Big B on Ash’s B’day

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has wished daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai luck and happiness as she turns 37 today.

"Happy birthday daughter-in-law and may you achieve and get all that you so desire," Bachchan posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

Though Aishwarya is busy promoting her two upcoming movies - Action Replayy and Guzaarish - she has decided to celebrate the day with her family.

Bachchan family at the National Film Awards function - Photos

Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek, Jaya Bachchan at Big B's Birthday - Photos

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan at Amitabh Bachchan's Birthday - Photos

Amitabh Bachchan's birthday treat

Amitabh Bachchan's charisma and his rich baritone that made 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' such a huge hit were back in the fourth season of the game show that began October 11, with a slight change in format and more prize money.

The show kick-started on Amitabh's 68th birthday, and he said it felt like returning home.

"It's an important day for all of us because today the first episode of the new season of KBC was aired. I want to thank the entire team," said Amitabh, dressed in a black, self-printed striped suit and light blue tie, at an event to celebrate his birthday and the opening episode of the show.

"When I started shooting for the new season, I felt that I've returned to my home. You are always comfortable and happy in your own house and that's what I feel," he added.

Speaking in immaculate Hindi, Amitabh, who made a grand entry on the show, introduced the first 10 contestants in his signature style and then started the game with the first contestant, who won Rs.3,20,000.

This time, the quiz show based on popular Britian-based reality game show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?', will run for only nine weeks.

The show's first edition was aired in 2000 on Star Plus with the prize money of Rs.One crore.

In 2005, the show was renamed as 'Kaun Banega Crorepati Dwitiya' (KBC 2) in which the final prize amount was doubled to Rs.2 crore, but the show was abruptly ended as Big B fell ill and had shot only 61 episodes out of 85.

Then the third edition was hosted by Shah Rukh Khan with the same prize money but the show failed to create any magic on the TV screen as its TRPs dipped.

Now with the fourth edition, Big B is back on the small screen with a few changes in the format.

The prize money has shot up to Rs.5 crore and the show is now aired on Sony Entertainment channel.

The number of questions has been reduced from 15 to 12. This time there is a time limit to answer the questions. For the first two questions, the time limit is 30 seconds. From third to seventh question, one will have 45 seconds and after seventh question, there is no time limit.

KBC 4 will also have some innovative options for phoning a friend for help. In 'KBC 4', three experts will be there on call and you can talk to them as options for an answer. They will appear on TV live as opposed to a voice.

On the whole, the show looks exciting and has created a lot of hype. The only thing to wait and see is whether it will garner the same TRPs or not, specially with reality show 'Bigg Boss 4, hosted by Salman Khan running at the same time on Colors.

The K3G trio Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan walked the ramp at the Indian Couture Week in Mumbai - Photos

Amitabh Bachchan at 68

The celebrations for his birthday began almost a month in advance with his big win at the National Awards. But Amitabh Bachchan would like to spend his 68th birthday today (October 11) quietly in his den even as he mulls new moves like copyrighting his voice.

"I am going to be at home… I'll be spending it with family," Amitabh, who has done close to 200 films and won four National Awards, said.

The star's son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya are in South Korea but will be back in time for his birthday.

Responding to rumours that he would host a special party on his birthday, Big B said: "That whole news about some kind of celebration is wrongly reported."

The fourth season of the quiz show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' will be going on air on Sony TV coinciding with his birthday.

Buzz was that the channel has arranged for a birthday bash for him at the JW Marriott hotel in Mumbai.

"I am not sure what the channel wants me to do. They want me to cut a cake or something like that because they just want to be a part of my birthday so that's fine. I may go out and cut a cake or something like that.

"But generally I remain at home, I meet the family, be with them and yes if there are people who want to come and see me, then I go out and meet them," the star revealed.

Asked how different life would be at 68, he said: "Well, every year is different. What one can one say - I'll be completing 68 and stepping into 69. It's been 41 years in the industry. It's a long time."

That's enough material for an autobiography and his regular blog updates prove he is a prolific writer but Amitabh says he won't ever pen a memoir.

"No, No, No. I am incapable of writing a biography. Blogging is something I do casually and now I do Twitter and the voice blog but in any case I don't think there is anything worthwhile in my life to be written about.

"I'd rather live with my father's (legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan) biography which I think is really one of the best that I've seen. I'd rather live with that than write my own," he replied.

And he also plans to copyright his famous voice. "Voice mimics used to use voices and commercialise it. I think there are laws within the country perhaps inspired by some laws in the West where copyrighting and getting your attributes registered (is in practice) so that they cannot misuse it. I am in the process of doing that," he said.

Big B's grand birthday celebrations

Amitabh Bachchan had no major plans for his 68th birthday October 11, but Sony TV has now decided to throw a bash for the 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' host at a hotel in Mumbai.

It will be a double celebration as the fourth season of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' has been scheduled to go on air on Sony TV on Bachchan's birthday. The bash will be held at the J.W. Marriot and will be attended by Amitabh's family as well as film stars and other celebs.

"His family, actors John Abraham, Bipasha Basu and even cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni are expected to attend the party. Dhoni might fly down to Mumbai to wish him personally and be a part of the celebrations," a source from the channel said.

Amitabh's son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya are currently at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea, where their film 'Raavan' is being showcased. But they will be back in time for Big B's birthday.

Commonwealth Games opening wows B'wood

The controversy surrounding the Commonwealth Games was almost forgotten as the opening ceremony in New Delhi dazzled the world, including Bollywood. And the stars got tweeting about what impressed them. Here's what they had to say.

Amitabh Bachchan posted: India won again !! What a spectacular opening to the Games ... thank you !! Proud to be Indian .. now go win all the medals!!"

Abhishek Bachchan added: "Saw some glimpses of the CWG opening ceremony on TV. looked sensational!!!"

Shilpa Shetty wrote: Aah! after all the flak the Final result is spectacular at the CWG stadium:)Awesome!Heart swells with pride. Fingers crossed all shd go well."

Preity Zinta said: Watching the opening ceremony of Common wealth games ... Wow ! Its rocking !

Riteish Deshmukh wrote about the welcome for the Pakistani contingent: "Opening ceremony of CWG is looking spectacular. He added later, “Great to see a huge cheer by the crowd to welcome PAKISTAN- mark of a good host- proud to be an INDIAN"

Dia Mirza wrote: "Watching the CWG opening ceremony! WOW! So impressive! Wish all the countries the very best. Welcome to India!"

Neil Nitin Mukesh had this to say: "What a super start of the CWG. Its just spectacular"

And Indo-Pak couple Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik tweeted about the Games too. Sania wrote: "Watching the opening ceremony on tv..looks beautiful..wish I could have been there..have a match tomm so can't as our captain has said!" Her hubby added, "Watching glimpses of the CWG, Pakistan got a huge roaring welcome as they marched in, great to see."

Sanjay Dutt on 'KBC 4'

Amitabh Bachchan's coming back as the host of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', and he's bringing a bunch of star guests with him. It's confirmed now that Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham are among the B'wood players who'll be on the show. The episodes with Sanju and John have already been shot.

Now the question is will other members of the Bachchan family be on the show too? It would be fun to see Big B quiz Ash and Abhi.

But the bigger star attraction we think would be if former host Shah Rukh Khan were to come back on the show as a guest. Think Big B would give his okay to that? He's been saying that the channel decides which special guests appear on the show, but we think all Sr B would have to do is ask to get anyone he wants on the show.

Bollywood stands united for Ayodhya verdict

As the nation awaits the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid verdict today (September 30), B'wood stars have taken to Twitter and their blogs to appeal for peace and harmony regardless of the judgment.

Shahid Kapoor: "Let's be peaceful, let's be together... Let's be mature, let's learn to be the bigger person, see the larger picture ... and prove that above all .. WE ARE INDIAN."

Big B wrote on his blog, "There has never been such a strong demonstration by the media and by all concerned on the need to keep a balance in whatever the circumstances. Patience and will shall be on test."

Sonam Kapoor: "Remember, united we stand and divided we fall. Love and brotherhood has made our country strong, don't give that up."

Riteish Deshmukh: "United India is the religion I follow - Stay one - Be one - Let's show that we are a ONE-derful Country."

Fardeen Khan wrote: "India's greatest strength lies in its unity and today is a true test of that. Let's confront the Ayodhya issue in the spirit of understanding, tolerance, love and respect. If we do achieve that then we will be able to look back and proudly say that yes India is truly shining - Jai Hind."

Anupam Kher: "I am in Toronto, but my heart is in India. Let NO court verdict spoil our togetherness. Let us be ONE. Let us be INDIANS."

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar wrote on his Twitter page, "Let's not mutiliate 30-9-10 over 6-12-92. Religion is about peace and love, lets not make it about hate and violence!!!"

R. Madhavan: "Big Day today for all of us. I am not concerned which way the verdict goes. I Demand that not one more innocent suffers because of this. Need to defy the expected and react to the Verdict with maturity and restraint. Let's surprise ourselves and the world. I pray for peace and Harmony. Whatever the verdict."

Jewellery designer Farah Khan: "The Ayodhya verdict will not decide whether a temple or a mosque be built there. The verdict is going to decide who the land belongs to. In the sense who is the legal tenant of the 2.67 acres that is under dispute."

"Hopefully once that is sorted both communities can come together and put their differences aside for God does not ask for houses of worship to be built in his name. He owns the universe."

Prime Minister Manhmohan Singh and many other leaders have also appealed for peace and harmony in the nation ahead of the verdict by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi issue.

Big B's all-new 'Power'ful look

The one-time angry young man of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan has changed his looks for his new project 'Power' in which he is playing an action role after a long time.

In the recent past, we have seen the 67-year-old megastar mostly in French beard, but in this Rajkumar Santoshi's all-star project he sports a subtle beard, a scarf around his neck and is looking better than ever.

Big B has started shooting for a full-fledged film project after a gap of two years and he is feeling the pinch.

"Starting a film after a gap of almost two years can be a disturbing factor. The offers were there, the makers were there as were the stories," Big B wrote on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

"The intent was there as was the desire, but just somehow the time I guess was not there. And now when the time is there and the intent, many desires clear the way to start off again," he wrote.

Produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, the film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles.

Talking about the story, director Santoshi said: "I won’t disclose the story but it’s about the clash between the power of anger, lies and truth."

The director has roped in Hollywood action directors and stunt coordinators who have been a part of films like 'Spiderman' and the James Bond series.

Produced by Firoz A Nadiadwala, under the banner Nadiadwala Entertainment and Technologies, the film goes on the floors October 4.

Big B turns gangster for RGV

Ram Gopal Varma has once again teamed up with Amitabh Bachchan for 'Department' and says the film will see the star playing a gangster-turned-politician. He also clarified that his next directorial venture is neither a sequel to 'Company' nor a prequel to 'Ab Tak Chhappan.

"All I can tell you at the moment is that Mr. Bachchan plays a gangster-turned-politician in 'Department'. Whom he's modelled on is open to conjecture and I am certainly not telling," said Varma whose last film with Big B was 'Rann'.

"There are too many misconceptions floating around about the project. Mr. Bachchan is not playing a cop in 'Department'. It is not a sequel to 'Company' nor a prequel to 'Ab Tak Chhappan'," he added.

The film, said to be Ramu's most expensive project, is being feverishly scripted. Details are being kept under wraps since it involves some volatile characters.

In the film, Varma wants Big B's character to be a kind of grassroot-level superhero.

"I've always seen Mr. Bachchan as a hero of the masses. I want him to be cast as larger-than-life hero in 'Department'," he said.

Interestingly, Varma who has cast Amitabh and Abhishek in father-son roles in 'Sarkar' and 'Sarkar Raj', has not cast them in the same roles in 'Department'.

"No, Mr. Bachchan and Abhishek are not father and son in 'Department'. Abhishek and Sanjay Dutt are cops. They share a pupil-mentor relationship."

In real-life too Abhishek looks up to Dutt. "That's why I cast them as mentor and pupil," said Varma.

When asked about playing a gangster-turned-politician in 'Department', Big B said: "Oh, is that what Ramu has cast me as in 'Department'? I've not yet discussed the antecedents of my role with him."

Bollywood Celebrities at Lakme Fashion Week 2010 - Photos