Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt in Ra.One

Shah Rukh Khan is leaving no stone unturned to make his dream project Ra.One a film to remember. Adding to the star quality in the project he has now asked two of his good friends to do a cameo in the film: Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt. Both of them have been shooting together for Karan Johar’s Agneepath remake, and according to sources both willingly agreed to appear in Ra.One.

“Khan felt Ra.One needed some more drama with fun and action elements,” the sources say. Shah Rukh and director Anubhav Sinha were very impressed with Sanju’s fabulous muscular body and bald look for Agneepath, and they decided to rope him in for a sequence in Ra.One. Shah Rukh asked Sanjay first and then Priyanka as well for the cameo sequence. With Priyanka, Shah Rukh shares a great rapport after having worked with her for Don and Don 2; he considers her one of the industry’s finest actresses. Incredibly enough, the ‘Deewangi’ song in Om Shanti Om is up till now the only scene featuring Shah Rukh and Sanju together in a film, Shah Rukh loves Sanju very much and always has looked up to him as an elder brother.

The cameo apparently has Shah Rukh, Sanju and Priyanka coming together in a very stylised action sequence. “When they approached Sanju, his dates were blocked with Karan Johar for Agneepath. Karan graciously gave a few of Dutt’s dates for Ra.One, and both he and SRK requested Dutt to do the cameo. Of course, he immediately agreed.” Sanju even suggested some own ideas for the scene so Shah Rukh and Sinha extended the shooting with him, which was to be for just one day, by some days more. “SRK and Anubhav want Sanju to do some great action scenes. Sanju is very excited about doing such hard-hitting action again and has been giving his inputs to the scenes,” reveal the source.

Other sources describe Priyanka’s cameo as “a long-drawn out romantic sequence”. “It will require her to perform a lot of stunts as well. Ra.One is essentially a fantasy film, and this is sort of a sweet dream sequence.”

Well, we’ll know for sure about these cameos once the film releases on Diwali this year. Then we will also know whether Priyanka’s cameo is combined with an item number, what Manish Malhotra’s costumes for her will look like and whether Sanju will sport is deadly bald look in Ra.One too. We know we can’t wait!

Shah Rukh Khan Passionate about Ra.One

One of the films that has been the talk of B-town ever since it was first announced has been Shah Rukh Khan’s ambitious Ra.One directed by Anubhav Sinha . The film which also stars Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor is a good vs. evil, superhero highly FX laden action adventure, plus of course it being Bollywood, has some romance sprinkled in the mix, as well. With the release of the teaser trailer the buzz and excitement about the film is already huge and we still have seven months to go before the release.

The story is about a superhero, which was inspired by Marvel comics and the Hollywood films X-Men. Khan says, “I just thought that we don’t have any background of a superhero in terms of comics like ‘Spiderman’. We have superheroes like ‘Krrish’ and ‘Drona’ but they are film superheroes.”

Describing Ra.One’s superhero, SRK says, “I tell people this is the one who’s gonna do… he is going to fly, he has these powers and once this becomes known, then people would like to come and see the film.”

Co-star Arjun Rampal had nothing but praise for SRK and the film when he spoke to PTI, “This is something that I can confidently state that Ra.One is the most ambitious film and expensive film that is being made out of India. The film is about superheroes and when you explore such a genre, you have to go all out to make it something special.” Adding, “Shah Rukh is leaving no stone unturned for Ra.One. I have worked with Shah Rukh before and seen his commitment and passion. However, the kind that I am seeing in Ra.One is unparalleled. The way he is going all out to make this film extra special is commendable. His passion is just so contagious.”

You can see that because Shah Rukh Khan is very enthusiastic about this project, which he says because of the high caliber of special effects will change the way films are made in India, “It’s an indigenously made film and it’s made in VFX studios in India and is trying to create something which will change the genre of films. If Indian filmmakers would like to make something alike, they have the access to the technology.”

The superstar turned superhero says he made Ra.One for his fans, “I have made one promise to every one in India. I have been working for 20 years and I have been given too much; much more than I deserve as an actor, as a star, and I think it’s time to give back some.”

But not only for his fans, Ra.One was also made for his two children, “Ra.One is a very special film I made for my kids. I hope I can make my children proud and this country proud.”

He is very passionate about Ra.One and has worked hard to make it a great film, “You make a film with passion and love. You want to make it right and want the world to watch it. I am trying my best to make it a very good film.”

In case you missed it feast your eyes on the cool, the exciting and the totally rockin’ first look at Ra.One.

SRK’s Filmi Future

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan is as busy as ever, signing new projects and promoting home productions. In fact, he hasn’t been getting much sleep due to the intense work being put in on his pet project Ra.One. Thankfully, his other productions are being taken care of, such as how Roshan Abbas has held the reigns forAlways Kabhi Kabhi. This most recent SRK production release is about high school kids, sending SRK back to his own school day memories. His schooling at St. Columba’s in Delhi was a very strict one, unlike the carefree filmi portrayals. “When I see Aryan and Suhana, I realize schools have become easier now. You couldn’t be a badmaash (truant) in my school.”

Shah Rukh has also signed on for Yash Chopra’s next directorial venture. The film will be a romance co-starring both Katrina Kaif – her first time opposite SRK – and Anushka Sharma. Leave it to Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan to bring love and romance back into Indian cinema. But would you believe it that SRK feels strange these days enacting romantic scenes? “Nowadays, I sometimes feel strange doing certain things I have done well in the past. I have to convince myself that I can still do this and pull it off.”

If Yash Chopra’s next isn’t enough to get fans excited, there are several other projects in the works. Shah Rukh has been looking into the script of Xtrme City to be helmed by none other than Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese. “Yes, I met Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio in Berlin. They, including Paul Schrader, are very happy with the script. A few days ago, I sent them a mail saying that I’m going to read it, and we hope everything turns out well.”

The other project that SRK is keen to sign – once work on Ra.One has finished – is Vishal Bharadwaj’sTwo States. At this point he is unsure who will be cast opposite him in the film, though names such as Asin and Priyanka Chopra have been making the rounds.

Of course the Baadshah’s fans have a lot to look forward to at the end of this year with the release of bothRa.One and Don 2. “While Ra.One is very technically slick, Don 2 will be very tough, and I call it a macho film.” And what about rumours about Ra.One’s skyrocketing budget? “There might be a year when my big films don’t do well, so I won’t have money to produce smaller films. But if a big one like Om Shanti Omdoes well, I can produce Billu, which in a way did well for us in terms of money too. As long as I have that freedom, I will continue this way.” SRK fans surely have no complaints to make with that!

Final Days of filming Ra.One

Red Chillies team along with director Anubhav Sinha, have been working day and night to complete their magnum opus Ra.One, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. With the final days of shooting commencing, there is tons of excitement on set.

Filmfare correspondent Ashwini Deshmukh was lucky enough to be on the sets during filming and in her excitement could not stop herself from tweeting the latest scoop. SRK being the showman that he is was swinging and twirling in mid-air for his various stunt performances, as the crowds of people watching held their breath. Risky business our superstars have to indulge in! Shah Rukh was also seen in a completely different costume from his regular G.One outfit seen on the promotional posters. Hmm, interesting. Wonder what the new look is all about?

Ashwini shared that SRK has an amazing amount of knowledge when brainstorming with director Anubhav Sinha and his team about each forthcoming shot they need to take. SRK advised the team in regards to high-end appliances, gadgets and software that are to be used for shots.

Not only does he have loads of knowledge, but he has some wonderful friends. He thanked Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra for doing cameos in Ra.One. “3 days of hectic shoot…last 4 days to go. My heartfelt thanks to Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra for being so wonderful on the sets. Bless you.” And as if that wasn’t thanks enough, he even gifted Sanjay a Ducati bike and Priyanka an acoustic guitar!

Tarun Mansukhani of Dostana directing fame assisted in directing Ra.One. Tarun wanted a break from scripted and was interested in gaining experience working on an action flick. Ra.One director Anubhav Sinha graciously accepted Tarun’s offer to assist when he found out he was interested. Tarun was so excited he tweeted “This time I’m gonna get the stunt team to put me on a rig! I wanna know what its like to flyyyyy like a super hero!” Do we sense a passion for action and adventure?

And the talk of B-Town is the fabulous metallic grey bike G.One rides in certain scenes of the film. As SRK tweeted, it was a “cool futuristic bike” used for a thrilling action sequence. We look forward to seeing it on the big screen!

And of course, the notoriously late Shah Rukh Khan tweeted that he was late arriving to set and that the team of the film is “too patient” with him. He concluded with SRK brand humour, signing off with “have to work before they fire me from the job”. As if there could be a Ra.One without its G.One!

But nothing melted our hearts like this tweet from SRK. “Surrounded by blue cloth. doing jumps not to prove I am a hero but cos I believe i can fly…I believe cos all of you make me believe that.” Too sweet, na?

With Anubhav Sinha tweeting “Another set wrapped today. Moving on to the last set the day after. Been busy, will write in detail after final wrap.” we are certain that fan excitement has shifted into high gear. We cannot wait to see what the Ra.One team has come up with!

We at Bollyspice eagerly await more updates on the film and cannot wait for Ra.One to release this year on October 26.

SRK In High Gear

With promotions for Ra.One kicking into high-gear and its first promo garnering intense curiosity, superstarShah Rukh Khan is in high demand. In fact, five months before his home production’s release King Khan has set off on a multi-city campaign, as he feels a technologically advanced superhero film such asRa.One merits similar promotional techniques as those that are typically only seen in the West.

And as everyone knows Ra.One is a project very close to Shah Rukh’s heart. Whether it was Spiderman, Batman or Superman, he has always loved superheroes and getting the chance to play such a role himself is exciting. And he certainly wants to do it right, as the film itself has been six years in the making.

With Bollywood being the first topic on everyone’s lips, can cricket be far behind? Shah Rukh Khan has had his share of cricket controversies with his IPL team the Kolkata Knight Riders. Karim Morani faces charges for filching money – an action SRK has openly derided in the past – yet Shah Rukh does not feel his friendship with Morani should allow the media to pin him as a culprit in the same crime. He feels his proximity to Morani does not automatically implicate him, but that the media will make such a connection whether it is true or not. Shah Rukh is adamant that news coverage has strayed from presenting the facts and reporters are now too often merely expressing their own opinions.

Where the media is concerned, Shah Rukh’s various personal rivalries cannot be far behind and this is another topic which SRK feels is tired. Whether it is questions about his relationship with Saurav Ganguly, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar or anyone else, he has been asked it all time and again. Though he admits that he has learned to deal with it over the years, he does worry about comments his children hear from classmates at school and its effect on them. As usual, Shah Rukh is a family man – “keep the families out of it, yaar.”

With so many controversies popping up week after week, year after year, how does the Baadshah of Bollywood cope with it all? “I’m strangely detached, increasingly so, and it’s good…I think you need to be detached to be such a big public figure.” He may need to separate himself from the ever-tumultuous relationships in tinsel town, but we hope he never loses his passion for cinema!

Ra.One: The Game on Sony Playstation!

Are you ready to play with or against Shah Rukh Khan? You will be able to in the exciting Ra.One the video game. In a unique tie-up Sony Playstation is going to carry the Ra.One video game on their PS2 and PS3 consoles. Ra.One:The Game will not only let you experience the world of the film, but you will also be introduced to the characters since the game will be sort of a prequel to story that takes place in the movie. The game is being designed by UK’s Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and one of the coolest things is that the storyline of the game is based on an idea that star of the film Shah Rukh Khan gave them.

“This is the first time that a major Indian film is also getting a major launch as a video game,” Tanaaz Bhatia of Bottomline Media tells us. Adding, “We are looking at doing out of the box, first and very different marketing strategies so that what we represent really stands out. Team BLM is really excited to be part of this iconic association.”

Players will get to choose to be one of the key characters of the film: Ra.One or G.One during the adventure and through the play of the game be introduced to the various super-powers they have in the film. With six unique characters and more than 20 game play environments from the ‘RA.ONE Universe’, the game entails multi-player action levels, including a robust set of assorted game mode options; it allows gamers to participate in infinite numbers of challenging matches.

One of the things they really worked on to make the game seem real is that characters will look just like the characters in the film. Even cooler is that Shah Rukh Khan has done the voice-overs so you really will be immersed in the Ra.One film world!

It seems Shah Rukh Khan is quite the gamer and the company says the only obvious partnership they could think of doing was with Shah Rukh for this film. According to Atindriya Bose, Country Manager – PlayStation said, “We have always wanted to bring Bollywood IPs on PlayStation platform as the way of connecting to Indian audience. RA.ONE has the right mix of action, environment and imagination that is required to make a good PlayStation game, and with Shah Rukh Khan immense passion and understanding of PlayStation games, we have chanced upon a very unique opportunity of a great game with Indian IP.”

Ready to roll out in September, the game will be available for download through PSN download. Ra.One, the film directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor will hit theaters on October 26th! So fans, to hold you over until Diwali get ready to become SRK aka G.One or Arjun Rampal we think aka Ra.One in the virtual reality of Ra.One: The Game!

Arjun Rampal not in Ra.One promos until October! Exclusive!!

As we all know or have guessed, it is actually Arjun Rampal who is playing the character called Ra.Onein the upcoming film. He is the bad guy who is battling Shah Rukh Khan’s character G.One. Excited? We are too! So when he was in Holland at the Incredible India Festival Event, BollySpice took this oppurtunity to ask him about the highly anticipated film Ra.One and he gave us some exclusive scoop.

Arjun told us, “The film will release in October but you will not see me in any of the promos… until 10 days prior to the release of the film.” He explains why, “They have thought of a whole strategy for promoting the film and a part of that strategy is that we don’t reveal the bad guy…so you’ll have to wait.”

“And yeah you know… SRK doesn’t want to promote me, he only wants to promote himself”, he added tongue-in-cheek and with a huge smile on his face.

When asked about the Ra.One Playstation game and him doing the voice of the character he says: “I am Ra.One and yes, I am doing the voice-over for the game.”

So if you are an Arjun Rampal fan, you will have to wait until October to see him in his evil avatar.

Remember: You read it first on BollySpice.com!

We will have a full report from the event with pictures so stay tuned for more! For now, here is a sneak peak at Arjun at the Incredible India Festival event!

Who Is Shah Rukh Khan Anyways? Here’s His Bio!

Of course, he needs no introduction… his face is iconic, and his name is a household word, not just in his home country but throughout the entire globe. Shahrukh Khan, the beloved “Badshah of Bollywood,” is considered by many critics to be the top Indian actor of the last two decades.
His versatility – as a romantic hero, a dark villian, a dramatic interpreter, a comedic talent, and a physical actor of compelling power – has been proven throughout his long career.
And SRK, as his fans call him, just keeps on getting better. To add to his repertoire of more than 70 Hindi films, he is also a film producer and television host.
The Early Years
Yet Shahrukh did not come out of a Bollywood family, which perhaps endears him even more to people of all walks of life, no matter where his movies are shown. Born in New Delhi in 1965, his Muslim parents were not connected with film or entertainment. Taj Mohammed Khan, his father, was an Indian independence activist, and his mother, Lateef Fatima, was the adopted daughter of a Major General in the Indian National Army.

Today his elder sister Shehnaz works with SRK, but in those early days no one (except perhaps Shahrukh himself and his mother) knew he was destined for stardom.
Shahrukh attended St. Columba’s School and excelled in sports, drama, and academics, earning the “Sword of Honour,” a special award for the student who best represents the values and spirit of St Columba’s.

At Hansraj College he obtained his Bachelors Degree in Economics with honors, and even pursued a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamiam. But soon the call of Bollywood, and the tragic death of his parents, drew Shahrukh to Mumbai in 1991.
SRK’s Acting Life
Sharukh took his acting career very seriously, and studied under celebrated Theatre Director Barry John at Delhi’s TAG (Theatre Action Group). His acting debut was in the television series, Fauji, and he soon appeared in other television serials like Aziz Mirza’s Circus.

Shahrukh’s screen presence and acting ability did not go unnoticed, and he was soon  compared to the iconic actor Dilip Kumar.

In 1991 Shahrukh married his sweetheart Gauri Chibber, a Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony. This was before any of his films were released, and today their two children, son Aryan (1997) and daughter Suhana (2000) are the center of their lives. Shahrukh has always been open-minded about religion. Even though SRK believes in Allah strongly, he respects his wife’s beliefs and has taught his children to value both faiths, giving the world a wonderful example of religious tolerance and spiritual respect.

Breakthrough Roles

Then came SRK’s breakthrough film role in Deewana in 1992. His stunning performance captured the hearts of audiences and he was propelled into the spotlight. Even without the traditional film family behind him, he pursued his goal of becoming a solo hero, appearing in several films during the 1990s and taking on some critically acclaimed villain roles.

With a film called Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) in 1995, Shahrukh Khan really came into his own. DDLJ is still one of the most loved Indian films, and after 16 years is still being shown in a theater in Mumbai, such is the popularity of its story and star. His screen charisma really shines in this film, and it made SRK a household name, started his amazing fan base, and led to many box office hits that continue to the present.

But Shahrukh soon showed he was more than a romantic lead, and demonstrated his great range as an actor. It would take pages to list his many films and the extraordinary scope of his talent, so suffice to say he has shown he can command the screen in a wide range of roles: from a NASA scientist, to a hockey coach, to an ancient king, to a man with Asperger’s syndrome… SRK is constantly challenging himself.

With this kind of versatility, it’s easy to imagine him as G.One: father, husband, and superhero all rolled into one!

                                                                       A Love For Entertainment

And there is even more to SRK’s deep love for and commitment to the entertainment industry. In his production company, Dreamz Unlimited he has teamed up with Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza, creating films like Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Asoka and Chalte Chalte.

With his Red Chillies Entertainment he produced and starred in many films, including Paheli, India’s official entry to the Academy Awards, the delightful Om Shanti Om, the eagerly awaited Don 2: The Chase Continues… and of course Ra.One, arguably the most anticipated Bollywood film of 2011. And much to the delight of Shahrukh’s son Anayan, Red Chillies Entertainment is the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

SRK has also been the subject of a two-part documentary called “The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan,” which contrasts his public life and concert tour with his personal world of family. He is also the subject of several books, most notably “King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema” by the highly respected film critic Anupama Chopra.

As if all of this wasn’t enough to make SRK a “Badshah,” there are his many awards. He has been honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) from the French government, the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (similar to a knighthood) from Malacca in Malaysia, and an Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Culture from Britain’s University of Bedfordshire.

You can also add to this his many Filmfare Awards, the wax figures in Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London and  Musée Grévin in Paris, the statues in Hong Kong and New York.

So beyond enjoying his films – and anticipating Ra.one with all of us – we hope you’ve gotten to know Shahrukh Khan a little bit better now!

Shahrukh Khan Likes Bebo’s Healthy Snacks on Ra.One Set

Rujuta Divekar, Kareena Kapoor’s dietician, told Entertainment.Oneindia.in that Bebo’s healthy snacks were a big hit on the set of Ra.One, and that even Shahrukh Khan enjoyed eating them.
Tasty Lotus Seeds Were a Hit!
Rujuta said, “On the Ra.One song shoot, I gave Kareena makhaana [lotus seeds] to eat as they are very nutritious and rich in minerals. She’d eat them roasted in ghee flavoured with pepper and salt. Even Shahrukh Khan liked it and would eat with her.” We can’t blame SRK, they sound delicious!
Lotus seeds, also known as hasu and renkon, are available all over Asia and  have a sweet, mild flavor.
Entertainment.Oneindia.in also recently reported on the special diet plan Reujuta Divekar developed to keep Bebo fit and healthy during a grueling travel and filming schedule. Here are some highlights of the lacto-vegetarian diet (dairy is eaten but no eggs):
The “Las Vegas diet” used during the 21-day “Short Term Shaadi” shoot included a breakfast of bananas, cereal and milk; an afternoon snack of cheese; and a healthy pizza, pasta, or risotto plus a vegetable soup (such as tomato).
For the long flight to and from the USA, Bebo ate parathas, daal and rice, a banana, walnuts and dry fruits, and plenty of water to offset the dehydration from the dry cabin air.
Finally, there was the food plan Kareena used in Mumbai to stay fit and beautiful on the sets of Ra.One. This diet included parathas and puris, pulao with raita, the lotus seed snack described above, grilled vegetable sandwiches, and a dinner of rice and dahi (yogurt).