Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. That’s the tagline of Mithya but it could apply in this case. Besides celebrating her boyfriend Ranvir Shourey’s recently released film Mithya, where he is seen in a lead role for the very first time, Konkana Sen Sharma was thrilled to have her mother Aparna Sen present at the premier.

Aparna is not often seen on the social circuit, which brought the pleasant surprise to her daughter. Not only that, but the fact that Aparna even posed with the two and seemed to be quite pleased with them being together. This could means she has formally accepted their relationship, since the two have already been living together.

After playing the lead pair in Mixed Doubles, the two fell for each other in real life. We heard back in November, just before their release of Aaja Nachle that they were planning their wedding. Koko was working on getting her marriage trousseau ready and shopping for furniture, while Shourey was hunting for honeymoon destinations. Shourey and Sharma were also seen at Sen’s book launch on February 5th. (see above picture)

Director Rajat Kapoor’s Mithya also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Neha Dhupia and Vinay Pathak. It is a comedy inspired from Indian mythology about a conversation between Lord Vishnu and Narad on the meaning of Maya. Kapoor wanted to make Mithya nine years back with Shah in the lead. Finally, it came to fruition with Shourey as the protagonist and Shah with an important role as well.

You would never think she was over 40 with two small boys by the way she looks on the latest covers of both CineBlitz and Verve magazines this year. She also beautifully graced the cover of Verve back in 2004.

Here, the stunning dhak-dhak queen of Bollywood Madhuri Dixit is decked out in an all black ensemble with scarlet red lips and nails.

The inside story discusses her comeback film Aaja Nachle, her Bollywood journey, her family and her brush with fame and recognition on a daily basis in the US.

She is definitely beauty, poise and grace personified. We look forward to all of her forthcoming films after thoroughly enjoying Aaja Nachle in November.

Although the movie Aaja Nachle was hit hard by critics, the music from Madhuri Dixit’s come back film deserves to be heard. As I listened to the soundtrack myself, I was impressed by the excellent blend of rhythms from the north of India as well as touching love ballads featuring such artists as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.From the first track, the movie’s title song, you will not be able to resist the invitation to come and dance. I found my shoulders moving to the irresistible and infectious beat of Show Me Your Jalwa. I always say that a smile can be heard and in the playful song Soniye Mil Ja, which begins with the voice of Madhuri herself, her smile comes across loud and clear.

I found that unlike many Bollywood soundtracks, which require visual image accompaniment to make the music be felt, Aaja Nachle can stand on its own. Good music and vocals communicate emotion, be it joy or sadness, regardless of whether the actual words are understood by the listener. An example of this is track number 7, Koi Patthar Se Na Maare. With the constant beat of the drums knocking at the door of your heart coupled with the ache and sadness transmitted through the vocals of Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sonu Nigam, you too may be moved to tears. That is the power of good music.

To be honest, I usually find myself skipping over songs when I listen to Bollywood soundtracks. Perhaps, you do the same, favoring a few songs over the rest. I don’t find myself doing that with Aaja Nachle. If anything I find myself hitting the repeat button. I would recommend this soundtrack to you dear reader. No doubt when you hear the invitation, Aaja Nachle you too will respond with, main aayee.

Producer/s : Aditya Chopra
Director : Anil Mehta
Music : Salim-Sulaiman
Lyrics : Jaideep Sahni, Piyush Mishra and Asif Ali Beg
Vocals : Kailash Kher, Madhuri Dixit, Salim Merchant, Sonia Saigal, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Richa Sharma
Label : YRF music

After Bollywood’s dancing queen Madhuri Dixit’s latest film Aaja Nachle, we wonder what new ventures might be in her future and how another Bollywood diva, namely Aishwarya Rai Bachchan feels about Dixit’s return to the silver screen.

Last seen mesmerized audiences together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, Rai doesn’t fear competition from Dixit. Rather, she says Dixit is a very talented actress and dancer and she would like to work with her again if the opportunity comes along.

“We shared a very good rapport at the time of working in Devdas and were very comfortable with each other. I want to wish her success.” said the former Miss World.

Of the four films he has done, Kunal Kapoor says he has never had so much fun. After all, at last count he’s been to 32 wrap-up parties. Referring to his newest hit Aaja Nachle he says, “We’ve celebrated any and every thing we could think of. Aditya Chopra calls us a love-sick unit because everyone seems to be in love with one another.”

Kapoor plays Imran, a small town tough yet handsome goon in Aaja Nachle. He wants nothing to do with being in a musical nor does he appreciate the affection he receives from sniffling tomboy Anokhi (Konkana Sen) who longs for him to reciprocate his undying love for her as well.

The match up of Kapoor and Sen once again after Laga Chunari Mein Daag is both comical and endearing, as the story within the story blossoms. The relationship they share in Aaja Nachle is very different from the one they shared in Laga Chunari Mein Daag; a different equation all together, but it works.

How does Kapoor feel working side by side with his favorite actress of all time – Madhuri Dixit? The star-stuck (only for Madhuri) Kapoor replies, “Madhuri … Ah,” he sighs. “I’ve worked with a lot of actresses but Madhuri is extra-special. I told her, I’ve seen Hum Aapke Hain Koun as many times as M.F. Husain saab.”

Aaja Nachle has just been a great big party for Kapoor. “It’s great fun being in an ensemble cast. Ranbir Shorey and Vinay Pathak had us in splits.”

The diva of dance returns and she brings us back in time where it seems as if she had never left in the first place. Exquisite as always in her dancing, she flashes the non-fading thousand-watt smile from the moment she comes on the screen. So with that in their favor, how does Yash Raj Films fair with Aaja Nachle?

Aaja Nachle is a film which covers several areas of life – the human spirit and its ability to survive, standing up against all odds and fighting for what you believe in – seeing it through to the end, the capability to forgive, and love (without it, it wouldn’t be a Yash Raj film). It is also a film which encompasses transformations on every level, from Anil Mehta who went from a cinematographer and writer to a director, to the characters, as well as the Ajanta Theater whose demise is the matter in question.

We follow Dia’s (Madhuri Dixit) journey from a free-spirited girl in India to America and back again. She transforms from the small town girl to a New York divorced mother in a short time after her elopement with Steve (Felix D’Alviella) the National Geographic photographer who professes his undying love for her and promises to be with her forever. Now, she must go back home after ten years and “face the music”, both literally and figuratively. Dia must channel that free-spirited, feisty attitude into one of responsibility and take on the challenge her beloved guru Makarand (Darshan Zariwala) left her before he died.

In taking on this challenge, that of saving her beloved Ajanta Theater, where she once danced, she must also transform the cast of her show from ordinary townspeople into stars of the musical she must perform to save the theater from the wrecking ball. Ajanta too sees a transformation from the ruins Dia is left to work with to a revitalized cultural arts center.

The metamorphosis of the tough but gorgeous-looking goon Imran (Kunal Kapoor) and the sniffling tomboy Anokhi (Konkana Sen) into starry-eyed lovers is both comical and endearing, as they slowly become the timeless lovers Majnu and Laila. Both Kunal and Konkana take on both parts of their respective characters beautifully and leave you cheering for more in this story within the story.

Akshaye Khanna makes his presence known as MP Raja Saab with his fight against Dia to take the shambles of Ajanta and turn them into a shopping mall. His roughness too melts away as Dia stands for what she believes in right to the end and succeeds. His subsequent trip to New York in the end leaves the door open for romance in the future … maybe.

Irrfan Khan and Divya Dutta play husband and wife, a.k.a. selfish contractor and Dia’s childhood friend Najma respectively. Although Najma goes against Dia originally because of her husband, she seeks Dia’s forgiveness and asks her to teach her to dance and live once again. After seeing her in the musical, her husband is transformed into a decent human being as well. Their performances although small are noteworthy.

Kudos to the rest of the cast comprised of Ranvir Shorey (the heartbroken tea stand owner Mohan Sharma), Dalai (Dia’s daughter Radha, who was so adorable and funny), Raghubir Yadav (the loveable Doctor), Vinay Pathak (the not so boring after all Mr. Chojar), Sushmita Mukherjee (the hopeful Mrs. Chojar), Nowaz (Dhan Kuber the outspoken vagabond), Jugal Hansraj (Sanjeev Mehta, the struggling insurance salesman), Akhilendra Mishra (easily bribed ex-MLA Chaudhary Om Singh) and Yashpal Sharma (S.H.O. Singh the caring and teasing friend of Mohan).

Praise goes to the crew who made it possible for YRF and the actors to carry out their performances in this amazing piece of work, from the writing, the choreography, the cinematography, clothing design to the photography, etc.

All those in the music department should be proud, as the music of Aaja Nachle makes you want to get up to sing and dance in the aisles of the theater.

Some critics have said there is a lack of content and a fairytale atmosphere, leaving Aaja Nachle with something to be desired. To that I say, we often talk of the escapism and fantasy elements in films, how they take us away from our mundane, stressful lives to enjoy them. So from that angle, haven’t we come to expect them to be “over-the-top” to fulfill that need of a distressing factor?

In the course of 2.5 hours, if a filmmaker can take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and still allow you to come out of the theater with a positive and subtle message that you can use in everyday life, while at the same time you enjoy the film, hasn’t he achieved his/her goal? In my humble opinion, Yash Raj Films has certainly accomplished that brilliantly with Aaja Nachle!

Ratings : 5 Stars out of 5

Madhuri Dixit caused hysteria as she unleashed her magic on dance reality show Nach Baliye 3. She was accompanied by her co-stars from ‘Aaja Nachle’ Kunal Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma.

Does that make Kunal Kapoor a “Cereal” Kisser? Not quite, but a discussion with Konkona Sen about which brand of cornflakes was better seemed to be the best way to prepare for his first onscreen kiss with her in Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag.

Kapoor is looking forward to the release of Aaja Nachle with high expectations. His character in the film is a very aggressive one, as he gets angry at “the drop of a hat”.

At least in real life that’s not how he reacts. As a matter of fact, once upon a time, he used to turn beet red when a girl complimented him on his looks. “After four years in the industry, I have finally got used to it. Earlier I used to blush and turn away. Now I just smile.”

Just smile? But what about the stories that linked him to several actresses including Dia Mirza? “Dia is a very sweet girl. In fact, I read somewhere she had said in a lighter vain that she does not mind being linked with me. And why should anybody? I am good looking, sexy, talented, emotional, intelligent and a very modest person,” Kunal smiles. Humility becomes him, nah?

After nearly a decade, an unexpected phone call shakes Dia (Madhuri Dixit) out of her dance rehearsal in New York.

Makarand (Darshan Zariwala), her teacher, her guru, is dying and she must return to Shamli town. The town where she grew up, the town where she learnt to live and to dance. Also the town she left on an impulse, severing ties with her parents and her people.

It is a poignant and troubled return; not only has her guru passed away but the institution that he so lovingly nurtured is in decay and under threat of demolition. Ajanta theatre, the once vibrant hub of the community, the place where Dia’s fondest memories are embedded must now be brought down because the local political authorities feel it a waste of prime real estate.

With the help of Doctor (Raghubir Yadav), the caretaker of Ajanta, Dia sets out on a mission to prevent the destruction and resurrect the spirit of Ajanta. In an atmosphere of mistrust, ridicule and active hostility, Dia picks up the gauntlet and agrees to achieve the near impossible task of putting together a theatrical production. She must also ensure that every member of the production is from Shamli town. She has only two months to prove her point or the bulldozers will be waiting.

In this context begins her tumultuous journey of dealing with small town prejudices, encountering the resentment of the powerful contractor, the cynicism of the local political powers, resolve the delicate tensions of inter personal relationships and rally her motley team of non starters – a low level muscle Imran (Kunal Kapoor), the local tomboy Anokhi (Konkona Sen), local ex-MLA Chaudhary Om Singh (Akhilendra Mishra), a vulnerable tea stall owner Mohan Sharma (Ranvir Shorey), a responsible government official Mr. Chojar (Vinay Pathak), a struggling insurance agent Sanjeev Mehta (Jugal Hansraj), the town vagabond Dhankuber (Nowaz) and a host of others.

She must create in this chaos in order to save Ajanta… in order to preserve what her guru so lovingly nurtured. She must create art in order to preserve what she believes is the soul of society.

The stage is finally set… Will it work? Won’t it?

Lights dim.
Crowds quieten.
Curtains rise on Ajanta.

Download wallpapers of Madhuri Dixit, Konkona Sen, Kunal Kapoor starrer Aaja Nachle in 1024×768 resolution.