“The name of my character is not ‘Sita’. I am playing a woman who has similarities with the Sita of ‘Ramayana’, ” the actress told reporters at the press conference of her new Hollywood flick ‘Pink Panther 2′ here.

Aishwarya, however, refused to give further details about “Ravana”.

“I can’t give any details about ‘Ravana’ at the moment. You will have to wait and watch. All I can say that it is an intense film set in today’s time and Mani has given a totally new perspective to the art of storytelling, ” she said.

Asked if she is paired opposite Abhishek, Aishwarya said they never played a conventional couple on-screen.

“We have never been paired opposite each other in the conventional way, apart from the film ‘Kuchh Naa Kaho’. Be it ‘Dhoom 2′ or ‘Sarkar Raj’, it’s not the conventional man-wife pairing. Even in ‘Guru’, the film revolves around Abhishek. So, by the time ‘Ravana’ happened, we have become used to this, ” she said.

“But, director Abhinay Deol has decided to cast us in his new film. Hopefully, the audience will see us romancing on screen there, ” she added.

Aishwarya said it is always a pleasure to act with Abhishek.

“It’s always a pleasant experience working with actors like Abhishek. I am not saying it just because I am his wife, but the fact remains that he is one of the nicest co-actors I have seen so far, ” she said.

Talking about “Pink Panther 2″, which has released in India Friday, Aishwarya said the film is a “joyride”.

“Anyone who is familiar with English films and ‘Pink Panther’ will know what I mean when I say the film is a joy ride. Although I have a small role in the film, I said ‘yes’ only because I wanted to work with institutions like Steve Martin.

“Besides, I have highest regard for comedy because it is the most difficult emotion to portray on screen. ‘Pink Panther 2′ is an easy comedy and every one can watch it with family, ” she said.

The actress has been shooting for “Ravana” here since Feb 17. Abhishek is expected to join her soon. The shooting will continue till mid-March.

Rating: *

Certain themes worked in the ’70s and ’80s. But they seem completely out of place in today’s times. You can’t connect with them, plain and simple. That’s the issue with Kisse Pyaar Karoon.

Kisse Pyaar Karoon? uses every rule in the book to entertain the viewer. It borrows heavily from all masala films that one has watched and admired over the years. To give the credit where it’s due, a few scenes are indeed funny. But it comes too late in the day. Ideally, it should’ve released a couple of years ago.

Sid (Arshad Warsi), John (Aashish Chowdhry) and Amit (Yash Tonk) are thick friends. Everything is going fine till Sheetal (Udita Goswami) enters the scene. She plans to usurp the wealth of John. She entices him and John falls for her.

Realising that Sid and Amit could thwart her plans, she creates problems and hurdles in their friendship. Sid and Amit realize her game and plan to throw a spanner. They decide to drill sense in John, but John is in no mood to listen. He’s completely smitten by Sheetal. Sid and Amit embark on a plan to save John from Sheetal.

Director Ajay Chandhok displays a flair for comic entertainers, but there’s not much he can really do since the writing (Yunus Sajawal) is archaic and outdated.

The same formula has been repeated so many times in the past, you don’t react to it any longer. Despite the shortcomings, Chandhok has the potential to strike the right note if he gets the right script. Daboo Malik’s music is pleasant. The title track and ‘Bechain Saansein’ come easy on the lips.

Arshad Warsi, Aashish Chowdhry and Yash Tonk play to the gallery. We don’t expect histrionics in a film like this. Instead, we look for buffoonery and that’s what they end up doing.

Udita Goswami makes her presence felt, while Aarti Chhabria is hardly there. Shweta Menon entertains when she’s on screen. Shakti Kapoor and Ashish Vidyarthi are wasted.

On the whole, Kisse Pyaar Karoon? comes too late in the day. Perhaps, this masala film may’ve struck a chord a few years ago, not today.

Rating: *

There’s a thin line that divides unconventional and experimental cinema. Siddharth – The Prisoner, directed by debutante Pryas Gupta, has an unconventional plotline, but what comes across is quite abstract. In fact, a film like Siddharth – The Prisoner is more suited for film festivals, not mainstream commercial platform.

Also, Pryas’s prayaas sounds interesting on paper, but is not even part interesting on celluloid.

Just released from prison, Siddharth (Rajat Kapoor), a once-famous writer, completes a new manuscript. He re-engages with the outside world, hoping that the new book will restore his reputation and reconcile him with his estranged wife Maya.

However, fate has other plans for Roy when his briefcase gets exchanged at a cyber café with a similar briefcase containing a large sum of money. Roy loses the only copy of his manuscript, while Mohan (Sachin Nayak), the cyber cafe manager, comes under pressure from his boss (Praddip Sagar) to recover the lost money.

Director Pryas Gupta devotes the entire first hour in introducing the handful of characters in the film. Ideally, a thriller — this one had the potential to be a riveting fare — should unfold at a feverish pace, but the story unfolds at a lethargic pace and worse, there’s not much movement in the story in the first hour. In fact, the first hour is too boring.

But the plot does move post intermission, more so towards the pre-climax when everyone starts double crossing the other. Sadly, the end ruins just about everything. What was Pryas wanting to say, lacks clarity. There may’ve been a message, but it doesn’t come across at all.

Besides, the screenplay leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The film begins with Rajat being released from prison, but the reasons that resulted in this celebrated writer being put behind bars remains a mystery till the end. Ditto for the failed relationship that she shares with his wife. Half-baked tracks. Also, Rajat’s about-turn in the penultimate moments looks weird.

The direction is below the mark, while the writing is bad. Ditto for the editing.

Rajat Kapoor doesn’t get much lines to deliver. Nor is he given an opportunity to display histrionics. He’s strictly okay. Sachin Nayak enacts his part convincingly. Praddip Sagar has his moments. Pradip Kabra is bland.

On the whole, Siddharth – The Prisoner is too abstract for Indian moviegoers. A disastrous fate awaits this film at the box-office.

Rating: *

There’s a thin line that divides unconventional and experimental cinema. Siddharth – The Prisoner, directed by debutante Pryas Gupta, has an unconventional plotline, but what comes across is quite abstract. In fact, a film like Siddharth – The Prisoner is more suited for film festivals, not mainstream commercial platform.

Also, Pryas’s prayaas sounds interesting on paper, but is not even part interesting on celluloid.

Just released from prison, Siddharth (Rajat Kapoor), a once-famous writer, completes a new manuscript. He re-engages with the outside world, hoping that the new book will restore his reputation and reconcile him with his estranged wife Maya.

However, fate has other plans for Roy when his briefcase gets exchanged at a cyber café with a similar briefcase containing a large sum of money. Roy loses the only copy of his manuscript, while Mohan (Sachin Nayak), the cyber cafe manager, comes under pressure from his boss (Praddip Sagar) to recover the lost money.

Director Pryas Gupta devotes the entire first hour in introducing the handful of characters in the film. Ideally, a thriller — this one had the potential to be a riveting fare — should unfold at a feverish pace, but the story unfolds at a lethargic pace and worse, there’s not much movement in the story in the first hour. In fact, the first hour is too boring.

But the plot does move post intermission, more so towards the pre-climax when everyone starts double crossing the other. Sadly, the end ruins just about everything. What was Pryas wanting to say, lacks clarity. There may’ve been a message, but it doesn’t come across at all.

Besides, the screenplay leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The film begins with Rajat being released from prison, but the reasons that resulted in this celebrated writer being put behind bars remains a mystery till the end. Ditto for the failed relationship that she shares with his wife. Half-baked tracks. Also, Rajat’s about-turn in the penultimate moments looks weird.

The direction is below the mark, while the writing is bad. Ditto for the editing.

Rajat Kapoor doesn’t get much lines to deliver. Nor is he given an opportunity to display histrionics. He’s strictly okay. Sachin Nayak enacts his part convincingly. Praddip Sagar has his moments. Pradip Kabra is bland.

On the whole, Siddharth – The Prisoner is too abstract for Indian moviegoers. A disastrous fate awaits this film at the box-office.

“Rujuta has changed my perception towards diets and dieting. She has taught me to eat well, eat right and eat regularly. I started working with her around the time I started work on Tashan. The results are for all to see.

My size zero became a topic of national interest. The media asked me if it was diet or exercise. It was a combination of both; 70% diet and 30% exercise-training and yoga, ” writes Kareena in her foreword.

“Rujuta understands my work and lifestyle and has given me a diet totally customised to my needs. My diet on work days is different from my diet on shoot days. It even on varies on shoot days, like it is different if I have to dance or perform. The meal is planned according to my level of activity.”

“In Mumbai, my breakfast is muesli and milk or a chillah or parathas; no chai or coffee. While shooting for Tashan in Ladakh. I ate fresh fruit for breakfast and thukpas and momos for my other meals. I had pudina tea without milk.

On the last day, I was allowed pizza as well. In Kerala, I had idlis and appams. In Italy it was risotto and pasta with gorgonzola; half portions though, not full.”

“I make sure I eat every two hours. My evening snack or meal is soy milk or a sandwich. Rujuta focuses on nutrition, not calories. Amazingly, she likes to keep the nutritional value of what you eat, as compared to the calories consumed, high.

I have learnt what she means when she says, “be smart about food” and still enjoy what you eat. Now thanks to this book, you can (learn) too and I am sure you will find it good enough to eat, ” signs off the svelte and gorgeous superstar.

Rujuta Diwekar’s book Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight is presently selling like hot cakes and is available at bookstores.