John and Bips call it quits.

It's official. After 9 long years, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu have ended their relationship. Aaaw. I'm really sad about this. It always pains me when relationships go sour--especially ones as long as 9 years! They were such an iconic couple in Bollywood with deep onscreen chemistry in movies like Jism, Aetbaar, Madhoshi, and more.

Not only were they iconic, but they were just plain sexy! I challenge you to find a hotter couple than John and Bips. I assure you you'll come up with few examples. After confirming the breakup, Bipasha took to her Twitter to reveal some of her emotions with tweets like, "Its [sic] better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all!" Good to see she's taking it well, being single for the first time in 17 years.

Sigh. Another powerful couple bites the dust. Hopefully they'll still do movies together though.

Source: http://bollyspice.com/view.php/7075-bipasha-basu-is-single-after-17-years.html

No Priyanka in "Dostana 2"?

It has been officially reported by Piggy Chops herself that she won't be a part of the forthcoming film Dostana 2. I guess this really isn't a surprise, considering her story pretty much ended in Dostana. But I'm hoping for at least a cameo from Priyanka in the sequel--which still seems entirely possible!

In case you didn't already know, Katrina Kaif will be the new leading lady in Dostana 2. Excuse me while a barf. Multiple times. First of all, was there really a need for a sequel at all? Don't get me wrong, I adored Dostana, but it didn't really seem like a movie that would need a sequel (unlike Don!). And, okay, if you're really going to make a sequel, what's Katrina Kaif going to add to it--besides a dose of terrible acting?

Bollywood isn't really known for creating stellar sequels, so I'm afraid that the Dostana brand will be tarnished with this upcoming potential disaster. Dostana was a groundbreaking (and hilarious) film mainly because of the premise of Abhishek and John's pseudo-homosexuality. If they use that same premise again, the sequel will have nothing new to offer. If they don't, it could turn into a lame, over-done romantic comedy. Annoying.

Perhaps Tarun Mansukhani will come up with something new and innovative for the sequel. If not, hopefully John and Abhishek can manage to save the show. Either way, I do hope to get at least a glimpse of my beloved Priyanka!

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Nothing-for-Priyanka-in-Dostana-2/articleshow/7924083.cms

Movie Review: 7 Khoon Maaf

Starring: Priyanka Chopra (with Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Irrfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Vivaan Shah, etc.)
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Original Release Date: February 18, 2011

*No Spoilers*

7 Khoon Maaf is an adaptation of a short story by Ruskin Bond called Susanna's Seven Husbands. While it technically stars various other actors, Priyanka Chopra undoubtedly steals the show in her portrayal of Susanna (aka Saheb), a woman who marries 7 times throughout her lifetime.

This movie is very different, but in a good way. If you go into it expecting a typical masala feature with songs and romance, you'll be greatly disappointed. But if you go into it with an open mind, you may be pleasantly surprised with what 7 Khoon Maaf has to offer. The movie is very dark and unusual. You're not getting your typical submissive wife, but the portrayal of a woman who challenges the men in her life in subtle, yet brutal ways. Let's just leave the plot at that.

Priyanka delivers an amazing performance. She fully embraces her character and its many, many dimensions, clearly overshadowing the rest of her co-stars. I'll be surprised if she doesn't get a Best Actress nomination for this role. Irrfan Khan's performance, however, was also commendable. To my personal disappointment, John Abraham was just okay and easily forgettable in the film. The movie also marks the acting debut of Vivaan Shah (Naseeruddin Shah's son) as the narrator. Unfortunately, his performance just didn't click with me (and neither did his hair).

7 Khoon Maaf isn't a perfect movie. It was often slow and dreary, which did match the overall style of the film. In addition, due to the arrangement of the film, the plot was almost entirely predictable. So be aware that you should watch this movie not for the suspense or the story, but for how that story unfolds. Music was another weak point for the movie. Darling was a fun track that went well with the context, but isn't one that I would listen to on its own. Oh Mama was quite possibly one of the worst songs I've heard in a while. Background score, on the other hand, was fairly effective.

As mentioned before, if you're looking for a light, fun movie then 7 Khoon Maaf isn't for you. It's an intense and unique film that Bollywood aficionados should enjoy. It's also a bold film with its multiple love-making scenes and semi-frequent usage of the "f" word. While the content and the movie itself won't suit all audiences, everyone should watch 7 Khoon Maaf at least once.

Final Verdict: 3.5/5