First Take

Noticed how he’s started sporting a snazzier version of the kurta? Journalisticminds are abuzz about the PM’s brand new wardrobe: who’s the new tailor in A.B.Vajpayee’s life?... Nothing seems to diminish his enthusiasm, not even thewtc disaster. Dev Anand is parked in NY these days finishing the shootfor his new film, Love in Times Square...Meanwhile, Neena Guptais nursing big screen dreams after having scored it big on the small screen. She wants tomake a romantic film with Madhuri Dixit in the lead...Talking of LaDixit, wonder what’s going to happen to her much-in-news wedding show, ShubhVivah, now that the programming head of Sony, Rekha Nigam, hasexited...Some bad news for Aamir fans.

They won’t be seeing his nextmovie soon. He’s enjoying a long break from shooting, first taking his Lagaanstage-show abroad and now promoting the film in the US after having got the nod as theofficial Indian entry for the Oscars. Last heard, Columbia Tristar has been roped in toredistribute the film in North America.

That other ‘little master’ from the ’70s is back in action, this time toteach young boys his wristy late-cuts and leg glances. G.R. Vishwanathhas taken over as chairman of the Karnataka Cricket Academy, the first of its kind amongstate cricket associations... Some confession this: Shilpa Shetty’sdream date is Tom Hanks and the role she would kill for is that of Julia Robertsin Pretty Woman... The way the winds are blowing, it won’t be long beforeTamil screens would only have starlets from north of the Vindhyas. Naghma, Simran,Jyothika, Monal, Neha, Riya and Rima Sen... The list goes on. The latest to feature isformer Miss World Priyanka Chopra, who has come in answer toMollywood’s cal. She has agreed to play the lead role in Tamizhan oppositeVijay. In fact, she has even done a few promo shoots for the film...  Mohanlal’scellphone does ring now. So it seems in the new ads of bpl Mobile. But not before a minorsnag. The actor’s mobile connection was cut by BPL for non-payment of dues. An angryLal called up BPL's Kochi office only to get a cold and curt reply: pay up. Obviously, thelines weren’t written for the superstar.