"My attitude to my career remains unchanged" - Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai is flooded with offers for films. But her priorities right now are slightly different. She wants to focus on her family duties while
doing very selective work. Says a source very close to her, "Even about Pink Panther she wasn't sure, what with Mrs Teji Bachchan being so
critically ill. Aishwarya didn't want any distraction from her family duties. It was Abhishek who urged her to take up the offer."
Producer Rohan Sippy's film directed by Sriram which is supposed to bring the never-before pair of John Abraham and Aishwarya Rai is
awaiting the leading lady's approval. Though the shooting for the untitled love story has commenced with John, Aishwarya's nod is still awaited.
And the only reason why she hasn't given the green signal is because the director hasn't come up with the script yet.
Says a source close to the project, "Ash has always been very close to the producer Rohan Sippy. After all she met and got to know Abhishek
on the sets of Rohan's Kuch Na Kaho. Since then she and Rohan have always been close. When this project with Sriram Raghavan came up,
Aishwarya's dates were a problem. Rohan flew down to Boston where she was shooting for her Pink Panther movie to convince her. Touched
by Rohan's sincerity she immediately said yes. However, she made it clear that she would like to see the script."
Months have passed but no script. Sriram was busy finishing Johnny Gaddar and then sorting his projects out. Continues the source, "Though
Ash has heard Sriram's idea and loves it, she has always insisted on a script from the start of her career. Remember how years ago Indra
Kumar got pissed off with her because she had asked for a script before saying yes? Ash remains unchanged in her professionalism. Whether
it's a completely professional arrangement with Indra Kumar or a friendly producer like Rohan Sippy, she wants the script."
Pooh poohing stories of how she was distracted and distracting on the sets of Jodhaa Akbar the source says, "If anything Ash is today even
more professional than she used to be before marriage. Ash wouldn't even speak to her husband on the phone while shooting." Sriram's film is
crucial for Ash because after Jodhaa Akbar and Pink Panther this would be the only film she's signing.
Concludes the source, "Some people are suggesting that Aishwarya's dates for Sriram Raghavan's film are a difficulty. Not true. She has
already set aside a large chunk in the first quarter of 2008 for this film. The problem is the script. She's still waiting for it." Aishwarya who's just
back from a wedding in Jaya Bachchan's family in Bhopal remains the same. "My attitude to my career remains unchanged. I remain the same.
It's people around me who imagine I've become a different person. They insist on portraying me the way they perceive me to be in their minds.
And never mind if they're way off the mark.

Health Minister asks SRK, AB to stop smoking

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has appealed to Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan to stop smoking in movies as millions of youngsters emulate them and imbibe the bad habit."I have already made appeals to Shah Rukh Khan," Ramadoss said in Karan Thapar's "Devil's Advocate" programme being aired on a news channel."But I would be happy to do it again and say, 'Please don't smoke in your movies, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan'. I would like to make an appeal to Mr. Shah Rukh Khan and Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and all the other personalities."Fourteen-year-olds are taking to tobacco. India should be very, very concerned about the alarming rise of incidence of tobacco (use) amongst young people," the minister emphasised.Criticising movies with smoking scenes, the minister said: "The movies are most responsible (for encouraging smoking). When I said movies should not have smoking scenes, we have statistics which show that 52 percent of children have their first puff of a cigarette because of movie celebrities."When asked about Shah Rukh smoking during a recent cricket match, Ramadoss said the actor should not have done it.
What was the necessity? See these are celebrities and millions of youngsters look up to these celebrities...I again say to celebrities, in whichever field they are, whether it's movies or sports, not to do these things in public."Responding to a question if Shah Rukh and Amitabh could stop smoking like Tamil superstar Rajnikant, the minister said: "Easily, they could do it. Without a doubt."

Kareena my true love-Saif

Chhote Nawab has finally come out in open and accepted that he is 'extremely and completely committed' to Kareena Kapoor and would like to spend the rest of his life with her.Saif, who has just wound up filming for Kunal Kohli's next in Bangkok, is very confident about his relationship with Kareena."I'm extremely and completely committed. I've found true love and I'd like people to respect that as much as I do," he said.Kareena is known to be volatile and both she and Khan come with a baggage of failed past relationships, but Saif dismissed concerns that could impact his current relationship with Kareena."A lot of people say a lot of things. She's the most wonderful person I know," he says.

Why is Vidya Balan puzzled?

Vidya Balan is basking in the success of Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Pareenita, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Halla Bol. Now, we hear that she has even become film-maker Aziz Mirza’s darling! Ever since they started shooting for Mirza’s Kismet Connection, Mirza, we hear is pampering Vidya to the hilt. “Vidya and Shahid are like my children,” says Mirza. But all this has not gone to Vidya’s head. “I am still perplexed as to what works in Bollywood,” says this practical lass.