What I want this New Year…

The New Year resolutions of Bollywood celebrities and the gifts they want in the year ahead were rather different from previous times as many were impacted by the 26/11 terror strikes. Tolerance among communities, spending more time with the family and becoming better human beings topped their wish list.

Mugdha Godse (pictured right): My resolution is to voice my opinion and to vote to be a better citizen. And I want to entertain audiences in good films. A great gift for all of us this New Year would be a good leader who can make Mumbai a better city.

Celina Jaitley: My New Year resolution is to work on my shortcomings as a human being. And the one gift that I'd want from my countrymen is not to forget 26/11.

Raveena Tandon: My resolution is not to get complacent but to work towards making a difference to our lives. The gift I want is from everyone to work as one community.

Dia Mirza: I don't save resolutions for the New Year. I believe if there's a need to do something, it should be done immediately. My wish for the New Year is to be part of an informed and motivated government that will ensure our security, peace, health and progress.

Paresh Rawal: This New Year I want to start yoga and get the great Gujarati writer Madhu Rai to write an exciting play for me.

Boman Irani: I've never made New Year resolutions. Resolutions are surrounded by guilt. I don't need that for the New Year.

Nandana Sen: New Year resolution? To spend as much time as possible with my loved ones. And my gift? Tolerance among people, communities and countries.

Sonu Sood: My New Year resolution is to start a trust or organisation in my mother's memory to help poor children study as my mother was a professor. And I'd like to get an award for one of my performances in 2008 as my New Year gift.

Aftab Shivdasani: I don't want to make a New Year resolution and I don't expect any gifts.

Amrita Arora: My resolution is to be a better person, tolerant and patient. And my gift? Happiness in abundance for me and my loved ones.

Himesh Reshammiya: My New Year resolution is to deliver the biggest hit of 2009. And the gift I want from god is to be super-creative in whatever I do.

Payal Rohatgi: My resolution is to be more caring towards my family, as the whole "Bigg Boss" experience and 26/11 attacks made me value them and realise that one can only trust one's family. My one gift? A film with Shah Rukh Khan. Hope god is listening.

Mona Singh: No particular resolution. Just a list of things that I want to keep doing. As for gifts, unexpected gifts are the sweetest.

Rajeev Khandelwal: My resolution? To be a better citizen and to spread awareness among the youth to make our country the best.

Raveena refuses to play Ajay Devgan's mom

Prakash Jha's "Rajneeti" was to be Raveena Tandon's dream comeback but the actress quit the project once she learnt that she would have to play Ajay Devgan's mother.

"You can't blame me for saying no to playing mother to an actor with whom I co-starred in so many films. But I had a bigger reason for my refusal. The film required me to leave Mumbai for two months at a stretch. Both my children are too young to be left behind for such a long time, especially since they don't even go to school yet," Raveena told IANS.

Raveena was expected to play the role of an all-powerful politician in director Prakash Jha's "Rajneeti", inspired by late prime minister Indira Gandhi's life and times. Raveena was to play Ranbir Kapoor's mother. And Ranbir's role resonated the life of Rajiv Gandhi.

Raveena, who had earlier played a politician in "Satta", had several meetings with Jha and both of them were excited about it.

Raveena had to age from 20 to 60. Her makeup, saris and styling were all finalised. Until she realised the role required her to play not just Ranbir's mom but also Ajay's mother.

That's when the National Award winning actress decided to back out, thereby halting her spectacular comeback plans.

"Prakash Jha offered me the role in 'Rajneeti'. And what a role! I've the highest regards for Prakash. And when I met him for this part, I realised he's even bigger a visionary than I thought.

"He's meant to not just make films but be a national leader. He's absolutely the right person to direct a subject like 'Rajneeti'. I'd have given anything to return to cinema with this project, specially since he insisted I was his first and best choice," the actress said.

Raveena, who was last seen in the 2006 dud "Sandwich", is ready to return to the big screen. But she will only do a film that requires her to shoot in and around Mumbai. The actress is best remembered for her hits like "Mohra", "Andaz Apna Apna" and "Bade Miyan Chote Miyan".

As for the role of the female politician in "Rajneeti", Jha is now thinking of casting either Tisca Chopra or Mrinal Kulkarni.

Karisma Kapoor and Rahul Khanna walks the ramp for Manav Gangwani

Zee Cine Awards 2008 - Red Carpet

Chak de, Raveena!

The actress will be judging an upcoming reality show, Chak De Bachche.

Confirming this, Raveena says, “I am doing this show because I love kids. Secondly, I love the way that the makers of this show are handling the kids. They don't allow the shooting to extend to late hours. And most importantly, I won't have to leave my babies for a long time as the shoot will be held only once a week."

Auditions for the show will take place in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore, Raipur, Jaipur and Varanasi.

TNN