Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher says he is special even in the world of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and superstar Aamir Khan. “I am special even in the world of Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan because none worked with Robert De Niro except me. I am special not because of achievements, not because of awards. “I am special as I consider it is very important to recognise what is special,” Kher said on the theme ‘Bringing out the best in you’ at the INFOCOM 2015, the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) summit here last night. Kher worked with Hollywood superstsar De Niro in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ in 2012. The 60-year-old actor said his achievement lies in the fact that he addressed a gathering of senior IT officials and leaders, when he himself was poor in academics in school. Retracing his childhood days, Kher said, “I was born in a poor family. My father was a clerk in forest department in Shimla who used to earn Rs 90 per month and lived happily in a joint family. “I was very bad in studies. Once I got 38 per cent marks. But now I am standing on stage and addressing you who are much more educated. Why? Because I chose to interpret power of myself. All of us need to do that. We need to trust ourselves,” he said.

In his over an hour address, where he touched a whole range of common man’s issues, Kher also dwelt on the need to spread positivity and rued how breaking news meant only incidents of rape, shootings, corruption and scandal. “There is a breaking news in every 15 minutes and you are made to think you are living in a dangerous world,” he said adding “I don’t think of negative things.” “Our country is going through a good phase but there is a section of people, who don’t want that. But this is not the platform to talk on that,” he said. Kher, who is essaying Indian captain M S Dhoni’s father Pan Singh in the biopic ‘M S Dhoni: The Untold Story’, recalled the encounter with senior Dhoni during Ranchi shoot a week back. The actor said he is planning to build an orphanage, like the ones abroad, in two-three years time.

Apart from loopholes in screen play, story selection and many other flaws of the movie, Akkinenis scion Akhil’s ‘Akhil’ was bombed at the box office due to Akhil being compared with very big stars of Tollywood. In fact, Akhil can have all rights to be compared with any big star of Tollywood but which is to be done with the experience of two to three blockbusters at the ticket windows. However, without proving his mettle, Akhil was compared with many top stars of Tollywood.

It seems Akhil still prefers to be compared and competed with the number one stars given his latest moves of doing stage performances of spectacular film events and contemplating on working for more mass entertainers. Some of the observers, however, feel that the ultimate goal of any hero is to become a number one hero such that he obviously sets the goals to outsmart big stars in various means. “As such, Akhil has not done anything wrong with his decisions,” they opined.

Tollywood Producers Council has taken a sensational but controversial decision which mostly has its effect adversely on big films. As per the decision of the Producers Council, a filmmaker should stick to his decision of releasing the movie on its scheduled release date. If at all the producer decides to postpone the release date, it must be postponed for four weeks. As we know, several big films such as ‘Baahubali’, ‘Srimanthudu’, ‘Rudhramadevi’ and ‘Akhil’ have got their release dates postponed numerous times. If the Producers Council’s resolution comes into force, big films will be affected badly while the small budget films get advantage.

Heart wrenching decision of the Producers Council is paining big filmmakers. Since big films face pre release issues and financial settlements to the greater quarters, it is a common practice their films to be postponed from their scheduled release dates. On the other hand, some of the producers are predicting that this new rule might not exist for a long time. Earlier, Producers Council took decisions like cost cutting, restrictions on publicity and remunerations to artists. But all of their decisions misfired then. It then remains to be seen how well the new rule is implemented by the filmmakers.

Seriously this total batch is said to be considering individually conducting some special poojas and other offerings to correct their dented luck. Once upon a time, they have all stunned Tollywood with their hit films. And somehow or the other, these people fought within their group and ended up loners. Since then, their successes haven’t spoke rousingly.

Sreenu Vaitla, Kona Venkat, Prakash Raj and Gopimohan are the members of this batch we are talking about.First of all, Sreenu Vaitla has a fallout with Kona and Gopi, and delivered a dud like Aagadu. Later Bruce Lee too hasn’t worked out despite any patch ups and creative solutions found.

Next comes Prakash Raj, who didn’t score any big hits after his fallout with Vaitla during Aagadu shooting. Movies like Temper, S/o Satyamurthy (negligible role), Rudramadevi, Cheekati Rajyam and Size Zero featured him in good roles, but none emerged as commercial success barring a couple that just crossed the border.

Coming to Kona Venkat, except his tall claims no film is sounding new and unique and became King of Routine stuff. With Shankarabaranam, no doubt his glory took a strong beating. Failures of Bruce Lee and Akhil, though he disowned, have affected his image.

Gopi Mohan is not finding any solo hits though he’s supporting films of various family-based camps. Also, he’s struggling to become a director since breaking up with Vaitla. Hope these talented guys will somehow bid farewell to bad phase and hit purple patch soon.

Ram Gopal Varma doesn’t care much about the competition to release his movies. Despite being aware of market dynamics he pitches his movies against big budget movies all the time. His latest film Killing Veerappan is all set to release on December 11, just a day after Ravi Teja’s Bengal Tiger strikes the screens. Ram Gopal Varma’s Anukshanam was released exactly a day after Ravi Teja’s Power was released and we have seen the fate of Anukshanam that couldn’t stand against Mass Maharaja’s Power.

He is once again messing with a Ravi Teja’s film that is surely going to dominate the box office during next weekend. RGV’s recent track record is pretty bad that ticket paying public is not showing any interest in his movies. Killing Veerappan promos were promising and the subject has the potential to pull curious crowds. All that this film needs is a good release date to make an impact but RGV is releasing it against Bengal Tiger, which is not a great idea according to the trade.

Milky beauty Tamanna has worked with romantic lad Naga Chaitanya in two movies. Their chemistry in Tadakha and that vibe in 100% Love obviously gives a feeling that the two actors share wonderful bonding off the screen too.

Did they really? During a TV show, a person from audience asked milky siren Tamanna, “What would she do if she’s locked in a no-man island with Naga Chaitanya for a day?”- Pat comes the reply from her, “That would be like two boring persons on the earth”. And she explained why so. “I’ve invited Chaitanya many times for a lunch. He hasn’t come out at least once.

Even during shootings, I asked him to have lunch along with me. But he uses that hour for sleep and never gives it to me as a lunch date”, said Tamanna, blushing and laughing.

Probably Chaitu would have given at least one lunch date to Tamanna. Or should we say he’s avoiding all these glamorous girl because his dream-girl would get hurt?

Bollywood circles are right now debating about one interesting happening. They are wondering why Katrina Kaif has posed so seductive and steaming hot for GQ Magazine’s latest edition. Is there any reason behind this? Ever since Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif started seeing each other, there is a talk that he’s controlling her in terms of getting glamorous for screen or photo shoots.

After laying all these rules for her, his camaraderie with ex-GF Deepika Padukone in “Tamasha” is very hard hitting. After looking at those passionate kisses, posing and else, Katrina decided to give a taste of her medicine to not just Ranbir but also to Bollywood on a whole.

As she posed in tempting lingerie and in most provoking poses, Ranbir would have been counting stars already while Bollywood is in deep shock. They term this as Girl Friend’s sweet revenge on her beau. We have to see what Ranbir will say!!