I’m honoured to be working with Yash Chopra – Salman Khan

After over two decades of being in the film industry, actor Salman Khan has finally signed his first project with Yash Raj Films (YRF). He says the film will be challenging and that he is excited about it.The romantic thriller “Ek Tha Tiger”, will be directed by Kabir Khan, and will feature Katrina Kaif opposite Salman.

“In the past, Adi (Aditya Chopra) and I have met a few times on various projects but somehow when Kabir and he came to me with this particular story, we all just knew that this was the one,” Salman said in a press statement.

The 45-year-old says he is glad to be associated with YRF.

“It is a very ambitious project and will be a challenge for all of us, but that’s exactly what makes it such a big draw. Above all this, I’m honoured to be working with Yash-ji (Yash Chopra), who has worked so closely with my dad (Salim Khan) in the past,”

Veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra, the head honcho of YRF, is equally upbeat about working with Salman, who he feels has come a long way in Bollywood.

“Everyone knows my association with Salim saab, having worked together on ‘Deewaar’, ‘Trishul’ and ‘Kaala Patthar’. It is a very happy moment for me and YRF to have his son Salman with us for the first time.

“Over the years, Salman has become a very matured and talented actor and both he and the beautiful Katrina have a tremendous connect with their audiences. Combined with Kabir’s edgy directorial skills, we can all look forward to a thrilling film,” said Chopra.

The script of “Ek Tha Tiger” is based on a story written by Yash and Aditya Chopra. The screenplay and dialogues have been written by Kabir Khan and Neelesh Misra, while the music will be scored by Pritam Chakraborty.

The film will go on floors early July, and is slated for a mid-2012 release.

Abhishek acts funny with wife Aishwarya

"I was very keen to do a comedy after a spate of more serious films and also Aishwarya and I haven't done a comedy together, so I'm excited about this film," Abhishek told IANS in an e-mail interview from Murmansk, Russia.

To be produced and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film is slated for a 2012 release and is set to go on the floors in the first week of July this year.

"It's a great script, very funny and Raj-ji is directing it. We've been very keen to work together for a long time. I'm very happy that we will be finally working together," he said.
In the film, Abhishek plays a guy with an insatiable roving eye and Aishwarya sportingly allows her husband to do so.

When asked to give more details, the 35-year-old said: "It wouldn't be correct to speak about the film at this juncture."
In the last two years, he has only worked in serious movies like "Paa", "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" and "Dum Maaro Dum".

Abhishek and Aishwarya, who tied the knot in 2007, teamed up for the first time on screen for the 2001 movie "Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke". Three years later Rohan Sippy roped them in for his directorial debut "Kuch Naa Kaho" and then J.P. Dutta made "Umrao Jaan" (2006) with the two -- all these films didn't do well.

Their first big hit as a couple was Mani Ratnam's "Guru" (2007), followed by Ram Gopal Varma's "Sarkar Raj".
In Sanjay Gadhvi's hit action thriller "Dhoom 2", they shared the screen, but not as a couple. Aishwarya also made a special appearance in the hit song "Kajrare" in the Abhishek starrer "Bunty Aur Babli".

They were last seen on screen in "Raavan", which was declared a dud.

Abhishek, whose "Game" bombed at the box office, is elated with the positive response to "Dum Maaro Dum".

"I haven't had the time to sit down and reflect on the film. But I think youth have really connected with it. I always said Rohan has always made very cool films. The script by Shridhar and an all-round great team performance I think has worked for the film," he added.

"Dum Maaro Dum" also starred Bipasha Basu, Prateik Babbar and Rana Daggubati among others.

Abhishek, who is currently shooting in Russia for Abbas-Mustan's "Players", which again has Bipasha, also came clean on allegations that he was not happy with the climax of "Dum Maaro Dum" and wanted to get it changed.
"Nothing like that. Rohan has always been kind enough to involve me in the entire creative process of his films. I had suggestions. Some he used and some he didn't. It's all part of the process of making a film," he said.

JAMES BOND ONCE AGAIN COMING TO INDIA

The 23rd film in the franchise to be shot in and around the city

James Bond might well be coming to town sometime soon.

A highly-placed source informs that Bond 23, the newest film in the hugely successful franchise will be shooting in and around Mumbai

Director Sam Mendes recently made a hush-hush visit to the city along with production designer Terry Bamber in mid-April for the film's recce. 

The movie will be shot in Mumbai and Goa during the monsoon season on a month-long schedule," reveals our source.

The crew of the film is an excited but nervous lot. They expect the shoot to be a maddening one, given Bond's fan following here.

India Take One, who also did line production for Slumdog Millionaire, are doing the production for this film as well. 

ONCE BEFORE
Octopussy (1983), the 13th film in the Bond series, was shot in Agra and Udaipur. Roger Moore played Bond in the movie which had Kabir Bedi and Vijay Amritraj in the cast. 

RECENT SHOOTERS
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises (in Jodhpur on May 6 and May 7)
Ang Lee's Life Of Pi starring Irrfan Khan and Tabu shot in Pondicherry 
Brad Bird's Mission Impossible-Ghost Protocol starring Tom Cruise and Anil Kapoor 
Michael Winterbottom's Trishna starring Frieda Pinto shot in Rajasthan and Mumbai.