Actress Monica Bedi finds herself in the spotlight. The reason -- her alleged connection with underworld don Abu Salem.

Leading UAE newspapers have said that the starlet was present when Salem was detained at a hotel in Sharjah. In Bombay, A police official said that the actress had been under observation since the kidnapping of Milton Plastics' Managing Director by Salem's men last year.

It is also believed that Salem was responsible for Bedi's role in director Rajiv Rai's most recent release Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat. It may be recalled that Salem had earlier made an attempt on Rai's life in 1997.

Hrithik and Abhishek in Santoshi's next

Rajkumar Santoshi is ready to roll with Rakshak. The film based on the life of freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh has Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead.

In fact, Hrithik was so impressed with the script that he called Abhishek and requested him to essay the role of Chandrashekhar Azad.

Rahul Bose to star in director Dattani's debut

Bangalore-based playwright Mahesh Dattani is busy with upcoming directorial venture -- a screen adaptation of his play A Muggy Night in Mumbai.

Dattani is tight lipped about his project but we hear that the cast will include Rahul Bose.

Chandni Bar banned

The critically acclaimed Chandni Bar has been banned in Qatar and Kuwait. It is believed that the censor boards of these countries objected to the film because they were of the opinion that the sex, incest and homosexuality portrayed in the film were unfit for public viewing.

These states had earlier also banned J P Dutta's Border and the Sunny Deol starrer Gadar, because they felt that the subjects were anti-Muslim.

Compiled By: Vivek Fernandes
Design: Imran Shaikh