Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza, who is in London to start the build-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, came face to face with Salman Khan who was put up at the same hotel.

Salman invited Sania and her family for a private screening of London Dreams, which was held at a West End hotel last evening. Salman's brother Sohail, and his close family and friends also attended the screening and gave thumbs up to the family.

Salman has been hosted in London by Studio 18 for media engagements to promote his latest Vipul Shah-directed film.

In real life, if you feel your colleague is far more superior to you in intelligence, talent, charisma, efficiency, chances are you might feel the heat. Jealousy, generally, stems from there. In the process, the best of relations get strained. London Dreams, directed by Vipul Shah, talks of two musicians, thick pals actually, and how jealousy drives a wedge in their friendship.

Let's clear a few myths before discussing the positive and negative factors of this film. London Dreams is not Baiju Bawra. London Dreams is not Rock On!!, Abhimaan, Yaarana or Saajan either [a section of the industry wants us to believe that]. The truth is, London Dreams borrows from Milos Forman's brilliant film Amadeus [1984], which was based on Salieri and Mozart's life. In fact, Suneel Darshan too had made a film based on Amadeus called Shakalaka Boom Boom [2007; Bobby Deol, Upen Patel].

London Dreams is a complete departure from Vipul Shah's earlier outings, Aankhen, Waqt Namastey London and Singh is Kinng [produced by Vipul, directed by Anees Bazmee]. This film is about relationships and tends to get very real and intense, in the post-interval portions specifically. The scale of London Dreams is gigantic and the execution of concerts [it's about a band] sweeps you off your feet.

In terms of execution, it wouldn't be erroneous to state that London Dreams is amongst Vipul Shah's most accomplished works to date. Also, it boasts of incredible performances by Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. But there are hiccups too and it's these deficiencies that bog the film down!

They were childhood friends. But they had little in common except their family's connection with music. While Arjun's [Ajay Devgn] life was consumed by a passionate drive to get on stage and realize his grandfather's unfulfilled dream, Mannu [Salman Khan] was content with remaining a child at heart with no higher ambition than enjoying the good things in life.

As Arjun forges a band with Zoheb [Rannvijay Singh], Wasim [Aditya Roy Kapur] and Priya [Asin], a music enthusiast from a conservative South Indian family, far away in Punjab, music becomes a survival tool for Mannu, who takes to playing in wedding bands in his village.

Arjun gets Mannu to London and makes him a part of the band, but soon realizes he's created the biggest threat and obstacle to his own ambitions.

Mannu, with his inherent musical gift, becomes an instant darling of the crowds. Arjun's unbearable pangs of jealously and insecurity only worsen when Mannu also unwittingly woos and wins his secret love, Priya. As he battles his inner demons, Arjun slowly devises a sinister plan to destroy his best friend.

It takes time to get into Ajay's world [its Ajay who's narrating the story here]. The film moves back and forth and it's only when the two buddies, now adults, meet that you realize where the story is headed. The first hour depicts the two extreme characters - Ajay, who's an introvert and who cannot think of anything but his goal and Salman, a happy-go-lucky guy, laidback and fun-loving, least focused.

The narrative has some interesting moments in the first hour, but the actual story unravels only towards the second half. The first half, frankly, only sets things up for the explosive drama that is to follow. The wheels start moving when Ajay plays a vicious game and hatches a conspiracy to ruin his buddy's career.

It's the second hour that does the trick. You can't help but carry several sequences in your heart, even after you've made an exit from the auditorium...

* Note the scene when Salman makes four different tunes from the original tune created by Ajay.

* Note the scene when Ajay meets an inebriated Salman and professes revenge, while Salman is completely clueless about Ajay's sinister plans.

* Note the scene when the band arrives in London after a 3-city concert and they're received by aggressive mediapersons.

But there're roadblocks too. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a downer. London Dreams is about a rock band, about music, about concerts and the music had to be the soul of the film. Unfortunately, it's not! The songs have been filmed in the most energetic fashion, but how one wishes its music was one of the strengths of the film.

Also, the film could've concluded when the two friends re-unite at the station. Adding one more song thereafter only dilutes the impact of the emotionally correct sequence that has just been witnessed. Besides, the song in question hasn't been promoted either, so it only comes across as an aberration.

Prior to that, Ajay's outburst at the end of the concert is far from convincing. The film has a real feel, real characters and real situations, but the outburst looks unreal and is one of the drawbacks, from the writing point of view. It's just not convincing!

Besides, Ajay's childhood character is shown fleeing from the airport and making it big in a foreign land [London], without any support whatsoever. It's unpalatable! Vipul Shah has handled this intricate subject well, but the writing could've been tighter. Sejal Shah's cinematography is super. Brownie points for capturing the concerts brilliantly. Salim-Sulaiman's background score matches international standards.

Both Salman and Ajay vie for top honours. Salman has a role that the junta would take to instantly and the actor too endears himself to the viewers. He's stupendous. When it comes to displaying intensity on screen, very few can live up to the standards set by Ajay. To state that he packs in a power-packed performance would be an understatement. They, in fact, compliment each other wonderfully well.

Asin is admirable and pairs off very well with Salman. She is sure to have a new name after this film - Chennai Express [that's how Salman addresses her affectionately, all through the film]. Om Puri has a brief role. Aditya Roy Kapur is very good and registers an impact. Rannvijay Singh doesn't get much to do, except throw nasty looks at Salman. Manoj Pahwa provides some funny moments. Brinda Parekh is okay.

On the whole, London Dreams has superb performances from its principal cast and several emotionally-charged sequences as its two trump cards. But its biggest drawback is its climax and also the music, which is the weakest link of the movie. At the box-office, the film should appeal more to the multiplex audience than the masses. Business at big centres, especially at metros, should be better, but mini-metros and towns will be a contrast.

Vipul Shah is least perturbed about the downright pathetic box-office response that Main Aurr Mrs Khanna has generated. Though there have been murmurs once again around the box office pull of Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan (considering the fact that his latest film couldn't even garner a face saving initial), Vipul Shah comes up with a strong reasoning in defense of his leading man from London Dreams.

"Audiences have smartened up today and they know what they would get to see in the film. In case of Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, they could sense from the very beginning that Salman was only in an extended special appearance. Now they all want to see him in a full fledged role and this is why they made beelines for Wanted that has enjoyed such a terrific run ever since it's release. They want their stars to have the movie rest on their shoulders and when a movie gives them anything lesser, they look for other options", argues Vipul who is quick to confirm that Salman is the hero of the film, just like Ajay Devgn, and has a full fledged role in London Dreams.

Another example that he shares is that of Billu where Irrfan Khan was the central protagonist instead of Shahrukh Khan.

"Salman fans had all the right reasons to believe that Main Aurr Mrs Khanna was akin to Billu as far as the screen space given to their favourite hero was concerned", says Vipul, "Otherwise how else can one explain the fate of Billu which didn't open well in spite of Shahrukh having a song and dance routine with as many as four gorgeous actresses? The movie had such brilliant music but still it failed to bring in audiences."

"This is the reason why I am not at all worried about London Dreams since from day one, the right perception has been created for audiences that Salman is a key protagonist in the film", says Vipul, "He is one man who can get audiences if they smell from distance that what is he going to give them. I hope that the right messaging has gone to the audiences already."

Tired, bored and impatient with traditional ways of promoting films Vipul Shah has thought up a novel method of taking London Dreams to the audience.

Vipul is in the middle of arranging two open-air rock concerts at two venues Mumbai and Delhi this week, most probably on 27 and 28 October. The concerts will feature Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Asin Thottumkal in concert with musicians Shankar Ehsaan Loy.

The stars will perform in front of thousands of fans amidst the highest and most foolproof security arrangement.

Says Vipul, “We don’t want any security lapses. Our stars will be completely safe on stage. They will be performing not only to the songs from London Dreams. We’re also looking at staging some of Salman and Ajay’s biggest hits.”

Bollywood stars have never gone on stage to perform at live rock concerts.

Vipul corrects that perception, “Recently a similar thing happened with Rock On when the entire cast performed live. Many years ago Mukul Anand got Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon and Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan on stage for the promotion of Dus. So these London Dreams concerts will be déjà vu for Salman.”

The stars have already started preparing for the two live concerts. While performing live for Salman is not a new experience Ajay suffers from stage fright and has never done concert tours. He is making a special effort to face the roaring crowds in Mumbai and Delhi next week. Ajay has been getting used to crowds and feels he can do it.

Revealing plans for the twin explosions in the two metropolises Vipul Shah says, “It will be a huge event in both the cities. I am still to finalize the venues because we expect a turn-out of at least 3-4000 people. It would be no-ticket free-entry affair, so you can call it priceless experiences.”

Vipul scoffs at tradition ways of promoting his film. “In how many ways will Ajay and Salman be asked the same thing? Salman is invariably asked about Katrina and Shahrukh Khan instead of the film. So I see no point in the traditional media interactions. Besides, both the actors have done enough media in the last two months for their other films. Since London Dreams is about on-stage experiences the rock concerts seemed like a good idea.”

After the concerts in Mumbai and Delhi, Vipul intends to stage similar live performances in the other metropolises.

The advance booking for the much-hyped film London Dreams in single screen theatre starts today. However, the advance booking in multiplexes will open only on Wednesday.

The success of Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan's Wanted in the single screen theatres seems to have made the makers of London Dreams to bank on it again. It is said that Salman would sell tickets of the film at Delite theatre from 11.30 am onwards.

London Dreams directed by Vipul Shah features Salman, Ajay Devgn and Asin Thottumkal in the lead roles. It is set for release this Friday, 30th October.

Brinda Parekh may be one of the hottest girls around but when it came to starring opposite Salman Khan the sizzling babe was nervous. Salman is known to have a huge fan following among the fairer sex and Brinda herself was one. She said that when she was offered the role she was on Cloud Nine as she would get to act opposite her favourite star.

Brinda who makes her Bollywood debut in London Dreams added that for weeks this was the topic of discussion among her friends.

Brinda who has done a few movies down south revealed about a particular scene where she was required to kiss Salman. She said that she was so nervous that she could see her hands shivering but Salman calmed her down and she finished with the shot.

She also disclosed that Salman has a very soft supple skin just like children. Well, now we know why Salman has a so much of following even among Bollywood ladies!

Asin says she’s had great fun shooting for ‘London Dreams’. She calls it a one of a kind experience.

There were numerous pranks, rambling tongue twisters, mugging up of one liners and so on…

She says she has learnt some interesting new things and Salman and especially Ajay Devgan made it even more interesting.

She’s said, “Ajay used to come up with some funny one-liners and tongue twisters which I got to learn from him. It’s one of my best shooting experiences. But I am not in a position to judge but yes as costars I feel they all are fabulous to work with. Both are very different actors and different people.”

Ajay actually seems to have impressed the Southern dame quite a bit.

She said, Her dream was to work with Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan, She done in her 2 film in London Dreams. When she came to know from the Director of London Dreams her costar is Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan she was very happy to do that film.

She’s added, “Everyone knows that Salman is very chilled out but for Ajay, I thought he is a very serious and reserved person. But he is a complete surprise package. He is a complete entertainment channel on the sets. Ajay is a prankster and I wasn’t aware of that. He actually tried playing a prank on me but it didn’t work so Ajay now has to think of something tougher.”

After coping up with somber Aamir Khan and his perfectionist ways, this sure would like a vacation for Asin. Not bad at all.

In a unique first-of-its-kind endeavour, Studio18, the overseas distributors of Vipul Shah’s keenly awaited London Dreams, will bring the stellar cast of the magnum opus face-to-face with the US media by way of a real time video conference.

Being held between Mumbai and New York, the conference will see Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan and Asin, along with supporting stars Rannvijay Singh and Aditya Roy Kapoor and producer-director Vipul A. Shah interact with media from Network 18’s Mumbai studio where a stunning set, based on the theme of the film, has been erected. In New York, the conference will take place at the NYVC in mid-town Manhattan at 12.30pm EST.

As the conference is being videocast, media from Canada and outside the New York area would also be able to login and engage with the stars.

Bollywood actress Asin Thottumkal has said that she is far away from vulgarity. Asin who will star in her second Bollywood movie London Dreams said that she chooses her roles carefully and she wouldn't do something which is vulgar or indecent. She added that she would never do something baseless and something she wasn't comfortable with.

The Southern beauty who had struck gold with her debut movie Ghajini staring opposite Aamir Khan said that script, role, director, producer and then co-artist were her criteria behind choosing a movie and language or financial issues never bothered her. The 23-year-old actress will be seen starring alongside Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan in London Dreams.

Expect the unexpected from Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan. Kolkatans are going to have a whale of a time with Wanted actor very soon. He is going to celebrate the success of Wanted in Kolkata on 23rd October. But surprisingly, he is coming with Asin Thottumkal and not Ayesha Takia, the heroine of Wanted.

The company that is marketing Wanted and London Dreams, decided to bring Salman to the city because the football match, which was supposed to take place at the Mohammedan Sporting Club on September 26, was cancelled due to security reasons. The whole team of Wanted had to leave the playgrounds, after 40,000 fans went berserk.

Salman is coming along with his London Dreams co-star Asin and the crowd is expected to touch 90,000. He will be dressed in tune with his character in London Dreams and perform along with dancers during the two-hour show. Ajay Devgn is also expected to turn up.

It's Kolkata dreams for the team of London Dreams.

While the world waits with bated breath to find out the winner of the popular title of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs (on Zee TV), the team of London Dreams, going the whole hog on the film's marketing, is gearing up to make it an event to remember!

Salman Khan, Asin and director Vipul Shah will be present at the grand finale on Saturday 24th October to bless the contestants. The much talked about show will see its entertaining culmination in a larger than life LIVE telecast from the historic India Gate in Delhi. Not only will two of the stars of London Dreams interact with the contestants but are likely to perform impromptu to their hit track Mann Ko Ati Bhaave from the same film.

Commenting on the association, Vipul Shah stated, "Sa Re Ga Ma Little Champs is an immensely popular show and showcases rare talent. What can be a better opportunity for the kids to meet Salman Khan. Salman is very excited at the prospect of being on the show and having fun and interacting with his fans and audience! Watch out for some great action from the team at the grand finale!"

After keeping silent for a while, South Indian beauty Asin Thottumkal has surfaced again with her second Hindi film London Dreams getting ready for release on 30th October. This time, she speaks on her relationship with actor Salman Khan.

Asin said that she shares a professional relationship with Salman. She clarified that it's a very friendly professional relationship and not a robotic one. She went on to say that they are very comfortable with each other and would promote for the film together.

But what about her alleged affair with him? She said that it's a complete rumours. She added that the news of her tiff with him is also not true.

Ardent Bollywood buffs who've seen the promos of the Man Ko Ati Bhave number from London Dreams are delighted at Salman Khan's tribute to Dharmendra. Khan, in his adorably mad style, does the age-old veteran's dance moves whilst wooing Asin. The track was shot in cold Paris against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower.

Confirming that Salman's moves were consciously modelled on the lines of Dharmendra's, choreographer Rajeev Surti said, "When we were discussing the choreography, Salman Bhai suggested that we incorporate Dharamji’s famous moves! He is a big Dharmendra fan and felt that the steps would go really well with the fun feel of the song. He managed to ape Dharam ji's moves perfectly and added his own unique flavour to them!"

Incidentally, when the number was being shot, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had just won the six month presidency of the EU, and to celebrate, the Eiffel Tower was lit up in the blue and gold of the European flag. "We were lucky to grab that rare sight," added director Vipul A. Shah.

Not many will be aware that filmmaker Raj Kumar Santoshi was about to manage the formidable coup of getting Aamir Khan & Shah Rukh Khan together on the big screen together for the first time in London Dreams. At that point, it was to be titled Rashque ('jealousy' in Urdu), which is the film's underlying sentiment. The two stars are said to have even attended joint narrations.

Both the actors loved the script and wanted to sleep over it before committing themselves. Santoshi is rumoured to have pursued the two superstars relentlessly and even chased alternatives like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, before giving up when the casting did not fructify.

As destiny would have it, Salman Khan took London Dreams to filmmaker Vipul A. Shah, who started afresh on the script. The former automatically stepped into Aamir's shoes while Ajay Devgn was roped in by Shah to step into Shah Rukh's. It became another historic coup of sorts as the two stars reunited ten years after featuring together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's smash hit, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

London Dreams releases worldwide on October 30 and is being marketed and distributed internationally by Studio 18.

Asin Thottumkal was told horror stories about Salman Khan when she signed 'London Dreams' opposite him. But all the misgivings were sorted out once she started shooting with him, Asin says and stresses that all negative stories about the superstar are "cooked up".

"Really, it was all so strange because even before reporting for the film's shoot, there was this particular notion being built in my mind around Salman."

"See, we all know about Aamir Khan being so disciplined. So once I signed 'London Dreams' with Salman, various kinds of stories started coming my way. People commented that 'Aah, you have worked with Aamir; now see what it is to be with Salman'," Asin told us.

But the actress didn't face any problems throughout the making of 'London Dreams'.

"It is nothing less than a case study of its own. I can slice and dice a dozen-odd instances when it was proved time and again that Salman was nothing like he was being made out to be."

"I have absolutely no clue how negative stories about him keep emerging out of nowhere. As I look at them today, I believe these are all someone's cooked up imaginations," said Asin.

Other than the fact that Salman contributed to the scheduled completion of the film, he too didn't allow his personal problems to come in the way of 'London Dreams'.

"Let me begin with the misconception of Salman being not punctual. Our first schedule took place abroad and it was wrapped up many days in advance. This means that it was a disciplined shoot and everyone including Salman was punctual. There was absolutely no tardiness on his part and he was always on time," she said.

She also narrated the incident when Salman's dog died.

"Everyone knows that Salman is so close to his dog. Even when his dog died, he didn't call to cancel the shoot for that day. Instead, he turned up for the shoot in Karjat. It would have been even more difficult since he had to shoot for a happy and rejoicing song," Asin said.

Even in front of the camera, she didn't face any issues working with Salman. Just like Aamir, Salman too just went ahead with his part and didn't interfere in the way Asin wanted to approach her scenes.

"Whether it was Aamir in 'Ghajini' or Salman in 'London Dreams', I didn't have to make any changes to adapt to their working style. They made me feel really comfortable. I was free to do things the way I wanted to because Aamir is very chilled out and he goes about his own job without interfering.

"Same is true with Salman. He doesn't come to you and tell you how you should be approaching your character. That is why it was so cool working in 'London Dreams'. I am still surprised at why people have negative things to say about Salman," Asin said.

Releasing Oct 30, 'London Dreams' is about a band comprising Salman, Ajay Devgan, Asin, Rannvijay Singh and Adithya Roy Kapoor. Asin plays the role of a dancer in the film.

Both Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan have their individual movie releases in the coming weeks but Vipul Shah’s magnum opus London Dreams will see the two stars reuniting on the big screen after a decade.

Last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s smash hit Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999, Ajay and Salman never got cast together till London Dreams, in which they play music aficionados in a London-based rock band.

Clarifies Vipul, “I never cast them because I wanted to repeat the Hum Dil… magic. In fact it didn’t even occur to me that the two hadn’t been together in a film since. I wanted Ajay for his intensity and Salman for his madness and after I cast them someone pointed out the casting coup of sorts! In fact, not many know that Salman and Ajay are great friends in real life and have immense respect for each other. They aren’t very overt about it but they share amazing vibes and that will be visible on screen in London Dreams.”

Ajay bagged Aishwarya Rai in Hum Dil…, let’s see who gets lucky with Asin in London Dreams.

Same time last year, Vipul Shah with his entire cast and crew was busy filming a song from his yet another ambitious film, London Dreams. Jimmy jibs operators, steadicam operator, the choreographer having a word with Vipul, Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan in their shady tents trying to escape the unusually surprising London heat on a busy Sunday London Bridge location. Then I spot her. She looked a loner. I dream about London and her. Me and her walking hand in hand besides the quiet waters of the river Thames.

Here's the thing: She is clad in stretchy skin-tight black from neck to ankle, wearing shoes that blend the architectural with the glossy and ephemeral. Her legs are coyly folded underneath her body. Her long hair is tightly pulled back from her face, which is expertly made up to conquer tiredness and appear fresh. Her skin glows with success. There is no hint of any dubious celebrity tightening or enhancing around the eyes, nose, ears and mouth. Her figure implies that a certain amount of almost surreal attention has been paid to maintaining that body. She ain't the celebrity defined by cliched magazine covers, glamorous videos and spiteful internet gossip. She is as real as it gets after your wishful dream comes true. It's just that mine didn't. This correspondent gets dreamy about Asin Thottumkal in London, and maybe that's the reason she got a comfortable seat all to herself.

Then I hear someone say, "Excuse me dreamer". But here's a dream come true all the way from the receiver end of the telephone...Asin dreams about London, her filming days, her shopping spree, her food habits and hopes her second dream comes true - she hopes it's her second blockbuster hit after Ghajini. All the way from London, here's Asin, my dream girl!

Vipul Shah likes to play a lot with cultures, emotions, sentiments. Is London Dreams any different?
No. London Dreams isn't different from any other Vipul Shah film except that it's a musically inclined film. Yes, you're right. Vipul likes to play with emotions and I wanted myself to get into a project, a film, which is like that and kind of different from Ghajini. I wanted to do a commercial Bollywood film and London Dreams is much bigger in scale than my previous outing.

The first theatrical promo of London Dreams reminded a lot of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam where both Ajay and Salman acted together.
(laughs) There is a parallel there now. There is a lot of drama and emotions like the film you've just mentioned and the theatrical promo reveals that too. I don't think one will be thinking of a Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam when you see London Dreams, except for the fact that both Ajay and Salman are again together. People should take Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam out of their minds and go and watch our film.

Ajay is a prankster, we all know that and Salman not far behind. How many times did they pull your leg?
Seriously, never. Yes, they were trying to make a plan for a prank on me and also tried to work it out in London while we were filming. It just happened once. On the sets it’s always a fun filled atmosphere when you're working with pranksters like Ajay and Salman. I'm sure both had to think of something even more devious to try and make a 'bakra' out of me. I did wish them luck for a better next time but nothing happened.

Is London Dreams an out and out musical journey? Last year same time, Rock On created quite a stir in the industry too.
Even though the premise of the film is related to music, concerts and performances, I basically don't think it moves in the similar path as Rock On did. I want people to go and see London Dreams and figure out themselves whether they find any similarity between Rock On and London Dreams.

Second film and already worked with the three big and best actors of our industry - Aamir, Salman and Ajay. How mature and experienced have you got today?
I think I mature with every shot that I give and every film that I complete. Working with actors who've got so much experience behind them is a boon. You don't consciously think about it but in your subconsciousness, you do think about it. I really come with a clean mind and do not come with a certain image of every different people I'm going to be working with, whether be it media created or public perception. I'd like to get into a person from my own personal experience. I never felt intimidated with either Aamir, Ajay or Salman because when you're working with seniors like them, it is they who create a good atmosphere and they did just that. They never had starry ego problems or a star power syndrome.

Did you ever dream of going to London to shoot a film?
It wasn't my dream to shoot in London but the shoot in London did become a dream. For sure, this has been the best shooting experience of my life, whether the film is a hit or not. I do cherish my moments of working in this beautiful city. Most of the film was shot in London. There was never an instance where each actor would retire to their respective vanity vans and stay there till the next shot was ready. We all used to hang out together, we would talk about our experiences throughout our lives, all the films that we've done, have stories to share, jokes to crack and pull each others leg. The fact that all of it happened in London makes it even more special.

I've never given a compliment like what I'm going to give to any actor. This one goes to you - You're the only actor I've seen on-screen who looks so damn beautiful when you cry.
Oh! (laughs). Wow! That is quite a compliment I must say. Thank you so much and let me grab this compliment before anyone else does (laughs). I am not a very conscious actor as in terms of look or probably as much as my contemporaries are. I am not the one who constantly gives a shot and checks the monitor. I let the director 'ok' my shot. It's nice to hear from your director when he says that you look good in the shot. But it's equally nice to hear that I look beautiful when I cry from critics like you.

What about your shopping spree and junk food experiences of London?
(laughs) Eating experience and that too junk food was not much because I had to keep an eye on whatever I was eating because I had to work towards the look of Priya, the character I'm playing in London Dreams. Not only me, but everybody on the sets were food conscious, Ajay and Salman included. Both had to look into their fitness regime quite a lot as they were working towards building their bodies. Ajay had to work out extra as he had to remove his shirt too. Everybody was into diet food. The only thing we consumed quite a lot was coffee as it was quite freezing while we were shooting. As far as shopping is concerned, it's a very put-together look for Priya. Me and Ashley Rebello, the stylist for our film went out shopping when we got free time from the sets. Forget the branded stores, we shopped from the streets too. I will not say that I did not shop from the branded ones. So here it is - Harrods, Topshop, Selfridges, etc. We did shopping not for me, but to create the look for Priya.

The name London is really lucky for Vipul. His last outing Namastey London was a huge success worldwide. The time has come to be second time lucky?
I hope so because and I pray, because it's not just the second time for Vipul, it's my second film too. So we both hope our dreams to come true (laughs). The film has shaped up quite well and I completely trust Vipul when it comes to understanding the Indians in London and the whole scenario out there. He taps into a lot like the way people live in London, their relationships, their dreams, etc.

This sure must be your dream come true - to shoot a film in the world famous Wembley Stadium.
Yes it was. Oh my God! I haven't been a part of any live concerts at Wembley Stadium but it was a dream come true. We did shoot for a day in Wembley however, the major rock concert in the film was shot in Mumbai by building the sets. But the scenes leading to the song and after that were shot in Wembley. I am a music person, yes. I would love to be a part of live concerts. Although Priya is an exaggerated version of certain traits of my personalities. She has got these two aspects to her personality. One, she is very conservative, traditional girl who is born to a conservative South Indian family. She wants to see herself in the field of music and dance. At home she is traditional but when she steps out, she becomes a rock chic when she joins this band called 'London Dreams'. I have a similar passion which is in Priya.

After working with Aamir Khan in her Bollywood debut 'Ghajini', southern beauty Asin will now be seen with Salman Khan in 'London Dreams'. She says while the two superstars are very similar as people, their working styles are poles apart.

"As people, there are a lot of similarities between Aamir and Salman. Both are extremely warm, very friendly and down to earth. Not at all pretentious,"

"As actors their working styles are quite different. Like for example when Aamir used to come on the sets to shoot, he used to sit with the cast and crew and used to discuss the scene, give his ideas and his inputs; he used to be quite involved," the 23-year-old said.

"On the other hand, Salman used to come on the sets, shoot for the scene and leave. There used to be no give and take of ideas; so it used to seem very spontaneous. However, I am sure in his mind he must be knowing exactly what he has to do and how he has to do it," she added.

The actress, who was brought up in Kerala and debuted in Sathyan Anthikad's Malayalam film 'Narendran Makan Jayakanthan Vaka' in 2001, created a mark in the Hindi film industry with 'Ghajini' in 2008.

She is ready with her second Bollywood venture 'London Dreams' that stars Ajay Devgan along with Salman.

Asked if she was nervous being in the same frame as two such experienced actors, Asin said she neither felt nervous nor intimidated.

October 2009 would go down in the history of Bollywood cinema as the month when maximum number of stars had more than one film of theirs releasing in a single month.

As of now, there are 10 films which are confirmed for October release. DO KNOT DISTURB and WAKE UP SID clash with each other on 2nd October. ACID FACTORY sees its release on 9th October with film 3 NIGHTS 4 DAYS. 16th October is the biggest ever week of this year with BLUE, ALL THE BEST and MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA getting into a battle royale. There is some peace in store on 23rd October with no film slated to arrive. However, there is another BIG clash in the offering on 30th October with ALADIN coming face-to-face with LONDON DREAMS.

Now let’s have a look at the how some of the most prominent cast members would be seeing multiple releases in weeks to come. Beginning with Riteish Deshmukh, he is one of the leading protagonists in DO KNOT DISTURB which would begin the month for him. However, he would also end the month with his title role portrayal of ALADIN. Truly, a huge month for him since he would be having a major release of his after more than a year.

Sohail Khan is also seen in a small role in DO KNOT DISTURB though he would be the second lead in his home production MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA. On the other hand for Lara Dutta, this would be the biggest month of her career ever since she debuted with ANDAAZ since she would be the centre of attraction as ‘Bebo’ in ‘DO KNOT DISTURB. A couple of weeks down the line, she would be painting the town red with BLUE as the sole leading lady.

Coming to ACID FACTORY, this ensemble film features quite a few actors sharing screen space. For Fardeen Khan, the film is special for more than two reasons. Not just it brings him back with his EK KHILADI EK HASEENA director Suparn Verma, it also features him as a macho star. It would be quite some image turnaround for him though in week to follow since ALL THE BEST would see him putting his comic hat on. After NO ENTRY, it would be interesting to see how he performs in a slapstick outing.

Things would intensify on 16th October when Sanjay Dutt would have a double bill in the form of BLUE and ALL THE BEST. Enjoying the best of both worlds, he would be mixing action with comedy between both the films. That’s not all as a fortnight down the line, he would be seen as a lovable villain a.k.a. ‘The Ringmaster’ in Sujoy Ghosh directed ALADIN. In this regard, he would be the only leading actor in 2009, who would be seen in three major films as a principal protagonist in a single month.

Ajay Devgan too won’t be having a breather for the most part of October. While he is going all out to promote his home production ALL THE BEST which also features him as a leading man, he would also be seen in LONDON DREAMS where he would be working in a Vipul Shah film for the first time. The film also features Salman Khan who is already riding high on the success of WANTED. However, before the arrival of this musical, Khan would be featuring in a musical romantic drama MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA this Diwali.

In nutshell, this is how the current scenario looks this October:

Salman Khan- MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA and LONDON DREAMS

Sanjay Dutt- BLUE, ALL THE BEST and ALADIN

Ajay Devgan- ALL THE BEST and LONDON DREAMS

Riteish Deshmukh- DO KNOT DISTURB and ALADIN

Lara Dutta- DO KNOT DISTURB and BLUE

Fardeen Khan- ACID FACTORY and ALL THE BEST

Sohail Khan- DO KNOT DISTURB and MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA

Take your pick!

Vipul Shah's London Dreams is surely turning out to be one of his most challenging films for him. First there is the Salman spree of 3 back-to-back releases to be dealt with. Now, Vipul Shah has another biggie dropping into the same space on Friday as his London Dreams.

As of now Vipul has stopped all Salman-centric publicity for London Dreams.

The Salman season has begun full-swing. After the whopping Wanted, it is Salman's home production Main Aurr Mrs Khanna on October 16, followed by Vipul Shah's London Dreams on October 30.

Is this a case of Salman overkill? Vipul doesn't think so. But he has put a halt to all publicity involving Salman for London Dreams until Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is released on October 16.

"There's no point in a publicity overlap. I don't want audiences to be confused or annoyed by repeated and overlapping images of Salman's films. Fortunately for me, both Wanted and Main Aurr Mrs Khanna are very different from my film, and from one another. However, it's finally the same Salman. So, I'd rather not waste his publicity dates or my efforts to get the film noticed."

All publicity involving Salman in London Dreams has come to a halt. And Vipul is looking at a new strategy to promote his film. "I'm waiting and observing the way Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is being promoted. My challenge is to now present Salman differently from the way he was presented for Wanted and Main Aurr Mrs Khanna."

One of the ideas is to host a round of rock concerts in selected cities featuring Salman, Ajay Devgn and Asin since the film is about a music band.

But at the moment Vipul is tightlipped on this. "It's never wise to reveal your strategy. You never know who might decide to use it before you do."

Another problem has crept up on London Dreams from the back. Sujoy Ghosh's fantasy Aladin has been pre-poned from 13 November to 30 October.

"I had gone ahead and planned an October 30 release with the producers' guild's assurance that there would be no other release. But now suddenly Aladin has been pre-poned to the same Friday as London Dreams. I hope neither of the films suffer," Vipul has his fingers crossed.