.way2movies.com/interviewssingle_hindi/Im-returning-to-fiction-after-nine-years:-Mandira-Bedi--15386-233038.html#comments 2013-04-20 14:52:39 aditya http://hindi.way2movies.com/interviewssingle_hindi/Im-returning-to-fiction-after-nine-years:-Mandira-Bedi--15386-233038.html TV viewers loved her as Shanti and they loved to even hate her as the Mandira of "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi". After staying away from fiction shows for nine years, actress Mandira Bedi is set to make a comeback. At 41, she is glad she won't be playing a mother on screen.

"I'm coming back to fiction shortly, after nine years," Mandira said over the phone from Mumbai. The actress, who ruled the small screen with her popular fiction show "Shanti" in the 1990s, was confident her new show will be a "game-changer".

Without divulging any details about her comeback vehicle, she said it is "simply the project" that lured her back.

"I can't say anything about it because I haven't signed the contract yet. All I can tell you is that it is going to be a game-changer on Indian television. It had to be something special for me to come back because all these years, I have been away from fiction and, yes, this is not even a daily soap," she added.

The multi-faceted actress, who has been in plays, TV soaps, films and live shows - and featured in two IPL telecasts - is also kicked about turning anchor for music reality show "Indian Idol Junior". But her joy of returning to the fiction space reflected in her voice.

Mandira then gave out a bit more on the show.

"All my contemporaries are playing moms on screen, I am not playing a mother in this one. I have been able to dodge that bullet so far. I've been in this business for 19 years, and so if I've managed to dodge the bullet for that long, I hope to do that for some time more," she said in an excited tone.

Mother of a son who is yet to turn two, Mandira admits there were reasons why she was away from the fiction space all this while.

"'Shanti' was a very aspirational character. Then in between, Indian television went through this phase when soaps got into regressive kind of characters. The sole motive of the protagonists would be to keep peace between family members and the greatsest obstacle would be to overcome a tough mother-in-law," said Mandira, who is married to filmmaker Raj Kaushal.

"I have been a part of a show like that as well, playing a negative character in 'Kyunki...'. But that's the last of fiction I did. So many years on, all this while there is nothing that appealed to me," she said.

Nevertheless, she pointed out a show like "Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin", which she felt was "positive" and "out-of-the-box". By then, she was caught in the midst of everything to do with anchoring!

"After I started hosting cricket shows, people just got so caught up with me being an anchor that they didn't look at me in any other way. And honestly, I didn't see myself giving 25 days a month to a daily soap.

"I hosted big TV shows after every little while, and I kept myself busy hosting corporate shows. I kept the actor in me alive through theatre. I didn't see myself getting into the daily soap business," she said.

Meanwhile, she is enjoying motherhood, watching the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and every bit of being in her 40s!

"Why not," she asked.