The actress Priyanka Chopra, who plays a leading role in the forthcoming remake of Zanjeer, will join the cast and crew this month in Hyderabad to begin shooting her scenes. The movie's director, Apoorva Lakhia, says they are "lucky to have signed on a star like Priyanka". He added: "We have planned for a 25-day schedule in Hyderabad. We will be going to Hyderabad this week and will be back to shoot more scenes in Mumbai in December." Amit Mehra is producing the film; the original was directed by his father Prakash Mehra in 1973 with Amitabh Bachchan as the lead. For the remake, the actor Ram Charan Teja steps into Bachchan's shoes. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt. - IANS
Khan to appear in Agnihotri's next movie
After the success of the 2010 film Bodyguard, the director and producer Atul Agnihotri is planning to cast his brother-in-law, the actor Salman Khan, in a special cameo role in his forthcoming yet-to-be-titled political satire. "We are designing something special for Salman Khan in this film, but nothing has been finalised yet," said Agnihotri. "He is very happy with the script we have shown him so far." Agnihotri has previously cast Khan in Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa (2004), Hello (2008) and Bodyguard (2011). - IANS
Karan Malhotra's second film in works
After his hit directorial debut, Agneepath, Karan Malhotra says he is busy writing his second film and reveals it will be an original story. "Me and my wife Ekta are writing the film and hope to finish it as soon as possible," he said. "We've not even finalised the star cast. All I can say is this will not be a remake." Agneepath, a remake of Amitabh Bachchan's 1990 film, features Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt and broke the highest opening-day collection record in India when it released last November. - IANS
Shivan-Narresh make Hollywood debut
The Indian designer duo Shivan and Narresh, known for their stylised swimwear, are making their first foray to Hollywood with Ang Lee's Life of Pi, which features the Indian actors Suraj Sharma, Tabu and Irrfan Khan. The movie, releasing in India next week, features vintage swimsuits by the designers. "The scene involves 81 Parisian women and men bathing in the Piscine Molitor, a Paris swimming pool complex. We designed swimsuits for all of the 81 people - across different age groups, sizes and body types - who were involved in the making of this important sequence of the film," said Shivan. Narresh said the swimsuits were made "using close to 100 different vintage fabrics" mimicking design details popular in the 1950s. - IANS
Bangladeshi filmmaker admires Ghatak
The debutante Bangladeshi filmmaker Shahneoyaj Kakoli says her first movie has been influenced by the Bengali director Ritwik Ghatak. Uttarer Sur (Northern Symphony), being screened at this week's Kolkata International Film Festival, has been well received by critics and viewers. The movie deals with the gradual demise of Bhawaiya, a musical form popular in northern Bangladesh. "Like all Bengalis, I too have grown up watching movies of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, though I like Ghatak more and I idolise him," said Kakoli. "Poverty and art have always been at loggerheads and my film focuses on how, due to poverty, Bhawaiya folk is dying a gradual death." - IANS