Anupam Kher, Arshad Warsi, Simi Garewal, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Dino Morea, Ekta Kapoor, Aryan Vaid on Shilpa Shetty..

Anupam Kher (a judge on “Zee Cine Stars”): To be called such names is just not unparliamentary. It’s appalling. I don’t know how it (was) allowed. Having said that I must say reality television is all about grief… and that’s the brief.

No, I never force tears out of the contestants on Zee Cine Stars. But the tears don’t hurt the TRPs. Shilpa went with her eyes open. And look what her presence has done to the show! “Big Brother” is being watched by everyone! I love the dignity with which she handled herself. But governments getting into the game show? Now that according to me is a bit too much!

Arshad Warsi (host of “Bigg Boss”): First of all, let me say Shilpa is beautiful, articulate and very camera friendly. Hence she was a sitting target for all the other inmates at “Big Brother”.

I must say the show’s format is about pushing each other over the brink. When you go into “Big Brother” you’re ready to face this kind of behaviour. That’s what the show is about. I’m proud of Shilpa. If she’s affecting them, it means she’s better than all of them in there.

Dino Morea: If they’re calling Shilpa a “dog” or refusing to eat the food cooked by her, it doesn’t amount to racism, thought that’s bad enough. But if they’re making snide references to her skin colour and her accent and calling her “Paki” then I’m afraid this is a serious issue, and we need to take very serious note of it. I was offered the Indian version of “Big Brother” but I refused “Bigg Boss”.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra: I think the show is being given too much importance.

Ekta Kapoor: It’s amazing how she has maintained her dignity. Hats off to her. I’d have given it back to those racial snobs so hard they’d have been crying about discrimination.

Aryan Vaid: I’ve been on the Indian counterpart (”Bigg Boss”). Believe me, it’s tough and its scary and scarring. The fact that Shilpa’s humiliation on “Big Brother” is being discussed in British parliament shows the matter cannot be taken lightly.

But to make this an issue of ‘us’ against ‘them’ is slightly premature. Let’s not forget that in the “Big Brother” house people resort to a lot of mind games… Everyone in there is under a lot of pressure.

Simi Garewal: I don’t believe any living creature should be humiliated… and definitely not for public entertainment. Still, I don’t think Shilpa should walk out mid-game. I think the channel should disallow racial slurs. But you know what? This is going to be the trend now. Every country will have reality shows just to win eyeballs. I only hope racial discrimination doesn’t become a TRP boosting device

Big B is on fire recently.. He needs to cool down a bit.. Here he speaks on Abhishek, Sanjay Gadvi, Hrithik Roshan and Shahrukh Khan

Abhishek?s performance in ?Guru? is getting rave reviews. Were you this adventurous?
Abhishek?s performance is no mean achievement.

Accolades pour in everyday from the black marketer outside Gaiety to the press in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto. I am over the moon. Playing diverse and at times, diametrically opposite characters, within a short span of time and so early in his career proves two things.

One, that his directors and producers have the faith and confidence in him to pull off such a difficult feat, and two, that he has the capacity to deliver, when tested, not just creatively, but commercially as well.

The success of ?Guru? and ?Dhoom? prove that. The coming months will see him in a complete departure from what he has just done. And let me for once be immodest and predict that ?Jhoom Barabar Jhoom?, ?Sarkar 2? and ?Drona? will be hugely successful films. I was never this adventurous. Had I been, I doubt if I would?ve been able to carry it off with such conviction and aplomb. I never got the opportunities and maybe I was never so brave.

Have you zeroed in on a date for the Abhishek-Aishwarya marriage? Where is the wedding likely to take place?
We are just about to sit down even as I respond to you to discuss just that. And as soon as there is consensus on what it might be, we shall inform you. Dates and locations being bandied about are a lot of rubbish.

Critics say your brand value is diminishing. Comment?
The brand endorsements continue and have never been so good, contrary to certain media analysts who recently headlined that ?The King Is Dead, Long Live The King? - a rather prolonged thesis on my diminishing and expired brand value and the rising value of my colleague and dear friend Shah Rukh Khan. Firstly, the King is not dead…

The prayers and good wishes of the people of this country keep ensuring that time and again.

All my clients have renewed their contracts and if I might add, at enhanced rates for a substantial period of time. Fresh and new products are in negotiation and soon we should be announcing their presence in my life.

Is it tough to juggle films with advertisements?
It isn?t difficult to find time for films and endorsements. A very proficient schedule manager in our organisation ensures that. Family and social events are a pleasure to be associated with and they find their own time.

But what are really satisfying are the campaigns highlighting social and national causes. Polio and India Poised are a pleasure as have been the campaigns for Uttar Pradesh, me being the brand ambassador for the state.

These are done, obviously, without any monetary considerations, and fill me with a sense of great pride and fulfillment.

Let me also say, nothing and nobody lasts forever, not Shah Rukh Khan, not me. It?s how long you last and what you achieve within that time that matters.

Should Abhishek have declined ?Dhoom 2? considering Hrithik Roshan had an author-backed role in the film?
No, it was not a mistake. I have huge respect for him and his decision. Knowing fully well that his was a minuscule role he went ahead for the sake of his relationship with Aditya Chopra. Also without him there is no story in the film. For all practical purposes, he is the hero of the film. The film will go down in his record of successes as well. At the end of the day that?s all that matters.

Those who were with him in this project?Adi, Hrithik and Uday (Chopra) are all aware of the sacrifice that he made and have expressed that to him too. This speaks volumes for the camaraderie that exists in the ?Dhoom? team. Abhishek has contributed in no uncertain terms in keeping brand ?Dhoom? alive and successful. I admire him for that.

Apparently, director Sanjay Gadhvi has commented on Hrithik making a larger impact in ?Dhoom 2?. Strangely, soon after its release Sanjay proclaimed in rather bold headlines that Abhishek is finished and beaten. I think very lowly of a director when he derides an artiste in his own film. Why take them to work for you if you consider them substandard? Why deliberately prop and showcase the villain and then scream that the other character has lost out?

Somewhere your ethics are misplaced and wrong. When people talk of ?Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham?, they mention the song ?Shava shava? and not Hrithik Roshan. But Karan Johar has never derided Hrithik?s contribution to the film. Or more recently when ?Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna? is talked about, what comes up is Sexy Sam (me!) or the character played by Abhishek. But have you ever heard anyone say any less of Shah Rukh (Khan), Priety (Zinta) and Rani (Mukherjee)?

?Guru? coming in the wake of ?Dhoom 2? has proved to all and sundry that given a role and an opportunity, Abhishek can deliver. He has silenced all his detractors and critics in one stroke. It?s a slap on the faces of those who thought unkindly of him. Large volumes of humble pie need to be devoured by them.

Which of your many films can we look forward to?
Yes, the assignments remain dense, which is good.

They make me feel wanted though I haven?t the foggiest idea why! Films due this year are ?Eklavya?, ?Nishabd?, ?Cheeni Kum?, ?Sarkar 2?, Ram Gopal Varma?s ?Sholay?, ?Bhootnath? and ?Johnny Walker?. Also, Rohan Sippy, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rituparno Ghosh want to start films with me as do a fresh lot of youngsters, brimming with unique ideas.

Amitabh Bachchan on the Ash-Abhishek Engagement, Future of Ash in movies and more

Did you know Abhishek was going to propose to Aishwarya Rai while they were in New York for the premiere of Guru?
No, I did not and yes, it came as a surprise. But generally, these occurrences do come as a surprise? and a happy one at that!

Jaya Bachchan flew back from Jaipur on Sunday, indicating that she was caught offguard by the news. Was she?
Yes, she was shooting in Jaipur and was unaware of Abhishek?s decision. But when it was conveyed to her, she returned.

What are the plans for their wedding? The media says you would like it to happen within the next couple of months.
Nothing has been planned yet. Some members of both our families are not in town and as soon as they come in, we shall sit down and decide on dates and other formalities.

If the newspapers say a couple of months, they must be privy to information that I am unaware of.

Much has been written about Ash being manglik. How much of a difference did that actually make?
What is manglik?

Have you offered Abhishek any advice on this big step?
Advice? For what? He?s 31 and a mature individual.

What do you think makes Ash a good choice as Abhishek’s life partner?
The fact that my son chose her!

Amitabh Bachchan - Very Proud father of a very talented son.. Hats off to abhishek for a powerful performance in Guru..

A content and proud Big B speaks on Abhisheks performance in Guru and why he has lost to his son.

You finally saw Guru. Please let me have your comments on the film. Would you like to work with Mani. I believe you came close to working with him in the past.
Yes I saw Guru and I’ve asked to see it again today and I shall want to see it a 100 times over. It is fantastic. It is Mani’s best. And I speak as a viewer, not as a father. Abhishek is phenomenal. I have held myself back on many an occasion from commenting on my son’s work, but this time I shall not.

To hell with niceties and restraint. Abhishek is incredible !! I have been choked with emotion ever since I have emerged from the theatre and still am. This is a role of a lifetime for him and he has given a performance of a lifetime. It’s a role any actor worth his salt would die for and it’s a performance that any actor worth his salt will envy.

This is the truth, because it comes from within. For someone so young in age and in profession, to have performed the way he has is a revelation. It is the culmination of the strife of Abhishek to prove himself in the face of continuing odds and innuendos.

And it is ironic, so so ironic, that this is what the film Guru is all about. The determination, the will and the strength of a common man to succeed in the face of unending obstacles and his unfaltering courage of conviction, to come out victorious.

I’ve never heard you like this before!
My father wrote in his biography ‘When a father looses to his son, it is his greatest victory!’ Subhash, I’ve lost to my son ! And I’m the happiest father alive !!

ABHISHEK IS MY SON !! As for working with Mani I called him last night after the showing and told him, ‘Now that you have made my son’s life, could you make mine as well, please ?’

How has the year started for you? What do you foresee for yourself in 2007?
I don’t wish to foresee anything for myself. I have already foreseen what I want to see, last night !!