Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt sign their first endorsement deals!

Bollywood bigwigs working as brand ambassadors aren’t a new phenomenon. Several times before, some of Bollywood’s biggest stars have been the face of a brand and have given fans a chance to better-connect with products and services. Well, times have changed now and newcomers seem to have taken up the cause of brand endorsements. Recently, several fresh faces in B-town have begun starring in advertisements, drawing in their fans to take notice of these brands.

Some of the brand endorsement-realm’s newest flag-bearers are Karan Johar’s newbie trio, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, all of who made a debut in the film Student of the Year. This campus romance hit the big-screen on the 19th of October, 2012, and was proclaimed a blockbuster. The three young actors have already begun working on  their next films and have signed their first endorsement deals too!

Speaking about newcomers taking up endorsement deals, veteran ad man Alyque Padamsee says “Modeling agencies at times suggest advertising companies if they have interesting clients. For example, look at Anushka Sharma. She was a model before she became a star, and she was doing several advertisements before she became an actor. So as soon as she became an actor and her films were a hit, all the brands who had signed a contract with her were happy since they could now capitalise on her newfound fame. So, companies like to capitalise on such talented people.”

Stay tuned to your television screen to catch Varun, Alia and Siddharth in their first advertisements!

Karan Johar rumored to have roped in an office-boy’s daughter for Bombay Talkies

Karan Johar’s part in the upcoming film, Bombay Talkies, has been grabbing a lot of attention lately. The Dharma Productions chief will be directing a 20 minute part for the film and his segment will share screen-space with short-films by Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Zoya Akhtar. What keeps this film apart from any Karan has directed before is the fact that the movie just 20 minutes long, unlike his previous directorial ventures that have run well over 200 minutes. Also, Karan was given a limited budget for the film and unlike his extravagant past, the filmmaker has stuck towards the more realistic side of life.

Karan Johar’s short film will star Randeep Hooda, Rani Mukerji and newcomer Saqib Saleem with one very special star, the daughter of an office boy working at YRF who Karan handpicked for a role in the film. “She wanted to see herself on the big screen. She had told everybody in her home town that her dad works for Yash Raj and her friends often asked her if she would ever be seen in a film. The peon managed to put in a word with Aditya Chopra,who in turn put in a word with Karan Johar to help her out,” said a source.

Ashi Dua, the producer of Bombay Talkies, confirmed the news saying, “Yes it is true that Karan Johar has cast the daughter of an office boy working at YRF for a very pivotal role. She has done a very good job in the film.”

The film Bombay Talkies is a tribute to the 100 years of Hindi cinema and will commemorate the day Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, released the first Indian motion picture.

A career in films wasn’t easy for Karan Johar’s mentee, Siddharth Malhotra

Karan Johar, the Dharma Productions chief, broke trends with his fifth directorial venture, Student of the Year, by roping in newcomers instead of Bollywood bigwigs. In the film, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt star in the lead.

Siddharth Malhotra

While Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan both come from families based strongly in tinsel-town, model-turned-actor Siddharth Malhotra has no industry background and has worked hard for his upcoming debut. Quoting Siddharth, "I have nothing to fall back on, for them (Alia and Varun) they can take guidance from their parents but I can't even discuss anything with my parents as they know nothing about the industry. I have to work harder and be more attentive because I don't have an option. So it does make it tougher."

The actor started his career as a model at the early age of 16 and has won several titles including the Gladrags Face of the Year 2009 award and the NDTV Model of the Year 2010. He has also walked the runway for Indian and international designers including Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra and Rohit Bal. Before Student of the Year, Siddharth auditioned for a film that failed to take off. He worked as an assistant director to Karan Johar along with his now-co-star Varun Dhawan for “My Name Is Khan” (2010). "It has not been an easy journey. I started my career with modeling and then worked with Karan as an assistant director. At that time I had never imagined that he will cast me as a lead actor in his movie," says Siddharth.

Now, Siddharth will be seen in two upcoming movies, one a Dharma Productions film titled Hasee Toh Phasee and the next a film by Ekta Kapoor titled The Villain.

Karan Johar - One of Bollywood’s finest

Karan Johar - One of Bollywood's finest.

Karan Johar is better known as one of Bollywood’s biggest and most successful directors. But that isn’t all to this talented man. The son of the late producer Yash Johar and Hiroo Johar, Karan has directed films, produced more and acted too! 

Born on the 25th of May, 1972 in Mumbai, India; Karan Johar had spent his childhood watching some of B-town’s biggest names rise to glory. He completed his schooling at the Greenlawns High School, and Commerce and Economics at H R College, finally receiving a Master’s degree in French. The director-producer, being from a strong Bollywood background, has always had an affinity for movies, a fact that is reflected by the films he rolls out these days.

Karan first began as an actor, playing Raj’s (Shahrukh Khan) close friend in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). He also helped director Aditya Chopra with the screenplay and worked as the film’s assistant director. From then on, Karan Johar mastered the art of filmmaking and has released blockbusters, one after another. His first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) was followed by Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010). Karan has also produced several hit films under his Dharma Productions banner including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Wake Up Sid, We Are Family and more, launching several new directors in the bargain. 

A few months ago, Karan unveiled his fifth directorial venture, Student of the Year, launching new talent in the industry. Up ahead, he will unveil the film Bombay Talkies with Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Aktar and Dibakar Banerjee.

Karan Johar – The brand ambassador of exposure?

Karan Johar has managed to make headlines time and again and has constantly been in the public’s eye. This filmmaker, known for the exceptionally heart-grabbing films that he has dished out in the past, has been the center of attention and has a huge fan following too. Busy preparing for his upcoming hip and fun film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Karan Johar is also working on the release of his segment in the film Bombay Talkies.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani will star Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone and the Dharma Productions chief was recently asked if this film will lead to an over-exposure of Deepika, given the fact that the actress has constantly been making appearances on screens. To this, Karan replied, “I have exposed myself time and again in the last two decades. I am the brand ambassador of exposure, so I will be the wrong person to answer this. But seriously speaking, I feel Deepika will be a part of immensely credible endeavors. Each one of them is different from the other. I think variety should be appreciated and not consistency.” The actress will play a bubbly role in the upcoming film and is bound to grab hearts yet again, this time with magic sprinkled by Karan Johar and the film’s director Ayan Mukerji.

“Deepika has proved her acting prowess in Cocktail and she has many films with different characters, so more power to her,” added Karan Johar. The film will release on the 31st of May, 2013.

Student of the Year was a challenging film for Karan Johar

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year hit cinema screens a few months ago and managed to create quite a buzz. A glamorous, extravagant and extremely campus romance, the film starred three newcomers making their first appearances on the big screen, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The film was Karan Johar’s first with debutant actors and without his close friend and lucky mascot, Shah Rukh Khan.

For Karan Johar, the film was more than just one of his several directorial ventures. Quoting Karan before the release of Student of the Year, “The film is a big responsibility on Dharma Production's shoulders and mine. We are launching the career of three new faces through this film - Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra. All of them are very promising and talented. So, we as a production house have to make sure that we stand up to the expectation of all”.

While Siddharth Malhotra is a model-turned-actor with no background in the film industry, Varun Dhawan is the son of director David Dhawan. Alia Bhatt on the other hand is the daughter of director Mahesh Bhatt and the half-sister of Pooja Bhatt. Siddharth and Varun have worked with Karan Johar before, assisting the director during the making of the film My Name Is Khan. Noticing their knack for the big-screen, Karan quickly roped the duo in for his upcoming film.

“Siddharth Malhotra as well as Varun Dhawan had assisted me in “My Name Is Khan” and were involved in the process of production right throughout. Moreover they also observed me quite closely as a director. What I like about them is that they are totally different from each other, be in terms of personality or energy. I realized that they had the faces that were for cinema and it was about time that they were seen on the big screen,” says Karan Johar.

Alia Bhatt celebrates her 20th birthday with her mother

Actress Alia Bhatt, the gorgeous girl who debuted in Karan Johar’s fifth directorial venture, Student of the Year, recently turned 20. However, the youngster, known for her diligence and her love for work, decided not to take a day off to celebrate her birthday. Instead, Alia continued the shoot for her upcoming film by Imtiaz Ali in Rajasthan. But Alia’s birthday certainly wasn’t uneventful and her mother Soni Razden made sure the pretty actress’ day was special. 

Her mother flew from Mumbai to Jaipur just to spend the day with her, surprising young Alia at the sets of the upcoming film. “Soni straight went to the sets to surprise Alia. The young actress didn’t want to take a break on her special day. She was keen to complete the schedule on time. The unit had planned a small celebration for her on the sets. She wasn’t expecting her mother at all,” says a source, adding, “Though she was very tired from the shoot schedule, all her exhaustion vanished the moment she set eyes on her mom. It was followed by the cake cutting ceremony and a small celebration.”

The actress will be seen gracing the big-screen in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway, starring alongside Randeep Hooda. The filmmaker hasn’t divulged much about the film and neither have the actors. Apart from this project, Alia will also star in the upcoming Dharma Productions film, 2 States, an adaptation of author Chetan Bhagat’s bestselling novel.

Sachiin Joshi parts with film title for Karan Johar

B-town certainly isn’t all about just rumors, link-ups, broken relationships and cut-throat competition. Filmmaker Karan Johar seems to understand this best and was recently surprised by his peer, Sachiin Joshi. The latter was looking forward to sculpting a film titled 'Gutkha Wars'. However, Karan Johar too seemed to have a film with a similar name in his mind and realized Sachiin had already picked and registered the name for his upcoming project.

So, Karan approached Sachiin for the title and a single conversation won him the title! The filmmaker went out of his way to give the Dharma Productions chief his film’s title. A source said, "Sachiin had plans to make a film by the same name, but when Karan requested, he immediately agreed to give it away." Overwhelmed by the move, Karan Johar confirmed this news, saying, "Gestures like these are very rare in our industry. It was very kind of Sachiin to part with the title. I just called him once and he made it happen. I was extremely touched."

Sachiin too went on to say, "Who says Bollywood is only about star wars, rivalry and gossip? There is camaraderie, too, making this place interesting and sometimes also unpredictable." The upcoming film titled Gutkha will apparently be directed by Punit Malhotra. This film is rumored to be a joint production by Karan Johar and Akshay Kumar and will also star the actor in the lead.

Karan Johar speaks about launching new talent in B-town

Karan Johar, one of Bollywood’s most multifaceted filmmakers, has taken a step away from the conventional and launched several new faces and talent in the films he has rolled out on previous instances. Karan has, in the past, directed five films, all of which were crowned blockbusters and have done extremely well at the box office. These films include Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), My Name Is Khan (2010) and Student of the Year (2012). He has launched several directors too with the films he produces under his production-house banner, Dharma Productions, including Nikhil Advani, Tarun Mansukhani, Ayan Mukerji and Punit Malhotra amongst others.

In his latest directorial venture, Karan introduced four debuting actors, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Kayoze Irani. From them all, Siddharth is the only newcomer with no filmy background whatsoever. Varun is the son of filmmaker David Dhawan while Alia is the daughter of Mahesh Bhatt. Kayoze on the other hand is the son of actor Boman Irani. Speaking about introducing newcomers in B-town, Karan recently said, "I see what people go through to get into the industry and I know I could have never done that. That is why I am launching as many new directors at Dharma Productions. I want to give back to the industry."

The Dharma Productions chief understands just how difficult it is to venture into B-town, particularly when one has no film-related background. Karan took the model-turned-actor Siddharth Malhotra under his wing and mentored him to perfection for his role in Student of the Year.

“I put in all the sport dreams in this film,” says Karan Johar, speaking about SOTY

When filmmaker Karan Johar sets out to create films, he’s bound to create one that grabs hearts, and that’s just what his latest release has achieved. The film titled Student of the Year, hit cinema screens on the 19th of October, 2012. A campus romance revolving around themes like love, betrayal, rivalry and friendship, Student of the Year stars Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The three portray the roles of students at an extravagantly well-heeled school in Dehradun.

“I had this idea of a fictitious school and this competition in my head for a while, and there’s no such institution that exists in this world, and it’s a figment of my imagination. And I’m not athletic or sporty as you can see, so I put in all the sport dreams in this film and all the fun and games that I love about Hindi films is really in this. I even ended up doing a few remixes of some of my favorite yesteryear songs,” says the director-producer of the film, Karan Johar.

Siddharth Malhotra plays Abhimanyu Singh in this film. An ambitious middle-class boy, Abhi is introduced to a new way of life when he enrolls at St. Teresa’s High School. Here, he crosses paths with wealthy students, one of who he befriends, Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan). Despite their initial bickering and their different backgrounds, Abhi and Rohan become the best of friends.

Things take a turn for the bad however when Abhi falls in love with Shanaya Sighania (Alia Bhatt), the prettiest student at school. Given the fact that Rohan is her boyfriend, he locks horns with his best friend Abhi. A rivalry sparks off between Abhi and Rohan when the school’s gay dean, Yogendra Vasisht (Rishi Kapoor), announces the Student of the Year competition.

So who wins the trophy and Shanaya’s heart? Watch this fabulous movie to find out!

“I want to give back to the industry," says Karan Johar

Karan Johar has given the Indian and international audiences several blockbuster films that have captured the imagination of many and charmed his fans over and over again. These films that include Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), My Name Is Khan (2010) and Student of the Year (2012), have all set a certain benchmark in B-town, giving the filmmaker the limelight he deserves. The son of the late producer Yash Johar, Karan today heads Dharma Productions and has also produced several film sunder his banner. And now, Karan is looking to bring about transcendence in the Bollywood industry.

Karan Johar has stepped away from the usual film-making rituals of casting Bollywood bigwigs for roles in his films. Instead, he has been casting newcomers in lead roles, giving the audiences a taste of fresh new cinema. With his latest directorial venture, Student of the Year, Karan launched Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt and Kayoze Irani, four newcomers who won the hearts of the audiences and have begun their journey to a long and fulfilling career in Bollywood. However, being an outsider with no filmy-background can make things more difficult for a debutant and Karan Johar recently went on to articulate about this, saying, "I see what people go through to get into the industry and I know I could have never done that. That is why I am launching as many new directors at Dharma Productions. I want to give back to the industry."

One of Karan Johar’s own mentees, Siddharth Malhotra, comes from a non-filmy background. The actor worked as a model before and was noticed by Karan Johar while working as an Assistant Director for the film My Name is Khan.

“My company is a spouse I will never cheat on,” says filmmaker Karan Johar

Karan Johar is indeed one of B-town’s most successful producers. Multifaceted and extremely talented, Karan has been crowned as one of the most sought-after filmmakers of contemporary Hindi cinema. After giving the Indian audiences several films revolving around love, Karan has however decided to keep away from the realm of dating and relationships. The veteran director has chosen to keep his life at home away from his profession of making movies.

While speaking about his thoughts on marriage in the past, Karan Johar articulated, “I believe there are some really beautiful and immaculately solid marriages still! In fact I know how much my father meant to my mother. What a beautiful marriage they had and I am blessed to have grown up in such a marriage. I feel what a spouse can do for you, no child or parent can. Just that if you get the right connect with your spouse, you get it going right.”

Previously, Karan has been rumored to plan a marriage, though, none of which were remotely true. Quoting Karan Johar, “Right now I am not ready for any kind of relationship as I am too used to my independence. Marriage is a definite no-no. I am totally married to my company. Emotionally, my mother fills up the void in my life. So there it is. My company is a spouse I will never cheat on, and my mother completes me as a son. I think I have a full family unit of my own. I am happy probably because I am single. Let’s face it, how many married people are really happy? Just kidding (laughs)!”

Karan Johar personally mentors newcomer Saqib Saleem

Karan Johar has been known to mentor newbies, polish them to perfection and launch them to a long and fulfilling career. In the past, the Dharma Productions chief has launched several directors including Nikhil Advani, Tarun Mansukhani, Ayan Mukerji and Punit Malhotra amongst others. And that’s not all. With his fifth directorial venture, Karan Johar paved the way for newcomers Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Kayoze Irani. The four debutants had a spectacular debut in this campus romance and Siddharth, Alia and Varun have already signed their next films which will soon hit cinema screens in India and around the globe.

Well, that’s not where Karan Johar’s mentoring skills stop. The director-producer has recently taken up the task of polishing actor Saqib Saleem to perfection. The newcomer will make his debut in a soon-to-release film by Y Films titled Mere Dad Ki Maruti. Karan Johar has also roped in Saqib for a role in his upcoming directorial venture, a short-film that will be part of Bombay Talkies. Saqib will star in the film’s lead alongside seasoned actors Randeep Hooda and Rani Mukherji.

The young actor is pretty excited about this and a source close to him recently revealed, “Saqib has been planning to keep the special screen soon for Karan. He is very excited to show Karan is acting skills. He has been in talks with YRF to allot him a screen and time for the screening only for Karan.” While the film Mere Dad Ki Maruti will release on the 15th of March, 2013, Karan Johar’s Bombay Talkies short film will release on the 3rd of May. Parts of the film will also be directed by the filmmakers Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibaker Banerjee.

Varun Dhawan rushes to fan’s help at a college event

Varun Dhawan seems to be having a pretty amazing time in B-town. After having shot to fame with his debut in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, starring in the lead alongside Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, Varun pretty much carved a place for himself in the hearts and minds of many. The actor has attained a huge fan-base, made up of teenagers, particularly girls who simply can’t stop gushing over him. The actor has been making several appearances, including college events.

At a recent event at SRCC college, Varun took the stage and had the crowds cheering and roaring. In the midst of it all however, a boy fell off stage and hurt himself. As the crowd turned unruly and security began to intervene, Varun was reported to being moved away to safety. However, on seeing the boy falling off, he youngster rushed to his aide and helped him back on stage, much to the applause and appreciation of the crowd!

There is no doubt that Varun Dhawan has indeed impressed his fans with his actions. Despite that, there have been a few rumors of the actor dating his Student of the year co-star, Alia Bhatt. The actress denied these allegations, saying, “I don’t really care about people discussing my personal life. I’m fond of Varun and Sid (Siddharth Malhotra) but no I’m not going out with either. And no, I have no boyfriend in Bandra. A boyfriend doesn’t really fit into my scheme of things right now. My boyfriend is Student of the Year.”

Karan Johar – Indeed one of Bollywood’s finest!

There is no denying the fact that filmmaker Karan Johar is indeed one of the most prominent Bollywood figures today. Born on 25 May 1972 in Mumbai to Yash Johar and Hiroo Johar, Karan is a film director, producer, screenwriter, costume designer and a television host who has had and continues to have a successful stint at Bollywood.

The filmmaker made his debut in B-town as an actor in the 1995 film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. After this, he ventured forth with his first directorial project, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai starring Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji. This National Award winning film was followed by Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham in 2001 and the 2010 film, My Name is Khan. Apart from this, Karan has also produced a bunch of films that include Wake Up Sid!, Kurbaan, We Are Family, I Hate Luv Stories and Agneepath. The Dharma Productions honcho has also hosted the show Koffee with Karan, pushing it through a bunch of successful seasons.

Up ahead, Karan will unveil a bunch of films that will continue his successful run in Bollywood. His latest release titled Student of the year, was termed a blockbuster and gave the box office a hay day. Karan Johar has managed to grab the hearts of many with his films. He is known for his soul-touching stories and star-studded films and is recognized as one of the few directors who have managed to roll out some of Bollywood’s highest grossing films.

Watch out for this multifaceted filmmaker who has given movie buffs some of the most memorable films of the last two decades

Stay tuned as Karan Johar confirms Student of the Year sequel

You know a film has done well with the audiences when fans begin asking for a sequel! Karan Johar’s October 2012 release, Student of the Year, has created a place for itself in the hearts of many and campus romance fans have been asking for more ever since! The film features debutants Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt in the lead and is a tale of friendship, romance and rivalry.

The film’s creator, Karan Johar, has been overwhelmed with the response his fifth directorial venture has received and seems to be soaring high with its success. Enthusiastic about the accolades he has been showered with, the Dharma Productions chief has also made a mental note to role all out sequence of the film in the future. Karan has stated that he wishes the installment to launch more stars, just his first that launched the careers of Siddharth Malhotra, Varun and Alia. . “For all those asking....definitely planning #SOTY2....Dharma plans to make it a franchise and launch new talent with it each time(sic),” tweeted Karan Joahr.

In the original film, the trio plays three students at a highly-reputed school in Dehradun called the St. Teresa’s High School. Abhimanyu Singh aka Abhi (Siddharth Malhotra), a middle-class boy, enrolls at the school on a sports scholarship. Here, he come meets Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan), a rich son of a business-tycoon who he winds up befriending. He also falls in love with Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt), knowing the fact that Rohan is her boyfriend. This causes a love-triangle to ensue as Shanaya too begins nurturing feelings for Siddharth Malhotra, in turn angering her boyfriend Rohan.

“My loyalty lies with Dharma,” says Karan Johar’s student, Varun Dhawan

Varun Dhawan has had a successful launch with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year. The young actor starred in the lead alongside newcomers Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt. The actors have signed their next films already, after the success of their debut blockbuster. However, there has been some speculation about the contract signed by the trio with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

Speaking about the same recently, Varun articulated, “Karan is very keen that I should not just stick doing a film with his or his banner. He doesn’t want me to have a mindset that I work with only one or two people. Of course my loyalty lies with Dharma but then people in the industry should know that I am available for them as well.” The actor will next be seen in a film directed by his father David Dhawan and produced by Ekta Kapoor. The film is titled Mein Tera Hero and a female lead has not been announced yet.

Varun also went on to add, “It is very easy to be spoiled after working in a film like ‘Student of the Year’ with Dharma Productions. But then if I don’t expand my wings then all hard work of mine as well as that of Karan would go waste. Even dad wants me to make my own decisions.” Speaking about the roles he wishes to take up in the future, the actor said, “I am okay with doing a positive, grey or an out and out black role. I am very self critical about each and every small thing though. I have set certain targets for myself which I don’t wish to reveal as such. I know though that it would take me a lot of years to reach there.”

Alia Bhatt pushes away rumors of dating Siddharth Malhotra

Being young, attractive and famous is great, but all of this does come with a price. One of the cons of fame is the rumors that attach themselves as baggage and follow one around. Lately, newcomers Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt who made their debut in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year have been subjected to a bunch of rumors that state the two to be dating. While none of have been proven true, Alia and Siddharth have also denied the gossip linking them together and the reports of them dating.

And that’s not all! Alia has also been stated to have been angry with actress Esha Gupta’s closeness to Siddharth Malhotra. The Razz 3 star has connected well with Siddharth and apparently young Alia is extremely displeased about the fact! Well, these aren’t the only rumors that have been surrounding these promising newcomers. Alia has also been stated to have been dating her second co-star, Varun Dhawan. Of course, this isn’t true either and the actress articulated her indifference to the gossip sprouting up saying, “I don’t really care about people discussing my personal life. I’m fond of Varun and Sid (Siddharth Malhotra) but no I’m not going out with either. And no, I have no boyfriend in Bandra. A boyfriend doesn’t really fit into my scheme of things right now. My boyfriend is Student of the Year.”

Alia Bhatt will next be seen in Karan Johar’s film adaptation of the popular bestseller, 2 States, written by author Chetan Bhagat. The actress will star in the lead alongside actor Arjun Kapoor.

Karan Johar’s protégé and Student of the Year star, Alia Bhatt, speaks about her debut!

Karan Johar’s discovery, Alia Bhatt, has given teenage girls a new idol to look up to. At the tender age of 19, this young actress who hails from one of Bollywood’s most prominent families, Alia seems to have achieved it all! The young actor is the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and the sister of actress Pooja Bhatt. Making her debut in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year alongside newcomers Siddharth Malhotra and David Dhawan, Alia has been enjoying a lot of attention lately!

Speaking about just how she bagged the role for the film, Alia Bhatt recently stated in an interview, “I got a call from Dharma Productions asking for my pictures. Then I met Karan Johar and he asked me to audition for the role. By then Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra were already on board. Karan told me I had to lose weight. He put me on a diet program with Zarine Watson. Five months later we did a test shoot. I still remember the day when Karan gifted me this giant cup cake. I was busy gorging on it, when he told my mom that he would be directing the film and wanted me for the lead role.”

After a successful debut, Alia has been rumored to be dating Varun Dhawan. The actress has denied this gossip of a boyfriend however, saying, “I don’t really care about people discussing my personal life. I’m fond of Varun and Sid but no I’m not going out with either. And no, I have no boyfriend in Bandra. A boyfriend doesn’t really fit into my scheme of things right now. My boyfriend is Student of the Year,”

Siddharth Malhotra to shed his boyish romantic avatar for a darker role

His Bollywood debut in Karan Johar’s directorial venture titled Student of the Year pushed newcomer Siddharth Malhotra in the spotlight. The 28-year-old actor starred alongside debutants Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt and played the role of a middle-class student at a prestigious educational institute presided over by a gay and eccentric dean. The film was a blockbuster, just like Karan’s previous films and released on the 19th of October, 2012.

After a dream debut, Siddharth Malhotra has bagged a couple of more films and seems to be on a roll, being tagged as one of Bollywood’s most sought after newcomers. Besides his next film, Hasee Toh Phasee, Siddharth has bagged yet another film. While Hasee Toh Phasee is a joint production by Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap with Parineeti Chopra playing the female lead, Siddharth Malhotra will be seen in a darker role in The Villain, an Ekta Kapoor production.

Speaking about the film, Siddharth recently tweeted, "Really excited about my new project with Balaji... Will be fun walking the dark side." Girish Johar, head of acquisition and distribution, Balaji Motion Pictures, confirmed The Villain in which Siddharth will don an angry-young-man role. The film is supposedly set in Mumbai and could very well be directed by filmmaker Mohit Suri. There has been no news who will grace the female-lead role.

Stay tuned for more on this upcoming flick!

Karan Johar’s students, Varun and Alia, rumored to be dating!

Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt stepped into the limelight with their first film, Student of the Year. A Karan Johar directorial venture, this campus romance brought the newcomer trio to the attention of the Indian audiences, film-critics, filmmakers and obviously, rumor-mongers! The newcomers have been subjected to rumors, gossip and linkups time and again. Each of these youngsters have been said to be in and out of love and more recently, Varun Dhawan, the son of the veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, has been linked up with his co-star, Alia Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter.

As per rumors, Alia and Varun have been dating since quite a while now and have been in a relationship ever since the making of Student of the Year. Both, Alia and Varun have disregarded this gossip. While Varun plays Alia’s boyfriend in reel life, in the film Student of the Year, this does not hold true to real life. Though young and fresh to B-town, the actors are taking these dating rumors maturely.

“My father (Mahesh Bhatt) had warned me that this would happen. I was prepared for these speculations. What I’m worried about is the expectations. People are just waiting to write you off. I’ve got this platform at an early age. Many girls would want to be in my shoes. I don’t want such false rumors to overshadow my work,” said Alia Bhatt. The youngster seems to have learned the best ways to deal with bad-press from her filmy family and went on to add, “I don’t really care about people discussing my personal life. I’m fond of Varun and Sid (Siddharth Malhotra) but no I’m not going out with either. And no, I have no boyfriend in Bandra. A boyfriend doesn’t really fit into my scheme of things right now. My boyfriend is Student of the Year.”

Karan Johar’s ‘Koffee with Karan’ given a comedy twist by Rohan Sippy

Rohan Sippy

The Bollywood industry is transforming quickly and filmmakers have begun to resort to innovative ways to market their films. Filmmaker Rohan Sippy recently announced his next directorial venture, Nautanki Saala. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Kunaal Roy Kapur, this upcoming comedy has taken up a new means to promotion. An online show called Kutting with Kunaal, hosted by Kunaal Roy Kapur, has taken the internet by storm and is a comedy take on talk shows. From what we’ve heard, this show also has Karan Johar’s popular show, Koffee with Karan, as an inspiration!

Quoting Rohan Sippy, “Our show is a take on all chat shows. Of course, Karan’s show is quite popular and it’s a good reference point. The K of Kutting came from Kunaal and Khurrana. Karan’s show is a big show but ours is a zero-budget version of it. Kunaal is playing the worst talk show host in the world.” The filmmaker also went on to add, “We were thinking of ideas to promote the film and came up with the absurd idea of a talk show. Later, it turned into a fun idea and has developed so well. But the funny part is that it doesn’t promote our film outright.”

Karan Johar’s show, Koffee with Karan, ran for three whole seasons and featured several Bollywood bigwigs, speaking about their lives on-screen and off-screen. The show was noted for Karan Johar’s fresh and witty appeal and began to air in 2004.

“I have never felt more proud,” says Karan Johar, speaking about SOTY

Karan Johar

Dharma Productions honcho, Karan Johar, has been known to draw up big budgets, roping in larger-than-life stars for all of his stories. After having directed Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010), all packing Bollywood bigwigs including the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar stepped away from his usual mix for his upcoming film titled Student of the Year.

A campus romance to be precise, the film stars newcomers Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. This however didn’t keep Karan from setting an equally high budget for the film. The movie is just as glamorous and glitzy as his previous releases and has launched Siddharth, Varun and Alia. When asked about his choice of actors for latest directorial venture, Karan said, “In a star-ridden industry such as ours, launching new talents on such a large scale is always a risk. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have never felt more proud.” He went on to add, “After all, there are just as many people who are big and up there. So unless we take the onus, and leverage our position to create new stars, we’ll be running dry soon. I have never worked with newcomers before. But I realized it was time and took up the challenge,” says Karan.

Besides discovering these promising newcomers, Karan Johar has also groomed and trained them, helping them master the trade of acting on the silver screen. The director has played the role of a mentor, coaching Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt for the film.  Quoting Karan Johar, “Hindi cinema has taken a quantum leap in every aspect of its functioning.”

Karan Johar ropes in Remo D’souza to script Siddharth Malhotra’s upcoming action flick

Siddharth Malhotra took the big-screen by storm with his debut appearance in the film Student of the Year, a Karan Johar directorial venture. The 28-year-old actor rose to stardom with the film, playing the lead alongside two more newcomers, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. Now, after a very successful Bollywood debut, Siddharth Malhotra has signed his next film, Hasee Toh Phasee, alongside Parineeti Chopra. The actor has chosen to stay under his mentor-director’s wing and will star in the aforementioned romantic comedy produced by Dharma Productions and directed by Vinil Mathew.

Apart from this, Siddharth will also make an appearance in yet another film by Karan Johar, an untitled action-adventure movie. For the film, the Dharma Productions chief has teamed up with UTV and has also roped in Remo D’Souza to develop the film. An industry insider recently revealed, “Although the details are being kept under wraps, the genre will be similar to that of the hit Hollywood film franchise, The Fast and the Furious. Siddharth’s role will be very different from how he was seen in SOTY.”

As per what we’ve heard, this upcoming film will include everything synonymous with Karan Johar, particularly his extravagant film settings. Expect fast cars, pretty girls and tons of action in this upcoming film with Bollywood’s newest hunk, Siddharth Malhotra, gracing the lead!

Siddharth Malhotra signs Ekta Kapoor’s The Villain!

Karan Johar

Siddharth Malhotra grabbed the attention of audiences in India and internationally as well with his Bollywood debut, a Karan Johar-directorial venture titled Student of the Year. In the film, the 28-year-old actor stars alongside newcomers Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt and plays the role of a middle-class student at a prestigious educational institute presided over by a gay and eccentric dean. The film was a blockbuster, just like Karan’s previous films and released on the 19th of October, 2012.

After a dream debut, Siddharth Malhotra has bagged a couple of more films and seems to be on a roll, being tagged as one of Bollywood’s most sought after newcomers. Besides his next film, Hasee Toh Phasee, Siddharth has bagged yet another film. While Hasee Toh Phasee is a joint production by Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap with Parineeti Chopra playing the female lead, Siddharth Malhotra will be seen in a darker role in The Villain, an Ekta Kapoor production.

Speaking about the film, Siddharth recently tweeted, "Really excited about my new project with Balaji... Will be fun walking the dark side." Besides the fact that Siddharth will be seen in a role different from that of his romantic debut, not much has been divulged in regards to the film. Also, there has been no news as to who will be directing the film. Girish Johar, head of acquisition and distribution, Balaji Motion Pictures, also confirmed The Villain.

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year – The competition of a life-time

Karan Johar is known as a multifaceted filmmaker and for good reason. The Dharma Productions chief has unveiled five directorial ventures till today and has covered some of the most important subjects that relate to our day to day lives. With his first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Karan Johar showcased bubblegum romances and teenage love. His next film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), brought traditional family values to the big-screen in a perfect way. What followed was Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), a film with a subject that brought a new phase of cinema to the big-screen, revolving around adultery. Karan then addressed political issues in his 2010 film, My Name Is Khan, bringing to light the mistreatment of Indians in the United States of America.

His latest film, Student of the Year, brought to life campus romances yet again. The film released on the 19th of October, 2012, and starred debutants Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. The film revolves around the lives of three students at a premium educational academy, St. Teresa’s High School, Dehradun. Presided over by a gay school dean named Yogendra Vasisht (Rishi Kapoor), the school has organized a Student of the Year competition annually to decide the best student at school. Abhimanyu Singh (Siddharth), a newbie at school, is introduced to a new life, different from that of his middle-class upbringing. He ends up befriending Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan), a rich and affluent boy. He also crosses paths with Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt), the prettiest girl at school while hanging out with her boyfriend Rohan.

As time flies, a love triangle ensues, with Abhi falling in love with Shanaya, despite the fact that her boyfriend is his best friend. Shanaya unknowingly finds herself falling for Abhi, reciprocating his feelings. When her boyfriend finds out, things fall apart and a rivalry grows between the boys.
Watch this Karan Johar blockbuster to know who wins the competition of a life-time!

"Yes, I am doing a short film with Karan Johar,” says Randeep Hooda

Karan Johar’s upcoming direction, Bombay Talkies, has been in the news constantly these days. A 20-minute short-film, this will be the director-producer’s sixth directorial venture after a string of blockbusters that include include Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), My Name Is Khan (2010) and his latest release, Student of the Year (2012), starring newcomers Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

The upcoming film is a tribute to the 100 years of Hindi cinema and will have directors Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap directing the rest of the film’s 20-minute parts. For Karan Johar, a director synonymous with longer films, usually 200-minutes long, this short film is a challenge. “For me, it’s a challenging format. We have 20 minutes to tell a story, which is coherent and connected to the other plots. This can be a challenge for any filmmaker,” said Karan.

As per reports, Karan’s next film will star seasoned actors Rani Mukherjee and Randeep Hooda along with Saqib Siddique. "Yes, I am doing a short film with Karan Johar and it features Rani Mukherjee," said Randeep, choosing not to divulge any more. Also, this film will be shot at realistic locations that relate better with audiences and has parts captured at a suburban Mumbai station too. “Karan, who usually shoots in elaborate locations, will now shoot on the streets and other actual places,” says a source close to the Dharma Productions chief.

Bombay Talkies will hit cinema screens on the 3rd of May to commemorate the day the Father of Indian Cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, released the first Indian motion picture, Raja Harishchandra.

Karan Johar shows his support for fellow-industry member, Kamal Haasan

Karan Johar has always made his thoughts known and has on previous account stood up for several members of the Bollywood fraternity. This time around, the Dharma Productions has expressed his thoughts about the controversy surrounding Kamal Haasan’s recent film, Vishwaroopam. “Filmmakers and creative artistes have always been at the receiving end of some people looking for mileage. I stand in complete support of Kamal Haasan because we (film industry) are only interested in putting forth our ideas and stories in an entertaining format, minus any agenda,” said the director-producer.

Karan faced a similar dilemma during the release of his 2010 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, My Name Is Khan. “Looking at what’s happening around Vishwaroopam, I remember the tough times that I faced around the release of My Name Is Khan (2010). But at that time, Shah Rukh (Khan) and I had each other’s support, and that came in as a huge help. Most importantly, when people turned up and showed their support (by watching the movie), it was heartening for all of us,” added Karan.

According to him, celebrities are “soft targets,” given the fact that they have maximum reach and no real power. This makes it easy for people to point fingers at celebrities. Karan has kept a wary eye on social issues and has crafted his films accordingly, keeping himself away from negative news as such. “I am attentive when it comes to choosing my film’s subjects. I am always worried about who I have to fight a court case against if I choose a particular storyline. As an Indian citizen, I should have complete freedom of speech, but instead I think about who is going to drag me to the courts,” said Karan.

Karan Johar ropes in Saqib Saleem, Rani Mukerji and Randeep Hooda for Bombay Talkies

Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Dibakar Banerjee will pay tribute to the 100 years of Hindi cinema with a one-of-a-kind film titled Bombay Talkies. The film is compromised of four short films stitched together, each directed by one of these profound filmmakers. Karan has recently been in the news with the announcement of his cast for Bombay Talkies. For the film, the Dharma Productions chief has roped in actors Saqib Saleem, Rani Mukerji and Randeep Hooda.

Previously, there were rumors of Karan Johar having cast his close friend and superstar Shah Rukh Khan for a part in the short-film. This however wasn’t true. Also, the theme and story of Karan’s short-film hasn’t been revealed and fans expect a lot from this filmmaker who has on previous account wowed the world with his directorial ventures that include Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), My Name Is Khan (2010) and his latest release, Student of the Year (2012).
The film will be Karan Johar’s shortest project. While his previous movies have all been sagas that have run for as long as 200 minutes and above, this 20 minute film is indeed a challenge. “For me, it’s a challenging format. We have 20 minutes to tell a story, which is coherent and connected to the other plots. This can be a challenge for any filmmaker,” says Karan.

Bombay Talkies is expected to hit cinema screens on the 3rd of May to commemorate the day the Father of Indian Cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, released Raja Harishchandra, India’s first motion picture.

"It has not been an easy journey,” says Karan Johar’s protégé, Siddharth Malhotra

Siddharth Malhotra has pretty much grabbed the limelight with his debut in Karan Johar’s fifth directorial venture, Student of the Year. The newcomer made his debut in the film alongside fresh-faces Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. Siddharth’s journey to the big-screen wasn’t a piece of cake however and the young actor did need to overcome a bunch of challenges to finally bag a big-budget dream debut.

Siddharth began his career as a model in Delhi. Here, he walked the runway for several Indian and international designers including Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra and Rohit Bal. He also made appearances for Roberto Cavalli and was featured on the covers of several magazines including RedBook, Men’s Health magazine and Gladrags. Siddharth then moved to Mumbai to audition for a film. The film however failed to take off and Siddharth began working as an assistant director to Karan Johar for the film My Name Is Khan.  "It has not been an easy journey. I started my career with modeling and then worked with Karan as an assistant director. At that time I had never imagined that he will cast me as a lead actor in his movie,” says Siddharth Malhotra.

Picking up on the youngster’s knack for the big-screen, Karan Johar cast him for a role in his film, Student of the Year. The film, a campus romance to be precise, hit cinema screens on the 19th of October and was extremely well-received by audiences, critics and Bollywood bigwigs, giving Siddharth Malhotra and his costars Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt a perfect launch to a long and fulfilling career in B-town.

Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, a coming-of-age campus romance sprinkled with rivalry!

Student of The Year

A campus romances is assured to grab attention and Karan Johar latest directorial venture, Student of the Year, has done just that! The film released on the 19th of October and is Karan Johar’s fifth film. Karan has previously called the shots for films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010). Unlike his previous films, all of which have had star-filled casts, Karan Johar’s Student of the Year includes three newcomers in the lead. For the film, the director roped in model-turned-actor Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan (director David Dhawan’s son) and Alia Bhatt (director Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter), all of who have made their first silver-screen appearance.

In this coming-of-age film, Siddharth Malhotra plays the role of the righteous and independent Abhimanyu Singh. A state-level runner and a brilliant student, Abhimanyu is competitive and a natural leader. Hailing from a Delhi-based middle class family, Abhimanyu seeks to fund his own education and is enrolled at the esteemed St. Theresa’s High School in Dehradun on a scholarship. At the school, Abhimanyu meets Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan), the son of a business tycoon. Arrogant and proud, Rohan locks horns with Abhimanyu. As the movie proceeds, Abhimanyu and Rohan beat all odds to nurture a friendship.

To add to the mix, Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt) steps into the plot. Rohan’s childhood sweetheart and a girl who hates to be put down, Shanaya begins to grab Abhimanyu’s attention. Things take a turn with the announcement of the Student of the Year competition. The film’s three protagonists are faced with competition, envy, triumph, failure, manipulation and heartbreak as each of them then begin competing against each other to win the prestigious title.

Karan Johar’s protégé, Varun Dhawan, rumored to have signed Ekta Kapoor’s next!

Filmmaker Karan Johar and producer Ekta Kapoor have shared a long-standing friendship. The two have recently been in the news after plans for their next film together hit airwaves. Ekta Kapoor has now taken interest in Karan’s protégé Varun Dhawan who made his debut with the Dharma Productions chief’s fifth directorial venture, Student of the Year. Varun made his debut with two more promising newcomers, Siddharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt in the lead. The son of veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, Varun is now on his way to a long and fulfilling career, after a dream launch in Karan’s glamorous campus romance.

As per rumors, Varun Dhawan has been signed by Ekta Kapoor to star in a big-budget south Indian film remake. The producer has spent nearly Rs. 2 crore to purchase the rights to this Telugu film. according to a report in a reputed daily, “Except for Ekta and her core team, no one knows what film this is. Varun has been confirmed for this film, which is apparently Ekta’s most ambitious project till date. It’s going to be a classy romantic comedy. She wants it to be like a modern-day Himmatwala (1983), but the treatment will be plush: on the lines of The Wedding Crashers (2005). The film will go on the floors by mid-year.”

And that’s not all. Ekta Kapoor will also surprise the audiences with her choice of the leading lady and director. Also, director-producer Karan Johar seems to have no qualms when it comes to his mentees signing up with production houses away from home.

Karan Johar wishes Bollywood to change for the better in 2013

karan Johar

The world brought in the New Year with parties, special moments and resolutions. While most of us seek to bring about changes in our respective lives in 2013, director, producer and the head of Dharma Productions, Karan Johar, has decided to keep his life on track, following his older mantras instead of settling for a full-fledged change. The filmmaker has had a successful year at the box office with films produced and directed by him being proclaimed hits.

In 2012, Karan Johar produced the remake of the cult favorite, Agneepath and Shakun Batra’s hit, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Besides these, Karan Johar also directed the blockbuster campus romance, Student of the Year, starring newcomers Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. These films took the box office by storm and have further encouraged the director-producer to roll out more films in the future!

Speaking about his plans for the New Year, Karan articulated, “Personally, I don’t want to change anything about myself. Professionally, my focus will be on expansion with the right content. The collaborations of creative minds will be of paramount importance. I have been trying to do that for some time now, but co-productions and partnerships are the best way for the entire industry to go forward. That’s how I plan to move ahead.”

Karan seeks a change in the Bollywood industry and hopes to bring back the good old days where the way things worked was a mile away from the way B-town functions today. “I want the industry to go back to the working style and fraternityhood (sic) they shared in the ’40s and ’50s,” added Karan Johar.