Kareena Kapoor to headline Lakmé Fashion Week

Plus: Mafhuri Dixit launches online dance school; Ali Zafar heads to London for shoot; Akshara Gowda to make Bollywood debut; Periasami's new film has 34 debutants.

The actress Kareena Kapoor. Punit Paranjpe / AFP

For the second consecutive year, the actress Kareena Kapoor has been named the headline model of Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013. Bringing Bollywood glamour to the event, which starts on March 22, Kapoor will wear creations by the designer Namrata Joshipura. The actor Saif Ali Khan, who tied the knot with Kapoor last year, is expected to be front row at her catwalk show. Close to 90 designers, including such stalwarts as Vikram Phadnis and Manish Malhotra, are expected to show their latest lines during the five-day fashion festival. * IANS

Dixit launches online dance school

The actress Madhuri Dixit has launched an online dance academy. "Dance has always been my passion," says the 45-year-old star. "I wanted to do something for my fans who have always loved me. This is my way to get closer to them." Through the website www.dancewithmadhuri.com, she aims to educate aspiring artists on a wide range of traditional and contemporary dance forms. The site also features apps for mobile phones and tablets. "We want it to become an academy where every dance style can be learnt under one roof, whether Indian, folk, classical or western," she says. * IANS

Ali Zafar heads to London for shoot

The Pakistani actor and singer Ali Zafar is heading to the UK for the filming of Neeraj Pandey's latest movie Aman Ki Aasha. He will co-star with Yami Gautam, of Vicky Donor fame, in the new romantic comedy about a Pakistani man who falls in love with an Indian girl. "Off to London to start shoot for my next feature. How cold is it?" tweeted the 32-year-old star ahead of his flight. The film is directed by E Niwas. Zafar is also gearing up for the release of Chashme Baddoor, a remake of the 1981 film, directed by Sai Paranjpye. * IANS

Akshara Gowda to make Bollywood debut

Akshara Gowda is set to make her Bollywood debut in the movie Rangrezz and credits the cinematographer Santosh Sivan for recommending her for the role. "It's all destiny," she told reporters. "I was accompanying a friend who was auditioning for another film and they asked to audition me, too. I just did it for fun and landed in the film!" she said, referring to her cameo in the Tamil film Thuppaki. Sivan, who was also working on the movie, recommended her to the Rangrezz director Priyadarshan. "I never planned to become an actor, and everything happened so fast," said Gowda. * IANS

Periasami's new film has 34 debutants

The Tamil romantic comedy Azhagan Azhagi, directed by Nandha Periasami, will launch the career of 34 new actors, including the movie's lead couple. "The lead and supporting casts are played by newcomers," says the filmmaker. "All of them will undergo an acting workshop before they join the team for shooting." * IANS