Critics' ratings irrelevant for Abhay Deol

Plus: Lee to begin Life of Pi promotions in India; Working birthday for Asin; International digital film festival expands to Mumbai; Kunal Kapoor to direct short film soon.

The actor Abhay Deol says he's unaffected by what the critics might make of his new film. -IANS

Following the release of his latest film Chakravyuh, the actor Abhay Deol says he's unaffected by what the critics might make of it. "I am feeling extremely satisfied with Chakravyuh," he says. "I am happy that people are liking it, I am happy that there have been good and bad reviews, I am happy that people are talking about it. Whether they hated or loved it does not matter, as long as they are talking about it." Forthcoming projects for Deol include a zombie comedy titled Rock the Shaadi, directed by Navdeep Singh.Lee to begin Life of Pi promotions in India

The Oscar-winning director Ang Lee arrives in India today to kick off the promotional tour of his new 3D film Life of Pi. The adaptation of Yann Martel's Booker Prize-winning book follows the journey of a boy stranded at sea after his family drowns in a shipping accident. Lee, who shot the film in Puducherry and Munnar, will visit Mumbai and Chennai, accompanied by co-producer David Lee plus members of the cast. During the visit, a handful of media and Bollywood A-listers will be treated to a screening of 20 minutes of the film. The movie is scheduled to be released on November 23 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. - IANS

- IANS

Working birthday for Asin

The actress Asin Thottumkal celebrated her 27th birthday on Friday on the set of her current movie Khiladi 786. "It was a quiet birthday this year, which is a first for me," she said. "It was a working birthday and Ihaven't really planned anything since the shoot schedules have been very hectic." The film, which be rolled-out in cinemas on December 7, is directed by Ashish R Mohan and also features the actors Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty and Paresh Rawal. - IANS

International digital film festival expands to Mumbai

India's only dedicated international digital film festival will expand its base beyond one city next year. The competition, which is now open for entries, will be held from January 26 to February 1 in New Delhi and from February 2 to 8 in Mumbai. The four main categories are student films, fiction, documentary and digital art and animation. Expected to attend are the Bollywood celebrity Naseeruddin Shah and the German film director Werner Herzog. - IANS

Kunal Kapoor to direct short film soon

The actor Kunal Kapoor, who assisted the filmmaker Rakesh Omprakash Mehra in the 2001 film Aks, is planning to step behind the lens for his own project, a short film. "I find short films very interesting," he says. "It's something that I would love to do. I have a new idea almost every day, but I still have to develop my feature subject." Kapoor is gearing up for the release of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, where he stars in the lead role. - IANS

* For our interview with Kapoor on his newest film, turn to the next pagew