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 The Booker used to be the most exciting publishing moment but now you have Salman Khan playing Chetan Bhagat which is a cooler thing, says the author of bestsellers 'Five point someone' and ' One night at a call centre'. "It is exciting that modern Indian stories are finding a place in bookstores and even doing well. We are no longer writing for western audiences," says Bhagat. Chetan hit the bull's eye through his first novel 'Five point someone' which is a story of three IIT students who are unable to cope with the pressures of life. Now Munnabhai fame director Rajkumar Hirani is making '3 Idiots' on this with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor in the lead, while Salman starrer ' Hello' is based on ' One night at a call centre' and slated for release on 10th October. He thinks that Bollywood is an ideal platform to reach the Hindi readers. "For me Hindi readers are as classy as the English readers. Hindi is my country's language and if I don't reach reach the Hindi readers, I can not call myself an Indian writer. Bollywood is also an effort in the same direction. Don't forget I wrote the script of 'Hello' in Hindi," says Chetan. "I believe the hand of God is on me. My destiny is being shaped up by higher powers. Forget superstars, I had no idea my stories will ever become films," says the IIT and IIM scholar. Aamir, who is in his forties, is playing Ryan, a dare deviled student in 'Idiots' and the writer feels that the actor is extremely talented to carry off any role. "Aamir has defied his age in screen all the time. Raju (Hirani) has taken the story forward and Aamir suits the role," he says. With two superstar 'Khans' are playing lead in films based on real life stories of Chetan, whom did he consider is closer to his persona. "I think I oscillate between the two. However I am more like Salman than Aamir. I don't take it all too seriously. Don't be serious, be sincere is my mantra." says the investment banker, who lived in Hongkong for 11 years and came back to India this year only. Unlike Kiran Desai, Arundhati Rai or other contemporary writers Chetan does not emphasis on the literal aspect but keen on maintaining the flow of the story. He is also adamant on not changing his style. "I write simple books with a strong storyline, fun dialogues and a bit of message. The definition of a good novel varies for people but I think a good book should make you feel happy. I can't change my style even if I want to." says the writer. Chetan is gaining popularity among Hindi intelligentsia as well and according to Prabhat Publications demand of Hindi version of his books is growing day by day. In first fortnight only 15000 copies of each book has already been sold out. Investment banker, writer and now Bollywood, what next is in line. "I have too much on my plate. In the next year I want a better balance and figure out which role is most important to me. I want to specialise," claims Chetan. Related StoriesBooker-Prize-winner-In-Films.  Famous writer and social activists Arundhathi Roy and her mother Mary Roy is entering cinema as characters. Rajesh Jayaraman, the scripter of the new Shaji Kailas film Time has created characters in the film, whose whereabouts and character moulds suggests of the famous mother and daughter of Malayalam. The name of the characters in the film is Susan Thomas and Mary Thomas. The daughter played by Padmapriya is a booker prize winner who makes fiery intrusions in social matters. While the mother more Salman-Khan-in-Barjatya’s-Vivah Sooraj Barjatya’s forthcoming movie will have a shot of his lucky mascot. The very opening shot of Vivah will have Salman Khan . However, it won’t be the actor in flesh and blood, but just a life-size poster of him. Barjatya is known for his superhit films like Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun , which featured Salman in main roles. Both films had Salman playing the lead character Prem. ‘Vivah’, however, has Shahid Kapur playing Prem, because the film is a love story of a young couple. But Barjatya decided to include his lucky mascot Salman in the film. So he shot the opening scene of the film on a poster of Salman from his film Saawan - The Love Season which released and bombed early this year. more Is-Salman-Khan-insecure-about-Katrina-Kaif-  Rumours are that Salman Khan is not too happy with Katrina Kaif working with certain co-stars. Buzz is that due to this, Salman insists on accompanying Katrina for most of her film assignments. Salman even recently even accompanied Katrina for the dubbing sessions of Namaste London which has Akshay Kumar opposite Katrina. Sources claim that Salman is not too happy with Katrina working with certain co-stars and that is why he seen tagging along with her for her shoots. Is Salman feeling ins more Salman-Khan-plays-a-Muslim-cleric  Salman Khan plays an important cameo in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movie Saawariya.The movie which introduces Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor has Salman playing a brief role as a hardcore Muslim cleric.It is still not known whether Salman’s character in the film is just a hardcore religious person or he also has a fundamentalist streak. Reports have it that Salman met some Muslim clergymen to prepare for his role in the movie. He also took a lot of help from his father Salim Khan. In real life, Sal more Oh-bowler,-my-brethren! Fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar, met Salman Khan at his Bandra residence. Salman, it turns out, is helping Shoaib with his filmi aspirations  He did not get into Mahesh Bhatt's Gangster, but seems that his desire of getting a break into Bollywood has not waned. On Thursday, Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar met Bollywood superstar Salman Khan at the actor's residence, Galaxy, at Bandstand. Shoaib drove in to Galaxy a li more Salman-Khan-takes-a-keen-interest-in-Katrina’s-bollywood-career  Salman Khan is up to his old antics once again, he seems to be tagging along everywhere that girlfriend Katrina Kaif goes. On most of her film shoots, Salman is always seen accompanying the actress. Is Salman feeling insecure that his beautiful girlfriend will be working opposite some of the most eligible actors in bollywood or is he merely taking a keen interest in his girl’s career? However Salman is doing his best to encourage Katrina’s budding career in bollywood. According to sources, Salman has been seen accompanying more Salman-denies-rumours-of-Barjatya-film! Together they created magic and shattered many box office records and now we hear murmurs of a possible coming together of Sooraj Barjatya and the original Prem of his successful films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath Saath Hain. The move has raised many eyebrows in Bollywood, since the two of them haven't worked together after the infamous black buck hunting case haunted the making of their film Hum Saath Saath Hain. And though Sooraj tried unsuccessfully to replace Salman with Hrithik, Abhishek and Shahid he met with limited success, except for his latest Vivah which has been appreciated and is doing well, but again it failed to create the mass hysteria associated with any of the earlier Salman starrers. So will the more Salman-chachu-ke-saath  Yesterday we had reported that Salman Khan had walked the red carpet at International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) with a young girl. Well, the girl was none other than Narmada Ahuja, daughter of Govinda. Narmada happened to walk the red carpet with her 'Salman chachu', only by chance. It happened thus. Govinda was running late at the Awards function and that's when Narmada asked her father if she could go ahead with Salman chachu, to the venue. And Govinda said she could. It is a well-known fa more Salman-Khan-dresses-up-like-a-girl!  Bollywood’s macho man Salman Khan will be seen in girl’s attire in Sajid Nadiadwala’s soon-to-be-released flick Jaaneman . As per reports, when the director Shirish Kunder asked Salman to dress up like a lady, the actor refused initially but eventually gave the shot according to the need of the director. The film is a musical comic love story which also stars Preity Zinta and Akshay Kumar with Salman. Aki and Salman’s jodi has already given a fabulous performance in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi where they were paired o more The-Salman-Vivek-cold-war-continues-  While the lady for whom they fought in the first place is now set to marry another man, Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi still continue to be on unfriendly terms. The Salman-Vivek cold war has now been continuing for nearly four years. Things got sour between them when Vivek called a press conference in 2003 and alleged that Salman made threatening phone calls to him. The two had a spat over actress Aishwarya Rai . Since then, Ash has moved on into a new relationship, but the Salman- more |
