As the Bollywood desi girl Priyanka Chopra begins shooting her latest film, the actor Farhan Akhtar has warned her against starring in too many remakes. This week, Chopra arrived in Hyderabad for the shooting of Zanjeer, a remake of the 1973 action classic. "In Hydrabad for Zanjeer. Starting a new film always makes me nervous," she tweeted. In response, Akhtar tweeted: "Priyanka Chopra, do you realise that this is the third official remake of Amitabh Bachchan you are in? Be careful you don't get typecast." Amit Mehra is producing the film, which was originally made by his father, Prakash Mehra, and starred Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya. Chopra previously starred in the remakes of the 1978 film Don and the 1990 movie Agneepath. * IANS
Veteran actor Pran admitted to hospital
The 92-year-old actor Pran, best known for playing villains in a number of classic movies, has been hospitalised with a respiratory complaint. He is recovering well, said a spokesman for Lilavati Hospital, where he is being treated. "Pran is hospitalised here. He was admitted on Friday. He is here for just a routine check-up and is doing fine," Suhir Dagaonkar said. "I can't talk about his discharge dates right now." Pran has been in semi-retirement from acting since the late 1990s after a career that spanned more than five decades. Among his most acclaimed roles were parts in Brahmachari, Zanjeer, Karz and Don. * IANS
Zeishan Quadri plots another crime movie
After writing the box-office smash Gangs of Wasseypur, Zeishan Quadri is scripting another epic crime drama. "My next film is again based on crime and it is for [the] director Suparn Verma. It's a film based on kidnapping cases. Basically, the story is on the burning issue that is witnessed in our country," said Quadri. "I have almost finished the script and the film will be shot in Mumbai and other locations. If things will fall in place, then I might act in the film," he added. Quadri also had a part in Gangs of Wasseypur. * IANS
Dance festival halted by Thackeray's death
The Bollywood actress and acclaimed bharatanatyam dancer Hema Malini has postponed Jaya Smriti, an annual dance extravaganza she organises, following the death of the Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray. The Jaya Smriti event began at the Nehru Centre in Mumbai on Friday but Malini called it off the following day when Thackeray's death was announced. "Due to sad demise of Shri Bal Thackeray, Jaya Smriti on 17 and 18 November is postponed. I hope you all who love me will stand by me in this situation," she tweeted. The three-day festival was founded in 2010 as a tribute to Malini's mother, the producer Jaya Chakravarthy. A new date has not yet been announced for the event. * IANS
