Aamir's new obsession

Aamir Khan is now in the US along with gymnast Chintu of the Barbarian Health Club, Mumbai, to tone his physique.

The reason? His character Mangal Pandey in Ketan Mehta's 1857 - The Rising requires him to develop perfect muscles.

Amrish in Netaji

Amrish Puri has signed Shyam Benegal's Netaji: The Last Hero. He will play a firebrand Sardarji who assists Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in India's struggle for independence from British rule.

Puri earlier worked with Benegal in Nishant, Manthan, Bhumika and, more recently, in Zubeidaa.

Sachin Khedekar [Astitva] will essay Netaji while Bengali actor Jishu Sengupta will portray the young Bose.

Lime and lemony

Prem Chopra plays an unusual 70 year old who is more virile than his 40-year-old son in Nikhil Mathur's Fresh Lime. Directed by newcomers Hridesh and Anand, Fresh Lime stars Chunky Pandey as Chopra's son.

The film deals with a businessman who fantasises about girls in his office. But his father is one up on him in this regard.

Fresh Lime is expected to hit the screens late July.

Real daddy to reel papa

Yesteryear star Biswajeet is ready with his directorial venture Adarini. The Bengali film stars son Prasanjeet as a rebel and daughter Prima Chattopadhya. Biswajeet plays Prima's reel life father.

In the 1970s, Biswajit directed Raktatilok, starring Uttam Kumar and Supriya Chaudhary. 

Highest paid director?

Tejaa, who commands Rs 9 crores (Rs 90 million) per film, is one of the highest paid directors in the country.

He insists he does not make films for the money. "If I wished I could have made many films. I have directed only four films, starting with Chithram, which was about teenage pregnancy, for Ramaji Rao. It was followed by Family Circus, Nuvvu Nenu and Jayam."

His Bollywood debut, Yeh Dil (a remake of Nuvvu Nenu), starring Tusshar Kapoor and Anita, had a low-key release last week.